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  1. Decoder calibration with ultra small current sample set for intracortical brain-machine interface

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Peng; Ma, Xuan; Chen, Luyao; Zhou, Jin; Wang, Changyong; Li, Wei; He, Jiping

    2018-04-01

    Objective. Intracortical brain-machine interfaces (iBMIs) aim to restore efficient communication and movement ability for paralyzed patients. However, frequent recalibration is required for consistency and reliability, and every recalibration will require relatively large most current sample set. The aim in this study is to develop an effective decoder calibration method that can achieve good performance while minimizing recalibration time. Approach. Two rhesus macaques implanted with intracortical microelectrode arrays were trained separately on movement and sensory paradigm. Neural signals were recorded to decode reaching positions or grasping postures. A novel principal component analysis-based domain adaptation (PDA) method was proposed to recalibrate the decoder with only ultra small current sample set by taking advantage of large historical data, and the decoding performance was compared with other three calibration methods for evaluation. Main results. The PDA method closed the gap between historical and current data effectively, and made it possible to take advantage of large historical data for decoder recalibration in current data decoding. Using only ultra small current sample set (five trials of each category), the decoder calibrated using the PDA method could achieve much better and more robust performance in all sessions than using other three calibration methods in both monkeys. Significance. (1) By this study, transfer learning theory was brought into iBMIs decoder calibration for the first time. (2) Different from most transfer learning studies, the target data in this study were ultra small sample set and were transferred to the source data. (3) By taking advantage of historical data, the PDA method was demonstrated to be effective in reducing recalibration time for both movement paradigm and sensory paradigm, indicating a viable generalization. By reducing the demand for large current training data, this new method may facilitate the application

  2. Perspectives on setting limits for RF contact currents: a commentary.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tell, Richard A; Tell, Christopher A

    2018-01-15

    Limits for exposure to radiofrequency (RF) contact currents are specified in the two dominant RF safety standards and guidelines developed by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP). These limits are intended to prevent RF burns when contacting RF energized objects caused by high local tissue current densities. We explain what contact currents are and review some history of the relevant limits with an emphasis on so-called "touch" contacts, i.e., contact between a person and a contact current source during touch via a very small contact area. Contact current limits were originally set on the basis of controlling the specific absorption rate resulting from the current flowing through regions of small conductive cross section within the body, such as the wrist or ankle. More recently, contact currents have been based on thresholds of perceived heating. In the latest standard from the IEEE developed for NATO, contact currents have been based on two research studies in which thresholds for perception of thermal warmth or thermal pain have been measured. Importantly, these studies maximized conductive contact between the subject and the contact current source. This factor was found to dominate the response to heating wherein high resistance contact, such as from dry skin, can result in local heating many times that from a highly conductive contact. Other factors such as electrode size and shape, frequency of the current and the physical force associated with contact are found to introduce uncertainty in threshold values when comparing data across multiple studies. Relying on studies in which the contact current is minimized for a given threshold does not result in conservative protection limits. Future efforts to develop limits on contact currents should include consideration of (1) the basis for the limits (perception, pain, tissue damage); (2) understanding of the

  3. Influence of Tube Current Settings on Diagnostic Detection of Root Fractures Using Cone-beam Computed Tomography: An In Vitro Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tangari-Meira, Ricardo; Vancetto, José Ricardo; Dovigo, Lívia Nordi; Tosoni, Guilherme Monteiro

    2017-10-01

    This study assessed the influence of tube current settings (milliamperes [mA]) on the diagnostic detection of root fractures (RFs) using cone-beam computed tomographic (CBCT) imaging. Sixty-eight human anterior and posterior teeth were submitted to root canal preparation, and 34 root canals were filled. The teeth were divided into 2 groups: the control group and the fractured group. RFs were induced using a universal mechanical testing machine; afterward, the teeth were placed in a phantom. Images were acquired using a Scanora 3DX unit (Soredex, Tuusula, Finland) with 5 different mA settings: 4.0, 5.0, 6.3, 8.0, and 10.0. Two examiners (E1 and E2) classified the images according to a 5-point confidence scale. Intra- and interexaminer reproducibility was assessed using the kappa statistic; diagnostic performance was assessed using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC). Intra- and interexaminer reproducibility showed substantial (κE1 = 0.791 and κE2 = 0.695) and moderate (κE1 × E2 = 0.545) agreement, respectively. AUROC was significantly higher (P ≤ .0389) at 8.0 and 10.0 mA and showed no statistical difference between the 2 tube current settings. Tube current has a significant influence on the diagnostic detection of RFs in CBCT images. Despite the acceptable diagnosis of RFs using 4.0 and 5.0 mA, those settings had lower discrimination abilities when compared with settings of 8.0 and 10.0 mA. Copyright © 2017 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Data fusion analysis of a surface direct-current resistivity and well pick data set

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Clayton, E.A.; Lewis, R.E.

    1995-09-01

    Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) has been tasked with testing, debugging, and refining the Hanford Site data fusion workstation (DFW), with the assistance of Coleman Research Corporation (CRC), before delivering the DFW to the environmental restoration client at the Hanford Site. Data fusion is the mathematical combination (or fusion) of disparate data sets into a single interpretation. The data fusion software used in this study was developed by CRC. This report discusses the results of evaluating a surface direct-current (dc) resistivity and well-pick data set using two methods: data fusion technology and commercially available software (i.e., RESIX Plus from Interpex Ltd., Golden, Colorado), the conventional method of analysis. The report compares the two technologies; describes the survey, procedures, and results; and includes conclusions and recommendations. The surface dc resistivity and well-pick data set had been acquired by PNL from a study performed in May 1993 at Eielson Air Force Base near Fairbanks, Alaska. The resistivity survey data were acquired to map the top of permafrost in support of a hydrogeologic study. This data set provided an excellent opportunity to test and refine the dc resistivity capabilities of the DFW; previously, the data fusion software was untested on dc resistivity data. The DFW was used to evaluate the dc resistivity survey data and to produce a 3-dimensional earth model of the study area

  5. Bin Set 1 Calcine Retrieval Feasibility Study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Adams, R.D.; Berry, S.M.; Galloway, K.J.; Langenwalter, T.A.; Lopez, D.A.; Noakes, C.M.; Peterson, H.K.; Pope, M.I.; Turk, R.J.

    1999-01-01

    At the Department of Energy's Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center, as an interim waste management measure, both mixed high-level liquid waste and sodium bearing waste have been solidified by a calculation process and are stored in the Calcine Solids Storage Facilities. This calcined product will eventually be treated to allow final disposal in a national geologic repository. The Calcine Solids Storage Facilities comprise seven ''bit sets.'' Bin Set 1, the first to be constructed, was completed in 1959, and has been in service since 1963. It is the only bin set that does not meet current safe-shutdown earthquake seismic criteria. In addition, it is the only bin set that lacks built-in features to aid in calcine retrieval. One option to alleviate the seismic compliance issue is to transport the calcine from Bin Set 1 to another bin set which has the required capacity and which is seismically qualified. This report studies the feasibility of retrieving the calcine from Bi n Set 1 and transporting it into Bin Set 6 which is located approximately 650 feet away. Because Bin Set 1 was not designed for calcine retrieval, and because of the high radiation levels and potential contamination spread from the calcined material, this is a challenging engineering task. This report presents preconceptual design studies for remotely-operated, low-density, pneumatic vacuum retrieval and transport systems and equipment that are based on past work performed by the Raytheon Engineers and Constructors architectural engineering firm. The designs presented are considered feasible; however, future development work will be needed in several areas during the subsequent conceptual design phase

  6. Bin Set 1 Calcine Retrieval Feasibility Study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    R. D. Adams; S. M. Berry; K. J. Galloway; T. A. Langenwalter; D. A. Lopez; C. M. Noakes; H. K. Peterson; M. I. Pope; R. J. Turk

    1999-10-01

    At the Department of Energy's Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center, as an interim waste management measure, both mixed high-level liquid waste and sodium bearing waste have been solidified by a calculation process and are stored in the Calcine Solids Storage Facilities. This calcined product will eventually be treated to allow final disposal in a national geologic repository. The Calcine Solids Storage Facilities comprise seven ''bit sets.'' Bin Set 1, the first to be constructed, was completed in 1959, and has been in service since 1963. It is the only bin set that does not meet current safe-shutdown earthquake seismic criteria. In addition, it is the only bin set that lacks built-in features to aid in calcine retrieval. One option to alleviate the seismic compliance issue is to transport the calcine from Bin Set 1 to another bin set which has the required capacity and which is seismically qualified. This report studies the feasibility of retrieving the calcine from Bi n Set 1 and transporting it into Bin Set 6 which is located approximately 650 feet away. Because Bin Set 1 was not designed for calcine retrieval, and because of the high radiation levels and potential contamination spread from the calcined material, this is a challenging engineering task. This report presents preconceptual design studies for remotely-operated, low-density, pneumatic vacuum retrieval and transport systems and equipment that are based on past work performed by the Raytheon Engineers and Constructors architectural engineering firm. The designs presented are considered feasible; however, future development work will be needed in several areas during the subsequent conceptual design phase.

  7. Goal setting practice in chronic low back pain. What is current practice and is it affected by beliefs and attitudes?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gardner, Tania; Refshauge, Kathryn; McAuley, James; Hübscher, Markus; Goodall, Stephen; Smith, Lorraine

    2018-01-18

    Goal setting, led by the patient, is promising as an effective treatment for the management of chronic low back pain (CLBP); however, little is known about current practice. The aims of the study were to explore (1) current goal setting practice in CLBP among physiotherapists; (2) perceived barriers to goal setting in CLBP; and (3) relationship between clinician's attitudes and beliefs and goal setting practice. A cross-sectional observational survey. The majority of respondents used goal setting with the main aim of facilitating self-management. The greatest number of goals were set with 50% therapist/50% patient involvement. The most common perceived barriers to goal setting related to time constraints and lack of skill and confidence. A higher biomedical score for treatment orientation of the therapist was associated with a lower patient involvement score. Goal setting is common practice for CLBP and is perceived as a high priority. It is more often a collaboration between therapist and patient rather than patient-led with treatment orientation of the physiotherapist a predictor of patient involvement. Education of healthcare professionals needs to include better understanding of chronic pain to orient them away from a biomedical treatment approach, as well as to enhance skills in facilitating patient involvement in goal setting.

  8. CURRENT STUDY ON THE FUNDING SOURCES COVERAGE OF CURRENT ASSETS TO COMPANIES LISTED ON THE BUCHAREST STOCK EXCHANGE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Teodor HADA

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents issues about the coverage with financing sources of current assets for 64 companies listed on the Bucharest Stock Exchange. The aim of the study is to see how to calculate indicators specific to current assets and the general framework offered as whole analysis of the financing sources of current assets. The introduction of the paper presents the objective, the research methodology and the novelties brought by this study. Further on, this study shows the various views of the authors about the concept of "current assets", financing sources of current assets, the calculation of net working capital, setting the limits of the normal working capital and determining the speed of rotation. After that was done, based on the theory, a case study was performed, for companies covered in this study. Conclusions focused on determining the final data about what was detailed in the previous paragraphs.

  9. Current-voltage curves for molecular junctions computed using all-electron basis sets

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bauschlicher, Charles W.; Lawson, John W.

    2006-01-01

    We present current-voltage (I-V) curves computed using all-electron basis sets on the conducting molecule. The all-electron results are very similar to previous results obtained using effective core potentials (ECP). A hybrid integration scheme is used that keeps the all-electron calculations cost competitive with respect to the ECP calculations. By neglecting the coupling of states to the contacts below a fixed energy cutoff, the density matrix for the core electrons can be evaluated analytically. The full density matrix is formed by adding this core contribution to the valence part that is evaluated numerically. Expanding the definition of the core in the all-electron calculations significantly reduces the computational effort and, up to biases of about 2 V, the results are very similar to those obtained using more rigorous approaches. The convergence of the I-V curves and transmission coefficients with respect to basis set is discussed. The addition of diffuse functions is critical in approaching basis set completeness

  10. The Current Mind-Set of Federal Information Security Decision-Makers on the Value of Governance: An Informative Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stroup, Jay Walter

    2014-01-01

    Understanding the mind-set or perceptions of organizational leaders and decision-makers is important to ascertaining the trends and priorities in policy and governance of the organization. This study finds that a significant shift in the mind-set of government IT and information security leaders has started and will likely result in placing a…

  11. Current Research Studies

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Success Home > Explore Research > Current Research Studies Current Research Studies Email Print + Share The Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation ... conducted online. Learn more about IBD Partners. Clinical Research Alliance The Clinical Research Alliance is a network ...

  12. Social Set Analysis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vatrapu, Ravi; Mukkamala, Raghava Rao; Hussain, Abid

    2016-01-01

    , conceptual and formal models of social data, and an analytical framework for combining big social data sets with organizational and societal data sets. Three empirical studies of big social data are presented to illustrate and demonstrate social set analysis in terms of fuzzy set-theoretical sentiment...... automata and agent-based modeling). However, when it comes to organizational and societal units of analysis, there exists no approach to conceptualize, model, analyze, explain, and predict social media interactions as individuals' associations with ideas, values, identities, and so on. To address...... analysis, crisp set-theoretical interaction analysis, and event-studies-oriented set-theoretical visualizations. Implications for big data analytics, current limitations of the set-theoretical approach, and future directions are outlined....

  13. Basic priority rating model 2.0: current applications for priority setting in health promotion practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Neiger, Brad L; Thackeray, Rosemary; Fagen, Michael C

    2011-03-01

    Priority setting is an important component of systematic planning in health promotion and also factors into the development of a comprehensive evaluation plan. The basic priority rating (BPR) model was introduced more than 50 years ago and includes criteria that should be considered in any priority setting approach (i.e., use of predetermined criteria, standardized comparisons, and a rubric that controls bias). Although the BPR model has provided basic direction in priority setting, it does not represent the broad array of data currently available to decision makers. Elements in the model also give more weight to the impact of communicable diseases compared with chronic diseases. For these reasons, several modifications are recommended to improve the BPR model and to better assist health promotion practitioners in the priority setting process. The authors also suggest a new name, BPR 2.0, to represent this revised model.

  14. Using the gene ontology to scan multilevel gene sets for associations in genome wide association studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schaid, Daniel J; Sinnwell, Jason P; Jenkins, Gregory D; McDonnell, Shannon K; Ingle, James N; Kubo, Michiaki; Goss, Paul E; Costantino, Joseph P; Wickerham, D Lawrence; Weinshilboum, Richard M

    2012-01-01

    Gene-set analyses have been widely used in gene expression studies, and some of the developed methods have been extended to genome wide association studies (GWAS). Yet, complications due to linkage disequilibrium (LD) among single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), and variable numbers of SNPs per gene and genes per gene-set, have plagued current approaches, often leading to ad hoc "fixes." To overcome some of the current limitations, we developed a general approach to scan GWAS SNP data for both gene-level and gene-set analyses, building on score statistics for generalized linear models, and taking advantage of the directed acyclic graph structure of the gene ontology when creating gene-sets. However, other types of gene-set structures can be used, such as the popular Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG). Our approach combines SNPs into genes, and genes into gene-sets, but assures that positive and negative effects of genes on a trait do not cancel. To control for multiple testing of many gene-sets, we use an efficient computational strategy that accounts for LD and provides accurate step-down adjusted P-values for each gene-set. Application of our methods to two different GWAS provide guidance on the potential strengths and weaknesses of our proposed gene-set analyses. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  15. Fuzzy-Set Case Studies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mikkelsen, Kim Sass

    2017-01-01

    Contemporary case studies rely on verbal arguments and set theory to build or evaluate theoretical claims. While existing procedures excel in the use of qualitative information (information about kind), they ignore quantitative information (information about degree) at central points of the analysis. Effectively, contemporary case studies rely on…

  16. Modeling study of solute transport in the unsaturated zone. Information and data sets. Volume 1

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Polzer, W.L.; Fuentes, H.R.; Springer, E.P.; Nyhan, J.W.

    1986-05-01

    The Environmental Science Group (HSE-12) is conducting a study to compare various approaches of modeling water and solute transport in porous media. Various groups representing different approaches will model a common set of transport data so that the state of the art in modeling and field experimentation can be discussed in a positive framework with an assessment of current capabilities and future needs in this area of research. This paper provides information and sets of data that will be useful to the modelers in meeting the objectives of the modeling study. The information and data sets include: (1) a description of the experimental design and methods used in obtaining solute transport data, (2) supporting data that may be useful in modeling the data set of interest, and (3) the data set to be modeled

  17. Current perspectives in Set7 mediated stem cell differentiation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nazanin Karimnia

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Set7 is a key regulatory enzyme involved in the methylation of lysine residues of histone and non-histone proteins. This lysine methyltransferase is induced during stem cell differentiation and regulates lineage specific gene transcription and cell fate. In this article we discuss recent experimental evidence identifying regulatory targets under the control of Set7 as well as emerging evidence of regulation in stem cell differentiation. Furthermore, we discuss the function of non-coding RNAs regulated by Set7 implicated in cell plasticity.

  18. Transcranial direct-current stimulation induced in stroke patients with aphasia: a prospective experimental cohort study

    OpenAIRE

    Santos,Michele Devido; Gagliardi,Rubens José; Mac-Kay,Ana Paula Machado Goyano; Boggio,Paulo Sergio; Lianza,Roberta; Fregni,Felipe

    2013-01-01

    CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: Previous animal and human studies have shown that transcranial direct current stimulation can induce significant and lasting neuroplasticity and may improve language recovery in patients with aphasia. The objective of the study was to describe a cohort of patients with aphasia after stroke who were treated with transcranial direct current stimulation. DESIGN AND SETTING: Prospective cohort study developed in a public university hospital. METHODS: Nineteen patients with ...

  19. Study of the antineutrino-induced elastic semi-leptonic neutral current reaction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Racca, C.

    1978-01-01

    A study of the elastic neutral current reaction antiνsub(μ)p→antiνsub(μ)p has been done using Gargamelle filled with propane and the antineutrino beam of the CERN P.S. The space-time structure of the weak neutral current is discussed, the predictions of various V-A models for the ratio of neutral to charged current elastic cross-sections Rsup(antiν) are given. The experimental set-up, the scanning criteria and the program of reconstruction are described. The background due to the contamination by the reaction np→np principally is studied. Cuts are defined to resorbe these backgrounds and corrections are made for other backgrounds and losses. The results are compared with those of the reaction antiνsub(μ)p→μ + n and the ratio Rsup(antiν) is calculated. An upper limit of this ratio is given and the results are discussed [fr

  20. Anaphylaxis in an emergency care setting

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ruiz Oropeza, Athamaica; Lassen, Annmarie; Halken, Susanne

    2017-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Current data on anaphylaxis is based on retrospective and register based studies. The objective of this study was to describe the epidemiology of anaphylaxis in a 1 year prospective study at the emergency care setting, Odense University Hospital, Denmark (2013-2014). METHODS: Prospect......BACKGROUND: Current data on anaphylaxis is based on retrospective and register based studies. The objective of this study was to describe the epidemiology of anaphylaxis in a 1 year prospective study at the emergency care setting, Odense University Hospital, Denmark (2013-2014). METHODS......: Prospective study at the emergency care setting, Odense University Hospital, Denmark (2013-2014). To identify anaphylaxis cases, records from all patients with clinical suspicion on anaphylaxis or a related diagnosis according to the International Classification of Diseases 10 and from patients treated...... at the emergency care setting or at prehospital level with adrenaline, antihistamines or glucocorticoids were reviewed daily. The identified cases were referred to the Allergy Center, where a standardized interview regarding the anaphylactic reaction was conducted. International guidelines were applied...

  1. A systematic review of stated preference studies reporting public preferences for healthcare priority setting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Whitty, Jennifer A; Lancsar, Emily; Rixon, Kylie; Golenko, Xanthe; Ratcliffe, Julie

    2014-01-01

    There is current interest in incorporating weights based on public preferences for health and healthcare into priority-setting decisions. The aim of this systematic review was to explore the extent to which public preferences and trade-offs for priority-setting criteria have been quantified, and to describe the study contexts and preference elicitation methods employed. A systematic review was performed in April 2013 to identify empirical studies eliciting the stated preferences of the public for the provision of healthcare in a priority-setting context. Studies are described in terms of (i) the stated preference approaches used, (ii) the priority-setting levels and contexts, and (iii) the criteria identified as important and their relative importance. Thirty-nine studies applying 40 elicitation methods reported in 41 papers met the inclusion criteria. The discrete choice experiment method was most commonly applied (n = 18, 45.0 %), but other approaches, including contingent valuation and the person trade-off, were also used. Studies prioritised health systems (n = 4, 10.2 %), policies/programmes/services/interventions (n = 16, 41.0 %), or patient groups (n = 19, 48.7 %). Studies generally confirmed the importance of a wide range of process, non-health and patient-related characteristics in priority setting in selected contexts, alongside health outcomes. However, inconsistencies were observed for the relative importance of some prioritisation criteria, suggesting context and/or elicitation approach matter. Overall, findings suggest caution in directly incorporating public preferences as weights for priority setting unless the methods used to elicit the weights can be shown to be appropriate and robust in the priority-setting context.

  2. Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey - Limited Data Set

    Data.gov (United States)

    U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — The Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS) is a continuous, multipurpose survey of a representative national sample of the Medicare population. There are two...

  3. Market and Impact Study Setting Up MMX Discount Store

    OpenAIRE

    Sabina Irimie; Andreea Ionică; Virginia Băleanu; Cristina Osvath

    2008-01-01

    The paper is focused on the following elements of the impact study’s content: social and economic features of the area and the social, economic and commercial impact. Currently we witness the materialisation of the research’s results by setting up such a store MMX DISCOUNT in the town of Vulcan from the Jiu Valley

  4. Studies of current-perpendicular-to-plane magnetoresistance (CPP-MR) and current-induced magnetization switching (CIMS)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kurt, Huseyin

    2005-08-01

    We present two CPP-MR studies of spin-valves based upon ferromagnetic/nonmagnetic/ferromagnetic (F/N/F) trilayers. We measure the spin-diffusion lengths of N = Pd, Pt, and Au at 4.2K, and both the specific resistances (sample area A times resistance R) and spin-memory-loss of N/Cu interfaces. Pd, Pt and Au are of special device interest because they give perpendicular anisotropy when sandwiching very thin Co layers. Comparing our spin-memory-loss data at Pd/Cu and Pt/Cu interfaces with older data for Nb/Cu and W/Cu gives insight into the importance of spin-orbit coupling in producing such loss. We reproduce and extend prior studies by Eid of 'magnetic activity' at the interface of Co and N-metals (or combinations of N-metals), when the other side of the N-metal contacts a superconductor (S). Our data suggest that magnetic activity may require strong spin-flipping at the N/S interface. We present five studies of a new phenomenon, CIMS, in F1/N/F2 trilayers, with F1 a thick 'polarizing' layer and F2 a thin 'switching' layer. In all prior studies of CIMS, positive current caused the magnetization of F2 to switch from parallel (P) to anti-parallel (AP) to that of F1- 'normal' switching. By judicious addition of impurities to F-metals, we are able to controllably produce both 'normal' and 'inverse' switching- where positive current switches the magnetization of F2 from AP to P to that of F1. In the samples studied, whether the switching is normal or inverse is set by the 'net polarization' produced by F1 and is independent of the properties of F2. As scattering in the bulk of F1 and F2 is essential to producing our results, these results cannot be described by ballistic models, which allow scattering only at interfaces. Most CIMS experiments use Cu as the N-layer due to its low resistivity and long spin-diffusion length. We show that Ag and Au have low enough resistivities and long enough spin-diffusion lengths to be useful alternatives to Cu for some devices. While

  5. A Comparative Study of Current and Potential Users of Mobile Payment Services

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chanchai Phonthanukitithaworn

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Previous studies of mobile payment (m-payment services have primarily focused on a single group of adopters. This study identifies the factors that influence an individual’s intention to use m-payment services and compares groups of current users (adopters with potential users (non-adopters. A research model that reflects the behavioral intention to use m-payment services is developed and empirically tested using structural equation modeling on a data set consisting of 529 potential users and 256 current users of m-payment services in Thailand. The results show that the factors that influence current users’ intentions to use m-payment services are compatibility, subjective norms, perceived trust, and perceived cost. Subjective norms, compatibility, ease of use, and perceived risk influenced potential users’ intentions to use m-payment. Subjective norms and perceived risk had a stronger influence on potential users, while perceived cost had a stronger influence on current users, in terms of their intentions to use m-payment services. Discussions, limitations, and recommendations for future research are addressed.

  6. Study on pulsed current cathodic protection in a simulated system

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yan, Milin; Li, Helin [Xi' an Jiao Tong Universitiy (China)]|[Tubular Goods Research Center of China National Petroleum Corp. (China); Qiu, Yubing; Guo, Xingpeng [Hua Zhong University of Science and Techonology (China)

    2004-07-01

    The pulsed current cathodic protection (PCCP) is a new cathodic protection (CP) technology and shows more advantages over the conventional DC cathodic protection (DCCP) in oil well casing system. However, little information about PCCP is reported. In this research, a simulated CP system was set up in a pool of 3.5 m x 2.0 m x 3.0 m size, in which the effects of the square wave pulsed current (SWPC) parameters (amplitude: IA, frequency: f, duty cycle: P), auxiliary anode distance (d) and media conductivity ({mu}) on the cathodic potential (E) distribution were studied, and the protection effects of PCCP and DCCP were compared. The results show that with increase of the square wave parameters (IA, f, P), the E distribution becomes more negative and the effects of each current parameter are relate closely to the cathode polarizing state. Only with suitable square wave parameters can the whole cathode be effectively protected. With increase of d and {mu}, the E distribution becomes more uniform. Compared with DCCP system, PCCP system has much more uniform E distribution, costs less average current, and gains much better protection effects. Further, the mechanism of PCCP was analyzed. (authors)

  7. Walden Pond, Massachusetts: Environmental Setting and Current Investigations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Colman, John A.; Waldron, Marcus C.

    1998-01-01

    Introduction Walden Pond, in Concord, Massachusetts, is famous among lakes because of its unique social history. Walden was the setting for American naturalist Henry David Thoreau's well-known essay 'Walden; or, Life in the Woods,' first published in 1854. Thoreau lived and wrote at Walden Pond from July 1845 to September 1847. In 'Walden,' Thoreau combined highly admired writing on Transcendental philosophy with pioneering observations of aquatic ecology and physical aspects of limnology, the study of lakes. Because Thoreau also defended so effectively the value of living close to nature in the Walden woods, the pond is considered by many to be the birthplace of the American conservation movement. Visitors come from all over the world to the pond, which has been designated a National Historic Landmark, and its fame has resulted in a major fund drive to preserve the surrounding woods. Walden Pond has no surfacewater inflow or outflow, and much of its ground-water contributing area likely is preserved within the Walden Pond Reservation area (fig. 1). Only 15 miles from Boston, the pond is unusually clear and pristine for an urban-area lake. However, point sources of nutrients near the pond, and a large annual visitor attendance, concentrated during the summer when the swimming beach (fig. 2) is open, may contribute a nutrient load sufficient to change the pond environment. The occurrence of nuisance algal species, a recent beach closing, and an awareness of water-quality problems suffered by other ponds in the region raise concerns about the risk of ecological change at Walden Pond. Despite the role of Walden Pond as a cultural and environmental icon, little is known about the pond's ecological features, such as its internal nutrient cycling or the structure of its food web, nor have consistent measurements been made to determine whether these features are changing or are stable. Production rates of aquatic plants in lakes and ponds naturally undergo a slow increase

  8. A Study on Setting of Traffic Signal

    OpenAIRE

    本多, 義明

    1981-01-01

    In this paper,effect of traffic signal setting are Studied according to regional characteristics. Firstly, regional and accident characteristics are analized by factor analysis. Secondly,88 regions in Aichi Prefecture are clustered into six clusters. Finally,effect of traffic signal setting is discussed.

  9. A study of the variability in the Benguela Current volume transport

    Science.gov (United States)

    Majumder, Sudip; Schmid, Claudia

    2018-04-01

    The Benguela Current forms the eastern limb of the subtropical gyre in the South Atlantic and transports a blend of relatively fresh and cool Atlantic water and relatively warm and salty Indian Ocean water northwestward. Therefore, it plays an important role not only for the local freshwater and heat budgets but for the overall meridional heat and freshwater transport in the South Atlantic. Historically, the Benguela Current region is relatively data sparse, especially with respect to long-term velocity observations. A new three-dimensional data set of the horizontal velocity in the upper 2000 m that covers the years 1993 to 2015 is used to analyze the variability in the Benguela Current. This data set was derived using observations from Argo floats, satellite sea surface height, and wind fields. Since Argo floats do not cover regions shallower than 1000 m, the data set has gaps inshore. The main features of the horizontal circulation observed in this data set are in good agreement with those from earlier studies based on limited observations. Therefore, it can be used for a more detailed study of the flow pattern as well as the variability in the circulation in this region. It is found that the mean meridional transport in the upper 800 m between the continental shelf of Africa and 3° E, decreases from 23 ± 3 Sv (1 Sv = 106 m3 s-1) at 31° S to 11 ± 3 Sv at 28° S. In terms of variability, the 23-year long time series at 30 and 35° S reveals phases with large energy densities at periods of 3 to 7 months, which can be attributed to the occurrence of Agulhas rings in this region. The prevalence of Agulhas rings is also behind the fact that the energy density at 35° S at the annual period is smaller than at 30° S because the former latitude is closer to Agulhas Retroflection and therefore more likely to be impacted by the Agulhas rings. In agreement with this, the energy density associated with mesoscale variability at 30° S is weaker than at 35° S. With

  10. Doctors' use of mobile devices in the clinical setting: a mixed methods study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nerminathan, Arany; Harrison, Amanda; Phelps, Megan; Alexander, Shirley; Scott, Karen M

    2017-03-01

    Mobile device use has become almost ubiquitous in daily life and therefore includes use by doctors in clinical settings. There has been little study as to the patterns of use and impact this has on doctors in the workplace and how negatively or positively it impacts at the point of care. To explore how doctors use mobile devices in the clinical setting and understand drivers for use. A mixed methods study was used with doctors in a paediatric and adult teaching hospital in 2013. A paper-based survey examined mobile device usage data by doctors in the clinical setting. Focus groups explored doctors' reasons for using or refraining from using mobile devices in the clinical setting, and their attitudes about others' use. The survey, completed by 109 doctors, showed that 91% owned a smartphone and 88% used their mobile devices frequently in the clinical setting. Trainees were more likely than consultants to use their mobile devices for learning and accessing information related to patient care, as well as for personal communication unrelated to work. Focus group data highlighted a range of factors that influenced doctors to use personal mobile devices in the clinical setting, including convenience for medical photography, and factors that limited use. Distraction in the clinical setting due to use of mobile devices was a key issue. Personal experience and confidence in using mobile devices affected their use, and was guided by role modelling and expectations within a medical team. Doctors use mobile devices to enhance efficiency in the workplace. In the current environment, doctors are making their own decisions based on balancing the risks and benefits of using mobile devices in the clinical setting. There is a need for guidelines around acceptable and ethical use that is patient-centred and that respects patient privacy. © 2016 Royal Australasian College of Physicians.

  11. Partial discharge measurements on 110kV current transformers. Setting the control value. Case study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dan, C.; Morar, R.

    2017-05-01

    The case study presents a series of partial discharge measurements, reflecting the state of insulation of 110kV CURRENT TRANSFORMERS located in Sibiu county substations. Measurements were performed based on electrical method, using MPD600: an acquisition and analysis toolkit for detecting, recording, and analyzing partial discharges. MPD600 consists of one acquisition unit, an optical interface and a computer with dedicated software. The system allows measurements of partial discharge on site, even in presence of strong electromagnetic interferences because it provides synchronous acquisition from all measurement points. Therefore, measurements, with the ability to be calibrated, do render: - a value subject to interpretation according to IEC 61869-1:2007 + IEC 61869-2:2012 + IEC 61869-3:2011 + IEC 61869-5:2011 and IEC 60270: 2000; - the possibility to determine the quantitative limit of PD (a certain control value) to which the equipment can be operated safely and repaired with minimal costs (relative to the high costs implied by eliminating the consequences of a failure) identified empirically (process in which the instrument transformer subjected to the tests was completely destroyed).

  12. Family Adversity and Resilience Measures in Pediatric Acute Care Settings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Malley, Donna M; Randell, Kimberly A; Dowd, M Denise

    2016-01-01

    Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) impact health across the life course. The purpose of this study was to identify caregiver ACEs, current adversity, and resilience in families seeking care in pediatric acute care settings. Study aims included identifying demographic characteristics, current adversities, and resilience measures associated with caregiver ACEs ≥4. A cross-sectional survey study design was used and a convenience sample (n = 470) recruited at emergency and urgent care settings of a large Midwest pediatric hospital system. Measures were self-reported. The original 10-item ACEs questionnaire measured caregiver past adversity. Current adversity was measured using the 10-item IHELP. The six-item Brief Resiliency Scale measured resilience, and WHO-5 Well-Being Index was used to measure depressive affect. Compared to participants with ACEs score of 0-3 participants with ACEs ≥4 were more likely to have multiple current adversities, increased risk of depression, and lower resilience. Caregivers using pediatric acute care settings carry a high burden of ACEs and current adversities. Caregiver ACEs are associated with current child experiences of adversity. Caregivers socioeconomic status and education level may not be an accurate indicator of a family's risks or needs. Pediatric acute care settings offer opportunities to access, intervene, and prevent childhood adversity. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  13. Studies of non-inductive current drive in the CDX-U tokamak

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hwang, Y.S.

    1993-01-01

    Two types of novel, non-inductive current drive concepts for starting-up and maintaining tokamak discharges, dc-helicity injection and internally-generated pressure-driven currents, have been developed on the CDX-U tokamak. To study the equilibrium and transport of these plasmas, a full set of magnetic diagnostics was installed. By applying a finite element method and a least squares error fitting technique, internal plasma current distributions are reconstructed from the measurements. Electron density distributions were obtained from 2 mm interferometer measurements by a similar least squares error technique utilizing magnetic flux configurations obtained by the magnetic analysis. Neoclassical pressure-driven currents in ECH plasmas are modeled with the reconstructed magnetic structure, using the electron density distribution and the electron temperature profile measured by a Langmuir probe. In the dc-helicity injection scheme, the need to increase injection current and maintain plasma equilibrium restricts possible arrangements. Several injection configurations were investigated, with the best found to be outside injection with a single divertor configuration, where the cathode is placed at the low field side of the x-point. Both pressure-driven and dc-helicity injected tokamaks show the importance of plasma equilibrium in obtaining high plasma current. Programmed vertical field operation has proven to be very important in achieving high plasma current. These non-inductive current drive techniques show great potential as efficient current drive methods for future steady-state and/or long-pulse fusion reactors

  14. High-current railgap studies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Druce, R.; Gordon, L.; Hofer, W.; Wilson, M.

    1983-06-01

    Characteristics of a 40-kV, 750-kA, multichannel rail gap are presented. The gap is a three electrode, field distortion triggered design, with a total switch inductance of less than 10 nH. At maximum ratings, the gap typically switches 10 C per shot, at 700 kA, with a jitter of less than 2 ns. Channel evolution and current division were studied on image converter streak photographs. Transient gas pressure measurements were made to investigate the arc generated shocks and to detect single channel failure. Channel current sharing and simultaneity are described and their effects on the switch inductance in the channel current sharing and erosion measurements are discussed.

  15. The current trend of administering a patient-generated index in the oncological setting: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tang, Jessica A; Oh, Taemin; Scheer, Justin K; Parsa, Andrew T

    2014-03-17

    The patient-generated index (PGI) is a more novel approach to evaluating health-related quality of life (HRQOL) that allows patients to formulate their own responses in an open-ended format in order to measure HRQOL based on each patient's own stated goals and expectations. To date the use of PGI in the setting of patients diagnosed with cancer remains relatively less common compared to other health conditions. This systematic review primarily aims to identify current literature in which PGI has been used as a tool to assess quality of life in cancer patients. A systematic review using the MEDLINE database from January 1990 to July 2013 was performed with the following search terms to identify the implementation of PGI in oncology settings: (PGI OR patient generated index OR patient-generated OR patient-reported OR patient generated OR patient reported) AND (cancer OR oncology OR tumor OR neoplasm OR malignancy). Of the 2167 papers initially identified, 10 papers evaluated quality of life in oncology patients by collecting free-form responses from the patient, 4 of which actually used PGI. An overarching theme observed in these studies highlighted the concerns mentioned by patients that were not targeted or detected by standardized quality of life measures. While implementing the PGI may require slightly more investment of resources in the beginning, the potential implications of allowing patients to characterize their quality of life on their own terms are tremendous.

  16. The current trend of administering a patient-generated index in the oncological setting: a systematic review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jessica A. Tang

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available The patient-generated index (PGI is a more novel approach to evaluating health-related quality of life (HRQOL that allows patients to formulate their own responses in an open-ended format in order to measure HRQOL based on each patient’s own stated goals and expectations. To date the use of PGI in the setting of patients diagnosed with cancer remains relatively less common compared to other health conditions. This systematic review primarily aims to identify current literature in which PGI has been used as a tool to assess quality of life in cancer patients. A systematic review using the MEDLINE database from January 1990 to July 2013 was performed with the following search terms to identify the implementation of PGI in oncology settings: (PGI OR patient generated index OR patient-generated OR patient-reported OR patient generated OR patient reported AND (cancer OR oncology OR tumor OR neoplasm OR malignancy. Of the 2167 papers initially identified, 10 papers evaluated quality of life in oncology patients by collecting free-form responses from the patient, 4 of which actually used PGI. An overarching theme observed in these studies highlighted the concerns mentioned by patients that were not targeted or detected by standardized quality of life measures. While implementing the PGI may require slightly more investment of resources in the beginning, the potential implications of allowing patients to characterize their quality of life on their own terms are tremendous.

  17. Experimental study of neoclassical currents

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zarnstorff, M.C.; Prager, S.C.

    1985-05-01

    A detailed experimental study is presented of the bootstrap and Pfirsch-Schlueter currents that are predicted by neoclassical transport theory. In a toroidal octupole, on magnetic surfaces within the separatrix, the observed parallel plasma currents are in excellent quantitative agreement with neoclassical theory with regard to the spatial structure (along a magnetic surface), collisionality dependence and toroidal magnetic field dependence. On magnetic surfaces outside the separatrix, the ion portion of the parallel current is in agreement with neoclassical theory but the electron parallel current is observed to obtain a unidirectional component which deviates from and exceeds the theoretical prediction

  18. High-current railgap studies

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Druce, R.; Gordon, L.; Hofer, W.; Wilson, M.

    1983-06-03

    Characteristics of a 40-kV, 750-kA, multichannel rail gap are presented. The gap is a three electrode, field-distortion-triggered design, with a total switch inductance of less than 10 nH. At maximum ratings, the gap typically switches 10 C per shot, at 700 kA, with a jitter of less than 2 ns. Image-converter streak photographs were used to study channel evolution and current division. Transient gas-pressure measurements were made to investigate the arc generated shocks and to detect single channel failure. Channel current sharing and simultaneity are described and their effects on the switch inductance and lifetime are discussed. Lifetime tests of the rail gap were performed. Degradation in the channel current-sharing and erosion measurements are discussed.

  19. Studying the Complex Expression Dependences between Sets of Coexpressed Genes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mario Huerta

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Organisms simplify the orchestration of gene expression by coregulating genes whose products function together in the cell. The use of clustering methods to obtain sets of coexpressed genes from expression arrays is very common; nevertheless there are no appropriate tools to study the expression networks among these sets of coexpressed genes. The aim of the developed tools is to allow studying the complex expression dependences that exist between sets of coexpressed genes. For this purpose, we start detecting the nonlinear expression relationships between pairs of genes, plus the coexpressed genes. Next, we form networks among sets of coexpressed genes that maintain nonlinear expression dependences between all of them. The expression relationship between the sets of coexpressed genes is defined by the expression relationship between the skeletons of these sets, where this skeleton represents the coexpressed genes with a well-defined nonlinear expression relationship with the skeleton of the other sets. As a result, we can study the nonlinear expression relationships between a target gene and other sets of coexpressed genes, or start the study from the skeleton of the sets, to study the complex relationships of activation and deactivation between the sets of coexpressed genes that carry out the different cellular processes present in the expression experiments.

  20. Leakage current suppression with a combination of planarized gate and overlap/off-set structure in metal-induced laterally crystallized polycrystalline-silicon thin-film transistors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chae, Hee Jae; Seok, Ki Hwan; Lee, Sol Kyu; Joo, Seung Ki

    2018-04-01

    A novel inverted staggered metal-induced laterally crystallized (MILC) polycrystalline-silicon (poly-Si) thin-film transistors (TFTs) with a combination of a planarized gate and an overlap/off-set at the source-gate/drain-gate structure were fabricated and characterized. While the MILC process is advantageous for fabricating inverted staggered poly-Si TFTs, MILC TFTs reveal higher leakage current than TFTs crystallized by other processes due to their high trap density of Ni contamination. Due to this drawback, the planarized gate and overlap/off-set structure were applied to inverted staggered MILC TFTs. The proposed device shows drastic suppression of leakage current and pinning phenomenon by reducing the lateral electric field and the space-charge limited current from the gate to the drain.

  1. Analysis of the dynamic response improvement of a turbocharged diesel engine driven alternating current generating set

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Katrasnik, Tomaz; Medica, Vladimir; Trenc, Ferdinand

    2005-01-01

    Reliability of electric supply systems is among the most required necessities of modern society. Turbocharged diesel engine driven alternating current generating sets are often used to prevent electric black outs and/or as prime electric energy suppliers. It is well known that turbocharged diesel engines suffer from an inadequate response to a sudden load increase, this being a consequence of the nature of the energy exchange between the engine and the turbocharger. The dynamic response of turbocharged diesel engines could be improved by electric assisting systems, either by direct energy supply with an integrated starter-generator-booster (ISG) mounted on the engine flywheel, or by an indirect energy supply with an electrically assisted turbocharger. An experimentally verified zero dimensional computer simulation method was used for the analysis of both types of electrical assistance. The paper offers an analysis of the interaction between a turbocharged diesel engine and different electric assisting systems, as well as the requirements for the supporting electric motors that could improve the dynamic response of a diesel engine while driving an AC generating set. When performance class compliance is a concern, it is evident that an integrated starter-generator-booster outperforms an electrically assisted turbocharger for the investigated generating set. However, the electric energy consumption and frequency recovery times are smaller when an electrically assisted turbocharger is applied

  2. Patients' views on priority setting in neurosurgery: A qualitative study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gunaratnam, Caroline; Bernstein, Mark

    2016-01-01

    Accountability for Reasonableness is an ethical framework which has been implemented in various health care systems to improve and evaluate the fairness of priority setting. This framework is grounded on four mandatory conditions: relevance, publicity, appeals, and enforcement. There have been few studies which have evaluated the patient stakeholders' acceptance of this framework; certainly no studies have been done on patients' views on the prioritization system for allocating patients for operating time in a system with pressure on the resource of inpatient beds. The aim of this study is to examine neurosurgical patients' views on the prioritization of patients for operating theater (OT) time on a daily basis at a tertiary and quaternary referral neurosurgery center. Semi-structured face-to-face interviews were conducted with thirty-seven patients, recruited from the neurosurgery clinic at Toronto Western Hospital. Family members and friends who accompanied the patient to their clinic visit were encouraged to contribute to the discussion. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and subjected to thematic analysis using open and axial coding. Overall, patients are supportive of the concept of a priority-setting system based on fairness, but felt that a few changes would help to improve the fairness of the current system. These changes include lowering the level of priority given to volume-funded cases and providing scheduled surgeries that were previously canceled a higher level of prioritization. Good communication, early notification, and rescheduling canceled surgeries as soon as possible were important factors that directly reflected the patients' confidence level in their doctor, the hospital, and the health care system. This study is the first clinical qualitative study of patients' perspective on a prioritization system used for allocating neurosurgical patients for OT time on a daily basis in a socialized not-for-profit health care system with

  3. Quivering on the brink: Common observations of turbidity current frequency and triggering in disparate settings

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clare, M. A.; Rosenberger, K. J.; Parsons, D. R.; Gales, J. A.; Gwiazda, R.; Paull, C. K.; Talling, P.; Cartigny, M.; Azpiroz, M.; Pope, E.; Hizzett, J. L.; Hughes Clarke, J. E.

    2017-12-01

    Turbidity currents pose a hazard to seafloor infrastructure, convey sediment to the deep sea, and provide nutrients to benthic communities. Despite their importance, we still know little about specifically how and when such powerful long run-out flows are triggered, and how strongly different trigger mechanisms control flow behaviour. New advances in direct monitoring now allow us to precisely constrain turbidity current frequency and test the efficiency of previously hypothesised triggering mechanisms. Here, we document the timing of sub-annual turbidity currents based on direct measurements using Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers at four different sites. Two sites are located at offshore fjord-head deltas in British Columbia (Squamish delta & Bute Inlet), which are fed by meltwater in spring and summer. The third is the deep-water Congo Canyon, which is located offshore Angola, and is fed by the second largest river in the world. Fourth is the Monterey Canyon, offshore California, which does not have a direct link to a river and is instead fed by littoral drift. Despite the differences in scale and setting, all of the sites show similar trends in turbidity current frequency. The first commonality is that flow timing is typically delayed (hours to weeks) following periods of rapid sediment discharge, rather than immediately coincident with them. The second commonality is that flows are rare (typically they do not occur at all) for at least half of the year in each of the sites. Instead, flows are clustered within a specific time window. We underline the importance of preconditioning prior to, and during that time window and propose that an environmental threshold must be exceeded in order to "switch on" these systems. This threshold primarily relates to magnitude of sediment delivery at the head of the channel or canyon. Once that threshold is surpassed, then systems are primed for action, quivering on the brink, allowing even small external perturbations to

  4. Gene set analysis for interpreting genetic studies

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pers, Tune H

    2016-01-01

    Interpretation of genome-wide association study (GWAS) results is lacking behind the discovery of new genetic associations. Consequently, there is an urgent need for data-driven methods for interpreting genetic association studies. Gene set analysis (GSA) can identify aetiologic pathways...

  5. Studying constructions of national identity across historical settings

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ydesen, Christian; Øland, Trine

    2018-01-01

    , and national self-imagery. The first setting is the first decade after World War II and the second setting is the post-9/11 era. The empirical focus is based on sources pertaining to the way police officers and related professionals of the Danish welfare nation-state construct disturbing behavior and how......This article aims to demonstrate how constructions of national identity can be studied across historical settings. In this sense, the article contributes knowledge about how Danish-ness is constructed in two historical settings characterized by great upheavals in popular moral codes, culture...... these constructions are made into categories that activate an array of interventions. Using a comparative outlook between the two historical settings and by putting theoretically guided questions to work empirically, the purpose of this article is to understand 1) the boundaries of legitimate behavior and membership...

  6. Leadership development through action learning sets: an evaluation study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walia, Surinder; Marks-Maran, Di

    2014-11-01

    This article examines the use of action learning sets in a leadership module delivered by a university in south east England. An evaluation research study was undertaking using survey method to evaluate student engagement with action learning sets, and their value, impact and sustainability. Data were collected through a questionnaire with a mix of Likert-style and open-ended questions and qualitative and quantitative data analysis was undertaken. Findings show that engagement in the action learning sets was very high. Action learning sets also had a positive impact on the development of leadership knowledge and skills and are highly valued by participants. It is likely that they would be sustainable as the majority would recommend action learning to colleagues and would consider taking another module that used action learning sets. When compared to existing literature on action learning, this study offers new insights as there is little empirical literature on student engagement with action learning sets and even less on value and sustainability. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Analysis of tidal currents in the North Sea from shipboard acoustic Doppler current profiler data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vindenes, Håvard; Orvik, Kjell Arild; Søiland, Henrik; Wehde, Henning

    2018-06-01

    North Sea tidal currents are determined by applying harmonic analysis to ship-borne acoustic Doppler current profiler data recorded from 1999 to 2016, covering large areas of the northern North Sea. Direct current measurement data sets of this magnitude are rare in the otherwise well investigated North Sea, and thus it is a valuable asset in studying and expanding our understanding of its tidal currents and circulation in general. The harmonic analysis is applied to a least squares fit of the current observations at a set of knot points. Results from the harmonic analysis compare favorably to tidal parameters estimated from observations from moored instruments. The analysis shows that the tides are characterized by strong semi-diurnal component, with amplitudes of the principal Lunar constituent ranging from 1.6 cm/s in the Skagerrak to 67 cm/s in the Fair Isle Channel. Diurnal tides are found to be approximately one fifth the strength of the predominant semi-diurnal constituent. Output from a regional barotropic tide model compares well to tidal current determined from the harmonic analysis of the Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler data.

  8. Direct current contamination of kilohertz frequency alternating current waveforms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Franke, Manfred; Bhadra, Niloy; Bhadra, Narendra; Kilgore, Kevin

    2014-07-30

    Kilohertz frequency alternating current (KHFAC) waveforms are being evaluated in a variety of physiological settings because of their potential to modulate neural activity uniquely when compared to frequencies in the sub-kilohertz range. However, the use of waveforms in this frequency range presents some unique challenges regarding the generator output. In this study we explored the possibility of undesirable contamination of the KHFAC waveforms by direct current (DC). We evaluated current- and voltage-controlled KHFAC waveform generators in configurations that included a capacitive coupling between generator and electrode, a resistive coupling and combinations of capacitive with inductive coupling. Our results demonstrate that both voltage- and current-controlled signal generators can unintentionally add DC-contamination to a KHFAC signal, and that capacitive coupling is not always sufficient to eliminate this contamination. We furthermore demonstrated that high value inductors, placed in parallel with the electrode, can be effective in eliminating DC-contamination irrespective of the type of stimulator, reducing the DC contamination to less than 1 μA. This study highlights the importance of carefully designing the electronic setup used in KHFAC studies and suggests specific testing that should be performed and reported in all studies that assess the neural response to KHFAC waveforms. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  9. Individualized Treatment for Tobacco Dependence in Addictions Treatment Settings: The Role of Current Depressive Symptoms on Outcomes at 3 and 6 Months.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zawertailo, Laurie A; Baliunas, Dolly; Ivanova, Anna; Selby, Peter L

    2015-08-01

    Individuals with concurrent tobacco dependence and other addictions often report symptoms of low mood and depression and as such may have more difficulty quitting smoking. We hypothesized that current symptoms of depression would be a significant predictor of quit success among a group of smokers receiving individualized treatment for tobacco dependence within addiction treatment settings. Individuals in treatment for other addictions were enrolled in a smoking cessation program involving brief behavioral counseling and individualized dosing of nicotine replacement therapy. The baseline assessment included the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ9) for depression. Smoking cessation outcomes were measured at 3 and 6 months post-enrollment. Bivariate associations between cessation outcomes and PHQ9 score were analyzed. Of the 1,196 subjects enrolled to date, 1,171 (98%) completed the PHQ9. Moderate to severe depression (score >9) was reported by 28% of the sample, and another 29% reported mild depression (score between 5 and 9). Contrary to the extant literature and other findings by our own group, there was no association between current depression and cessation outcome at either 3 months (n = 1,171) (17.0% in those with PHQ9 > 9 vs. 19.8% in those with PHQ9 addictions treatment setting. These data indicate that patients in an addictions treatment setting can successfully quit smoking regardless of current depressive symptoms. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  10. Transcranial direct-current stimulation induced in stroke patients with aphasia: a prospective experimental cohort study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michele Devido Santos

    Full Text Available CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: Previous animal and human studies have shown that transcranial direct current stimulation can induce significant and lasting neuroplasticity and may improve language recovery in patients with aphasia. The objective of the study was to describe a cohort of patients with aphasia after stroke who were treated with transcranial direct current stimulation. DESIGN AND SETTING: Prospective cohort study developed in a public university hospital. METHODS: Nineteen patients with chronic aphasia received 10 transcranial direct current stimulation sessions lasting 20 minutes each on consecutive days, using a current of 2 mA. The anode was positioned over the supraorbital area and the cathode over the contralateral motor cortex. The following variables were analyzed before and after the 10 neuromodulation sessions: oral language comprehension, copying, dictation, reading, writing, naming and verbal fluency. RESULTS: There were no adverse effects in the study. We found statistically significant differences from before to after stimulation in relation to simple sentence comprehension (P = 0.034, naming (P = 0.041 and verbal fluency for names of animals (P = 0.038. Improved scores for performing these three tasks were seen after stimulation. CONCLUSIONS: We observed that excitability of the primary motor cortex through transcranial direct current stimulation was associated with effects on different aspects of language. This can contribute towards future testing in randomized controlled trials.

  11. Respiratory support in oncology ward setting: a prospective descriptive study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mishra, Seema; Bhatnagar, Sushma; Gupta, Deepak; Goyal, Gaurav Nirvani; Agrawal, Ravi; Jain, Roopesh; Chauhan, Himanshu

    2009-01-01

    Mechanical ventilation in cancer patients is a critical issue The present prospective descriptive study was designed (1) to assess the patient population needing respirator support in ward setting at a premier state-run oncology institute in India, (2) to observe and analyze the course of their disease while on respirator, and (3) to coordinate better quality of life measures in cancer patients at the institute based on the present study's outcomes. Beginning from March 2005 to March 2006, all cancer patients who were connected to respirator in the wards were enrolled in the current study. Our anesthesiology department at the cancer institute also has primary responsibility for airway management and mechanical ventilation in high dependency units of oncology wards. Preventilation variables in cancer patients were assessed to judge the futility of mechanical ventilation in ward setting. Subsequently, patients were observed for disease course while on respirator. Final outcome with its etio-pathogenesis was correlated with predicted futility of mechanical ventilation. Over a period of 1 year, 132 (46 men and 86 women) cancer patients with median age 40 years (range 1-75 years) were connected to respirator in oncology wards. Based on the preventilation variables and indications for respirator support, right prediction of medical futility and hospital discharge was made in 77% of patients. Underestimation and overestimation of survival to hospital discharge was made in 10% cases and 13% cases, respectively. Based on preventilation variables, prediction of outcome in cancer patients needing respirator support can be made in 77% cases. This high probability of prediction can be used to educate patients, and their families and primary physicians, for well-informed and documented advance directives, formulated and regularly revised DNAR policies, and judicious use of respirator support for better quality-of-life outcomes.

  12. Motivation of Volunteers to Work in Palliative Care Setting: A Qualitative Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muckaden, M A; Pandya, Sachi Sanjay

    2016-01-01

    Volunteers are an integral part of the palliative care services in the Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. These volunteers are an important resource for the department. Thus, it is necessary for the department to determine what motivates these volunteers to continue to work in the setting, acknowledge them and direct efforts toward retaining them and giving them opportunities to serve to the best of their desire and abilities. The current study aimed at understanding the motivation of volunteers to work in palliative care, to identify the challenges they face and also the effect of their work on their self and relationships. In-depth interviews were conducted using semistructured interview guide to study above mentioned aspects. Themes were identified and coding was used to analyze the data. The results suggested that the basic motivation for all the volunteers to work in a palliative care setting is an inherent urge, a feeling of need to give back to the society by serving the sick and the suffering. Other motivating factors identified were team spirit, comfort shared, warm and respectful treatment by the team, satisfying nature of work, experience of cancer in the family, and aligned values and beliefs. Some intrinsic rewards mentioned by volunteers were joy of giving, personal growth, enriching experiences, and meaningful nature of work. The study attempted to improve opportunities of working for these volunteers. Although limited in scope, it offers insight for future research in the area of volunteerism in palliative care setup.

  13. Set-shifting abilities, mood and loss of control over eating in binge eating disorder: An experimental study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dingemans, Alexandra E; Visser, Hiske; Paul, Linda; van Furth, Eric F

    2015-12-15

    Executive functions play an important role in problem-solving and self-control. Set-shifting is an aspect of executive functioning and represents cognitive flexibility. The inability to control eating in Binge Eating Disorder (BED) may imply deficits in set-shifting which could be exacerbated by negative mood and depressive symptoms. The aim of the study was to test whether there is a causal relationship between set-shifting ability, changes in mood and loss of control over eating in BED. Seventy-five participants diagnosed with BED were randomly assigned to a negative or neutral mood induction. Set-shifting abilities, depressive symptoms, current mood and loss of control over eating were assessed. Having depressive symptoms and poorer set-shifting abilities resulted in a more negative mood after a negative mood induction, whereas this was not observed in the neutral mood induction. Post-hoc analyses revealed that individuals with poorer set-shifting abilities and more changes in negative mood, experienced more feelings of loss of control over eating than individuals whose set-shifting abilities were better and whose mood did not change. The results suggest that both depressive symptoms and deficits in set-shifting abilities may decrease an individual's ability to handle negative affect and increase loss of control over eating in individuals with BED. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Controlling the set of carbon-fiber embedded cement with electric current

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mattus, Alfred J.

    2004-06-15

    A method for promoting cement or concrete set on demand for concrete that has been chemically retarded by adding carbon fiber to the concrete, which enables it to become electrically conductive, sodium tartrate retardant, and copper sulfate which forms a copper tartrate complex in alkaline concrete mixes. Using electricity, the concrete mix anodically converts the retarding tartrate to an insoluble polyester polymer. The carbon fibers act as a continuous anode surface with a counter electrode wire embedded in the mix. Upon energizing, the retarding effect of tartrate is defeated by formation of the polyester polymer through condensation esterification thereby allowing the normal set to proceed unimpeded.

  15. Suitability of public use secondary data sets to study multiple activities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Putnam, Michelle; Morrow-Howell, Nancy; Inoue, Megumi; Greenfield, Jennifer C; Chen, Huajuan; Lee, YungSoo

    2014-10-01

    The aims of this study were to inventory activity items within and across U.S. public use data sets, to identify gaps in represented activity domains and challenges in interpreting domains, and to assess the potential for studying multiple activity engagement among older adults using existing data. We engaged in content analysis of activity measures of 5U.S. public use data sets with nationally representative samples of older adults. Data sets included the Health & Retirement Survey (HRS), Americans' Changing Lives Survey (ACL), Midlife in the United States Survey (MIDUS), the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), and the Panel Study of Income Dynamics survey (PSID). Two waves of each data set were analyzed. We identified 13 distinct activity domains across the 5 data sets, with substantial differences in representation of those domains among the data sets, and variance in the number and type of activity measures included in each. Our findings indicate that although it is possible to study multiple activity engagement within existing data sets, fuller sets of activity measures need to be developed in order to evaluate the portfolio of activities older adults engage in and the relationship of these portfolios to health and wellness outcomes. Importantly, clearer conceptual models of activity broadly conceived are required to guide this work. © The Author 2013. 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.

  16. A Danish open-set speech corpus for competing-speech studies

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Jens Bo; Dau, Torsten; Neher, Tobias

    2014-01-01

    Studies investigating speech-on-speech masking effects commonly use closed-set speech materials such as the coordinate response measure [Bolia et al. (2000). J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 107, 1065-1066]. However, these studies typically result in very low (i.e., negative) speech recognition thresholds (SRTs......) when the competing speech signals are spatially separated. To achieve higher SRTs that correspond more closely to natural communication situations, an open-set, low-context, multi-talker speech corpus was developed. Three sets of 268 unique Danish sentences were created, and each set was recorded...... with one of three professional female talkers. The intelligibility of each sentence in the presence of speech-shaped noise was measured. For each talker, 200 approximately equally intelligible sentences were then selected and systematically distributed into 10 test lists. Test list homogeneity was assessed...

  17. Motivation of volunteers to work in palliative care setting: A qualitative study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M A Muckaden

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Volunteers are an integral part of the palliative care services in the Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. These volunteers are an important resource for the department. Thus, it is necessary for the department to determine what motivates these volunteers to continue to work in the setting, acknowledge them and direct efforts toward retaining them and giving them opportunities to serve to the best of their desire and abilities. Aims: The current study aimed at understanding the motivation of volunteers to work in palliative care, to identify the challenges they face and also the effect of their work on their self and relationships. Methodology: In-depth interviews were conducted using semistructured interview guide to study above mentioned aspects. Themes were identified and coding was used to analyze the data. Results: The results suggested that the basic motivation for all the volunteers to work in a palliative care setting is an inherent urge, a feeling of need to give back to the society by serving the sick and the suffering. Other motivating factors identified were team spirit, comfort shared, warm and respectful treatment by the team, satisfying nature of work, experience of cancer in the family, and aligned values and beliefs. Some intrinsic rewards mentioned by volunteers were joy of giving, personal growth, enriching experiences, and meaningful nature of work. Conclusion: The study attempted to improve opportunities of working for these volunteers. Although limited in scope, it offers insight for future research in the area of volunteerism in palliative care setup.

  18. Healthy eating in early years settings: a review of current national to local guidance for North West England.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bristow, Katie; Capewell, Simon; Abba, Katharine; Goodall, Mark; Lloyd-Williams, Ffion

    2011-06-01

    To determine the extent to which national and local UK guidelines for the early years sector address key recommendations for encouraging healthy eating based on best available evidence. Phase 1 comprised a literature review to identify new evidence to assess current relevance of the Caroline Walker Trust (CWT) 'Eating well for under-5 s in child care' guidelines. Phase 2 assessed the completeness of seven local to national-level government guidelines by comparison with the 'gold standard' CWT guidelines. Desk-based review using secondary data. Research literature and statutory guidelines on healthy eating in early years settings. Phase 1 retrieved seventy-five papers, of which sixty were excluded as they addressed compliance with nutritional and food-based standards only. One report examined a social marketing tool and was deemed too narrow. The remaining fourteen documents assessed interventions to encourage healthy eating in early years settings. Following quality assessment, seven documents were included. Nine key recommendations were identified: (i) role of government; (ii) early years setting policy/guidelines; (iii) training; (iv) menu planning; (v) parents; (vi) atmosphere and encouragement; (vii) learning through food; (viii) sustainability; and (ix) equal opportunities. Phase 2 identified that all seven guidelines included the nine key recommendations but sporadic cover of sub-key recommendations. More detail is needed on how early years settings can encourage children to eat healthily. Research is required to develop second-layer guidance for interactive materials. Clear processes of communication and support for parents are required. Ways food relates to children's wider learning and social development need further thought, requiring collaboration between the Department of Health and the Department for Education.

  19. Factors influencing the current practice of self-medication consultations in Eastern Indonesian community pharmacies: a qualitative study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brata, Cecilia; Fisher, Colleen; Marjadi, Brahmaputra; Schneider, Carl R; Clifford, Rhonda M

    2016-05-13

    Research has shown that the current practice of pharmacy staff when providing self-medication consultations in Indonesia is suboptimal. To improve the performance of pharmacy staff when providing self-medication consultations in community pharmacies, the factors that influence current practice need to be understood. The aim of this study is to identify the factors that influence current practice of pharmacy staff when handling self-medication consultations in Eastern Indonesian community pharmacies. Fifteen in-depth interviews were conducted with pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, pharmacy owners, and counter attendants. Thematic analysis was used to generate findings. The current practice of pharmacy staff when handling self-medication consultations is directly influenced by the professionalism of pharmacy staff and patient responses to the consultations. These factors are in turn affected by the organisational context of the pharmacy and the external pharmacy environment. The organisational context of the pharmacy includes staffing, staff affordability, and the availability of time and facilities in which to provide consultations. The external pharmacy environment includes the number of trained pharmacy staff in the research setting, the relevance of pharmacy education to the needs of pharmacy practice, the support offered by the Indonesian Pharmacists Association, a competitive business environment, and the policy environment. Complex and inter-related factors influence the current practice of pharmacy staff when providing self-medication consultations in community pharmacies in this research setting. Multiple strategies will be required to improve consultation practices.

  20. MD1878: Operation with primary collimators at tighter settings

    CERN Document Server

    AUTHOR|(CDS)2078850; Amorim, David; Biancacci, Nicolo; Bruce, Roderik; Buffat, Xavier; Carver, Lee Robert; Fiascaris, Maria; Mereghetti, Alessio; Redaelli, Stefano; Rossi, Roberto; Salvachua Ferrando, Belen Maria; Soderen, Martin; Trad, Georges; CERN. Geneva. ATS Department

    2017-01-01

    Primary (TCP) collimators of the betatron cleaning insertion determine the betatron cut of the LHC beam. During the 2016 they were set at 5.5 nominal beam sigmas at 6.5 TeV (i.e. by using a normalized emittance ε* = 3:5 μm is used). Reducing their settings is a possible way to push the ß* at the LHC, which depends on the collimation hierarchy. This study aims at understanding possible limitations of operating the LHC with tighter settings of the primary collimators. This is a crucial input to the choice of operational configuration in terms of ß* at the LHC as well as at the HL-LHC. This study follows a successful MD done in block 3 to understand limitations from TCP impedance [1]. The outcome of this MD can also have an impact for the design of the FCC collimation system, which is currently based on the present TCP gaps. Studies of beam stability as a function of octupole current, transverse feedback gain (ADT) and transverse separation at the IPs were also carried out.

  1. Study, design and manufacture eddy current probes for industry applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nguyen Phuc; Nguyen Van Thuy; Vuong Binh Duong; Do Minh Duc; Trinh Dinh Truong; Tran Trong Duc; Do Tung Khanh; Dang Quang Trung

    2016-01-01

    This study is based on the studying, designing and manufacturing of eddy current probes for industry applications. The main tasks of this study include: i) Describes the overview and classification of eddy current probes (which can be classified into three categories based on the mode of operation: absolute eddy current probe, differential eddy current probe and reflect eddy current probe); ii) Describes the three methods of probe designing and manufacturing (including experimental, analytical and numerical designs); iii) Describes the designing and manufacturing of eddy current probes for industry applications, which based on experimental and analytical methods. Based on this study, we have successfully manufactured some current probes (including absolute eddy current probe, differential eddy current probe and reflect eddy current probe) for surface and tube inspections. (author)

  2. Comparative study on gene set and pathway topology-based enrichment methods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bayerlová, Michaela; Jung, Klaus; Kramer, Frank; Klemm, Florian; Bleckmann, Annalen; Beißbarth, Tim

    2015-10-22

    Enrichment analysis is a popular approach to identify pathways or sets of genes which are significantly enriched in the context of differentially expressed genes. The traditional gene set enrichment approach considers a pathway as a simple gene list disregarding any knowledge of gene or protein interactions. In contrast, the new group of so called pathway topology-based methods integrates the topological structure of a pathway into the analysis. We comparatively investigated gene set and pathway topology-based enrichment approaches, considering three gene set and four topological methods. These methods were compared in two extensive simulation studies and on a benchmark of 36 real datasets, providing the same pathway input data for all methods. In the benchmark data analysis both types of methods showed a comparable ability to detect enriched pathways. The first simulation study was conducted with KEGG pathways, which showed considerable gene overlaps between each other. In this study with original KEGG pathways, none of the topology-based methods outperformed the gene set approach. Therefore, a second simulation study was performed on non-overlapping pathways created by unique gene IDs. Here, methods accounting for pathway topology reached higher accuracy than the gene set methods, however their sensitivity was lower. We conducted one of the first comprehensive comparative works on evaluating gene set against pathway topology-based enrichment methods. The topological methods showed better performance in the simulation scenarios with non-overlapping pathways, however, they were not conclusively better in the other scenarios. This suggests that simple gene set approach might be sufficient to detect an enriched pathway under realistic circumstances. Nevertheless, more extensive studies and further benchmark data are needed to systematically evaluate these methods and to assess what gain and cost pathway topology information introduces into enrichment analysis. Both

  3. A study on cross-talk nerve stimulation: electrode placement and current leakage lid

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nicolas Julémont

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Cross-talk phenomena should be avoided when stimulating nerves. One option to limit the current spread is to use tripolar electrodes, but at the cost of increasing the number of wires connection. This should be avoided since cables must be thin and compliant. We investigated the impact of the central electrode position and of current spread due to a gap between book and lid on cross-talk, in a set of tripolar or quasi-tripolar configurations.

  4. Analysis of Co-Tunneling Current in Fullerene Single-Electron Transistor

    Science.gov (United States)

    KhademHosseini, Vahideh; Dideban, Daryoosh; Ahmadi, MohammadTaghi; Ismail, Razali

    2018-05-01

    Single-electron transistors (SETs) are nano devices which can be used in low-power electronic systems. They operate based on coulomb blockade effect. This phenomenon controls single-electron tunneling and it switches the current in SET. On the other hand, co-tunneling process increases leakage current, so it reduces main current and reliability of SET. Due to co-tunneling phenomenon, main characteristics of fullerene SET with multiple islands are modelled in this research. Its performance is compared with silicon SET and consequently, research result reports that fullerene SET has lower leakage current and higher reliability than silicon counterpart. Based on the presented model, lower co-tunneling current is achieved by selection of fullerene as SET island material which leads to smaller value of the leakage current. Moreover, island length and the number of islands can affect on co-tunneling and then they tune the current flow in SET.

  5. Current strategies for improving access and adherence to antiretroviral therapies in resource-limited settings

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Scanlon ML

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Michael L Scanlon,1,2 Rachel C Vreeman1,21Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; 2USAID, Academic Model Providing Access to Healthcare (AMPATH Partnership, Eldoret, KenyaAbstract: The rollout of antiretroviral therapy (ART significantly reduced human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-related morbidity and mortality, but good clinical outcomes depend on access and adherence to treatment. In resource-limited settings, where over 90% of the world’s HIV-infected population resides, data on barriers to treatment are emerging that contribute to low rates of uptake in HIV testing, linkage to and retention in HIV care systems, and suboptimal adherence rates to therapy. A review of the literature reveals limited evidence to inform strategies to improve access and adherence with the majority of studies from sub-Saharan Africa. Data from observational studies and randomized controlled trials support home-based, mobile and antenatal care HIV testing, task-shifting from doctor-based to nurse-based and lower level provider care, and adherence support through education, counseling and mobile phone messaging services. Strategies with more limited evidence include targeted HIV testing for couples and family members of ART patients, decentralization of HIV care, including through home- and community-based ART programs, and adherence promotion through peer health workers, treatment supporters, and directly observed therapy. There is little evidence for improving access and adherence among vulnerable groups such as women, children and adolescents, and other high-risk populations and for addressing major barriers. Overall, studies are few in number and suffer from methodological issues. Recommendations for further research include health information technology, social-level factors like HIV stigma, and new research directions in cost-effectiveness, operations, and implementation. Findings from this review make a

  6. distribution of euphausiid crustaceans from the agulhas current

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    may set up a northeasterly counter-current close to the coast and cause local upwelling (aowes. 1950; Darbyshire 1964). The Agulhas Current shows considerable seasonal variation in its rate of flow (Darbyshire. 1964) and ...... detailed study of the biology and distribution of this interesting species in eastern Cape coastal.

  7. Setting healthcare priorities in hospitals: a review of empirical studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barasa, Edwine W; Molyneux, Sassy; English, Mike; Cleary, Susan

    2015-04-01

    Priority setting research has focused on the macro (national) and micro (bedside) level, leaving the meso (institutional, hospital) level relatively neglected. This is surprising given the key role that hospitals play in the delivery of healthcare services and the large proportion of health systems resources that they absorb. To explore the factors that impact upon priority setting at the hospital level, we conducted a thematic review of empirical studies. A systematic search of PubMed, EBSCOHOST, Econlit databases and Google scholar was supplemented by a search of key websites and a manual search of relevant papers' reference lists. A total of 24 papers were identified from developed and developing countries. We applied a policy analysis framework to examine and synthesize the findings of the selected papers. Findings suggest that priority setting practice in hospitals was influenced by (1) contextual factors such as decision space, resource availability, financing arrangements, availability and use of information, organizational culture and leadership, (2) priority setting processes that depend on the type of priority setting activity, (3) content factors such as priority setting criteria and (4) actors, their interests and power relations. We observe that there is need for studies to examine these issues and the interplay between them in greater depth and propose a conceptual framework that might be useful in examining priority setting practices in hospitals. Published by Oxford University Press in association with The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine © The Author 2014; all rights reserved.

  8. The L3+C detector, a unique tool-set to study cosmic rays

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Adriani, O.; Akker, M. van den; Banerjee, S.; Baehr, J.; Betev, B.; Bourilkov, D.; Bottai, S.; Bobbink, G.; Cartacci, A.; Chemarin, M.; Chen, G.; Chen, H.S.; Chiarusi, T.; Dai, C.J.; Ding, L.K.; Duran, I.; Faber, G.; Fay, J.; Grabosch, H.J.; Groenstege, H.; Guo, Y.N.; Gupta, S.; Haller, Ch.; Hayashi, Y.; He, Z.X.; Hebbeker, T.; Hofer, H.; Hoferjun, H.; Huo, A.X.; Ito, N.; Jing, C.L.; Jones, L.; Kantserov, V.; Kawakami, S.; Kittel, W.; Koenig, A.C.; Kok, E.; Korn, A.; Kuang, H.H.; Kuijpers, J.; Ladron de Guevara, P.; Le Coultre, P.; Lei, Y.; Leich, H.; Leiste, R.; Li, D.; Li, L.; Li, Z.C.; Liu, Z.A.; Liu, H.T.; Lohmann, W.; Lu, Y.S.; Ma, X.H.; Ma, Y.Q.; Mil, A. van; Monteleoni, B.; Nahnhauer, R.; Pauss, F.; Parriaud, J.-F.; Petersen, B.; Pohl, M.; Qing, C.R.; Ramelli, R.; Ravindran, K.C.; Rewiersma, P.; Rojkov, A.; Saidi, R.; Schmitt, V.; Schoeneich, B.; Schotanus, D.J.; Shen, C.Q.; Sulanke, H.; Tang, X.W.; Timmermans, C.; Tonwar, S.; Trowitzsch, G.; Unger, M.; Verkooijen, H.; Wang, X.L.; Wang, X.W.; Wang, Z.M.; Wijk, R. van; Wijnen, Th.A.M.; Wilkens, H.; Xu, Y.P.; Xu, Z.Z.; Yang, C.G.; Yang, X.F.; Yao, Z.G.; Yu, Z.Q.; Zhang, S.; Zhu, G.Y.; Zhu, Q.Q.; Zhuang, H.L.; Zwart, A.N.M.

    2002-01-01

    The L3 detector at the CERN electron-positron collider, LEP, has been employed for the study of cosmic ray muons. The muon spectrometer of L3 consists of a set of high-precision drift chambers installed inside a magnet with a volume of about 1000 m 3 and a field of 0.5 T. Muon momenta are measured with a resolution of a few percent at 50 GeV. The detector is located under 30 m of overburden. A scintillator air shower array of 54 m by 30 m is installed on the roof of the surface hall above L3 in order to estimate the energy and the core position of the shower associated with a sample of detected muons. Thanks to the unique properties of the L3+C detector, muon research topics relevant to various current problems in cosmic ray and particle astrophysics can be studied

  9. The L3+C detector, a unique tool-set to study cosmic rays

    CERN Document Server

    Adriani, O; Banerjee, S; Bähr, J; Betev, B L; Bourilkov, D; Bottai, S; Bobbink, Gerjan J; Cartacci, A M; Chemarin, M; Chen, G; Chen He Sheng; Chiarusi, T; Dai Chang Jiang; Ding, L K

    2002-01-01

    The L3 detector at the CERN electron-positron collider, LEP, has been employed for the study of cosmic ray muons. The muon spectrometer of L3 consists of a set of high-precision drift chambers installed inside a magnet with a volume of about 1000 m**3 and a field of 0.5 T. Muon momenta are measured with a resolution of a few percent at 50 GeV. The detector is located under 30 m of overburden. A scintillator air shower array of 54 m by 30 m is installed on the roof of the surface hall above L3 in order to estimate the energy and the core position of the shower associated with a sample of detected muons. Thanks to the unique properties of the L3+C detector, muon research topics relevant to various current problems in cosmic ray and particle astrophysics can be studied.

  10. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depressed individuals improves suppression of irrelevant mental-sets.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Greenberg, Jonathan; Shapero, Benjamin G; Mischoulon, David; Lazar, Sara W

    2017-04-01

    An impaired ability to suppress currently irrelevant mental-sets is a key cognitive deficit in depression. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) was specifically designed to help depressed individuals avoid getting caught in such irrelevant mental-sets. In the current study, a group assigned to MBCT plus treatment-as-usual (n = 22) exhibited significantly lower depression scores and greater improvements in irrelevant mental-set suppression compared to a wait-list plus treatment-as-usual (n = 18) group. Improvements in mental-set-suppression were associated with improvements in depression scores. Results provide the first evidence that MBCT can improve suppression of irrelevant mental-sets and that such improvements are associated with depressive alleviation.

  11. Assessment of BSBA Students' Conversancy in Current Business Issues: A Case Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hogan, Eileen A.; Maskulka, Therese A.; Kaminski, Kathleen A.

    2014-01-01

    In 2008, the faculty of the College of Business at Kutztown University developed a set of five learning goals for its BSBA program. In fall, 2011, the college's Assurance of Learning Committee began to pursue the assessment of the last of these goals: "BSBA graduates will be conversant in current business issues, including ethics, social…

  12. Study on default setting for risk-informed regulation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jang, S.C.; Ha, J.J.; Jung, W.D.; Jeong, K.S.; Han, S.H.

    1998-12-01

    Both performing and validating a detailed risk analysis of a complex system are costly and time-consuming undertakings. With the increased use of probabilistic safety analysis (PSA) in regulatory decision making, both regulated parties and regulators have generally favored the use of defaults, because they can greatly facilitate the process of performing a PSA in the first place as well as the process of reviewing and verifying the PSA. The use of defaults may also ensure more uniform standards of PSA quality. However, regulatory agencies differ in their approaches to the use of default values, and the implications of these differences are not yet well understood. Moreover, large heterogeneity among licensees makes it difficult to set suitable defaults. This study focus on the development of model for setting defaults in order to achieve more applicability of risk-informed regulation. In particular, explored are the effects of different levels of conservatism in setting defaults, and their implications for the crafting of regularity incentives. (author). 17 refs., 1 tab

  13. The ENIQ pilot study: current status

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lemaitre, P; Eriksen, B; Crutzen, S [European Commission, DG Joint Research Centre, Petten (Netherlands); Hansch, M [Preussische Elektrizitaets-AG (Preussenelektra), Hannover (Germany); Whittle, J [AEA Technology, Warrington (United Kingdom)

    1998-11-01

    A pilot study is currently being carried out by ENIQ (European Network for Inspection Qualification) in order to explore the issues involved in inspection qualification applied along the general principles of the European methodology. The components selected for the pilot study are austenitic pipe to pipe and pipe to elbows welds typical of those in BWR recirculation loops. A range of defect parameters has been defined. A suitable inspection procedure designed to find the designated defects will be applied to geometrically representative test pieces. The procedure/equipment will be qualified through open trials and technical justification. The personnel qualification will be done in a blind way. Once all features of the inspection system will have been qualified an in-service inspection will be simulated in order to test the feasibility of the qualification approach followed. In this paper the current status of this pilot study is discussed. (orig.)

  14. Current and cumulative malaria infections in a setting embarking on elimination: Amhara, Ethiopia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yalew, Woyneshet G; Pal, Sampa; Bansil, Pooja; Dabbs, Rebecca; Tetteh, Kevin; Guinovart, Caterina; Kalnoky, Michael; Serda, Belendia A; Tesfay, Berhane H; Beyene, Belay B; Seneviratne, Catherine; Littrell, Megan; Yokobe, Lindsay; Noland, Gregory S; Domingo, Gonzalo J; Getachew, Asefaw; Drakeley, Chris; Steketee, Richard W

    2017-06-08

    Since 2005, Ethiopia has aggressively scaled up malaria prevention and case management. As a result, the number of malaria cases and deaths has significantly declined. In order to track progress towards the elimination of malaria in Amhara Region, coverage of malaria control tools and current malaria transmission need to be documented. A cross-sectional household survey oversampling children under 5 years of age was conducted during the dry season in 2013. A bivalent rapid diagnostic test (RDT) detecting both Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax and serology assays using merozoite antigens from both these species were used to assess the prevalence of malaria infections and exposure to malaria parasites in 16 woredas (districts) in Amhara Region. 7878 participants were included, with a mean age of 16.8 years (range 0.5-102.8 years) and 42.0% being children under 5 years of age. The age-adjusted RDT-positivity for P. falciparum and P. vivax infection was 1.5 and 0.4%, respectively, of which 0.05% presented as co-infections. Overall age-adjusted seroprevalence was 30.0% for P. falciparum, 21.8% for P. vivax, and seroprevalence for any malaria species was 39.4%. The prevalence of RDT-positive infections varied by woreda, ranging from 0.0 to 8.3% and by altitude with rates of 3.2, 0.7, and 0.4% at under 2000, 2000-2500, and >2500 m, respectively. Serological analysis showed heterogeneity in transmission intensity by area and altitude and evidence for a change in the force of infection in the mid-2000s. Current and historic malaria transmission across Amhara Region show substantial variation by age and altitude with some settings showing very low or near-zero transmission. Plasmodium vivax infections appear to be lower but relatively more stable across geography and altitude, while P. falciparum is the dominant infection in the higher transmission, low-altitude areas. Age-dependent seroprevalence analyses indicates a drop in transmission occurred in the mid

  15. Many-body current formula and current conservation for non-equilibrium fully interacting nanojunctions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ness, H; Dash, L K

    2012-01-01

    We consider the electron transport properties through fully interacting nanoscale junctions beyond the linear-response regime. We calculate the current flowing through an interacting region connected to two interacting leads, with interaction crossing at the left and right contacts, by using a non-equilibrium Green function technique. The total current at one interface (the left one for example) is made of several terms which can be regrouped into two sets. The first set corresponds to a very generalized Landauer-like current formula with physical quantities defined only in the interacting central region and with renormalized lead self-energies. The second set characterizes inelastic scattering events occurring in the left lead. We show how this term can be negligible or even vanish due to the pseudo-equilibrium statistical properties of the lead in the thermodynamic limit. The expressions for the different Green functions needed for practical calculations of the current are also provided. We determine the constraints imposed by the physical condition of current conservation. The corresponding equation imposed on the different self-energy quantities arising from the current conservation is derived. We discuss in detail its physical interpretation and its relation with previously derived expressions. Finally several important key features are discussed in relation to the implementation of our formalism for calculations of quantum transport in realistic systems. (paper)

  16. Experiments with eddy currents: the eddy current brake

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gonzalez, Manuel I

    2004-01-01

    A moderate-cost experimental setup is presented to help students to understand some qualitative and quantitative aspects of eddy currents. The setup operates like an eddy current brake, a device commonly used in heavy vehicles to dissipate kinetic energy by generating eddy currents. A set of simple experiments is proposed to measure eddy current losses and to relate them to various relevant parameters. Typical results for each of the experiments are presented, and comparisons with theoretical predictions are included. The experiments, which are devoted to first-year undergraduate students, deal also with other pedagogically relevant topics in electricity and magnetism, such as basic laws, electrical measurement techniques, the sources of the magnetic field and others

  17. Current studies related to the use of burnup credit in France

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Raby, Jerome; Lavarenne, Caroline; Barreau, Anne; Riffard, Cecile; Roque, Benedicte; Bioux, Philippe; Doucet, Michel; Guillou, Eric; Leka, Georges; Toubon, Herve

    2003-01-01

    In order to avoid criticality risks, a large number of facilities using spent fuels have been designed considering the fuel as fresh. This choice has obviously led to considerable safety margins. In the early 80's, a method was accepted by the French Safety Authorities allowing to consider the changes in the fuel composition during the depletion with some very pessimistic hypothesis: only actinides were considered and the amount of burnup used in the studies was equal to the mean burnup in the 50-least-irradiated centimeters. As many facilities still want to optimize their processes (e.g. transportation, storage, fuel reprocessing), the main companies involved in the French nuclear industry, researchers and IRSN set up a Working Group in order to study the way burnup could be taken into account in the criticality calculations, considering some fission products and a more realistic axial profile of burnup. The first of this article introduces the current French method used to take burnup into account in the criticality studies. The second part is devoted to the studies achieved by the Working Group to improve this method, especially concerning the consideration of the neutron absorption of some fission products and of an axial profile of burnup: for that purpose, some results are presented related to the steps of the process like the depletion calculations, the definition of an axial profile and the criticality calculation. In the third part, some results (keff) obtained with fission products and an axial profile are compared to those obtained with the current one. The conclusions presented are related to the present state of knowledge and may differ from the final conclusions of the Working Group. (author)

  18. Development of a core outcome set for studies involving patients undergoing major lower limb amputation for peripheral arterial disease: study protocol for a systematic review and identification of a core outcome set using a Delphi survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ambler, Graeme K; Bosanquet, David C; Brookes-Howell, Lucy; Thomas-Jones, Emma; Waldron, Cherry-Ann; Edwards, Adrian G K; Twine, Christopher P

    2017-12-28

    The development of a standardised reporting set is important to ensure that research is directed towards the most important outcomes and that data is comparable. To ensure validity, the set must be agreed by a consensus of stakeholders including patients, healthcare professionals and lay representatives. There is currently no agreed core outcome set for patients undergoing major lower limb amputation for peripheral arterial disease (PAD) for either short- or medium-term research outcomes. By developing these sets we aim to rationalise future trial outcomes, facilitate meta-analysis and improve the quality and applicability of amputation research. We will undertake a comprehensive systematic review of studies of patients undergoing major lower limb amputation for PAD. Data regarding all primary and secondary outcomes reported in relevant studies will be extracted and summarised as outcome domains. We will then undertake focus groups with key stakeholders (patients, carers, health and social care workers) to collect qualitative data to identify the main short- and medium-term research outcomes for patients undergoing major lower limb amputation. Results of the systematic review and focus groups will be combined to create a comprehensive list of potential key outcomes. Stakeholders (patients, researchers and health and social care workers) will then be polled to determine which of the outcomes are considered to be important in a general context using a three-phase Delphi process. After preliminary analysis, results will be presented at a face-to-face meeting of key stakeholders for discussion and voting on the final set of core outcomes. This project is being run in parallel with a feasibility trial assessing perineural catheters in patients undergoing lower limb amputation (the PLACEMENT trial). Full ethical approval has been granted for the study (Wales REC 3 reference number 16/WA/0353). Core outcome sets will be developed for short- and medium-term outcomes of

  19. The mental wellbeing of current and retired professional cricketers: an observational prospective cohort study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schuring, Nannet; Kerkhoffs, Gino; Gray, Janine; Gouttebarge, Vincent

    2017-11-01

    Scientific knowledge about symptoms of common mental disorders in professional cricket is non-existent. Consequently, the aims of the study were to determine the prevalence and the 6 months incidence of symptoms of common mental disorders (CMD: distress, anxiety/depression, sleep disturbance, adverse alcohol use) among current and former professional cricketers and to explore the association of potential stressors (significant injury, surgery, adverse life events, career dissatisfaction) and CMD. An observational prospective cohort study with a follow-up period of 6 months was conducted among current and former professional cricketers from South Africa. Using validated questionnaires to assess symptoms of common mental disorders as well as several stressors, an electronic questionnaire was set up and distributed by the South African Cricketers Association (SACA). A total of 116 participants enrolled at baseline (overall response rate of 33%) and 76 of those participants completed the 6 month follow-up (follow up rate of 66%). The prevalence of symptoms of CMD in current professional cricketers was 38% for distress, 38% for sleep disturbance, 37% for anxiety/depression and 26% for adverse alcohol use. Among former professional cricketers, baseline prevalence as was 26% for distress, 24% for anxiety/depression, 21% for sleep disturbance and 22% for adverse alcohol use. Career dissatisfaction led to an increased risk of distress, anxiety/depression and sleep disturbance in current professional cricketers. Surgeries and adverse life events led to an increase in reported symptoms of distress and anxiety/depression in current professional cricketers. It was concluded that symptoms of CMD are prevalent in both current and former professional cricketers and the association with surgery, adverse life events and cricket career dissatisfaction may provide some insight into possible mechanisms.

  20. Acute care patient portals: a qualitative study of stakeholder perspectives on current practices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Collins, Sarah A; Rozenblum, Ronen; Leung, Wai Yin; Morrison, Constance Rc; Stade, Diana L; McNally, Kelly; Bourie, Patricia Q; Massaro, Anthony; Bokser, Seth; Dwyer, Cindy; Greysen, Ryan S; Agarwal, Priyanka; Thornton, Kevin; Dalal, Anuj K

    2017-04-01

    To describe current practices and stakeholder perspectives of patient portals in the acute care setting. We aimed to: (1) identify key features, (2) recognize challenges, (3) understand current practices for design, configuration, and use, and (4) propose new directions for investigation and innovation. Mixed methods including surveys, interviews, focus groups, and site visits with stakeholders at leading academic medical centers. Thematic analyses to inform development of an explanatory model and recommendations. Site surveys were administered to 5 institutions. Thirty interviews/focus groups were conducted at 4 site visits that included a total of 84 participants. Ten themes regarding content and functionality, engagement and culture, and access and security were identified, from which an explanatory model of current practices was developed. Key features included clinical data, messaging, glossary, patient education, patient personalization and family engagement tools, and tiered displays. Four actionable recommendations were identified by group consensus. Design, development, and implementation of acute care patient portals should consider: (1) providing a single integrated experience across care settings, (2) humanizing the patient-clinician relationship via personalization tools, (3) providing equitable access, and (4) creating a clear organizational mission and strategy to achieve outcomes of interest. Portals should provide a single integrated experience across the inpatient and ambulatory settings. Core functionality includes tools that facilitate communication, personalize the patient, and deliver education to advance safe, coordinated, and dignified patient-centered care. Our findings can be used to inform a "road map" for future work related to acute care patient portals. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

  1. Feasibility study of automatic tube current modulation in low-dose thoracic imaging for young children with 64-slice spiral CT

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Peng Yun; Li Jianyin; Zhang Qifeng; Liu Yue; Wang Bei; Zheng Jinjin

    2008-01-01

    Objective: To assess the feasibility of using an automatic tube current modulation (ATCM) method to obtain consistent image quality with reduced radiation dose for young children undergoing chest scans with a set of 64-slice spiral CT. Methods: Fifty young children underwent chest scans on a GE 64-slice VCT with automatic tube current modulation. The noise index (NI) for this study group was set to 8 or 9 based on the proposed reference for pediatric chest imaging in our hospital. We compared image quality and radiation dose for the study group with the age-matched control group of 50 young children acquired with standard protocol of fixed-mAs (120 and 150 mAs for under 1 and above 1 year old, respectively). The volume CT dose index(CTDIvol) values were recorded for both groups. Two experienced pediatric radiologists assessed image quality on a 5-point scale with 5 being the best. Scores greater than or equal to 3 were considered clinically acceptable. The degree of interobserver concordance was determined by Kappa statistics. Results: The average objective image noise and CTDIvol for control group was (4.78±0.58) and (6.68±0.62) mGy, respectively. For the study group the mean value of objective mAs was (41.6±11.6) (20-79 mAs) with mean CTDIvol of (2.34±0.71) mGy, and the use of ATCM produced mean noise of (7.84±0.66). The average CTDIvol with the use of NI of 8-9 was about 65% lower than that with the fixed mAs setting. The mean image quality score for the study group and control group was (3.46±0.40) and (4.65±0.46) respectively. All studies had acceptable image quality, and there was good inter-observer agreement in diagnostic acceptability (Kappa=0.474 and 0.536). Conclusion: The automatic tube current modulation method could be used to obtain consistent image quality for young children undergoing 64-slice MSCT chest scans. With proper noise level setting (NI=8 or 9), one may obtain clinically acceptable images with much reduced radiation dose. (authors)

  2. Study of rare earth separation by counter current electromigration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Correa, Sergio Machado

    1995-08-01

    The counter current electromigration (CCEM) is an electrophoretic technique where the charged species migrate on an electrical field toward an electrolytic flux. Usually this electrolyte is a complexing agent and is necessary to increase the small differences between the species mobilities. A new column was developed, all made of acrylic, in a cylindrical shape. A set of experiments was carried out with the species Na + /K + , K + /Sm +3 , K + /Eu +3 and K + /Sm +3 /Eu +3 using the α-hydrox i-isobutyric acid o,01 M as the counter current electrolytic flux. From a synthetic mixture of 90% of samarium and 10% of europium was obtained the samarium ion in a purity better than 99,9% where the concentration of Eu was determined by the polarography technique. The potassium ion was used as a leading electrolyte. It was also measured the mobilities of the involved species in the α-HIBA medium. Two models are proposed, a stationary model and a dynamic one. A simulator of a simplified stationary model, prepared in FORTRAN language, was developed and tested toward experimental results. (author)

  3. Why a successful task substitution in glaucoma care could not be transferred from a hospital setting to a primary care setting: a qualitative study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Holtzer-Goor Kim M

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Healthcare systems are challenged by a demand that exceeds available resources. One policy to meet this challenge is task substitution-transferring tasks to other professions and settings. Our study aimed to explore stakeholders’ perceived feasibility of transferring hospital-based monitoring of stable glaucoma patients to primary care optometrists. Methods A case study was undertaken in the Rotterdam Eye Hospital (REH using semi-structured interviews and document reviews. They were inductively analysed using three implementation related theoretical perspectives: sociological theories on professionalism, management theories, and applied political analysis. Results Currently it is not feasible to use primary care optometrists as substitutes for optometrists and ophthalmic technicians working in a hospital-based glaucoma follow-up unit (GFU. Respondents’ narratives revealed that: the glaucoma specialists’ sense of urgency for task substitution outside the hospital diminished after establishing a GFU that satisfied their professionalization needs; the return on investments were unclear; and reluctant key stakeholders with strong power positions blocked implementation. The window of opportunity that existed for task substitution in person and setting in 1999 closed with the institutionalization of the GFU. Conclusions Transferring the monitoring of stable glaucoma patients to primary care optometrists in Rotterdam did not seem feasible. The main reasons were the lack of agreement on professional boundaries and work domains, the institutionalization of the GFU in the REH, and the absence of an appropriate reimbursement system. Policy makers considering substituting tasks to other professionals should carefully think about the implementation process, especially in a two-step implementation process (substitution in person and in setting such as this case. Involving the substituting professionals early on to ensure all

  4. Radiofrequency contact currents: sensory responses and dosimetry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kavet, Robert; Tell, R.A.; Olsen, R.G.

    2014-01-01

    The process of setting science-based exposure standards (or guidelines) for radiofrequency (RF) contact current exposure has been disadvantaged by a lack of relevant data. The authors first review the essential features and results of the available studies and illustrate the apparent discrepancies among them. Then, they examine the manner in which current was administered in these studies and suggest as to how the physical relationship of a contacting finger to the current electrode may play a role in affecting sensory thresholds specific to those configurations. A major factor in this analysis relates to whether current density is uniformly distributed across the contact area or whether an electrode's 'edge effects' enhance currents with a net effect of decreasing apparent thresholds, when expressed as the bulk current entering a subject. For an exposure with a clear hazard potential, thresholds of human sensory response to RF currents require further investigation. (authors)

  5. Effect of Equilibrium Current Profiles on External Kink Modes in Tokamaks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Chao; Liu Yue; Ma Zhaoshuai

    2014-01-01

    Based on a linearized MHD model, the effect of equilibrium current profiles on external kink modes in tokamaks is studied by MARS code. Three types of equilibrium current profiles are adopted in this work. Firstly, a set of parabolic equilibrium current profiles are chosen. In these profiles the maximum current values in the center of the plasma are fixed, and the currents have different gradient and jump at the plasma boundary. The effects of the current gradient and jump on the growth rate of external kink mode are investigated. It is found that the current jump which causes the q profiles to change plays an important role in the external kink modes in tokamaks. Secondly, a set of step equilibrium current profiles with different jump positions are chosen. The effect of jump position on external kink modes is discussed. Thirdly, a set of parabolic equilibrium current profiles with current bumps are chosen for the case of off-axis heating. The effects of height, width and position of the current bumps on external kink modes are analyzed. The flat equilibrium current profiles are disadvantageous for the MHD stabilities of tokamaks, because of the large current jump at the plasma edge. The peaked equilibrium current profiles and a large and localized current bump near the plasma edge benefit the MHD stabilities of tokamaks

  6. Four studies on how past and current suicidality relate even when "everything but the kitchen sink" is covaried.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Joiner, Thomas E; Conwell, Yeates; Fitzpatrick, Kathleen Kara; Witte, Tracy K; Schmidt, Norman B; Berlim, Marcelo T; Fleck, Marcelo P A; Rudd, M David

    2005-05-01

    T. E. Joiner's (2004, in press) theory of suicidal behavior suggests that past suicidal behavior plays an important role in future suicidality. However, the mechanism by which this risk is transferred and the causal implications have not been well studied. The current study provides evaluation of the nature and limits of this relationship across 4 populations, with varying degrees of suicidal behavior. Across settings, age groups, and impairment levels, the association between past suicidal behavior and current suicidal symptoms held, even when controlling for strong covariates like hopelessness and symptoms of various Axis I and II syndromes. Results provide additional support for the importance of past suicidality as a substantive risk factor for later suicidal behavior. Copyright 2005 APA, all rights reserved.

  7. Determinants in the development of advanced nursing practice: a case study of primary-care settings in Hong Kong.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Twinn, Sheila; Thompson, David R; Lopez, Violeta; Lee, Diana T F; Shiu, Ann T Y

    2005-01-01

    Different factors have been shown to influence the development of models of advanced nursing practice (ANP) in primary-care settings. Although ANP is being developed in hospitals in Hong Kong, China, it remains undeveloped in primary care and little is known about the factors determining the development of such a model. The aims of the present study were to investigate the contribution of different models of nursing practice to the care provided in primary-care settings in Hong Kong, and to examine the determinants influencing the development of a model of ANP in such settings. A multiple case study design was selected using both qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection. Sampling methods reflected the population groups and stage of the case study. Sampling included a total population of 41 nurses from whom a secondary volunteer sample was drawn for face-to-face interviews. In each case study, a convenience sample of 70 patients were recruited, from whom 10 were selected purposively for a semi-structured telephone interview. An opportunistic sample of healthcare professionals was also selected. The within-case and cross-case analysis demonstrated four major determinants influencing the development of ANP: (1) current models of nursing practice; (2) the use of skills mix; (3) the perceived contribution of ANP to patient care; and (4) patients' expectations of care. The level of autonomy of individual nurses was considered particularly important. These determinants were used to develop a model of ANP for a primary-care setting. In conclusion, although the findings highlight the complexity determining the development and implementation of ANP in primary care, the proposed model suggests that definitions of advanced practice are appropriate to a range of practice models and cultural settings. However, the findings highlight the importance of assessing the effectiveness of such models in terms of cost and long-term patient outcomes.

  8. Abstract sets and finite ordinals an introduction to the study of set theory

    CERN Document Server

    Keene, G B

    2007-01-01

    This text unites the logical and philosophical aspects of set theory in a manner intelligible both to mathematicians without training in formal logic and to logicians without a mathematical background. It combines an elementary level of treatment with the highest possible degree of logical rigor and precision.Starting with an explanation of all the basic logical terms and related operations, the text progresses through a stage-by-stage elaboration that proves the fundamental theorems of finite sets. It focuses on the Bernays theory of finite classes and finite sets, exploring the system's basi

  9. Nursing students’ experiences of clinical education setting

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rahnama M

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Background and Objective: Appropriate clinical environment has an important role in preparing students to use learned knowledge in practice through providing learning opportunities. Since the students’ experiences in the clinical setting affect on quality of their learning, the current study aimed to explain the experiences of nursing students concerning clinical education setting. Materials and Method: The current study was conducted based on conventional content analysis. Sampling was done purposively and the participants were 13 last year nursing students in Zabol Nursing and Midwifery School in 2013-2014. Data collection was done through in-depth semi-structured interviews. Data analysis was conducted through qualitative content analysis approach. Results: Based on the results, five major categories including threats, vision, dual forces, mindset and students’ action to clinical education and also10 subcategorie were identified. Conclusion: Since the formation of students’ experiences in these environments is one of the predictive factors in achieving their learning and in facilitating the professionalization process, thus the attention of managers in clinical settings is very important for decreasing the threats and concerns for students. In this way, the marred prospects of profession can be recovered through the meeting students’ expectations, attractiveness of the profession can be increased and the positive belief, actions and feelings can be created in students.

  10. Early Predictors of ASD in Young Children Using a Nationally Representative Data Set

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jeans, Laurie M.; Santos, Rosa Milagros; Laxman, Daniel J.; McBride, Brent A.; Dyer, W. Justin

    2013-01-01

    Current clinical diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) occurs between 3 and 4 years of age, but increasing evidence indicates that intervention begun earlier may improve outcomes. Using secondary analysis of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort data set, the current study identifies early predictors prior to the diagnosis of…

  11. Metastatic breast cancer: do current treatments improve quality of life? A prospective study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fernanda Amado

    Full Text Available CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: In metastatic breast cancer cases, the currently available therapeutic approaches provide minimal improvement in survival. As such, quality of life (QOL becomes one of the main objectives of treatment. It is not known whether current treatments derived from trials improve QOL. The aim was to evaluate changes in QOL among metastatic breast cancer patients receiving treatment derived from trials. DESIGN AND SETTING: Prospective observational QOL survey in a tertiary cancer center. METHODS: To evaluate the influence of current treatments on patients' QOL, the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 (SF-36 and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI were applied on three occasions: before starting treatment and at the 6th and 12th weeks, to consecutive metastatic breast cancer patients over a one-year period. RESULTS: We found an improvement in QOL in the sample evaluated (n = 40, expressed by changes in the overall SF-36 score (p = 0.002 and the BDI (p = 0.004. Taken individually, the SF-36 components Pain, Social Functioning and Mental Health also improved significantly. Patients with worse initial performance status and secondary symptoms displayed greater improvement than those with better initial performance status and asymptomatic disease (p < 0.001. Patients who received more than one type of therapy showed larger gains than those given only one type (p = 0.038. CONCLUSIONS: In our environment, current metastatic breast cancer treatments can improve QOL, especially among symptomatic patients and those with low performance status.

  12. Setting conservation priorities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilson, Kerrie A; Carwardine, Josie; Possingham, Hugh P

    2009-04-01

    A generic framework for setting conservation priorities based on the principles of classic decision theory is provided. This framework encapsulates the key elements of any problem, including the objective, the constraints, and knowledge of the system. Within the context of this framework the broad array of approaches for setting conservation priorities are reviewed. While some approaches prioritize assets or locations for conservation investment, it is concluded here that prioritization is incomplete without consideration of the conservation actions required to conserve the assets at particular locations. The challenges associated with prioritizing investments through time in the face of threats (and also spatially and temporally heterogeneous costs) can be aided by proper problem definition. Using the authors' general framework for setting conservation priorities, multiple criteria can be rationally integrated and where, how, and when to invest conservation resources can be scheduled. Trade-offs are unavoidable in priority setting when there are multiple considerations, and budgets are almost always finite. The authors discuss how trade-offs, risks, uncertainty, feedbacks, and learning can be explicitly evaluated within their generic framework for setting conservation priorities. Finally, they suggest ways that current priority-setting approaches may be improved.

  13. Estimating boundary currents from satellite altimetry: A case study for the east coast of India

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Durand, F.; Shankar, D.; Birol, F.; Shenoi, S.S.C.

    A methodology to derive surface geostrophic current from a newly released altimetric sea-level data set is presented. TOPEX/Poseidon data were first completely reprocessed from Geophysical Data Records using new algorithms accommodating marginal...

  14. Social Studies Instruction in a Non-Classroom Setting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murphy, Margaret M.

    Certain areas in the social studies can be effectively taught in a non-classroom setting. This experiment determined if, in a supermarket situation, consumer preferences (as measured in sales figures and augmented by questionnaire data) could be altered by the addition of nutritional information to the labels of sixteen items which had moderate…

  15. Development of a core outcome set for orthodontic trials using a mixed-methods approach: protocol for a multicentre study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsichlaki, Aliki; O'Brien, Kevin; Johal, Ama; Marshman, Zoe; Benson, Philip; Colonio Salazar, Fiorella B; Fleming, Padhraig S

    2017-08-04

    Orthodontic treatment is commonly undertaken in young people, with over 40% of children in the UK needing treatment and currently one third having treatment, at a cost to the National Health Service in England and Wales of £273 million each year. Most current research about orthodontic care does not consider what patients truly feel about, or want, from treatment, and a diverse range of outcomes is being used with little consistency between studies. This study aims to address these problems, using established methodology to develop a core outcome set for use in future clinical trials of orthodontic interventions in children and young people. This is a mixed-methods study incorporating four distinct stages. The first stage will include a scoping review of the scientific literature to identify primary and secondary outcome measures that have been used in previous orthodontic clinical trials. The second stage will involve qualitative interviews and focus groups with orthodontic patients aged 10 to 16 years to determine what outcomes are important to them. The outcomes elicited from these two stages will inform the third stage of the study in which a long-list of outcomes will be ranked in terms of importance using electronic Delphi surveys involving clinicians and patients. The final stage of the study will involve face-to-face consensus meetings with all stakeholders to discuss and agree on the outcome measures that should be included in the final core outcome set. This research will help to inform patients, parents, clinicians and commissioners about outcomes that are important to young people undergoing orthodontic treatment. Adoption of the core outcome set in future clinical trials of orthodontic treatment will make it easier for results to be compared, contrasted and combined. This should translate into improved decision-making by all stakeholders involved. The project has been registered on the Core Outcome Measures in Effectiveness Trials ( COMET ) website

  16. Study of runaway current generation following disruptions in KSTAR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, Z Y; Kim, W C; Yu, Y W; England, A C; Yoo, J W; Hahn, S H; Yoon, S W; Lee, K D; Oh, Y K; Kwak, J G; Kwon, M

    2013-01-01

    The high fraction of runaway current conversion following disruptions has an important effect on the first wall for next-generation tokamaks. Because of the potentially severe consequences of a large full current runaway beam on the first wall in an unmitigated disruption, runaway suppression is given a high priority. The behavior of runaway currents both in spontaneous disruptions and in D 2 massive gas injection (MGI) shutdown experiments is investigated in the KSTAR tokamak. The experiments in KSTAR show that the toroidal magnetic field threshold, B T >2 T, for runaway generation is not absolute. A high fraction of runaway current conversion following spontaneous disruptions is observed at a much lower toroidal magnetic field of B T = 1.3 T. A dedicated fast valve for high-pressure gas injection with 39.7 bar is developed for the study of disruptions. A study of runaway current parameters shows that the conversion efficiency of pre-disruptive plasma currents into runaway current can reach over 80% both in spontaneous disruptions and in D 2 MGI shutdown experiments in KSTAR. (paper)

  17. Development of the 3-SET 4P questionnaire for evaluating former ICU patients' physical and psychosocial problems over time: a pilot study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akerman, Eva; Fridlund, Bengt; Ersson, Anders; Granberg-Axéll, Anetth

    2009-04-01

    Current studies reveal a lack of consensus for the evaluation of physical and psychosocial problems after ICU stay and their changes over time. The aim was to develop and evaluate the validity and reliability of a questionnaire for assessing physical and psychosocial problems over time for patients following ICU recovery. Thirty-nine patients completed the questionnaire, 17 were retested. The questionnaire was constructed in three sets: physical problems, psychosocial problems and follow-up care. Face and content validity were tested by nurses, researchers and patients. The questionnaire showed good construct validity in all three sets and had strong factor loadings (explained variance >70%, factor loadings >0.5) for all three sets. There was good concurrent validity compared with the SF 12 (r(s)>0.5). Internal consistency was shown to be reliable (Cronbach's alpha 0.70-0.85). Stability reliability on retesting was good for the physical and psychosocial sets (r(s)>0.5). The 3-set 4P questionnaire was a first step in developing an instrument for assessment of former ICU patients' problems over time. The sample size was small and thus, further studies are needed to confirm these findings.

  18. Asynchronous Brainstorming in an Industrial Setting: Exploratory Studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paulus, Paul B; Korde, Runa M; Dickson, Jubilee J; Carmeli, Abraham; Cohen-Meitar, Ravit

    2015-09-01

    The goal of this study was to examine the effectiveness of brainwriting in an industrial setting. Research has demonstrated that group interaction can inhibit idea generation. Written exchanges of ideas in groups have been found to be an effective way to increase idea generation. To our knowledge, no study has examined the potential of brainwriting for group idea generation in work settings or the impact of different sequences of group and individual idea generation. Participants in a high-technology company participated in two brainwriting studies. In one study, participants generated ideas either first alone and then in a group or in the reverse order. In a second study, participants either generated as a group during the entire session or alternated individual ideation with a periodic review of the group's ideas. In the first study, participants who generated ideas first as a group and then as individuals performed best. In the first session, group writing also tended to lead to more ideas than did individual writing. In the second study, participants with periodic reviews performed best. The results suggest that alternation in individual and group brainwriting can enhance the number of ideas generated. The group-to-alone sequence is also beneficial since it allows group members to build on shared ideas. This research indicates that collaborative idea sessions can be beneficial in work sessions if the brainwriting paradigm is used with an appropriate alternation of group ideation or review sessions with individual idea generation sessions. © 2015, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.

  19. College Students' Volunteering: Factors Related to Current Volunteering, Volunteer Settings, and Motives for Volunteering

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moore, Erin W.; Warta, Samantha; Erichsen, Kristen

    2014-01-01

    Research has not explored the types of settings that college students prefer to volunteer for and how these settings might be influenced by personal factors (e.g., demographic, academic major, volunteering motivation, religiosity). Students from a Midwestern university (N = 406, 71.9% female) completed a survey that inquired about their…

  20. Developing Institutional Capacity for Reproductive Health in Humanitarian Settings: A Descriptive Study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nguyen-Toan Tran

    Full Text Available Institutions play a central role in advancing the field of reproductive health in humanitarian settings (RHHS, yet little is known about organizational capacity to deliver RHHS and how this has developed over the past decade. This study aimed to document the current institutional experiences and capacities related to RHHS.Descriptive study using an online questionnaire tool.Respondents represented 82 institutions from 48 countries, of which two-thirds originated from low-and middle-income countries. RHHS work was found not to be restricted to humanitarian agencies (25%, but was also embraced by development organizations (25% and institutions with dual humanitarian and development mandates (50%. Agencies reported working with refugees (81%, internally-displaced (87% and stateless persons (20%, in camp-based settings (78%, and in urban (83% and rural settings (78%. Sixty-eight percent of represented institutions indicated having an RHHS-related policy, 79% an accountability mechanism including humanitarian work, and 90% formal partnerships with other institutions. Seventy-three percent reported routinely appointing RH focal points to ensure coordination of RHHS implementation. There was reported progress in RHHS-related disaster risk reduction (DRR, emergency management and coordination, delivery of the Minimum Initial Services Package (MISP for RH, comprehensive RH services in post-crisis/recovery situations, gender mainstreaming, and community-based programming. Other reported institutional areas of work included capacity development, program delivery, advocacy/policy work, followed by research and donor activities. Except for abortion-related services, respondents cited improved efforts in advocacy, capacity development and technical support in their institutions for RHHS to address clinical services, including maternal and newborn health, sexual violence prevention and response, HIV prevention, management of sexually-transmitted infections

  1. NODC Standard Product: Ocean current drifter data (2 disc set) (NODC Accession 0098060)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — These CD-ROMs hold over 4 million surface current observations, almost all obtained by the ship drift method. Date, data source, position, and current direction and...

  2. Theoretical Frameworks, Methods, and Procedures for Conducting Phenomenological Studies in Educational Settings

    OpenAIRE

    Pelin Yüksel; Soner Yıldırım

    2015-01-01

    The main purposes of phenomenological research are to seek reality from individuals’ narratives of their experiences and feelings, and to produce in-depth descriptions of the phenomenon. Phenomenological research studies in educational settings generally embody lived experience, perception, and feelings of participants about a phenomenon. This study aims to provide a general framework for researchers who are interested in phenomenological studies especially in educational setting. Additionall...

  3. Finality regained: A co-algebraic study of Scott-sets and Multisets

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    D'Agostino, G.; Visser, A.

    1999-01-01

    In this paper we study iterated circular multisets in a coalgebraic frame- work. We will produce two essentially different universes of such sets. The unisets of the first universe will be shown to be precisely the sets of the Scott universe. The unisets of the second universe will be precisely

  4. Turbidity Current Head Mixing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hernandez, David; Sanchez, Miguel Angel; Medina, Pablo

    2010-05-01

    A laboratory experimental set - up for studying the behaviour of sediment in presence of a turbulent field with zero mean flow is compared with the behaviour of turbidity currents [1] . Particular interest is shown on the initiation of sediment motion and in the sediment lift - off. The behaviour of the turbidity current in a flat ground is compared with the zero mean flow oscilating grid generated turbulence as when wave flow lifts off suspended sediments [2,3]. Some examples of the results obtained with this set-up relating the height of the head of the turbidity current to the equilibrium level of stirred lutoclines are shown. A turbulent velocity u' lower than that estimated by the Shield diagram is required to start sediment motion. The minimum u' required to start sediment lift - off, is a function of sediment size, cohesivity and resting time. The lutocline height depends on u', and the vorticity at the lutocline seems constant for a fixed sediment size [1,3]. Combining grid stirring and turbidty current head shapes analyzed by means of advanced image analysis, sediment vertical fluxes and settling speeds can be measured [4,5]. [1] D. Hernandez Turbulent structure of turbidity currents and sediment transport Ms Thesis ETSECCPB, UPC. Barcelona 2009. [2] A. Sánchez-Arcilla; A. Rodríguez; J.C. Santás; J.M. Redondo; V. Gracia; R. K'Osyan; S. Kuznetsov; C. Mösso. Delta'96 Surf-zone and nearshore measurements at the Ebro Delta. A: International Conference on Coastal Research through large Scale Experiments (Coastal Dynamics '97). University of Plymouth, 1997, p. 186-187. [3] P. Medina, M. A. Sánchez and J. M. Redondo. Grid stirred turbulence: applications to the initiation of sediment motion and lift-off studies Physics and Chemistry of the Earth, Part B: Hydrology, Oceans and Atmosphere. 26, Issue 4, 2001, Pages 299-304 [4] M.O. Bezerra, M. Diez, C. Medeiros, A. Rodriguez, E. Bahia., A. Sanchez-Arcilla and J.M. Redondo. Study on the influence of waves on

  5. Alcohol use and alcohol use disorder among male outpatients in a primary care setting in rural Puducherry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Akkilagunta Sujiv

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Context: Alcohol use contributes to considerable morbidity and mortality worldwide. Screening for alcohol use and alcohol use disorder (AUD at the primary care level can help in reducing this burden. While several community studies have been conducted to estimate the AUD, there apparently are no studies on opportunistic screening in a primary care setting in India. Aims: The aim was to estimate the prevalence of alcohol use and AUD in a primary care setting. Settings and Design: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted among adult male outpatients in a primary care setting in Puducherry, South India. Subjects and Methods: Male outpatients aged 18 and above were interviewed for alcohol use. Current alcohol users were screened for AUD using World Health Organization - AUD identification test (AUDIT questionnaire, respectively. Statistical Analysis Used: Proportions were used to describe the study population and the main study findings. The Chi-square test was used to find out the association between sociodemographic factors and alcohol use. Results: Of 256 subjects studied, 39.8% were found to be current alcohol users and 10.9% had AUD (AUDIT score ≥8. The sociodemographic factors did not show any association with an alcohol use in the current setting. Conclusion: Based on the findings of the present study, four current alcohol users are to be screened to identify one patient with AUD. Screening at the primary health care level can help in identifying the risk group and thus help in reducing the morbidity and mortality due to alcohol use in the population.

  6. Critical current studies of a HTS rectangular coil

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhong, Z. [Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge (United Kingdom); Chudy, M., E-mail: Michal.chudy@stuba.sk [Graduate School of Technology Management, University of Pretoria (South Africa); Institute of Power and Applied Electrical Engineering, Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava (Slovakia); Ruiz, H.S. [Department of Engineering, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH (United Kingdom); Zhang, X.; Coombs, T. [Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge (United Kingdom)

    2017-05-15

    Highlights: • Unique square pancake coil was manufactured. • Measurements in relatively high magnetic field were performed. • Different sections of the coil were characterized. • Parts of the coil which are limiting critical current were identified. - Abstract: Nowadays, superconducting high field magnets are used in numerous applications due to their superior properties. High temperature superconductors (HTS) are usually used for production of circular pancake or racetrack coils. However different geometries of HTS coils might be required for some specific applications. In this study, the HTS coil wound on a rectangular frame was fully characterized in homogeneous DC background field. The study contains measurements of critical current angular dependencies. The critical current of the entire coil and two selected strands under different magnitudes and orientations of external magnetic fields are measured. The critical regions of the coil in different angular regimes are determined. This study brings better understanding of the in- field performance of HTS coils wound on frames with right-angles.

  7. Numerical study of gravity currents in a channel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, D.

    1985-01-01

    A three-dimensional, primitive-equation model was used to study gravity currents produced by instantaneous releases of a buoyant fluid in a rectangular channel. Without rotation, the gravity current passes through two distinct phases: an initial adjustment phase in which the front speed is constant, and an eventual self-similar phase in which the front speed decreases with time. With rotation, the gravity current is confined to the right-hand wall, forming a coastal jet. The initial front-speed is constant; however, the front speed decreases rapidly due to strong mixing at the horizontal edge of the gravity current. Also, with rotation, part of the buoyant fluid is trapped near the source region, forming an anticyclonic vortex

  8. A study on generalized hesitant intuitionistic Fuzzy soft sets

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nazra, A.; Syafruddin; Wicaksono, G. C.; Syafwan, M.

    2018-03-01

    By combining the concept of hesitant intuitionistic fuzzy sets, fuzzy soft sets and fuzzy sets, we extend hesitant intuitionistic fuzzy soft sets to a generalized hesitant intuitionistic fuzzy soft sets. Some operations on generalized hesitant intuitionistic fuzzy soft sets, such as union, complement, operations “AND” and “OR”, and intersection are defined. From such operations the authors obtain related properties such as commutative, associative and De Morgan's laws. The authors also get an algebraic structure of the collection of all generalized hesitant intuitionistic fuzzy soft sets over a set.

  9. Development of a simple sequence repeat (SSR) marker set to ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    GREGORY

    2010-08-23

    Aug 23, 2010 ... varieties. Tuber seeds of most of these varieties are not produced and distributed in an organized way ... races from Canary Islands using 19 SSR markers. The ... The aim of the current study was to determine a set of.

  10. Study unique artistic lopburi province for design brass tea set of bantahkrayang community

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pliansiri, V.; Seviset, S.

    2017-07-01

    The objectives of this study were as follows: 1) to study the production process of handcrafted Brass Tea Set; and 2) to design and develop the handcrafted of Brass Tea Set. The process of design was started by mutual analytical processes and conceptual framework for product design, Quality Function Deployment, Theory of Inventive Problem Solving, Principles of Craft Design, and Principle of Reverse Engineering. The experts in field of both Industrial Product Design and Brass Handicraft Product, have evaluated the Brass Tea Set design and created prototype of Brass tea set by the sample of consumers who have ever bought the Brass Tea Set of Bantahkrayang Community on this research. The statistics methods used were percentage, mean ({{{\\overline X}} = }) and standard deviation (S.D.) 3. To assess consumer satisfaction toward of handcrafted Brass tea set was at the high level.

  11. A study on the effectiveness of lockup-free caches for a Reduced Instruction Set Computer (RISC) processor

    OpenAIRE

    Tharpe, Leonard.

    1992-01-01

    Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited This thesis presents a simulation and analysis of the Reduced Instruction Set Computer (RISC) architecture and the effects on RISC performance of a lockup-free cache interface. RISC architectures achieve high performance by having a small, but sufficient, instruction set with most instructions executing in one clock cycle. Current RISC performance range from 1.5 to 2.0 CPI. The goal of RISC is to attain a CPI of 1.0. The major hind...

  12. Safety and tolerability of transcranial direct current stimulation to stroke patients - A phase I current escalation study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chhatbar, Pratik Y; Chen, Rong; Deardorff, Rachael; Dellenbach, Blair; Kautz, Steven A; George, Mark S; Feng, Wuwei

    A prior meta-analysis revealed that higher doses of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) have a better post-stroke upper-extremity motor recovery. While this finding suggests that currents greater than the typically used 2 mA may be more efficacious, the safety and tolerability of higher currents have not been assessed in stroke patients. We aim to assess the safety and tolerability of single session of up to 4 mA in stroke patients. We adapted a traditional 3 + 3 study design with a current escalation schedule of 1»2»2.5»3»3.5»4 mA for this tDCS safety study. We administered one 30-min session of bihemispheric montage tDCS and simultaneous customary occupational therapy to patients with first-ever ischemic stroke. We assessed safety with pre-defined stopping rules and investigated tolerability through a questionnaire. Additionally, we monitored body resistance and skin temperature in real-time at the electrode contact site. Eighteen patients completed the study. The current was escalated to 4 mA without meeting the pre-defined stopping rules or causing any major safety concern. 50% of patients experienced transient skin redness without injury. No rise in temperature (range 26°C-35 °C) was noted and skin barrier function remained intact (i.e. body resistance >1 kΩ). Our phase I safety study supports that single session of bihemispheric tDCS with current up to 4 mA is safe and tolerable in stroke patients. A phase II study to further test the safety and preliminary efficacy with multi-session tDCS at 4 mA (as compared with lower current and sham stimulation) is a logical next step. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02763826. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Hierarchical sets: analyzing pangenome structure through scalable set visualizations

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Motivation: The increase in available microbial genome sequences has resulted in an increase in the size of the pangenomes being analyzed. Current pangenome visualizations are not intended for the pangenome sizes possible today and new approaches are necessary in order to convert the increase in available information to increase in knowledge. As the pangenome data structure is essentially a collection of sets we explore the potential for scalable set visualization as a tool for pangenome analysis. Results: We present a new hierarchical clustering algorithm based on set arithmetics that optimizes the intersection sizes along the branches. The intersection and union sizes along the hierarchy are visualized using a composite dendrogram and icicle plot, which, in pangenome context, shows the evolution of pangenome and core size along the evolutionary hierarchy. Outlying elements, i.e. elements whose presence pattern do not correspond with the hierarchy, can be visualized using hierarchical edge bundles. When applied to pangenome data this plot shows putative horizontal gene transfers between the genomes and can highlight relationships between genomes that is not represented by the hierarchy. We illustrate the utility of hierarchical sets by applying it to a pangenome based on 113 Escherichia and Shigella genomes and find it provides a powerful addition to pangenome analysis. Availability and Implementation: The described clustering algorithm and visualizations are implemented in the hierarchicalSets R package available from CRAN (https://cran.r-project.org/web/packages/hierarchicalSets) Contact: thomasp85@gmail.com Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. PMID:28130242

  14. Set-up for differential manometers testing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ratushnyj, M.I.; Galkin, Yu.V.; Nechaj, A.G.

    1985-01-01

    Set-up characteristic for controlling and testing metrological characteristics of TPP and NPP differential manometers with extreme pressure drop upto 250 kPa is briefly described. The set-up provides with automatic and manual assignment of values of gauge air pressure with errors of 0.1 and 0.25% correspondingly. The set-up is supplied with standard equipment to measure output signals. Set-up supply is carried out by a one-phase alternating current circuit with 220 V. Air supply is carried out by O.4-0.6 MPa. pressure of a pneumatic system. Application of the set-up increases operating efficiency 5 times while checking and turning differential manometers

  15. Study on possibility of plasma current profile determination using an analytical model of tokamak equilibrium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moriyama, Shin-ichi; Hiraki, Naoji

    1996-01-01

    The possibility of determining the current profile of tokamak plasma from the external magnetic measurements alone is investigated using an analytical model of tokamak equilibrium. The model, which is based on an approximate solution of the Grad-Shafranov equation, can set a plasma current profile expressed with four free parameters of the total plasma current, the poloidal beta, the plasma internal inductance and the axial safety factor. The analysis done with this model indicates that, for a D-shaped plasma, the boundary poloidal magnetic field prescribing the external magnetic field distribution is dependent on the axial safety factor in spite of keeping the boundary safety factor and the plasma internal inductance constant. This suggests that the plasma current profile is reversely determined from the external magnetic analysis. The possibility and the limitation of current profile determination are discussed through this analytical result. (author)

  16. Simpson's Paradox: A Data Set and Discrimination Case Study Exercise

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taylor, Stanley A.; Mickel, Amy E.

    2014-01-01

    In this article, we present a data set and case study exercise that can be used by educators to teach a range of statistical concepts including Simpson's paradox. The data set and case study are based on a real-life scenario where there was a claim of discrimination based on ethnicity. The exercise highlights the importance of performing…

  17. Study on current limiting characteristics of SFCL with two trigger current levels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lim, S.H.

    2010-01-01

    In this paper, the superconducting fault current limiter (SFCL) with two trigger current levels was suggested and its effectiveness through the analysis on the current limiting characteristics was described. The proposed SFCL, which consists of the triggering and the limiting components, can limit the fault current by generating the limiting impedance through two steps according to the amplitude of the initial fault current. In case that the fault happens, the lower initial fault current causes the only superconducting element of the triggering component to be quenched. On the other hand, the higher initial fault current makes both the superconducting elements comprising the triggering and the limiting components of the SFCL to be quenched, which contributes to the higher impedance of the SFCL. Therefore, the effective fault current limiting operation of the SFCL can be performed by generating the SFCL's impedance in proportion to the amplitude of the initial fault current. To confirm the current limiting operation of the proposed SFCL, the short-circuit tests of the SFCL according to the fault angle were carried out and its effective fault current limiting operations could be discussed.

  18. Food marketing to children in Canada: a settings-based scoping review on exposure, power and impact.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prowse, Rachel

    2017-09-01

    Food marketing impacts children's food knowledge, behaviours and health. Current regulations in Canada focus on restricting promotional aspects of food marketing with little-to-no consideration of the places where children experience food. Understanding food marketing in children's everyday settings is necessary to protect children. This scoping review describes the current literature on food marketing to children in Canada by setting. The author searched databases for Canadian research on children's exposure to food marketing, and the power and impact of food marketing to children (2-17 years) across settings, and on how current regulations may mediate the effect of food marketing on children. Peer-reviewed studies in English, published between 2000 and 2016, were included. Twenty-five studies documented children's exposure to food marketing and its power and/or impact on them in homes (via television, or online) (n = 12), public schools (n = 1), grocery stores (n = 8), fast food restaurants (n = 2), and in general (n = 2). Research trends suggest that unhealthy foods are targeted at children using multiple promotional techniques that overlap across settings. Several research gaps exist in this area, leading to an incomplete, and potentially underestimated, picture of food marketing to children in Canada. Available evidence suggests that current Canadian approaches have not reduced children's exposure to or the power of food marketing in these settings, with the exception of some positive influences from Quebec's statutory regulations. The settings where children eat, buy or learn about food expose them to powerful, often unhealthy food marketing. The current evidence suggests that "place" may be an important marketing component to be included in public policy in order to broadly protect children from unhealthy food marketing. Organizations and communities can engage in settings-based health promotion interventions by developing their own marketing policies that

  19. SARS and hospital priority setting: a qualitative case study and evaluation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Upshur Ross EG

    2004-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Priority setting is one of the most difficult issues facing hospitals because of funding restrictions and changing patient need. A deadly communicable disease outbreak, such as the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS in Toronto in 2003, amplifies the difficulties of hospital priority setting. The purpose of this study is to describe and evaluate priority setting in a hospital in response to SARS using the ethical framework 'accountability for reasonableness'. Methods This study was conducted at a large tertiary hospital in Toronto, Canada. There were two data sources: 1 over 200 key documents (e.g. emails, bulletins, and 2 35 interviews with key informants. Analysis used a modified thematic technique in three phases: open coding, axial coding, and evaluation. Results Participants described the types of priority setting decisions, the decision making process and the reasoning used. Although the hospital leadership made an effort to meet the conditions of 'accountability for reasonableness', they acknowledged that the decision making was not ideal. We described good practices and opportunities for improvement. Conclusions 'Accountability for reasonableness' is a framework that can be used to guide fair priority setting in health care organizations, such as hospitals. In the midst of a crisis such as SARS where guidance is incomplete, consequences uncertain, and information constantly changing, where hour-by-hour decisions involve life and death, fairness is more important rather than less.

  20. SARS and hospital priority setting: a qualitative case study and evaluation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bell, Jennifer A H; Hyland, Sylvia; DePellegrin, Tania; Upshur, Ross E G; Bernstein, Mark; Martin, Douglas K

    2004-12-19

    Priority setting is one of the most difficult issues facing hospitals because of funding restrictions and changing patient need. A deadly communicable disease outbreak, such as the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in Toronto in 2003, amplifies the difficulties of hospital priority setting. The purpose of this study is to describe and evaluate priority setting in a hospital in response to SARS using the ethical framework 'accountability for reasonableness'. This study was conducted at a large tertiary hospital in Toronto, Canada. There were two data sources: 1) over 200 key documents (e.g. emails, bulletins), and 2) 35 interviews with key informants. Analysis used a modified thematic technique in three phases: open coding, axial coding, and evaluation. Participants described the types of priority setting decisions, the decision making process and the reasoning used. Although the hospital leadership made an effort to meet the conditions of 'accountability for reasonableness', they acknowledged that the decision making was not ideal. We described good practices and opportunities for improvement. 'Accountability for reasonableness' is a framework that can be used to guide fair priority setting in health care organizations, such as hospitals. In the midst of a crisis such as SARS where guidance is incomplete, consequences uncertain, and information constantly changing, where hour-by-hour decisions involve life and death, fairness is more important rather than less.

  1. An Analysis of Training Focused on Improving SMART Goal Setting for Specific Employee Groups

    Science.gov (United States)

    Worden, Jeannie M.

    2014-01-01

    This quantitative study examined the proficiency of employee SMART goal setting following the intervention of employee SMART goal setting training. Current challenges in higher education substantiate the need for employees to align their performance with the mission, vision, and strategic directions of the organization. A performance management…

  2. Core outcome sets in women's and newborn health: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duffy, Jmn; Rolph, R; Gale, C; Hirsch, M; Khan, K S; Ziebland, S; McManus, R J

    2017-09-01

    Variation in outcome collection and reporting is a serious hindrance to progress in our specialty; therefore, over 80 journals have come together to support the development, dissemination, and implementation of core outcome sets. This study systematically reviewed and characterised registered, progressing, or completed core outcome sets relevant to women's and newborn health. Systematic search using the Core Outcome Measures in Effectiveness Trial initiative and the Core Outcomes in Women's and Newborn Health initiative databases. Registry entries, protocols, systematic reviews, and core outcome sets. Descriptive statistics to describe characteristics and results. There were 49 core outcome sets registered in maternal and newborn health, with the majority registered in 2015 (n = 22; 48%) or 2016 (n = 16; 32%). Benign gynaecology (n = 8; 16%) and newborn health (n = 3; 6%) are currently under-represented. Twenty-four (52%) core outcome sets were funded by international (n = 1; core outcome sets were completed: reconstructive breast surgery (11 outcomes), preterm birth (13 outcomes), epilepsy in pregnancy (29 outcomes), and maternity care (48 outcomes). The quantitative, qualitative, and consensus methods used to develop core outcome sets varied considerably. Core outcome sets are currently being developed across women's and newborn health, although coverage of topics is variable. Development of further infrastructure to develop, disseminate, and implement core outcome sets is urgently required. Forty-nine women's and newborn core outcome sets registered. 50% funded. 7 protocols, 20 systematic reviews, and 4 core outcome sets published. @coreoutcomes @jamesmnduffy. © 2017 Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

  3. Pseudo-set framing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barasz, Kate; John, Leslie K; Keenan, Elizabeth A; Norton, Michael I

    2017-10-01

    Pseudo-set framing-arbitrarily grouping items or tasks together as part of an apparent "set"-motivates people to reach perceived completion points. Pseudo-set framing changes gambling choices (Study 1), effort (Studies 2 and 3), giving behavior (Field Data and Study 4), and purchase decisions (Study 5). These effects persist in the absence of any reward, when a cost must be incurred, and after participants are explicitly informed of the arbitrariness of the set. Drawing on Gestalt psychology, we develop a conceptual account that predicts what will-and will not-act as a pseudo-set, and defines the psychological process through which these pseudo-sets affect behavior: over and above typical reference points, pseudo-set framing alters perceptions of (in)completeness, making intermediate progress seem less complete. In turn, these feelings of incompleteness motivate people to persist until the pseudo-set has been fulfilled. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

  4. CONSIDER - Core Outcome Set in IAD Research: study protocol for establishing a core set of outcomes and measurements in incontinence-associated dermatitis research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van den Bussche, Karen; De Meyer, Dorien; Van Damme, Nele; Kottner, Jan; Beeckman, Dimitri

    2017-10-01

    This study protocol describes the methodology for the development of a core set of outcomes and a core set of measurements for incontinence-associated dermatitis. Incontinence is a widespread disorder with an important impact on quality of life. One of the most common complications is incontinence-associated dermatitis, resulting from chemical and physical irritation of the skin barrier, triggering inflammation and skin damage. Managing incontinence-associated dermatitis is an important challenge for nurses. Several interventions have been assessed in clinical trials, but heterogeneity in study outcomes complicates the comparability and standardization. To overcome this challenge, the development of a core outcome set, a minimum set of outcomes and measurements to be assessed in clinical research, is needed. A project team, International Steering Committee and panelists will be involved to guide the development of the core outcome set. The framework of the Harmonizing Outcomes Measures for Eczema roadmap endorsed by Cochrane Skin Group Core Outcomes Set Initiative, is used to inform the project design. A systematic literature review, interviews to integrate the patients' perspective and a consensus study with healthcare researchers and providers using the Delphi procedure will be performed. The project was approved by the Ethics review Committee (April 2016). This is the first project that will identify a core outcome set of outcomes and measurements for incontinence-associated dermatitis research. A core outcome set will reduce possible reporting bias, allow results comparisons and statistical pooling across trials and strengthen evidence-based practice and decision-making. This project has been registered in the Core Outcome Measures in Effectiveness Trials (COMET) database and is part of the Cochrane Skin Group Core Outcomes Set Initiative (CSG-COUSIN). © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  5. How To Set Up Your Own Small Business. Service Company Case Study. Manufacturing Firm Case Study. Retail Store Case Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fallek, Max

    This collection of case studies is intended for use in a course in setting up a small business. The first, a case study of the process of setting up a service company, covers analyzing the pros and cons of starting one's own business, assessing the competition and local market, and selecting a site for and financing the business. The principal…

  6. Preventing and controlling foodborne disease in commercial and institutional food service settings: a systematic review of published intervention studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Viator, Catherine; Blitstein, Jonathan; Brophy, Jenna E; Fraser, Angela

    2015-02-01

    This study reviews the current literature on behavioral and environmental food safety interventions conducted in commercial and institutional food service settings. A systematic search of the published literature yielded 268 candidate articles, from which a set of 23 articles reporting intervention outcomes was retained for evaluation. A categorization of measured outcomes is reported; studies addressed multiple outcomes ranging from knowledge, attitudes, and behavior of personal hygiene and food safety to management practices and disease rates and outbreaks. This study also investigates the quality of reported research methods used to evaluate the effectiveness of the interventions, using a nine-point quality index adapted by the authors. The observed scores suggest that there are opportunities to improve the design and reporting of research in the field of foodborne disease prevention as it applies to food safety interventions that target the food service industry. The aim is to aid researchers in this area to design higher quality studies and to produce clearer and more useful reports of their research. In turn, this can help to create a more complete evidence base that can be used to continually improve interventions in this domain.

  7. Therapists in Oncology Settings

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hendrick, Susan S.

    2013-01-01

    This article describes the author's experiences of working with cancer patients/survivors both individually and in support groups for many years, across several settings. It also documents current best-practice guidelines for the psychosocial treatment of cancer patients/survivors and their families. The author's view of the important qualities…

  8. Variable current speed controller for eddy current motors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gerth, H.L.; Bailey, J.M.; Casstevens, J.M.; Dixon, J.H.; Griffith, B.O.; Igou, R.E.

    1982-03-12

    A speed control system for eddy current motors is provided in which the current to the motor from a constant frequency power source is varied by comparing the actual motor speed signal with a setpoint speed signal to control the motor speed according to the selected setpoint speed. A three-phase variable voltage autotransformer is provided for controlling the voltage from a three-phase power supply. A corresponding plurality of current control resistors is provided in series with each phase of the autotransformer output connected to inputs of a three-phase motor. Each resistor is connected in parallel with a set of normally closed contacts of plurality of relays which are operated by control logic. A logic circuit compares the selected speed with the actual motor speed obtained from a digital tachometer monitoring the motor spindle speed and operated the relays to add or substract resistance equally in each phase of the motor input to vary the motor current to control the motor at the selected speed.

  9. Gender Differences in the Formation of a Field of Study Choice Set

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sigal Alon

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available Women now surpass men in overall rates of college graduation in many industrialized countries, but sex segregation in fields of study persists. In a world where gender norms have changed but gender stereotypes remain strong, we argue that men’s and women’s attitudes and orientations toward fields of study in college are less constrained by gendered institutions than is the ranking of these fields. Accordingly, the sex segregation in the broader choice set of majors considered by college applicants may be lower than the sex segregation in their first preference field of study selection. With unique data on the broader set of fields considered by applicants to elite Israeli universities, we find support for this theory. The factors that drive the gender gap in the choice of field of study, in particular labor market earnings, risk aversion, and the sex composition of fields, are weaker in the broad set of choices than in the first choice. The result is less segregation in considered majors than in the first choice and, more broadly, different gender patterns in the decision process for the set of considered majors and for the first choice. We consider the theoretical implications of these results.

  10. Life cycle assessment of TV sets in China: a case study of the impacts of CRT monitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Qingbin; Wang, Zhishi; Li, Jinhui; Zeng, Xianlai

    2012-10-01

    Along with the rapid increase in both production and use of TV sets in China, there is an increasing awareness of the environmental impacts related to the accelerating mass production, electricity use, and waste management of these sets. This paper aims to describe the application of life cycle assessment (LCA) to investigate the environmental performance of Chinese TV sets. An assessment of the TV set device (focusing on the Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) monitor) was carried out using a detailed modular LCA based on the international standards of the ISO 14040 series. The LCA was constructed using SimaPro software version 7.2 and expressed with the Eco-indicator' 99 life cycle impact assessment method. For a sensitivity analysis of the overall LCA results, the CML method was used in order to estimate the influence of the choice of the assessment method on the results. Life cycle inventory information was compiled by Ecoinvent 2.2 databases, combined with literature and field investigations on the current Chinese situation. The established LCA study shows that the use stage of such devices has the highest environmental impact, followed by the manufacturing stage. In the manufacturing stage, the CRT and the Printed Circuit Board (PCB) are those components contributing the most environmental impacts. During the use phase, the environmental impacts are due entirely to the methods of electricity generation used to run them, since no other aspects were taken into account for this phase. The final processing step-the end-of-life stage-can lead to a clear environmental benefit when the TV sets are processed through the formal dismantling enterprises in China. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Life cycle assessment of TV sets in China: A case study of the impacts of CRT monitors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Song Qingbin; Wang Zhishi; Li Jinhui; Zeng Xianlai

    2012-01-01

    Along with the rapid increase in both production and use of TV sets in China, there is an increasing awareness of the environmental impacts related to the accelerating mass production, electricity use, and waste management of these sets. This paper aims to describe the application of life cycle assessment (LCA) to investigate the environmental performance of Chinese TV sets. An assessment of the TV set device (focusing on the Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) monitor) was carried out using a detailed modular LCA based on the international standards of the ISO 14040 series. The LCA was constructed using SimaPro software version 7.2 and expressed with the Eco-indicator’ 99 life cycle impact assessment method. For a sensitivity analysis of the overall LCA results, the CML method was used in order to estimate the influence of the choice of the assessment method on the results. Life cycle inventory information was compiled by Ecoinvent 2.2 databases, combined with literature and field investigations on the current Chinese situation. The established LCA study shows that the use stage of such devices has the highest environmental impact, followed by the manufacturing stage. In the manufacturing stage, the CRT and the Printed Circuit Board (PCB) are those components contributing the most environmental impacts. During the use phase, the environmental impacts are due entirely to the methods of electricity generation used to run them, since no other aspects were taken into account for this phase. The final processing step—the end-of-life stage—can lead to a clear environmental benefit when the TV sets are processed through the formal dismantling enterprises in China.

  12. Priority setting in clinical nursing practice: literature review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hendry, Charles; Walker, Anne

    2004-08-01

    Time is a valuable resource. When nurses experience demands on their services which exceed their available time, then 'rationing' must occur. In clinical practice such rationing requires practitioners to set priorities for care. The aim of this paper is establish what is currently known about priority setting in nursing, including how nurses set priorities and what factors influence this. CINAHL, Medline, ASSIA, and PsychLit databases for the years 1982-2002 were searched, using the terms (clinical decision-making or problem-solving or planning) and (setting priorities or prioriti*). The publications found were used in a selective, descriptive review. Priority setting is an important skill in nursing, and a skill deficit can have serious consequences for patients. Recent studies have suggested that it is a difficult skill for newly qualified nurses to acquire and may not be given sufficient attention in nurse education. Priority setting can be defined as the ordering of nursing problems using notions of urgency and/or importance, in order to establish a preferential order for nursing actions. A number of factors that may impact on priority setting have been identified in the literature. These include: the expertise of the nurse; the patient's condition; the availability of resources; ward organization; philosophies and models of care; the nurse-patient relationship; and the cognitive strategy used by the nurse to set priorities. However, very little empirical work has been conducted in this area. Further study of priority setting in a range of clinical practice settings is necessary. This could inform both practice and education, promote better use of limited resources and maximize patient outcomes.

  13. Nutrigenomics in human intervention studies: current status, lessons learned and future perspectives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wittwer, Jonas; Rubio-Aliaga, Isabel; Hoeft, Birgit; Bendik, Igor; Weber, Peter; Daniel, Hannelore

    2011-03-01

    Nutrigenomics applications comprise transcript-, proteome- and metabolome-profiling techniques in which responses to diets or individual ingredients are assessed in biological samples. They may also include the characterization of heterogeneity in relevant genes that affect the biological processes. This review explores various areas of nutrition and food sciences in which transcriptome-, proteome- and metabolome-analyses have been applied in human intervention studies, including nutrigenetics aspects and discusses the advantages and limitations of the methodologies. Despite the power of the profiling techniques to generate huge data sets, a critical assessment of the study outcomes emphasizes the current constraints in data interpretation, including huge knowledge gaps, the need for improved study designs and more comprehensive phenotyping of volunteers before selection for study participation. In this respect, nutrigenomics faces the same problems as all other areas of the life sciences, employing the same tools. However, there is a growing trend toward systemic approaches in which different technologies are combined and applied to the same sample, allowing physiological changes to be assessed more robustly throughout all molecular layers of mRNA, protein and metabolite changes. Nutrigenomics is thereby maturing as a branch of the life sciences and is gaining significant recognition in the scientific community. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  14. Computational Study on a PTAS for Planar Dominating Set Problem

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Qian-Ping Gu

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The dominating set problem is a core NP-hard problem in combinatorial optimization and graph theory, and has many important applications. Baker [JACM 41,1994] introduces a k-outer planar graph decomposition-based framework for designing polynomial time approximation scheme (PTAS for a class of NP-hard problems in planar graphs. It is mentioned that the framework can be applied to obtain an O(2ckn time, c is a constant, (1+1/k-approximation algorithm for the planar dominating set problem. We show that the approximation ratio achieved by the mentioned application of the framework is not bounded by any constant for the planar dominating set problem. We modify the application of the framework to give a PTAS for the planar dominating set problem. With k-outer planar graph decompositions, the modified PTAS has an approximation ratio (1 + 2/k. Using 2k-outer planar graph decompositions, the modified PTAS achieves the approximation ratio (1+1/k in O(22ckn time. We report a computational study on the modified PTAS. Our results show that the modified PTAS is practical.

  15. How is the process of setting micronutrients recommendations reflected in nutrition policies in Poland? The case study of folate

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ewa Sicińska

    2018-03-01

    The current Polish nutrition recommendations for folate are consistent with the levels set by most other countries. The constant improvement of nutritional knowledge on folate among consumers, especially young women, is necessary.

  16. Study of Grants, new Mexico, uranium miners: current status

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Samet, J.M.; Morgan, M.V.; Buechley, R.W.; Key, C.R.; Valdivia, A.A.

    1981-01-01

    The Uranium Epidemiology Study at the University of New Mexico was initiated in 1977 with the objective of assessing health effects of uranium mining in the Grants, New Mexico, area. The planned approach was a cohort study of mortality that would capitalize on the availability of health records at the Grants Clinic. The first year's work confirmed the study's feasibility (Buechley, 1979). Subsequent efforts have focused on the health and exposure data base and comprehensive follow-up. A retrospective cohort study of early miners is in progress; a prospective cohort study of miners who began working under the current federal standard is planned. This report will summarize the current status of the Uranium Epidemiology Study

  17. University tutorials in the setting of the European Higher Education Area: current profiles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carolina FERNÁNDEZ-SALINERO MIGUEL

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available In the new setting promoted by the European Higher Education Area, university guidance and tutorials have become more important than ever. We understand tutorials as part of the teaching responsibility in which a more personal interaction between professor and student, professor and novice teacher, or student and student is established, and whose goal is to guide learning according to the individual characteristics and learning styles of the individuals involved. Now is the time to set up guidance and tutorials systems for students –both during the training process and in their first professional steps– and for novice teachers also. Among such systems we can mention professor coaching, peer mentoring, professional tutoring in training centres or mentoring of an experienced university professor on the novice teacher.

  18. Resource Loss Moderates the Association Between Child Abuse and Current PTSD Symptoms Among Women in Primary-Care Settings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Costa, Eleonora C V; Guimarães, Sara; Ferreira, Domingos; Pereira, M Graça

    2016-09-01

    This study examined if abuse during childhood, rape in adulthood, and loss of resources predict a woman's probability of reporting symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and whether resource loss moderates the association between reporting childhood abuse and PTSD symptoms. The sample included 767 women and was collected in publicly funded primary-care settings. Women who reported having been abused during childhood also reported more resource loss, more acute PTSD symptoms, and having suffered more adult rape than those who reported no childhood abuse. Hierarchical logistic regression yielded a two-variable additive model in which child abuse and adult rape predict the probability of reporting or not any PTSD symptoms, explaining 59.7% of the variance. Women abused as children were 1 to 2 times more likely to report PTSD symptoms, with sexual abuse during childhood contributing most strongly to this result. Similarly, women reporting adult rape were almost twice as likely to report symptoms of PTSD as those not reporting it. Resource loss was unexpectedly not among the predictors but a moderation analysis showed that such loss moderated the association between child abuse and current PTSD symptoms, with resource loss increasing the number and severity of PTSD symptoms in women who also reported childhood abuse. The findings highlight the importance of early assessment and intervention in providing mental health care to abused, neglected, and impoverished women to help them prevent and reverse resource loss and revictimization.

  19. STUDI ANALISIS KOORDINASI OVER CURRENT RELAY (OCR DAN GROUND FAULT RELAY (GFR PADA RECLOSER DI SALURAN PENYULANG PENEBEL

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    I Dewa Gde Agung Budhi Udiana

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Short circuit causing over current problem and can might causing interference of the equipment performance such as distribution transformers also causing widespread disruption occurred. In resolving such interference is required as protection system on the distribution system. Seeing all above is needed coordination between the supporting component of the protection system which is consisted of Over Current Relay (OCR and Ground Fault Relay (GFR. The research was conducted at PT. PLN (Persero South Bali Area Network, INDONESIA on recloser in the feeder line of Penebel. OCR setting between the Relay feeder of Penebel, Recloser Celagi, Recloser Bakisan, and Recloser Benana still less selective, with time value coordination between average security was still less than 0,2 second. Then OCR setting and GFR relay feeder of Penebel, Recloser Celagi, Recloser Bakisan, and Recloser Benana was recommended for re-setting in order to minimize disruption and electric power distribution system to be reliable.

  20. Reliability of Current Biokinetic and Dosimetric Models for Radionuclides: A Pilot Study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Leggett, Richard Wayne [ORNL; Eckerman, Keith F [ORNL; Meck, Robert A. [U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

    2008-10-01

    This report describes the results of a pilot study of the reliability of the biokinetic and dosimetric models currently used by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) as predictors of dose per unit internal or external exposure to radionuclides. The study examines the feasibility of critically evaluating the accuracy of these models for a comprehensive set of radionuclides of concern to the NRC. Each critical evaluation would include: identification of discrepancies between the models and current databases; characterization of uncertainties in model predictions of dose per unit intake or unit external exposure; characterization of variability in dose per unit intake or unit external exposure; and evaluation of prospects for development of more accurate models. Uncertainty refers here to the level of knowledge of a central value for a population, and variability refers to quantitative differences between different members of a population. This pilot study provides a critical assessment of models for selected radionuclides representing different levels of knowledge of dose per unit exposure. The main conclusions of this study are as follows: (1) To optimize the use of available NRC resources, the full study should focus on radionuclides most frequently encountered in the workplace or environment. A list of 50 radionuclides is proposed. (2) The reliability of a dose coefficient for inhalation or ingestion of a radionuclide (i.e., an estimate of dose per unit intake) may depend strongly on the specific application. Multiple characterizations of the uncertainty in a dose coefficient for inhalation or ingestion of a radionuclide may be needed for different forms of the radionuclide and different levels of information of that form available to the dose analyst. (3) A meaningful characterization of variability in dose per unit intake of a radionuclide requires detailed information on the biokinetics of the radionuclide and hence is not feasible for many infrequently

  1. Perceived climate in physical activity settings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gill, Diane L; Morrow, Ronald G; Collins, Karen E; Lucey, Allison B; Schultz, Allison M

    2010-01-01

    This study focused on the perceived climate for LGBT youth and other minority groups in physical activity settings. A large sample of undergraduates and a selected sample including student teachers/interns and a campus Pride group completed a school climate survey and rated the climate in three physical activity settings (physical education, organized sport, exercise). Overall, school climate survey results paralleled the results with national samples revealing high levels of homophobic remarks and low levels of intervention. Physical activity climate ratings were mid-range, but multivariate analysis of variation test (MANOVA) revealed clear differences with all settings rated more inclusive for racial/ethnic minorities and most exclusive for gays/lesbians and people with disabilities. The results are in line with national surveys and research suggesting sexual orientation and physical characteristics are often the basis for harassment and exclusion in sport and physical activity. The current results also indicate that future physical activity professionals recognize exclusion, suggesting they could benefit from programs that move beyond awareness to skills and strategies for creating more inclusive programs.

  2. Curating research data a handbook of current practice

    CERN Document Server

    Johnston, Lisa R

    2017-01-01

    Curating Research Data, Volume Two: A Handbook of Current Practice guides you across the data lifecycle through the practical strategies and techniques for curating research data in a digital repository setting. The data curation steps for receiving, appraising, selecting, ingesting, transforming, describing, contextualizing, disseminating, and preserving digital research data are each explored, and then supplemented with detailed case studies written by more than forty international practitioners from national, disciplinary, and institutional data repositories. The steps in this volume detail the sequential actions that you might take to curate a data set from receiving the data (Step 1) to eventual reuse (Step 8). Data curators, archivists, research data management specialists, subject librarians, institutional repository managers, and digital library staff will benefit from these current and practical approaches to data curation.

  3. The Effects of Graphic Feedback, Goal-Setting, and Manager Praise on Customer Service Behaviors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Loewy, Shannon; Bailey, Jon

    2007-01-01

    The current study used a multiple baseline design to investigate the effects of graphic feedback, goal setting, and manager praise on customer service behaviors in a large retail setting. Direct observation of customer greeting, eye contact, and smiling was used to collect data. After baseline data were collected feedback graphs were posted twice…

  4. Philosophical introduction to set theory

    CERN Document Server

    Pollard, Stephen

    2015-01-01

    The primary mechanism for ideological and theoretical unification in modern mathematics, set theory forms an essential element of any comprehensive treatment of the philosophy of mathematics. This unique approach to set theory offers a technically informed discussion that covers a variety of philosophical issues. Rather than focusing on intuitionist and constructive alternatives to the Cantorian/Zermelian tradition, the author examines the two most important aspects of the current philosophy of mathematics, mathematical structuralism and mathematical applications of plural reference and plural

  5. An all-encompassing study of an authentic court setting

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Christensen, Tina Paulsen

    necessarily be judged from a particular (subjective) perspective on the communicative event. In this paper I shall address the issue of interpreting quality in an all-encompassing perspective on an authentic Danish courtroom setting. The aim of the empirical case-based survey is unlike that of most existing...... but homogeneous. Several empirical studies, which have been carried out on this subject, have shown that different user groups have different expectations about the interpreted communicative event, which ceteris paribus means that user expectations are heterogeneous. The question is, whether the heterogeneity......, which are to be considered as expectancy norms projected and recommended by the specific legal system. In order to be able to answer this question, a questionnaire-based survey on specific quality criteria has been conducted within an authentic interpreter-mediated court setting, because, according...

  6. Hybrid Compensatory-Noncompensatory Choice Sets in Semicompensatory Models

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kaplan, Sigal; Bekhor, Shlomo; Shiftan, Yoram

    2013-01-01

    Semicompensatory models represent a choice process consisting of an elimination-based choice set formation on satisfaction of criterion thresholds and a utility-based choice. Current semicompensatory models assume a purely noncompensatory choice set formation and therefore do not support multinom...

  7. A phenomenological study into the impact of the sign-off mentor in the acute hospital setting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hutchison, Trudy; Cochrane, Jill

    2014-06-01

    Mentoring provides an essential quality assurance mechanism within undergraduate support and assessment of nurses. Recent changes to the standards for supporting pre-registration learners in clinical practice have provided additional structure to this process. Existing evidence suggests there are numerous challenges such as balancing clinical and mentoring priorities and making appropriate decisions; evidence about the sign-off mentor role in particular is currently lacking. This study explores the impact of the sign-off mentor role within the acute setting utilising a phenomenological approach. A purposive sample of 6 sign-off mentors contributed to data collection via the use of semi-structured interviews. Data were collected using a digital tape recorder and transcribed verbatim. Analysis of findings allowed for the development of 3 main themes which are accountability, time and commitment. A key finding of this study is the change in focus for sign-off mentors to one of assessment of clinical competence and professional regulation as opposed to mentors who have concentrated on the teaching and pastoral aspects of this role. However, sustainability requires further investment in this new role from a managerial and educational perspective. Recommendations include further attempts to embed protected time into organisational processes, the consideration of limiting students to sign-off mentors when mentoring a final placement student and negotiating maximum number of exposures to this role within a set time frame. © 2013.

  8. Communal proactive coping strategies among Tamil refugees in Norway: A case study in a naturalistic setting

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guribye Eugene

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background An exclusive focus on individual or family coping strategies may be inadequate for people whose major point of concern may be collective healing on a more communal level. Methods To our knowledge, the current study is the first to make use of ethnographic fieldwork methods to investigate this type of coping as a process in a natural setting over time. Participant observation was employed within a Tamil NGO in Norway between August 2006 and December 2008. Results Tamil refugees in Norway co-operated to appraise their shared life situation and accumulate resources communally to improve it in culturally meaningful ways. Long term aspirations were related to both the situation in the homeland and in exile. However, unforeseen social events created considerable challenges and forced them to modify and adapt their coping strategies. Conclusions We describe a form of coping previously not described in the scientific literature: Communal proactive coping strategies, defined as the process by which group members feel collectively responsible for their future well-being and co-operate to promote desired outcomes and prevent undesired changes. The study shows that proactive coping efforts occur in a dynamic social setting which may force people to use their accumulated proactive coping resources in reactive coping efforts. Theoretical and clinical implications are explored.

  9. International standard (ISO) of radiation sterilization and issues in the sterilization dose setting

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Takehisa, Masaaki

    1995-01-01

    The ISO dose setting method 1 uses bioburden and verification by sublethal sterility test. Current devices produced in clean environmental have low bioburden, however, sensitivity of verification test declines at low bioburden. Validation of verification in this region should be further studied. A dose setting using D 10 of bioburden isolates should be reevaluated and included in the ISO. (author)

  10. PCMO L01-Setting Specifications for Biological Investigational Medicinal Products.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krause, Stephan O

    2015-01-01

    This paper provides overall guidance and best practices for the setting of specifications for clinical biological drug substances and drug products within the framework of ICH guidelines on pharmaceutical development [Q8(R2) and Q11], quality risk management (Q9), and quality systems (Q10). A review is provided of the current regulatory expectations for the specification setting process as part of a control strategy during product development, pointing to existing challenges for the investigational new drug/investigational medicinal product dossier (IND/IMPD) sponsor. A case study illustrates how the investigational medicinal product specification revision process can be managed within a flexible quality system, and how specifications can be set and justified for early and late development stages. This paper provides an overview for the setting of product specifications for investigational medicinal products used in clinical trials. A case study illustrates how product specifications of investigational medicinal products can be justified and managed within a modern product quality system. © PDA, Inc. 2015.

  11. Linear calculations of edge current driven kink modes with BOUT++ code

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Li, G. Q., E-mail: ligq@ipp.ac.cn; Xia, T. Y. [Institute of Plasma Physics, CAS, Hefei, Anhui 230031 (China); Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94550 (United States); Xu, X. Q. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94550 (United States); Snyder, P. B.; Turnbull, A. D. [General Atomics, San Diego, California 92186 (United States); Ma, C. H.; Xi, P. W. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94550 (United States); FSC, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China)

    2014-10-15

    This work extends previous BOUT++ work to systematically study the impact of edge current density on edge localized modes, and to benchmark with the GATO and ELITE codes. Using the CORSICA code, a set of equilibria was generated with different edge current densities by keeping total current and pressure profile fixed. Based on these equilibria, the effects of the edge current density on the MHD instabilities were studied with the 3-field BOUT++ code. For the linear calculations, with increasing edge current density, the dominant modes are changed from intermediate-n and high-n ballooning modes to low-n kink modes, and the linear growth rate becomes smaller. The edge current provides stabilizing effects on ballooning modes due to the increase of local shear at the outer mid-plane with the edge current. For edge kink modes, however, the edge current does not always provide a destabilizing effect; with increasing edge current, the linear growth rate first increases, and then decreases. In benchmark calculations for BOUT++ against the linear results with the GATO and ELITE codes, the vacuum model has important effects on the edge kink mode calculations. By setting a realistic density profile and Spitzer resistivity profile in the vacuum region, the resistivity was found to have a destabilizing effect on both the kink mode and on the ballooning mode. With diamagnetic effects included, the intermediate-n and high-n ballooning modes can be totally stabilized for finite edge current density.

  12. Linear calculations of edge current driven kink modes with BOUT++ code

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, G. Q.; Xia, T. Y.; Xu, X. Q.; Snyder, P. B.; Turnbull, A. D.; Ma, C. H.; Xi, P. W.

    2014-01-01

    This work extends previous BOUT++ work to systematically study the impact of edge current density on edge localized modes, and to benchmark with the GATO and ELITE codes. Using the CORSICA code, a set of equilibria was generated with different edge current densities by keeping total current and pressure profile fixed. Based on these equilibria, the effects of the edge current density on the MHD instabilities were studied with the 3-field BOUT++ code. For the linear calculations, with increasing edge current density, the dominant modes are changed from intermediate-n and high-n ballooning modes to low-n kink modes, and the linear growth rate becomes smaller. The edge current provides stabilizing effects on ballooning modes due to the increase of local shear at the outer mid-plane with the edge current. For edge kink modes, however, the edge current does not always provide a destabilizing effect; with increasing edge current, the linear growth rate first increases, and then decreases. In benchmark calculations for BOUT++ against the linear results with the GATO and ELITE codes, the vacuum model has important effects on the edge kink mode calculations. By setting a realistic density profile and Spitzer resistivity profile in the vacuum region, the resistivity was found to have a destabilizing effect on both the kink mode and on the ballooning mode. With diamagnetic effects included, the intermediate-n and high-n ballooning modes can be totally stabilized for finite edge current density

  13. Current Developments in Community College Performance Funding

    Science.gov (United States)

    D'Amico, Mark M.; Friedel, Janice N.; Katsinas, Stephen G.; Thornton, Zoë M.

    2014-01-01

    Since the initiation of performance funding in Tennessee in the late 1970s, approximately 30 states have, at some point, attempted a funding model that includes performance on a set of indicators. The purpose of the present study was to capture the current status of performance funding in public statewide community college systems and to assess…

  14. Overlap and Nonoverlap Between the ICF Core Sets for Hearing Loss and Otology and Audiology Intake Documentation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Leeuwen, Lisette M; Merkus, Paul; Pronk, Marieke; van der Torn, Marein; Maré, Marcel; Goverts, S Theo; Kramer, Sophia E

    The International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health (ICF) Core Sets for Hearing Loss (HL) were developed to serve as a standard for the assessment and reporting of the functioning and health of patients with HL. The aim of the present study was to compare the content of the intake documentation currently used in secondary and tertiary hearing care settings in the Netherlands with the content of the ICF Core Sets for HL. Research questions were (1) to what extent are the ICF Core Sets for HL represented in the Dutch Otology and Audiology intake documentation? (2) are there any extra ICF categories expressed in the intake documentation that are currently not part of the ICF Core Sets for HL, or constructs expressed that are not part of the ICF? Multicenter patient record study including 176 adult patients from two secondary, and two tertiary hearing care settings. The intake documentation was selected from anonymized patient records. The content was linked to the appropriate ICF category from the whole ICF classification using established linking rules. The extent to which the ICF Core Sets for HL were represented in the intake documentation was determined by assessing the overlap between the ICF categories in the Core Sets and the list of unique ICF categories extracted from the intake documentation. Any extra constructs that were expressed in the intake documentation but are not part of the Core Sets were described as well, differentiating between ICF categories that are not part of the Core Sets and constructs that are not part of the ICF classification. In total, otology and audiology intake documentation represented 24 of the 27 Brief ICF Core Set categories (i.e., 89%), and 60 of the 117 Comprehensive ICF Core Set categories (i.e., 51%). Various ICF Core Sets categories were not represented, including higher mental functions (Body Functions), civic life aspects (Activities and Participation), and support and attitudes of family (Environmental

  15. A Laboratory Activity on the Eddy Current Brake

    Science.gov (United States)

    Molina-Bolivar, J. A.; Abella-Palacios, A. J.

    2012-01-01

    The aim of this paper is to introduce a simple and low-cost experimental setup that can be used to study the eddy current brake, which considers the motion of a sliding magnet on an inclined conducting plane in terms of basic physical principles. We present a set of quantitative experiments performed to study the influence of the geometrical and…

  16. Food marketing to children in Canada: a settings-based scoping review on exposure, power and impact

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rachel, Prowse

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Introduction: Food marketing impacts children’s food knowledge, behaviours and health. Current regulations in Canada focus on restricting promotional aspects of food marketing with little-to-no consideration of the places where children experience food. Understanding food marketing in children’s everyday settings is necessary to protect children. This scoping review describes the current literature on food marketing to children in Canada by setting. Methods: The author searched databases for Canadian research on children’s exposure to food marketing, and the power and impact of food marketing to children (2-17 years) across settings, and on how current regulations may mediate the effect of food marketing on children. Peer-reviewed studies in English, published between 2000 and 2016, were included. Results: Twenty-five studies documented children’s exposure to food marketing and its power and/or impact on them in homes (via television, or online) (n = 12), public schools (n = 1), grocery stores (n = 8), fast food restaurants (n = 2), and in general (n = 2). Research trends suggest that unhealthy foods are targeted at children using multiple promotional techniques that overlap across settings. Several research gaps exist in this area, leading to an incomplete, and potentially underestimated, picture of food marketing to children in Canada. Available evidence suggests that current Canadian approaches have not reduced children’s exposure to or the power of food marketing in these settings, with the exception of some positive influences from Quebec’s statutory regulations. Conclusion: The settings where children eat, buy or learn about food expose them to powerful, often unhealthy food marketing. The current evidence suggests that “place” may be an important marketing component to be included in public policy in order to broadly protect children from unhealthy food marketing. Organizations and communities can engage in settings-based health

  17. Food marketing to children in Canada: a settings-based scoping review on exposure, power and impact

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rachel Prowse

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Food marketing impacts children’s food knowledge, behaviours and health. Current regulations in Canada focus on restricting promotional aspects of food marketing with little-to-no consideration of the places where children experience food. Understanding food marketing in children’s everyday settings is necessary to protect children. This scoping review describes the current literature on food marketing to children in Canada by setting. Methods: The author searched databases for Canadian research on children’s exposure to food marketing, and the power and impact of food marketing to children (2-17 years across settings, and on how current regulations may mediate the effect of food marketing on children. Peer-reviewed studies in English, published between 2000 and 2016, were included. Results: Twenty-five studies documented children’s exposure to food marketing and its power and/or impact on them in homes (via television, or online (n = 12, public schools (n = 1, grocery stores (n = 8, fast food restaurants (n = 2, and in general (n = 2. Research trends suggest that unhealthy foods are targeted at children using multiple promotional techniques that overlap across settings. Several research gaps exist in this area, leading to an incomplete, and potentially underestimated, picture of food marketing to children in Canada. Available evidence suggests that current Canadian approaches have not reduced children’s exposure to or the power of food marketing in these settings, with the exception of some positive influences from Quebec’s statutory regulations. Conclusion: The settings where children eat, buy or learn about food expose them to powerful, often unhealthy food marketing. The current evidence suggests that “place” may be an important marketing component to be included in public policy in order to broadly protect children from unhealthy food marketing. Organizations and communities can engage in settings-based health

  18. The Ring Current Response to Solar and Interplanetary Storm Drivers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mouikis, C.; Kistler, L. M.; Bingham, S.; Kronberg, E. A.; Gkioulidou, M.; Huang, C. L.; Farrugia, C. J.

    2014-12-01

    The ring current responds differently to the different solar and interplanetary storm drivers such as coronal mass injections, (CME's), corotating interaction regions (CIR's), high-speed streamers and other structures. The resulting changes in the ring current particle pressure, in turn, change the global magnetic field, controlling the transport of the radiation belts. To quantitatively determine the field changes during a storm throughout the magnetosphere, it is necessary to understand the transport, sources and losses of the particles that contribute to the ring current. Because the measured ring current energy spectra depend not only on local processes, but also on the history of the ions along their entire drift path, measurements of ring current energy spectra at two or more locations can be used to strongly constrain the time dependent magnetic and electric fields. In this study we use data predominantly from the Cluster and the Van Allen Probes, covering more than a full solar cycle (from 2001 to 2014). For the period 2001-2012, the Cluster CODIF and RAPID measurements of the inner magnetosphere are the primary data set used to monitor the storm time ring current variability. After 2012, the Cluster data set complements the data from the Van Allen Probes HOPE and RBSPICE instruments, providing additional measurements from different MLT and L shells. Selected storms from this periods, allow us to study the ring current dynamics and pressure changes, as a function of L shell, magnetic local time, and the type of interplanetary disturbances.

  19. The Generalized Higher Criticism for Testing SNP-Set Effects in Genetic Association Studies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barnett, Ian; Mukherjee, Rajarshi; Lin, Xihong

    2017-01-01

    It is of substantial interest to study the effects of genes, genetic pathways, and networks on the risk of complex diseases. These genetic constructs each contain multiple SNPs, which are often correlated and function jointly, and might be large in number. However, only a sparse subset of SNPs in a genetic construct is generally associated with the disease of interest. In this article, we propose the generalized higher criticism (GHC) to test for the association between an SNP set and a disease outcome. The higher criticism is a test traditionally used in high-dimensional signal detection settings when marginal test statistics are independent and the number of parameters is very large. However, these assumptions do not always hold in genetic association studies, due to linkage disequilibrium among SNPs and the finite number of SNPs in an SNP set in each genetic construct. The proposed GHC overcomes the limitations of the higher criticism by allowing for arbitrary correlation structures among the SNPs in an SNP-set, while performing accurate analytic p-value calculations for any finite number of SNPs in the SNP-set. We obtain the detection boundary of the GHC test. We compared empirically using simulations the power of the GHC method with existing SNP-set tests over a range of genetic regions with varied correlation structures and signal sparsity. We apply the proposed methods to analyze the CGEM breast cancer genome-wide association study. Supplementary materials for this article are available online. PMID:28736464

  20. MAGMA: Generalized Gene-Set Analysis of GWAS Data

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Leeuw, C.A.; Mooij, J.M.; Heskes, T.; Posthuma, D.

    2015-01-01

    By aggregating data for complex traits in a biologically meaningful way, gene and gene-set analysis constitute a valuable addition to single-marker analysis. However, although various methods for gene and gene-set analysis currently exist, they generally suffer from a number of issues. Statistical

  1. MAGMA: generalized gene-set analysis of GWAS data.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Leeuw, C.A.; Mooij, J.M.; Heskes, T.; Posthuma, D.

    2015-01-01

    By aggregating data for complex traits in a biologically meaningful way, gene and gene-set analysis constitute a valuable addition to single-marker analysis. However, although various methods for gene and gene-set analysis currently exist, they generally suffer from a number of issues. Statistical

  2. Reconfiguring Independent Sets in Claw-Free Graphs

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bonsma, P.S.; Kamiński, Marcin; Wrochna, Marcin; Ravi, R.; Gørtz, Inge Li

    We present a polynomial-time algorithm that, given two independent sets in a claw-free graph G, decides whether one can be transformed into the other by a sequence of elementary steps. Each elementary step is to remove a vertex v from the current independent set S and to add a new vertex w (not in

  3. Molecular structure-adsorption study on current textile dyes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Örücü, E; Tugcu, G; Saçan, M T

    2014-01-01

    This study was performed to investigate the adsorption of a diverse set of textile dyes onto granulated activated carbon (GAC). The adsorption experiments were carried out in a batch system. The Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models were applied to experimental data and the isotherm constants were calculated for 33 anthraquinone and azo dyes. The adsorption equilibrium data fitted more adequately to the Langmuir isotherm model than the Freundlich isotherm model. Added to a qualitative analysis of experimental results, multiple linear regression (MLR), support vector regression (SVR) and back propagation neural network (BPNN) methods were used to develop quantitative structure-property relationship (QSPR) models with the novel adsorption data. The data were divided randomly into training and test sets. The predictive ability of all models was evaluated using the test set. Descriptors were selected with a genetic algorithm (GA) using QSARINS software. Results related to QSPR models on the adsorption capacity of GAC showed that molecular structure of dyes was represented by ionization potential based on two-dimensional topological distances, chromophoric features and a property filter index. Comparison of the performance of the models demonstrated the superiority of the BPNN over GA-MLR and SVR models.

  4. Benchmarking of protein descriptor sets in proteochemometric modeling (part 2): modeling performance of 13 amino acid descriptor sets

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-01

    Background While a large body of work exists on comparing and benchmarking descriptors of molecular structures, a similar comparison of protein descriptor sets is lacking. Hence, in the current work a total of 13 amino acid descriptor sets have been benchmarked with respect to their ability of establishing bioactivity models. The descriptor sets included in the study are Z-scales (3 variants), VHSE, T-scales, ST-scales, MS-WHIM, FASGAI, BLOSUM, a novel protein descriptor set (termed ProtFP (4 variants)), and in addition we created and benchmarked three pairs of descriptor combinations. Prediction performance was evaluated in seven structure-activity benchmarks which comprise Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE) dipeptidic inhibitor data, and three proteochemometric data sets, namely (1) GPCR ligands modeled against a GPCR panel, (2) enzyme inhibitors (NNRTIs) with associated bioactivities against a set of HIV enzyme mutants, and (3) enzyme inhibitors (PIs) with associated bioactivities on a large set of HIV enzyme mutants. Results The amino acid descriptor sets compared here show similar performance (set differences ( > 0.3 log units RMSE difference and >0.7 difference in MCC). Combining different descriptor sets generally leads to better modeling performance than utilizing individual sets. The best performers were Z-scales (3) combined with ProtFP (Feature), or Z-Scales (3) combined with an average Z-Scale value for each target, while ProtFP (PCA8), ST-Scales, and ProtFP (Feature) rank last. Conclusions While amino acid descriptor sets capture different aspects of amino acids their ability to be used for bioactivity modeling is still – on average – surprisingly similar. Still, combining sets describing complementary information consistently leads to small but consistent improvement in modeling performance (average MCC 0.01 better, average RMSE 0.01 log units lower). Finally, performance differences exist between the targets compared thereby underlining that

  5. Correlates of the MMPI-2-RF in a College Setting

    Science.gov (United States)

    Forbey, Johnathan D.; Lee, Tayla T. C.; Handel, Richard W.

    2010-01-01

    The current study examined empirical correlates of scores on Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2-Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF; A. Tellegen & Y. S. Ben-Porath, 2008; Y. S. Ben-Porath & A. Tellegen, 2008) scales in a college setting. The MMPI-2-RF and six criterion measures (assessing anger, assertiveness, sex roles, cognitive…

  6. System and method for motor fault detection using stator current noise cancellation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Wei; Lu, Bin; Nowak, Michael P.; Dimino, Steven A.

    2010-12-07

    A system and method for detecting incipient mechanical motor faults by way of current noise cancellation is disclosed. The system includes a controller configured to detect indicia of incipient mechanical motor faults. The controller further includes a processor programmed to receive a baseline set of current data from an operating motor and define a noise component in the baseline set of current data. The processor is also programmed to acquire at least on additional set of real-time operating current data from the motor during operation, redefine the noise component present in each additional set of real-time operating current data, and remove the noise component from the operating current data in real-time to isolate any fault components present in the operating current data. The processor is then programmed to generate a fault index for the operating current data based on any isolated fault components.

  7. Social Set Visualizer (SoSeVi) II

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Flesch, Benjamin; Vatrapu, Ravi

    2016-01-01

    This paper reports the second iteration of the Social Set Visualizer (SoSeVi), a set theoretical visual analytics dashboard of big social data. In order to further demonstrate its usefulness in large-scale visual analytics tasks of individual and collective behavior of actors in social networks......, the current iteration of the Social Set Visualizer (SoSeVi) in version II builds on recent advancements in visualizing set intersections. The development of the SoSeVi dashboard involved cutting-edge open source visual analytics libraries (D3.js) and creation of new visualizations such as of actor mobility...

  8. Pengaruh Goal Setting terhadap Performance : Tinjauan Teoritis

    OpenAIRE

    Ginting, Surya Dharma; Ariani, D. Wahyu

    2004-01-01

    This article is the conceptual view of goal setting theory and effects of goal setting on individual performance. Goal setting is recognized, and is a major theory of work motivation. Difficult goals have consistently been shown to lead to higher levels of performance than easy goals. If there is no commitment, a goal can have no motivational effect. Goals are central to current treatments of work motivation, and goal commitment is a necessary condition for difficult goals to result in higher...

  9. Teaching Goal-Setting for Weight-Gain Prevention in a College Population: Insights from the CHOICES Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gardner, Jolynn; Kjolhaug, Jerri; Linde, Jennifer A; Sevcik, Sarah; Lytle, Leslie A

    2013-01-01

    This article describes the effectiveness of goal setting instruction in the CHOICES (Choosing Healthy Options in College Environments and Settings) study, an intervention evaluating the effectiveness of weight gain prevention strategies for 2-year college students. Four hundred and forty-one participants from three community colleges were recruited. Participants randomized into the intervention (n=224) enrolled in a course that taught strategies to help maintain or achieve a healthy weight. Participants were instructed in SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Time-based) and behavioral goal-setting practices. Throughout the course, participants set goals related to improving their sleep, stress-management, exercise, and nutrition." Intervention participants set four hundred eighteen goals. Each goal was carefully evaluated. The efforts to teach behavioral goal-setting strategies were largely successful; however efforts to convey the intricacies of SMART goal-setting were not as successful. Implications for effective teaching of skills in setting SMART behavioral goals were realized in this study. The insights gained from the goal-setting activities of this study could be used to guide educators who utilize goals to achieve health behavior change. Based on the results of this study, it is recommended that very clear and directed instruction be provided in addition to multiple opportunities for goal-setting practice. Implications for future interventions involving education about goal-setting activities are discussed.

  10. Optimum bolus wizard settings in insulin pumps in children with Type 1 diabetes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, A J B; Ostenfeld, A; Pipper, C B

    2016-01-01

    : Optimum insulin pump settings at pump initiation depend on both insulin requirements and use of the pump. Settings need to be individualized because the standardized calculation factors are not constant for children. There is a need to develop specific age- and insulin dose-dependent calculation factors.......AIM: To evaluate current insulin pump settings in an optimally regulated paediatric population using bolus wizard. METHODS: We used a retrospective study design to analyse data from 124 children on insulin pump therapy who had optimum HbA1c levels [

  11. Chemical Engineering Education - Current and Future Trends

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gani, Rafiqul

    topics (transport phenomena, separations, reaction engineering, etc.) must remain strong, should the applications that currently emphasize commodity chemicals also include new topics such as sustainability, and product design? In Europe, the European Federation of Chemical Engineering (EFCE) has taken...... has a product focus. With this shift of the chemical industry, what should be the curriculum of the chemical engineering degrees at the BSc- and MSc-levels, and, are the skill set of chemical engineers appropriate for this altered chemical industry? While the basic skill set, defined by the core...... a leading role to define the chemical engineering curriculum. The result has been a set of recommendations for the first (BSc), second (MSc) and third (PhD) cycle chemical engineering education aligned to the Bologna Process. They recommend that students studying towards bachelor and masters qualifications...

  12. Smartphone Use by Nurses in Acute Care Settings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Flynn, Greir Ander Huck; Polivka, Barbara; Behr, Jodi Herron

    2018-03-01

    The use of smartphones in acute care settings remains controversial due to security concerns and personal use. The purposes of this study were to determine (1) the current rates of personal smartphone use by nurses in acute care settings, (2) nurses' preferences regarding the use of smartphone functionality at work, and (3) nurse perceptions of the benefits and drawbacks of smartphone use at work. An online survey of nurses from six acute care facilities within one healthcare system assessed the use of personal smartphones in acute care settings and perceptions of the benefits and drawbacks of smartphone use at work. Participants (N = 735) were primarily point-of-care nurses older than 31 years. Most participants (98%) used a smartphone in the acute care setting. Respondents perceived the most common useful and beneficial smartphone functions in acute care settings as allowing them to access information on medications, procedures, and diseases. Participants older than 50 years were less likely to use a smartphone in acute care settings and to agree with the benefits of smartphones. There is a critical need for recognition that smartphones are used by point-of-care nurses for a variety of functions and that realistic policies for smartphone use are needed to enhance patient care and minimize distractions.

  13. Harmonic currents circulation in electrical networks simulation and analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Em-Mamlouk, W.M. [MEP, Cairo (Egypt); El-Sharkawy, M.A. [Shams Univ., Cairo (Egypt). Dept. of Electrical Power and Machines; Mostafa, H.E. [Jazan Univ., Jazan (Saudi Arabia). Electrical Dept.

    2009-07-01

    A detailed harmonic flow analysis for a 13-bus balanced industrial distribution system was presented. The aim of the study was to determine the influence of harmonic sources in various branches of the system on voltage and current waveforms before disruptions to the utility supply system occurred. The current harmonic contents of an adjustable speed drive (ASD) were studied under various loading conditions. The test system was simulated using a standard study test system. Harmonic effects from multiple sources were investigated, and voltage distortion on the different buses was monitored. The study demonstrated that while the harmonic loads circulated harmonic currents in all system branches, no harmonic source was directly connected to the system buses. Many of the investigated cases exceeded allowable voltage total harmonic distortion and or current total harmonic distortion standards set by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE). It was concluded that active harmonic filters should be used to prevent the effects of harmonic current circulation at different buses on neighbouring loads within a system. 8 refs., 11 tabs., 15 figs.

  14. Western Gulf of Mexico June 1994 Ocean Currents, Geographic NAD83, MMS (1999) [ocean_currents_wgom_Jun_MMS_1994

    Data.gov (United States)

    Louisiana Geographic Information Center — This is one data set of a data package consisting of thirteen point data sets that have as attributes the direction and velocity of ocean currents in the western...

  15. Eastern Gulf of Mexico April 1997 Ocean Currents, Geographic NAD83, MMS (1999) [ocean_currents_egom_Apr_MMS_1997

    Data.gov (United States)

    Louisiana Geographic Information Center — This is one data set of a data package consisting of thirteen point data sets that have as attributes the direction and velocity of ocean currents in the 'eastern'...

  16. Eastern Gulf of Mexico November 1997 Ocean Currents, Geographic NAD83, MMS (1999) [ocean_currents_egom_Nov_MMS_1997

    Data.gov (United States)

    Louisiana Geographic Information Center — This is one data set of a data package consisting of thirteen point data sets that have as attributes the direction and velocity of ocean currents in the 'eastern'...

  17. Eastern Gulf of Mexico February 1997 Ocean Currents, Geographic NAD83, MMS (1999) [ocean_currents_egom_Feb_MMS_1997

    Data.gov (United States)

    Louisiana Geographic Information Center — This is one data set of a data package consisting of thirteen point data sets that have as attributes the direction and velocity of ocean currents in the 'eastern'...

  18. Eastern Gulf of Mexico March 1997 Ocean Currents, Geographic NAD83, MMS (1999) [ocean_currents_egom_Mar_MMS_1997

    Data.gov (United States)

    Louisiana Geographic Information Center — This is one data set of a data package consisting of thirteen point data sets that have as attributes the direction and velocity of ocean currents in the 'eastern'...

  19. Western Gulf of Mexico October 1994 Ocean Currents, Geographic NAD83, MMS (1999)[ocean_currents_wgom_Oct_MMS_1994

    Data.gov (United States)

    Louisiana Geographic Information Center — This is one data set of a data package consisting of thirteen point data sets that have as attributes the direction and velocity of ocean currents in the western...

  20. Eastern Gulf of Mexico May 1997 Ocean Currents, Geographic NAD83, MMS (1999) [ocean_currents_egom_May_MMS_1997

    Data.gov (United States)

    Louisiana Geographic Information Center — This is one data set of a data package consisting of thirteen point data sets that have as attributes the direction and velocity of ocean currents in the 'eastern'...

  1. Western Gulf of Mexico July 1994 Ocean Currents, Geographic NAD83, MMS (1999) [ocean_currents_wgom_Jul_MMS_1994

    Data.gov (United States)

    Louisiana Geographic Information Center — This is one data set of a data package consisting of thirteen point data sets that have as attributes the direction and velocity of ocean currents in the western...

  2. Western Gulf of Mexico May 1994 Ocean Currents, Geographic NAD83, MMS (1999) [ocean_currents_wgom_May_MMS_1994

    Data.gov (United States)

    Louisiana Geographic Information Center — This is one data set of a data package consisting of thirteen point data sets that have as attributes the direction and velocity of ocean currents in the western...

  3. Eastern Gulf of Mexico August 1997 Ocean Currents, Geographic NAD83, MMS (1999) [ocean_currents_egom_Aug_MMS_1997

    Data.gov (United States)

    Louisiana Geographic Information Center — This is one data set of a data package consisting of thirteen point data sets that have as attributes the direction and velocity of ocean currents in the 'eastern'...

  4. Eastern Gulf of Mexico October 1997 Ocean Currents, Geographic NAD83, MMS (1999) [ocean_currents_egom_Oct_MMS_1997

    Data.gov (United States)

    Louisiana Geographic Information Center — This is one data set of a data package consisting of thirteen point data sets that have as attributes the direction and velocity of ocean currents in the 'eastern'...

  5. Western Gulf of Mexico August 1994 Ocean Currents, Geographic NAD83, MMS (1999) [ocean_currents_wgom_Aug_MMS_1994

    Data.gov (United States)

    Louisiana Geographic Information Center — This is one data set of a data package consisting of thirteen point data sets that have as attributes the direction and velocity of ocean currents in the western...

  6. Western Gulf of Mexico April 1994 Ocean Currents, Geographic NAD83, MMS (1999) [ocean_currents_wgom_Apr_MMS_1994

    Data.gov (United States)

    Louisiana Geographic Information Center — This is one data set of a data package consisting of thirteen point data sets that have as attributes the direction and velocity of ocean currents in the western...

  7. Eastern Gulf of Mexico September 1997 Ocean Currents, Geographic NAD83, MMS (1999) [ocean_currents_egom_Sep_MMS_1997

    Data.gov (United States)

    Louisiana Geographic Information Center — This is one data set of a data package consisting of thirteen point data sets that have as attributes the direction and velocity of ocean currents in the 'eastern'...

  8. Western Gulf of Mexico January 1994 Ocean Currents, Geographic NAD83, MMS (1999) [ocean_currents_wgom_Jan_MMS_1994

    Data.gov (United States)

    Louisiana Geographic Information Center — This is one data set of a data package consisting of thirteen point data sets that have as attributes the direction and velocity of ocean currents in the western...

  9. Eastern Gulf of Mexico June 1997 Ocean Currents, Geographic NAD83, MMS (1999) [ocean_currents_egom_Jun_MMS_1997

    Data.gov (United States)

    Louisiana Geographic Information Center — This is one data set of a data package consisting of thirteen point data sets that have as attributes the direction and velocity of ocean currents in the 'eastern'...

  10. Eastern Gulf of Mexico July 1997 Ocean Currents, Geographic NAD83, MMS (1999) [ocean_currents_egom_Jul_MMS_1997

    Data.gov (United States)

    Louisiana Geographic Information Center — This is one data set of a data package consisting of thirteen point data sets that have as attributes the direction and velocity of ocean currents in the 'eastern'...

  11. Western Gulf of Mexico March 1994 Ocean Currents, Geographic NAD83, MMS (1999) [ocean_currents_wgom_Mar_MMS_1994

    Data.gov (United States)

    Louisiana Geographic Information Center — This is one data set of a data package consisting of thirteen point data sets that have as attributes the direction and velocity of ocean currents in the western...

  12. Western Gulf of Mexico September 1994 Ocean Currents, Geographic NAD83, MMS (1999) [ocean_currents_wgom_Sep_MMS_1994

    Data.gov (United States)

    Louisiana Geographic Information Center — This is one data set of a data package consisting of thirteen point data sets that have as attributes the direction and velocity of ocean currents in the western...

  13. Western Gulf of Mexico February 1994 Ocean Currents, Geographic NAD83, MMS (1999) [ocean_currents_wgom_Feb_MMS_1994

    Data.gov (United States)

    Louisiana Geographic Information Center — This is one data set of a data package consisting of thirteen point data sets that have as attributes the direction and velocity of ocean currents in the western...

  14. Eastern Gulf of Mexico December 1997 Ocean Currents, Geographic NAD83, MMS (1999) [ocean_currents_egom_Dec_MMS_1997

    Data.gov (United States)

    Louisiana Geographic Information Center — This is one data set of a data package consisting of thirteen point data sets that have as attributes the direction and velocity of ocean currents in the 'eastern'...

  15. Western Gulf of Mexico November 1994 Ocean Currents, Geographic NAD83, MMS (1999) [ocean_currents_wgom_Nov_MMS_1994

    Data.gov (United States)

    Louisiana Geographic Information Center — This is one data set of a data package consisting of thirteen point data sets that have as attributes the direction and velocity of ocean currents in the western...

  16. Eastern Gulf of Mexico January 1997 Ocean Currents, Geographic NAD83, MMS (1999) [ocean_currents_egom_Jan_MMS_1997

    Data.gov (United States)

    Louisiana Geographic Information Center — This is one data set of a data package consisting of thirteen point data sets that have as attributes the direction and velocity of ocean currents in the 'eastern'...

  17. Western Gulf of Mexico December 1994 Ocean Currents, Geographic NAD83, MMS (1999) [ocean_currents_wgom_Dec_MMS_1994

    Data.gov (United States)

    Louisiana Geographic Information Center — This is one data set of a data package consisting of thirteen point data sets that have as attributes the direction and velocity of ocean currents in the western...

  18. Study on classical and excess eddy currents losses of Terfenol-D

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Talebian, Soheil; Hojjat, Yousef [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Ghodsi, Mojtaba [Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat (Oman); Karafi, Mohammad Reza [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

    2015-08-15

    In the present paper, classical and excess eddy currents losses of Terfenol-D are studied and effects of magnetic field frequency, peak of magnetic flux density and diameter of Terfenol-D on the eddy currents losses are investigated. To provide reliable data for the purpose of the paper, an experimental laboratory is fabricated and used to obtain major and minor hysteresis loops of Terfenol-D at different frequencies. In theoretical study, initially an analytical model based on uniform distribution of magnetic flux is developed which yields to calculation of classical eddy currents losses. Then, another eddy currents model based on non-uniform distribution of magnetic flux and nonlinear diffusion of electromagnetic fields is presented. The difference between output values of the two models is identified as excess eddy currents losses. Obtained results show that the values of excess losses are generally larger than classical losses and applying just classical model leads to wrong calculation of actual value of eddy currents losses. For the results obtained from two above models, empirical models with respect to the magnetic field frequency and the peak value of magnetic flux density are achieved which can predict the eddy currents losses precisely. To validate the empirical relations, experiments are repeated at a new frequency and values of power losses calculated from analytical equations are compared with the predicted values of the empirical models. The results point towards possibility to use the obtained empirical relations in order to calculate the classical and excess eddy currents losses of Terfenol-D at the frequencies below 200 Hz and different values of magnetic flux density. - Highlights: • Classical eddy currents loss of Terfenol-D is studied using Maxwell's laws. • Excess eddy currents loss of Terfenol-D is studied using Mayergoyz nonlinear model. • Effects of Terfenol-D geometry on the eddy currents losses are investigated. • Power

  19. Fundamental about energy-efficient set-top boxes; Grundlagen zur Energieeffizienz von Set-Top Boxen

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Grieder, T.; Huser, A.

    2004-07-01

    In various countries within Europe, digital television has already achieved a wide distribution. All types of reception are affected by this new technology, cable television, satellite reception and reception with a conventional roof or room aerial. In addition to the television set itself, a separate receiver is required for the digital signals, a so-called set-top box. Instead of one analogue programme, at least 3, or, in extreme cases more than 10, digital programmes are received, with interactive ser-vices also being possible. Up to now, very little of this development has been seen in Switzerland. Thanks to the wide range of programmes available over the cable networks, there is virtually no demand for an improved offer via a conventional aerial. Only in the case of satellite reception has the changeover already taken place in the majority of cases. Attractive additional services, as well as the integration into the international environment, will result in an increasing number of set-top boxes also being used in Switzerland. Over the next 10 to 15 years, the current number of approximately 420,000 units will increase to over 3 million, whereby the total electricity demand within Switzerland will increase by a further 0.5 to 1%. In order to check this increase, the European Union has taken the path of a voluntary agreement with the appliance manufacturers and service providers, and a similar procedure is also recommended for Switzerland. In addition, this study also draws up various recommendations for the importers of set-top boxes and for the service providers. (author)

  20. A Study of Charged Current Single Charged Pion Productions on Carbon in a Few-GeV Neutrino Beam

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hiraide, Katsuki [Kyoto Univ. (Japan)

    2009-01-01

    Understanding single charged pion production via neutrino-nucleus charged current interaction in the neutrino energy region of a few GeV is essential for future neutrino oscillation experiments since this process is a dominant background for vμ → vx oscillation measurements. There are two contributions to this process: single pion production via baryonic resonance (vμN → μ-+) and coherent pion production interacting with the entire nucleus (vμA → μ-+), where N is nucleon in the nucleus and A is the nucleus. The purpose of the study presented in this thesis is a precise measurement of charged current single charged pion productions, resonant and coherent pion productions, with a good final state separation in the neutrino energy region of a few GeV. In this thesis, we focus on the study of charged current coherent pion production from muon neutrinos scattering on carbon, vμ 12C → μ-12+, in the SciBooNE experiment. This is motivated by the fact that without measuring this component first, the precise determination of resonant pion production cross section can not be achieved since the contribution of coherent pion production in the region of small muon scattering angle is not small. Furthermore, the coherent process is particularly interesting because it is deeply rooted in fundamental physics via Adler's partially conserved axial-vector current theorem. We took data from June 2007 until August 2008, in both the neutrino and antineutrino beam. In total, 2.52 x 1020 protons on target were collected. We have performed a search for charged current coherent pion production by using SciBooNE's full neutrino data set, corresponding to 0.99 x 1020 protons on target. No evidence for coherent pion production is observed. We set 90% confidence level upper limits on the cross section ratio

  1. The experimental studies of operating modes of a diesel-generator set at variable speed

    Science.gov (United States)

    Obukhov, S. G.; Plotnikov, I. A.; Surkov, M. A.; Sumarokova, L. P.

    2017-02-01

    A diesel generator set working at variable speed to save fuel is studied. The results of experimental studies of the operating modes of an autonomous diesel generator set are presented. Areas for regulating operating modes are determined. It is demonstrated that the transfer of the diesel generator set to variable speed of the diesel engine makes it possible to improve the energy efficiency of the autonomous generator source, as well as the environmental and ergonomic performance of the equipment as compared with general industrial analogues.

  2. Global temperature response to the major volcanic eruptions in multiple reanalysis data sets

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Fujiwara

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available The global temperature responses to the eruptions of Mount Agung in 1963, El Chichón in 1982, and Mount Pinatubo in 1991 are investigated using nine currently available reanalysis data sets (JRA-55, MERRA, ERA-Interim, NCEP-CFSR, JRA-25, ERA-40, NCEP-1, NCEP-2, and 20CR. Multiple linear regression is applied to the zonal and monthly mean time series of temperature for two periods, 1979–2009 (for eight reanalysis data sets and 1958–2001 (for four reanalysis data sets, by considering explanatory factors of seasonal harmonics, linear trends, Quasi-Biennial Oscillation, solar cycle, and El Niño Southern Oscillation. The residuals are used to define the volcanic signals for the three eruptions separately, and common and different responses among the older and newer reanalysis data sets are highlighted for each eruption. In response to the Mount Pinatubo eruption, most reanalysis data sets show strong warming signals (up to 2–3 K for 1-year average in the tropical lower stratosphere and weak cooling signals (down to −1 K in the subtropical upper troposphere. For the El Chichón eruption, warming signals in the tropical lower stratosphere are somewhat smaller than those for the Mount Pinatubo eruption. The response to the Mount Agung eruption is asymmetric about the equator with strong warming in the Southern Hemisphere midlatitude upper troposphere to lower stratosphere. Comparison of the results from several different reanalysis data sets confirms the atmospheric temperature response to these major eruptions qualitatively, but also shows quantitative differences even among the most recent reanalysis data sets. The consistencies and differences among different reanalysis data sets provide a measure of the confidence and uncertainty in our current understanding of the volcanic response. The results of this intercomparison study may be useful for validation of climate model responses to volcanic forcing and for assessing proposed

  3. Sex differences in biopsychosocial correlates of binge eating disorder: a study of treatment-seeking obese adults in primary care setting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Udo, Tomoko; McKee, Sherry A; White, Marney A; Masheb, Robin M; Barnes, Rachel D; Grilo, Carlos M

    2013-01-01

    Although community-based studies suggest equivalent levels of physical and psychological impairment by binge eating disorder (BED) in men and women, men with BED are still underrepresented in clinical studies. This study aimed to provide a comprehensive analysis of sex differences in biopsychosocial correlates of treatment-seeking obese patients with BED in primary care. One hundred-ninety obese adults (26% men) were recruited in primary care settings for a treatment study for obesity and BED. Very few significant sex differences were found in the developmental history and in current levels of eating disorder features, as well as psychosocial factors. Women reported significantly earlier age at onset of overweight and dieting and greater frequency of dieting. Men reported more frequent strenuous exercise. Men were more likely than women to meet criteria for metabolic syndrome; men were more likely to show clinically elevated levels of triglycerides, blood pressure, and fasting glucose levels. Despite few sex differences in behavioral and psychosocial factors, metabolic problems associated with obesity were more common among treatment-seeking obese men with BED than women. The findings highlight the importance of including men in clinical studies of BED and active screening of BED in obese men at primary care settings. © 2013.

  4. Personal Goal Setting and Quality of Life: A Mixed Methods Study of Adult Professionals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ingraham, Frank

    2017-01-01

    This mixed methods study was designed to examine the potential impactful relationship between personal goal setting and the quality of life satisfaction (built upon the Goal Setting Theory of motivation and performance). The study aimed to determine how influential the goal achievement process is (or is not) regarding personal fulfillment and…

  5. The 11-year solar cycle in current reanalyses: a (non)linear attribution study of the middle atmosphere

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuchar, A.; Sacha, P.; Miksovsky, J.; Pisoft, P.

    2015-06-01

    This study focusses on the variability of temperature, ozone and circulation characteristics in the stratosphere and lower mesosphere with regard to the influence of the 11-year solar cycle. It is based on attribution analysis using multiple nonlinear techniques (support vector regression, neural networks) besides the multiple linear regression approach. The analysis was applied to several current reanalysis data sets for the 1979-2013 period, including MERRA, ERA-Interim and JRA-55, with the aim to compare how these types of data resolve especially the double-peaked solar response in temperature and ozone variables and the consequent changes induced by these anomalies. Equatorial temperature signals in the tropical stratosphere were found to be in qualitative agreement with previous attribution studies, although the agreement with observational results was incomplete, especially for JRA-55. The analysis also pointed to the solar signal in the ozone data sets (i.e. MERRA and ERA-Interim) not being consistent with the observed double-peaked ozone anomaly extracted from satellite measurements. The results obtained by linear regression were confirmed by the nonlinear approach through all data sets, suggesting that linear regression is a relevant tool to sufficiently resolve the solar signal in the middle atmosphere. The seasonal evolution of the solar response was also discussed in terms of dynamical causalities in the winter hemispheres. The hypothetical mechanism of a weaker Brewer-Dobson circulation at solar maxima was reviewed together with a discussion of polar vortex behaviour.

  6. Bottom pressure, vertical acoustic round-trip travel time, and near-bottom currents data collected by Current-and-Pressure-recording Inverted Echo Sounders (CPIES), as part of the Kuroshio Extension System Study (KESS), from 26 April 2004 to 25 June 2006 in the Kuroshio Extension east of Japan (NODC Accession 0073269)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This data set contains Current and Pressure recording Inverted Echo Sounder (CPIES) measurements collected during the Kuroshio Extension System Study (KESS) under...

  7. On the performance of atomic natural orbital basis sets: A full configuration interaction study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Illas, F.; Ricart, J.M.; Rubio, J.; Bagus, P.S.

    1990-01-01

    The performance of atomic natural orbital (ANO) basis sets has been studied by comparing self-consistant field (SCF) and full configuration interaction (CI) results obtained for the first row atoms and hydrides. The ANO results have been compared with those obtained using a segmented basis set containing the same number of contracted basis functions. The total energies obtained with the ANO basis sets are always lower than the one obtained by using the segmented one. However, for the hydrides, differential electronic correlation energy obtained with the ANO basis set may be smaller than the one recovered with the segmented set. We relate this poorer differential correlation energy for the ANO basis set to the fact that only one contracted d function is used for the ANO and segmented basis sets

  8. Junior doctor psychiatry placements in hospital and community settings: a phenomenological study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beattie, Sharon; Crampton, Paul E S; Schwarzlose, Cathleen; Kumar, Namita; Cornwall, Peter L

    2017-09-27

    The proportion of junior doctors required to complete psychiatry placements in the UK has increased, due in part to vacant training posts and psychiatry career workforce shortages, as can be seen across the world. The aim of this study was to understand the lived experience of a Foundation Year 1 junior doctor psychiatry placement and to understand how job components influence attitudes. The study was conducted using a cross-sectional qualitative phenomenological approach. Hospital and community psychiatry department settings in the North East of England, UK. In total, 14 Foundation Year 1 junior doctors were interviewed including seven men and seven women aged between 23 and 34 years. The majority had completed their medical degree in the UK and were White British. The lived experience of a junior doctor psychiatry placement was understood by three core themes: exposure to patient recovery, connectedness with others in the healthcare team and subjective interpretations of psychiatry. The experiences were moderated by instances of role definition, reaction to the specialty and the organisational fit of the junior doctor capacity in the specialty. The study reinforces and adds to the literature by identifying connectedness as being important for both job satisfaction and morale, which is currently damaged within the junior doctor population. The study provides in-depth insights into the lived experience of psychiatry placements and can be taken forward by educationalists to ensure the placements are meaningful experiences for junior doctors by developing role definition, belonging, structure and psychiatric care responsibility. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  9. Paediatric end-of-life care needs in Switzerland: current practices, and perspectives from parents and professionals. A study protocol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bergstraesser, Eva; Zimmermann, Karin; Eskola, Katri; Luck, Patricia; Ramelet, Anne-Sylvie; Cignacco, Eva

    2015-08-01

    To present a protocol for a multi-phase study about the current practice of end-of-life care in paediatric settings in Switzerland. In Switzerland, paediatric palliative care is usually provided by teams, who may not necessarily have specific training. There is a lack of systematic data about specific aspects of care at the end of a child's life, such as symptom management, involvement of parents in decision-making and family-centred care and experiences and needs of parents, and perspectives of healthcare professionals. This retrospective nationwide multicentre study, Paediatric End-of-LIfe CAre Needs in Switzerland (PELICAN), combines quantitative and qualitative methods of enquiry. The PELICAN study consists of three observational parts, PELICAN I describes practices of end-of-life care (defined as the last 4 weeks of life) in the hospital and home care setting of children (0-18 years) who died in the years 2011-2012 due to a cardiac, neurological or oncological disease, or who died in the neonatal period. PELICAN II assesses the experiences and needs of parents during the end-of-life phase of their child. PELICAN III focuses on healthcare professionals and explores their perspectives concerning the provision of end-of-life care. This first study across Switzerland will provide comprehensive insight into the current end-of-life care in children with distinct diagnoses and the perspectives of affected parents and health professionals. The results may facilitate the development and implementation of programmes for end-of-life care in children across Switzerland, building on real experiences and needs. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01983852. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  10. Anticipatory vigilance: A grounded theory study of minimising risk within the perioperative setting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Brien, Brid; Andrews, Tom; Savage, Eileen

    2018-01-01

    To explore and explain how nurses minimise risk in the perioperative setting. Perioperative nurses care for patients who are having surgery or other invasive explorative procedures. Perioperative care is increasingly focused on how to improve patient safety. Safety and risk management is a global priority for health services in reducing risk. Many studies have explored safety within the healthcare settings. However, little is known about how nurses minimise risk in the perioperative setting. Classic grounded theory. Ethical approval was granted for all aspects of the study. Thirty-seven nurses working in 11 different perioperative settings in Ireland were interviewed and 33 hr of nonparticipant observation was undertaken. Concurrent data collection and analysis was undertaken using theoretical sampling. Constant comparative method, coding and memoing and were used to analyse the data. Participants' main concern was how to minimise risk. Participants resolved this through engaging in anticipatory vigilance (core category). This strategy consisted of orchestrating, routinising and momentary adapting. Understanding the strategies of anticipatory vigilance extends and provides an in-depth explanation of how nurses' behaviour ensures that risk is minimised in a complex high-risk perioperative setting. This is the first theory situated in the perioperative area for nurses. This theory provides a guide and understanding for nurses working in the perioperative setting on how to minimise risk. It makes perioperative nursing visible enabling positive patient outcomes. This research suggests the need for training and education in maintaining safety and minimising risk in the perioperative setting. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  11. Matched molecular pair-based data sets for computer-aided medicinal chemistry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bajorath, Jürgen

    2014-01-01

    Matched molecular pairs (MMPs) are widely used in medicinal chemistry to study changes in compound properties including biological activity, which are associated with well-defined structural modifications. Herein we describe up-to-date versions of three MMP-based data sets that have originated from in-house research projects. These data sets include activity cliffs, structure-activity relationship (SAR) transfer series, and second generation MMPs based upon retrosynthetic rules. The data sets have in common that they have been derived from compounds included in the ChEMBL database (release 17) for which high-confidence activity data are available. Thus, the activity data associated with MMP-based activity cliffs, SAR transfer series, and retrosynthetic MMPs cover the entire spectrum of current pharmaceutical targets. Our data sets are made freely available to the scientific community. PMID:24627802

  12. Mapping Suitable Sites for Setting up Wind Farms: A Case Study of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Mapping Suitable Sites for Setting up Wind Farms: A Case Study of Nyanga District. ... Ethiopian Journal of Environmental Studies and Management ... sources and continuous power shortages make wind energy a very attractive alternative to ...

  13. Setting to earth for computer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gallego V, Luis Eduardo; Montana Ch, Johny Hernan; Tovar P, Andres Fernando; Amortegui, Francisco

    2000-01-01

    The program GMT allows the analysis of setting to earth for tensions DC and AC (of low frequency) of diverse configurations composed by cylindrical electrodes interconnected, in a homogeneous land or stratified (two layers). This analysis understands among other aspects: calculation of the setting resistance to earth, elevation of potential of the system (GPR), calculation of current densities in the conductors, potentials calculation in which point on the land surface (profile and surfaces), tensions calculation in passing and of contact, also, it carries out the interpretation of resistivity measures for Wenner and Schlumberger methods, finding a model of two layers

  14. Counting SET-free sets

    OpenAIRE

    Harman, Nate

    2016-01-01

    We consider the following counting problem related to the card game SET: How many $k$-element SET-free sets are there in an $n$-dimensional SET deck? Through a series of algebraic reformulations and reinterpretations, we show the answer to this question satisfies two polynomiality conditions.

  15. Thermal stability analysis of YBCO-coated conductors subject to over-currents

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    MartInez, E; Angurel, L A; Pelegrin, J [Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Aragon, CSIC-Universidad de Zaragoza, C/Maria de Luna 3, E-50018 Zaragoza (Spain); Xie, Y Y; Selvamanickam, V [SuperPower Incorporated, Schenectady, NY 12304 (United States)

    2010-02-15

    The thermal stability of superconducting YBCO-coated conductors subject to over-currents are analysed. We have studied the effect of DC and AC over-current pulses in Cu-stabilized and non-stabilized coated conductors by measuring the electric field and temperature profiles of these conductors immersed in liquid nitrogen. Current pulses of short duration of about 90 ms and long duration of a few seconds were applied to the samples. Three different cooling regimes of liquid nitrogen-convection, nucleate boiling and film boiling-were observed and their influence on the recovery time of superconductivity in the coated conductors after the over-current pulses has been analysed. We have studied the recovery behaviour under two different conditions, in which the current was set to zero and to the operating current after the current pulses. These experiments simulated the conditions during an over-current situation in different electric power applications with special attention given to the behaviour of these coated conductors acting as in-fault current limiters.

  16. Thermal stability analysis of YBCO-coated conductors subject to over-currents

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    MartInez, E; Angurel, L A; Pelegrin, J; Xie, Y Y; Selvamanickam, V

    2010-01-01

    The thermal stability of superconducting YBCO-coated conductors subject to over-currents are analysed. We have studied the effect of DC and AC over-current pulses in Cu-stabilized and non-stabilized coated conductors by measuring the electric field and temperature profiles of these conductors immersed in liquid nitrogen. Current pulses of short duration of about 90 ms and long duration of a few seconds were applied to the samples. Three different cooling regimes of liquid nitrogen-convection, nucleate boiling and film boiling-were observed and their influence on the recovery time of superconductivity in the coated conductors after the over-current pulses has been analysed. We have studied the recovery behaviour under two different conditions, in which the current was set to zero and to the operating current after the current pulses. These experiments simulated the conditions during an over-current situation in different electric power applications with special attention given to the behaviour of these coated conductors acting as in-fault current limiters.

  17. Criticality studies of fast assemblies with the new 27-group cross-section set

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Garg, S.B.; Shukla, V.K.

    1976-01-01

    A test of 27-group cross-section set (Garg-set) recently derived from ENDF/B library has been carried out in the criticality studies of the Pu 239 , U 235 and U 233 based metal, oxide and carbide fuelled fast critical assemblies. A total of twenty fast critical assemblies of different sizes and varying neutron spectra have been selected for analysis. Based on these analyses it has been observed that the Garg-set predicts well the criticality of uranium and plutonium based hard-spectra assemblies. In the soft-spectra systems it underpredicts criticality because of the following reasons: (a) It makes use of the higher capture cross-sections of structural and coolant elements given in ENDF/B - Version IV library. (b) It does not account for the resonance self-shielding effects of cross-sections. It has also been observed that the Garg-set gives better results than the MABBN-set for dense and dilute plutonium-based and the hard uranium-based assemblies. This superior trend of the Garg-set is slightly lost in the uranium-based dilute systems because of large differences in the capture cross-sections of structural elements of these two sets. (author)

  18. Multiscale Study of Currents Affected by Topography

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-09-30

    1 DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A. Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. Multiscale Study of Currents Affected by Topography ...the effects of topography on the ocean general and regional circulation with a focus on the wide range of scales of interactions. The small-scale...details of the topography and the waves, eddies, drag, and turbulence it generates (at spatial scales ranging from meters to mesoscale) interact in the

  19. Alternate superior Julia sets

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yadav, Anju; Rani, Mamta

    2015-01-01

    Alternate Julia sets have been studied in Picard iterative procedures. The purpose of this paper is to study the quadratic and cubic maps using superior iterates to obtain Julia sets with different alternate structures. Analytically, graphically and computationally it has been shown that alternate superior Julia sets can be connected, disconnected and totally disconnected, and also fattier than the corresponding alternate Julia sets. A few examples have been studied by applying different type of alternate structures

  20. How Settings Change People: Applying Behavior Setting Theory to Consumer-Run Organizations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, Louis D.; Shepherd, Matthew D.; Wituk, Scott A.; Meissen, Greg

    2007-01-01

    Self-help initiatives stand as a classic context for organizational studies in community psychology. Behavior setting theory stands as a classic conception of organizations and the environment. This study explores both, applying behavior setting theory to consumer-run organizations (CROs). Analysis of multiple data sets from all CROs in Kansas…

  1. Studies of the setting behavior of cement suspensions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rudolph, G.; Luo, S.; Vejmelka, P.; Koester, R.

    1983-10-01

    The design of process for cementation of radioactive waste solutions is determined not only by the quality of the final product but also by the behavior of the cement grout before and during setting. For these reasons quantitative investigations were performed on the characteristics of the cement suspensions considered for solidification of intermediate-level liquid wastes which are composed mainly of cement, bentonite, simulated waste solution, and water. Particular interest was given to the differences in behavior of the various types of cement. The parameters investigated include viscosity, bleeding, volume change during setting, influence of compacting by vibration, time of setting, heat of hydration. At the end of the report the merits and drawbacks of the different cements are tabulated. These data may serve as a decision aid in selecting an appropriate type of cement

  2. An image-guided transcranial direct current stimulation system: a pilot phantom study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jung, Young-Jin; Kim, Jung-Hoon; Kim, Daejeong; Im, Chang-Hwan

    2013-01-01

    In this study, an image-guided transcranial direct current stimulation (IG-tDCS) system that can deliver an increased stimulation current to a target brain area without the need to adjust the location of an active electrode was implemented. This IG-tDCS system was based on the array-type tDCS concept, which was validated through computer simulations in a previous study. Unlike a previous study, the present IG-tDCS system adopts a single reference electrode and an active electrode array consisting of 16 (4 × 4) sub-electrodes. The proposed IG-tDCS system is capable of shaping current flow inside the human head by controlling the input currents of the arrayed electrodes. Once a target brain area has been selected, the optimal injection current of each arrayed sub-electrode is evaluated automatically using a genetic algorithm in order to deliver the maximum available current to the target area. The operation of our pilot system was confirmed through a simple phantom experiment. (paper)

  3. Optimal timing for intravenous administration set replacement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gillies, D; O'Riordan, L; Wallen, M; Morrison, A; Rankin, K; Nagy, S

    2005-10-19

    Administration of intravenous therapy is a common occurrence within the hospital setting. Routine replacement of administration sets has been advocated to reduce intravenous infusion contamination. If decreasing the frequency of changing intravenous administration sets does not increase infection rates, a change in practice could result in considerable cost savings. The objective of this review was to identify the optimal interval for the routine replacement of intravenous administration sets when infusate or parenteral nutrition (lipid and non-lipid) solutions are administered to people in hospital via central or peripheral venous catheters. We searched The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE: all from inception to February 2004; reference lists of identified trials, and bibliographies of published reviews. We also contacted researchers in the field. We did not have a language restriction. We included all randomized or quasi-randomized controlled trials addressing the frequency of replacing intravenous administration sets when parenteral nutrition (lipid and non-lipid containing solutions) or infusions (excluding blood) were administered to people in hospital via a central or peripheral catheter. Two authors assessed all potentially relevant studies. We resolved disagreements between the two authors by discussion with a third author. We collected data for the outcomes; infusate contamination; infusate-related bloodstream infection; catheter contamination; catheter-related bloodstream infection; all-cause bloodstream infection and all-cause mortality. We identified 23 references for review. We excluded eight of these studies; five because they did not fit the inclusion criteria and three because of inadequate data. We extracted data from the remaining 15 references (13 studies) with 4783 participants. We conclude that there is no evidence that changing intravenous administration sets more often than every 96 hours

  4. [Current status on management and needs related to education and training programs set for new employees at the provincial Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in China].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, J; Meng, X D; Luo, H M; Zhou, H C; Qu, S L; Liu, X T; Dai, Z

    2016-06-01

    In order to understand the current management status on education/training and needs for training among new employees working at the provincial CDC in China during 2012-2014, so as to provide basis for setting up related programs at the CDC levels. Based on data gathered through questionnaire surveys run by CDCs from 32 provincial and 5 specifically-designated cities, microsoft excel was used to analyze the current status on management of education and training, for new employees. There were 156 management staff members working on education and training programs in 36 CDCs, with 70% of them having received intermediate or higher levels of education. Large differences were seen on equipment of training hardware in different regions. There were 1 214 teaching staff with 66 percent in the fields or related professional areas on public health, in 2014. 5084 new employees conducted pre/post training programs, from 2012 to 2014 with funding as 750 thousand RMB Yuan. 99.5% of the new employees expressed the needs for further training while. 74% of the new staff members expecting a 2-5 day training program to be implemented. 79% of the new staff members claimed that practice as the most appropriate method for training. Institutional programs set for education and training at the CDCs need to be clarified, with management team organized. It is important to provide more financial support on both hardware, software and human resources related to training programs which are set for new stuff members at all levels of CDCs.

  5. Current research projects on traffic conflicts technique studies.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hondel, M. van den & and Kraay, J.H.

    1979-01-01

    A review of current research concerning the development, evaluation and use of the traffic conflicts technique is presented. The 32 studies, selected from the IRRD data base, are listed alphabetically by names of countries and under countries by names of research organizations. The IRRD descriptions

  6. Incorporating current research into formal higher education settings using Astrobites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sanders, Nathan E.; Kohler, Susanna; Faesi, Chris; Villar, Ashley; Zevin, Michael

    2017-10-01

    A primary goal of many undergraduate- and graduate-level courses in the physical sciences is to prepare students to engage in scientific research or to prepare students for careers that leverage skillsets similar to those used by research scientists. Even for students who may not intend to pursue a career with these characteristics, exposure to the context of applications in modern research can be a valuable tool for teaching and learning. However, a persistent barrier to student participation in research is familiarity with the technical language, format, and context that academic researchers use to communicate research methods and findings with each other: the literature of the field. Astrobites, an online web resource authored by graduate students, has published brief and accessible summaries of more than 1300 articles from the astrophysical literature since its founding in 2010. This article presents three methods for introducing students at all levels within the formal higher education setting to approaches and results from modern research. For each method, we provide a sample lesson plan that integrates content and principles from Astrobites, including step-by-step instructions for instructors, suggestions for adapting the lesson to different class levels across the undergraduate and graduate spectrum, sample student handouts, and a grading rubric.

  7. Effectiveness of reactive case detection for malaria elimination in three archetypical transmission settings: a modelling study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gerardin, Jaline; Bever, Caitlin A; Bridenbecker, Daniel; Hamainza, Busiku; Silumbe, Kafula; Miller, John M; Eisele, Thomas P; Eckhoff, Philip A; Wenger, Edward A

    2017-06-12

    Reactive case detection could be a powerful tool in malaria elimination, as it selectively targets transmission pockets. However, field operations have yet to demonstrate under which conditions, if any, reactive case detection is best poised to push a region to elimination. This study uses mathematical modelling to assess how baseline transmission intensity and local interconnectedness affect the impact of reactive activities in the context of other possible intervention packages. Communities in Southern Province, Zambia, where elimination operations are currently underway, were used as representatives of three archetypes of malaria transmission: low-transmission, high household density; high-transmission, low household density; and high-transmission, high household density. Transmission at the spatially-connected household level was simulated with a dynamical model of malaria transmission, and local variation in vectorial capacity and intervention coverage were parameterized according to data collected from the area. Various potential intervention packages were imposed on each of the archetypical settings and the resulting likelihoods of elimination by the end of 2020 were compared. Simulations predict that success of elimination campaigns in both low- and high-transmission areas is strongly dependent on stemming the flow of imported infections, underscoring the need for regional-scale strategies capable of reducing transmission concurrently across many connected areas. In historically low-transmission areas, treatment of clinical malaria should form the cornerstone of elimination operations, as most malaria infections in these areas are symptomatic and onward transmission would be mitigated through health system strengthening; reactive case detection has minimal impact in these settings. In historically high-transmission areas, vector control and case management are crucial for limiting outbreak size, and the asymptomatic reservoir must be addressed through

  8. Studies and optimization of Pohang Light Source-II superconducting radio frequency system at stable top-up operation with beam current of 400 mA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Joo, Youngdo; Yu, Inha; Park, Insoo; Chun, Myunghwan; Lee, Byung-Joon; Hwang, Ilmoon; Ha, Taekyun; Shin, Seunghwan; Sohn, Younguk

    2014-01-01

    After three years of upgrading work, the Pohang Light Source-II (PLS-II) is now successfully operating. The final quantitative goal of PLS-II is a top-up user-service operation with beam current of 400 mA to be completed by the end of 2014. During the beam store test up to 400 mA in the storage ring (SR), it was observed that the vacuum pressure around the radio frequency (RF) window of the superconducting cavity rapidly increases over the interlock level limiting the availability of the maximum beam current storing. Although available beam current is enhanced by setting a higher RF accelerating voltage, it is better to keep the RF accelerating voltage as low as possible in the long time top-up operation. We investigated the cause of the window vacuum pressure increment by studying the changes in the electric field distribution at the superconducting cavity and waveguide according to the beam current. In our simulation, an equivalent physical modeling was developed using a finite-difference time-domain code. The simulation revealed that the electric field amplitude at the RF window is exponentially increased as the beam current increases, thus this high electric field amplitude causes a RF breakdown at the RF window, which comes with the rapid increase of window vacuum pressure. The RF accelerating voltage of PLS-II RF system was set to 4.95 MV, which was estimated using the maximum available beam current that works as a function of RF voltage, and the top-up operation test with the beam current of 400 mA was successfully carried out

  9. Using a Robust Design Approach to Optimize Chair Set-up in Wheelchair Sport

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David S. Haydon

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Optimisation of wheelchairs for court sports is currently a difficult and time-consuming process due to the broad range of impairments across athletes, difficulties in monitoring on-court performance, and the trade-off set-up that parameters have on key performance variables. A robust design approach to this problem can potentially reduce the amount of testing required, and therefore allow for individual on-court assessments. This study used orthogonal design with four set-up factors (seat height, depth, and angle, as well as tyre pressure at three levels (current, decreased, and increased for three elite wheelchair rugby players. Each player performed two maximal effort sprints from a stationary position in nine different set-ups, with this allowing for detailed analysis of each factor and level. Whilst statistical significance is difficult to obtain due to the small sample size, meaningful difference results aligning with previous research findings were identified and provide support for the use of this approach.

  10. Feasibility of the current-duration approach to studying human fecundity

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Slama, Rémy; Ducot, Béatrice; Carstensen, Lisbeth

    2006-01-01

    of unprotected intercourse was defined for 69 women (5.7%). An additional 15 women (1.2%) were planning to start trying to become pregnant within the next 6 months. Parametric methods allowed, based on current duration of unprotected intercourse, estimation of fecundity as if the couples had been followed...... up (current-duration design). To illustrate the feasibility of the current-duration design, we contacted a random sample of 1204 French women age 18 to 44 years in 2004 and recruited those who were currently having unprotected sexual intercourse. The current duration since the beginning...... prospectively. The estimated proportion of couples not pregnant after 12 months of unprotected intercourse was 34% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 15-54%). The accelerated-failure time model allows study of the influence of environmental factors on fecundity. As an illustration, tobacco smoking by the woman...

  11. Bayesian meta-analysis of genetic association studies with different sets of markers

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Verzilli, Claudio; Shah, Tina; Casas, Juan P.; Chapman, Juliet; Sandhu, Manjinder; Debenham, Sally L.; Boekholdt, Matthijs S.; Khaw, Kay Tee; Wareham, Nicholas J.; Judson, Richard; Benjamin, Emelia J.; Kathiresan, Sekar; Larson, Martin G.; Rong, Jian; Sofat, Reecha; Humphries, Steve E.; Smeeth, Liam; Cavalleri, Gianpiero; Whittaker, John C.; Hingorani, Aroon D.

    2008-01-01

    Robust assessment of genetic effects on quantitative traits or complex-disease risk requires synthesis of evidence from multiple studies. Frequently, studies have genotyped partially overlapping sets of SNPs within a gene or region of interest, hampering attempts to combine all the available data.

  12. Elements of set theory

    CERN Document Server

    Enderton, Herbert B

    1977-01-01

    This is an introductory undergraduate textbook in set theory. In mathematics these days, essentially everything is a set. Some knowledge of set theory is necessary part of the background everyone needs for further study of mathematics. It is also possible to study set theory for its own interest--it is a subject with intruiging results anout simple objects. This book starts with material that nobody can do without. There is no end to what can be learned of set theory, but here is a beginning.

  13. Current clinical nutrition practices in critically ill patients in Latin America: a multinational observational study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vallejo, Karin Papapietro; Martínez, Carolina Méndez; Matos Adames, Alfredo A; Fuchs-Tarlovsky, Vanessa; Nogales, Guillermo Carlos Contreras; Paz, Roger Enrique Riofrio; Perman, Mario Ignacio; Correia, Maria Isabel Toulson Davisson; Waitzberg, Dan Linetzky

    2017-08-25

    Malnutrition in critically ill adults in the intensive care unit (ICU) is associated with a significantly elevated risk of mortality. Adequate nutrition therapy is crucial to optimise outcomes. Currently, there is a paucity of such data in Latin America. Our aims were to characterise current clinical nutrition practices in the ICU setting in Latin America and evaluate whether current practices meet caloric and protein requirements in critically ill patients receiving nutrition therapy. We conducted a cross-sectional, retrospective, observational study in eight Latin American countries (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, and Peru). Eligible patients were critically ill adults hospitalised in the ICU and receiving enteral nutrition (EN) and/or parenteral nutrition (PN) on the Screening Day and the previous day (day -1). Caloric and protein balance on day -1, nutritional status, and prescribed nutrition therapy were recorded. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to identify independent predictors of reaching daily caloric and protein targets. The analysis included 1053 patients from 116 hospitals. Evaluation of nutritional status showed that 74.1% of patients had suspected/moderate or severe malnutrition according to the Subjective Global Assessment. Prescribed nutrition therapy included EN alone (79.9%), PN alone (9.4%), and EN + PN (10.7%). Caloric intake met >90% of the daily target in 59.7% of patients on day -1; a caloric deficit was present in 40.3%, with a mean (±SD) daily caloric deficit of -688.8 ± 455.2 kcal. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that combined administration of EN + PN was associated with a statistically significant increase in the probability of meeting >90% of daily caloric and protein targets compared with EN alone (odds ratio, 1.56; 95% confidence interval, 1.02-2.39; p = 0.038). In the ICU setting in Latin America, malnutrition was highly prevalent and caloric

  14. Study of noninductive current generation in a plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rax, J.M.

    1987-01-01

    Three aspects of noninductive current generation are treated: (1) The kinetic problem, i.e., coupling between current-carrying energetic electrons on the one hand, and the electromagnetic wave and thermal particles on the other. (2). The electromagnetic problem, i.e., calculation of the wave structure produced by the antennas. (3) The study of nonthermal radiation and electrical responses. Green's functions are used to solve the kinetic problem. The electron distribution function is calculated. For the electromagnetic problem of wave structure at different wave numbers, the Green's function of the Maxwell equations in an inhomogeneous, anisotropic medium which is spatially and temporally scattered was calculated. Perturbation of propagation by diffusion and conversion was studied. The calculation of nonthermal radiation and of transfer of electromagnetic wave energy into magnetic energy is derived from the two preceding problems. A method to produce fusion power quasi-continuously using two inductively and thermally coupled tokamaks is proposed [fr

  15. Developing a Data-Set for Stereopsis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    D.W Hunter

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available Current research on binocular stereopsis in humans and non-human primates has been limited by a lack of available data-sets. Current data-sets fall into two categories; stereo-image sets with vergence but no ranging information (Hibbard, 2008, Vision Research, 48(12, 1427-1439 or combinations of depth information with binocular images and video taken from cameras in fixed fronto-parallel configurations exhibiting neither vergence or focus effects (Hirschmuller & Scharstein, 2007, IEEE Conf. Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition. The techniques for generating depth information are also imperfect. Depth information is normally inaccurate or simply missing near edges and on partially occluded surfaces. For many areas of vision research these are the most interesting parts of the image (Goutcher, Hunter, Hibbard, 2013, i-Perception, 4(7, 484; Scarfe & Hibbard, 2013, Vision Research. Using state-of-the-art open-source ray-tracing software (PBRT as a back-end, our intention is to release a set of tools that will allow researchers in this field to generate artificial binocular stereoscopic data-sets. Although not as realistic as photographs, computer generated images have significant advantages in terms of control over the final output and ground-truth information about scene depth is easily calculated at all points in the scene, even partially occluded areas. While individual researchers have been developing similar stimuli by hand for many decades, we hope that our software will greatly reduce the time and difficulty of creating naturalistic binocular stimuli. Our intension in making this presentation is to elicit feedback from the vision community about what sort of features would be desirable in such software.

  16. Use of genomic data in risk assessment case study: II. Evaluation of the dibutyl phthalate toxicogenomic data set

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Euling, Susan Y., E-mail: euling.susan@epa.gov [National Center for Environmental Assessment, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC (United States); White, Lori D. [National Center for Environmental Assessment, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC (United States); Kim, Andrea S. [National Center for Environmental Assessment, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC (United States); Sen, Banalata [National Center for Environmental Assessment, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC (United States); Wilson, Vickie S. [National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC (United States); Keshava, Channa; Keshava, Nagalakshmi [National Center for Environmental Assessment, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC (United States); Hester, Susan [National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC (United States); Ovacik, Meric A.; Ierapetritou, Marianthi G.; Androulakis, Ioannis P. [National Center for Environmental Research Science to Achieve Results (STAR) Bioinformatics Center, Environmental Bioinformatics and Computational Toxicology Center (ebCTC), Rutgers University and University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ (United States); Gaido, Kevin W. [Center for Veterinary Medicine, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Rockville, MD 20855 (United States)

    2013-09-15

    An evaluation of the toxicogenomic data set for dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and male reproductive developmental effects was performed as part of a larger case study to test an approach for incorporating genomic data in risk assessment. The DBP toxicogenomic data set is composed of nine in vivo studies from the published literature that exposed rats to DBP during gestation and evaluated gene expression changes in testes or Wolffian ducts of male fetuses. The exercise focused on qualitative evaluation, based on a lack of available dose–response data, of the DBP toxicogenomic data set to postulate modes and mechanisms of action for the male reproductive developmental outcomes, which occur in the lower dose range. A weight-of-evidence evaluation was performed on the eight DBP toxicogenomic studies of the rat testis at the gene and pathway levels. The results showed relatively strong evidence of DBP-induced downregulation of genes in the steroidogenesis pathway and lipid/sterol/cholesterol transport pathway as well as effects on immediate early gene/growth/differentiation, transcription, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor signaling and apoptosis pathways in the testis. Since two established modes of action (MOAs), reduced fetal testicular testosterone production and Insl3 gene expression, explain some but not all of the testis effects observed in rats after in utero DBP exposure, other MOAs are likely to be operative. A reanalysis of one DBP microarray study identified additional pathways within cell signaling, metabolism, hormone, disease, and cell adhesion biological processes. These putative new pathways may be associated with DBP effects on the testes that are currently unexplained. This case study on DBP identified data gaps and research needs for the use of toxicogenomic data in risk assessment. Furthermore, this study demonstrated an approach for evaluating toxicogenomic data in human health risk assessment that could be applied to future chemicals

  17. Study program for constant current capacitor charging method

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pugh, C.

    1978-10-04

    The objective of the study program was to determine the best method of charging 20,000 to 132,000 microfarads of capacitance to 22 kVdc in 14 to 15 sec. Component costs, sizes, weights, line current graphs, copies of calculations and manufacturer's data are included.

  18. A Case Study of Harmonic Impact on a Motor-Generator Set System

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Joung, Pil-Bum [KHNP CRI, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2016-10-15

    Motor-Generator Sets are usually used to supply power to a Control Element Drive Mechanism Control System (CEDMCS) at nuclear power plants with pressurized water reactors. Two Motor-Generator Sets, which have 100% capacity, are operated in parallel to improve the reliability of the power supply to the CEDMCS. Fig. 1 presents a diagram of a Motor- Generator Set system. The system of a Motor-Generator Set is composed of electrical equipment, such as a motor, a fly-wheel, and a generator, an exciter and protection-control device, such as a protective relay, synchro check relay, and an auto voltage regulator. In general, the harmonic impact of electrical equipment increases the deterioration of the equipment, the motor, and the generator’s lifetime, which can also be caused by vibration and over-heating and maloperation of the protection-control device. In this paper, we came to understand the harmonic impact on the Motor-Generator Set system through a study of delaying parallel operation by non-operation of the synchro check relay and the fault of under voltage protective relay. Thus, KHNP has established and applied the measures of harmonic reduction by the CEDMCS, such as limiting the voltage harmonic distortion to less than 10%, which is described in IEEE Std 519.

  19. Large Eddy Simulations of sediment entrainment induced by a lock-exchange gravity current

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kyrousi, Foteini; Leonardi, A.; Roman, F.; Armenio, V.; Zanello, F.; Zordan, J.; Juez, C.; Falcomer, L.

    2018-04-01

    Large Eddy simulations of lock-exchange gravity currents propagating over a mobile reach are presented. The numerical setting allows to investigate the sediment pick up induced by the currents and to study the underlying mechanisms leading to sediment entrainment for different Grashof numbers and grain sizes. First, the velocity field and the bed shear-stress distribution are investigated, along with turbulent structures formed in the flow, before the current reaches the mobile bed. Then, during the propagation of the current above the erodible section of the bed the contour plots of the entrained material are presented as well as the time evolution of the areas covered by the current and by the sediment at this section. The numerical outcomes are compared with experimental data showing a very good agreement. Overall, the study confirms that sediment pick up is prevalent at the head of the current where the strongest turbulence occurs. Further, above the mobile reach of the bed, settling process seems to be of minor importance, with the entrained material being advected downstream by the current. Additionally, the study shows that, although shear stress is the main mechanism that sets particles in motion, turbulent bursts as well as vertical velocity fluctuations are also necessary to counteract the falling velocity of the particles and maintain them into suspension. Finally, the analysis of the stability conditions of the current shows that, from one side, sediment concentration gives a negligible contribution to the stability of the front of the current and from the other side, the stability conditions provided by the current do not allow sediments to move into the ambient fluid.

  20. Defining Effectiveness Using Finite Sets A Study on Computability

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Macedo, Hugo Daniel dos Santos; Haeusler, Edward H.; Garcia, Alex

    2016-01-01

    finite sets and uses category theory as its mathematical foundations. The model relies on the fact that every function between finite sets is computable, and that the finite composition of such functions is also computable. Our approach is an alternative to the traditional model-theoretical based works...... which rely on (ZFC) set theory as a mathematical foundation, and our approach is also novel when compared to the already existing works using category theory to approach computability results. Moreover, we show how to encode Turing machine computations in the model, thus concluding the model expresses...

  1. Leadership set-up

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thude, Bettina Ravnborg; Stenager, Egon; von Plessen, Christian

    2018-01-01

    . Findings: The study found that the leadership set-up did not have any clear influence on interdisciplinary cooperation, as all wards had a high degree of interdisciplinary cooperation independent of which leadership set-up they had. Instead, the authors found a relation between leadership set-up and leader...... could influence legitimacy. Originality/value: The study shows that leadership set-up is not the predominant factor that creates interdisciplinary cooperation; but rather, leader legitimacy also should be considered. Additionally, the study shows that leader legitimacy can be difficult to establish...... and that it cannot be taken for granted. This is something chief executive officers should bear in mind when they plan and implement new leadership structures. Therefore, it would also be useful to look more closely at how to achieve legitimacy in cases where the leader is from a different profession to the staff....

  2. The contingency of intermedia agenda setting: a longitudinal study in Belgium

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vliegenthart, R.; Walgrave, S.

    2008-01-01

    This large-scale study investigates how intermedia agenda-setting effects are moderated by five factors: (1) lag length; (2) medium type; (3) language/institutional barriers; (4) issue type; and (5) election or non-election context. Longitudinal analyses of daily attention to twenty-five issues in

  3. Study of the Weak Charged Hadronic Current in b Decays

    CERN Document Server

    Acciarri, M; Aguilar-Benítez, M; Ahlen, S P; Alpat, B; Alcaraz, J; Alemanni, G; Allaby, James V; Aloisio, A; Alverson, G; Alviggi, M G; Ambrosi, G; Anderhub, H; Andreev, V P; Angelescu, T; Anselmo, F; Antreasyan, D; Arefev, A; Azemoon, T; Aziz, T; Bagnaia, P; Baksay, L; Ball, R C; Banerjee, S; Banicz, K; Barillère, R; Barone, L; Bartalini, P; Baschirotto, A; Basile, M; Battiston, R; Bay, A; Becattini, F; Becker, U; Behner, F; Berdugo, J; Berges, P; Bertucci, B; Betev, B L; Bhattacharya, S; Biasini, M; Biland, A; Bilei, G M; Blaising, J J; Blyth, S C; Bobbink, Gerjan J; Böck, R K; Böhm, A; Borgia, B; Boucham, A; Bourilkov, D; Bourquin, Maurice; Boutigny, D; Branson, J G; Brigljevic, V; Brock, I C; Buffini, A; Buijs, A; Burger, J D; Burger, W J; Busenitz, J K; Buytenhuijs, A O; Cai, X D; Campanelli, M; Capell, M; Cara Romeo, G; Caria, M; Carlino, G; Cartacci, A M; Casaus, J; Castellini, G; Cavallari, F; Cavallo, N; Cecchi, C; Cerrada-Canales, M; Cesaroni, F; Chamizo-Llatas, M; Chan, A; Chang, Y H; Chaturvedi, U K; Chemarin, M; Chen, A; Chen, G; Chen, G M; Chen, H F; Chen, H S; Chen, M; Chiefari, G; Chien, C Y; Choi, M T; Cifarelli, Luisa; Cindolo, F; Civinini, C; Clare, I; Clare, R; Cohn, H O; Coignet, G; Colijn, A P; Colino, N; Commichau, V; Costantini, S; Cotorobai, F; de la Cruz, B; Csilling, Akos; Dai, T S; D'Alessandro, R; De Asmundis, R; De Boeck, H; Degré, A; Deiters, K; Denes, P; De Notaristefani, F; DiBitonto, Daryl; Diemoz, M; Van Dierendonck, D N; Di Lodovico, F; Dionisi, C; Dittmar, Michael; Dominguez, A; Doria, A; Dorne, I; Dova, M T; Drago, E; Duchesneau, D; Duinker, P; Durán, I; Dutta, S; Easo, S; Efremenko, Yu V; El-Mamouni, H; Engler, A; Eppling, F J; Erné, F C; Ernenwein, J P; Extermann, Pierre; Fabre, M; Faccini, R; Falciano, S; Favara, A; Fay, J; Fedin, O; Felcini, Marta; Fenyi, B; Ferguson, T; Fernández, D; Ferroni, F; Fesefeldt, H S; Fiandrini, E; Field, J H; Filthaut, Frank; Fisher, P H; Forconi, G; Fredj, L; Freudenreich, Klaus; Furetta, C; Galaktionov, Yu; Ganguli, S N; García-Abia, P; Gau, S S; Gentile, S; Gerald, J; Gheordanescu, N; Giagu, S; Goldfarb, S; Goldstein, J; Gong, Z F; Gougas, Andreas; Gratta, Giorgio; Grünewald, M W; Gupta, V K; Gurtu, A; Gutay, L J; Hartmann, B; Hasan, A; Hatzifotiadou, D; Hebbeker, T; Hervé, A; Van Hoek, W C; Hofer, H; Hoorani, H; Hou, S R; Hu, G; Innocente, Vincenzo; Janssen, H; Jenkes, K; Jin, B N; Jones, L W; de Jong, P; Josa-Mutuberria, I; Kasser, A; Khan, R A; Kamrad, D; Kamyshkov, Yu A; Kapustinsky, J S; Karyotakis, Yu; Kaur, M; Kienzle-Focacci, M N; Kim, D; Kim, J K; Kim, S C; Kim, Y G; Kinnison, W W; Kirkby, A; Kirkby, D; Kirkby, Jasper; Kiss, D; Kittel, E W; Klimentov, A; König, A C; Korolko, I; Koutsenko, V F; Krämer, R W; Krenz, W; Kuijten, H; Kunin, A; Ladrón de Guevara, P; Landi, G; Lapoint, C; Lassila-Perini, K M; Laurikainen, P; Lebeau, M; Lebedev, A; Lebrun, P; Lecomte, P; Lecoq, P; Le Coultre, P; Lee Jae Sik; Lee, K Y; Leggett, C; Le Goff, J M; Leiste, R; Leonardi, E; Levchenko, P M; Li Chuan; Lieb, E H; Lin, W T; Linde, Frank L; Lista, L; Liu, Z A; Lohmann, W; Longo, E; Lu, W; Lü, Y S; Lübelsmeyer, K; Luci, C; Luckey, D; Luminari, L; Lustermann, W; Ma Wen Gan; Maity, M; Majumder, G; Malgeri, L; Malinin, A; Maña, C; Mangla, S; Marchesini, P A; Marin, A; Martin, J P; Marzano, F; Massaro, G G G; McNally, D; Mele, S; Merola, L; Meschini, M; Metzger, W J; Von der Mey, M; Mi, Y; Mihul, A; Van Mil, A J W; Mirabelli, G; Mnich, J; Molnár, P; Monteleoni, B; Moore, R; Morganti, S; Moulik, T; Mount, R; Müller, S; Muheim, F; Nagy, E; Nahn, S; Napolitano, M; Nessi-Tedaldi, F; Newman, H; Nippe, A; Nisati, A; Nowak, H; Opitz, H; Organtini, G; Ostonen, R; Pandoulas, D; Paoletti, S; Paolucci, P; Park, H K; Pascale, G; Passaleva, G; Patricelli, S; Paul, T; Pauluzzi, M; Paus, C; Pauss, Felicitas; Peach, D; Pei, Y J; Pensotti, S; Perret-Gallix, D; Petrak, S; Pevsner, A; Piccolo, D; Pieri, M; Pinto, J C; Piroué, P A; Pistolesi, E; Plyaskin, V; Pohl, M; Pozhidaev, V; Postema, H; Produit, N; Prokofev, D; Prokofiev, D O; Rahal-Callot, G; Rancoita, P G; Rattaggi, M; Raven, G; Razis, P A; Read, K; Ren, D; Rescigno, M; Reucroft, S; Van Rhee, T; Riemann, S; Riemers, B C; Riles, K; Rind, O; Ro, S; Robohm, A; Rodin, J; Rodríguez-Calonge, F J; Roe, B P; Romero, L; Rosier-Lees, S; Rosselet, P; Van Rossum, W; Roth, S; Rubio, Juan Antonio; Rykaczewski, H; Salicio, J; Sánchez, E; Santocchia, A; Sarakinos, M E; Sarkar, S; Sassowsky, M; Sauvage, G; Schäfer, C; Shchegelskii, V; Schmidt-Kärst, S; Schmitz, D; Schmitz, P; Schneegans, M; Scholz, N; Schopper, Herwig Franz; Schotanus, D J; Schwenke, J; Schwering, G; Sciacca, C; Sciarrino, D; Sens, Johannes C; Servoli, L; Shevchenko, S; Shivarov, N; Shoutko, V; Shukla, J; Shumilov, E; Shvorob, A V; Siedenburg, T; Son, D; Sopczak, André; Soulimov, V; Smith, B; Spillantini, P; Steuer, M; Stickland, D P; Stone, H; Stoyanov, B; Strässner, A; Strauch, K; Sudhakar, K; Sultanov, G G; Sun, L Z; Susinno, G F; Suter, H; Swain, J D; Tang, X W; Tauscher, Ludwig; Taylor, L; Ting, Samuel C C; Ting, S M; Tonutti, M; Tonwar, S C; Tóth, J; Tully, C; Tuchscherer, H; Tung, K L; Uchida, Y; Ulbricht, J; Uwer, U; Valente, E; Van de Walle, R T; Vesztergombi, G; Vetlitskii, I; Viertel, Gert M; Vivargent, M; Völkert, R; Vogel, H; Vogt, H; Vorobev, I; Vorobyov, A A; Vorvolakos, A; Wadhwa, M; Wallraff, W; Wang, J C; Wang, X L; Wang, Z M; Weber, A; Wittgenstein, F; Wu, S X; Wynhoff, S; Xu, J; Xu, Z Z; Yang, B Z; Yang, C G; Yao, X Y; Ye, J B; Yeh, S C; You, J M; Zalite, A; Zalite, Yu; Zemp, P; Zeng, Y; Zhang, Z; Zhang, Z P; Zhou, B; Zhou, Y; Zhu, G Y; Zhu, R Y; Zichichi, Antonino; Ziegler, F

    1997-01-01

    Charged and neutral particle multiplicities of jets associated with identified semileptonic and hadronic b decays are studied. The observed differences between these jets are used to determine the inclusive properties of the weak charged hadronic current. The average charged particle multiplicity of the weak charged hadronic current in b decays is measured for the first time to be 2.69$\\pm$0.07(stat.)$\\pm$0.14(syst.). This result is in good agreement with the JETSET hadronization model of the weak charged hadronic current if 40$\\pm$17\\% of the produced mesons are light--flavored tensor (L=1) mesons. This level of tensor meson production is consistent with the measurement of the $\\pi^0$ multiplicity in the weak charged hadronic current in b decays. \\end{abstract}

  4. Home as a health promotion setting for older adults

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mahler, Marianne; Sarvimäki, Anneli; Clancy, Anne

    2014-01-01

    promotion care. As official guidelines in the Nordic countries state that home is the best place to grow old, it is essential that older persons keep their health and functional capacity in order to be able to live at home for as long as possible. As current policy emphasises living at home, home care......The number and the proportion of older persons is growing in the Nordic Countries. The growth in the older population has a clear impact on the care system for older persons. One trend is to prioritise home care instead of care in institutions. Another trend is to emphasise preventive and health......, preventive work and health promotion it becomes essential to study the home as a health promotion setting. Objective: The aim of this study was to reach a new understanding of home as a health promotion setting for older persons. Study design: The method used was a literature reflection and analysis...

  5. Study on the Evolution of the Current ISO Certifications in Romania

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Teodor Socaciu

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available To increase the efficiency and effectiveness of processes within an organization, ISO standards can help both large enterprises and small companies (SMEs, both in industrialized and in developing countries offering solutions and bringing considerable advantages in almost all existing fields. ISO certification brings a set of measures in the areas of an organization, be it about quality, environmental safety, food or protection and safety of personnel, this certification brings benefits both in the current processes and more importantly, the future development plans. In this paper, graphs showing the distributions of increasing certification, demonstrate that more and more companies in Romania have realized that, only implementing and certifying ISO standards, they will be successful in domestic and international market in terms of competition, in particular against European companies.

  6. A cross-study gene set enrichment analysis identifies critical pathways in endometriosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bai Chunyan

    2009-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Endometriosis is an enigmatic disease. Gene expression profiling of endometriosis has been used in several studies, but few studies went further to classify subtypes of endometriosis based on expression patterns and to identify possible pathways involved in endometriosis. Some of the observed pathways are more inconsistent between the studies, and these candidate pathways presumably only represent a fraction of the pathways involved in endometriosis. Methods We applied a standardised microarray preprocessing and gene set enrichment analysis to six independent studies, and demonstrated increased concordance between these gene datasets. Results We find 16 up-regulated and 19 down-regulated pathways common in ovarian endometriosis data sets, 22 up-regulated and one down-regulated pathway common in peritoneal endometriosis data sets. Among them, 12 up-regulated and 1 down-regulated were found consistent between ovarian and peritoneal endometriosis. The main canonical pathways identified are related to immunological and inflammatory disease. Early secretory phase has the most over-represented pathways in the three uterine cycle phases. There are no overlapping significant pathways between the dataset from human endometrial endothelial cells and the datasets from ovarian endometriosis which used whole tissues. Conclusion The study of complex diseases through pathway analysis is able to highlight genes weakly connected to the phenotype which may be difficult to detect by using classical univariate statistics. By standardised microarray preprocessing and GSEA, we have increased the concordance in identifying many biological mechanisms involved in endometriosis. The identified gene pathways will shed light on the understanding of endometriosis and promote the development of novel therapies.

  7. Default settings of computerized physician order entry system order sets drive ordering habits.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olson, Jordan; Hollenbeak, Christopher; Donaldson, Keri; Abendroth, Thomas; Castellani, William

    2015-01-01

    Computerized physician order entry (CPOE) systems are quickly becoming ubiquitous, and groups of orders ("order sets") to allow for easy order input are a common feature. This provides a streamlined mechanism to view, modify, and place groups of related orders. This often serves as an electronic equivalent of a specialty requisition. A characteristic, of these order sets is that specific orders can be predetermined to be "preselected" or "defaulted-on" whenever the order set is used while others are "optional" or "defaulted-off" (though there is typically the option is to "deselect" defaulted-on tests in a given situation). While it seems intuitive that the defaults in an order set are often accepted, additional study is required to understand the impact of these "default" settings in an order set on ordering habits. This study set out to quantify the effect of changing the default settings of an order set. For quality improvement purposes, order sets dealing with transfusions were recently reviewed and modified to improve monitoring of outcome. Initially, the order for posttransfusion hematocrits and platelet count had the default setting changed from "optional" to "preselected." The default settings for platelet count was later changed back to "optional," allowing for a natural experiment to study the effect of the default selections of an order set on clinician ordering habits. Posttransfusion hematocrit values were ordered for 8.3% of red cell transfusions when the default order set selection was "off" and for 57.4% of transfusions when the default selection was "preselected" (P default order set selection was "optional," increased to 59.4% when the default was changed to "preselected" (P default selection was returned to "optional." The posttransfusion platelet count rates during the two "optional" periods: 7.0% versus 7.5% - were not statistically different (P = 0.620). Default settings in CPOE order sets can significantly influence physician selection of

  8. Manual cleaning of hospital mattresses: an observational study comparing high- and low-resource settings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hopman, J; Hakizimana, B; Meintjes, W A J; Nillessen, M; de Both, E; Voss, A; Mehtar, S

    2016-01-01

    Hospital-associated infections (HAIs) are more frequently encountered in low- than in high-resource settings. There is a need to identify and implement feasible and sustainable approaches to strengthen HAI prevention in low-resource settings. To evaluate the biological contamination of routinely cleaned mattresses in both high- and low-resource settings. In this two-stage observational study, routine manual bed cleaning was evaluated at two university hospitals using adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Standardized training of cleaning personnel was achieved in both high- and low-resource settings. Qualitative analysis of the cleaning process was performed to identify predictors of cleaning outcome in low-resource settings. Mattresses in low-resource settings were highly contaminated prior to cleaning. Cleaning significantly reduced biological contamination of mattresses in low-resource settings (P cleaning in both the high- and low-resource settings seemed comparable. Cleaning with appropriate type of cleaning materials reduced the contamination of mattresses adequately. Predictors for mattresses that remained contaminated in a low-resource setting included: type of product used, type of ward, training, and the level of contamination prior to cleaning. In low-resource settings mattresses were highly contaminated as noted by ATP levels. Routine manual cleaning by trained staff can be as effective in a low-resource setting as in a high-resource setting. We recommend a multi-modal cleaning strategy that consists of training of domestic services staff, availability of adequate time to clean beds between patients, and application of the correct type of cleaning products. Copyright © 2015 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Developing core economic outcome sets for asthma studies: a protocol for a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hounsome, Natalia; Fitzsimmons, Deborah; Phillips, Ceri; Patel, Anita

    2017-08-11

    Core outcome sets are standardised lists of outcomes, which should be measured and reported in all clinical studies of a specific condition. This study aims to develop core outcome sets for economic evaluations in asthma studies. Economic outcomes include items such as costs, resource use or quality-adjusted life years. The starting point in developing core outcome sets will be conducting a systematic literature review to establish a preliminary list of reporting items to be considered for inclusion in the core outcome set. We will conduct literature searches of peer-reviewed studies published from January 1990 to January 2017. These will include any comparative or observational studies (including economic models) and systematic reviews reporting economic outcomes. All identified economic outcomes will be tabulated together with the major study characteristics, such as population, study design, the nature and intensity of the intervention, mode of data collection and instrument(s) used to derive an outcome. We will undertake a 'realist synthesis review' to analyse the identified economic outcomes. The outcomes will be summarised in the context of evaluation perspectives, types of economic evaluation and methodological approaches. Parallel to undertaking a systematic review, we will conduct semistructured interviews with stakeholders (including people with personal experience of asthma, health professionals, researchers and decision makers) in order to explore additional outcomes which have not been considered, or used, in published studies. The list of outcomes generated from the systematic review and interviews with stakeholders will form the basis of a Delphi survey to refine the identified outcomes into a core outcome set. The review will not involve access to individual-level data. Findings from our systematic review will be communicated to a broad range of stakeholders including clinical guideline developers, research funders, trial registries, ethics

  10. A strategy to improve priority setting in developing countries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kapiriri, Lydia; Martin, Douglas K

    2007-09-01

    Because the demand for health services outstrips the available resources, priority setting is one of the most difficult issues faced by health policy makers, particularly those in developing countries. Priority setting in developing countries is fraught with uncertainty due to lack of credible information, weak priority setting institutions, and unclear priority setting processes. Efforts to improve priority setting in these contexts have focused on providing information and tools. In this paper we argue that priority setting is a value laden and political process, and although important, the available information and tools are not sufficient to address the priority setting challenges in developing countries. Additional complementary efforts are required. Hence, a strategy to improve priority setting in developing countries should also include: (i) capturing current priority setting practices, (ii) improving the legitimacy and capacity of institutions that set priorities, and (iii) developing fair priority setting processes.

  11. Music-Evoked Emotions—Current Studies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schaefer, Hans-Eckhardt

    2017-01-01

    The present study is focused on a review of the current state of investigating music-evoked emotions experimentally, theoretically and with respect to their therapeutic potentials. After a concise historical overview and a schematic of the hearing mechanisms, experimental studies on music listeners and on music performers are discussed, starting with the presentation of characteristic musical stimuli and the basic features of tomographic imaging of emotional activation in the brain, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and positron emission tomography (PET), which offer high spatial resolution in the millimeter range. The progress in correlating activation imaging in the brain to the psychological understanding of music-evoked emotion is demonstrated and some prospects for future research are outlined. Research in psychoneuroendocrinology and molecular markers is reviewed in the context of music-evoked emotions and the results indicate that the research in this area should be intensified. An assessment of studies involving measuring techniques with high temporal resolution down to the 10 ms range, as, e.g., electroencephalography (EEG), event-related brain potentials (ERP), magnetoencephalography (MEG), skin conductance response (SCR), finger temperature, and goose bump development (piloerection) can yield information on the dynamics and kinetics of emotion. Genetic investigations reviewed suggest the heredity transmission of a predilection for music. Theoretical approaches to musical emotion are directed to a unified model for experimental neurological evidence and aesthetic judgment. Finally, the reports on musical therapy are briefly outlined. The study concludes with an outlook on emerging technologies and future research fields. PMID:29225563

  12. Occlusal consequence of using average condylar guidance settings: An in vitro study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Wonsup; Lim, Young-Jun; Kim, Myung-Joo; Kwon, Ho-Beom

    2017-04-01

    A simplified mounting technique that adopts an average condylar guidance has been advocated. Despite this, the experimental explanation of how average settings differ from individual condylar guidance remains unclear. The purpose of this in vitro study was to examine potential occlusal error by using average condylar guidance settings during nonworking side movement of the articulator. Three-dimensional positions of the nonworking side maxillary first molar at various condylar and incisal settings were traced using a laser displacement sensor attached to the motorized stages with biaxial freedom of movement. To examine clinically relevant occlusal consequences of condylar guidance setting errors, the vertical occlusal error was defined as the vertical-axis positional difference between the average setting trace and the other condylar guidance setting trace. In addition, the respective contribution of the condylar and incisal guidance to the position of the maxillary first molar area was analyzed by multiple regression analysis using the resultant coordinate data. Alteration from individual to average settings led to a positional difference in the maxillary first molar nonworking side movement. When the individual setting was lower than average, vertical occlusal error occurred, which might cause occlusal interference. The vertical occlusal error ranged from -2964 to 1711 μm. In addition, the occlusal effect of incisal guidance was measured as a partial regression coefficient of 0.882, which exceeded the effect of condylar guidance, 0.431. Potential occlusal error as a result of adopting an average condylar guidance setting was observed. The occlusal effect of incisal guidance doubled the effect of condylar guidance. Copyright © 2016 Editorial Council for the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Alluvial architecture of fluvio-deltaic successions: a review with special reference to Holocene settings

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Gouw, M.J.P.

    2007-01-01

    Alluvial architecture has been subject of many studies because of the occurrence of natural resources in ancient fluvial successions. This paperprovides an overview of the current state of research on alluvial architecture with special reference to Holocene fluvio-deltaic settings. Severalexamples

  14. Study of longshore current equations for currents in Visakhapatnam beach

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Chandramohan, P.; Rao, T.V.N.

    Longshore currents were measured along the Visakhapatnam Beach, Andhra Pradesh, India at weekly intervals from March 1978 to March 1979. Visual observations on breaker characteristics were also made during this period. Using modified Longuet...

  15. Programmable, very low noise current source

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scandurra, G.; Cannatà, G.; Giusi, G.; Ciofi, C.

    2014-12-01

    We propose a new approach for the realization of very low noise programmable current sources mainly intended for application in the field of low frequency noise measurements. The design is based on a low noise Junction Field Effect Transistor (JFET) acting as a high impedance current source and programmability is obtained by resorting to a low noise, programmable floating voltage source that allows to set the sourced current at the desired value. The floating voltage source is obtained by exploiting the properties of a standard photovoltaic MOSFET driver. Proper filtering and a control network employing super-capacitors allow to reduce the low frequency output noise to that due to the low noise JFET down to frequencies as low as 100 mHz while allowing, at the same time, to set the desired current by means of a standard DA converter with an accuracy better than 1%. A prototype of the system capable of supplying currents from a few hundreds of μA up to a few mA demonstrates the effectiveness of the approach we propose. When delivering a DC current of about 2 mA, the power spectral density of the current fluctuations at the output is found to be less than 25 pA/√Hz at 100 mHz and less than 6 pA/√Hz for f > 1 Hz, resulting in an RMS noise in the bandwidth from 0.1 to 10 Hz of less than 14 pA.

  16. Attentional set-shifting deficit in Parkinson's disease is associated with prefrontal dysfunction: an FDG-PET study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yoichi Sawada

    Full Text Available The attentional set-shifting deficit that has been observed in Parkinson's disease (PD has long been considered neuropsychological evidence of the involvement of meso-prefrontal and prefrontal-striatal circuits in cognitive flexibility. However, recent studies have suggested that non-dopaminergic, posterior cortical pathologies may also contribute to this deficit. Although several neuroimaging studies have addressed this issue, the results of these studies were confounded by the use of tasks that required other cognitive processes in addition to set-shifting, such as rule learning and working memory. In this study, we attempted to identify the neural correlates of the attentional set-shifting deficit in PD using a compound letter task and 18F-fluoro-deoxy-glucose (FDG positron emission tomography during rest. Shift cost, which is a measure of attentional set-shifting ability, was significantly correlated with hypometabolism in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, including the putative human frontal eye field. Our results provide direct evidence that dysfunction in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex makes a primary contribution to the attentional set-shifting deficit that has been observed in PD patients.

  17. Setting Priorities for Gerontological Social Work Research: A National Delphi Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burnette, Denise; Morrow-Howell, Nancy; Chen, Li-Mei

    2003-01-01

    Purpose: An increasingly important task for all disciplines involved in aging research is to identify and prioritize areas for investigation. This article reports the results of a national Delphi study on setting research priorities for gerontological social work. Design and Methods: Delphi methodology, a structured process for eliciting and…

  18. Study of leakage current behaviour on artificially polluted surface of ceramic insulator

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Subba Reddy, B.; Nagabhushana, G.R.

    2003-01-01

    This paper presents the results of the study concerning to the leakage current behaviour on artificially polluted ceramic insulator surface. From the present study it was observed that there is a reasonably well-defined inception of current i.e. scintillations at a finite voltage. The corresponding voltages for extinction of the current are in the range of 0.8 kV to 2.1 kV. Obviously, the dry band formed in the immediate vicinity of the pin prevents smooth current flow as the voltage rises from zero. Only when the voltage is adequate it causes a flashover of the dray band and current starts flowing. As is common in similar current extinction phenomena, here also, the extinction voltages are significantly lower than the inception voltages. Further, the voltage-current curves invariably show hysteresis-the leakage currents are lower in the reducing portion of the voltage. This is obviously due to drying of the wet pollutant layer thereby increasing its resistance. It is believed that this is the first time that such a direct quantitative evidence of drying in individual half cycles is experimentally visualized

  19. STRP Screening Sets for the human genome at 5 cM density

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marth Gabor

    2003-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Short tandem repeat polymorphisms (STRPs are powerful tools for gene mapping and other applications. A STRP genome scan of 10 cM is usually adequate for mapping single gene disorders. However mapping studies involving genetically complex disorders and especially association (linkage disequilibrium often require higher STRP density. Results We report the development of two separate 10 cM human STRP Screening Sets (Sets 12 and 52 which span all chromosomes. When combined, the two Sets contain a total of 782 STRPs, with average STRP spacing of 4.8 cM, average heterozygosity of 0.72, and total sex-average coverage of 3535 cM. The current Sets are comprised almost entirely of STRPs based on tri- and tetranucleotide repeats. We also report correction of primer sequences for many STRPs used in previous Screening Sets. Detailed information for the new Screening Sets is available from our web site: http://research.marshfieldclinic.org/genetics. Conclusion Our new human STRP Screening Sets will improve the quality and cost effectiveness of genotyping for gene mapping and other applications.

  20. Restorative effects of virtual nature settings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Valtchanov, Deltcho; Barton, Kevin R; Ellard, Colin

    2010-10-01

    Previous research regarding the potential benefits of exposing individuals to surrogate nature (photographs and videos) has found that such immersion results in restorative effects such as increased positive affect, decreased negative affect, and decreased stress. In the current experiment, we examined whether immersion in a virtual computer-generated nature setting could produce restorative effects. Twenty-two participants were equally divided between two conditions, while controlling for gender. In each condition, participants performed a stress-induction task, and were then immersed in virtual reality (VR) for 10 minutes. The control condition featured a slide show in VR, and the nature experimental condition featured an active exploration of a virtual forest. Participants in the nature condition were found to exhibit increased positive affect and decreased stress after immersion in VR when compared to those in the control condition. The results suggest that immersion in virtual nature settings has similar beneficial effects as exposure to surrogate nature. These results also suggest that VR can be used as a tool to study and understand restorative effects.

  1. Health of children and young people in secure settings

    OpenAIRE

    Mooney, Ann; Statham, J.; Storey, P.

    2007-01-01

    This small-scale descriptive study was commissioned by the Children and Young People's Public Health team within the Department of Health, in partnership with Offender Health, in order to inform preparation and implementation of an Offender Health Strategy document for children and young people. The overall aim was to review what is currently known about healthcare for children and young people in the secure estate, covering all three types of settings (Young Offender Institution, Secure Trai...

  2. IMPORTANCE OF MULTIPLE CRITERIA FOR PRIORITY SETTING OF HIV/AIDS INTERVENTIONS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tromp, Noor; Prawiranegara, Rozar; Siregar, Adiatma; Sunjaya, Deni; Baltussen, Rob

    2015-01-01

    This study describes the views of various stakeholders on the importance of different criteria for priority setting of HIV/AIDS interventions in Indonesia. Based on a general list of criteria and a focus group discussion with stakeholders (n = 6), a list was developed of thirty-two criteria that play a role in priority setting in HIV/AIDS control in West-Java province. Criteria were categorized according to the World Health Organization's health system goals and building block frameworks. People living with HIV/AIDS (n = 49), healthcare workers (HCW) (n = 41), the general population (n = 43), and policy makers (n = 22) rated the importance of thirty-two criteria on a 5-point Likert-scale. Thereafter, respondents ranked the highest rated criteria to express more detailed preferences. Stakeholders valued the following criteria as most important for the priority setting of HIV/AIDS interventions: an intervention's impact on the HIV/AIDS epidemic, reduction of stigma, quality of care, effectiveness on individual level, and feasibility in terms of current capacity of the health system (i.e., HCW, product, information, and service requirements), financial sustainability, and acceptance by donors. Overall, stakeholders' preferences for the importance of criteria are similar. Our study design outlines an approach for other settings to identify which criteria are important for priority setting of health interventions. For Indonesia, these study results may be used in priority setting processes for HIV/AIDS control and may contribute to more transparent and systematic allocation of resources.

  3. Hiro and Evans currents in Vertical Disruption Event

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zakharov, Leonid; Xujing Li Team; Sergei Galkin Team

    2014-10-01

    The notion of Tokamak Magneto-Hydrodynamics (TMHD), which explicitly reflects the anisotropy of a high temperature tokamak plasma is introduced. The set of TMHD equations is formulated for simulations of macroscopic plasma dynamics and disruptions in tokamaks. Free from the Courant restriction on the time step, this set of equations is appropriate for high performance plasmas and does not require any extension of the MHD plasma model. At the same time, TMHD requires the use of magnetic field aligned numerical grids. The TMHD model was used for creation of theory of the Wall Touching Kink and Vertical Modes (WTKM and WTVM), prediction of Hiro and Evans currents, design of an innovative diagnostics for Hiro current measurements, installed on EAST device. While Hiro currents have explained the toroidal asymmetry in the plasma current measurements in JET disruptions, the Evans currents explain the tile current measurements in tokamaks. The recently developed Vertical Disruption Code (VDE) have demonstrated 5 regimes of VDE and confirmed the generation of both Hiro and Evans currents. The results challenge the 24 years long misinterpretation of the tile currents in tokamaks as ``halo'' currents, which were a product of misuse of equilibrium reconstruction for VDE. This work is supported by US DoE Contract No. DE-AC02-09-CH1146.

  4. The development and validation of an interprofessional scale to assess teamwork in mental health settings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tomizawa, Ryoko; Yamano, Mayumi; Osako, Mitue; Misawa, Takeshi; Hirabayashi, Naotugu; Oshima, Nobuo; Sigeta, Masahiro; Reeves, Scott

    2014-09-01

    Currently, no evaluative scale exists to assess the quality of interprofessional teamwork in mental health settings across the globe. As a result, little is known about the detailed process of team development within this setting. The purpose of this study is to develop and validate a global interprofessional scale that assesses teamwork in mental health settings using an international comparative study based in Japan and the United States. This report provides a description of this study and reports progress made to date. Specifically, it outlines work on literature reviews to identify evaluative teamwork tools as well as identify relevant teamwork models and theories. It also outlines plans for empirical work that will be undertaken in both Japan and the United States.

  5. Cubical sets as a classifying topos

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Spitters, Bas

    Coquand’s cubical set model for homotopy type theory provides the basis for a computational interpretation of the univalence axiom and some higher inductive types, as implemented in the cubical proof assistant. We show that the underlying cube category is the opposite of the Lawvere theory of De...... Morgan algebras. The topos of cubical sets itself classifies the theory of ‘free De Morgan algebras’. This provides us with a topos with an internal ‘interval’. Using this interval we construct a model of type theory following van den Berg and Garner. We are currently investigating the precise relation...

  6. Differential modulation of corticospinal excitability by different current densities of anodal transcranial direct current stimulation.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andisheh Bastani

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Novel non-invasive brain stimulation techniques such as transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS have been developed in recent years. TDCS-induced corticospinal excitability changes depend on two important factors current intensity and stimulation duration. Despite clinical success with existing tDCS parameters, optimal protocols are still not entirely set. OBJECTIVE/HYPOTHESIS: The current study aimed to investigate the effects of four different anodal tDCS (a-tDCS current densities on corticospinal excitability. METHODS: Four current intensities of 0.3, 0.7, 1.4 and 2 mA resulting in current densities (CDs of 0.013, 0.029, 0.058 and 0.083 mA/cm(2 were applied on twelve right-handed (mean age 34.5±10.32 yrs healthy individuals in different sessions at least 48 hours apart. a-tDCS was applied continuously for 10 minute, with constant active and reference electrode sizes of 24 and 35 cm(2 respectively. The corticospinal excitability of the extensor carpi radialis muscle (ECR was measured before and immediately after the intervention and at 10, 20 and 30 minutes thereafter. RESULTS: Post hoc comparisons showed significant differences in corticospinal excitability changes for CDs of 0.013 mA/cm(2 and 0.029 mA/cm(2 (P = 0.003. There were no significant differences between excitability changes for the 0.013 mA/cm(2 and 0.058 mA/cm(2 (P = 0.080 or 0.013 mA/cm(2 and 0.083 mA/cm(2 (P = 0.484 conditions. CONCLUSION: This study found that a-tDCS with a current density of 0.013 mA/cm(2 induces significantly larger corticospinal excitability changes than CDs of 0.029 mA/cm(2. The implication is that might help to avoid applying unwanted amount of current to the cortical areas.

  7. Feasibility study of current pulse induced 2-bit/4-state multilevel programming in phase-change memory

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Yan; Fan, Xi; Chen, Houpeng; Wang, Yueqing; Liu, Bo; Song, Zhitang; Feng, Songlin

    2017-08-01

    In this brief, multilevel data storage for phase-change memory (PCM) has attracted more attention in the memory market to implement high capacity memory system and reduce cost-per-bit. In this work, we present a universal programing method of SET stair-case current pulse in PCM cells, which can exploit the optimum programing scheme to achieve 2-bit/ 4state resistance-level with equal logarithm interval. SET stair-case waveform can be optimized by TCAD real time simulation to realize multilevel data storage efficiently in an arbitrary phase change material. Experimental results from 1 k-bit PCM test-chip have validated the proposed multilevel programing scheme. This multilevel programming scheme has improved the information storage density, robustness of resistance-level, energy efficient and avoiding process complexity.

  8. The impact of negative attentional set upon target processing in RSVP : An ERP study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Zhang, Dexuan; Zhou, Xiaolin; Martens, Sander

    2009-01-01

    This study investigates whether the negative attentional set, a form of top-down attentional bias, can be set up on a trial-by-trial basis and impair online target processing in an RSVP (Rapid Serial Visual Presentation) task in which two targets are to be identified. Using the N2pc (N2 posterior

  9. A Comparative Study of Voltage, Peak Current and Dual Current Mode Control Methods for Noninverting Buck-Boost Converter

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Č. Bošković

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents a comparison of voltage mode control (VMC and two current mode control (CMC methods of noninverting buck-boost converter. The converter control-to-output transfer function, line-to-output transfer function and the output impedance are obtained for all methods by averaging converter equations over one switching period and applying small-signal linearization. The obtained results are required for the design procedure of feedback compensator to keep a system stable and robust. A comparative study of VMC, peak current mode control (PCMC and dual-current mode control (DCMC is performed. Performance evaluation of the closed-loop system with obtained compensator between these methods is performed via numerical simulations.

  10. Flat norm decomposition of integral currents

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sharif Ibrahim

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Currents represent generalized surfaces studied in geometric measure theory. They range from relatively tame integral currents representing oriented compact manifolds with boundary and integer multiplicities, to arbitrary elements of the dual space of differential forms. The flat norm provides a natural distance in the space of currents, and works by decomposing a $d$-dimensional current into $d$- and (the boundary of $(d+1$-dimensional pieces in an optimal way.Given an integral current, can we expect its at norm decomposition to be integral as well? This is not known in general, except in the case of $d$-currents that are boundaries of $(d+1$-currents in $\\mathbb{R}^{d+1}$ (following results from a corresponding problem on the $L^1$ total variation ($L^1$TV of functionals. On the other hand, for a discretized at norm on a finite simplicial complex, the analogous statement holds even when the inputs are not boundaries. This simplicial version relies on the total unimodularity of the boundary matrix of the simplicial complex; a result distinct from the $L^1$TV approach.We develop an analysis framework that extends the result in the simplicial setting to one for $d$-currents in $\\mathbb{R}^{d+1}$, provided a suitable triangulation result holds. In $\\mathbb{R}^2$, we use a triangulation result of Shewchuk (bounding both the size and location of small angles, and apply the framework to show that the discrete result implies the continuous result for $1$-currents in $\\mathbb{R}^2$ .

  11. Priority setting: what constitutes success? A conceptual framework for successful priority setting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sibbald, Shannon L; Singer, Peter A; Upshur, Ross; Martin, Douglas K

    2009-03-05

    The sustainability of healthcare systems worldwide is threatened by a growing demand for services and expensive innovative technologies. Decision makers struggle in this environment to set priorities appropriately, particularly because they lack consensus about which values should guide their decisions. One way to approach this problem is to determine what all relevant stakeholders understand successful priority setting to mean. The goal of this research was to develop a conceptual framework for successful priority setting. Three separate empirical studies were completed using qualitative data collection methods (one-on-one interviews with healthcare decision makers from across Canada; focus groups with representation of patients, caregivers and policy makers; and Delphi study including scholars and decision makers from five countries). This paper synthesizes the findings from three studies into a framework of ten separate but interconnected elements germane to successful priority setting: stakeholder understanding, shifted priorities/reallocation of resources, decision making quality, stakeholder acceptance and satisfaction, positive externalities, stakeholder engagement, use of explicit process, information management, consideration of values and context, and revision or appeals mechanism. The ten elements specify both quantitative and qualitative dimensions of priority setting and relate to both process and outcome components. To our knowledge, this is the first framework that describes successful priority setting. The ten elements identified in this research provide guidance for decision makers and a common language to discuss priority setting success and work toward improving priority setting efforts.

  12. Two sets of twins with selective mutism: neuropsychological findings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gray, Robert M; Jordan, Catherine M; Ziegler, Richard S; Livingston, Ronald B

    2002-03-01

    Neuropsychological data are reviewed from two sets of dizygotic twins presenting with selective mutism characterized by situation specific anxiety, extreme passive behavior, lack of responsivity, lack of peer interaction, and a chronic course of selective mutism. Both sets of twins had a history of prematurity and delayed speech development. One set of twins presented with normal intelligence and normal receptive language skills but with expressive language and oral motor sequencing difficulties. The second set of twins presented with Verbal IQ deficits and significant receptive and expressive language deficits. A summary of current conceptualizations regarding etiology and treatment of selective mutism is provided.

  13. Co-ordination of directional overcurrent protection with load current for parallel feeders

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wright, J.W.; Lloyd, G.; Hindle, P.J. [Alstom, Inc., Stafford (United Kingdom). T and D Protection and Control

    1999-11-01

    Directional phase overcurrent relays are commonly applied at the receiving ends of parallel feeders or transformer feeders. Their purpose is to ensure full discrimination of main or back-up power system overcurrent protection for a fault near the receiving end of one feeder. This paper reviews this type of relay application and highlights load current setting constraints for directional protection. Such constraints have not previously been publicized in well-known text books. A directional relay current setting constraint that is suggested in some text books is based purely on thermal rating considerations for older technology relays. This constraint may not exist with modern numerical relays. In the absence of any apparent constraint, there is a temptation to adopt lower current settings with modern directional relays in relation to reverse load current at the receiving ends of parallel feeders. This paper identifies the danger of adopting very low current settings without any special relay feature to ensure protection security with load current during power system faults. A system incident recorded by numerical relays is also offered to highlight this danger. In cases where there is a need to infringe the identified constraints an implemented and testing relaying technique is proposed.

  14. Care mapping in clinical neuroscience settings: Cognitive impairment and dependency.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leigh, Andrew James; O'Hanlon, Katie; Sheldrick, Russell; Surr, Claire; Hare, Dougal Julian

    2015-01-01

    Person-centred care can improve the well-being of patients and is therefore a key driver in healthcare developments in the UK. The current study aims to investigate the complex relationship between cognitive impairment, dependency and well-being in people with a wide range of acquired brain and spinal injuries. Sixty-five participants, with varied acquired brain and spinal injuries, were selected by convenience sampling from six inpatient clinical neuroscience settings. Participants were observed using Dementia Care Mapping - Neurorehabilitation (DCM-NR) and categorised based on severity of cognitive impairment. A significant difference in the behaviours participants engaged in, their well-being and dependency was found between the severe cognitive impairment group and the mild, moderate or no cognitive impairment groups. Dependency and cognitive impairment accounted for 23.9% of the variance in well-ill-being scores and 17.2% of the variance in potential for positive engagement. The current study highlights the impact of severe cognitive impairment and dependency on the behaviours patients engaged in and their well-being. It also affirms the utility of DCM-NR in providing insights into patient experience. Consideration is given to developing DCM-NR as a process that may improve person-centred care in neuroscience settings.

  15. An exponential combination procedure for set-based association tests in sequencing studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Lin S; Hsu, Li; Gamazon, Eric R; Cox, Nancy J; Nicolae, Dan L

    2012-12-07

    State-of-the-art next-generation-sequencing technologies can facilitate in-depth explorations of the human genome by investigating both common and rare variants. For the identification of genetic factors that are associated with disease risk or other complex phenotypes, methods have been proposed for jointly analyzing variants in a set (e.g., all coding SNPs in a gene). Variants in a properly defined set could be associated with risk or phenotype in a concerted fashion, and by accumulating information from them, one can improve power to detect genetic risk factors. Many set-based methods in the literature are based on statistics that can be written as the summation of variant statistics. Here, we propose taking the summation of the exponential of variant statistics as the set summary for association testing. From both Bayesian and frequentist perspectives, we provide theoretical justification for taking the sum of the exponential of variant statistics because it is particularly powerful for sparse alternatives-that is, compared with the large number of variants being tested in a set, only relatively few variants are associated with disease risk-a distinctive feature of genetic data. We applied the exponential combination gene-based test to a sequencing study in anticancer pharmacogenomics and uncovered mechanistic insights into genes and pathways related to chemotherapeutic susceptibility for an important class of oncologic drugs. Copyright © 2012 The American Society of Human Genetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Western Gulf of Mexico, June 1993 to June 1994 Average Ocean Currents, Geographic NAD83, MMS (1999) [ocean_currents_wgom_AVG_MMS_1994

    Data.gov (United States)

    Louisiana Geographic Information Center — This is one data set of a data package consisting of thirteen point data sets that have as attributes the direction and velocity of ocean currents in the western...

  17. Eastern Gulf of Mexico, February 1996 to June 1997 Average Ocean Currents, Geographic NAD83, MMS (1999) [ocean_currents_egom_AVG_MMS_1997

    Data.gov (United States)

    Louisiana Geographic Information Center — This is one data set of a data package consisting of thirteen point data sets that have as attributes the direction and velocity of ocean currents in the 'eastern'...

  18. Subminiature eddy current transducers for studying boride coatings

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dmitriev, S. F.; Ishkov, A. V.; Malikov, V. N.; Sagalakov, A. M.

    2016-07-01

    Strengthening of parts and units of machines, increased reliability and longer service life is an important task of modern mechanical engineering. The main objects of study in the work were selected steel 65G and 50HGA, wear-resistant boride coatings ternary system Fe-B-Fe n B which were investigated by scanning electron microscopy and eddy-current nondestructive methods.

  19. Comparative study on current trading system and online trading: the ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Comparative study on current trading system and online trading: the case of ... of online trading and factors affecting its feasibility of implementation in ECX. ... The study found that there is significant capacity problem with major skills gap with ...

  20. Current measurement studies around the Cesme Peninsula (Turkey)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Taspinar, N.

    1989-04-01

    In order to design coastal structures and marine vehicles safely, it is required to know current climate which shows the variation of the current characteristics with time. There are a wide variety of current meters designed to measure water flow today. Each current meter is capable of recording the influence of mooring arrangement. Here we describe sea water temperatures, salinities and current velocities at offshore of Akburun, Tatlicak Burnu, Kalem Burnu and Kizil Burun areas in Cesme Peninsula 27 August, 1986 to 19 November, 1986. At the end of the investigations, measured significant maximum and average current velocities have been routinely analysed with micro-computers and also the percentages of current velocity have been calculated. (author). 8 refs, 6 figs, 4 tabs

  1. Energy Setting and Visual Outcomes in SMILE: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Liuyang; Schallhorn, Julie M; Ma, Jiaonan; Cui, Tong; Wang, Yan

    2018-01-01

    To assess the independent effect of energy setting on postoperative uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA) in small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) and further investigate an optimal energy setting for the 4.5-μm spot-track-distance, which is in wide clinical use. A total of 1,130 eyes were included in a retrospective cohort study from Tianjin Eye Hospital, Tianjin Medical University from April 2015 to July 2016. Energy settings and baseline characteristics were recorded and 3-month UDVA was tested by a nurse blinded to the energy settings used. Multiple regression analysis and generalized estimating equations were used to take into account the correlation between the measurements from two eyes. The 3-month UDVA (mean ± standard deviation) of 125 to 160 nJ (by 5-nJ increments) was 1.39 ± 0.19, 1.40 ± 0.32, 1.33 ± 0.27, 1.36 ± 0.27, 1.34 ± 0.25, 1.29 ± 0.19, 1.36 ± 0.27, and 1.19 ± 0.22, respectively. Energy was significantly associated with postoperative logMAR UDVA in different models and the regression coefficient (β) was robust (β = 0.01, 95% confidence interval = 0.00 to 0.01). The regression coefficient β (0.01, 95% confidence interval = 0.00 to 0.02, P = .0029) of energy (125 to 150 nJ, by 5-nJ increments) on 4.5-μm spot-track-distance was still associated with the logMAR UDVA when adjusted for sex, age, myopia, astigmatism, mean keratometry, central corneal thickness, preoperative logMAR CDVA, and side spot-track-distance. The lower end of the energy studied was associated with a better postoperative UDVA in this population. The spot-track-distance of 4.5 μm with 125 nJ energy was the optimal combination within this range. [J Refract Surg. 2018;34(1):11-16.]. Copyright 2018, SLACK Incorporated.

  2. Analysis of operation events for HFETR emergency diesel generator set

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Zhiqiang; Ji Xifang; Deng Hong

    2015-01-01

    By the statistic analysis of the historical failure data of the emergency diesel generator set, the specific mode, the attribute, and the direct and root origin for each failure are reviewed and summarized. Considering the current status of the emergency diesel generator set, the preventive measures and solutions in terms of operation, handling and maintenance are proposed, and the potential events for the emergency diesel generator set are analyzed. (authors)

  3. Prehospital Ultrasound in Trauma: A Review of Current and Potential Future Clinical Applications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tharwat El Zahran

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Ultrasound (US is an essential tool for evaluating trauma patients in the hospital setting. Many previous in-hospital studies have been extrapolated to out of hospital setting to improve diagnostic accuracy in prehospital and austere environments. This review article presents the role of prehospital US in blunt and penetrating trauma management with emphasis on its current clinical applications, challenges, and future implications of such use.

  4. Efficient triangulation of Poisson-disk sampled point sets

    KAUST Repository

    Guo, Jianwei

    2014-05-06

    In this paper, we present a simple yet efficient algorithm for triangulating a 2D input domain containing a Poisson-disk sampled point set. The proposed algorithm combines a regular grid and a discrete clustering approach to speedup the triangulation. Moreover, our triangulation algorithm is flexible and performs well on more general point sets such as adaptive, non-maximal Poisson-disk sets. The experimental results demonstrate that our algorithm is robust for a wide range of input domains and achieves significant performance improvement compared to the current state-of-the-art approaches. © 2014 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

  5. Automatic sets and Delone sets

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Barbe, A; Haeseler, F von

    2004-01-01

    Automatic sets D part of Z m are characterized by having a finite number of decimations. They are equivalently generated by fixed points of certain substitution systems, or by certain finite automata. As examples, two-dimensional versions of the Thue-Morse, Baum-Sweet, Rudin-Shapiro and paperfolding sequences are presented. We give a necessary and sufficient condition for an automatic set D part of Z m to be a Delone set in R m . The result is then extended to automatic sets that are defined as fixed points of certain substitutions. The morphology of automatic sets is discussed by means of examples

  6. A Study on the Reuse of Plastic Concrete Using Extended Set-Retarding Admixtures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lobo, Colin; Guthrie, William F.; Kacker, Raghu

    1995-01-01

    The disposal of ready mixed concrete truck wash water and returned plastic concrete is a growing concern for the ready mixed concrete industry. Recently, extended set-retarding admixtures, or stabilizers, which slow or stop the hydration of portland cement have been introduced to the market. Treating truck wash-water or returned plastic concrete with stabilizing admixtures delays its setting and hardening, thereby facilitating the incorporation of these typically wasted materials in subsequent concrete batches. In a statistically designed experiment, the properties of blended concrete containing stabilized plastic concrete were evaluated. The variables in the study included (1) concrete age when stabilized, (2) stabilizer dosage, (3) holding period of the treated (stabilized) concrete prior to blending with fresh ingredients, and (4) amount of treated concrete in the blended batch. The setting time, strength, and drying shrinkage of the blended concretes were evaluated. For the conditions tested, batching 5 % treated concrete with fresh material did not have a significant effect on the setting time, strength, or drying shrinkage of the resulting blended concrete. Batching 50 % treated concrete with fresh materials had a significant effect on the setting characteristics of the blended cocnrete, which in turn affected the water demand to maintain slump. The data suggests that for a known set of conditions, the stabilizer dosage can be optimized within a relatively narrow range to produce desired setting characteristics. The strength and drying shrinkage of the blended concretes were essentially a function of the water content at different sampling ages and the relationship followed the general trend of control concrete. PMID:29151762

  7. A Study on the Reuse of Plastic Concrete Using Extended Set-Retarding Admixtures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lobo, Colin; Guthrie, William F; Kacker, Raghu

    1995-01-01

    The disposal of ready mixed concrete truck wash water and returned plastic concrete is a growing concern for the ready mixed concrete industry. Recently, extended set-retarding admixtures, or stabilizers, which slow or stop the hydration of portland cement have been introduced to the market. Treating truck wash-water or returned plastic concrete with stabilizing admixtures delays its setting and hardening, thereby facilitating the incorporation of these typically wasted materials in subsequent concrete batches. In a statistically designed experiment, the properties of blended concrete containing stabilized plastic concrete were evaluated. The variables in the study included (1) concrete age when stabilized, (2) stabilizer dosage, (3) holding period of the treated (stabilized) concrete prior to blending with fresh ingredients, and (4) amount of treated concrete in the blended batch. The setting time, strength, and drying shrinkage of the blended concretes were evaluated. For the conditions tested, batching 5 % treated concrete with fresh material did not have a significant effect on the setting time, strength, or drying shrinkage of the resulting blended concrete. Batching 50 % treated concrete with fresh materials had a significant effect on the setting characteristics of the blended cocnrete, which in turn affected the water demand to maintain slump. The data suggests that for a known set of conditions, the stabilizer dosage can be optimized within a relatively narrow range to produce desired setting characteristics. The strength and drying shrinkage of the blended concretes were essentially a function of the water content at different sampling ages and the relationship followed the general trend of control concrete.

  8. A prospective study on the use of rivastigmine transdermal patch in Alzheimer's dementia in a routine clinical setting

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ejaz Nazir

    Full Text Available Abstract There is not much published literature on the use of rivastigmine patch in a "routine" clinical setting. Objectives: In this naturalistic longitudinal observational study we sought to evaluate the safety, tolerability and efficacy of the rivastigmine patch in patients with early and late onset moderate Alzheimer's disease in a routine clinical setting. Methods: Out of all routine clinical referrals, the first 30 patients with diagnosis of moderate Alzheimer's dementia who were started on rivastigmine patch were included in the study. Rivastigmine patch dose was titrated from 4.6 to 9.5 mg/ 24 hours as appropriate. The primary outcome measure was safety and tolerability, measured by the incidence of adverse events and discontinuation due to any reason. The secondary outcome measure was to examine improvement on global, functional and behavioral domains as demonstrated by the MMSE (Mini Mental State Examination score, BADLS (Bristol Activities of Daily Living Skills score, patient and carer feedback and clinical judgment. Results: Adverse events were reported in 20% of patients and 10% of total patients needed discontinuation of treatment. Improvement on global, functional and behavioral domains was observed in two thirds of patients whereas one third showed a relative decline. The most common side effect was skin irritation or erythema. Conclusions: The rivastigmine transdermal patch may provide a treatment option for those patients who require a change in their current oral cholinesterase inhibitor therapy due to safety or tolerability concerns.

  9. Transportable GPU (General Processor Units) chip set technology for standard computer architectures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fosdick, R. E.; Denison, H. C.

    1982-11-01

    The USAFR-developed GPU Chip Set has been utilized by Tracor to implement both USAF and Navy Standard 16-Bit Airborne Computer Architectures. Both configurations are currently being delivered into DOD full-scale development programs. Leadless Hermetic Chip Carrier packaging has facilitated implementation of both architectures on single 41/2 x 5 substrates. The CMOS and CMOS/SOS implementations of the GPU Chip Set have allowed both CPU implementations to use less than 3 watts of power each. Recent efforts by Tracor for USAF have included the definition of a next-generation GPU Chip Set that will retain the application-proven architecture of the current chip set while offering the added cost advantages of transportability across ISO-CMOS and CMOS/SOS processes and across numerous semiconductor manufacturers using a newly-defined set of common design rules. The Enhanced GPU Chip Set will increase speed by an approximate factor of 3 while significantly reducing chip counts and costs of standard CPU implementations.

  10. Setting ozone critical levels for protecting horticultural Mediterranean crops: Case study of tomato

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    González-Fernández, I.; Calvo, E.; Gerosa, G.; Bermejo, V.; Marzuoli, R.; Calatayud, V.; Alonso, R.

    2014-01-01

    Seven experiments carried out in Italy and Spain have been used to parameterising a stomatal conductance model and establishing exposure– and dose–response relationships for yield and quality of tomato with the main goal of setting O 3 critical levels (CLe). CLe with confidence intervals, between brackets, were set at an accumulated hourly O 3 exposure over 40 nl l −1 , AOT40 = 8.4 (1.2, 15.6) ppm h and a phytotoxic ozone dose above a threshold of 6 nmol m −2 s −1 , POD6 = 2.7 (0.8, 4.6) mmol m −2 for yield and AOT40 = 18.7 (8.5, 28.8) ppm h and POD6 = 4.1 (2.0, 6.2) mmol m −2 for quality, both indices performing equally well. CLe confidence intervals provide information on the quality of the dataset and should be included in future calculations of O 3 CLe for improving current methodologies. These CLe, derived for sensitive tomato cultivars, should not be applied for quantifying O 3 -induced losses at the risk of making important overestimations of the economical losses associated with O 3 pollution. -- Highlights: • Seven independent experiments from Italy and Spain were analysed. • O 3 critical levels are proposed for the protection of summer horticultural crops. • Exposure- and flux-based O 3 indices performed equally well. • Confidence intervals of the new O 3 critical levels are calculated. • A new method to estimate the degree risk of O 3 damage is proposed. -- Critical levels for tomato yield were set at AOT40 = 8.4 ppm h and POD6 = 2.7 mmol m −2 and confidence intervals should be used for improving O 3 risk assessment

  11. Factors Affecting Utilization of Family Planning Services in a Post-Conflict Setting, South Sudan: A Qualitative Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahmed, Waled Amen Mohammed; Shokai, Sara Boutros; Abduelkhair, Insaf Hassan; Boshra, Amira Yahia

    2015-01-01

    This study aims to explore and examine the conjectures surrounding the utilization of family planning services among currently married couples of childbearing age in Renk County. This study has adopted a qualitative method to collect data on factors affecting the utilization of family planning services through focus group discussions and in-depth interviews, in rural and urban areas of Renk County. It targeted married women, men as well as unmarried men and women. The researchers conducted nine focus group discussions and nine interviews at both Jelhak (rural setting) and Renk (urban setting). The results suggested that the people of Renk County prefer to have large families and therefore choose not to use family planning methods. The data collected was analyzed by means of thematic analysis. This included the construction of a thematic framework, coding, editing and categorization of available data as well as the creation of sub-themes. The result also suggested that perception is a main factor that affects utilization of family planning services with a majority of the people in Renk and Jelhak preferring to have many children in order to increase the family size for some reasons. These are linked to religion, social stigma and taboo that are attached to childless people or users of family planning methods for birth control purposes. The responses revealed some variation in perception between rural (Jelhak) and urban (Renk) areas. Respondents from Renk area reported that some people use family planning services for economic reasons that involve alleviation of financial difficulties and provision of better education when the family size is small. On the other hand, rural people from Jelhak perceive family planning to be socially un-acceptable. Furthermore, men and women of Jelhak reported that after each birth of a child, married couples avoid sexual relationship for a period of two years as means of family planning. Women of both Urban and Rural settings reported

  12. Principles for the organization of gene-sets.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Wentian; Freudenberg, Jan; Oswald, Michaela

    2015-12-01

    A gene-set, an important concept in microarray expression analysis and systems biology, is a collection of genes and/or their products (i.e. proteins) that have some features in common. There are many different ways to construct gene-sets, but a systematic organization of these ways is lacking. Gene-sets are mainly organized ad hoc in current public-domain databases, with group header names often determined by practical reasons (such as the types of technology in obtaining the gene-sets or a balanced number of gene-sets under a header). Here we aim at providing a gene-set organization principle according to the level at which genes are connected: homology, physical map proximity, chemical interaction, biological, and phenotypic-medical levels. We also distinguish two types of connections between genes: actual connection versus sharing of a label. Actual connections denote direct biological interactions, whereas shared label connection denotes shared membership in a group. Some extensions of the framework are also addressed such as overlapping of gene-sets, modules, and the incorporation of other non-protein-coding entities such as microRNAs. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Choosing the appropriate treatment setting: which information and decision-making needs do adult inpatients with mental disorders have? A qualitative interview study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kivelitz, Laura; Härter, Martin; Mohr, Jil; Melchior, Hanne; Goetzmann, Lutz; Warnke, Max Holger; Kleinschmidt, Silke; Dirmaier, Jörg

    2018-01-01

    Decisions on medical treatment setting are perceived as important but often difficult to make for patients with mental disorders. Shared decision-making as a strategy to decrease decisional conflict has been recommended, but is not yet widely implemented. This study aimed to investigate the information needs and the decision-making preferences of patients with mental disorders prior to the decision for a certain treatment setting. The results will serve as a prerequisite for the development of a high-quality patient decision aid (PtDA) regarding the treatment setting decision. We conducted retrospective individual semi-structured interviews with n=24 patients with mental disorders in three psychotherapeutic inpatient care units. The interviews were audiotaped, transcribed, coded, and content-analyzed. The majority of the patients wanted to be involved in the decision-making process. They reported high information needs regarding treatment options in order to feel empowered to participate adequately in the decision for a certain treatment setting. However, some patients did not want to participate or receive information, for example, because of their high burden of mental disorder. Whereas the majority were satisfied with the extent they were involved in the decision, few participants felt sufficiently informed about treatment options. Most patients reported that a decision aid regarding an appropriate treatment setting would have been helpful for them. Important information that should be included in a PtDA was general information about mental illness, effective treatment options, specific information about the different treatment settings, and access to treatment. The identified information and decision-making needs provide a valuable basis for the development of a PtDA aiming to support patients and caregivers regarding the decision for an adequate treatment setting. As preferences for participation vary among patients and also depend on the current mental state

  14. Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation, Transcranial Pulsed Current Stimulation, and Their Combination on Brain Oscillations in Patients with Chronic Visceral Pain: A Pilot Crossover Randomized Controlled Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aurore Thibaut

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available ObjectiveChronic visceral pain (CVP syndromes are persistently painful disorders with a remarkable lack of effective treatment options. This study aimed at evaluating the effects of different neuromodulation techniques in patients with CVP on cortical activity, through electreocephalography (EEG and on pain perception, through clinical tests.DesignA pilot crossover randomized controlled study.SettingsOut-patient.SubjectsAdults with CVP (>3 months.MethodsParticipants received four interventions in a randomized order: (1 transcranial pulsed current stimulation (tPCS and active transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS combined, (2 tPCS alone, (3 tDCS alone, and (4 sham condition. Resting state quantitative electroencephalography (qEEG and pain assessments were performed before and after each intervention. Results were compared with a cohort of 47 healthy controls.ResultsWe enrolled six patients with CVP for a total of 21 visits completed. Compared with healthy participants, patients with CVP showed altered cortical activity characterized by increased power in theta, alpha and beta bands, and a significant reduction in the alpha/beta ratio. Regarding tES, the combination of tDCS with tPCS had no effect on power in any of the bandwidths, nor brain regions. Comparing tPCS with tDCS alone, we found that tPCS induced higher increase in power within the theta and alpha bandwidths.ConclusionThis study confirms that patients with CVP present abnormal EEG-indexed cortical activity compared with healthy controls. Moreover, we showed that combining two types of neurostimulation techniques had no effect, whereas the two interventions, when applied individually, have different neural signatures.

  15. Characterization of plasma current quench at JET

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Riccardo, V; Barabaschi, P; Sugihara, M

    2005-01-01

    Eddy currents generated during the fastest disruption current decays represent the most severe design condition for medium and small size in-vessel components of most tokamaks. Best-fit linear and instantaneous plasma current quench rates have been extracted for a set of recent JET disruptions. Contrary to expectations, the current quench rate spectrum of high and low thermal energy disruptions is not substantially different. For most of the disruptions with the highest instantaneous current quench rate an exponential fit of the early phase of the current decay provides a more accurate estimate of the maximum current decay velocity. However, this fit is only suitable to model the fastest events, for which the current quench is dominated by radiation losses rather than the plasma motion

  16. Relativistic current sheets in electron-positron plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zenitani, S.

    2008-01-01

    The current sheet structure with magnetic field reversal is one of the fundamental structure in space and astrophysical plasmas. It draws recent attention in high-energy astrophysical settings, where relativistic electron-positron plasmas are considered. In this talk we will review the recent progress of the physical processes in the relativistic current sheet. The kinetic stability of a single current sheet, the nonlinear behavior of these instabilities, and recent challenges on the multi current sheet systems are introduced. We will also introduce some problems of magnetic reconnection in these relativistic environments. (author)

  17. Current algebra for parafields

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Palev, Ch.D.

    1976-01-01

    Within the framework of the Lagrangean QFT a generalization of canonical commutation and anticommutation relations in terms of three-linear commutation relations, corresponding to the parastatistics, s discussed. A detailed derivation of these three-linear relations for a set of parafermi fields is presented. Then for a Lagrangean, depending of a family of parabose fields and a family of paraferm fields, is shown that the fundamental hypothesis of current algebra is valid. In other words, the currents corresponding to the linear gauge transformations are found to meet the commutation relation: [Jsub(f)sup(0)(x), Jsub(g)sup(0)]sub(x 0 =y 0 ) = -idelta(x vector - y vector)Jsub([f,g])sup(0) (x), where Jsub(f)sup(0) is a time component of the current, corresponding to transformation f. (S.P.)

  18. 21 CFR 1271.150 - Current good tissue practice requirements.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Current good tissue practice requirements. 1271... HUMAN CELLS, TISSUES, AND CELLULAR AND TISSUE-BASED PRODUCTS Current Good Tissue Practice § 1271.150 Current good tissue practice requirements. (a) General. This subpart D and subpart C of this part set...

  19. Application of over-current relay in offshore wind power plant grid with VSC-HVDC connection

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chaudhary, Sanjay K.; Teodorescu, Remus [Aalborg Univ. (Denmark). Dept. of Energy Technology; Rodriguez, Pedro [Technical Univ. of Catalonia, Terrassa (Spain). Dept. of Electrical Engineering; Kjaer, Philip C. [Vestas Technology R and D, Aarhus (Denmark)

    2011-07-01

    This paper presents the setting and coordination of over-current relays in an offshore wind power plant (WPP) grid connected only to the power electronic converters with limited fault current capability. The limited fault current injection capability of the converters has been considered as a hindrance for the relay setting. This characteristic can be utilized to develop a deterministic picture of the radial grid network and then the relays settings could be applied. The relay coordination has been demonstrated through an implementation in the Real Time Digital Simulation (RTDS) platform. The setting of relay parameters based upon maximum nominal currents is explained and the consequences are investigated. (orig.)

  20. Studies of Polar Current Systems Using the IMS Scandinavian Magnetometer Array

    Science.gov (United States)

    Untiedt, J.; Baumjohann, W.

    1993-09-01

    As a contribution to the International Magnetospheric Study (IMS, 1976 1979) a two-dimensional array of 42 temporary magnetometer stations was run in Scandinavia, supplementary to the permanent observatories and concentrated in the northern part of the region. This effort aimed at the time-dependent (periods above about 100 s) determination of the two-dimensional structure of substorm-related magnetic fields at the Earth's surface with highest reasonable spatial resolution (about 100 km, corresponding to the height of the ionosphere) near the footpoints of field-aligned electric currents that couple the disturbed magnetosphere to the ionosphere at auroral latitudes. It has been of particular advantage for cooperative studies that not only simultaneous data were available from all-sky cameras, riometers, balloons, rockets, and satellites, but also from the STARE radar facility yielding colocated two-dimensional ionospheric electric field distributions. In many cases it therefore was possible to infer the three-dimensional regional structure of substorm-related ionospheric current systems. The first part of this review outlines the basic relationships and methods that have been used or have been developed for such studies. The second short part presents typical equivalent current patterns observed by the magnetometer array in the course of substorms. Finally we review main results of studies that have been based on the magnetometer array observations and on additional data, omitting studies on geomagnetic pulsations. These studies contributed to a clarification of the nature of auroral electrojets including the Harang discontinuity and of ionospheric current systems related to auroral features such as the break-up at midnight, the westward traveling surge, eastward drifting omega bands, and spirals.

  1. Responding to intimate partner violence: Healthcare providers' current practices and views on integrating a safety decision aid into primary care settings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alvarez, Carmen; Debnam, Katrina; Clough, Amber; Alexander, Kamila; Glass, Nancy E

    2018-04-01

    Supportive care for survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) remains limited in primary care settings. Low-income and Spanish-speaking survivors of IPV are even more disadvantaged, given the dearth of linguistically and culturally appropriate interventions for IPV. We conducted semi-structured individual interviews with 17 healthcare workers, including physicians, nurses, and social workers, to describe how healthcare workers serving primarily low-income, Latina populations are currently screening and responding to IPV disclosure, and to explore the acceptability of integrating an interactive, personalized safety decision aid application-myPlan app-into the clinic setting. Despite recognition of IPV as a problem, none of the clinical sites had a protocol to guide screening and response to IPV disclosure. Screening practices varied across the sites, sometimes conducted by medical assistants prior to the provider visit and other times by the physician or nurse provider. When IPV was disclosed, it was often during assessment for a presenting problem such as poor sleep or anxiety. Most healthcare workers felt that clinical and community resources were limited for their patients experiencing IPV. The "warm hand-off" to a social worker was the most common response strategy when possible; otherwise, women were given information about available resources such as hotlines and safe houses. We discuss structural, family, and individual barriers to accessing safety resources for underserved women and review how an easily accessible safety decision app, such as myPlan, could be a resource for women to safely tailor an action plan for her situation. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  2. Study of single pion production in antineutrino induced charged current interactions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bolognese, Teresa.

    1978-01-01

    Results are presented on the exclusive charged current antineutrino production of one pion using the data of the Gargamelle propane experiment at CERN PS. The isospin structure of the charged weak current is studied as well as the energy dependence of the total cross section for π - antineutrino production, which is compared with the prediction of Adler's model [fr

  3. Structural Studies of the SET Domain from RIZ1 Tumor Suppressor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Briknarova, Klara; Zhou, Xinliang; Satterthwait, Arnold C.; Hoyt, David W.; Ely, Kathryn R.; Huang, Shi

    2008-02-15

    Histone lysine methyltransferases (HKMTs) are involved in regulation of chromatin structure, and, as such, are important for longterm gene activation and repression that is associated with cell memory and establishment of cell-type specific transcriptional programs. Most HKMTs contain a SET domain, which is responsible for their catalytic activity. RIZ1 is a transcription regulator and tumor suppressor that catalyzes methylation of lysine 9 of histone H3 and contains a rather distinct SET domain. Similar SET domains, sometimes refererred to as PR (PRDI-BF1 and RIZ1 homology) domains, are also found in other proteins including Blimp-1/PRDI-BF1, MDS1-EVI1 and Meisetz. We determined the solution structure of the PR domain from RIZ1 and characterized its interaction with S-adenosyl homocysteine (SAH) and a peptide from histone H3. Despite low sequence identity with canonical SET domains, the PR domain displays a typical SET fold including a pseudo-knot at the C-terminus. The N-flanking sequence of RIZ1 PR domain adopts a novel conformation and interacts closely with the SET fold. The C-flanking sequence contains an α-helix that exhibits higher mobility than the SET fold and points away from the protein face that harbors active site in other SET domains. Residues that interact with the methylation cofactor in SET domains are not conserved in RIZ1 or other PR domains, and the SET fold of RIZ1 does not bind SAH. However, the PR domain of RIZ1 interacts specifically with a synthetic peptide comprising residues 1-20 of histone H3.

  4. RS-SNP: a random-set method for genome-wide association studies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mukherjee Sayan

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The typical objective of Genome-wide association (GWA studies is to identify single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs and corresponding genes with the strongest evidence of association (the 'most-significant SNPs/genes' approach. Borrowing ideas from micro-array data analysis, we propose a new method, named RS-SNP, for detecting sets of genes enriched in SNPs moderately associated to the phenotype. RS-SNP assesses whether the number of significant SNPs, with p-value P ≤ α, belonging to a given SNP set is statistically significant. The rationale of proposed method is that two kinds of null hypotheses are taken into account simultaneously. In the first null model the genotype and the phenotype are assumed to be independent random variables and the null distribution is the probability of the number of significant SNPs in greater than observed by chance. The second null model assumes the number of significant SNPs in depends on the size of and not on the identity of the SNPs in . Statistical significance is assessed using non-parametric permutation tests. Results We applied RS-SNP to the Crohn's disease (CD data set collected by the Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium (WTCCC and compared the results with GENGEN, an approach recently proposed in literature. The enrichment analysis using RS-SNP and the set of pathways contained in the MSigDB C2 CP pathway collection highlighted 86 pathways rich in SNPs weakly associated to CD. Of these, 47 were also indicated to be significant by GENGEN. Similar results were obtained using the MSigDB C5 pathway collection. Many of the pathways found to be enriched by RS-SNP have a well-known connection to CD and often with inflammatory diseases. Conclusions The proposed method is a valuable alternative to other techniques for enrichment analysis of SNP sets. It is well founded from a theoretical and statistical perspective. Moreover, the experimental comparison with GENGEN highlights that it is

  5. Current challenges in the management of sepsis in ICUs in resource-poor settings and suggestions for the future.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schultz, Marcus J; Dunser, Martin W; Dondorp, Arjen M; Adhikari, Neill K J; Iyer, Shivakumar; Kwizera, Arthur; Lubell, Yoel; Papali, Alfred; Pisani, Luigi; Riviello, Beth D; Angus, Derek C; Azevedo, Luciano C; Baker, Tim; Diaz, Janet V; Festic, Emir; Haniffa, Rashan; Jawa, Randeep; Jacob, Shevin T; Kissoon, Niranjan; Lodha, Rakesh; Martin-Loeches, Ignacio; Lundeg, Ganbold; Misango, David; Mer, Mervyn; Mohanty, Sanjib; Murthy, Srinivas; Musa, Ndidiamaka; Nakibuuka, Jane; Serpa Neto, Ary; Nguyen Thi Hoang, Mai; Nguyen Thien, Binh; Pattnaik, Rajyabardhan; Phua, Jason; Preller, Jacobus; Povoa, Pedro; Ranjit, Suchitra; Talmor, Daniel; Thevanayagam, Jonarthan; Thwaites, C Louise

    2017-05-01

    Sepsis is a major reason for intensive care unit (ICU) admission, also in resource-poor settings. ICUs in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) face many challenges that could affect patient outcome. To describe differences between resource-poor and resource-rich settings regarding the epidemiology, pathophysiology, economics and research aspects of sepsis. We restricted this manuscript to the ICU setting even knowing that many sepsis patients in LMICs are treated outside an ICU. Although many bacterial pathogens causing sepsis in LMICs are similar to those in high-income countries, resistance patterns to antimicrobial drugs can be very different; in addition, causes of sepsis in LMICs often include tropical diseases in which direct damaging effects of pathogens and their products can sometimes be more important than the response of the host. There are substantial and persisting differences in ICU capacities around the world; not surprisingly the lowest capacities are found in LMICs, but with important heterogeneity within individual LMICs. Although many aspects of sepsis management developed in rich countries are applicable in LMICs, implementation requires strong consideration of cost implications and the important differences in resources. Addressing both disease-specific and setting-specific factors is important to improve performance of ICUs in LMICs. Although critical care for severe sepsis is likely cost-effective in LMIC setting, more detailed evaluation at both at a macro- and micro-economy level is necessary. Sepsis management in resource-limited settings is a largely unexplored frontier with important opportunities for research, training, and other initiatives for improvement.

  6. Experimental Study of Drag Resistance using a Laboratory Scale Rotary Set-Up

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Erik Weinell, Claus; Olsen, Kenneth N.; Christoffersen, Martin W.

    2003-01-01

    This work covers an experimental study of the drag resistance of different painted surfaces and simulated large-scale irregularities, viz. dry spraying, weld seams, barnacle fouling and paint remains. A laboratory scale rotary set-up was used to determine the drag resistance, and the surface...

  7. Integrated Berth Allocation and Quay Crane Assignment Problem: Set partitioning models and computational results

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Iris, Cagatay; Pacino, Dario; Røpke, Stefan

    2015-01-01

    Most of the operational problems in container terminals are strongly interconnected. In this paper, we study the integrated Berth Allocation and Quay Crane Assignment Problem in seaport container terminals. We will extend the current state-of-the-art by proposing novel set partitioning models....... To improve the performance of the set partitioning formulations, a number of variable reduction techniques are proposed. Furthermore, we analyze the effects of different discretization schemes and the impact of using a time-variant/invariant quay crane allocation policy. Computational experiments show...

  8. Safe current injection strategies for a STATCOM under asymmetrical grid faults

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rodriguez, Pedro; Medeiros, Gustavo; Luna, Alvaro

    2010-01-01

    This paper explores different strategies to set the reference current of a STATCOM under unbalanced grid voltage conditions and determines the maximum deliverable reactive power in each case to guarantee the injected current is permanently within the STATCOM secure operation limits. The paper...... presents a comprehensive derivation of the proposed STATCOM control strategies to set the reactive current reference under unbalanced grid faults, together with an extensive evaluation using simulation and experimental results from a low-scale laboratory setup in order to verify and validate the dynamic...

  9. Weight bias in work settings - a qualitative review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Giel, Katrin Elisabeth; Thiel, Ansgar; Teufel, Martin; Mayer, Jochen; Zipfel, Stephan

    2010-02-01

    Studies have repeatedly demonstrated the influence of physical appearance on behavior and treatment of individuals in work settings. A high proportion of obese individuals in the USA have reported perceived discrimination in the work place due to their body weight. The present review examines the specific kind, context and extent of a weight bias in work settings. We performed a literature search in the scientific databases PubMed and PsychINFO to identify studies which have investigated aspects of a potential weight bias in the occupational context. There is evidence from self-report data, surveys, and laboratory research for a weight bias in five aspects of work life. Evidence shows that obesity is a general barrier to employment, certain professions and professional success. Obese individuals are at higher risk of encountering stereotypes concerning their work-related qualities and for general unequal treatment in the work place. Current evidence reveals a weight bias in several areas in the work place. The ecological validity of results is limited due to the predominant reliance on laboratory studies with student samples. Field studies are needed to examine weight-based discrimination in actual work environments as well as to uncover underlying mechanisms. Copyright 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  10. UpSet: Visualization of Intersecting Sets

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lex, Alexander; Gehlenborg, Nils; Strobelt, Hendrik; Vuillemot, Romain; Pfister, Hanspeter

    2016-01-01

    Understanding relationships between sets is an important analysis task that has received widespread attention in the visualization community. The major challenge in this context is the combinatorial explosion of the number of set intersections if the number of sets exceeds a trivial threshold. In this paper we introduce UpSet, a novel visualization technique for the quantitative analysis of sets, their intersections, and aggregates of intersections. UpSet is focused on creating task-driven aggregates, communicating the size and properties of aggregates and intersections, and a duality between the visualization of the elements in a dataset and their set membership. UpSet visualizes set intersections in a matrix layout and introduces aggregates based on groupings and queries. The matrix layout enables the effective representation of associated data, such as the number of elements in the aggregates and intersections, as well as additional summary statistics derived from subset or element attributes. Sorting according to various measures enables a task-driven analysis of relevant intersections and aggregates. The elements represented in the sets and their associated attributes are visualized in a separate view. Queries based on containment in specific intersections, aggregates or driven by attribute filters are propagated between both views. We also introduce several advanced visual encodings and interaction methods to overcome the problems of varying scales and to address scalability. UpSet is web-based and open source. We demonstrate its general utility in multiple use cases from various domains. PMID:26356912

  11. New approaches to wipe sampling methods for antineoplastic and other hazardous drugs in healthcare settings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Connor, Thomas H; Smith, Jerome P

    2016-09-01

    At the present time, the method of choice to determine surface contamination of the workplace with antineoplastic and other hazardous drugs is surface wipe sampling and subsequent sample analysis with a variety of analytical techniques. The purpose of this article is to review current methodology for determining the level of surface contamination with hazardous drugs in healthcare settings and to discuss recent advances in this area. In addition it will provide some guidance for conducting surface wipe sampling and sample analysis for these drugs in healthcare settings. Published studies on the use of wipe sampling to measure hazardous drugs on surfaces in healthcare settings drugs were reviewed. These studies include the use of well-documented chromatographic techniques for sample analysis in addition to newly evolving technology that provides rapid analysis of specific antineoplastic. Methodology for the analysis of surface wipe samples for hazardous drugs are reviewed, including the purposes, technical factors, sampling strategy, materials required, and limitations. The use of lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) and fluorescence covalent microbead immunosorbent assay (FCMIA) for surface wipe sample evaluation is also discussed. Current recommendations are that all healthc a re settings where antineoplastic and other hazardous drugs are handled include surface wipe sampling as part of a comprehensive hazardous drug-safe handling program. Surface wipe sampling may be used as a method to characterize potential occupational dermal exposure risk and to evaluate the effectiveness of implemented controls and the overall safety program. New technology, although currently limited in scope, may make wipe sampling for hazardous drugs more routine, less costly, and provide a shorter response time than classical analytical techniques now in use.

  12. Patient engagement in the inpatient setting: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prey, Jennifer E; Woollen, Janet; Wilcox, Lauren; Sackeim, Alexander D; Hripcsak, George; Bakken, Suzanne; Restaino, Susan; Feiner, Steven; Vawdrey, David K

    2014-01-01

    To systematically review existing literature regarding patient engagement technologies used in the inpatient setting. PubMed, Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) Digital Library, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Xplore, and Cochrane databases were searched for studies that discussed patient engagement ('self-efficacy', 'patient empowerment', 'patient activation', or 'patient engagement'), (2) involved health information technology ('technology', 'games', 'electronic health record', 'electronic medical record', or 'personal health record'), and (3) took place in the inpatient setting ('inpatient' or 'hospital'). Only English language studies were reviewed. 17 articles were identified describing the topic of inpatient patient engagement. A few articles identified design requirements for inpatient engagement technology. The remainder described interventions, which we grouped into five categories: entertainment, generic health information delivery, patient-specific information delivery, advanced communication tools, and personalized decision support. Examination of the current literature shows there are considerable gaps in knowledge regarding patient engagement in the hospital setting and inconsistent use of terminology regarding patient engagement overall. Research on inpatient engagement technologies has been limited, especially concerning the impact on health outcomes and cost-effectiveness. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

  13. System and method for bearing fault detection using stator current noise cancellation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Wei; Lu, Bin; Habetler, Thomas G.; Harley, Ronald G.; Theisen, Peter J.

    2010-08-17

    A system and method for detecting incipient mechanical motor faults by way of current noise cancellation is disclosed. The system includes a controller configured to detect indicia of incipient mechanical motor faults. The controller further includes a processor programmed to receive a baseline set of current data from an operating motor and define a noise component in the baseline set of current data. The processor is also programmed to repeatedly receive real-time operating current data from the operating motor and remove the noise component from the operating current data in real-time to isolate any fault components present in the operating current data. The processor is then programmed to generate a fault index for the operating current data based on any isolated fault components.

  14. All Set! Evidence of Simultaneous Attentional Control Settings for Multiple Target Colors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Irons, Jessica L.; Folk, Charles L.; Remington, Roger W.

    2012-01-01

    Although models of visual search have often assumed that attention can only be set for a single feature or property at a time, recent studies have suggested that it may be possible to maintain more than one attentional control setting. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether spatial attention could be guided by multiple attentional…

  15. Over-relaxation phenomena during the set-up of RFP plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nordlund, P.; Mazur, S.

    1995-03-01

    Experiments on the Extrap T1 reversed field pinch have shown that the formation of the RFP configuration is quite sensitive to the relative programming of the toroidal field and ohmic heating circuits. In this paper, new measurements of the evolution of the current density profile and of the spectral structure of the fluctuations during the set-up phase of RFP plasmas in the T1 experiment are presented. These measurements improve the understanding of the role of different spectral components in the dynamics of RFP formation. Under unfavourable (slow) set-up conditions, comparatively high energy is accumulated in m = 1 internal kinks prior to reversal of the edge toroidal fields. At reversal, nonlinearly driven m = 0 modes trigger a rapid broadening of the m = 1 spectrum. This behaviour is associated with a violent suppression of the current density in the core leading to an over-relaxation of the discharge involving a hollowing of the parallel current density profile. The over-relaxation phenomenon increases the volt-second consumption and plasma/wall interaction during RFP set-up, and degrades the flat-top discharge performance. 15 refs, 5 figs, 1 tab

  16. Over-relaxation phenomena during the set-up of RFP plasmas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nordlund, P.; Mazur, S.

    1995-03-01

    Experiments on the Extrap T1 reversed field pinch have shown that the formation of the RFP configuration is quite sensitive to the relative programming of the toroidal field and ohmic heating circuits. In this paper, new measurements of the evolution of the current density profile and of the spectral structure of the fluctuations during the set-up phase of RFP plasmas in the T1 experiment are presented. These measurements improve the understanding of the role of different spectral components in the dynamics of RFP formation. Under unfavourable (slow) set-up conditions, comparatively high energy is accumulated in m = 1 internal kinks prior to reversal of the edge toroidal fields. At reversal, nonlinearly driven m = 0 modes trigger a rapid broadening of the m = 1 spectrum. This behaviour is associated with a violent suppression of the current density in the core leading to an over-relaxation of the discharge involving a hollowing of the parallel current density profile. The over-relaxation phenomenon increases the volt-second consumption and plasma/wall interaction during RFP set-up, and degrades the flat-top discharge performance. 15 refs, 5 figs, 1 tab.

  17. Producing a background free data set for measurement of the charge current flux and day-night asymmetry at the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McCauley, Neil K.

    2001-01-01

    The SNO detector is a 1 kilo-tonne heavy water Cerenkov detector designed to solve the solar neutrino problem. The detector is situated 2km underground in the INCO Ltd. Creighton mine near Sudbury, Ontario. The heavy water is observed by approximately 9500 photo-multiplier tubes (PMTs) to detect Cerenkov light generated by solar neutrino interactions. Using heavy water SNO can detect neutrinos in three different ways. In this thesis aspects of the charge current (a reaction sensitive to electron neutrinos only) and elastic scattering flux analysis are presented. Some models predict a difference in the detected neutrino rate between day and night. Measurement of this via the day-night asymmetry can help solve the solar neutrino problem. One of the principal problems for the solar neutrino analysis are the instrumental backgrounds; events caused by processes other than Cerenkov light. This thesis contains the descriptions of the backgrounds, the data selection cuts that have been designed to remove them and the effect of these cuts on SNO data. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the cuts, the fraction of good events removed and the residual background content of the data set after application of the cuts are measured. Once the cuts have been applied to the data the charge current flux and day-night asymmetry can be measured. In this thesis data taken between the 2nd of November 1999 and the 1st July 2000, providing a total of 64.6 days of data during the day and 93.1 days of night data, are used to measure the day-night asymmetry. The results of this analysis for the asymmetry in the detected solar neutrino rate from the charge current and elastic scattering reactions are presented. (author)

  18. Evaluating priority setting success in healthcare: a pilot study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Upshur Ross

    2010-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background In healthcare today, decisions are made in the face of serious resource constraints. Healthcare managers are struggling to provide high quality care, manage resources effectively, and meet changing patient needs. Healthcare managers who are constantly making difficult resource decisions desire a way to improve their priority setting processes. Despite the wealth of existing priority setting literature (for example, program budgeting and marginal analysis, accountability for reasonableness, the 'describe-evaluate-improve' strategy there are still no tools to evaluate how healthcare resources are prioritised. This paper describes the development and piloting of a process to evaluate priority setting in health institutions. The evaluation process was designed to examine the procedural and substantive dimensions of priority setting using a multi-methods approach, including a staff survey, decision-maker interviews, and document analysis. Methods The evaluation process was piloted in a mid-size community hospital in Ontario, Canada while its leaders worked through their annual budgeting process. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were used to analyze the data. Results The evaluation process was both applicable to the context and it captured the budgeting process. In general, the pilot test provided support for our evaluation process and our definition of success, (i.e., our conceptual framework. Conclusions The purpose of the evaluation process is to provide a simple, practical way for an organization to better understand what it means to achieve success in its priority setting activities and identify areas for improvement. In order for the process to be used by healthcare managers today, modification and contextualization of the process are anticipated. As the evaluation process is applied in more health care organizations or applied repeatedly in an organization, it may become more streamlined.

  19. Setting priorities in primary health care - on whose conditions? A questionnaire study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arvidsson Eva

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background In Sweden three key criteria are used for priority setting: severity of the health condition; patient benefit; and cost-effectiveness. They are derived from the ethical principles established by the Swedish parliament 1997 but have been used only to a limited extent in primary care. The aim of this study was to describe and analyse: 1 GPs', nurses', and patients' prioritising in routine primary care 2 The association between the three key priority setting criteria and the overall priority assigned by the GPs and nurses to individual patients. Methods Paired questionnaires were distributed to all patients and the GPs or nurses they had contact with during a 2-week period at four health centres in Sweden. The staff registered the health conditions or health problem, and the planned intervention. Then they estimated the severity of the health condition, the expected patient benefit, and the cost-effectiveness of the planned intervention. Both the staff and the patients reported their overall prioritisation of the patient. In total, 1851 paired questionnaires were collected. Results Compared to the medical staff, the patients assigned relatively higher priority to acute/minor conditions than to preventive check-ups for chronic conditions. Severity of the health condition was the priority setting criterion that had the strongest association with the overall priority for the staff as a whole, but for the GPs it was cost-effectiveness. Conclusions The challenge for primary care providers is to balance the patients' demands with medical needs and cost-effectiveness. Transparent priority setting in primary care might contribute to a greater consensus between GPs and nurses on how to use the key priority setting criteria.

  20. Setting priorities in primary health care--on whose conditions? A questionnaire study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arvidsson, Eva; André, Malin; Borgquist, Lars; Andersson, David; Carlsson, Per

    2012-11-26

    In Sweden three key criteria are used for priority setting: severity of the health condition; patient benefit; and cost-effectiveness. They are derived from the ethical principles established by the Swedish parliament 1997 but have been used only to a limited extent in primary care. The aim of this study was to describe and analyse: 1) GPs', nurses', and patients' prioritising in routine primary care 2) The association between the three key priority setting criteria and the overall priority assigned by the GPs and nurses to individual patients. Paired questionnaires were distributed to all patients and the GPs or nurses they had contact with during a 2-week period at four health centres in Sweden. The staff registered the health conditions or health problem, and the planned intervention. Then they estimated the severity of the health condition, the expected patient benefit, and the cost-effectiveness of the planned intervention. Both the staff and the patients reported their overall prioritisation of the patient. In total, 1851 paired questionnaires were collected. Compared to the medical staff, the patients assigned relatively higher priority to acute/minor conditions than to preventive check-ups for chronic conditions. Severity of the health condition was the priority setting criterion that had the strongest association with the overall priority for the staff as a whole, but for the GPs it was cost-effectiveness. The challenge for primary care providers is to balance the patients' demands with medical needs and cost-effectiveness. Transparent priority setting in primary care might contribute to a greater consensus between GPs and nurses on how to use the key priority setting criteria.

  1. Study of plasma equilibrium during the AC current reversal phase in STOR-M

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xiao, C.

    2002-01-01

    Alternating current (AC) tokamak operation and equilibrium studies have been performed on the STOR-M tokamak. The recent experiments have achieved consistent smooth current reversal through the implementation of a hybrid digital-analog position controller and by careful density control. In order to study the plasma equilibrium during the current reversal phase with negligible rotational transform, a segmented limiter with four isolated conducting plates has been installed. The plates can be connected outside the vacuum vessel, which allows measurements of currents flowing between limiter plates. When the current reversal is smooth with zero dwell time, the hydrogen line emission level and electron density remain finite, indicating a finite particle confinement. The current from the top to the bottom limiter plate is also finite and its direction is consistent with that of the grad-B drift. The observation suggests that the limiter and other conducting structures surrounding the plasmas plays the role, during the current reversal phase of AC tokamak operation, to short out the charge separation arising from the grad-B drift and to maintain a finite particle confinement. (author)

  2. Pharmacists' perspectives of the current status of pediatric asthma management in the U.S. community pharmacy setting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elaro, Amanda; Bosnic-Anticevich, Sinthia; Kraus, Kathleen; Farris, Karen B; Shah, Smita; Armour, Carol; Patel, Minal R

    2017-08-01

    Objective To explore community pharmacists' continuing education, counseling and communication practices, attitudes and barriers in relation to pediatric asthma management. Setting Community pharmacies in Michigan, United States. Methods Between July and September 2015 a convenience sample of community pharmacists was recruited from southeastern Michigan and asked to complete a structured, self-reported questionnaire. The questionnaire elucidated information on 4 general domains relating to pharmacists' pediatric asthma management including: (1) guidelines and continuing education (CE); (2) counseling and medicines; (3) communication and self-management practices; (4) attitudes and barriers to practice. Regression analyses were conducted to determine predictors towards pharmacists' confidence/frequency of use of communication/counseling strategies. Main outcome measure Confidence in counseling skills around asthma. Results 105 pharmacists completed the study questionnaire. Fifty-four percent of pharmacists reported participating in asthma related CE in the past year. Over 70% of pharmacists reported confidence in general communication skills, while a lower portion reported confidence in engaging in higher order self-management activities that involved tailoring the regimen (58%), decision-making (50%) and setting short-term (47%) and long-term goals (47%) with the patient and caregiver for managing asthma at home. Pharmacists who reported greater use of recommended communication/self-management strategies were more likely to report confidence in implementing these communication/self-management strategies when counseling caregivers and children with asthma [Beta (B) Estimate 0.58 SE (0.08), p management strategies. Conclusion A pharmacists' confidence may influence their ability to implement recommended self-management counseling strategies. This study showed that community pharmacists are confident in general communication. However pharmacists are reporting lower

  3. Wind resource and plant output data sets for wind integration studies

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Frank, Jaclyn D.; Manobianco, John; Alonge, Charles J.; Brower, Michael C. [AWS Truepower, Albany, NY (United States)

    2010-07-01

    One of the first step towards understanding the impact of increasing penetrations of wind is developing data sets of wind power output over large regions. To facilitate the development of these data sets, AWS Truepower (AWST) generated wind speeds over multiple years (2-3) using the Mesoscale Atmospheric Simulation System (MASS). These simulations were performed with high spatial resolution (1-2 km) to capture the wind flows over each area of interest. Output was saved in 10-minute interval to capture variations in wind speed so that plant output could be analyzed against utility load and system operations. This paper will describe the methodology of mesoscale modeling, site selection, conversion to power, and downscaling to high frequency output. Additionally, the generation of synthetic forecasts will be discussed. The validation results from recent studies in the eastern United States and Hawaii will be highlighted. (orig.)

  4. Long-Term Geomagnetically Induced Current Observations From New Zealand: Peak Current Estimates for Extreme Geomagnetic Storms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodger, Craig J.; Mac Manus, Daniel H.; Dalzell, Michael; Thomson, Alan W. P.; Clarke, Ellen; Petersen, Tanja; Clilverd, Mark A.; Divett, Tim

    2017-11-01

    Geomagnetically induced current (GIC) observations made in New Zealand over 14 years show induction effects associated with a rapidly varying horizontal magnetic field (dBH/dt) during geomagnetic storms. This study analyzes the GIC observations in order to estimate the impact of extreme storms as a hazard to the power system in New Zealand. Analysis is undertaken of GIC in transformer number six in Islington, Christchurch (ISL M6), which had the highest observed currents during the 6 November 2001 storm. Using previously published values of 3,000 nT/min as a representation of an extreme storm with 100 year return period, induced currents of 455 A were estimated for Islington (with the 95% confidence interval range being 155-605 A). For 200 year return periods using 5,000 nT/min, current estimates reach 755 A (confidence interval range 155-910 A). GIC measurements from the much shorter data set collected at transformer number 4 in Halfway Bush, Dunedin, (HWB T4), found induced currents to be consistently a factor of 3 higher than at Islington, suggesting equivalent extreme storm effects of 460-1,815 A (100 year return) and 460-2,720 A (200 year return). An estimate was undertaken of likely failure levels for single-phase transformers, such as HWB T4 when it failed during the 6 November 2001 geomagnetic storm, identifying that induced currents of 100 A can put such transformer types at risk of damage. Detailed modeling of the New Zealand power system is therefore required to put this regional analysis into a global context.

  5. [Work quota setting and man-hour productivity estimation in pathologists].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Svistunov, V V; Makarov, S V; Makarova, A E

    The paper considers the development and current state of the regulation of work quota setting and remuneration in pathologists. Reasoning from the current staff standards for morbid anatomy departments (units), the authors present a method to calculate the load of pathologists. The essence of the proposed method is demonstrated using a specific example.

  6. Diffusion of e-health innovations in 'post-conflict' settings: a qualitative study on the personal experiences of health workers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woodward, Aniek; Fyfe, Molly; Handuleh, Jibril; Patel, Preeti; Godman, Brian; Leather, Andrew; Finlayson, Alexander

    2014-04-23

    Technological innovations have the potential to strengthen human resources for health and improve access and quality of care in challenging 'post-conflict' contexts. However, analyses on the adoption of technology for health (that is, 'e-health') and whether and how e-health can strengthen a health workforce in these settings have been limited so far. This study explores the personal experiences of health workers using e-health innovations in selected post-conflict situations. This study had a cross-sectional qualitative design. Telephone interviews were conducted with 12 health workers, from a variety of cadres and stages in their careers, from four post-conflict settings (Liberia, West Bank and Gaza, Sierra Leone and Somaliland) in 2012. Everett Roger's diffusion of innovation-decision model (that is, knowledge, persuasion, decision, implementation, contemplation) guided the thematic analysis. All health workers interviewed held positive perceptions of e-health, related to their beliefs that e-health can help them to access information and communicate with other health workers. However, understanding of the scope of e-health was generally limited, and often based on innovations that health workers have been introduced through by their international partners. Health workers reported a range of engagement with e-health innovations, mostly for communication (for example, email) and educational purposes (for example, online learning platforms). Poor, unreliable and unaffordable Internet was a commonly mentioned barrier to e-health use. Scaling-up existing e-health partnerships and innovations were suggested starting points to increase e-health innovation dissemination. Results from this study showed ICT based e-health innovations can relieve information and communication needs of health workers in post-conflict settings. However, more efforts and investments, preferably driven by healthcare workers within the post-conflict context, are needed to make e-health more

  7. Tidal current energy resource assessment in Ireland: Current status and future update

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    O'Rourke, Fergal; Boyle, Fergal; Reynolds, Anthony

    2010-01-01

    Interest in renewable energy in Ireland has increased continually over the past decade. This interest is due primarily to security of supply issues and the effects of climate change. Ireland imports over 90% of its primary energy consumption, mostly in the form of fossil fuels. The exploitation of Ireland's vast indigenous renewable energy resources is required in order to reduce this over-dependence on fossil fuel imports to meet energy demand. Various targets have been set by the Irish government to incorporate renewable energy technologies into Ireland's energy market. As a result of these targets, the development in wind energy has increased substantially over the past decade; however this method of energy extraction is intermittent and unpredictable. Ireland has an excellent tidal current energy resource and the use of this resource will assist in the development of a sustainable energy future. Energy extraction using tidal current energy technologies offers a vast and predictable energy resource. This paper reviews the currently accepted tidal current energy resource assessment for Ireland. This assessment was compiled by Sustainable Energy Ireland in a report in 2004. The assessment employed a 2-dimensional numerical model of the tidal current velocities around Ireland, and from this numerical model the theoretical tidal current energy resource was identified. With the introduction of constraints and limitations, the technical, practical, accessible and viable tidal current energy resources were obtained. The paper discusses why the assessment needs updating including the effect on the assessment of the current stage of development of tidal current turbines and their deployment technology. (author)

  8. Reflections on the conceptualization and operationalization of a set-theoretic approach to employee motivation and performance research

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    James Christopher Ryan

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The current commentary offers a reflection on the conceptualizations of Lee and Raschke's (2016 proposal for a set-theoretic approach to employee motivation and organizational performance. The commentary is informed by the current author's operationalization of set-theoretic research on employee motivation which occurred contemporaneously to the work of Lee and Raschke. Observations on the state of current research on employee motivation, development of motivation theory and future directions of set-theoretic approaches to employee motivation and performance are offered.

  9. Coping and Sexual Harassment: How Victims Cope across Multiple Settings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scarduzio, Jennifer A; Sheff, Sarah E; Smith, Mathew

    2018-02-01

    The ways sexual harassment occurs both online and in face-to-face settings has become more complicated. Sexual harassment that occurs in cyberspace or online sexual harassment adds complexity to the experiences of victims, current research understandings, and the legal dimensions of this phenomenon. Social networking sites (SNS) are a type of social media that offer unique opportunities to users and sometimes the communication that occurs on SNS can cross the line from flirtation into online sexual harassment. Victims of sexual harassment employ communicative strategies such as coping to make sense of their experiences of sexual harassment. The current study qualitatively examined problem-focused, active emotion-focused, and passive emotion-focused coping strategies employed by sexual harassment victims across multiple settings. We conducted 26 in-depth interviews with victims that had experienced sexual harassment across multiple settings (e.g., face-to-face and SNS). The findings present 16 types of coping strategies-five problem-focused, five active emotion-focused, and six passive emotion-focused. The victims used an average of three types of coping strategies during their experiences. Theoretical implications extend research on passive emotion-focused coping strategies by discussing powerlessness and how victims blame other victims. Furthermore, theoretically the findings reveal that coping is a complex, cyclical process and that victims shift among types of coping strategies over the course of their experience. Practical implications are offered for victims and for SNS sites.

  10. Matching of heavy-light flavour currents between HQET at order 1/m and QCD. I. Strategy and tree-level study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Della Morte, Michele [Instituto de Fisica Corpuscular IFIC (CSIC), Paterna (Spain); Dooling, Samantha; Heitger, Jochen [Muenster Univ. (Germany). Inst. fuer Theoretische Physik 1; Hesse, Dirk [Parma Univ. degli Studi (Italy); Simma, Hubert [Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), Zeuthen (Germany). John von Neumann-Inst. fuer Computing NIC; Collaboration: ALPHA Collaboration

    2013-12-15

    We present a strategy how to match the full set of components of the heavy-light axial and vector currents in Heavy Quark Effective Theory (HQET), up to and including 1/m{sub h}-corrections, to QCD. While the ultimate goal is to apply these matching conditions non-perturbatively, in this study we first have implemented them at tree-level, in order to find good choices of the matching observables with small O(1/m{sup 2}{sub h}) contributions. They can later be employed in the non-perturbative matching procedure which is a crucial part of precision HQET computations of semileptonic decay form factors in lattice QCD.

  11. Set theory essentials

    CERN Document Server

    Milewski, Emil G

    2012-01-01

    REA's Essentials provide quick and easy access to critical information in a variety of different fields, ranging from the most basic to the most advanced. As its name implies, these concise, comprehensive study guides summarize the essentials of the field covered. Essentials are helpful when preparing for exams, doing homework and will remain a lasting reference source for students, teachers, and professionals. Set Theory includes elementary logic, sets, relations, functions, denumerable and non-denumerable sets, cardinal numbers, Cantor's theorem, axiom of choice, and order relations.

  12. FvSet2 regulates fungal growth, pathogenicity, and secondary metabolism in Fusarium verticillioides.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gu, Qin; Wang, Zhenzhong; Sun, Xiao; Ji, Tiantian; Huang, Hai; Yang, Yang; Zhang, Hao; Tahir, Hafiz Abdul Samad; Wu, Liming; Wu, Huijun; Gao, Xuewen

    2017-10-01

    Histone H3 lysine 36 methylation (H3K36me) is generally associated with activation of gene expression in most eukaryotic cells. However, the function of H3K36me in filamentous fungi is largely unknown. Set2 is the sole lysine histone methyltransferase (KHMTase) enzyme responsible for the methylation of H3K36 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In the current study, we identified a single ortholog of S. cerevisiae Set2 in Fusarium verticillioides. We report that FvSet2 is responsible for the trimethylation of H3K36 (H3K36me3). The FvSET2 deletion mutant (ΔFvSet2) showed significant defects in vegetative growth, FB 1 biosynthesis, pigmentation, and fungal virulence. Furthermore, trimethylation of H3K36 was found to be important for active transcription of genes involved in FB 1 and bikaverin biosyntheses. These data indicate that FvSet2 plays an important role in the regulation of secondary metabolism, vegetative growth and fungal virulence in F. verticillioides. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Set shifting in anorexia nervosa: an examination before and after weight gain, in full recovery and relationship to childhood and adult OCPD traits.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tchanturia, K; Morris, R G; Anderluh, M Brecelj; Collier, D A; Nikolaou, V; Treasure, J

    2004-01-01

    Deficits in set shifting tasks are present in anorexia nervosa (AN), but it is not known whether these deficits are traits independent of current disease or nutritional status or merely a temporary consequence of starvation or psychopathology. The aims of the present study were to determine if set-shifting sub-optimal performance are state or trait-related by examining set shifting in patients with current or past AN, and the extent of association of these deficits with obsessive compulsive traits and behaviours. To achieve this we examined set shifting abilities in three groups of subjects: (a) AN patients with current illness, prior to receiving treatment (AN); (b) people with past AN currently in long term recovery (ANRec) and a healthy comparison group (HC). We also longitudinally followed up a subset for the AN group who showed weight recovery in response to in patient treatment (ANWR). We administered a group of set shifting tests, which included cognitive, perceptual and motor shifting tasks. A semi-structured interview was obtained to ascertain obsessive compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) traits as a child and adult. Set-shifting difficulties were observed in the AN group, but to a lesser extent in the ANRec group. In the AN group these difficulties did not show any improvement follow re-testing after weight recovery. Performance on set shifting tasks was associated with childhood rigidity and inflexibility. Some aspects of set shifting sub-optimal performance in AN appear to be a trait rather than a state marker.

  14. Childhood risk factors in Korean women with anorexia nervosa: two sets of case-control studies with retrospective comparisons.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Youl-Ri; Heo, Si Young; Kang, Heechan; Song, Ki Jun; Treasure, Janet

    2010-11-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the characteristics of the risk factors for anorexia nervosa (AN) in Korean women. Two sets of case-control comparisons were conducted, in which 52 women with lifetime AN from Seoul, S. Korea, were compared with 108 Korean healthy controls and also with 42 women with lifetime AN from the UK in terms of their childhood risk factors. A questionnaire designed to conduct a retrospective assessment of the childhood risk factors was administered to all participants. The Korean AN women were more likely to report premorbid anxiety, perfectionism, and emotional undereating and were less likely to report having supportive figures in their childhood than the Korean healthy controls. There were no overall differences in the childhood risk factors between the Korean and British women with AN. Premorbid anxiety, perfectionism, less social support, and emotional undereating merit attention as risk factors in Korean AN. The current results are informative, but an epidemiologically robust prospective case-control study would be needed to validate these findings. © 2009 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  15. An introduction to random sets

    CERN Document Server

    Nguyen, Hung T

    2006-01-01

    The study of random sets is a large and rapidly growing area with connections to many areas of mathematics and applications in widely varying disciplines, from economics and decision theory to biostatistics and image analysis. The drawback to such diversity is that the research reports are scattered throughout the literature, with the result that in science and engineering, and even in the statistics community, the topic is not well known and much of the enormous potential of random sets remains untapped.An Introduction to Random Sets provides a friendly but solid initiation into the theory of random sets. It builds the foundation for studying random set data, which, viewed as imprecise or incomplete observations, are ubiquitous in today''s technological society. The author, widely known for his best-selling A First Course in Fuzzy Logic text as well as his pioneering work in random sets, explores motivations, such as coarse data analysis and uncertainty analysis in intelligent systems, for studying random s...

  16. Setting goals in psychotherapy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Emiliussen, Jakob; Wagoner, Brady

    2013-01-01

    The present study is concerned with the ethical dilemmas of setting goals in therapy. The main questions that it aims to answer are: who is to set the goals for therapy and who is to decide when they have been reached? The study is based on four semi-­‐structured, phenomenological interviews...

  17. Large Data Set Mining

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Leemans, I.B.; Broomhall, Susan

    2017-01-01

    Digital emotion research has yet to make history. Until now large data set mining has not been a very active field of research in early modern emotion studies. This is indeed surprising since first, the early modern field has such rich, copyright-free, digitized data sets and second, emotion studies

  18. Uncovering a New Current: The Southwest MAdagascar Coastal Current

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramanantsoa, Juliano D.; Penven, P.; Krug, M.; Gula, J.; Rouault, M.

    2018-02-01

    Cruise data sets, satellite remote sensing observations, and model data analyses are combined to highlight the existence of a coastal surface poleward flow in the southwest of Madagascar: the Southwest MAdagascar Coastal Current (SMACC). The SMACC is a relatively shallow (water surface signature of the SMACC extends from 22°S (upstream) to 26.4°S (downstream). The SMACC exhibits a seasonal variability: more intense in summer and reduced in winter. The average volume transport of its core is about 1.3 Sv with a mean summer maximum of 2.1 Sv. It is forced by a strong cyclonic wind stress curl associated with the bending of the trade winds along the southern tip of Madagascar. The SMACC directly influences the coastal upwelling regions south of Madagascar. Its existence is likely to influence local fisheries and larval transport patterns, as well as the connectivity with the Agulhas Current, affecting the returning branch of the global overturning circulation.

  19. Studies of micromorphology and current efficiency of zinc electrodeposited from flowing chloride electrolytes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mc Vay, Laura [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States); Muller, Rolf H. [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States); Tobias, Charles W. [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)

    1986-05-01

    Results of a study of the micromorphology and current efficiency of zinc electrodeposited from flowing, acidic chloride solutions are reported. The effects of six variables were examined: flow rate, current density, zinc and hydrogen ion concentration, concentrations of nickel, iron and cadmium impurity ions, and the nature of the substrate. The development of micromorphology was studied in-situ by means of videomicrography and ex-situ by means of scanning electron microscopy. This investigation focused on the formation of grooved deposits, which are found under a wide range of deposition conditions. The major conclusions of this study are: the most important variable determining whether grooved deposits form is the interfacial concentration; large protrusions orient themselves parallel to the flow direction with the orientation starting upstream and progressing downstream; large protrusions become ridges due to growth of the highest current density portions of the electrode under mass transport control. The current efficiency was measured using EDTA titration and weight measurements. The fraction of the current taken by zinc deposition increased with zinc concentration, ranging up to 100%, and decreased with pH. The efficiency of zinc deposition was affected by the flow rate and the substrate employed. Impurities lowered the current efficiency.

  20. Quantum Physics Principles and Communication in the Acute Healthcare Setting: A Pilot Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Helgeson, Heidi L; Peyerl, Colleen Kraft; Solheim-Witt, Marit

    This pilot study explores whether clinician awareness of quantum physics principles could facilitate open communication between patients and providers. In the spirit of action research, this study was conceptualized with a holistic view of human health, using a mixed method design of grounded theory as an emergent method. Instrumentation includes surveys and a focus group discussion with twelve registered nurses working in an acute care hospital setting. Findings document that the preliminary core phenomenon, energy as information, influences communication in the healthcare environment. Key emergent themes include awareness, language, validation, open communication, strategies, coherence, incoherence and power. Research participants indicate that quantum physics principles provide a language and conceptual framework for improving their awareness of communication and interactions in the healthcare environment. Implications of this pilot study support the feasibility of future research and education on awareness of quantum physics principles in other clinical settings. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Measurement of obesity prevention in childcare settings: A systematic review of current instruments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stanhope, Kaitlyn K; Kay, Christi; Stevenson, Beth; Gazmararian, Julie A

    The incidence of childhood obesity is highest among children entering kindergarten. Overweight and obesity in early childhood track through adulthood. Programs increasingly target children in early life for obesity prevention. However, the published literature lacks a review on tools available for measuring behaviour and environmental level change in child care. The objective is to describe measurement tools currently in use in evaluating obesity-prevention in preschool-aged children. Literature searches were conducted in PubMed using the keywords "early childhood obesity," "early childhood measurement," "early childhood nutrition" and "early childhood physical activity." Inclusion criteria included a discussion of: (1) obesity prevention, risk assessment or treatment in children ages 1-5 years; and (2) measurement of nutrition or physical activity. One hundred thirty-four publications were selected for analysis. Data on measurement tools, population and outcomes were abstracted into tables. Tables are divided by individual and environmental level measures and further divided into physical activity, diet and physical health outcomes. Recommendations are made for weighing advantages and disadvantages of tools. Despite rising numbers of interventions targeting obesity-prevention and treatment in preschool-aged children, there is no consensus for which tools represent a gold standard or threshold of accuracy. Copyright © 2016 Asia Oceania Association for the Study of Obesity. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Closed sets of nonlocal correlations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Allcock, Jonathan; Linden, Noah; Brunner, Nicolas; Popescu, Sandu; Skrzypczyk, Paul; Vertesi, Tamas

    2009-01-01

    We present a fundamental concept - closed sets of correlations - for studying nonlocal correlations. We argue that sets of correlations corresponding to information-theoretic principles, or more generally to consistent physical theories, must be closed under a natural set of operations. Hence, studying the closure of sets of correlations gives insight into which information-theoretic principles are genuinely different, and which are ultimately equivalent. This concept also has implications for understanding why quantum nonlocality is limited, and for finding constraints on physical theories beyond quantum mechanics.

  3. Mechanisms of cell death induced by infusion sets leachables in in vitro experimental settings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kozlovskaya, Luba; Stepensky, David

    2015-01-30

    Leachable materials that are released from infusion sets during their use can induce local and systemic toxic effects. We studied the mechanisms and kinetics of cell death induced by infusion sets leachates in vitro using L-929 and bEnd. 3 cells. Changes in cell morphology and metabolic activity were determined using light microscopy and the MTT test, respectively. Detailed analysis of the mechanisms of cell death was performed using membrane integrity and caspases 3 and 7 activity tests, annexin V-FITC/7-AAD analysis by FACS, and DAPI nuclear staining followed by confocal microscopy. Infusion sets released toxic leachables and induced toxic effects. Latex flashball was the most toxic part of the studied infusion sets, and it potently induced cell oncosis via increased permeability of the cell membrane. Latex-induced decrease in cells metabolic activity and cell death were not accompanied by activation of caspases 3 and 7, changes in nuclear morphology, or substantial annexin V-FITC cell staining. Leachables from the tube part of the infusion sets were less toxic, and induced some biochemical changes without altering the cells morphology. Further studies are needed to reveal the in vivo toxicity of infusion sets and its correlation with the results of in vitro toxicity studies. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Evaluating Current Practices in Shelf Life Estimation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Capen, Robert; Christopher, David; Forenzo, Patrick; Huynh-Ba, Kim; LeBlond, David; Liu, Oscar; O'Neill, John; Patterson, Nate; Quinlan, Michelle; Rajagopalan, Radhika; Schwenke, James; Stroup, Walter

    2018-02-01

    The current International Council for Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH) methods for determining the supported shelf life of a drug product, described in ICH guidance documents Q1A and Q1E, are evaluated in this paper. To support this evaluation, an industry data set is used which is comprised of 26 individual stability batches of a common drug product where most batches are measured over a 24 month storage period. Using randomly sampled sets of 3 or 6 batches from the industry data set, the current ICH methods are assessed from three perspectives. First, the distributional properties of the supported shelf lives are summarized and compared to the distributional properties of the true shelf lives associated with the industry data set, assuming the industry data set represents a finite population of drug product batches for discussion purposes. Second, the results of the ICH "poolability" tests for model selection are summarized and the separate shelf life distributions from the possible alternative models are compared. Finally, the ICH methods are evaluated in terms of their ability to manage risk. Shelf life estimates that are too long result in an unacceptable percentage of nonconforming batches at expiry while those that are too short put the manufacturer at risk of possibly having to prematurely discard safe and efficacious drug product. Based on the analysis of the industry data set, the ICH-recommended approach did not produce supported shelf lives that effectively managed risk. Alternative approaches are required.

  5. Development of land data sets for studies of global climate change

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sadowski, F.G.; Watkins, A.H.

    1991-01-01

    The U.S. Geological Survey has begun a major initiative to organize, produce, and distribute land data sets that will support the land data requirements of the global change science community. Satellite image data sets, produced from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer sensors, will be developed to provide repetitive, synoptic coverage of regional, continental, and global land areas. These data sets, integrated with related land data and supplemented by coregistered Landsat data sets, will enable scientists to quantify the fundamental land surface attributes that are needed to model land surface processes, to detect and monitor land surface change, and to map land cover. These well-structured, consistent land data sets will form the historical record of land observations prior to the era of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Earth Observing System sensors

  6. Goal Setting as Teacher Development Practice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Camp, Heather

    2017-01-01

    This article explores goal setting as a teacher development practice in higher education. It reports on a study of college teacher goal setting informed by goal setting theory. Analysis of study participants' goal setting practices and their experiences with goal pursuit offers a framework for thinking about the kinds of goals teachers might set…

  7. Outside Mainstream Electronic Databases: Review of Studies Conducted in the USSR and Post-Soviet Countries on Electric Current-Assisted Consolidation of Powder Materials

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eugene G. Grigoryev

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available This paper reviews research articles published in the former USSR and post-soviet countries on the consolidation of powder materials using electric current that passes through the powder sample and/or a conductive die-punch set-up. Having been published in Russian, many of the reviewed papers are not included in the mainstream electronic databases of the scientific articles and thus are not known to the scientific community. The present review is aimed at filling this information gap. In the paper, the electric current-assisted sintering techniques based on high- and low-voltage approaches are presented. The main results of the theoretical modeling of the processes of electromagnetic field-assisted consolidation of powder materials are discussed. Sintering experiments and related equipment are described and the major experimental results are analyzed. Sintering conditions required to achieve the desired properties of the sintered materials are provided for selected material systems. Tooling materials used in the electric current-assisted consolidation set-ups are also described.

  8. Utilizing Maximal Independent Sets as Dominating Sets in Scale-Free Networks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Derzsy, N.; Molnar, F., Jr.; Szymanski, B. K.; Korniss, G.

    Dominating sets provide key solution to various critical problems in networked systems, such as detecting, monitoring, or controlling the behavior of nodes. Motivated by graph theory literature [Erdos, Israel J. Math. 4, 233 (1966)], we studied maximal independent sets (MIS) as dominating sets in scale-free networks. We investigated the scaling behavior of the size of MIS in artificial scale-free networks with respect to multiple topological properties (size, average degree, power-law exponent, assortativity), evaluated its resilience to network damage resulting from random failure or targeted attack [Molnar et al., Sci. Rep. 5, 8321 (2015)], and compared its efficiency to previously proposed dominating set selection strategies. We showed that, despite its small set size, MIS provides very high resilience against network damage. Using extensive numerical analysis on both synthetic and real-world (social, biological, technological) network samples, we demonstrate that our method effectively satisfies four essential requirements of dominating sets for their practical applicability on large-scale real-world systems: 1.) small set size, 2.) minimal network information required for their construction scheme, 3.) fast and easy computational implementation, and 4.) resiliency to network damage. Supported by DARPA, DTRA, and NSF.

  9. A Numerical Modeling for Study Marine Current in the Manado Bay, North Sulawesi

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Parabelem Tinno Dolf Rompas

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available This study is investigating about marine currents provided electrical energy through the numerical model. The objective of this study is to know the available power distributions in the Manado Bay, North Sulawesi, Indonesia. The Manado Bay was width 2200 m with 79 m of depth. In computation, we are made grids in x and y horizontal were 7 m respectively, also for z vertical of four layers. The results shown that the available power distributions in the Manado Bay at 0.1 Sv were 0.00-20.00 kW/m2 when low tide currents and when high tide currents were 0.00-105 kW/m2. The values will enable for marine currents power plant in the Manado Bay to future.

  10. Current Mathematical Methods Used in QSAR/QSPR Studies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peixun Liu

    2009-04-01

    Full Text Available This paper gives an overview of the mathematical methods currently used in quantitative structure-activity/property relationship (QASR/QSPR studies. Recently, the mathematical methods applied to the regression of QASR/QSPR models are developing very fast, and new methods, such as Gene Expression Programming (GEP, Project Pursuit Regression (PPR and Local Lazy Regression (LLR have appeared on the QASR/QSPR stage. At the same time, the earlier methods, including Multiple Linear Regression (MLR, Partial Least Squares (PLS, Neural Networks (NN, Support Vector Machine (SVM and so on, are being upgraded to improve their performance in QASR/QSPR studies. These new and upgraded methods and algorithms are described in detail, and their advantages and disadvantages are evaluated and discussed, to show their application potential in QASR/QSPR studies in the future.

  11. Evaluation of Color Settings in Aerial Images with the Use of Eye-Tracking User Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mirijovsky, J.; Popelka, S.

    2016-06-01

    The main aim of presented paper is to find the most realistic and preferred color settings for four different types of surfaces on the aerial images. This will be achieved through user study with the use of eye-movement recording. Aerial images taken by the unmanned aerial system were used as stimuli. From each image, squared crop area containing one of the studied types of surfaces (asphalt, concrete, water, soil, and grass) was selected. For each type of surface, the real value of reflectance was found with the use of precise spectroradiometer ASD HandHeld 2 which measures the reflectance. The device was used at the same time as aerial images were captured, so lighting conditions and state of vegetation were equal. The spectral resolution of the ASD device is better than 3.0 nm. For defining the RGB values of selected type of surface, the spectral reflectance values recorded by the device were merged into wider groups. Finally, we get three groups corresponding to RGB color system. Captured images were edited with the graphic editor Photoshop CS6. Contrast, clarity, and brightness were edited for all surface types on images. Finally, we get a set of 12 images of the same area with different color settings. These images were put into the grid and used as stimuli for the eye-tracking experiment. Eye-tracking is one of the methods of usability studies and it is considered as relatively objective. Eye-tracker SMI RED 250 with the sampling frequency 250 Hz was used in the study. As respondents, a group of 24 students of Geoinformatics and Geography was used. Their task was to select which image in the grid has the best color settings. The next task was to select which color settings they prefer. Respondents' answers were evaluated and the most realistic and most preferable color settings were found. The advantage of the eye-tracking evaluation was that also the process of the selection of the answers was analyzed. Areas of Interest were marked around each image in the

  12. Construction of Fuzzy Sets and Applying Aggregation Operators for Fuzzy Queries

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hudec, Miroslav; Sudzina, Frantisek

    Flexible query conditions could use linguistic terms described by fuzzy sets. The question is how to properly construct fuzzy sets for each linguistic term and apply an adequate aggregation function. For construction of fuzzy sets, the lowest value, the highest value of attribute...... and the distribution of data inside its domain are used. The logarithmic transformation of domains appears to be suitable. This way leads to a balanced distribution of tuples over fuzzy sets. In addition, users’ opinions about linguistic terms as well as current content in database are merged. The second investigated...

  13. Strengths and Weaknesses of the Current Dental Hygiene Educational System.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Theile, Cheryl Westphal

    2017-09-01

    The state of the dental hygiene educational system in the United States is evolving. The numbers of programs, extent of curricula, and diversity of students, faculty, and practice settings vary significantly across the country. New trends in workforce utilization and delivery models are challenging current educational foundations and mandating an interprofessional approach to both the education and practice of dental hygienists. This article presents an overview of the current state of dental hygiene education to create a baseline for discussion of desired educational models for 2040. The strengths and weaknesses are defined to motivate change. Limitations of the current two-year associate degree are emphasized, along with the need to add expanded content and development of new skills. The developing non-traditional practice settings bring both a challenge to dental hygiene education and a promise of increasing potential in primary care interprofessional settings for the 21 st century. This article was written as part of the project "Advancing Dental Education in the 21 st Century."

  14. Urine drug screening in the medical setting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hammett-Stabler, Catherine A; Pesce, Amadeo J; Cannon, Donald J

    2002-01-01

    The term drug screen is a misnomer since it implies screening for all drugs, which is not possible. Current practice is to limit the testing to the examination of serum for several drugs such as ethanol, acetaminophen, salicylate, and of urine for several specific drugs or classes of drugs. In the emergency setting the screen should be performed in less than one hour. Controversies continue to exist regarding the value of urine drug testing in the medical setting. The reasons for these include the drugs involved, the sample, the methods utilized to perform the tests, and the level of understanding of the physician using the data, all of which are closely related to the other. Current automated methods provide rapid results demanded in emergency situations, but are often designed for, or adapted from, workplace testing and are not necessarily optimized for clinical applications. Furthermore, the use of these methods without consideration of the frequency in which the drugs are found in a given area is not cost-effective. The laboratory must understand the limitations of the assays used and provide this information to the physician. Additionally, the laboratory and the physicians using the data must cooperate to determine which drugs are appropriate and necessary to measure for their institution and clinical setting. In doing so it should be remembered that for many drugs, the sample, urine, contains the end product(s) of drug metabolism, not the parent drug. Furthermore, it is necessary to understand the pharmacokinetic parameters of the drug of interest when interpreting data. Finally, while testing for some drugs may not appear cost-effective, the prevention or reduction of morbidity and mortality may offset any laboratory costs. While the literature is replete with studies concerning new methods and a few regarding physician understanding, there are none that we could find that thoroughly, objectively, and fully addressed the issues of utility and cost-effectiveness.

  15. Current and Future Research at DANCE

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jandel, M.; Baramsai, B.; Bredeweg, T. A.; Couture, A.; Hayes, A.; Kawano, T.; Mosby, S.; Rusev, G.; Stetcu, I.; Taddeucci, T. N.; Talou, P.; Ullmann, J. L.; Walker, C. L.; Wilhelmy, J. B.

    2015-05-01

    An overview of the current experimental program on measurements of neutron capture and neutron induced fission at the Detector for Advanced Neutron Capture Experiments (DANCE) is presented. Three major projects are currently under way: 1) high precision measurements of neutron capture cross sections on Uranium isotopes, 2) research aimed at studies of the short-lived actinide isomer production in neutron capture on 235U and 3) measurements of correlated data of fission observables. New projects include developments of auxiliary detectors to improve the capability of DANCE. We are building a compact, segmented NEUtron detector Array at DANCE (NEUANCE), which will be installed in the central cavity of the DANCE array. It will provide experimental information on prompt fission neutrons in coincidence with the prompt fission gamma-rays measured by 160 BaF2 crystals of DANCE. Unique correlated data will be obtained for neutron capture and neutron-induced fission using the DANCE-NEUANCE experimental set up in the future.

  16. Permanent spin currents in cavity-qubit systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kulkarni, Manas; Hein, Sven M.; Kapit, Eliot; Aron, Camille

    2018-02-01

    In a recent experiment [P. Roushan et al., Nat. Phys. 13, 146 (2017), 10.1038/nphys3930], a spin current in an architecture of three superconducting qubits was produced during a few microseconds by creating synthetic magnetic fields. The lifetime of the current was set by the typical dissipative mechanisms that occur in those systems. We propose a scheme for the generation of permanent currents, even in the presence of such imperfections, and scalable to larger system sizes. It relies on striking a subtle balance between multiple nonequilibrium drives and the dissipation mechanisms, in order to engineer and stimulate chiral excited states which can carry current.

  17. Validation of the Care-Related Quality of Life Instrument in different study settings: findings from The Older Persons and Informal Caregivers Survey Minimum DataSet (TOPICS-MDS).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lutomski, J E; van Exel, N J A; Kempen, G I J M; Moll van Charante, E P; den Elzen, W P J; Jansen, A P D; Krabbe, P F M; Steunenberg, B; Steyerberg, E W; Olde Rikkert, M G M; Melis, R J F

    2015-05-01

    Validity is a contextual aspect of a scale which may differ across sample populations and study protocols. The objective of our study was to validate the Care-Related Quality of Life Instrument (CarerQol) across two different study design features, sampling framework (general population vs. different care settings) and survey mode (interview vs. written questionnaire). Data were extracted from The Older Persons and Informal Caregivers Minimum DataSet (TOPICS-MDS, www.topics-mds.eu ), a pooled public-access data set with information on >3,000 informal caregivers throughout the Netherlands. Meta-correlations and linear mixed models between the CarerQol's seven dimensions (CarerQol-7D) and caregiver's level of happiness (CarerQol-VAS) and self-rated burden (SRB) were performed. The CarerQol-7D dimensions were correlated to the CarerQol-VAS and SRB in the pooled data set and the subgroups. The strength of correlations between CarerQol-7D dimensions and SRB was weaker among caregivers who were interviewed versus those who completed a written questionnaire. The directionality of associations between the CarerQol-VAS, SRB and the CarerQol-7D dimensions in the multivariate model supported the construct validity of the CarerQol in the pooled population. Significant interaction terms were observed in several dimensions of the CarerQol-7D across sampling frame and survey mode, suggesting meaningful differences in reporting levels. Although good scientific practice emphasises the importance of re-evaluating instrument properties in individual research studies, our findings support the validity and applicability of the CarerQol instrument in a variety of settings. Due to minor differential reporting, pooling CarerQol data collected using mixed administration modes should be interpreted with caution; for TOPICS-MDS, meta-analytic techniques may be warranted.

  18. Priority setting for orphan drugs: an international comparison.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosenberg-Yunger, Zahava R S; Daar, Abdallah S; Thorsteinsdóttir, Halla; Martin, Douglas K

    2011-04-01

    To describe the process of priority setting for two orphan drugs - Cerezyme and Fabrazyme - in Canada, Australia and Israel, in order to understand and improve the process based on stakeholder perspectives. We conducted qualitative case studies of how three independent drug advisory committees made decisions relating to the funding of Cerezyme and Fabrazyme. Interviews were conducted with 22 informants, including committee members, patient groups and industry representatives. (1) DESCRIPTION: Orphan drugs reimbursement recommendations by expert panels were based on clinical evidence, cost and cost-effectiveness analysis. (2) EVALUATION: Committee members expressed an overall preference for the current drug review process used by their own committee, but were concerned with the fairness of the process particularly for orphan drugs. Other informants suggested the inclusion of other relevant values (e.g. lack of alternative treatments) in order to improve the priority setting process. Some patient groups suggested the use of an alternative funding mechanism for orphan drugs. Priority setting for drugs is not solely a technical process (involving cost-effective analysis, evidence-based medicine, etc.). Understanding the process by which reimbursement decisions are made for orphan drugs may help improve the system for future orphan drugs. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Adaptive Maneuvering Frequency Method of Current Statistical Model

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Wei Sun; Yongjian Yang

    2017-01-01

    Current statistical model(CSM) has a good performance in maneuvering target tracking. However, the fixed maneuvering frequency will deteriorate the tracking results, such as a serious dynamic delay, a slowly converging speedy and a limited precision when using Kalman filter(KF) algorithm. In this study, a new current statistical model and a new Kalman filter are proposed to improve the performance of maneuvering target tracking. The new model which employs innovation dominated subjection function to adaptively adjust maneuvering frequency has a better performance in step maneuvering target tracking, while a fluctuant phenomenon appears. As far as this problem is concerned, a new adaptive fading Kalman filter is proposed as well. In the new Kalman filter, the prediction values are amended in time by setting judgment and amendment rules,so that tracking precision and fluctuant phenomenon of the new current statistical model are improved. The results of simulation indicate the effectiveness of the new algorithm and the practical guiding significance.

  20. Occupational therapy practice in acute physical hospital settings: Evidence from a scoping review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Britton, Lauren; Rosenwax, Lorna; McNamara, Beverley

    2015-12-01

    Increased accountability and growing fiscal limitations in global health care continue to challenge how occupational therapy practices are undertaken. Little is known about how these changes affect current practice in acute hospital settings. This article reviews the relevant literature to further understanding of occupational therapy practice in acute physical hospital settings. A scoping review of five electronic databases was completed using the keywords Occupational therapy, acute hospital settings/acute physical hospital settings, acute care setting/acute care hospital setting, general medicine/general medical wards, occupational therapy service provision/teaching hospitals/tertiary care hospitals. Criteria were applied to determine suitability for inclusion and the articles were analysed to uncover key themes. In total 34 publications were included in the review. Analysis of the publications revealed four themes: (1) Comparisons between the practice of novice and experienced occupational therapists in acute care (2) Occupational therapists and the discharge planning process (3) Role of occupation in the acute care setting and (4) Personal skills needed and organisation factors affecting acute care practice. The current literature has highlighted the challenges occupational therapists face in practicing within an acute setting. Findings from this review enhance understanding of how occupational therapy department managers and educators can best support staff that practise in acute hospital settings. © 2015 Occupational Therapy Australia.

  1. Current status of studies on temperature fluctuation phenomena in LMFRs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ohshima, H.; Muramatsu, T.; Kobayashi, J.; Yamaguchi, A.

    1994-01-01

    This paper describes the current status of studies being performed in PNC on temperature fluctuation phenomena occurring in fast reactors. The studies concentrate on four problems: thermal stratification, thermal striping, core-plenum interaction and free surface sloshing. Both experimental and analytical approaches to reveal these phenomena and to establish design and safety evaluation methods are presented together with future works. (author)

  2. Modeling current climate conditions for forest pest risk assessment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frank H. Koch; John W. Coulston

    2010-01-01

    Current information on broad-scale climatic conditions is essential for assessing potential distribution of forest pests. At present, sophisticated spatial interpolation approaches such as the Parameter-elevation Regressions on Independent Slopes Model (PRISM) are used to create high-resolution climatic data sets. Unfortunately, these data sets are based on 30-year...

  3. Teaching Goal-Setting for Weight-Gain Prevention in a College Population: Insights from the CHOICES Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gardner, Jolynn; Kjolhaug, Jerri; Linde, Jennifer A.; Sevcik, Sarah; Lytle, Leslie A.

    2013-01-01

    Purpose: This article describes the effectiveness of goal setting instruction in the CHOICES (Choosing Healthy Options in College Environments and Settings) study, an intervention evaluating the effectiveness of weight gain prevention strategies for 2-year college students. Methods: Four hundred and forty-one participants from three community…

  4. Set discrimination of quantum states

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Shengyu; Ying Mingsheng

    2002-01-01

    We introduce a notion of set discrimination, which is an interesting extension of quantum state discrimination. A state is secretly chosen from a number of quantum states, which are partitioned into some disjoint sets. A set discrimination is required to identify which set the given state belongs to. Several essential problems are addressed in this paper, including the condition of perfect set discrimination, unambiguous set discrimination, and in the latter case, the efficiency of the discrimination. This generalizes some important results on quantum state discrimination in the literature. A combination of state and set discrimination and the efficiency are also studied

  5. BACS: The Brussels Artificial Character Sets for studies in cognitive psychology and neuroscience.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vidal, Camille; Content, Alain; Chetail, Fabienne

    2017-12-01

    Written symbols such as letters have been used extensively in cognitive psychology, whether to understand their contributions to written word recognition or to examine the processes involved in other mental functions. Sometimes, however, researchers want to manipulate letters while removing their associated characteristics. A powerful solution to do so is to use new characters, devised to be highly similar to letters, but without the associated sound or name. Given the growing use of artificial characters in experimental paradigms, the aim of the present study was to make available the Brussels Artificial Character Sets (BACS): two full, strictly controlled, and portable sets of artificial characters for a broad range of experimental situations.

  6. Study and Evaluation of Current and Future Aircraft Loaders

    Science.gov (United States)

    1986-08-01

    detonation intense Electromagnetic Pulse Eergy (DIP) is gene - rated which could seriously affect the electronic equipment. 2-105 The intense...speciality efforts, such as integrated logistics support (ILS), human factors engineering ( HFE ), and reliability, availability and m aintainability...task analyiis is outlined in detail in Appendix C: Human Fac- tors Enqineering Study and Evaluation of Current and Future Aircraft Loaders. The HFE

  7. Wave-current interactions at the FloWave Ocean Energy Research Facility

    Science.gov (United States)

    Noble, Donald; Davey, Thomas; Steynor, Jeffrey; Bruce, Tom; Smith, Helen; Kaklis, Panagiotis

    2015-04-01

    Physical scale model testing is an important part of the marine renewable energy development process, allowing the study of forces and device behaviour in a controlled environment prior to deployment at sea. FloWave is a new state-of-the-art ocean energy research facility, designed to provide large scale physical modelling services to the tidal and wave sector. It has the unique ability to provide complex multi-directional waves that can be combined with currents from any direction in the 25m diameter circular tank. The facility is optimised for waves around 2s period and 0.4m height, and is capable of generating currents upwards of 1.6m/s. This offers the ability to model metocean conditions suitable for most renewable energy devices at a typical scale of between 1:10 and 1:40. The test section is 2m deep, which can be classed as intermediate-depth for most waves of interest, thus the full dispersion equation must be solved as the asymptotic simplifications do not apply. The interaction between waves and currents has been studied in the tank. This has involved producing in the tank sets of regular waves, focussed wave groups, and random sea spectra including multi-directional sea states. These waves have been both inline-with and opposing the current, as well as investigating waves at arbitrary angles to the current. Changes in wave height and wavelength have been measured, and compared with theoretical results. Using theoretical wave-current interaction models, methods have been explored to "correct" the wave height in the central test area of the tank when combined with a steady current. This allows the wave height with current to be set equal to that without a current. Thus permitting, for example, direct comparison of device motion response between tests with and without current. Alternatively, this would also permit a specific wave height and current combination to be produced in the tank, reproducing recorded conditions at a particular site of interest. The

  8. A Multi-Center Diabetes Eye Screening Study in Community Settings: Study Design and Methodology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murchison, Ann P; Friedman, David S; Gower, Emily W; Haller, Julia A; Lam, Byron L; Lee, David J; McGwin, Gerald; Owsley, Cynthia; Saaddine, Jinan; Insight Study Group

    2016-01-01

    Diabetes is the leading cause of new cases of blindness among adults aged 20-74 years within the United States. The Innovative Network for Sight Research group (INSIGHT) designed the Diabetic Eye Screening Study (DESS) to examine the feasibility and short-term effectiveness of non-mydriatic diabetic retinopathy (DR) screening for adults with diabetes in community-based settings. Study enrollment began in December 2011 at four sites: an internal medicine clinic at a county hospital in Birmingham, Alabama; a Federally-qualified community healthcare center in Miami-Dade County, Florida; a university-affiliated outpatient pharmacy in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and a medical home in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. People 18 years or older with previously diagnosed diabetes were offered free DR screening using non-mydriatic retinal photography that was preceded by a brief questionnaire addressing demographic information and previous eye care use. Visual acuity was also measured for each eye. Images were evaluated at a telemedicine reading center by trained evaluators using the National Health System DR grading classification. Participants and their physicians were sent screening report results and telephoned for a follow-up survey 3 months post-screening to determine whether participants had sought follow-up comprehensive eye care and their experiences with the screening process. Target enrollment at each site was a minimum of 500 persons. Three of the four sites met this enrollment goal. The INSIGHT/DESS is intended to establish the feasibility and short-term effectiveness of DR screening using non-mydriatic retinal photography in persons with diabetes who seek services in community-based clinic and pharmacy settings.

  9. Development and pilot study of an essential set of indicators for general surgery services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soria-Aledo, Victor; Angel-Garcia, Daniel; Martinez-Nicolas, Ismael; Rebasa Cladera, Pere; Cabezali Sanchez, Roger; Pereira García, Luis Francisco

    2016-11-01

    At present there is a lack of appropriate quality measures for benchmarking in general surgery units of Spanish National Health System. The aim of this study is to present the selection, development and pilot-testing of an initial set of surgical quality indicators for this purpose. A modified Delphi was performed with experts from the Spanish Surgeons Association in order to prioritize previously selected indicators. Then, a pilot study was carried out in a public hospital encompassing qualitative analysis of feasibility for prioritized indicators and an additional qualitative and quantitative three-rater reliability assessment for medical record-based indicators. Observed inter-rater agreement, prevalence adjusted and bias adjusted kappa and non-adjusted kappa were performed, using a systematic random sample (n=30) for each of these indicators. Twelve out of 13 proposed indicators were feasible: 5 medical record-based indicators and 7 indicators based on administrative databases. From medical record-based indicators, 3 were reliable (observed agreement >95%, adjusted kappa index >0.6 or non-adjusted kappa index >0.6 for composites and its components) and 2 needed further refinement. Currently, medical record-based indicators could be used for comparison purposes, whilst further research must be done for validation and risk-adjustment of outcome indicators from administrative databases. Compliance results in the adequacy of informed consent, diagnosis-to-treatment delay in colorectal cancer, and antibiotic prophylaxis show room for improvement in the pilot-tested hospital. Copyright © 2016 AEC. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  10. Peer Interaction Patterns among Adolescents with Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) in Mainstream School Settings

    Science.gov (United States)

    Humphrey, Neil; Symes, Wendy

    2011-01-01

    The aim of the current study was to document the peer interaction patterns of students with autistic spectrum disorders in mainstream settings. Structured observations of a group of 38 adolescents with ASD drawn from 12 mainstream secondary schools were conducted over a two-day period and data compared with those of school, age, and gender matched…

  11. Tonic noradrenergic activity modulates explorative behavior and attentional set shifting: Evidence from pupillometry and gaze pattern analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pajkossy, Péter; Szőllősi, Ágnes; Demeter, Gyula; Racsmány, Mihály

    2017-12-01

    A constant task for every living organism is to decide whether to exploit rewards associated with current behavior or to explore the environment for more rewarding options. Current empirical evidence indicates that exploitation is related to phasic whereas exploration is related to tonic firing mode of noradrenergic neurons in the locus coeruleus. In humans, this exploration-exploitation trade-off is subserved by the ability to flexibly switch attention between task-related and task-irrelevant information. Here, we investigated whether this function, called attentional set shifting, is related to exploration and tonic noradrenergic discharge. We measured pretrial baseline pupil dilation, proved to be strongly correlated with the activity of the locus coeruleus, while human participants took part in well-known tasks of attentional set shifting. Study 1 used the Wisconsin Card Sorting Task, whereas in Study 2, the Intra/Extradimensional Set Shifting Task was used. Both tasks require participants to choose between different compound stimuli based on feedback provided for their previous decisions. During the task, stimulus-reward contingencies change periodically, thus participants are repeatedly required to reassess which stimulus features are relevant (i.e., they shift their attentional set). Our results showed that baseline pupil diameter steadily decreased when the stimulus-reward contingencies were stable, whereas they suddenly increased when these contingencies changed. Analysis of looking patterns also confirmed the presence of exploratory behavior during attentional set shifting. Thus, our results suggest that tonic firing mode of noradrenergic neurons in the locus coeruleus is implicated in attentional set shifting, as it regulates the amount of exploration. © 2017 Society for Psychophysiological Research.

  12. Landauer current and mutual information in a bosonic quantum dot

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shashikant Sable, Hrushikesh; Singh Bhakuni, Devendra; Sharma, Auditya

    2018-02-01

    We study the quantum transport of bosons through a quantum dot coupled to two macroscopic heat baths L and R, held at fixed temperatures TL and TR respectively. We manage to cast the particle as well as the heat current into the Landauer form. Following the correlation matrix approach, we compute the time-dependent mutual information of the dot with the baths. We find that mutual information goes logarithmically as the number of bosons, and at low temperatures, it is possible to set up the parameters in such a way that in steady-state, the mutual information goes quadratically as a function of current.

  13. Soft sets combined with interval valued intuitionistic fuzzy sets of type-2 and rough sets

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anjan Mukherjee

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Fuzzy set theory, rough set theory and soft set theory are all mathematical tools dealing with uncertainties. The concept of type-2 fuzzy sets was introduced by Zadeh in 1975 which was extended to interval valued intuitionistic fuzzy sets of type-2 by the authors.This paper is devoted to the discussions of the combinations of interval valued intuitionistic sets of type-2, soft sets and rough sets.Three different types of new hybrid models, namely-interval valued intuitionistic fuzzy soft sets of type-2, soft rough interval valued intuitionistic fuzzy sets of type-2 and soft interval valued intuitionistic fuzzy rough sets of type-2 are proposed and their properties are derived.

  14. Setting the scene: the geographies of urban governance

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Gupta, J.; Pfeffer, K.; Ros-Tonen, M.; Verrest, H.; Gupta, J.; Pfeffer, J.; Verrest, K.; Ros-Tonen, M.

    2015-01-01

    This chapter sets the context for the discussions on the geographies of urban governance in this book. It highlights the current themes of urban governance and how the recent wave of globalization has changed the geographies of urban governance in nine ways - by shaping dominant discourses about

  15. Bimodal Programming: A Survey of Current Clinical Practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siburt, Hannah W; Holmes, Alice E

    2015-06-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine the current clinical practice in approaches to bimodal programming in the United States. To be specific, if clinicians are recommending bimodal stimulation, who programs the hearing aid in the bimodal condition, and what method is used for programming the hearing aid? An 11-question online survey was created and sent via email to a comprehensive list of cochlear implant programming centers in the United States. The survey was sent to 360 recipients. Respondents in this study represented a diverse group of clinical settings (response rate: 26%). Results indicate little agreement about who programs the hearing aids, when they are programmed, and how they are programmed in the bimodal condition. Analysis of small versus large implant centers indicated small centers are less likely to add a device to the contralateral ear. Although a growing number of cochlear implant recipients choose to wear a hearing aid on the contralateral ear, there is inconsistency in the current clinical approach to bimodal programming. These survey results provide evidence of large variability in the current bimodal programming practices and indicate a need for more structured clinical recommendations and programming approaches.

  16. Effectiveness of a structured motivational intervention including smoking cessation advice and spirometry information in the primary care setting: the ESPITAP study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Martin-Lujan Francisco

    2011-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background There is current controversy about the efficacy of smoking cessation interventions that are based on information obtained by spirometry. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness in the primary care setting of structured motivational intervention to achieve smoking cessation, compared with usual clinical practice. Methods Design Multicentre randomized clinical trial with an intervention and a control group. Setting 12 primary care centres in the province of Tarragona (Spain. Subjects of study 600 current smokers aged between 35 and 70 years with a cumulative habit of more than 10 packs of cigarettes per year, attended in primary care for any reason and who did not meet any of the exclusion criteria for the study, randomly assigned to structured intervention or standard clinical attention. Intervention Usual advice to quit smoking by a general practitioner as well as a 20-minute personalized visit to provide detailed information about spirometry results, during which FEV1, FVC, FEF 25-75% and PEF measurements were discussed and interpreted in terms of theoretical values. Additional information included the lung age index (defined as the average age of a non-smoker with the same FEV1 as the study participant, comparing this with the chronological age to illustrate the pulmonary deterioration that results from smoking. Measurements Spirometry during the initial visit. Structured interview questionnaire administered at the primary care centre at the initial visit and at 12-month follow-up. Telephone follow-up interview at 6 months. At 12-month follow-up, expired CO was measured in patients who claimed to have quit smoking. Main variables Smoking cessation at 12 months. Analysis Data will be analyzed on the basis of "intention to treat" and the unit of analysis will be the individual smoker. Expected results Among active smokers treated in primary care we anticipate significantly higher smoking cessation in the

  17. A qualitative study of gestational weight gain goal setting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Criss, Shaniece; Oken, Emily; Guthrie, Lauren; Hivert, Marie-France

    2016-10-20

    Gestational weight gain (GWG) is an important predictor of short and long-term pregnancy outcomes for both mother and child, and women who set a GWG goal are more likely to gain within recommended ranges. Little information is available regarding potentially modifiable factors that underlie a woman's GWG goals. Our aims were to explore women's perceptions regarding factors that affect GWG, their understanding of appropriate GWG, their goal-setting experiences including patient-health care provider (HCP) conversations, and supportive interventions they would most like to help them achieve the recommended GWG. We conducted nine in-depth interviews and seven focus groups with a total of 33 Boston, Massachusetts (MA) area women who were pregnant and had delivered within the prior 6 months. We recorded and transcribed all interviews. Two investigators independently coded resulting transcripts. We managed data using MAXQDA2 and conducted a content analysis. Perceived factors that contributed to GWG goal-setting included the mother's weight control behaviors concerning exercise and diet-including a "new way of eating for two" and "semblance of control", experiences during prior pregnancies, conversations with HCPs, and influence from various information sources. Women focused on behaviors with consistent messaging across multiple sources of information, but mainly trusted their HCP, valued one-to-one conversations with them about GWG, preferred that the HCP initiate the conversation about GWG goals, and would be open to have the conversation started based on visual aid based on their own GWG progression. Pregnant women highly value discussions with their HCP to set GWG goals. Pregnant women view their clinicians as the most reliable source of information and believe that clinicians should open weight-related discussions throughout pregnancy.

  18. Compressor blade setting angle accuracy study, volume 1

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holman, F. F.; Kidwell, J. R.

    1976-01-01

    The aerodynamic test of a small, single stage, highly loaded, axial flow transonic compressor is covered. The stage was modified by fabricating a 24 blade rotor with mis-set blades in a repeating pattern - two degrees closed from nominal, two degrees open from nominal and nominal. The unit was instrumented to determine overall performance and average blade element data. High-response, dynamic pressure probes were installed to record pressure patterns at selected points in the flowpath. Testing was conducted at speeds from 70 to 94% of design equivalent speed with a conventional casing and also with circumferential grooves over the rotor tip. Testing indicated severe performance penalties were incurred as a result of the mis-set blading. Lower flow, pressure ratio, and efficiency were observed for the stage with or without casing treatment. Periodic pressure variations were detected at every location where high response pressure sensors were located and were directly related to blading geometry.

  19. Atmospheric Signature of the Agulhas Current

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nkwinkwa Njouodo, Arielle Stela; Koseki, Shunya; Keenlyside, Noel; Rouault, Mathieu

    2018-05-01

    Western boundary currents play an important role in the climate system by transporting heat poleward and releasing it to the atmosphere. While their influence on extratropical storms and oceanic rainfall is becoming appreciated, their coastal influence is less known. Using satellite and climate reanalysis data sets and a regional atmospheric model, we show that the Agulhas Current is a driver of the observed band of rainfall along the southeastern African coast and above the Agulhas Current. The Agulhas current's warm core is associated with sharp gradients in sea surface temperature and sea level pressure, a convergence of low-level winds, and a co-located band of precipitation. Correlations among wind convergence, sea level pressure, and sea surface temperature indicate that these features show high degree of similarity to those in the Gulf Stream region. Model experiments further indicate that the Agulhas Current mostly impacts convective rainfall.

  20. Perspectives on parenthood and working of female athletic trainers in the secondary school and collegiate settings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kahanov, Leamor; Loebsack, Alice R; Masucci, Matthew A; Roberts, Jeff

    2010-01-01

    Female athletic trainers (ATs) are currently underrepresented in the collegiate setting. Parenting and family obligations may play a role in this underrepresentation. To examine female ATs' perspectives on parenting and working in the secondary school and collegiate employment settings. Cross-sectional study. Online survey. A total of 1000 nonstudent, female certified ATs who were currently members of the National Athletic Trainers' Association. An original survey was developed to assess perceptions related to motherhood and work responsibilities. Descriptive statistics were used to assess age, years of experience as a certified AT, employment position, and parent or nonparent status. A correlation matrix was conducted to determine factors among parent and nonparent status, perceptions of motherhood, and employment-setting decisions. Of the 1000 surveys sent via e-mail, 411 (41.1%) female ATs responded. Responses indicated that a majority of the female ATs worked in the secondary school setting. Sixty-one percent of the respondents did not have children. Past female ATs' experiences indicated a perception that motherhood created more challenges or struggles (or both) in the work and family settings. Whether parents considered children a factor in employment-setting changes produced conflicting results: no significant correlations or differences were found among responses. Parenting considerations had influences on both the home and employment settings. Although parents and nonparents had different views on the implications of parenting in the workplace, both groups agreed that parenting could affect the work environment and the choice to change employment settings and careers. Administrative decisions need to be considered in relation to parenting concerns. Mentoring that includes employment-setting choices relative to life goals should be provided to ATs, regardless of sex.

  1. Experimental study of anti-tumor activity of direct current

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ito, Hisao; Hashimoto, Shozo

    1989-01-01

    The anti-tumor activity of direct current combined with radiation was studied. The experiments were performed with fibrosarcomas (FSA, NFSA) syngenetic to C3H mice. Direct current (0.6mA, 120min) alone was effective to reduce the tumor sizes, but could not cure the tumors. When the direct current therapy (DC therapy) was combined with radiation the DC therapy following radiation was more effective than that before radiation. Using TCD 50 assay, the DC therapy enhanced the effect of a single dose of radiation with the dose-modifying factor of 1.2. However, tumor control rates by the combination therapy were more improved at the smaller doses of radiation than at the larger ones. When the single DC therapy (0.6mA, 120min) was applied immediately after the first radiation of fractionated one the combination therapy still showed the enhanced effect. However, both DC therapy and the radiation therapy were divided in three fractions, and the DC therapy (0.6mA, 40min) was applied after each radiation. Tumor growth retardation by the combination therapy was no different from that by radiation alone. This result suggests that there might be a minimum required dose of coulombs to show the effect of the combination therapy. (author)

  2. Utilization study of antidiabetic agents in a teaching hospital of Sikkim and adherence to current standard treatment guidelines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Satpathy, Sushrut Varun; Datta, Supratim; Upreti, Binu

    2016-01-01

    Diabetes has gradually emerged as one of the most serious public health problems in our country. This underlines the need for timely disease detection and decisive therapeutic intervention. This prospective cross-sectional observational study aims at analyzing the utilization pattern of antidiabetic agents in a remote North-East Indian tertiary care teaching hospital in the perspective of current standard treatment guidelines. Diabetic patients receiving antidiabetic medication, both as outpatients and inpatients in our hospital over a period of 12 months (May 2013-May 2014), were included in this study. The data obtained were sorted and analyzed on the basis of gender, type of therapy, and hospital setting. A total of 310 patients were included in the study. Metformin was the single most frequently prescribed antidiabetic agent (66.8%) followed by the sulfonylureas group (37.4%). Insulin was prescribed in 23.2% of the patients. Combination antidiabetic drug therapy (65.1%) was used more frequently than monotherapy (34.8%). The use of biguanides (P standard treatment guidelines. Increased use of generic drugs is an area with scope for improvement.

  3. LANSCE Beam Current Limiter (XL)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gallegos, F.R.; Hall, M.J.

    1997-01-01

    The Radiation Security System (RSS) at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE) is an engineered safety system that provides personnel protection from prompt radiation due to accelerated proton beams. The Beam Current Limiter (XL), as an active component of the RSS, limits the maximum average current in a beamline, thus the current available for a beam spill accident. Exceeding the pre-set limit initiates action by the RSS to mitigate the hazard (insertion of beam stoppers in the low energy beam transport). The beam limiter is an electrically isolated, toroidal transformer and associated electronics. The device was designed to continuously monitor beamline currents independent of any external timing. Fail-safe operation was a prime consideration in its development. Fail-safe operation is defined as functioning as intended (due to redundant circuitry), functioning with a more sensitive fault threshold, or generating a fault condition. This report describes the design philosophy, hardware, implementation, operation, and limitations of the device

  4. Improving the Understanding of Progressing and Emerging Health Informatics Roles and Skill Sets among Health Information Management Professionals: An Action Research Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Palkie, Brooke N.

    2013-01-01

    The Health Information Management (HIM) profession is evolving to meet the technology demands of the current healthcare landscape. The 2009 enactment of the HITECH Act has placed unprecedented emphasis on utilizing technology to improve the quality of care and to decrease healthcare costs. Expectations of deep analytical skills have set the stage…

  5. Type synthesis for 4-DOF parallel press mechanism using GF set theory

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Jun; Gao, Feng; Meng, Xiangdun; Guo, Weizhong

    2015-07-01

    Parallel mechanisms is used in the large capacity servo press to avoid the over-constraint of the traditional redundant actuation. Currently, the researches mainly focus on the performance analysis for some specific parallel press mechanisms. However, the type synthesis and evaluation of parallel press mechanisms is seldom studied, especially for the four degrees of freedom(DOF) press mechanisms. The type synthesis of 4-DOF parallel press mechanisms is carried out based on the generalized function(GF) set theory. Five design criteria of 4-DOF parallel press mechanisms are firstly proposed. The general procedure of type synthesis of parallel press mechanisms is obtained, which includes number synthesis, symmetrical synthesis of constraint GF sets, decomposition of motion GF sets and design of limbs. Nine combinations of constraint GF sets of 4-DOF parallel press mechanisms, ten combinations of GF sets of active limbs, and eleven combinations of GF sets of passive limbs are synthesized. Thirty-eight kinds of press mechanisms are presented and then different structures of kinematic limbs are designed. Finally, the geometrical constraint complexity( GCC), kinematic pair complexity( KPC), and type complexity( TC) are proposed to evaluate the press types and the optimal press type is achieved. The general methodologies of type synthesis and evaluation for parallel press mechanism are suggested.

  6. Small Engine Technology (SET) Task 24 Business and Regional Aircraft System Studies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lieber, Lysbeth

    2003-01-01

    This final report has been prepared by Honeywell Engines & Systems, Phoenix, Arizona, a unit of Honeywell International Inc., documenting work performed during the period June 1999 through December 1999 for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio, under the Small Engine Technology (SET) Program, Contract No. NAS3-27483, Task Order 24, Business and Regional Aircraft System Studies. The work performed under SET Task 24 consisted of evaluating the noise reduction benefits compared to the baseline noise levels of representative 1992 technology aircraft, obtained by applying different combinations of noise reduction technologies to five business and regional aircraft configurations. This report focuses on the selection of the aircraft configurations and noise reduction technologies, the prediction of noise levels for those aircraft, and the comparison of the noise levels with those of the baseline aircraft.

  7. Effect of a superconducting coil as a fault current limiter on current density distribution in BSCCO tape after an over-current pulse

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tallouli, M; Yamaguchi, S.; Shyshkin, O.

    2017-01-01

    The development of power transmission lines based on long-length high temperature superconducting (HTS) tapes is complicated and technically challenging task. A serious problem for transmission line operation could become HTS power cable damage due to over-current pulse conditions. To avoid the cable damage in any urgent case the superconducting coil technology, i.e. superconductor fault current limiter (SFCL) is required. Comprehensive understanding of the current density characteristics of HTS tapes in both cases, either after pure over-current pulse or after over-current pulse limited by SFCL, is needed to restart or to continue the operation of the power transmission line. Moreover, current density distribution along and across the HTS tape provides us with the sufficient information about the quality of the tape performance in different current feeding regimes. In present paper we examine BSCCO HTS tape under two current feeding regimes. The first one is 100A feeding preceded by 900A over-current pulse. In this case none of tape protection was used. The second scenario is similar to the fist one but SFCL is used to limit an over-current value. For both scenarios after the pulse is gone and the current feeding is set up at 100A we scan magnetic field above the tape by means of Hall probe sensor. Then the feeding is turned of and the magnetic field scanning is repeated. Using the inverse problem numerical solver we calculate the corresponding direct and permanent current density distributions during the feeding and after switch off. It is demonstrated that in the absence of SFCL the current distribution is highly peaked at the tape center. At the same time the current distribution in the experiment with SFCL is similar to that observed under normal current feeding condition. The current peaking in the first case is explained by the effect of an opposite electric field induced at the tape edges during the overcurrent pulse decay, and by degradation of

  8. Current efficiency in the chlorate cell process

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Spasojević Miroslav D.

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available A mathematical model has been set up for current efficiency in a chlorate cell acting as an ideal electrochemical tubular reactor with a linear increase in hypochlorite concentration from the entrance to the exit. Good agreement was found between the results on current efficiency experimentally obtained under simulated industrial chlorate production conditions and the theoretical values provided by the mathematical model. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 172057 i br. 172062

  9. Recent Fuzzy Generalisations of Rough Sets Theory: A Systematic Review and Methodological Critique of the Literature

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abbas Mardani

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Rough set theory has been used extensively in fields of complexity, cognitive sciences, and artificial intelligence, especially in numerous fields such as expert systems, knowledge discovery, information system, inductive reasoning, intelligent systems, data mining, pattern recognition, decision-making, and machine learning. Rough sets models, which have been recently proposed, are developed applying the different fuzzy generalisations. Currently, there is not a systematic literature review and classification of these new generalisations about rough set models. Therefore, in this review study, the attempt is made to provide a comprehensive systematic review of methodologies and applications of recent generalisations discussed in the area of fuzzy-rough set theory. On this subject, the Web of Science database has been chosen to select the relevant papers. Accordingly, the systematic and meta-analysis approach, which is called “PRISMA,” has been proposed and the selected articles were classified based on the author and year of publication, author nationalities, application field, type of study, study category, study contribution, and journal in which the articles have appeared. Based on the results of this review, we found that there are many challenging issues related to the different application area of fuzzy-rough set theory which can motivate future research studies.

  10. Spin current evolution in the separated spin-up and spin-down quantum hydrodynamics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Trukhanova, Mariya Iv.

    2015-01-01

    We have developed a method of quantum hydrodynamics (QHD) that describes particles with spin-up and with spin-down in separate. We have derived the equation of the spin current evolution as a part of the set of the quantum hydrodynamics equations that treat particles with different projection of spin on the preferable direction as two different species. We have studied orthogonal propagation of waves in the external magnetic field and determined the contribution of quantum corrections due to the Bohm potential and to magnetization energy of particles with different projections of spin in the spin-current wave dispersion. We have analyzed the limits of weak and strong magnetic fields. - Highlights: • We derive the spin current equation for particles with different projection of spin. • We predict the contribution of Bohm potential to the dynamics of spin current. • We derive the spin-current wave in the system of spin-polarized particles. • We study the propagation of spin-acoustic wave in magnetized dielectrics.

  11. Documenting a modern day transgressive surface in a carbonate ramp setting

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lokier, Stephen; Paul, Andreas

    2017-04-01

    The low-angle carbonate ramp geometry of the Abu Dhabi coastline provides an ideal site for studying the effects of marine transgression in a setting analogous to Mesozoic epeiric seas. Supratidal sabkha evaporite precipitation passes offshore, through a broad and complex carbonate-evaporite intertidal environment, into a subtidal carbonate depositional setting. The coast of the mainland is locally isolated from open-marine conditions by a number of peninsulas and islands associated with the east-west trending Great Pearl Bank. This study combined 12 years of fieldwork observations with historical satellite imagery in order to establish multiple lines of evidence for active retrogradation over a 15 km length of coastline in the Abu Dhabi sabkha. Surveyed transects of the sabkha yield an average slope angle of 0.02°. Employing a current estimate of global sea level rise of 3.3 mm/yr, we calculate an expected present-day marine transgression of 7.9 m/yr. The landward and seaward boundaries of the microbial mat facies belt are strongly controlled by the location of the intertidal zone. The seaward limit of the Recent microbial mat belt in the Abu Dhabi Sabkha is currently being buried beneath retrograding lower-intertidal sediments whilst the landward side is simultaneously backstepping over previously-supratidal gypsum-dominated facies. The landward migration of spits and beach ridges was monitored at several locations with rates of retrogradation of up to 28 m per year being recorded locally. The study also identified numerous erosive features that are consistent with an increase in energy regimes. There has been a significant increase in denudation of the microbial mat, causing underlying sediment to be increasingly susceptible to erosion. In the lowermost intertidal zone, erosion of the hardground and other facies is observed. Clasts from the hardground are transported landward onto the surface of the sabkha where they are incorporated within other facies. This

  12. Cook Inlet and Kenai Peninsula, Alaska ESI: RIPS (Rip Current Lines)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This data set contains locations of rip currents in Cook Inlet, Alaska. Vector lines in the data set represent rip zone locations. Location-specific type and source...

  13. Development of the patient setting system for BNCT at JRR-4

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kumada, H.; Yamamoto, K.; Torii, Y.

    2000-01-01

    A new treatment planning software: Computational Dosimetry System (JCDS) is in progress its development for BNCT with epithermal neutron beam in JAERI. Irradiation conditions such as beam angle to a patient are calculated by JCDS. In order to implement these conditions, it is necessary to precisely set the patient to actual irradiation position simulated by JCDS beforehand. Therefore, the Patient Setting System, which accurately and quickly sets the patient to the irradiation position, is being developed with JCDS concurrently. In this report, the current status of the development of JCDS and the Patient Setting System in JAERI will be described. (author)

  14. Wind and solar resource data sets: Wind and solar resource data sets

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Clifton, Andrew [National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden CO USA; Hodge, Bri-Mathias [National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden CO USA; Power Systems Engineering Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden CO USA; Draxl, Caroline [National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden CO USA; National Wind Technology Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden CO USA; Badger, Jake [Department of Wind Energy, Danish Technical University, Copenhagen Denmark; Habte, Aron [National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden CO USA; Power Systems Engineering Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden CO USA

    2017-12-05

    The range of resource data sets spans from static cartography showing the mean annual wind speed or solar irradiance across a region to high temporal and high spatial resolution products that provide detailed information at a potential wind or solar energy facility. These data sets are used to support continental-scale, national, or regional renewable energy development; facilitate prospecting by developers; and enable grid integration studies. This review first provides an introduction to the wind and solar resource data sets, then provides an overview of the common methods used for their creation and validation. A brief history of wind and solar resource data sets is then presented, followed by areas for future research.

  15. Measurement framework for product service system performance of generator set distributors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sofianti, Tanika D.

    2017-11-01

    Selling Generator Set (Genset) in B2B market, distributors assisted manufacturers to sell products. This is caused by the limited resources owned by the manufacturer for adding service elements. These service elements are needed to enhance the competitiveness of the generator sets. Some genset distributors often sell products together with supports to their customers. Industrial distributor develops services to meet the needs of the customer. Generator set distributors support machines and equipment produced by manufacturer. The services delivered by the distributors could enhance value obtained by the customers from the equipment. Services provided to customers in bidding process, ordering process of the equipment from the manufacturer, equipment delivery, installations, and the after sales stage. This paper promotes framework to measure Product Service System (PSS) of Generator Set distributors in delivering their products and services for the customers. The methodology of conducting this research is by adopting the perspective of the providers and customers and by taking into account the tangible and intangible products. This research leads to the idea of improvement of current Product Service System of a Genset distributor. This research needs further studies in more detailed measures and the implementation of measurement tools.

  16. Rotavirus vaccine effectiveness in low-income settings: An evaluation of the test-negative design

    OpenAIRE

    Schwartz, Lauren M.; Halloran, M. Elizabeth; Rowhani-Rahbar, Ali; Neuzil, Kathleen M.; Victor, John C.

    2017-01-01

    Background The test-negative design (TND), an epidemiologic method currently used to measure rotavirus vaccine (RV) effectiveness, compares the vaccination status of rotavirus-positive cases and rotavirus-negative controls meeting a pre-defined case definition for acute gastroenteritis. Despite the use of this study design in low-income settings, the TND has not been evaluated to measure rotavirus vaccine effectiveness. Methods This study builds upon prior methods to evaluate the use of the T...

  17. A case study exploring the current issues faced by diploma-prepared nurses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Droskinis, Amy

    2013-01-01

    Nursing is a dynamic and rapidly progressing field. As the profession changes over time, it is vital to study how these transformations influence the workforce. In this study, the aim was to explore how diploma-prepared nurses are functioning in the acute care setting and how modifications in educational requirements and technological advancement have affected their nursing practice.

  18. Financial effects of ETS Set Aside

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Van Dril, T. [ECN Policy Studies, Petten (Netherlands)

    2012-11-26

    The EU ETS (emissions trading system) has a growing surplus of allowances built up over the last few years. The economic downturn is regarded to be a major cause of the oversupply and the low level of the CO2 allowance price. From 2013 onwards, the ETS will enter its third phase in which a substantial part of the current allowances will be auctioned. In summer 2012, the European Commission proposed a draft Regulation to adjust the timing of auctions of emission allowances. The Commission states that it is not wise to feed a market that is already oversupplied and wants to auction fewer allowances in the next years (Set Aside). These Set Aside allowances should then be auctioned in the later years of the 2013-2020 ETS period (backloading). The proposal document does not suggest permanent withdrawal of allowances, since this requires amending the ETS directive. However, permanent withdrawal (cancellation) is certainly considered as an option to reinforce the ETS. The Netherlands Ministry of Finance is primarily interested in the economic effects of Set Aside scenarios. This paper focuses on the effects of Set Aside allowances on the government budget. Not just the auction revenues are considered, but also the indirect effect on funding renewable energy generation.

  19. Setting Goals for Achievement in Physical Education Settings

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baghurst, Timothy; Tapps, Tyler; Kensinger, Weston

    2015-01-01

    Goal setting has been shown to improve student performance, motivation, and task completion in academic settings. Although goal setting is utilized by many education professionals to help students set realistic and proper goals, physical educators may not be using goal setting effectively. Without incorporating all three types of goals and…

  20. Availability and marketing of food and beverages to children through sports settings: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carter, Mary-Ann; Edwards, R; Signal, L; Hoek, J

    2012-08-01

    The current systematic review aimed to identify and critically appraise research on food environments in sports settings, including research into the types of food and beverages available, the extent and impact of food and beverage sponsorship and marketing, and views about food environments among key stakeholders. A systematic review. Fourteen English-language studies (two were papers describing different facets of the same study), published between 1985 and 2011, were identified from searches of electronic databases and bibliographies of primary studies. Most studies originated from Australia (n 10), with the remaining studies originating in the UK (n 1), New Zealand (n 1), the USA (n 1) and Canada (n 1). Data were collected from observations in stadia, websites and televised sports events, through in-depth interviews, focus groups and surveys with sports club members, parents and quick serve restaurant managers. Literature exploring food environments in sports settings was limited and had some important methodological limitations. No studies comprehensively described foods available at clubs or stadia, and only one explored the association between food and beverage sponsorship and club incomes. Club policies focused on the impact of health promotion funding rather than the impact of sponsorship or food availability in sports settings. Further research, including comprehensive studies of the food environment in sports settings, is required to document the availability, sponsorship and marketing of food and beverages at national, regional and club levels and to estimate how sports settings may influence children's diets.

  1. Casemix and process indicators of outcome in stroke. The Royal College of Physicians minimum data set for stroke.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Irwin, P; Rudd, A

    1998-01-01

    The emphasis on outcomes measurement requires that casemix is considered in any comparative studies. In 1996 the Intercollegiate Working Party for Stroke agreed a minimum data set to measure the severity of casemix in stroke. The reasons for its development, the evidence base supporting the items included and the possible uses of the data set are described. It is currently being evaluated in national outcome and process audits to be reported at a later date.

  2. Symposium: Organizational Health Intervention Research: Current Empirical Developments

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ipsen, Christine; Jenny, Gregor

    2014-01-01

    or networks of employees. The intervention process is designed to involve the most effective set of stakeholders (leaders, management, experts, co-workers) and connect them to an efficient network of change agents. For this, the current interventions offer models, handbooks and indicators that inform...... Health Index”. The study, conducted in Switzerland, shows that the index predicts sick leave, stress symptoms, work engagement and self-rated productivity. • The fourth contribution Torsten Holstad and his colleagues present their summative evaluation of a tailor-made training program focusing on health...

  3. Visual search for emotional expressions: Effect of stimulus set on anger and happiness superiority.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Savage, Ruth A; Becker, Stefanie I; Lipp, Ottmar V

    2016-01-01

    Prior reports of preferential detection of emotional expressions in visual search have yielded inconsistent results, even for face stimuli that avoid obvious expression-related perceptual confounds. The current study investigated inconsistent reports of anger and happiness superiority effects using face stimuli drawn from the same database. Experiment 1 excluded procedural differences as a potential factor, replicating a happiness superiority effect in a procedure that previously yielded an anger superiority effect. Experiments 2a and 2b confirmed that image colour or poser gender did not account for prior inconsistent findings. Experiments 3a and 3b identified stimulus set as the critical variable, revealing happiness or anger superiority effects for two partially overlapping sets of face stimuli. The current results highlight the critical role of stimulus selection for the observation of happiness or anger superiority effects in visual search even for face stimuli that avoid obvious expression related perceptual confounds and are drawn from a single database.

  4. Study of local currents in low dimension materials using complex injecting potentials

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Shenglai; Covington, Cody; Varga, Kálmán

    2018-04-01

    A complex potential is constructed to inject electrons into the conduction band, mimicking electron currents in nanoscale systems. The injected electrons are time propagated until a steady state is reached. The local current density can then be calculated to show the path of the conducting electrons on an atomistic level. The method allows for the calculation of the current density vectors within the medium as a function of energy of the conducting electron. Using this method, we investigate the electron pathway of graphene nanoribbons in various structures, molecular junctions, and black phosphorus nanoribbons. By analyzing the current flow through the structures, we find strong dependence on the structural geometry and the energy of the injected electrons. This method may be of general use in the study of nano-electronic materials and interfaces.

  5. Beyond SMART? A New Framework for Goal Setting

    Science.gov (United States)

    Day, Trevor; Tosey, Paul

    2011-01-01

    This article extends currently reported theory and practice in the use of learning goals or targets with students in secondary and further education. Goal-setting and action-planning constructs are employed in personal development plans (PDPs) and personal learning plans (PLPs) and are advocated as practice within the English national policy…

  6. Bullying Behaviors and Self Efficacy among Nursing Students at Clinical Settings: Comparative Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kassem, Awatef Hassan

    2015-01-01

    Background: Nursing students who experienced bullying behaviors feel anger and missing their concentration, their capability to achieve a desired outcome. Also self-efficacy, often referred to as self-confidence, is essential to nursing students' ability and performance in the clinical setting. Aim: Study aimed to examine relation between bullying…

  7. Hamiltonian analysis of fast wave current drive in tokamak plasmas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Becoulet, A; Fraboulet, D; Giruzzi, G; Moreau, D; Saoutic, B [Association Euratom-CEA, Centre d` Etudes de Cadarache, 13 - Saint-Paul-lez-Durance (France). Dept. de Recherches sur la Fusion Controlee; Chinardet, J [CISI Ingenierie, Centre d` Etudes de Cadarache, 13 - Saint-Paul-lez-Durance (France)

    1993-12-01

    The Hamiltonian formalism is used to analyze the direct resonant interaction between the fast magnetosonic wave and the electrons in a tokamak plasma. The intrinsic stochasticity of the electron phase space trajectories is derived, and together with extrinsic de-correlation processes, assesses the validity of the quasilinear approximation for the kinetic studies of fast wave current drive (FWCD). A full-wave resolution of the Maxwell-Vlasov set of equations provides the exact pattern of the wave fields in a complete tokamak geometry, for a realistic antenna spectrum. The local quasilinear diffusion tensor is derived from the wave fields, and is used for a computation of the driven current and deposited power profiles, the current drive efficiency, including possible non-linear effects in the kinetic equation. Several applications of FWCD on existing and future machines are given, as well as results concerning combination of FWCD with other non inductive current drive methods. An analytical expression for the current drive efficiency is given in the high single-pass absorption regimes. (authors). 20 figs., 1 tab., 26 refs.

  8. Hamiltonian analysis of fast wave current drive in tokamak plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Becoulet, A.; Fraboulet, D.; Giruzzi, G.; Moreau, D.; Saoutic, B.

    1993-12-01

    The Hamiltonian formalism is used to analyze the direct resonant interaction between the fast magnetosonic wave and the electrons in a tokamak plasma. The intrinsic stochasticity of the electron phase space trajectories is derived, and together with extrinsic de-correlation processes, assesses the validity of the quasilinear approximation for the kinetic studies of fast wave current drive (FWCD). A full-wave resolution of the Maxwell-Vlasov set of equations provides the exact pattern of the wave fields in a complete tokamak geometry, for a realistic antenna spectrum. The local quasilinear diffusion tensor is derived from the wave fields, and is used for a computation of the driven current and deposited power profiles, the current drive efficiency, including possible non-linear effects in the kinetic equation. Several applications of FWCD on existing and future machines are given, as well as results concerning combination of FWCD with other non inductive current drive methods. An analytical expression for the current drive efficiency is given in the high single-pass absorption regimes. (authors). 20 figs., 1 tab., 26 refs

  9. Numerical and experimental studies of stack shunt current for vanadium redox flow battery

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yin, Cong; Guo, Shaoyun; Fang, Honglin; Liu, Jiayi; Li, Yang; Tang, Hao

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • A coupled three-dimensional model of VRB cell stack is developed. • Shunt current of the stack is studied with the model and experiment. • Increased electrolyte resistance in channel and manifold lowers the shunt current. • Shunt current loss increases with stack cell number nonlinearly. - Abstract: The stack shunt current of VRB (vanadium redox flow battery) was investigated with experiments and 3D (three-dimensional) simulations. In the proposed model, cell voltages and electrolyte conductivities were calculated based on electrochemical reaction distributions and SOC (state of charge) values, respectively, while coulombic loss was estimated according to shunt current and vanadium ionic crossover through membrane. Shunt current distributions and coulombic efficiency are analyzed in terms of electrolyte conductivities and stack cell numbers. The distributions of cell voltages and shunt currents calculated with proposed model are validated with single cell and short stack tests. The model can be used to optimize VRB stack manifold and channel designs to improve VRB system efficiency

  10. Current-ripple effect on superconductive dc critical current measurements

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Goodrich, L.F.; Bray, S.L.; Clark, A.F.

    1988-01-01

    The effect of sample-current power-supply ripple on dc critical current measurement in multifilamentary NbTi superconductors was evaluated. In general the ripple in a current supply became more significant above 500 A because effective filtering was hard to achieve. Ripple also caused noise at the input of the voltmeter used for the measurements. The quantitative effect of current ripple was studied using a battery current supply modified to allow the creation of ripple current with variable frequency and amplitude. Problems common to all large-conductor critical current measurements are discussed

  11. Lower hybrid current drive in tokamak plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ushigusa, Kenkichi

    1999-03-01

    Past ten years progress on Lower Hybrid Current Drive (LHCD) experiments have demonstrated the largest non-inductive current (3.6 MA, JT-60U), the longest current sustainment (2 hours, TRIAM-1M), non-inductive current drive at the highest density (n-bar e - 10 20 m -3 , ALCATOR-C) and the highest current drive efficiency (η CD = 3.5x10 19 m -2 A/W, JT-60). These results indicate that LHCD is one of the most promising methods to drive non-inductive current in the present tokamak plasmas. This paper presents recent experimental results on LHCD experiments. Basic theories of LH waves, the wave propagation and the current drive are briefly summarized. The main part of this paper describes several important results and their physical pictures on recent LHCD experiments; 1) the experimental set-up, 2) the current drive efficiency, 3) the control of current profile and MHD activities, 4) the global energy confinement, 5) the global power flow, 6) fast electron behavior, 7) interaction between LH waves and thermal/fast ions, 8) combination with other CD method. (author)

  12. Modeling of Single Event Transients With Dual Double-Exponential Current Sources: Implications for Logic Cell Characterization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Black, Dolores A.; Robinson, William H.; Wilcox, Ian Z.; Limbrick, Daniel B.; Black, Jeffrey D.

    2015-08-01

    Single event effects (SEE) are a reliability concern for modern microelectronics. Bit corruptions can be caused by single event upsets (SEUs) in the storage cells or by sampling single event transients (SETs) from a logic path. An accurate prediction of soft error susceptibility from SETs requires good models to convert collected charge into compact descriptions of the current injection process. This paper describes a simple, yet effective, method to model the current waveform resulting from a charge collection event for SET circuit simulations. The model uses two double-exponential current sources in parallel, and the results illustrate why a conventional model based on one double-exponential source can be incomplete. A small set of logic cells with varying input conditions, drive strength, and output loading are simulated to extract the parameters for the dual double-exponential current sources. The parameters are based upon both the node capacitance and the restoring current (i.e., drive strength) of the logic cell.

  13. Mental Health Literacy in Emerging Adults in a University Setting: Distinctions between Symptom Awareness and Appraisal

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gagnon, Michelle M.; Gelinas, Bethany L.; Friesen, Lindsay N.

    2017-01-01

    Despite the high prevalence of mental health concerns in university populations, students are unlikely to seek formal help. The current study examined help-seeking behaviors among emerging adults in a university setting using a mental health literacy framework. Responses from 122 university undergraduates were examined. Students ranged in age from…

  14. Grand Research Plan for Neural Circuits of Emotion and Memory--current status of neural circuit studies in China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Yuan-Gui; Cao, He-Qi; Dong, Er-Dan

    2013-02-01

    During recent years, major advances have been made in neuroscience, i.e., asynchronous release, three-dimensional structural data sets, saliency maps, magnesium in brain research, and new functional roles of long non-coding RNAs. Especially, the development of optogenetic technology provides access to important information about relevant neural circuits by allowing the activation of specific neurons in awake mammals and directly observing the resulting behavior. The Grand Research Plan for Neural Circuits of Emotion and Memory was launched by the National Natural Science Foundation of China. It takes emotion and memory as its main objects, making the best use of cutting-edge technologies from medical science, life science and information science. In this paper, we outline the current status of neural circuit studies in China and the technologies and methodologies being applied, as well as studies related to the impairments of emotion and memory. In this phase, we are making efforts to repair the current deficiencies by making adjustments, mainly involving four aspects of core scientific issues to investigate these circuits at multiple levels. Five research directions have been taken to solve important scientific problems while the Grand Research Plan is implemented. Future research into this area will be multimodal, incorporating a range of methods and sciences into each project. Addressing these issues will ensure a bright future, major discoveries, and a higher level of treatment for all affected by debilitating brain illnesses.

  15. Stimulating thought: a functional MRI study of transcranial direct current stimulation in schizophrenia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Orlov, Natasza D; O'Daly, Owen; Tracy, Derek K; Daniju, Yusuf; Hodsoll, John; Valdearenas, Lorena; Rothwell, John; Shergill, Sukhi S

    2017-09-01

    Individuals with schizophrenia typically suffer a range of cognitive deficits, including prominent deficits in working memory and executive function. These difficulties are strongly predictive of functional outcomes, but there is a paucity of effective therapeutic interventions targeting these deficits. Transcranial direct current stimulation is a novel neuromodulatory technique with emerging evidence of potential pro-cognitive effects; however, there is limited understanding of its mechanism. This was a double-blind randomized sham controlled pilot study of transcranial direct current stimulation on a working memory (n-back) and executive function (Stroop) task in 28 individuals with schizophrenia using functional magnetic resonance imaging. Study participants received 30 min of real or sham transcranial direct current stimulation applied to the left frontal cortex. The 'real' and 'sham' groups did not differ in online working memory task performance, but the transcranial direct current stimulation group demonstrated significant improvement in performance at 24 h post-transcranial direct current stimulation. Transcranial direct current stimulation was associated with increased activation in the medial frontal cortex beneath the anode; showing a positive correlation with consolidated working memory performance 24 h post-stimulation. There was reduced activation in the left cerebellum in the transcranial direct current stimulation group, with no change in the middle frontal gyrus or parietal cortices. Improved performance on the executive function task was associated with reduced activity in the anterior cingulate cortex. Transcranial direct current stimulation modulated functional activation in local task-related regions, and in more distal nodes in the network. Transcranial direct current stimulation offers a potential novel approach to altering frontal cortical activity and exerting pro-cognitive effects in schizophrenia. © The Author (2017). Published by Oxford

  16. Ni/YSZ electrode degradation studied by impedance spectroscopy: Effects of gas cleaning and current density

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hauch, Anne; Mogensen, Mogens Bjerg

    2010-01-01

    Anode supported (Ni/YSZ–YSZ–LSM/YSZ) solid oxide fuel cells were tested and the degradation over time was monitored and analyzed by impedance spectroscopy. Test conditions were chosen to focus on the anode degradation and all tests were operated at 750 °C. O2 was supplied to the cathode...... and the anode inlet gas mixture had a high p(H2O)/p(H2) ratio of 0.4/0.6. Commercially available gasses were applied. Cells were tested over a few hundred hours applying varying current densities (OCV, 0.75 A/cm2 and 1 A/cm2). To investigate the effects of possible impurities in the inlet gas stream...... on the anode degradation, tests were set-up both with and without gas cleaning. Gas cleaning was done by passing the H2 over porous nickel at room temperature. It was found that cleaning of the inlet H2 gas more than halved the anode degradation under current load. For tests at OCV the increase in the Ni...

  17. A compression algorithm for the combination of PDF sets

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Carrazza, Stefano; Latorre, Jose I.; Rojo, Juan; Watt, Graeme

    2015-01-01

    The current PDF4LHC recommendation to estimate uncertainties due to parton distribution functions (PDFs) in theoretical predictions for LHC processes involves the combination of separate predictions computed using PDF sets from different groups, each of which comprises a relatively large number of

  18. On W algebras commuting with a set of screenings

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Litvinov, Alexey [Landau Institute for Theoretical Physics,Akademika Semenova av., 1-A , Chernogolovka (Russian Federation); Kharkevich Institute for Information Transmission Problems,Bolshoy Karetny per. 19-1, Moscow, 127051 (Russian Federation); Spodyneiko, Lev [Landau Institute for Theoretical Physics,Akademika Semenova av., 1-A , Chernogolovka (Russian Federation); California Institute of Technology, Department of Physics,1200 East California Boulevard, Pasadena, 91125 (United States)

    2016-11-22

    We consider the problem of classification of all W algebras which commute with a set of exponential screening operators. Assuming that the W algebra has a nontrivial current of spin 3, we find equations satisfied by the screening operators and classify their solutions.

  19. Calculation errors of Set-up in patients with tumor location of prostate. Exploratory study; Calculo de errores de Set-up en pacientes con localizacion tumoral de prostata. Estudio exploratorio

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Donis Gil, S.; Robayna Duque, B. E.; Jimenez Sosa, A.; Hernandez Armas, O.; Gonzalez Martin, A. E.; Hernandez Armas, J.

    2013-07-01

    The calculation of SM is done from errors in positioning (set-up). These errors are calculated from movements in 3D of the patient. This paper is an exploratory study of 20 patients with tumor location of prostate in which errors of set-up for two protocols of work are evaluated. (Author)

  20. A Field Study of a Video Supported Seamless-Learning-Setting with Elementary Learners

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fößl, Thomas; Ebner, Martin; Schön, Sandra; Holzinger, Andreas

    2016-01-01

    Seamless Learning shall initiate human learning processes that exceeds lesson and classroom limits. At the same time this approach fosters a self-regulated learning, by means of inspirational, open education settings. Advanced learning materials are easily accessible via mobile digital devices connected to the Internet. In this study it was…

  1. The Acute Relationships Between Affect, Physical Feeling States, and Physical Activity in Daily Life: A Review of Current Evidence

    OpenAIRE

    Liao, Yue; Shonkoff, Eleanor T.; Dunton, Genevieve F.

    2015-01-01

    Until recently, most studies investigating the acute relationships between affective and physical feeling states and physical activity were conducted in controlled laboratory settings, whose results might not translate well to everyday life. This review was among the first attempts to synthesize current evidence on the acute (e.g., within a few hours) relationships between affective and physical feeling states and physical activity from studies conducted in free-living, naturalistic settings ...

  2. Modelling of the ring current in Saturn's magnetosphere

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G. Giampieri

    2004-01-01

    Full Text Available The existence of a ring current inside Saturn's magnetosphere was first suggested by Smith et al. (1980 and Ness et al. (1981, 1982, in order to explain various features in the magnetic field observations from the Pioneer 11 and Voyager 1 and 2 spacecraft. Connerney et al. (1983 formalized the equatorial current model, based on previous modelling work of Jupiter's current sheet and estimated its parameters from the two Voyager data sets. Here, we investigate the model further, by reconsidering the data from the two Voyager spacecraft, as well as including the Pioneer 11 flyby data set. First, we obtain, in closed form, an analytic expression for the magnetic field produced by the ring current. We then fit the model to the external field, that is the difference between the observed field and the internal magnetic field, considering all the available data. In general, through our global fit we obtain more accurate parameters, compared to previous models. We point out differences between the model's parameters for the three flybys, and also investigate possible deviations from the axial and planar symmetries assumed in the model. We conclude that an accurate modelling of the Saturnian disk current will require taking into account both of the temporal variations related to the condition of the magnetosphere, as well as non-axisymmetric contributions due to local time effects. Key words. Magnetospheric physics (current systems; planetary magnetospheres; plasma sheet

  3. Self-efficacy and Perceived Organizational Support by Workers in a Youth Development Setting

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sara Rockow

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available The efficacy levels of workers in the youth development field can significantly impact the work done with youth.  These levels may be impacted by workers’ perceptions of administrative occupational support at their organization.  To date, limited research exists that examines youth work efficacy levels, and no research studies exist analyzing the relationship between youth workers’ efficacy levels and perceived organizational support.  The current study examined the relationship between self-efficacy and the perceived organizational support felt by workers in a youth development setting.  A total of 198 surveys were completed; results indicated that youth work efficacy was significantly related to perceived organizational support.  This study is important to enhancing the body of knowledge regarding self-efficacy levels of workers in a youth development setting, as well as understanding motivation and self-confidence of youth development professionals.

  4. Understanding employee motivation and organizational performance: Arguments for a set-theoretic approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael T. Lee

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Empirical evidence demonstrates that motivated employees mean better organizational performance. The objective of this conceptual paper is to articulate the progress that has been made in understanding employee motivation and organizational performance, and to suggest how the theory concerning employee motivation and organizational performance may be advanced. We acknowledge the existing limitations of theory development and suggest an alternative research approach. Current motivation theory development is based on conventional quantitative analysis (e.g., multiple regression analysis, structural equation modeling. Since researchers are interested in context and understanding of this social phenomena holistically, they think in terms of combinations and configurations of a set of pertinent variables. We suggest that researchers take a set-theoretic approach to complement existing conventional quantitative analysis. To advance current thinking, we propose a set-theoretic approach to leverage employee motivation for organizational performance.

  5. Agenda-setting, Religion and New Media: The Chabad Case Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tsuriel Rashi

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Theoretically grounded in agenda setting, a theory focused on the transfer of influence from communication media to a public, this paper examines the media activity of Chabad, an Ultra-Orthodox Jewish movement that is committed both to making Judaism generally accessible and to influencing public discourse. Rabbi M. M. Schneerson, the movement’s late wise and charismatic leader, undertook this dual mission in light of his conception of the theological grounds for the exploitation of mass media. Our examination of Chabad’s agenda-setting communication strategy was guided by two research questions: 1. What is the range of communication media used by Chabad in an effort to achieve its goal? 2. What evidence is there regarding the agenda-setting success of these communication efforts? Although it is obviously difficult to judge the precise degree of success, it is clear that Chabad is involved in a wide range of media and public activity and has already influenced public discourse well beyond the range of the movement itself and of the Jewish religion. The answer to the two questions above will help us understand the various movements that try to influence the agenda on religious grounds, so that we can determine the interface between religion and setting the agenda. It may also assist the efforts of other religious groups that want to influence the media and the political agenda.

  6. Current-voltage characteristics of carbon nanotubes with substitutional nitrogen

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kaun, C.C.; Larade, B.; Mehrez, H.

    2002-01-01

    unit cell generates a metallic transport behavior. Nonlinear I-V characteristics set in at high bias and a negative differential resistance region is observed for the doped tubes. These behaviors can be well understood from the alignment/mis-alignment of the current carrying bands in the nanotube leads......We report ab initio analysis of current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of carbon nanotubes with nitrogen substitution doping. For zigzag semiconducting tubes, doping with a single N impurity increases current flow and, for small radii tubes, narrows the current gap. Doping a N impurity per nanotube...

  7. Current Analysis and Modeling of Fullerene Single-Electron Transistor at Room Temperature

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khadem Hosseini, Vahideh; Ahmadi, Mohammad Taghi; Afrang, Saeid; Ismail, Razali

    2017-07-01

    Single-electron transistors (SETs) are interesting electronic devices that have become key elements in modern nanoelectronic systems. SETs operate quickly because they use individual electrons, with the number transferred playing a key role in their switching behavior. However, rapid transmission of electrons can cause their accumulation at the island, affecting the I- V characteristic. Selection of fullerene as a nanoscale zero-dimensional material with high stability, and controllable size in the fabrication process, can overcome this charge accumulation issue and improve the reliability of SETs. Herein, the current in a fullerene SET is modeled and compared with experimental data for a silicon SET. Furthermore, a weaker Coulomb staircase and improved reliability are reported. Moreover, the applied gate voltage and fullerene diameter are found to be directly associated with the I- V curve, enabling the desired current to be achieved by controlling the fullerene diameter.

  8. Norming the odd: creation, norming, and validation of a stimulus set for the study of incongruities across music and language.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Featherstone, Cara R; Waterman, Mitch G; Morrison, Catriona M

    2012-03-01

    Research into similarities between music and language processing is currently experiencing a strong renewed interest. Recent methodological advances have led to neuroimaging studies presenting striking similarities between neural patterns associated with the processing of music and language--notably, in the study of participants' responses to elements that are incongruous with their musical or linguistic context. Responding to a call for greater systematicity by leading researchers in the field of music and language psychology, this article describes the creation, selection, and validation of a set of auditory stimuli in which both congruence and resolution were manipulated in equivalent ways across harmony, rhythm, semantics, and syntax. Three conditions were created by changing the contexts preceding and following musical and linguistic incongruities originally used for effect by authors and composers: Stimuli in the incongruous-resolved condition reproduced the original incongruity and resolution into the same context; stimuli in the incongruous-unresolved condition reproduced the incongruity but continued postincongruity with a new context dictated by the incongruity; and stimuli in the congruous condition presented the same element of interest, but the entire context was adapted to match it so that it was no longer incongruous. The manipulations described in this article rendered unrecognizable the original incongruities from which the stimuli were adapted, while maintaining ecological validity. The norming procedure and validation study resulted in a significant increase in perceived oddity from congruous to incongruous-resolved and from incongruous-resolved to incongruous-unresolved in all four components of music and language, making this set of stimuli a theoretically grounded and empirically validated resource for this growing area of research.

  9. Successful adaptation of three-dimensional inversion methodologies for archaeological-scale, total-field magnetic data sets

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheyney, S.; Fishwick, S.; Hill, I. A.; Linford, N. T.

    2015-08-01

    Despite the development of advanced processing and interpretation tools for magnetic data sets in the fields of mineral and hydrocarbon industries, these methods have not achieved similar levels of adoption for archaeological or very near surface surveys. Using a synthetic data set we demonstrate that certain methodologies and assumptions used to successfully invert more regional-scale data can lead to large discrepancies between the true and recovered depths when applied to archaeological-type anomalies. We propose variations to the current approach, analysing the choice of the depth-weighting function, mesh design and parameter constraints, to develop an appropriate technique for the 3-D inversion of archaeological-scale data sets. The results show a successful recovery of a synthetic scenario, as well as a case study of a Romano-Celtic temple in the UK. For the case study, the final susceptibility model is compared with two coincident ground penetrating radar surveys, showing a high correlation with the comparative depth slices. The new approach takes interpretation of archaeological data sets beyond a simple 2-D visual interpretation based on pattern recognition.

  10. Complement Set Reference after Implicitly Small Quantities: An Event-Related Potentials Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ingram, Joanne; Ferguson, Heather J.

    2018-01-01

    An anaphoric reference to the complement-set is a reference to the set that does not fulfil the predicate of the preceding sentence. Preferred reference to the complement-set has been found in eye movements when a character's implicit desire for a high amount has been denied using a negative emotion. We recorded event-related potentials to examine…

  11. A Novel Approach to Study Medical Decision Making in the Clinical Setting: The "Own-point-of-view" Perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pelaccia, Thierry; Tardif, Jacques; Triby, Emmanuel; Charlin, Bernard

    2017-07-01

    Making diagnostic and therapeutic decisions is a critical activity among physicians. It relies on the ability of physicians to use cognitive processes and specific knowledge in the context of a clinical reasoning. This ability is a core competency in physicians, especially in the field of emergency medicine where the rate of diagnostic errors is high. Studies that explore medical decision making in an authentic setting are increasing significantly. They are based on the use of qualitative methods that are applied at two separate times: 1) a video recording of the subject's actual activity in an authentic setting and 2) an interview with the subject, supported by the video recording. Traditionally, activity is recorded from an "external perspective"; i.e., a camera is positioned in the room in which the consultation takes place. This approach has many limits, both technical and with respect to the validity of the data collected. The article aims at 1) describing how decision making is currently being studied, especially from a qualitative standpoint, and the reasons why new methods are needed, and 2) reporting how we used an original, innovative approach to study decision making in the field of emergency medicine and findings from these studies to guide further the use of this method. The method consists in recording the subject's activity from his own point of view, by fixing a microcamera on his temple or the branch of his glasses. An interview is then held on the basis of this recording, so that the subject being interviewed can relive the situation, to facilitate the explanation of his reasoning with respect to his decisions and actions. We describe how this method has been used successfully in investigating medical decision making in emergency medicine. We provide details on how to use it optimally, taking into account the constraints associated with the practice of emergency medicine and the benefits in the study of clinical reasoning. The "own

  12. Evaluations of Sexual Assault Prevention Programs in Military Settings: A Synthesis of the Research Literature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Orchowski, Lindsay M; Berry-Cabán, Cristóbal S; Prisock, Kara; Borsari, Brian; Kazemi, Donna M

    2018-03-01

    The prevention of sexual assault (SA) in the U.S. military is a significant priority. This study applied the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines to a literature search that identified research evaluating SA prevention programs conducted within military settings. Only six studies published between 2005 and 2016 met criteria for inclusion in the review. Studies demonstrated high heterogeneity in the: (1) conceptual framework of the prevention approach; (2) target population and timing of administration; (3) study recruitment methods; (4) methodological design; (5) method of delivery, program dosage and theory of change; and (6) outcome administration and efficacy. Scientific rigor according to the Oxford Center for Evidence-based Medicine was also variable. Several gaps in the research base were identified. Specifically, research evaluating SA prevention programs have only been conducted among U.S. Army and U.S. Navy samples. Most studies did not examine whether program participation was associated with reductions in rates of sexual violence. Studies also lacked utilization of a long-term follow-up period. Additionally, studies did not reflect the types of SA prevention programs currently being implemented in military settings. Taken together, further research is needed to enhance the evidence base for SA prevention in the military, and to evaluate the effectiveness of the approaches currently being conducted with service members.

  13. Teaching Cafe' Waiter Skills to Adults with Intellectual Disability: A Real Setting Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cavkaytar, Atilla

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of the study was to examine effectiveness of the Cafe' Waiter Education Program by providing the least prompting to three adult subjects with intellectual disability in a real-life setting. A multiple probe research design across subjects was used. Cafe' waiter skills included five main tasks incorporating 125 skill steps. Task…

  14. Appropriate criteria set for personnel promotion across organizational levels using analytic hierarchy process (AHP

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Charles Noven Castillo

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Currently, there has been limited established specific set of criteria for personnel promotion to each level of the organization. This study is conducted in order to develop a personnel promotion strategy by identifying specific sets of criteria for each level of the organization. The complexity of identifying the criteria set along with the subjectivity of these criteria require the use of multi-criteria decision-making approach particularly the analytic hierarchy process (AHP. Results show different sets of criteria for each management level which are consistent with several frameworks in literature. These criteria sets would help avoid mismatch of employee skills and competencies and their job, and at the same time eliminate the issues in personnel promotion such as favouritism, glass ceiling, and gender and physical attractiveness preference. This work also shows that personality and traits, job satisfaction and experience and skills are more critical rather than social capital across different organizational levels. The contribution of this work is in identifying relevant criteria in developing a personnel promotion strategy across organizational levels.

  15. A scoping study for an environmental impact field programme in tidal current energy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2002-07-01

    This report summarises the results of a study to identify the environmental impacts of tidal current energy with the aim of prioritising research. The background to the study is traced, and the interaction between tidal current energy technology and the marine environment, the modeling of the consequences of the environmental interactions, the quantification of the environmental impacts of key environmental interactions, and the formulation of a programme of research are discussed. Recommendations are given and research needs are highlighted.

  16. Study of Machine-Learning Classifier and Feature Set Selection for Intent Classification of Korean Tweets about Food Safety

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yeom, Ha-Neul

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available In recent years, several studies have proposed making use of the Twitter micro-blogging service to track various trends in online media and discussion. In this study, we specifically examine the use of Twitter to track discussions of food safety in the Korean language. Given the irregularity of keyword use in most tweets, we focus on optimistic machine-learning and feature set selection to classify collected tweets. We build the classifier model using Naive Bayes & Naive Bayes Multinomial, Support Vector Machine, and Decision Tree Algorithms, all of which show good performance. To select an optimum feature set, we construct a basic feature set as a standard for performance comparison, so that further test feature sets can be evaluated. Experiments show that precision and F-measure performance are best when using a Naive Bayes Multinomial classifier model with a test feature set defined by extracting Substantive, Predicate, Modifier, and Interjection parts of speech.

  17. Visualization of big data security: a case study on the KDD99 cup data set

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zichan Ruan

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Cyber security has been thrust into the limelight in the modern technological era because of an array of attacks often bypassing untrained intrusion detection systems (IDSs. Therefore, greater attention has been directed on being able deciphering better methods for identifying attack types to train IDSs more effectively. Keycyber-attack insights exist in big data; however, an efficient approach is required to determine strong attack types to train IDSs to become more effective in key areas. Despite the rising growth in IDS research, there is a lack of studies involving big data visualization, which is key. The KDD99 data set has served as a strong benchmark since 1999; therefore, we utilized this data set in our experiment. In this study, we utilized hash algorithm, a weight table, and sampling method to deal with the inherent problems caused by analyzing big data; volume, variety, and velocity. By utilizing a visualization algorithm, we were able to gain insights into the KDD99 data set with a clear identification of “normal” clusters and described distinct clusters of effective attacks.

  18. A Grounded Theory Study of HIV-Related Stigma in U.S.-Based Health Care Settings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davtyan, Mariam; Olshansky, Ellen F; Brown, Brandon; Lakon, Cynthia

    Despite progress made in the treatment and care of people living with HIV (PLWH), HIV-related stigma has remained persistent. Health care settings and workers have been identified as important sources of stigma. Studies have addressed the construct of stigma in U.S. health care settings, but mainly from the perspectives of PLWH. We used Grounded Theory to understand how health care workers conceptualized HIV-related stigma and to develop a model to project a purposive view of stigma in health care settings. Our model indicates that stigma may be rooted in historically derogatory representations of HIV and intensified by power inequalities. Stigma may be triggered by fear, inadequate clinical education and training, unintentional behaviors, and limited contact with PLWH. Study participants perceived stigma as injurious to patient and provider health outcomes. Additional research on provider perceptions of stigma and programs that encourage empowerment, communication, and training may be necessary for stigma reduction. Copyright © 2017 Association of Nurses in AIDS Care. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Effects of allocryptopine on outward potassium current and slow delayed rectifier potassium current in rabbit myocardium.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fu, Yi-Cheng; Zhang, Yu; Tian, Liu-Yang; Li, Nan; Chen, Xi; Cai, Zhong-Qi; Zhu, Chao; Li, Yang

    2016-05-01

    Allocryptopine (ALL) is an effective alkaloid of Corydalis decumbens (Thunb.) Pers. Papaveraceae and has proved to be anti-arrhythmic. The purpose of our study is to investigate the effects of ALL on transmural repolarizing ionic ingredients of outward potassium current (I to) and slow delayed rectifier potassium current (I Ks). The monophasic action potential (MAP) technique was used to record the MAP duration of the epicardium (Epi), myocardium (M) and endocardium (Endo) of the rabbit heart and the whole cell patch clamp was used to record I to and I Ks in cardiomyocytes of Epi, M and Endo layers that were isolated from rabbit ventricles. The effects of ALL on MAP of Epi, M and Endo layers were disequilibrium. ALL could effectively reduce the transmural dispersion of repolarization (TDR) in rabbit transmural ventricular wall. ALL decreased the current densities of I to and I Ks in a voltage and concentration dependent way and narrowed the repolarizing differences among three layers. The analysis of gating kinetics showed ALL accelerated the channel activation of I to in M layers and partly inhibit the channel openings of I to in Epi, M and Endo cells. On the other hand, ALL mainly slowed channel deactivation of I Ks channel in Epi and Endo layers without affecting its activation. Our study gives partially explanation about the mechanisms of transmural inhibition of I to and I Ks channels by ALL in rabbit myocardium. These findings provide novel perspective regarding the anti-arrhythmogenesis application of ALL in clinical settings.

  20. Response functions of cold neutron matter: density, spin and current fluctuations

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Keller, Jochen; Sedrakian, Armen [Institut fuer Theoretische Physik, Goethe-Universitaet, Frankfurt am Main (Germany)

    2014-07-01

    We study the response of a single-component pair-correlated baryonic Fermi-liquid to density, spin, and their current perturbations. A complete set of response functions is calculated in the low-temperature regime. We derive the spectral functions of collective excitations associated with the density, density-current, spin, and spin-current perturbations. The dispersion relations of density and spin fluctuations are determined and it is shown that the density fluctuations lead to exciton-like undamped bound states, whereas the spin excitations correspond to diffusive modes above the pair-breaking threshold. The contribution of the collective pair-breaking modes to the specific heat of neutron matter at subnuclear densities is computed and is shown to be comparable to that of the degenerate electron gas at not too low temperatures.

  1. Empirical lessons regarding contraception in a protracted refugee setting: A descriptive study from Maela camp on the Thai-Myanmar border 1996 - 2015.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Srikanok, Somjet; Parker, Daniel M; Parker, Amber L; Lee, Tracey; Min, Aung Myat; Ontuwong, Pranee; Oo Tan, Saw; Sirinonthachai, Supachai; McGready, Rose

    2017-01-01

    Conflict settings and refugee camps can be chaotic places, with large and rapid population movements, exacerbated public health problems, and ad hoc health services. Reproductive health care that includes family planning is of heightened importance in such settings, however, funding and resources tend to be constrained and geared towards acute health services such as trauma management and infectious disease containment. Here we report on the complexities and challenges of providing family planning in a post-emergency refugee setting, using the example of the largest refugee camp on the Thai-Myanmar border, in existence now for over 30 years. Data from 2009 demonstrates an upward trend in uptake of all contraceptives, especially long acting reversible contraception (LARC) and permanent methods (e.g. sterilization) over time. Increased uptake occurred during periods of time when there were boosts in funding or when barriers to access were alleviated. For example a surgeon fluent in local languages is correlated with increased uptake of tubal ligation in females. These data indicate that funding directed toward contraceptives in this refugee setting led to increases in contraceptives use. However, contraceptive uptake estimates depend on the baseline population which is difficult to measure in this setting. As far as we are aware, this is the longest reported review of family planning services for a refugee camp setting to date. The lessons learned from this setting may be valuable given the current global refugee crisis.

  2. Rapid, Reliable Shape Setting of Superelastic Nitinol for Prototyping Robots.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gilbert, Hunter B; Webster, Robert J

    Shape setting Nitinol tubes and wires in a typical laboratory setting for use in superelastic robots is challenging. Obtaining samples that remain superelastic and exhibit desired precurvatures currently requires many iterations, which is time consuming and consumes a substantial amount of Nitinol. To provide a more accurate and reliable method of shape setting, in this paper we propose an electrical technique that uses Joule heating to attain the necessary shape setting temperatures. The resulting high power heating prevents unintended aging of the material and yields consistent and accurate results for the rapid creation of prototypes. We present a complete algorithm and system together with an experimental analysis of temperature regulation. We experimentally validate the approach on Nitinol tubes that are shape set into planar curves. We also demonstrate the feasibility of creating general space curves by shape setting a helical tube. The system demonstrates a mean absolute temperature error of 10°C.

  3. Partially ordered sets in complex networks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xuan Qi; Du Fang; Wu Tiejun

    2010-01-01

    In this paper, a partial-order relation is defined among vertices of a network to describe which vertex is more important than another on its contribution to the connectivity of the network. A maximum linearly ordered subset of vertices is defined as a chain and the chains sharing the same end-vertex are grouped as a family. Through combining the same vertices appearing in different chains, a directed chain graph is obtained. Based on these definitions, a series of new network measurements, such as chain length distribution, family diversity distribution, as well as the centrality of families, are proposed. By studying the partially ordered sets in three kinds of real-world networks, many interesting results are revealed. For instance, the similar approximately power-law chain length distribution may be attributed to a chain-based positive feedback mechanism, i.e. new vertices prefer to participate in longer chains, which can be inferred by combining the notable preferential attachment rule with a well-ordered recommendation manner. Moreover, the relatively large average incoming degree of the chain graphs may indicate an efficient substitution mechanism in these networks. Most of the partially ordered set-based properties cannot be explained by the current well-known scale-free network models; therefore, we are required to propose more appropriate network models in the future.

  4. Models for setting ATM parameter values

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Blaabjerg, Søren; Gravey, A.; Romæuf, L.

    1996-01-01

    essential to set traffic characteristic values that are relevant to the considered cell stream, and that ensure that the amount of non-conforming traffic is small. Using a queueing model representation for the GCRA formalism, several methods are available for choosing the traffic characteristics. This paper......In ATM networks, a user should negotiate at connection set-up a traffic contract which includes traffic characteristics and requested QoS. The traffic characteristics currently considered are the Peak Cell Rate, the Sustainable Cell Rate, the Intrinsic Burst Tolerance and the Cell Delay Variation...... (CDV) tolerance(s). The values taken by these traffic parameters characterize the so-called ''Worst Case Traffic'' that is used by CAC procedures for accepting a new connection and allocating resources to it. Conformance to the negotiated traffic characteristics is defined, at the ingress User...

  5. Mental models of audit and feedback in primary care settings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hysong, Sylvia J; Smitham, Kristen; SoRelle, Richard; Amspoker, Amber; Hughes, Ashley M; Haidet, Paul

    2018-05-30

    Audit and feedback has been shown to be instrumental in improving quality of care, particularly in outpatient settings. The mental model individuals and organizations hold regarding audit and feedback can moderate its effectiveness, yet this has received limited study in the quality improvement literature. In this study we sought to uncover patterns in mental models of current feedback practices within high- and low-performing healthcare facilities. We purposively sampled 16 geographically dispersed VA hospitals based on high and low performance on a set of chronic and preventive care measures. We interviewed up to 4 personnel from each location (n = 48) to determine the facility's receptivity to audit and feedback practices. Interview transcripts were analyzed via content and framework analysis to identify emergent themes. We found high variability in the mental models of audit and feedback, which we organized into positive and negative themes. We were unable to associate mental models of audit and feedback with clinical performance due to high variance in facility performance over time. Positive mental models exhibit perceived utility of audit and feedback practices in improving performance; whereas, negative mental models did not. Results speak to the variability of mental models of feedback, highlighting how facilities perceive current audit and feedback practices. Findings are consistent with prior research  in that variability in feedback mental models is associated with lower performance.; Future research should seek to empirically link mental models revealed in this paper to high and low levels of clinical performance.

  6. Standardised assessment of functioning in ADHD: consensus on the ICF Core Sets for ADHD.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bölte, Sven; Mahdi, Soheil; Coghill, David; Gau, Susan Shur-Fen; Granlund, Mats; Holtmann, Martin; Karande, Sunil; Levy, Florence; Rohde, Luis A; Segerer, Wolfgang; de Vries, Petrus J; Selb, Melissa

    2018-02-12

    Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with significant impairments in social, educational, and occupational functioning, as well as specific strengths. Currently, there is no internationally accepted standard to assess the functioning of individuals with ADHD. WHO's International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health-child and youth version (ICF) can serve as a conceptual basis for such a standard. The objective of this study is to develop a comprehensive, a common brief, and three age-appropriate brief ICF Core Sets for ADHD. Using a standardised methodology, four international preparatory studies generated 132 second-level ICF candidate categories that served as the basis for developing ADHD Core Sets. Using these categories and following an iterative consensus process, 20 ADHD experts from nine professional disciplines and representing all six WHO regions selected the most relevant categories to constitute the ADHD Core Sets. The consensus process resulted in 72 second-level ICF categories forming the comprehensive ICF Core Set-these represented 8 body functions, 35 activities and participation, and 29 environmental categories. A Common Brief Core Set that included 38 categories was also defined. Age-specific brief Core Sets included a 47 category preschool version for 0-5 years old, a 55 category school-age version for 6-16 years old, and a 52 category version for older adolescents and adults 17 years old and above. The ICF Core Sets for ADHD mark a milestone toward an internationally standardised functional assessment of ADHD across the lifespan, and across educational, administrative, clinical, and research settings.

  7. Determinants of corporate lobbying intensity in the lease standard-setting process

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lucia Mellado

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available The highly controversial lease standard-setting project that will replace the standards currently in place, establishes a new approach that includes the recognition of all assets and liabilities associated with lease contracts on the balance sheet, regardless of their classification. The complex standard-setting process and the heated debate among stakeholders makes the analysis of the lobbying phenomenon an important matter for study. The aim of this paper is to find explanatory factors that predict the behaviour of corporate groups with respect to the lease standard-setting process. To achieve this objective, we scrutinize the submission of comment letters by 306 non-financial listed companies in response to the discussion paper (DP 2009 and two exposure drafts (ED 2010 and ED 2013 elaborated jointly by the IASB and the FASB by distinguishing among three degrees of intensity in lobbying activities, depending on participation in the different discussion periods. Our empirical study is conducted through a multivariate analysis that shows the intensity of lobbying by considering participation in the three consultation periods. The results show that the intensity of lobbying is associated with size, profitability, age, industry and managerial ownership. The evidence can be used to predict lobbying behaviour. The research has implications for standard setters and contributes to prior lobbying research.

  8. Determining the anaerobic threshold in post-polio syndrome: comparison with current guidelines for training intensity prescription.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Voorn, E.L.; Gerrits, K.H.L.; Koopman, F.S.; Nollet, F.; Beelen, A.

    2014-01-01

    Objectives To determine whether the anaerobic threshold (AT) can be identified in individuals with postpolio syndrome (PPS) using submaximal incremental exercise testing, and to compare current guidelines for intensity prescription in PPS with the AT. Design Cohort study. Setting Research

  9. Development of Rotor Diagnosis Method via Motor Current Signature Analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Park, Jin Seok; Huh, Hyung; Kim, Min Hwan; Jeong, Kyeong Hoon; Lee, Gyu Mhan; Park, Jin Ho; Park, Keun Bae; Lee, Cheol Kwon; Hur, S

    2006-01-15

    A study on motor current signature analysis has been performed to monitor a journal bearing fault due to increasing clearance. It was known that the journal bearing clearance produces side band frequencies, the supplied current frequency plus and minus rotational rotor frequency in motor current. But the existence information of the side band frequencies is not sufficient to diagnose whether the journal bearing is safe or not. Four journal bearing sets with different clearances are used to measure the side band frequency amplitude and the rotor vibration amplitude versus the journal bearing clearance. The side band frequency amplitude and the rotor vibration amplitude are increased as the journal bearing clearance is increasing. This trend assures that ASME OM vibration guide line can be applied to estimate the journal bearing clearance size. In this research, 2.5 times the reference side band amplitude is suggested as an indicator of a journal bearing fault. Further study is necessary to make out more specific quantitative relations between the side band frequency amplitude and the journal bearing clearance of a motor.

  10. Development of Rotor Diagnosis Method via Motor Current Signature Analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, Jin Seok; Huh, Hyung; Kim, Min Hwan; Jeong, Kyeong Hoon; Lee, Gyu Mhan; Park, Jin Ho; Park, Keun Bae; Lee, Cheol Kwon; Hur, S.

    2006-01-01

    A study on motor current signature analysis has been performed to monitor a journal bearing fault due to increasing clearance. It was known that the journal bearing clearance produces side band frequencies, the supplied current frequency plus and minus rotational rotor frequency in motor current. But the existence information of the side band frequencies is not sufficient to diagnose whether the journal bearing is safe or not. Four journal bearing sets with different clearances are used to measure the side band frequency amplitude and the rotor vibration amplitude versus the journal bearing clearance. The side band frequency amplitude and the rotor vibration amplitude are increased as the journal bearing clearance is increasing. This trend assures that ASME OM vibration guide line can be applied to estimate the journal bearing clearance size. In this research, 2.5 times the reference side band amplitude is suggested as an indicator of a journal bearing fault. Further study is necessary to make out more specific quantitative relations between the side band frequency amplitude and the journal bearing clearance of a motor

  11. MAGMA: generalized gene-set analysis of GWAS data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Leeuw, Christiaan A; Mooij, Joris M; Heskes, Tom; Posthuma, Danielle

    2015-04-01

    By aggregating data for complex traits in a biologically meaningful way, gene and gene-set analysis constitute a valuable addition to single-marker analysis. However, although various methods for gene and gene-set analysis currently exist, they generally suffer from a number of issues. Statistical power for most methods is strongly affected by linkage disequilibrium between markers, multi-marker associations are often hard to detect, and the reliance on permutation to compute p-values tends to make the analysis computationally very expensive. To address these issues we have developed MAGMA, a novel tool for gene and gene-set analysis. The gene analysis is based on a multiple regression model, to provide better statistical performance. The gene-set analysis is built as a separate layer around the gene analysis for additional flexibility. This gene-set analysis also uses a regression structure to allow generalization to analysis of continuous properties of genes and simultaneous analysis of multiple gene sets and other gene properties. Simulations and an analysis of Crohn's Disease data are used to evaluate the performance of MAGMA and to compare it to a number of other gene and gene-set analysis tools. The results show that MAGMA has significantly more power than other tools for both the gene and the gene-set analysis, identifying more genes and gene sets associated with Crohn's Disease while maintaining a correct type 1 error rate. Moreover, the MAGMA analysis of the Crohn's Disease data was found to be considerably faster as well.

  12. Study of the instability of a film streaming on a vertical plane plate and submitted to a gas counter-current. Transition towards the co-current upward flow

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bachir, Aziz

    1987-01-01

    This research thesis addresses the study of a liquid film flowing on a vertical wall in presence of a counter-current gas flow, and of its transition towards an upward co-current flow due to the increase of gas rate, such transition being herein called flooding. In the first part, the author addresses this flooding phenomenon and reports a bibliographical study of experimental and theoretical works. In the second part, he proposes an original theoretical approach to the modelling of a counter-current flow evolving towards a co-current flow: main methods of study of liquid film stability without gas flow, elaboration of the proposed model, study of the linear stability, numerical resolution, and presentation of an original theoretical criterion defining the limits of counter-current flow. The next part reports the experimental works: visualisations of mechanisms resulting in flooding in a rectangular duct, development of an experimental installation, comparison between theoretical and experimental results [fr

  13. Study of Co-Current and Counter-Current Gas-Liquid Two-Phase Flow Through Packed Bed in Microgravity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Revankar, Shripad T.

    2002-11-01

    The main goal of the project is to obtain new experimental data and development of models on the co-current and counter-current gas-liquid two-phase flow through a packed bed in microgravity and characterize the flow regime transition, pressure drop, void and interfacial area distribution, and liquid hold up. Experimental data will be obtained for earth gravity and microgravity conditions. Models will be developed for the prediction of flow regime transition, void fraction distribution and interfacial area concentration, which are key parameters to characterize the packed bed performance. Thus the specific objectives of the proposed research are to: (1) Develop experiments for the study of the gas liquid two-phase flow through the packed bed with three different flow combinations: co-current down flow, co-current upflow and counter current flow. (2) Develop pore scale and bed scale two-phase instrumentation for measurement of flow regime transition, void distribution and gas-liquid interfacial area concentration in the packed bed. (3) Obtain database on flow regime transition, pressure drop, void distribution, interfacial area concentration and liquid hold up as a function of bed characteristics such as bed particle size, porosity, and liquid properties such as viscosity and surface tension. (4) Develop mathematical model for flow regime transition, void fraction distribution and interfacial area concentration for co-current gas-liquid flow through the porous bed in gravity and micro gravity conditions.(4) Develop mathematical model for the flooding phenomena in counter-current gas-liquid flow through the porous bed in gravity and micro gravity conditions. The present proposal addresses the most important topic of HEDS-specific microgravity fluid physics research identified by NASA 's one of the strategic enterprises, OBPR Enterprise. The proposed project is well defined and makes efficient use of the ground-based parabolic flight research aircraft facility. The

  14. Double beta decay and majorana neutrinos. Right-handed currents or nonzero masses

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rosen, S.P.; Perlmutter, A.

    1981-01-01

    This chapter describes some new developments concerning the mechanism for lepton number nonconservation in no-neutrino double beta decay. Explains that lepton number nonconservation in no-neutrino double beta decay comes about either because both left- and right-handed components of a Majorano neutrino are coupled to the electron in the weak leptonic current, or because the neutrino has nonzero mass. Shows that while nuclear ground-state to ground-state transitions arise from right-handed currents and from neutrino mass terms, transitions to low-lying excited states with J /SUP P/ =2 + can arise only from right-handed currents. Emphasizes that the possibilities of detecting small admixtures of right-handed currents, and of setting limits on neutrino masses that are either very small or very large, make double beta decay a most rewarding phenomenon to study

  15. Possibility Fuzzy Soft Set

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shawkat Alkhazaleh

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available We introduce the concept of possibility fuzzy soft set and its operation and study some of its properties. We give applications of this theory in solving a decision-making problem. We also introduce a similarity measure of two possibility fuzzy soft sets and discuss their application in a medical diagnosis problem.

  16. Model-independent study of light cone current commutators

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gautam, S.R.; Dicus, D.A.

    1974-01-01

    An attempt is made to extract information on the nature of light cone current commutators (L. C. C.) in a model independent manner. Using simple assumptions on the validity of the DGS representation for the structure functions of deep inelastic scattering and using the Bjorken--Johnston--Low theorem it is shown that in principle the L. C. C. may be constructed knowing the experimental electron--proton scattering data. On the other hand the scaling behavior of the structure functions is utilized to study the consistency of a vanishing value for various L. C. C. under mild assumptions on the behavior of the DGS spectral moments. (U.S.)

  17. Current CTR-related tritium handling studies at ORNL

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Watson, J.S.; Bell, J.T.; Clinton, S.D.; Fisher, P.W.; Redman, J.D.; Smith, F.J.; Talbot, J.B.; Tung, C.P.

    1976-01-01

    The Oak Ridge National Laboratory has a comprehensive program concerned with plasma fuel recycle, tritium recovery from blankets, and tritium containment in fusion reactors. Two studies of most current interest are investigations of cryosorption pumping of hydrogen isotopes and measurements of tritium permeation rates through steam generator materials. Cryosorption pumping speeds have been measured for hydrogen, deuterium, and helium at pressures from 10 -8 torr to 3 x 10 -3 torr. Permeation rates through Incoloy 800 have been shown to be drastically reduced when the low pressure side of permeation tubes are exposed to steam. These results will be important considerations in the design of fusion reactor steam generators

  18. Through the eyes of a child: preschoolers' identification of emotional expressions from the child affective facial expression (CAFE) set.

    Science.gov (United States)

    LoBue, Vanessa; Baker, Lewis; Thrasher, Cat

    2017-08-10

    Researchers have been interested in the perception of human emotional expressions for decades. Importantly, most empirical work in this domain has relied on controlled stimulus sets of adults posing for various emotional expressions. Recently, the Child Affective Facial Expression (CAFE) set was introduced to the scientific community, featuring a large validated set of photographs of preschool aged children posing for seven different emotional expressions. Although the CAFE set was extensively validated using adult participants, the set was designed for use with children. It is therefore necessary to verify that adult validation applies to child performance. In the current study, we examined 3- to 4-year-olds' identification of a subset of children's faces in the CAFE set, and compared it to adult ratings cited in previous research. Our results demonstrate an exceptionally strong relationship between adult ratings of the CAFE photos and children's ratings, suggesting that the adult validation of the set can be applied to preschool-aged participants. The results are discussed in terms of methodological implications for the use of the CAFE set with children, and theoretical implications for using the set to study the development of emotion perception in early childhood.

  19. Sensitive study of the climatological SST by using ATSR global SST data sets

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xue, Yong; Lawrence, Sean P.; Llewellyn-Jones, David T.

    1995-12-01

    Climatological sea surface temperature (SST) is an initial step for global climate processing monitoring. A comparison has been made by using Oberhuber's SST data set and two years monthly averaged SST from ATSR thermal band data to force the OGCM. In the eastern Pacific Ocean, these make only a small difference to model SST. In the western Pacific Ocean, the use of Oberhuber's data set gives higher climatological SST than that using ATSR data. The SSTs were also simulated for 1992 using climatological SSTs from two years monthly averaged ATSR data and Oberhuber data. The forcing with SST from ATSR data was found to give better SST simulation than that from Oberhuber's data. Our study has confirmed that ATSR can provide accurate monthly averaged global SST for global climate processing monitoring.

  20. Daily negative affect and smoking after a self-set quit attempt: The role of dyadic invisible social support in a daily diary study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lüscher, Janina; Stadler, Gertraud; Ochsner, Sibylle; Rackow, Pamela; Knoll, Nina; Hornung, Rainer; Scholz, Urte

    2015-11-01

    Social support receipt from one's partner is assumed to be beneficial for successful smoking cessation. However, support receipt can have costs. Recent research suggests that the most effective support is unnoticed by the receiver (i.e., invisible). Therefore, this study examined the association between everyday levels of dyadic invisible emotional and instrumental support, daily negative affect, and daily smoking after a self-set quit attempt in smoker-non-smoker couples. Overall, 100 smokers (72.0% men, mean age M = 40.48, SD = 9.82) and their non-smoking partners completed electronic diaries from a self-set quit date on for 22 consecutive days, reporting daily invisible emotional and instrumental social support, daily negative affect, and daily smoking. Same-day multilevel analyses showed that at the between-person level, higher individual mean levels of invisible emotional and instrumental support were associated with less daily negative affect. In contrast to our assumption, more receipt of invisible emotional and instrumental support was related to more daily cigarettes smoked. The findings are in line with previous results, indicating invisible support to have beneficial relations with affect. However, results emphasize the need for further prospective daily diary approaches for understanding the dynamics of invisible support on smoking cessation. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? Social support receipt from a close other has proven to have emotional costs. According to current studies, the most effective social support is unnoticed by the receiver (i.e., invisible). There is empirical evidence for beneficial effects of invisible social support on affective well-being. What does this study add? Confirming benefits of invisible social support for negative affect in a health behaviour change setting Providing first evidence for detrimental effects of invisible social support on smoking. © 2015 The British Psychological Society.

  1. Patient and public engagement in priority setting: A systematic rapid review of the literature

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vandall-Walker, Virginia; Mason-Lai, Ping

    2018-01-01

    Background Current research suggests that while patients are becoming more engaged across the health delivery spectrum, this involvement occurs most often at the pre-preparation stage to identify ‘high-level’ priorities in health ecosystem priority setting, and at the preparation phase for health research. Objective The purpose of this systematic rapid review of the literature is to describe the evidence that does exist in relation to patient and public engagement priority setting in both health ecosystem and health research. Data sources HealthStar (via OVID); CINAHL; Proquest Databases; and Scholar’s Portal. Study eligibility criteria i) published in English; ii) published within the timeframe of 2007—Current (10 years) unless the report/article was formative in synthesizing key considerations of patient engagement in health ecosystem and health research priority setting; iii) conducted in Canada, the US, Europe, UK, Australia/New Zealand, or Scandinavian countries. Study appraisal and synthesis i) Is the research valid, sound, and applicable?; ii) what outcomes can we potentially expect if we implement the findings from this research?; iii) will the target population (i.e., health researchers and practitioners) be able to use this research?. A summary of findings from each of the respective processes was synthesized to highlight key information that would support decision-making for researchers when determining the best priority setting process to apply for their specific patient-oriented research. Results Seventy articles from the UK, US, Canada, Netherlands and Australia were selected for review. Results were organized into two tiers of public and patient engagement in prioritization: Tier 1—Deliberative and Tier 2—Consultative. Highly structured patient and public engagement planning activities include the James Lind Alliance Priority Setting Partnerships (UK), Dialogue Method (Netherlands), Global Evidence Mapping (Australia), and the Deep

  2. Modulation of Isometric Quadriceps Strength in Soccer Players With Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation: A Crossover Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vargas, Valentine Z; Baptista, Abrahão F; Pereira, Guilherme O C; Pochini, Alberto C; Ejnisman, Benno; Santos, Marcelo B; João, Silvia M A; Hazime, Fuad A

    2018-05-01

    Vargas, VZ, Baptista, AF, Pereira, GOC, Pochini, AC, Ejnisman, B, Santos, MB, João, SMA, and Hazime, FA. Modulation of isometric quadriceps strength in soccer players with transcranial direct current stimulation: a crossover study. J Strength Cond Res 32(5): 1336-1341, 2018-The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on the maximum isometric muscle contraction (MVIC) of the knee extensors in soccer players at the preprofessional level. Twenty female soccer players aged 15-17 years (mean = 16.1; SD = 0.9) with 5.2 ± 2.6 years of training were randomly divided into 2 groups to receive either active or sham tDCS in a single session (2 mA; 0.057 mA·cm). The MVIC of the knee extensors was evaluated in both lower limbs by manual dynamometry in 5 sets of contractions divided into 4 blocks: (a) prestimulation, (b) during tDCS, (c) 30 minutes after tDCS, and (d) 60 minutes after tDCS. After an interval of 7 days, the groups were evaluated again, and the type of initial stimulation was inverted between participants. The MVIC of the knee extensors increased significantly during active tDCS (dominant limb (DL) = 0.4; IC = 0.1-0.8 N·Kg), 30 minutes after active tDCS (DL = 0.9; IC 0.4-1.4 N·Kg), and 60 minutes after active tDCS (DL = 1.0; IC 0.3-1.6 N·Kg) but not for sham tDCS. Our conclusion was that tDCS temporarily increases isometric quadriceps strength in adolescent female soccer players, which may be useful for both strength training and rehabilitation.

  3. Learning from the Experts: A Study of Free-Improvisation Pedagogues in University Settings

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hickey, Maud

    2015-01-01

    There is a growing interest in alternative forms of pedagogy for students in K-12 settings. Free improvisation, a relatively new and unfamiliar genre, offers potential as an ensemble for teachers to provide in order to offer more egalitarian and creative music experiences for their students. The purpose of this multiple case study was to determine…

  4. A Between- and Within-Person Analysis of Parenting And Time Spent in Criminogenic Settings during Adolescence: The Role of Self-Control And Delinquent Attitudes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Janssen, Heleen J.; Bruinsma, Gerben J. N.; Dekovic, Maja; Eichelsheim, Veroni I.

    2018-01-01

    Although spending time in criminogenic settings is increasingly recognized as an explanation for adolescent delinquency, little is known about its determinants. The current study aims to examine the extent to which (change in) self-control and (change in) delinquent attitudes relate to (change in) time spent in criminogenic settings, and the…

  5. Setting-related influences on physical inactivity of older adults in residential care settings: a review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Douma, Johanna G; Volkers, Karin M; Engels, Gwenda; Sonneveld, Marieke H; Goossens, Richard H M; Scherder, Erik J A

    2017-04-28

    Despite the detrimental effects of physical inactivity for older adults, especially aged residents of residential care settings may spend much time in inactive behavior. This may be partly due to their poorer physical condition; however, there may also be other, setting-related factors that influence the amount of inactivity. The aim of this review was to review setting-related factors (including the social and physical environment) that may contribute to the amount of older adults' physical inactivity in a wide range of residential care settings (e.g., nursing homes, assisted care facilities). Five databases were systematically searched for eligible studies, using the key words 'inactivity', 'care facilities', and 'older adults', including their synonyms and MeSH terms. Additional studies were selected from references used in articles included from the search. Based on specific eligibility criteria, a total of 12 studies were included. Quality of the included studies was assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT). Based on studies using different methodologies (e.g., interviews and observations), and of different quality (assessed quality range: 25-100%), we report several aspects related to the physical environment and caregivers. Factors of the physical environment that may be related to physical inactivity included, among others, the environment's compatibility with the abilities of a resident, the presence of equipment, the accessibility, security, comfort, and aesthetics of the environment/corridors, and possibly the presence of some specific areas. Caregiver-related factors included staffing levels, the available time, and the amount and type of care being provided. Inactivity levels in residential care settings may be reduced by improving several features of the physical environment and with the help of caregivers. Intervention studies could be performed in order to gain more insight into causal effects of improving setting-related factors on

  6. GMR-based eddy current probe for weld seam inspection and its non-scanning detection study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Peng; Wang, Chao; Li, Yang; Wang, Libin; Cong, Zheng; Zhi, Ya

    2017-04-01

    Eddy current testing is one of the most important non-destructive testing methods for welding defects detection. This paper presents the use of a probe consisting of 4 giant magneto-resistive (GMR) sensors to detect weld defects. Information from four measuring points above and on both sides of the weld seam is collected at the same time. By setting the GMR sensors' sensing axes perpendicular to the direction of the excitation magnetic field, the information collected mainly reflects the change in the eddy current which is caused by defects. Digital demodulation technology is applied to extract the real part and imaginary part of the GMR sensors' output signals. The variables containing directional information of the magnetic field are introduced. Based on the data from the four GMR (4-GMR) sensors' output signals, four values, Ran, Mean, Var and k are selected as the feature quantities for defect recognition. Experiments are carried out on weld seams with and without defects, and the detection outputs are given in this paper. The 4-GMR probe is also employed to investigate non-scanning weld defect detection and the four feature quantities (Ran, Mean, Var and k) are studied to evaluate weld quality. The non-scanning weld defect detection is presented. A support vector machine is used to classify and discriminate welds with and without defects. Experiments carried out show that through the method in this paper, the recognition rate is 92% for welds without defects and 90% for welds with defects, with an overall recognition rate of 90.9%, indicating that this method could effectively detect weld defects.

  7. PANDORA: keyword-based analysis of protein sets by integration of annotation sources.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaplan, Noam; Vaaknin, Avishay; Linial, Michal

    2003-10-01

    Recent advances in high-throughput methods and the application of computational tools for automatic classification of proteins have made it possible to carry out large-scale proteomic analyses. Biological analysis and interpretation of sets of proteins is a time-consuming undertaking carried out manually by experts. We have developed PANDORA (Protein ANnotation Diagram ORiented Analysis), a web-based tool that provides an automatic representation of the biological knowledge associated with any set of proteins. PANDORA uses a unique approach of keyword-based graphical analysis that focuses on detecting subsets of proteins that share unique biological properties and the intersections of such sets. PANDORA currently supports SwissProt keywords, NCBI Taxonomy, InterPro entries and the hierarchical classification terms from ENZYME, SCOP and GO databases. The integrated study of several annotation sources simultaneously allows a representation of biological relations of structure, function, cellular location, taxonomy, domains and motifs. PANDORA is also integrated into the ProtoNet system, thus allowing testing thousands of automatically generated clusters. We illustrate how PANDORA enhances the biological understanding of large, non-uniform sets of proteins originating from experimental and computational sources, without the need for prior biological knowledge on individual proteins.

  8. Evaluation of Current Controllers for Distributed Power Generation Systems

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Timbus, Adrian; Liserre, Marco; Teodorescu, Remus

    2009-01-01

    This paper discusses the evaluation of different current controllers employed for grid-connected distributed power generation systems having variable input power, such as wind turbines and photovoltaic systems. The focus is mainly set on linear controllers such as proportional-integral, proportio......This paper discusses the evaluation of different current controllers employed for grid-connected distributed power generation systems having variable input power, such as wind turbines and photovoltaic systems. The focus is mainly set on linear controllers such as proportional......-integral, proportional-resonant, and deadbeat (DB) controllers. Additionally, an improved DB controller robust against grid impedance variation is also presented. Since the paper discusses the implementation of these controllers for grid-connected applications, their evaluation is made in three operating conditions....... First, in steady-state conditions, the contribution of controllers to the total harmonic distortion of the grid current is pursued. Further on, the behavior of controllers in the case of transient conditions like input power variations and grid voltage faults is also examined. Experimental results...

  9. A population-based study of associations between current posttraumatic stress symptoms and current fatigue.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lerdal, Anners; Lee, Kathryn A; Rokne, Berit; Knudsen, Øistein; Wahl, Astrid K; Dahl, Alv A

    2010-10-01

    This study explores current experience with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and other variables (sociodemographic, mental distress, somatic morbidity, self-rated health, and quality of life [QoL]) in relation to fatigue. A representative sample of the Norwegian population (N = 3,944) was invited to participate in a mailed survey, and 1,857 (47%) returned valid responses on the questionnaire that included the Fatigue Severity Scale and the Posttraumatic Symptom Scale-10. Posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms showed a strong association with fatigue in univariate (β = .41) and multivariate analyses (β = .33). Associations between psychosocial health variables, QoL, and fatigue were confirmed. However, PTSD symptoms showed the strongest association with fatigue in the analyses. Findings need to be replicated in other population samples and in clinical samples with PTSD and fatigue.

  10. Basic Laparoscopic Skills Assessment Study: Validation and Standard Setting among Canadian Urology Trainees.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Jason Y; Andonian, Sero; Pace, Kenneth T; Grober, Ethan

    2017-06-01

    As urology training programs move to a competency based medical education model, iterative assessments with objective standards will be required. To develop a valid set of technical skills standards we initiated a national skills assessment study focusing initially on laparoscopic skills. Between February 2014 and March 2016 the basic laparoscopic skill of Canadian urology trainees and attending urologists was assessed using 4 standardized tasks from the AUA (American Urological Association) BLUS (Basic Laparoscopic Urological Surgery) curriculum, including peg transfer, pattern cutting, suturing and knot tying, and vascular clip applying. All performances were video recorded and assessed using 3 methods, including time and error based scoring, expert global rating scores and C-SATS (Crowd-Sourced Assessments of Technical Skill Global Rating Scale), a novel, crowd sourced assessment platform. Different methods of standard setting were used to develop pass-fail cut points. Six attending urologists and 99 trainees completed testing. Reported laparoscopic experience and training level correlated with performance (p standard setting methods to define pass-fail cut points for all 4 AUA BLUS tasks. The 4 AUA BLUS tasks demonstrated good construct validity evidence for use in assessing basic laparoscopic skill. Performance scores using the novel C-SATS platform correlated well with traditional time-consuming methods of assessment. Various standard setting methods were used to develop pass-fail cut points for educators to use when making formative and summative assessments of basic laparoscopic skill. Copyright © 2017 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Sets in Coq, Coq in Sets

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bruno Barras

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available This work is about formalizing models of various type theories of the Calculus of Constructions family. Here we focus on set theoretical models. The long-term goal is to build a formal set theoretical model of the Calculus of Inductive Constructions, so we can be sure that Coq is consistent with the language used by most mathematicians.One aspect of this work is to axiomatize several set theories: ZF possibly with inaccessible cardinals, and HF, the theory of hereditarily finite sets. On top of these theories we have developped a piece of the usual set theoretical construction of functions, ordinals and fixpoint theory. We then proved sound several models of the Calculus of Constructions, its extension with an infinite hierarchy of universes, and its extension with the inductive type of natural numbers where recursion follows the type-based termination approach.The other aspect is to try and discharge (most of these assumptions. The goal here is rather to compare the theoretical strengths of all these formalisms. As already noticed by Werner, the replacement axiom of ZF in its general form seems to require a type-theoretical axiom of choice (TTAC.

  12. A study of three-dimensional gravity currents on a uniform slope

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ross, Andrew N.; Linden, P. F.; Dalziel, Stuart B.

    2002-02-01

    In many geophysical, environmental and industrial situations, a finite volume of fluid with a density different to the ambient is released on a sloping boundary. This leads to the formation of a gravity current travelling up, down and across the slope. We present novel laboratory experiments in which the dense fluid spreads both down-slope (and initially up-slope) and laterally across the slope. The position, shape and dilution of the current are determined through video and conductivity measurements for moderate slopes (5° to 20°). The entrainment coefficient for different slopes is calculated from the experimental results and is found to depend very little on the slope. The value agrees well with previously published values for entrainment into gravity currents on a horizontal surface. The experimental measurements are compared with previous shallow-water models and with a new wedge integral model developed and presented here. It is concluded that these simplified models do not capture all the significant features of the flow. In the models, the current takes the form of a wedge which travels down the slope, but the experiments show the formation of a more complicated current. It is found that the wedge integral model over-predicts the length and width of the gravity current but gives fair agreement with the measured densities in the head. The initial stages of the flow, during which time the wedge shape develops, are studied. It is found that although the influence of the slope is seen relatively quickly for moderate slopes, the time taken for the wedge to develop is much longer. The implications of these findings for safety analysis are briefly discussed.

  13. Current-mode detector for neutron time-of-flight studies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bowman, J.D.; Szymanski, J.J.; Yuan, V.W.; Bowman, C.D.; Silverman, A.; Zhu, X.

    1990-01-01

    A system for the detection of high-intensity neutron bursts with instantaneous rates as high as 10 11 Hz is presented. This system uses a transient digitizer to sample the output voltage of a high-current photomultiplier tube as a function of time. The coutput voltage is proportional to the number of neutrons striking the detector. This detector is used at the Los Alamos Neutron Scattering Center to study fundamental symmetries. Design considerations, construction details and performance benchmarks are presented. (orig.)

  14. Weight isn't selling: The insidious effects of weight stigmatization in retail settings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruggs, Enrica N; Hebl, Michelle R; Williams, Amber

    2015-09-01

    In recent years, the literature on the stigma of obesity has grown but there still remains a paucity of research examining specific issues associated with its impact in the workplace. In the current study, we examine 3 such issues related to the influence of weight-based stigmatization in retail settings. First, we highlight research on the impact of obesity in men often is minimized or altogether excluded, and we examine whether weight-based stigmatization influences men in authentic retail settings (Study 1). Across retail contexts, Study 1 reveals that heavy (vs. nonheavy) men do experience significantly more interpersonal (subtle) discrimination. Second, we examine the "why" of weight-based stigmatization and find that weight-related negative stereotypes compound to produce indirect but strong effects of stigmatization in retail settings (Study 2). Third and finally, we examine whether weight-based stigmatization against men and women in retail also influences ratings of associated products and the organizations for which heavy individuals work (also Study 2). Results from Study 2 show that stereotypes work similarly for men and women and that a stigma-by-association effect occurs in which evaluators rate products and organizations associated with heavy (vs. nonheavy) retail personnel more negatively. Finally, we discuss the importance of these findings in gaining a more holistic look at the influence of weight stigmatization in the workplace. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

  15. Using attachment theory in medical settings: implications for primary care physicians.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hooper, Lisa M; Tomek, Sara; Newman, Caroline R

    2012-02-01

    Mental health researchers, clinicians and clinical psychologists have long considered a good provider-patient relationship to be an important factor for positive treatment outcomes in a range of therapeutic settings. However, primary care physicians have been slow to consider how attachment theory may be used in the context of patient care in medical settings. In the current article, John Bowlby's attachment theory and proposed attachment styles are proffered as a framework to better understand patient behaviors, patient communication styles with physicians and the physician-patient relationship in medical settings. The authors recommend how primary care physicians and other health care providers can translate attachment theory to enhance practice behaviors and health-related communications in medical settings.

  16. Lower hybrid current drive in tokamak plasmas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ushigusa, Kenkichi [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Naka, Ibaraki (Japan). Naka Fusion Research Establishment

    1999-03-01

    Past ten years progress on Lower Hybrid Current Drive (LHCD) experiments have demonstrated the largest non-inductive current (3.6 MA, JT-60U), the longest current sustainment (2 hours, TRIAM-1M), non-inductive current drive at the highest density (n-bar{sub e} - 10{sup 20}m{sup -3}, ALCATOR-C) and the highest current drive efficiency ({eta}{sub CD} = 3.5x10{sup 19} m{sup -2}A/W, JT-60). These results indicate that LHCD is one of the most promising methods to drive non-inductive current in the present tokamak plasmas. This paper presents recent experimental results on LHCD experiments. Basic theories of LH waves, the wave propagation and the current drive are briefly summarized. The main part of this paper describes several important results and their physical pictures on recent LHCD experiments; 1) the experimental set-up, 2) the current drive efficiency, 3) the control of current profile and MHD activities, 4) the global energy confinement, 5) the global power flow, 6) fast electron behavior, 7) interaction between LH waves and thermal/fast ions, 8) combination with other CD method. (author)

  17. Fuzzy sets, rough sets, multisets and clustering

    CERN Document Server

    Dahlbom, Anders; Narukawa, Yasuo

    2017-01-01

    This book is dedicated to Prof. Sadaaki Miyamoto and presents cutting-edge papers in some of the areas in which he contributed. Bringing together contributions by leading researchers in the field, it concretely addresses clustering, multisets, rough sets and fuzzy sets, as well as their applications in areas such as decision-making. The book is divided in four parts, the first of which focuses on clustering and classification. The second part puts the spotlight on multisets, bags, fuzzy bags and other fuzzy extensions, while the third deals with rough sets. Rounding out the coverage, the last part explores fuzzy sets and decision-making.

  18. Resonant fields created by spiral electric currents in Tokamaks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fernandes, A.S.; Caldas, I.L.

    1985-01-01

    The influence of the resonant magnetic perturbations, created by electric currents in spirals, on the plasma confinement in a tokamak with circular section and large aspect ratio is investigated. These perturbations create magnetic islands around the rational magnetic surface which has the helicity of the helicoidal currents. The intensities of these currents are calculated in order to the magnetic islands reach the limiter or others rational surfaces, what could provoke the plasma disrupture. The electric current intensities are estimated, in two spiral sets with different helicities, which create a predominantly stocastic region among the rational magnetic surfaces with these helicities. (L.C.) [pt

  19. A note on extreme sets

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Radosław Cymer

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available In decomposition theory, extreme sets have been studied extensively due to its connection to perfect matchings in a graph. In this paper, we first define extreme sets with respect to degree-matchings and next investigate some of their properties. In particular, we prove the generalized Decomposition Theorem and give a characterization for the set of all extreme vertices in a graph.

  20. Simulation studies of current transport in metal-insulator-semiconductor Schottky barrier diodes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chand, Subhash; Bala, Saroj

    2007-01-01

    The current-voltage characteristics of Schottky diodes with an interfacial insulator layer are analysed by numerical simulation. The current-voltage data of the metal-insulator-semiconductor Schottky diode are simulated using thermionic emission diffusion (TED) equation taking into account an interfacial layer parameter. The calculated current-voltage data are fitted into ideal TED equation to see the apparent effect of interfacial layer parameters on current transport. Results obtained from the simulation studies shows that with mere presence of an interfacial layer at the metal-semiconductor interface the Schottky contact behave as an ideal diode of apparently high barrier height (BH), but with same ideality factor and series resistance as considered for a pure Schottky contact without an interfacial layer. This apparent BH decreases linearly with decreasing temperature. The effects giving rise to high ideality factor in metal-insulator-semiconductor diode are analysed. Reasons for observed temperature dependence of ideality factor in experimentally fabricated metal-insulator-semiconductor diodes are analysed and possible mechanisms are discussed

  1. Matching of heavy-light flavour currents between HQET at order 1/m and QCD

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Della Morte, Michele; Dooling, Samantha; Heitger, Jochen

    2014-01-01

    We present a strategy how to match the full set of components of the heavy-light axial and vector currents in Heavy Quark Effective Theory (HQET), up to and including 1/m-corrections, to QCD. While the ultimate goal is to apply these matching conditions non-perturbatively, in this study we first...

  2. NODC Standard Format Current Meter (Components) (F015) Data (1962-1992) (NODC Accession 0066358)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This data set contains time series measurements of ocean currents. These data are obtained from current meter moorings and represent the Eulerian method of current...

  3. Voluntary limit setting and player choice in most intense online gamblers: an empirical study of gambling behaviour.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Auer, Michael; Griffiths, Mark D

    2013-12-01

    Social responsibility in gambling has become a major issue for the gaming industry. The possibility for online gamblers to set voluntary time and money limits are a social responsibility practice that is now widespread among online gaming operators. The main issue concerns whether the voluntary setting of such limits has any positive impact on subsequent gambling behaviour and whether such measures are of help to problem gamblers. In this paper, this issue is examined through data collected from a representative random sample of 100,000 players who gambled on the win2day gambling website. When opening an account at the win2day site, there is a mandatory requirement for all players to set time and cash-in limits (that cannot exceed 800 per week). During a 3-month period, all voluntary time and/or money limit setting behaviour by a subsample of online gamblers (n = 5,000) within this mandatory framework was tracked and recorded for subsequent data analysis. From the 5,000 gamblers, the 10 % most intense players (as measured by theoretical loss) were further investigated. Voluntary spending limits had the highest significant effect on subsequent monetary spending among casino and lottery gamblers. Monetary spending among poker players significantly decreased after setting a voluntary time limit. The highest significant decrease in playing duration was among poker players after setting a voluntary playing duration limit. The results of the study demonstrated that voluntary limit setting had a specific and significant effect on the studied gamblers. Therefore, voluntary limits appear to show an appropriate effect in the desired target group (i.e., the most gaming intense players).

  4. A multi-objective set covering problem: A case study of warehouse allocation in truck industry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Atefeh Malekinezhad

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Designing distribution centers is normally formulated in a form of set covering where is primary objective is to minimize the number of connected facilities. However, there are other issues affecting our decision on selecting suitable distribution centers such as weather conditions, temperature, infrastructure facilities, etc. In this paper, we propose a multi-objective set covering techniques where different objectives are considered in an integrated model. The proposed model of this paper is implemented for a real-world case study of truck-industry and the results are analyzed.

  5. Current transport modeling and experimental study of THz room temperature ballistic deflection transistors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kaushal, Vikas; Margala, Martin [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Massachusetts Lowell, MA, 01854 (United States); Yu Qiaoyan; Ampadu, Paul; Guarino, Gregg; Sobolewski, Roman, E-mail: vikas_kaushal@student.uml.ed [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Rochester, NY, 14627 (United States)

    2009-11-15

    In this paper, two different theoretical models, Comsol Multiphysics{sup TM} (a Finite Element Analysis tool), and a field solver Atlas/Blaze from Silvaco, are compared qualitatively to study the effect of the deflector position, its size and electric field on the charge transport and its distribution along the channel, resulting in current outputs and leakages in ballistic deflection transistors (BDT). Silvaco simulations and experimental results were then used to study the lateral charge transport as a result of variation in electric field distribution, which controls the charge current along the channel in BDT. The electric field dependence of gain is also studied with experimental and theoretical results.

  6. Current transport modeling and experimental study of THz room temperature ballistic deflection transistors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kaushal, Vikas; Margala, Martin; Yu Qiaoyan; Ampadu, Paul; Guarino, Gregg; Sobolewski, Roman

    2009-01-01

    In this paper, two different theoretical models, Comsol Multiphysics TM (a Finite Element Analysis tool), and a field solver Atlas/Blaze from Silvaco, are compared qualitatively to study the effect of the deflector position, its size and electric field on the charge transport and its distribution along the channel, resulting in current outputs and leakages in ballistic deflection transistors (BDT). Silvaco simulations and experimental results were then used to study the lateral charge transport as a result of variation in electric field distribution, which controls the charge current along the channel in BDT. The electric field dependence of gain is also studied with experimental and theoretical results.

  7. Field reversing magnetotail current sheets: earth, Venus, and Comet Giacobini-Zinner

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McComas, D.J.

    1986-09-01

    This dissertation examines the field reversing magnetotail current sheets at the earth, Venus, and Comet Giacobini-Zinner. In the near earth study a new analysis technique is developed to calculate the detailed current density distributions within the cross tail current sheet for the first time. This technique removes the effects of a variable sheet velocity by inverting intersatellite timings between the co-orbiting satellites ISEE-1 and -2. Case studies of three relatively geomagnetically quiet crossings are made; sheet thicknesses and peak current densities are ∼1-5 x 10 4 km and ∼5-50 nA/m 2 . Current density distributions reveal a high density central region, lower density shoulders, and considerable fine structure throughout. In the Venus study another new analysis technique is developed to reconstruct the average tail configuration from a correlation between field magnitude and draping angle in a large statistical data set. In the comet study, high resolution magnetic field and plasma electron data from the ICE traversal of Giacobini-Zinner are combined for the first time to determine the tail/current sheet geometry and calculate certain important but unmeasured local ion and upstream properties. Pressure balance across the tail gives ion temperatures and betas of ∼1.2 x 10 5 K and ∼40 in the center of the current sheet to ∼1 x 10 6 K and ∼3 in the outer lobes. Axial stress balance shows that the velocity shear upstream near the nucleus is >6 (∼1 at ICE), and that a region of strongly enhanced mass loading (ion source rate ∼24 times that upstream from lobes) exists upstream from the current sheet. The integrated downtail mass flux is ∼2.6 x 10 26 H 2 O+/sec, which is only ∼1% of the independently determined total cometary efflux. 79 refs., 37 figs

  8. Experimental studies of coaxial plasma gun current

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Price, D.W.

    1988-01-01

    In this investigation of a coaxial plasma gun, plasma sheath currents and related behavior are examined. Plasma behavior in the gun affects gun characteristics. Plasma gun applications are determined by the plasma behavior. The AFWL PUFF capacitor bank (72 μF, 29 nH, 120 kV) drives the plasma gun using a deuterium fill gas. The gas breakdown site is isolated from the dielectric/vacuum interface in the AFWL system. Two gas values deliver gas in the system. The first delivers gas from the gun breech and the second optional valve delivers gas to the gun muzzle. Currents and voltages are measured by Rogowski coils, B probes and capacitive voltage probes. A O-D slug model is used to predict the current, inductance, gun voltage and plasma sheath velocity. The slug model assumes the sheath transits the gun with all mass in the sheath. In the snowplow mode, the plasma sheath is thin with a sharp current rise and drop. Our system operated in a transition mode between the snowplow and deflagration modes with early snowplow behavior and late deflagration behavior. Neutrons are produced in a plasma pinch at the gun muzzle, indicating snowplow behavior. The slug theory models overall gun behavior to experimental accuracy. Experimental results are compared to four theories for plasma sheath velocities: the Alfven collisionally limited model, the Rosenbluth model, the Fishbine saturated model and a single particle drift model. Experimental velocities vary from 10 5 to 10 6 m/s. Only the single particle drift and the slug model calculations are of the right magnitude (8 x 10 5 m/s). The Fishbine and the Rosenbluth models predict slower velocities (2 x 10 5 m/s). The Alfven model is not applicable to this system

  9. AMS Weather Studies and AMS Ocean Studies: Dynamic, College-Level Geoscience Courses Emphasizing Current Earth System Data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brey, J. A.; Geer, I. W.; Moran, J. M.; Weinbeck, R. S.; Mills, E. W.; Blair, B. A.; Hopkins, E. J.; Kiley, T. P.; Ruwe, E. E.

    2008-12-01

    AMS Weather Studies and AMS Ocean Studies are introductory college-level courses developed by the American Meteorological Society, with NSF and NOAA support, for local offering at undergraduate institutions nationwide. The courses place students in a dynamic and highly motivational educational environment where they investigate the atmosphere and world ocean using real-world and real-time environmental data. Over 360 colleges throughout the United States have offered these courses in course environments ranging from traditional lecture/laboratory to completely online. AMS Diversity Projects aim to increase undergraduate student access to the geosciences through implementation of the courses at minority-serving institutions and training programs for MSI faculty. The AMS Weather Studies and AMS Ocean Studies course packages consist of a hard-cover, 15-chapter textbook, Investigations Manual with 30 lab-style activities, and course website containing weekly current weather and ocean investigations. Course instructors receive access to a faculty website and CD containing answer keys and course management system-compatible files, which allow full integration to a college's e-learning environment. The unique aspect of the courses is the focus on current Earth system data through weekly Current Weather Studies and Current Ocean Studies investigations written in real time and posted to the course website, as well as weekly news files and a daily weather summary for AMS Weather Studies. Students therefore study meteorology or oceanography as it happens, which creates a dynamic learning environment where student relate their experiences and observations to the course, and actively discuss the science with their instructor and classmates. With NSF support, AMS has held expenses-paid course implementation workshops for minority-serving institution faculty planning to offer AMS Weather Studies or AMS Ocean Studies. From May 2002-2007, AMS conducted week-long weather workshops

  10. Leakage Currents in Low-Voltage PME and BME Ceramic Capacitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Teverovsky, Alexander

    2015-01-01

    Introduction of BME capacitors to high-reliability electronics as a replacement for PME capacitors requires better understanding of changes in performance and reliability of MLCCs to set justified screening and qualification requirements. In this work, absorption and leakage currents in various lots of commercial and military grade X7R MLCCs rated to 100V and less have been measured to reveal difference in behavior of PME and BME capacitors in a wide range of voltages and temperatures. Degradation of leakage currents and failures in virgin capacitors and capacitors with introduced cracks has been studied at different voltages and temperatures during step stress highly accelerated life testing. Mechanisms of charge absorption, conduction and degradation have been discussed and a failure model in capacitors with defects suggested.

  11. Associations between neural correlates of visual stimulus processing and set-shifting in ill and recovered women with anorexia nervosa

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sultson, Hedvig; van Meer, Floor; Sanders, Nicole; van Elburg, Annemarie A.; Danner, Unna N.; Hoek, Hans W.; Adan, Roger A. H.; Smeets, Paul A. M.

    2016-01-01

    Women ill with anorexia nervosa (AN) have been shown to exhibit altered cognitive functioning, particularly poor set-shifting (SS). In this study, we investigated whether brain activation in frontal and parietal regions during visual stimulus processing correlates with SS ability. Women currently

  12. Improved precision and accuracy for microarrays using updated probe set definitions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Larsson Ola

    2007-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Microarrays enable high throughput detection of transcript expression levels. Different investigators have recently introduced updated probe set definitions to more accurately map probes to our current knowledge of genes and transcripts. Results We demonstrate that updated probe set definitions provide both better precision and accuracy in probe set estimates compared to the original Affymetrix definitions. We show that the improved precision mainly depends on the increased number of probes that are integrated into each probe set, but we also demonstrate an improvement when the same number of probes is used. Conclusion Updated probe set definitions does not only offer expression levels that are more accurately associated to genes and transcripts but also improvements in the estimated transcript expression levels. These results give support for the use of updated probe set definitions for analysis and meta-analysis of microarray data.

  13. The Bouma Sequence and the turbidite mind set

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shanmugam, G.

    1997-11-01

    Conventionally, the Bouma Sequence [Bouma, A.H., 1962. Sedimentology of some Flysch Deposits: A Graphic Approach to Facies Interpretation. Elsevier, Amsterdam, 168 pp.], composed of T a, T b, T c, T d, and T e divisions, is interpreted to be the product of a turbidity current. However, recent core and outcrop studies show that the complete and partial Bouma sequences can also be interpreted to be deposits formed by processes other than turbidity currents, such as sandy debris flows and bottom-current reworking. Many published examples of turbidites, most of them hydrocarbon-bearing sands, in the North Sea, the Norwegian Sea, offshore Nigeria, offshore Gabon, Gulf of Mexico, and the Ouachita Mountains, are being reinterpreted by the present author as dominantly deposits of sandy debris flows and bottom-current reworking with only a minor percentage of true turbidites (i.e., deposits of turbidity currents with fluidal or Newtonian rheology in which sediment is suspended by fluid turbulence). This reinterpretation is based on detailed description of 21,000 ft (6402 m) of conventional cores and 1200 ft (365 m) of outcrop sections. The predominance of interpreted turbidites in these areas by other workers can be attributed to the following: (1) loose applications of turbidity-current concepts without regard for fluid rheology, flow state, and sediment-support mechanism that result in a category of 'turbidity currents' that includes debris flows and bottom currents; (2) field description of deep-water sands using the Bouma Sequence (an interpretive model) that invariably leads to a model-driven turbidite interpretation; (3) the prevailing turbidite mind set that subconsciously forces one to routinely interpret most deep-water sands as some kind of turbidites; (4) the use of our inability to interpret transport mechanism from the depositional record as an excuse for assuming deep-water sands as deposits of turbidity currents; (5) the flawed concept of high

  14. Food marketing to children in Canada: a settings-based scoping review on exposure, power and impact

    OpenAIRE

    Rachel, Prowse

    2017-01-01

    Introduction: Food marketing impacts children’s food knowledge, behaviours and health. Current regulations in Canada focus on restricting promotional aspects of food marketing with little-to-no consideration of the places where children experience food. Understanding food marketing in children’s everyday settings is necessary to protect children. This scoping review describes the current literature on food marketing to children in Canada by setting. Methods: The author searched databases for ...

  15. Priority setting and health policy and systems research

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bennett Sara C

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Health policy and systems research (HPSR has been identified as critical to scaling-up interventions to achieve the millennium development goals, but research priority setting exercises often do not address HPSR well. This paper aims to (i assess current priority setting methods and the extent to which they adequately include HPSR and (ii draw lessons regarding how HPSR priority setting can be enhanced to promote relevant HPSR, and to strengthen developing country leadership of research agendas. Priority setting processes can be distinguished by the level at which they occur, their degree of comprehensiveness in terms of the topic addressed, the balance between technical versus interpretive approaches and the stakeholders involved. When HPSR is considered through technical, disease-driven priority setting processes it is systematically under-valued. More successful approaches for considering HPSR are typically nationally-driven, interpretive and engage a range of stakeholders. There is still a need however for better defined approaches to enable research funders to determine the relative weight to assign to disease specific research versus HPSR and other forms of cross-cutting health research. While country-level research priority setting is key, there is likely to be a continued need for the identification of global research priorities for HPSR. The paper argues that such global priorities can and should be driven by country level priorities.

  16. Equity perceptions and marital satisfaction in former and current marriage: A study among the remarried

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Buunk, A.P.; Mutsaers, W

    A study among 290 remarried individuals examined equity perceptions in the former and the current marriage. The results showed that equity in the former and the current marriage were not related to each other. In general, respondents perceived much more inequity in the former than in the current

  17. Fuzzy reasoning on Horn Set

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, X.; Fang, K.

    1986-01-01

    A theoretical study in fuzzy reasoning on Horn Set is presented in this paper. The authors first introduce the concepts of λ-Horn Set of clauses and λ-Input Half Lock deduction. They then use the λ-resolution method to discuss fuzzy reasoning on λ-Horn set of clauses. It is proved that the proposed λ-Input Half Lock resolution method is complete with the rules in certain format

  18. Achilles tenotomy as an office procedure and current practising trends among New Zealand orthopaedic surgeons.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Agius, Lewis; Wickham, Angus; Walker, Cameron; Knudsen, Joshua

    2018-05-18

    Percutaneous Achilles tenotomy (PAT) is performed during the final phase of casting with Ponseti method. Several settings have been proposed as venues for this procedure, however it is increasingly being performed in theatre under a general anaesthetic (GA). General anaesthesia, however, is expensive and not without risks. The purpose of the present study was to compare results of outpatient releases to theatre releases, and assess current practising trends among orthopaedic surgeons. Retrospective comparison of patients with idiopathic clubfoot managed by Ponseti method who had Achilles tenotomy performed in outpatient clinic and in theatre. Surveys were sent to all POSNZ members to determine current practising trends in New Zealand. Parental satisfaction surveys were performed. Comparative cost analysis was performed using hospital billing information. The current study includes 64 idiopathic congenital clubfeet (19 bilateral cases). PAT was performed on 26 clubfeet under local anaesthetic in an outpatient setting, and 33 clubfeet under GA in a theatre setting. There was no significant difference for post-operative complications, or recurrence (p=0.67). Those in theatre group were exposed to a greater number of general anaesthetics before the age of four. Among practising New Zealand paediatric orthopaedic surgeons, 77.78% perform this in theatre under general anaesthesia, while only 22.22% perform PAT in outpatient clinic. The main barriers included concerns regarding pain control, concerns regarding incomplete release, concerns regarding distress to family and concerns regarding sterility. Parental satisfaction surveys found pain management to be excellent. Financial data was analysed and indicative costs were $6,061 NZD per procedure in theatre, compared to $378 NZD per procedure in clinic. PAT performed in a clinic setting is both safe and efficacious with results comparative to that performed in theatre. There was no difference in post

  19. Products of Sets: Ordered and Unordered

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Abstract. In this article we study the (Cartesian) Productsof sets. As a prelude to it, we examine variousdefinitions offered by different mathematicians tothe concept of an ordered pair. The subtle differencebetween the notions of ordered productsof sets and unordered products of sets is highlighted.

  20. The effects of awarness of social dilemmas on advertising budget setting: A scenario study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Pruyn, Adriaan T.H.; Riezebos, Rik

    2001-01-01

    In this study, which examines the dynamics involved in setting advertising budgets, the social dilemma theory was applied in an attempt to understand the interdependency problems of advertisers in their investment decisions. In an experiment, a budget decision was made for a company after a period