Subconscious visual cues during movement execution allow correct online choice reactions.

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Christian Leukel

Full Text Available Part of the sensory information is processed by our central nervous system without conscious perception. Subconscious processing has been shown to be capable of triggering motor reactions. In the present study, we asked the question whether visual information, which is not consciously perceived, could influence decision-making in a choice reaction task. Ten healthy subjects (28 ± 5 years executed two different experimental protocols. In the Motor reaction protocol, a visual target cue was shown on a computer screen. Depending on the displayed cue, subjects had to either complete a reaching movement (go-condition or had to abort the movement (stop-condition. The cue was presented with different display durations (20-160 ms. In the second Verbalization protocol, subjects verbalized what they experienced on the screen. Again, the cue was presented with different display durations. This second protocol tested for conscious perception of the visual cue. The results of this study show that subjects achieved significantly more correct responses in the Motor reaction protocol than in the Verbalization protocol. This difference was only observed at the very short display durations of the visual cue. Since correct responses in the Verbalization protocol required conscious perception of the visual information, our findings imply that the subjects performed correct motor responses to visual cues, which they were not conscious about. It is therefore concluded that humans may reach decisions based on subconscious visual information in a choice reaction task.

Correlations between reaction product yields as a tool for probing heavy-ion reaction scenarios

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gawlikowicz, W.; Agnihotri, D. K.; Baldwin, S. A.; Schroeder, W. U.; Toke, J.; Charity, R. J.; Sarantites, D. G.; Sobotka, L. G.; Souza, R. T. de; Barczyk, T.; Grotowski, K.; Micek, S.; Planeta, R.; Sosin, Z.

2010-01-01

Experimental multidimensional joint distributions of neutrons and charged reaction products were analyzed for 136 Xe + 209 Bi reactions at E/A=28, 40, and 62 MeV and were found to exhibit several different types of prominent correlation patterns. Some of these correlations have a simple explanation in terms of the system excitation energy and pose little challenge to most statistical decay theories. However, several other types of correlation patterns are difficult to reconcile with some, but not other, possible reaction scenarios. In this respect, correlations between the average atomic numbers of intermediate-mass fragments, on the one hand, and light particle multiplicities, on the other, are notable. This kind of multiparticle correlation provides a useful tool for probing reaction scenarios, which is different from the traditional approach of interpreting inclusive yields of individual reaction products.

Subconscious visual cues during movement execution allow correct online choice reactions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Leukel, Christian; Lundbye-Jensen, Jesper; Christensen, Mark Schram

2012-01-01

Part of the sensory information is processed by our central nervous system without conscious perception. Subconscious processing has been shown to be capable of triggering motor reactions. In the present study, we asked the question whether visual information, which is not consciously perceived......, could influence decision-making in a choice reaction task. Ten healthy subjects (28±5 years) executed two different experimental protocols. In the Motor reaction protocol, a visual target cue was shown on a computer screen. Depending on the displayed cue, subjects had to either complete a reaching....... This second protocol tested for conscious perception of the visual cue. The results of this study show that subjects achieved significantly more correct responses in the Motor reaction protocol than in the Verbalization protocol. This difference was only observed at the very short display durations...

Choice reaction time in patients with post-operative cognitive dysfunction

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Steinmetz, J.; Rasmussen, L.S.

2008-01-01

BACKGROUND: Post-operative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is detected by administration of a neuropsychological test battery. Reaction time testing is at present not included as a standard test. Choice reaction time (CRT) data from the first International Study of Post-operative Cognitive Dysfunction...... in nine countries. CRT was measured 52 times using the four boxes test. Patients performed the test before surgery (n=1083), at 1 week (n=926) and at 3 months (n=852) post-operatively. CRT for the individual patient was determined as the median time of correct responses. The usefulness of the CRT...... had a significantly longer CRT. ROC curves revealed that a reaction time of 813 ms was the most appropriate cut-off at 1 week and 762 ms at 3 months but the positive predictive value for POCD was low: 34.4% and 14.7%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Post-operative cognitive dysfunction is associated...

One hand or the other? Effector selection biases in right and left handers.

Science.gov (United States)

Main, Julie C; Carey, David P

2014-11-01

Much debate in the handedness literature has centred on the relative merits of questionnaire-based measures assessing hand preference versus simple movement tasks such as peg moving or finger tapping, assessing hand performance. A third paradigm has grown in popularity, which assesses choices by participants when either hand could be used to execute movements. These newer measures may be useful in predicting possible "reversed" asymmetries in proportions of non-right handed ("adextral") people. In the current studies we examine hand choice in large samples of dextral (right handed) and adextral participants. Unlike in some previous experiments on choice, we found that left handers were as biased towards their dominant hand as were right handers, for grasping during a puzzle-making task (study 1). In a second study, participants had to point to either of two suddenly appearing targets with one hand or the other. In study 2, left handers were not significantly less one handed than their right-handed counterparts as in study 1. In a final study, we used random effects meta analysis to summarise the possible differences in hand choice between left handers and right handers across all hand choice studies published to date. The meta analysis suggests that right handers use their dominant hand 12.5% more than left handers favour their dominant hand (with 95% confidence that the real difference lies between 7% and 18%). These last results suggest that our two experiments reported here may represent statistical Type 2 errors. This mean difference may be related to greater left hemispheric language and praxic laterality in right handers. Nevertheless, more data are needed regarding the precise proportions of left and right handers who favour their preferred hands for different tasks. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Role of hand dominance in mapping preferences for emotional-valence words to keypress responses.

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Song, Xiaolei; Chen, Jing; Proctor, Robert W

2017-10-01

When a crossed-hands placement (right hand presses left key; left hand presses right key) is used in a two-choice spatial reaction task, the mapping of left stimulus to left key and right stimulus to right key yields faster responses than the opposite mapping. In contrast, de la Vega, Dudschig, De Filippis, Lachmair, and Kaup (2013) reported that when right-handed individuals classified words as having positive or negative affect, there was a benefit for mapping positive affect to the right hand (left key) and negative affect to the left hand (right key). The goal of the present study was to replicate and extend this seemingly distinct finding. Experiment 1 duplicated the design of that study without including nonword "no-go" trials but including a condition in which participants performed with an uncrossed hand placement. Results corroborated the benefit for mapping positive to the right hand and negative to the left hand with the hands crossed, and this benefit was as large as that obtained with the hands uncrossed. Experiment 2 confirmed the importance of the dominant/subordinate hand distinction with left-handed participants, and Experiment 3 showed, with right-handed participants, that it does not depend on which limb is placed over the other. The results verify that the mapping advantage for positive→right/negative→left is indeed due to the distinction between dominant and subordinate hands. Possible reasons for the difference between these results and those obtained with spatial-location stimuli are considered. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Choice blindness in financial decision making

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Owen McLaughlin

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Choice Blindness is an experimental paradigm that examines the interplay between individuals' preferences, decisions, and expectations by manipulating the relationship between intention and choice. This paper expands upon the existing Choice Blindness framework by investigating the presence of the effect in an economically significant decision context, specifically that of pension choice. In addition, it investigates a number of secondary factors hypothesized to modulate Choice Blindness, including reaction time, risk preference, and decision complexity, as well as analysing the verbal reports of non-detecting participants. The experiment was administered to 100 participants of mixed age and educational attainment. The principal finding was that no more than 37.2% of manipulated trials were detected over all conditions, a result consistent with previous Choice Blindness research. Analysis of secondary factors found that reaction time, financial sophistication and decision complexity were significant predictors of Choice Blindness detection, while content analysis of non-detecting participant responses found that 20% implied significant preference changes and 62% adhered to initial preferences. Implications of the Choice Blindness effect in the context of behavioural economics are discussed, and an agenda for further investigation of the paradigm in this context is outlined.

Discrepancy between Snack Choice Intentions and Behavior

Science.gov (United States)

Weijzen, Pascalle L. G.; de Graaf, Cees; Dijksterhuis, Garmt B.

2008-01-01

Objective: To investigate dietary constructs that affect the discrepancy between intentioned and actual snack choice. Design: Participants indicated their intentioned snack choice from a set of 4 snacks (2 healthful, 2 unhealthful). One week later, they actually chose a snack from the same set. Within 1 week after the actual choice, they completed…

Hand infections: a retrospective analysis

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Tolga Türker

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Purpose. Hand infections are common, usually resulting from an untreated injury. In this retrospective study, we report on hand infection cases needing surgical drainage in order to assess patient demographics, causation of infection, clinical course, and clinical management.Methods. Medical records of patients presenting with hand infections, excluding post-surgical infections, treated with incision and debridement over a one-year period were reviewed. Patient demographics; past medical history; infection site(s and causation; intervals between onset of infection, hospital admission, surgical intervention and days of hospitalization; gram stains and cultures; choice of antibiotics; complications; and outcomes were reviewed.Results. Most infections were caused by laceration and the most common site of infection was the palm or dorsum of the hand. Mean length of hospitalization was 6 days. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, beta-hemolytic Streptococcus and methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus were the most commonly cultured microorganisms. Cephalosporins, clindamycin, amoxicillin/clavulanate, penicillin, vancomycin, and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole were major antibiotic choices. Amputations and contracture were the primary complications.Conclusions. Surgery along with medical management were key to treatment and most soft tissue infections resolved without further complications. With prompt and appropriate care, most hand infection patients can achieve full resolution of their infection.

Manual Choice Reaction Times in the Rate-Domain

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Chris eHarris

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Over the last 150 years, human manual reaction times (RTs have been recorded countless times. Yet, our understanding of them remains remarkably poor. RTs are highly variable with positively skewed frequency distributions, often modelled as an inverse Gaussian distribution reflecting a stochastic rise to threshold (diffusion process. However, latency distribution of saccades are very close to the reciprocal Normal, suggesting that ‘rate’ (reciprocal RT may be the more fundamental variable. We explored whether this phenomenon extends to choice manual RTs. We recorded two-alternative choice RTs from 24 subjects, each with 4 blocks of 200 trials with two task difficulties (easy vs. difficult discrimination and two instruction sets (urgent vs. accurate. We found that rate distributions were, indeed, very close to Normal, shifting to lower rates with increasing difficulty and accuracy, and for some blocks subjects they appeared to become left-truncated, but still close to Normal. Using autoregressive techniques, we found temporal sequential dependencies for lags of at least 3. We identified a transient and steady-state component in each block. Because rates were Normal, we were able to estimate autoregressive weights using the Box-Jenkins technique, and convert to a moving average model using z-transforms to show explicit dependence on stimulus input. We also found a spatial sequential dependence for the previous 3 lags depending on whether the laterality of previous trials was repeated or alternated. This was partially dissociated from temporal dependency as it only occurred in the easy tasks. We conclude that 2-alternative choice manual RT distributions are close to reciprocal Normal and not the inverse Gaussian. This is not consistent with stochastic rise to threshold models, and we propose a simple optimality model in which reward is maximized to yield to an optimal rate, and hence an optimal time to respond. We discuss how it might be

Assessment of pedophilic sexual interest with an attentional choice reaction time task.

Science.gov (United States)

Mokros, Andreas; Dombert, Beate; Osterheider, Michael; Zappalà, Angelo; Santtila, Pekka

2010-10-01

Choice-reaction time (CRT) is an experimental information-processing paradigm. Based on an interference effect in visual attention, the CRT method has been shown to be suitable for measuring sexual orientation in men and women. The present study assessed the potential of the CRT to identify deviant (i.e., pedophilic) sexual interest. Participants were patients from forensic-psychiatric hospitals: 21 child molesters and 21 non-sex offenders. The dependent variable was reaction time in an ostensible seek-and-locate task (i.e., identifying the position of a dot superimposed on a picture of a person). There was an interaction effect between stimulus age category and participant group status: Child molesters took longer to respond to pictures of children relative to pictures of adults. Non-sex offenders showed an opposite pattern (i.e., longer reaction times with pictures of adults than with pictures of children). In addition, the data supported the notion of sexual content induced delay: Subjects took longer for the task with nude stimuli than with clothed ones. A subtractive preference index, derived from the reaction times for child and adult stimulus material, allowed distinguishing participants from both groups almost perfectly (ROC-AUC = .998). We conclude that a match of sexual interest with properties of visual stimuli led to a cognitive interference effect: Attentional resources were drawn from the ostensible task of locating the dot towards exploring the picture. This opens up the possibility of using this interference effect (i.e., the delay of response times) for diagnostic purposes.

Individual differences in choice (in)flexibility but not impulsivity in the common marmoset: an automated, operant-behavior choice task.

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Adriani, Walter; Romani, Chiara; Manciocco, Arianna; Vitale, Augusto; Laviola, Giovanni

2013-11-01

Individual differences in behavioural flexibility are a significant issue in human psychopathology as well as in its animal models. We aimed to investigate individual variations of operant-choice behaviour in the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus), a small New World primate, using a new operant panel with two hand-poking holes. Experimental subjects (N=16) were presented with a choice between a Small & Soon (SS) vs a Large & Late (LL) food reward. After extensive training (31 daily sessions with no delay, during which a basal, large-reward preference developed), the delay before release of LL was progressively increased (from 0 to 60 s, during 16 daily sessions; indifferent point at delay=9 s). Subjects were classified as either "flexible" or "non-flexible", respectively, based on a decrease (or not) in the preference for LL with increasing delays. Each subject was also classified as "maximizer" (or "non-maximizer") based on capacity (or not) to maximize the food payoff as delay increased. Upon delays shorter than the indifferent point (9 s), when a preference shift could be interpreted as economically-driven. In general, a profile of few unrewarded hand-pokes in reaction to initial delays (i.e., a low motor impulsivity) and of clear-cut basal LL preference seemed to predict elevated flexibility of choices and better food payoff, which was typical of subjects classified as both "flexible & maximizer". These results provide normative data on the marmosets, which can be used as a model for the investigation of 1) individual differences in behavioural flexibility, as well as 2) biological mechanisms rooted in our evolutionary history. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Study of reactions between uranium-plutonium mixed oxide and uranium nitride and between uranium oxide and uranium nitride; Etude des reactions entre l`oxyde mixte d`uranium-plutonium et le nitrure d`uranium et entre l`oxyde d`uranium et le nitrure d`uranium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lecraz, C

1993-06-11

A new type of combustible elements which is a mixture of uranium nitride and uranium-plutonium oxide could be used for Quick Neutrons Reactors. Three different studies have been made on the one hand on the reactions between uranium nitride (UN) and uranium-plutonium mixed oxide (U,Pu)O{sub 2}, on the other hand on these between UN and uranium oxide UO{sub 2}. They show a sizeable reaction between nitride and oxide for the studied temperatures range (1573 K to 1973 K). This reaction forms a oxynitride compound, MO{sub x} N{sub y} with M=U or M=(U,Pu), whose crystalline structure is similar to oxide`s. Solubility of nitride in both oxides is studied, as the reaction kinetics. (TEC). 32 refs., 48 figs., 22 tabs.

The Effects of Repeated Testing, Simulated Malingering, and Traumatic Brain Injury on Visual Choice Reaction Time

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David L Woods

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Choice reaction time (CRT, the time required to discriminate and respond appropriately to different stimuli, is a basic measure of attention and processing speed. Here, we describe the reliability and clinical sensitivity of a new CRT test that presents lateralized visual stimuli and adaptively adjusts stimulus onset asynchronies (SOAs using a staircase procedure. Experiment 1 investigated the test-retest reliability in three test sessions at weekly intervals. Performance in the first test session was accurately predicted from age and computer-use regression functions obtained in a previously studied normative cohort. Central processing time (CentPT, the difference between the CRTs and simple reaction time latencies measured in a separate experiment, accounted for 55% of CRT latency and more than 50% of CRT latency variance. Performance improved significantly across the three test sessions. High intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs were seen for CRTs (0.90, CentPTs (0.87, and an omnibus performance measure (0.81 that combined CRT and minimal SOA (mSOA z-scores. Experiment 2 investigated performance in the same participants when instructed to feign symptoms of traumatic brain injury (TBI: 87% produced abnormal omnibus z-scores. Simulated malingerers showed greater elevations in simple than choice reaction times, and hence reduced CentPTs. Latency-consistency z-scores, based on the difference between the CRTs obtained and those predicted from CentPT latencies, discriminated malingering participants from controls with high sensitivity and specificity. Experiment 3 investigated CRT test performance in military veterans who had suffered combat-related TBI and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and revealed small but significant deficits in performance. The results indicate that the new CRT test shows high test-retest reliability, can assist in detecting participants performing with suboptimal effort, and is sensitive to the effects of

The relationship between impulsive choice and impulsive action: a cross-species translational study.

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Nienke Broos

Full Text Available Maladaptive impulsivity is a core symptom in various psychiatric disorders. However, there is only limited evidence available on whether different measures of impulsivity represent largely unrelated aspects or a unitary construct. In a cross-species translational study, thirty rats were trained in impulsive choice (delayed reward task and impulsive action (five-choice serial reaction time task paradigms. The correlation between those measures was assessed during baseline performance and after pharmacological manipulations with the psychostimulant amphetamine and the norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor atomoxetine. In parallel, to validate the animal data, 101 human subjects performed analogous measures of impulsive choice (delay discounting task, DDT and impulsive action (immediate and delayed memory task, IMT/DMT. Moreover, all subjects completed the Stop Signal Task (SST, as an additional measure of impulsive action and filled out the Barratt impulsiveness scale (BIS-11. Correlations between DDT and IMT/DMT were determined and a principal component analysis was performed on all human measures of impulsivity. In both rats and humans measures of impulsive choice and impulsive action did not correlate. In rats the within-subject pharmacological effects of amphetamine and atomoxetine did not correlate between tasks, suggesting distinct underlying neural correlates. Furthermore, in humans, principal component analysis identified three independent factors: (1 self-reported impulsivity (BIS-11; (2 impulsive action (IMT/DMT and SST; (3 impulsive choice (DDT. This is the first study directly comparing aspects of impulsivity using a cross-species translational approach. The present data reveal the non-unitary nature of impulsivity on a behavioral and pharmacological level. Collectively, this warrants a stronger focus on the relative contribution of distinct forms of impulsivity in psychopathology.

Inconsistency in serial choice decision and motor reaction times dissociate in younger and older adults

OpenAIRE

Bunce, D; MacDonald, SWS; Hultsch, DF

2004-01-01

Intraindividual variability (inconsistency) in reaction time (RT) latencies was investigated in a group of younger (M = 25.46 years) and older (M = 69.29 years) men. Both groups performed 300 trials in 2-, 4-, and 8-choice RT conditions where RTs for decision and motor components of the task were recorded separately. A dissociation was evident in that inconsistency was greater in older adults for decision RTs when task demands relating to the number of choices and fatigue arising from time-on...

Functional relationship between dominant and non-dominant hand in motor task - hand grip strength endurance

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Kljajić Dragana

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to determine the functional relationship between dominant and non-dominant hand in the strength endurance motor task - hand grip, in the referent population of healthy and young persons. For the purpose of the research we have implemented the method of isometric dynamometry and standardized hand grip test. The study included 48 participants, 23 of them being of female and 25 of male gender. The analysis of variance (ANOVA was used to determine the difference between the sets of variables in the function of gender and functional dimorphism, while the Bonferroni criterion was applied to determine the differences between pairs of individual variables. The difference between the maximum hand grip of dominant and non-dominant hand in female participants amounted to 9.28%, and in male ones 7.39% in favor of the dominant hand. There is no statistically significant difference between nondominant and dominant hand regarding the force endurance time aspect at 30%, 50% and 80% out of the maximum hand grip level, as well as at the absolute and relative force impulse indicators as an endurance measure. The value of gender dimorphism in relation to the absolute indicators of force momentum at 30%, 50% and 80% out of the maximum hand grip level in female participants is 0.9714, 0.9145, 0.9301, and in male participants 0.9515, 0.8264 and 0.8606. The force momentum indicators value at 30%, 50% and 80% out of the maximum hand grip level in female participants is ImpF30%=21167.58±6923.67 Ns, ImpF50%=10846.94±3800.56 Ns and ImpF80%=5438.46±1993.12 Ns, and in male participants ImpF30%=17734.03±6881.92 Ns, ImpF50%=13903.61±3437.76 Ns and ImpF80%=5117.53±1894.78 Ns. The obtained results can be used as the criteria for further research in special education and rehabilitation, medical and professional rehabilitation.

[Delayed reactions of active avoidance in white rats under conditions of an alternative choice].

Science.gov (United States)

Ioseliani, T K; Sikharulidze, N I; Kadagishvili, A Ia; Mitashvili, E G

1995-01-01

It was shown that if the rats had been learned and then tested using conventional pain punishment of erroneous choice they were able to solve the problem of alternative choice only in the period of immediate action of conditioned stimuli. If the pain punishment for erroneously chosen compartment had not been applied in animal learning and testing, rats successfully solved the problem of alternative choice even after 5-second delay. Introduction of pain punishment led to the frustration of earlier elaborated delayed avoidance reactions. Analysis of the obtained results allows us to argue that the apparent incapability of white rats for solving the problems of delayed avoidance is caused by simultaneous action of two different mechanisms, i.e., those of the active and passive avoidance rather than short-term memory deficit.

On the criterion for the optimum choice of a compound nucleus reaction for producing superheavy elements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aroumougame, R.; Gupta, R.K.

1979-01-01

The possible reaction partners of a cool compound nucleus reaction for the synthesis of the elements Z = 104, 106 and 108 are studied in terms of the potential energy surfaces, interaction barriers and the nuclear shapes calculated within the frame work of the Fragmentation theory based on two centre shell model. An estimate of the total reaction cross-section suggests that for larger fusion probabilities, the mass and charge asymmetries are the only essential criterion for the optimum choice of a cooler compound nuclear reaction. Larger the mass and charge asymmetries, larger is the fusion cross-section. (auth.)

The Choice between Rights-Preserving Issue Methods: Regulatory and Financial Aspects of Issuing Seasoned Equity in the UK

OpenAIRE

Korteweg, A.G.; Renneboog, L.D.R.

2002-01-01

This paper examines the choice between two rights-preserving issue methods of seasoned equity offers in the UK as well as the factors determining the offer price and stock market announcement reactions.Firstly, equity issues in the UK are underwritten for different reasons than in other countries.Only severely financially distressed companies choose not to underwrite their share offer. Second, the average announcement reaction to non-underwritten issues is much more negative than to underwrit...

Affective biasing of choices in gambling task decision making.

Science.gov (United States)

Hinson, John M; Whitney, Paul; Holben, Heather; Wirick, Aaron K

2006-09-01

The proponents of the somatic marker hypothesis presume that rational decision making is guided by emotional reactions that are developed from prior experience. Supporting evidence for the hypothesis comes almost exclusively from the short-term affective reactions that are learned during the course of a hypothetical decision-making task--the gambling task (GT). We examined GT performance and affective reactions to choices when those choices were biased by words that had preexisting affective value. In one experiment, affectively valued words directly signaled good and bad choices. A congruent relation between affective value of word and choice outcome improved GT performance, whereas an incongruent relation greatly interfered with performance. In another experiment, affectively valued words were maintained as a working memory (WM) load between GT choices. A WM load with affectively positive words somewhat improved GT performance, whereas affectively negative words interfered with performance. Somatic markers-indicated by differential anticipatory skin conductance response (SCR) amplitude for good and bad choices-appeared at a point in the GT session when choice performance was superior. However, differential SCR developed during the session after good choice performance was already established. These results indicate that preexisting affective biases can influence GT decision making. In addition, the somatic markers that are regular accompaniments of GT decision making appeared to be temporally lagging indicators of choice performance.

Discrepancy between snack choice intentions and behavior

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Weijzen, P.L.G.; Graaf, de C.; Dijksterhuis, G.B.

2008-01-01

Objective To investigate dietary constructs that affect the discrepancy between intentioned and actual snack choice. Design Participants indicated their intentioned snack choice from a set of 4 snacks (2 healthful, 2 unhealthful). One week later, they actually chose a snack from the same set. Within

The Choice between Rights-Preserving Issue Methods : Regulatory and Financial Aspects of Issuing Seasoned Equity in the UK

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Korteweg, A.G.; Renneboog, L.D.R.

2002-01-01

This paper examines the choice between two rights-preserving issue methods of seasoned equity offers in the UK as well as the factors determining the offer price and stock market announcement reactions.Firstly, equity issues in the UK are underwritten for different reasons than in other

Effect of Foreperiod Duration and Handedness on Simple and Choice Auditory Reaction Time Among the Older People

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Somaye Rezaeimanesh

2017-03-01

Conclusion Since cognitive processing occurs slower in the elderly, it is recommended that foreperiods with very short durations be avoided when preparing elders for different motor skills. In addition, the dominance of the right hemisphere, which contains higher numbers of neurons, among the left-handed might lead them to possess lower reaction times compared with right-handed individuals.

Associations between lifestyle factors and hand eczema severity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Jennifer A; Fisker, Maja H; Agner, Tove

2017-01-01

no significant association was found for body weight and stress. Other factors linked to severe eczema were male sex and older age (p = 0.04 and p = 0.01, respectively), and wet work (p = 0.08). CONCLUSION: The data from the present study strongly support an association between smoking and hand eczema severity......BACKGROUND: It has been suggested that lifestyle factors such as smoking, being overweight and stress may influence the prevalence and severity of hand eczema. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the association between lifestyle factors and hand eczema severity in a cohort of patients with work...

Intraindividual Stepping Reaction Time Variability Predicts Falls in Older Adults With Mild Cognitive Impairment.

Science.gov (United States)

Bunce, David; Haynes, Becky I; Lord, Stephen R; Gschwind, Yves J; Kochan, Nicole A; Reppermund, Simone; Brodaty, Henry; Sachdev, Perminder S; Delbaere, Kim

2017-06-01

Reaction time measures have considerable potential to aid neuropsychological assessment in a variety of health care settings. One such measure, the intraindividual reaction time variability (IIV), is of particular interest as it is thought to reflect neurobiological disturbance. IIV is associated with a variety of age-related neurological disorders, as well as gait impairment and future falls in older adults. However, although persons diagnosed with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) are at high risk of falling, the association between IIV and prospective falls is unknown. We conducted a longitudinal cohort study in cognitively intact (n = 271) and MCI (n = 154) community-dwelling adults aged 70-90 years. IIV was assessed through a variety of measures including simple and choice hand reaction time and choice stepping reaction time tasks (CSRT), the latter administered as a single task and also with a secondary working memory task. Logistic regression did not show an association between IIV on the hand-held tasks and falls. Greater IIV in both CSRT tasks, however, did significantly increase the risk of future falls. This effect was specific to the MCI group, with a stronger effect in persons exhibiting gait, posture, or physiological impairment. The findings suggest that increased stepping IIV may indicate compromised neural circuitry involved in executive function, gait, and posture in persons with MCI increasing their risk of falling. IIV measures have potential to assess neurobiological disturbance underlying physical and cognitive dysfunction in old age, and aid fall risk assessment and routine care in community and health care settings. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Elderly fallers enhance dynamic stability through anticipatory postural adjustments during a choice stepping reaction time

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Romain Tisserand

2016-11-01

Full Text Available In the case of disequilibrium, the capacity to step quickly is critical to avoid falling for elderly. This capacity can be simply assessed through the choice stepping reaction time test (CSRT, where elderly fallers (F take longer to step than elderly non-fallers (NF. However, reasons why elderly F elongate their stepping time remain unclear. The purpose of this study is to assess the characteristics of anticipated postural adjustments (APA that elderly F develop in a stepping context and their consequences on the dynamic stability. 44 community-dwelling elderly subjects (20 F and 22 NF performed a CSRT where kinematics and ground reaction forces were collected. Variables were analyzed using two-way repeated measures ANOVAs. Results for F compared to NF showed that stepping time is elongated, due to a longer APA phase. During APA, they seem to use two distinct balance strategies, depending on the axis: in the anteroposterior direction, we measured a smaller backward movement and slower peak velocity of the center of pressure (CoP; in the mediolateral direction, the CoP movement was similar in amplitude and peak velocity between groups but lasted longer. The biomechanical consequence of both strategies was an increased margin of stability (MoS at foot-off, in the respective direction. By elongating their APA, elderly F use a safer balance strategy that prioritizes dynamic stability conditions instead of the objective of the task. Such a choice in balance strategy probably comes from muscular limitations and/or a higher fear of falling and paradoxically indicates an increased risk of fall.

Typewriting rate as a function of reaction time.

Science.gov (United States)

Hayes, V; Wilson, G D; Schafer, R L

1977-12-01

This study was designed to determine the relationship between reaction time and typewriting rate. Subjects were 24 typists ranging in age from 19 to 39 yr. Reaction times (.001 sec) to a light were recorded for each finger and to each alphabetic character and three punctuation marks. Analysis of variance yielded significant differences in reaction time among subjects and fingers. Correlation between typewriting rate and average reaction time to the alphabetic characters and three punctuation marks was --.75. Correlation between typewriting rate and the difference between the reaction time of the hands was --.42. Factors influencing typewriting rate may include reaction time of the fingers, difference between the reaction time of the hands, and reaction time to individual keys on the typewriter. Implications exist for instructional methodology and further research.

Strategy choice mediates the link between auditory processing and spelling.

Science.gov (United States)

Kwong, Tru E; Brachman, Kyle J

2014-01-01

Relations among linguistic auditory processing, nonlinguistic auditory processing, spelling ability, and spelling strategy choice were examined. Sixty-three undergraduate students completed measures of auditory processing (one involving distinguishing similar tones, one involving distinguishing similar phonemes, and one involving selecting appropriate spellings for individual phonemes). Participants also completed a modified version of a standardized spelling test, and a secondary spelling test with retrospective strategy reports. Once testing was completed, participants were divided into phonological versus nonphonological spellers on the basis of the number of words they spelled using phonological strategies only. Results indicated a) moderate to strong positive correlations among the different auditory processing tasks in terms of reaction time, but not accuracy levels, and b) weak to moderate positive correlations between measures of linguistic auditory processing (phoneme distinction and phoneme spelling choice in the presence of foils) and spelling ability for phonological spellers, but not for nonphonological spellers. These results suggest a possible explanation for past contradictory research on auditory processing and spelling, which has been divided in terms of whether or not disabled spellers seemed to have poorer auditory processing than did typically developing spellers, and suggest implications for teaching spelling to children with good versus poor auditory processing abilities.

Inconsistency in Serial Choice Decision and Motor Reaction Times Dissociate in Younger and Older Adults

Science.gov (United States)

Bunce, D.; MacDonald, S.W.S.; Hultsch, D.F.

2004-01-01

Intraindividual variability (inconsistency) in reaction time (RT) latencies was investigated in a group of younger (M=25.46 years) and older (M=69.29 years) men. Both groups performed 300 trials in 2-, 4-, and 8-choice RT conditions where RTs for decision and motor components of the task were recorded separately. A dissociation was evident in that…

Examining the Reaction Times of International Level Badminton Players Under 15

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mehmet Fatih Yüksel

2018-03-01

Full Text Available This research was conducted to examine the simple visual and auditory reaction times of badminton players of the national teams and to examine the possible effects of reaction-time average values of badminton players under the age of 15 who participated in the fifth International Rumi Child Sport Games. In total, 48 players (male = 24; female = 24 from six countries (Turkey, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Serbia, Georgia participated in the study. Stature, bodyweight, BMI, dominant and non-dominant hand visual and auditory reaction time values of the participants were detected. At the end of the study, it was determined that there were statistically significant differences between the countries in terms of male dominant and non-dominant hand visual reaction values, and male dominant hand auditory reaction values. It was also determined that there were statistically significant differences between the countries in terms of female bodyweight, BMI, dominant and non-dominant hand visual reaction values, and female non-dominant hand auditory reaction values. There was statistically significant difference between female and male players with regards to dominant and non-dominant hand visual, and non-dominant hand auditory reaction values. In conclusion, it was determined that the reaction times of the top ranking countries in the fifth International Rumi Child Sport Games under-15 were at a better level, and it can be concluded that this factor played an important role for success alongside with technique and tactic features.

Budget Constraints Affect Male Rats' Choices between Differently Priced Commodities.

Science.gov (United States)

van Wingerden, Marijn; Marx, Christine; Kalenscher, Tobias

2015-01-01

Demand theory can be applied to analyse how a human or animal consumer changes her selection of commodities within a certain budget in response to changes in price of those commodities. This change in consumption assessed over a range of prices is defined as demand elasticity. Previously, income-compensated and income-uncompensated price changes have been investigated using human and animal consumers, as demand theory predicts different elasticities for both conditions. However, in these studies, demand elasticity was only evaluated over the entirety of choices made from a budget. As compensating budgets changes the number of attainable commodities relative to uncompensated conditions, and thus the number of choices, it remained unclear whether budget compensation has a trivial effect on demand elasticity by simply sampling from a different total number of choices or has a direct effect on consumers' sequential choice structure. If the budget context independently changes choices between commodities over and above price effects, this should become apparent when demand elasticity is assessed over choice sets of any reasonable size that are matched in choice opportunities between budget conditions. To gain more detailed insight in the sequential choice dynamics underlying differences in demand elasticity between budget conditions, we trained N=8 rat consumers to spend a daily budget by making a number of nosepokes to obtain two liquid commodities under different price regimes, in sessions with and without budget compensation. We confirmed that demand elasticity for both commodities differed between compensated and uncompensated budget conditions, also when the number of choices considered was matched, and showed that these elasticity differences emerge early in the sessions. These differences in demand elasticity were driven by a higher choice rate and an increased reselection bias for the preferred commodity in compensated compared to uncompensated budget conditions

Budget Constraints Affect Male Rats’ Choices between Differently Priced Commodities

Science.gov (United States)

Kalenscher, Tobias

2015-01-01

Demand theory can be applied to analyse how a human or animal consumer changes her selection of commodities within a certain budget in response to changes in price of those commodities. This change in consumption assessed over a range of prices is defined as demand elasticity. Previously, income-compensated and income-uncompensated price changes have been investigated using human and animal consumers, as demand theory predicts different elasticities for both conditions. However, in these studies, demand elasticity was only evaluated over the entirety of choices made from a budget. As compensating budgets changes the number of attainable commodities relative to uncompensated conditions, and thus the number of choices, it remained unclear whether budget compensation has a trivial effect on demand elasticity by simply sampling from a different total number of choices or has a direct effect on consumers’ sequential choice structure. If the budget context independently changes choices between commodities over and above price effects, this should become apparent when demand elasticity is assessed over choice sets of any reasonable size that are matched in choice opportunities between budget conditions. To gain more detailed insight in the sequential choice dynamics underlying differences in demand elasticity between budget conditions, we trained N=8 rat consumers to spend a daily budget by making a number of nosepokes to obtain two liquid commodities under different price regimes, in sessions with and without budget compensation. We confirmed that demand elasticity for both commodities differed between compensated and uncompensated budget conditions, also when the number of choices considered was matched, and showed that these elasticity differences emerge early in the sessions. These differences in demand elasticity were driven by a higher choice rate and an increased reselection bias for the preferred commodity in compensated compared to uncompensated budget

Hand Rehabilitation Robotics on Poststroke Motor Recovery

Science.gov (United States)

2017-01-01

The recovery of hand function is one of the most challenging topics in stroke rehabilitation. Although the robot-assisted therapy has got some good results in the latest decades, the development of hand rehabilitation robotics is left behind. Existing reviews of hand rehabilitation robotics focus either on the mechanical design on designers' view or on the training paradigms on the clinicians' view, while these two parts are interconnected and both important for designers and clinicians. In this review, we explore the current literature surrounding hand rehabilitation robots, to help designers make better choices among varied components and thus promoting the application of hand rehabilitation robots. An overview of hand rehabilitation robotics is provided in this paper firstly, to give a general view of the relationship between subjects, rehabilitation theories, hand rehabilitation robots, and its evaluation. Secondly, the state of the art hand rehabilitation robotics is introduced in detail according to the classification of the hardware system and the training paradigm. As a result, the discussion gives available arguments behind the classification and comprehensive overview of hand rehabilitation robotics. PMID:29230081

Discrepancies between judgment and choice of action in moral dilemmas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sébastien eTassy

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Everyone has experienced the potential discrepancy between what one judges as morally acceptable and what one actually does when a choice between alternative behaviors is to be made. The present study explores empirically whether judgment and choice of action differ when people make decisions on dilemmas involving moral issues. 240 participants evaluated 24 moral and non-moral dilemmas either by judging (Is it acceptable to… or reporting the choice of action they would make (Would you do…. We also investigated the influence of varying the number of people benefiting from the decision and the closeness of relationship of the decision maker with the potential victim on these two types of decision. Variations in the number of beneficiaries from the decision did not influence judgment nor choice of action. By contrast, closeness of relationship with the victim had a greater influence on the choice of action than on judgment. This differentiation between evaluative judgments and choices of action argues in favor of each of them being supported by (at least partially different psychological processes.

Temporal predictive mechanisms modulate motor reaction time during initiation and inhibition of speech and hand movement.

Science.gov (United States)

Johari, Karim; Behroozmand, Roozbeh

2017-08-01

Skilled movement is mediated by motor commands executed with extremely fine temporal precision. The question of how the brain incorporates temporal information to perform motor actions has remained unanswered. This study investigated the effect of stimulus temporal predictability on response timing of speech and hand movement. Subjects performed a randomized vowel vocalization or button press task in two counterbalanced blocks in response to temporally-predictable and unpredictable visual cues. Results indicated that speech and hand reaction time was decreased for predictable compared with unpredictable stimuli. This finding suggests that a temporal predictive code is established to capture temporal dynamics of sensory cues in order to produce faster movements in responses to predictable stimuli. In addition, results revealed a main effect of modality, indicating faster hand movement compared with speech. We suggest that this effect is accounted for by the inherent complexity of speech production compared with hand movement. Lastly, we found that movement inhibition was faster than initiation for both hand and speech, suggesting that movement initiation requires a longer processing time to coordinate activities across multiple regions in the brain. These findings provide new insights into the mechanisms of temporal information processing during initiation and inhibition of speech and hand movement. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

iHand: an interactive bare-hand-based augmented reality interface on commercial mobile phones

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Junyeong; Park, Jungsik; Park, Hanhoon; Park, Jong-Il

2013-02-01

The performance of mobile phones has rapidly improved, and they are emerging as a powerful platform. In many vision-based applications, human hands play a key role in natural interaction. However, relatively little attention has been paid to the interaction between human hands and the mobile phone. Thus, we propose a vision- and hand gesture-based interface in which the user holds a mobile phone in one hand but sees the other hand's palm through a built-in camera. The virtual contents are faithfully rendered on the user's palm through palm pose estimation, and reaction with hand and finger movements is achieved that is recognized by hand shape recognition. Since the proposed interface is based on hand gestures familiar to humans and does not require any additional sensors or markers, the user can freely interact with virtual contents anytime and anywhere without any training. We demonstrate that the proposed interface works at over 15 fps on a commercial mobile phone with a 1.2-GHz dual core processor and 1 GB RAM.

Coupling between solute transport and chemical reactions models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Samper, J.; Ajora, C.

1993-01-01

During subsurface transport, reactive solutes are subject to a variety of hydrodynamic and chemical processes. The major hydrodynamic processes include advection and convection, dispersion and diffusion. The key chemical processes are complexation including hydrolysis and acid-base reactions, dissolution-precipitation, reduction-oxidation, adsorption and ion exchange. The combined effects of all these processes on solute transport must satisfy the principle of conservation of mass. The statement of conservation of mass for N mobile species leads to N partial differential equations. Traditional solute transport models often incorporate the effects of hydrodynamic processes rigorously but oversimplify chemical interactions among aqueous species. Sophisticated chemical equilibrium models, on the other hand, incorporate a variety of chemical processes but generally assume no-flow systems. In the past decade, coupled models accounting for complex hydrological and chemical processes, with varying degrees of sophistication, have been developed. The existing models of reactive transport employ two basic sets of equations. The transport of solutes is described by a set of partial differential equations, and the chemical processes, under the assumption of equilibrium, are described by a set of nonlinear algebraic equations. An important consideration in any approach is the choice of primary dependent variables. Most existing models cannot account for the complete set of chemical processes, cannot be easily extended to include mixed chemical equilibria and kinetics, and cannot handle practical two and three dimensional problems. The difficulties arise mainly from improper selection of the primary variables in the transport equations. (Author) 38 refs

Mathematical marriages: intercourse between mathematics and Semiotic choice.

Science.gov (United States)

Wagner, Roy

2009-04-01

This paper examines the interaction between Semiotic choices and the presentation and solution of a family of contemporary mathematical problems centred around the so-called 'stable marriage problem'. I investigate how a socially restrictive choice of signs impacts mathematical production both in terms of problem formation and of solutions. I further note how the choice of gendered language ends up constructing a reality, which duplicates the very structural framework that it imported into mathematical analysis in the first place. I go on to point out some semiotic lines of flight from this interlocking grip of mathematics and gendered language.

Kinematic and kinetic differences between left-and right-handed professional baseball pitchers.

Science.gov (United States)

Diffendaffer, Alek Z; Fleisig, Glenn S; Ivey, Brett; Aune, Kyle T

2018-03-21

While 10% of the general population is left-handed, 27% of professional baseball pitchers are left-handed. Biomechanical differences between left- and right-handed college pitchers have been previously reported, but these differences have yet to be examined at the professional level. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare pitching biomechanics between left- and right-handed professional pitchers. It was hypothesised that there would be significant kinematic and kinetic differences between these two groups. Pitching biomechanics were collected on 96 left-handed pitchers and a group of 96 right-handed pitchers matched for age, height, mass and ball velocity. Student t-tests were used to identify kinematic and kinetic differences (p different between the groups. Landing position of the stride foot, trunk separation at foot contact, maximum shoulder external rotation and trunk forward tilt at ball release were all significantly greater in right-handed pitchers. The magnitude of the statistical differences found were small and not consistent with differences in the two previous, smaller studies. Thus, the differences found may be of minimal practical significance and mechanics can be taught the same to all pitchers, regardless of throwing hand.

Factoring out nondecision time in choice reaction time data: Theory and implications.

Science.gov (United States)

Verdonck, Stijn; Tuerlinckx, Francis

2016-03-01

Choice reaction time (RT) experiments are an invaluable tool in psychology and neuroscience. A common assumption is that the total choice response time is the sum of a decision and a nondecision part (time spent on perceptual and motor processes). While the decision part is typically modeled very carefully (commonly with diffusion models), a simple and ad hoc distribution (mostly uniform) is assumed for the nondecision component. Nevertheless, it has been shown that the misspecification of the nondecision time can severely distort the decision model parameter estimates. In this article, we propose an alternative approach to the estimation of choice RT models that elegantly bypasses the specification of the nondecision time distribution by means of an unconventional convolution of data and decision model distributions (hence called the D*M approach). Once the decision model parameters have been estimated, it is possible to compute a nonparametric estimate of the nondecision time distribution. The technique is tested on simulated data, and is shown to systematically remove traditional estimation bias related to misspecified nondecision time, even for a relatively small number of observations. The shape of the actual underlying nondecision time distribution can also be recovered. Next, the D*M approach is applied to a selection of existing diffusion model application articles. For all of these studies, substantial quantitative differences with the original analyses are found. For one study, these differences radically alter its final conclusions, underlining the importance of our approach. Additionally, we find that strongly right skewed nondecision time distributions are not at all uncommon. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Choices of Pre-Service Science Teachers Laboratory Environments: Hands-on or Hands-off?

Science.gov (United States)

Kapici, Hasan Ozgur; Akcay, Hakan

2018-01-01

Learning in laboratories for students is not only crucial for conceptual understanding, but also contributes to gaining scientific reasoning skills. Following fast developments in technology, online laboratory environments have been improved considerably and nowadays form an attractive alternative for hands-on laboratories. The study was done in…

Measuring pilot workload in a moving-base simulator. I Asynchronous secondary choice-reaction task

Science.gov (United States)

Kantowitz, B. H.; Hart, S. G.; Bortolussi, M. R.

1983-01-01

The de facto method for measuring airplane pilot workload is based upon subjective ratings. While researchers agree that such subjective data should be bolstered by using objective behavioral measures, results to date have been mixed. No clear objective technique has surfaced as the metric of choice. It is believed that this difficulty is in part due to neglect of theoretical work in psychology that predicts some of the difficulties that are inherent in a futile search for 'the one and only' best secondary task to measure workload. An initial study that used both subjective ratings and an asynchronous choice-reaction secondary task was conducted to determine if such a secondary task could indeed meet the methodological constraints imposed by current theories of attention. Two variants of a flight scenario were combined with two levels of the secondary task. Appropriate single-task control conditions were also included. Results give grounds for cautious optimism but indicate that future research should use synchronous secondary tasks where possible.

Global Cities, Ownership Structures, and Location Choice

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Geisler Asmussen, Christian; Nielsen, Bo Bernhard; Goerzen, Anthony

2018-01-01

Purpose: In this paper, we develop a more nuanced view of subnational location choice with a particular focus on global cities. We argue that multinational firms may use global cities to establish bridgeheads—subsidiaries at intermediate levels of the ownership chain that enable further internati......Purpose: In this paper, we develop a more nuanced view of subnational location choice with a particular focus on global cities. We argue that multinational firms may use global cities to establish bridgeheads—subsidiaries at intermediate levels of the ownership chain that enable further...... of these investments are associated with micro-location choices in a host country. Findings: We find that there are substantial differences between the types, roles, activities, and geographic origins of the firms locating in different areas, and in the ownership structures spanning them. We propose that this has...... managerial and theoretical implications which may be understood based on an organizing framework describing a tradeoff between the pursuit of global connectivity and local density on the one hand, and cost control on the other. Research limitations/implications: Empirical work on foreign location choices...

The Influence of Different Performance Level of Fencers on Simple and Choice Reaction Time

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Štefan Balkó

2016-09-01

Full Text Available DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5007/1980-0037.2016v18n4p391   In many sport disciplines reaction time plays a key role in the sport performance. It is good to point out for example ball games or fighting sports (fencing, karate etc.. The research is focused on detection of the differences in the simple and choice reaction time during visual stimulation among elite, sub-elite fencers and beginners. For the measurement a Fitrosword device and the SWORD software were used. An additional stimulus was added during measuring which should increase the overall number of stimuli, but shouldn’t force fencer to any reaction whatsoever. The results from presented study can be compared with Hicks law. The next focus of the study was to identify the difference in reaction time during two different movement tasks with different complexity movement requirements. The research was built up on a hypothesis that the results will differ among different performance groups of fencers. The difference however was overt among beginners and elite fencers (p = 0.0088, d = 0.5 in reaction time during different movement tasks (direct hit vs. lunge. The results of this research could be useful to trainers for training process organisation and increase the effectivity of muscle coordination during several movements in fencing.

COMPARISON THE NUMBER OF BACTERIA BETWEEN WASHING HANDS USING SOAP AND HAND SANITIZER AS A BACTERIOLOGY LEARNING RESOURCE FOR STUDENTS

OpenAIRE

Satya Darmayani; Askrening Askrening; Apita Ariyani

2017-01-01

Hands are the principal carriers of bacterial diseases, therefore very important to know that washing hands with soap or hand sanitizer is highly effective healthy behaviors to reduce bacteria in the palm. This study aimed to determine the total number of bacteria between washing hands with soap and hand sanitizer, also applying the results of these studies as a learning resource in bacteriology. The research design was the true experiment with pretest-posttest control group research design a...

Reaction between laser ablation plume and ambient gas studied by laser-induced fluorescence imaging spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sasaki, K; Watarai, H

2007-01-01

We visualized the density distributions of C 2 (plume), NO (ambient gas), and CN (reaction product) when a graphite target was ablated by irradiating YAG laser pulses at wavelengths of 1064 and 355 nm in ambient gas mixture of NO and He. It has been shown by the density distributions of C 2 and NO that the expansion of the plume removes the ambient gas and the plume and the ambient gas locate exclusively in both the cases at 1064 and 355 nm. A high CN density was observed at the interface between the plume and the ambient gas at 1064 nm, which is reasonable since chemical reactions between the plume and the ambient gas may occur only at their interface. On the other hand, in the case at 355 nm, we observed considerable CN inside the plume, indicating that the chemical reaction processes in the laser ablation at 355 nm is different from that expected from the density distributions of the plume and the ambient gas

Retrospectives: Ethics and the Invisible Hand

OpenAIRE

Jerry Evensky

1993-01-01

As modern economists, we use Adam Smith's "invisible hand" metaphor confident that we all know what it means in our discourse: it reflects our admiration for the elegant and smooth functioning of the market system as a coordinator of autonomous individual choices in an interdependent world. But in Adam Smith's moral philosophy, the invisible hand has a much broader responsibility: if individuals are to enjoy the fruits of a classical liberal society, the invisible hand must not only coordinat...

Framing effects in choices between multioutcome life-expectancy lotteries.

Science.gov (United States)

Bernstein, L M; Chapman, G B; Elstein, A S

1999-01-01

To explore framing or editing effects and a method to debias framing in a clinical context. Clinical scenarios using multioutcome life-expectancy lotteries of equal value required choices between two supplementary drugs that either prolonged or shortened life from the 20-year beneficial effect of a baseline drug. The effects of these supplementary drugs were presented in two conditions, using a between-subjects design. In segregated editing (n = 116) the effects were presented separately from the effects of the baseline drug. In integrated editing (n = 100), effects of supplementary and baseline drugs were combined in the lottery presentation. Each subject responded to 30 problems. To explore one method of debiasing, another 100 subjects made choices after viewing both segregated and integrated editings of 20 problems (dual framing). Statistically significant preference reversals between segregated and integrated editing of pure lotteries occurred only when one framing placed outcomes in the gain domain, and the other framing placed them in the loss domain. When both editings resulted in gain-domain outcomes only, there was no framing effect. There was a related relationship of framing-effect shifts from losses to gains in mixed-lottery-choice problems. Responses to the dual framing condition did not consistently coincide with responses to either single framing. In some situations, dual framing eliminated or lessened framing effects. The results support two components of prospect theory, coding outcomes as gains or losses from a reference point, and an s-shaped utility function (concave in gain, convex in loss domains). Presenting both alternative editings of a complex situation prior to choice more fully informs the decision maker and may help to reduce framing effects. Given the extent to which preferences shift in response to alternative presentations, it is unclear which choice represents the subject's "true preferences."

Effects of Experience on Preference between Forced and Free Choice

Science.gov (United States)

Ono, Koichi

2004-01-01

Preference between forced choice and free choice in concurrent-chain schedules of reinforcement was investigated in pigeons after exposure to particular combinations of terminal links. In Experiment 1, in which terminal links always ended with reinforcers, one of three pairs of terminal links was arranged as preexposure: (a) both terminal links…

Immediate effects of different treatments for the wrist joints of subdominant hands, using electromechanical reaction time.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Chunying; Huang, Qiuchen; Yu, Lili; Zhou, Yue; Gu, Rui; Cui, Yao; Ge, Meng; Xu, Yanfeng; Liu, Jianfeng

2016-08-01

[Purpose] The aim of this study was to examine the immediate effects of muscle strength training and neuromuscular joint facilitation distal resistance training on wrist joints by using electromechanical reaction time. [Subjects and Methods] The subjects were 12 healthy young people (24.2 ± 3.1 years, 169.7 ± 6.5 cm, 65.3 ± 12.6 kg). Two kinds of isotonic contraction techniques were applied on the wrist joint: the wrist joint extension muscle strength training and the wrist joint extension pattern of neuromuscular joint facilitation. The electromechanical reaction time, premotor time, and motor time of the left upper limb were measured before and after each intervention session of muscle strength training and neuromuscular joint facilitation. [Results] The neuromuscular joint facilitation group showed significant shortening of the electromechanical reaction time and motor time after the intervention. [Conclusion] These results suggest that the electromechanical reaction time and motor time of the wrist joint can be improved by neuromuscular joint facilitation together with proximal resistance training, which can be used as a new form of exercise for improving the functions of subdominant hand wrist joints.

THE MULTIPLE CHOICE PROBLEM WITH INTERACTIONS BETWEEN CRITERIA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luiz Flavio Autran Monteiro Gomes

2015-12-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT An important problem in Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis arises when one must select at least two alternatives at the same time. This can be denoted as a multiple choice problem. In other words, instead of evaluating each of the alternatives separately, they must be combined into groups of n alternatives, where n = 2. When the multiple choice problem must be solved under multiple criteria, the result is a multi-criteria, multiple choice problem. In this paper, it is shown through examples how this problemcan be tackled on a bipolar scale. The Choquet integral is used in this paper to take care of interactions between criteria. A numerical application example is conducted using data from SEBRAE-RJ, a non-profit private organization that has the mission of promoting competitiveness, sustainable developmentand entrepreneurship in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The paper closes with suggestions for future research.

The effects of acute bout of cycling on auditory & visual reaction times.

Science.gov (United States)

Ashnagar, Zinat; Shadmehr, Azadeh; Jalaei, Shohreh

2015-04-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of an acute bout of cycling exercise on auditory choice reaction time, visual choice reaction time, auditory complex choice reaction time and visual complex choice reaction time. 29 subjects were randomly divided into experimental and control groups. The subjects of the experimental group carried out a single bout of submaximal cycling exercise. The auditory choice reaction time, visual choice reaction time, auditory complex choice reaction time and visual complex choice reaction times were measured before and after the exercise session. The reaction time tests were taken from the subjects by using Speed Anticipation and Reaction Tester (SART) software. In the control group, the reaction time tests were performed by the subjects with an interval of 30 min. In the experimental group, the percentage changes of mean auditory choice and complex choice reaction time values were significantly decreased in comparison with the control group (P visual choice and complex choice reaction times were decreased after the exercise, the changes were not significant (P > 0.05). An acute bout of cycling exercise improved the speed of auditory and visual reaction times in healthy young females. However, these positive changes were significantly observed only in the auditory reaction time tests in comparison with the control group. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Characterizing Information Processing With a Mobile Device: Measurement of Simple and Choice Reaction Time.

Science.gov (United States)

Burke, Daniel; Linder, Susan; Hirsch, Joshua; Dey, Tanujit; Kana, Daniel; Ringenbach, Shannon; Schindler, David; Alberts, Jay

2017-10-01

Information processing is typically evaluated using simple reaction time (SRT) and choice reaction time (CRT) paradigms in which a specific response is initiated following a given stimulus. The measurement of reaction time (RT) has evolved from monitoring the timing of mechanical switches to computerized paradigms. The proliferation of mobile devices with touch screens makes them a natural next technological approach to assess information processing. The aims of this study were to determine the validity and reliability of using of a mobile device (Apple iPad or iTouch) to accurately measure RT. Sixty healthy young adults completed SRT and CRT tasks using a traditional test platform and mobile platforms on two occasions. The SRT was similar across test modality: 300, 287, and 280 milliseconds (ms) for the traditional, iPad, and iTouch, respectively. The CRT was similar within mobile devices, though slightly faster on the traditional: 359, 408, and 384 ms for traditional, iPad, and iTouch, respectively. Intraclass correlation coefficients ranged from 0.79 to 0.85 for SRT and from 0.75 to 0.83 for CRT. The similarity and reliability of SRT across platforms and consistency of SRT and CRT across test conditions indicate that mobile devices provide the next generation of assessment platforms for information processing.

Functional MRI of Challenging Food Choices: Forced Choice between Equally Liked High- and Low-Calorie Foods in the Absence of Hunger.

Science.gov (United States)

Charbonnier, Lisette; van der Laan, Laura N; Viergever, Max A; Smeets, Paul A M

2015-01-01

We are continuously exposed to food and during the day we make many food choices. These choices play an important role in the regulation of food intake and thereby in weight management. Therefore, it is important to obtain more insight into the mechanisms that underlie these choices. While several food choice functional MRI (fMRI) studies have been conducted, the effect of energy content on neural responses during food choice has, to our knowledge, not been investigated before. Our objective was to examine brain responses during food choices between equally liked high- and low-calorie foods in the absence of hunger. During a 10-min fMRI scan 19 normal weight volunteers performed a forced-choice task. Food pairs were matched on individual liking but differed in perceived and actual caloric content (high-low). Food choice compared with non-food choice elicited stronger unilateral activation in the left insula, superior temporal sulcus, posterior cingulate gyrus and (pre)cuneus. This suggests that the food stimuli were more salient despite subject's low motivation to eat. The right superior temporal sulcus (STS) was the only region that exhibited greater activation for high versus low calorie food choices between foods matched on liking. Together with previous studies, this suggests that STS activation during food evaluation and choice may reflect the food's biological relevance independent of food preference. This novel finding warrants further research into the effects of hunger state and weight status on STS, which may provide a marker of biological relevance.

Functional MRI of Challenging Food Choices: Forced Choice between Equally Liked High- and Low-Calorie Foods in the Absence of Hunger.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lisette Charbonnier

Full Text Available We are continuously exposed to food and during the day we make many food choices. These choices play an important role in the regulation of food intake and thereby in weight management. Therefore, it is important to obtain more insight into the mechanisms that underlie these choices. While several food choice functional MRI (fMRI studies have been conducted, the effect of energy content on neural responses during food choice has, to our knowledge, not been investigated before. Our objective was to examine brain responses during food choices between equally liked high- and low-calorie foods in the absence of hunger. During a 10-min fMRI scan 19 normal weight volunteers performed a forced-choice task. Food pairs were matched on individual liking but differed in perceived and actual caloric content (high-low. Food choice compared with non-food choice elicited stronger unilateral activation in the left insula, superior temporal sulcus, posterior cingulate gyrus and (precuneus. This suggests that the food stimuli were more salient despite subject's low motivation to eat. The right superior temporal sulcus (STS was the only region that exhibited greater activation for high versus low calorie food choices between foods matched on liking. Together with previous studies, this suggests that STS activation during food evaluation and choice may reflect the food's biological relevance independent of food preference. This novel finding warrants further research into the effects of hunger state and weight status on STS, which may provide a marker of biological relevance.

A simple test of choice stepping reaction time for assessing fall risk in people with multiple sclerosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Tijsma, Mylou; Vister, Eva; Hoang, Phu; Lord, Stephen R

2017-03-01

Purpose To determine (a) the discriminant validity for established fall risk factors and (b) the predictive validity for falls of a simple test of choice stepping reaction time (CSRT) in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). Method People with MS (n = 210, 21-74y) performed the CSRT, sensorimotor, balance and neuropsychological tests in a single session. They were then followed up for falls using monthly fall diaries for 6 months. Results The CSRT test had excellent discriminant validity with respect to established fall risk factors. Frequent fallers (≥3 falls) performed significantly worse in the CSRT test than non-frequent fallers (0-2 falls). With the odds of suffering frequent falls increasing 69% with each SD increase in CSRT (OR = 1.69, 95% CI: 1.27-2.26, p = falls in people with MS. This test may prove useful in documenting longitudinal changes in fall risk in relation to MS disease progression and effects of interventions. Implications for rehabilitation Good choice stepping reaction time (CSRT) is required for maintaining balance. A simple low-tech CSRT test has excellent discriminative and predictive validity in relation to falls in people with MS. This test may prove useful documenting longitudinal changes in fall risk in relation to MS disease progression and effects of interventions.

Lionfish envenomation of the hand.

Science.gov (United States)

Patel, M R; Wells, S

1993-05-01

Lionfish (Pterois volitans) envenomation of the hand causes excruciating pain and occurs in three grades: (1) erythematous reaction, (2) blister formation, and (3) dermal necrosis. The initial treatment in all cases is to soak the hand in nonscalding water (45 degrees C) until the pain subsides by denaturing the thermolabile venom proteins. The blisters should be immediately excised to prevent dermal necrosis, inasmuch as the blister fluid contains residual active venom. To prevent a hypersensitivity reaction, any further contact with the fish should be avoided.

COMPARISON THE NUMBER OF BACTERIA BETWEEN WASHING HANDS USING SOAP AND HAND SANITIZER AS A BACTERIOLOGY LEARNING RESOURCE FOR STUDENTS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Satya Darmayani

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Hands are the principal carriers of bacterial diseases, therefore very important to know that washing hands with soap or hand sanitizer is highly effective healthy behaviors to reduce bacteria in the palm. This study aimed to determine the total number of bacteria between washing hands with soap and hand sanitizer, also applying the results of these studies as a learning resource in bacteriology. The research design was the true experiment with pretest-posttest control group research design and laboratory examination. Analysis of data using paired t-test and independent sample t-test with α = 0.05. The result using paired t-test obtained t count= 2.48921> t 0.05 (14 = 2.14479 (with liquid soap, obtained t count= 2.32937> t 0.05 (14 = 2.14479 (with hand sanitizer. As for the comparison of the total number of bacteria include washing hands with soap and hand sanitizer using independent samples t-test obtained results there were differences in the total number of bacteria include washing hands with liquid soap and hand sanitizer with t count= 2.23755> t 0.05 ( 13 = 2.16037. That results showed hand sanitizer more effective to reduce the number of bacteria than the liquid soap, that was hand sanitizer 96% and liquid soap by 95%.

Management of post burn hand deformities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sabapathy S

2010-10-01

Full Text Available The hand is ranked among the three most frequent sites of burns scar contracture deformity. One of the major determinants of the quality of life in burns survivors is the functionality of the hands. Burns deformities, although largely preventable, nevertheless do occur when appropriate treatment is not provided in the acute situation or when they are part of a major burns. Reconstructive procedures can greatly improve the function of the hands. Appropriate choice of procedures and timing of surgery followed by supervised physiotherapy can be a boon for a burns survivor.

Uncertainty in aiming movements and its association to hand function

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Flávia Priscila de Paiva Silva

2015-09-01

Full Text Available AbstractThe purpose of this study was to analyze the influence of the uncertainty of target location on the planning and execution of aiming movements performed towards the ipsilateral and contralateral directions by the right and left upper limbs. In addition, the association between the performance of aiming movements and the performance of functional manual tasks was investigated. Two tasks were proposed: with prior knowledge of the movement direction (simple reaction time or not (choice reaction time. The grip strength and manual dexterity were measured. The choice option in response (i.e. uncertainty influenced planning of the aiming movements, but not its execution, while movements performed towards the contralateral direction were worse in execution as compared to the ipsilateral direction. Manual dexterity was significantly correlated with reaction times, while the performance during movement execution was significantly correlated with handgrip/pinch strength.

Closing the gap between behavior and models in route choice: The role of spatiotemporal constraints and latent traits in choice set formation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kaplan, Sigal; Prato, Carlo Giacomo

2012-01-01

not account for individual-related spatiotemporal constraints. This paper reduces the gap by proposing a route choice model incorporating spatiotemporal constraints and latent traits. The proposed approach combines stochastic route generation with a latent variable semi-compensatory model representing......A considerable gap exists between the behavioral paradigm of choice set formation in route choice and its representation in route choice modeling. While travelers form their viable choice set by retaining routes that satisfy spatiotemporal constraints, existing route generation techniques do...

Starting point anchoring effects in choice experiments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ladenburg, Jacob; Olsen, Søren Bøye

of preferences in Choice Experiments resembles the Dichotomous Choice format, there is reason to suspect that Choice Experiments are equally vulnerable to anchoring bias. Employing different sets of price levels in a so-called Instruction Choice Set presented prior to the actual choice sets, the present study...... subjectivity in the present study is gender dependent, pointing towards, that female respondents are prone to be affected by the price levels employed. Male respondents, on the other hand, are not sensitive towards these prices levels. Overall, this implicates that female respondents, when employing a low......-priced Instruction Choice Set, tend to express lower willingness-to-pay than when higher prices are employed....

Food choice: the battle between package, taste and consumption situation.

Science.gov (United States)

Gutjar, Swetlana; de Graaf, Cees; Palascha, Aikaterini; Jager, Gerry

2014-09-01

The present study compared how intrinsic (sensory) and extrinsic (packaging) product properties influence actual food choice in combination with the concept of product appropriateness in a specific consumption context. Food choice of seven test products was measured in three breakfast sessions within a simulated cafeteria setting with subsequent product consumption. Test products were five breakfast drinks and two dessert products considered as inappropriate for breakfast. One hundred and three participants took part in a blind taste session, after which they chose one out of the seven foods to consume for breakfast. In a second session (familiar package session), the same participants based their choice on the package of the seven foods they tasted in the first session. An additional group of 65 participants took part in a third naïve package session, where they chose just on the basis of package without being previously exposed to the foods. Results showed that food choices in the naïve package session were guided by the package that labelled the products as "breakfast product". Food choices in the blind session were strongly correlated (r = 0.8) with the liking of the products. Food choice in the "familiar package session" lay between the blind and naïve package session. It is concluded that food choice in a simulated cafeteria setting is guided by extrinsic (package) as well as intrinsic (sensory) properties and both can act as a cue for product appropriateness given a specific consumption context. Depending on the salience of either intrinsic or extrinsic properties during the choice moment their impact on choice is stronger. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Behavioral and EEG reactions in primary school-aged children to emotionally colored verbal stimuli with the condition of their own or forced choice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aiusheeva T. A.

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of the study is to compare behavioral and EEG reactions of primary school-aged children during the recognition of syntactic errors in emotionally (positively or negatively colored sentences that appeal to the choice of the child differently. 20 children (mean age 9,0±0,3 years, 12 boys, 8 girls were examined. We found out that the children with a high quality of solving a linguistic task concentrate all their attention on finding an error in the sentences, and children with a low quality of solving a task demonstrate increased emotionality, possibly connected with their unsuccessfulness. The strongest EEG reactions in the ranges of alpha- and theta- rhythms were recorded in children with slow speed and bad quality of the solution of the task. The recognition of sentences with negative emotions took longer than sentences with positive emotions. The increase of emotions (synchronization in theta range during the recognition of negative sentences was provoked by the expectation of failure and “identification” with it. The children found the mistake better in the sentences with their own choice than in the sentences that describes the forced-choice situation. Desynchronization (i.e. decrease in the spectral power and synchronization (i.e. increase in spectral power was detected on the EEG in the alpha-rhythm range. Desynchronization was associated with the recognition of sentences describing the children’s own choice; synchronization was recorded when recognizing sentences describing the forced-choice situation.

Breast Cancer: Reactions, Choices, Decisions

Science.gov (United States)

Waring, Alexia N.

2000-01-01

Women with breast cancer often experience a predictable set of emotional and psychological reactions to their cancer diagnosis according to recognized influencing factors such as age at the time of diagnosis and stage of life. The time between a breast biopsy and the receipt of the pathology results has been identified by patients as the most stressful period throughout the entire cancer experience. Treatment decisions, until recently, were made solely by physicians while patients assumed passive roles. Increasingly, breast cancer patients want to assume an active role in their treatment decisions and care and are no longer satisfied to be passive observers. More and more women educate themselves about their disease through the Internet, investigating available treatment options, side effects, and in some cases, alternative therapies. This new type of breast cancer patient wants to be cared for by physicians who embrace the patient as part of the team. They appreciate the physician who is not threatened by the educated breast cancer patient and understands that she is ultimately motivated by an attempt to regain some of the control the cancer has taken away from her. PMID:21765661

Membership function used to construction of a hand homogeneous phantom

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pavan, Ana Luiza Menegatti; Alvarez, Matheus; Alves, Allan Felipe Fattori; Rosa, Maria Eugenia Dela; Miranda, Jose Ricardo de Arruda

2014-01-01

Fractures and dislocations of the hand are some injuries most frequently encountered in trauma of the musculoskeletal system. In evaluating these lesions, in addition to physical examination, radiography, in at least two incidents, is the investigation of choice, and rarely is necessary the help of other images to establish the diagnosis and treatment. The image quality of X-ray examination is therefore essential. In this study, a homogeneous phantom hand was developed to be used in the optimization of images from hand using computed radiography system process. In this procedure were quantified thicknesses of different tissues that constitute an anthropomorphic phantom hand. To perform the classification and quantification of tissue was applied membership functions for histograms of CT scans. The same procedure was adopted for retrospective examinations of 30 patients of the Hospital das Clinicas, Botucatu Medicine School, UNESP (HCFMB-UNESP). The results showed agreement between the thicknesses of tissues that make up the anthropomorphic phantom and sampling of patients, presenting variations between 12.63% and 6.48% for soft tissue and bone, respectively. (author)

Study of a new mechanism of reaction between heavy ions: the quasi-fission

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ngo, Christian.

1975-01-01

A new type of deep inelastic reaction between two heavy ions (quasi-fission) has been discovered and studied when the product Z 1 Z 2 between the two ion atomic numbers is greater than or approximately equal to 1500. This mechanism is mainly binary, the total kinetic energy of the products is the one expected for a binary fission giving the same products, most of the products have masses very close to the initial masses, the angular distribution of the light products is peaked slightly forwards the projectile grazing angle (when the bombarding energy is not too much above the interaction barrier), at last, the total cross section for this process is a large part of the total reaction cross section. These results have been interpreted on the one hand using a static model and on the other hand using a dynamic model. An interaction potential between the two heavy ions has been derived using the energy density formalism within the framework of the sudden approximation. It has been shown that the nuclear part satisfies a scaling law which allows to factorize it in one term which depends on the two ion masses and another term which is independent of the system (universal function). Using the critical distance notion, the static calculations reproduce the quasi-fission cross sections. With regards to the dynamical calculations, the previously described potential has been introduced within the framework of Deubler and Dietrich's model. It is a classical dynamical calculation including dissipative terms. The vibration degrees of freedom of each ion have been explicitely taken into account. This calculation nicely reproduces both the energy loss in the relative motion, the focusing effect of the angular distribution, and the quasi-fission cross sections [fr

The Association between Freedom of Choice and Effectiveness of Home Care Services.

Science.gov (United States)

Steffansson, Marina; Pulliainen, Marjo; Kettunen, Aija; Linnosmaa, Ismo; Halonen, Miikka

2016-03-31

The aim of this paper is to study home care clients' freedom to choose their services, as well the association between the effectiveness of home care services and freedom of choice, among other factors. A structured postal survey was conducted among regular home care clients (n = 2096) aged 65 or older in three towns in Finland. Freedom of choice was studied based on clients' subjective experiences. The effectiveness of the services was evaluated by means of changes in the social-care-related quality of life. Regression analyses were used to test associations. As much as 62% of home care recipients reported having some choice regarding their services. Choosing meals and visiting times for the care worker were associated with better effectiveness. The basic model, which included needs and other factors expected to have an impact on quality of life, explained 15.4% of the changes in quality of life, while the extended model, which included the freedom-of-choice variables, explained 17.4%. The inclusion of freedom-of-choice variables increased the adjusted coefficient of determination by 2%. There was a significant positive association between freedom of choice and the effectiveness of public home care services. Freedom of choice does not exist for all clients of home care who desire it. By changing social welfare activities and structures, it is possible to show respect for clients' opinions and to thereby improve the effectiveness of home care services.

Interference between postural control and spatial vs. non-spatial auditory reaction time tasks in older adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Fuhrman, Susan I; Redfern, Mark S; Jennings, J Richard; Furman, Joseph M

2015-01-01

This study investigated whether spatial aspects of an information processing task influence dual-task interference. Two groups (Older/Young) of healthy adults participated in dual-task experiments. Two auditory information processing tasks included a frequency discrimination choice reaction time task (non-spatial task) and a lateralization choice reaction time task (spatial task). Postural tasks included combinations of standing with eyes open or eyes closed on either a fixed floor or a sway-referenced floor. Reaction times and postural sway via center of pressure were recorded. Baseline measures of reaction time and sway were subtracted from the corresponding dual-task results to calculate reaction time task costs and postural task costs. Reaction time task cost increased with eye closure (p = 0.01), sway-referenced flooring (p vision x age interaction indicated that older subjects had a significant vision X task interaction whereas young subjects did not. However, when analyzed by age group, the young group showed minimal differences in interference for the spatial and non-spatial tasks with eyes open, but showed increased interference on the spatial relative to non-spatial task with eyes closed. On the contrary, older subjects demonstrated increased interference on the spatial relative to the non-spatial task with eyes open, but not with eyes closed. These findings suggest that visual-spatial interference may occur in older subjects when vision is used to maintain posture.

Repetition priming of face recognition in a serial choice reaction-time task.

Science.gov (United States)

Roberts, T; Bruce, V

1989-05-01

Marshall & Walker (1987) found that pictorial stimuli yield visual priming that is disrupted by an unpredictable visual event in the response-stimulus interval. They argue that visual stimuli are represented in memory in the form of distinct visual and object codes. Bruce & Young (1986) propose similar pictorial, structural and semantic codes which mediate the recognition of faces, yet repetition priming results obtained with faces as stimuli (Bruce & Valentine, 1985), and with objects (Warren & Morton, 1982) are quite different from those of Marshall & Walker (1987), in the sense that recognition is facilitated by pictures presented 20 minutes earlier. The experiment reported here used different views of familiar and unfamiliar faces as stimuli in a serial choice reaction-time task and found that, with identical pictures, repetition priming survives and intervening item requiring a response, with both familiar and unfamiliar faces. Furthermore, with familiar faces such priming was present even when the view of the prime was different from the target. The theoretical implications of these results are discussed.

Fragrance allergy in patients with hand eczema - a clinical study.

Science.gov (United States)

Heydorn, Siri; Johansen, Jeanne Duus; Andersen, Klaus E; Bruze, Magnus; Svedman, Cecilia; White, Ian R; Basketter, David A; Menné, Torkil

2003-06-01

Fragrance allergy and hand eczema are both common among dermatological patients. Fragrance mix (FM) and its constituents have a recognized relevance to exposure to fine fragrances and cosmetic products. Based on extensive chemical analysis and database search, a new selection of fragrances was established, including 14 known fragrance allergens present in products to which hand exposure would occur. A non-irritating patch-test concentration for some fragrances was established in 212 consecutive patients. 658 consecutive patients presenting with hand eczema were patch tested with the European standard series and the developed selection of fragrances. 67 (10.2%) of the 658 patients had a positive reaction to 1 or more of our selection of fragrance chemicals present in the new selection. The most common reactions to fragrances not included in the FM were to citral, Lyral (hydroxyisohexyl-3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde) and oxidized l-limonene. A concomitant reaction to the FM identified potential fragrance allergy in less than (1/2) of these patients. Exposure assessment and a statistically significant association between a positive patch test to our selected fragrances and patients' history support the relevance of this selection of fragrances. Those with a positive reaction to our selected fragrances were significantly more likely to have 1 or more positive patch tests in the standard series. This observation is the basis for the hypothesis concerning cross-reactivity and the effect of simultaneous exposure. The study found that fragrance allergy could be a common problem in patients with eczema on the hands.

Students' Choices between Typing and Handwriting in Examinations

Science.gov (United States)

Mogey, Nora; Cowan, John; Paterson, Jessie; Purcell, Mike

2012-01-01

Keyboarding (typing) is a ubiquitous skill for most UK students, and most coursework essays must be word processed. However, few examinations, other than for students with disabilities, permit the use of a word processor. It is not known how students would respond given a free choice between handwriting and word processing in an essay examination.…

Relationship between speed and EEG activity during imagined and executed hand movements

Science.gov (United States)

Yuan, Han; Perdoni, Christopher; He, Bin

2010-04-01

The relationship between primary motor cortex and movement kinematics has been shown in nonhuman primate studies of hand reaching or drawing tasks. Studies have demonstrated that the neural activities accompanying or immediately preceding the movement encode the direction, speed and other information. Here we investigated the relationship between the kinematics of imagined and actual hand movement, i.e. the clenching speed, and the EEG activity in ten human subjects. Study participants were asked to perform and imagine clenching of the left hand and right hand at various speeds. The EEG activity in the alpha (8-12 Hz) and beta (18-28 Hz) frequency bands were found to be linearly correlated with the speed of imagery clenching. Similar parametric modulation was also found during the execution of hand movements. A single equation relating the EEG activity to the speed and the hand (left versus right) was developed. This equation, which contained a linear independent combination of the two parameters, described the time-varying neural activity during the tasks. Based on the model, a regression approach was developed to decode the two parameters from the multiple-channel EEG signals. We demonstrated the continuous decoding of dynamic hand and speed information of the imagined clenching. In particular, the time-varying clenching speed was reconstructed in a bell-shaped profile. Our findings suggest an application to providing continuous and complex control of noninvasive brain-computer interface for movement-impaired paralytics.

Attitudes and practices of Irish hospital-based physicians towards hand hygiene and hand rubbing using alcohol-based hand rub: a comparison between 2007 and 2015.

Science.gov (United States)

Kingston, L M; Slevin, B L; O'Connell, N H; Dunne, C P

2017-09-01

Hand hygiene is the cornerstone of infection prevention and control practices, and reduces healthcare-associated infections significantly. However, international evidence suggests that medical doctors demonstrate poor compliance. To explore and compare practices and attitudes towards hand hygiene, particularly hand rubbing using alcohol-based hand rub (ABHR), among hospital-based physicians in Ireland between 2007 and 2015. In 2007, a random sample of doctors in a large teaching hospital was invited to complete a postal survey using a validated questionnaire. In 2015, the study was replicated among all doctors employed in a university hospital group, including the setting of the original study, using an online survey. Data were analysed using SPSS and Survey Monkey. Predominately positive and improving attitudes and practices were found, with 86% of doctors compliant with hand hygiene before patient contact in 2015, compared with 58% in 2007. Ninety-one percent of doctors were compliant after patient contact in 2015, compared with 76% in 2007. In 2015, only 39% of respondents reported that they 'almost always' used ABHR for hand hygiene. However, this represents 13.5% more than in 2007. Stated barriers to use of ABHR included dermatological issues, poor acceptance, tolerance and poor availability of ABHR products. Greater awareness of hand hygiene guidelines and greater governance appear to have had a positive impact on practice. However, despite this, practice remains suboptimal and there is scope for substantial improvement. Continued and sustained efforts are required in order to build on progress achieved since the World Health Organization hand hygiene guidelines were published in 2009. Copyright © 2017 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Relationship between train users’ perceptions of walkability with access and egress mode choice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Syafriharti Romeiza

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study is to understand whether there is a relationship between train users’ perceptions of walkability in built environment of trip origin with access mode choice and between train users’ perceptions of walkability in built environment of trip destination with egress mode choice. Train users are who ride from Cicalengka station Bandung Regency, West Java, Indonesia. To analyze the relationship is used crosstab method. The perceptual factors about walkability are those perceived by the train users consisting of walking distance, safety, comfort, and secure from crime, both in origin and destination of the built environment. The mode choice consist of walking, paratransit, motorcycle taxi, and own vehicles (or others for egress mode. To better understand the relationship is used several control variables, that are trip purposes, train usage, gender, and age. For access trip there is another control variable, that is vehicle ownership. Train users' perceptions of walkability have a relationship with both the access and the egress mode choice, except for the security aspect. The influence of control variables on the relationship between perceptions of walkability with access/egress mode choice varies for walking distance, safety, and comfort.

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

Science.gov (United States)

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

2015-01-01

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

Chemical reaction between single hydrogen atom and graphene

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ito, Atsushi; Nakamura, Hiroaki; Takayama, Arimichi

2007-04-01

We study chemical reaction between a single hydrogen atom and a graphene, which is the elemental reaction between hydrogen and graphitic carbon materials. In the present work, classical molecular dynamics simulation is used with modified Brenner's empirical bond order potential. The three reactions, that is, absorption reaction, reflection reaction and penetration reaction, are observed in our simulation. Reaction rates depend on the incident energy of the hydrogen atom and the graphene temperature. The dependence can be explained by the following mechanisms: (1) The hydrogen atom receives repulsive force by π-electrons in addition to nuclear repulsion. (2) Absorbing the hydrogen atom, the graphene transforms its structure to the 'overhand' configuration such as sp 3 state. (3) The hexagonal hole of the graphene is expanded during the penetration of the hydrogen atom. (author)

Relationship between shoulder roll and hand propulsion in the front crawl stroke.

Science.gov (United States)

Kudo, Shigetada; Sakurai, Yoshihisa; Miwa, Takahiro; Matsuda, Yuji

2017-05-01

This study re-evaluated the magnitude of hand propulsion (HP) in the pull and push phases of the front crawl stroke and investigated the association between the angular velocity of shoulder roll (ω SR ) and hand propulsive lift (HP L ). ω SR was computed in the plane normal to a forward direction for 16 skilled swimmers performing the front crawl stroke at a maximal sprinting pace. HP, hand propulsive drag (HP D ) and HP L were determined by a dynamic pressure approach. HP and HP D in the pull phase were greater than in the push phase (P push phase. Eleven swimmers out of the 16 swimmers had a significant within-swimmers correlation between ω SR and HP L in the push phase (P push phase as the ω SR of rolling back to the neutral position became faster. A swimmer should use more drag for hand propulsion in the pull phase and propulsion from drag and lift equally in the push phase. Based on the relationship between ω SR and HP L in the push phase, a possible stroke technique to enhance HP L using ω SR is discussed.

Food choice patterns among frail older adults: The associations between social network, food choice values, and diet quality.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Chang-O

2016-01-01

Social network type might affect an individual's food choice because these decisions are often made as a group rather than individually. In this study, the associations between social network type, food choice value, and diet quality in frail older adults with low socioeconomic status were investigated. For this cross-sectional study, 87 frail older adults were recruited from the National Home Healthcare Services in Seoul, South Korea. Social network types, food choice values, and diet quality were assessed using The Practitioner Assessment of Network Type Instrument, The Food Choice Questionnaire, and mean adequacy ratio, respectively. Results showed that frail older adults with close relationships with local family and/or friends and neighbors were less likely to follow their own preferences, such as taste, price, and beliefs regarding food health values. In contrast, frail older adults with a small social network and few community contacts were more likely to be influenced by their food choice values, such as price or healthiness of food. Frail older adults who tend to choose familiar foods were associated with low-quality dietary intake, while older adults who valued healthiness or use of natural ingredients were associated with a high-quality diet. The strength and direction of these associations were dependent on social network type of frail older adults. This study explored the hypothesis that food choice values are associated with a certain type of social network and consequently affect diet quality. While additional research needs to be conducted, community-based intervention intended to improve diet quality of frail older adults must carefully consider individual food choice values as well as social network types. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Relationship Between Personality Types and Career Choice of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The study was carried out to investigate the Relationship between Personality Types and Career Choice of Secondary School Students in Nigeria. The researchers formulated one research question and one hypothesis to guide the study. The researchers employed two sampling techniques, cluster and random sampling ...

Virtual Hand Feedback Reduces Reaction Time in an Interactive Finger Reaching Task.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Johannes Brand

Full Text Available Computer interaction via visually guided hand or finger movements is a ubiquitous part of daily computer usage in work or gaming. Surprisingly, however, little is known about the performance effects of using virtual limb representations versus simpler cursors. In this study 26 healthy right-handed adults performed cued index finger flexion-extension movements towards an on-screen target while wearing a data glove. They received each of four different types of real-time visual feedback: a simple circular cursor, a point light pattern indicating finger joint positions, a cartoon hand and a fully shaded virtual hand. We found that participants initiated the movements faster when receiving feedback in the form of a hand than when receiving circular cursor or point light feedback. This overall difference was robust for three out of four hand versus circle pairwise comparisons. The faster movement initiation for hand feedback was accompanied by a larger movement amplitude and a larger movement error. We suggest that the observed effect may be related to priming of hand information during action perception and execution affecting motor planning and execution. The results may have applications in the use of body representations in virtual reality applications.

Quantification of Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis on the hands of health-care workers using a real-time polymerase chain reaction method

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Horn, P; Schouenborg, P Øland; Brandslund, I

2007-01-01

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to test a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay intended as a tool for monitoring hand hygiene in hospital wards. METHODS: The hands of 20 health-care workers were sampled for 10 days using real-time PCR for quantification of Staphylococcus aureus and S....... epidermidis. Reference intervals (CI) and biological variation were evaluated using index of individuality (II) and critical difference (CD). RESULTS: 45% of the participants were positive for S. aureus on all 10 days. Intra-individual biological variation (CVI) was 129% for S. aureus and 62% for S...

[Intersection between gender and socioeconomic status in medical sciences career choice].

Science.gov (United States)

Gallardo-Hernández, Georgina; Ortiz-Hernández, Luis; Compeán-Dardón, Sandra; Verde-Flota, Elizabeth; Delgado-Sáncnchez, Guadalupe; Tamez-González, Silivia

2006-01-01

Analyze the relationship between gender identity and socioeconomic level associated with career choice among undergraduate students selecting the area of health sciences. Our sample was comprised of first year medical nutrition, dentistry and nursing students (n=637) admitted to the Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana - Xochimilco. A self administered questionnaire was used. The dependent variable was career choice. Independent variables included socioeconomic status, gender norms in student's homes, and gender stereotype internalization. More female nursing students came from low socioeconomic strata, while medical students had a higher socioeconomic status. Among males, more nursing and medical students belonged to a higher socioeconomicstrata. Nutrition and dentistry students belonged to a medium strata. In comparison with males from high socioeconomic strata more male participants reported that household chores were divided among men and women. For women, as the socioeconomic level increased, the participation of men and women also increased. In the indicators of internalization of gender stereotypes, nursing students had the highest rates in the submission scale, but the lowest for masculinity and machismo. As the socioeconomic strata increased, the characteristics of masculinity and machismo also increased. The present results seem to indicate that among women of low socioeconomic strata more traditional gender stereotypes prevail which lead them to seek career choices considered femenine. Among men, there is a clear relationship between career choice, socioeconomic level and internalization of gender stereotypes.

The relationship between type of secondary education and subject choice with technically oriented aptitudes for automotive operators

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juliet I. Puchert

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Orientation: The central theme of this study attends to the role of secondary education in relation to two broad categories of specific aptitudes (psychomotor and spatial abilities. Utilising type of secondary education (incorporating subject choice could be a crucial selection mechanism for high-volume, entry-level technical positions. Research purpose: The objective of this research was to investigate whether the type of secondary education (incorporating subject choice could be used as a proxy for psychomotor (dexterity and coordination and/or spatial (ability to mentally assemble representations and spatial perception 2-D and 3-D aptitudes in the selection of operators for an automotive plant in South Africa. Motivation for the study: The motivation for this study arose from the evident gap in academic literature as well as the selection needs of the automotive industry. Research design, approach and method: A quantitative approach with a cross-sectional research design was used with a convenience sample (n = 1566 of work-seeking applicants for automotive operator positions in South Africa. These applicants completed a biographical questionnaire and five sub-tests from the Trade Aptitude Test Battery. The Chi-square test was used to determine the association between form of Grade 12 qualification and selected technical aptitudes. Main findings: Statistically and practically significant relationships were found between type of secondary education (incorporating subject choice, eye–hand coordination and spatial visualisation. Broad performance levels in the five aptitude instruments employed in this study were significantly associated with the type of matriculation certificate held by applicants. Specifically, types of secondary education that included mathematics and/or science as subjects were associated with higher levels of performance in the five specific aptitudes. Practical/managerial implications: The type of secondary education

The incidence of calorie labeling on fast food choices: A comparison between stated preferences and actual choices.

Science.gov (United States)

Loureiro, Maria L; Rahmani, Djamel

2016-09-01

In order to test the effect of calorie information on fast food choices, we conducted a questionnaire employing two types of stated preferences methods (the best-worst-scaling and intentional questions) and a follow-up randomized field experiment in a sample of 119 participants. This combined approach allowed us to test the internal validity of preferences for fast food meals across elicitation scenarios. The results showed that calorie information reduces the probability of selecting high calorie meals only in the questionnaire, while it did not have any significant impact on actual purchasing behavior in the field experiment. Thus, the findings show that there is a clear difference between the role of calorie information on immediate stated preference choices, and the relatively low level of responsiveness in real choices in a restaurant. We believe that the current results are quite suggestive, indicating the limits of predicting actual fast food behavior, and may open the way to using data sources that combine stated methods with field experiments. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

How the Measurement of Store Choice Behaviour Moderates the Relationship between Distance and Store Choice Behaviour

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Torben; Cumberland, Flemming; Solgaard, Hans Stubbe

2013-01-01

The influence of distance on consumer store choice behaviour has been considered in many studies. In that respect, frequency and budget share are frequently used methods of measurement to determine the consumer's store choice behavour. In this study, we propose that the significance of distance...... is influenced by the way in which store choice behaviour is conceptualized. A survey among 631 consuemrs was performed in order to examine the research proposition. Structural equation results suggest that the negative effect of distance on store choice behaviour is larger when store choice behaviour...... is measured as number of visits to a particular store than wehen store cjoice behaviour is measured as the percentage of budget spend at a particular store. Our results indicate that researchers should carefully consider the measurement of store choice behaviour when carrying out empirical research invlving...

Hand hygiene for the prevention of nosocomial infections.

Science.gov (United States)

Kampf, Günter; Löffler, Harald; Gastmeier, Petra

2009-10-01

The WHO regards hand hygiene as an essential tool for the prevention of nosocomial infection, but compliance in clinical practice is often low. The relevant scientific literature and national and international evidence-based recommendations (Robert Koch Institute [Germany], WHO) were evaluated. Hygienic hand disinfection has better antimicrobial efficacy than hand-washing and is the procedure of choice to be performed before and after manual contact with patients. The hands should be washed, rather than disinfected, only when they are visibly soiled. Skin irritation is quite common among healthcare workers and is mainly caused by water, soap, and prolonged wearing of gloves. Compliance can be improved by training, by placing hand-rub dispensers at the sites where they are needed, and by physicians setting a good example for others. Improved compliance in hand hygiene, with proper use of alcohol-based hand rubs, can reduce the nosocomial infection rate by as much as 40%.

Survey of relationship between principals’ demographic characteristics and conflict management style choices

OpenAIRE

SEDIGHEH MOKHTARPOUR; MOHSEN KHADEMI; HOSSEIN MOKHTARPOUR

2013-01-01

Introduction: Conflict is inevitable in workplaces and it is very important to manage it in a proper way to minimize the problems that might arise. The aim of this research is surveying the relationship between principals’ demographic characteristics and the choice of conflict management styles. Methods: The statistical society included 213 employed principals of Shiraz high schools. The data on conflict management style choices were gathered using the conflict management qu...

The Visible Hand: Markets, Politics, and Regulation in Post-Katrina New Orleans

Science.gov (United States)

Jabbar, Huriya

2016-01-01

In this article Huriya Jabbar examines how the regulatory environment in post-Hurricane Katrina New Orleans has influenced choice, incentives, and competition among schools. While previous research has highlighted the mechanisms of competition and individual choice--the "invisible hand"--and the creation of markets in education, Jabbar…

Bounded rational choice behaviour: applications in transport

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Anders Fjendbo

2016-01-01

Even though the theory of rational behaviour has been challenged for almost 100 years, the dominant approach within the field of transport has been based upon the assumptions of neoclassical economics that we live in a world of rational decision makers who always have perfect knowledge and aim...... rational choice behaviour focuses on how the latter approach can be seriously taken into account within transport applications. As the editors discuss in the introduction, a true optimal choice can only be made if an individual has full and perfect information of all relevant attributes in his/her choice...... set. An individual is said to demonstrate bounded rational behaviour if he/she does not systematically consider all attributes deemed relevant for the decision problem at hand, does not consider all choice options and/or does not choose the best choice alternative. Such simplified representation...

The Drift Diffusion Model can account for the accuracy and reaction time of value-based choices under high and low time pressure

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Milica Milosavljevic

2010-10-01

Full Text Available An important open problem is how values are compared to make simple choices. A natural hypothesis is that the brain carries out the computations associated with the value comparisons in a manner consistent with the Drift Diffusion Model (DDM, since this model has been able to account for a large amount of data in other domains. We investigated the ability of four different versions of the DDM to explain the data in a real binary food choice task under conditions of high and low time pressure. We found that a seven-parameter version of the DDM can account for the choice and reaction time data with high-accuracy, in both the high and low time pressure conditions. The changes associated with the introduction of time pressure could be traced to changes in two key model parameters: the barrier height and the noise in the slope of the drift process.

A person-oriented approach to hand hygiene behaviour: Emotional empathy fosters hand hygiene practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Sassenrath, Claudia; Diefenbacher, Svenja; Siegel, André; Keller, Johannes

2016-01-01

Adopting a social-psychological approach, this research examines whether emotional empathy, an affective reaction regarding another's well-being, fosters hand hygiene as this affects other's health-related well-being extensively. Three studies tested this notion: (a) a cross-sectional study involving a sample of health care workers at a German hospital, (b) an experiment testing the causal effect of empathy on hand hygiene behaviour and (c) an 11-week prospective study testing whether an empathy induction affected disinfectant usage frequency in two different wards of a hospital. Self-reported hand hygiene behaviour based on day reconstruction method was measured in Study 1, actual hand sanitation behaviour was observed in Study 2 and disinfectant usage frequency in two different hospital wards was assessed in Study 3. Study 1 reveals an association of empathy with hand hygiene cross-sectionally, Study 2 documents the causal effect of empathy on increased hand sanitation. Study 3 shows an empathy induction increases hand sanitiser usage in the hospital. Increasing emotional empathy promotes hand hygiene behaviour, also in hospitals. Besides providing new impulses for the design of effective interventions, these findings bear theoretical significance as they document the explanatory power of empathy regarding a distal explanandum (hand hygiene).

The role of intention as mediator between latent effects and behavior: application of a hybrid choice model to study departure time choices

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thorhauge, Mikkel; Cherchi, Elisabetta; Walker, Joan L.

2017-01-01

of them consider the effect of intention and its role as mediator between those psychological effects and the choice, as implied in the Theory of Planned Behavior. In this paper we contribute to the literature in this field by specifically studying the direct effect of the intention on the actual behavior......, while attitude, social norms, and perceived behavioral control affect the intention to behave in a given way. We apply a hybrid choice model to study the departure time choice. For this, we use data from Danish commuters in the morning rush hours in the Greater Copenhagen area. We find a significant...

The first organocatalytic, ortho-regioselective inverse-electron-demand hetero-Diels-Alder reaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Hejmanowska, Joanna; Jasiński, Marcin; Wojciechowski, Jakub; Mlostoń, Grzegorz; Albrecht, Łukasz

2017-10-17

The development of the unprecedented ortho-regioselective inverse-electron-demand hetero-Diels-Alder (IEDHDA) reaction is described. It has been demonstrated that by proper choice of reactants and reaction conditions the inverse-electron-demand hetero-Diels-Alder cycloaddition can be realized with unprecedented regioselectivity arising from the reaction between the terminal carbon atom of the dienophile and the heteroatom of the heterodiene.

Reactions between Ti3Al-Nb and mixed second phases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bowden, D.M.; Sastry, S.M.L.; Smith, P.R.

1989-01-01

In engineered multiphase materials, the interfacial characteristics that develop between individual phases during high-temperature exposure can play a significant role in determining mechanical behavior. In titanium alloys containing silicon carbide and boron fibers, rule-of-mixtures strength values are not realized, primarily because of the chemical reactions that occur between the matrix alloys and these phases. Previous investigations of the reaction between titanium alloys and boron have shown that a uniform reaction layer of the phase TiB 2 is formed, followed by growth of TiB needles. The primary mechanism of this reaction was observed to be the one-way diffusion of boron into titanium. The use of a B 4 C coating on the boron (B 4 C/B) as a diffusion barrier was found to significantly slow the reaction between the titanium and boron. Certain alloy additions to titanium, such as aluminum, vanadium, and molybdenum, can increase the chemical compatibility of these two phases. For the case of SiC, the reaction zone is formed by the interdiffusion of silicon and carbon atoms with titanium. X-ray diffraction studies have shown the reaction components to include TiC, Ti 5 Si 3 , and TiSi 2 . In the present study, the reactions between a Ti 3 Al alloy and both B 4 C/B and SiC have been examined. Reaction models are proposed to describe the development of the chemical interaction zone formed between these phases

A COMPARISON OF UPPER-EXTREMITY REACTION FORCES BETWEEN THE YURCHENKO VAULT AND FLOOR EXERCISE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matthew Kirk Seeley

2005-06-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to examine reaction forces transmitted to the upper extremities of high-level gymnasts during the round-off phase of the Yurchenko vault. A secondary purpose of this study was to compare reaction forces during the Yurchenko vault to reaction forces observed in a tumbling pass during the floor exercise. Ten high-level, female gymnasts volunteered to participate. Conditions of the independent variable were the Yurchenko vault and floor exercise; dependent variables were peak vertical and peak anterior-posterior reaction forces. Each participant performed three trials of both conditions with the trail hand contacting a force platform. Vertical and anterior-posterior reaction forces, normalized to body weight, were greater (p < 0.05 during the round-off phase of the Yurchenko vault (2.38 than during the floor exercise round-off (2.15. Vertical reaction forces during the round-off phase of the Yurchenko vault and floor exercise round-off are similar to reaction forces transmitted to upper extremities during other gymnastic skills and ground reaction forces transmitted to lower extremities while running and walking at various speeds. Results of this study reveal a need for further research considering methods aimed at reducing reaction forces transmitted to the upper extremities during the Yurchenko vault and floor exercise.

Efficacy of a protocol including heparin ointment for treatment of multikinase inhibitor-induced hand-foot skin reactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jian-ri; Yang, Chi-rei; Cheng, Chen-li; Ho, Hao-chung; Chiu, Kun-yuan; Su, Chung-Kuang; Chen, Wen-Ming; Wang, Shian-Shiang; Chen, Chuan-Shu; Yang, Cheng-Kuang; Ou, Yen-chuan

2013-03-01

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of a protocol including topical heparin therapy for hand-foot skin reactions (HFSR) during multikinase (MKI) treatment. We prospectively collected 26 patients who had HFSRs during treatment with the MKIs, sunitinib, sorafenib, or axitinib. The age distribution ranged from 46 to 87 years, with a mean of 66 years. The distribution of HFSR severity was 12 patients with grade 1, 12 with grade 2, and 2 with grade 3. A heparin-containing topical ointment treatment, combined with hand-foot shock absorbers and skin moisturizers, was used at the lesion sites. Changes in the grade of HFSR, MKI dosage, and interruptions of MKI therapy were recorded. The results showed that 66.7% of grade 1 patients were cured of disease, 83.3% of grade 2 patients had improved symptoms, and both grade 3 patients (100%) had improved symptoms and were downgraded to grade 2. Four (15.4%) patients required reduction of MKI dosage, but there were no treatment interruptions or dropouts. Our protocol is beneficial in promoting resolution of HFSRs induced by MKIs. Further validation in large control studies should be investigated.

Differences between Drug-Induced and Contrast Media-Induced Adverse Reactions Based on Spontaneously Reported Adverse Drug Reactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Ryu, JiHyeon; Lee, HeeYoung; Suh, JinUk; Yang, MyungSuk; Kang, WonKu; Kim, EunYoung

2015-01-01

We analyzed differences between spontaneously reported drug-induced (not including contrast media) and contrast media-induced adverse reactions. Adverse drug reactions reported by an in-hospital pharmacovigilance center (St. Mary's teaching hospital, Daejeon, Korea) from 2010-2012 were classified as drug-induced or contrast media-induced. Clinical patterns, frequency, causality, severity, Schumock and Thornton's preventability, and type A/B reactions were recorded. The trends among causality tools measuring drug and contrast-induced adverse reactions were analyzed. Of 1,335 reports, 636 drug-induced and contrast media-induced adverse reactions were identified. The prevalence of spontaneously reported adverse drug reaction-related admissions revealed a suspected adverse drug reaction-reporting rate of 20.9/100,000 (inpatient, 0.021%) and 3.9/100,000 (outpatients, 0.004%). The most common adverse drug reaction-associated drug classes included nervous system agents and anti-infectives. Dermatological and gastrointestinal adverse drug reactions were most frequently and similarly reported between drug and contrast media-induced adverse reactions. Compared to contrast media-induced adverse reactions, drug-induced adverse reactions were milder, more likely to be preventable (9.8% vs. 1.1%, p contrast media-induced adverse reactions (56.6%, p = 0.066). Causality patterns differed between the two adverse reaction classes. The World Health Organization-Uppsala Monitoring Centre causality evaluation and Naranjo algorithm results significantly differed from those of the Korean algorithm version II (p contrast media-induced adverse reactions. The World Health Organization-Uppsala Monitoring Centre and Naranjo algorithm causality evaluation afforded similar results.

The on-street parking premium and car drivers' choice between street and garage parking

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kobus, M.B.W.; Gutierrez Puigarnau, E.; Rietveld, P.; van Ommeren, J.N.

2013-01-01

We introduce a methodology to estimate the effect of parking prices on car drivers' choice between street and garage parking. Our key identifying assumption is that the marginal benefit of parking duration does not depend on this choice. The endogeneity of parking duration is acknowledged in the

Mental rotation of anthropoid hands: a chronometric study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L.G. Gawryszewski

2007-03-01

Full Text Available It has been shown that mental rotation of objects and human body parts is processed differently in the human brain. But what about body parts belonging to other primates? Does our brain process this information like any other object or does it instead maximize the structural similarities with our homologous body parts? We tried to answer this question by measuring the manual reaction time (MRT of human participants discriminating the handedness of drawings representing the hands of four anthropoid primates (orangutan, chimpanzee, gorilla, and human. Twenty-four right-handed volunteers (13 males and 11 females were instructed to judge the handedness of a hand drawing in palm view by pressing a left/right key. The orientation of hand drawings varied from 0º (fingers upwards to 90º lateral (fingers pointing away from the midline, 180º (fingers downwards and 90º medial (finger towards the midline. The results showed an effect of rotation angle (F(3, 69 = 19.57, P < 0.001, but not of hand identity, on MRTs. Moreover, for all hand drawings, a medial rotation elicited shorter MRTs than a lateral rotation (960 and 1169 ms, respectively, P < 0.05. This result has been previously observed for drawings of the human hand and related to biomechanical constraints of movement performance. Our findings indicate that anthropoid hands are essentially equivalent stimuli for handedness recognition. Since the task involves mentally simulating the posture and rotation of the hands, we wondered if "mirror neurons" could be involved in establishing the motor equivalence between the stimuli and the participants' own hands.

College Choice as a Linking Variable between Recruitment and Retention.

Science.gov (United States)

Villella, Edward F.; Hu, Michael

1990-01-01

A study of 740 first-year university students found a strong positive correlation between students' college choice, subsequent expectations of the institution, and intent to stay at or leave the university. It is suggested that processes occurring before matriculation are as significant as the college social and academic environment or external…

Pop-It Beads to Introduce Catalysis of Reaction Rate and Substrate Depletion Effects

Science.gov (United States)

Gehret, Austin U.

2017-01-01

A kinesthetic classroom activity was designed to help students understand enzyme activity and catalysis of reaction rate. Students served the role of enzymes by manipulating Pop-It Beads as the catalytic event. This activity illuminates the relationship between reaction rate and reaction progress by allowing students to experience first-hand the…

Survey of relationship between principals’ demographic characteristics and conflict management style choices

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

SEDIGHEH MOKHTARPOUR

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Conflict is inevitable in workplaces and it is very important to manage it in a proper way to minimize the problems that might arise. The aim of this research is surveying the relationship between principals’ demographic characteristics and the choice of conflict management styles. Methods: The statistical society included 213 employed principals of Shiraz high schools. The data on conflict management style choices were gathered using the conflict management questionnaire. The t-test, ANOVA and regression were used to analyze the data. Results: The results of this research showed that the compromise style was the most frequently used method by principals followed by collaboration and accommodation, domination and avoidance, respectively. There was a significant association between the principals’ level of income and the use of collaboration and accommodation styles. There was a statistically significant difference between gender and the use of the five fold approach in the domination style. Overall, there was a significant association between the principals’ demographic characteristics and the conflict management style choices. Concolusion: The principals should notice that conflict is inevitable in organizations and they should consider the opinions and ideas of both parties involved in the conflict. So the best approach for conflict management by principals is to pay attention to its outcomes and choose the style which has the most benefit for the involved parties.

Reaction between phenyl derivatives of lanthanides and carbonyl compounds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sigalov, A.B.; Petrov, Eh.S.; Rybakova, L.F.; Beletskaya, I.P.

1983-01-01

Reactions of PhLnI (Ln=Yb, Eu, Sm, Ce) with α, β-unsaturated ketons (trans-chalcone and benzalacetone) are considered as well as with 9-fluorene and benzophenone. The regioselectivity of the reaction of PhLnI addition to enones is compared with similar reactions of PhMgX and PhLi. The reaction between PhLnI and trans-chalcone proceeds regiospecifically as 1, 2-addition in contrast with reactions of PhMgI and PhLi. A new reaction of lanthanide carbinolate deoxygenation under the effect of reducers was found. The reaction product yields are presented

Comparative Study Between Ethylbenzene Disproportionation Reaction and its Ethylation Reaction with Ethanol over ZSM-5

KAUST Repository

Tukur, N. M.

2009-06-23

Ethylation of ethylbenzene with ethanol has been studied over ZSM-5 catalyst in a riser simulator that mimics the operation of a fluidized-bed reactor. The feed molar ratio of ethylbenzene:ethanol is 1:1. The study was carried out at 350, 400, 450, and 500°C for reaction times of 3, 5, 7, 10, 13, and 15 s. Comparisons are made between the results of the ethylbenzene ethylation reaction with that of ethylbenzene disproportionation reaction earlier reported. The effect of reaction conditions on ethylbenzene reactivity, p-diethylbenzene selectivity, total diethylbenzene (DEB) isomers selectivity, p-DEB-to-m-DEB ratio, benzene-to-DEB molar ratio, and benzene selectivity, are reported. Benzene selectivity is about 10 times more in the EB disproportion reaction as compared to its ethylation reaction with ethanol at 350°C. In addition, the results showed a p-DEB/m-DEB ratio for the EB ethylation reaction varying between 1.2-1.7, which is greater than the equilibrium values. Increase in temperature shifts the alkylation/dealkylation equilibrium towards dealkylation, thereby decreasing conversion and selectivity to DEB. © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2009.

RELATION BETWEEN QUALITY OF LIFE, CHOICE MAKING, AND FUTURE EXPECTATIONS IN ADULTS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY

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Vesna KOSTIKJ-IVANOVIKJ

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Quality of life of individuals depends significantly on the ability to have control over everyday life, realized through the freedom to make choices from available options and self-determination. Objective: To determine the correlation between possibilities for making choices and expectations for the future with the quality of life in adults with intellectual disabilities according self-assessment and assessment by others. Methods: Descriptive, method of correlation and comparative analysis ware applied. From techniques, analysis of documents, surveys with the Quality of life questionnaire by Schalock and Keith and Questionnaire for expectations for the future by Speck, and scaling with the Scale for assessment of the opportunities for making choices by Kishi et al. Sample consisted of 130 intellectually disabled adults and 130 proxies. For establishing connection between the examined phenomena Pearson correlation coefficient (r was used, at p<0,01. Results: There is a strong correlation between the results obtained from the questionnaires about quality of life and opportunities for making choices, self-assessment r(130=0,497, p<0,01, assessment by others r(130=0,482, p<0,01. There is a correlation between the results obtained from the questionnaires about quality of life and expectations for the future, but not very strong, self-assessment r(130=0,233, p=0,008<0,01, assessment by others r(130=0,305, p<0,01. Conclusion: There is a correlation between opportunities for making choices and expectations for the future with the quality of life in adults with intellectual disabilities. To improve the quality of life in these individuals, it is necessary to design programs that will develop self-concept, abilities for self-determination and making personal choices.

Distinguishing the affective and cognitive bases of implicit attitudes to improve prediction of food choices.

Science.gov (United States)

Trendel, Olivier; Werle, Carolina O C

2016-09-01

Eating behaviors largely result from automatic processes. Yet, in existing research, automatic or implicit attitudes toward food often fail to predict eating behaviors. Applying findings in cognitive neuroscience research, we propose and find that a central reason why implicit attitudes toward food are not good predictors of eating behaviors is that implicit attitudes are driven by two distinct constructs that often have diverging evaluative consequences: the automatic affective reactions to food (e.g., tastiness; the affective basis of implicit attitudes) and the automatic cognitive reactions to food (e.g., healthiness; the cognitive basis of implicit attitudes). More importantly, we find that the affective and cognitive bases of implicit attitudes directly and uniquely influence actual food choices under different conditions. While the affective basis of implicit attitude is the main driver of food choices, it is the only driver when cognitive resources during choice are limited. The cognitive basis of implicit attitudes uniquely influences food choices when cognitive resources during choice are plentiful but only for participants low in impulsivity. Researchers interested in automatic processes in eating behaviors could thus benefit by distinguishing between the affective and cognitive bases of implicit attitudes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Relationship between sensitivity to visuotactile temporal discrepancy and the rubber hand illusion.

Science.gov (United States)

Shimada, Sotaro; Suzuki, Tatsuya; Yoda, Naohiko; Hayashi, Tomoya

2014-08-01

The rubber-hand illusion (RHI) is that the subject feels the visually presented tactile stimulation of an artificial (rubber) hand as their own tactile sensation and is caused by stimulating the rubber and real hands synchronously. Our previous study showed that the RHI was greatly reduced as the visual feedback delay of the tactile stimulation of the hand became longer. In the present study, we investigate the relationship between the attenuation of the RHI and the detection of the delay in two experiments: (1) an RHI experiment and (2) a visuotactile asynchrony detection experiment, in which the subjects underwent tactile stimulation of their hand and judged whether visual feedback was consistent with the touch sensation. In line with our previous study, the RHI was significantly reduced as the delay lengthened. Interestingly, proprioceptive drift declined linearly as the delay increased, while the delay detection rate was better fitted by a non-linear (logistic) function. The illusion score showed the intermittent pattern. We suggest that proprioceptive drift is relevant to the processing of the body schema, whereas the delay detection and the subjective feeling of the RHI are more related to the body image processing. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd and the Japan Neuroscience Society. All rights reserved.

Theory of Visual Attention (TVA) applied to mice in the 5-choice serial reaction time task

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fitzpatrick, C. M.; Caballero-Puntiverio, M.; Gether, U.

2017-01-01

Rationale The 5-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT) is widely used to measure rodent attentional functions. In humans, many attention studies in healthy and clinical populations have used testing based on Bundesen’s Theory of Visual Attention (TVA) to estimate visual processing speeds...... on an individual level. Scopolamine HBr dose-dependently reduced 5-CSRTT attentional performance while also increasing reward collection latency at the highest dose. Upon TVA modelling, scopolamine HBr significantly reduced visual processing speed at both doses, while having less pronounced effects on visual...... modelled using a new three-parameter version of TVA to obtain estimates of visual processing speeds, visual thresholds and motor response baselines in each mouse. Results The parameter estimates for each animal were reliable across sessions, showing that the data were stable enough to support analysis...

Exchange reaction between tritiated hydrogen and water vapor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamada, Koichi; Takano, Kenichi; Watanabe, Tamaki.

1979-01-01

Exchange reaction of tritiated hydrogen to water vapor under the condition of tritium gas concentration between 1 μCi/l and 1 mCi/l was studied. Tritium gas with hydrogen gas of 5 Torr and water of 20 mg were enclosed in a Pyrex glass ampule with volume of about 100 ml. The mixed gas with water vapor was heated with electric furnace. The heating time was between 2 and 100 hr, and the temperature was 776, 725, 675, 621, and 570.5 0 K. After heating, tritiated water was trapped with liquid nitrogen, and counted with a liquid scintillation counter. The radioactive concentration of initial tritiated hydrogen was measured with a calibrated ionization chamber. The main results obtained are as follows; 1) the concentration of produced tritiated water is well proportioned to that of initial tritiated hydrogen, 2) the activation energy of exchange reaction from tritiated hydrogen to tritiated water is 26.2 kcal/mol and that of inverse reaction is 27.4 kcal/mol, 3) the reaction rate at room temperature which calculated with activation energy is 1.04 x 10 -13 day -1 , and then exchange reaction at room temperature is negligible. (author)

Contributions to the study of porosity in fly ash-based geopolymers. Relationship between degree of reaction, porosity and compressive strength

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Y. Luna-Galiano

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The main contribution of this paper relates to the development of a systematic study involving a set of parameters which could potentially have an impact on geopolymer properties: curing temperature, type of activating solution, alkali metal in solution, incorporation of slag (Ca source and type of slag used. The microstructures, degrees of reaction, porosities and compressive strengths of geopolymers have been evaluated. Geopolymers prepared with soluble silicate presented a more compacted and closed structure, a larger amount of gel, lower porosity and greater compressive strength than those prepared with hydroxides. On the other hand, Na-geopolymers were more porous but more resistant than K-geopolymers. Although there is an inverse relation between degree of reaction and porosity, between compressive strength and porosity it is not always inversely proportional and could, in some cases, be masked by changes produced in other influencing parameters.

Measurement of Visual Reaction Times Using Hand-held Mobile Devices

Science.gov (United States)

Mulligan, Jeffrey B.; Arsintescu, Lucia; Flynn-Evans, Erin

2015-01-01

Modern mobile devices provide a convenient platform for collecting research data in the field. But,because the working of these devices is often cloaked behind multiple layers of proprietary system software, it can bedifficult to assess the accuracy of the data they produce, particularly in the case of timing. We have been collecting datain a simple visual reaction time experiment, as part of a fatigue testing protocol known as the Psychomotor Vigilance Test (PVT). In this protocol, subjects run a 5-minute block consisting of a sequence of trials in which a visual stimulus appears after an unpredictable variable delay. The subject is required to tap the screen as soon as possible after the appearance of the stimulus. In order to validate the reaction times reported by our program, we had subjects perform the task while a high-speed video camera recorded both the display screen, and a side view of the finger (observed in a mirror). Simple image-processing methods were applied to determine the frames in which the stimulus appeared and disappeared, and in which the finger made and broke contact with the screen. The results demonstrate a systematic delay between the initial contact by the finger and the detection of the touch by the software, having a value of 80 +- 20 milliseconds.

Assessment of comparative skills between hand-assisted and straight laparoscopic colorectal training on an augmented reality simulator.

Science.gov (United States)

Leblanc, F; Delaney, C P; Neary, P C; Rose, J; Augestad, K M; Senagore, A J; Ellis, C N; Champagne, B J

2010-09-01

The aim of this study was to compare skills sets during a hand-assisted and straight laparoscopic colectomy on an augmented reality simulator. Twenty-nine surgeons, assigned randomly in 2 groups, performed laparoscopic sigmoid colectomies on a simulator: group A (n = 15) performed hand-assisted then straight procedures; group B (n = 14) performed straight then hand-assisted procedures. Groups were compared according to prior laparoscopic colorectal experience, performance (time, instrument path length, and instrument velocity changes), technical skills, and operative error. Prior laparoscopic colorectal experience was similar in both groups. Both groups had better performances with the hand-assisted approach, although technical skill scores were similar between approaches. The error rate was higher with the hand-assisted approach in group A, but similar between both approaches in group B. These data define the metrics of performance for hand-assisted and straight laparoscopic colectomy on an augmented reality simulator. The improved scores with the hand-assisted approach suggest that with this simulator a hand-assisted model may be technically easier to perform, although it is associated with increased intraoperative errors.

Brain microstructural correlates of visuospatial choice reaction time in children

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Madsen, Kathrine Skak; Baaré, William F C; Skimminge, Arnold

2011-01-01

The corticospinal tracts and the basal ganglia continue to develop during childhood and adolescence, and indices of their maturation can be obtained using diffusion-weighted imaging. Here we show that a simple measure of visuomotor function is correlated with diffusion parameters...... anisotropy (FA) in the corticospinal tracts, after controlling for age, gender, and handedness. Mean MD and/or FA were extracted from the right and left corticospinal tracts, putamen, and caudate nuclei. As predicted, faster 5-choice RTs were associated with lower MD in the corticospinal tracts, putamen......, and caudate. MD effects on RT were bilateral in the corticospinal tracts and putamen, whilst right caudate MD was more strongly related to performance than was left caudate MD. Our results suggest a link between motor performance variability in children and diffusivity in the motor system, which may...

Chemistry and biology by new multiple choice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seo, Hyeong Seok; Kim, Seong Hwan

2003-02-01

This book is divided into two parts, the first part is about chemistry, which deals with science of material, atom structure and periodic law, chemical combination and power between molecule, state of material and solution, chemical reaction and an organic compound. The second part give description of biology with molecule and cell, energy in cells and chemical synthesis, molecular biology and heredity, function on animal, function on plant and evolution and ecology. This book has explanation of chemistry and biology with new multiple choice.

Effects of Aging and Tai Chi on a Finger-Pointing Task with a Choice Paradigm

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

William W. N. Tsang

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Background. This cross-sectional study examined the effect of aging on performing finger-pointing tasks involving choices and whether experienced older Tai Chi practitioners perform better than healthy older controls in such tasks. Methods. Thirty students and 30 healthy older controls were compared with 31 Tai Chi practitioners. All the subjects performed a rapid index finger-pointing task. The visual signal appeared randomly under 3 conditions: (1 to touch a black ball as quickly and as accurately as possible, (2 not to touch a white ball, (3 to touch only the white ball when a black and a white ball appeared simultaneously. Reaction time (RT of anterior deltoid electromyogram, movement time (MT from electromyogram onset to touching of the target, end-point accuracy from the center of the target, and the number of wrong movements were recorded. Results. Young students displayed significantly faster RT and MT, achieving significantly greater end-point accuracy and fewer wrong movements than older controls. Older Tai Chi practitioners had significantly faster MT than older controls. Conclusion. Finger-pointing tasks with a choice paradigm became slower and less accurate with age. Positive findings suggest that Tai Chi may slow down the aging effect on eye-hand coordination tasks involving choices that require more cognitive progressing.

Synthesis of Stable and Soluble One-Handed Helical Homopoly(substituted acetylenes without the Coexistence of Any Other Chiral Moieties via Two-Step Polymer Reactions in Membrane State: Molecular Design of the Starting Monomer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Takashi Kaneko

2012-01-01

Full Text Available A soluble and stable one-handed helical poly(substituted phenylacetylene without the coexistence of any other chiral moieties was successfully synthesized by asymmetric-induced polymerization of a chiral monomer followed by two-step polymer reactions in membrane state: (1 removing the chiral groups (desubstitution; and (2 introduction of achiral long alkyl groups at the same position as the desubstitution to enhance the solubility of the resulting one-handed helical polymer (resubstitution. The starting chiral monomer should have four characteristic substituents: (i a chiral group bonded to an easily hydrolyzed spacer group; (ii two hydroxyl groups; (iii a long rigid hydrophobic spacer between the chiral group and the polymerizing group; (iv a long achiral group near the chiral group. As spacer group a carbonate ester was selected. The two hydroxyl groups formed intramolecular hydrogen bonds stabilizing a one-handed helical structure in solution before and after the two-step polymer reactions in membrane state. The rigid long hydrophobic spacer, a phenylethynylphenyl group, enhanced the solubility of the starting polymer, and realized effective chiral induction from the chiral side groups to the main chain in the asymmetric-induced polymerization. The long alkyl group near the chiral group avoided shrinkage of the membrane and kept the reactivity of resubstitution in membrane state after removing the chiral groups. The g value (g = ([θ]/3,300/ε for the CD signal assigned to the main chain in the obtained final polymer was almost the same as that of the starting polymer in spite of the absence of any other chiral moieties. Moreover, since the one-handed helical structure was maintained by the intramolecular hydrogen bonds in a solution, direct observation of the one-handed helicity of the final homopolymer has been realized in CD for the solution for the first time.

Production of radioactive nuclides in inverse reaction kinematics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Traykov, E.; Rogachevskiy, A.; Bosswell, M.; Dammalapati, U.; Dendooven, P.; Dermois, O.C.; Jungmann, K.; Onderwater, C.J.G.; Sohani, M.; Willmann, L.; Wilschut, H.W.; Young, A.R.

2007-01-01

Efficient production of short-lived radioactive isotopes in inverse reaction kinematics is an important technique for various applications. It is particularly relevant when the isotope of interest is only a few nucleons away from a stable isotope. In this article production via charge exchange and stripping reactions in combination with a magnetic separator is explored. The relation between the separator transmission efficiency, the production yield, and the choice of beam energy is discussed. The results of some exploratory experiments will be presented

Exploring the gap between hand washing knowledge and practices in Bangladesh: a cross-sectional comparative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Rabbi, Sifat E; Dey, Nepal C

2013-01-30

Hand washing is considered as one of the most effective hygiene promotion activities for public health in developing countries. This study compared hand washing knowledge and practices in BRAC's water; sanitation and hygiene (WASH) programme areas over time. This study is a cross-sectional comparative study between baseline (2006), midline (2009) and end-line (2011) surveys in 50 sub-districts from the first phase of the programme. Thirty thousand households from 50 sub-districts were selected in two steps: i) 30 villages were selected from each sub-district by cluster sampling, and ii) 20 households were chosen systematically from each village. The matched households were considered (26,404 in each survey) for analysis. Data were collected from households through face-to-face interview using a pre-tested questionnaire. Respondents were the adult female members of the same households, who had knowledge of day-to-day household activities related to water, sanitation and hygiene. A gap between perception and practice of proper hand washing practices with soap was identified in the study areas. Hand washing practice with soap before eating was much lower than after defecation. In baseline data, 8% reported to wash their hands with soap which significantly increased to 22% in end line. Hand washing knowledge and practices before cooking food, before serving food and while handling babies is considerably limited than other critical times. A multivariate analysis shows that socio-economic factors including education of household head and respondent, water availability and access to media have strong positive association with hand washing with soap. Gap between knowledge and practice still persists in hand washing practices. Long term and extensive initiatives can aware people about the effectiveness of hand washing.

Exploring the gap between hand washing knowledge and practices in Bangladesh: a cross-sectional comparative study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rabbi Sifat E

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Hand washing is considered as one of the most effective hygiene promotion activities for public health in developing countries. This study compared hand washing knowledge and practices in BRAC’s water; sanitation and hygiene (WASH programme areas over time. Methods This study is a cross-sectional comparative study between baseline (2006, midline (2009 and end-line (2011 surveys in 50 sub-districts from the first phase of the programme. Thirty thousand households from 50 sub-districts were selected in two steps: i 30 villages were selected from each sub-district by cluster sampling, and ii 20 households were chosen systematically from each village. The matched households were considered (26,404 in each survey for analysis. Data were collected from households through face-to-face interview using a pre-tested questionnaire. Respondents were the adult female members of the same households, who had knowledge of day-to-day household activities related to water, sanitation and hygiene. Results A gap between perception and practice of proper hand washing practices with soap was identified in the study areas. Hand washing practice with soap before eating was much lower than after defecation. In baseline data, 8% reported to wash their hands with soap which significantly increased to 22% in end line. Hand washing knowledge and practices before cooking food, before serving food and while handling babies is considerably limited than other critical times. A multivariate analysis shows that socio-economic factors including education of household head and respondent, water availability and access to media have strong positive association with hand washing with soap. Conclusion Gap between knowledge and practice still persists in hand washing practices. Long term and extensive initiatives can aware people about the effectiveness of hand washing.

Impact of Answer-Switching Behavior on Multiple-Choice Test Scores in Higher Education

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Ramazan BAŞTÜRK

2011-06-01

Full Text Available The multiple- choice format is one of the most popular selected-response item formats used in educational testing. Researchers have shown that Multiple-choice type test is a useful vehicle for student assessment in core university subjects that usually have large student numbers. Even though the educators, test experts and different test recourses maintain the idea that the first answer should be retained, many researchers argued that this argument is not dependent with empirical findings. The main question of this study is to examine how the answer switching behavior affects the multiple-choice test score. Additionally, gender differences and relationship between number of answer switching behavior and item parameters (item difficulty and item discrimination were investigated. The participants in this study consisted of 207 upper-level College of Education students from mid-sized universities. A Midterm exam consisted of 20 multiple-choice questions was used. According to the result of this study, answer switching behavior statistically increase test scores. On the other hand, there is no significant gender difference in answer-switching behavior. Additionally, there is a significant negative relationship between answer switching behavior and item difficulties.

Input price risk and optimal timing of energy investment: choice between fossil- and biofuels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Murto, Pauli; Nese, Gjermund

2002-05-01

We consider energy investment, when a choice has to be made between fossil fuel and biomass fired production technologies. A dynamic model is presented to illustrate the effect of the different degrees of input price uncertainty on the choice of technology and the timing of the investment. It is shown that when the choice of technology is irreversible, it may be optimal to postpone the investment even if it would otherwise be optimal to invest in one or both of the plant types. We provide a numerical example based on cost, estimates of two different power plant types. (author)

Input price risk and optimal timing of energy investment: choice between fossil- and biofuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murto, Pauli; Nese, Gjermund

2002-01-01

We consider energy investment, when a choice has to be made between fossil fuel and biomass fired production technologies. A dynamic model is presented to illustrate the effect of the different degrees of input price uncertainty on the choice of technology and the timing of the investment. It is shown that when the choice of technology is irreversible, it may be optimal to postpone the investment even if it would otherwise be optimal to invest in one or both of the plant types. We provide a numerical example based on cost, estimates of two different power plant types. (author)

Is a bird in the hand worth two in the future? Intertemporal choice, attachment and theory of mind in school-aged children

Science.gov (United States)

Marchetti, Antonella; Castelli, Ilaria; Sanvito, Laura; Massaro, Davide

2014-01-01

Intertemporal choice is a decision-making dilemma related to outcomes of different entity located at different time points. Economic and psychological literature on this topic showed the phenomen of temporal discounting, i.e., the proclivity to devalue the outcome distant in time on the basis of the time delay necessary to obtain it. The goals of this research are to investigate two different components of intertemporal choice separately, namely time and outcome, in school-age children, and the possible link among such components and the security of attachment style and theory of mind. Ninety one children aged between 6 and 10 years performed two intertemporal choice tasks, first and second order false belief tasks and the Separation Anxiety Task in the Family and School versions. Results showed that the two components of intertemporal choice (waiting tolerance and sensitivity to delayed outcome) are stately interrelated; the quality of the attachment to the family caregiver affects the tolerance to waiting time and first order false belief understanding affects both the components of intertemporal choice. PMID:24904496

Is a bird in the hand worth two in the future? Intertemporal choice, attachment and theory of mind in school-aged children.

Science.gov (United States)

Marchetti, Antonella; Castelli, Ilaria; Sanvito, Laura; Massaro, Davide

2014-01-01

Intertemporal choice is a decision-making dilemma related to outcomes of different entity located at different time points. Economic and psychological literature on this topic showed the phenomen of temporal discounting, i.e., the proclivity to devalue the outcome distant in time on the basis of the time delay necessary to obtain it. The goals of this research are to investigate two different components of intertemporal choice separately, namely time and outcome, in school-age children, and the possible link among such components and the security of attachment style and theory of mind. Ninety one children aged between 6 and 10 years performed two intertemporal choice tasks, first and second order false belief tasks and the Separation Anxiety Task in the Family and School versions. Results showed that the two components of intertemporal choice (waiting tolerance and sensitivity to delayed outcome) are stately interrelated; the quality of the attachment to the family caregiver affects the tolerance to waiting time and first order false belief understanding affects both the components of intertemporal choice.

Optimization of dose in computerized radiology exams of the hands

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pavan, Ana Luiza Menegatti; Alvarez, Matheus; Alves, Allan Felipe Fattori; Dela Rosa, Maria Eugenia; Miranda, Jose Ricardo de Arruda

2014-01-01

Fractures and dislocations of the hand are some of the most frequently encountered injuries of the musculoskeletal system traumas. To evaluate these lesions radiography is the investigation of choice, and is rarely needed the help of other images to establish the diagnosis and treatment. The image quality of the X-ray examination is therefore essential. In this study a homogeneous phantom hand was developed for use in the hand image optimization process. In this procedure were quantified for different tissue thicknesses which are an anthropomorphic hand phantom. To perform the classification and quantification of tissue was applied membership functions in histograms of CT scans. The same procedure was adopted for 30 retrospective examinations of patients in the Hospital of the Faculty of Medicine of Botucatu UNESP (HCFMB-UNESP). The homogeneous phantom built was used to calibrate the techniques used in clinical routine (RC). Such calibrated techniques were used to acquire images of anthropomorphic phantom. These images were analyzed by Visual Grading Method (VFA) by experienced radiologists in the area. The image with better grade in AGV and lower dose was chosen as the Gold Standard. The results showed concordance between the tissue thicknesses which constitute the anthropomorphic phantom and the sample evaluated patients, with variations between 12.63% and 6.48% for soft tissue and bone, respectively. The Gold Technical Standard compared with the technique normally used in the CR reduces dose charge 41.28% and 33.18% in the tube

Analysis of relative displacement between the HX wearable robotic exoskeleton and the user's hand.

Science.gov (United States)

Cempini, Marco; Marzegan, Alberto; Rabuffetti, Marco; Cortese, Mario; Vitiello, Nicola; Ferrarin, Maurizio

2014-10-18

Advances in technology are allowing for the production of several viable wearable robotic devices to assist with activities of daily living and with rehabilitation. One of the most pressing limitations to user satisfaction is the lack of consistency in motion between the user and the robotic device. The displacement between the robot and the body segment may not correspond because of differences in skin and tissue compliance, mechanical backlash, and/or incorrect fit. This report presents the results of an analysis of relative displacement between the user's hand and a wearable exoskeleton, the HX. HX has been designed to maximize comfort, wearability and user safety, exploiting chains with multiple degrees-of-freedom with a modular architecture. These appealing features may introduce several uncertainties in the kinematic performances, especially when considering the anthropometry, morphology and degree of mobility of the human hand. The small relative displacements between the hand and the exoskeleton were measured with a video-based motion capture system, while the user executed several different grips in different exoskeleton modes. The analysis furnished quantitative results about the device performance, differentiated among device modules and test conditions. In general, the global relative displacement for the distal part of the device was in the range 0.5-1.5 mm, while within 3 mm (worse but still acceptable) for displacements nearest to the hand dorsum. Conclusions over the HX design principles have been drawn, as well as guidelines for future developments.

Reaction between vanadium trichloride oxide and hydrogen sulfide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yajima, Akimasa; Matsuzaki, Ryoko; Saeki, Yuzo

1978-01-01

The details of the reaction between vanadium trichloride oxide and hydrogen sulfide were examined at 20 and 60 0 C. The main products by the reaction were vanadium dichloride oxide, sulfur, and hydrogen chloride. In addition to these products, small amounts of vanadium trichloride, vanadium tetrachloride, disulfur dichloride, and sulfur dioxide were formed. The formations of the above-mentioned reaction products can be explained as follows: The first stage is the reaction between vanadium trichloride oxide and hydrogen sulfide, 2VOCl 3 (l) + H 2 S(g)→2VOCl 2 (s) + S(s) + 2HCl(g). Then the resulting sulfur reacts with the unreacted vanadium trichloride oxide, 2VOCl 3 (l) + 2S(s)→2VOCl 2 (s) + S 2 Cl 2 (l). The resulting disulfur dichloride subsequently reacts with the unreacted vanadium trichloride oxide, 2VOCl 3 (l) + S 2 Cl 2 (l)→2VCl 4 (l) + S(s) + SO 2 (g). The resulting vanadium tetrachloride reacts with the sulfur formed during the reaction, 2VCl 4 (l) + 2S(s)→2VCl 3 (s) + S 2 Cl 2 (l), and also reacts with hydrogen sulfide, 2VCl 4 (l) + H 2 S(g)→2VCl 3 (s) + S(s) + 2HCl(g). (auth.)

Regorafenib-associated hand-foot skin reaction: practical advice on diagnosis, prevention, and management.

Science.gov (United States)

McLellan, B; Ciardiello, F; Lacouture, M E; Segaert, S; Van Cutsem, E

2015-10-01

Regorafenib is an orally available, small-molecule multikinase inhibitor with international marketing authorizations for use in colorectal cancer and gastrointestinal stromal tumors. In clinical trials, regorafenib showed a consistent and predictable adverse-event profile, with hand-foot skin reaction (HFSR) among the most clinically significant toxicities. This review summarizes the clinical characteristics of regorafenib-related HFSR and provides practical advice on HFSR management to enable health care professionals to recognize, pre-empt, and effectively manage the symptoms, thereby allowing patients to remain on active therapy for as long as possible. This review is based on a systematic literature search of the PubMed database (using synonyms of HFSR, regorafenib, and skin toxicities associated with targeted therapies or cytotoxic chemotherapy). However, as this search identified very few articles, the authors also use their clinical experience as oncologists and dermatologists managing patients with treatment-related HFSR to provide recommendations on recognition and management of HFSR in regorafenib-treated patients. Regorafenib-related HFSR is similar to that seen with other multikinase inhibitors (e.g. sorafenib, sunitinib, cabozantinib, axitinib, and pazopanib) but differs from the hand-foot syndrome seen with cytotoxic chemotherapies (e.g. fluoropyrimidines, anthracyclines, and taxanes). There have been no controlled trials of symptomatic management of regorafenib-related HFSR, and limited good-quality evidence from randomized clinical trials of effective interventions for HFSR associated with other targeted therapies. Recommendations on prevention and management of regorafenib-related HFSR in this review are therefore based on the expert opinion of the authors (dermatologists and oncologists with expertise in the management of treatment-related skin toxicities and oncologists involved in clinical trials of regorafenib) and tried-and-tested empirical

Choice between delayed food and immediate oxycodone in rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Secci, Maria E; Factor, Julie A; Schindler, Charles W; Panlilio, Leigh V

2016-12-01

The choice to seek immediate drug effects instead of more meaningful but delayed rewards is a defining feature of addiction. To develop a rodent model of this behavior, we allowed rats to choose between immediate intravenous delivery of the prescription opioid oxycodone (50 μg/kg) and delayed delivery of palatable food pellets. Rats preferred food at delays up to 30 s, but they chose oxycodone and food equally at 60-s delay and preferred oxycodone over food at 120-s delay. Comparison of food-drug choice, food-only, and drug-only conditions indicated that food availability decreased drug intake, but drug availability increased food intake. In the food-only condition, food was effective as a reinforcer even when delayed by 120 s. Pre-session feeding with chow slowed acquisition of food and drug self-administration, but did not affect choice. To establish procedures for testing potential anti-addiction medications, noncontingent pre-treatment with oxycodone or naltrexone (analogous to substitution and antagonist therapies, respectively) were tested on a baseline in which oxycodone was preferred over delayed food. Naltrexone pre-treatment decreased drug intake and increased food intake. Oxycodone pre-treatment decreased drug intake, but also produced extended periods with no food or drug responding. These findings show that the contingencies that induce preference for drugs over more meaningful but less immediate rewards in humans can be modeled in rodents, and they suggest that the model could be useful for assessing the therapeutic potential of treatments and exploring the underlying behavioral and neural mechanisms involved in addiction.

People's Financial Choice Depends on their Previous Task Success or Failure.

Science.gov (United States)

Sekścińska, Katarzyna

2015-01-01

Existing knowledge about the impact of the experience prior to financial choices has been limited almost exclusively to single risky choices. Moreover, the results obtained in these studies have not been entirely consistent. For example, some studies suggested that the experience of success makes people more willing to take a risk, while other studies led to the opposite conclusions. The results of the two experimental studies presented in this paper provide evidence for the hypothesis that the experience of success or failure influences people's financial choices, but the effect of the success or failure depends on the type of task (financial and non-financial) preceding a financial decision. The experience of success in financial tasks increased participants' tendency to invest and make risky investment choices, while it also made them less prone to save. On the other hand, the experience of failure heightened the amount of money that participants decided to save, and lowered their tendency to invest and make risky investment choices. However, the effects of the experience of success or failure in non-financial tasks were exactly the opposite. The presented studies indicated the role of the specific circumstances in which the individual gains the experience as a possible way to explain the discrepancies in the results of studies on the relationship between the experience prior to financial choice with a tendency to take risks.

Hand eczema, atopic dermatitis and filaggrin mutations in adult Danes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Heede, Nina G.; Thuesen, Betina H.; Thyssen, Jacob P.

2017-01-01

in the general population, especially among individuals with a history of atopic dermatitis. Moreover, self-reported hand eczema and atopic dermatitis were associated with particularly high risk of disability pension among FLG mutation carriers [odds ratio (OR) 4.02 and 95% confidence interval (CI): 1...... with a genetically impaired skin barrier, were associated with disability pension, suggesting that FLG mutations carriers with a history of atopic dermatitis and hand eczema could benefit from early attention with respect to choice of occupation....... a questionnaire about skin symptoms and hand eczema. Socioeconomic variables, including disability pension, and information on work in risk occupations were retrieved from national registries. The reasons for granting disability pension were unknown. Results: Disability pension was associated with hand eczema...

Economic Rationality in Choosing between Short-Term Bad-Health Choices and Longer-Term Good-Health Choices

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David Campbell

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Non-contagious, chronic disease has been identified as a global health risk. Poor lifestyle choices, such as smoking, alcohol, drug and solvent abuse, physical inactivity, and unhealthy diet have been identified as important factors affecting the increasing incidence of chronic disease. The following focuses on the circumstance affecting the lifestyle or behavioral choices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in remote-/very remote Australia. Poor behavioral choices are the result of endogenous characteristics that are influenced by a range of stressful exogenous variables making up the psychosocial determinants including social disenfranchisement, cultural loss, insurmountable tasks, the loss of volitional control and resource constraints. It is shown that poor behavioral choices can be economically rational; especially under highly stressful conditions. Stressful circumstances erode individual capacity to commit to long-term positive health alternatives such as self-investment in education. Policies directed at removing the impediments and providing incentives to behaviors involving better health choices can lead to reductions in smoking and alcohol consumption and improved health outcomes. Multijurisdictional culturally acceptable policies directed at distal variables relating to the psychosocial determinants of health and personal mastery and control can be cost effective. While the content of this paper is focused on the conditions of colonized peoples, it has broader relevance.

Relationship between patient-reported and objective measurements of hand function in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

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S.M. Günay

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Rheumatoid arthritis (RA often results in impairments in upper extremities, especially in the small joints of hand. Involvement of hand brings limitations in activities of daily living. However, it is commonly observed that patient-reported functional status of hand does not always corresponds to their actual physical performance in the clinical setting. The aim of this pilot study is to investigate the relationship between patient self-reported and objectively measured hand functions in patients with RA. Twenty-six patients (51±13 years with RA diagnosis participated in the study. Hand grip and pinch (lateral, bipod, tripod strengths were measured and Jebsen Hand Function Test (JHFT was performed for objective functional performance. Duruöz Hand Index and Beck Depression Inventory - Turkish version were completed by patients. Grip and all three-pinch strength results significantly correlated with Duruöz Hand Index scores (p<0.05. JHFT results except the sentence writing also correlated with the Duruöz scores (p<0.05. Our results showed that self-reported outcome scales might be used for determining functional level of hand in patients with RA in rheumatology practice. Objective quantitative functional tests are the best methods in evaluating functional level of hand, but require valid and reliable equipment with accurate calibration. Therefore, in case of unavailability of objective assessment tools, patient-reported scales may also reflect the real status of hand functions.

The alien hand sign. Localization, lateralization and recovery.

Science.gov (United States)

Goldberg, G; Bloom, K K

1990-10-01

The alien hand sign was first described by Brion and Jedynak as a "feeling of estrangement between the patient and one of his hands." The affected hand frequently shows a grasp reflex and an instinctive grasp reaction as well as elements of what Denny-Brown referred to as a "magnetic apraxia" associated with frontal lobe damage. Most notably, however, the affected hand is observed to perform apparently purposive behaviors that are perceived as being outside the volitional control of the patient. The patients interpret the behavior of their own affected limb as being controlled by an external agent. They do not feel that they are initiating or controlling the behavior of the hand and often express dismay at the hand's "extravolitional" activity. The patients attempt to control behavior of the alien hand with the unimpaired hand by forcibly restraining the affected limb, an act that may be termed "self-restriction." In this paper, we report an additional four cases of alien hand sign in right-handed subjects: two involving the right hand and two involving the left hand. In each case, the clinical findings were associated with extensive unilateral damage of the medial frontal cortex of the hemisphere contralateral to the affected hand. Furthermore, the alien movement gradually disappears over the course of 6-12 months after the stroke. These clinical case studies are presented and discussed in the context of the "dual premotoer systems hypothesis," an anatomicophysiological model that proposes that action is organized by two separate but interactive premotor brain systems corresponding to evolutionarily defined medial and lateral cortical moieties. It is hypothesized that the alien mode behavior results from unconstrained activity of the lateral premotor system in the damaged hemisphere. The residual volitional control in the limb occurs through the activity of the intact medial premotor system of the ipsilateral hemisphere. Recovery may occur through extension of

The Concordance between Patients' Renal Replacement Therapy Choice and Definitive Modality: Is It a Utopia?

Science.gov (United States)

Prieto-Velasco, Mario; Quiros, Pedro; Remon, Cesar

2015-01-01

It is desirable for patients to play active roles in the choice of renal replacement therapy (RRT). Patient decision aid tools (PDAs) have been developed to allow the patients to choose the option best suited to their individual needs. An observational, prospective registry was conducted in 26 Spanish hospitals between September 2010 and May 2012. The results of the patients' choice and the definitive RRT modality were registered through the progressive implementation of an Education Process (EP) with PDAs designed to help Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) patients choose RRT. Patients included in this study: 1044. Of these, 569 patients used PDAs and had made a definitive choice by the end of registration. A total of 88.4% of patients chose dialysis [43% hemodialysis (HD) and 45% peritoneal dialysis (PD)] 3.2% preemptive living-donor transplant (TX), and 8.4% conservative treatment (CT). A total of 399 patients began RRT during this period. The distribution was 93.4% dialysis (53.6% HD; 40% PD), 1.3% preemptive TX and 5.3% CT. The patients who followed the EP changed their mind significantly less often [kappa value of 0.91 (95% CI, 0.86-0.95)] than those who did not follow it, despite starting unplanned treatment [kappa value of 0.85 (95% CI, 0.75-0.95]. A higher agreement between the final choice and a definitive treatment was achieved by the EP and planned patients [kappa value of 0.93 (95% CI, 0.89-0.98)]. Those who did not go through the EP had a much lower index of choosing PD and changed their decision more frequently when starting definitive treatment [kappa value of 0.73 (95% CI, 0.55-0.91)]. Free choice, assisted by PDAs, leads to a 50/50 distribution of PD and HD choice and an increase in TX choice. The use of PDAs, even with an unplanned start, achieved a high level of concordance between the chosen and definitive modality.

What might have been? The role of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and lateral orbitofrontal cortex in counterfactual emotions and choice.

Science.gov (United States)

Levens, Sara M; Larsen, Jeff T; Bruss, Joel; Tranel, Daniel; Bechara, Antoine; Mellers, Barbara A

2014-02-01

Counterfactual feelings of regret occur when people make comparisons between an actual outcome and a better outcome that would have occurred under a different choice. We investigated the choices of individuals with damage to the ventral medial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC) and the lateral orbital frontal cortex (LOFC) to see whether their emotional responses were sensitive to regret. Participants made choices between gambles, each with monetary outcomes. After every choice, subjects learned the consequences of both gambles and rated their emotional response to the outcome. Normal subjects and lesion control subjects tended to make better choices and reported post-decision emotions that were sensitive to regret comparisons. VMPFC patients tended to make worse choices, and, contrary to our predictions, they reported emotions that were sensitive to regret comparisons. In contrast, LOFC patients made better choices, but reported emotional reactions that were insensitive to regret comparisons. We suggest the VMPFC is involved in the association between choices and anticipated emotions that guide future choices, while the LOFC is involved in experienced emotions that follow choices, emotions that may signal the need for behavioral change. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

NOTE ABOUT THE MORALS CONCEIVED IN DIRTY HANDS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Humberto Pereira da Silva

2007-12-01

Full Text Available Sartre’s philosophy and the existentialism were very important to the thought in the last century. Besides being a philosopher, Sartre was also a great writer and, in his play, Dirty hands, one can see many of his ideas. Tthis paper indicates the moral question, thus, the problem of liberty, presented in this Sartre’s specific work. Tthe matter of Dirty hands, when the characters are inside of the “border-situation”, is the liberty of choice. is the moment of affirmation of liberty, to Sartre. Iin this paper it is not the objective to contest Sartre’s concepts, as the one about “border-situation” or the other about liberty, because the purpose is only to show as Sartre use them in the play Dirty hands.

Comparison between Two Assessment Methods; Modified Essay Questions and Multiple Choice Questions

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Assadi S.N.* MD

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Aims Using the best assessment methods is an important factor in educational development of health students. Modified essay questions and multiple choice questions are two prevalent methods of assessing the students. The aim of this study was to compare two methods of modified essay questions and multiple choice questions in occupational health engineering and work laws courses. Materials & Methods This semi-experimental study was performed during 2013 to 2014 on occupational health students of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. The class of occupational health and work laws course in 2013 was considered as group A and the class of 2014 as group B. Each group had 50 students.The group A students were assessed by modified essay questions method and the group B by multiple choice questions method.Data were analyzed in SPSS 16 software by paired T test and odd’s ratio. Findings The mean grade of occupational health and work laws course was 18.68±0.91 in group A (modified essay questions and was 18.78±0.86 in group B (multiple choice questions which was not significantly different (t=-0.41; p=0.684. The mean grade of chemical chapter (p<0.001 in occupational health engineering and harmful work law (p<0.001 and other (p=0.015 chapters in work laws were significantly different between two groups. Conclusion Modified essay questions and multiple choice questions methods have nearly the same student assessing value for the occupational health engineering and work laws course.

Reaction between protein radicals and other biomolecules

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Østdal, H.; Davies, M.J.; Andersen, Henrik Jørgen

2002-01-01

The present study investigates the reactivity of bovine serum albumin (BSA) radicals towards different biomolecules (urate, linoleic acid, and a polypeptide, poly(Glu-Ala-Tyr)). The BSA radical was formed at room temperature through a direct protein-to-protein radical transfer from H(2)O(2....... Subsequent analysis showed a decrease in the concentration of urate upon reaction with the BSA radical, while the BSA radical in the presence of poly(Glu-Ala-Tyr) resulted in increased formation of the characteristic protein oxidation product, dityrosine. Reaction between the BSA radical and a linoleic acid...

Interaction between behavioral and pharmacological treatment strategies to decrease cocaine choice in rhesus monkeys.

Science.gov (United States)

Banks, Matthew L; Blough, Bruce E; Negus, S Stevens

2013-02-01

Behavioral and pharmacotherapeutic approaches constitute two prominent strategies for treating cocaine dependence. This study investigated interactions between behavioral and pharmacological strategies in a preclinical model of cocaine vs food choice. Six rhesus monkeys, implanted with a chronic indwelling double-lumen venous catheter, initially responded under a concurrent schedule of food delivery (1-g pellets, fixed-ratio (FR) 100 schedule) and cocaine injections (0-0.1 mg/kg/injection, FR 10 schedule) during continuous 7-day treatment periods with saline or the agonist medication phenmetrazine (0.032-0.1 mg/kg/h). Subsequently, the FR response requirement for cocaine or food was varied (food, FR 100; cocaine, FR 1-100; cocaine, FR 10; food, FR 10-300), and effects of phenmetrazine on cocaine vs food choice were redetermined. Decreases in the cocaine FR or increases in the food FR resulted in leftward shifts in the cocaine choice dose-effect curve, whereas increases in the cocaine FR or decreases in the food FR resulted in rightward shifts in the cocaine choice dose-effect curve. The efficacy of phenmetrazine to decrease cocaine choice varied systematically as a function of the prevailing response requirements, such that phenmetrazine efficacy was greatest when cocaine choice was maintained by relatively low unit cocaine doses. These results suggest that efficacy of pharmacotherapies to modulate cocaine use can be influenced by behavioral contingencies of cocaine availability. Agonist medications may be most effective under contingencies that engender choice of relatively low cocaine doses.

A comparative study of American and Chinese college students' motives for food choice.

Science.gov (United States)

Pearcey, Sharon M; Zhan, Ginny Q

2018-04-01

Previous cross-cultural research has examined college students' food choice decisions in different countries. The current study aimed to add to the literature by examining similarities and differences in motives for food choice between American (N = 328) and Chinese (N = 333) college students. The Food Choice Questionnaire (FCQ) was used to measure the participants' motives for food choice. Students' perceptions on the importance of diet and on their body satisfaction were also obtained. Results show that, while there are many similarities between the two cultural groups on the FCQ items, there are also significant differences. Specifically, the two groups view sensory appeal, weight, health, mood, and familiarity in a similar way, but the American participants score higher on price and convenience whereas the Chinese score higher on natural content and ethical concerns. We believe contextual cultural factors of each country may be related to these results. Women view sensory appeal and weight as significantly more important than men. Interactions between culture and gender are also found. For example, American women score significantly higher than American men on mood whereas there is no gender difference in the Chinese group; on the other hand, Chinese men score significantly higher on price than Chinese women whereas there is no gender difference in the American group. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Association between food marketing exposure and adolescents' food choices and eating behaviors.

Science.gov (United States)

Scully, Maree; Wakefield, Melanie; Niven, Philippa; Chapman, Kathy; Crawford, David; Pratt, Iain S; Baur, Louise A; Flood, Victoria; Morley, Belinda

2012-02-01

The present study examined associations between food marketing exposure and adolescents' food choices and reported consumption of energy-dense and nutrient-poor (EDNP) foods. A cross-sectional survey of 12,188 Australian secondary students aged 12-17 years was conducted, using a web-based self-report questionnaire. Measures included students' level of exposure to commercial television and non-broadcast types of food marketing, whether they had tried a new product or requested a product they had seen advertised, and their reported consumption of fast food, sugary drinks and sweet and salty snacks. Results indicated greater exposure to commercial television, print/transport/school food marketing and digital food marketing were all independently associated with students' food choices. High commercial television viewers (>2h/day) were more likely to report higher consumption of EDNP foods (ORs ranged from 1.31 for fast food to 1.91 for sweet snacks). Some associations between digital food marketing exposure and students' eating behaviors were found; however, print/transport/school food marketing was only related to sweet snack consumption. These study results suggest that cumulative exposure to television food advertising and other food marketing sources are positively linked to adolescents' food choices and eating behaviors. Policy changes to restrict food marketing to young people should include both television and non-broadcast media. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Relationship between touch sensation of the affected hand and performance of valued activities in individuals with chronic stroke.

Science.gov (United States)

Hill, Valerie A; Fisher, Thomas; Schmid, Arlene A; Crabtree, Jeffrey; Page, Stephen J

2014-01-01

To investigate the association between touch sensation of the affected hand and performance and satisfaction with performance of valued activities in individuals with chronic stroke. Using a cross-sectional study design, this study correlated factors related to hand sensation and activity performance in individuals with chronic stroke. The Touch Test Evaluators and Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) were used. Correlations were used to determine the relationships between touch sensation of the affected hand and individuals' performance and satisfaction with performance of valued activities. There was a good to excellent relationship between sensation and performance and satisfaction with performance of valued activities for individuals with intact touch sensation of the affected hand who scored higher on the COPM. There was little to no relationship between touch sensation of the affected hand and performance of valued activities for individuals with impaired sensation. This is the first study to relate touch sensation of the affected hand and performance and satisfaction with performance of valued activities in individuals with stroke. The findings suggest that rehabilitation therapists need to continue to address sensory function in evaluation and intervention as it relates to performance in valued activities. This study serves as a foundation for future research in sensation and performance of valued activities in individuals with chronic stroke.

Perceived Barriers to the Use of High-Fidelity Hands-On Simulation Training for Contrast Reaction Management: Why Programs are Not Using It.

Science.gov (United States)

Chinnugounder, Sankar; Hippe, Daniel S; Maximin, Suresh; O'Malley, Ryan B; Wang, Carolyn L

2015-01-01

Although subjective and objective benefits of high-fidelity simulation have been reported in medicine, there has been slow adoption in radiology. The purpose of our study was to identify the perceived barriers in the use of high-fidelity hands-on simulation for contrast reaction management training. An IRB exempt 32 questions online web survey was sent to 179 non-military radiology residency program directors listed in the Fellowship and Residency Electronic Interactive Database Access system (FREIDA). Survey questions included the type of contrast reaction management training, cost, time commitment of residents and faculty, and the reasons for not using simulation training. Responses from the survey were summarized as count (percentage), mean ± standard deviation (SD), or median (range). 84 (47%) of 179 programs responded, of which 88% offered CRM training. Most (72%) conducted the CRM training annually while only 4% conducted it more frequently. Didactic lecture was the most frequently used training modality (97%), followed by HFS (30%) and computer-based simulation (CBS) (19%); 5.5% used both HFS and CBS. Of the 51 programs that offer CRM training but do not use HFS, the most common reason reported was insufficient availability (41%). Other reported reasons included cost (33%), no access to simulation centers (33%), lack of trained faculty (27%) and time constraints (27%). Although high-fidelity hands-on simulation training is the best way to reproduce real-life contrast reaction scenarios, many institutions do not provide this training due to constraints such as cost, lack of access or insufficient availability of simulation labs, and lack of trained faculty. As a specialty, radiology needs to better address these barriers at both an institutional and national level. Copyright © 2015 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Economic incentives and individuals choice between welfare programmes and work in Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, Martin

We estimate the effect of welfare benefits and wages on individuals' choice between working or collecting one of three welfare programmes. We compare the magnitude of transitions between various welfare programmes with transitions between, say, work and disability benefit. We use simulation methods...... to estimate random parameters. Estimation results show significant effects of economic incentives and significant variations of estimated parameters. Experiments with the estimated model show that transitions within welfare programmes are important relative to transitions between such programmes and work....

Stimulus-response correspondence in go-nogo and choice tasks: Are reactions altered by the presence of an irrelevant salient object?

Science.gov (United States)

Lien, Mei-Ching; Pedersen, Logan; Proctor, Robert W

2016-11-01

In 2-choice tasks, responses are faster when stimulus location corresponds to response location, even when stimulus location is irrelevant. Dolk et al. (J Exp Psychol Hum Percept Perform 39:1248-1260, 2013a) found this stimulus-response correspondence effect with a single response location in a go-nogo task when an irrelevant Japanese waving cat was present. They argued that salient objects trigger spatial coding of the response relative to that object. We examined this claim using both behavioral and lateralized readiness potential (LRP) measures. In Experiment 1 participants determined the pitch of a left- or right-positioned tone, whereas in Experiment 2 they determined the color of a dot within a centrally located hand pointing left, right, or straight ahead. In both experiments, participants performed a go-nogo task with the right-index finger and a 2-choice task with both index fingers, with a left-positioned Japanese waving cat present or absent. For the go-nogo task, the cat induced a correspondence effect on response times (RT) to the tones (Experiment 1) but not the visual stimuli (Experiment 2). For the 2-choice task, a correspondence effect was evident in all conditions in both experiments. Cat's presence/absence did not significantly modulate the effect for right and left responses, although there was a trend toward increased RT and LRP for right responses in Experiment 1. The results imply that a salient, irrelevant object could provide a reference frame for response coding when attention is available to process it, as is likely in an auditory task (Experiment 1) but not a visual task (Experiment 2).

Speakers' choice of frame in binary choice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marc van Buiten

2009-02-01

Full Text Available A distinction is proposed between extit{recommending for} preferred choice options and extit{recommending against} non-preferred choice options. In binary choice, both recommendation modes are logically, though not psychologically, equivalent. We report empirical evidence showing that speakers recommending for preferred options predominantly select positive frames, which are less common when speakers recommend against non-preferred options. In addition, option attractiveness is shown to affect speakers' choice of frame, and adoption of recommendation mode. The results are interpreted in terms of three compatibility effects, (i extit{recommendation mode---valence framing compatibility}: speakers' preference for positive framing is enhanced under extit{recommending for} and diminished under extit{recommending against} instructions, (ii extit{option attractiveness---valence framing compatibility}: speakers' preference for positive framing is more pronounced for attractive than for unattractive options, and (iii extit{recommendation mode---option attractiveness compatibility}: speakers are more likely to adopt a extit{recommending for} approach for attractive than for unattractive binary choice pairs.

People’s financial choice depends on their previous task success or failure

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Katarzyna eSekścińska

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Existing knowledge about the impact of the experience prior to financial choices has been limited almost exclusively to single risky choices. Moreover, the results obtained in these studies have not been entirely consistent. For example, some studies suggested that the experience of success makes people more willing to take a risk, while other studies led to the opposite conclusions. The results of the two experimental studies presented in this paper provide evidence for the hypothesis that the experience of success or failure influences people’s financial choices, but the effect of the success or failure depends on the type of task (financial and non-financial preceding a financial decision. The experience of success in financial tasks increased participants’ tendency to invest and make risky investment choices, while it also made them less prone to save. On the other hand, the experience of failure heightened the amount of money that participants decided to save, and lowered their tendency to invest and make risky investment choices. However, the effects of the experience of success or failure in non-financial tasks were exactly the opposite. The presented studies indicated the role of the specific circumstances in which the individual gains the experience as a possible way to explain the discrepancies in the results of studies on the relationship between the experience prior to financial choice with a tendency to take risks.

People’s Financial Choice Depends on their Previous Task Success or Failure

Science.gov (United States)

Sekścińska, Katarzyna

2015-01-01

Existing knowledge about the impact of the experience prior to financial choices has been limited almost exclusively to single risky choices. Moreover, the results obtained in these studies have not been entirely consistent. For example, some studies suggested that the experience of success makes people more willing to take a risk, while other studies led to the opposite conclusions. The results of the two experimental studies presented in this paper provide evidence for the hypothesis that the experience of success or failure influences people’s financial choices, but the effect of the success or failure depends on the type of task (financial and non-financial) preceding a financial decision. The experience of success in financial tasks increased participants’ tendency to invest and make risky investment choices, while it also made them less prone to save. On the other hand, the experience of failure heightened the amount of money that participants decided to save, and lowered their tendency to invest and make risky investment choices. However, the effects of the experience of success or failure in non-financial tasks were exactly the opposite. The presented studies indicated the role of the specific circumstances in which the individual gains the experience as a possible way to explain the discrepancies in the results of studies on the relationship between the experience prior to financial choice with a tendency to take risks. PMID:26635654

Immediate Hypersensitivity Reactions Induced by Triamcinolone in a Patient with Atopic Dermatitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Son, Jee Hee; Park, Sook Young; Cho, Yong Se; Chung, Bo Young; Kim, Hye One; Park, Chun Wook

2018-03-19

Corticosteroids are potent anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic agents used in the treatment of various inflammatory diseases, including allergic disease. They are frequently considered the therapy-of-choice for many skin diseases. However, allergic reactions caused by corticosteroids have been reported. Among these, delayed reactions to topical steroids are more common, whereas immediate reactions to systemic steroids are rare. Herein, we report the case of a 32-year-old woman with triamcinolone-induced immediate hypersensitivity reaction, in which the patient had a positive prick test result with triamcinolone. She has had atopic dermatitis (AD) for three years. She had used systemic steroid, cyclosporine, and antihistamine with topical steroids for AD. In clinic, approximately 10 minutes after intralesional injection of triamcinolone, she complained of erythematous patches with slight elevation and itching on the face, trunk, and both hands. After intravenous injection of dexamethasone, her symptoms got worse. After treatment with epinephrine, all symptoms resolved within two hours. We performed an open test and skin prick test. She had a positive result only from the prick test with triamcinolone; all other steroids showed negative results from the open tests. Dermatologists should be aware of the possibility of anaphylaxis or other allergic hypersensitivity in response to corticosteroids. © 2018 The Korean Academy of Medical Sciences.

Discrete choice experiments of pharmacy services: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Vass, Caroline; Gray, Ewan; Payne, Katherine

2016-06-01

Background Two previous systematic reviews have summarised the application of discrete choice experiments to value preferences for pharmacy services. These reviews identified a total of twelve studies and described how discrete choice experiments have been used to value pharmacy services but did not describe or discuss the application of methods used in the design or analysis. Aims (1) To update the most recent systematic review and critically appraise current discrete choice experiments of pharmacy services in line with published reporting criteria and; (2) To provide an overview of key methodological developments in the design and analysis of discrete choice experiments. Methods The review used a comprehensive strategy to identify eligible studies (published between 1990 and 2015) by searching electronic databases for key terms related to discrete choice and best-worst scaling (BWS) experiments. All healthcare choice experiments were then hand-searched for key terms relating to pharmacy. Data were extracted using a published checklist. Results A total of 17 discrete choice experiments eliciting preferences for pharmacy services were identified for inclusion in the review. No BWS studies were identified. The studies elicited preferences from a variety of populations (pharmacists, patients, students) for a range of pharmacy services. Most studies were from a United Kingdom setting, although examples from Europe, Australia and North America were also identified. Discrete choice experiments for pharmacy services tended to include more attributes than non-pharmacy choice experiments. Few studies reported the use of qualitative research methods in the design and interpretation of the experiments (n = 9) or use of new methods of analysis to identify and quantify preference and scale heterogeneity (n = 4). No studies reported the use of Bayesian methods in their experimental design. Conclusion Incorporating more sophisticated methods in the design of pharmacy

FAST FASHON AND SECOND HAND CLOTHES BETWEEN ECOLOGICAL CONCERNS AND GLOBAL BUSINESS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

CUC Sunhilde

2014-05-01

Full Text Available The paper presents the concept of the fast fashion and how these lead to an excessive consumption of clothes and as result a growth of the worn products market. The paper also aims to establish how fast fashion is influencing not only the economy also the environment. The fast fashion model can also damage developing economies with a low household income, which are not the necessary most important markets of these companies. Our study has identified the influences in increased purchase behavior and focused especially of the positive relationship between income and clothing expenses. We found out that it is a large gap between the European countries regarding clothing expenses in year and Romania is for far the lowest consumer. It is presented the second hand clothes import-export trade during 2007-2012 and we found out that there is an inverse relation between the balances sheet of import-export of textile products between the developed and developing countries. The authors conclude that the Romania is the largest European importer of second hand clothes but has no large scale recycling. Since collection is done on a voluntary basis it can be confusing for population to know how and where to discard used clothing therefore it is recommended a focus on collection systems of second hand clothes. The methodology used for this paper has mainly been a literature study where both scientific literature, such as scientific articles and reports, and popular science articles have been studied. We also use official information provided from National and International statistical Offices. Academic research on the effects of redirecting used clothing from the waste stream is still in its infancy; however this paper provides some insights into the phenomenon which may add to the emerging literature. .

'Robot' Hand Illusion under Delayed Visual Feedback: Relationship between the Senses of Ownership and Agency.

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Mohamad Arif Fahmi Ismail

Full Text Available The rubber hand illusion (RHI is an illusion of the self-ownership of a rubber hand that is touched synchronously with one's own hand. While the RHI relates to visual and tactile integration, we can also consider a similar illusion with visual and motor integration on a fake hand. We call this a "robot hand illusion" (RoHI, which relates to both the senses of ownership and agency. Here we investigate the effect of delayed visual feedback on the RoHI. Participants viewed a virtual computer graphic hand controlled by their hand movement recorded using a data glove device. We inserted delays of various lengths between the participant's hand and the virtual hand movements (90-590 ms, and the RoHI effects for each delay condition were systematically tested using a questionnaire. The results showed that the participants felt significantly greater RoHI effects with temporal discrepancies of less than 190 ms compared with longer temporal discrepancies, both in the senses of ownership and agency. Additionally, participants felt significant, but weaker, RoHI effects with temporal discrepancies of 290-490 ms in the sense of agency, but not in the sense of ownership. The participants did not feel a RoHI with temporal discrepancies of 590 ms in either the senses of agency or ownership. Our results suggest that a time window of less than 200 ms is critical for multi-sensory integration processes constituting self-body image.

'Robot' Hand Illusion under Delayed Visual Feedback: Relationship between the Senses of Ownership and Agency.

Science.gov (United States)

Ismail, Mohamad Arif Fahmi; Shimada, Sotaro

2016-01-01

The rubber hand illusion (RHI) is an illusion of the self-ownership of a rubber hand that is touched synchronously with one's own hand. While the RHI relates to visual and tactile integration, we can also consider a similar illusion with visual and motor integration on a fake hand. We call this a "robot hand illusion" (RoHI), which relates to both the senses of ownership and agency. Here we investigate the effect of delayed visual feedback on the RoHI. Participants viewed a virtual computer graphic hand controlled by their hand movement recorded using a data glove device. We inserted delays of various lengths between the participant's hand and the virtual hand movements (90-590 ms), and the RoHI effects for each delay condition were systematically tested using a questionnaire. The results showed that the participants felt significantly greater RoHI effects with temporal discrepancies of less than 190 ms compared with longer temporal discrepancies, both in the senses of ownership and agency. Additionally, participants felt significant, but weaker, RoHI effects with temporal discrepancies of 290-490 ms in the sense of agency, but not in the sense of ownership. The participants did not feel a RoHI with temporal discrepancies of 590 ms in either the senses of agency or ownership. Our results suggest that a time window of less than 200 ms is critical for multi-sensory integration processes constituting self-body image.

The association between contact allergy and hand eczema in 2 cross-sectional surveys 8 years apart

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Niels Henrik; Linneberg, Allan; Menné, Torkil

2002-01-01

Hand eczema is a recurrent chronic skin disease related to contact allergy and atopic dermatitis. When possible, efforts should be redoubled to eliminate provoking factors. Our objective was to assess changes in the prevalence of self-reported hand eczema and to evaluate the association between...

Human mate-choice copying is domain-general social learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Street, Sally E; Morgan, Thomas J H; Thornton, Alex; Brown, Gillian R; Laland, Kevin N; Cross, Catharine P

2018-01-29

Women appear to copy other women's preferences for men's faces. This 'mate-choice copying' is often taken as evidence of psychological adaptations for processing social information related to mate choice, for which facial information is assumed to be particularly salient. No experiment, however, has directly investigated whether women preferentially copy each other's face preferences more than other preferences. Further, because prior experimental studies used artificial social information, the effect of real social information on attractiveness preferences is unknown. We collected attractiveness ratings of pictures of men's faces, men's hands, and abstract art given by heterosexual women, before and after they saw genuine social information gathered in real time from their peers. Ratings of faces were influenced by social information, but no more or less than were images of hands and abstract art. Our results suggest that evidence for domain-specific social learning mechanisms in humans is weaker than previously suggested.

Hand dermatitis in beauticians in India

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Khanna Neena

1997-01-01

Full Text Available One hundred and sixty-one beauticians and hairdressers (146 women and 15 men were examined for the presence of hand dermatitis and those with hand eczema were patch tested with a battery of antigens standardised for beauticians. Forty-two (26.1% subjects were found to have hand dermatitis and of these, in 31 (69.3% the patch tests were positive; the following antigens elicited a positive response; paraphenylene diamine (35.5%, rubber antigens (22.6%, nickel (22.6%, shampoos (12.9%, ammonium thioglycollate (9.7%, ammonium persulphate (3.2%, henna mixture (3.2% and detergents (6.5%. In addition, irritant reaction was seen in 7; in 5 patients it was to shampoos and in 2 to ammonium persulphate. Of the 8 patients who, on questioning, had a history of atopy, 7 (87.5% had hand eczema, while 1 (12.5% did not, and this difference was statistically significant (p < 0.001, suggesting that beauticians with a history of atopy were more likely to develop hand eczema.

Using stop signals to reduce impulsive choices for palatable unhealthy foods

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Veling, H.P.; Aarts, H.A.G.; Stroebe, W.

2013-01-01

OBJECTIVE: Exposure to palatable foods in the environment can trigger impulsive reactions to obtain them, which may lead to unhealthy food choices and eating behaviour. Two studies tested the fundamental question whether impulsive unhealthy food choices can be altered by means of linking unhealthy

High temperature reactions between molybdenum and metal halides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boeroeczki, A.; Dobos, G.; Josepovits, V.K.; Hars, Gy.

2006-01-01

Good colour rendering properties, high intensity and efficacy are of vital importance for high-end lighting applications. These requirements can be achieved by high intensity discharge lamps doped with different metal halide additives (metal halide lamps). To improve their reliability, it is very important to understand the different failure processes of the lamps. In this paper, the corrosion reactions between different metal halides and the molybdenum electrical feed-through electrode are discussed. The reactions were studied in the feed-through of real lamps and on model samples too. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was used to establish the chemical states. In case of the model samples we have also used atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) to measure the reaction product amounts. Based on the measurement results we were able to determine the most corrosive metal halide components and to understand the mechanism of the reactions

Analytical solution for wave propagation through a graded index interface between a right-handed and a left-handed material

OpenAIRE

Dalarsson, Mariana; Tassin, Philippe

2012-01-01

We have investigated the transmission and reflection properties of structures incorporating left-handed materials with graded index of refraction. We present an exact analytical solution to Helmholtz' equation for a graded index profile changing according to a hyperbolic tangent function along the propagation direction. We derive expressions for the field intensity along the graded index structure, and we show excellent agreement between the analytical solution and the corresponding results o...

Histological distinction between early allergic and irritant patch test reactions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vestergaard, L; Clemmensen, Ole; Sørensen, Flemming Brandt

1999-01-01

Comparative light microscopic studies have revealed subtle differences between allergic and irritant reactions in the skin. In the search for specific differences, we focussed on the early inflammatory response. This pilot study was conducted to test the hypothesis that follicular spongiosis can...... differentiate between early allergic and irritant patch test reactions. 8 patients with known contact allergy to either colophony or quarternium-15 participated in the study. In each patient, allergic and irritant patch tests reactions were elicited, and 4-mm punch biopsies were taken after 6 8 h from...... clinically equipotent reactions. Paired sets of slides were assessed blindly by 2 pathologists. 1 patient showing a pityrosporum folliculitis was excluded from the study. All biopsies from allergic patch tests were characterized by follicular spongiosis, while biopsies from irritant patch tests showed...

Hand hygiene in the intensive care unit.

Science.gov (United States)

Tschudin-Sutter, Sarah; Pargger, Hans; Widmer, Andreas F

2010-08-01

Healthcare-associated infections affect 1.4 million patients at any time worldwide, as estimated by the World Health Organization. In intensive care units, the burden of healthcare-associated infections is greatly increased, causing additional morbidity and mortality. Multidrug-resistant pathogens are commonly involved in such infections and render effective treatment challenging. Proper hand hygiene is the single most important, simplest, and least expensive means of preventing healthcare-associated infections. In addition, it is equally important to stop transmission of multidrug-resistant pathogens. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and World Health Organization guidelines on hand hygiene in health care, alcohol-based handrub should be used as the preferred means for routine hand antisepsis. Alcohols have excellent in vitro activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, including multidrug-resistant pathogens, such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin-resistant enterococci, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a variety of fungi, and most viruses. Some pathogens, however, such as Clostridium difficile, Bacillus anthracis, and noroviruses, may require special hand hygiene measures. Failure to provide user friendliness of hand hygiene equipment and shortage of staff are predictors for noncompliance, especially in the intensive care unit setting. Therefore, practical approaches to promote hand hygiene in the intensive care unit include provision of a minimal number of handrub dispensers per bed, monitoring of compliance, and choice of the most attractive product. Lack of knowledge of guidelines for hand hygiene, lack of recognition of hand hygiene opportunities during patient care, and lack of awareness of the risk of cross-transmission of pathogens are barriers to good hand hygiene practices. Multidisciplinary programs to promote increased use of alcoholic handrub lead to an increased compliance of healthcare

Effects of stimulus pair orientation and hand switching on reaction time estimates of interhemispheric transfer.

Science.gov (United States)

Leblanc-Sirois, Yanick; Braun, Claude M J; Elie-Fortier, Jonathan

2018-03-26

Two behavioral estimates of interhemispheric transfer time, the crossed-uncrossed difference (CUD) and the unilateral field advantage (UFA), are thought to, respectively, index transfer of premotor and visual information across the corpus callosum in neurotypical participants. However, no attempt to manipulate visual and motor contingencies in a set of tasks while measuring the CUD and the UFA has yet been reported. In two go/no-go comparison experiments, stimulus pair orientations were manipulated. The hand of response changed after each correct response in the second, but not the first experiment. No correlation was found between the CUD and the UFA, supporting the hypothesis that these two measures index different types of information transfer across hemispheres. An effect of manipulation of stimulus pair orientation on UFAs was attributed to the homotopy of callosal fibers transferring visual information, while an effect of hand switching on CUDs was attributed mostly to spatial compatibility.

Hand movement deviations in a visual search task with cross modal cuing

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Hürol Aslan

2007-01-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the cross-modal effects of an auditory organization on a visual search task and to investigate the influence of the level of detail in instructions describing or hinting at the associations between auditory stimuli and the possible locations of a visual target. In addition to measuring the participants’ reaction times, we paid special attention to tracking the hand movements toward the target. According to the results, the auditory stimuli unassociated with the target locations slightly –but significantly- increased the deviation of the hand movement from the path leading to the target location. The increase in the deviation depended on the degree of association between auditory stimuli and target locations, albeit not on the level of detail in the instructions about the task.

Development of discrete choice model considering internal reference points and their effects in travel mode choice context

Science.gov (United States)

Sarif; Kurauchi, Shinya; Yoshii, Toshio

2017-06-01

In the conventional travel behavior models such as logit and probit, decision makers are assumed to conduct the absolute evaluations on the attributes of the choice alternatives. On the other hand, many researchers in cognitive psychology and marketing science have been suggesting that the perceptions of attributes are characterized by the benchmark called “reference points” and the relative evaluations based on them are often employed in various choice situations. Therefore, this study developed a travel behavior model based on the mental accounting theory in which the internal reference points are explicitly considered. A questionnaire survey about the shopping trip to the CBD in Matsuyama city was conducted, and then the roles of reference points in travel mode choice contexts were investigated. The result showed that the goodness-of-fit of the developed model was higher than that of the conventional model, indicating that the internal reference points might play the major roles in the choice of travel mode. Also shown was that the respondents seem to utilize various reference points: some tend to adopt the lowest fuel price they have experienced, others employ fare price they feel in perceptions of the travel cost.

Sunk cost and work ethic effects reflect suboptimal choice between different work requirements.

Science.gov (United States)

Magalhães, Paula; White, K Geoffrey

2013-03-01

We investigated suboptimal choice between different work requirements in pigeons (Columba livia), namely the sunk cost effect, an irrational tendency to persist with an initial investment, despite the availability of a better option. Pigeons chose between two keys, one with a fixed work requirement to food of 20 pecks (left key), and the other with a work requirement to food which varied across conditions (center key). On some trials within each session, such choices were preceded by an investment of 35 pecks on the center key, whereas on others they were not. On choice trials preceded by the investment, the pigeons tended to stay and complete the schedule associated with the center key, even when the number of pecks to obtain reward was greater than for the concurrently available left key. This result indicates that pigeons, like humans, commit the sunk cost effect. With higher work requirements, this preference was extended to trials where there was no initial investment, so an overall preference for the key associated with more work was evident, consistent with the work ethic effect. We conclude that a more general work ethic effect is amplified by the effect of the prior investment, that is, the sunk cost effect. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Interplay between inhibited transport and reaction in nanoporous materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ackerman, David Michael [Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States)

2013-01-01

This work presents a detailed formulation of reaction and diffusion dynamics of molecules in confined pores such as mesoporous silica and zeolites. A general reaction-diffusion model and discrete Monte Carlo simulations are presented. Both transient and steady state behavior is covered. Failure of previous mean-field models for these systems is explained and discussed. A coarse-grained, generalized hydrodynamic model is developed that accurately captures the interplay between reaction and restricted transport in these systems. This method incorporates the non-uniform chemical diffusion behavior present in finite pores with multi-component diffusion. Two methods of calculating these diffusion values are developed: a random walk based approach and a driven diffusion model based on an extension of Fick's law. The effects of reaction, diffusion, pore length, and catalytic site distribution are investigated. In addition to strictly single file motion, quasi-single file diffusion is incorporated into the model to match a range of experimental systems. The connection between these experimental systems and model parameters is made through Langevin dynamics modeling of particles in confined pores.

Kinetic modelling of the Maillard reaction between proteins and sugars

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brands, C.M.J.

2002-01-01

Keywords: Maillard reaction, sugar isomerisation, kinetics, multiresponse modelling, brown colour formation, lysine damage, mutagenicity, casein, monosaccharides, disaccharides, aldoses, ketoses

The aim of this thesis was to determine the kinetics of the Maillard reaction between

Is Hand Selection Modulated by Cognitive-perceptual Load?

Science.gov (United States)

Liang, Jiali; Wilkinson, Krista; Sainburg, Robert L

2018-01-15

Previous studies proposed that selecting which hand to use for a reaching task appears to be modulated by a factor described as "task difficulty". However, what features of a task might contribute to greater or lesser "difficulty" in the context of hand selection decisions has yet to be determined. There has been evidence that biomechanical and kinematic factors such as movement smoothness and work can predict patterns of selection across the workspace, suggesting a role of predictive cost analysis in hand-selection. We hypothesize that this type of prediction for hand-selection should recruit substantial cognitive resources and thus should be influenced by cognitive-perceptual loading. We test this hypothesis by assessing the role of cognitive-perceptual loading on hand selection decisions, using a visual search task that presents different levels of difficulty (cognitive-perceptual load), as established in previous studies on overall response time and efficiency of visual search. Although the data are necessarily preliminary due to small sample size, our data suggested an influence of cognitive-perceptual load on hand selection, such that the dominant hand was selected more frequently as cognitive load increased. Interestingly, cognitive-perceptual loading also increased cross-midline reaches with both hands. Because crossing midline is more costly in terms of kinematic and kinetic factors, our findings suggest that cognitive processes are normally engaged to avoid costly actions, and that the choice not-to-cross midline requires cognitive resources. Copyright © 2017 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Body mass index and progressive hand osteoarthritis: data from the Oslo hand osteoarthritis cohort.

Science.gov (United States)

Magnusson, K; Slatkowsky-Christensen, B; van der Heijde, D; Kvien, T K; Hagen, K B; Haugen, I K

2015-01-01

Few longitudinal studies have studied the association between body mass index (BMI) and hand osteoarthritis (OA). We aimed to explore the association between BMI and progressive hand OA in a longitudinal study of the Oslo hand OA cohort. Participants with existing hand OA had hand radiographs and BMI data taken at baseline and 7-year follow-up (n = 103). The radiographs were read according to the Kellgren-Lawrence (KL) scale. First, we examined the association between baseline BMI and incident OA (KL grade ≥ 2) in joints without OA at baseline (adjusted for age and sex) using generalized estimating equation (GEE) analyses. Second, we examined whether changes in BMI from baseline to follow-up were associated with increasing KL sum score from baseline to follow-up using linear regression. We repeated the analyses using changes in number of joints with symptomatic OA and patient-reported pain and physical function as the outcome. The mean (SD) age at baseline was 61.6 (5.6) years and 91 (94%) of the cohort were women. The mean (SD) BMI was 25.7 (4.0) kg/m(2) at baseline and the mean (SD) BMI change was 1.1 (2.0) kg/m(2). There was no relationship between baseline BMI and development of more joints with OA during follow-up. Similarly, there was no association between change in BMI and hand OA progression, increasing hand pain or disability. In the Oslo hand OA cohort, higher BMI was not related to hand OA progression.

Interpreters' notes. On the choice of language

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dam, Helle Vrønning

2004-01-01

This paper reports on a small-scale empirical study on note-taking in consecutive interpreting. As data, the study draws on the notes produced by four subjects while interpreting one Spanish source text consecutively into Danish, on the one hand, and one Danish source text into Spanish...... to particular scrutiny here. However, somewhat surprisingly, the results of the analyses indicate that the choice of language in note-taking is governed mainly by the status of the language in the interpreters' language combination, i.e. whether it is an A- or a B-language, and much less by its status......, on the other. The aim of the study is to explore what governs conference interpreters' choice of language for their notes. The categories traditionally used to discuss, describe and explain this choice are those of 'source language' and 'target language', and these categories are therefore subject...

Food choice: The battle between package, taste and consumption situation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gutjar, S.; Graaf, de C.; Palascha, A.; Jager, G.

2014-01-01

The present study compared how intrinsic (sensory) and extrinsic (packaging) product properties influence actual food choice in combination with the concept of product appropriateness in a specific consumption context. Food choice of seven test products was measured in three breakfast sessions

Waterless Hand Rub Versus Traditional Hand Scrub Methods for Preventing the Surgical Site Infection in Orthopedic Surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Iwakiri, Kentaro; Kobayashi, Akio; Seki, Masahiko; Ando, Yoshiyuki; Tsujio, Tadao; Hoshino, Masatoshi; Nakamura, Hiroaki

2017-11-15

MINI: Fourteen hundred consecutive patients were investigated for evaluating the utility of waterless hand rub before orthopaedic surgery. The risk in the surgical site infection incidence was the same, but costs of liquids used for hand hygiene were cheaper and the hand hygiene time was shorter for waterless protocol, compared with traditional hand scrub. A retrospective cohort study with prospectively collected data. The aim of this study was to compare SSI incidences, the cost of hand hygiene agents, and hand hygiene time between the traditional hand scrub and the waterless hand rub protocols before orthopedic surgery. Surgical site infections (SSI) prolong hospitalization and are a leading nosocomial cause of morbidity and a source of excess cost. Recently, a waterless hand rub protocol comprising alcohol based chlorhexidine gluconate for use before surgery was developed, but no studies have yet examined its utility in orthopedic surgery. Fourteen hundred consecutive patients who underwent orthopedic surgery (spine, joint replacement, hand, and trauma surgeries) in our hospital since April 1, 2012 were included. A total of 712 cases underwent following traditional hand scrub between April 1, 2012 and April 30, 2013 and 688 cases underwent following waterless hand rub between June 1, 2013 and April 30, 2014. We compared SSI incidences within all and each subcategory between two hand hygiene protocols. All patients were screened for SSI within 1 year after surgery. We compared the cost of hand hygiene agents and hand hygiene time between two groups. The SSI incidences were 1.3% (9 of 712) following the traditional protocol (2 deep and 7 superficial infections) and 1.1% (8 of 688) following the waterless protocol (all superficial infections). There were no significant differences between the two groups. The costs of liquids used for one hand hygiene were about $2 for traditional hand scrub and less than $1 for waterless hand rub. The mean hand hygiene time was 264

Between-hand difference in ipsilateral deactivation is associated with hand lateralization: fMRI mapping of 284 volunteers balanced for handedness

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nathalie eTzourio-Mazoyer

2015-02-01

Full Text Available In right-handers, an increase in the pace of dominant hand movement results in increased ipsilateral deactivation of the primary motor cortex (M1. By contrast, an increase in non-dominant hand movement frequency is associated with reduced ipsilateral deactivation. This pattern suggests that inhibitory processes support right hand dominance in right-handers and raises the issues of whether this phenomenon also supports left hand preference in left-handers, and/or whether it relates to asymmetry of manual ability in either group. Thanks to the BIL&GIN, a database dedicated to the investigation of hemispheric specialization, we studied the variation in M1 activity during right and left finger tapping tasks in a sample of 284 healthy participants balanced for handedness. An M1 fMRI localizer was defined for each participant as an 8 mm diameter sphere centered on the motor activation peak. Right-handers exhibited significantly larger deactivation of the ipsilateral M1 when moving their dominant hand than their non-dominant hand. In contrast, left-handers exhibited comparable ipsilateral M1 deactivation during either hand movement, reflecting a bilateral cortical specialization. This pattern is likely related to left-handers’ good performances with their right hand and consequent lower asymmetry in manual ability compared with right-handers. Finally, inter-individual analyses over the whole sample demonstrated that the larger the difference in manual skill across hands, the larger the difference in ipsilateral deactivation. Overall, we propose that difference in ipsilateral deactivation is a marker of difference in manual ability asymmetry reflecting differences in the strength of transcallosal inhibition when a given hand is moving.

Electronically stimulated deep-center reactions in electron-irradiated InP: Comparison between experiment and recombination-enhancement theories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sibille, A.

1987-01-01

We present a detailed study of the recombination enhancement of several defect reactions involving the main deep centers in low-temperature electron-irradiated InP. A fairly good agreement is obtained with the Weeks-Tully-Kimerling theory for the activation energies of the enhanced process. On the other hand, a thorough investigation of a thermally and electronically stimulated defect transformation shows evidence that one major approximation (local vibrational equilibrium) fails, and that the recently proposed [H. Sumi, Phys. Rev. B 29, 4616 (1984)] mechanism of coherent recombination on deep centers is responsible for altered reaction rates at high injection levels

How hyperbolic discounting preference affects Chinese consumers’ consumption choice between conventional and electric vehicles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Tian; Shang, Zhe; Tian, Xin; Wang, Shouyang

2016-01-01

This paper presents a theoretical model and addresses several issues related to life cycle cost analysis to illustrate how time-inconsistent preferences affect consumer choice. The particular case study selects involved consumer choice between a vehicle with high initial acquisition cost but low ownership cost (e.g., an Electric Vehicle, EV) and one with a low initial acquisition cost but high ownership cost (e.g., a conventional Internal Combustion Engine Vehicle, ICEV). To test our theoretical analysis, we conduct an empirical study on how time discounting rates affect consumer choice between ICEVs and EVs with different initial cost ratios. From the survey results, we find that individuals with higher present bias showed irrational purchase behavior even when controlling for wealth level. Specifically, people making some “stronger bias to present” decisions chose higher total cost ICEVs with lower initial cost but higher ownership cost over lower total cost EVs with higher initial cost and lower ownership cost. However, people’s long-term discount is not correlated with irrational vehicle purchase behavior. Furthermore, we study the present bias and long-term discount rate in one scenario and found present bias to be correlated with irrational behavior. - Highlights: • Theoretical model and survey based on psychological experiment are used for study. • Time inconsistency preferences may affect consumers' rational purchasing choice. • Present bias is correlated with irrational behavior, but long-term discount is not.

Cultures of choice: towards a sociology of choice as a cultural phenomenon.

Science.gov (United States)

Schwarz, Ori

2017-09-07

The article explores different ways to conceptualize the relationship between choice and culture. These two notions are often constructed as opposites: while sociologies of modernization (such as Giddens') portray a shift from cultural traditions to culturally disembedded choice, dispositional sociologies (such as Bourdieu's) uncover cultural determination as the hidden truth behind apparent choice. However, choice may be real and cultural simultaneously. Culture moulds choice not only by inculcating dispositions or shaping repertoires of alternatives, but also by offering culturally specific choice practices, ways of choosing embedded in meaning, normativity, and materiality; and by shaping attributions of choice in everyday life. By bringing together insights from rival schools, I portray an outline for a comparative cultural sociology of choice, and demonstrate its purchase while discussing the digitalization of choice; and cultural logics that shape choice attribution in ways opposing neoliberal trends. © London School of Economics and Political Science 2017.

Body painting to promote self-active learning of hand anatomy for preclinical medical students.

Science.gov (United States)

Jariyapong, Pitchanee; Punsawad, Chuchard; Bunratsami, Suchirat; Kongthong, Paranyu

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to use the body painting method to teach hand anatomy to a group of preclinical medical students. Students reviewed hand anatomy using the traditional method and body painting exercise. Feedback and retention of the anatomy-related information were examined by a questionnaire and multiple-choice questions, respectively, immediately and 1 month after the painting exercise. Students agreed that the exercise was advantageous and helped facilitate self-active learning after in-class anatomy lessons. While there was no significant difference in knowledge retention between the control and experimental groups, the students appreciated the exercise in which they applied body paint to the human body to learn anatomy. The body painting was an efficient tool for aiding the interactive learning of medical students and increasing the understanding of gross anatomy.

Choice, changeover, and travel

OpenAIRE

Baum, William M.

1982-01-01

Since foraging in nature can be viewed as instrumental behavior, choice between sources of food, known as “patches,” can be viewed as choice between instrumental response alternatives. Whereas the travel required to change alternatives deters changeover in nature, the changeover delay (COD) usually deters changeover in the laboratory. In this experiment, pigeons were exposed to laboratory choice situations, concurrent variable-interval schedules, that were standard except for the introduction...

Travel mode choice and travel satisfaction : bridging the gap between decision utility and experienced utility

OpenAIRE

De Vos, Jonas; Mokhtarian, Patricia L; Schwanen, Tim; Van Acker, Veronique; Witlox, Frank

2016-01-01

Over the past decades research on travel mode choice has evolved from work that is informed by utility theory, examining the effects of objective determinants, to studies incorporating more subjective variables such as habits and attitudes. Recently, the way people perceive their travel has been analyzed with transportation-oriented scales of subjective wellbeing, and particularly the satisfaction with travel scale. However, studies analyzing the link between travel mode choice (i.e., decisio...

Comparative evaluation between cervical vertebral morphology and hand-wrist morphology for skeletal maturation assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Grippaudo, C; Garcovich, D; Volpe, G; Lajolo, C

2006-05-01

The aim of the study was to find a correlation between the evaluation of skeletal maturation performed by the study of cervical vertebrae maturation indicators and the evaluation obtained by the hand and wrist maturation indicators. Left hand wrist radiographs and the corresponding lateral cephalograms of 90 patients (48 males and 42 females; aged 6 to 14 years) were paired and a study group of 128 pair of radiographs was obtained, having some patients 2 or more radiographs at different times. Hand and wrist radiographs were evaluated according to the protocol proposed by Grave (scores 0 to 9); corresponding lateral cephalograms were evaluated according to the method reported by Baccetti (scores 1 to 5). Values obtained with the 2 methods were analyzed by Spearman's correlation test. When the values were compared globally in the 2 genders a good correlation was obtained (r=0.795; Pmaturation evaluation by the analysis of cervical vertebrae in laterolateral cephalograms which can substitute the hand and wrist radiograph for the skeletal maturation evaluation in orthodontic diagnosis.

Modeling the mechanism of glycosylation reactions between ethanol, 1,2-ethanediol and methoxymethanol.

Science.gov (United States)

Azofra, Luis Miguel; Alkorta, Ibon; Toro-Labbé, Alejandro; Elguero, José

2013-09-07

The mechanism of the S(N)2 model glycosylation reaction between ethanol, 1,2-ethanediol and methoxymethanol has been studied theoretically at the B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p) computational level. Three different types of reactions have been explored: (i) the exchange of hydroxyl groups between these model systems; (ii) the basic catalysis reactions by combination of the substrates as glycosyl donors (neutral species) and acceptors (enolate species); and (iii) the effect on the reaction profile of an explicit H2O molecule in the reactions considered in (ii). The reaction force, the electronic chemical potential and the reaction electronic flux have been characterized for the reaction path in each case. Energy calculations show that methoxymethanol is the worst glycosyl donor model among the ones studied here, while 1,2-ethanediol is the best, having the lowest activation barrier of 74.7 kJ mol(-1) for the reaction between this one and the ethanolate as the glycosyl acceptor model. In general, the presence of direct interactions between the atoms involved in the penta-coordinated TS increases the activation energies of the processes.

Comparison of working length control consistency between hand K-files and Mtwo NiTi rotary system.

Science.gov (United States)

Krajczár, Károly; Varga, Enikő; Marada, Gyula; Jeges, Sára; Tóth, Vilmos

2016-04-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the consistency of working length control between hand instrumentation in comparison to engine driven Mtwo nickel-titanium rotary files. Forty extracted maxillary molars were selected and divided onto two parallel groups. The working lengths of the mesiobuccal root canals were estimated. The teeth were fixed in a phantom head. The root canal preparation was carried out group 1 (n=20) with hand K-files, (VDW, Munich, Germany) and group 2 (n=20) with Mtwo instruments (VDW, Munich, Germany). Vestibulo-oral and mesio-distal directional x-ray images were taken before the preparation with #10 K-file, inserted into the mesiobuccal root canal to the working length, and after preparation with #25, #30 and #40 files. Working lenght changes were detected with measurements between the radiological apex and the instrument tips. In the Mtwo group a difference in the working competency (protary files. Mtwo NiTi rotary file did therefore proved to be more accurate in comparison to the conventional hand instrumentation. Working length, Mtwo, nickel-titanium, hand preparation, engine driven preparation.

Selective attention increases choice certainty in human decision making.

Science.gov (United States)

Zizlsperger, Leopold; Sauvigny, Thomas; Haarmeier, Thomas

2012-01-01

Choice certainty is a probabilistic estimate of past performance and expected outcome. In perceptual decisions the degree of confidence correlates closely with choice accuracy and reaction times, suggesting an intimate relationship to objective performance. Here we show that spatial and feature-based attention increase human subjects' certainty more than accuracy in visual motion discrimination tasks. Our findings demonstrate for the first time a dissociation of choice accuracy and certainty with a significantly stronger influence of voluntary top-down attention on subjective performance measures than on objective performance. These results reveal a so far unknown mechanism of the selection process implemented by attention and suggest a unique biological valence of choice certainty beyond a faithful reflection of the decision process.

On the relationship between degree of hand-preference and degree of language lateralization

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Somers, Metten; Ophoff, Roel A; Boks, Marco P; Fleer, Willemien; de Visser, Kees C L; Kahn, René S; Sommer, Iris E; Aukes, M.F.

2015-01-01

Language lateralization and hand-preference show inter-individual variation in the degree of lateralization to the left- or right, but their relation is not fully understood. Disentangling this relation could aid elucidating the mechanisms underlying these traits. The relation between degree of

The choice of sites considered with respect to problems of radioactive waste disposal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duhamel, F.

1960-01-01

The author of this article shows clearly that a knowledge of the behaviour of wastes together with an analysis of the risks of accidents makes it possible to define the general characteristics of a site as a function of, on the one hand the geological and meteorological factors, and on the other, the proposed installations. Consideration of the biological environment makes it possible to clarify the sitological study and to make a choice between the several sites possible. The author shows the real necessity for radio-protection specialists to share their knowledge, to establish regulations, and to cooperate with the authors responsible for the installations, from the moment of the choice of the site and of the planning of the apparatus up to the final reject of the waste. (author) [fr

Reaction mechanisms in zeolite catalysis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rozanska, X.; Santen, van R.A.; Auerbach, S.C.; Carrado, K.A.; Dutta, P.D.

2003-01-01

A review; described are the most basic mechanistic reaction steps that are induced by zeolite catalysts. Details on the zeolitic properties that are relevant to mol. reactivity are also provided. The theor. methods and models at hand to allow the investigation of these reaction steps and that have

Nucleus accumbens mediates relative motivation for rewards in the absence of choice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

John A Clithero

2011-08-01

Full Text Available To dissociate a choice from its antecedent neural states, motivation associated with the expected outcome must be captured in the absence of choice. Yet, the neural mechanisms that mediate behavioral idiosyncrasies in motivation, particularly with regard to complex economic preferences, are rarely examined in situations without overt decisions. We employed functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI in a large sample of participants while they anticipated earning rewards from two different modalities: monetary and candy rewards. An index for relative motivation toward different reward types was constructed using reaction times to the target for earning rewards. Activation in the nucleus accumbens (NAcc and anterior insula (aINS predicted individual variation in relative motivation between our reward modalities. NAcc activation, however, mediated the effects of aINS, indicating the NAcc is the likely source of this relative weighting. These results demonstrate that neural idiosyncrasies in reward efficacy exist even in the absence of explicit choices, and extend the role of NAcc as a critical brain region for such choice-free motivation.

Synaptic and functional linkages between spinal premotor interneurons and hand-muscle activity during precision grip

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tomohiko eTakei

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Grasping is a highly complex movement that requires the coordination of a number of hand joints and muscles. Previous studies showed that spinal premotor interneurons (PreM-INs in the primate cervical spinal cord have divergent synaptic effects on hand motoneurons and that they might contribute to hand-muscle synergies. However, the extent to which these PreM-IN synaptic connections functionally contribute to modulating hand-muscle activity is not clear. In this paper, we explored the contribution of spinal PreM-INs to hand-muscle activation by quantifying the synaptic linkage (SL and functional linkage (FL of the PreM-INs with hand-muscle activities. The activity of 23 PreM-INs was recorded from the cervical spinal cord (C6–T1, with EMG signals measured simultaneously from hand and arm muscles in two macaque monkeys performing a precision grip task. Spike-triggered averages (STAs of rectified EMGs were compiled for 456 neuron–muscle pairs; 63 pairs showed significant post-spike effects (i.e., SL. Conversely, 231 of 456 pairs showed significant cross-correlations between the IN firing rate and rectified EMG (i.e., FL. Importantly, a greater proportion of the neuron–muscle pairs with SL showed FL (43/63 pairs, 68% compared with the pairs without SL (203/393, 52%, and the presence of SL was significantly associated with that of FL. However, a significant number of pairs had SL without FL (SL∩!FL, n = 20 or FL without SL (!SL∩FL, n = 203, and the proportions of these incongruities exceeded the number expected by chance. These results suggested that spinal PreM-INs function to significantly modulate hand-muscle activity during precision grip, but the contribution of other neural structures is also needed to recruit an adequate combination of hand-muscle motoneurons.

Recent experimental results on level densities for compound reaction calculations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Voinov, A.V.

2012-01-01

There is a problem related to the choice of the level density input for Hauser-Feshbach model calculations. Modern computer codes have several options to choose from but it is not clear which of them has to be used in some particular cases. Availability of many options helps to describe existing experimental data but it creates problems when it comes to predictions. Traditionally, different level density systematics are based on experimental data from neutron resonance spacing which are available for a limited spin interval and one parity only. On the other hand reaction cross section calculations use the total level density. This can create large uncertainties when converting the neutron resonance spacing to the total level density that results in sizable uncertainties in cross section calculations. It is clear now that total level densities need to be studied experimentally in a systematic manner. Such information can be obtained only from spectra of compound nuclear reactions. The question is does level densities obtained from compound nuclear reactions keep the same regularities as level densities obtained from neutron resonances- Are they consistent- We measured level densities of 59-64 Ni isotopes from proton evaporation spectra of 6,7 Li induced reactions. Experimental data are presented. Conclusions of how level density depends on the neutron number and on the degree of proximity to the closed shell ( 56 Ni) are drawn. The level density parameters have been compared with parameters obtained from the analysis of neutron resonances and from model predictions

Relationship between the Physical Properties and Hand of Jean Fabric

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kawamura Atsushi

2016-09-01

Full Text Available We investigated the distinctive characteristics of jean fabrics (denim fabrics obtained from jeans and compared the physical properties and the hand. We used 13 kinds of jean fabric from commercial jeans and 26 other fabric types. The physical properties were measured using the Kawabata evaluation system, and the fabric hand was evaluated by 20 subjects using a semantic differential method. To characterise the hand of jean fabrics compared with other fabrics, we used principal component analysis and obtained three principal components. We found that jean fabrics were characterised by the second principal component, which was affected by feelings of thickness and weight. We further characterised the jean fabrics according to ‘softness & smoothness’ and ‘non-fullness’, depending on country of origin and type of manufacturer. The three principal components were analysed using multiple linear regression to characterise the components according to the physical properties. We explained the hand of fabrics including jean fabrics using its association with physical properties.

Unimanual SNARC Effect: Hand Matters

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marianna eRiello

2011-12-01

Full Text Available A structural representation of the hand embedding information about the identity and relative position of fingers is necessary to counting routines. It may also support associations between numbers and allocentric spatial codes that predictably interact with other known numerical spatial representations, such as the mental number line. In this study, 48 Western participants whose typical counting routine proceeded from thumb-to-little on both hands performed magnitude and parity binary judgments. Response keys were pressed either with the right index and middle fingers or with the left index and middle fingers in separate blocks. 24 participants responded with either hands in prone posture (i.e. palm down and 24 participants responded with either hands in supine (i.e. palm up posture. When hands were in prone posture, the counting direction of the left hand conflicted with the direction of the left-right mental number line, whereas the counting direction of the right hand was consistent with it. When hands were in supine posture, the opposite was true. If systematic associations existed between relative number magnitude and an allocentric spatial representation of the finger series within each hand, as predicted on the basis of counting habits, interactions would be expected between hand posture and a unimanual version of the Spatial-Numerical Association of Response Codes (SNARC effect. Data revealed that with hands in prone posture a unimanual SNARC effect was present for the right hand, and with hands in supine posture a unimanual SNARC effect was present for the left hand. We propose that a posture-invariant body structural representation of the finger series provides a relevant frame of reference, a within-hand directional vector, that is associated to simple number processing. Such frame of reference can significantly interact with stimulus-response correspondence effects that have been attributed to the mapping of numbers on a mental

A continuous GRASP to determine the relationship between drugs and adverse reactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hirsch, Michael J.; Meneses, Claudio N.; Pardalos, Panos M.; Ragle, Michelle; Resende, Mauricio G. C.

2007-01-01

Adverse drag reactions (ADRs) are estimated to be one of the leading causes of death. Many national and international agencies have set up databases of ADR reports for the express purpose of determining the relationship between drugs and adverse reactions that they cause. We formulate the drug-reaction relationship problem as a continuous optimization problem and utilize C-GRASP, a new continuous global optimization heuristic, to approximately determine the relationship between drugs and adverse reactions. Our approach is compared against others in the literature and is shown to find better solutions

Association between parental motives for food choice and eating patterns of 12- to 13-year-old Norwegian children.

Science.gov (United States)

Oellingrath, Inger M; Hersleth, Margrethe; Svendsen, Martin V

2013-11-01

To determine (i) the importance of parents’ motives for everyday family food choices; and (ii) the relationship between parental food choice motives and eating patterns of 12- to 13-year-old children. Cross-sectional study. A modified version of the Food Choice Questionnaire was used to determine parental motives for food choices. The children’s food and drink intake was reported by their parents using a retrospective FFQ. Eating patterns were derived using principal component analysis. The association between food choice motives and eating patterns was examined using multiple linear regression analysis. Primary schools, Telemark County, Norway. In total, 1095 children aged 12–13 years and their parents. The parental motive ‘sensory appeal’ was the most important for food choice, followed by ‘health’, ‘convenience’, ‘natural content’ and ‘weight control’. The food choice motives were associated with the eating patterns of the children, independent of background variables. The motive ‘health’ was most strongly associated with a ‘varied Norwegian’ eating pattern, representing a diverse diet and regular meals, while the motive ‘convenience’ appeared to be the most important barrier to this eating pattern. ‘Weight control’ was not associated with the ‘varied Norwegian’ eating pattern. To encourage parents to make healthy food choices for their children, health promotion activities should focus on the health benefits of a diverse diet and regular meals, rather than weight control. Recommended food products should be made more convenient and easily available for families with children.

Consumer choice between ethanol and gasoline: Lessons from Brazil and Sweden

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pacini, Henrique, E-mail: henrique.pacini@energy.kth.se; Silveira, Semida, E-mail: semida.silveira@energy.kth.se

2011-11-15

The introduction of flex-fuel vehicles since 2003 has made possible for Brazilian drivers to choose between high ethanol blends or gasoline depending on relative prices and fuel economies. In Sweden, flex-fuel fleets were introduced in 2005. Prices and demand data were examined for both Brazil and Sweden. Bioethanol has been generally the most cost-efficient fuel in Brazil, but not for all states. In any case, consumers in Brazil have opted for ethanol even when this was not the optimal economic choice. In Sweden, a different behavior was observed when falling gasoline prices made E85 uneconomical in late 2008. In a context of international biofuels expansion, the example of E85 in Sweden indicates that new markets could experience different consumer behavior than Brazil: demand falls rapidly with reduced price differences between ethanol and gasoline. At the same time, rising ethanol demand and lack of an international market with multiple biofuel producers could lead to higher domestic prices in Brazil. Once the limit curve is crossed, the consumer might react by shifting back to the usage of gasoline. - Research Highlights: > Brazil and Sweden both have infrastructure for high fuel ethanol blends. > Flex-fuel vehicles enable competition between ethanol and gasoline in fuel markets. > Data suggests that consumers make their fuel choice based mainly on prices. > Consumers in Sweden appear to be more price-sensitive than their Brazilian counterparts. > In the absence of international markets, high ethanol prices may drive consumers back to gasoline.

Interventions to improve patient hand hygiene: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Srigley, J A; Furness, C D; Gardam, M

2016-09-01

Nosocomial pathogens may be acquired by patients via their own unclean hands, but there has been relatively little emphasis on patient hand hygiene as a tool for preventing healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs). The aim of this systematic review was to determine the efficacy of patient hand hygiene interventions in reducing HCAIs and improving patient hand hygiene rates compared to usual care. Electronic databases and grey literature were searched to August 2014. Experimental and quasi-experimental studies were included if they evaluated a patient hand hygiene intervention conducted in an acute or chronic healthcare facility and included HCAI incidence and/or patient hand hygiene rates as an outcome. All steps were performed independently by two investigators. Ten studies were included, most of which were uncontrolled before-after studies (N=8). The majority of interventions (N=7) were multi-modal, with components similar to healthcare worker hand hygiene programmes, including education, reminders, audit and feedback, and provision of hand hygiene products. Six studies reported HCAI outcomes and four studies assessed patient hand hygiene rates; all demonstrated improvements but were at moderate to high risk of bias. In conclusion, interventions to improve patient hand hygiene may reduce the incidence of HCAIs and improve hand hygiene rates, but the quality of evidence is low. Future studies should use stronger designs and be more selective in their choice of outcomes. Copyright © 2016 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Measuring Strategic Firm Interaction in Product-Quality Choices: The Case of Airline Flight Frequency

OpenAIRE

Jan K. Brueckner; Dan Luo

2013-01-01

This paper investigates strategic interaction among airlines in product-quality choices. Using an instrumental variables approach, the paper estimates flight-frequency reaction functions, which relate an airline’s frequency on a route to its own characteristics and to the frequencies of competing airlines. A positive reaction function slope is found in some cases, indicating the presence of strategic interaction in the choice of frequencies. The paper also asks whether multimarket contact g...

The impact of presentation format on visual attention and choice in discrete choice experiments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mueller Loose, Simone; Orquin, Jacob Lund

with visual attributes, or as product mock-ups simulating realistic products as close as possible. So far little is known about how presentation formats affect visual attention patterns and choice behavior. This study addresses the question by analysing visual attention and part-worth utilities in choice...... experiments across three different presentation formats. Method. Participants’ visual attention was measured by means of eye tracking during a discrete choice experiment for yoghurt products varying on six attributes with two to four levels. The study used a mixed within-between subjects design in which...... the presentation format varied between a verbal information table, a table with visual attributes levels and a realistic product mock-up presentation. Results. A strong relationship between attention and choice was observed so that attributes with a higher importance for participant choices also received a higher...

Is the hand to speech what speech is to the hand?

Science.gov (United States)

Mildner, V

2000-01-01

Interference between the manual and the verbal performance on two types of concurrent verbal-manual tasks was studied on a sample of 48 female right-handers. The more complex verbal task (storytelling) affected both hands significantly, the less complex (essentially phonemic) task affected only the right hand, with insignificant negative influence on the left-hand performance. No significant reciprocal effects of the motor task on verbalization were found.

Analytical solution for wave propagation through a graded index interface between a right-handed and a left-handed material.

Science.gov (United States)

Dalarsson, Mariana; Tassin, Philippe

2009-04-13

We have investigated the transmission and reflection properties of structures incorporating left-handed materials with graded index of refraction. We present an exact analytical solution to Helmholtz' equation for a graded index profile changing according to a hyperbolic tangent function along the propagation direction. We derive expressions for the field intensity along the graded index structure, and we show excellent agreement between the analytical solution and the corresponding results obtained by accurate numerical simulations. Our model straightforwardly allows for arbitrary spectral dispersion.

Exchange reaction between hydrogen and deuterium. I. Importance of surface reactions in the steady-state mechanism

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Marteau, C; Gaillard-Cusin, F; James, H [Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 45 - Orleans-la-Source (France). Centre de Recherches sur la Chimie de Combustion et des Hautes Temperatures

1978-05-01

Investigation of heterogeneous initiation process of gas phase linear chain reactions is carried out through the study of H/sub 2/-D/sub 2/ exchange reaction. Experimental data under study concern mainly the stationary rate of HD formation and the prestationary proceeding. Steady-state method accounts for the first one of these data; it allows to clearly compare the wall process part to the part played by the homogeneous chain reaction towards HD formation. Activation energy of exchange elementary step between chemisorbed hydrogen (on silica) and gaseous deuterium has been evaluated: Esub(e1)=52+-1 Kcal/mole.

Association between grip strength and hand and knee radiographic osteoarthritis in Korean adults: Data from the Dong-gu study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lihui Wen

Full Text Available We assessed whether grip strength was related to various types of radiographic damage in Korean adults with osteoarthritis (OA.Data from 2,251 subjects enrolled in the Dong-gu study, who had no hand joint pain, were analyzed to investigate the relationship between grip strength and OA. Hand grip strength was measured using a hand-held dynamometer, and radiographs of the hand and knee were scored according to a semi-quantitative grading system. Multiple linear regressions were used to explore associations between grip strength and radiographic features of OA.Grip strength in men and women was negatively related to hand (both p < 0.001 and knee (men, p < 0.001; women, p = 0.010 OA after adjusting for confounders. Hand (men, p < 0.001; women, p = 0.001 and knee (both p < 0.001 joint space narrowing (JSN showed the strongest associations with low grip strength, regardless of gender. Moreover, the severity of hand osteophytes in women (p = 0.001, and subchondral cysts (men, p < 0.001 was correlated with low grip strength in both genders.Among subjects without hand joint pain, low grip strength was associated significantly with hand and knee radiographic OA, regardless of gender. Among all types of OA radiographic damage, low grip strength showed the strongest association with JSN.

Non-thermal production of minimal dark matter via right-handed neutrino decay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aoki, Mayumi; Toma, Takashi; Vicente, Avelino

2015-01-01

Minimal Dark Matter (MDM) stands as one of the simplest dark matter scenarios. In MDM models, annihilation and co-annihilation processes among the members of the MDM multiplet are usually very efficient, pushing the dark matter mass above O(10) TeV in order to reproduce the observed dark matter relic density. Motivated by this little drawback, in this paper we consider an extension of the MDM scenario by three right-handed neutrinos. Two specific choices for the MDM multiplet are studied: a fermionic SU(2) L quintuplet and a scalar SU(2) L septuplet. The lightest right-handed neutrino, with tiny Yukawa couplings, never reaches thermal equilibrium in the early universe and is produced by freeze-in. This creates a link between dark matter and neutrino physics: dark matter can be non-thermally produced by the decay of the lightest right-handed neutrino after freeze-out, allowing to lower significantly the dark matter mass. We discuss the phenomenology of the non-thermally produced MDM and, taking into account significant Sommerfeld corrections, we find that the dark matter mass must have some specific values in order not to be in conflict with the current bounds from gamma-ray observations

Age-related slowing of response selection and production in a visual choice reaction time task

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David L Woods

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Aging is associated with delayed processing in choice reaction time (CRT tasks, but the processing stages most impacted by aging have not been clearly identified. Here, we analyzed CRT latencies in a computerized serial visual feature-conjunction task. Participants responded to a target letter (probability 40% by pressing one mouse button, and responded to distractor letters differing either in color, shape, or both features from the target (probabilities 20% each, by pressing the other mouse button. Stimuli were presented randomly to the left and right visual fields and stimulus onset asynchronies (SOAs were adaptively reduced following correct responses using a staircase procedure. In Experiment 1, we tested 1466 participants who ranged in age from 18 to 65 years. CRT latencies increased significantly with age (r = 0.47, 2.80 ms/year. Central processing time (CPT, isolated by subtracting simple reaction times (obtained in a companion experiment performed on the same day from CRT latencies, accounted for more than 80% of age-related CRT slowing, with most of the remaining increase in latency due to slowed motor responses. Participants were faster and more accurate when the stimulus location was spatially compatible with the mouse button used for responding, and this effect increased slightly with age. Participants took longer to respond to distractors with target color or shape than to distractors with no target features. However, the additional time needed to discriminate the more target-like distractors did not increase with age. In Experiment 2, we replicated the findings of Experiment 1 in a second population of 178 participants (ages 18-82 years. CRT latencies did not differ significantly in the two experiments, and similar effects of age, distractor similarity, and stimulus-response spatial compatibility were found. The results suggest that the age-related slowing in visual CRT latencies is largely due to delays in response selection and

Proprioceptive deafferentation slows down the processing of visual hand feedback

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Balslev, Daniela; Miall, R Chris; Cole, Jonathan

2007-01-01

During visually guided movements both vision and proprioception inform the brain about the position of the hand, so interaction between these two modalities is presumed. Current theories suggest that this interaction occurs by sensory information from both sources being fused into a more reliable...... proprioception facilitates the processing of visual information during motor control. Subjects used a computer mouse to move a cursor to a screen target. In 28% of the trials, pseudorandomly, the cursor was rotated or the target jumped. Reaction time for the trajectory correction in response to this perturbation......, multimodal, percept of hand location. In the literature on perception, however, there is evidence that different sensory modalities interact in the allocation of attention, so that a stimulus in one modality facilitates the processing of a stimulus in a different modality. We investigated whether...

Reactions between rocks and the hydroxides of calcium, sodium and potassium: Progress report no. 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van Aardt, J.H.P.; Visser, S.

1982-01-01

Pulversed rocks were mixed with water, and Ca(OH) 2 and NaOH were added to form slurries which were stored at 22 degree Celsius, 40 degrees Celsius and 80 degrees Celsius. The reaction products were identified by means of X-ray diffraction procedures. The effect of adding Al(OH) 3 , Mg(OH) 2 and amorphous SiO 2 to the slurries was also studied. Similar slurries using portland cement on the one hand and milled granulated blastfurnace slag plus Ca(OH) 2 on the other hand instead of the Ca(OH) 2 were examined. On the basis of the findings, suggestions are made as to the nature and composition of the compounds which are responsible for expansive alkali-aggregate reactions. Mortar specimens using portland cement and in some instances milled granulated blastfurnace slag as the binder and various rocks as aggregate were immersed in caustic soda solutions at 40 degrees Celsius and 80 degrees Celsius. Their expansion was determined at regular intervals. It was shown which rocks are likely to give expansion and that expansion can be reduced if the Ca(OH) 2 is bound by means of Al(OH) 3 , for instance. The procedure whereby mortar specimens are immersed in alkali solutions might be developed as a rapid test for assessing whether and to what extent aggregates are alkali susceptible

Reactions between monolayer Fe and Si(001) surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hasegawa, M; Kobayashi, N; Hayashi, N [Electrotechnical Lab., Tsukuba, Ibaraki (Japan)

1997-03-01

Reactions between 1.5 monolayer(ML) Fe deposited on Si(001)-2x1 and -dihydride surfaces were studied in situ by reflection high-energy electron diffraction and time-of-flight ion scattering spectrometry with the use of 25 keV H ions. The reactions between Fe and Si which were successively deposited on Si(001)-dihydride surface were also studied. After the room temperature deposition Fe reacted with Si(001)-2x1 substrate resulting in the formation of polycrystalline Fe5Si3. By annealing to 560-650degC composite heteroepitaxial layer of both type A and type B {beta}-FeSi2 was formed. On the dihydride surface polycrystalline Fe was observed after 1.5ML Fe deposition at room temperature, and reaction between Fe and Si(001)-dihydride surface is not likely at room temperature. We observed 3D rough surface when we deposited only Fe layer on the dihydride surface and annealed above 700degC. The hydrogen termination of Si(001) surface prevents the deposited Fe from diffusing into the substrate below 500degC, however the annealing above 710degC leads to the diffusion. We obtained 2D ordered surface, which showed 3x3 RHEED pattern as referenced to the primitive unreconstructed Si(001) surface net, when we deposited 2.5ML Fe and 5.8ML Si successively onto Si(001)-dihydride surface and annealed to 470degC. (author)

Study on reduction reactions of neptunium(V) on magnetite surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kitamura, Akira; Kamei, Gento; Nakata, Kotaro; Tanaka, Satoru; Tomura, Tsutomu

2004-01-01

Redox reactions between neptunium(V) (Np(V)) and magnetite (Fe(II) 1 Fe(III) 2 O 4 ) surface were investigated in N 2 gas atmosphere. A batch method was applied to the experiment. A magnetite sample and a 0.1 M NaCl solution were mixed in a polypropylene tube, and pH, redox potential and concentration of dissolved neptunium were measured as a function of shaking time, temperature and liquid/solid ratio. The concentration of dissolved neptunium was reduced rapidly within a day, due to the reducing reaction of Np(V) to Np(IV) and the precipitation of Np(IV). The rate constant of the redox reaction and the activation energy for the rate constant were preliminarily obtained. On the other hand, redox reactions between Np(V) and aqueous Fe(II) were hardly observed. Considering the number of transferred electrons, it was suggested that the redox reaction was promoted by not only Fe(II) on the magnetite surface, but also Fe(II) inside the magnetite. (author)

Parameter Estimation for Thurstone Choice Models

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vojnovic, Milan [London School of Economics (United Kingdom); Yun, Seyoung [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2017-04-24

We consider the estimation accuracy of individual strength parameters of a Thurstone choice model when each input observation consists of a choice of one item from a set of two or more items (so called top-1 lists). This model accommodates the well-known choice models such as the Luce choice model for comparison sets of two or more items and the Bradley-Terry model for pair comparisons. We provide a tight characterization of the mean squared error of the maximum likelihood parameter estimator. We also provide similar characterizations for parameter estimators defined by a rank-breaking method, which amounts to deducing one or more pair comparisons from a comparison of two or more items, assuming independence of these pair comparisons, and maximizing a likelihood function derived under these assumptions. We also consider a related binary classification problem where each individual parameter takes value from a set of two possible values and the goal is to correctly classify all items within a prescribed classification error. The results of this paper shed light on how the parameter estimation accuracy depends on given Thurstone choice model and the structure of comparison sets. In particular, we found that for unbiased input comparison sets of a given cardinality, when in expectation each comparison set of given cardinality occurs the same number of times, for a broad class of Thurstone choice models, the mean squared error decreases with the cardinality of comparison sets, but only marginally according to a diminishing returns relation. On the other hand, we found that there exist Thurstone choice models for which the mean squared error of the maximum likelihood parameter estimator can decrease much faster with the cardinality of comparison sets. We report empirical evaluation of some claims and key parameters revealed by theory using both synthetic and real-world input data from some popular sport competitions and online labor platforms.

Body painting to promote self-active learning of hand anatomy for preclinical medical students.

Science.gov (United States)

Jariyapong, Pitchanee; Punsawad, Chuchard; Bunratsami, Suchirat; Kongthong, Paranyu

2016-01-01

Background The purpose of this study was to use the body painting method to teach hand anatomy to a group of preclinical medical students. Methods Students reviewed hand anatomy using the traditional method and body painting exercise. Feedback and retention of the anatomy-related information were examined by a questionnaire and multiple-choice questions, respectively, immediately and 1 month after the painting exercise. Results Students agreed that the exercise was advantageous and helped facilitate self-active learning after in-class anatomy lessons. While there was no significant difference in knowledge retention between the control and experimental groups, the students appreciated the exercise in which they applied body paint to the human body to learn anatomy. Conclusion The body painting was an efficient tool for aiding the interactive learning of medical students and increasing the understanding of gross anatomy.

Glycerol acetals, kinetic study of the reaction between glycerol and formaldehyde

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Agirre, I.; Garcia, I.; Requies, J.; Barrio, V.L.; Gueemez, M.B.; Cambra, J.F.; Arias, P.L.

2011-01-01

The acetalization reaction between glycerol and formaldehyde using Amberlyst 47 acidic ion exchange resin was studied. These acetals can be obtained from renewable sources (bioalcohols and bioalcohol derived aldehydes) and seem to be good candidates for different applications such as oxygenated diesel additives. A preliminary kinetic study was performed in a batch stirred tank reactor studying the influence of different process parameters like temperature, feed composition and the stirring speed. A pseudo homogenous kinetic model able to explain the reaction mechanism was adjusted. Thus, the corresponding order of reaction was determined. Amberlyst 47 acidic ion exchange resin showed a fairly good behavior allowing 100% of selectivity towards acetals formation. However, the studied acetalization reaction showed high thermodynamic limitations achieving glycerol conversions around 50% using a stoichiometric feed ratio at 353 K. The product is a mixture of two isomers (1,3-Dioxan-5-ol and 1,3-dioxolane-4-methanol) and the conversion of 1,3-dioxolane-4-methanol into 1,3-Dioxan-5-ol was also observed. -- Highlights: → The reaction between glycerol and acetaldehyde shows thermodynamic limitations. → Amberlyst 47 ion exchange resins show 100% of selectivity. → A pseudo-homogeneous kinetic model is able to predict the reaction progress. → Isomerization reactions were observed from dioxalanes to dioxanes.

Correlations between heterozygosity and measures of genetic similarity: implications for understanding mate choice.

Science.gov (United States)

Roberts, S C; Hale, M L; Petrie, M

2006-03-01

There is currently considerable interest in testing the effects of genetic compatibility and heterozygosity on animal mate preferences. Evidence for either effect is rapidly accumulating, although results are not always clear-cut. However, correlations between mating preferences and either genetic similarity or heterozygosity are usually tested independently, and the possibility that similarity and heterozygosity may be confounded has rarely been taken into account. Here we show that measures of genetic similarity (allele sharing, relatedness) may be correlated with heterozygosity, using data from 441 human individuals genotyped at major loci in the major histocompatibility complex, and 281 peafowl (Pavo cristatus) individuals genotyped at 13 microsatellite loci. We show that average levels of allele sharing and relatedness are each significantly associated with heterozygosity in both humans and peafowl, that these relationships are influenced by the level of polymorphism, and that these similarity measures may correlate with heterozygosity in qualitatively different ways. We discuss the implications of these inter-relationships for interpretation of mate choice studies. It has recently become apparent that mating preferences for 'good genes' and 'compatible genes' may introduce discordant choice amongst individuals, since the optimal mate for one trait may not be optimal for the other, and our results are consistent with this idea. The inter-relationship between these measures of genetic quality also carries implications for the way in which mate choice studies are designed and interpreted, and generates predictions that can be tested in future research.

Addiction: Choice or compulsion?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Edmund eHenden

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Normative thinking about addiction has traditionally been divided between, on the one hand, a medical model which sees addiction as a disease characterized by compulsive and relapsing drug use over which the addict has little or no control and, on the other, a moral model which sees addiction as a choice characterized by voluntary behaviour under the control of the addict. Proponents of the former appeal to evidence showing that regular consumption of drugs causes persistent changes in the brain structures and functions known to be involved in the motivation of behavior. On this evidence, it is often concluded that becoming addicted involves a transition from voluntary, chosen drug use to non-voluntary compulsive drug use. Against this view, proponents of the moral model provide ample evidence that addictive drug use involves voluntary chosen behaviour. In this article we argue that although they are right about something, both views are mistaken. We present a third model that neither rules out the view of addictive drug use as compulsive, nor that it involves voluntary chosen behavior.

Addiction: Choice or Compulsion?

Science.gov (United States)

Henden, Edmund; Melberg, Hans Olav; Røgeberg, Ole Jørgen

2013-01-01

Normative thinking about addiction has traditionally been divided between, on the one hand, a medical model which sees addiction as a disease characterized by compulsive and relapsing drug use over which the addict has little or no control and, on the other, a moral model which sees addiction as a choice characterized by voluntary behavior under the control of the addict. Proponents of the former appeal to evidence showing that regular consumption of drugs causes persistent changes in the brain structures and functions known to be involved in the motivation of behavior. On this evidence, it is often concluded that becoming addicted involves a transition from voluntary, chosen drug use to non-voluntary compulsive drug use. Against this view, proponents of the moral model provide ample evidence that addictive drug use involves voluntary chosen behavior. In this article we argue that although they are right about something, both views are mistaken. We present a third model that neither rules out the view of addictive drug use as compulsive, nor that it involves voluntary chosen behavior. PMID:23966955

Unimanual SNARC Effect: Hand Matters.

Science.gov (United States)

Riello, Marianna; Rusconi, Elena

2011-01-01

A structural representation of the hand embedding information about the identity and relative position of fingers is necessary to counting routines. It may also support associations between numbers and allocentric spatial codes that predictably interact with other known numerical spatial representations, such as the mental number line (MNL). In this study, 48 Western participants whose typical counting routine proceeded from thumb-to-little on both hands performed magnitude and parity binary judgments. Response keys were pressed either with the right index and middle fingers or with the left index and middle fingers in separate blocks. 24 participants responded with either hands in prone posture (i.e., palm down) and 24 participants responded with either hands in supine (i.e., palm up) posture. When hands were in prone posture, the counting direction of the left hand conflicted with the direction of the left-right MNL, whereas the counting direction of the right hand was consistent with it. When hands were in supine posture, the opposite was true. If systematic associations existed between relative number magnitude and an allocentric spatial representation of the finger series within each hand, as predicted on the basis of counting habits, interactions would be expected between hand posture and a unimanual version of the spatial-numerical association of response codes (SNARC) effect. Data revealed that with hands in prone posture a unimanual SNARC effect was present for the right hand, and with hands in supine posture a unimanual SNARC effect was present for the left hand. We propose that a posture-invariant body structural representation of the finger series provides a relevant frame of reference, a within-hand directional vector, that is associated to simple number processing. Such frame of reference can significantly interact with stimulus-response correspondence effects, like the SNARC, that have been typically attributed to the mapping of numbers on a left

Representation of Patients' Hand Modulates Fear Reactions of Patients with Spider Phobia in Virtual Reality.

Science.gov (United States)

Peperkorn, Henrik M; Diemer, Julia E; Alpers, Georg W; Mühlberger, Andreas

2016-01-01

Embodiment (i.e., the involvement of a bodily representation) is thought to be relevant in emotional experiences. Virtual reality (VR) is a capable means of activating phobic fear in patients. The representation of the patient's body (e.g., the right hand) in VR enhances immersion and increases presence, but its effect on phobic fear is still unknown. We analyzed the influence of the presentation of the participant's hand in VR on presence and fear responses in 32 women with spider phobia and 32 matched controls. Participants sat in front of a table with an acrylic glass container within reaching distance. During the experiment this setup was concealed by a head-mounted display (HMD). The VR scenario presented via HMD showed the same setup, i.e., a table with an acrylic glass container. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two experimental groups. In one group, fear responses were triggered by fear-relevant visual input in VR (virtual spider in the virtual acrylic glass container), while information about a real but unseen neutral control animal (living snake in the acrylic glass container) was given. The second group received fear-relevant information of the real but unseen situation (living spider in the acrylic glass container), but visual input was kept neutral VR (virtual snake in the virtual acrylic glass container). Participants were instructed to touch the acrylic glass container with their right hand in 20 consecutive trials. Visibility of the hand was varied randomly in a within-subjects design. We found for all participants that visibility of the participant's hand increased presence independently of the fear trigger. However, in patients, the influence of the virtual hand on fear depended on the fear trigger. When fear was triggered perceptually, i.e., by a virtual spider, the virtual hand increased fear. When fear was triggered by information about a real spider, the virtual hand had no effect on fear. Our results shed light on the

Functional MRI of Challenging Food Choices: Forced Choice between Equally Liked High- and Low-Calorie Foods in the Absence of Hunger

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Charbonnier, L.; Laan, van der L.N.; Viergever, M.A.; Smeets, P.A.M.

2015-01-01

We are continuously exposed to food and during the day we make many food choices. These choices play an important role in the regulation of food intake and thereby in weight management. Therefore, it is important to obtain more insight into the mechanisms that underlie these choices. While several

Functional MRI of Challenging Food Choices : Forced Choice between Equally Liked High- and Low-Calorie Foods in the Absence of Hunger

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Charbonnier, Lisette; Van Der Laan, Laura N.; Viergever, Max A.; Smeets, Paul A M; Tregellas, Jason R.

2015-01-01

We are continuously exposed to food and during the day we make many food choices. These choices play an important role in the regulation of food intake and thereby in weight management. Therefore, it is important to obtain more insight into the mechanisms that underlie these choices. While several

Theoretical investigation of reactions between ammonia and precursors from the ozonolysis of ethene

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jorgensen, Solvejg, E-mail: solvejg@kemi.ku.dk [Copenhagen Center of Atmospheric Research, Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 5, DK-2100 Copenhagen O (Denmark); Gross, Allan, E-mail: agr@dmi.dk [Research Department, Danish Meteorological Institute, Lyngbyvej 100, DK-2100 Copenhagen O (Denmark)

2009-07-30

The reaction mechanisms between ammonia and two secondary organic aerosol (SOA) precursors from ozonolysis of alkenes - namely the secondary ozonide (SOZ) and hydroxyl substituted ester (HSE) have been investigated using quantum mechanics calculations. For the reaction between ammonia and SOZ, three reaction channels were found (i) an aldehyde, a hydrogen peroxide and an imine, (ii) two aldehydes and a hydroxylamine, (iii) a hydroxyalkyl hydroperoxide and an imine. For the reaction involving the HSE the reaction products are an aldehyde, carboxylic acid and ammonia. The B3LYP method with 6-311++G(2d,2p) basis set was employed for the geometry optimisation of the stationary points. Gaussian 2 and Gaussian 3 levels of theory have been used to optimise and refine the energy. From an energetic point of view, it is concluded that the reaction between ammonia and HSE is in favour compared to the one with the SOZ.

Choice Shifts in Groups

OpenAIRE

Kfir Eliaz; Debraj Ray

2004-01-01

The phenomenon of "choice shifts" in group decision-making is fairly ubiquitous in the social psychology literature. Faced with a choice between a ``safe" and ``risky" decision, group members appear to move to one extreme or the other, relative to the choices each member might have made on her own. Both risky and cautious shifts have been identified in different situations. This paper demonstrates that from an individual decision-making perspective, choice shifts may be viewed as a systematic...

Consumer choice between ethanol and gasoline: Lessons from Brazil and Sweden

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pacini, Henrique; Silveira, Semida

2011-01-01

The introduction of flex-fuel vehicles since 2003 has made possible for Brazilian drivers to choose between high ethanol blends or gasoline depending on relative prices and fuel economies. In Sweden, flex-fuel fleets were introduced in 2005. Prices and demand data were examined for both Brazil and Sweden. Bioethanol has been generally the most cost-efficient fuel in Brazil, but not for all states. In any case, consumers in Brazil have opted for ethanol even when this was not the optimal economic choice. In Sweden, a different behavior was observed when falling gasoline prices made E85 uneconomical in late 2008. In a context of international biofuels expansion, the example of E85 in Sweden indicates that new markets could experience different consumer behavior than Brazil: demand falls rapidly with reduced price differences between ethanol and gasoline. At the same time, rising ethanol demand and lack of an international market with multiple biofuel producers could lead to higher domestic prices in Brazil. Once the limit curve is crossed, the consumer might react by shifting back to the usage of gasoline. - Research highlights: → Brazil and Sweden both have infrastructure for high fuel ethanol blends. → Flex-fuel vehicles enable competition between ethanol and gasoline in fuel markets. → Data suggests that consumers make their fuel choice based mainly on prices. → Consumers in Sweden appear to be more price-sensitive than their Brazilian counterparts. → In the absence of international markets, high ethanol prices may drive consumers back to gasoline.

A Common Mechanism Underlying Food Choice and Social Decisions

Science.gov (United States)

Krajbich, Ian; Hare, Todd; Bartling, Björn; Morishima, Yosuke; Fehr, Ernst

2015-01-01

People make numerous decisions every day including perceptual decisions such as walking through a crowd, decisions over primary rewards such as what to eat, and social decisions that require balancing own and others’ benefits. The unifying principles behind choices in various domains are, however, still not well understood. Mathematical models that describe choice behavior in specific contexts have provided important insights into the computations that may underlie decision making in the brain. However, a critical and largely unanswered question is whether these models generalize from one choice context to another. Here we show that a model adapted from the perceptual decision-making domain and estimated on choices over food rewards accurately predicts choices and reaction times in four independent sets of subjects making social decisions. The robustness of the model across domains provides behavioral evidence for a common decision-making process in perceptual, primary reward, and social decision making. PMID:26460812

A Common Mechanism Underlying Food Choice and Social Decisions.

Science.gov (United States)

Krajbich, Ian; Hare, Todd; Bartling, Björn; Morishima, Yosuke; Fehr, Ernst

2015-10-01

People make numerous decisions every day including perceptual decisions such as walking through a crowd, decisions over primary rewards such as what to eat, and social decisions that require balancing own and others' benefits. The unifying principles behind choices in various domains are, however, still not well understood. Mathematical models that describe choice behavior in specific contexts have provided important insights into the computations that may underlie decision making in the brain. However, a critical and largely unanswered question is whether these models generalize from one choice context to another. Here we show that a model adapted from the perceptual decision-making domain and estimated on choices over food rewards accurately predicts choices and reaction times in four independent sets of subjects making social decisions. The robustness of the model across domains provides behavioral evidence for a common decision-making process in perceptual, primary reward, and social decision making.

Choice between variable and fixed cocaine injections in male rhesus monkeys.

Science.gov (United States)

Huskinson, S L; Freeman, K B; Petry, N M; Rowlett, J K

2017-08-01

The schedule of drug availability may enhance choice of a drug. In non-human subjects, reinforcers are chosen more often when available under variable schedules of reinforcement relative to fixed schedules. To determine whether variable-drug access is an important determinant of cocaine choice by manipulating the schedule, drug dose, and combination of schedule + dose. Four male rhesus monkeys chose between cocaine doses (0.025-0.4 mg/kg/injection). In control conditions, the schedule and dose of each drug delivery were fixed. In other conditions, the reinforcement schedule (i.e., variable-ratio schedule), dose of each cocaine delivery, or both were variable on one lever while all aspects on the other lever remained fixed. When cocaine dose was equal on average (0.1 mg/kg/injection), 2 of 4 subjects chose cocaine associated with the variable schedule more than the fixed schedule. All subjects chose the variable dose that was equal on average to the fixed dose, and this difference was statistically significant. Three of 4 subjects chose cocaine associated with the variable combination over the fixed option (when the dose was equal on average). During dose-response determinations (when dose on the variable and fixed options were not equal), making the schedule, dose, or both variable generally did not alter cocaine's potency as a reinforcer. While many factors contribute to drug choice, unpredictable drug access is a feature that may be common in the natural environment and could play a key role in the allocation of behavior to drug alternatives by patients with substance-use disorders.

Fundamental Researches on the High-speed and High-efficiency Steelmaking Reaction

Science.gov (United States)

Kitamura, Shin-ya; Shibata, Hiroyuki; Maruoka, Nobuhiro

2012-06-01

Traditionally, steelmaking reactions have been analyzed by thermodynamics. Recently, software packages that can be used to calculate the equilibrium conditions have improved greatly. In some cases, information obtained in this software is useful for analyzing the steelmaking reaction. On the other hand, in industrial operation, steelmaking reactions, i.e., decarburization, dephosphorization, desulfurization or nitrogen removal, do not reach the equilibrium condition. Therefore, the kinetic model is very important for gaining a theoretical understanding of the steelmaking reaction. In this paper, the following recent research activities were shown; 1) mass transfer of impurities between solid oxide and liquid slag, 2) simulation model of hot metal dephosphorization by multiphase slag, 3) evaluation of reaction rate at bath surface in gas-liquid reaction system and 4) condition for forming of metal emulsion by bottom bubbling.

Simulated microbe removal around finger rings using different hand sanitation methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Alur, Archana A; Rane, Madhavi J; Scheetz, James P; Lorenz, Douglas J; Gettleman, Lawrence

2009-09-01

It is our opinion that the CDC and the WHO have underestimated cross-contamination under examination gloves in dental clinics while wearing jewelry, such as finger rings. These agencies only "recommend" removing jewelry, and only washing hands for 15 seconds with soap and warm water before donning gloves. This study examined several washing procedures and finger rings using simulated microbes. A gloved rubber hand manikin was made and fitted with a fresh disposable vinyl glove. Four fingers were fitted with rings or no ring, dusted with simulated microbes, and washed with a scrub brush for 5, 15, and 25 seconds under 20 degrees C and 40 degrees C water alone, or with liquid hand soap. Light levels (in lux) of fluorescent powder before and after washing were measured and delta scores calculated for changes in light levels, equivalent to effectiveness of hand washing procedures. A full-factorial, 3-factor analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to test for differences among levels of the three study factors-time, temperature, and soap use. Tukey's post hoc honestly significant difference (HSD) test was applied to significant factors to examine pair-wise differences between factor levels. It was found that the longer the hands with rings were washed with a scrub brush under flowing water, the more simulated microbes were removed. By 25 seconds, all methods were essentially the same. Simulated microbes were more difficult to remove from the palm compared to the back of the hand. The liquid hand soap used in this study was more effective with warm water than cold. When given a choice of washing with cold water up to 15 seconds, it would be preferable not to use soap to remove simulated microbes. Qualitatively, the outer surface of finger rings were more effectively cleaned than the crevice below the ring, and the ring with a stone setting appeared to accumulate and retain simulated microbes more than other rings. The most effective treatment was washing with warm water

Factors modulating social influence on spatial choice in rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Bisbing, Teagan A; Saxon, Marie; Sayde, Justin M; Brown, Michael F

2015-07-01

Three experiments examined the conditions under which the spatial choices of rats searching for food are influenced by the choices made by other rats. Model rats learned a consistent set of baited locations in a 5 × 5 matrix of locations, some of which contained food. In Experiment 1, subject rats could determine the baited locations after choosing 1 location because all of the baited locations were on the same side of the matrix during each trial (the baited side varied over trials). Under these conditions, the social cues provided by the model rats had little or no effect on the choices made by the subject rats. The lack of social influence on choices occurred despite a simultaneous social influence on rats' location in the testing arena (Experiment 2). When the outcome of the subject rats' own choices provided no information about the positions of other baited locations, on the other hand, social cues strongly controlled spatial choices (Experiment 3). These results indicate that social information about the location of food influences spatial choices only when those cues provide valid information that is not redundant with the information provided by other cues. This suggests that social information is learned about, processed, and controls behavior via the same mechanisms as other kinds of stimuli. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

The association between atopic dermatitis and hand eczema

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ruff, S M D; Engebretsen, K A; Zachariae, C

2018-01-01

Atopic dermatitis (AD) and hand eczema (HE) are common chronic and relapsing inflammatory skin conditions that often co-occur. While several studies have addressed their relationship, the exact association estimate is unknown. We systematically reviewed published literature on the association bet...

Children's route choice during active transportation to school: Difference between shortest and actual route

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dessing, D.; Vries, S.I. de; Hegeman, G.; Verhagen, E.; Mechelen, W. van; Pierik, F.H.

2016-01-01

Background: The purpose of this study is to increase our understanding of environmental correlates that are associated with route choice during active transportation to school (ATS) by comparing characteristics of actual walking and cycling routes between home and school with the shortest possible

Life-style factors and hand eczema.

Science.gov (United States)

Anveden Berglind, I; Alderling, M; Meding, B

2011-09-01

Previous knowledge of the impact of certain life-style factors on hand eczema is scanty. To investigate a possible association between hand eczema and life-style factors such as obesity, physical exercise, stress, smoking and alcohol consumption. In a cross-sectional public health survey in Stockholm, Sweden, 27,994 (58%) randomly chosen individuals aged 18-64 years completed a postal questionnaire regarding physical and mental health, social relations, economic status and work. Of these, 27,793 individuals responded to the question regarding hand eczema and were included in the present study. The association between life-style factors and hand eczema was analysed by prevalence proportion ratios (PPR), using a generalized linear model. Hand eczema was more common among individuals who reported high stress levels, PPR 1·326 (95% CI 1·303-1·350). There was also a positive dose-response relationship between hand eczema and stress. Hand eczema was less common among individuals reporting high physical exercise, and most apparent in women, PPR 0·781 (95% CI 0·770-0·792). Men who reported high alcohol intake reported hand eczema less often, PPR 0·958 (95% CI 0·930-0·987). Obese individuals reported hand eczema more commonly, PPR 1·204 (95% CI 1·174-1·234). There was a slight increase of hand eczema among smokers, PPR 1·025 (95% CI 1·006-1·044). Hand eczema was more common in individuals who reported stress, obesity and smoking. In individuals who reported high physical exercise levels hand eczema was less common. As there appears to be an association between life-style factors and hand eczema it is important to consider life-style factors in clinical practice. © 2011 The Authors. BJD © 2011 British Association of Dermatologists.

Firefighter Nozzle Reaction

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Chin, Selena K.; Sunderland, Peter B.; Jomaas, Grunde

2017-01-01

to anchor forces, the hose becomes straight. The nozzle reaction is found to equal the jet momentum flow rate, and it does not change when an elbow connects the hose to the nozzle. A forward force must be exerted by a firefighter or another anchor that matches the forward force that the jet would exert...... on a perpendicular wall. Three reaction expressions are derived, allowing it to be determined in terms of hose diameter, jet diameter, flow rate, and static pressure upstream of the nozzle. The nozzle reaction predictions used by the fire service are 56% to 90% of those obtained here for typical firefighting hand...

Histological distinction between early allergic and irritant patch test reactions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vestergaard, L; Clemmensen, Ole; Sørensen, Flemming Brandt

1999-01-01

no recognizable changes except a slight follicular spongiosis in 1 patient. The 2 pathologists agreed independently on the correct classification in 6 out of 7 cases (p=0.0156). We tested an optimized model, selecting non-irritant allergens and a well-known irritant. Further investigations are needed to elucidate......Comparative light microscopic studies have revealed subtle differences between allergic and irritant reactions in the skin. In the search for specific differences, we focussed on the early inflammatory response. This pilot study was conducted to test the hypothesis that follicular spongiosis can...... differentiate between early allergic and irritant patch test reactions. 8 patients with known contact allergy to either colophony or quarternium-15 participated in the study. In each patient, allergic and irritant patch tests reactions were elicited, and 4-mm punch biopsies were taken after 6 8 h from...

Career choice motivation and value priorities of future nursery and elementary school teachers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marušić-Jablanović Milica V.

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The paper presents a study that aimed to establish the nature of the link between the value orientation of future nursery and elementary school teachers and the motivation for their career choice. Two instruments were used - the Schwartz Portrait Values Questionnaire (PVQ-21 and the Career Choice Scale. The findings suggest that the motivation for the respondents' career choice and their value orientation are relatively homogeneous, but also that two groups of students can be distinguished according to dominant motivating factors, and that these two groups also differ in their value priorities. Non-parametric correlation showed that each type of motivation reflected different values - in individuals whose dominant motivation was intrinsic, the values of benevolence, self-direction and achievement were more pronounced, while stronger altruistic motivation correlated with more pronounced values of benevolence and universalism. On the other hand, extrinsic motivation correlated with the values of hedonism and power, which the initial theoretical model locates at the opposite end to the values corresponding to altruistic motivation. The research findings are important for understanding the reasons behind nursery and elementary school teachers' career choice and the goals they are guided by in their life and work, and are also important for the career guidance process.

Putting Reaction Rates and Collision Theory in the Hands of Your Students.

Science.gov (United States)

Evenson, Andy

2002-01-01

Describes a simulation that can be used to give concrete analogies of collision theory and the factors that affect reaction rates including temperature, concentration, catalyst, and molecular orientation. The simulation works best if done as an introduction to the concepts to help prevent misconceptions about reaction rates and collision theory.…

Understanding patients’ decision-making strategies in hospital choice: Literature review and a call for experimental research

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sophia Fischer

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Insights from psychology and cognitive science have, as yet, barely entered hospital choice research. This conceptual article closes this gap by reviewing and conceptually framing the current literature on hospital choice and patient information behavior and by discussing which tools are needed to advance scientific methodology in the study of patient decision-making strategies in hospital choice. Specifically, we make a call for more experimental research in hospital choice in order to complement existing theories, methods, and tools. This article introduces computerized process-tracing tools in hospital choice research, and also outlines a hands-on example, to provide a basis for future research.

Differences in physicochemical properties to consider in the design, evaluation and choice between microparticles and nanoparticles for drug delivery.

Science.gov (United States)

Otto, Daniel P; Otto, Anja; de Villiers, Melgardt M

2015-05-01

The increase in the development of novel nanoparticle drug delivery systems makes the choice between micro- and nanoscale drug delivery systems ubiquitous. Changes in physical and chemical properties between micro- to nanosized particles give them different properties that influence their physiological, anatomical and clinical behavior and therefore potential application. This review focuses on the effect changes in the surface-to-volume ratio have on the thermal properties, solubility, dissolution and crystallization of micro- versus nanosized drug delivery systems. With these changes in the physicochemical properties in mind, the review covers computational and biophysical approaches to the design and evaluation of micro- and nanodelivery systems. The emphasis of the review is on the effect these properties have on clinical performance in terms of drug release, tissue retention, biodistribution, efficacy, toxicity and therefore choice of delivery system. Ultimately, the choice between micro- and nanometer-sized delivery systems is not straightforward. However, if the fundamental differences in physical and chemical properties are considered, it can be much easier to make a rational choice of the appropriate drug delivery system size.

In a demanding task, three-handed manipulation is preferred to two-handed manipulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Abdi, Elahe; Burdet, Etienne; Bouri, Mohamed; Himidan, Sharifa; Bleuler, Hannes

2016-02-25

Equipped with a third hand under their direct control, surgeons may be able to perform certain surgical interventions alone; this would reduce the need for a human assistant and related coordination difficulties. However, does human performance improve with three hands compared to two hands? To evaluate this possibility, we carried out a behavioural study on the performance of naive adults catching objects with three virtual hands controlled by their two hands and right foot. The subjects could successfully control the virtual hands in a few trials. With this control strategy, the workspace of the hands was inversely correlated with the task velocity. The comparison of performance between the three and two hands control revealed no significant difference of success in catching falling objects and in average effort during the tasks. Subjects preferred the three handed control strategy, found it easier, with less physical and mental burden. Although the coordination of the foot with the natural hands increased trial after trial, about two minutes of practice was not sufficient to develop a sense of ownership towards the third arm.

Does School Choice Improve Student Performance?

OpenAIRE

Kaja Høiseth Brugård

2013-01-01

This paper studies the relationship between school choice and student performance for high school students in Norway. The analysis exploits both the fact that the degree of school choice formally differs between counties, and detailed information on travelling distances to high schools, which more closely reflects the students' actual school choice possibilities. Information on students' residence, high school location, and the degree of formal school choice is used to estimate the effect on ...

Hands on versus remote techniques in waste management and decommissioning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Asquith, J.D.

1994-01-01

The nuclear industry has many requirements for planned and uplanned physical interactions with radioactive materials or their environment. In each case a choice must be made as to whether the interaction should be made directly by the operator using a 'hands on' technique, wearing any necessary protective clothing, or by entirely remote techniques. In facilities where remote handling equipment has already been provided and planned for, remote techniques are usually the obvious choice. However in radioactive waste management and decommissioning there are many cases where unexpected requirements emerge, often for relatively short term activities, where the choice is more complex. This paper takes a look at the various factors which should be considered in order to make these decisions, an overview of the types of remote equipment available in the UK and some examples of the benefits which have resulted when remote techniques have been adopted in Britain

Promoting educated consumer choices

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Edinger, Wieke Willemijn Huizing

2016-01-01

Contemporary EU food information legislation combines and balances two main consumer interests, i.e., a consumer right to information and the freedom of choice, into one single protective standard: informed choice. Although the recent legislative measures quite openly establish a link between...... informed choice and the rather abstract societal norm of “what is good for the consumer,” this does not justify the conclusion that food information legislation has become overly meddlesome in relation to EU consumers and their choice of food. Rather, there has been a gradual maturing of the EU legislator......’s perception of its task from the mere provision of food information to ensuring educated consumer choices. This development is a logical and necessary consequence of the growing complexity of food choices....

Hand eczema

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ibler, K.S.; Jemec, G.B.E.; Flyvholm, M.-A.

2012-01-01

Background. Healthcare workers are at increased risk of developing hand eczema. Objectives. To investigate the prevalence and severity of self-reported hand eczema, and to relate the findings to demographic data, occupation, medical speciality, wards, shifts, and working hours. Patients/materials......Background. Healthcare workers are at increased risk of developing hand eczema. Objectives. To investigate the prevalence and severity of self-reported hand eczema, and to relate the findings to demographic data, occupation, medical speciality, wards, shifts, and working hours. Patients...... dermatitis, younger age, male sex (male doctors), and working hours. Eighty nine per cent of subjects reported mild/moderate lesions. Atopic dermatitis was the only factor significantly related to severity. Sick leave was reported by 8% of subjects, and notification to the authorities by 12%. Conclusions...... or severity, but cultural differences between professions with respect to coping with the eczema were significant. Atopic dermatitis was related to increased prevalence and severity, and preventive efforts should be made for healthcare workers with atopic dermatitis....

Effect of hand sanitizer location on hand hygiene compliance.

Science.gov (United States)

Cure, Laila; Van Enk, Richard

2015-09-01

Hand hygiene is the most important intervention to prevent infection in hospitals. Health care workers should clean their hands at least before and after contact with patients. Hand sanitizer dispensers are important to support hand hygiene because they can be made available throughout hospital units. The aim of this study was to determine whether the usability of sanitizer dispensers correlates with compliance of staff in using the sanitizer in a hospital. This study took place in a Midwest, 404-bed, private, nonprofit community hospital with 15 inpatient care units in addition to several ambulatory units. The usability and standardization of sanitizers in 12 participating inpatient units were evaluated. The hospital measured compliance of staff with hand hygiene as part of their quality improvement program. Data from 2010-2012 were analyzed to measure the relationship between compliance and usability using mixed-effects logistic regression models. The total usability score (P = .0046), visibility (P = .003), and accessibility of the sanitizer on entrance to the patient room (P = .00055) were statistically associated with higher observed compliance rates. Standardization alone showed no significant impact on observed compliance (P = .37). Hand hygiene compliance can be influenced by visibility and accessibility of dispensers. The sanitizer location should be part of multifaceted interventions to improve hand hygiene. Copyright © 2015 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Interfacial reactions between titanium and borate glass

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brow, R.K. [Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States); Saha, S.K.; Goldstein, J.I. [Lehigh Univ., Bethlehem, PA (United States). Dept. of Materials Science

1992-12-31

Interfacial reactions between melts of several borate glasses and titanium have been investigated by analytical scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). A thin titanium boride interfacial layer is detected by XPS after short (30 minutes) thermal treatments. ASEM analyses after longer thermal treatments (8--120 hours) reveal boron-rich interfacial layers and boride precipitates in the Ti side of the interface.

Association between Motives for Dish Choices during Home Meal Preparation and Weight Status in the NutriNet-Santé Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Ducrot, Pauline; Fassier, Philippine; Méjean, Caroline; Allès, Benjamin; Hercberg, Serge; Péneau, Sandrine

2016-07-05

Although home cooking has been associated with a lower body mass index in a few studies, no data exists on the motives behind food dish choices during home meal preparation and on their association with overweight. This study aimed to evaluate this association in 50,003 participants from the NutriNet-Santé cohort. Dimensions underlying the importance of 27 criteria possibly influencing dish choices were determined using an exploratory factor analysis. The association between dish choice motives and overweight (including obesity) was estimated using logistic regression models adjusted for sociodemographic and lifestyle characteristics. Five dimensions of dishes choice motives emerged: healthy diet (e.g., "nutritional balance of the dish"), constraints (e.g., "my cooking skills"), pleasure (e.g., "originality of the dish"), specific diets (e.g., "my health status"), and organization (e.g., "what I planned to eat"). A negative association was observed between the healthy diet factor and being overweight (OR = 0.65 (95% CI (confidence interval): 0.62-0.67)), whereas a positive association appeared for factors regarding pleasure (OR = 1.14 (95% CI: 1.10-1.19)) and specific diets (OR = 1.19 (95% CI: 1.17-1.22)). No significant associations were observed for constraints and organization. The significant associations between dish choice motives and overweight suggested the interest of focusing on these motives in order to promote healthier food choices during home cooking.

Impulsive action and impulsive choice across substance and behavioral addictions: cause or consequence?

Science.gov (United States)

Grant, Jon E; Chamberlain, Samuel R

2014-11-01

Substance use disorders are prevalent and debilitating. Certain behavioral syndromes ('behavioral addictions') characterized by repetitive habits, such as gambling disorder, stealing, shopping, and compulsive internet use, may share clinical, co-morbid, and neurobiological parallels with substance addictions. This review considers overlap between substance and behavioral addictions with a particular focus on impulsive action (inability to inhibit motor responses), and impulsive choice (preference for immediate smaller rewards to the detriment of long-term outcomes). We find that acute consumption of drugs with abuse potential is capable of modulating impulsive choice and action, although magnitude and direction of effect appear contingent on baseline function. Many lines of evidence, including findings from meta-analyses, show an association between chronic drug use and elevated impulsive choice and action. In some instances, elevated impulsive choice and action have been found to predate the development of substance use disorders, perhaps signifying their candidacy as objective vulnerability markers. Research in behavioral addictions is preliminary, and has mostly focused on impulsive action, finding this to be elevated versus controls, similar to that seen in chronic substance use disorders. Only a handful of imaging studies has explored the neural correlates of impulsive action and choice across these disorders. Key areas for future research are highlighted along with potential implications in terms of neurobiological models and treatment. In particular, future work should further explore whether the cognitive deficits identified are state or trait in nature: i.e. are evident before addiction perhaps signaling risk; or are a consequence of repetitive engagement in habitual behavior; and effects of novel agents known to modulate these cognitive abilities on various addictive disorders. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Robotically enhanced rubber hand illusion.

Science.gov (United States)

Arata, Jumpei; Hattori, Masashi; Ichikawa, Shohei; Sakaguchi, Masamichi

2014-01-01

The rubber hand illusion is a well-known multisensory illusion. In brief, watching a rubber hand being stroked by a paintbrush while one's own unseen hand is synchronously stroked causes the rubber hand to be attributed to one's own body and to "feel like it's my hand." The rubber hand illusion is thought to be triggered by the synchronized tactile stimulation of both the subject's hand and the fake hand. To extend the conventional rubber hand illusion, we introduce robotic technology in the form of a master-slave telemanipulator. The developed one degree-of-freedom master-slave system consists of an exoskeleton master equipped with an optical encoder that is worn on the subject's index finger and a motor-actuated index finger on the rubber hand, which allows the subject to perform unilateral telemanipulation. The moving rubber hand illusion has been studied by several researchers in the past with mechanically connected rigs between the subject's body and the fake limb. The robotic instruments let us investigate the moving rubber hand illusion with less constraints, thus behaving closer to the classic rubber hand illusion. In addition, the temporal delay between the body and the fake limb can be precisely manipulated. The experimental results revealed that the robotic instruments significantly enhance the rubber hand illusion. The time delay is significantly correlated with the effect of the multisensory illusion, and the effect significantly decreased at time delays over 100 ms. These findings can potentially contribute to the investigations of neural mechanisms in the field of neuroscience and of master-slave systems in the field of robotics.

Sequential and simultaneous choices: testing the diet selection and sequential choice models.

Science.gov (United States)

Freidin, Esteban; Aw, Justine; Kacelnik, Alex

2009-03-01

We investigate simultaneous and sequential choices in starlings, using Charnov's Diet Choice Model (DCM) and Shapiro, Siller and Kacelnik's Sequential Choice Model (SCM) to integrate function and mechanism. During a training phase, starlings encountered one food-related option per trial (A, B or R) in random sequence and with equal probability. A and B delivered food rewards after programmed delays (shorter for A), while R ('rejection') moved directly to the next trial without reward. In this phase we measured latencies to respond. In a later, choice, phase, birds encountered the pairs A-B, A-R and B-R, the first implementing a simultaneous choice and the second and third sequential choices. The DCM predicts when R should be chosen to maximize intake rate, and SCM uses latencies of the training phase to predict choices between any pair of options in the choice phase. The predictions of both models coincided, and both successfully predicted the birds' preferences. The DCM does not deal with partial preferences, while the SCM does, and experimental results were strongly correlated to this model's predictions. We believe that the SCM may expose a very general mechanism of animal choice, and that its wider domain of success reflects the greater ecological significance of sequential over simultaneous choices.

A Common Mechanism Underlying Food Choice and Social Decisions.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ian Krajbich

2015-10-01

Full Text Available People make numerous decisions every day including perceptual decisions such as walking through a crowd, decisions over primary rewards such as what to eat, and social decisions that require balancing own and others' benefits. The unifying principles behind choices in various domains are, however, still not well understood. Mathematical models that describe choice behavior in specific contexts have provided important insights into the computations that may underlie decision making in the brain. However, a critical and largely unanswered question is whether these models generalize from one choice context to another. Here we show that a model adapted from the perceptual decision-making domain and estimated on choices over food rewards accurately predicts choices and reaction times in four independent sets of subjects making social decisions. The robustness of the model across domains provides behavioral evidence for a common decision-making process in perceptual, primary reward, and social decision making.

FormScanner: Open-Source Solution for Grading Multiple-Choice Exams

Science.gov (United States)

Young, Chadwick; Lo, Glenn; Young, Kaisa; Borsetta, Alberto

2016-01-01

The multiple-choice exam remains a staple for many introductory physics courses. In the past, people have graded these by hand or even flaming needles. Today, one usually grades the exams with a form scanner that utilizes optical mark recognition (OMR). Several companies provide these scanners and particular forms, such as the eponymous…

Association Between Student Loan Debt on Graduation, Demographic Characteristics and Initial Choice of Practice Setting of Pharmacists

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Akeem A. Yusuf

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Objectives: (1 To examine trends in level of student loan indebtedness for groups of pharmacists that were first licensed between 1980 and 2006; (2 To examine if demographic variables are associated with level of student loan indebtedness; (3 To examine the association between student loan debt and choice of practice setting while controlling for demographic variables. Methods: Data for this study were collected from a national random sample of 3,000 pharmacists using a self administered survey. Descriptive statistics were used to examine trends in level of indebtedness. The relationships between level of indebtedness, demographic variables and practice setting choice were examined using Chi-square statistics. Multinomial logistic regression was used to determine the independent association of student loan debt and choice of practice setting while controlling for demographic variables. Results: The proportion of licensed pharmacists reporting student loan debt after graduation, and the mean amount of debt incurred increased between 1980 and 2006. Non-white pharmacists incurred debt at a higher proportion compared to white, and they also incurred significantly higher levels of debt. A lower level of indebtedness was associated with choosing independent practice over chain practice. Conclusions: Student loan indebtedness has been increasing over time, especially for non-white pharmacy students. Future research should be done to examine other factors that might influence student debt load, work contributions and choice of practice settings. The affordability of pharmacy education for students of color and how salaries may or may not help off-set these costs also should be examined closely.   Type: Original Research

Associations between results of post-stroke NDT-Bobath rehabilitation in gait parameters, ADL and hand functions.

Science.gov (United States)

Mikołajewska, Emilia

2013-01-01

In patients after a stroke there are variable disorders. These patients often need rehabilitation in more than one area beceause of multiple limitations of the ability to perform everyday activities. The aim of the study was to assess correlations - statistical relationships between observed gait parameters, ADL and hand functions - results of rehabilitation of patients after ischaemic stroke according to the NDTBobath method for adults. The investigated group consisted of 60 patients after ischaemic stroke, who participated in the rehabilitation programme. 10 sessions of the NDT-Bobath therapy were provided in 2 weeks (10 days of the therapy). The calculation of correlations was made based on changes of parameters: Bobath Scale (to assess hand functions), Barthel Index (to assess ADL), gait velocity, cadence and stride lenght. Measurements were performed in every patient twice: on admission (before the therapy) and after last session of the therapy to assess rehabilitation effects. The main statistically relevant corellations observed in the study were as follows: in the whole group of patients: poor and moderate (negative) correlation between changes of gait parameters and Bobath Scale and Barthel Index, moderate and severe (negative) correlation between changes of gait parameters and Bobath Scale and Barthel Index in the group of women, correlation between changes in Bobath Scale and Barthel Index in the group of patients with left side of paresis, (negative) correlation between changes of gait parameters and Bobath Scale in group of patients younger than 68 years, moderate, high and very high correlations between changes in gait parameters in groups of women, men, younger than 68 years and older than 68 years. There have been observed statistically significant and favourable changes in the health status of patients, described by gait parameters, changes in hand functions and ADL. Based on the presented correlations there is an assumption that it is hard to

Psychological differences between influence of temperament with the hemishere asymmetry of a brain on size of sensorymotor reactions of male and female cosmonauts

Science.gov (United States)

Prisniakova, Lyudmila; Prisniakov, Volodymyr; Volkov, D. S.

The purpose of research was definition and comparison of relative parameters of sensorimotor reactions with a choice depending on a level of lateral asymmetry of hemispheres of a brain at representatives of various types of temperament OF male and female cosmonauts . These parameters were by the bases for verification of theoretical dependence for the latent period of reaction in conditions of weightlessness and overloads. The hypothesis about influence of functional asymmetry on parameters of psychomotor in sensory-motor reactions was laid in a basis of experiment. Techniques of definition of individual characters of the sensori-motor asymmetries were used, and G. Ajzenk's questionnaire EPQ adapted by Prisniakova L. Time of sensorimotor reaction has significant distinctions between representatives of different types of temperament with a various level interchemishere asymmetry OF male and female cosmonauts. With increase in expressiveness of the right hemisphere time of reaction tends to reduction at representatives of all types of temperament, the number of erroneous reactions as a whole increases also a level of achievement tends to reduction. Results of time of sensorimotor reaction correspond with parameter L. Prisniakova which characterizes individual - psychological features. .Earlier the received experimental data of constant time of processing of the information in memory at a period of a sensorimotor reactions of the man and new results for women were used for calculation of these time constants for overloads distinct from terrestrial. These data enable to predict dynamics of behavior of cosmonauts with differing sex in conditions of flight in view of their individual characteristics connected with the hemisphere asymmetry of a brain and with by a various degree of lateralization.

An Investigation of the Differences and Similarities between Generated Small-World Networks for Right- and Left-Hand Motor Imageries.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Jiang; Li, Yuyao; Chen, Huafu; Ding, Jurong; Yuan, Zhen

2016-11-04

In this study, small-world network analysis was performed to identify the similarities and differences between functional brain networks for right- and left-hand motor imageries (MIs). First, Pearson correlation coefficients among the nodes within the functional brain networks from healthy subjects were calculated. Then, small-world network indicators, including the clustering coefficient, the average path length, the global efficiency, the local efficiency, the average node degree, and the small-world index, were generated for the functional brain networks during both right- and left-hand MIs. We identified large differences in the small-world network indicators between the functional networks during MI and in the random networks. More importantly, the functional brain networks underlying the right- and left-hand MIs exhibited similar small-world properties in terms of the clustering coefficient, the average path length, the global efficiency, and the local efficiency. By contrast, the right- and left-hand MI brain networks showed differences in small-world characteristics, including indicators such as the average node degree and the small-world index. Interestingly, our findings also suggested that the differences in the activity intensity and range, the average node degree, and the small-world index of brain networks between the right- and left-hand MIs were associated with the asymmetry of brain functions.

Cognitive Achievement and Motivation in Hands-on and Teacher-Centred Science Classes: Does an additional hands-on consolidation phase (concept mapping) optimise cognitive learning at work stations?

Science.gov (United States)

Gerstner, Sabine; Bogner, Franz X.

2010-05-01

Our study monitored the cognitive and motivational effects within different educational instruction schemes: On the one hand, teacher-centred versus hands-on instruction; on the other hand, hands-on instruction with and without a knowledge consolidation phase (concept mapping). All the instructions dealt with the same content. For all participants, the hands-on approach as well as the concept mapping adaptation were totally new. Our hands-on approach followed instruction based on "learning at work stations". A total of 397 high-achieving fifth graders participated in our study. We used a pre-test, post-test, retention test design both to detect students' short-term learning success and long-term learning success, and to document their decrease rates of newly acquired knowledge. Additionally, we monitored intrinsic motivation. Although the teacher-centred approach provided higher short-term learning success, hands-on instruction resulted in relatively lower decrease rates. However, after six weeks, all students reached similar levels of newly acquired knowledge. Nevertheless, concept mapping as a knowledge consolidation phase positively affected short-term increase in knowledge. Regularly placed in instruction, it might increase long-term retention rates. Scores of interest, perceived competence and perceived choice were very high in all the instructional schemes.

A virtual work space for both hands manipulation with coherency between kinesthetic and visual sensation

Science.gov (United States)

Ishii, Masahiro; Sukanya, P.; Sato, Makoto

1994-01-01

This paper describes the construction of a virtual work space for tasks performed by two handed manipulation. We intend to provide a virtual environment that encourages users to accomplish tasks as they usually act in a real environment. Our approach uses a three dimensional spatial interface device that allows the user to handle virtual objects by hand and be able to feel some physical properties such as contact, weight, etc. We investigated suitable conditions for constructing our virtual work space by simulating some basic assembly work, a face and fit task. We then selected the conditions under which the subjects felt most comfortable in performing this task and set up our virtual work space. Finally, we verified the possibility of performing more complex tasks in this virtual work space by providing simple virtual models and then let the subjects create new models by assembling these components. The subjects can naturally perform assembly operations and accomplish the task. Our evaluation shows that this virtual work space has the potential to be used for performing tasks that require two-handed manipulation or cooperation between both hands in a natural manner.

Non-thermal production of minimal dark matter via right-handed neutrino decay

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aoki, Mayumi [Institute for Theoretical Physics, Kanazawa University,Kanazawa 920-1192 (Japan); Toma, Takashi [Laboratoire de Physique Théorique, CNRS - UMR 8627, Université de Paris-Sud 11,F-91405 Orsay Cedex (France); Vicente, Avelino [IFPA, Dep. AGO, Université de Liège,Bat B5, Sart-Tilman B-4000 Liège 1 (Belgium); Instituto de Física Corpuscular, CSIC-Universitat de València,Apdo. 22085, E-46071 Valencia (Spain)

2015-09-29

Minimal Dark Matter (MDM) stands as one of the simplest dark matter scenarios. In MDM models, annihilation and co-annihilation processes among the members of the MDM multiplet are usually very efficient, pushing the dark matter mass above O(10) TeV in order to reproduce the observed dark matter relic density. Motivated by this little drawback, in this paper we consider an extension of the MDM scenario by three right-handed neutrinos. Two specific choices for the MDM multiplet are studied: a fermionic SU(2){sub L} quintuplet and a scalar SU(2){sub L} septuplet. The lightest right-handed neutrino, with tiny Yukawa couplings, never reaches thermal equilibrium in the early universe and is produced by freeze-in. This creates a link between dark matter and neutrino physics: dark matter can be non-thermally produced by the decay of the lightest right-handed neutrino after freeze-out, allowing to lower significantly the dark matter mass. We discuss the phenomenology of the non-thermally produced MDM and, taking into account significant Sommerfeld corrections, we find that the dark matter mass must have some specific values in order not to be in conflict with the current bounds from gamma-ray observations.

Non-thermal production of minimal dark matter via right-handed neutrino decay

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aoki, Mayumi [Institute for Theoretical Physics, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-1192 (Japan); Toma, Takashi [Laboratoire de Physique Théorique, CNRS - UMR 8627, Université de Paris-Sud 11, F-91405 Orsay Cedex (France); Vicente, Avelino, E-mail: mayumi@hep.s.kanazawa-u.ac.jp, E-mail: takashi.toma@th.u-psud.fr, E-mail: Avelino.Vicente@ulg.ac.be [IFPA, Dep. AGO, Université de Liège, Bat B5, Sart-Tilman B-4000 Liège 1 (Belgium)

2015-09-01

Minimal Dark Matter (MDM) stands as one of the simplest dark matter scenarios. In MDM models, annihilation and co-annihilation processes among the members of the MDM multiplet are usually very efficient, pushing the dark matter mass above O(10) TeV in order to reproduce the observed dark matter relic density. Motivated by this little drawback, in this paper we consider an extension of the MDM scenario by three right-handed neutrinos. Two specific choices for the MDM multiplet are studied: a fermionic SU(2){sub L} quintuplet and a scalar SU(2){sub L} septuplet. The lightest right-handed neutrino, with tiny Yukawa couplings, never reaches thermal equilibrium in the early universe and is produced by freeze-in. This creates a link between dark matter and neutrino physics: dark matter can be non-thermally produced by the decay of the lightest right-handed neutrino after freeze-out, allowing to lower significantly the dark matter mass. We discuss the phenomenology of the non-thermally produced MDM and, taking into account significant Sommerfeld corrections, we find that the dark matter mass must have some specific values in order not to be in conflict with the current bounds from gamma-ray observations.

Motives for consumer choice of traditional food and European food in mainland China.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Ou; De Steur, Hans; Gellynck, Xavier; Verbeke, Wim

2015-04-01

The demand for European (-style) foods in mainland China has been increasing dramatically during the last decade. Nevertheless, European food producers often appear to be not capable to fully exploit this huge market potential, partially due to the competition with traditional (Chinese) foods. This study examines the determinants of mainland Chinese consumers' choice of traditional food and European food. A web-based survey was administered with 541 consumers from two cities: Shanghai and Xi'an. Thereby, the Food Choice Motives model, predominantly used thus far in a European or developed context, is applied to mainland China in order to address the lack of knowledge on food motives of its consumer market and to detect associations between these motives, attitudes, and purchase intentions. Factor analysis resulted in a new Food Choice Motive construct that is considered more appropriate within the context of mainland Chinese consumers, encompassing six dimensions: Health concern, Time or money saving, Sensory appeal, Availability and familiarity, Mood and Food safety concern. Path analysis demonstrated that Time or money saving was negatively associated with attitude toward traditional food on the one hand and purchase intentions toward European food on the other hand. Availability and familiarity had a positive association with attitude toward traditional food. Mood was a positive factor driving attitude toward European food. For both food types, Sensory appeal and Attitude were positively linked to purchase intentions. Furthermore, Mood was negatively linked to the purchase intention toward traditional food in Shanghai. Food safety concern was positively associated with attitudes toward traditional food in Xi'an. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

PRO-ECOLOGICAL ACTIONS AND CONSUMER CHOICES IN THE MODEL OF RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS

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Katarzyna Olejniczak

2015-09-01

Full Text Available The current farming conditions cause that recent social and environmental aspects of management play an important role for the functioning of modern enterprises. This results from the fact that on the one hand the activities of modern enterprises are determined by the surroundings’ increasing complexity, on the other hand the growing demands of various groups of stakeholders build company’s success based not only on a quest to maximize their profi t, but primarily on taking the responsibility for the consequences of their actions. Additionally, the growing awareness of consumers makes more and more enterprises implement the concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR in their actions. For this reason, it is important to discuss about the actions and choices of consumers in the model of CSR. The aim of this article is to present the results of the research on customers‘s environmentally conscious activities and choices.

Comparison of Food Choice Motives between Malay Husbands and Wives in an Urban Community.

Science.gov (United States)

Asma, A; Nawalyah, A G; Rokiah, M Y; Mohd Nasir, M T

2010-04-01

The main objective of this study was to determine the motives underlying the selection of foods between husbands and wives in an urban community. Thiscross-sectional study was carried out in Bandar Baru Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia among 150 married couples aged 20 and above, who voluntarily agreed to participate and were not on any special diet. Data were collected using the Food Choice Questionnaire (FCQ) which measured the health-related and non health related factor that influence people's food choices. It consisted of 36 items designed to assess the reported importance of nine factors: health, mood, convenience, sensory appeal, natural content, price, weight control, familiarity, and ethical concern. In this study, the FCQ was adapted and a new factor, religion (religious guidelines), was included. Demographic characteristics including age, occupation, education, household income and household size were also collected. Data were analysed using SPSS version 16. Results showed that 40.7% of husbands (mean age= 43.33 + 11.16 years) and 55.3% of wives (mean age= 41.28 + 10.93 years) perceived themselves as the main food shopper while 12.0% of the husbands and 85.3% of the wives perceived themselves as the main meal planner. Husbands rated religion as the most prominent factor in food choice motives with a mean average rating of 4.56 + 0.59 on a 5-point rating scale, followed by health and convenience factor. Meanwhile, the wives rated health as the most essential factor with mean average rating of 4.49 + 0.58, followed by religion and convenience factor. Sensory appeal, ethical concerns and familiarity were rated as the bottom three factors of food choice motives among these two groups. Price of foods was not considered as an important factor in making food choices for the subjects in this study. In conclusion, the husbands and wives of this urban community rated religion, health and convenience as the three most important food choice motives in food selection.

Inactivation of Parietal Reach Region Affects Reaching But Not Saccade Choices in Internally Guided Decisions.

Science.gov (United States)

Christopoulos, Vassilios N; Bonaiuto, James; Kagan, Igor; Andersen, Richard A

2015-08-19

The posterior parietal cortex (PPC) has traditionally been considered important for awareness, spatial perception, and attention. However, recent findings provide evidence that the PPC also encodes information important for making decisions. These findings have initiated a running argument of whether the PPC is critically involved in decision making. To examine this issue, we reversibly inactivated the parietal reach region (PRR), the area of the PPC that is specialized for reaching movements, while two monkeys performed a memory-guided reaching or saccade task. The task included choices between two equally rewarded targets presented simultaneously in opposite visual fields. Free-choice trials were interleaved with instructed trials, in which a single cue presented in the peripheral visual field defined the reach and saccade target unequivocally. We found that PRR inactivation led to a strong reduction of contralesional choices, but only for reaches. On the other hand, saccade choices were not affected by PRR inactivation. Importantly, reaching and saccade movements to single instructed targets remained largely intact. These results cannot be explained as an effector-nonspecific deficit in spatial attention or awareness, since the temporary "lesion" had an impact only on reach choices. Hence, the PPR is a part of a network for reach decisions and not just reach planning. There has been an ongoing debate on whether the posterior parietal cortex (PPC) represents only spatial awareness, perception, and attention or whether it is also involved in decision making for actions. In this study we explore whether the parietal reach region (PRR), the region of the PPC that is specialized for reaches, is involved in the decision process. We inactivated the PRR while two monkeys performed reach and saccade choices between two targets presented simultaneously in both hemifields. We found that inactivation affected only the reach choices, while leaving saccade choices intact

Improved Hand Hygiene Compliance is Associated with the Change of Perception toward Hand Hygiene among Medical Personnel

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Se Jeong; Chung, Moon Joo; Lee, Ju Hee; Kang, Hyun Joo; Lee, Jeong-a; Kim, Yong Kyun

2014-01-01

Background Hand hygiene compliance has improved significantly through hand hygiene promotion programs that have included poster campaign, monitoring and performance feedback, and education with special attentions to perceived subjective norms. We investigated factors associated with improved hand hygiene compliance, focusing on whether the improvement of hand hygiene compliance is associated with changed perception toward hand hygiene among medical personnel. Materials and Methods Hand hygiene compliance and perceptions toward hand hygiene among medical personnel were compared between the second quarter of 2009 (before the start of a hand hygiene promotion program) and the second quarter of 2012. We assessed adherence to hand hygiene among medical personnel quarterly according to the WHO recommended method for direct observation. Also, we used a modified self-report questionnaire to collect perception data. Results Hand hygiene compliance among physicians and nurses improved significantly from 19.0% in 2009 to 74.5% in 2012 (P Hand hygiene compliance among the medical personnel continued to improve, with a slight decline in 2013. Perceptions toward hand hygiene improved significantly between 2009 and 2012. Specifically, improvements were evident in intention to adhere to hand hygiene, knowledge about hand hygiene methods, knowledge about hand hygiene indications including care of a dirty and a clean body site on the same patient, perceived behavioral and subjective norms, positive attitude toward hand hygiene promotion campaign, perception of difficulty in adhering to hand hygiene, and motivation to improve adherence to hand hygiene. Conclusions The examined hand hygiene promotion program resulted in improved hand hygiene compliance and perception toward hand hygiene among medical personnel. The improved perception increased hand hygiene compliance. Especially, the perception of being a role model for other colleagues is very important to improve hand hygiene

Association between Motives for Dish Choices during Home Meal Preparation and Weight Status in the NutriNet-Santé Study

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Pauline Ducrot

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Although home cooking has been associated with a lower body mass index in a few studies, no data exists on the motives behind food dish choices during home meal preparation and on their association with overweight. This study aimed to evaluate this association in 50,003 participants from the NutriNet-Santé cohort. Dimensions underlying the importance of 27 criteria possibly influencing dish choices were determined using an exploratory factor analysis. The association between dish choice motives and overweight (including obesity was estimated using logistic regression models adjusted for sociodemographic and lifestyle characteristics. Five dimensions of dishes choice motives emerged: healthy diet (e.g., “nutritional balance of the dish”, constraints (e.g., “my cooking skills”, pleasure (e.g., “originality of the dish”, specific diets (e.g., “my health status”, and organization (e.g., “what I planned to eat”. A negative association was observed between the healthy diet factor and being overweight (OR = 0.65 (95% CI (confidence interval: 0.62–0.67, whereas a positive association appeared for factors regarding pleasure (OR = 1.14 (95% CI: 1.10–1.19 and specific diets (OR = 1.19 (95% CI: 1.17–1.22. No significant associations were observed for constraints and organization. The significant associations between dish choice motives and overweight suggested the interest of focusing on these motives in order to promote healthier food choices during home cooking.

Nonparametric variational optimization of reaction coordinates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Banushkina, Polina V.; Krivov, Sergei V., E-mail: s.krivov@leeds.ac.uk [Astbury Center for Structural Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT (United Kingdom)

2015-11-14

State of the art realistic simulations of complex atomic processes commonly produce trajectories of large size, making the development of automated analysis tools very important. A popular approach aimed at extracting dynamical information consists of projecting these trajectories into optimally selected reaction coordinates or collective variables. For equilibrium dynamics between any two boundary states, the committor function also known as the folding probability in protein folding studies is often considered as the optimal coordinate. To determine it, one selects a functional form with many parameters and trains it on the trajectories using various criteria. A major problem with such an approach is that a poor initial choice of the functional form may lead to sub-optimal results. Here, we describe an approach which allows one to optimize the reaction coordinate without selecting its functional form and thus avoiding this source of error.

No Evidence of Reaction Time Slowing in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Science.gov (United States)

Ferraro, F. Richard

2016-01-01

A total of 32 studies comprising 238 simple reaction time and choice reaction time conditions were examined in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (n?=?964) and controls (n?=?1032). A Brinley plot/multiple regression analysis was performed on mean reaction times, regressing autism spectrum disorder performance onto the control performance as…

Efficacy of alcohol-based hand sanitizer on hands soiled with dirt and cooking oil.

Science.gov (United States)

Pickering, Amy J; Davis, Jennifer; Boehm, Alexandria B

2011-09-01

Handwashing education and promotion are well established as effective strategies to reduce diarrhea and respiratory illness in countries around the world. However, access to reliable water supplies has been identified as an important barrier to regular handwashing in low-income countries. Alcohol-based hand sanitizer (ABHS) is an effective hand hygiene method that does not require water, but its use is not currently recommended when hands are visibly soiled. This study evaluated the efficacy of ABHS on volunteers' hands artificially contaminated with Escherichia coli in the presence of dirt (soil from Tanzania) and cooking oil. ABHS reduced levels of E. coli by a mean of 2.33 log colony forming units (CFU) per clean hand, 2.32 log CFU per dirt-covered hand, and 2.13 log CFU per oil-coated hand. No significant difference in efficacy was detected between hands that were clean versus dirty or oily. ABHS may be an appropriate hand hygiene method for hands that are moderately soiled, and an attractive option for field settings in which access to water and soap is limited.

The role of comparison motives in the relationship between personality and comparison level choice

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Eggens, L.; Hendriks, A. A. J.; Bosker, R. J.; van der Werf, M. P. C.

2011-01-01

This article studied whether the motives for comparison of grades with those of others play a mediating role in the relationship between the Big Five personality traits and the choice of the level of comparison of students. The study was conducted among about 1,500 students in higher education. Of

What health plans do people prefer? The trade-off between premium and provider choice.

Science.gov (United States)

Determann, Domino; Lambooij, Mattijs S; de Bekker-Grob, Esther W; Hayen, Arthur P; Varkevisser, Marco; Schut, Frederik T; Wit, G Ardine de

2016-09-01

Within a healthcare system with managed competition, health insurers are expected to act as prudent buyers of care on behalf of their customers. To fulfil this role adequately, understanding consumer preferences for health plan characteristics is of vital importance. Little is known, however, about these preferences and how they vary across consumers. Using a discrete choice experiment (DCE) we quantified trade-offs between basic health plan characteristics and analysed whether there are differences in preferences according to age, health status and income. We selected four health plan characteristics to be included in the DCE: (i) the level of provider choice and associated level of reimbursement, (ii) the primary focus of provider contracting (price, quality, social responsibility), (iii) the level of service benefits, and (iv) the monthly premium. This selection was based on a literature study, expert interviews and focus group discussions. The DCE consisted of 17 choice sets, each comprising two hypothetical health plan alternatives. A representative sample (n = 533) of the Dutch adult population, based on age, gender and educational level, completed the online questionnaire during the annual open enrolment period for 2015. The final model with four latent classes showed that being able to choose a care provider freely was by far the most decisive characteristic for respondents aged over 45, those with chronic conditions, and those with a gross income over €3000/month. Monthly premium was the most important choice determinant for young, healthy, and lower income respondents. We conclude that it would be very unlikely for half of the sample to opt for health plans with restricted provider choice. However, a premium discount up to €15/month by restricted health plans might motivate especially younger, healthier, and less wealthy consumers to choose these plans. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Is there any relationship between right and left hand dominance and right and left nasal airflow dominance?

Science.gov (United States)

Price, A; Eccles, R

2017-10-01

Left- or right-handedness is a common human trait, and it has been previously reported that human nasal airflow dominance correlates with hand dominance. Any relationship between hand dominance and nasal airflow dominance would be unusual. This study aimed to measure nasal airflow and look for any relationship to handedness. The modified Glatzel mirror was used to record the dominant nasal passage at 15-minute intervals over a 6-hour period in 29 healthy participants consisting of 15 left-handers and 14 right-handers. In left-handers, the percentage of time that the left nasal passage was dominant ranged from 0 to 100 per cent. In right-handers, the percentage of time that the right nasal passage was dominant ranged from 4.2 to 95.8 per cent. No correlation between nasal airflow dominance and hand dominance was identified. The results do not support the hypothesis that nasal airflow and handedness are related.

Comparison of Standard Culture-Based Method to Culture-Independent Method for Evaluation of Hygiene Effects on the Hand Microbiome

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. Zapka

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Hands play a critical role in the transmission of microbiota on one’s own body, between individuals, and on environmental surfaces. Effectively measuring the composition of the hand microbiome is important to hand hygiene science, which has implications for human health. Hand hygiene products are evaluated using standard culture-based methods, but standard test methods for culture-independent microbiome characterization are lacking. We sampled the hands of 50 participants using swab-based and glove-based methods prior to and following four hand hygiene treatments (using a nonantimicrobial hand wash, alcohol-based hand sanitizer [ABHS], a 70% ethanol solution, or tap water. We compared results among culture plate counts, 16S rRNA gene sequencing of DNA extracted directly from hands, and sequencing of DNA extracted from culture plates. Glove-based sampling yielded higher numbers of unique operational taxonomic units (OTUs but had less diversity in bacterial community composition than swab-based sampling. We detected treatment-induced changes in diversity only by using swab-based samples (P < 0.001; we were unable to detect changes with glove-based samples. Bacterial cell counts significantly decreased with use of the ABHS (P < 0.05 and ethanol control (P < 0.05. Skin hydration at baseline correlated with bacterial abundances, bacterial community composition, pH, and redness across subjects. The importance of the method choice was substantial. These findings are important to ensure improvement of hand hygiene industry methods and for future hand microbiome studies. On the basis of our results and previously published studies, we propose recommendations for best practices in hand microbiome research.

Reaction time in relation to duration of heroin abuse

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Martinović-Mitrović Slađana

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction. Consequences of heroin abuse include organic damage of cerebral structures. The level of impairments is in a direct and positive relation with the length of heroin abuse. Objective. The aim of this research was the evaluation of the reaction time with heroin addicts with different length of substance abuse. Methods. Research method: 90 examinees were divided into three groups with relation to the length of heroin abuse. Data collection included a questionnaire referring to socio-demographic and addictive characteristics. A specially designed programme was used for the evaluation of reaction time to audio/ visual signal. Results. In relation to the reaction time as overall model, the difference between examinees with different length of heroin abuse can be found on the marginal level of significance (F=1.69; df=12; p=0.07. In visual modality, with the increase of length of heroin abuse leads to a significant prolongation of simple (the first visual sign: F=3.29; df=2; p=0.04 and choice reaction time (the second visual sign: F=4.97; df=2; p=0.00; the third visual sign: F=3.08; df=2; p=0.05. Longer heroin consumption also leads to the prolongation of the simple (the first auditory task: F=3.41; df=2; p=0.04 and the complex auditory reaction time (the second auditory task: F=5.67; df=2; p=0.01; the third auditory task: F=6.42; df=2; p=0.00. Conclusion. Heroin abuse leads to the prolongation of both simple and choice reaction time in visual as well as auditory modality. The average daily dose of opiates was the most important predictor of the abovementioned cognitive dysfunction.

The Exchange Reaction Between Methane Hydrate and Carbon Dioxide: An Oceanic Feasibility Test

Science.gov (United States)

Dunk, R. M.; Brewer, P. G.; Peltzer, E. T.; Walz, P. M.; Hester, K. C.; Sloan, E. D.

2006-12-01

The conversion of CH4 hydrate to CO2 hydrate offers, in principle, a way of sequestering CO2, with the additional recovery of CH4 gas as an energy source. We report results from the first in-situ oceanic experiment on this reaction, carried out in August 2006 at the massive thermogenic hydrate mounds in 850 m water depth, Barkley Canyon, offshore from Vancouver Island (48° 18.642' N, 126° 3.903' W), using MBARI's ROV Tiburon deployed from the R/V Western Flyer. Two small cores (10 cm length, 4 cm diameter) of white hydrate were collected from exposed outcrops using an ROV operated tool and hydraulically ejected into a glass walled, closed top, reaction chamber. Approximately 2 L of liquid CO2 were dispensed into the chamber, and the chamber transferred to an aluminium base plate to seal the system. Under ambient conditions (P = 870 dbar, T = 4.0 °C, S = 34.2), the densities of natural gas hydrate and liquid CO2 are closely matched and less than that of seawater, where the hydrate cores floated at the top of the chamber fully immersed within the buoyant liquid CO2. Over the following ~48 hours, the system was inspected periodically with the ROV HDTV camera prior to examination with the sea-going laser Raman spectrometer, DORISS II. For this, the chamber was transferred to a Precision Underwater Positioner (PUP) that enabled focusing of the laser beam with sub- mm precision. Our choice of where to focus the laser was based upon the need to explore all phases the cored natural gas hydrate, liquid CO2, any created CO2 hydrate, and any liberated CH4 gas. The natural gas hydrate was composed primarily of CH4, with minor amounts of C2H6 and C3H8, indicating the presence of Structure II hydrate. To date, laboratory experiments have focused on the reaction between pure Structure I CH4 hydrate and CO2 vapour, where the difference in free energy between the CH4 and CO2 hydrate states provides a thermodynamic argument in favour of conversion. However for a Structure II

Relation between patients' and physicians' severity assessment of occupational hand eczema

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cvetkovski, Rikke Skoet; Jensen, H; Olsen, J

2005-01-01

BACKGROUND: Severity assessment of occupational hand eczema (OHE) is important not only in clinical settings but also in research. Questionnaires with self-rated assessment of severity may be an attractive tool for assessing severity because of their cost efficiency in comparison with expensive...... clinical examinations. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the relation between self-rated severity and severity assessment based on standardized medical certificates issued by dermatologists in a population of patients with OHE. METHODS: Between October 2001 and November 2002 (58 weeks) we identified all new cases...... of recognized OHE from the Danish National Board of Industrial Injuries (DNBII) registry. Each patient was examined by a dermatologist, who issued a standardized medical certificate. The severity assessment in the DNBII registry was based on this medical certificate, which comprised information on morphology...

An investigation of leg and trunk strength and reaction times of hard-style martial arts practitioners.

Science.gov (United States)

Donovan, Oliver O; Cheung, Jeanette; Catley, Maria; McGregor, Alison H; Strutton, Paul H

2006-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate trunk and knee strength in practitioners of hard-style martial arts. An additional objective was to examine reaction times in these participants by measuring simple reaction times (SRT), choice reaction times (CRT) and movement times (MT). Thirteen high-level martial artists and twelve sedentary participants were tested under isokinetic and isometric conditions on an isokinetic dynamometer. Response and movement times were also measured in response to simple and choice auditory cues. Results indicated that the martial arts group generated a greater body-weight adjusted peak torque with both legs at all speeds during isokinetic extension and flexion, and in isometric extension but not flexion. In isokinetic and isometric trunk flexion and extension, martial artists tended to have higher peak torques than controls, but they were not significantly different (p > 0.05). During the SRT and CRT tasks the martial artists were no quicker in lifting their hand off a button in response to the stimulus [reaction time (RT)] but were significantly faster in moving to press another button [movement time (MT)]. In conclusion, the results reveal that training in a martial art increases the strength of both the flexors and extensors of the leg. Furthermore, they have faster movement times to auditory stimuli. These results are consistent with the physical aspects of the martial arts. Key PointsMartial artists undertaking hard-style martial arts have greater strength in their knee flexor and extensor muscles as tested under isokinetic testing. Under isometric testing conditions they have stronger knee extensors only.The trunk musculature is generally higher under both conditions of testing in the martial artists, although not significantly.The total reaction times of the martial artists to an auditory stimulus were significantly faster than the control participants. When analysed further it was revealed that the decrease in reaction time

On school choice and test-based accountability.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Damian W. Betebenner

2005-10-01

Full Text Available Among the two most prominent school reform measures currently being implemented in The United States are school choice and test-based accountability. Until recently, the two policy initiatives remained relatively distinct from one another. With the passage of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB, a mutualism between choice and accountability emerged whereby school choice complements test-based accountability. In the first portion of this study we present a conceptual overview of school choice and test-based accountability and explicate connections between the two that are explicit in reform implementations like NCLB or implicit within the market-based reform literature in which school choice and test-based accountability reside. In the second portion we scrutinize the connections, in particular, between school choice and test-based accountability using a large western school district with a popular choice system in place. Data from three sources are combined to explore the ways in which school choice and test-based accountability draw on each other: state assessment data of children in the district, school choice data for every participating student in the district choice program, and a parental survey of both participants and non-participants of choice asking their attitudes concerning the use of school report cards in the district. Results suggest that choice is of benefit academically to only the lowest achieving students, choice participation is not uniform across different ethnic groups in the district, and parents' primary motivations as reported on a survey for participation in choice are not due to test scores, though this is not consistent with choice preferences among parents in the district. As such, our results generally confirm the hypotheses of choice critics more so than advocates. Keywords: school choice; accountability; student testing.

School Choice: The Personal and the Political

Science.gov (United States)

Shuls, James V.

2018-01-01

Enrollment in school choice programs is growing, so is overall support for school choice. Many have analyzed what demographic characteristics impact attitudes towards school choice. This article adds to the literature by exploring the interaction between personal decisions regarding school choice and broader support for school choice programs.…

Need for Uniqueness Determines Reactions to Web-Based Personalized Advertising.

Science.gov (United States)

Stiglbauer, Barbara; Kovacs, Carrie

2018-01-01

The presented empirical study among a sample of n = 256 participants addressed the relationship between consumers' need for uniqueness and their reactions to web-based personalized advertising. Drawing on regulatory focus theory, we argue that the consumers' need for uniqueness dimensions creative choice and similarity avoidance may relate to promotion and prevention regulatory orientations, respectively. Accordingly, we hypothesized that creative choice and similarity avoidance would differentially predict self-reported approach and avoidance behavior toward personalized advertising. These direct relationships were further expected to be mediated by subjective evaluations of personalized advertising (i.e., perceived value and irritation). In line with these hypotheses, we found that creative choice predicted approach behavior through increased web-based personalized advertising value, whereas similarity avoidance predicted avoidance behavior through increased irritation. Creative choice also predicted decreased irritation, which in turn was related to decreased approach behavior. In sum, the results suggest that the consumers' need for uniqueness dimensions should not be investigated as a composite, as they seem to reflect different regulatory orientations and are therefore likely to evoke different affective, cognitive, and behavioral responses.

Teaching radio astrophysics the hand-on way

Science.gov (United States)

Joshi, Bhal Chandra

Astronomy and space sciences have always been instrumental in attracting young students to physical sciences. While the lectures/demonstrations and exhibitions pertaining to space sci-ences capture the imagination of young students, these alone are not sufficient to induce them to join scientific research. In countries like India, where a large number of students take to physical sciences for under-graduate education, complex sociological factors are key issues in translating this large body of students to potential researchers. While lectures and exhibition lead to an increase in scientific awareness for these students, these do not give a feel for scien-tific research and bridge the gap between high school/college science education and high end research. In this context, a hands-on approach to astronomy education, in science research environments or closely connected to scientific institutions, offers a promising alternative. This approach has been used in optical astronomy, where inexpensive small telescopes are available, often coupling a vast network of amateur astronomy clubs to leading astronomy institutes. The non-visual and relatively more technical nature of radio astronomy has limited a similar approach in past for connecting students to space sciences using radio waveband. The tech-nological explosion in communication industry and radio connectivity in the last decade along with an expansion in engineering education makes this possible now using a hands-on approach in teaching radio astrophysics. In this presentation, the sociological factors affecting the student choice are discussed followed by a review of the efforts to bridge the above mentioned gap by various groups in the world in the last decade with a view to enumerate the best practices in a hands-on approach. A program using this approach at National Center for Radio Astrophysics is described, where the students are exposed to simple hands-on radio astronomy experiments such as spectral line

[Comparison between the Austrian and German DRG systems in hand surgery].

Science.gov (United States)

Lotter, O; Jaminet, P; Schwarzach, S; Schaller, H E

2013-02-01

Diagnosis-Related Groups (DRG) are a patient classification system grouping related types of patients treated to the resources they consumed. In this analysis, we compared the Austrian and the German DRG systems. The 15 most common hand surgical diagnoses and their corresponding operative treatment were transferred into the Austrian system. Thus, the length of stay and the reimbursement of both countries could be obtained and compared. The mean values and the median values of the upper and lower thresholds of length of stay as well as the average length of stay were all lower in Austria compared to Germany. Reimbursement in Germany was higher in 13 of 19 cases. Total proceeds amounted to 1.67 million in the German and 1.70 million in the Austrian health care system. Considering the purchasing power applying consumer prize parities, the difference of reimbursement between the countries rose to 130,000 which equals a difference of almost 8%. Reimbursement of the top 15 diagnoses in hand surgery in Austria is 8% higher than in Germany. Except for one case, mean values as well as upper and lower thresholds of length of stay are considerably shorter in Austria. Comparison of international data to refine a national compensation system is advocated.

Theoretical studies of mechanisms of cycloaddition reaction between difluoromethylene carbene and acetone

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Xiu Hui; Yu, Hai Bin; Wu, Wei Rong; Xu, Yue Hua

Mechanisms of the cycloaddition reaction between singlet difluoromethylene carbene and acetone have been investigated with the second-order Møller-Plesset (MP2)/6-31G* method, including geometry optimization and vibrational analysis. Energies for the involved stationary points on the potential energy surface (PES) are corrected by zero-point energy (ZPE) and CCSD(T)/6-31G* single-point calculations. From the PES obtained with the CCSD(T)//MP2/6-31G* method for the cycloaddition reaction between singlet difluoromethylene carbene and acetone, it can be predicted that path B of reactions 2 and 3 should be two competitive leading channels of the cycloaddition reaction between difluoromethylene carbene and acetone. The former consists of two steps: (i) the two reactants first form a four-membered ring intermediate, INT2, which is a barrier-free exothermic reaction of 97.8 kJ/mol; (ii) the intermediate INT2 isomerizes to a four-membered product P2b via a transition state TS2b with an energy barrier of 24.9 kJ/mol, which results from the methyl group transfer. The latter proceeds in three steps: (i) the two reactants first form an intermediate, INT1c, through a barrier-free exothermic reaction of 199.4 kJ/mol; (ii) the intermediate INT1c further reacts with acetone to form a polycyclic intermediate, INT3, which is also a barrier-free exothermic reaction of 27.4 kJ/mol; and (iii) INT3 isomerizes to a polycyclic product P3 via a transition state TS3 with an energy barrier of 25.8 kJ/mol.

Programming of left hand exploits task set but that of right hand depends on recent history.

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Rixin; Zhu, Hong

2017-07-01

There are many differences between the left hand and the right hand. But it is not clear if there is a difference in programming between left hand and right hand when the hands perform the same movement. In current study, we carried out two experiments to investigate whether the programming of two hands was equivalent or they exploited different strategies. In the first experiment, participants were required to use one hand to grasp an object with visual feedback or to point to the center of one object without visual feedback on alternate trials, or to grasp an object without visual feedback and to point the center of one object with visual feedback on alternating trials. They then performed the tasks with the other hand. The result was that previous pointing task affected current grasping when it was performed by the left hand, but not the right hand. In experiment 2, we studied if the programming of the left (or right) hand would be affected by the pointing task performed on the previous trial not only by the same hand, but also by the right (or left) hand. Participants pointed and grasped the objects alternately with two hands. The result was similar with Experiment 1, i.e., left-hand grasping was affected by right-hand pointing, whereas right-hand grasping was immune from the interference from left hand. Taken together, the results suggest that when open- and closed-loop trials are interleaved, motor programming of grasping with the right hand was affected by the nature of the online feedback on the previous trial only if it was a grasping trial, suggesting that the trial-to-trial transfer depends on sensorimotor memory and not on task set. In contrast, motor programming of grasping with the left hand can use information about the nature of the online feedback on the previous trial to specify the parameters of the movement, even when the type of movement that occurred was quite different (i.e., pointing) and was performed with the right hand. This suggests that

[Effects of prefrontal ablations on the reaction of the active choice of feeder under different probability and value of the reinforcement on dog].

Science.gov (United States)

Preobrazhenskaia, L A; Ioffe, M E; Mats, V N

2004-01-01

The role of the prefrontal cortex was investigated on the reaction of the active choice of the two feeders under changes value and probability reinforcement. The experiments were performed on 2 dogs with prefrontal ablation (g. proreus). Before the lesions the dogs were taught to receive food in two different feeders to conditioned stimuli with equally probable alimentary reinforcement. After ablation in the inter-trial intervals the dogs were running from the one feeder to another. In the answer to conditioned stimuli for many times the dogs choose the same feeder. The disturbance of the behavior after some times completely restored. In the experiments with competition of probability events and values of reinforcement the dogs chose the feeder with low-probability but better quality of reinforcement. In the experiments with equal value but different probability the intact dogs chose the feeder with higher probability. In our experiments the dogs with prefrontal lesions chose the each feeder equiprobably. Thus in condition of free behavior one of different functions of the prefrontal cortex is the reactions choose with more probability of reinforcement.

Analysis of transfer reactions: determination of spectroscopic factors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Keeley, N. [CEA Saclay, Dept. d' Astrophysique, de Physique des Particules de Physique Nucleaire et de l' Instrumentation Associee (DSM/DAPNIA/SPhN), 91- Gif sur Yvette (France); The Andrzej So an Institute for Nuclear Studies, Dept. of Nuclear Reactions, Warsaw (Poland)

2007-07-01

An overview of the most popular models used for the analysis of direct reaction data is given, concentrating on practical aspects. The 4 following models (in order of increasing sophistication): the distorted wave born approximation (DWBA), the adiabatic model, the coupled channels born approximation, and the coupled reaction channels are briefly described. As a concrete example, the C{sup 12}(d,p)C{sup 13} reaction at an incident deuteron energy of 30 MeV is analysed with progressively more physically sophisticated models. The effect of the choice of the reaction model on the spectroscopic information extracted from the data is investigated and other sources of uncertainty in the derived spectroscopic factors are discussed. We have showed that the choice of the reaction model can significantly influence the nuclear structure information, particularly the spectroscopic factors or amplitudes but occasionally also the spin-parity, that we wish to extract from direct reaction data. We have also demonstrated that the DWBA can fail to give a satisfactory description of transfer data but when the tenets of the theory are fulfilled DWBA can work very well and will yield the same results as most sophisticated models. The use of global rather than fitted optical potentials can also lead to important differences in the extracted spectroscopic factors.

Interpreters' notes. On the choice of language

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dam, Helle Vrønning

2004-01-01

This paper reports on a small-scale empirical study on note-taking in consecutive interpreting. As data, the study draws on the notes produced by four subjects while interpreting one Spanish source text consecutively into Danish, on the one hand, and one Danish source text into Spanish, on the ot...... in the interpreting task, i.e. whether it functions as the source or the target language. Drawing on the concept of processing capacity and the Effort Model of consecutive, a tentative explanation of these findings is suggested......., on the other. The aim of the study is to explore what governs conference interpreters' choice of language for their notes. The categories traditionally used to discuss, describe and explain this choice are those of 'source language' and 'target language', and these categories are therefore subject...... to particular scrutiny here. However, somewhat surprisingly, the results of the analyses indicate that the choice of language in note-taking is governed mainly by the status of the language in the interpreters' language combination, i.e. whether it is an A- or a B-language, and much less by its status...

Radiolytic reactions in the coolant of helium cooled reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tingey, G.L.; Morgan, W.C.

1975-01-01

The success of helium cooled reactors is dependent upon the ability to prevent significant reaction between the coolant and the other components in the reactor primary circuit. Since the thermal reaction of graphite with oxidizing gases is rapid at temperatures of interest, the thermal reactions are limited primarily by the concentration of impurity gases in the helium coolant. On the other hand, the rates of radiolytic reactions in helium are shown to be independent of reactive gas concentration until that concentration reaches a very low level. Calculated steady-state concentrations of reactive species in the reactor coolant and core burnoff rates are presented for current U. S. designed, helium cooled reactors. Since precise base data are not currently available for radiolytic rates of some reactions and thermal reaction rate data are often variable, the accuracy of the predicted gas composition is being compared with the actual gas compositions measured during startup tests of the Fort Saint Vrain high temperature gas-cooled reactor. The current status of these confirmatory tests is discussed. 12 references

Effects of amphetamine and methylphenidate on attentional performance and impulsivity in the mouse 5-Choice Serial Reaction Time Task

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Caballero Puntiverio, Maitane; Fitzpatrick, Ciarán Martin; Woldbye, David Paul Drucker

2017-01-01

assessed. Saline treatment data determined high- and lowattentive (LA), and high- and low-impulsive (LI) subgroups according to the upper and lower 30th percentiles, respectively. Results: In the LA subgroup accuracy was improved by 0.5 mg/kg AMPH and 2 mg/kg MPH, while no effect was found in the high-attentive......Background: Few studies have investigated the effects of conventional attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medication in the mouse 5-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT), and rat studies have yielded inconsistent results. Objective: We aimed to examine the effects of acute...... (HA) subgroup. Premature responses were increased by 1 mg/kg AMPH and 0.5 mg/kg MPH for all animals, and by 1 mg/kg AMPH for the LI subgroup. Conclusions: The use of variable stimulus duration, along with the division into high- and LA, and high-and LI subgroups, may improve the sensitivity of the 5...

Factors influencing GPs’ choice between drugs in a therapeutic drug group. A qualitative study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Buusman, Allan; Andersen, Morten; Merrild, Camilla Hoffmann

2007-01-01

(GPs) were selected with reference to variation in organizational structure, age, and gender. Main outcome measures. GPs' description of drug choice in relation to specific patient encounters involving a prescription. Results. All informants appeared to consider drug price important...... as it was a recurring theme during all interviews. External factors outside the GP's control such as governmental regulation on prescribing and the pharmaceutical industry influenced most GPs. Internal factors related to the actual consultation included characteristics of the GP and the patient, drug characteristics......, and repeat prescriptions. These factors interact in a non-linear and unpredictable way similar to complex adaptive systems. Conclusion. GPs balance both internal and external factors when choosing between analogues. Drug choice is a regulated process in the realm of complex prescribing behaviour with drug...

Reaction kinetics in open reactors and serial transfers between closed reactors

Science.gov (United States)

Blokhuis, Alex; Lacoste, David; Gaspard, Pierre

2018-04-01

Kinetic theory and thermodynamics of reaction networks are extended to the out-of-equilibrium dynamics of continuous-flow stirred tank reactors (CSTR) and serial transfers. On the basis of their stoichiometry matrix, the conservation laws and the cycles of the network are determined for both dynamics. It is shown that the CSTR and serial transfer dynamics are equivalent in the limit where the time interval between the transfers tends to zero proportionally to the ratio of the fractions of fresh to transferred solutions. These results are illustrated with a finite cross-catalytic reaction network and an infinite reaction network describing mass exchange between polymers. Serial transfer dynamics is typically used in molecular evolution experiments in the context of research on the origins of life. The present study is shedding a new light on the role played by serial transfer parameters in these experiments.

Relationship between measurements of blood oxidative metabolites and skin reaction in irradiated rats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaneko, Takashi; Goto, Jun; Nomiya, Takuma; Nemoto, Kenji

2011-01-01

Recently, oxidative metabolites have been able to be measured by simple small device. It has been reported that the value of oxidative metabolites increases under several conditions such as hypertension, smoking, diabetes mellitus, etc. Radiation used in radiotherapy also causes free radicals and oxidative metabolites, and irradiation causes dermatitis and sometimes causes skin ulcer in the irradiated site. We analyzed the relationships between the value of oxidative metabolites and skin reactions. A certain doses of radiation were irradiated to the right thigh of rats, and oxidative metabolites of rat's blood from caudal vein were measured by d-reactive oxygen metabolites (ROMs) test using an exclusive device. Skin reactions were evaluated according to a skin-reaction grading system from the day before irradiation to day 38 after irradiation. As a results, a significant correlation was shown between irradiation dose and skin grade. And a significant correlation was also shown between the value of oxidative metabolites and irradiation dose. The increase in oxidative metabolites was seen in the Day 16 after irradiation, and that corresponded with the appearance of skin reaction. It was suggested that the value of oxidative metabolites seems to be useful for estimating degree of skin reaction and time to appear skin reaction after irradiation. (author)

In-pile study of the reaction between breeder fuel and sodium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hugot, J.P.

1982-10-01

Studies carried out until now show that the determinant parameter of fuel can failure evolution is the development of the reaction between mixed uranium and plutonium dioxide and sodium. The parameters of the reaction are presented from results of an out of pile study, as also results obtained from examination on pins failed in reactors. The best way to study in pile the development of the reaction was to irradiate at a constant power a fuel pin containing sodium. In the experiment, the pin was equipped with a central thermocouple. It shows, that the reaction is developing intergranularly, from cracks and interpellet spaces, in an internal fringe of the fuel before spreading to the periphery. An overheating of the pin is associated to the development of the reaction as also a modification of the fuel pin geometry and a reduction of the oxide [fr

Results of the Nonelastic Reaction Code Brieff for Nuclear Data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duarte, H.

2009-01-01

We present recent changes in our nonelastic reaction code BRIEFF and especially in the fast stage of reaction described by the intranuclear cascade (INC) code BRIC. Distributions and excitation functions of residual nuclei production cross sections are shown for proton-induced reaction on target nuclei. Slight improvements are seen in the proton-induced reaction on light nuclei with a closed shell when the energy levels are taken into account in the INC stage. On the other hand, fission gives poor results in the current version. To compare to other nuclear models and LA150 libraries, BRIEFF has been incorporated into MCNPX 2.5.0. Examples of neutron production from thick target irradiation by proton beams between 30 and 350 MeV are presented. Except for some discrepancies, a good agreement with data is obtained on average. (authors)

Gender-Specific Differences in the Relationship between Autobiographical Memory and Intertemporal Choice in Older Adults.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maayke Seinstra

Full Text Available As the population of older adults grows, their economic choices will have increasing impact on society. Research on the effects of aging on intertemporal decisions shows inconsistent, often opposing results, indicating that yet unexplored factors might play an essential role in guiding one's choices. Recent studies suggest that episodic future thinking, which is based on the same neural network involved in episodic memory functions, leads to reductions in discounting of future rewards. As episodic memory functioning declines with normal aging, but to greatly variable degrees, individual differences in delay discounting might be due to individual differences in the vitality of this memory system in older adults. We investigated this hypothesis, using a sample of healthy older adults who completed an intertemporal choice task as well as two episodic memory tasks. We found no clear evidence for a relationship between episodic memory performance and delay discounting in older adults. However, when additionally considering gender differences, we found an interaction effect of gender and autobiographical memory on delay discounting: while men with higher memory scores showed less delay discounting, women with higher memory scores tended to discount the future more. We speculate that this gender effect might stem from the gender-specific use of different modal representation formats (i.e. temporal or visual during assessment of intertemporal choice options.

The Effects of a Local Negative Feedback Function between Choice and Relative Reinforcer Rate

Science.gov (United States)

Davison, Michael; Elliffe, Douglas; Marr, M. Jackson

2010-01-01

Four pigeons were trained on two-key concurrent variable-interval schedules with no changeover delay. In Phase 1, relative reinforcers on the two alternatives were varied over five conditions from 0.1 to 0.9. In Phases 2 and 3, we instituted a molar feedback function between relative choice in an interreinforcer interval and the probability of…

Experimental specifications for eutectic reaction between metallic fuel and HT-9

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hwang, Woan; Nam, Cheol; Lee, Byoung Oon; Ryu, Woo Seog

1998-10-01

The chemical interaction between metallic fuel and cladding is important in designing the fuel pin of the KALIMER. When metal fuel and cladding are contacted, the elements in fuel and cladding are inter-diffuse each other, forming the reaction layers at interface. The reaction layers may cause two important factors in aspects of fuel pin integrity. Firstly, it degrades cladding strength by reducing effective cladding thickness. Secondly, these layers accelerate eutectic reaction at transient conditions. To evaluate these phenomena, the diffusion couple experiment is planned by using metal fuels with various zirconium contents and HT-9 steel. The U-Zr fuel alloys will be used for the experiment with the different zirconium contents, these are 8, 10 and 12 weight %. This experiment aims to evaluate the effects of zirconium content on the chemical reaction. Furthermore, the reaction rate and threshold temperature of the eutectic melting will be determined as a function of the zirconium content. This document describes the detail experimental specifications for the eutectic reaction such as test setup, test requirements and test procedure. (author). 10 refs

Experimental and numerical reaction analysis on sodium-water chemical reaction field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deguchi, Yoshihiro; Takata, Takashi; Yamaguchi, Akira; Kikuchi, Shin; Ohshima, Hiroyuki

2015-01-01

In a sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR), liquid sodium is used as a heat transfer fluid because of its excellent heat transport capability. On the other hand, it has strong chemical reactivity with water vapor. One of the design basis accidents of the SFR is the water leakage into the liquid sodium flow by a breach of heat transfer tubes. This process ends up damages on the heat transport equipment in the SFR. Therefore, the study on sodium-water chemical reactions is of paramount importance for security reasons. This study aims to clarify the sodium-water reaction mechanisms using an elementary reaction analysis. A quasi one-dimensional flame model is applied to a sodium-water counter-flow reaction field. The analysis contains 25 elementary reactions, which consist of 17 H_2-O_2 and 8 Na-H_2O reactions. Temperature and species concentrations in the counter-flow reaction field were measured using laser diagnostics such as LIF and CARS. The main reaction in the experimental conditions is Na+H_2O → NaOH+H and OH is produced by H_2O+H → H_2+OH. It is demonstrated that the reaction model in this study well explains the structure of the sodium-water counter-flow diffusion flame. (author)

Relation between hand function and gross motor function in full term infants aged 4 to 8 months

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Solange F. Nogueira

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Background: In children, reaching emerges around four months of age, which is followed by rapid changes in hand function and concomitant changes in gross motor function, including the acquisition of independent sitting. Although there is a close functional relationship between these domains, to date they have been investigated separately. Objective: To investigate the longitudinal profile of changes and the relationship between the development of hand function (i.e. reaching for and manipulating an object and gross motor function in 13 normally developing children born at term who were evaluated every 15 days from 4 to 8 months of age. Method: The number of reaches and the period (i.e. time of manipulation to an object were extracted from video synchronized with the Qualisys(r movement analysis system. Gross motor function was measured using the Alberta Infant Motor Scale. ANOVA for repeated measures was used to test the effect of age on the number of reaches, the time of manipulation and gross motor function. Hierarchical regression models were used to test the associations of reaching and manipulation with gross motor function. Results: Results revealed a significant increase in the number of reaches (p<0.001, the time of manipulation (p<0.001 and gross motor function (p<0.001 over time, as well as associations between reaching and gross motor function (R2=0.84; p<0.001 and manipulation and gross motor function (R2=0.13; p=0.02 from 4 to 6 months of age. Associations from 6 to 8 months of age were not significant. Conclusion: The relationship between hand function and gross motor function was not constant, and the age span from 4 to 6 months was a critical period of interdependency of hand function and gross motor function development.

Multi-fingered robotic hand

Science.gov (United States)

Ruoff, Carl F. (Inventor); Salisbury, Kenneth, Jr. (Inventor)

1990-01-01

A robotic hand is presented having a plurality of fingers, each having a plurality of joints pivotally connected one to the other. Actuators are connected at one end to an actuating and control mechanism mounted remotely from the hand and at the other end to the joints of the fingers for manipulating the fingers and passing externally of the robot manipulating arm in between the hand and the actuating and control mechanism. The fingers include pulleys to route the actuators within the fingers. Cable tension sensing structure mounted on a portion of the hand are disclosed, as is covering of the tip of each finger with a resilient and pliable friction enhancing surface.

Discrete Choice and Rational Inattention

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fosgerau, Mogens; Melo, Emerson; de Palma, André

2017-01-01

This paper establishes a general equivalence between discrete choice and rational inattention models. Matejka and McKay (2015, AER) showed that when information costs are modelled using the Shannon entropy, the result- ing choice probabilities in the rational inattention model take the multinomial...... logit form. We show that when information costs are modelled using a class of generalized entropies, then the choice probabilities in any rational inattention model are observationally equivalent to some additive random utility discrete choice model and vice versa. This equivalence arises from convex...

Prolonged disengagement from distractors near the hands

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel B Vatterott

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Because items near our hands are often more important than items far from our hands, the brain processes visual items near our hands differently than items far from our hands. Multiple experiments have attributed this processing difference to spatial attention, but the exact mechanism behind how spatial attention near our hands changes is still under investigation. The current experiments sought to differentiate between two of the proposed mechanisms: a prioritization of the space near the hands and a prolonged disengagement of spatial attention near the hands. To differentiate between these two accounts, we used the additional singleton paradigm in which observers searched for a shape singleton among homogenously shaped distractors. On half the trials, one of the distractors was a different color. Both the prioritization and disengagement accounts predict differently colored distractors near the hands will slow target responses more than differently colored distractors far from the hands, but the prioritization account also predicts faster responses to targets near the hands than far from the hands. The disengagement account does not make this prediction, because attention does not need to be disengaged when the target appears near the hand. We found support for the disengagement account: Salient distractors near the hands slowed responses more than those far from the hands, yet observers did not respond faster to targets near the hands.

The link between response time and preference, variance and processing heterogeneity in stated choice experiments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Campbell, Danny; Mørkbak, Morten Raun; Olsen, Søren Bøye

2018-01-01

In this article we utilize the time respondents require to answer a self-administered online stated preference survey. While the effects of response time have been previously explored, this article proposes a different approach that explicitly recognizes the highly equivocal relationship between ...... between response time and utility coefficients, error variance and processing strategies. Our results thus emphasize the importance of considering response time when modeling stated choice data....... response time and respondents' choices. In particular, we attempt to disentangle preference, variance and processing heterogeneity and explore whether response time helps to explain these three types of heterogeneity. For this, we divide the data (ordered by response time) into approximately equal......-sized subsets, and then derive different class membership probabilities for each subset. We estimate a large number of candidate models and subsequently conduct a frequentist-based model averaging approach using information criteria to derive weights of evidence for each model. Our findings show a clear link...

Determinants of choice of delivery place: Testing rational choice theory and habitus theory.

Science.gov (United States)

Broda, Anja; Krüger, Juliane; Schinke, Stephanie; Weber, Andreas

2018-05-07

The current study uses two antipodal social science theories, the rational choice theory and the habitus theory, and applies these to describe how women choose between intraclinical (i.e., hospital-run birth clinics) and extraclinical (i.e., midwife-led birth centres or home births) delivery places. Data were collected in a cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey among 189 women. A list of 22 determinants, conceptualized to capture the two theoretical concepts, were rated on a 7-point Likert scale with 1 = unimportant to 7 = very important. The analytic method was structural equation modelling. A model was built, in which the rational choice theory and the habitus theory as latent variables predicted the choice of delivery place. With regards to the choice of delivery place, 89.3% of the women wanted an intraclinical and 10.7% an extraclinical delivery place at the time of their last child's birth. Significant differences between women with a choice of an intraclinical or extraclinical delivery place were found for 14 of the 22 determinants. In the structural equation model, rational choice theory determinants predicted a choice of intraclinical delivery and habitus theory determinants predicted a choice of extraclinical delivery. The two theories had diametrically opposed effects on the choice of delivery place. Women are more likely to decide on intraclinical delivery when arguments such as high medical standards, positive evaluations, or good advanced information are rated important. In contrast, women are more likely to decide on extraclinical delivery when factors such as family atmosphere during birth, friendliness of health care professionals, or consideration of the woman's interests are deemed important. A practical implication of our study is that intraclinical deliveries may be promoted by providing comprehensive information, data and facts on various delivery-related issues, while extraclinical deliveries may be fostered by healthcare

Tough and easy choices

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Olsen, Søren Bøye; Lundhede, Thomas; Jacobsen, Jette Bredahl

2011-01-01

and the best alternative to that. We test this hypothesis using data from two independent Choice Experiments both focusing on nature values. In modelling respondents’ self-reported certainty in choice, we find evidence that the stated level of certainty increases significantly as utility difference in choice......Respondents in Stated Preference studies may be uncertain about their preferences for the good presented to them. Inspired by Wang (J Environ Econ Manag 32:219–232, 1997) we hypothesize that respondents’ stated certainty in choice increases with the utility difference between the alternative chosen...... sets increases. In addition, stated certainty increases with income. Furthermore, there is some evidence that male respondents are inherently more certain in their choices than females, and a learning effect may increase stated certainty. We find evidence of this in the first study where the good...

Railway and road discrete choice model for foreign trade freight between Antioquia and the Port of Cartagena

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. D. Pineda-Jaramillo

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Most Colombian freight is transported on roads with barely acceptable conditions, and although there is a speculation about the need for a railway for freight transportation, there is not a study in Colombia showing the variables that influence the modal choice by the companies that generate freight transportation. This article presents the calculation of demand for a hypothetical railway through a discrete choice model. It begins with a qualitative research through focus group techniques to identify the variables that influence the choice of persons responsible for the transportation of large commercial companies in Antioquia (Colombia. The influential variables in the election were the cost and service frequency, and these variables were used to apply a Stated Preference (SP and Revealed Preference (RP survey, then to calibrate a Multinomial Logit Model (MNL, and to estimate the influence of each of them. We show that the probability of railway choice by the studied companies varies between 67% and 93%, depending on differences in these variables.

Association between personality traits and future choice of specialisation among Swedish doctors: a cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Bexelius, Tomas S; Olsson, Caroline; Järnbert-Pettersson, Hans; Parmskog, Malin; Ponzer, Sari; Dahlin, Marie

2016-08-01

Medical students' choice of their future specialty is influenced by several factors, including working conditions and type of patient relations. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the choice of specialty and personality traits. This is a cross-sectional questionnaire-based study of 399 alumni from Karolinska Institutet Medical School who were assumed to undergo specialty training at the time of the survey in 2013. The Big Five Inventory was used to assess the personality traits extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism and openness to experience. Medical specialties were categorised as primary care, psychiatry, internal medicine and surgical and hospital service specialties. Adjustments were made for demographic factors and the method of selection for medical school admission. The response rate was 72% (n=289, of which 262 were in training to become specialists). Among these, surgeons scored lower in agreeableness than physicians in primary care, internal medicine and hospital services. Psychiatrists and hospital service physicians showed lower conscientiousness compared with surgeons. We found distinctive differences in personality traits between medical specialties even after adjusting for other potential explanatory variables. Since there are differences between specialties, for example, surgeons and psychiatrists, this supports previous findings that personality may affect medical students' specialty choice also in a Swedish setting. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

A day in the city : using conjoint choice experiments to model urban tourists' choice of activity packages

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dellaert, B.G.C.; Borgers, A.W.J.; Timmermans, H.J.P.

1995-01-01

This paper introduces and tests a conjoint choice experiment approach to modeling urban tourists' choice of activity packages. The joint logit model is introduced as a tool to model choices between combinations of activities and an experimental design approach is proposed that includes attributes

Effects of lesions of the nucleus accumbens core on choice between small certain rewards and large uncertain rewards in rats

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Howes Nathan J

2005-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Animals must frequently make choices between alternative courses of action, seeking to maximize the benefit obtained. They must therefore evaluate the magnitude and the likelihood of the available outcomes. Little is known of the neural basis of this process, or what might predispose individuals to be overly conservative or to take risks excessively (avoiding or preferring uncertainty, respectively. The nucleus accumbens core (AcbC is known to contribute to rats' ability to choose large, delayed rewards over small, immediate rewards; AcbC lesions cause impulsive choice and an impairment in learning with delayed reinforcement. However, it is not known how the AcbC contributes to choice involving probabilistic reinforcement, such as between a large, uncertain reward and a small, certain reward. We examined the effects of excitotoxic lesions of the AcbC on probabilistic choice in rats. Results Rats chose between a single food pellet delivered with certainty (p = 1 and four food pellets delivered with varying degrees of uncertainty (p = 1, 0.5, 0.25, 0.125, and 0.0625 in a discrete-trial task, with the large-reinforcer probability decreasing or increasing across the session. Subjects were trained on this task and then received excitotoxic or sham lesions of the AcbC before being retested. After a transient period during which AcbC-lesioned rats exhibited relative indifference between the two alternatives compared to controls, AcbC-lesioned rats came to exhibit risk-averse choice, choosing the large reinforcer less often than controls when it was uncertain, to the extent that they obtained less food as a result. Rats behaved as if indifferent between a single certain pellet and four pellets at p = 0.32 (sham-operated or at p = 0.70 (AcbC-lesioned by the end of testing. When the probabilities did not vary across the session, AcbC-lesioned rats and controls strongly preferred the large reinforcer when it was certain, and strongly

Replacement or reuse? The choice between demolition and life cycle extension from a sustainable viewpoint

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Thomsen, A.F.; van der Flier, C.L.

2008-01-01

What is better: renovation or new construction? Following the plenary debate on the ENHR 2007 conference in Rotterdam we continued our search for the answer to this question. The choice between reuse and replacement of existing buildings is a vital but very difficult one, involving a wide range of

The impact of presentation format on visual attention and choice in discrete choice experiments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mueller Loose, Simone; Orquin, Jacob Lund

in the product mock-up presentation required significantly fewer fixations and less decision time, and more within-alternative transitions were observed compared to the verbal and visual presentation formats. Attributes presented visually or at larger size had a higher impact on participants’ choices......Objectives. Discrete choice experiments in which participants choose between alternatives differing on attribute levels are an important research method for preference elicitation. In such experiments choice stimuli is typically presented in tables with verbally described attributes, in tables...... with visual attributes, or as product mock-ups simulating realistic products as close as possible. So far little is known about how presentation formats affect visual attention patterns and choice behavior. This study addresses the question by analysing visual attention and part-worth utilities in choice...

Braving difficult choices alone: children's and adolescents' medical decision making.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Azzurra Ruggeri

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: What role should minors play in making medical decisions? The authors examined children's and adolescents' desire to be involved in serious medical decisions and the emotional consequences associated with them. METHODS: Sixty-three children and 76 adolescents were presented with a cover story about a difficult medical choice. Participants were tested in one of four conditions: (1 own informed choice; (2 informed parents' choice to amputate; (3 informed parents' choice to continue a treatment; and (4 uninformed parents' choice to amputate. In a questionnaire, participants were asked about their choices, preference for autonomy, confidence, and emotional reactions when faced with a difficult hypothetical medical choice. RESULTS: Children and adolescents made different choices and participants, especially adolescents, preferred to make the difficult choice themselves, rather than having a parent make it. Children expressed fewer negative emotions than adolescents. Providing information about the alternatives did not affect participants' responses. CONCLUSIONS: Minors, especially adolescents, want to be responsible for their own medical decisions, even when the choice is a difficult one. For the adolescents, results suggest that the decision to be made, instead of the agent making the decision, is the main element influencing their emotional responses and decision confidence. For children, results suggest that they might be less able than adolescents to project how they would feel. The results, overall, draw attention to the need to further investigate how we can better involve minors in the medical decision-making process.

Braving difficult choices alone: children's and adolescents' medical decision making.

Science.gov (United States)

Ruggeri, Azzurra; Gummerum, Michaela; Hanoch, Yaniv

2014-01-01

What role should minors play in making medical decisions? The authors examined children's and adolescents' desire to be involved in serious medical decisions and the emotional consequences associated with them. Sixty-three children and 76 adolescents were presented with a cover story about a difficult medical choice. Participants were tested in one of four conditions: (1) own informed choice; (2) informed parents' choice to amputate; (3) informed parents' choice to continue a treatment; and (4) uninformed parents' choice to amputate. In a questionnaire, participants were asked about their choices, preference for autonomy, confidence, and emotional reactions when faced with a difficult hypothetical medical choice. Children and adolescents made different choices and participants, especially adolescents, preferred to make the difficult choice themselves, rather than having a parent make it. Children expressed fewer negative emotions than adolescents. Providing information about the alternatives did not affect participants' responses. Minors, especially adolescents, want to be responsible for their own medical decisions, even when the choice is a difficult one. For the adolescents, results suggest that the decision to be made, instead of the agent making the decision, is the main element influencing their emotional responses and decision confidence. For children, results suggest that they might be less able than adolescents to project how they would feel. The results, overall, draw attention to the need to further investigate how we can better involve minors in the medical decision-making process.

Braving Difficult Choices Alone: Children's and Adolescents' Medical Decision Making

Science.gov (United States)

Ruggeri, Azzurra; Gummerum, Michaela; Hanoch, Yaniv

2014-01-01

Objective What role should minors play in making medical decisions? The authors examined children's and adolescents' desire to be involved in serious medical decisions and the emotional consequences associated with them. Methods Sixty-three children and 76 adolescents were presented with a cover story about a difficult medical choice. Participants were tested in one of four conditions: (1) own informed choice; (2) informed parents' choice to amputate; (3) informed parents' choice to continue a treatment; and (4) uninformed parents' choice to amputate. In a questionnaire, participants were asked about their choices, preference for autonomy, confidence, and emotional reactions when faced with a difficult hypothetical medical choice. Results Children and adolescents made different choices and participants, especially adolescents, preferred to make the difficult choice themselves, rather than having a parent make it. Children expressed fewer negative emotions than adolescents. Providing information about the alternatives did not affect participants' responses. Conclusions Minors, especially adolescents, want to be responsible for their own medical decisions, even when the choice is a difficult one. For the adolescents, results suggest that the decision to be made, instead of the agent making the decision, is the main element influencing their emotional responses and decision confidence. For children, results suggest that they might be less able than adolescents to project how they would feel. The results, overall, draw attention to the need to further investigate how we can better involve minors in the medical decision-making process. PMID:25084274

Determination of the cross-sections of some nuclear reactions occurring as a result of cosmic radiation (1963); Determination des sections efficaces de quelques reactions nucleaires intervenant dans les effets ou rayonnement cosmique (1963)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tamers, M A [Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique, Saclay (France). Centre d' Etudes Nucleaires

1962-06-15

The high energy reactions studied during this research are reactions liable to occur as a result of cosmic radiation. On the one hand the reaction {sup 16}O(p, 3p){sup 14}C was studied and its cross-section measured between 65 MeV and 2.7 GeV; a value of 2.3 mb {+-} 0.5 was found. These values have mode it possible to forecast measurable quantities of carbon-14 in meteorites and also to measure them. On the other hand the reactions {sup 12}C({sup 16}O...), {sup 12}C({sup 14}N...) and {sup 12}C({sup 12}C...) have been studied and an attempt has been made to explain the mechanism of these reactions. (author) [French] Les reactions a hautes energies qui ont ete etudiees au court de ce travail sont des reactions susceptibles de se produire sous l'effet du rayonnement cosmique. Il s'agit d'une part de la reaction {sup 16}O(p, 3p){sup 14}C dont on a mesure la section efficoce egale a 2,3 mb {+-} 0,5 entre 65 MeV et 2,7 GeV. Ces valeurs ont permis de prevoir des quantites mesurables de carbone 14 dans les meteorites et par suite de les determiner. D'autre part les reaction {sup 12}C({sup 16}O...), {sup 12}C({sup 14}N...) et {sup 12}C({sup 12}C...) ont ete etudiees et on a tente d'expliquer le mecanisme de ces reactions. (auteur)

Coupling between solute transport and chemical reactions models. Acoplamiento de modelos de transporte de solutos y de modelos de reacciones quimicas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Samper, J.; Ajora, C. (Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra, CSIC, Barcerlona (Spain))

1993-01-01

During subsurface transport, reactive solutes are subject to a variety of hydrodynamic and chemical processes. The major hydrodynamic processes include advection and convection, dispersion and diffusion. The key chemical processes are complexation including hydrolysis and acid-base reactions, dissolution-precipitation, reduction-oxidation, adsorption and ion exchange. The combined effects of all these processes on solute transport must satisfy the principle of conservation of mass. The statement of conservation of mass for N mobile species leads to N partial differential equations. Traditional solute transport models often incorporate the effects of hydrodynamic processes rigorously but oversimplify chemical interactions among aqueous species. Sophisticated chemical equilibrium models, on the other hand, incorporate a variety of chemical processes but generally assume no-flow systems. In the past decade, coupled models accounting for complex hydrological and chemical processes, with varying degrees of sophistication, have been developed. The existing models of reactive transport employ two basic sets of equations. The transport of solutes is described by a set of partial differential equations, and the chemical processes, under the assumption of equilibrium, are described by a set of nonlinear algebraic equations. An important consideration in any approach is the choice of primary dependent variables. Most existing models cannot account for the complete set of chemical processes, cannot be easily extended to include mixed chemical equilibria and kinetics, and cannot handle practical two and three dimensional problems. The difficulties arise mainly from improper selection of the primary variables in the transport equations. (Author) 38 refs.

Predictors of the consistency between healthy snack choice intention and actual behavior

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Weijzen, P.L.G.; Graaf, de C.; Dijksterhuis, G.B.

2009-01-01

The present study investigated the factors that affect the intention¿behaviour consistency of healthy snack choices. Intended snack choice was assessed by asking participants (N = 538) to choose a snack on paper, out of 8 snacks (4 healthy, e.g. melon and gingerbread, and 4 unhealthy, e.g. crisps

Relation between hand function and gross motor function in full term infants aged 4 to 8 months

Science.gov (United States)

Nogueira, Solange F.; Figueiredo, Elyonara M.; Gonçalves, Rejane V.; Mancini, Marisa C.

2015-01-01

Background: In children, reaching emerges around four months of age, which is followed by rapid changes in hand function and concomitant changes in gross motor function, including the acquisition of independent sitting. Although there is a close functional relationship between these domains, to date they have been investigated separately. Objective: To investigate the longitudinal profile of changes and the relationship between the development of hand function (i.e. reaching for and manipulating an object) and gross motor function in 13 normally developing children born at term who were evaluated every 15 days from 4 to 8 months of age. Method: The number of reaches and the period (i.e. time) of manipulation to an object were extracted from video synchronized with the Qualisys(r) movement analysis system. Gross motor function was measured using the Alberta Infant Motor Scale. ANOVA for repeated measures was used to test the effect of age on the number of reaches, the time of manipulation and gross motor function. Hierarchical regression models were used to test the associations of reaching and manipulation with gross motor function. Results: Results revealed a significant increase in the number of reaches (pgross motor function (pgross motor function (R2=0.84; pgross motor function (R2=0.13; p=0.02) from 4 to 6 months of age. Associations from 6 to 8 months of age were not significant. Conclusion: The relationship between hand function and gross motor function was not constant, and the age span from 4 to 6 months was a critical period of interdependency of hand function and gross motor function development. PMID:25714437

Chirality-controlled spontaneous twisting of crystals due to thermal topochemical reaction.

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Rai, Rishika; Krishnan, Baiju P; Sureshan, Kana M

2018-03-20

Crystals that show mechanical response against various stimuli are of great interest. These stimuli induce polymorphic transitions, isomerizations, or chemical reactions in the crystal and the strain generated between the daughter and parent domains is transcribed into mechanical response. We observed that the crystals of modified dipeptide LL (N 3 -l-Ala-l-Val-NHCH 2 C≡CH) undergo spontaneous twisting to form right-handed twisted crystals not only at room temperature but also at 0 °C over time. Using various spectroscopic techniques, we have established that the twisting is due to the spontaneous topochemical azide-alkyne cycloaddition (TAAC) reaction at room temperature or lower temperatures. The rate of twisting can be increased by heating, exploiting the faster kinetics of the TAAC reaction at higher temperatures. To address the role of molecular chirality in the direction of twisting the enantiomer of dipeptide LL, N 3 -d-Ala-d-Val-NHCH 2 C≡CH (DD), was synthesized and topochemical reactivity and mechanoresponse of its crystals were studied. We have found that dipeptide DD not only underwent TAAC reaction, giving 1,4-triazole-linked pseudopolypeptides of d-amino acids, but also underwent twisting with opposite handedness (left-handed twisting), establishing the role of molecular chirality in controlling the direction of mechanoresponse. This paper reports ( i ) a mechanical response due to a thermal reaction and ( ii ) a spontaneous mechanical response in crystals and ( iii ) explains the role of molecular chirality in the handedness of the macroscopic mechanical response.

Examining Relationships Between Some Physical Fitness Parameters of Elite Handball Playe rs

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Ercan ZORBA

2014-07-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to examine the relationships between sprint speeds, reaction times, strength and vertical jump properties of handball players. 23 handball players having 23.96±2.79 ages mean, 178.57±3.68 heights mean, 77.21±3.98 weights mean 8.30±1.74 sporting age participated in the study. Age, height, weight, sprint speed, reaction time, strength and vertical jump values were measured by instruments. Collected data was recorded in SPSS. Pearson Product Correlation test was used to examine relationships between properties and significant level was accepted as p<0.05. Significant relationships were found between sprint speed and right and left hand light reaction times; values of back strength and vertical jump; BMI and right and l eft handgrip (p<0.05. Consequently, it was found that many physical fitness properties of handball players had correlations and when compared with studies in literature, in terms of strength, sprint speed, reaction times and vertical jump properties, hand ball players showed good condition.

Determination of the relationship between cognitive function and hand dexterity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): a cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Soysal Tomruk, Melda; Ozalevli, Sevgi; Dizdar, Gorkem; Narin, Selnur; Kilinc, Oguz

2015-07-01

Hand dexterity is important for daily living activities and can be related to cognitive functions in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between cognitive dysfunction and hand dexterity in patients with COPD. 35 COPD patients and 36 healthy individuals were assessed. The Minnesota Hand Dexterity Test and Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) were used for assessment of cognitive function and hand dexterity. Hand dexterity test scores and cognitive function of COPD patients' were significantly lower than the healthy group (p COPD group (p COPD; however, hand dexterity did not alter according to hypoxemia severity. Hand dexterity which is important in daily living activities should be evaluated in greater detail with further studies in COPD patients.

Firefighter Nozzle Reaction

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Chin, Selena K.; Sunderland, Peter B.; Jomaas, Grunde

2017-01-01

Nozzle reaction and hose tension are analyzed using conservation of fluid momentum and assuming steady, inviscid flow and a flexible hose in frictionless contact with the ground. An expression that is independent of the bend angle is derived for the hose tension. If this tension is exceeded owing...... to anchor forces, the hose becomes straight. The nozzle reaction is found to equal the jet momentum flow rate, and it does not change when an elbow connects the hose to the nozzle. A forward force must be exerted by a firefighter or another anchor that matches the forward force that the jet would exert...... on a perpendicular wall. Three reaction expressions are derived, allowing it to be determined in terms of hose diameter, jet diameter, flow rate, and static pressure upstream of the nozzle. The nozzle reaction predictions used by the fire service are 56% to 90% of those obtained here for typical firefighting hand...

Nicotine-induced enhancement of attention in the five-choice serial reaction time task: the influence of task demands.

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Hahn, B; Shoaib, M; Stolerman, I P

2002-07-01

Beneficial effects of nicotine on cognitive processes including attention have potential therapeutic uses and have been proposed as incentives for tobacco smoking. To establish task conditions under which the effects of nicotine on attention are obtained reliably and to characterise such effects further. Rats were trained in a modified version of the five-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT) to detect 1-s light stimuli with greater than 70% accuracy and fewer than 20% omission errors. Nicotine was tested under different task requirements by varying signal event rate, stimulus duration and stimulus predictability, and by introducing white-noise distractors. Nicotine (0.05-0.2 mg/kg, s.c.) repeatedly improved accuracy and reduced omission errors and reaction times, leading to increases in numbers of reinforcers earned. Anticipatory responding was increased. Parametric modifications intended to increase demands on sustained attention did not affect performance in a manner suggesting that this subtype of attention was being taxed, and the effects of nicotine were not more marked under such conditions. Shorter stimulus durations impaired performance, but this manipulation weakened the effect of nicotine on accuracy. In contrast, the presence of noise distractors facilitated the effects of nicotine to the extent that distractor-induced impairments were abolished by the drug. The 5-CSRTT can provide a sensitive rodent model for the attention-enhancing effects of nicotine. Changes made to the procedure may have increased its sensitivity to nicotine, particularly with respect to accuracy. There were indications that the effects of nicotine were largest on processes of selective attention or on disengaging attention from irrelevant events and shifting it to behaviourally significant stimuli.

Neuro-economics in chicks: foraging choices based on amount, delay and cost.

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Matsushima, Toshiya; Kawamori, Ai; Bem-Sojka, Tiaza

2008-06-15

Studies on the foraging choices are reviewed, with an emphasis on the neural representations of elementary factors of food (i.e., amount, delay and consumption time) in the avian brain. Domestic chicks serve as an ideal animal model in this respect, as they quickly associate cue colors with subsequently supplied food rewards, and their choices are quantitatively linked with the rewards. When a pair of such color cues was simultaneously presented, the trained chicks reliably made choices according to the profitability of food associated with each color. Two forebrain regions are involved in distinct aspects of choices; i.e., nucleus accumbens-medial striatum (Ac-MSt) and arcopallium intermedium (AI), an association area in the lateral forebrain. Localized lesions of Ac-MSt enhanced delay aversion, and the ablated chicks made impulsive choices of immediate reward more frequently than sham controls. On the other hand, lesions of AI enhanced consumption-time aversion, and the ablated chicks shifted their choices toward easily consumable reward with their impulsiveness unchanged; delay and consumption time are thus doubly dissociated. Furthermore, chicks showed distinct patterns of risk-sensitive choices depending on the factor that varied at trials. Risk aversion occurred when food amount varied, whereas consistent risk sensitivity was not found when the delay varied; amount and delay were not interchangeable. Choices are thus deviated from those predicted as optima. Instead, factors such as amount, delay and consumption time could be separately represented and processed to yield economically sub-optimal choices.

Choice certainty in Discrete Choice Experiments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Uggeldahl, Kennet Christian; Jacobsen, Catrine; Lundhede, Thomas

2016-01-01

In this study, we conduct a Discrete Choice Experiment (DCE) using eye tracking technology to investigate if eye movements during the completion of choice sets reveal information about respondents’ choice certainty. We hypothesise that the number of times that respondents shift their visual...

Choice and ego-depletion: the moderating role of autonomy.

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Moller, Arlen C; Deci, Edward L; Ryan, Richard M

2006-08-01

The self-regulatory strength model maintains that all acts of self-regulation, self-control, and choice result in a state of fatigue called ego-depletion. Self-determination theory differentiates between autonomous regulation and controlled regulation. Because making decisions represents one instance of self-regulation, the authors also differentiate between autonomous choice and controlled choice. Three experiments support the hypothesis that whereas conditions representing controlled choice would be egodepleting, conditions that represented autonomous choice would not. In Experiment 3, the authors found significant mediation by perceived self-determination of the relation between the choice condition (autonomous vs. controlled) and ego-depletion as measured by performance.

Parity, Incomparability and Rationally Justified Choice

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boot, Martijn

2009-01-01

This article discusses the possibility of a rationally justified choice between two options neither of which is better than the other while they are not equally good either (‘3NT’). Joseph Raz regards such options as incomparable and argues that reason cannot guide the choice between them. Ruth

Relation between breakfast food choices and knowledge of dietary fat and fiber among Swedish schoolchildren.

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Berg, M Christina; Jonsson, Inger; Conner, Mark T; Lissner, Lauren

2002-08-01

To investigate dietary knowledge and beliefs of schoolchildren, in relationship to breakfast choices, with specific attention to fat and fiber content. Food choice and perceptions were studied by interviews using the "stacking box methodology". Youth (n = 181) aged 11-15 years were instructed to select food items among photographs of breakfast foods. In addition to choosing their own typical breakfasts, they were asked to exchange foods in hypothetical breakfasts to create meals with less fat and more fiber. The interview also dealt with recent changes in breakfast habits, and perceptions of healthy breakfasts, dietary fat, and foods rich in fiber. Data were analyzed by logistic regression. Knowledge concerning sources and health attributes of dietary fiber was associated with usual consumption of bread and breakfast cereals rich in fiber. In a similar way, a positive attitude toward limited fat intake predicted consumption of reduced-fat milk products. However, no association was observed between food choices and knowledge of a food-packaging symbol indicating low-fat and fiber-enriched foods. Lack of awareness of, and knowledge about, healthy eating may be important barriers to the development of health promoting food habits by schoolchildren.

Relationship Between Hand Contact Angle and Shoulder Loading During Manual Wheelchair Propulsion by Individuals with Paraplegia.

Science.gov (United States)

Requejo, Philip Santos; Mulroy, Sara J; Ruparel, Puja; Hatchett, Patricia E; Haubert, Lisa Lighthall; Eberly, Valerie J; Gronley, JoAnne K

2015-01-01

Shoulder loading during manual wheelchair propulsion (WCP) contributes to the development of shoulder pain in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). To use regression analysis to investigate the relationships between the hand contact angle (location of the hand on the pushrim at initial contact and release during the push phase of the WCP cycle) with propulsion characteristics, pushrim forces, and shoulder kinetics during WCP in individuals with paraplegia. Biomechanical data were collected from 222 individuals (198 men and 24 women) with paraplegia from SCI during WCP on a stationary ergometer at a self-selected speed. The average age of participants was 34.7 years (±9.3), mean time since SCI was 9.3 years (±6.1), and average body weight was 74.4 kg (±15.9). The majority (n = 127; 56%) of participants had lower level paraplegia (T8 to L5) and 95 (42%) had high paraplegia (T2 to T7). Increased push arc (mean = 75.3°) was associated with greater velocity (R = 0.384, P contact angle and hand release angles were equally associated with cycle distance and cadence, whereas a more anterior release angle was associated with greater velocity (R = 0.372, P contact angle was associated with greater posterior shoulder net joint force (R = 0.229, P = .001) and greater flexor net joint moment (R = 0.204, P = .002), whereas a more anterior hand release angle was significantly associated with increased vertical (R = 0.270, P contact and hand release must be considered in WCP training. It is recommended that participants should reach back to initiate contact with the pushrim to maximize push arc but avoid a more anterior hand position at release, because this could increase shoulder load during the push phase of WCP.

"Like the palm of my hands": Motor imagery enhances implicit and explicit visual recognition of one's own hands.

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Conson, Massimiliano; Volpicella, Francesco; De Bellis, Francesco; Orefice, Agnese; Trojano, Luigi

2017-10-01

A key point in motor imagery literature is that judging hands in palm view recruits sensory-motor information to a higher extent than judging hands in back view, due to the greater biomechanical complexity implied in rotating hands depicted from palm than from back. We took advantage from this solid evidence to test the nature of a phenomenon known as self-advantage, i.e. the advantage in implicitly recognizing self vs. others' hand images. The self-advantage has been actually found when implicitly but not explicitly judging self-hands, likely due to dissociation between implicit and explicit body representations. However, such a finding might be related to the extent to which motor imagery is recruited during implicit and explicit processing of hand images. We tested this hypothesis in two behavioural experiments. In Experiment 1, right-handed participants judged laterality of either self or others' hands, whereas in Experiment 2, an explicit recognition of one's own hands was required. Crucially, in both experiments participants were randomly presented with hand images viewed from back or from palm. The main result of both experiments was the self-advantage when participants judged hands from palm view. This novel finding demonstrate that increasing the "motor imagery load" during processing of self vs. others' hands can elicit a self-advantage in explicit recognition tasks as well. Future studies testing the possible dissociation between implicit and explicit visual body representations should take into account the modulatory effect of motor imagery load on self-hand processing. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Evoked Emotions Predict Food Choice

OpenAIRE

Dalenberg, Jelle R.; Gutjar, Swetlana; ter Horst, Gert J.; de Graaf, Kees; Renken, Remco J.; Jager, Gerry

2014-01-01

In the current study we show that non-verbal food-evoked emotion scores significantly improve food choice prediction over merely liking scores. Previous research has shown that liking measures correlate with choice. However, liking is no strong predictor for food choice in real life environments. Therefore, the focus within recent studies shifted towards using emotion-profiling methods that successfully can discriminate between products that are equally liked. However, it is unclear how well ...

Simulation of weak polyelectrolytes: a comparison between the constant pH and the reaction ensemble method

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Landsgesell, Jonas; Holm, Christian; Smiatek, Jens

2017-03-01

The reaction ensemble and the constant pH method are well-known chemical equilibrium approaches to simulate protonation and deprotonation reactions in classical molecular dynamics and Monte Carlo simulations. In this article, we demonstrate the similarity between both methods under certain conditions. We perform molecular dynamics simulations of a weak polyelectrolyte in order to compare the titration curves obtained by both approaches. Our findings reveal a good agreement between the methods when the reaction ensemble is used to sweep the reaction constant. Pronounced differences between the reaction ensemble and the constant pH method can be observed for stronger acids and bases in terms of adaptive pH values. These deviations are due to the presence of explicit protons in the reaction ensemble method which induce a screening of electrostatic interactions between the charged titrable groups of the polyelectrolyte. The outcomes of our simulation hint to a better applicability of the reaction ensemble method for systems in confined geometries and titrable groups in polyelectrolytes with different pKa values.

Kinetic study on ligand exchange reaction between EC and 99mTc-GH

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu Chunying; Luo Shineng; Fang Ping; Huang Heyun; Xie Minhao; Meng Hong

1995-01-01

The ligand exchange reaction between EC and 99m Tc-GH and its influence factors such as concentrations of EC and pH were described. The concentration of EC has no influence on the exchange reaction rate constant, while pH is the most important influence factor. The rate constants of ligand exchange reaction at different pH values were determined. The results showed that in order to make the labelling yield of 99m Tc-EC higher than 90%, pH of the reaction must be higher than 8

Back to basics: hand hygiene and surgical hand antisepsis.

Science.gov (United States)

Spruce, Lisa

2013-11-01

Health care-associated infections (HAIs) are a significant issue in the United States and throughout the world, but following proper hand hygiene practices is the most effective and least expensive way to prevent HAIs. Hand hygiene is inexpensive and protects patients and health care personnel alike. The four general types of hand hygiene that should be performed in the perioperative environment are washing hands that are visibly soiled, hand hygiene using alcohol-based products, surgical hand scrubs, and surgical hand scrubs using an alcohol-based surgical hand rub product. Barriers to proper hand hygiene may include not thinking about it, forgetting, skin irritation, a lack of role models, or a lack of a safety culture. One strategy for improving hand hygiene practices is monitoring hand hygiene as part of a quality improvement project, but the most important aspect for perioperative team members is to set an example for other team members by following proper hand hygiene practices and reminding each other to perform hand hygiene. Copyright © 2013 AORN, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Grip Strength Survey Based on Hand Tool Usage

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Erman ÇAKIT

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Hand grip strength is broadly used for performing tasks involving equipment in production and processing activities. Most professionals in this field rely on grip strength to perform their tasks. There were three main aims of this study: i determining various hand grip strength measurements for the group of hand tool users, ii investigating the effects of height, weight, age, hand dominance, body mass index, previous Cumulative Trauma Disorder (CTD diagnosis, and hand tool usage experience on hand grip strength, and iii comparing the obtained results with existing data for other populations. The study groups comprised 71 healthy male facility workers. The values of subjects’ ages was observed between 26 and 74 years. The data were statistically analyzed to assess the normality of data and the percentile values of grip strength. The results of this study demonstrate that there were no significance differences noted between dominant and non-dominant hands. However, there were highly significant differences between the CTD group and the other group. Hand grip strength for the dominant hand was positively correlated to height, weight, and body mass index, and negatively correlated to age and tool usage experience. Hand dominance, height, weight, body mass index, age and tool usage experience should be considered when establishing normal values for grip strength.

Case Series Report on the Effect of Hand Acupuncture - Focusing on 29 Patients with Headache -

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Seung-Ho Sun

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Objectives: The purpose of 29 case series is to report the possibility that a hand acupuncture is effective in relieving headache. Methods: After approval from the Institutional Review Board (IRB, I analyzed 29 cases medical records of outpatients with headache, who visited OO oriental medical hospital from December 2008 to December 2010, who have taken a hand acupuncture's treatment without other intervention, and who were diagnosed with one disease of international classification of headache disease second version (ICHD-2. The data was analyzed with Wilcoxon signed rank test to determine whether a hand acupuncture's treatment differed between before and after treatment's Visual Analogue Scale(VAS according to types of headache and syndrome differentiation. Statistics program was used SPSS 18.0. Differences were considered significant at P<0.05. Results: The VAS of patients with headache was reduced after treatment of hand acupuncture from 6.57±2.04 to 2.90±2.04 for overall headache, from 6.32±2.05 to 2.47±2.03 for tension-type headache(P<0.001, from 7.10±2.18 to 3.70±1.77 for migraine(P<0.001, and from 6.00±1.41 to 2.50±3.54 for headache unspecified. A hand acupuncture produced a decrease in VAS of both ascendant hyperactivity of liver yang(P<0.001 and phlegm turbidity according to syndrome differentiation(P=0.002. No adverse event were encountered in any of the patients. Conclusions: It is suggested that a hand acupuncture may be effective in relieving headache, and could be applicable to first choice of acupuncture treatment for headache.

Effect of hand paddles and parachute on butterfly coordination.

Science.gov (United States)

Telles, Thiago; Barroso, Renato; Barbosa, Augusto Carvalho; Salgueiro, Diego Fortes de Souza; Colantonio, Emilson; Andries Júnior, Orival

2015-01-01

This study investigated the effects of hand paddles, parachute and hand paddles plus parachute on the inter-limb coordination of butterfly swimming. Thirteen male swimmers were evaluated in four random maximal intensity conditions: without equipment, with hand paddles, with parachute and with hand paddles + parachute. Arm and leg stroke phases were identified by 2D video analysis to calculate the total time gap (T1: time between hands' entry in the water and high break-even point of the first undulation; T2: time between the beginning of the hand's backward movement and low break-even point of the first undulation; T3: time between the hand's arrival in a vertical plane to the shoulders and high break-even point of the second undulation; T4: time between the hand's release from the water and low break-even point of the second undulation). The swimming velocity was reduced and T1, T2 and T3 increased in parachute and hand paddles + parachute. No changes were observed in T4. Total time gap decreased in parachute and hand paddles + parachute. It is concluded that hand paddles do not influence the arm-to-leg coordination in butterfly, while parachute and hand paddles + parachute do change it, providing a greater propulsive continuity.

New reactions and products resulting from alternative interactions between the P450 enzyme and redox partners.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Wei; Liu, Yi; Yan, Jinyong; Cao, Shaona; Bai, Fali; Yang, Ying; Huang, Shaohua; Yao, Lishan; Anzai, Yojiro; Kato, Fumio; Podust, Larissa M; Sherman, David H; Li, Shengying

2014-03-05

Cytochrome P450 enzymes are capable of catalyzing a great variety of synthetically useful reactions such as selective C-H functionalization. Surrogate redox partners are widely used for reconstitution of P450 activity based on the assumption that the choice of these auxiliary proteins or their mode of action does not affect the type and selectivity of reactions catalyzed by P450s. Herein, we present an exceptional example to challenge this postulate. MycG, a multifunctional biosynthetic P450 monooxygenase responsible for hydroxylation and epoxidation of 16-membered ring macrolide mycinamicins, is shown to catalyze the unnatural N-demethylation(s) of a range of mycinamicin substrates when partnered with the free Rhodococcus reductase domain RhFRED or the engineered Rhodococcus-spinach hybrid reductase RhFRED-Fdx. By contrast, MycG fused with the RhFRED or RhFRED-Fdx reductase domain mediates only physiological oxidations. This finding highlights the larger potential role of variant redox partner protein-protein interactions in modulating the catalytic activity of P450 enzymes.

Decoupled choice-driven and stimulus-related activity in parietal neurons may be misrepresented by choice probabilities.

Science.gov (United States)

Zaidel, Adam; DeAngelis, Gregory C; Angelaki, Dora E

2017-09-28

Trial-by-trial correlations between neural responses and choices (choice probabilities) are often interpreted to reflect a causal contribution of neurons to task performance. However, choice probabilities may arise from top-down, rather than bottom-up, signals. We isolated distinct sensory and decision contributions to single-unit activity recorded from the dorsal medial superior temporal (MSTd) and ventral intraparietal (VIP) areas of monkeys during perception of self-motion. Superficially, neurons in both areas show similar tuning curves during task performance. However, tuning in MSTd neurons primarily reflects sensory inputs, whereas choice-related signals dominate tuning in VIP neurons. Importantly, the choice-related activity of VIP neurons is not predictable from their stimulus tuning, and these factors are often confounded in choice probability measurements. This finding was confirmed in a subset of neurons for which stimulus tuning was measured during passive fixation. Our findings reveal decoupled stimulus and choice signals in the VIP area, and challenge our understanding of choice signals in the brain.Choice-related signals in neuronal activity may reflect bottom-up sensory processes, top-down decision-related influences, or a combination of the two. Here the authors report that choice-related activity in VIP neurons is not predictable from their stimulus tuning, and that dominant choice signals can bias the standard metric of choice preference (choice probability).

Association Between Travel Distance and Choice of Treatment for Prostate Cancer: Does Geography Reduce Patient Choice?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Muralidhar, Vinayak, E-mail: vmuralidhar@partners.org [Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women' s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts (United States); Rose, Brent S.; Chen, Yu-Wei; Nezolosky, Michelle D.; Nguyen, Paul L. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham and Women' s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts (United States)

2016-10-01

Objective: To determine whether the distance between a prostate cancer patient's home and treatment facility was related to the choice of treatment received among those opting for surgery or radiation. Methods and Materials: We identified 222,804 patients diagnosed with National Comprehensive Cancer Network low-, intermediate-, or high-risk N0M0 prostate cancer and treated with local therapy (surgery or radiation alone, with or without hormone therapy) using the National Cancer Database. We used multivariable logistic regression to determine whether the choice of radiation therapy vs radical prostatectomy varied by distance among patients living in rural and urban areas. Analyses were adjusted for geographic location within the United States, age, race, Charlson/Deyo comorbidity score, year of diagnosis, income quartile, education quartile, Gleason score, prostate-specific antigen level, and T stage. Results: Patients living in urban or rural areas were less likely to receive radiation compared with surgery if they lived farther from the treatment facility. Among urban patients living ≤5 miles from the treatment facility, 53.3% received radiation, compared with 47.0%, 43.6%, and 33.8% of those living 5 to 10, 10 to 15, or >15 miles away, respectively (P<.001 in all cases). Similarly, rural patients were less likely to receive radiation the farther they lived from the treatment facility (≤25 miles: 62.3%; 25-50 miles: 55.5%; 50-75 miles: 38.4%; >75 miles: 23.8%; P<.05 in all cases). These trends were also present when each risk group was analyzed separately. Conclusion: Patients with prostate cancer in both urban and rural settings were less likely to receive radiation therapy rather than surgery the farther away they lived from a treatment center. These findings raise the possibility that the geographic availability of radiation treatment centers may be an important determinant of whether patients are able to choose radiation rather than surgery for

Direct catalytic asymmetric aldol-Tishchenko reaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Gnanadesikan, Vijay; Horiuchi, Yoshihiro; Ohshima, Takashi; Shibasaki, Masakatsu

2004-06-30

A direct catalytic asymmetric aldol reaction of propionate equivalent was achieved via the aldol-Tishchenko reaction. Coupling an irreversible Tishchenko reaction to a reversible aldol reaction overcame the retro-aldol reaction problem and thereby afforded the products in high enantio and diastereoselectivity using 10 mol % of the asymmetric catalyst. A variety of ketones and aldehydes, including propyl and butyl ketones, were coupled efficiently, yielding the corresponding aldol-Tishchenko products in up to 96% yield and 95% ee. Diastereoselectivity was generally below the detection limit of 1H NMR (>98:2). Preliminary studies performed to clarify the mechanism revealed that the aldol products were racemic with no diastereoselectivity. On the other hand, the Tishchenko products were obtained in a highly enantiocontrolled manner.

Cutaneous reaction associated with weekly docetaxel administration.

Science.gov (United States)

Chew, Lita; Chuen, Vivianne Shih Lee

2009-03-01

Docetaxel-based chemotherapy will remain clinically relevant and many of our patients will continue to receive the drug. In a recent phase 2 study of docetaxel 35 mg/m2 (weekly) in patients with metastatic breast cancer, the incidence of grade 3 cutaneous toxicity is 19%. The skin toxicity observed consists of limb/palmar-plantar erythematous reactions, or fixed-plaque erythrodysesthesia. Case series or reports have reported varied manifestations of skin reactions and include erythema multiforme, nail changes (onycholysis, pigmentation, paronychia), scleroderma, supravenous discoloration, radiation recall dermatitis, and flagellate erythema. We would like to report four patients with cutaneous reactions resulting from weekly administration of docetaxel. All cases are heavily pre-treated patients, receiving docetaxel as second or third line therapy. The cutaneous reactions occur at cycle 5. The time between chemotherapy to development of skin lesions is from 1 to 7 days. Lesions usually resolve with desquamation leaving behind areas with hyper-pigmentation or hypo-pigmentation over a period of 2 to 3 weeks. The management strategies include hand elevation, warm or cold compresses, topical and/or systemic antibiotics, topical and/or systemic corticosteroids, and cessation of drug. There is a need for a systematic approach to manage these cutaneous reactions. Oncology trained pharmacists play vital roles in assessing, managing, documenting and patient education.

Radiation-reaction effects in the quantum regime

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Neitz, Norman

2014-01-01

In this work the influence of radiation reaction on the interaction of an electron bunch with a strong laser field is studied including nonlinear and quantum effects. This venture is motivated by two technological developments: On the one hand, the tremendous increase in available laser intensities and, on the other hand, the significant advancements in electron acceleration technology. Considering a regime where radiation reaction effects are caused by the incoherent emission of several photons, a kinetic approach is developed to describe the dynamics of electrons and photons via distribution functions. Whereas classical electrodynamics, employing the Landau-Lifshitz equation, predicts a narrowing of the energy distribution of the electron beam, the analysis in this work reveals the opposite effect in case that quantum effects become significant. The spreading of the electrons' energy distribution is shown to be caused by the intrinsic stochastic nature of photon emission. In order to explain quantitatively the discrepancy between classical and quantum radiation reaction, the final electron distribution as computed in our quantum treatment is demonstrated to depend on the laser's envelope shape and its duration at a given total laser fluence. On the contrary, the classical analysis does not exhibit such a dependency. Finally, the kinetic approach is extended to allow for the inclusion of pair creation by photons emitted during the scattering. This facilitates a conclusive investigation of the nonlinear coupled dynamics of all particles involved in the interaction, i.e., electrons in the initial bunch, photons and electron-positron pairs produced during the scattering.

Stiff Hands

Science.gov (United States)

... All Topics A-Z Videos Infographics Symptom Picker Anatomy Bones Joints Muscles Nerves Vessels Tendons About Hand Surgery What is a Hand Surgeon? What is a Hand Therapist? Media Find a Hand Surgeon Home Anatomy Stiff Hands Email to a friend * required fields ...

Hand Infections

Science.gov (United States)

... All Topics A-Z Videos Infographics Symptom Picker Anatomy Bones Joints Muscles Nerves Vessels Tendons About Hand Surgery What is a Hand Surgeon? What is a Hand Therapist? Media Find a Hand Surgeon Home Anatomy Hand Infections Email to a friend * required fields ...

Preliminary results of laser-assisted sealing of hand-sewn canine esophageal anastomoses

Science.gov (United States)

Auteri, Joseph S.; Oz, Mehmet C.; Sanchez, Juan A.; Bass, Lawrence S.; Jeevanandam, Valluvan; Williams, Matthew R.; Smith, Craig R.; Treat, Michael R.

1991-07-01

Dehiscence rates of esophageal anastomoses range between 5 and 20%. Causative factors include ischemia, tension, foreign body reaction, microabscesses, and the negative pressure within the thoracic cavity. Laser assisted tissue sealing (LATS) has been shown to decrease anastomotic leakage rates in other tissues. Using a canine model the efficacy of LATS in enhancing single layer hand swen intrathoracic esophageal anastomoses was assessed. Via a left thoracotomy, paired two centimeter transverse incisions (one laser sealed, one control) were made in the proximal and distal esophagus in nine dogs. Both were sewn using a single layer of 4-0 polyglycolic acid. A combination of albumin (0.2 cc), sodium hyaluronate (0.4 cc), and indocyanine green (1 gtt) was applied to one of the randomly chosen hand sewn repairs. The albumin/hyaluronate combination is used to provide a protein matrix across the anastomosis for ingrowth of fibroblasts. Indocyanine green dye selectively absorbs at OM805 nm which matches the output of the diode laser (808 +/- 1 nm), thus improving uptake of laser energy by the targeted tissues. The anastomosis was then exposed to continuous wave diode laser energy for OM2 minutes at a power density of 9.6 W/cm2. The esophagus was recovered either at the time of sealing or two days postoperatively and infused with saline under pressure. Bursting pressures were considered the point of initial saline leakage. At time 0 there was no significant difference in bursting pressures between the LATS group and controls. However, at two days postoperatively controls burst at 121 +/- 14 mmHg while the laser assisted anastomoses burst at 295 +/- 35 mmHg (p anastomoses revealed minimal thermal injury to the mucosal surface initially, with some regeneration of mucosal lining at two days postoperatively. No foreign body reaction to the solder was noted. Laser reinforcement of single layer hand sewn esophageal anastomoses appears to increase bursting pressure and may result

The role of human parietal area 7A as a link between sequencing in hand actions and in overt speech production

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stefan eHeim

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Research on the evolutionary basis of the human language faculty has proposed the mirror neuron system as a link between motor processing and speech development. Consequently, most work has focussed on the left inferior frontal cortex, in particular Broca's region, and the left inferior parietal cortex. However, the direct link between planning of hand motor and speech actions remains to be elucidated. Thus, the present study investigated whether sequencing of hand motor actions vs. speech motor actions has a common neural denominator. For the hand motor task, 25 subjects performed single, repeated, or sequenced button presses with either the left or right hand. The speech task was in analogy; the same subjects produced the syllable "po" once or repeatedly, or a sequence of different syllables (po-pi-po. Speech motor vs. hand motor effectors resulted in increased perisylvian activation including Broca's region (left area 44 and areas medially adjacent to left area 45. In contrast, common activation for sequenced vs. repeated production of button presses and syllables revealed the effector-independent involvement of left area 7A in the superior parietal lobule (SPL in sequencing. These data demonstrate that sequencing of vocal gestures, an important precondition for ordered utterances and ultimately human speech, shares area 7A, rather than inferior parietal regions, as a common cortical module with hand motor sequencing. Interestingly, area 7A has previously also been shown to be involved in the observation of hand and non-hand actions. In combination with the literature, the present data thus suggest a distinction between area 44, which is specifically recruited for (cognitive aspects of speech, and SPL area 7A for general aspects of motor sequencing. In sum, the study demonstrates a yet little considered role of the superior parietal lobule in the origins of speech, and may be discussed in the light of embodiment of speech and language in the

Individual Vs Collective Choice In Corporate Finance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Teodora ALECU

2009-10-01

Full Text Available The paper is meant to be an extension of the theories of choice, empirical analysis and theories concerning communication between macro-economic sub-systems and even between (sub systems. A new perception will be given to all these theories and a different meaning of the factors influencing finance decisions will be shown. Another factor is introduced taking into account one’s choice, which restructures somehow the perception of the function of individuals’ choice. I named it factor α (alpha which is a spirituality factor provoking exchanges of information between economic sub-systems. This leads to a rearrangement of the economic and social patterns of behavior and of choice directly influencing the finance decisions and re-equilibrating the inter-conditioning sub-systems of the world.

Convergent synthesis of the right-hand segment of ciguatoxin.

Science.gov (United States)

Hamajima, Akinari; Isobe, Minoru

2006-03-16

[reaction: see text] A convergent synthesis of the right-hand half of ciguatoxin (the HIJKLM ring system) has been achieved with complete stereocontrol in the introduction of the stereocenters on the eight-membered I ring. Key steps are Sonogashira coupling, dicobalt complexation, intramolecular conjugate addition, and hydrogenation of an endo-olefin to provide the 39-alpha-methyl group.

The problem of radiation reaction in classical electrodynamics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sorg, M.

1976-01-01

A new covariant theory of the classical radiating electron is compared with other radiation reaction theories: On the one hand, the new theory can be deduced from Caldirola's finite-differences theory by suitable approximations; on the other hand, the Lorentz-Dirac theory and the theory of Mo and Papas are shown to be approximative forms of the new theory (orig./BJ) [de

Theoretical study of the Diels-Alder reaction between o-benzoquinone and norbornadiene

Science.gov (United States)

Quijano-Quiñones, Ramiro F.; Quesadas-Rojas, M.; Cuevas, Gabriel; Mena-Rejón, Gonzalo J.

2013-06-01

The reaction between norbornadiene and o-benzoquinone is an important step in polyalicyclic rigid structures synthesis. It has been considered that this reaction is an example of Diels-Alder (DA) and hetero-Diels-Alder (HDA) cycloadditions with o-benzoquinone acting as diene (forming C-C bonds) and heterodiene (forming O-C bonds). We have performed a Density Functional Theory study of this reaction, employing B3LYP, mPW1PW91, and B1B95 functionals and 6-31G(d,p) and 6-31+G(d,p) Gaussian type basis sets. The results indicate that Diels-Alder is a feasible mechanism for both reactions, but should not be the main route to the formation of products with C-C bonds.

Theoretical study of the Diels-Alder reaction between o-benzoquinone and norbornadiene

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Quijano-Quiñones, Ramiro F; Quesadas-Rojas, M; Mena-Rejón, Gonzalo J; Cuevas, Gabriel

2013-01-01

The reaction between norbornadiene and o-benzoquinone is an important step in polyalicyclic rigid structures synthesis. It has been considered that this reaction is an example of Diels-Alder (DA) and hetero-Diels-Alder (HDA) cycloadditions with o-benzoquinone acting as diene (forming C-C bonds) and heterodiene (forming O-C bonds). We have performed a Density Functional Theory study of this reaction, employing B3LYP, mPW1PW91, and B1B95 functionals and 6-31G(d,p) and 6-31+G(d,p) Gaussian type basis sets. The results indicate that Diels-Alder is a feasible mechanism for both reactions, but should not be the main route to the formation of products with C-C bonds.

Consistent-handed individuals are more authoritarian.

Science.gov (United States)

Lyle, Keith B; Grillo, Michael C

2014-01-01

Individuals differ in the consistency with which they use one hand over the other to perform everyday activities. Some individuals are very consistent, habitually using a single hand to perform most tasks. Others are relatively inconsistent, and hence make greater use of both hands. More- versus less-consistent individuals have been shown to differ in numerous aspects of personality and cognition. In several respects consistent-handed individuals resemble authoritarian individuals. For example, both consistent-handedness and authoritarianism have been linked to cognitive inflexibility. Therefore we hypothesised that consistent-handedness is an external marker for authoritarianism. Confirming our hypothesis, we found that consistent-handers scored higher than inconsistent-handers on a measure of submission to authority, were more likely to identify with a conservative political party (Republican), and expressed less-positive attitudes towards out-groups. We propose that authoritarianism may be influenced by the degree of interaction between the left and right brain hemispheres, which has been found to differ between consistent- and inconsistent-handed individuals.

Effects of hand massage on anxiety in patients undergoing ophthalmology surgery using local anesthesia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jafar Rafiei Kiasari

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Anxiety is a common disorder in patients before surgery. Inappropriately managed anxiety can cause psychological and physiological reactions and will affect the process of surgery and recovery. Therefore, this study examined the effects of hand mas-sage on anxiety in patients undergoing ophthalmology surgery using local anesthesia. Methods: In this interventional study, 52 patients who were supposed to undergo oph-thalmology surgery using local anesthesia were studied. Patients were randomly as-signed to two groups of intervention, who received hand massage before surgery (n = 27 and control (n = 25. Massaging lasted for 5 minutes (2.5 minutes on each hand before surgery. Stroking and scrubbing methods were performed by 2 trained research-ers. Anxiety level, blood pressure, heart rate, and respiratory rate were measured before and after the intervention in both groups. Anxiety was evaluated using Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Data was analyzed by chi-square, independent samples t-test, and paired t-test. Results: There were no significant differences in mean anxiety, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, and respiratory rate between the two groups before the intervention (p > 0.05. However, there was a significant differenc in the mean stress level between the two groups after the intervention (p 0.05. Conclusion: Our findings suggested that 5 minutes of hand massage before ophthalmology surgery (under local anesthesia could reduce anxiety. Therefore, this method can be used to increase patient comfort and reduce anxiety before surgical interventions.

Compliance with hand hygiene: reference data from the national hand hygiene campaign in Germany.

Science.gov (United States)

Wetzker, W; Bunte-Schönberger, K; Walter, J; Pilarski, G; Gastmeier, P; Reichardt, Ch

2016-04-01

Hand hygiene is a key measure to prevent healthcare-associated infection. To promote hand hygiene nationally the German campaign 'Aktion Saubere Hände' was launched in January 2008, based on the World Health Organization's 'Clean Care is Safer Care' initiative. We report the first results from a full year of data collection on hand hygiene compliance recorded with the help of a renewed observation tool. Data were based on submissions from 109 participating hospitals collected from 576 wards between January 1st and December 31st, 2014. The overall median compliance was 73%, ranging from 55% (10th percentile) to 89% (90th percentile). The results demonstrated only small differences between adult and non-adult intensive care units (ICUs) with neonatal ICUs and paediatric non-ICUs maintaining higher compliance than adult care units. Performance among nurses was better than physicians, and overall rates of hand hygiene performance were significantly higher after patient contact than before. Copyright © 2016 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reaction between drug substances and pharmaceutical excipients

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Jesper; Cornett, Claus; Jaroszewski, Jerzy Witold

2009-01-01

The reactivity of citric acid towards drug substances in the solid state was examined using the beta-blocker carvedilol as a model compound. The reaction mixtures were analysed by LC-MS, the reaction products were isolated by preparative HPLC, and the structures were elucidated by microprobe NMR...... spectroscopy. Heating a mixture of solid carvedilol and solid citric acid monohydrate for 96h at 50 degrees C resulted in the formation of about 3% of a symmetrical ester as well as of a number of other reaction products in smaller amounts. Formation of the symmetrical ester was also observed at room...... temperature. At 70 degrees C, the amounts of three isomeric esters formed reached 6-8%. The minor reaction products were citric acid amides, O-acetylcarvedilol, and esters of itaconic acid....

The Effect of Hand Dimensions, Hand Shape and Some Anthropometric Characteristics on Handgrip Strength in Male Grip Athletes and Non-Athletes

Science.gov (United States)

Fallahi, Ali Asghar; Jadidian, Ali Akbar

2011-01-01

It has been suggested that athletes with longer fingers and larger hand surfaces enjoy stronger grip power. Therefore, some researchers have examined a number of factors and anthropometric variables that explain this issue. To our knowledge, the data is scarce. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of hand dimensions, hand shape and some anthropometric characteristics on handgrip strength in male grip athletes and non-athletes. 80 subjects aged between 19 and 29 participated in this study in two groups including: national and collegian grip athletes (n=40), and non-athletes (n=40). Body height and mass were measured to calculate body mass index. The shape of the dominant hand was drawn on a piece of paper with a thin marker so that finger spans, finger lengths, and perimeters of the hand could be measured. The hand shape was estimated as the ratio of the hand width to hand length. Handgrip strength was measured in the dominant and non-dominant hand using a standard dynamometer. Descriptive statistics were used for each variable and independent t test was used to analyze the differences between the two groups. The Pearson correlation coefficient test was used to evaluate the correlation between studied variables. Also, to predict important variables in handgrip strength, the linear trend was assessed using a linear regression analysis. There was a significant difference between the two groups in absolute handgrip strength (p0.05) were significantly different between the groups (ptalent identification in handgrip-related sports and in clinical settings as well. PMID:23486361

Differences in pediatric vertical ground reaction force between planovalgus and neutrally aligned feet.

Science.gov (United States)

Pauk, Jolanta; Szymul, Joanna

2014-01-01

Ground reaction forces (GRF) reflect the force history of human body contact with the ground. The purpose of this study was to explore human gait abnormalities due to planovalgus by comparing vertical GRF data between individuals with planovalgus and those with neutrally aligned feet. Second we estimated associations between various measurements and vertical GRF parameters in a pediatric population. Boys and girls between the ages of 4 and 18 years (72 planovalgus feet and 74 neutrally aligned feet) took part in this study. Ground reaction forces were recorded by two Kistler platforms and normalized to body weight. Comparison of vertical GRF between planovalgus and neutrally aligned feet suggests that the first and the second peaks of vertical force (Fz1, Fz2) are most affected by planovalgus. The results also indicate that neutrally aligned feet display a different ground reaction force pattern than planovalgus, and that differences between boys and girls may be observed. The shape of the vertical GRF curve can help in clinical interpretation of abnormal gait.

Consumers' store choice behavior for fresh food

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Meulenberg, M.T.G.; Trijp, van J.C.M.

1991-01-01

Consumers' preference for fresh food stores is analyzed. In particular the choice between supermarkets and specialized shops for purchasing fresh food is analyzed. Attention is given to the factors influencing this choice. For this purpose a number of research questions with respect to store choice

Memory distorions resulting from a choice blindness task

OpenAIRE

Pärnamets, Philip; Hall, Lars; Johansson, Petter

2015-01-01

Using a choice blindness paradigm, it is possible to switch decisions and outcomes in simple choice tasks. Such switches have been found to carry over into later choices, hypothesized to be mediated by beliefs about earlier decisions. Here we investigated participants’ memories for stimuli in a simple choice blindness task involving preferential choices between pairs of faces. We probed participants’ recognition and source memory following a round of choices where on some trials participants ...

Choosing health, constrained choices.

Science.gov (United States)

Chee Khoon Chan

2009-12-01

In parallel with the neo-liberal retrenchment of the welfarist state, an increasing emphasis on the responsibility of individuals in managing their own affairs and their well-being has been evident. In the health arena for instance, this was a major theme permeating the UK government's White Paper Choosing Health: Making Healthy Choices Easier (2004), which appealed to an ethos of autonomy and self-actualization through activity and consumption which merited esteem. As a counterpoint to this growing trend of informed responsibilization, constrained choices (constrained agency) provides a useful framework for a judicious balance and sense of proportion between an individual behavioural focus and a focus on societal, systemic, and structural determinants of health and well-being. Constrained choices is also a conceptual bridge between responsibilization and population health which could be further developed within an integrative biosocial perspective one might refer to as the social ecology of health and disease.

Giving cognition a helping hand: the effect of congruent gestures on object name retrieval.

Science.gov (United States)

Pine, Karen J; Reeves, Lindsey; Howlett, Neil; Fletcher, Ben C

2013-02-01

The gestures that accompany speech are more than just arbitrary hand movements or communicative devices. They are simulated actions that can both prime and facilitate speech and cognition. This study measured participants' reaction times for naming degraded images of objects when simultaneously adopting a gesture that was either congruent with the target object, incongruent with it, and when not making any hand gesture. A within-subjects design was used, with participants (N= 122) naming 10 objects under each condition. Participants named the objects significantly faster when adopting a congruent gesture than when not gesturing at all. Adopting an incongruent gesture resulted in significantly slower naming times. The findings are discussed in the context of the intrapersonal cognitive and facilitatory effects of gestures and underline the relatedness between language, action, and cognition. © 2012 The British Psychological Society.

Hand-foot skin reaction with vascular endothelial growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors in cancer patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jing; Gu, Jian

2017-11-01

A meta-analysis was conducted to systematically review the risk of hand-foot skin reaction (HFSR) with vascular endothelial growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (VEGFR-TKIs) in patients with cancer. The relevant studies of the randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in cancer patients treated with VEGFR-TKIs were retrieved and the systematic evaluation was conducted. EMBASE, MEDLINE, and PubMed were searched for articles published till May 2017. Twenty-one RCTs and 9552 patients were included. The current analysis suggested that the use of VEGFR-TKIs increased the risk of all-grade HFSR (7.04;95%CI, 5.33-9.30;pcancer type, whereas the RR of high-grade HFSR did not. The risk of all-grade and high-grade HFSR did not affect by drug types, treatment line, median age and treatment duration. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Speed/accuracy trade-off between the habitual and the goal-directed processes.

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Mehdi Keramati

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Instrumental responses are hypothesized to be of two kinds: habitual and goal-directed, mediated by the sensorimotor and the associative cortico-basal ganglia circuits, respectively. The existence of the two heterogeneous associative learning mechanisms can be hypothesized to arise from the comparative advantages that they have at different stages of learning. In this paper, we assume that the goal-directed system is behaviourally flexible, but slow in choice selection. The habitual system, in contrast, is fast in responding, but inflexible in adapting its behavioural strategy to new conditions. Based on these assumptions and using the computational theory of reinforcement learning, we propose a normative model for arbitration between the two processes that makes an approximately optimal balance between search-time and accuracy in decision making. Behaviourally, the model can explain experimental evidence on behavioural sensitivity to outcome at the early stages of learning, but insensitivity at the later stages. It also explains that when two choices with equal incentive values are available concurrently, the behaviour remains outcome-sensitive, even after extensive training. Moreover, the model can explain choice reaction time variations during the course of learning, as well as the experimental observation that as the number of choices increases, the reaction time also increases. Neurobiologically, by assuming that phasic and tonic activities of midbrain dopamine neurons carry the reward prediction error and the average reward signals used by the model, respectively, the model predicts that whereas phasic dopamine indirectly affects behaviour through reinforcing stimulus-response associations, tonic dopamine can directly affect behaviour through manipulating the competition between the habitual and the goal-directed systems and thus, affect reaction time.

Revisiting the Reaction Between Diaminomaleonitrile and Aromatic Aldehydes: a Green Chemistry Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francisco León

2006-11-01

Full Text Available The reaction between diaminomaleonitrile (DAMN and aldehydes and the resulting monoimines are well known. Since the standard reaction conditions involve the use of toxic solvents (typically methanol, we have sought to apply green chemistry principles to this reaction by either using water as the solvent without any catalysts or employing “solvent-free” conditions. The monoimines derived from DAMN are of interest as precursors for obtaining different heterocyclic systems and linear polymers. The methodologies used have significant advantages with regards to cost and environmental considerations.

A Theoretical Analysis of the Reaction Between Ethyl and Molecular Oxygen

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Miller, James A; Klippenstein, Stephen J; Robertson, Struan H

2000-01-01

Using a combination of electronic-structure theory, variational transition-state theory, and solutions to the time-dependent master equation, we have studied the kinetics of the reaction between ethyl...

Trabecular bone structure correlates with hand posture and use in hominoids.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zewdi J Tsegai

Full Text Available Bone is capable of adapting during life in response to stress. Therefore, variation in locomotor and manipulative behaviours across extant hominoids may be reflected in differences in trabecular bone structure. The hand is a promising region for trabecular analysis, as it is the direct contact between the individual and the environment and joint positions at peak loading vary amongst extant hominoids. Building upon traditional volume of interest-based analyses, we apply a whole-epiphysis analytical approach using high-resolution microtomographic scans of the hominoid third metacarpal to investigate whether trabecular structure reflects differences in hand posture and loading in knuckle-walking (Gorilla, Pan, suspensory (Pongo, Hylobates and Symphalangus and manipulative (Homo taxa. Additionally, a comparative phylogenetic method was used to analyse rates of evolutionary changes in trabecular parameters. Results demonstrate that trabecular bone volume distribution and regions of greatest stiffness (i.e., Young's modulus correspond with predicted loading of the hand in each behavioural category. In suspensory and manipulative taxa, regions of high bone volume and greatest stiffness are concentrated on the palmar or distopalmar regions of the metacarpal head, whereas knuckle-walking taxa show greater bone volume and stiffness throughout the head, and particularly in the dorsal region; patterns that correspond with the highest predicted joint reaction forces. Trabecular structure in knuckle-walking taxa is characterised by high bone volume fraction and a high degree of anisotropy in contrast to the suspensory brachiators. Humans, in which the hand is used primarily for manipulation, have a low bone volume fraction and a variable degree of anisotropy. Finally, when trabecular parameters are mapped onto a molecular-based phylogeny, we show that the rates of change in trabecular structure vary across the hominoid clade. Our results support a link

Measuring agreement between cervical vertebrae and hand-wrist maturation in determining skeletal age: reassessing the theory in patients with short stature.

Science.gov (United States)

Danaei, Shahla Momeni; Karamifar, Amirali; Sardarian, Ahmadreza; Shahidi, Shoaleh; Karamifar, Hamdollah; Alipour, Abbas; Ghodsi Boushehri, Sahar

2014-09-01

The objective of this study was to determine the degree of agreement between hand-wrist radiography and cervical vertebral maturation analysis in patients diagnosed with short stature. A cross-sectional study was designed; 178 patients (90 girls, 88 boys) diagnosed with short stature and seeking treatment were selected. The patients were divided into 2 groups (76 with familial short stature, 102 with nonfamilial short stature). Hand-wrist and lateral cephalometric radiographs were obtained from the patients. The hand-wrist radiographs were analyzed using the Fishman method, and the lateral cephalometric views were categorized according to the method of Hassel and Farman. The degree of agreement between the 2 methods of predicting skeletal maturation was measured by calculating the contingency coefficient and the weighted kappa statistic. A high degree of agreement was observed between the 2 methods of analyzing skeletal maturation. It was also observed that agreement was higher in girls in the familial short-stature group, whereas boys had higher agreement in the nonfamilial short-stature group. Cervical vertebral maturation can be a valuable substitute for hand-wrist radiography in patients with short stature. Copyright © 2014 American Association of Orthodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Development and implementation of a three-choice serial reaction time task for zebrafish (Danio rerio).

Science.gov (United States)

Parker, Matthew O; Millington, Mollie E; Combe, Fraser J; Brennan, Caroline H

2012-02-01

Zebrafish are an established and widely utilized developmental genetic model system, but limitations in developed behavioral assays have meant that their potential as a model in behavioral neuroscience has yet to be fully realized. Here, we describe the development of a novel operant behavioral assay to examine a variety of aspects of stimulus control in zebrafish using a 3 choice serial reaction time task (3 CSRTT). Fish were briefly exposed to three spatially distinct, but perceptually identical stimuli, presented in a random order after a fixed-time inter-trial interval (ITI). Entries to the correct response aperture either during the stimulus presentation, or within a brief limited hold period following presentation, were reinforced with illumination of the magazine light and delivery of a small food reward. Following training, premature responding was probed with a long-ITI session three times; once at baseline, once following a saline injection and once following an injection of a low dose of amphetamine (AMPH; 0.025 mg/kg). We predicted that if premature responding was related to impulsivity (as in rodents) it would be reduced following the AMPH injection. Results confirmed that zebrafish could learn to perform a complex operant task similar to tasks developed for rodents which are used to probe sustained attention and impulsivity, but the results from the AMPH trials were inconclusive. This study provides the foundations for development and further validation of this species as a model for some aspects of human attentional and impulse control disorders, such as substance abuse disorder. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sad Facial Expressions Increase Choice Blindness

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Yajie Wang

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Previous studies have discovered a fascinating phenomenon known as choice blindness—individuals fail to detect mismatches between the face they choose and the face replaced by the experimenter. Although previous studies have reported a couple of factors that can modulate the magnitude of choice blindness, the potential effect of facial expression on choice blindness has not yet been explored. Using faces with sad and neutral expressions (Experiment 1 and faces with happy and neutral expressions (Experiment 2 in the classic choice blindness paradigm, the present study investigated the effects of facial expressions on choice blindness. The results showed that the detection rate was significantly lower on sad faces than neutral faces, whereas no significant difference was observed between happy faces and neutral faces. The exploratory analysis of verbal reports found that participants who reported less facial features for sad (as compared to neutral expressions also tended to show a lower detection rate of sad (as compared to neutral faces. These findings indicated that sad facial expressions increased choice blindness, which might have resulted from inhibition of further processing of the detailed facial features by the less attractive sad expressions (as compared to neutral expressions.

Sad Facial Expressions Increase Choice Blindness.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yajie; Zhao, Song; Zhang, Zhijie; Feng, Wenfeng

2017-01-01

Previous studies have discovered a fascinating phenomenon known as choice blindness-individuals fail to detect mismatches between the face they choose and the face replaced by the experimenter. Although previous studies have reported a couple of factors that can modulate the magnitude of choice blindness, the potential effect of facial expression on choice blindness has not yet been explored. Using faces with sad and neutral expressions (Experiment 1) and faces with happy and neutral expressions (Experiment 2) in the classic choice blindness paradigm, the present study investigated the effects of facial expressions on choice blindness. The results showed that the detection rate was significantly lower on sad faces than neutral faces, whereas no significant difference was observed between happy faces and neutral faces. The exploratory analysis of verbal reports found that participants who reported less facial features for sad (as compared to neutral) expressions also tended to show a lower detection rate of sad (as compared to neutral) faces. These findings indicated that sad facial expressions increased choice blindness, which might have resulted from inhibition of further processing of the detailed facial features by the less attractive sad expressions (as compared to neutral expressions).

Insights into the mechanisms on chemical reactions: reaction paths for chemical reactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dunning, T.H. Jr.; Rosen, E.; Eades, R.A.

1987-01-01

We report reaction paths for two prototypical chemical reactions: Li + HF, an electron transfer reaction, and OH + H 2 , an abstraction reaction. In the first reaction we consider the connection between the energetic terms in the reaction path Hamiltonian and the electronic changes which occur upon reaction. In the second reaction we consider the treatment of vibrational effects in chemical reactions in the reaction path formalism. 30 refs., 9 figs

A real-time vision-based hand gesture interaction system for virtual EAST

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, K.R.; Xiao, B.J.; Xia, J.Y.; Li, Dan; Luo, W.L.

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Hand gesture interaction is first introduced to EAST model interaction. • We can interact with EAST model by a bared hand and a web camera. • We can interact with EAST model with a distance to screen. • Interaction is free, direct and effective. - Abstract: The virtual Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak device (VEAST) is a very complicated 3D model, to interact with which, the traditional interaction devices are limited and inefficient. However, with the development of human-computer interaction (HCI), the hand gesture interaction has become a much popular choice in recent years. In this paper, we propose a real-time vision-based hand gesture interaction system for VEAST. By using one web camera, we can use our bare hand to interact with VEAST at a certain distance, which proves to be more efficient and direct than mouse. The system is composed of four modules: initialization, hand gesture recognition, interaction control and system settings. The hand gesture recognition method is based on codebook (CB) background modeling and open finger counting. Firstly, we build a background model with CB algorithm. Then, we segment the hand region by detecting skin color regions with “elliptical boundary model” in CbCr flat of YCbCr color space. Open finger which is used as a key feature of gesture can be tracked by an improved curvature-based method. Based on the method, we define nine gestures for interaction control of VEAST. Finally, we design a test to demonstrate effectiveness of our system.

A real-time vision-based hand gesture interaction system for virtual EAST

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, K.R., E-mail: wangkr@mail.ustc.edu.cn [Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui (China); University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui (China); Xiao, B.J.; Xia, J.Y. [Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui (China); University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui (China); Li, Dan [Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui (China); Luo, W.L. [709th Research Institute, Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (China)

2016-11-15

Highlights: • Hand gesture interaction is first introduced to EAST model interaction. • We can interact with EAST model by a bared hand and a web camera. • We can interact with EAST model with a distance to screen. • Interaction is free, direct and effective. - Abstract: The virtual Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak device (VEAST) is a very complicated 3D model, to interact with which, the traditional interaction devices are limited and inefficient. However, with the development of human-computer interaction (HCI), the hand gesture interaction has become a much popular choice in recent years. In this paper, we propose a real-time vision-based hand gesture interaction system for VEAST. By using one web camera, we can use our bare hand to interact with VEAST at a certain distance, which proves to be more efficient and direct than mouse. The system is composed of four modules: initialization, hand gesture recognition, interaction control and system settings. The hand gesture recognition method is based on codebook (CB) background modeling and open finger counting. Firstly, we build a background model with CB algorithm. Then, we segment the hand region by detecting skin color regions with “elliptical boundary model” in CbCr flat of YCbCr color space. Open finger which is used as a key feature of gesture can be tracked by an improved curvature-based method. Based on the method, we define nine gestures for interaction control of VEAST. Finally, we design a test to demonstrate effectiveness of our system.

Investigations of chemical reactions between U-Zr alloy and FBR cladding materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishii, Tetsuya; Ukai, Shigeharu

2005-07-01

U-Pu-Zr alloys are candidate materials for commercial FBR fuel. However, informations about chemical reactions with cladding materials developed by JNC for commercial FBR have not been well obtained. In this work, the reaction zones formed in four diffusion couples U-10wt.%Zr/PNC-FMS, U-10wt.%Zr/9Cr-ODS, U-10wt.%Zr/12Cr-ODS, and U-10wt.%Zr/Fe at about 1013K have been examined and following results were obtained. 1) At about 1013K, in the U-10wt.%Zr/Fe couple, the liquid phase zones were obtained. In the other couples U-10wt.%Zr/PNC-FMS, U-10wt.%Zr/9Cr-ODS and U-10wt.%Zr/12Cr-ODS, no liquid phase zones were obtained. The obtained chemical reaction zones in the later 3 couples were similar to the reported ones obtained in U-Zr/Fe couples without liquid phase formation. In comparison with the reaction zones obtained in the U-10wt.%Zr/Fe couple, the reaction zones inside cladding materials obtained in the PNC-FMS, 9Cr-ODS, and 12Cr-ODS couples were thin. 2) From the investigations of relationship between the obtained depths of the chemical reaction zones inside cladding materials and composition of the cladding materials, it was considered that the depth of chemical reaction zone would depend on the Cr content of the cladding materials and the depth would decrease with increasing Cr content, resulting in prevention of liquid phase formation. 3) From the investigations of the mechanisms of chemical reactions between U-Pu-Zr/cladding materials, it was considered that the same effect of Cr obtained in the U-Zr/cladding materials would be expected in U-Pu-Zr/cladding materials. Those seemed to indicate that the threshold temperatures of liquid phase formation for U-Pu-Zr/PNC-FMS, U-Pu-Zr/9Cr-ODS, and U-Pu-Zr/12Cr-ODS might be higher than that for U-Pu-Zr/Fe. (author)

The natural angle between the hand and handle and the effect of handle orientation on wrist radial/ulnar deviation during maximal push exertions.

Science.gov (United States)

Young, Justin G; Lin, Jia-Hua; Chang, Chien-Chi; McGorry, Raymond W

2013-01-01

The purpose of this experiment was to quantify the natural angle between the hand and a handle, and to investigate three design factors: handle rotation, handle tilt and between-handle width on the natural angle as well as resultant wrist radial/ulnar deviation ('RUD') for pushing tasks. Photographs taken of the right upper limb of 31 participants (14 women and 17 men) performing maximal seated push exertions on different handles were analysed. Natural hand/handle angle and RUD were assessed. It was found that all of the three design factors significantly affected natural handle angle and wrist RUD, but participant gender did not. The natural angle between the hand and the cylindrical handle was 65 ± 7°. Wrist deviation was reduced for handles that were rotated 0° (horizontal) and at the narrow width (31 cm). Handles that were tilted forward 15° reduced radial deviation consistently (12-13°) across handle conditions. Manual materials handling (MMH) tasks involving pushing have been related to increased risk of musculoskeletal injury. This study shows that handle orientation influences hand and wrist posture during pushing, and suggests that the design of push handles on carts and other MMH aids can be improved by adjusting their orientation to fit the natural interface between the hand and handle.

Health concern, food choice motives, and attitudes toward healthy eating: the mediating role of food choice motives.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Yu-Hua Christine

2008-07-01

This study addresses how various health concerns might influence not only consumers' food choice motives but also consumers' subsequent attitudes toward healthy eating. This study expects that those consumers with greater health concerns would have different food choice motives and better attitudes toward healthy eating. A self-completion questionnaire was used to gather information. Participants, a random sample of 500 undergraduate students from a national university in Taipei, Taiwan, provided a total of 456 usable questionnaires, representing a valid response rate of 91%. The average age of the respondents at the time of the survey was 21 years and 63% of respondents were females. The relationship between health concern and healthy eating attitudes was confirmed. The relationship between health concern of developing diseases and attitudes toward healthy eating was fully mediated by food choice motives. However, the relationship between calorie consumption health concern and healthy eating attitudes was only partially mediated by food choice motives. Implications of these findings are discussed.

The differences in postural reactions between scoliosis and scoliotic posture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jacek Wilczyński

2017-05-01

Full Text Available The aim of the research was to demonstrate the differences in amplitudes of postural reactions in girls with scoliotic posture and idiopathic scoliosis. 28 girls aged 7-18 years old were involved in the study. Children attended to the Interschool Centre of Corrective Exercises in Starachowice. The research was conducted in June 2011. Spine research was made by Exhibeon digital radiography. Based on the size of the angle of spinal curvature there were identified: scoliotic posture: 1-9° and scoliosis: ≥10°. Postural reactions were examined by static-dynamic Tecnobody’s ST 310 Plus Stability System platform. There were 21 (75% children with scoliotic posture, and 7 (25% with idiopathic scoliosis. Student's t-test showed a significantly higher postural reactions for scoliosis in relation to scoliotic postures in case of: Average Forward-Backward Speed (OE, (p=0,05, Medium-Lateral Standard Deviation X (CE, (p=0,002, and Ellipse area (CE, (p=0,012. To verify the significant differences, demonstrating the lack of homogeneity of variance, the Mann–Whitney U-test has been used, which showed a significant differences between the scoliotic posture and scoliosis in case of: Medium-Lateral Standard Deviation X (CE, (p=0,0012, Average Forward-Backward Speed (OE, (p=0,0548, and Ellipse area (CE (p=0,0047. Together with an increase of the angle of curvature, the value of these postural reactions also grew. Most of postural reactions didn’t fit the norm.

Does framing the hot hand belief change decision-making behavior in volleyball?

Science.gov (United States)

Raab, Markus; MacMahon, Clare

2015-06-01

Previous discussions of the hot hand belief, wherein athletes believe that they have a greater chance of scoring after 2 or 3 hits (successes) compared with 2 or 3 misses, have focused on whether this is the case within game statistics. Researchers have argued that the perception of the hot hand in random sequences is a bias of the cognitive system. Yet most have failed to explore the impact of framing on the stability of the belief and the behavior based on it. The authors conducted 2 studies that manipulated the frame of a judgment task. In Study 1, framing was manipulated via instructions in a playmaker allocation paradigm in volleyball. In Study 2, the frame was manipulated by presenting videos for allocation decisions from either the actor or observer perspective. Both manipulations changed the hot hand belief and sequential choices. We found in both studies that the belief in continuation of positive or negative streaks is nonlinear and allocations to the same player after 3 successive hits are reduced. The authors argue that neither the hot hand belief nor hot hand behavior is stable, but rather, both are sensitive to decision frames. The results can inform coaches on the importance of how to provide information to athletes.

The right inhibition? Callosal correlates of hand performance in healthy children and adolescents callosal correlates of hand performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Kurth, Florian; Mayer, Emeran A; Toga, Arthur W; Thompson, Paul M; Luders, Eileen

2013-09-01

Numerous studies suggest that interhemispheric inhibition-relayed via the corpus callosum-plays an important role in unilateral hand motions. Interestingly, transcallosal inhibition appears to be indicative of a strong laterality effect, where generally the dominant hemisphere exerts inhibition on the nondominant one. These effects have been largely identified through functional studies in adult populations, but links between motor performance and callosal structure (especially during sensitive periods of neurodevelopment) remain largely unknown. We therefore investigated correlations between Purdue Pegboard performance (a test of motor function) and local callosal thickness in 170 right-handed children and adolescents (mean age: 11.5 ± 3.4 years; range, 6-17 years). Better task performance with the right (dominant) hand was associated with greater callosal thickness in isthmus and posterior midbody. Task performance using both hands yielded smaller and less significant correlations in the same regions, while task performance using the left (nondominant) hand showed no significant correlations with callosal thickness. There were no significant interactions with age and sex. These links between motor performance and callosal structure may constitute the neural correlate of interhemispheric inhibition, which is thought to be necessary for fast and complex unilateral motions and to be biased towards the dominant hand. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., a Wiley company.

Vibrationally Excited Carbon Monoxide Produced via a Chemical Reaction Between Carbon Vapor and Oxygen

Science.gov (United States)

Jans, Elijah R.; Eckert, Zakari; Frederickson, Kraig; Rich, Bill; Adamovich, Igor V.

2017-06-01

Measurements of the vibrational distribution function of carbon monoxide produced via a reaction between carbon vapor and molecular oxygen has shown a total population inversion on vibrational levels 4-7. Carbon vapor, produced using an arc discharge to sublimate graphite, is mixed with an argon oxygen flow. The excited carbon monoxide is vibrationally populated up to level v=14, at low temperatures, T=400-450 K, in a collision-dominated environment, 15-20 Torr, with total population inversions between v=4-7. The average vibrational energy per CO molecule formed by the reaction is 0.6-1.2 eV/molecule, which corresponds to 10-20% of the reaction enthalpy. Kinetic modeling of the flow reactor, including state specific vibrational processes, was performed to infer the vibrational distribution of the products of the reaction. The results show viability of developing of a new chemical CO laser from the reaction of carbon vapor and oxygen.

Reaction between uranium hexafluoride and trimethylsilylhalides

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brown, D; Berry, J A [UKAEA Atomic Energy Research Establishment, Harwell. Chemistry Div.; Holloway, J H; Staunton, G M [Leicester Univ. (UK). Dept. of Chemistry

1938-07-01

Reactions involving 1.1:1 molar ratios of uranium hexafluoride to either trimethylsilylchloride or trimethylsilylbromide in halocarbon solutions yield ..beta..-UF/sub 5/ at room temperature. With 2 mol equivalents of trimethylsilylchloride the product is UF/sub 4/. The reactions appear to proceed via the intermediate formation of unstable brown uranium(VI) chloride and bromide fluorides. Calculations show that UClF/sub 5/ and UCl/sub 2/F/sub 4/ are thermodynamically unstable with respect to the loss of chlorine at room temperature.

Tin-free enantioselective radical reactions using silanes.

Science.gov (United States)

Sibi, Mukund P; Yang, Yong-Hua; Lee, Sunggi

2008-12-04

Readily available hexyl silane is an excellent choice as a H-atom donor and a chain carrier in Lewis acid mediated enantioselective radical reactions. Conjugate radical additions to alpha,beta-unsaturated imides at room temperature proceed in good yields and excellent enantioselectivities.

The Role of Psychological Stress Reactions in the Longitudinal Relation Between Workplace Bullying and Turnover.

Science.gov (United States)

Nabe-Nielsen, Kirsten; Grynderup, Matias Brødsgaard; Conway, Paul Maurice; Clausen, Thomas; Bonde, Jens Peter; Garde, Anne Helene; Hogh, Annie; Kaerlev, Linda; Török, Eszter; Hansen, Åse Marie

2017-07-01

To investigate the association between workplace bullying and change of job/unemployment, and to investigate whether psychological stress reactions constitute a potential pathway linking workplace bullying and change of job/unemployment. We used questionnaire data on workplace bullying and psychological stress reactions and register data on change of job/unemployment. We applied a multiple pathway approach to estimate the proportion of the association between workplace bullying and subsequent change of job/unemployment that was potentially mediated by psychological stress reactions. Workplace bullying was associated with risk of change of job (odds ratio [OR] = 1.35; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.06-1.72; 24% potentially mediated by psychological stress reactions) and unemployment (OR = 4.90; 95% CI: 3.18-7.55; 19% potentially mediated by psychological stress reactions). Workplace bullying has important consequences for labor market outcomes. Psychological stress reactions may play a vital role in this process.

A model for void-induced back reaction between radiolytic products in NaCl

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Turkin, A.A.; Dubinko, V.I.; Vainshtein, D.I.; Hartog, H.W. den

A kinetic model is formulated for the chemical reaction between radiolytic sodium colloids and gas bubbles, which are brought into contact with each other during the exposure to ionising radiation by the growing voids. The reaction starts with the evaporation of Na atoms into the void due to the