Practicing for 2023 and 2024: What the AAS Solar Eclipse Task Force Learned from the "Great American Eclipse" of 2017

Science.gov (United States)

Fienberg, R. T.; Speck, A. K.; Habbal, S. R.

2017-12-01

More than three years ahead of the "Great American Eclipse" of August 2017, the American Astronomical Society formed the AAS Solar Eclipse Task Force to function as a think tank, coordinating body, and communication gateway to the vast resources available about the 2017 eclipse and solar eclipses more generally. The task force included professional and amateur astronomers, formal and informal educators, and science journalists; many had experienced total solar eclipses before, and others would experience their first totality in August 2017. The AAS task force secured funding from the AAS Council, the National Science Foundation, and NASA. These resources were used mainly for three purposes: (1) to build a website that contains basic information about solar eclipses, safe viewing practices, and eclipse imaging and video, along with resources for educators and the media and a searchable map of eclipse-related events and activities, with links to other authoritative websites with more detailed information; (2) to solicit, receive, evaluate, and fund proposals for mini-grants to support eclipse-related education and public outreach to underrepresented groups both inside and outside the path of totality; and (3) to organize a series of multidisciplinary workshops across the country to prepare communities for the eclipse and to facilitate collaborations between astronomers, meteorologists, school administrators, and transporation and emergency-management professionals. Most importantly, the AAS Solar Eclipse Task Force focused on developing and disseminating appropriate eclipse safety information. The AAS and NASA jointly developed safety messaging that won the endorsement of the American Academies of Opthalmology and Optometry. In the weeks immediately preceding the eclipse, it became clear that the marketplace was being flooded by counterfeit eclipse glasses and solar viewers, leading to a last minute change in our communication strategy. In this talk, we'll review the

Great Lakes Research Review, 1982. Appendices.

Science.gov (United States)

1982-11-01

7D-i53 28 GREAT LAKES RESEARCH REVIEW 1982 PPENDICES (U) / PETROLEUM REFINERY PO INT SOURCE TASK FORCE WINDSOR (ONTARIO) NOV 82UNCLASSIFIED F/G 8...C7 U. 3 X 7 45 1 2 0. ODm C of. C.’ WC.’ L. LI 7 R-Ri53 62B GREAT LKES RESEARCH REVIEW 1982 PPENDICES (U) 2/3 PETROLEUM REFINERY POINT SOURCE TASK...NUMBER ORGANIZATION* TITLE OF PROJECT 001 A** 0300 ERL-D Acute and Early Life Stage Toxicity Testing of Priority Pollutant Chemicals 002 A 0302 ERL-D

GABA(A) and dopamine receptors in the nucleus accumbens shell differentially influence performance of a water-reinforced progressive ratio task.

Science.gov (United States)

Covelo, Ignacio R; Wirtshafter, David; Stratford, Thomas R

2012-03-01

Several authors have shown that injections of the GABA(A) agonist muscimol into the medial shell region of the nucleus accumbens (AcbSh) result in large increases in food, but not water, intake. In previous studies we demonstrated that intra-AcbSh injections of either muscimol or of the indirect dopamine agonist amphetamine increase response output on a food-reinforced progressive ratio schedule. In the current experiment we extended these observations by examining the effects of muscimol and amphetamine injections on the performance of a water-reinforced progressive ratio task in mildly deprived animals. We found that muscimol did not affect the number of responses made in the water-reinforced task, even though a marked increase in responding was observed after amphetamine. Muscimol did, however, significantly increase food intake in the same animals. The results suggest that the enhancing effects of intra-AcbSh muscimol differ from those of amphetamine in that they are selective for food-reinforced behaviors. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Progress toward elimination of onchocerciasis in the Americas.

Science.gov (United States)

Sauerbrey, Mauricio; Rakers, Lindsay J; Richards, Frank O

2018-03-01

The Onchocerciasis Elimination Program for the Americas (OEPA) is a regional initiative and international partnership that has made considerable progress toward its goal since it was launched in 1993. Its strategy is based on mass drug administration of ivermectin (Mectizan, donated by MSD, also known as Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, USA), twice or four times per year, with at least 85% coverage of eligible populations. From 1989 to 2016, 11 741 276 ivermectin treatments have been given in the Americas, eliminating transmission in 11 of 13 foci. The OEPA's success has had a great influence on programs in Africa, especially Sudan and Uganda, which moved from a control to an elimination strategy in 2006 and 2007, respectively. The successes in the Americas have also greatly influenced WHO guidelines for onchocerciasis transmission elimination. With four of the six originally endemic American countries now WHO verified as having eliminated onchocerciasis transmission, and 95% of ivermectin treatments in the region halted, the regional focus is now on the remaining active transmission zone, called the Yanomami Area, on the border between Venezuela and Brazil. Both countries have difficult political climates that hinder the elimination task in this remote and relatively neglected region. As with other elimination efforts, 'the final inch' is often the most difficult task of all.

Dopaminergic modulation of effort-related choice behavior as assessed by a progressive ratio chow feeding choice task: pharmacological studies and the role of individual differences.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patrick A Randall

Full Text Available Mesolimbic dopamine (DA is involved in behavioral activation and effort-related processes. Rats with impaired DA transmission reallocate their instrumental behavior away from food-reinforced tasks with high response requirements, and instead select less effortful food-seeking behaviors. In the present study, the effects of several drug treatments were assessed using a progressive ratio (PROG/chow feeding concurrent choice task. With this task, rats can lever press on a PROG schedule reinforced by a preferred high-carbohydrate food pellet, or alternatively approach and consume the less-preferred but concurrently available laboratory chow. Rats pass through each ratio level 15 times, after which the ratio requirement is incremented by one additional response. The DA D(2 antagonist haloperidol (0.025-0.1 mg/kg reduced number of lever presses and highest ratio achieved but did not reduce chow intake. In contrast, the adenosine A(2A antagonist MSX-3 increased lever presses and highest ratio achieved, but decreased chow consumption. The cannabinoid CB1 inverse agonist and putative appetite suppressant AM251 decreased lever presses, highest ratio achieved, and chow intake; this effect was similar to that produced by pre-feeding. Furthermore, DA-related signal transduction activity (pDARPP-32(Thr34 expression was greater in nucleus accumbens core of high responders (rats with high lever pressing output compared to low responders. Thus, the effects of DA antagonism differed greatly from those produced by pre-feeding or reduced CB1 transmission, and it appears unlikely that haloperidol reduces PROG responding because of a general reduction in primary food motivation or the unconditioned reinforcing properties of food. Furthermore, accumbens core signal transduction activity is related to individual differences in work output.

Plutonium and americum concentration along fresh water food chains of the Great Lakes, U.S.A. General summary of progress, 1975--1976

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bowen, V.T.

1976-01-01

Progress is reported for studies on the distribution of long-lived transuranic nuclides and 137 Cs introduced into the Great Lakes by fallout deposits or in radioactive effluents from nuclear facilities. Emphasis is placed on the content of 137 Cs, 241 Am, 239 Pu, 240 Pu, and 244 Cm in plankton, fish, and sediments sampled in Lake Erie and Lake Ontario during 1975 and 1976

Transport Task Force Leadership, Task 4

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Callen, J.D.

1991-07-01

The Transport Task Force (TTF) was initiated as a broad-based US magnetic fusion community activity during the fall of 1988 to focus attention on and encourage development of an increased understanding of anomalous transport in tokamaks. The overall TTF goal is to make progress on Characterizing, Understanding and Identifying how to Reduce plasma transport in tokamaks -- to CUIR transport

Great apes distinguish true from false beliefs in an interactive helping task.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David Buttelmann

Full Text Available Understanding the behavior of others in a wide variety of circumstances requires an understanding of their psychological states. Humans' nearest primate relatives, the great apes, understand many psychological states of others, for example, perceptions, goals, and desires. However, so far there is little evidence that they possess the key marker of advanced human social cognition: an understanding of false beliefs. Here we demonstrate that in a nonverbal (implicit false-belief test which is passed by human 1-year-old infants, great apes as a group, including chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes, bonobos (Pan paniscus, and orangutans (Pongo abelii, distinguish between true and false beliefs in their helping behavior. Great apes thus may possess at least some basic understanding that an agent's actions are based on her beliefs about reality. Hence, such understanding might not be the exclusive province of the human species.

A Task-Content Analysis of an Introductory Entomology Curriculum.

Science.gov (United States)

Brandenburg, R.

Described is an analysis of the content, tasks, and strategies needed by students to enable them to identify insects to order by sight and to family by use of a standard dichotomous taxonomic key. Tasks and strategies are broken down and arranged progressively in the approximate order in which students should progress. Included are listings of…

Task I. Basic mirror studies. Task II. Basic tokamak studies. Annual progress report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smullin, L.D.; Bekefi, G.; Porkolab, M.

1979-01-01

Brief discussions of research progress are given for each of the following areas: (1) building equipment, (2) rf heating, (3) interferometry, (4) gas puffing, (5) mm collective scattering, (6) uv spectroscopy, (7) soft x radiation, (8) charge exchange, and (9) Thomson scattering

Progress report 1971/72

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1972-01-01

The progress report comprises reports from interdisciplinary task groups on radiation protection, isotope application and radiation measurement technique, microscopy, linear accelerators, process computers, biophysics and nuclear physics. The last task group reports on work with the electron linear accelerator, nuclear spectroscopy, neutron physics, work with polarized particles, and experiments with the GSI heavy ion accelerator. (orig./AK) [de

[Progress in stem cells and regenerative medicine].

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Libin; Zhu, He; Hao, Jie; Zhou, Qi

2015-06-01

Stem cells have the ability to differentiate into all types of cells in the body and therefore have great application potential in regenerative medicine, in vitro disease modelling and drug screening. In recent years, stem cell technology has made great progress, and induced pluripotent stem cell technology revolutionizes the whole stem cell field. At the same time, stem cell research in our country has also achieved great progress and becomes an indispensable power in the worldwide stem cell research field. This review mainly focuses on the research progress in stem cells and regenerative medicine in our country since the advent of induced pluripotent stem cell technology, including induced pluripotent stem cells, transdifferentiation, haploid stem cells, and new gene editing tools.

Group therapy task training versus individual task training during inpatient stroke rehabilitation: a randomised controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Renner, Caroline Ie; Outermans, Jacqueline; Ludwig, Ricarda; Brendel, Christiane; Kwakkel, Gert; Hummelsheim, Horst

2016-07-01

To compare the efficacy of intensive daily applied progressive group therapy task training with equally dosed individual progressive task training on self-reported mobility for patients with moderate to severe stroke during inpatient rehabilitation. Randomized controlled clinical trial. In-patient rehabilitation center. A total of 73 subacute patients with stroke who were not able to walk without physical assistance at randomisation. Patients were allocated to group therapy task training (GT) or individual task training (IT). Both interventions were intended to improve walking competency and comprised 30 sessions of 90 minutes over six weeks. Primary outcome was the mobility domain of the Stroke Impact Scale (SIS-3.0). Secondary outcomes were the other domains of SIS-3.0, standing balance, gait speed, walking distance, stair climbing, fatigue, anxiety and depression. No adverse events were reported in either arm of the trial. There were no significant differences between groups for the SIS mobility domain at the end of the intervention (Z= -0.26, P = 0.79). No significant differences between groups were found in gait speed improvements (GT:0.38 ±0.23; IT:0.26±0.35), any other gait related parameters, or in non-physical outcomes such as depression and fatigue. Inpatient group therapy task training for patients with moderate to severe stroke is safe and equally effective as a dose-matched individual task training therapy. Group therapy task training may be delivered as an alternative to individual therapy or as valuable adjunct to increase time spent in gait-related activities. © The Author(s) 2015.

Quantum tasks in Minkowski space

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kent, Adrian

2012-01-01

The fundamental properties of quantum information and its applications to computing and cryptography have been greatly illuminated by considering information-theoretic tasks that are provably possible or impossible within non-relativistic quantum mechanics. I describe here a general framework for defining tasks within (special) relativistic quantum theory and illustrate it with examples from relativistic quantum cryptography and relativistic distributed quantum computation. The framework gives a unified description of all tasks previously considered and also defines a large class of new questions about the properties of quantum information in relation to Minkowski causality. It offers a way of exploring interesting new fundamental tasks and applications, and also highlights the scope for a more systematic understanding of the fundamental information-theoretic properties of relativistic quantum theory. (paper)

Progressive paradoxical sleep deprivation impairs partial memory following learning tasks in rats

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Chunmin Zhu; Xiangrong Yao; Weisheng Zhang; Yanfeng Song; Yiping Hou

2008-01-01

BACKGROUND: Complex learning tasks result in a greater number of paradoxical sleep phases, which can improve memory. The effect of paradoxical sleep deprivation, induced by "flower pot" technique, on spatial reference memory and working memory require further research. OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of progressive paradoxical sleep deprivation in rats, subsequent to learning, on memory using the Morris Water Maze. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING: Controlled observation experiment. The experiment was performed at the Laboratory of Neurobiology, Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University from December 2006 to October 2007. MATERIALS: Twenty-eight, male, Wistar rats, 3-4 months old, were provided by the Experimental Animal Center of Lanzhou University. The Morris Water Maze and behavioral analyses system was purchased from Genheart Company, Beijing, China. METHODS: All animals, according to a random digits table, were randomly divided into paradoxical sleep deprivation, tank control, and home cage control groups. Paradoxical sleep deprivation was induced by the "flower pot" technique for 72 hours, housing the rats on small platforms over water. Rats in the "tank control" and "home cage control" groups were housed either in a tank with large platforms over the water or in normal cages without paradoxical sleep deprivation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Morris Water Maze was employed for task learning and spatial memory testing. Rats in all groups were placed at six random starting points each day for four consecutive days. Each placement was repeated for two trials; the first trial represented reference memory and the second working memory. Rats in the first trial were allowed to locate the submerged platform within 120 seconds. Data, including swimming distance, escape latency, swimming velocity, percentage of time in correct quarter, and memory scores were recorded and analyzed automatically by behavioral analyses

Progress in understanding the importance of coastal wetland nursery habitat to Great Lakes fisheries support

Science.gov (United States)

Great Lakes coastal wetlands provide important habitat for Great Lakes fishes of all life stages. A literature review of ichthyoplankton surveys conducted in Great Lakes coastal wetlands found at least 82 species reported to be captured during the larval stage. Twenty of those sp...

CERN concludes year of strong progress towards the LHC

CERN Multimedia

2006-01-01

Speaking at the 135th session of the CERN Council, the Director General, Robert Aymar, hailed a year of impressive progress towards the LHC project. 'In one year, we have made great progress,' he said. 'The challenge is not over, of course, but we have great confidence of maintaining the schedule for start-up in 2007.'

SU-E-E-02: Dashboard for Tracking Physics Resident Progress

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Becker, SJ [NYU Langone Medical Center, NY, NY (United States)

2014-06-01

Purpose: Design a system to easily and securely track the progress of medical physics residents through their residency. Paper sign-offs while offering a real signature are not easily updated or summarized. A resident or mentor needs to be able to quickly assess what the current assignments are, what are overdue, and whether the resident is on track to complete all the tasks in a timely fashion. An electronic version can accomplish all these goals. Methods: An electronic dashboard was created in excel to not only house the tasks and sign-off but to succinctly summarize the residents progress. The first tab contains the dashboard which displays tables of the progress of the residents in each rotation, their current task, and overdue tasks. It also displays the last meetings with the residents, and timeline of important items, and a burn-down chart of the remaining tasks. This are all tied to the data and current date which auto fills the tables. The second tab contains the data. This is comprised of lists of rotations and their associated tasks along with their due dates. A signature column was also created which is password protected but allows special subset users i.e. mentors to alter without using a password. Results: The dashboard has allowed residents to better track their progress and tells them what they should be working on. It has also allowed the mentors and the program director to rapid assess their progress. Conclusion: The dashboard is successful and has been created to allow easy addition and subtraction of required tasks as the residency evolves. The next step is to create a web app version of the excel sheet with logins.

SU-E-E-02: Dashboard for Tracking Physics Resident Progress

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Becker, SJ

2014-01-01

Purpose: Design a system to easily and securely track the progress of medical physics residents through their residency. Paper sign-offs while offering a real signature are not easily updated or summarized. A resident or mentor needs to be able to quickly assess what the current assignments are, what are overdue, and whether the resident is on track to complete all the tasks in a timely fashion. An electronic version can accomplish all these goals. Methods: An electronic dashboard was created in excel to not only house the tasks and sign-off but to succinctly summarize the residents progress. The first tab contains the dashboard which displays tables of the progress of the residents in each rotation, their current task, and overdue tasks. It also displays the last meetings with the residents, and timeline of important items, and a burn-down chart of the remaining tasks. This are all tied to the data and current date which auto fills the tables. The second tab contains the data. This is comprised of lists of rotations and their associated tasks along with their due dates. A signature column was also created which is password protected but allows special subset users i.e. mentors to alter without using a password. Results: The dashboard has allowed residents to better track their progress and tells them what they should be working on. It has also allowed the mentors and the program director to rapid assess their progress. Conclusion: The dashboard is successful and has been created to allow easy addition and subtraction of required tasks as the residency evolves. The next step is to create a web app version of the excel sheet with logins

Great Plains Wind Energy Transmission Development Project

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brad G. Stevens, P.E.; Troy K. Simonsen; Kerryanne M. Leroux

2012-06-09

In fiscal year 2005, the Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) received funding from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to undertake a broad array of tasks to either directly or indirectly address the barriers that faced much of the Great Plains states and their efforts to produce and transmit wind energy at the time. This program, entitled Great Plains Wind Energy Transmission Development Project, was focused on the central goal of stimulating wind energy development through expansion of new transmission capacity or development of new wind energy capacity through alternative market development. The original task structure was as follows: Task 1 - Regional Renewable Credit Tracking System (later rescoped to Small Wind Turbine Training Center); Task 2 - Multistate Transmission Collaborative; Task 3 - Wind Energy Forecasting System; and Task 4 - Analysis of the Long-Term Role of Hydrogen in the Region. As carried out, Task 1 involved the creation of the Small Wind Turbine Training Center (SWTTC). The SWTTC, located Grand Forks, North Dakota, consists of a single wind turbine, the Endurance S-250, on a 105-foot tilt-up guyed tower. The S-250 is connected to the electrical grid on the 'load side' of the electric meter, and the power produced by the wind turbine is consumed locally on the property. Establishment of the SWTTC will allow EERC personnel to provide educational opportunities to a wide range of participants, including grade school through college-level students and the general public. In addition, the facility will allow the EERC to provide technical training workshops related to the installation, operation, and maintenance of small wind turbines. In addition, under Task 1, the EERC hosted two small wind turbine workshops on May 18, 2010, and March 8, 2011, at the EERC in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Task 2 involved the EERC cosponsoring and aiding in the planning of three transmission workshops in the midwest and western regions. Under Task

Performance assessment task team progress report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wood, D.E.; Curl, R.U.; Armstrong, D.R.; Cook, J.R.; Dolenc, M.R.; Kocher, D.C.; Owens, K.W.; Regnier, E.P.; Roles, G.W.; Seitz, R.R.

1994-05-01

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Headquarters EM-35, established a Performance Assessment Task Team (referred to as the Team) to integrate the activities of the sites that are preparing performance assessments (PAs) for disposal of new low-level waste, as required by Chapter III of DOE Order 5820.2A, open-quotes Low-Level Waste Managementclose quotes. The intent of the Team is to achieve a degree of consistency among these PAs as the analyses proceed at the disposal sites. The Team's purpose is to recommend policy and guidance to the DOE on issues that impact the PAs, including release scenarios and parameters, so that the approaches are as consistent as possible across the DOE complex. The Team has identified issues requiring attention and developed discussion papers for those issues. Some issues have been completed, and the recommendations are provided in this document. Other issues are still being discussed, and the status summaries are provided in this document. A major initiative was to establish a subteam to develop a set of test scenarios and parameters for benchmarking codes in use at the various sites. The activities of the Team are reported here through December 1993

High-performance execution of psychophysical tasks with complex visual stimuli in MATLAB

Science.gov (United States)

Asaad, Wael F.; Santhanam, Navaneethan; McClellan, Steven

2013-01-01

Behavioral, psychological, and physiological experiments often require the ability to present sensory stimuli, monitor and record subjects' responses, interface with a wide range of devices, and precisely control the timing of events within a behavioral task. Here, we describe our recent progress developing an accessible and full-featured software system for controlling such studies using the MATLAB environment. Compared with earlier reports on this software, key new features have been implemented to allow the presentation of more complex visual stimuli, increase temporal precision, and enhance user interaction. These features greatly improve the performance of the system and broaden its applicability to a wider range of possible experiments. This report describes these new features and improvements, current limitations, and quantifies the performance of the system in a real-world experimental setting. PMID:23034363

Waste management progress report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-06-01

During the Cold War era, when DOE and its predecessor agencies produced nuclear weapons and components, and conducted nuclear research, a variety of wastes were generated (both radioactive and hazardous). DOE now has the task of managing these wastes so that they are not a threat to human health and the environment. This document is the Waste Management Progress Report for the U.S. Department of Energy dated June 1997. This progress report contains a radioactive and hazardous waste inventory and waste management program mission, a section describing progress toward mission completion, mid-year 1997 accomplishments, and the future outlook for waste management

Progress report 1992 on fusion technology tasks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klippel, H.T.

1993-08-01

This annual progress report describes research activities which have been performed at ECN within the framework of the European Fusion Technology Programme during the period 1 January to 31 December 1992. The work is organized in RandD contracts for the next step NET/ITER Technology, the Solid Breeder Blanket Programme, the Long Term Programme and in JET and NET contracts. The topics concern: irradiation damage in austenitic and martensitic stainless steel, weldments, low-activation vanadium alloys, first wall coatings, simulation off-normal heat loads, nuclear data and neutronics for fusion, safety studies, development of ceramic breeding material and stress analysis on magnet coils. List of publications and staff members are also given. (orig.)

Progress report 1994 on fusion technology tasks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Klippel, H T [ed.

1995-09-01

This annual progress report describes research activities which have been performed at ECN within the framework of the European Fusion Technology Programme during the period 1 January to 31 December 1994. The work is organized in R and D contracts for the next step NET/ITER Technology, the Solid Breeder Blanket Programme, the Long Term Programme and in JET and NET contracts. The topics concern: irradiation damage in austenitic and martensitic stainless steel, weldments, low-activation vanadium alloys, first wall coatings, simulation off-normal heat loads, nuclear data and neutronics for fusion, safety studies, development of ceramic breeding material and stress analysis on magnet coils. A list of publications and staff members is also given. (orig.).

Progress report 1993 on fusion technology tasks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Klippel, H T [ed.

1994-09-01

This annual progress report describes research activities which have been performed at ECN within the framework of the European Fusion Technology Programme during the period 1 January to 31 December 1993. The work is organized in RandD contracts for the next step NET/ITER Technology, the Solid Breeder Blanket Programme, the Long Term Programme and in JET and NET contracts. The topics concern: irradiation damage in austenitic and martensitic stainless steel, weldments, low-activation vanadium alloys, first wall coatings, simulation off-normal heat loads, nuclear data and neutronics for fusion, safety studies, development of ceramic breeding material and stress analysis on magnet coils. List of publications and staff members are also given. (orig.).

Progress report 1994 on fusion technology tasks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klippel, H.T.

1995-09-01

This annual progress report describes research activities which have been performed at ECN within the framework of the European Fusion Technology Programme during the period 1 January to 31 December 1994. The work is organized in R and D contracts for the next step NET/ITER Technology, the Solid Breeder Blanket Programme, the Long Term Programme and in JET and NET contracts. The topics concern: irradiation damage in austenitic and martensitic stainless steel, weldments, low-activation vanadium alloys, first wall coatings, simulation off-normal heat loads, nuclear data and neutronics for fusion, safety studies, development of ceramic breeding material and stress analysis on magnet coils. A list of publications and staff members is also given. (orig.)

Progress report 1993 on fusion technology tasks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klippel, H.T.

1994-09-01

This annual progress report describes research activities which have been performed at ECN within the framework of the European Fusion Technology Programme during the period 1 January to 31 December 1993. The work is organized in RandD contracts for the next step NET/ITER Technology, the Solid Breeder Blanket Programme, the Long Term Programme and in JET and NET contracts. The topics concern: irradiation damage in austenitic and martensitic stainless steel, weldments, low-activation vanadium alloys, first wall coatings, simulation off-normal heat loads, nuclear data and neutronics for fusion, safety studies, development of ceramic breeding material and stress analysis on magnet coils. List of publications and staff members are also given. (orig.)

The Recon Pilot Project: A Progress Report, October 1970-May 1971

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Henriette D. Avram

1971-09-01

Full Text Available Synopsis of three progress reports on the RECON Pilot Project submitted by the Library of Congress to the Council on Library Resources covering the period October 1970-May 1971. Progress is reported in the following areas: RECON production, foreign language editing test, format recognition, microfilming, input devices, and tasks assigned to the RECON Working Task Force.

Accelerator research studies: Progress report, Task C

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1985-06-01

The major effort reported is the study of the feasibility of a 300 MW gyroklystron at ∼9 GHz, and substantial progress has been made. A four-cavity gyroklystron design has been shown to be capable of linear gain as high as 66 dB and to be marginally stable against oscillation in any mode. AM and PM sensitivities to fluctuation in system parameters have also been calculated in the regime of linear operation. Initial non-linear design calculations have also been carried out which include the effect of tapering the axial magnetic guide field over the length of a gyroklystron circuit. Although these calculations are preliminary they do indicate potential for significant efficiency enhancement by magnetic field shaping techniques

Bias-trigger manipulation and task-form understanding in Monty Hall

OpenAIRE

Kaivanto, Kim; Kroll, Eike B.; Zabinski, Michael

2014-01-01

Monty Hall is a difficult task which triggers multiple biases. With sophisticated subjects and treatments that reverse and eliminate these triggers, non-rational choice is greatly reduced. Among task-familiar subjects, non-rational choice can can fall to background-error levels. But as our data also show, task-form recognition is necessary but not sufficient for rational choice when the task calls for conditional probability reasoning rather than simple rule-based behavior, as in e.g. 'Switch...

Technical task plan for Acquire Commercial Technology for Retrieval

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McDaniel, L.B.

1995-01-01

Objective is to determine from industry their best approaches to retrieving waste from the Single Shell Tanks. This task plan describes the first 18 months of work; the task will be further defined as the work progresses. The retrieval is to be demonstrated on tank 241-C-106

What great managers do.

Science.gov (United States)

Buckingham, Marcus

2005-03-01

Much has been written about the qualities that make a great manager, but most of the literature overlooks a fundamental question: What does a great manager actually do? While there are countless management styles, one thing underpins the behavior of all great managers. Above all, an exceptional manager comes to know and value the particular quirks and abilities of her employees. She figures out how to capitalize on her staffers' strengths and tweaks her environment to meet her larger goals. Such a specialized approach may seem like a lot of work. But in fact, capitalizing on each person's uniqueness can save time. Rather than encourage employees to conform to strict job descriptions that may include tasks they don't enjoy and aren't good at, a manager who develops positions for his staff members based on their unique abilities will be rewarded with behaviors that are far more efficient and effective than they would be otherwise. This focus on individuals also makes employees more accountable. Because staffers are evaluated on their particular strengths and weaknesses, they are challenged to take responsibility for their abilities and to hone them. Capitalizing on a person's uniqueness also builds a stronger sense of team. By taking the time to understand what makes each employee tick, a great manager shows that he sees his people for who they are. This personal investment not only motivates individuals but also galvanizes the entire team. Finally, this approach shakes up existing hierarchies, which leads to more creative thinking. To take great managing from theory to practice, the author says, you must know three things about a person: her strengths, the triggers that activate those strengths, and how she learns. By asking the right questions, squeezing the right triggers, and becoming aware of your employees' learning styles, you will discover what motivates each person to excel.

Progress in lung modelling by the ICRP Task Group

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

James, A.C.; Birchall, A.

1989-01-01

The Task Group has reviewed the data on: (a) morphology and physiology of the human respiratory tract; (b) inspirability of aerosols and their deposition in anatomical regions as functions of respiratory parameters; (c) clearance of particles within and from the respiratory tract; (d) absorption of different materials into the blood in humans and in animals. The Task Group proposes a new model which predicts the deposition, retention and systemic uptake of materials, enabling doses absorbed by different respiratory tissues and other body organs to be evaluated. In the proposed model, clearance is described in terms of competition between the processes moving particles to the oropharynx or to lymph nodes and that of absorption into the blood. From studies with human subjects, characteristic rates and pathways are defined to represent mechanical clearance of particles from each region, which do not depend on the material. Conversely, the absorption rate is determined solely by the material: it is assumed to be the same in all parts of the respiratory tract and in other animal species. For several of the radiologically important forms of actinides, absorption rates can be derived from animal experiments, or, in some cases, directly from human data. Otherwise, default values are used, based on the current D, W and Y classification system. (author)

Paradoxical Effects of Education on the Iowa Gambling Task

Science.gov (United States)

Evans, Cathryn E.Y.; Kemish, Karen; Turnbull, Oliver H.

2004-01-01

Suitable normative information on the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) is not currently available, though it is clear that there is great individual variability in performance on this assessment tool. Given that the task is presumed to measure the emotion-based learning systems that are thought to form the biological basis of "intuition," there is some…

Working Memory, Reasoning, and Task Switching Training: Transfer Effects, Limitations, and Great Expectations?

Science.gov (United States)

Baniqued, Pauline L; Allen, Courtney M; Kranz, Michael B; Johnson, Kathryn; Sipolins, Aldis; Dickens, Charles; Ward, Nathan; Geyer, Alexandra; Kramer, Arthur F

2015-01-01

Although some studies have shown that cognitive training can produce improvements to untrained cognitive domains (far transfer), many others fail to show these effects, especially when it comes to improving fluid intelligence. The current study was designed to overcome several limitations of previous training studies by incorporating training expectancy assessments, an active control group, and "Mind Frontiers," a video game-based mobile program comprised of six adaptive, cognitively demanding training tasks that have been found to lead to increased scores in fluid intelligence (Gf) tests. We hypothesize that such integrated training may lead to broad improvements in cognitive abilities by targeting aspects of working memory, executive function, reasoning, and problem solving. Ninety participants completed 20 hour-and-a-half long training sessions over four to five weeks, 45 of whom played Mind Frontiers and 45 of whom completed visual search and change detection tasks (active control). After training, the Mind Frontiers group improved in working memory n-back tests, a composite measure of perceptual speed, and a composite measure of reaction time in reasoning tests. No training-related improvements were found in reasoning accuracy or other working memory tests, nor in composite measures of episodic memory, selective attention, divided attention, and multi-tasking. Perceived self-improvement in the tested abilities did not differ between groups. A general expectancy difference in problem-solving was observed between groups, but this perceived benefit did not correlate with training-related improvement. In summary, although these findings provide modest evidence regarding the efficacy of an integrated cognitive training program, more research is needed to determine the utility of Mind Frontiers as a cognitive training tool.

Working Memory, Reasoning, and Task Switching Training: Transfer Effects, Limitations, and Great Expectations?

Science.gov (United States)

Baniqued, Pauline L.; Ward, Nathan; Geyer, Alexandra; Kramer, Arthur F.

2015-01-01

Although some studies have shown that cognitive training can produce improvements to untrained cognitive domains (far transfer), many others fail to show these effects, especially when it comes to improving fluid intelligence. The current study was designed to overcome several limitations of previous training studies by incorporating training expectancy assessments, an active control group, and “Mind Frontiers,” a video game-based mobile program comprised of six adaptive, cognitively demanding training tasks that have been found to lead to increased scores in fluid intelligence (Gf) tests. We hypothesize that such integrated training may lead to broad improvements in cognitive abilities by targeting aspects of working memory, executive function, reasoning, and problem solving. Ninety participants completed 20 hour-and-a-half long training sessions over four to five weeks, 45 of whom played Mind Frontiers and 45 of whom completed visual search and change detection tasks (active control). After training, the Mind Frontiers group improved in working memory n-back tests, a composite measure of perceptual speed, and a composite measure of reaction time in reasoning tests. No training-related improvements were found in reasoning accuracy or other working memory tests, nor in composite measures of episodic memory, selective attention, divided attention, and multi-tasking. Perceived self-improvement in the tested abilities did not differ between groups. A general expectancy difference in problem-solving was observed between groups, but this perceived benefit did not correlate with training-related improvement. In summary, although these findings provide modest evidence regarding the efficacy of an integrated cognitive training program, more research is needed to determine the utility of Mind Frontiers as a cognitive training tool. PMID:26555341

Working Memory, Reasoning, and Task Switching Training: Transfer Effects, Limitations, and Great Expectations?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pauline L Baniqued

Full Text Available Although some studies have shown that cognitive training can produce improvements to untrained cognitive domains (far transfer, many others fail to show these effects, especially when it comes to improving fluid intelligence. The current study was designed to overcome several limitations of previous training studies by incorporating training expectancy assessments, an active control group, and "Mind Frontiers," a video game-based mobile program comprised of six adaptive, cognitively demanding training tasks that have been found to lead to increased scores in fluid intelligence (Gf tests. We hypothesize that such integrated training may lead to broad improvements in cognitive abilities by targeting aspects of working memory, executive function, reasoning, and problem solving. Ninety participants completed 20 hour-and-a-half long training sessions over four to five weeks, 45 of whom played Mind Frontiers and 45 of whom completed visual search and change detection tasks (active control. After training, the Mind Frontiers group improved in working memory n-back tests, a composite measure of perceptual speed, and a composite measure of reaction time in reasoning tests. No training-related improvements were found in reasoning accuracy or other working memory tests, nor in composite measures of episodic memory, selective attention, divided attention, and multi-tasking. Perceived self-improvement in the tested abilities did not differ between groups. A general expectancy difference in problem-solving was observed between groups, but this perceived benefit did not correlate with training-related improvement. In summary, although these findings provide modest evidence regarding the efficacy of an integrated cognitive training program, more research is needed to determine the utility of Mind Frontiers as a cognitive training tool.

Psychometric Properties of Maze Tasks in Middle School Students

Science.gov (United States)

Tolar, Tammy D.; Barth, Amy E.; Francis, David J.; Fletcher, Jack M.; Stuebing, Karla K.; Vaughn, Sharon

2012-01-01

Maze tasks have appealing properties as progress-monitoring tools, but there is a need for a thorough examination of the psychometric properties of Maze tasks among middle school students. We evaluated form effects, reliability, validity, and practice effects of Maze among students in Grades 6 through 8. We administered the same (familiar) and…

Building a reference inventory of Great Lakes aquatic fauna

Science.gov (United States)

Despite the existence of numerous publications and web-pages that address aspects of species composition and distribution in the Great Lakes, there is at present no single resource that brings all this information together. This poster describes our progress towards generating a ...

Leadership conversations challenging high potential managers to become great leaders

CERN Document Server

Berson, Alan S

2012-01-01

Conversation techniques and tools that can help strong managers become great leaders Often the very same skills and traits that enable rising stars to achieve success ""tenacity, aggressiveness, self-confidence"" become liabilities when promoted into a leadership track. While managers'' conversations are generally transactional and centered on the task at hand, leaders must focus on people, asking great questions and aligning them with the vision for the future. Leadership mindsets and skills can be developed, and Leadership Conversations provides practical guidance for connecting with others

A Competitive Nonverbal False Belief Task for Children and Apes

Science.gov (United States)

Krachun, Carla; Carpenter, Malinda; Call, Josep; Tomasello, Michael

2009-01-01

A nonverbal false belief task was administered to children (mean age 5 years) and two great ape species: chimpanzees ("Pan troglodytes") and bonobos ("Pan paniscus"). Because apes typically perform poorly in cooperative contexts, our task was competitive. Two versions were run: in both, a human competitor witnessed an experimenter hide a reward in…

Association of Dual-Task Gait With Incident Dementia in Mild Cognitive Impairment: Results From the Gait and Brain Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Montero-Odasso, Manuel M; Sarquis-Adamson, Yanina; Speechley, Mark; Borrie, Michael J; Hachinski, Vladimir C; Wells, Jennie; Riccio, Patricia M; Schapira, Marcelo; Sejdic, Ervin; Camicioli, Richard M; Bartha, Robert; McIlroy, William E; Muir-Hunter, Susan

2017-07-01

Gait performance is affected by neurodegeneration in aging and has the potential to be used as a clinical marker for progression from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to dementia. A dual-task gait test evaluating the cognitive-motor interface may predict dementia progression in older adults with MCI. To determine whether a dual-task gait test is associated with incident dementia in MCI. The Gait and Brain Study is an ongoing prospective cohort study of community-dwelling older adults that enrolled 112 older adults with MCI. Participants were followed up for 6 years, with biannual visits including neurologic, cognitive, and gait assessments. Data were collected from July 2007 to March 2016. Incident all-cause dementia was the main outcome measure, and single- and dual-task gait velocity and dual-task gait costs were the independent variables. A neuropsychological test battery was used to assess cognition. Gait velocity was recorded under single-task and 3 separate dual-task conditions using an electronic walkway. Dual-task gait cost was defined as the percentage change between single- and dual-task gait velocities: ([single-task gait velocity - dual-task gait velocity]/ single-task gait velocity) × 100. Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate the association between risk of progression to dementia and the independent variables, adjusted for age, sex, education, comorbidities, and cognition. Among 112 study participants with MCI, mean (SD) age was 76.6 (6.9) years, 55 were women (49.1%), and 27 progressed to dementia (24.1%), with an incidence rate of 121 per 1000 person-years. Slow single-task gait velocity (gait cost while counting backward (HR, 3.79; 95% CI, 1.57-9.15; P = .003) and naming animals (HR, 2.41; 95% CI, 1.04-5.59; P = .04) were associated with dementia progression (incidence rate, 155 per 1000 person-years). The models remained robust after adjusting by baseline cognition except for dual-task gait cost when dichotomized. Dual-task

Report of the Task Force on radiopharmaceuticals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lacker, D.K.; Porter, B.J.; Watkins, G.

1975-01-01

The procedures for evaluation of IND and NDA applications were reviewed by FDA and the state members of the Task Force believe that there is significant progress being made toward expeditious handling of these items. Progress toward publication of the final rule on radiopharmaceuticals has reduced the need for state regulatory activity in investigational aspects of radiopharmaceutical research to the point that the original concept for the training is no longer valid

The effect of caffeine on cognitive task performance and motor fatigue

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Duinen, Hiske; Lorist, Monicque M.; Zijdewind, Inge

Rationale: In everyday life, people are usually capable of performing two tasks simultaneously. However, in a previous study we showed that during a fatiguing motor task, cognitive performance declined progressively. There is extensive literature on the ( positive) effects of caffeine on cognitive

Pricing regulations in Great Britain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cicoletti, G.

1993-01-01

This paper briefly describes the structure and functions of Great Britain's essential electric power regulatory authority institutionalized by the 1989 British Electricity Act, i.e., the Office of Electricity Regulation, OFFER, and the responsibilities and tasks of the head of OFFER -the Director General of Electricity Supply (DGES). In particular, with regard to the latter, the paper describes how the DGES works together with regional electricity commissions to ensure the respect, by the various utilities, of consumer price caps and compliance with overall quality of service standards, as well as, to oversee 'pooling' activities by producers and distributors

Pricing regulations in Great Britain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cicoletti, G.

1993-01-01

This paper briefly describes the structure and functions of Great Britain's essential electric power regulatory authority institutionalized by the 1989 British Electricity Act, i.e., the Office of Electricity Regulation, OFFER, and the responsibilities and tasks of the head of OFFER - the Director General of Electricity Supply (DGES). In particular, with regard to the latter, the paper describes how the DGES works together with regional electricity commissions to ensure the respect, by the various utilities, of consumer price caps and compliance with overall quality of service standards, as well as, to oversee 'pooling' activities by producers and distributors

Be steadily on the progress, be in pursuit of brilliance. For deep understanding the development tendency of quality management in nuclear geologic exploration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Qiuying

2006-01-01

A new knowledge economy era driven by brings forth new ideas in science-technology and marked by quality innovation as an important element has come. At present, a great upsurge of quality management represented by outstanding quality management models such as Liuxigma management, outstanding achievement-effect evaluation and quality management system etc. are spreading throughout the world like a raging fire. Enterprises of nuclear geological exploration must be steadily on the progress, to strengthen quality management, to guarantee the successful fulfillment of tasks in uranium resources exploration by outstanding achievements. (authors)

U.C. Davis high energy particle physics research: Technical progress report -- 1990

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1990-12-31

Summaries of progress made for this period is given for each of the following areas: (1) Task A--Experiment, H1 detector at DESY; (2) Task C--Experiment, AMY detector at KEK; (3) Task D--Experiment, fixed target detectors at Fermilab; (4) Task F--Experiment, PEP detector at SLAC and pixel detector; (5) Task B--Theory, particle physics; and (6) Task E--Theory, particle physics.

International Project on Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles (INPRO). 2008 progress report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2009-02-01

The purpose of the work is to review the progress of the IAEA international project for innovative reactors and fuel cycle technologies (INPRO). The publication reports about the recognition of INPRO and on general Information on INPRO, its strengths, memberships, collaboration with other international initiatives, the INPRO organization and management and the history of INPRO. The section on the progress of INPRO in 2008 contains task 1: INPRO Methodology, task 2: Assessment Studies, task 3: Nuclear Energy Visions for the 21st Century, task 4: Infrastructure and Institutional Innovation, task 5: Common User Considerations and task 6: Collaborative Projects. Conclusions and New Trends are followed by a bibliography. Annex I deals with the INPRO project management in 2008 and Annex II provides a selection of photographs from 2008. Finally a list of acronyms is provided

Radiation protection technician job task analysis manual

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1990-03-01

This manual was developed to assist all DOE contractors in the design and conduct of job task analysis (JTA) for the radiation protection technician. Experience throughout the nuclear industry and the DOE system has indicated that the quality and efficiency in conducting a JTA at most sites is greatly enhanced by using a generic task list for the position, and clearly written guidelines on the JTA process. This manual is designed to provide this information for personnel to use in developing and conducting site-specific JTAs. (VC)

The Applicability of Rhythm-Motor Tasks to a New Dual Task Paradigm for Older Adults

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Soo Ji Kim

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Given the interplay between cognitive and motor functions during walking, cognitive demands required during gait have been investigated with regard to dual task performance. Along with the needs to understand how the type of concurrent task while walking affects gait performance, there are calls for diversified dual tasks that can be applied to older adults with varying levels of cognitive decline. Therefore, this study aimed to examine how rhythm-motor tasks affect dual task performance and gait control, compared to a traditional cognitive-motor task. Also, it examined whether rhythm-motor tasks are correlated with traditional cognitive-motor task performance and cognitive measures. Eighteen older adults without cognitive impairment participated in this study. Each participant was instructed to walk at self-paced tempo without performing a concurrent task (single walking task and walk while separately performing two types of concurrent tasks: rhythm-motor and cognitive-motor tasks. Rhythm-motor tasks included instrument playing (WalkIP, matching to rhythmic cueing (WalkRC, and instrument playing while matching to rhythmic cueing (WalkIP+RC. The cognitive-motor task involved counting forward by 3s (WalkCount.f3. In each condition, dual task costs (DTC, a measure for how dual tasks affect gait parameters, were measured in terms of walking speed and stride length. The ratio of stride length to walking speed, a measure for dynamic control of gait, was also examined. The results of this study demonstrated that the task type was found to significantly influence these measures. Rhythm-motor tasks were found to interfere with gait parameters to a lesser extent than the cognitive-motor task (WalkCount.f3. In terms of ratio measures, stride length remained at a similar level, walking speed greatly decreased in the WalkCount.f3 condition. Significant correlations between dual task-related measures during rhythm-motor and cognitive-motor tasks support the

PSI-Center Final Progress Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jarboe, Thomas R. [Univ. of Washington, Seattle, WA (United States); Shumlak, Uri [Univ. of Washington, Seattle, WA (United States); Sovinec, Carl [Univ. of Washington, Seattle, WA (United States); Hansen, Chris [Univ. of Washington, Seattle, WA (United States); Ji, Jeong-Young [Utah State Univ., Logan, UT (United States); Nelson, Brian [Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States)

2017-04-20

This is the Final Progress Report of the Plasma Science and Innovation Center (PSI-Center) covering March 2014 through February 2017. The Center has accomplished a great deal during this period. The PSI-Center is organized into four groups: Edge and Dynamic Neutrals; Transport and Kinetic Effects; Equilibrium, Stability, and Kinetic Effects in 3D Topologies; and Interface for Validation. Each group has made good progress and the results from each group are given in detail.

A task dependent change in the medium latency component of the soleus stretch reflex

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grey, Michael James; Larsen, Birgit; Sinkjær, Thomas

2002-01-01

In comparison to the H-reflex, the task dependency of the human stretch reflex during locomotive and postural tasks has not received a great deal of attention in the literature. The few studies on reflex task dependency that have been performed to date have concentrated on either the group Ia...

Plans and progress for building a Great Lakes fauna DNA barcode reference library

Science.gov (United States)

DNA reference libraries provide researchers with an important tool for assessing regional biodiversity by allowing unknown genetic sequences to be assigned identities, while also providing a means for taxonomists to validate identifications. Expanding the representation of Great...

Toward a Progress Indicator for Machine Learning Model Building and Data Mining Algorithm Execution: A Position Paper

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Gang

2017-01-01

For user-friendliness, many software systems offer progress indicators for long-duration tasks. A typical progress indicator continuously estimates the remaining task execution time as well as the portion of the task that has been finished. Building a machine learning model often takes a long time, but no existing machine learning software supplies a non-trivial progress indicator. Similarly, running a data mining algorithm often takes a long time, but no existing data mining software provides a nontrivial progress indicator. In this article, we consider the problem of offering progress indicators for machine learning model building and data mining algorithm execution. We discuss the goals and challenges intrinsic to this problem. Then we describe an initial framework for implementing such progress indicators and two advanced, potential uses of them, with the goal of inspiring future research on this topic. PMID:29177022

Privacy-Preserving Task Assignment in Spatial Crowdsourcing

KAUST Repository

Liu, An

2017-09-20

With the progress of mobile devices and wireless networks, spatial crowdsourcing (SC) is emerging as a promising approach for problem solving. In SC, spatial tasks are assigned to and performed by a set of human workers. To enable effective task assignment, however, both workers and task requesters are required to disclose their locations to untrusted SC systems. In this paper, we study the problem of assigning workers to tasks in a way that location privacy for both workers and task requesters is preserved. We first combine the Paillier cryptosystem with Yao’s garbled circuits to construct a secure protocol that assigns the nearest worker to a task. Considering that this protocol cannot scale to a large number of workers, we then make use of Geohash, a hierarchical spatial index to design a more efficient protocol that can securely find approximate nearest workers. We theoretically show that these two protocols are secure against semi-honest adversaries. Through extensive experiments on two real-world datasets, we demonstrate the efficiency and effectiveness of our protocols.

Understanding Obstacles to Peace in the Great Lakes Region ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Africa's Great Lakes region is home to violent and prolonged conflicts that cause a lot of suffering and block socioeconomic progress. Several initiatives are underway to bring peace to the region. But, most of these focus on specific countries and have not taken into account the interrelated and overlapping nature of the ...

Game elements improve performance in a working memory training task

OpenAIRE

Manuel Ninaus; Gonçalo Pereira; René Stefitz; Rui Prada; Ana Paiva; Christa Neuper; Guilherme Wood

2015-01-01

The utilization of game elements in a non-game context is currently used in a vast range of different domains. However, research on game elements’ effects in cognitive tasks is still sparse. Thus, in this study we implemented three game elements, namely, progress bar, level indicator, and a thematic setting, in a working memory training task. We evaluated the impact of game elements on user performance and perceived state of flow when compared to a conventional version of the task. Participan...

FY13 Annual Progress Report for SECA Core Technology Program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stevenson, Jeffry W. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Koeppel, Brian J. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

2014-01-31

This progress report covers technical work performed during fiscal year 2013 at PNNL under Field Work Proposal (FWP) 40552. The report highlights and documents technical progress in tasks related to advanced cell and stack component materials development and computational design and simulation.

C-Mod Collaboration Informal Technical Progress Report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kenneth W. Gentle

2007-01-01

The aims of the collaboration have not changed. A specific list of tasks was agreed upon during the Fall of 2006 in preparation for the 2007 C-Mod campaign by Earl Marmar, Head of the Alcator Project, Kenneth Gentle, Principal Investigator, and William Rowan, Collaboration Coordinator with the facilitation of Adam Rosenberg (DOE grant monitor for the collaboration). The activities follow the list of tasks and are discussed in this progress report

The illnesses of Herod the Great | Retief | Acta Theologica

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Herod the Great, Idumean by birth, was king of the Jews from 40BC to AD 4. An able statesman, builder and warrior, he ruthlessly stamped out all perceived opposition to his rule. His last decade was characterised by vicious strife within his family and progressive ill health. We review the nature of his illnesses and suggest ...

Effect of dual task type on gait and dynamic stability during stair negotiation at different inclinations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Madehkhaksar, F.; Egges, J.

Stair gait is a common daily activity with great potential risk for falls. Stairs have varying inclinations and people may perform other tasks concurrently with stair gait. This study investigated dual-task interference in the context of complex gait tasks, such as stair gait at different

Predicting Great Lakes fish yields: tools and constraints

Science.gov (United States)

Lewis, C.A.; Schupp, D.H.; Taylor, W.W.; Collins, J.J.; Hatch, Richard W.

1987-01-01

Prediction of yield is a critical component of fisheries management. The development of sound yield prediction methodology and the application of the results of yield prediction are central to the evolution of strategies to achieve stated goals for Great Lakes fisheries and to the measurement of progress toward those goals. Despite general availability of species yield models, yield prediction for many Great Lakes fisheries has been poor due to the instability of the fish communities and the inadequacy of available data. A host of biological, institutional, and societal factors constrain both the development of sound predictions and their application to management. Improved predictive capability requires increased stability of Great Lakes fisheries through rehabilitation of well-integrated communities, improvement of data collection, data standardization and information-sharing mechanisms, and further development of the methodology for yield prediction. Most important is the creation of a better-informed public that will in turn establish the political will to do what is required.

Pointing Device Performance in Steering Tasks.

Science.gov (United States)

Senanayake, Ransalu; Goonetilleke, Ravindra S

2016-06-01

Use of touch-screen-based interactions is growing rapidly. Hence, knowing the maneuvering efficacy of touch screens relative to other pointing devices is of great importance in the context of graphical user interfaces. Movement time, accuracy, and user preferences of four pointing device settings were evaluated on a computer with 14 participants aged 20.1 ± 3.13 years. It was found that, depending on the difficulty of the task, the optimal settings differ for ballistic and visual control tasks. With a touch screen, resting the arm increased movement time for steering tasks. When both performance and comfort are considered, whether to use a mouse or a touch screen for person-computer interaction depends on the steering difficulty. Hence, a input device should be chosen based on the application, and should be optimized to match the graphical user interface. © The Author(s) 2016.

Design and development of progressive tool for manufacturing washer

Science.gov (United States)

Annigeri, Ulhas K.; Raghavendra Ravi Kiran, K.; Deepthi, Y. P.

2017-07-01

In a progressive tool the raw material is worked at different station to finally fabricate the component. A progressive tool is a lucrative tool for mass production of components. A lot of automobile and other transport industries develop progressive tool for the production of components. The design of tool involves lot of planning and the same amount of skill of process planning is required in the fabrication of the tool. The design also involves use of thumb rules and standard elements as per experience gained in practice. Manufacturing the press tool is a laborious task as special jigs and fixtures have to be designed for the purpose. Assembly of all the press tool elements is another task where use of accurate measuring instruments for alignment of various tool elements is important. In the present study, design and fabrication of progressive press tool for production of washer has been developed and the press tool has been tried out on a mechanical type of press. The components produced are to dimensions.

Expert communication link management: overview and progress

Science.gov (United States)

Dunkelberger, Kirk A.

1998-08-01

Consider the downsizing of our forces, the increasing complexity of our tactical platforms, and the ever widening array of communication options and the conclusion is inevitable. The need for automated support to reduce communication-related workload is critical to continued task force effectiveness. In a previous era, communication management expertise resided solely in the form of human experts. These experts flew with the pilots, providing the most effective means of communication in real time; they have since been removed from a great number of platforms due to force downsizing and real estate value in the cockpit. This burden has typically been shifted to the pilot, providing another set of tasks in an environment which is already far too taxing. An Expert Communication Link Manger (ECLM) is required -- a trusted, reliable assistant which can determine optimal link, channel, and waveform data for the communication requirements at hand and translate those requirements transparently into communication device control. Technologies are at hand which make ECLM possible; the mixture of these elements in the correct proportions can provide a capable, deployable, and cost effective ECLM in the near term. This paper describes specific applied ECLM research work in progress funded by the USAF under a four year effort. Operational objectives, technical objectives, a reference design, and technical excursions within the broad ECLM scope will be discussed in detail. Results of prototypes built to date in the area of communication inference from speech understanding, dynamic adaptive routing, and packet switching networks in the tactical environment will be presented.

Waste Tank Organic Safety Project organic concentration mechanisms task. FY 1994 progress report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gerber, M.A.

1994-09-01

The Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL), Waste Tank Organic Safety Project is conducting research to support Westinghouse Hanford Company's (WHC) Waste Tank Safety Program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy's Tank Farm Project Office. The goal of PNL's program is to provide a scientific basis for analyzing organics in Hanford's underground storage tanks (USTs) and for determining whether they are at concentrations that pose a potentially unsafe condition. Part of this research is directed toward determining what organic concentrations are safe by conducting research on organic aging mechanisms and waste energetics to assess the conditions necessary to produce an uncontrolled energy release in tanks due to reactions between the organics and the nitrate and nitrate salts in the tank wastes. The objective of the Organic Concentration Mechanisms Task is to assess the degree of localized enrichment of organics to be expected in the USTs due to concentration mechanisms. This report describes the progress of research conducted in FY 1994 on two concentration mechanisms of interest to the tank safety project: (1) permeation of a separate organic liquid phase into the interstitial spaces of the tank solids during the draining of free liquid from the tanks; and (2) concentration of organics on the surfaces of the solids due to adsorption. Three experiments were conducted to investigate permeation of air and solvent into a sludge simulant that is representative of single-shell tank sludge. The permeation behavior of air and solvent into the sludge simulant can be explained by the properties of the fluid pairs (air/supernate and solvent supernate) and the sludge. One important fluid property is the interfacial tension between the supernate and either the solvent or air. In general, the greater the interfacial tension between two fluids, the more difficult it will be for the air or solvent to displace the supernate during dewatering of the sludge

Abnormal-induced theta activity supports early directed-attention network deficits in progressive MCI.

Science.gov (United States)

Deiber, Marie-Pierre; Ibañez, Vicente; Missonnier, Pascal; Herrmann, François; Fazio-Costa, Lara; Gold, Gabriel; Giannakopoulos, Panteleimon

2009-09-01

The electroencephalography (EEG) theta frequency band reacts to memory and selective attention paradigms. Global theta oscillatory activity includes a posterior phase-locked component related to stimulus processing and a frontal-induced component modulated by directed attention. To investigate the presence of early deficits in the directed attention-related network in elderly individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), time-frequency analysis at baseline was used to assess global and induced theta oscillatory activity (4-6Hz) during n-back working memory tasks in 29 individuals with MCI and 24 elderly controls (EC). At 1-year follow-up, 13 MCI patients were still stable and 16 had progressed. Baseline task performance was similar in stable and progressive MCI cases. Induced theta activity at baseline was significantly reduced in progressive MCI as compared to EC and stable MCI in all n-back tasks, which were similar in terms of directed attention requirements. While performance is maintained, the decrease of induced theta activity suggests early deficits in the directed-attention network in progressive MCI, whereas this network is functionally preserved in stable MCI.

Motor-cognitive dual-task deficits in individuals with early-mid stage Huntington disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Fritz, Nora E; Hamana, Katy; Kelson, Mark; Rosser, Anne; Busse, Monica; Quinn, Lori

2016-09-01

Huntington disease (HD) results in a range of cognitive and motor impairments that progress throughout the disease stages; however, little research has evaluated specific dual-task abilities in this population, and the degree to which they may be related to functional ability. The purpose of this study was to a) examine simple and complex motor-cognitive dual-task performance in individuals with HD, b) determine relationships between dual-task walking ability and disease-specific measures of motor, cognitive and functional ability, and c) examine the relationship of dual-task measures to falls in individuals with HD. Thirty-two individuals with HD were evaluated for simple and complex dual-task ability using the Walking While Talking Test. Demographics and disease-specific measures of motor, cognitive and functional ability were also obtained. Individuals with HD had impairments in simple and complex dual-task ability. Simple dual-task walking was correlated to disease-specific motor scores as well as cognitive performance, but complex dual-task walking was correlated with total functional capacity, as well as a range of cognitive measures. Number of prospective falls was moderately-strongly correlated to dual-task measures. Our results suggest that individuals with HD have impairments in cognitive-motor dual-task ability that are related to disease progression and specifically functional ability. Dual-task measures appear to evaluate a unique construct in individuals with early to mid-stage HD, and may have value in improving the prediction of falls risk in this population. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Long-term progressive motor skill training enhances corticospinal excitability for the ipsilateral hemisphere and motor performance of the untrained hand

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christiansen, Lasse; Larsen, Malte Nejst; Grey, Michael James

2017-01-01

It is well-established that unilateral motor practice can lead to increased performance in the opposite non-trained hand. Here, we test the hypothesis that progressively increasing task difficulty during long-term skill training with the dominant right hand increase performance and corticomotor...... and accuracy to individual proficiency promotes motor skill learning and drives the iM1-CSE resulting in enhanced performance of the non-trained hand. The results underline the importance of increasing task difficulty progressively and individually in skill learning and rehabilitation training. This article...... excitability of the left non-trained hand. Subjects practiced a visuomotor tracking task engaging right digit V for 6 weeks with either progressively increasing task difficulty (PT) or no progression (NPT). Corticospinal excitability(CSE) was evaluated from the resting motor threshold(rMT) and recruitment...

Long-term progressive motor skill training enhances corticospinal excitability for the ipsilateral hemisphere and motor performance of the untrained hand

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christiansen, Lasse; Larsen, Malte Nejst; Grey, Michael James

2017-01-01

It is well established that unilateral motor practice can lead to increased performance in the opposite non-trained hand. Here, we test the hypothesis that progressively increasing task difficulty during long-term skill training with the dominant right hand increase performance and corticomotor...... demands for timing and accuracy to individual proficiency promotes motor skill learning and drives the iM1-CSE resulting in enhanced performance of the non-trained hand. The results underline the importance of increasing task difficulty progressively and individually in skill learning and rehabilitation...... excitability of the left non-trained hand. Subjects practiced a visuomotor tracking task engaging right digit V for 6 weeks with either progressively increasing task difficulty (PT) or no progression (NPT). Corticospinal excitability (CSE) was evaluated from the resting motor threshold (rMT) and recruitment...

Gatlinburg conference: barometer of progress in analytical chemistry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shults, W.D.

1981-01-01

Much progress has been made in the field of analytical chemistry over the past twenty-five years. The AEC-ERDA-DOE family of laboratories contributed greatly to this progress. It is not surprising then to find a close correlation between program content of past Gatlinburg conferences and developments in analytical methodology. These conferences have proved to be a barometer of technical status

Cost-effectiveness of a structured progressive task-oriented circuit class training programme to enhance walking competency after stroke: The protocol of the FIT-Stroke trial

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roelse Hanneke

2009-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Most patients who suffer a stroke experience reduced walking competency and health-related quality of life (HRQoL. A key factor in effective stroke rehabilitation is intensive, task-specific training. Recent studies suggest that intensive, patient-tailored training can be organized as a circuit with a series of task-oriented workstations. Primary aim of the FIT-Stroke trial is to evaluate the effects and cost-effectiveness of a structured, progressive task-oriented circuit class training (CCT programme, compared to usual physiotherapeutic care during outpatient rehabilitation in a rehabilitation centre. The task-oriented CCT will be applied in groups of 4 to 6 patients. Outcome will be defined in terms of gait and gait-related ADLs after stroke. The trial will also investigate the generalizability of treatment effects of task-oriented CCT in terms of perceived fatigue, anxiety, depression and perceived HRQoL. Methods/design The multicentre single-blinded randomized trial will include 220 stroke patients discharged to the community from inpatient rehabilitation, who are able to communicate and walk at least 10 m without physical, hands-on assistance. After discharge from inpatient rehabilitation, patients in the experimental group will receive task-oriented CCT two times a week for 12 weeks at the physiotherapy department of the rehabilitation centre. Control group patients will receive usual individual, face-to-face, physiotherapy. Costs will be evaluated by having each patient keep a cost diary for the first 24 weeks after randomisation. Primary outcomes are the mobility part of the Stroke Impact Scale (SIS-3.0 and the EuroQol. Secondary outcomes are the other domains of SIS-3.0, lower limb muscle strength, walking endurance, gait speed, balance, confidence not to fall, instrumental ADL, fatigue, anxiety, depression and HRQoL. Discussion Based on assumptions about the effect of intensity of practice and specificity of

Second Work in Progress Special Edition

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bottequin, Ezra; Deutz, Marike; Ruggeri, Kai

2014-01-01

It is with great pleasure that the Journal of European Psychology Students presents its first special edition of the Work in Progress reports of the Junior Researcher Programme, resulting from a recently established partnership between these two services of the European Federation of Psychology

ATR Commissioning Software Task Force Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

D' Ottavio, Ted [Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States); Kewisch, Jorg [Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States); Saltmarsh, Chris [Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States); Sathe, Smita [Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States); Satogata, Todd [Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States); Shea, Don [Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States); Tepikian, Steve [Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States); Trahern, Garry [Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)

1994-12-16

The Beam Injection Tests Software Task Force was charged with studying the software needed for the ATR tests, seen as a stepping stone or template for the larger scope of the full RHIC control system. This report outlines our avenues of exploration so far, presents the current analysis and implementation work in progress, and gives recommendations for the future on the ATR and longer time scales.

Regular Exercise Enhances Task-Based Industriousness in Laboratory Rats.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicholas C Laurence

Full Text Available Individuals vary greatly in their willingness to select and persist in effortful tasks, even when high-effort will knowingly result in high-reward. Individuals who select and successively complete effortful, goal-directed tasks can be described as industrious. Trying to increase one's industriousness is desirable from a productivity standpoint, yet intrinsically challenging given that effort expenditure is generally aversive. Here we show that in laboratory rats, a basic physical exercise regimen (20 min/day, five days/week is sufficient to increase industriousness across a battery of subsequent testing tasks. Exercised rats outperformed their non-exercised counterparts in tasks designed to tax effort expenditure, strategic decision-making, problem solving and persistence. These increases in performance led to quicker reward obtainment and greater reward gain over time, and could not be accounted for simply by increased locomotor activity. Our results suggest that a basic exercise regimen can enhance effortful goal-directed behaviour in goal-directed tasks, which highlights a potential productivity benefit of staying physically active.

Problem Behavior and Developmental Tasks in Adolescents with Visual Impairment and Sighted Peers

Science.gov (United States)

Pfeiffer, Jens P.; Pinquart, Martin

2013-01-01

This longitudinal study analyzed associations of problem behavior with the attainment of developmental tasks in 133 adolescents with visual impairment and 449 sighted peers. Higher levels of initial problem behavior predicted less progress in the attainment of developmental tasks at the one-year follow-up only in sighted adolescents. This…

Experiments on data presentation to process operators in diagnostic tasks

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, Jens; Goodstein, L. P.

1972-01-01

Safety and reliability considerations in modern power plants have prompted our interest in man as an information receiver - especially in diagnostic tasks where the growing complexity of process plants and hence the amount of data involved make it imperative to give the staff proper support....... The great flexibility and capacity of the process computer for data reduction and presentation and for storing information on plant structure and functions give the system designer great freedom in the layout of information display for the staff, but the problem for the designer is how to make proper use...... of this freedom to support the operators efficiently. This is especially important in connection with unique, high-risk, and generally improbable abnormalities in plant functioning. Operator tasks and mental models and the need for matching the encoded information about the plant to these models are treated...

From goal motivation to goal progress: the mediating role of coping in the Self-Concordance Model.

Science.gov (United States)

Gaudreau, Patrick; Carraro, Natasha; Miranda, Dave

2012-01-01

The present studies examined the mediating role of self-regulatory mechanisms in the relationship between goal motivation and goal progress in the Self-Concordance Model. First, a systematic review, using meta-analytical path analysis, supported the mediating role of effort and action planning in the positive association between autonomous goal motivation and goal progress. Second, results from two additional empirical studies, using structural equation modeling, lent credence to the mediating role of coping in the relationship between goal motivation and goal progress of university students. Autonomous goal motivation was positively associated with task-oriented coping, which predicted greater goal progress during midterm exams (Study 1, N=702) and at the end of the semester in a different sample (Study 2, N=167). Controlled goal motivation was associated with greater disengagement-oriented coping (Study 1 and Study 2) and lesser use of task-oriented coping (Study 2), which reduced goal progress. These results held up after controlling for perceived stress (Study 2). Our findings highlight the importance of coping in the "inception-to-attainment" goal process because autonomous goal motivation indirectly rather than directly predicts goal progress of university students through their usage of task-oriented coping.

Multiple player tracking in sports video: a dual-mode two-way bayesian inference approach with progressive observation modeling.

Science.gov (United States)

Xing, Junliang; Ai, Haizhou; Liu, Liwei; Lao, Shihong

2011-06-01

Multiple object tracking (MOT) is a very challenging task yet of fundamental importance for many practical applications. In this paper, we focus on the problem of tracking multiple players in sports video which is even more difficult due to the abrupt movements of players and their complex interactions. To handle the difficulties in this problem, we present a new MOT algorithm which contributes both in the observation modeling level and in the tracking strategy level. For the observation modeling, we develop a progressive observation modeling process that is able to provide strong tracking observations and greatly facilitate the tracking task. For the tracking strategy, we propose a dual-mode two-way Bayesian inference approach which dynamically switches between an offline general model and an online dedicated model to deal with single isolated object tracking and multiple occluded object tracking integrally by forward filtering and backward smoothing. Extensive experiments on different kinds of sports videos, including football, basketball, as well as hockey, demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed method.

FMIT Test assemblies. Progress report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nygren, R.E.; Opperman, E.K.

1978-08-01

This progress report is a reference document for a number of inter-related tasks supporting the Fusion Materials Irradiation Test (FMIT) Facility being developed by the Hanford Engineering Development Laboratory. The report describes the basic configuration of test assemblies and supporting rationale based on the neutron flux distribution. Perturbed and unperturbed flux profiles are discussed as well as heating rates and cooling requirements

WAVE3 is a Biomarker for Breast Cancer Progression and Metastasis

Science.gov (United States)

2012-04-01

insure reproducibility of the results. f) Repeat tasks a to e for the specimens with questionable results. Completed. See below Task 7: A BC TMA...miRs 570, 542, 103, 107 and 302, all of which have been found to be deregulated during cancer progression and metastasis [26,33,39–44], therefore

The Great Recession was not so Great

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Ours, J.C.

2015-01-01

The Great Recession is characterized by a GDP-decline that was unprecedented in the past decades. This paper discusses the implications of the Great Recession analyzing labor market data from 20 OECD countries. Comparing the Great Recession with the 1980s recession it is concluded that there is a

IFMIF (International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility) key element technology phase task description

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ida, M.; Nakamura, H.; Sugimoto, M.; Yutani, T.; Takeuchi, H. [eds.] [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Tokai Research Establishment, Fusion Neutron Laboratory, Tokai, Ibaraki (Japan)

2000-08-01

In 2000, a 3 year Key Element technology Phase (KEP) of the International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility (IFMIF) has been initiated to reduce the key technology risk factors needed to achieve continuous wave (CW) beam with the desired current and energy and to reach the corresponding power handling capabilities in the liquid lithium target system. In the KEP, the IFMIF team (EU, Japan, Russian Federation, US) will perform required tasks. The contents of the tasks are described in the task description sheet. As the KEP tasks, the IFMIF team have proposed 27 tasks for Test Facilities, 12 tasks for Target, 26 tasks for Accelerator and 18 tasks for Design Integration. The task description by RF is not yet available. The task items and task descriptions may be added or revised with the progress of KEP activities. These task description sheets have been compiled in this report. After 3 years KEP, the results of the KEP tasks will be reviewed. Following the KEP, 3 years Engineering Validation Phase (EVP) will continue for IFMIF construction. (author)

Research in high energy physics. Progress report, 1 July 1993--30 June 1994

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rosen, J.; Block, M.; Buchholz, D.

1994-07-01

Progress on Task A centered around data analysis. E835 is now approved. It will extend E760 studies, exploring new charmonium states and featuring an upgraded detector system plus operation at 4--6 times higher luminosity. Results are given on E760 analysis. Task B has 10 papers that have either appeared in print, or have been prepared for publication. They break down into four categories; experimental physics, theoretical physics, and computer computational techniques. They are described here along with an exciting new experimental proposal to use DaΦne, the Φ factory that is being constructed at Frascati National Laboratory. Progress for Task C which includes participating in the D0 project at TeV I, and the photoproduction experiment, E687, at TeV II is given. While Northwestern is not participating in the top quark physics group at D0, they have been involved in the data analysis and the discussions that led to the limits on the top quark mass. Task D comprises the shared services for the Northwestern DOE contract. This includes the maintenance and operation of all computers within the HEP group. The projects supported by Task D during the past year are given. Task E progress was to resolve the apparent conflict between EMC, SMC, and SLAC results on nucleon structure functions and Bjorken sum rules. Task F covered research in hadronic decay of the tau, thermal field theory, plasma effects in astrophysics, and heavy quarkonium. Task G covers E665, a general purpose muon scattering experiment which can detect both the scattered muon and most charged and neutral hadrons produced in the forward region. The Northwest group has collaborated very closely in the past year with the Harvard group on analyses of structure functions and vector meson production in the 1991 data sample

Tritium tasks for the net fusion technology program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hircq, B.

1990-01-01

Six Tritium Technology tasks have been undertaken in the BRUYERES-LE-CHATEL Research Center of the French Atomic Energy Commission, in June 1986, as part of the NET Tritium Technology Program. Four of these six studies concern the torus exhaust gas purification and two of them are more specific of the involved materials. In 1988, the studies themselves have begun and the objective of this document is to indicate, for each task, the main results which have been obtained during the period 1988-89, for allowing a global valuation of the progress state as well as an anticipation for carrying out the works

The VMAT-2 inhibitor tetrabenazine affects effort-related decision making in a progressive ratio/chow feeding choice task: reversal with antidepressant drugs.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patrick A Randall

Full Text Available Behavioral activation is a fundamental feature of motivation, and organisms frequently make effort-related decisions based upon evaluations of reinforcement value and response costs. Furthermore, people with major depression and other disorders often show anergia, psychomotor retardation, fatigue, and alterations in effort-related decision making. Tasks measuring effort-based decision making can be used as animal models of the motivational symptoms of depression, and the present studies characterized the effort-related effects of the vesicular monoamine transport (VMAT-2 inhibitor tetrabenazine. Tetrabenazine induces depressive symptoms in humans, and also preferentially depletes dopamine (DA. Rats were assessed using a concurrent progressive ratio (PROG/chow feeding task, in which they can either lever press on a PROG schedule for preferred high-carbohydrate food, or approach and consume a less-preferred lab chow that is freely available in the chamber. Previous work has shown that the DA antagonist haloperidol reduced PROG work output on this task, but did not reduce chow intake, effects that differed substantially from those of reinforcer devaluation or appetite suppressant drugs. The present work demonstrated that tetrabenazine produced an effort-related shift in responding on the PROG/chow procedure, reducing lever presses, highest ratio achieved and time spent responding, but not reducing chow intake. Similar effects were produced by administration of the subtype selective DA antagonists ecopipam (D1 and eticlopride (D2, but not by the cannabinoid CB1 receptor neutral antagonist and putative appetite suppressant AM 4413, which suppressed both lever pressing and chow intake. The adenosine A2A antagonist MSX-3, the antidepressant and catecholamine uptake inhibitor bupropion, and the MAO-B inhibitor deprenyl, all reversed the impairments induced by tetrabenazine. This work demonstrates the potential utility of the PROG/chow procedure as a

Children's mathematical performance: five cognitive tasks across five grades.

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, Alex M; Ashcraft, Mark H

2015-07-01

Children in elementary school, along with college adults, were tested on a battery of basic mathematical tasks, including digit naming, number comparison, dot enumeration, and simple addition or subtraction. Beyond cataloguing performance to these standard tasks in Grades 1 to 5, we also examined relationships among the tasks, including previously reported results on a number line estimation task. Accuracy and latency improved across grades for all tasks, and classic interaction patterns were found, for example, a speed-up of subitizing and counting, increasingly shallow slopes in number comparison, and progressive speeding of responses especially to larger addition and subtraction problems. Surprisingly, digit naming was faster than subitizing at all ages, arguing against a pre-attentive processing explanation for subitizing. Estimation accuracy and speed were strong predictors of children's addition and subtraction performance. Children who gave exponential responses on the number line estimation task were slower at counting in the dot enumeration task and had longer latencies on addition and subtraction problems. The results provided further support for the importance of estimation as an indicator of children's current and future mathematical expertise. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

U.S. Transport Task Force 2010 Meeting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Diamond, P.H.

2011-01-01

The Transport Task Force (TTF) Meeting is a venue for vigorous scientific discourse and discussion on topics in transport and turbulence in fusion plasmas. Its participation is international. The 2010 meeting was highly effective, with 139 registered participants and 131 presentations. This is remarkable for an even year (IAEA year) meeting. The meeting clearly fostered progress in understanding and control of turbulent transport.

Breast Cancer Patients Have Greatly Benefited from the Progress in Molecular Oncology.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bernd L Groner

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Cancer research has become a global enterprise, and the number of researchers, as well as the cost for their activities, has skyrocketed. The budget for the National Cancer Institute of the United States National Institutes of Health alone was US$5.2 billion in 2015. Since most of the research is funded by public money, it is perfectly legitimate to ask if these large expenses are worth it. In this brief commentary, we recapitulate some of the breakthroughs that mark the history of breast cancer research over the past decades and emphasize the resulting benefits for afflicted women. In 1971, only 40% of women diagnosed with breast cancer would live another 10 years. Today, nearly 80% of women reach that significant milestone in most developed countries. This dramatic change has afforded breast cancer patients many productive years and a better quality of life. Progress resulted largely from advances in the understanding of the molecular details of the disease and their translation into innovative, rationally designed therapies. These developments are founded on the revolution in molecular and cellular biology, an entirely new array of methods and technologies, the enthusiasm, optimism, and diligence of scientists and clinicians, and the considerable funding efforts from public and private sources. We were lucky to be able to spend our productive years in a period of scientific upheaval in which methods and concepts were revolutionized and that allowed us to contribute, within the global scientific community, to the progress in basic science and clinical practice.

Breast Cancer Patients Have Greatly Benefited from the Progress in Molecular Oncology.

Science.gov (United States)

Groner, Bernd L; Hynes, Nancy E

2016-09-01

Cancer research has become a global enterprise, and the number of researchers, as well as the cost for their activities, has skyrocketed. The budget for the National Cancer Institute of the United States National Institutes of Health alone was US$5.2 billion in 2015. Since most of the research is funded by public money, it is perfectly legitimate to ask if these large expenses are worth it. In this brief commentary, we recapitulate some of the breakthroughs that mark the history of breast cancer research over the past decades and emphasize the resulting benefits for afflicted women. In 1971, only 40% of women diagnosed with breast cancer would live another 10 years. Today, nearly 80% of women reach that significant milestone in most developed countries. This dramatic change has afforded breast cancer patients many productive years and a better quality of life. Progress resulted largely from advances in the understanding of the molecular details of the disease and their translation into innovative, rationally designed therapies. These developments are founded on the revolution in molecular and cellular biology, an entirely new array of methods and technologies, the enthusiasm, optimism, and diligence of scientists and clinicians, and the considerable funding efforts from public and private sources. We were lucky to be able to spend our productive years in a period of scientific upheaval in which methods and concepts were revolutionized and that allowed us to contribute, within the global scientific community, to the progress in basic science and clinical practice.

Resting on Laurels: The Effects of Discrete Progress Markers as Subgoals on Task Performance and Preferences

Science.gov (United States)

Amir, On; Ariely, Dan

2008-01-01

This article investigates the influence of progress certainty and discrete progress markers (DPMs) on performance and preferences. The authors suggest that the effects of DPMs depend on whether progress certainty is high or low. When the distance to the goal is uncertain, DPMs can help reduce uncertainty and thus improve performance and increase…

The Decision-Making Process of a Small Task Group.

Science.gov (United States)

Roderick, Joan C.

1985-01-01

This article focuses on the following areas of group process: the nature of the task group, the steps taken to reach a decision, and the ways in which a leader can effectively manage the inevitable conflict that emerges within groups as the problem-solving process progresses. (CT)

The Diagnostic and Prognostic Value of a Dual-Tasking Paradigm in a Memory Clinic.

Science.gov (United States)

Nielsen, Malene Schjnning; Simonsen, Anja Hviid; Siersma, Volkert; Hasselbalch, Steen Gregers; Hoegh, Peter

2018-01-01

Daily living requires the ability to perform dual-tasking. As cognitive skills decrease in dementia, performing a cognitive and motor task simultaneously become increasingly challenging and subtle gait abnormalities may even be present in pre-dementia stages. Therefore, a dual-tasking paradigm, such as the Timed Up and Go-Dual Task (TUG-DT), may be useful in the diagnostic assessment of mild cognitive impairment (MCI). To investigate the diagnostic and prognostic ability of a dual-tasking paradigm in patients with MCI or mild Alzheimer's disease (AD) and to evaluate the association between the dual-tasking paradigm and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) AD biomarkers. The study is a prospective cohort study conducted in a clinical setting in two memory clinics. Eighty-six patients were included (28 MCI, 17 AD, 41 healthy controls (HC)). The ability to perform dual-tasking was evaluated by the TUG-DT. Patients underwent a standardized diagnostic assessment and were evaluated to determine progression yearly. ROC curve analysis illustrated a high discriminative ability of the dual-tasking paradigm in separating MCI patients from HC (AUC: 0.78, AUC: 0.82) and a moderate discriminative ability in separating MCI from AD (AUC: 0.73, AUC: 0.55). Performance discriminated clearly between all groups (p paradigm for progression and rate of cognitive decline. A moderately strong correlation between the dual-tasking paradigm and CSF AD biomarkers was observed. In our study, we found that patients with MCI and mild AD have increasing difficulties in dual-tasking compared to healthy elderly. Hence, the dual-tasking paradigm may be a potential complement in the diagnostic assessment in a typical clinical setting.

Groundwater science relevant to the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement: A status report

Science.gov (United States)

Grannemann, Norman G.; Van Stempvoort, Dale

2016-01-01

When the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA) was signed in 1972 by the Governments of Canada and the United States (the “Parties”) (Environment Canada, 2013a), groundwater was not recognized as important to the water quality of the Lakes. At that time, groundwater and surface water were still considered as two separate systems, with almost no appreciation for their interaction. When the GLWQA was revised in 1978 (US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), 2012), groundwater contamination, such as that reported at legacy industrial sites such as those at Love Canal near the Niagara River, was squarely in the news. Consequently, the potential impacts of contaminated groundwater from such sites on Great Lakes water quality became a concern (Beck, 1979), and Annex 16 was added to the agreement, to address “pollution from contaminated groundwater” (Francis, 1989). However, no formal process for reporting under this annex was provided. The GLWQA Protocol in 1987 modified Annex 16 and called for progress reports beginning in 1988 (USEPA, 1988). The Protocol in 2012 provided a new Annex 8 to address groundwater more holistically (Environment 2 Canada, 2013b). Annex 8 (Environment Canada, 2013b) commits the Parties to coordinate groundwater science and management actions; as a first step, to “publish a report on the relevant and available groundwater science” by February 2015 (this report); and to “identify priorities for science activities and actions for groundwater management, protection, and remediation…” The broader mandate of Annex 8 is to (1) “identify groundwater impacts on the chemical, physical and biological integrity of the Waters of the Great Lakes;” (2) “analyze contaminants, including nutrients in groundwater, derived from both point and non-point sources impacting the Waters of the Great Lakes;” (3) “assess information gaps and science needs related to groundwater to protect the quality of the Waters of the Great Lakes

The development of a model to predict the effects of worker and task factors on foot placements in manual material handling tasks.

Science.gov (United States)

Wagner, David W; Reed, Matthew P; Chaffin, Don B

2010-11-01

Accurate prediction of foot placements in relation to hand locations during manual materials handling tasks is critical for prospective biomechanical analysis. To address this need, the effects of lifting task conditions and anthropometric variables on foot placements were studied in a laboratory experiment. In total, 20 men and women performed two-handed object transfers that required them to walk to a shelf, lift an object from the shelf at waist height and carry the object to a variety of locations. Five different changes in the direction of progression following the object pickup were used, ranging from 45° to 180° relative to the approach direction. Object weights of 1.0 kg, 4.5 kg, 13.6 kg were used. Whole-body motions were recorded using a 3-D optical retro-reflective marker-based camera system. A new parametric system for describing foot placements, the Quantitative Transition Classification System, was developed to facilitate the parameterisation of foot placement data. Foot placements chosen by the subjects during the transfer tasks appeared to facilitate a change in the whole-body direction of progression, in addition to aiding in performing the lift. Further analysis revealed that five different stepping behaviours accounted for 71% of the stepping patterns observed. More specifically, the most frequently observed behaviour revealed that the orientation of the lead foot during the actual lifting task was primarily affected by the amount of turn angle required after the lift (R(2) = 0.53). One surprising result was that the object mass (scaled by participant body mass) was not found to significantly affect any of the individual step placement parameters. Regression models were developed to predict the most prevalent step placements and are included in this paper to facilitate more accurate human motion simulations and ergonomics analyses of manual material lifting tasks. STATEMENT OF RELEVANCE: This study proposes a method for parameterising the steps

Decision Making in Concurrent Multitasking: Do People Adapt to Task Interference?

Science.gov (United States)

Nijboer, Menno; Taatgen, Niels A.; Brands, Annelies; Borst, Jelmer P.; van Rijn, Hedderik

2013-01-01

While multitasking has received a great deal of attention from researchers, we still know little about how well people adapt their behavior to multitasking demands. In three experiments, participants were presented with a multicolumn subtraction task, which required working memory in half of the trials. This primary task had to be combined with a secondary task requiring either working memory or visual attention, resulting in different types of interference. Before each trial, participants were asked to choose which secondary task they wanted to perform concurrently with the primary task. We predicted that if people seek to maximize performance or minimize effort required to perform the dual task, they choose task combinations that minimize interference. While performance data showed that the predicted optimal task combinations indeed resulted in minimal interference between tasks, the preferential choice data showed that a third of participants did not show any adaptation, and for the remainder it took a considerable number of trials before the optimal task combinations were chosen consistently. On the basis of these results we argue that, while in principle people are able to adapt their behavior according to multitasking demands, selection of the most efficient combination of strategies is not an automatic process. PMID:24244527

Decision making in concurrent multitasking: do people adapt to task interference?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Menno Nijboer

Full Text Available While multitasking has received a great deal of attention from researchers, we still know little about how well people adapt their behavior to multitasking demands. In three experiments, participants were presented with a multicolumn subtraction task, which required working memory in half of the trials. This primary task had to be combined with a secondary task requiring either working memory or visual attention, resulting in different types of interference. Before each trial, participants were asked to choose which secondary task they wanted to perform concurrently with the primary task. We predicted that if people seek to maximize performance or minimize effort required to perform the dual task, they choose task combinations that minimize interference. While performance data showed that the predicted optimal task combinations indeed resulted in minimal interference between tasks, the preferential choice data showed that a third of participants did not show any adaptation, and for the remainder it took a considerable number of trials before the optimal task combinations were chosen consistently. On the basis of these results we argue that, while in principle people are able to adapt their behavior according to multitasking demands, selection of the most efficient combination of strategies is not an automatic process.

Research and development at Kernforschungszentrum Karlsruhe - progress report 1991

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-01-01

The Kernforschungszentrum Karlsruhe progress report is the 1991 issue of the scientific reports the institution is bound to submitt each year according to para. 13.4 of its articles of partnership. The points of main effort which are discussed reflect the institution's R and D scheme. The summaries submitted by the different institutes and departments are compiled by the topics and fields they deal with. The report gives an account of the progress under each of the KfK R and D projects. This correlation facilitates comparisons between the targets and actual achievements and elucidates the general relation between the individual tasks which often are in the care of several institutes at a time. The departments and institutes and their respective tasks are introduced, and a comprehensive appendix is attached which lists the 1991 publications. (orig./UA) [de

GOOD TO GREAT: WHY SOME COMPANIES MAKE THE LEAP…AND SOME OTHERS DON’T

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jim Collins

2012-12-01

Full Text Available The book consists of nine chapters explaining the concept of Good to Great. Starting from emphasizing that “good is the enemy of great”, Jim Collins provides great explanations as well as arguments of why his concept is very important for leaders who want to be successful in their efforts of building “enduring results” of their companies, organizations, or institutions. He in detail explains four principles underlining the framework of good to great. There are disciplined people (level 5 leadership and first who, then what concepts, disciplined thought (confront the brutal facts and the Hedgehog concepts, disciplined action (culture of discipline and the flywheel concepts, and building greatness to last (clock building, not the time telling and preserve the core/stimulate progress concepts. For further analysis of the Good to Great, I will shortly summarize the concept of how to make something good to be great explained in the book in the following section. I will also conclude this paper by commenting on the concept as my critique toward the theory of Good to Great.

Predictive Validity And Usefulness Of Visual Scanning Task In Hiv ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The visual scanning task is a useful screening tool for brain damage in HIV/AIDS by inference from impairment of visual information processing and disturbances in perceptual mental strategies. There is progressive neuro-cognitive decline as the disease worsens. Keywords: brain, cognition, HIV/AIDS, predictive validity, ...

Decision Making in Concurrent Multitasking : Do People Adapt to Task Interference?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nijboer, Menno; Taatgen, Niels A.; Brands, Annelies; Borst, Jelmer P.; van Rijn, Hedderik

2013-01-01

While multitasking has received a great deal of attention from researchers, we still know little about how well people adapt their behavior to multitasking demands. In three experiments, participants were presented with a multicolumn subtraction task, which required working memory in half of the

Treatment progress of diabetic macular edema

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dou Kou

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Diabetic retinopathy(DR,which can cause blindness, is a serious eye diseases. Diabetic macular edema(DME, often causes irreversible vision loss, can occur in any period of DR. The treatment of DME, including laser photocoagulation, anti-inflammatory therapy, anti-VEGF therapy and surgical treatment have made great progress in recent years as the researches on the pathogenesis deepening. The innovation of minimally invasive technique also proved the surgical treatment more convenience. The joint application of a variety of treatments, also become the main trend of treatment. A review of the present status and progress of the treatment was made in this paper.

Frontal theta EEG dynamics in a real-world air traffic control task.

Science.gov (United States)

Shou, Guofa; Ding, Lei

2013-01-01

Mental workload and time-on-task effect are two major factors expediting fatigue progress, which leads to performance decline and/or failure in real-world tasks. In the present study, electroencephalography (EEG) is applied to study mental fatigue development during an air traffic control (ATC) task. Specifically, the frontal theta EEG dynamics are firstly dissolved into a unique frontal independent component (IC) through a novel time-frequency independent component analysis (tfICA) method. Then the temporal fluctuations of the identified frontal ICs every minute are compared to workload (reflected by number of clicks per minute) and time-on-task effect by correlational analysis and linear regression analysis. It is observed that the frontal theta activity significantly increase with workload augment and time-on-task. The present study demonstrates that the frontal theta EEG activity identified by tfICA method is a sensitive and reliable metric to assess mental workload and time-on-task effect in a real-world task, i.e., ATC task, at the resolution of minute(s).

"Rekindle and Recapture the Love": Establishing System-Wide Indicators of Progress in Community Engagement and Economic Development

Science.gov (United States)

Janke, Emily M.

2014-01-01

In May 2012, University of North Carolina (UNC) President Tom Ross simultaneously commissioned two task forces to develop indicators that all UNC campuses could use to measure "progress in community engagement and economic development." The charge to the Community Engagement Task Force and the Economic Development Task Force was to…

Retrieval process development and enhancements project Fiscal year 1995: Simulant development technology task progress report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Golcar, G.R.; Bontha, J.R.; Darab, J.G.

1997-01-01

The mission of the Retrieval Process Development and Enhancements (RPD ampersand E) project is to develop an understanding of retrieval processes, including emerging and existing technologies, gather data on these technologies, and relate the data to specific tank problems such that end-users have the requisite technical bases to make retrieval and closure decisions. The development of waste simulants is an integral part of this effort. The work of the RPD ampersand E simulant-development task is described in this document. The key FY95 accomplishments of the RPD ampersand E simulant-development task are summarized below

Recent progress in power electronic devices

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ikeda, Yasuhiko; Yatsuo, Tsutomu

1987-02-01

Recent progress and future trends of power semiconductor devices (especially with respect to motor speed control) were described. Conventional discrete devices such as thyristors, bipolar transistors, unipolar transistors and Bi-MOS devices were referenced to. Reference was also made to High Voltage ICs. There has been steady progress with each of these power devices in current carrying capability, voltage blocking capability and switching speed. The Bipolar-MOS integreated device and the High Voltage IC are particularly interesting because their abilities and performances are much enhanced by skillful combination with conventional discrete devices. However, no one device meets all the needs, and it will always be necessary to select the right device for a specific task. (11 figs, 35 refs)

Economic feasibility of sail power devices on Great Lakes bulk carriers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1982-03-24

Progress is reported in a project to determine whether retro-fitting existing Great Lakes bulk carriers with auxiliary sail powering devices is economically feasible. The approach being used is to apply known technology both in terms of sail devices and calculation methods to determine the amount of fuel that can be saved and the probable cost of the sail device. Progress includes the identification and collection of data needed to determine the state of the art as well as to model the problem. Several sail powering devices were compared and an unstayed cat rig was chosen for further analysis and its performance characteristics were incorporated into a computer model, which is flow charted. (LEW)

The effectiveness of robotic training depends on motor task characteristics.

Science.gov (United States)

Marchal-Crespo, Laura; Rappo, Nicole; Riener, Robert

2017-12-01

Previous research suggests that the effectiveness of robotic training depends on the motor task to be learned. However, it is still an open question which specific task's characteristics influence the efficacy of error-modulating training strategies. Motor tasks can be classified based on the time characteristics of the task, in particular the task's duration (discrete vs. continuous). Continuous tasks require movements without distinct beginning or end. Discrete tasks require fast movements that include well-defined postures at the beginning and the end. We developed two games, one that requires a continuous movement-a tracking task-and one that requires discrete movements-a fast reaching task. We conducted an experiment with thirty healthy subjects to evaluate the effectiveness of three error-modulating training strategies-no guidance, error amplification (i.e., repulsive forces proportional to errors) and haptic guidance-on self-reported motivation and learning of the continuous and discrete games. Training with error amplification resulted in better motor learning than haptic guidance, besides the fact that error amplification reduced subjects' interest/enjoyment and perceived competence during training. Only subjects trained with error amplification improved their performance after training the discrete game. In fact, subjects trained without guidance improved the performance in the continuous game significantly more than in the discrete game, probably because the continuous task required greater attentional levels. Error-amplifying training strategies have a great potential to provoke better motor learning in continuous and discrete tasks. However, their long-lasting negative effects on motivation might limit their applicability in intense neurorehabilitation programs.

Research progress of functional MRI in depression

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xie Shenghui; Niu Guangming; Han Xiaodong; Qiao Pengfei

2013-01-01

The mood disorders of depression are associated with abnormalities of brain structure and function, and exploring their pathological mechanism has important significance for the choice of treatment and the curative effect evaluation. In recent years, the research of MRI on brain structure and function of depression has made great progress, especially in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). fMRI can detect the functional change in real time, and also can display the activity of brain and changes in the nerve pathways in patients with depression. This article summarizes the present research situation and progress of MRI in the diagnosis of depression. (authors)

The theatre artist's dilemma in the task of rebranding Nigeria ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The theatre artist's dilemma in the task of rebranding Nigeria: Defining the modes of engagement. ... The project of re-branding Nigeria for positive development places the artist in a great dilemma seeing that the happenings in society form the content and subject matter of his/her work. Where the events in society are ...

Recent progress of task-specific ionic liquids in chiral resolution and extraction of biological samples and metal ions.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Datong; Cai, Pengfei; Zhao, Xiaoyong; Kong, Yong; Pan, Yuanjiang

2018-01-01

Ionic liquids have been functionalized for modern applications. The functional ionic liquids are also called task-specific ionic liquids. Various task-specific ionic liquids with certain groups have been constructed and exploited widely in the field of separation. To take advantage of their properties in separation science, task-specific ionic liquids are generally used in techniques such as liquid-liquid extraction, solid-phase extraction, gas chromatography, high-performance liquid chromatography, and capillary electrophoresis. This review mainly covers original research papers published in the last five years, and we will focus on task-specific ionic liquids as the chiral selectors in chiral resolution and as extractant or sensor for biological samples and metal ion purification. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Research program in computational physics: [Progress report for Task D

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guralnik, G.S.

1987-01-01

Studies are reported of several aspects of the purely gluonic sector of QCD, including methods for efficiently generating gauge configurations, properties of the standard Wilson action and improved actions, and properties of the pure glue theory itself. Simulation of quantum chromodynamics in the ''quenched approximation'', in which the back reaction of quarks upon gauge fields is neglected, is studied with fermions introduced on the lattice via both Wilson and staggered formulations. Efforts are also reported to compute QCD matrix elements and to simulate QCD theory beyond the quenched approximation considering the effect of the quarks on the gauge fields. Work is in progress toward improving the algorithms used to generate the gauge field configurations and to compute the quark propagators. Implementation of lattice QCD on a hypercube is also reported

Construction Progress Control (CPC) application for smartphones

OpenAIRE

Garcia Garcia, Jordi Carles

2011-01-01

Construction inspectors usually use notebooks or laptops to take notes on the construction site about how the tasks are progressing and any other relevant information. Later, when they are in the office they format this information and send it to the scheduler. This way of working wastes time and resources and could be optimized with a new technology already on the market: smartphones.

The composite complex span: French validation of a short working memory task.

Science.gov (United States)

Gonthier, Corentin; Thomassin, Noémylle; Roulin, Jean-Luc

2016-03-01

Most studies in individual differences in the field of working memory research use complex span tasks to measure working memory capacity. Various complex span tasks based on different materials have been developed, and these tasks have proven both reliable and valid; several complex span tasks are often combined to provide a domain-general estimate of working memory capacity with even better psychometric properties. The present work sought to address two issues. Firstly, having participants perform several full-length complex span tasks in succession makes for a long and tedious procedure. Secondly, few complex span tasks have been translated and validated in French. We constructed a French working memory task labeled the Composite Complex Span (CCS). The CCS includes shortened versions of three classic complex span tasks: the reading span, symmetry span, and operation span. We assessed the psychometric properties of the CCS, including test-retest reliability and convergent validity, with Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices and with an alpha span task; the CCS demonstrated satisfying qualities in a sample of 1,093 participants. This work provides evidence that shorter versions of classic complex span tasks can yield valid working memory estimates. The materials and normative data for the CCS are also included.

Radiation transport. Progress report, April 1-December 31, 1983

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

O'Dell, R.D.

1984-10-01

Research and development progress in radiation transport by the Los Alamos National Laboratory's Group X-6 for the last nine months of CY 83 is reported. Included are unclassified tasks in the areas of Fission Reactor Neutronics, Deterministic Transport Methods, Monte Carlo Radiation Transport, and Cross Sections and Physics

Task Force on oil spill preparedness: Offshore implementation progress

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Devenis, P.K.

1992-01-01

Industry members of the Canadian Petroleum Association (CPA) and the Independent Petroleum Association of Canada (IPAC) undertook a review of oil spill preparedness and response capabilities in 1989. The resulting report summarized the current state of readiness, focusing on oil spills resulting from exploration and production activities in Canada. The report recommended expenditures in research and development, equipment acquisition, and training to prevent and control offshore and onshore oil spills more effectively. The release of an implementation plan for the Task Force on Oil Spill Preparedness (TFOSP) in 1990 provided the impetus for a 5-year plan to improve this state of preparedness. The plan outlined the mechanisms for implementing the 45 recommendations developed by TFOSP. It also recommended how to incorporate them into the daily business activities of the CPA member companies. It identified the appropriate groups within industry to carry out the implementation of each recommendation. It also indicated the government interfaces, the implementation schedule, and cost estimates for putting each recommendation into place. It also recommended a vigorous monitoring program to follow and report on the status of implementation. Based on the TFOSP implementation plan recommendations, work plans were developed, specific work projects identified, and a budget approved for 1991 programs. The first year of implementation of recommendations is now complete and work plans have been developed for continuation in 1992. 2 refs

Engineering and Physics Optimization of Breed and Burn Fast Reactor Systems. NUCLEAR ENERGY RESEARCH INITIATIVE (NERI) QUARTERLY PROGRESS REPORT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pavel Hejzlar; Peter Yarsky; Mike Driscoll; Dan Wachs; Kevan Weaver; Ken Czerwinski; Mike Pope; James Parry; Marshall, Theron D.; Davis, Cliff B.; Dustin Crawford; Thomas Hartmann; Pradip Saha

2005-01-01

This project is organized under four major tasks (each of which has two or more subtasks) with contributions among the three collaborating organizations (MIT, INEEL and ANL-West): Task A: Core Physics and Fuel Cycle; Task B: Core Thermal Hydraulics; Task C: Plant Design; Task D: Fuel Design The lead PI, Michael J. Driscoll, has consolidated and summarized the technical progress submissions provided by the contributing investigators from all sites, under the above principal task headings

Engineering and Physics Optimization of Breed and Burn Fast Reactor Systems; NUCLEAR ENERGY RESEARCH INITIATIVE (NERI) QUARTERLY PROGRESS REPORT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

ERROR, [value too long for type character varying(50); Hejzlar, Pavel; Yarsky, Peter; Driscoll, Mike; Wachs, Dan; Weaver, Kevan; Czerwinski, Ken; Pope, Mike; Parry, James; Marshall, Theron D.; Davis, Cliff B.; Crawford, Dustin; Hartmann, Thomas; Saha, Pradip

2005-01-31

This project is organized under four major tasks (each of which has two or more subtasks) with contributions among the three collaborating organizations (MIT, INEEL and ANL-West): Task A: Core Physics and Fuel Cycle; Task B: Core Thermal Hydraulics; Task C: Plant Design; Task D: Fuel Design The lead PI, Michael J. Driscoll, has consolidated and summarized the technical progress submissions provided by the contributing investigators from all sites, under the above principal task headings.

A hybrid online scheduling mechanism with revision and progressive techniques for autonomous Earth observation satellite

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Guoliang; Xing, Lining; Chen, Yingwu

2017-11-01

The autonomicity of self-scheduling on Earth observation satellite and the increasing scale of satellite network attract much attention from researchers in the last decades. In reality, the limited onboard computational resource presents challenge for the online scheduling algorithm. This study considered online scheduling problem for a single autonomous Earth observation satellite within satellite network environment. It especially addressed that the urgent tasks arrive stochastically during the scheduling horizon. We described the problem and proposed a hybrid online scheduling mechanism with revision and progressive techniques to solve this problem. The mechanism includes two decision policies, a when-to-schedule policy combining periodic scheduling and critical cumulative number-based event-driven rescheduling, and a how-to-schedule policy combining progressive and revision approaches to accommodate two categories of task: normal tasks and urgent tasks. Thus, we developed two heuristic (re)scheduling algorithms and compared them with other generally used techniques. Computational experiments indicated that the into-scheduling percentage of urgent tasks in the proposed mechanism is much higher than that in periodic scheduling mechanism, and the specific performance is highly dependent on some mechanism-relevant and task-relevant factors. For the online scheduling, the modified weighted shortest imaging time first and dynamic profit system benefit heuristics outperformed the others on total profit and the percentage of successfully scheduled urgent tasks.

Object permanence in the food-storing coal tit (Periparus ater) and the non-storing great tit (Parus major): Is the mental representation required?

Science.gov (United States)

Marhounová, Lucie; Frynta, Daniel; Fuchs, Roman; Landová, Eva

2017-05-01

Object permanence is a cognitive ability that enables animals to mentally represent the continuous existence of temporarily hidden objects. Generally, it develops gradually through six qualitative stages, the evolution of which may be connected with some specific ecological and behavioral factors. In birds, the advanced object permanence skills were reported in several storing species of the Corvidae family. In order to test the association between food-storing and achieved performance within the stages, we compared food-storing coal tits (Periparus ater) and nonstoring great tits (Parus major) using an adapted version of Uzgiris & Hunt's Scale 1 tasks. The coal tits significantly outperformed the great tits in searching for completely hidden objects. Most of the great tits could not solve the task when the object disappeared completely. However, the upper limit for both species is likely to be Stage 4. The coal tits could solve problems with simply hidden objects, but they used alternative strategies rather than mental representation when searching for completely hidden objects, especially if choosing between two locations. Our results also suggest that neophobia did not affect the overall performance in the object permanence tasks. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Game elements improve performance in a working memory training task

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Manuel Ninaus

2015-02-01

Full Text Available The utilization of game elements in a non-game context is currently used in a vast range of different domains. However, research on game elements’ effects in cognitive tasks is still sparse. Thus, in this study we implemented three game elements, namely, progress bar, level indicator, and a thematic setting, in a working memory training task. We evaluated the impact of game elements on user performance and perceived state of flow when compared to a conventional version of the task. Participants interacting with game elements showed higher scores in the working memory training task than participants from a control group who completed the working memory training task without the game elements. Moreover, game elements facilitated the individuals’ performance closer to their maximum working memory capacity. Finally, the perceived flow did not differ between the two groups, which indicates that game elements can induce better performance without changing the perception of being “in the zone”, that is without an increase in anxiety or boredom. This empirical study indicates that certain game elements can improve the performance and efficiency in a working memory task by increasing users’ ability and willingness to train at their optimal performance level. 

Environmental heat stress enhances mental fatigue during sustained attention task performing: evidence from an ASL perfusion study.

Science.gov (United States)

Qian, Shaowen; Li, Min; Li, Guoying; Liu, Kai; Li, Bo; Jiang, Qingjun; Li, Li; Yang, Zhen; Sun, Gang

2015-03-01

This study was to investigate the potential enhancing effect of heat stress on mental fatigue progression during sustained attention task using arterial spin labeling (ASL) imaging. Twenty participants underwent two thermal exposures in an environmental chamber: normothermic (NT) condition (25°C, 1h) and hyperthermic (HT) condition (50°C, 1h). After thermal exposure, they performed a twenty-minute psychomotor vigilance test (PVT) in the scanner. Behavioral analysis revealed progressively increasing subjective fatigue ratings and reaction time as PVT progressed. Moreover, heat stress caused worse performance. Perfusion imaging analyses showed significant resting-state cerebral blood flow (CBF) alterations after heat exposure. Specifically, increased CBF mainly gathered in thalamic-brainstem area while decreased CBF predominantly located in fronto-parietal areas, anterior cingulate cortex, posterior cingulate cortex, and medial frontal cortex. More importantly, diverse CBF distributions and trend of changes between both conditions were observed as the fatigue level progressed during subsequent PVT task. Specifically, higher CBF and enhanced rising trend were presented in superior parietal lobe, precuneus, posterior cingulate cortex and anterior cingulate cortex, while lower CBF or inhibited rising trend was found in dorsolateral frontal cortex, medial frontal cortex, inferior parietal lobe and thalamic-brainstem areas. Furthermore, the decrease of post-heat resting-state CBF in fronto-parietal cortex was correlated with subsequent slower reaction time, suggesting prior disturbed resting-state CBF might be indicator of performance potential and fatigue level in following task. These findings may provide proof for such a view: heat stress has a potential fatigue-enhancing effect when individual is performing highly cognition-demanding attention task. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe, Technik und Umwelt. Progress report 1994

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-01-01

The points of main effort which are discussed reflect the institution's R and D scheme. The summaries submitted by the different institutes and departments are compiled by the topics and fields they deal with. The report gives an account of the progress under each of the KfK R and D projects. This correlation facilitates comparisons between the targets and actual achievements and elucidates the general relation between the individual tasks which often are in the care of several institutes at a time. The departments and institutes and their respective tasks are introduced, and a comprehensive appendix is attached which lists the 1994 publications. (orig.) [de

Electronic refrigerant leak detector. Quarterly technical progress report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Talamas, E. Jr.

1998-10-15

The project comprises three main tasks. They are (1) Develop, design, and fabricate sensors, (2) Develop, design, and fabricate test instruments, (3) Testing and data analysis. The milestone includes 17 sub-tasks for the 52-weeks project period, starting on May 1, 1998 and ending on April 30, 1999. As stated in the Application for Federal Assistance, Micronic intended to relocate to a new office by June of 1998. This decision was delayed, since the first partial payment was transferred on August 12, 1998. Micronic plans to relocate this November. A second Provisional Application for a US patent has been filed. Progress made during this period is reported.

Who does the public think should perform health care tasks?

Science.gov (United States)

Koteski, D R; McKinney, S

1988-10-01

The dietitian was identified as the most appropriate provider of such key nutrition services as nutrition assessment, determination of caloric requirements, provision of diet counseling, and prescription of diets. Several tasks fundamental to nutrition services were not viewed as highly suitable tasks for the dietitian, e.g., plan for care at home, monitor client progress, and check laboratory values. Activities that constitute key nutrition services need to be accentuated to clarify the numerous skills and extensive knowledge that dietitians possess. In the health care system of today, the dietetic profession must be associated with a wider range of health-related tasks than the traditional triad of diet, food, and hospital. Public relations and marketing strategies should focus on activities that provide the public with a clearer understanding of how the dietetic profession contributes to patient/client care.

Research and development at Karlsruhe Nuclear Research Center. Progress report 1993

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-01-01

The Kernforschungszentrum Karlsruhe progress report is the 1993 issue of the scientific reports the institution is bound to submitt each year according to para. 13.4 of its articles of partnership. The points of main effort which are discussed reflect the institution's R and D scheme. The summaries submitted by the different institutes and departments are compiled by the topics and fields they deal with. The report gives an account of the progress under each of the KfK R and D projects. This correlation facilitates comparisons between the targets and actual achievements and elucidates the general relation between the individual tasks which often are in the care of several institutes at a time. The departments and institutes and their respective tasks are introduced, and a comprehensive appendix is attached which lists the 1993 publications. (orig.) [de

Learner Perspectives on Task Design for Oral-Visual eTandem Language Learning

Science.gov (United States)

El-Hariri, Yasmin

2016-01-01

Constituting a more specific form of online collaboration, eTandem Language Learning (eTLL) shows great potential for non-formal, self-directed language learning. Research in this field, particularly regarding task design, is still scarce. Focusing on their beliefs and attitudes, this article examines what learners think about how…

Conversational Interactions between Intellectually Disabled and Normal Progress Adolescents during a Problem-Solving Task.

Science.gov (United States)

Okrainec, J. Alexa; Hughes, M. Jeffry

This study investigated the features of verbal disagreements arising among 25 adolescent students with mild intellectual disabilities and 25 of their typical peers. Transcripts of a learning task were coded using an adaptation of Eisenberg's (1992) scheme for analyzing verbal conflicts. Findings of the study indicate: (1) in verbal conflict…

Task E container corrosion studies: Annual report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bunnell, L.R.; Doremus, L.A.; Topping, J.B.; Duncan, D.R.

1994-06-01

The Pacific Northwest Laboratory is conducting the Solid Waste Technology Support Program (SWTSP) for Westinghouse Hanford Company (WHC). Task E is the Container Corrosion Study Portion of the SWTSP that will perform testing to provide defensible data on the corrosion of low-carbon steel, as used in drums to contain chemical and radioactive wastes at the Hanford Site. A second objective of Task E is to provide and test practical alternative materials that have higher corrosion resistance than low-carbon steel. The scope of work for fiscal year (FY) 1993 included initial testing of mild steel specimens buried in Hanford soils or exposed to atmospheric corrosion in metal storage sheds. During FY 1993, progress was made in three areas of Task E. First, exposure of test materials began at the Soil Corrosion Test Site where low-carbon steel specimens were placed in the soil in five test shafts at depths of 9 m (30 ft). Second, the corrosion measurement of low-carbon steel in the soil of two solid waste trenches continued. The total exposure time is ∼ 500 days. Third, an atmospheric corrosion test of low-carbon steel was put initiated in a metal shed (Building 2401-W) in the 200 West Area. This annual report describes the Task E efforts and provides a current status

Heimdall System for MSSS Sensor Tasking

Science.gov (United States)

Herz, A.; Jones, B.; Herz, E.; George, D.; Axelrad, P.; Gehly, S.

In Norse Mythology, Heimdall uses his foreknowledge and keen eyesight to keep watch for disaster from his home near the Rainbow Bridge. Orbit Logic and the Colorado Center for Astrodynamics Research (CCAR) at the University of Colorado (CU) have developed the Heimdall System to schedule observations of known and uncharacterized objects and search for new objects from the Maui Space Surveillance Site. Heimdall addresses the current need for automated and optimized SSA sensor tasking driven by factors associated with improved space object catalog maintenance. Orbit Logic and CU developed an initial baseline prototype SSA sensor tasking capability for select sensors at the Maui Space Surveillance Site (MSSS) using STK and STK Scheduler, and then added a new Track Prioritization Component for FiSST-inspired computations for predicted Information Gain and Probability of Detection, and a new SSA-specific Figure-of-Merit (FOM) for optimized SSA sensor tasking. While the baseline prototype addresses automation and some of the multi-sensor tasking optimization, the SSA-improved prototype addresses all of the key elements required for improved tasking leading to enhanced object catalog maintenance. The Heimdall proof-of-concept was demonstrated for MSSS SSA sensor tasking for a 24 hour period to attempt observations of all operational satellites in the unclassified NORAD catalog, observe a small set of high priority GEO targets every 30 minutes, make a sky survey of the GEO belt region accessible to MSSS sensors, and observe particular GEO regions that have a high probability of finding new objects with any excess sensor time. This Heimdall prototype software paves the way for further R&D that will integrate this technology into the MSSS systems for operational scheduling, improve the software's scalability, and further tune and enhance schedule optimization. The Heimdall software for SSA sensor tasking provides greatly improved performance over manual tasking, improved

Progress of Journal‘Advanced Technology of Electrical Engineering and Energy’

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

QIN Jie; LIN Liang-zhen; QI Zhi-ping; MA Yu-huan; SHEN Guo-liao; JING Bo-hong

2009-01-01

The paper has introduced the Journal 'Advanced Technology of Electrical Engineering and Energy', presented its main journal evaluation indexes. The result indicates that the journal has made great progress in recent years. It gives much info. about the journal to authors.

Part-task simulator of a WWER-440 type nuclear power plant unit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Palecek, P.

1990-01-01

In the present paper the design of a part-task simulator for WWER-440 type nuclear power plant units by the CEZ (Czech Power Works) Concern is reported. This part-task simulator has been designed for the training of NPP operating personnel. It includes a central computer that is coupled with the training work places and the trainer place. Interchange of information is performed by functional keyboards and semigraphical colour displays. The process is simulated, also in real time scale, on the basis of dynamic models. In addition to the precision of the models used, great importance has primarily been attached to plasticity of information presentation. The part-task simulator may be applied to simulation and demonstration as well as to teaching purposes. The paper presents the achieved state of implementation of the part-task simulator and points out some further stage of evolution. (author)

UK Safeguards R and D Project progress report for the period May 1987 -April 1988

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Packer, T.W.

1988-09-01

The main categories of task included in the United Kingdom safeguards research and development programme are summarised in the first section. These are: tasks concerned with the development of instruments and techniques for reprocessing and centrifuge enrichment plant safeguards; tasks concerned with the development of instruments and techniques for general application in the field of safeguards; tasks which are services to the International Atomic Energy Authority and exploratory and short term tasks which occur from time to time. The next three sections contain progress reports on the individual tasks and section 6 lists reports and papers relevant to work on UK safeguards research and development published between May 1987 and April 1988. (U.K.)

Connecting Lines of Research on Task Model Variables, Automatic Item Generation, and Learning Progressions in Game-Based Assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Graf, Edith Aurora

2014-01-01

In "How Task Features Impact Evidence from Assessments Embedded in Simulations and Games," Almond, Kim, Velasquez, and Shute have prepared a thought-provoking piece contrasting the roles of task model variables in a traditional assessment of mathematics word problems to their roles in "Newton's Playground," a game designed…

Seamless Management of Paper and Electronic Documents for Task Knowledge Sharing

Science.gov (United States)

Kojima, Hiroyuki; Iwata, Ken

Due to the progress of Internet technology and the increase of distributed information on networks, the present knowledge management has been based more and more on the performance of various experienced users. In addition to the increase of electronic documents, the use of paper documents has not been reduced because of their convenience. This paper describes a method of tracking paper document locations and contents using radio frequency identification (RFID) technology. This research also focuses on the expression of a task process and the seamless structuring of related electronic and paper documents as a result of task knowledge formalization using information organizing. A system is proposed here that implements information organization for both Web documents and paper documents with the task model description and RFID technology. Examples of a prototype system are also presented.

Exposure to grain dust in Great Britain.

Science.gov (United States)

Spankie, Sally; Cherrie, John W

2012-01-01

Airborne grain dust is a complex mixture of fragments of organic material from grain, plus mineral matter from soil, and possible insect, fungal, or bacterial contamination or their toxic products, such as endotoxin. In the 1990s, grain workers in Britain were frequently exposed to inhalable dust >10 mg.m(-3) (8 h), with particularly high exposures being found at terminals where grain was imported or exported and in drying operations (personal exposure typically approximately 20 mg.m(-3)). Since then, the industry has made substantial progress in improving the control of airborne dust through better-designed processes, increased automation, and an improved focus on product quality. We have used information from the published scientific literature and a small survey of industry representatives to estimate current exposure levels. These data suggest that current long-term exposure to inhalable dust for most workers is on average less than approximately 3 mg.m(-3), with perhaps 15-20% of individual personal exposures being >10 mg.m(-3). There are no published data from Britain on short-term exposure during cleaning and other tasks. We have estimated average levels for a range of tasks and judge that the highest levels, for example during some cleaning activities and certain process tasks such as loading and packing, are probably approximately10 mg.m(-3). Endotoxin levels were judged likely to be dust levels are <10 mg.m(-3). There are no published exposure data on mycotoxin, respirable crystalline silica, and mite contamination but these are not considered to present widespread problems in the British industry. Further research should be carried out to confirm these findings.

Conflict Tasks of Different Types Divergently Affect the Attentional Processing of Gaze and Arrow.

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Lingxia; Yu, Huan; Zhang, Xuemin; Feng, Qing; Sun, Mengdan; Xu, Mengsi

2018-01-01

The present study explored the attentional processing mechanisms of gaze and arrow cues in two different types of conflict tasks. In Experiment 1, participants performed a flanker task in which gaze and arrow cues were presented as central targets or bilateral distractors. The congruency between the direction of the target and the distractors was manipulated. Results showed that arrow distractors greatly interfered with the attentional processing of gaze, while the processing of arrow direction was immune to conflict from gaze distractors. Using a spatial compatibility task, Experiment 2 explored the conflict effects exerted on gaze and arrow processing by their relative spatial locations. When the direction of the arrow was in conflict with its spatial layout on screen, response times were slowed; however, the encoding of gaze was unaffected by spatial location. In general, processing to an arrow cue is less influenced by bilateral gaze cues but is affected by irrelevant spatial information, while processing to a gaze cue is greatly disturbed by bilateral arrows but is unaffected by irrelevant spatial information. Different effects on gaze and arrow cues by different types of conflicts may reflect two relatively distinct specific modes of the attentional process.

Feasibility of the adaptive and automatic presentation of tasks (ADAPT system for rehabilitation of upper extremity function post-stroke

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Choi Younggeun

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Current guidelines for rehabilitation of arm and hand function after stroke recommend that motor training focus on realistic tasks that require reaching and manipulation and engage the patient intensively, actively, and adaptively. Here, we investigated the feasibility of a novel robotic task-practice system, ADAPT, designed in accordance with such guidelines. At each trial, ADAPT selects a functional task according to a training schedule and with difficulty based on previous performance. Once the task is selected, the robot picks up and presents the corresponding tool, simulates the dynamics of the tasks, and the patient interacts with the tool to perform the task. Methods Five participants with chronic stroke with mild to moderate impairments (> 9 months post-stroke; Fugl-Meyer arm score 49.2 ± 5.6 practiced four functional tasks (selected out of six in a pre-test with ADAPT for about one and half hour and 144 trials in a pseudo-random schedule of 3-trial blocks per task. Results No adverse events occurred and ADAPT successfully presented the six functional tasks without human intervention for a total of 900 trials. Qualitative analysis of trajectories showed that ADAPT simulated the desired task dynamics adequately, and participants reported good, although not excellent, task fidelity. During training, the adaptive difficulty algorithm progressively increased task difficulty leading towards an optimal challenge point based on performance; difficulty was then continuously adjusted to keep performance around the challenge point. Furthermore, the time to complete all trained tasks decreased significantly from pretest to one-hour post-test. Finally, post-training questionnaires demonstrated positive patient acceptance of ADAPT. Conclusions ADAPT successfully provided adaptive progressive training for multiple functional tasks based on participant's performance. Our encouraging results establish the feasibility of ADAPT; its

The ATB Framework : quantifying and Classifying Epistemic Strategies in Tangible Problem-Solving Tasks

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Esteves, A.E.; Bakker, S.; Antle, A.N. (Alissa); May, A.; Warren, J.; Oakley, I.

2015-01-01

In task performance, pragmatic actions refer to behaviors that make direct progress, while epistemic actions involve altering the world so that cognitive processes are faster, more reliable or less taxing. Epistemic actions are frequently presented as a beneficial consequence of interacting with

Model-based identification and use of task complexity factors of human integrated systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ham, Dong-Han; Park, Jinkyun; Jung, Wondea

2012-01-01

Task complexity is one of the conceptual constructs that are critical to explain and predict human performance in human integrated systems. A basic approach to evaluating the complexity of tasks is to identify task complexity factors and measure them. Although a great deal of task complexity factors have been studied, there is still a lack of conceptual frameworks for identifying and organizing them analytically, which can be generally used irrespective of the types of domains and tasks. This study proposes a model-based approach to identifying and using task complexity factors, which has two facets—the design aspects of a task and complexity dimensions. Three levels of design abstraction, which are functional, behavioral, and structural aspects of a task, characterize the design aspect of a task. The behavioral aspect is further classified into five cognitive processing activity types. The complexity dimensions explain a task complexity from different perspectives, which are size, variety, and order/organization. Twenty-one task complexity factors are identified by the combination of the attributes of each facet. Identification and evaluation of task complexity factors based on this model is believed to give insights for improving the design quality of tasks. This model for complexity factors can also be used as a referential framework for allocating tasks and designing information aids. The proposed approach is applied to procedure-based tasks of nuclear power plants (NPPs) as a case study to demonstrate its use. Last, we compare the proposed approach with other studies and then suggest some future research directions.

The Influence of Psycholinguistic Variables on Articulatory Errors in Naming in Progressive Motor Speech Degeneration

Science.gov (United States)

Code, Chris; Tree, Jeremy; Ball, Martin

2011-01-01

We describe an analysis of speech errors on a confrontation naming task in a man with progressive speech degeneration of 10-year duration from Pick's disease. C.S. had a progressive non-fluent aphasia together with a motor speech impairment and early assessment indicated some naming impairments. There was also an absence of significant…

Research on safety evaluation model for in-vehicle secondary task driving.

Science.gov (United States)

Jin, Lisheng; Xian, Huacai; Niu, Qingning; Bie, Jing

2015-08-01

This paper presents a new method for evaluating in-vehicle secondary task driving safety. There are five in-vehicle distracter tasks: tuning the radio to a local station, touching the touch-screen telephone menu to a certain song, talking with laboratory assistant, answering a telephone via Bluetooth headset, and finding the navigation system from Ipad4 computer. Forty young drivers completed the driving experiment on a driving simulator. Measures of fixations, saccades, and blinks are collected and analyzed. Based on the measures of driver eye movements which have significant difference between the baseline and secondary task driving conditions, the evaluation index system is built. The Analytic Network Process (ANP) theory is applied for determining the importance weight of the evaluation index in a fuzzy environment. On the basis of the importance weight of the evaluation index, Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation (FCE) method is utilized to evaluate the secondary task driving safety. Results show that driving with secondary tasks greatly distracts the driver's attention from road and the evaluation model built in this study could estimate driving safety effectively under different driving conditions. Crown Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Radiation transport: Progress report, July 1, 1987-September 30, 1987

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

O'Dell, R.D.; Nagy, A.

1988-05-01

Research and development progress in radiation transport for the Los Alamos National Laboratory's Group S-6 for the fourth quarter of FY 87 is reported. Included are unclassified tasks in the areas of Deterministic Radiation Transport, Monte Carlo Radiation Transport, and Cross Sections and Physics. 23 refs., 9 figs

Pilot study of dynamic Bayesian networks approach for fault diagnostics and accident progression prediction in HTR-PM

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhao, Yunfei; Tong, Jiejuan; Zhang, Liguo, E-mail: lgzhang@tsinghua.edu.cn; Zhang, Qin

2015-09-15

Highlights: • Dynamic Bayesian network is used to diagnose and predict accident progress in HTR-PM. • Dynamic Bayesian network model of HTR-PM is built based on detailed system analysis. • LOCA Simulations validate the above model even if part monitors are lost or false. - Abstract: The first high-temperature-reactor pebble-bed demonstration module (HTR-PM) is under construction currently in China. At the same time, development of a system that is used to support nuclear emergency response is in progress. The supporting system is expected to complete two tasks. The first one is diagnostics of the fault in the reactor based on abnormal sensor measurements obtained. The second one is prognostic of the accident progression based on sensor measurements obtained and operator actions. Both tasks will provide valuable guidance for emergency staff to take appropriate protective actions. Traditional method for the two tasks relies heavily on expert judgment, and has been proven to be inappropriate in some cases, such as Three Mile Island accident. To better perform the two tasks, dynamic Bayesian networks (DBN) is introduced in this paper and a pilot study based on the approach is carried out. DBN is advantageous in representing complex dynamic systems and taking full consideration of evidences obtained to perform diagnostics and prognostics. Pearl's loopy belief propagation (LBP) algorithm is recommended for diagnostics and prognostics in DBN. The DBN model of HTR-PM is created based on detailed system analysis and accident progression analysis. A small break loss of coolant accident (SBLOCA) is selected to illustrate the application of the DBN model of HTR-PM in fault diagnostics (FD) and accident progression prognostics (APP). Several advantages of DBN approach compared with other techniques are discussed. The pilot study lays the foundation for developing the nuclear emergency response supporting system (NERSS) for HTR-PM.

Progress and Strategies for Testing of Materials for Solar Panels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kurtz, Sarah

2017-04-25

Accelerated testing is key to confident launch of a new product. However, for new products like solar panels, the best approach is not always clear. The challenge for materials manufacturers is that test times can be long. Also, small-coupon testing may not predict the behavior in the full-size module, but testing of the full-size module is too expensive. As a result, solar panel test standards like IEC 61215 are useful, but are not sufficient. Material manufacturers have needed to define their own test protocols. This presentation will review some historical data (e.g., data show that manufacturers are making great progress toward reducing encapsulant discoloration) and describe advances in material testing (for example, new techniques are being demonstrated on how to more quantitatively assess adhesion, detect tendency for delamination, and understand how encapsulant properties affect other properties like cracking of cells). The International PV Quality Assurance Task Force has been researching climate-specific weathering tests toward the goal of defining international standards that would simplify qualification and quality assurance testing for materials. The status of these tests and the strategies for how to organize these standards to best meet the needs of the industry will be discussed.

Great Apes

Science.gov (United States)

Sleeman, Jonathan M.; Cerveny, Shannon

2014-01-01

Anesthesia of great apes is often necessary to conduct diagnostic analysis, provide therapeutics, facilitate surgical procedures, and enable transport and translocation for conservation purposes. Due to the stress of remote delivery injection of anesthetic agents, recent studies have focused on oral delivery and/or transmucosal absorption of preanesthetic and anesthetic agents. Maintenance of the airway and provision of oxygen is an important aspect of anesthesia in great ape species. The provision of analgesia is an important aspect of the anesthesia protocol for any procedure involving painful stimuli. Opioids and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are often administered alone, or in combination to provide multi-modal analgesia. There is increasing conservation management of in situ great ape populations, which has resulted in the development of field anesthesia techniques for free-living great apes for the purposes of translocation, reintroduction into the wild, and clinical interventions.

Nuclear waste management, a European task

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Strassburg, W.

1989-01-01

The coming into force of the Single European Act on July 1, 1987, which is to stepwise create a truly frontierless internal market of the European Community up to the year 1992, will have an effect also on the nuclear waste management sector. The goals of the energy policy and fuel cycle policy of the FRG, however, will not be changed by this. The contribution in hand discusses in particular some problems encountered at the back-end of the nuclear fuel cycle, namely nuclear spent fuel reprocessing. Activities in this branch of nuclear industry for more than ten years already have been a joint, European task. Spent fuel elements from West German reactors have been sent for reprocessing to facilities in France and in Great Britain, for example. The task of spent fuel reprocessing in the eyes of the author has a dimension exceeding the scope of the European single market: cooperation in this field for years has been including Switzerland and Sweden, for example, and is likely to include in future some countries of the Eastern Bloc. (orig.) [de

Enhanced surveillance program FY97 accomplishments. Progress report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mauzy, A. [ed.; Laake, B. [comp.

1997-10-01

This annual report is one volume of the Enhanced Surveillance Program (ESP) FY97 Accomplishments. The complete accomplishments report consists of 11 volumes. Volume 1 includes an ESP overview and a summary of selected unclassified FY97 program highlights. Volume 1 specifically targets a general audience, reflecting about half of the tasks conducted in FY97 and emphasizing key program accomplishments and contributions. The remaining volumes of the accomplishments report are classified, organized by program focus area, and present in technical detail the progress achieved in each of the 104 FY97 program tasks. Focus areas are as follows: pits; high explosives; organics; dynamics; diagnostics; systems; secondaries; nonnuclear materials; nonnuclear components; and Surveillance Test Program upgrades.

Task-based exposure assessment of nanoparticles in the workplace

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ham, Seunghon; Yoon, Chungsik; Lee, Euiseung; Lee, Kiyoung; Park, Donguk; Chung, Eunkyo; Kim, Pilje; Lee, Byoungcheun

2012-01-01

Although task-based sampling is, theoretically, a plausible approach to the assessment of nanoparticle exposure, few studies using this type of sampling have been published. This study characterized and compared task-based nanoparticle exposure profiles for engineered nanoparticle manufacturing workplaces (ENMW) and workplaces that generated welding fumes containing incidental nanoparticles. Two ENMW and two welding workplaces were selected for exposure assessments. Real-time devices were utilized to characterize the concentration profiles and size distributions of airborne nanoparticles. Filter-based sampling was performed to measure time-weighted average (TWA) concentrations, and off-line analysis was performed using an electron microscope. Workplace tasks were recorded by researchers to determine the concentration profiles associated with particular tasks/events. This study demonstrated that exposure profiles differ greatly in terms of concentrations and size distributions according to the task performed. The size distributions recorded during tasks were different from both those recorded during periods with no activity and from the background. The airborne concentration profiles of the nanoparticles varied according to not only the type of workplace but also the concentration metrics. The concentrations measured by surface area and the number concentrations measured by condensation particle counter, particulate matter 1.0, and TWA mass concentrations all showed a similar pattern, whereas the number concentrations measured by scanning mobility particle sizer indicated that the welding fume concentrations at one of the welding workplaces were unexpectedly higher than were those at workplaces that were engineering nanoparticles. This study suggests that a task-based exposure assessment can provide useful information regarding the exposure profiles of nanoparticles and can therefore be used as an exposure assessment tool.

A human factors experiment on the event-paced control tasks issue

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Hyun Chul; Park, Jae Chang; Oh, In Seok; Lee, Jung Woon; Lee, Ki Young; Park, Jong Kyun [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Taejeon (Korea)

2000-03-01

KEPRI(Korea Electric Power Research Institute) requires human factors validation tests according to the progress of the KNGR MMI design. This report describes the experimental results of an human factors validation issue, Event-Paced Control Tasks issue. The Event-Paced Control Task issue is to test that the designed MMI shall support operators in performing control tasks in pace with the plant dynamics. Task completion time and successful execution are defined as performance measures on the issue. Through an experiment on the issue with 3 scenarios and 5 subjects, we report that the variation of task completion time between subjects has a narrow band for each scenarios, however two among the total 15 experimental runs result in the failure that subject does not reach to the predefined operational goal. Incorrect operational strategy, insufficient training, and MMI design discrepancies are inferred as the causes of the failures. However these experimental results don't indicate the close of the Event-Paced Control Tasks issue. The validation test results under the experimental environment composed of the partial MMI representations, an unstable simulator, and insufficient subject training, are significant in the limited conditions. Thus, for the purpose of the complete issue close, the validation test on the Event-Paced Control Tasks issue should be repeatedly carried out in pace with the performance improvement of the experimental environment. 13 figs., 4 tabs. (Author)

Elucidating poor decision-making in a rat gambling task.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marion Rivalan

Full Text Available Although poor decision-making is a hallmark of psychiatric conditions such as attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, pathological gambling or substance abuse, a fraction of healthy individuals exhibit similar poor decision-making performances in everyday life and specific laboratory tasks such as the Iowa Gambling Task. These particular individuals may provide information on risk factors or common endophenotypes of these mental disorders. In a rodent version of the Iowa gambling task--the Rat Gambling Task (RGT, we identified a population of poor decision makers, and assessed how these rats scored for several behavioral traits relevant to executive disorders: risk taking, reward seeking, behavioral inflexibility, and several aspects of impulsivity. First, we found that poor decision-making could not be well predicted by single behavioral and cognitive characteristics when considered separately. By contrast, a combination of independent traits in the same individual, namely risk taking, reward seeking, behavioral inflexibility, as well as motor impulsivity, was highly predictive of poor decision-making. Second, using a reinforcement-learning model of the RGT, we confirmed that only the combination of extreme scores on these traits could induce maladaptive decision-making. Third, the model suggested that a combination of these behavioral traits results in an inaccurate representation of rewards and penalties and inefficient learning of the environment. Poor decision-making appears as a consequence of the over-valuation of high-reward-high-risk options in the task. Such a specific psychological profile could greatly impair clinically healthy individuals in decision-making tasks and may predispose to mental disorders with similar symptoms.

Effects of noise and task loading on a communication task loading on a communication task

Science.gov (United States)

Orrell, Dean H., II

Previous research had shown the effect of noise on a single communication task. This research has been criticized as not being representative of a real world situation since subjects allocated all of their attention to only one task. In the present study, the effect of adding a loading task to a standard noise-communication paradigm was investigated. Subjects performed both a communication task (Modified Rhyme Test; House et al. 1965) and a short term memory task (Sternberg, 1969) in simulated levels of aircraft noise (95, 105 and 115 dB overall sound pressure level (OASPL)). Task loading was varied with Sternberg's task by requiring subjects to memorize one, four, or six alphanumeric characters. Simulated aircraft noise was varied between levels of 95, 105 and 115 dB OASPL using a pink noise source. Results show that the addition of Sternberg's task and little effect on the intelligibility of the communication task while response time for the communication task increased.

Who multi-tasks and why? Multi-tasking ability, perceived multi-tasking ability, impulsivity, and sensation seeking.

Science.gov (United States)

Sanbonmatsu, David M; Strayer, David L; Medeiros-Ward, Nathan; Watson, Jason M

2013-01-01

The present study examined the relationship between personality and individual differences in multi-tasking ability. Participants enrolled at the University of Utah completed measures of multi-tasking activity, perceived multi-tasking ability, impulsivity, and sensation seeking. In addition, they performed the Operation Span in order to assess their executive control and actual multi-tasking ability. The findings indicate that the persons who are most capable of multi-tasking effectively are not the persons who are most likely to engage in multiple tasks simultaneously. To the contrary, multi-tasking activity as measured by the Media Multitasking Inventory and self-reported cell phone usage while driving were negatively correlated with actual multi-tasking ability. Multi-tasking was positively correlated with participants' perceived ability to multi-task ability which was found to be significantly inflated. Participants with a strong approach orientation and a weak avoidance orientation--high levels of impulsivity and sensation seeking--reported greater multi-tasking behavior. Finally, the findings suggest that people often engage in multi-tasking because they are less able to block out distractions and focus on a singular task. Participants with less executive control--low scorers on the Operation Span task and persons high in impulsivity--tended to report higher levels of multi-tasking activity.

Who multi-tasks and why? Multi-tasking ability, perceived multi-tasking ability, impulsivity, and sensation seeking.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David M Sanbonmatsu

Full Text Available The present study examined the relationship between personality and individual differences in multi-tasking ability. Participants enrolled at the University of Utah completed measures of multi-tasking activity, perceived multi-tasking ability, impulsivity, and sensation seeking. In addition, they performed the Operation Span in order to assess their executive control and actual multi-tasking ability. The findings indicate that the persons who are most capable of multi-tasking effectively are not the persons who are most likely to engage in multiple tasks simultaneously. To the contrary, multi-tasking activity as measured by the Media Multitasking Inventory and self-reported cell phone usage while driving were negatively correlated with actual multi-tasking ability. Multi-tasking was positively correlated with participants' perceived ability to multi-task ability which was found to be significantly inflated. Participants with a strong approach orientation and a weak avoidance orientation--high levels of impulsivity and sensation seeking--reported greater multi-tasking behavior. Finally, the findings suggest that people often engage in multi-tasking because they are less able to block out distractions and focus on a singular task. Participants with less executive control--low scorers on the Operation Span task and persons high in impulsivity--tended to report higher levels of multi-tasking activity.

Who Multi-Tasks and Why? Multi-Tasking Ability, Perceived Multi-Tasking Ability, Impulsivity, and Sensation Seeking

Science.gov (United States)

Sanbonmatsu, David M.; Strayer, David L.; Medeiros-Ward, Nathan; Watson, Jason M.

2013-01-01

The present study examined the relationship between personality and individual differences in multi-tasking ability. Participants enrolled at the University of Utah completed measures of multi-tasking activity, perceived multi-tasking ability, impulsivity, and sensation seeking. In addition, they performed the Operation Span in order to assess their executive control and actual multi-tasking ability. The findings indicate that the persons who are most capable of multi-tasking effectively are not the persons who are most likely to engage in multiple tasks simultaneously. To the contrary, multi-tasking activity as measured by the Media Multitasking Inventory and self-reported cell phone usage while driving were negatively correlated with actual multi-tasking ability. Multi-tasking was positively correlated with participants’ perceived ability to multi-task ability which was found to be significantly inflated. Participants with a strong approach orientation and a weak avoidance orientation – high levels of impulsivity and sensation seeking – reported greater multi-tasking behavior. Finally, the findings suggest that people often engage in multi-tasking because they are less able to block out distractions and focus on a singular task. Participants with less executive control - low scorers on the Operation Span task and persons high in impulsivity - tended to report higher levels of multi-tasking activity. PMID:23372720

Task demand, task management, and teamwork

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Braarud, Per Oeivind; Brendryen, Haavar

2001-03-15

The current approach to mental workload assessment in process control was evaluated in 3 previous HAMMLAB studies, by analysing the relationship between workload related measures and performance. The results showed that subjective task complexity rating was related to team's control room performance, that mental effort (NASA-TLX) was weakly related to performance, and that overall activity level was unrelated to performance. The results support the argument that general cognitive measures, i.e., mental workload, are weakly related to performance in the process control domain. This implies that other workload concepts than general mental workload are needed for valid assessment of human reliability and for valid assessment of control room configurations. An assessment of task load in process control suggested that how effort is used to handle task demand is more important then the level of effort invested to solve the task. The report suggests two main workload related concepts with a potential as performance predictors in process control: task requirements, and the work style describing how effort is invested to solve the task. The task requirements are seen as composed of individual task demand and team demand. In a similar way work style are seen as composed of individual task management and teamwork style. A framework for the development of the concepts is suggested based on a literature review and experiences from HAMMLAB research. It is suggested that operational definitions of workload concepts should be based on observable control room behaviour, to assure a potential for developing performance-shaping factors. Finally an explorative analysis of teamwork measures and performance in one study indicated that teamwork concepts are related to performance. This lends support to the suggested development of team demand and teamwork style as elements of a framework for the analysis of workload in process control. (Author)

Sources of plutonium to the great Miami River

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bartelt, G.E.; Kennedy, C.W.; Bobula, C.M. III.

1978-01-01

Progress is reported in the study of 238 Pu, in the Great Miami River watershed the contribution of various sources to the total 238 Pu transported by the river. Periodic discharges of industrial wastewater from Mound Laboratory from 1973 to 1975 have released approximately 20 mCi of 238 Pu each year to the Great Miami River. Changes in the wastewater treatment system in 1976 have reduced the annual discharge to less than 3 mCi/year. However, despite this sevenfold reduction of plutonium in the wastewater discharge, the annual flux of 238 Pu down the river has remained relatively constant and is approximately 10 times greater than can be accounted for by the reported effluent discharges. Therefore, other sources of the 238 Pu in the Great Miami River exist. A second possible source of plutonium is the resuspension of sediments enriched by earlier waste water releases and deposited in the river. However, since there appear to be few areas where large accumulations of sediment could occur, it seems improbable that resuspension of earlier sediment deposits would continue to be a significant contributor to the annual flux of plutonium. A much more likely source is the continuing erosion of soil from a canal and stream system contaminated with approx. 5 Ci of 238 Pu, 7 which connects directly to the river 6.9 km upstream from Franklin. Results from samples analyzed in 1978 show the average concentration of 238 Pu in suspended sediments from the canal to be approximately 10 3 times greater than suspended sediment concentrations in the river and waste water effluent.Thus the main contributor to the total amount of plutonium transported by the Great Miami River appears to be highly enriched sediment from the canal, which is eroded into the river where it is then diluted by uncontaminated sediments

The task-to-task communication between computers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lin Shuzi; Zhang Bingyun; Zhao Weiren

1992-01-01

The task-to-task communication is used in the Institute of High Energy Physics. The BES (Beijing Spectrometer) uses the communication mode to take some of the BEPC (Beijing Electron Positron Collider) running parameters needed by BES experiments in a periodic time. The authors describe the principle of transparent task-to-task communication and how to use it in BES on-line data acquisition system

Child abuse and performance task assessments of executive functions in boys.

Science.gov (United States)

Mezzacappa, E; Kindlon, D; Earls, F

2001-11-01

We examined executive functions using performance tasks in 126 boys aged 6 to 16 years. who attended public schools and therapeutic schools for children with emotional and behavioral problems. Children were further grouped based on the presence or absence of substantiated abuse histories. Based on their abuse histories and schools of origin, children were classified as Therapeutic, Abused (TA, N = 25). Therapeutic, Nonabused (TN, N = 52), and Public School (PS, N = 48). Controlling IQ and medication status, we compared children in the three groups on teacher ratings of behavior, on experimenter observations of behavior during testing, and on performance tasks challenging the capacities to inhibit an act in progress, and to passively avoid responses associated with adverse consequences. We examined mean group differences in symptoms, behaviors, and task performance, as well as differential age-dependent changes in these dimensions. Independent of abuse history, therapeutic school children demonstrated comparable levels of internalizing and externalizing symptoms, and comparable levels of redirections to task during testing-sessions, that were significantly higher than those of the public school children. Both groups of therapeutic school children also showed comparable overall performance on the capacities to inhibit an act in progress, and to passively avoid responses associated with adverse consequences that were poorer than the performance of children from the public school. Children with histories of substantiated abuse showed diminished improvement with increasing age in the capacity to passively avoid responses associated with adverse consequences when compared not only to the public school children, but also to the children from the therapeutic schools without histories of abuse. Our findings complement reports of behavioral observations of abused children, and reports associating child abuse with altered cognitive development in other areas of competence

Explicit and implicit tasks for assessing hedonic-versus nutrition-based attitudes towards food in French children.

Science.gov (United States)

Monnery-Patris, Sandrine; Marty, Lucile; Bayer, Frédéric; Nicklaus, Sophie; Chambaron, Stéphanie

2016-01-01

Attitudes are important precursors of behaviours. This study aims to compare the food attitudes (i.e., hedonic- and nutrition-based) of children using both an implicit pairing task and an explicit forced-choice categorization task suitable for the cognitive abilities of 5- to 11-year-olds. A dominance of hedonically driven attitudes was expected for all ages in the pairing task, designed to elicit affective and spontaneous answers, whereas a progressive emergence of nutrition-based attitudes was expected in the categorization task, designed to involve deliberate analyses of the costs/benefits of foods. An additional exploratory goal was to evaluate differences in the attitudes of normal and overweight children in both tasks. Children from 3 school levels (n = 194; mean age = 8.03 years) were individually tested on computers in their schools. They performed a pairing task in which the tendencies to associate foods with nutritional vs. culinary contexts were assessed. Next, they were asked to categorize each food into one of the following four categories: "yummy", "yucky" (i.e., hedonic categories), "makes you strong", or"makes you fat" (i.e., nutritional categories). The hedonic/culinary pairs were very frequently selected (81% on average), and this frequency significantly increased through school levels. In contrast, in the categorization task, a significant increase in nutrition-driven categorizations with school level was observed. Additional analyses revealed no differences in the food attitudes between the normal and overweight children in the pairing task, and a tendency towards lower hedonic categorizations among the overweight children. Culinary associations can reflect cultural learning in the French context where food pleasure is dominant. In contrast, the progressive emergence of cognitively driven attitudes with age may reflect the cognitive development of children who are more reasonable and influenced by social norms. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd

Progress and prospects for indirect drive ICF

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lindl, J.D.

1992-08-01

During the past few years, a great deal of progress has been made toward demonstrating the requirements for ignition and high gain ICF targets. Because of this progress, the 1990 National Academy of Science (NAS) and Fusion Policy Advisory Committee (FPAC) reviews recommended that the US National ICF Program focus on the physics of ignition. Subject to successful completion of a series of experiments to be carried out on the Nova laser at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), these reviews advocated construction of a 1 to 2 MJ glass laser, whose purpose would be demonstration of ignition and modest-gain ICF targets within about a decade. The LLNL proposal for this National Ignition Facility, which was endorsed by the NAS and FPAC as the most timely and cost effective path to this goal, is referred to as the ''Nova Upgrade.'' This paper reviews recent progress on the Nova laser and the performance expected with the Nova Upgrade

Constructivist Approach in a Paradigm of Public School Teachers' Professional Development in Great Britain, Canada, the USA

Science.gov (United States)

Mukan, Nataliya; Fuchyla, Olena; Ihnatiuk, Halyna

2017-01-01

The article dwells on professional development of public school teachers as an inevitable constituent of education systems in the 21st century. In such economically developed countries as Great Britain, Canada and the USA, the problem of preparing teachers to a difficult and responsible task of upbringing and educating future citizens always…

Problem-solving performance and reproductive success of great tits in urban and forest habitats.

Science.gov (United States)

Preiszner, Bálint; Papp, Sándor; Pipoly, Ivett; Seress, Gábor; Vincze, Ernő; Liker, András; Bókony, Veronika

2017-01-01

Success in problem solving, a form of innovativeness, can help animals exploit their environments, and recent research suggests that it may correlate with reproductive success. Innovativeness has been proposed to be especially beneficial in urbanized habitats, as suggested by superior problem-solving performance of urban individuals in some species. If there is stronger selection for innovativeness in cities than in natural habitats, we expect problem-solving performance to have a greater positive effect on fitness in more urbanized habitats. We tested this idea in great tits (Parus major) breeding at two urban sites and two forests by measuring their problem-solving performance in an obstacle-removal task and a food-acquisition task. Urban pairs were significantly faster problem-solvers in both tasks. Solving speed in the obstacle-removal task was positively correlated with hatching success and the number of fledglings, whereas performance in the food-acquisition task did not correlate with reproductive success. These relationships did not differ between urban and forest habitats. Neophobia, sensitivity to human disturbance, and risk taking in the presence of a predator did not explain the relationships of problem-solving performance either with habitat type or with reproductive success. Our results suggest that the benefit of innovativeness in terms of reproductive success is similar in urban and natural habitats, implying that problem-solving skills may be enhanced in urban populations by some other benefits (e.g. increased survival) or reduced costs (e.g. more opportunities to gain practice with challenging tasks).

Will an underwater robot ever replace the diver? A rather poor progress or a great success?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Olejnik Adam

2016-03-01

Full Text Available The article deals with the subject matter related to the development of underwater works technologies. Nearly 15 years ago one of the authors of this study published a material in the monthly magazine of “Podwodny Świat” (The Underwater World entitled “The Future of Underwater Technologies – the diver or the robot?” where he noted that the time of great changes in technologies aimed at researching the depths and conducting works under water has arrived. This new era mainly consists in the fact that on an increasing number of occasions the diver is replaced by an underwater robot. The presented material constitutes an attempt to provide an answer to the question whether the then posed thesis is still valid. In the article the authors discuss issues concerned with the development of techniques and technologies applied in the conquest of depths that leads them to the conclusion that the previously observed tendency of a double-tracked development of underwater technologies is gaining in strength, which causes that the works and exploration of bodies of water at great depths will be possible only with the use of unmanned techniques.

Accelerating progress in Artificial General Intelligence: Choosing a benchmark for natural world interaction

Science.gov (United States)

Rohrer, Brandon

2010-12-01

Measuring progress in the field of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) can be difficult without commonly accepted methods of evaluation. An AGI benchmark would allow evaluation and comparison of the many computational intelligence algorithms that have been developed. In this paper I propose that a benchmark for natural world interaction would possess seven key characteristics: fitness, breadth, specificity, low cost, simplicity, range, and task focus. I also outline two benchmark examples that meet most of these criteria. In the first, the direction task, a human coach directs a machine to perform a novel task in an unfamiliar environment. The direction task is extremely broad, but may be idealistic. In the second, the AGI battery, AGI candidates are evaluated based on their performance on a collection of more specific tasks. The AGI battery is designed to be appropriate to the capabilities of currently existing systems. Both the direction task and the AGI battery would require further definition before implementing. The paper concludes with a description of a task that might be included in the AGI battery: the search and retrieve task.

Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Great Lakes Mussel Watch(2009-2014)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Following the inception of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) to address the significant environmental issues plaguing the Great Lakes region, the...

Task analysis and support for problem solving tasks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bainbridge, L.

1987-01-01

This paper is concerned with Task Analysis as the basis for ergonomic design to reduce human error rates, rather than for predicting human error rates. Task Analysis techniques usually provide a set of categories for describing sub tasks, and a framework describing the relations between sub-tasks. Both the task type categories and their organisation have implications for optimum interface and training design. In this paper, the framework needed for considering the most complex tasks faced by operators in process industries is discussed such as fault management in unexpected situations, and what is likely to minimise human error in these circumstances. (author)

The Model of Optimum Economic Growth with the Induced Scientific-Technological Progress

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dilenko Viktor A.

2017-07-01

Full Text Available On the basis of the economic dynamics of the Harrod – Domar model, a model of optimum economic growth in line with the induced scientific-technological progress (STP has been built. In order to reflect the induced scientific-technological progress, with this model is proposed to further allocate the income element that is specially used for the investment of innovation activity, implementation of which reduces the capital intensity in development of the discussed economy. For the simplest way of presenting an economic mechanism for the investment of induced STP, analytical solutions of an appropriate task in optimum management have been obtained. Studying these decisions allowed to reveal the characteristics of the impact of parameters of scientific-technological progress and the analyzed economic system on choosing the best trajectory for its evolution. Possible directions for further developing the results presented can be considered the tasks in building and analyzing models of optimum economic growth that implement different investment options for the induced STP, as well as the models in which this investment mechanism is not exogenouslyed, but rather the result of the corresponding economic-mathematical research.

Service Robots for Hospitals: A Case Study of Transportation Tasks in a Hospital

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Özkil, Ali Gürcan; Fan, Zhun; Dawids, Steen

2009-01-01

In this paper, the need for automated transportation systems for hospitals is investigated. Among other alternatives, mobile robots stand out as the most prominent means of automation of transportation tasks in hospitals. Existing transportation routines of a hospital are analyzed in order...... to verify the need for automation and identify possible areas of improvement. The analysis shows that most of the existing transportation is carried out manually, and hospitals can greatly benefit from automated transportation. Based on the results of the analysis, three alternatives are derived...... for implementing mobile service robots for transportation tasks in hospitals....

Generic cognitive adaptations to task interference in task switching

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Poljac, E.; Bekkering, H.

2009-01-01

The present study investigated how the activation of previous tasks interferes with the execution of future tasks as a result of temporal manipulations. Color and shape matching tasks were organized in runs of two trials each. The tasks were specified by a cue presented before a task run, cueing

Effects of Canon chord progression on brain activity and motivation are dependent on subjective feelings, not the chord progression per se

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kayashima Y

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Yoshinori Kayashima,1,2,* Kazuhiko Yamamuro,1,* Manabu Makinodan,1 Yoko Nakanishi,1 Akio Wanaka,2 Toshifumi Kishimoto1 1Department of Psychiatry, 2Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, Nara Medical University School of Medicine, Kashihara, Japan *These authors contributed equally to this work Abstract: A number of studies have indicated that relaxing and pleasant melodies are useful for the treatment of patients with psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia, depression, and dementia. However, few studies have investigated what constitutive elements of the music had an effect on brain activity. As Canon chord progression is one of critical elements for pleasant melodies, we sought to examine the effects of Canon chord progression and pitch-shifted Canon chord progression on brain activity using performance on the auditory oddball task during event-related potentials (ERPs in 30 healthy subjects. Unexpectedly, we found no differences in ERP components between subjects listening to Canon chord progression (n=15 or pitch-shifted Canon chord progression (n=15. Next, we divided participants into two groups: those who found the melody pleasant (n=17 and those who did not (n=13, for both Canon chord progression and pitch-shifted Canon chord progression. The average of P300 amplitude was higher at Fz in subjects found the music pleasant versus those finding it unpleasant. Moreover, subjects who found it pleasant exhibited higher motivation scores than those who felt it was unpleasant, whereas listening to Canon chord progression did not matter. These findings suggest that the effects of Canon chord progression on brain activity and motivation depend on subjective feelings, not the chord progression per se. Keywords: music, Canon chord progression, motivation, event-related potential, subjective feelings 

The Link between Higher Order Thinking Skills, Representation and Concepts in Enhancing TIMSS Tasks

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Nor’ain Mohd. Tajudin

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Students’ performances in TIMSS have featured strongly in recent discussions and debates about the quality of mathematical learning outcomes both from teachers and policy makers. Findings of TIMSS trends showed that most high school students in Malaysia continue to perform at less than satisfactory levels, particularly, in tasks that are cognitively demanding. In this article, we present a critical analysis of selected TIMSS Tasks and demonstrate how to support students better in the use of Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS in making progress with such tasks. In so doing we present analyses of TIMSS tasks and a model of these tasks that relate HOTS, representation and concepts which can be utilised by teachers to understand the role of HOTS better in empowering students shift to higher levels of cognitive funtioning in the context of tackling TIMSS and similarly demanding tasks. Our analyses and model provide an important starting point for the design of future professional development programs for Malaysian mathematics teachers in reconceptualising HOTS and implementing them in regular classrooms.

TASK-3 Downregulation Triggers Cellular Senescence and Growth Inhibition in Breast Cancer Cell Lines

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rafael Zúñiga

2018-03-01

Full Text Available TASK-3 potassium channels are believed to promote proliferation and survival of cancer cells, in part, by augmenting their resistance to both hypoxia and serum deprivation. While overexpression of TASK-3 is frequently observed in cancers, the understanding of its role and regulation during tumorigenesis remains incomplete. Here, we evaluated the effect of reducing the expression of TASK-3 in MDA-MB-231 and MCF-10F human mammary epithelial cell lines through small hairpin RNA (shRNA-mediated knockdown. Our results show that knocking down TASK-3 in fully transformed MDA-MB-231 cells reduces proliferation, which was accompanied by an induction of cellular senescence and cell cycle arrest, with an upregulation of cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK inhibitors p21 and p27. In non-tumorigenic MCF-10F cells, however, TASK-3 downregulation did not lead to senescence induction, although cell proliferation was impaired and an upregulation of CDK inhibitors was also evident. Our observations implicate TASK-3 as a critical factor in cell cycle progression and corroborate its potential as a therapeutic target in breast cancer treatment.

Working Memory Training Improves Dual-Task Performance on Motor Tasks.

Science.gov (United States)

Kimura, Takehide; Kaneko, Fuminari; Nagahata, Keita; Shibata, Eriko; Aoki, Nobuhiro

2017-01-01

The authors investigated whether working memory training improves motor-motor dual-task performance consisted of upper and lower limb tasks. The upper limb task was a simple reaction task and the lower limb task was an isometric knee extension task. 45 participants (age = 21.8 ± 1.6 years) were classified into a working memory training group (WM-TRG), dual-task training group, or control group. The training duration was 2 weeks (15 min, 4 times/week). Our results indicated that working memory capacity increased significantly only in the WM-TRG. Dual-task performance improved in the WM-TRG and dual-task training group. Our study provides the novel insight that working memory training improves dual-task performance without specific training on the target motor task.

Development of the Biology Card Sorting Task to Measure Conceptual Expertise in Biology

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Julia I.; Combs, Elijah D.; Nagami, Paul H.; Alto, Valerie M.; Goh, Henry G.; Gourdet, Muryam A. A.; Hough, Christina M.; Nickell, Ashley E.; Peer, Adrian G.; Coley, John D.; Tanner, Kimberly D.

2013-01-01

There are widespread aspirations to focus undergraduate biology education on teaching students to think conceptually like biologists; however, there is a dearth of assessment tools designed to measure progress from novice to expert biological conceptual thinking. We present the development of a novel assessment tool, the Biology Card Sorting Task,…

Task Switching in a Hierarchical Task Structure: Evidence for the Fragility of the Task Repetition Benefit

Science.gov (United States)

Lien, Mei-Ching; Ruthruff, Eric

2004-01-01

This study examined how task switching is affected by hierarchical task organization. Traditional task-switching studies, which use a constant temporal and spatial distance between each task element (defined as a stimulus requiring a response), promote a flat task structure. Using this approach, Experiment 1 revealed a large switch cost of 238 ms.…

Effects of atmospheric variability on energy utilization and conservation. Progress report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reiter, E.R.; Burns, C.C.; Cochrane, H.; Johnson, G.R.; Leong, H.; Sheaffer, J.D.

1980-07-01

Research progress for the period September 1979 to July 1980 is reported. Research was structured along four major tasks: (1) atmospheric circulation and climate variability; (2) urban mesoclimate; (3) energy demand modelling; and (4) economic implications of weather variability and energy demand: stimulating residential energy conservation through the financial section. (ACR)

Monitoring cognitive and emotional processes through pupil and cardiac response during dynamic versus logical task.

Science.gov (United States)

Causse, Mickaël; Sénard, Jean-Michel; Démonet, Jean François; Pastor, Josette

2010-06-01

The paper deals with the links between physiological measurements and cognitive and emotional functioning. As long as the operator is a key agent in charge of complex systems, the definition of metrics able to predict his performance is a great challenge. The measurement of the physiological state is a very promising way but a very acute comprehension is required; in particular few studies compare autonomous nervous system reactivity according to specific cognitive processes during task performance and task related psychological stress is often ignored. We compared physiological parameters recorded on 24 healthy subjects facing two neuropsychological tasks: a dynamic task that require problem solving in a world that continually evolves over time and a logical task representative of cognitive processes performed by operators facing everyday problem solving. Results showed that the mean pupil diameter change was higher during the dynamic task; conversely, the heart rate was more elevated during the logical task. Finally, the systolic blood pressure seemed to be strongly sensitive to psychological stress. A better taking into account of the precise influence of a given cognitive activity and both workload and related task-induced psychological stress during task performance is a promising way to better monitor operators in complex working situations to detect mental overload or pejorative stress factor of error.

Effects of humic substances on the migration of radionuclides: complexation and transport of actinides. First technical progress report (work period 01.97 - 12.97)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buckau, G.

1998-08-01

The present report describes progress within the first year of the EC-project 'Effects of Humic Substances on the Migration of Radionuclides: Complexation and Transport of Actinides'. The project is conducted within the EC-Cluster 'Radionuclide Transport/Retardation Processes'. Contrary to formal requirements of the Commission, this report with a great deal of detail is established already after one year of project work. It is scheduled to be followed by a second technical progress report covering the second year of the project. In agreement with the contractual obligations a final report of similar technical detail will also be generated. The report contains an executive summary written by the coordinator (FZK/INE) with strong support from the other three task leaders (BGS, CEA-SGC and RMC-E). More detailed results are given by individual contributions of the project partners in 13 annexes. In the executive summary report the origin of results presented is given, also serving as guidance for finding more detailed results in the annexes. Not all results are discussed or referred to in the executive summary report and thus readers with a deeper interest also need to consult the annexes. (orig.)

Scalability of Robotic Controllers: Effects of Progressive Levels of Autonomy on Robotic Reconnaissance Tasks

Science.gov (United States)

2010-08-01

facility. 2.2.4 The National Aeronautics and Space Administration-Task Load Index (NASA-TLX) The NASA-TLX is a subjective workload assessment tool ...No 6 NR If so, what type? Davinci (1) 14. Please describe the conditions under which you used the robotic system. Surgical (1) 15...2 Fantastic tool . Can see how this will save more lives by using the robot as the recon tool . 1 Interesting and fun. 3 Easily understood what to

LLNL/JNC repository collaboration interim progress report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bourcier, W.L.; Couch, R.G.; Gansemer, J.; Halsey, W.G.; Palmer, C.E.; Sinz, K.H.; Stout, R.B.; Wijesinghe, A.; Wolery, T.J.

1999-01-01

Under this Annex, a research program on the near-field performance assessment related to the geological disposal of radioactive waste will be carried out at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) in close collaboration with the Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corporation of Japan (PNC). This program will focus on activities that provide direct support for PNC's near-term and long-term needs that will, in turn, utilize and further strengthen US capabilities for radioactive waste management. The work scope for two years will be designed based on the PNC's priorities for its second progress report (the H12 report) of research and development for high-level radioactive waste disposal and on the interest and capabilities of the LLNL. The work will focus on the chemical modeling for the near-field environment and long-term mechanical modeling of engineered barrier system as it evolves. Certain activities in this program will provide for a final iteration of analyses to provide additional technical basis prior to the year 2000 as determined in discussions with the PNC's technical coordinator. The work for two years will include the following activities: Activity 1: Chemical Modeling of EBS Materials Interactions--Task 1.1 Chemical Modeling of Iron Effects on Borosilicate Glass Durability; and Task 1.2 Changes in Overpack and Bentonite Properties Due to Metal, Bentonite and Water Interactions. Activity 2: Thermodynamic Database Validation and Comparison--Task 2.1 Set up EQ3/6 to Run with the Pitzer-based PNC Thermodynamic Data Base; Task 2.2 Provide Expert Consultation on the Thermodynamic Data Base; and Task 2.3 Provide Analysis of Likely Solubility Controls on Selenium. Activity 3: Engineered Barrier Performance Assessment of the Unsaturated, Oxidizing Transient--Task 3.1 Apply YMIM to PNC Transient EBS Performance; Task 3.2 Demonstrate Methods for Modeling the Return to Reducing Conditions; and Task 3.3 Evaluate the Potential for Stress Corrosion

Human factors interventions to reduce human errors and improve productivity in maintenance tasks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Isoda, Hachiro; Yasutake, J.Y.

1992-01-01

This paper describes work in progress to develop interventions to reduce human errors and increase maintenance productivity in nuclear power plants. The effort is part of a two-phased Human Factors research program being conducted jointly by the Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry (CRIEPI) in Japan and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) in the United States. The overall objective of this joint research program is to identify critical maintenance tasks and to develop, implement and evaluate interventions which have high potential for reducing human errors or increasing maintenance productivity. As a result of the Phase 1 effort, ten critical maintenance tasks were identified. For these tasks, over 25 candidate interventions were identified for potential development. After careful analysis, seven interventions were selected for development during Phase 2. This paper describes the methodology used to analyze and identify the most critical tasks, the process of identifying and developing selected interventions and some of the initial results. (author)

Task-set inertia and memory-consolidation bottleneck in dual tasks.

Science.gov (United States)

Koch, Iring; Rumiati, Raffaella I

2006-11-01

Three dual-task experiments examined the influence of processing a briefly presented visual object for deferred verbal report on performance in an unrelated auditory-manual reaction time (RT) task. RT was increased at short stimulus-onset asynchronies (SOAs) relative to long SOAs, showing that memory consolidation processes can produce a functional processing bottleneck in dual-task performance. In addition, the experiments manipulated the spatial compatibility of the orientation of the visual object and the side of the speeded manual response. This cross-task compatibility produced relative RT benefits only when the instruction for the visual task emphasized overlap at the level of response codes across the task sets (Experiment 1). However, once the effective task set was in place, it continued to produce cross-task compatibility effects even in single-task situations ("ignore" trials in Experiment 2) and when instructions for the visual task did not explicitly require spatial coding of object orientation (Experiment 3). Taken together, the data suggest a considerable degree of task-set inertia in dual-task performance, which is also reinforced by finding costs of switching task sequences (e.g., AC --> BC vs. BC --> BC) in Experiment 3.

Progression in Complexity: Contextualizing Sustainable Marine Resources Management in a 10th Grade Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Bravo-Torija, Beatriz; Jiménez-Aleixandre, María-Pilar

2012-01-01

Sustainable management of marine resources raises great challenges. Working with this socio-scientific issue in the classroom requires students to apply complex models about energy flow and trophic pyramids in order to understand that food chains represent transfer of energy, to construct meanings for sustainable resources management through discourse, and to connect them to actions and decisions in a real-life context. In this paper we examine the process of elaboration of plans for resources management in a marine ecosystem by 10th grade students (15-16 year) in the context of solving an authentic task. A complete class ( N = 14) worked in a sequence about ecosystems. Working in small groups, the students made models of energy flow and trophic pyramids, and used them to solve the problem of feeding a small community for a long time. Data collection included videotaping and audiotaping of all of the sessions, and collecting the students' written productions. The research objective is to examine the process of designing a plan for sustainable resources management in terms of the discursive moves of the students across stages in contextualizing practices, or different degrees of complexity (Jiménez-Aleixandre & Reigosa International Journal of Science Education, 14(1): 51-61 2006), understood as transformations from theoretical statements to decisions about the plan. The analysis of students' discursive moves shows how the groups progressed through stages of connecting different models, between them and with the context, in order to solve the task. The challenges related to taking this sustainability issue to the classroom are discussed.

Sequence for the Training of Eye-Hand Coordination Needed for the Organization of Handwriting Tasks

Science.gov (United States)

Trester, Mary Fran

1971-01-01

Suggested is a sequence of 11 class activities, progressing from gross to fine motor skills, to assist the development of skills required to perform handwriting tasks successfully, for use particularly with children who lack fine motor control and eye-hand coordination. (KW)

[Progress in molecular biology of a semi-mangrove, Millettia pinnata].

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Jianzi; Zhang, Wanke; Huang, Rongfeng; Zheng, Yizhi

2015-04-01

Millettia pinnata L. is a leguminous tree with great potential in biodiesel applications and also a typical semi-mangrove. In this review, we presented several aspects about the recent research progress in molecular biology of M. pinnata. We descrived several types of molecular markers used to assess the genetic diversity and phylogeny of this species, genome and transcriptome analyses based on high-throughput sequencing platform accomplished for this species, and several gene and genomic sequences of this species isolated for further research. Finally, based on the current research progress, we proposed some orientations for future molecular biology research on M. pinnata.

[Geothermal system temperature-depth database and model for data analysis]. 5. quarterly technical progress report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Blackwell, D.D.

1998-04-25

During this first quarter of the second year of the contract activity has involved several different tasks. The author has continued to work on three tasks most intensively during this quarter: the task of implementing the data base for geothermal system temperature-depth, the maintenance of the WWW site with the heat flow and gradient data base, and finally the development of a modeling capability for analysis of the geothermal system exploration data. The author has completed the task of developing a data base template for geothermal system temperature-depth data that can be used in conjunction with the regional data base that he had already developed and is now implementing it. Progress is described.

Great Lakes Literacy Principles

Science.gov (United States)

Fortner, Rosanne W.; Manzo, Lyndsey

2011-03-01

Lakes Superior, Huron, Michigan, Ontario, and Erie together form North America's Great Lakes, a region that contains 20% of the world's fresh surface water and is home to roughly one quarter of the U.S. population (Figure 1). Supporting a $4 billion sport fishing industry, plus $16 billion annually in boating, 1.5 million U.S. jobs, and $62 billion in annual wages directly, the Great Lakes form the backbone of a regional economy that is vital to the United States as a whole (see http://www.miseagrant.umich.edu/downloads/economy/11-708-Great-Lakes-Jobs.pdf). Yet the grandeur and importance of this freshwater resource are little understood, not only by people in the rest of the country but also by many in the region itself. To help address this lack of knowledge, the Centers for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence (COSEE) Great Lakes, supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, developed literacy principles for the Great Lakes to serve as a guide for education of students and the public. These “Great Lakes Literacy Principles” represent an understanding of the Great Lakes' influences on society and society's influences on the Great Lakes.

The Logarithmic-to-Linear Shift: One Learning Sequence, Many Tasks, Many Time Scales

Science.gov (United States)

Siegler, Robert S.; Thompson, Clarissa A.; Opfer, John E.

2009-01-01

The relation between short-term and long-term change (also known as learning and development) has been of great interest throughout the history of developmental psychology. Werner and Vygotsky believed that the two involved basically similar progressions of qualitatively distinct knowledge states; behaviorists such as Kendler and Kendler believed…

Risk assessment of maintenance operations: the analysis of performing task and accident mechanism.

Science.gov (United States)

Carrillo-Castrillo, Jesús A; Rubio-Romero, Juan Carlos; Guadix, Jose; Onieva, Luis

2015-01-01

Maintenance operations cover a great number of occupations. Most small and medium-sized enterprises lack the appropriate information to conduct risk assessments of maintenance operations. The objective of this research is to provide a method based on the concepts of task and accident mechanisms for an initial risk assessment by taking into consideration the prevalence and severity of the maintenance accidents reported. Data were gathered from 11,190 reported accidents in maintenance operations in the manufacturing sector of Andalusia from 2003 to 2012. By using a semi-quantitative methodology, likelihood and severity were evaluated based on the actual distribution of accident mechanisms in each of the tasks. Accident mechanisms and tasks were identified by using those variables included in the European Statistics of Accidents at Work methodology. As main results, the estimated risk of the most frequent accident mechanisms identified for each of the analysed tasks is low and the only accident mechanisms with medium risk are accidents when lifting or pushing with physical stress on the musculoskeletal system in tasks involving carrying, and impacts against objects after slipping or stumbling for tasks involving movements. The prioritisation of public preventive actions for the accident mechanisms with a higher estimated risk is highly recommended.

Cortisol responses to mental stress and the progression of coronary artery calcification in healthy men and women.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mark Hamer

Full Text Available Psychosocial stress is a risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD. The mechanisms are incompletely understood, although dysfunction of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA axis might be involved. We examined the association between cortisol responses to laboratory-induced mental stress and the progression of coronary artery calcification (CAC.Participants were 466 healthy men and women (mean age = 62.7±5.6 yrs, without history or objective signs of CHD, drawn from the Whitehall II epidemiological cohort. At the baseline assessment salivary cortisol was measured in response to mental stressors, consisting of a 5-min Stroop task and a 5-min mirror tracing task. CAC was measured at baseline and at 3 years follow up using electron beam computed tomography. CAC progression was defined as an increase >10 Agatston units between baseline and follow up. 38.2% of the sample demonstrated CAC progression over the 3 years follow up. There was considerable variation in the cortisol stress response, with approximately 40% of the sample responding to the stress tasks with an increase in cortisol of at least 1 mmol/l. There was an association between cortisol stress reactivity (per SD and CAC progression (odds ratio = 1.27, 95% CI, 1.02-1.60 after adjustments for age, sex, pre-stress cortisol, employment grade, smoking, resting systolic BP, fibrinogen, body mass index, and use of statins. There was no association between systolic blood pressure reactivity and CAC progression (odds ratio per SD increase = 1.03, 95% CI, 0.85-1.24. Other independent predictors of CAC progression included age, male sex, smoking, resting systolic blood pressure, and fibrinogen.Results demonstrate an association between heightened cortisol reactivity to stress and CAC progression. These data support the notion that cortisol reactivity, an index of HPA function, is one of the possible mechanisms through which psychosocial stress may influence the risk of CHD.

Who Multi-Tasks and Why? Multi-Tasking Ability, Perceived Multi-Tasking Ability, Impulsivity, and Sensation Seeking

OpenAIRE

Sanbonmatsu, David M.; Strayer, David L.; Medeiros-Ward, Nathan; Watson, Jason M.

2013-01-01

The present study examined the relationship between personality and individual differences in multi-tasking ability. Participants enrolled at the University of Utah completed measures of multi-tasking activity, perceived multi-tasking ability, impulsivity, and sensation seeking. In addition, they performed the Operation Span in order to assess their executive control and actual multi-tasking ability. The findings indicate that the persons who are most capable of multi-tasking effectively are ...

Individual Differences in Gambling Proneness among Rats and Common Marmosets: An Automated Choice Task

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francesca Zoratto

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Interest is rising for animal modeling of pathological gambling. Using the operant probabilistic-delivery task (PDT, gambling proneness can be evaluated in laboratory animals. Drawing a comparison with rats, this study evaluated the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus using a PDT. By nose- or hand-poking, subjects learnt to prefer a large (LLL, 5-6 pellets over a small (SS, 1-2 pellets reward and, subsequently, the probability of occurrence of large-reward delivery was decreased progressively to very low levels (from 100% to 17% and 14%. As probability decreased, subjects showed a great versus little shift in preference from LLL to SS reinforcer. Hence, two distinct subpopulations (“non-gambler” versus “gambler” were differentiated within each species. A proof of the model validity comes from marmosets’ reaction to reward-delivery omission. Namely, depending on individual temperament (“gambler” versus “non-gambler”, they showed either persistence (i.e., inadequate pokes towards LLL or restlessness (i.e., inadequate pokes towards SS, respectively. In conclusion, the marmoset could be a suitable model for preclinical gambling studies. Implementation of the PDT to species other than rats may be relevant for determining its external validity/generalizability and improving its face/construct validity.

Oxygen dynamics in the aftermath of the Great Oxidation of Earth’s atmosphere

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Canfield, Donald Eugene; Ngombi-Pemba, Lauriss; Hammarlund, Emma

2013-01-01

-oxygenated deep waters whereas the youngest were deposited in euxinic waters, which were globally extensive. These fluctuations in oxygenation were likely driven by the comings and goings of the Lomagundi carbon isotope excursion, the longest–lived positive δ13C excursion in Earth history, generating a huge......The oxygen content of Earth’s atmosphere has varied greatly through time, progressing from exceptionally low levels before about 2.3 billion years ago, to much higher levels afterward. In the absence of better information, we usually view the progress in Earth’s oxygenation as a series of steps...... oxygen source to the atmosphere. As the Lomagundi event waned, the oxygen source became a net oxygen sink as Lomagundi organic matter became oxidized, driving oxygen to low levels; this state may have persisted for 200 million years....

Critical Review of Technical Questions Facing Low Impact Development and Green Infrastructure: A Perspective from the Great Plains.

Science.gov (United States)

Vogel, Jason R; Moore, Trisha L; Coffman, Reid R; Rodie, Steven N; Hutchinson, Stacy L; McDonough, Kelsey R; McLemore, Alex J; McMaine, John T

2015-09-01

Since its inception, Low Impact Development (LID) has become part of urban stormwater management across the United States, marking progress in the gradual transition from centralized to distributed runoff management infrastructure. The ultimate goal of LID is full, cost-effective implementation to maximize watershed-scale ecosystem services and enhance resilience. To reach that goal in the Great Plains, the multi-disciplinary author team presents this critical review based on thirteen technical questions within the context of regional climate and socioeconomics across increasing complexities in scale and function. Although some progress has been made, much remains to be done including continued basic and applied research, development of local LID design specifications, local demonstrations, and identifying funding mechanisms for these solutions. Within the Great Plains and beyond, by addressing these technical questions within a local context, the goal of widespread acceptance of LID can be achieved, resulting in more effective and resilient stormwater management.

Task E container corrosion studies: Annual report. Revision 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bunnell, L.R.; Doremus, L.A.; Topping, J.B.; Duncan, D.R.

1994-06-01

The Pacific Northwest Laboratory is conducting the Solid Waste Technology Support Program (SWTSP) for Westinghouse Hanford Company (WHC). Task E is the Container Corrosion Study Portion of the SWTSP that will perform testing to provide defensible data on the corrosion of low-carbon steel, as used in drums to contain chemical and radioactive wastes at the Hanford Site. A second objective of Task E is to provide and test practical alternative materials that have higher corrosion resistance than low-carbon steel. The scope of work for fiscal year (FY) 1993 included initial testing of mild steel specimens buried in Hanford soils or exposed to atmospheric corrosion in metal storage sheds. During FY 1993, progress was made in three areas of Task E. First, exposure of test materials began at the Soil Corrosion Test Site where low-carbon steel specimens were placed in the soil in five test shafts at depths of 9 m (30 ft). Second, the corrosion measurement of low-carbon steel in the soil of two solid waste trenches continued. The total exposure time is ∼ 500 days. Third, an atmospheric corrosion test of low-carbon steel was initiated in a metal shed (Building 2401-W) in the 200 West Area. This annual report describes the Task E efforts and provides a current status

Progress in abrasive and grinding technology

CERN Document Server

Xu, Xipeng

2009-01-01

The grinding and abrasive processing of materials are machining techniques which use bonded or loose abrasives to remove material from workpieces. Due to the well-known advantages of grinding and abrasive processes, advances in abrasive and grinding technology are always of great import in enhancing both productivity and component quality. In order to highlight the recent progress made in this field, the editor invited 21 world-wide contributions with the aim of gathering together all of the achievements of leading researchers into a single publication. The authors of the 21 invited papers, of

Effect of task complexity on intelligence and neural efficiency in children: an event-related potential study.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Qiong; Shi, Jiannong; Luo, Yuejia; Liu, Sainan; Yang, Jie; Shen, Mowei

2007-10-08

The present study investigates the effects of task complexity, intelligence and neural efficiency on children's performance on an Elementary Cognitive Task. Twenty-three children were divided into two groups on the basis of their Raven Progressive Matrix scores and were then asked to complete a choice reaction task with two test conditions. We recorded the electroencephalogram and calculated the peak latencies and amplitudes for anteriorly distributed P225, N380 and late positive component. Our results suggested shorter late positive component latencies in brighter children, possibly reflecting a higher processing speed in these individuals. Increased P225 amplitude and increased N380 amplitudes for brighter children may indicate a more efficient allocation of attention for brighter children. No moderating effect of task complexity on brain-intelligence relationship was found.

A Hardware-Supported Algorithm for Self-Managed and Choreographed Task Execution in Sensor Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Borja Bordel

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Nowadays, sensor networks are composed of a great number of tiny resource-constraint nodes, whose management is increasingly more complex. In fact, although collaborative or choreographic task execution schemes are which fit in the most perfect way with the nature of sensor networks, they are rarely implemented because of the high resource consumption of these algorithms (especially if networks include many resource-constrained devices. On the contrary, hierarchical networks are usually designed, in whose cusp it is included a heavy orchestrator with a remarkable processing power, being able to implement any necessary management solution. However, although this orchestration approach solves most practical management problems of sensor networks, a great amount of the operation time is wasted while nodes request the orchestrator to address a conflict and they obtain the required instructions to operate. Therefore, in this paper it is proposed a new mechanism for self-managed and choreographed task execution in sensor networks. The proposed solution considers only a lightweight gateway instead of traditional heavy orchestrators and a hardware-supported algorithm, which consume a negligible amount of resources in sensor nodes. The gateway avoids the congestion of the entire sensor network and the hardware-supported algorithm enables a choreographed task execution scheme, so no particular node is overloaded. The performance of the proposed solution is evaluated through numerical and electronic ModelSim-based simulations.

Word-Retrieval in Two Cases of Progressive Supranuclear Palsy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jennifer M. Gurd

1997-01-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we describe the detailed neuropsychological investigation of two cases of progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP and demonstrate word-finding difficulties associated with pervasive problems in word-retrieval. The pattern of deficits resembles that seen in Parkinson’s Disease (PD but is more severe, even in very mild PSP, and appears less amenable to cue facilitation. Performance on a variety of word-production tasks is compared, and experimental controls for motor effects on performance are included. The role of stimulus cues in speeded word-finding is addressed experimentally, as are central executive influences on task performance. This combines with functional brain-scan data from single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT which shows reduced frontal perfusion in one of the two cases.

Task A. Study of large P/sub T/ direct photon production at the ISR. Task B. Direct photon production at the tevatron (E-706). Task C. Search for fractional charge particles in semiconductors. Progress report, June 1, 1983-May 31, 1984

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cleland, W.E.; Coon, D.D.; Engels, E. Jr.; Shepard, P.F.; Thompson, J.A.

1984-01-01

Task A is the Pitt contingent of the Axial Field Spectrometer Collaboration, performing experiment R807/808 at CERN. The experiment has studied several topics related to study of high P/sub T/ phenomena such as production of jets at high E/sub T/ and a comparison of their properties with jets seen in e + e - . We are working primarily on those aspects of the experiment involving reactions with photons in the final state. We are completing an analysis of prompt photons and pions produced at 11 0 in the center of mass, from data taken in 1982. Presently, new data are being taken with two large NaI arrays in place. With these data, we are studying low P/sub T/ (20 to 200 MeV/c) photon production as well as prompt photons in the range 1.5 < P/sub T/ < 4 GeV/c. For the 1.5 - 4 GeV/c data we plan to compare single photon production in pp and anti pp collisions. Task B is the Pitt contingent of the E706 collaboration, which is studying prompt photon production in πp and pp collisions at the Tevatron. The major contribution of the Pitt effort to the experiment is the provision of the array of semiconductor detectors required for the charged particle spectrometer to be used in the study of correlated hadronic jets. Task C is the search for fractional charge in semiconductors. Although the physics goals of this experiment are removed from those of the other tasks, the technical overlap with task B is extremely important. The construction and testing of semiconductor detectors requires specialized semiconductor physics knowledge and instrumentation, both of which are being developed concurrently by these two tasks. 109 references

The research progress on plant mutant germplasm resources in China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

He Cexi; Ji Linzhen; Zhao Shirong

1991-07-01

Mutants induced by nuclear radiation or other mutagens are new artificial germplasm resources. Some mutants have been applied in plant breeding and great achievements have been reached. The status and progress on the collection, identification and utilization of mutants in China are introduced. A proposal for developing mutant germplasm resources with good agronomic characters is suggested

Recent progress in the research field of neuropharmacology in China.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jin

2008-02-01

In recent years, Chinese neuropharmacologists have done a lot of basic and practical work in neuropharmacology, especially in the fields of pain, drug dependence, depression, Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia, having obtained some exciting results that are of great significance for the development of neuropharmacology. Here I would like to review recent progress in the research fields of neuropharmacology in China.

Research Progress and Prospect of GNSS Space Environment Science

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

YAO Yibin

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Troposphere and ionosphere are two important components of the near-earth space environment. They are close to the surface of the earth and have great influence on human life. The developments of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS over the past several decades provide a great opportunity for the GNSS-based space environment science. This review summarizes the research progress and prospect of the GNSS-based research of the Earth's troposphere and ionosphere. On the tropospheric perspective, modeling of the key tropospheric parameters and inversion of precipitable water vapor (PWV are dominant researching fields. On the ionospheric perspective, 2D/3D ionospheric models and regional/global ionospheric monitoring are dominant researching fields.

Dynamics of the central bottleneck: dual-task and task uncertainty.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mariano Sigman

2006-07-01

Full Text Available Why is the human brain fundamentally limited when attempting to execute two tasks at the same time or in close succession? Two classical paradigms, psychological refractory period (PRP and task switching, have independently approached this issue, making significant advances in our understanding of the architecture of cognition. Yet, there is an apparent contradiction between the conclusions derived from these two paradigms. The PRP paradigm, on the one hand, suggests that the simultaneous execution of two tasks is limited solely by a passive structural bottleneck in which the tasks are executed on a first-come, first-served basis. The task-switching paradigm, on the other hand, argues that switching back and forth between task configurations must be actively controlled by a central executive system (the system controlling voluntary, planned, and flexible action. Here we have explicitly designed an experiment mixing the essential ingredients of both paradigms: task uncertainty and task simultaneity. In addition to a central bottleneck, we obtain evidence for active processes of task setting (planning of the appropriate sequence of actions and task disengaging (suppression of the plan set for the first task in order to proceed with the next one. Our results clarify the chronometric relations between these central components of dual-task processing, and in particular whether they operate serially or in parallel. On this basis, we propose a hierarchical model of cognitive architecture that provides a synthesis of task-switching and PRP paradigms.

Validation of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Task Load Index as a tool to evaluate the learning curve for endoscopy training.

Science.gov (United States)

Mohamed, Rachid; Raman, Maitreyi; Anderson, John; McLaughlin, Kevin; Rostom, Alaa; Coderre, Sylvain

2014-03-01

Although workplace workload assessments exist in different fields, an endoscopy-specific workload assessment tool is lacking. To validate such a workload tool and use it to map the progression of novice trainees in gastroenterology in performing their first endoscopies. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration Task Load Index (NASA-TLX) workload assessment tool was completed by eight novice trainees in gastroenterology and 10 practicing gastroenterologists⁄surgeons. An exploratory factor analysis was performed to construct a streamlined endoscopy-specific task load index, which was subsequently validated. The 'Endoscopy Task Load Index' was used to monitor progression of trainee exertion and self-assessed performance over their first 40 procedures. From the factor analysis of the NASA-TLX, two principal components emerged: a measure of exertion and a measure of self-efficacy. These items became the components of the newly validated Endoscopy Task Load Index. There was a steady decline in self-perceived exertion over the training period, which was more rapid for gastroscopy than colonoscopy. The self-efficacy scores for gastroscopy rapidly increased over the first few procedures, reaching a plateau after this period of time. For colonoscopy, there was a progressive increase in reported self-efficacy over the first three quartiles of procedures, followed by a drop in self-efficacy scores over the final quartile. The present study validated an Endoscopy Task Load Index that can be completed in <1 min. Practical implications of such a tool in endoscopy education include identifying periods of higher perceived exertion among novice endoscopists, facilitating appropriate levels of guidance from trainers.

Monitoring supports performance in a dual-task paradigm involving a risky decision-making task and a working memory task

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bettina eGathmann

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Performing two cognitively demanding tasks at the same time is known to decrease performance. The current study investigates the underlying executive functions of a dual-tasking situation involving the simultaneous performance of decision making under explicit risk and a working memory task. It is suggested that making a decision and performing a working memory task at the same time should particularly require monitoring - an executive control process supervising behavior and the state of processing on two tasks. To test the role of a supervisory/monitoring function in such a dual-tasking situation we investigated 122 participants with the Game of Dice Task plus 2-back task (GDT plus 2-back task. This dual task requires participants to make decisions under risk and to perform a 2-back working memory task at the same time. Furthermore, a task measuring a set of several executive functions gathered in the term concept formation (Modified Card Sorting Test, MCST and the newly developed Balanced Switching Task (BST, measuring monitoring in particular, were used. The results demonstrate that concept formation and monitoring are involved in the simultaneous performance of decision making under risk and a working memory task. In particular, the mediation analysis revealed that BST performance partially mediates the influence of MCST performance on the GDT plus 2-back task. These findings suggest that monitoring is one important subfunction for superior performance in a dual-tasking situation including decision making under risk and a working memory task.

Monitoring supports performance in a dual-task paradigm involving a risky decision-making task and a working memory task

Science.gov (United States)

Gathmann, Bettina; Schiebener, Johannes; Wolf, Oliver T.; Brand, Matthias

2015-01-01

Performing two cognitively demanding tasks at the same time is known to decrease performance. The current study investigates the underlying executive functions of a dual-tasking situation involving the simultaneous performance of decision making under explicit risk and a working memory task. It is suggested that making a decision and performing a working memory task at the same time should particularly require monitoring—an executive control process supervising behavior and the state of processing on two tasks. To test the role of a supervisory/monitoring function in such a dual-tasking situation we investigated 122 participants with the Game of Dice Task plus 2-back task (GDT plus 2-back task). This dual task requires participants to make decisions under risk and to perform a 2-back working memory task at the same time. Furthermore, a task measuring a set of several executive functions gathered in the term concept formation (Modified Card Sorting Test, MCST) and the newly developed Balanced Switching Task (BST), measuring monitoring in particular, were used. The results demonstrate that concept formation and monitoring are involved in the simultaneous performance of decision making under risk and a working memory task. In particular, the mediation analysis revealed that BST performance partially mediates the influence of MCST performance on the GDT plus 2-back task. These findings suggest that monitoring is one important subfunction for superior performance in a dual-tasking situation including decision making under risk and a working memory task. PMID:25741308

The effects of stimulus modality and task integrality: Predicting dual-task performance and workload from single-task levels

Science.gov (United States)

Hart, S. G.; Shively, R. J.; Vidulich, M. A.; Miller, R. C.

1986-01-01

The influence of stimulus modality and task difficulty on workload and performance was investigated. The goal was to quantify the cost (in terms of response time and experienced workload) incurred when essentially serial task components shared common elements (e.g., the response to one initiated the other) which could be accomplished in parallel. The experimental tasks were based on the Fittsberg paradigm; the solution to a SternBERG-type memory task determines which of two identical FITTS targets are acquired. Previous research suggested that such functionally integrated dual tasks are performed with substantially less workload and faster response times than would be predicted by suming single-task components when both are presented in the same stimulus modality (visual). The physical integration of task elements was varied (although their functional relationship remained the same) to determine whether dual-task facilitation would persist if task components were presented in different sensory modalities. Again, it was found that the cost of performing the two-stage task was considerably less than the sum of component single-task levels when both were presented visually. Less facilitation was found when task elements were presented in different sensory modalities. These results suggest the importance of distinguishing between concurrent tasks that complete for limited resources from those that beneficially share common resources when selecting the stimulus modalities for information displays.

Resolving task rule incongruence during task switching by competitor rule suppression.

Science.gov (United States)

Meiran, Nachshon; Hsieh, Shulan; Dimov, Eduard

2010-07-01

Task switching requires maintaining readiness to execute any task of a given set of tasks. However, when tasks switch, the readiness to execute the now-irrelevant task generates interference, as seen in the task rule incongruence effect. Overcoming such interference requires fine-tuned inhibition that impairs task readiness only minimally. In an experiment involving 2 object classification tasks and 2 location classification tasks, the authors show that irrelevant task rules that generate response conflicts are inhibited. This competitor rule suppression (CRS) is seen in response slowing in subsequent trials, when the competing rules become relevant. CRS is shown to operate on specific rules without affecting similar rules. CRS and backward inhibition, which is another inhibitory phenomenon, produced additive effects on reaction time, suggesting their mutual independence. Implications for current formal theories of task switching as well as for conflict monitoring theories are discussed. (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved

Developmental changes in using verbal self-cueing in task-switching situations: the impact of task practice and task-sequencing demands

Science.gov (United States)

Kray, Jutta; Gaspard, Hanna; Karbach, Julia; Blaye, Agnès

2013-01-01

In this study we examined whether developmental changes in using verbal self-cueing for task-goal maintenance are dependent on the amount of task practice and task-sequencing demands. To measure task-goal maintenance we applied a switching paradigm in which children either performed only task A or B in single-task blocks or switched between them on every second trial in mixed-task blocks. Task-goal maintenance was determined by comparing the performance between both blocks (mixing costs). The influence of verbal self-cueing was measured by instructing children to either name the next task aloud or not to verbalize during task preparation. Task-sequencing demands were varied between groups whereas one group received spatial task cues to support keeping track of the task sequence, while the other group did not. We also varied by the amount of prior practice in task switching while one group of participants practiced task switching first, before performing the task naming in addition, and the other group did it vice versa. Results of our study investigating younger (8–10 years) and older children (11–13 years) revealed no age differences in beneficial effects of verbal self-cueing. In line with previous findings, children showed reduced mixing costs under task-naming instructions and under conditions of low task-sequence demands (with the presence of spatial task cues). Our results also indicated that these benefits were only obtained for those groups of children that first received practice in task switching alone with no additional verbalization instruction. These findings suggest that internal task-cueing strategies can be efficiently used in children but only if they received prior practice in the underlying task so that demands on keeping and coordinating various instructions are reduced. Moreover, children benefitted from spatial task cues for better task-goal maintenance only if no verbal task-cueing strategy was introduced first. PMID:24381566

Handing Over the ATLAS eNews Scientific Editor Task

CERN Multimedia

P. Jenni

2006-01-01

The ATLAS eNews are now established since many years as a lively source of stories about the construction of our detector as well as the preparations for the physics running to come. The human touch in telling these stories is important, and to stimulate and motivate the article writers to include also this side of our work is one of the tasks for the Scientific Editor of the eNews. Joleen ('Jo') Pater has been the enthusiastic and competent 'skipper' for the last two years keeping the eNews on track. The whole Collaboration owes her a great and very hearty thank-you! Pauline Gagnon has kindly accepted to take up the challenge for the next couple of years. She will have the privilege to be the editor when we will see the first collisions with ATLAS! I wish her all the best for this new task. Outgoing and incoming editors of the ATLAS E-news: Jo Pater (left) and Pauline Gagnon (right)

[Research progress on wetland ecotourism].

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Li-Long; Lu, Lin

2009-06-01

Wetland is rich in biodiversity and cultural diversity, possessing higher tourism value and environmental education and community participation functions. Wetland ecotourism reflects the sustainable development of tourism economy and wetland protection, having received great concern from governments and scholars at home and abroad. This paper summarized the related theories and practices, discussed the research advances in wetland ecotourism from the aspects of significance, progress, contents, methods and results, and pointed out the important research fields in the future, aimed to accelerate the development of wetland ecotourism research and to provide reference about the resources exploitation, environment protection, and scientific administration of wetland and related scenic areas.

Shoulder Strength Requirements for Upper Limb Functional Tasks: Do Age and Rotator Cuff Tear Status Matter?

Science.gov (United States)

Santago, Anthony C; Vidt, Meghan E; Li, Xiaotong; Tuohy, Christopher J; Poehling, Gary G; Freehill, Michael T; Saul, Katherine R

2017-12-01

Understanding upper limb strength requirements for daily tasks is imperative for early detection of strength loss that may progress to disability due to age or rotator cuff tear. We quantified shoulder strength requirements for 5 upper limb tasks performed by 3 groups: uninjured young adults and older adults, and older adults with a degenerative supraspinatus tear prior to repair. Musculoskeletal models were developed for each group representing age, sex, and tear-related strength losses. Percentage of available strength used was quantified for the subset of tasks requiring the largest amount of shoulder strength. Significant differences in strength requirements existed across tasks: upward reach 105° required the largest average strength; axilla wash required the largest peak strength. However, there were limited differences across participant groups. Older adults with and without a tear used a larger percentage of their shoulder elevation (p functional tasks to effectively detect early strength loss, which may lead to disability.

Evaluation of a novel task specific ionic liquid for actinide ion extraction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paramanik, M.; Ghosh, S.K.; Raut, D.R.; Mohapatra, P.K.

2016-01-01

Separation of U and Pu from nuclear waste is of great relevance for a sustainable closed fuel cycle point of view. Spent fuel reprocessing by the well known PUREX process is done world wide for the recovery of U and Pu using TBP as the extractant. Room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) have shown significantly higher extraction of metal ions, particularly at lower acidity as compared to the molecular diluents. Functionalization of ionic liquids has resulted in highly efficient task specific ionic liquids (TSILs) with superior extraction properties than the analogous extractants dissolved in ionic liquids. The present paper reports the evaluation of a novel task specific ionic liquid (TSIL) containing >P=O functional group for the extraction of actinides like U(VI) and Pu(IV)

Self-Associations Influence Task-Performance through Bayesian Inference.

Science.gov (United States)

Bengtsson, Sara L; Penny, Will D

2013-01-01

The way we think about ourselves impacts greatly on our behavior. This paper describes a behavioral study and a computational model that shed new light on this important area. Participants were primed "clever" and "stupid" using a scrambled sentence task, and we measured the effect on response time and error-rate on a rule-association task. First, we observed a confirmation bias effect in that associations to being "stupid" led to a gradual decrease in performance, whereas associations to being "clever" did not. Second, we observed that the activated self-concepts selectively modified attention toward one's performance. There was an early to late double dissociation in RTs in that primed "clever" resulted in RT increase following error responses, whereas primed "stupid" resulted in RT increase following correct responses. We propose a computational model of subjects' behavior based on the logic of the experimental task that involves two processes; memory for rules and the integration of rules with subsequent visual cues. The model incorporates an adaptive decision threshold based on Bayes rule, whereby decision thresholds are increased if integration was inferred to be faulty. Fitting the computational model to experimental data confirmed our hypothesis that priming affects the memory process. This model explains both the confirmation bias and double dissociation effects and demonstrates that Bayesian inferential principles can be used to study the effect of self-concepts on behavior.

Re-thinking stages of cognitive development: an appraisal of connectionist models on the balance scale task

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Quinlan, P.T.; van der Maas, H.L.J.; Jansen, B.R.J.; Booij, O.; Rendell, M.

2007-01-01

The present paper re-appraises connectionist attempts to explain how human cognitive development appears to progress through a series of sequential stages. Models of performance on the Piagetian balance scale task are the focus of attention. Limitations of these models are discussed and replications

Final Technical Report Transport Task Force Activities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

P.W. Terry

2006-01-01

The Transport Task Force has functioned as the primary scientific organization in the area of magnetic-fusion confinement and transport since its inception in 1988. It has defined and set research directions, coordinated broad research efforts, advocated new funding initiatives, and created a highly successful and widely admired interactive culture between experiment, theory and modeling. The Transport Task Force carries out its activities under the direction of its chair and the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee is comprised of the leaders and deputy leaders of the scientific working groups. The working groups are structured and organized according to research needs and priorities and have been organized around the areas of Core Transport, H Mode and Pedestal, Fast Particle Transport, Transient Transport Phenomena, and Modeling and Simulation. A steering committee provides advise on TTF activities. Further information on the working groups and the structure and management of the TTF can be found at http://psfcwww2.psfc.mit.edu/ttf/index.html. The TTF holds an annual workshop. A summary of the workshops held during the period of this report is given in Appendix I. During the period of this report the Transport Task Force was involved in several significant activities. Foremost of these was a sweeping review of the status of transport science, the key research tasks for progress during the next 5-10 years, and a proposal for a funding initiative to ensure application of adequate resources to these problems. The conclusions of this study were incorporated into a white paper, which is copied below in Appendix II. Other significant activities have included the introduction of an extended, ongoing discussion on verification and validation as a requisite for defining and codifying the path toward predictive capability, the orchestration of a gradual shift of focus from ion thermal confinement to electron thermal confinement, and a joining of efforts on edge

Research in elementary particle physics at the University of Florida: Annual progress report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1988-01-01

This is a progress report on the Elementary Particle Physics program at the University of Florida. The program has five tasks covering a broad range of topics in theoretical and experimental high energy physics: Theoretical Elementary Particle Physics, Experimental High Energy Physics, Axion Search, Detector Development, and Computer Requisition

Case management considerations of progressive dementia in a home setting.

Science.gov (United States)

Pierce, Mary Ellen

2010-01-01

Nursing theory, research, and best practice guidelines contribute substantially to the field of dementia care. Interventional plans are challenged most by those dementias considered progressive and deteriorative in nature, requiring ongoing reassessment and modification of care practices as the clinical course changes. The purpose of this article is to provide guidelines for case managers in the development of effective, individualized care plans for clients with progressive dementia residing in a home setting. The application of these guidelines is illustrated through the presentation of an actual case. The practice setting is a private home in the Pacific Northwest. Geriatric case management is provided by an RN case manager. Progressive dementia presents challenges to home care. Professional case management using comprehensive, holistic assessment, collaborative approaches, and best practice fundamentals serve to create an effective, individualized plan of care. The increasing geriatric population presents great opportunities for case managers in strategic management for creating successful home care models in clients with progressive dementia. Use of nursing diagnoses, dementia research, and collaborative approaches with families and other medical providers creates a viable alternative for clients with progressive dementia.

IEA Wind Task 37 System Modeling Framework and Ontology for Wind Turbines and Plants

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dykes, K; Sanchez Perez Moreno, S.; Zahle, Frederik; Ning, A; McWilliam, M.; Zaayer, M B

2017-01-01

This presentation will provide an overview of progress to date in the development of a system modeling framework and ontology for wind turbines and plants as part of the larger IEA Wind Task 37 on wind energy systems engineering. The goals of the effort are to create a set of guidelines for a common

Questioning the rule of thumb: can verbal tasks be administered during the CVLT-II delay interval?

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Bethany R; Donovick, Peter J

2008-09-01

In the manual for the California Verbal Learning Test - II (CVLT-II), the authors suggest that nonverbal, rather than verbal, tasks be administered during the delay interval between administrations of the Short- and Long-Delay Recall trials of this test. They contend that this method minimizes the retroactive interference produced by intervening tasks. The purpose of the current study was to compare the extent to which verbal and nonverbal intervening tasks produce retroactive interference on CVLT-II List A recall following the long-delay. Participants in the present study were 120 undergraduate students. All participants completed the CVLT-II, and were randomly assigned to a group in which they were administered either a verbal (WAIS-III Vocabulary or Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test - IIIB) or nonverbal (Raven's Standard Progressive Matrices or WAIS-III Block Design) intervening task during the long-delay interval of the CVLT-II. Statistical analyses revealed that regardless of the type of intervening task given, participants in all groups recalled the same number of words and produced a similar number of intrusions during the CVLT-II recall trials. This indicates that not all verbal tasks produce retroactive effects beyond those produced by nonverbal tasks.

Quality control for low and medium active waste Task 3 characterization of radioactive waste forms a series of final reports (1985-89) - No 42

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saas, A.

1991-01-01

This progress report is composed of six tasks which are distributed between several laboratories. The studied subjects are the following: Task 1: optimization and validation of sampling procedures. Task 2: measurement of alpha and Beta emitting radionuclides in full-size embedded nuclear wastes. Task 3: nondestructive analytical procedure for alpha and long-life beta nuclides in embedded wastes. Task 4: detection and measurement of gas generation from radiolysis by waste/matrix interaction (Bitumens). Task 5: detection and measurement of external gamma irradiation induced gases evolved by bituminisates. Evaluation of the part of released and trapped gases in order to predict full-size drums swelling. Task 6: measurement of liquid in full-scale drum

A novel operant task to assess social reward and motivation in rodents.

Science.gov (United States)

Borland, Johnathan M; Frantz, Kyle J; Aiani, Lauren M; Grantham, Kymberly N; Song, Zhimin; Albers, H Elliott

2017-08-01

Social reward plays a critical role in the development of beneficial social relationships, and disorders of the mechanisms controlling social reward are involved in the etiology of many psychiatric diseases. We present a novel operant social preference task to quantify social reward in rodents using an apparatus with three chambers separated by one-way vertical-swing doors. The experimental animal is placed in the larger chamber while the two smaller chambers either remain empty or contain a stimulus animal or other potential reward stimulus. Adding weights to the door can alter effort required for rewards. Hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) entered the chamber containing a stimulus hamster significantly more frequently than an empty chamber. When the reinforcing effects of social interactions were compared to food reward under progressive cost requirements, the reinforcing effects of social interaction and sunflower seeds were similar. Progressively increasing the door weight decreased number of entries, but increased time spent attempting to open the doors. The quantification of the rewarding properties of social interactions has almost exclusively used the conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm. Although robust and reliable, CPP includes a memory component, because it relies on the association of place with the social interaction while the operant task presented here does not. This task allows for detailed and direct assessment of social and non-social rewards that may serve as effective behavioral reinforcers in this operant conditioning model, and it can be used to investigate the neural mechanisms regulating motivation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Contaminated sediment research task: SHC Task 3.61.3

Science.gov (United States)

A poster presentation for the SHC BOSC review will summarize the research efforts under Sustainable and Healthy Communities Research Program (SHC) in the Contaminated Sediment Task within the Contaminated Sites Project. For the Task, Problem Summary & Decision Context; Task O...

Cassini RTG Program. Monthly technical progress report, 27 November--31 December 1995

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1996-01-01

This monthly technical progress report provided information on the following tasks: spacecraft integration and liaison; engineering support; safety analysis; qualified unicouple fabrication; ETG fabrication, assembly, and test; ground support equipment (GSE); RTG shipping and launch support; designs, reviews, and mission applications; project management, quality assurance, and reliability, and contractor acquired government owned (CAGO) property acquisition

Academic Task Demand in the 21st-Century, High-Stakes-Accountability School: Mapping the Journey from Poor [To Fair to Good to Great] to Excellent?

Science.gov (United States)

Szczesiul, Stacy Agee; Nehring, James; Carey, Theodore

2015-01-01

Drawing on theoretical and empirical research concerning the relationship between academic work and student learning, this article explores the following questions: What skills are required to execute the academic tasks teachers assign on a daily basis? How do teachers and administrators interpret the task demands represented in instructional…

Frontal Tasks and Behavior in Rigid or Tremor-Dominant Parkinson Disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Moretti, Rita; Milner, Vera; Caruso, Paola; Gazzin, Silvia; Rumiati, Raffaella

2017-08-01

Parkinson disease (PD) is not an unambiguous entity, and there is a general consensus for the statement that an akinetic-rigid dominant type of presentation has a worse prognosis, in the follow-up. The aim of our study was to examine the differences in frontal tasks and behavior, in 2 PD naive groups: the rigid and the tremor-dominant types of presentation, according to motor scores. Our study has showed some important differences in frontal tasks and in behavior, performing more apathy, aggressiveness, and irritability in the rigid type, and more depression and anxiety in the tremor-dominant type. The former group causes the caregiver more distress and has a very rapid disease progression. It can be argued that rigid type PD presentation needs specific dedicated cares and more strong clinical attention.

China in search of 'legitimate' great power intervention

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Camilla T. N.

2016-01-01

Thanks to Beijing’s expanding global role and interests, it is no longer possible for China to follow its traditional ‘lay low’ [tao guang yang hui] strategy and the traditionally rather strict interpretation of the principle of non-intervention. Consequently, among Chinese International Relations...... (IR) scholars there is an intense debate on how China can protect and promote its global presence and interests while at the same time continuing to ‘stay within’ the principle of non-intervention. New concepts and approaches are developing as the debate progresses. Current Chinese foreign...... and security policy reflects a more flexible and pragmatic Chinese interpretation – and implementation – of the principle of non-intervention. This chapter examines the search for ‘legitimate’ great-power intervention that characterizes both the debate among Chinese IR scholars and current Chinese foreign...

THE DEVELOPMENT OF CREATIVITY IN PRESCHOOLERS’ DRAWINGS THROUGH TASK-ORIENTED ACTIVITIES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mihai-Bogdan Iovu

2011-12-01

Full Text Available The goal of this paper is to plan working task for preschool children in order to deliver original and creative outputs. The theoretical background of the paper is set in defining creativity as the capacity to create something new, original, and adequate to reality (Roco, 2004; Jaoui, 1975; Roşca, 1981; Boden, 1992. The research hypothesis states that if preschoolers are asked to comply with some predefined working rules in drawing they will deliver original outputs. The independent variable is the working task and the dependent variable is the output. The empirical research involved children enrolled in preparatory group from Floreşti Kindergarten (Cluj. The learning content involved elements from Math, Biology, and Decorative Art: circle, square, triangle, leaves, flowers. Children were involved 13 comparative experimental contexts. Therefore, their progress for each output was monitored. Preschoolers delivered original drawings, different from their peers’ but similar in using the same decorative element. The research hypothesis confirmed. Results are to be judged with caution as future researches should use fewer tasks as the independent variable

Fusion plasma theory. Task I. Magnetic confinement fusion plasma theory. Annual progress report, January 1, 1982-December 31, 1982

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Callen, J.D.

1982-08-01

The research on this contract over the past year has concentrated on some key tandem mirror confinement and heating issues (barrier trapping current, rf heating, low mode number stability) and on developing a comprehensive neoclassical transport theory for nonaxisymmetric toroidal plasmas (e.g., stellarators). Progress in these and some other miscellaneous areas are summarized briefly in this progress report

Validation of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Task Load Index as a tool to evaluate-the learning curve for endoscopy training

Science.gov (United States)

Mohamed, Rachid; Raman, Maitreyi; Anderson, John; McLaughlin, Kevin; Rostom, Alaa; Coderre, Sylvain

2014-01-01

BACKGROUND: Although workplace workload assessments exist in different fields, an endoscopy-specific workload assessment tool is lacking. OBJECTIVE: To validate such a workload tool and use it to map the progression of novice trainees in gastroenterology in performing their first endoscopies. METHODS: The National Aeronautics and Space Administration Task Load Index (NASA-TLX) workload assessment tool was completed by eight novice trainees in gastroenterology and 10 practicing gastroenterologists/surgeons. An exploratory factor analysis was performed to construct a streamlined endoscopy-specific task load index, which was subsequently validated. The ‘Endoscopy Task Load Index’ was used to monitor progression of trainee exertion and self-assessed performance over their first 40 procedures. RESULTS: From the factor analysis of the NASA-TLX, two principal components emerged: a measure of exertion and a measure of self-efficacy. These items became the components of the newly validated Endoscopy Task Load Index. There was a steady decline in self-perceived exertion over the training period, which was more rapid for gastroscopy than colonoscopy. The self-efficacy scores for gastroscopy rapidly increased over the first few procedures, reaching a plateau after this period of time. For colonoscopy, there was a progressive increase in reported self-efficacy over the first three quartiles of procedures, followed by a drop in self-efficacy scores over the final quartile. DISCUSSION: The present study validated an Endoscopy Task Load Index that can be completed in <1 min. Practical implications of such a tool in endoscopy education include identifying periods of higher perceived exertion among novice endoscopists, facilitating appropriate levels of guidance from trainers. PMID:24619638

Recent progress in ERCP for biliary and pancreatic diseases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

MIAO Lin

2014-12-01

Full Text Available In recent years, with the continuous development of endoscopic and interventional techniques, many new devices and methods have been used in clinical practice, and the application of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP in biliary and pancreatic diseases has developed rapidly. This paper reviews and summarizes the recent progress in ERCP among patients with biliary and pancreatic diseases, including those with altered gastrointestinal anatomy, pregnant patients, patients with benign and malignant biliary strictures, and patients with pancreatic pseudocysts, as well as the application of SpyGlass, photodynamic therapy, and radiofrequency ablation, the management of ERCP-related duodenal perforation, and the prevention of post-ERCP pancreatitis. All the progress has made a great contribution to the diagnosis and treatment of biliary and pancreatic diseases.

Production Task Queue Optimization Based on Multi-Attribute Evaluation for Complex Product Assembly Workshop.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Lian-Hui; Mo, Rong

2015-01-01

The production task queue has a great significance for manufacturing resource allocation and scheduling decision. Man-made qualitative queue optimization method has a poor effect and makes the application difficult. A production task queue optimization method is proposed based on multi-attribute evaluation. According to the task attributes, the hierarchical multi-attribute model is established and the indicator quantization methods are given. To calculate the objective indicator weight, criteria importance through intercriteria correlation (CRITIC) is selected from three usual methods. To calculate the subjective indicator weight, BP neural network is used to determine the judge importance degree, and then the trapezoid fuzzy scale-rough AHP considering the judge importance degree is put forward. The balanced weight, which integrates the objective weight and the subjective weight, is calculated base on multi-weight contribution balance model. The technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution (TOPSIS) improved by replacing Euclidean distance with relative entropy distance is used to sequence the tasks and optimize the queue by the weighted indicator value. A case study is given to illustrate its correctness and feasibility.

Study on severe fuel damage and in-vessel melt progression

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Hee Dong; Kim, Sang Baik; Lee, Gyu Jung

1992-06-01

In-vessel core melt progression describes the progression of the state of a reactor core from core uncovery up to reactor vessel melt through in uncovered accidents or through temperature stabilization in accidents recovered by core reflooding. Melt progression can be thought as two parts; early melt progression and late melt progression. Early phase of core melt progression includes the progression of core material melting and relocation, which mostly consist of metallic materials. On the other hand, the late phase of core melt progression involves ceramic material melt and relocation to the lower plenum and heat-up the reactor vessel lower head. A large number of information are available for the early melt progression through experiments such as SFD, DF, FLHT test and utilized in the severe accident analysis codes. However, understanding of the late phase melt progression phenomenology is based primary on TMI-2 core examinations and not much experimental information is available. Especilally, the great uncertainties exist in vessel failure mode, melt composition, mass, and temperature. Further research is planned to perform to reduce the uncertainties in understanding of core melt down accidents as parts of long term melt progression research program. A study on the core melt progression at KAERI has been being performed through the Severe Accident Research Program with USNRC. KAERI staff had participated in the PBF SFD experiments at INEL and analyses of experiments were performed using SCDAP code. Experiments of core melt program have not been carried out at KAERI yet. It is planned that further research on core melt down accidents will be performed, which is related to design of future generations of nuclear reactors as parts of long-term project for improvement of nuclear reactor safety. (Author)

Research on energy-saving effect of technological progress based on Cobb-Douglas production function

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yuan Chaoqing; Liu Sifeng; Wu Junlong

2009-01-01

Energy issues receive more and more attention these days. And it is considered that technological progress is an essential approach to save energy. This essay is to analyze the relation between energy intensity and technological progress by Cobb-Douglas production function in which energy, labor, capital and technological progress are taken as independent variables. It proves that the growth of output per capital and output per labor will increase energy intensity while technological progress will decrease energy intensity. Empirical research on Chinese industry is used here to indicate technological progress greatly decreases energy intensity. Because of the interferences of Asian financial crisis, there is something abnormal in the data. So in the empirical research, average weaken buffer operator (ABWO) is applied to weaken the interference of Asian financial crisis to the fixed assets, energy and value added. The results of the empirical research show that technological progress decreases energy intensity of Chinese industry an average of 6.3% every year in China.

Item and Error Analysis on Raven's Coloured Progressive Matrices in Williams Syndrome

Science.gov (United States)

Van Herwegen, Jo; Farran, Emily; Annaz, Dagmara

2011-01-01

Raven's Coloured Progressive Matrices (RCPM) is a standardised test that is commonly used to obtain a non-verbal reasoning score for children. As the RCPM involves the matching of a target to a pattern it is also considered to be a visuo-spatial perception task. RCPM is therefore frequently used in studies in Williams Syndrome (WS), in order to…

Progressive development of a digital cadastral data base

OpenAIRE

Thompson, R.J.

2013-01-01

A Digital Cadastral Data Base (DCDB) is a big investment for a jurisdiction tasked with the administration of land boundaries. In the past, the development of such a database produced no real pay-back on investment until many years, and millions of dollars had been committed. The Land Administration Domain Model (LADM) (ISO-TC211 2012) provides a model of a schema in which a progressive creation and improvement of a DCDB is possible, to allow benefits to be obtained even in the early stages o...

Progress in diagnostic techniques for SC [superconducting] cavities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reece, C.E.

1988-01-01

Despite the very real progress that has been made, the routine performance of superconducting cavities still falls far short of both the theoretical expectations and the performance of afew exceptional examples. It is the task of systematically applied diagnostic techniques to reveal additional information concerning the response of superconducting surfaces to applied RF fields. In this paper we will direct our attention to discussions of recent developments in diagnostic techniqeus, such as thermometry in superfluid helium, and scanning laser acoustic microscopy. 18 refs., 12 figs

Transport Task Force workshop: basic experiments highlights

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Linford, R.K. (Los Alamos National Lab., NM (USA)); Luckhardt, S. (Massachusetts Inst. of Tech., Cambridge, MA (USA)); Lyon, J.F. (Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)); Navratil, G.A. (Columbia Univ., New York, NY (USA)); Schoenberg, K.F. (Los Alamos National Lab., NM (USA))

1990-01-01

Selected topics are summarized from the Basic Experiments session of the Transport Task Force Workshop held August 21-24, 1989, in San Diego, California. This session included presentations on paradigm experiments, stellarators, reversed-field pinches, and advanced tokamaks. Recent advances in all of these areas illustrate the importance of these experiments in advancing our understanding of toroidal transport. Progress has been made in measuring the details of particle diffusion, isolating specific modes, measuring fluctuation variations with field geometry and beta, and comparing all these with theoretical predictions. The development of experimental tools for determining which fluctuations dominate transport are also reported. Continued significant advances are anticipated in a number of areas highlighted. (author).

Transport Task Force workshop: basic experiments highlights

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Linford, R.K.; Luckhardt, S.; Lyon, J.F.; Navratil, G.A.; Schoenberg, K.F.

1990-01-01

Selected topics are summarized from the Basic Experiments session of the Transport Task Force Workshop held August 21-24, 1989, in San Diego, California. This session included presentations on paradigm experiments, stellarators, reversed-field pinches, and advanced tokamaks. Recent advances in all of these areas illustrate the importance of these experiments in advancing our understanding of toroidal transport. Progress has been made in measuring the details of particle diffusion, isolating specific modes, measuring fluctuation variations with field geometry and beta, and comparing all these with theoretical predictions. The development of experimental tools for determining which fluctuations dominate transport are also reported. Continued significant advances are anticipated in a number of areas highlighted. (author)

Nuclear Data Covariances in the Indian Context – Progress, Challenges, Excitement and Perspectives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ganesan, S.

2015-01-01

We present a brief overview of progress, challenges, excitement and perspectives in developing nuclear data covariances in the Indian context in relation to target accuracies and sensitivity studies that are of great importance to Bhabha's 3-stage nuclear programme for energy and non-energy applications

Great Lakes Science Center

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — Since 1927, Great Lakes Science Center (GLSC) research has provided critical information for the sound management of Great Lakes fish populations and other important...

Optimisation and decisions in radiological protection - A report of the work of an ICRP task group

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Webb, G.A.M.

1988-01-01

In 1984 the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) established a Task Group of Committee 4 to produce a report on methods for optimisation of protection other than cost-benefit analysis. As the work of the task group progressed it became clear that it would be more useful to produce a report on the entire field of application of optimisation, mainly to show how the various techniques including cost-benefit analysis could be applied appropriately to problems at different levels of complexity. This paper reports on the main ideas that have been developed by the task group. It must be emphasised that these ideas have not been endorsed by Committee 4 nor approved by the Commission so they can not yet be considered as recommendations

[Recent progress in neurobiological mechanisms of depression].

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Yu-Bo; Li, Liang-Ping; Zhu, Xin-Hong; Gao, Tian-Ming

2012-08-25

Revealing the neurobiological mechanism of depression has always been a big challenge in the field of neuroscience. Not only are depressive syndromes heterogeneous and their aetiologies diverse, but also some symptoms are impossible to reproduce in animal models. Nevertheless, great progress has been made on the understanding and treatment of depression in recent years. In this review, we focus on key leading hypotheses in the neurobiological mechanism of depression, examine their strengths and weaknesses critically, and also highlight new insights that promise to extend the understanding of depression and its treatment.

Cognitive task analysis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schraagen, J.M.C.

2000-01-01

Cognitive task analysis is defined as the extension of traditional task analysis techniques to yield information about the knowledge, thought processes and goal structures that underlie observable task performance. Cognitive task analyses are conducted for a wide variety of purposes, including the

Development of the Biology Card Sorting Task to Measure Conceptual Expertise in Biology

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Julia I.; Combs, Elijah D.; Nagami, Paul H.; Alto, Valerie M.; Goh, Henry G.; Gourdet, Muryam A. A.; Hough, Christina M.; Nickell, Ashley E.; Peer, Adrian G.; Coley, John D.; Tanner, Kimberly D.

2013-01-01

There are widespread aspirations to focus undergraduate biology education on teaching students to think conceptually like biologists; however, there is a dearth of assessment tools designed to measure progress from novice to expert biological conceptual thinking. We present the development of a novel assessment tool, the Biology Card Sorting Task, designed to probe how individuals organize their conceptual knowledge of biology. While modeled on tasks from cognitive psychology, this task is unique in its design to test two hypothesized conceptual frameworks for the organization of biological knowledge: 1) a surface feature organization focused on organism type and 2) a deep feature organization focused on fundamental biological concepts. In this initial investigation of the Biology Card Sorting Task, each of six analytical measures showed statistically significant differences when used to compare the card sorting results of putative biological experts (biology faculty) and novices (non–biology major undergraduates). Consistently, biology faculty appeared to sort based on hypothesized deep features, while non–biology majors appeared to sort based on either surface features or nonhypothesized organizational frameworks. Results suggest that this novel task is robust in distinguishing populations of biology experts and biology novices and may be an adaptable tool for tracking emerging biology conceptual expertise. PMID:24297290

Human factors evaluation of teletherapy: Function and task analysis. Volume 2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kaye, R.D.; Henriksen, K.; Jones, R. [Hughes Training, Inc., Falls Church, VA (United States); Morisseau, D.S.; Serig, D.I. [Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC (United States). Div. of Systems Technology

1995-07-01

As a treatment methodology, teletherapy selectively destroys cancerous and other tissue by exposure to an external beam of ionizing radiation. Sources of radiation are either a radioactive isotope, typically Cobalt-60 (Co-60), or a linear accelerator. Records maintained by the NRC have identified instances of teletherapy misadministration where the delivered radiation dose has differed from the radiation prescription (e.g., instances where fractions were delivered to the wrong patient, to the wrong body part, or were too great or too little with respect to the defined treatment volume). Both human error and machine malfunction have led to misadministrations. Effective and safe treatment requires a concern for precision and consistency of human-human and human-machine interactions throughout the course of therapy. The present study is the first part of a series of human factors evaluations for identifying the root causes that lead to human error in the teletherapy environment. The human factors evaluations included: (1) a function and task analysis of teletherapy activities, (2) an evaluation of the human-system interfaces, (3) an evaluation of procedures used by teletherapy staff, (4) an evaluation of the training and qualifications of treatment staff (excluding the oncologists), (5) an evaluation of organizational practices and policies, and (6) an identification of problems and alternative approaches for NRC and industry attention. The present report addresses the function and task analysis of teletherapy activities and provides the foundation for the conduct of the subsequent evaluations. The report includes sections on background, methodology, a description of the function and task analysis, and use of the task analysis findings for the subsequent tasks. The function and task analysis data base also is included.

Human factors evaluation of teletherapy: Function and task analysis. Volume 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaye, R.D.; Henriksen, K.; Jones, R.; Morisseau, D.S.; Serig, D.I.

1995-07-01

As a treatment methodology, teletherapy selectively destroys cancerous and other tissue by exposure to an external beam of ionizing radiation. Sources of radiation are either a radioactive isotope, typically Cobalt-60 (Co-60), or a linear accelerator. Records maintained by the NRC have identified instances of teletherapy misadministration where the delivered radiation dose has differed from the radiation prescription (e.g., instances where fractions were delivered to the wrong patient, to the wrong body part, or were too great or too little with respect to the defined treatment volume). Both human error and machine malfunction have led to misadministrations. Effective and safe treatment requires a concern for precision and consistency of human-human and human-machine interactions throughout the course of therapy. The present study is the first part of a series of human factors evaluations for identifying the root causes that lead to human error in the teletherapy environment. The human factors evaluations included: (1) a function and task analysis of teletherapy activities, (2) an evaluation of the human-system interfaces, (3) an evaluation of procedures used by teletherapy staff, (4) an evaluation of the training and qualifications of treatment staff (excluding the oncologists), (5) an evaluation of organizational practices and policies, and (6) an identification of problems and alternative approaches for NRC and industry attention. The present report addresses the function and task analysis of teletherapy activities and provides the foundation for the conduct of the subsequent evaluations. The report includes sections on background, methodology, a description of the function and task analysis, and use of the task analysis findings for the subsequent tasks. The function and task analysis data base also is included

The strength of great apes and the speed of humans.

Science.gov (United States)

Walker, Alan

2009-04-01

Cliff Jolly developed a causal model of human origins in his paper "The Seed-Eaters," published in 1970. He was one of the first to attempt this, and the paper has since become a classic. I do not have such grand goals; instead, I seek to understand a major difference between the living great apes and humans. More than 50 years ago, Maynard Smith and Savage (1956) showed that the musculoskeletal systems of mammals can be adapted for strength at one extreme and speed at the other but not both. Great apes are adapted for strength--chimpanzees have been shown to be about four times as strong as fit young humans when normalized for body size. The corresponding speed that human limb systems gain at the expense of power is critical for effective human activities such as running, throwing, and manipulation, including tool making. The fossil record can shed light on when the change from power to speed occurred. I outline a hypothesis that suggests that the difference in muscular performance between the two species is caused by chimpanzees having many fewer small motor units than humans, which leads them, in turn, to contract more muscle fibers earlier in any particular task. I outline a histological test of this hypothesis.

The Great Whale review and the federal government's disappearing act

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fenge, T.

1991-01-01

After considerable political and legal pressure, the Canadian and Quebec governments, plus the electric utility Hydro-Quebec, agreed to a global review and environmental assessment of the Great Whale hydroelectric project in northern Quebec. The assessment is being handled by five committees, each covering distinct areas of geography and responsibility. The initial task of the review committees was to determine the scope of the assessment, and 23 days of public hearings were held in northern and southern Quebec and on the Belcher Islands. The federal government's absence from the scoping hearings was a curious development, since federal agencies normally participate actively in such hearings. A federal guidelines order upheld recently by the Canadian Supreme Court requires federal participation in environmental assessment processes. The Great Whale project affects areas of federal jurisdiction as well as areas outside Quebec, and federal expertise in such matters as the marine environment is crucial in airing environmental issues related to the project. Interviews with federal officials on the reasons for federal absence are summarized. It is concluded that the federal agencies did not really regard scoping hearings as part of the public review, and that this review does not start until hearings begin on the environmental impact statement

Children's Task Engagement during Challenging Puzzle Tasks

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Feihong; Algina, James; Snyder, Patricia; Cox, Martha

2017-01-01

We examined children's task engagement during a challenging puzzle task in the presence of their primary caregivers by using a representative sample of rural children from six high-poverty counties across two states. Weighted longitudinal confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling were used to identify a task engagement factor…

Research in Progress--Update April 1990. Occasional Paper InTER/14/90.

Science.gov (United States)

Boots, Maureen, Comp.

This document contains abstracts of 29 research projects in progress in Great Britain divided into six sections: (1) the current phase of Information Technology in Education Research (InTER) programs on groupwork with computers, tools for exploratory learning, conceptual change in science, and bubble dialogue as an ethnographic research tool; (2)…

Great attention to the standard training and certification system for interventional neuroradiologist

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Tianxiao; Cheng Yongde

2008-01-01

During the past decades, interventional neuroradiology has become one of the most important modalities for treatment of cerebral vascular diseases. Chinese doctors have made great progress in this field, and their diagnosis and treament have also reached the international level in some territories. Following the need of specialized development for interventional neuroradiology, more and more problems have arisen and even caused argument in this field. To resolve the issue and promote the healthy and fast development of interventional neuroradiology, it is time for us to formulate the standard training and certification system for interventional neuroradiologist. (authors)

Complex tasks force hand laterality and technological behaviour in naturalistically housed chimpanzees: inferences in hominin evolution.

Science.gov (United States)

Mosquera, M; Geribàs, N; Bargalló, A; Llorente, M; Riba, D

2012-01-01

Clear hand laterality patterns in humans are widely accepted. However, humans only elicit a significant hand laterality pattern when performing complementary role differentiation (CRD) tasks. Meanwhile, hand laterality in chimpanzees is weaker and controversial. Here we have reevaluated our results on hand laterality in chimpanzees housed in naturalistic environments at Fundació Mona (Spain) and Chimfunshi Wild Orphanage (Zambia). Our results show that the difference between hand laterality in humans and chimpanzees is not as great as once thought. Furthermore, we found a link between hand laterality and task complexity and also an even more interesting connection: CRD tasks elicited not only the hand laterality but also the use of tools. This paper aims to turn attention to the importance of this threefold connection in human evolution: the link between CRD tasks, hand laterality, and tool use, which has important evolutionary implications that may explain the development of complex behaviour in early hominins.

Juvenile myopia progression, risk factors and interventions.

Science.gov (United States)

Myrowitz, Elliott H

2012-07-01

The development and progression of early onset myopia is actively being investigated. While myopia is often considered a benign condition it should be considered a public health problem for its visual, quality of life, and economic consequences. Nearly half of the visually impaired population in the world has uncorrected refractive errors, with myopia a high percent of that group. Uncorrected visual acuity should be screened for and treated in order to improve academic performance, career opportunities and socio-economic status. Genetic and environmental factors contribute to the onset and progression of myopia. Twin studies have supported genetic factors and research continues to identify myopia genetic loci. While multiple myopia genetic loci have been identified establishing myopia as a common complex disorder, there is not yet a genetic model explaining myopia progression in populations. Environmental factors include near work, education levels, urban compared to rural location, and time spent outdoors. In this field of study where there continues to be etiology controversies, there is recent agreement that children who spend more time outdoors are less likely to become myopic. Worldwide population studies, some completed and some in progress, with a common protocol are gathering both genetic and environmental cohort data of great value. There have been rapid population changes in prevalence rates supporting an environmental influence. Interventions to prevent juvenile myopia progression include pharmacologic agents, glasses and contact lenses. Pharmacological interventions over 1-2 year trials have shown benefits. Peripheral vision defocus has been found to affect the emmetropization process and may be affected by wearing glasses or contacts. Accommodation accuracy also has been implicated in myopia progression. Further research will aim to assess both the role and interaction of environmental influences and genetic factors.

Remotely controlled inspection and handling systems for decommissioning tasks in nuclear facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schreck, G.; Bach, W.; Haferkamp, H.

1993-01-01

The Institut fur Werkstoffkunde at the University of Hanover has recently developed three remotely controlled systems for different underwater inspection and dismantling tasks. ODIN I is a tool guiding device, particularly being designed for the dismantling of the steam dryer housing of the KRB A power plant at Gundremmingen, Germany. After being approved by the licencing organization TUEV Bayern, hot operation started in November 1992. The seven axes remotely controlled handling system ZEUS, consisting of a three translatory axes guiding machine and a tool handling device with four rotatory axes, has been developed for the demonstration of underwater plasma arc cutting of spherical metallic components with great wall thicknesses. A specially designed twin sensor system and a modular torch, exchanged by means of a remote controlled tool changing device, will be used for different complex cutting tasks. FAUST, an autonomous, freediving underwater vehicle, was designed for complex inspection, maintenance and dismantling tasks. It is equipped with two video cameras, an ultrasonic and a radiologic sensor and a small plasma torch. A gripper and a subsidiary vehicle for inspection may be attached. (author)

Technical progress safeguards future. Technischer Fortschritt sichert die Zukunft

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1985-01-01

'Technical progress safeguards future', the guiding theme of the 1985 conference of German engineers, calls for discussion. In five lectures representatives of the subdivisions of 'VDI' issued their statements from the viewpoints of their special fields. These lectures were completed by reports on the part of the remaining VDI subdivisions, which are published together with the lectures in this volume. The complex guiding theme is meant to stimulate discussion, which should be conducted also with representatives of other sciences and the public. The volume contains a.o. contributions regarding future prospects, given certain modifications in construction engineering and user behaviour in the sector heating and air-conditioning, regarding the development of new construction techniques to protect the environment, and regarding clean air as an international concern of engineers. For these three contributions separate entries were made. Other presentations relate to: automobile production technology; energy supply as an engineering task; information, invention, innovation as stages of technical progress; progress in materials technology; noise of motor vehicles - current state and future prospects. (orig./HSCH).

The Glasgow Parallel Reduction Machine: Programming Shared-memory Many-core Systems using Parallel Task Composition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ashkan Tousimojarad

2013-12-01

Full Text Available We present the Glasgow Parallel Reduction Machine (GPRM, a novel, flexible framework for parallel task-composition based many-core programming. We allow the programmer to structure programs into task code, written as C++ classes, and communication code, written in a restricted subset of C++ with functional semantics and parallel evaluation. In this paper we discuss the GPRM, the virtual machine framework that enables the parallel task composition approach. We focus the discussion on GPIR, the functional language used as the intermediate representation of the bytecode running on the GPRM. Using examples in this language we show the flexibility and power of our task composition framework. We demonstrate the potential using an implementation of a merge sort algorithm on a 64-core Tilera processor, as well as on a conventional Intel quad-core processor and an AMD 48-core processor system. We also compare our framework with OpenMP tasks in a parallel pointer chasing algorithm running on the Tilera processor. Our results show that the GPRM programs outperform the corresponding OpenMP codes on all test platforms, and can greatly facilitate writing of parallel programs, in particular non-data parallel algorithms such as reductions.

Great Lakes

Science.gov (United States)

Edsall, Thomas A.; Mac, Michael J.; Opler, Paul A.; Puckett Haecker, Catherine E.; Doran, Peter D.

1998-01-01

The Great Lakes region, as defined here, includes the Great Lakes and their drainage basins in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York. The region also includes the portions of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and the 21 northernmost counties of Illinois that lie in the Mississippi River drainage basin, outside the floodplain of the river. The region spans about 9º of latitude and 20º of longitude and lies roughly halfway between the equator and the North Pole in a lowland corridor that extends from the Gulf of Mexico to the Arctic Ocean.The Great Lakes are the most prominent natural feature of the region (Fig. 1). They have a combined surface area of about 245,000 square kilometers and are among the largest, deepest lakes in the world. They are the largest single aggregation of fresh water on the planet (excluding the polar ice caps) and are the only glacial feature on Earth visible from the surface of the moon (The Nature Conservancy 1994a).The Great Lakes moderate the region’s climate, which presently ranges from subarctic in the north to humid continental warm in the south (Fig. 2), reflecting the movement of major weather masses from the north and south (U.S. Department of the Interior 1970; Eichenlaub 1979). The lakes act as heat sinks in summer and heat sources in winter and are major reservoirs that help humidify much of the region. They also create local precipitation belts in areas where air masses are pushed across the lakes by prevailing winds, pick up moisture from the lake surface, and then drop that moisture over land on the other side of the lake. The mean annual frost-free period—a general measure of the growing-season length for plants and some cold-blooded animals—varies from 60 days at higher elevations in the north to 160 days in lakeshore areas in the south. The climate influences the general distribution of wild plants and animals in the region and also influences the activities and distribution of the human

Self-associations influence task-performance through Bayesian inference

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sara L Bengtsson

2013-08-01

Full Text Available The way we think about ourselves impacts greatly on our behaviour. This paper describes a behavioural study and a computational model that sheds new light on this important area. Participants were primed 'clever' and 'stupid' using a scrambled sentence task, and we measured the effect on response time and error-rate on a rule-association task. First, we observed a confirmation bias effect in that associations to being 'stupid' led to a gradual decrease in performance, whereas associations to being 'clever' did not. Second, we observed that the activated self-concepts selectively modified attention towards one's performance. There was an early to late double dissociation in RTs in that primed 'clever' resulted in RT increase following error responses, whereas primed 'stupid' resulted in RT increase following correct responses. We propose a computational model of subjects' behaviour based on the logic of the experimental task that involves two processes; memory for rules and the integration of rules with subsequent visual cues. The model also incorporates an adaptive decision threshold based on Bayes rule, whereby decision thresholds are increased if integration was inferred to be faulty. Fitting the computational model to experimental data confirmed our hypothesis that priming affects the memory process. This model explains both the confirmation bias and double dissociation effects and demonstrates that Bayesian inferential principles can be used to study the effect of self-concepts on behaviour.

Visualising Chord Progressions in Music Collections: A Big Data Approach

OpenAIRE

Kachkaev, A.; Wolff, D.; Barthet, M.; Tidhar, D.; Plumbley, M. D.; Dykes, J.; Weyde, T.

2014-01-01

In the Digital Music Lab project we work on the automatic analysis of large audio databases that results in rich annotations for large corpora of music. The musicological interpretation of this data from thousands of pieces is a challenging task that can benefit greatly from specifically designed interactive visualisation. Most existing big music data visualisation focuses on cultural attributes, mood, or listener behaviour.\\ud \\ud In this ongoing work we explore chord sequence patterns extract...

Vivitron - Progress report 1990

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-01-01

The 1990 activity report of the Strasbourg Nuclear Research, concerning the Vivitron project, is presented. After having mounted all the Van de Graaff elements of the Vivitron needed for the generator tests, the tank was closed in July 1990. It was then put under vacuum, leaks were searched for and repaired. Voltage tests started in December and a voltage of 17.6 MV was reached in February. Modifications on the charging system and to improvement of the column protection against sparks are necessary before the voltage tests can be carried on. Great progress has been made in the setting up of the new Vivitron injector and analysing magnet. In this report are included the description of project different development steps, the Vivitron budget and the list of publications, congress contributions and internal reports. 18 figs

A software platform to develop and execute kitting tasks on industrial cyber-physical systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rovida, Francesco

2017-01-01

The current material handling infrastructure associated with manufacturing and assembly operations still register a great presence of human work for highly repetitive tasks. A major contributing factor for the low automation is that current manufacturing robots have little or no understanding of ....... A platform where skills, similarly to computer or smartphone applications, can be installed and removed from heterogeneous robots with few elementary steps....

Diatoms - nature materials with great potential for bioapplications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Medarević Đorđe P.

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Diatoms are widespread unicellular photosynthetic algae that produce unique highly ordered siliceous cell wall, called frustule. Micro- to nanoporous structure with high surface area that can be easily modified, high mechanical resistance, unique optical features (light focusing and luminescence and biocompatibility make diatom frustule as a suitable raw material for the development of devices such as bio- and gas sensors, microfluidic particle sorting devices, supercapacitors, batteries, solar cells, electroluminescent devices and drug delivery systems. Their wide availability in the form of fossil remains (diatomite or diatomaceous earth as well as easy cultivation in the artificial conditions further supports use of diatoms in many different fields of application. This review focused on the recent achievements in the diatom bioapplications such as drug delivery, biomolecules immobilization, bio- and gas sensing, since great progress was made in this field over the last several years.

Looking back at 'looking back': operationalising referential gaze for dingoes in an unsolvable task.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Bradley Philip; Litchfield, Carla Anita

2013-11-01

This paper examined the performance of dingoes (Canis dingo) on the rope-pulling task, previously used by Miklósi et al. (Curr Biol 13:763-766, 2003) to highlight a key distinction in the problem-solving behaviour of wolves compared to dogs when in the company of humans. That is, when dogs were confronted with an unsolvable task, following a solvable version of the task they looked back or gazed at the human, whereas, wolves did not. We replicated the rope-pulling task using 12 sanctuary-housed dingoes and used the Miklósi et al. (Curr Biol 13:763-766, 2003) definition of looking back behaviour to analyse the data. However, at least three different types of look backs were observed in our study. We, then developed a more accurate operational definition of looking back behaviour that was task specific and reanalysed the data. We found that the operational definition employed greatly influences the results, with vague definitions potentially overestimating the prevalence of looking back behaviour. Thus, caution must be taken when interpreting the results of studies utilising looking back as behaviour linked to assistance seeking during problem solving. We present a more stringent definition and make suggestions for future research.

Psychometric intelligence and P3 of the event-related potentials studied with a 3-stimulus auditory oddball task

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wronka, E.A.; Kaiser, J.; Coenen, A.M.L.

2013-01-01

Relationship between psychometric intelligence measured with Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices (RAPM) and event-related potentials (ERP) was examined using 3-stimulus oddball task. Subjects who had scored higher on RAPM exhibited larger amplitude of P3a component. Additional analysis using the

Effects of Task Complexity, Task Conditions, and Task Difficulty on the Grammatical Accuracy of EFL Learners in Written Discourse

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Saeideh Ahangari

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Different methods of language teaching have tried to help EFL learners to develop good language skills based on their various perspectives. Research findings have underscored the effect of using task types in promoting language skills in terms of accuracy in written discourse. Therefore, this study set out to investigate whether there is an evidence of correct use of simple past tense (Accuracy based on Task Complexity (Task type :Here-and now & There-and-then,Task Conditions (Gender: Male & Female, and Task Difficulty (Proficiency: Lower-intermediate & Intermediate. Sixty Iranian English learners in a language institute participated in the study and were assigned to four groups of lower-intermediate male, lower-intermediate female, intermediate male and intermediate female. Initial homogeneity of the groups was verified using two general proficiency tests; KET for lower-intermediate and PET for intermediate. All groups in here-and-now task type were asked to write a story using simple past based on a picture strip while for there-and-then task type the participants were supposed to write about their last birthday. The results from paired samples t-test, independent samples t-test and two-way ANOVA analysis of the written data revealed significant differences in performing task types, at different proficiency levels and interaction between them. The findings have significant pedagogical implications for EFL learners to understand the relationship among Task Complexity,Task Conditions, Task Difficulty and L2 written production leading to various degrees of Accuracy.

Improving the process of progressive preliming in sugar production

OpenAIRE

V. A. Golybin; V. A. Fedoruk; N. A. Voronkova; I. S. Bushmin

2016-01-01

Tasks progressive preliming are to conduct neutralization, coagulation, deposition of non-sugars, the formation of a precipitate structure. This is the first operation of physical and chemical cleaning of the raw juice in the case of it in optimum conditions enables the coagulation and transferred to precipitate a substantial portion of high-molecular non-sugars, poorly soluble calcium salts that provides the cleaning effect of 14–18%, that is, up to half of the total effect on the whole stat...

Demonstration of a Prototype Hydrogen Sensor and Electronics Package - Progress Report 2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wu, Amanda S. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Brosha, Eric [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2016-06-14

This is the second progress report on the demonstration of a prototype hydrogen sensor and electronics package. It goes into detail about the five tasks, four of which are already completed as of August 2016, with the final to be completed by January 26, 2017. Then the budget is detailed along with the planned work for May 27, 2016 to July 27, 2016.

Walking modality, but not task difficulty, influences the control of dual-task walking.

Science.gov (United States)

Wrightson, J G; Smeeton, N J

2017-10-01

During dual-task gait, changes in the stride-to-stride variability of stride time (STV) are suggested to represent the allocation of cognitive control to walking [1]. However, contrasting effects have been reported for overground and treadmill walking, which may be due to differences in the relative difficulty of the dual task. Here we compared the effect of overground and treadmill dual-task walking on STV in 18 healthy adults. Participants walked overground and on a treadmill for 120s during single-task (walking only) and dual-task (walking whilst performing serial subtractions in sevens) conditions. Dual-task effects on STV, cognitive task (serial subtraction) performance and perceived task difficulty were compared between walking modalities. STV was increased during overground dual-task walking, but was unchanged during treadmill dual-task walking. There were no differences in cognitive task performance or perceived task difficulty. These results show that gait is controlled differently during overground and treadmill dual-task walking. However, these differences are not solely due to differences in task difficulty, and may instead represent modality dependent control strategies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Credit spread variability in U.S. business cycles: the Great Moderation versus the Great Recession

OpenAIRE

Hylton Hollander; Guangling Liu

2014-01-01

This paper establishes the prevailing financial factors that influence credit spread variability, and its impact on the U.S. business cycle over the Great Moderation and Great Recession periods. To do so, we develop a dynamic general equilibrium framework with a central role of financial intermediation and equity assets. Over the Great Moderation and Great Recession periods, we find an important role for bank market power (sticky rate adjustments and loan rate markups) on credit spread variab...

Credit spread variability in U.S. business cycles: The Great Moderation versus the Great Recession

OpenAIRE

Hylton Hollander and Guangling Liu

2014-01-01

This paper establishes the prevailing financial factors that influence credit spread variability, and its impact on the U.S. business cycle over the Great Moderation and Great Recession periods. To do so, we develop a dynamic general equilibrium framework with a central role of financial intermediation and equity assets. Over the Great Moderation and Great Recession periods, we find an important role for bank market power (sticky rate adjustments and loan rate markups) on credit spread variab...

Fathers' experience of childbirth when non-progressive labour occurs and augmentation is established. A qualitative study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hasman, Kirsten; Kjaergaard, Hanne; Esbensen, Bente Appel

2014-01-01

as uncontrollable processes and (3) Relief about the decision of augmentation. The fathers had a rational approach and felt powerless when the process of labour was uncontrollable. They felt they were not able to help their partners in pain when non-progressive labour occurred. They experienced relief when......OBJECTIVE: Augmentation with oxytocin during labour has increased in Western obstetrics over the last few decades. The aim of this study was to describe how fathers experienced childbirth when non-progressive labour occurred and augmentation was established. METHOD: A qualitative descriptive design...... after experiencing the non-progressive labour, need directions from the midwives to carry out appropriate and usefull tasks....

78 FR 2996 - Meeting of the Community Preventive Services Task Force (Task Force)

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-15

... Community Preventive Services Task Force (Task Force) AGENCY: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention... Services Task Force (Task Force). The Task Force is independent and nonfederal. Its members are nationally.... The Task Force was convened in 1996 by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to assess the...

77 FR 56845 - Meeting of the Community Preventive Services Task Force (Task Force)

Science.gov (United States)

2012-09-14

... Community Preventive Services Task Force (Task Force) AGENCY: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention... Services Task Force (Task Force). The Task Force is independent and nonfederal. Its members are nationally.... The Task Force was convened in 1996 by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to assess the...

78 FR 27969 - Meeting of the Community Preventive Services Task Force (Task Force)

Science.gov (United States)

2013-05-13

... Community Preventive Services Task Force (Task Force) AGENCY: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention... Services Task Force (Task Force). The Task Force is independent and nonfederal. Its members are nationally.... The Task Force was convened in 1996 by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to assess the...

Sludge Treatment Evaluation: 1992 Technical progress

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silva, L.J.; Felmy, A.R.; Ding, E.R.

1993-01-01

This report documents Fiscal Year 1992 technical progress on the Sludge Treatment Evaluation Task, which is being conducted by Pacific Northwest Laboratory. The objective of this task is to develop a capability to predict the performance of pretreatment processes for mixed radioactive and hazardous waste stored at Hanford and other US Department of Energy (DOE) sites. Significant cost savings can be achieved if radionuclides and other undesirable constituents can be effectively separated from the bulk waste prior to final treatment and disposal. This work is initially focused on chemical equilibrium prediction of water washing and acid or base dissolution of Hanford single-shell tank (SST) sludges, but may also be applied to other steps in pretreatment processes or to other wastes. Although SST wastes contain many chemical species, there are relatively few constituents -- Na, Al, NO 3 , NO 2 , PO 4 , SO 4 , and F -- contained in the majority of the waste. These constituents comprise 86% and 74% of samples from B-110 and U-110 SSTS, respectively. The major radionuclides of interest (Cs, Sr, Tc, U) are present in the sludge in small molal quantities. For these constituents, and other important components that are present in small molal quantities, the specific ion-interaction terms used in the Pitzer or NRTL equations may be assumed to be zero for a first approximation. Model development can also be accelerated by considering only the acid or base conditions that apply for the key pretreatment steps. This significantly reduces the number of chemical species and chemical reactions that need to be considered. Therefore, significant progress can be made by developing all the specific ion interactions for a base model and an acid dissolution model

Sludge Treatment Evaluation: 1992 Technical progress

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Silva, L J; Felmy, A R; Ding, E R

1993-01-01

This report documents Fiscal Year 1992 technical progress on the Sludge Treatment Evaluation Task, which is being conducted by Pacific Northwest Laboratory. The objective of this task is to develop a capability to predict the performance of pretreatment processes for mixed radioactive and hazardous waste stored at Hanford and other US Department of Energy (DOE) sites. Significant cost savings can be achieved if radionuclides and other undesirable constituents can be effectively separated from the bulk waste prior to final treatment and disposal. This work is initially focused on chemical equilibrium prediction of water washing and acid or base dissolution of Hanford single-shell tank (SST) sludges, but may also be applied to other steps in pretreatment processes or to other wastes. Although SST wastes contain many chemical species, there are relatively few constituents -- Na, Al, NO[sub 3], NO[sub 2], PO[sub 4], SO[sub 4], and F -- contained in the majority of the waste. These constituents comprise 86% and 74% of samples from B-110 and U-110 SSTS, respectively. The major radionuclides of interest (Cs, Sr, Tc, U) are present in the sludge in small molal quantities. For these constituents, and other important components that are present in small molal quantities, the specific ion-interaction terms used in the Pitzer or NRTL equations may be assumed to be zero for a first approximation. Model development can also be accelerated by considering only the acid or base conditions that apply for the key pretreatment steps. This significantly reduces the number of chemical species and chemical reactions that need to be considered. Therefore, significant progress can be made by developing all the specific ion interactions for a base model and an acid dissolution model.

Beads task vs. box task: The specificity of the jumping to conclusions bias.

Science.gov (United States)

Balzan, Ryan P; Ephraums, Rachel; Delfabbro, Paul; Andreou, Christina

2017-09-01

Previous research involving the probabilistic reasoning 'beads task' has consistently demonstrated a jumping-to-conclusions (JTC) bias, where individuals with delusions make decisions based on limited evidence. However, recent studies have suggested that miscomprehension may be confounding the beads task. The current study aimed to test the conventional beads task against a conceptually simpler probabilistic reasoning "box task" METHODS: One hundred non-clinical participants completed both the beads task and the box task, and the Peters et al. Delusions Inventory (PDI) to assess for delusion-proneness. The number of 'draws to decision' was assessed for both tasks. Additionally, the total amount of on-screen evidence was manipulated for the box task, and two new box task measures were assessed (i.e., 'proportion of evidence requested' and 'deviation from optimal solution'). Despite being conceptually similar, the two tasks did not correlate, and participants requested significantly less information on the beads task relative to the box task. High-delusion-prone participants did not demonstrate hastier decisions on either task; in fact, for box task, this group was observed to be significantly more conservative than low-delusion-prone group. Neither task was incentivized; results need replication with a clinical sample. Participants, and particularly those identified as high-delusion-prone, displayed a more conservative style of responding on the novel box task, relative to the beads task. The two tasks, whilst conceptually similar, appear to be tapping different cognitive processes. The implications of these results are discussed in relation to the JTC bias and the theoretical mechanisms thought to underlie it. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Progress report on the Pegasus plow, October--December 1996 and January--March 1997

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-04-01

This is a progress report on a contract related to the invention of a plow which will bury organic waste from farm fields, either in the form of shredded stubble or as whole stalks. The report addresses completion of various tasks in the contract, primarily related to field testing and trying to move the product into the market place.

Automatic Retrieval of Newly Instructed Cue-Task Associations Seen in Task-Conflict Effects in the First Trial after Cue-Task Instructions.

Science.gov (United States)

Meiran, Nachshon; Pereg, Maayan

2017-01-01

Novel stimulus-response associations are retrieved automatically even without prior practice. Is this true for novel cue-task associations? The experiment involved miniblocks comprising three phases and task switching. In the INSTRUCTION phase, two new stimuli (or familiar cues) were arbitrarily assigned as cues for up-down/right-left tasks performed on placeholder locations. In the UNIVALENT phase, there was no task cue since placeholder's location afforded one task but the placeholders were the stimuli that we assigned as task cues for the following BIVALENT phase (involving target locations affording both tasks). Thus, participants held the novel cue-task associations in memory while executing the UNIVALENT phase. Results show poorer performance in the first univalent trial when the placeholder was associated with the opposite task (incompatible) than when it was compatible, an effect that was numerically larger with newly instructed cues than with familiar cues. These results indicate automatic retrieval of newly instructed cue-task associations.

Learning to cooperate is essential for progress in physics

Science.gov (United States)

Dickau, Jonathan J.

2012-06-01

At the 10th Frontiers of Fundamental Physics symposium, Gerard't Hooft stated that, for some of the advances we hope to see in Physics during the future, there must be a great deal of cooperation between physicists from different disciplines, as well as mathematicians, programmers, technologists, and others. This requires us to evolve a new mindset; however, as so much of our past progress has come out of a fiercely competitive process - especially since a critical review of our ideas about reality remains essential to making clear progress and checking our progress. We must also address the fact that some frameworks appear incompatible, as with relativity and quantum mechanics, whose unification remains distant despite years of attempts to find a quantum gravity theory. I explore the idea that playful exploration, using both left-brained and right-brained approaches to learning, allows us to resolve conflicting ideas by taking advantage of innate human developmental and learning strategies and brain structure. It may thus foster the kind of interdisciplinary cooperation we are hoping to see.

Theory of Mind and social reserve: Alternative hypothesis of progressive Theory of Mind decay during different stages of Alzheimer's disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Fliss, Rafika; Le Gall, Didier; Etcharry-Bouyx, Frédérique; Chauviré, Valérie; Desgranges, Béatrice; Allain, Philippe

2016-01-01

Although Theory of Mind (ToM) is thought to be impaired in Alzheimer's disease (AD), it remains unclear whether this impairment is linked to the level of task complexity, the heterogeneity of the studied patients, or the implication of executive dysfunctions. To elucidate this point, 42 AD patients, divided into two subgroups [moderate AD (mAD) patients (n = 19) and early AD (eAD) patients (n = 23)], and 23 matched healthy older subjects (HO) were enrolled. All participants were given (1) a false-belief task (cognitive ToM), (2) a revised version of the "Reading the Mind in the Eyes" test (affective ToM), and (3) a composite task designed to assess ToM abilities with minimal cognitive demands. Participants were also given executive tasks assessing inhibition, shifting, and updating processes. We observed a significant impairment of cognitive and composite ToM abilities in eAD patients compared with mAD patients. There was no impairment of affective ToM. Stepwise regression revealed that measures of global efficiency and executive functions (EFs) were the best predictors of progressive decay of ToM scores. These results indicate that cognitive aspects of ToM are more sensitive to AD progression than affective tasks. They also show that ToM abilities are more affected by dementia severity than by task complexity. One explanation of our results is the presence of compensatory mechanisms (social reserve) in AD.

The BOLD Response during Stroop Task-Like Inhibition Paradigms: Effects of Task Difficulty and Task-Relevant Modality

Science.gov (United States)

Mitchell, Rachel L. C.

2005-01-01

Previous studies of the Stroop task propose two key mediators: the prefrontal and cingulate cortices but hints exist of functional specialization within these regions. This study aimed to examine the effect of task modality upon the prefrontal and cingulate response by examining the response to colour, number, and shape Stroop tasks whilst BOLD…

Jet Joint Undertaking Progress Report 1992

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-04-01

The report sets out an overview of progress on JET during 1992 and with a survey of scientific and technical achievements during 1992 sets these advances in their general context. This summary is specifically cross-referenced to reports and articles prepared and presented by JET staff during 1992. The last section is devoted to future plans and certain developments which might enable enhancements of the machine to further improve its overall performance. The Appendices contain a list of work topics which have been carried out under Task Agreements with various Association Laboratories. In addition, a full list is included of all Articles, Reports and Conference papers published by JET authors in 1992

Production Task Queue Optimization Based on Multi-Attribute Evaluation for Complex Product Assembly Workshop.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lian-Hui Li

Full Text Available The production task queue has a great significance for manufacturing resource allocation and scheduling decision. Man-made qualitative queue optimization method has a poor effect and makes the application difficult. A production task queue optimization method is proposed based on multi-attribute evaluation. According to the task attributes, the hierarchical multi-attribute model is established and the indicator quantization methods are given. To calculate the objective indicator weight, criteria importance through intercriteria correlation (CRITIC is selected from three usual methods. To calculate the subjective indicator weight, BP neural network is used to determine the judge importance degree, and then the trapezoid fuzzy scale-rough AHP considering the judge importance degree is put forward. The balanced weight, which integrates the objective weight and the subjective weight, is calculated base on multi-weight contribution balance model. The technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution (TOPSIS improved by replacing Euclidean distance with relative entropy distance is used to sequence the tasks and optimize the queue by the weighted indicator value. A case study is given to illustrate its correctness and feasibility.

Brain biomarkers based assessment of cognitive workload in pilots under various task demands.

Science.gov (United States)

Gentili, Rodolphe J; Rietschel, Jeremy C; Jaquess, Kyle J; Lo, Li-Chuan; Prevost, Michael; Miller, Matt W; Mohler, Jessica M; Oh, Hyuk; Tan, Ying Ying; Hatfield, Bradley D

2014-01-01

Cognitive workload is an important element of cognitive-motor performance such as that exhibited during the piloting of an aircraft. Namely, an increase in task demands on the pilot can elevate cognitive information processing and, thus, the risk of human error. As such, there is a need to develop methods that reliably assess mental workload in pilots within operational settings. The present study contributes to this research goal by identifying physiological and brain biomarkers of cognitive workload and attentional reserve during a simulated aircraft piloting task under three progressive levels of challenge. A newly developed experimental method was employed by which electroencephalography (EEG) was acquired via a dry (i.e., gel-free sensors) system using few scalp sites. Self-reported responses to surveys and piloting performance indicators were analyzed. The findings revealed that as the challenge (task demands) increased, the perceived mental load increased, attentional reserve was attenuated, and task performance decreased. Such an increase in task demands was also reflected by changes in heart rate variability (HRV), as well as in the amplitude of the P300 component of event-related potentials to auditory probes, and in the spectral power of specific EEG frequency bands. This work provides a first step towards a long-term goal to develop a composite system of biomarkers for real-time cognitive workload assessment and state assessment of pilots in operational settings.

Task-based assessment of breast tomosynthesis: Effect of acquisition parameters and quantum noise1

OpenAIRE

Reiser, I.; Nishikawa, R. M.

2010-01-01

Purpose: Tomosynthesis is a promising modality for breast imaging. The appearance of the tomosynthesis reconstructed image is greatly affected by the choice of acquisition and reconstruction parameters. The purpose of this study was to investigate the limitations of tomosynthesis breast imaging due to scan parameters and quantum noise. Tomosynthesis image quality was assessed based on performance of a mathematical observer model in a signal-known exactly (SKE) detection task.

Abduction aiming at empirical progress or even at truth approximation, leading to challenge for computational modelling

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kuipers, Theo A.F.

1999-01-01

This paper primarily deals with the conceptual prospects for generalizing the aim of abduction from the standard one of explaining surprising or anomalous observations to that of empirical progress or even truth approximation. It turns out that the main abduction task then becomes the

Lifetime Costs and Outcomes of Repair of Tetralogy of Fallot Compared to Natural Progression of the Disease: Great Ormond Street Hospital Cohort

Science.gov (United States)

Hunter, Rachael Maree; Isaac, Mark; Frigiola, Alessandra; Blundell, David; Brown, Kate; Bull, Kate

2013-01-01

Background Tetralogy of Fallot is a congenital heart disease that requires surgical repair without which survival through childhood is extremely rare. The aim of this paper is to use data from the mandatory follow-up of patients with Tetralogy of Fallot to model the health-related costs and outcomes over the first 55-years of life. Method A decision analytical model was developed to establish costs and outcomes for patients up to 55 years after diagnosis and first repair of Tetralogy of Fallot compared to natural progression. Data from Adult Congenital Heart Disease (ACHD) centres that follow up Tetralogy of Fallot patients and Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH), London, United Kingdom (UK) medical records was used to establish the cost and effectiveness of current interventions. Data from a Czech cohort was used for the natural, no intervention condition. Results The average cost per patient of a repair for Tetralogy of Fallot was £26,938 (SE = £4,140). The full life time cost per patient, with no discount rate, was £65,310 (95% CI £64,981–£65,729); £56,559 discounted (95% CI £56,159–£56,960). Patients with a repair had an average of 35 Quality Adjusted Life Years (QALYs) per patient over 55 years undiscounted and 20.16 QALYs discounted. If the disorder was left to take its natural course, patients on average had a total of 3 QALYs per patient with no discount rate and 2.30 QALYs discounted. Conclusion A model has been developed that provides an estimate of the value for money of an expensive repair of a congenital heart disease. The model could be used to test the cost-effectiveness of making amendments to the care pathway. PMID:23533645

Searching in the Context of a Task: A Review of Methods and Tools

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana Maguitman

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Contextual information extracted from the user task can help to better target retrieval to task-relevant content. In particular, topical context can be exploited to identify the subject of the information needs, contributing to reduce the information overload problem. A great number of methods exist to extract raw context data and contextual interaction patterns from the user task and to model this information using higher-level representations. Context can then be used as a source for automatic query generation, or as a means to refine or disambiguate user-generated queries. It can also be used to filter and rank results as well as to select domain-specific search engines with better capabilities to satisfy specific information requests. This article reviews methods that have been applied to deal with the problem of reflecting the current and long-term interests of a user in the search process. It discusses major difficulties encountered in the research area of context-based information retrieval and presents an overview of tools proposed since the mid-nineties to deal with the problem of context-based search.

Two cases of severe pneumonia after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shigeatu Endo

2012-12-01

Full Text Available In 2011, during the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami, 90% of victims died from drowning. We report on two tsunami survivors with severe pneumonia potentially caused by Legionella pneumophila. Both victims aspirated a large quantity of contaminated water; sand, mud and a variety of microbes were thought to have entered into their lower respiratory tracts. One patient had a mycotic intracranial aneurysm; the other patient had co-infections with several organisms, including Scedosporium species. Although scedosporiosis is a relatively rare infectious disease, symptoms are progressive and prognosis is poor. These pathogens are not specific for tsunami lung, but are reported causative agents for pneumonia after near-drowning.

Intelligence and P3 Components of the Event-Related Potential Elicited during an Auditory Discrimination Task with Masking

Science.gov (United States)

De Pascalis, V.; Varriale, V.; Matteoli, A.

2008-01-01

The relationship between fluid intelligence (indexed by scores on Raven Progressive Matrices) and auditory discrimination ability was examined by recording event-related potentials from 48 women during the performance of an auditory oddball task with backward masking. High ability (HA) subjects exhibited shorter response times, greater response…

Investigating Antecedents of Task Commitment and Task Attraction in Service Learning Team Projects

Science.gov (United States)

Schaffer, Bryan S.; Manegold, Jennifer G.

2018-01-01

The authors investigated the antecedents of team task cohesiveness in service learning classroom environments. Focusing on task commitment and task attraction as key dependent variables representing cohesiveness, and task interdependence as the primary independent variable, the authors position three important task action phase processes as…

78 FR 59939 - Meeting of the Community Preventive Services Task Force (Task Force)

Science.gov (United States)

2013-09-30

... Community Preventive Services Task Force (Task Force) AGENCY: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention... September 17, 2013, announcing the next meeting of the Community Preventive Services Task Force (Task Force... the Task Force to consider the findings of systematic reviews and issue findings and recommendations...

The Great Recession and the Social Safety Net

Science.gov (United States)

Moffitt, Robert A.

2016-01-01

The social safety net responded in significant and favorable ways during the Great Recession. Aggregate per capita expenditures grew significantly, with particularly strong growth in the SNAP, EITC, UI, and Medicaid programs. Distributionally, the increase in transfers was widely shared across demographic groups, including families with and without children, single-parent and two-parent families. Transfers grew as well among families with more employed members and with fewer employed members. However, the increase in transfer amounts was not strongly progressive across income classes within the low-income population, increasingly slightly more for those just below the poverty line and those just above it, compared to those at the bottom of the income distribution. This is mainly the result of the EITC program, which provides greater benefits to those with higher family earnings. The expansions of SNAP and UI benefitted those at the bottom of the income distribution to a greater extent. PMID:27065356

Theoretical nuclear physics. Task B. Technical progress report, August 1, 1982-September 30, 1983

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1983-01-01

Progress is reported on the following studies: (a) double delta interactions in pion double charge exchange; (b) isovector correlations in pion-nucleus scattering; (c) nuclear structure effects in pion single charge exchange; (d) a perspective on sequential transfer reactions; (e) inelastic and charge exchange scattering theory; (f) magnitude of the first order DWBA description of the two nuclear transfer reactions; (g) nonlocality effects on deuteron transfer reactions; (h) evaluation of external radial integrals in inelastic electron scattering; (i) experimental observables as a function of Dirac invariant amplitudes; (j) Dirac shell-model wavefunctions in inelastic electron scattering; and (k) impulse approximation Dirac theory of inelastic proton nucleus collective excitations. Publications are listed

What Makes a Great Journal Great in Economics? The Singer Not the Song.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

C-L. Chang (Chia-Lin); M.J. McAleer (Michael); L. Oxley (Les)

2010-01-01

textabstractThe paper is concerned with analysing what makes a great journal great in economics, based on quantifiable measures. Alternative Research Assessment Measures (RAM) are discussed, with an emphasis on the Thomson Reuters ISI Web of Science database (hereafter ISI). The various ISI RAM that

Progress in diagnostic techniques for sc cavities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reece, C.E.

1988-01-01

While routinely achieved performance characteristics of superconducting cavities have now reached a level which makes them useful in large scale applications, achieving this level has come only through the knowledge gained by systematic studies of performance limiting phenomena. Despite the very real progress that has been made, the routine performance of superconducting cavities still falls far short of both the theoretical expectations and the performance of a few exception examples. It is the task of systematically applied diagnostic techniques to reveal additional information concerning the response of superconducting surfaces to applied RF fields. Here recent developments in diagnostic techniques are discussed. 18 references, 12 figures

Coolant mixing in LMFBR rod bundles and outlet plenum mixing transients. Progress report, December 1, 1975--February 29, 1976

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Todreas, N.E.; Golay, M.W.

1976-01-01

Progress is summarized in the following task areas: assessment of available data, experimental water mixing investigations, analytic model development, and analytical and experimental investigation of velocity and temperature fields in outlet plenum flow mixing

Great Basin Experimental Range: Annotated bibliography

Science.gov (United States)

E. Durant McArthur; Bryce A. Richardson; Stanley G. Kitchen

2013-01-01

This annotated bibliography documents the research that has been conducted on the Great Basin Experimental Range (GBER, also known as the Utah Experiment Station, Great Basin Station, the Great Basin Branch Experiment Station, Great Basin Experimental Center, and other similar name variants) over the 102 years of its existence. Entries were drawn from the original...

Sex differences in task distribution and task exposures among Danish house painters:

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Heilskov-Hansen, Thomas; Svendsen, Susanne Wulff; Thomsen, Jane Frølund

2014-01-01

OBJECTIVES: Sex differences in occupational biomechanical exposures may be part of the explanation why musculoskeletal complaints and disorders tend to be more common among women than among men. We aimed to determine possible sex differences in task distribution and task-specific postures...... correction were used to evaluate sex differences. RESULTS: Statistically significant (psex differences were revealed in task proportions, but the proportions differed by less than 4%. For task exposures, no statistically significant sex differences were found. CONCLUSIONS: Only minor sex differences...... and movements of the upper extremities among Danish house painters, and to establish sex-specific task exposure matrices. METHODS: To obtain task distributions, we sent out a questionnaire to all members of the Painters' Union in Denmark (N = 9364), of whom 53% responded. Respondents reported their task...

The GREAT3 challenge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miyatake, H; Mandelbaum, R; Rowe, B

2014-01-01

The GRavitational lEnsing Accuracy Testing 3 (GREAT3) challenge is an image analysis competition that aims to test algorithms to measure weak gravitational lensing from astronomical images. The challenge started in October 2013 and ends 30 April 2014. The challenge focuses on testing the impact on weak lensing measurements of realistically complex galaxy morphologies, realistic point spread function, and combination of multiple different exposures. It includes simulated ground- and space-based data. The details of the challenge are described in [1], and the challenge website and its leader board can be found at http://great3challenge.info and http://great3.projects.phys.ucl.ac.uk/leaderboard/, respectively

The Effect of a Workload-Preview on Task-Prioritization and Task-Performance

Science.gov (United States)

Minotra, Dev

2012-01-01

With increased volume and sophistication of cyber attacks in recent years, maintaining situation awareness and effective task-prioritization strategy is critical to the task of cybersecurity analysts. However, high levels of mental-workload associated with the task of cybersecurity analyst's limits their ability to prioritize tasks.…

Recent progress in tungsten oxides based memristors and their neuromorphological applications

Science.gov (United States)

Qu, Bo; Younis, Adnan; Chu, Dewei

2016-09-01

The advance in conventional silicon based semiconductor industry is now becoming indeterminacy as it still along the road of Moore's Law and concomitant problems associated with it are the emergence of a number of practical issues such as short channel effect. In terms of memory applications, it is generally believed that transistors based memory devices will approach to their scaling limits up to 2018. Therefore, one of the most prominent challenges today in semiconductor industry is the need of a new memory technology which is able to combine the best characterises of current devices. The resistive switching memories which are regarded as "memristors" thus gain great attentions thanks to their specific nonlinear electrical properties. More importantly, their behaviour resembles with the transmission characteristic of synapse in biology. Therefore, the research of synapses biomimetic devices based on memristor will certainly bring a great research prospect in studying synapse emulation as well as building artificial neural networks. Tungsten oxides (WO x ) exhibits many essential characteristics as a great candidate for memristive devices including: accredited endurance (over 105 cycles), stoichiometric flexibility, complimentary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) process compatibility and configurable properties including non-volatile rectification, memorization and learning functions. Herein, recent progress on Tungsten oxide based materials and its associating memory devices had been reviewed. The possible implementation of this material as a bio-inspired artificial synapse is also highlighted. The penultimate section summaries the current research progress for tungsten oxide based biological synapses and end up with several proposals that have been suggested for possible future developments.

Exploring relations between task conflict and informational conflict in the Stroop task.

Science.gov (United States)

Entel, Olga; Tzelgov, Joseph; Bereby-Meyer, Yoella; Shahar, Nitzan

2015-11-01

In this study, we tested the proposal that the Stroop task involves two conflicts--task conflict and informational conflict. Task conflict was defined as the latency difference between color words and non-letter neutrals, and manipulated by varying the proportion of color words versus non-letter neutrals. Informational conflict was defined as the latency difference between incongruent and congruent trials and manipulated by varying the congruent-to-incongruent trial ratio. We replicated previous findings showing that increasing the ratio of incongruent-to-congruent trials reduces the latency difference between the incongruent and congruent condition (i.e., informational conflict), as does increasing the proportion of color words (i.e., task conflict). A significant under-additive interaction between the two proportion manipulations (congruent vs. incongruent and color words vs. neutrals) indicated that the effects of task conflict and informational conflict were not additive. By assessing task conflict as the contrast between color words and neutrals, we found that task conflict existed in all of our experimental conditions. Under specific conditions, when task conflict dominated behavior by explaining most of the variability between congruency conditions, we also found negative facilitation, thus demonstrating that this effect is a special case of task conflict.

Investigating Perfect Timesharing: The Relationship between IM-Compatible Tasks and Dual-Task Performance

Science.gov (United States)

Halvorson, Kimberly M.; Ebner, Herschel; Hazeltine, Eliot

2013-01-01

Why are dual-task costs reduced with ideomotor (IM) compatible tasks (Greenwald & Shulman, 1973; Lien, Proctor & Allen, 2002)? In the present experiments, we first examine three different measures of single-task performance (pure single-task blocks, mixed blocks, and long stimulus onset asynchrony [SOA] trials in dual-task blocks) and two…

Microprocessor multi-task monitor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ludemann, C.A.

1983-01-01

This paper describes a multi-task monitor program for microprocessors. Although written for the Intel 8085, it incorporates features that would be beneficial for implementation in other microprocessors used in controlling and monitoring experiments and accelerators. The monitor places permanent programs (tasks) arbitrarily located throughout ROM in a priority ordered queue. The programmer is provided with the flexibility to add new tasks or modified versions of existing tasks, without having to comply with previously defined task boundaries or having to reprogram all of ROM. Scheduling of tasks is triggered by timers, outside stimuli (interrupts), or inter-task communications. Context switching time is of the order of tenths of a milllisecond

Autonomic Modulation in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy during a Computer Task: A Prospective Control Trial.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mayra Priscila Boscolo Alvarez

Full Text Available Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD is characterized by progressive muscle weakness that can lead to disability. Owing to functional difficulties faced by individuals with DMD, the use of assistive technology is essential to provide or facilitate functional abilities. In DMD, cardiac autonomic dysfunction has been reported in addition to musculoskeletal impairment. Consequently, the objective was to investigate acute cardiac autonomic responses, by Heart Rate Variability (HRV, during computer tasks in subjects with DMD.HRV was assessed by linear and nonlinear methods, using the heart rate monitor Polar RS800CX chest strap Electrocardiographic measuring device. Then, 45 subjects were included in the group with DMD and 45 in the healthy Typical Development (TD control group. They were assessed for twenty minutes at rest sitting, and five minutes after undergoing a task on the computer.Individuals with DMD had a statistically significant lower parasympathetic cardiac modulation at rest when compared to the control group, which further declined when undergoing the tasks on the computer.DMD patients presented decreased HRV and exhibited greater intensity of cardiac autonomic responses during computer tasks characterized by vagal withdrawal when compared to the healthy TD control subjects.

Gait disorders in the elderly and dual task gait analysis: a new approach for identifying motor phenotypes.

Science.gov (United States)

Auvinet, Bernard; Touzard, Claude; Montestruc, François; Delafond, Arnaud; Goeb, Vincent

2017-01-31

Gait disorders and gait analysis under single and dual-task conditions are topics of great interest, but very few studies have looked for the relevance of gait analysis under dual-task conditions in elderly people on the basis of a clinical approach. An observational study including 103 patients (mean age 76.3 ± 7.2, women 56%) suffering from gait disorders or memory impairment was conducted. Gait analysis under dual-task conditions was carried out for all patients. Brain MRI was performed in the absence of contra-indications. Three main gait variables were measured: walking speed, stride frequency, and stride regularity. For each gait variable, the dual task cost was computed and a quartile analysis was obtained. Nonparametric tests were used for all the comparisons (Wilcoxon, Kruskal-Wallis, Fisher or Chi 2 tests). Four clinical subgroups were identified: gait instability (45%), recurrent falls (29%), memory impairment (18%), and cautious gait (8%). The biomechanical severity of these subgroups was ordered according to walking speed and stride regularity under both conditions, from least to most serious as follows: memory impairment, gait instability, recurrent falls, cautious gait (p < 0.01 for walking speed, p = 0.05 for stride regularity). According to the established diagnoses of gait disorders, 5 main pathological subgroups were identified (musculoskeletal diseases (n = 11), vestibular diseases (n = 6), mild cognitive impairment (n = 24), central nervous system pathologies, (n = 51), and without diagnosis (n = 8)). The dual task cost for walking speed, stride frequency and stride regularity were different among these subgroups (p < 0.01). The subgroups mild cognitive impairment and central nervous system pathologies both showed together a higher dual task cost for each variable compared to the other subgroups combined (p = 0.01). The quartile analysis of dual task cost for stride frequency and stride regularity

Strategic Adaptation to Task Characteristics, Incentives, and Individual Differences in Dual-Tasking.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christian P Janssen

Full Text Available We investigate how good people are at multitasking by comparing behavior to a prediction of the optimal strategy for dividing attention between two concurrent tasks. In our experiment, 24 participants had to interleave entering digits on a keyboard with controlling a randomly moving cursor with a joystick. The difficulty of the tracking task was systematically varied as a within-subjects factor. Participants were also exposed to different explicit reward functions that varied the relative importance of the tracking task relative to the typing task (between-subjects. Results demonstrate that these changes in task characteristics and monetary incentives, together with individual differences in typing ability, influenced how participants choose to interleave tasks. This change in strategy then affected their performance on each task. A computational cognitive model was used to predict performance for a wide set of alternative strategies for how participants might have possibly interleaved tasks. This allowed for predictions of optimal performance to be derived, given the constraints placed on performance by the task and cognition. A comparison of human behavior with the predicted optimal strategy shows that participants behaved near optimally. Our findings have implications for the design and evaluation of technology for multitasking situations, as consideration should be given to the characteristics of the task, but also to how different users might use technology depending on their individual characteristics and their priorities.

78 FR 63208 - UPDATE-Meeting of the Community Preventive Services Task Force (Task Force)

Science.gov (United States)

2013-10-23

... of the Community Preventive Services Task Force (Task Force) AGENCY: Centers for Disease Control and... Community Preventive Services Task Force (Task Force). The in-person Task Force meeting is being replaced by... CDC's ability to complete the necessary scientific and logistical support for the meeting. The Task...

Influence of time pressure in a simple response task, a choice-by-location task, and the Simon task

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Lubbe, Robert Henricus Johannes; Jaśkowski, Piotr; Wauschkuhn, Bernd; Verleger, Rolf

2001-01-01

Examined the influence of strategy for a simple response task, a choice-by-location task, and the Simon task by varying time pressure in 11 Ss (mean age 28 yrs). Besides reaction time (RT) and accuracy, we measured response force and derived two measures from the event-related EEG potential to form

A test of the submentalizing hypothesis: Apes' performance in a false belief task inanimate control

Science.gov (United States)

Hirata, Satoshi; Call, Josep; Tomasello, Michael

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Much debate concerns whether any nonhuman animals share with humans the ability to infer others' mental states, such as desires and beliefs. In a recent eye-tracking false-belief task, we showed that great apes correctly anticipated that a human actor would search for a goal object where he had last seen it, even though the apes themselves knew that it was no longer there. In response, Heyes proposed that apes' looking behavior was guided not by social cognitive mechanisms but rather domain-general cueing effects, and suggested the use of inanimate controls to test this alternative submentalizing hypothesis. In the present study, we implemented the suggested inanimate control of our previous false-belief task. Apes attended well to key events but showed markedly fewer anticipatory looks and no significant tendency to look to the correct location. We thus found no evidence that submentalizing was responsible for apes' anticipatory looks in our false-belief task. PMID:28919941

Task complexity, student perceptions of vocabulary learning in EFL, and task performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Xiaoli; Lowyck, Joost; Sercu, Lies; Elen, Jan

2013-03-01

The study deepened our understanding of how students' self-efficacy beliefs contribute to the context of teaching English as a foreign language in the framework of cognitive mediational paradigm at a fine-tuned task-specific level. The aim was to examine the relationship among task complexity, self-efficacy beliefs, domain-related prior knowledge, learning strategy use, and task performance as they were applied to English vocabulary learning from reading tasks. Participants were 120 second-year university students (mean age 21) from a Chinese university. This experiment had two conditions (simple/complex). A vocabulary level test was first conducted to measure participants' prior knowledge of English vocabulary. Participants were then randomly assigned to one of the learning tasks. Participants were administered task booklets together with the self-efficacy scales, measures of learning strategy use, and post-tests. Data obtained were submitted to multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and path analysis. Results from the MANOVA model showed a significant effect of vocabulary level on self-efficacy beliefs, learning strategy use, and task performance. Task complexity showed no significant effect; however, an interaction effect between vocabulary level and task complexity emerged. Results from the path analysis showed self-efficacy beliefs had an indirect effect on performance. Our results highlighted the mediating role of self-efficacy beliefs and learning strategy use. Our findings indicate that students' prior knowledge plays a crucial role on both self-efficacy beliefs and task performance, and the predictive power of self-efficacy on task performance may lie in its association with learning strategy use. © 2011 The British Psychological Society.

The functional neuroanatomy of multitasking: combining dual tasking with a short term memory task.

Science.gov (United States)

Deprez, Sabine; Vandenbulcke, Mathieu; Peeters, Ron; Emsell, Louise; Amant, Frederic; Sunaert, Stefan

2013-09-01

Insight into the neural architecture of multitasking is crucial when investigating the pathophysiology of multitasking deficits in clinical populations. Presently, little is known about how the brain combines dual-tasking with a concurrent short-term memory task, despite the relevance of this mental operation in daily life and the frequency of complaints related to this process, in disease. In this study we aimed to examine how the brain responds when a memory task is added to dual-tasking. Thirty-three right-handed healthy volunteers (20 females, mean age 39.9 ± 5.8) were examined with functional brain imaging (fMRI). The paradigm consisted of two cross-modal single tasks (a visual and auditory temporal same-different task with short delay), a dual-task combining both single tasks simultaneously and a multi-task condition, combining the dual-task with an additional short-term memory task (temporal same-different visual task with long delay). Dual-tasking compared to both individual visual and auditory single tasks activated a predominantly right-sided fronto-parietal network and the cerebellum. When adding the additional short-term memory task, a larger and more bilateral frontoparietal network was recruited. We found enhanced activity during multitasking in components of the network that were already involved in dual-tasking, suggesting increased working memory demands, as well as recruitment of multitask-specific components including areas that are likely to be involved in online holding of visual stimuli in short-term memory such as occipito-temporal cortex. These results confirm concurrent neural processing of a visual short-term memory task during dual-tasking and provide evidence for an effective fMRI multitasking paradigm. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Which Feedback Is More Effective for Pursuing Multiple Goals of Differing Importance? The Interaction Effects of Goal Importance and Performance Feedback Type on Self-Regulation and Task Achievement

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Hyunjoo

2016-01-01

This study examined how performance feedback type (progress vs. distance) affects Korean college students' self-regulation and task achievement according to relative goal importance in the pursuit of multiple goals. For this study, 146 students participated in a computerised task. The results showed the interaction effects of goal importance and…

Progress of inflammatory cytokines in glaucoma

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ping Hu

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Glaucomais a group of diseases characterized by optic nerve damage and visual field defect, and pathological high intraocular pressure is a risk factor for glaucoma. Glaucoma is affected by the interaction of multiple genes and environmental factors, and inflammation may be involved in the pathogenesis of glaucoma. A great deal of studies have confirmed that high expression of connective tissue growth factor(CTGF, tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α, interleukins(ILs, nuclear factor-kappa B(NF-κBand various cytokines in the aqueous humor of patients with glaucoma, which have a close correlation with pathogenesis of glaucoma.This article reviews the progress of inflammatory cytokines and their relationship with glaucoma.

Towards a new classification system for legumes: Progress report from the 6th International Legume Conference

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pontes Coelho Borges, L.M.; Bruneau, A.; Cardoso, D.; Crisp, M.; Delgado-Salinas, A.; Doyle, J.J.; Egan, A.; Herendeen, P.S.; Hughes, C.; Kenicer, G.; Klitgaard, B.; Koenen, E.; Lavin, M.; Lewis, G.; Luckow, M.; Mackinder, B.; Malecot, V.; Miller, J.T.; Pennington, R.T.; Queiroz, de L.P.; Schrire, B.; Simon, M.F.; Steele, K.; Torke, B.; Wieringa, J.J.; Wojciechowski, M.F.; Boatwright, S.; Estrella, de la M.; Mansano, V.D.; Prado, D.E.; Stirton, C.; Wink, M.

2013-01-01

Legume systematists have been making great progress in understanding evolutionary relationships within the Leguminosae (Fabaceae), the third largest family of flowering plants. As the phylogenetic picture has become clearer, so too has the need for a revised classification of the family. The

75 FR 6354 - NOAA Great Lakes Habitat Restoration Program Project Grants under the Great Lakes Restoration...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-02-09

...-04] RIN 0648-ZC10 NOAA Great Lakes Habitat Restoration Program Project Grants under the Great Lakes... Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce. ACTION: Notice of funding availability; Date... on January 19, 2010. That notice announced the NOAA Great Lakes Habitat Restoration Program Project...

Report of the first interim meeting of the Seabed Working Group Engineering Studies Task Group

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Talbert, D.M.

1982-02-01

The first interim meeting of the Engineering Studies Task Group (ESTG) was held at the Delft Soil Mechanics Laboratory, Delft, The Netherlands, on 21-24 September 1981. The main business of the meeting was the development of a network analysis for the ESTG. Significant progress was made; however, substantial further development remains to be accomplished. Other items discussed were (1) progress relevant to engineering studies made in the various national programs since the sixth annual meeting of the Seabed Working Group (SWG) held in Paris, February, 1981; (2) the ESTG Boundary Conditions and Scope of Work as previously defined at the Paris meeting; (3) the Draft II SWG Five-Year Plan; (4) the deep ocean drilling proposal made by the Site Selection Task Group at the Paris meeting and expanded upon at their May, 1981, meeting; and (5) a recent compilation of data from the Nares Abyssal Plain arising from the US Program studies. Finally, consideration was given to a plan for continued work by the ESTG. A brief discussion of the principal items is given. The current state of the network analysis is shown

The Next Great Generation?

Science.gov (United States)

Brownstein, Andrew

2000-01-01

Discusses ideas from a new book, "Millennials Rising: The Next Great Generation," (by Neil Howe and William Strauss) suggesting that youth culture is on the cusp of a radical shift with the generation beginning with this year's college freshmen who are typically team oriented, optimistic, and poised for greatness on a global scale. Includes a…

Visual scanning training for neglect after stroke with and without a computerized lane tracking dual task

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M.E. eVan Kessel

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Neglect patients typically fail to explore the contralesional half-space. During visual scanning training, these patients learn to consciously pay attention to contralesional target stimuli. It has been suggested that combining scanning training with methods addressing non-spatial attention might enhance training results. In the present study, a dual task training component was added to a visual scanning training (i.e. Training di Scanning Visuospaziale – TSVS; Pizzamiglio et al., 1990. Twenty-nine subacute right hemisphere stroke patients were semi-randomly assigned to an experimental (N=14 or a control group (N=15. Patients received 30 training sessions during six weeks. TSVS consisted of four standardized tasks (digit detection, reading/copying, copying drawings and figure description. Moreover, a driving simulator task was integrated in the training procedure. Control patients practiced a single lane tracking task for two days a week during six weeks. The experimental group was administered the same training schedule, but in weeks 4-6 of the training, the TSVS digit detection task was combined with lane tracking on the same projection screen, so as to create a dual task (CVRT-TR. Various neglect tests and driving simulator tasks were administered before and after training. No significant group and interaction effects were found that might reflect additional positive effects of dual task training. Significant improvements after training were observed in both groups taken together on most assessment tasks. Ameliorations were generally not correlated to post onset time, but spontaneous recovery, test-retest variability and learning effects could not be ruled out completely, since these were not controlled for. Future research might focus on increasing the amount of dual task training, the implementation of progressive difficulty levels in the driving simulator tasks and further exploration of relationships between dual task training and daily

Correlates of academic procrastination: discomfort, task aversiveness, and task capability.

Science.gov (United States)

Milgram, N; Marshevsky, S; Sadeh, C

1995-03-01

The relationships among five aspects of academic procrastination--behavioral delay, personal upset about the delay, task aversiveness, task capability, and the desire to reduce behavioral delay--were investigated in 10th-grade Israeli students (N = 195). Upset about delay was weakly related to delay itself, and--unlike delay--was strongly related to perceived capability to perform academic tasks and to the desire to change delaying behavior. Students delayed more on academic tasks labeled unpleasant than pleasant, were neutral in between, and were correspondingly more upset about the former than the latter. They more frequently acknowledged reasons for academic procrastination that were less threatening to their self-image (e.g., problems in time management) than reasons that were more threatening (e.g., lack of ability). Interest in reducing delay is related more to self-perceived ability to handle tasks than to time spent procrastinating or reasons given for procrastinating.

Workshop report and proposal for a new IEA Task: Daylight in buildings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kristensen, P E; Johnsen, K

1994-04-01

The IEA workshop on Daylight in Buildings was held in Copenhagen on March 14-16, 1994. At the workshop, presentations were given on key topics as a basis for discussions by the experts participating in the meeting. The presentations and discussions covered a range of technical, architectural and amenity aspects of daylighting in buildings. A great interest in research collaboration on daylight was expressed, and it was agreed that plenty of work still needs to be done, and that the appropriate form of work would be an IEA Task. It was agreed that daylighting systems and control strategies should be evaluated and tested in test rooms, as well as in existing buildings as case studies. Furthermore, the workshop expressed that one of the best ways to realize and present the Task results to practice would be through a few demonstration buildings, build in different countries and under different climatic conditions. (EG)

Quarterly progress report on the evaluation of critical materials for photovoltaic cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Watts, R.L.; Pawlewicz, W.W.; Gurwell, W.E.; Jamieson, W.M.; Long, L.W.; Smith, S.A.; Teeter, R.R.

1979-09-01

The scope of the activities included in this program are as follows: (1) characterize new and improved photovoltaic cell designs and production processes for subsequent analysis; (2) review or screen these designs for potential material shortages or other constraints; (3) carry out investigations of the probable costs of new sources of materials potentially in short supply, concentrating on gallium and indium; and (4) identify options for coping with or mitigating the problems identified. The methodology and data base used in the CMAP (Critical Material Analysis Program) computer program were developed as part of a broad scale DOE program to review the potential material constraints of all solar programs. The photovoltaic report screened 13 cells in 15 systems and assumed 100% material utilization (process efficiency) in producing the photovoltaic cells. This study emphasizes the availability of cell fabrication feedstock materials and the effects of process efficiencies on material availability by adding characterizations of photovoltaic production processes. This quarterly report presents the results of work with emphasis on Task I, the characterization of photovoltaic cells and their production processes. Task IIA, CMAP Modification, Data Base Development and Operation has been initiated. Task IIB, Review, Integration, Interpretation and Analysis of Screening will begin once the baseline screening has been completed in Task IIA. Work on Task IIIA, the Assessment of Future Costs and Supplies of Gallium and Indium and Task IIIB, Economics of Coal Derived PV Materials have been initiated. Progress and initial results are reported. (WHK)

Head first: Living labs for ad-hoc search evaluation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Balog, K.; Kelly, L.; Schuth, A.; Li, J.; Wang, X.S.

2014-01-01

The information retrieval (IR) community strives to make evaluation more centered on real users and their needs. The living labs evaluation paradigm, i.e., observing users in their natural task environments, offers great promise in this regard. Yet, progress in an academic setting has been limited.

Biological effects-based tools for monitoring impacted surface waters in the Great Lakes: a multiagency program in support of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative

Science.gov (United States)

Ekman, Drew R.; Ankley, Gerald T.; Blazer, Vicki; Collette, Timothy W.; Garcia-Reyero, Natàlia; Iwanowicz, Luke R.; Jorgensen, Zachary G.; Lee, Kathy E.; Mazik, Pat M.; Miller, David H.; Perkins, Edward J.; Smith, Edwin T.; Tietge, Joseph E.; Villeneuve, Daniel L.

2013-01-01

There is increasing demand for the implementation of effects-based monitoring and surveillance (EBMS) approaches in the Great Lakes Basin to complement traditional chemical monitoring. Herein, we describe an ongoing multiagency effort to develop and implement EBMS tools, particularly with regard to monitoring potentially toxic chemicals and assessing Areas of Concern (AOCs), as envisioned by the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI). Our strategy includes use of both targeted and open-ended/discovery techniques, as appropriate to the amount of information available, to guide a priori end point and/or assay selection. Specifically, a combination of in vivo and in vitro tools is employed by using both wild and caged fish (in vivo), and a variety of receptor- and cell-based assays (in vitro). We employ a work flow that progressively emphasizes in vitro tools for long-term or high-intensity monitoring because of their greater practicality (e.g., lower cost, labor) and relying on in vivo assays for initial surveillance and verification. Our strategy takes advantage of the strengths of a diversity of tools, balancing the depth, breadth, and specificity of information they provide against their costs, transferability, and practicality. Finally, a series of illustrative scenarios is examined that align EBMS options with management goals to illustrate the adaptability and scaling of EBMS approaches and how they can be used in management decisions.

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

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

William W. N. Tsang

2013-01-01

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

Comparison of impact forces, accelerations and ankle range of motion in surfing-related landing tasks.

Science.gov (United States)

Lundgren, Lina E; Tran, Tai T; Nimphius, Sophia; Raymond, Ellen; Secomb, Josh L; Farley, Oliver R L; Newton, Robert U; Sheppard, Jeremy M

2016-01-01

This study aimed to describe the impact forces, accelerations and ankle range of motion in five different landing tasks that are used in training and testing for competitive surfing athletes, to assist coaches in the prescription of landing task progression and monitoring training load. Eleven competitive surfing athletes aged 24 ± 7 years participated, and inertial motion sensors were fixed to the anterior aspect of the feet, mid-tibial shafts, sacrum and eighth thoracic vertebrae on these athletes. Three tasks were performed landing on force plates and two tasks in a modified gymnastics set-up used for land-based aerial training. Peak landing force, resultant peak acceleration and front and rear side ankle dorsiflexion ranges of motion during landing were determined. The peak acceleration was approximately 50% higher when performing aerial training using a mini-trampoline and landing on a soft-density foam board, compared to a similar landing off a 50 cm box. Furthermore, the ankle ranges of motion during the gymnastic type landings were significantly lower than the other landing types (P ≤ 0.05 and P ≤ 0.001), for front and rear sides, respectively. Conclusively, increased task complexity and specificity of the sport increased the tibial peak acceleration, indicating greater training load.

High expression of insulin receptor on tumour-associated blood vessels in invasive bladder cancer predicts poor overall and progression-free survival.

Science.gov (United States)

Roudnicky, Filip; Dieterich, Lothar C; Poyet, Cedric; Buser, Lorenz; Wild, Peter; Tang, Dave; Camenzind, Peter; Ho, Chien Hsien; Otto, Vivianne I; Detmar, Michael

2017-06-01

Bladder cancer is a frequently recurring disease with a very poor prognosis once progressed to invasive stages, and tumour-associated blood vessels play a crucial role in this process. In order to identify novel biomarkers associated with progression, we isolated blood vascular endothelial cells (BECs) from human invasive bladder cancers and matched normal bladder tissue, and found that tumour-associated BECs greatly up-regulated the expression of insulin receptor (INSR). High expression of INSR on BECs of invasive bladder cancers was significantly associated with shorter progression-free and overall survival. Furthermore, increased expression of the INSR ligand IGF-2 in invasive bladder cancers was associated with reduced overall survival. INSR may therefore represent a novel biomarker to predict cancer progression. Mechanistically, we observed pronounced hypoxia in human bladder cancer tissue, and found a positive correlation between the expression of the hypoxia marker gene GLUT1 and vascular INSR expression, indicating that hypoxia drives INSR expression in tumour-associated blood vessels. In line with this, exposure of cultured BECs and human bladder cancer cell lines to hypoxia led to increased expression of INSR and IGF-2, respectively, and IGF-2 increased BEC migration through the activation of INSR in vitro. Taken together, we identified vascular INSR expression as a potential biomarker for progression in bladder cancer. Furthermore, our data suggest that IGF-2/INSR mediated paracrine crosstalk between bladder cancer cells and endothelial cells is functionally involved in tumour angiogenesis and may thus represent a new therapeutic target. Copyright © 2017 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

"Photographing money" task pricing

Science.gov (United States)

Jia, Zhongxiang

2018-05-01

"Photographing money" [1]is a self-service model under the mobile Internet. The task pricing is reasonable, related to the success of the commodity inspection. First of all, we analyzed the position of the mission and the membership, and introduced the factor of membership density, considering the influence of the number of members around the mission on the pricing. Multivariate regression of task location and membership density using MATLAB to establish the mathematical model of task pricing. At the same time, we can see from the life experience that membership reputation and the intensity of the task will also affect the pricing, and the data of the task success point is more reliable. Therefore, the successful point of the task is selected, and its reputation, task density, membership density and Multiple regression of task positions, according to which a nhew task pricing program. Finally, an objective evaluation is given of the advantages and disadvantages of the established model and solution method, and the improved method is pointed out.

The Reception of German Progressive Education in Russia: On Regularities of International Educational Transfer

Science.gov (United States)

Mchitarjan, Irina

2015-01-01

This article reports a historical case study of extensive educational transfer: the reception, adaptation, and use of German progressive education and German school reform ideas and practices in Russia at the beginning of the twentieth century. The reception of German educational ideas greatly enriched the theory and practice of the Russian school…

[The health care of children in Leningrad during the Great Patriotic War].

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

The article deals with the task solutions on life and health preservation of children during the Great patriotic war and Leningrad blockade. The examples are presented illustrating the measures undertaken by the state and public health service concerning the evacuation, nutrition of children in conditions of strict deficiency of all food products, organization of medical care (including the development and implementation of new system of polyclinic care), the activities on health improvement of children, etc. The long-term qualitative and quantitative starvation of children adversely impacted the physical development, contributed to increased morbidity and mortality. The characteristic of children morbidity is given? Infectious morbidity included. The role of researchers from Leningrad pediatric medical institute in preservation of children's life is demonstrated.

Board Task Performance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Minichilli, Alessandro; Zattoni, Alessandro; Nielsen, Sabina

2012-01-01

identify three board processes as micro-level determinants of board effectiveness. Specifically, we focus on effort norms, cognitive conflicts and the use of knowledge and skills as determinants of board control and advisory task performance. Further, we consider how two different institutional settings....... The findings show that: (i) Board processes have a larger potential than demographic variables to explain board task performance; (ii) board task performance differs significantly between boards operating in different contexts; and (iii) national context moderates the relationships between board processes...... and board task performance....

Non-right handed primary progressive apraxia of speech.

Science.gov (United States)

Botha, Hugo; Duffy, Joseph R; Whitwell, Jennifer L; Strand, Edythe A; Machulda, Mary M; Spychalla, Anthony J; Tosakulwong, Nirubol; Senjem, Matthew L; Knopman, David S; Petersen, Ronald C; Jack, Clifford R; Lowe, Val J; Josephs, Keith A

2018-07-15

In recent years a large and growing body of research has greatly advanced our understanding of primary progressive apraxia of speech. Handedness has emerged as one potential marker of selective vulnerability in degenerative diseases. This study evaluated the clinical and imaging findings in non-right handed compared to right handed participants in a prospective cohort diagnosed with primary progressive apraxia of speech. A total of 30 participants were included. Compared to the expected rate in the population, there was a higher prevalence of non-right handedness among those with primary progressive apraxia of speech (6/30, 20%). Small group numbers meant that these results did not reach statistical significance, although the effect sizes were moderate-to-large. There were no clinical differences between right handed and non-right handed participants. Bilateral hypometabolism was seen in primary progressive apraxia of speech compared to controls, with non-right handed participants showing more right hemispheric involvement. This is the first report of a higher rate of non-right handedness in participants with isolated apraxia of speech, which may point to an increased vulnerability for developing this disorder among non-right handed participants. This challenges prior hypotheses about a relative protective effect of non-right handedness for tau-related neurodegeneration. We discuss potential avenues for future research to investigate the relationship between handedness and motor disorders more generally. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Swedish Research Councils' Laboratory progress report for 1975

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rudstam, G.

1976-01-01

The Swedish Research Councils' Laboratory herewith presents its progress report for 1975. The report summarizes the current projects carried out by the research groups working at the laboratory. The very efficient assistance of the staff of the laboratory is greatfully acknowledged. The laboratory has been financially supported by the Atomic Research Council, the Medical Research Council, the Natural Science Research Council, and the Board of Technical Development. Valuable support in various ways has also been given by the Atomic Energy Company (AB Atomenergi). (author)

Bench scale testing - Phase I, Task 4. Topical progress report, September 1994--January 1995

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-07-01

The Department of Energy (DOE) is now faced with the task of meeting decontamination and decommissioning obligations at numerous facilities by the year 2019. Due to the tremendous volume of material involved, innovative decontamination technologies are being sought that can reduce the volumes of contaminated waste materials and secondary wastes requiring disposal. With sufficient decontamination, some of the material from DOE facilities could be released as scrap into the commercial sector for recycle, thereby reducing the volume of radioactive waste requiring disposal. Although recycling may initially prove to be more costly than current disposal practices, rapidly increasing disposal costs are expected to make recycling more and more cost effective. Additionally, recycling is now perceived as the ethical choice in a world where the consequences of replacing resources and throwing away reusable materials are impacting the well-being of the environment

A new semantic vigilance task: vigilance decrement, workload, and sensitivity to dual-task costs.

Science.gov (United States)

Epling, Samantha L; Russell, Paul N; Helton, William S

2016-01-01

Cognitive resource theory is a common explanation for both the performance decline in vigilance tasks, known as the vigilance decrement, and the limited ability to perform multiple tasks simultaneously. The limited supply of cognitive resources may be utilized faster than they are replenished resulting in a performance decrement, or may need to be allocated among multiple tasks with some performance cost. Researchers have proposed both domain-specific, for example spatial versus verbal processing resources, and domain general cognitive resources. One challenge in testing the domain specificity of cognitive resources in vigilance is the current lack of difficult semantic vigilance tasks which reliably produce a decrement. In the present research, we investigated whether the vigilance decrement was found in a new abbreviated semantic discrimination vigilance task, and whether there was a performance decrement in said vigilance task when paired with a word recall task, as opposed to performed individually. As hypothesized, a vigilance decrement in the semantic vigilance task was found in both the single-task and dual-task conditions, along with reduced vigilance performance in the dual-task condition and reduced word recall in the dual-task condition. This is consistent with cognitive resource theory. The abbreviated semantic vigilance task will be a useful tool for researchers interested in determining the specificity of cognitive resources utilized in vigilance tasks.

Mood states determine the degree of task shielding in dual-task performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Zwosta, Katharina; Hommel, Bernhard; Goschke, Thomas; Fischer, Rico

2013-01-01

Current models of multitasking assume that dual-task performance and the degree of multitasking are affected by cognitive control strategies. In particular, cognitive control is assumed to regulate the amount of shielding of the prioritised task from crosstalk from the secondary task. We investigated whether and how task shielding is influenced by mood states. Participants were exposed to two short film clips, one inducing high and one inducing low arousal, of either negative or positive content. Negative mood led to stronger shielding of the prioritised task (i.e., less crosstalk) than positive mood, irrespective of arousal. These findings support the assumption that emotional states determine the parameters of cognitive control and play an important role in regulating dual-task performance.

Brain activations during bimodal dual tasks depend on the nature and combination of component tasks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emma eSalo

2015-02-01

Full Text Available We used functional magnetic resonance imaging to investigate brain activations during nine different dual tasks in which the participants were required to simultaneously attend to concurrent streams of spoken syllables and written letters. They performed a phonological, spatial or simple (speaker-gender or font-shade discrimination task within each modality. We expected to find activations associated specifically with dual tasking especially in the frontal and parietal cortices. However, no brain areas showed systematic dual task enhancements common for all dual tasks. Further analysis revealed that dual tasks including component tasks that were according to Baddeley’s model modality atypical, that is, the auditory spatial task or the visual phonological task, were not associated with enhanced frontal activity. In contrast, for other dual tasks, activity specifically associated with dual tasking was found in the left or bilateral frontal cortices. Enhanced activation in parietal areas, however, appeared not to be specifically associated with dual tasking per se, but rather with intermodal attention switching. We also expected effects of dual tasking in left frontal supramodal phonological processing areas when both component tasks required phonological processing and in right parietal supramodal spatial processing areas when both tasks required spatial processing. However, no such effects were found during these dual tasks compared with their component tasks performed separately. Taken together, the current results indicate that activations during dual tasks depend in a complex manner on specific demands of component tasks.

Mental Procedures in Real-Life Tasks: A Case of Electronic Trouble Shooting

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, Jens; Jensen, A.

1974-01-01

be broken down into a sequence of recurrent search routines. Basically different typos of such routines are found with great differences in respect to the number of observations needed and the complexity of the mental data processing involved. They also differ greatly with respect to the depth of knowledge......The mental procedures used by skilled electronics repair men in their normal working environment have been studied by analysis of verbal protocols. The procedures found are organized as a search through a system which is viewed as a hierarchy of subunits. The general structure of the search can...... less of whether observations are informationally redundant or not. Seen from the viewpoint of information economy, the procedures are inefficient, but if the men are supposed to minimize the time spent ill the task and the mental load involved, the procedures are very rational. The records indicate...

Progressively engaging: constructing nurse, patient, and family relationships in acute care settings.

Science.gov (United States)

Segaric, Cheryl Ann; Hall, Wendy A

2015-02-01

In this grounded theory study, informed by symbolic interactionism, we explain how nurses, patients, and family members construct relationships in acute care settings, including managing effects of work environments. We recruited participants from 10 acute care units across four community hospitals in a Western Canadian city. From 33 hr of participant observation and 40 interviews with 13 nurses, 17 patients, and 10 family members, we constructed the basic social-psychological process of progressively engaging. Nurses, patients, and family members approached constructing relationships through levels of engagement, ranging from perspectives about "just doing the job" to "doing the job with heart." Progressively engaging involved three stages: focusing on tasks, getting acquainted, and building rapport. Workplace conditions and personal factors contributed or detracted from participants' movement through the stages of the process; with higher levels of engagement, participants experienced greater satisfaction and cooperation. Progressively engaging provides direction for how all participants in care can invest in relationships. © The Author(s) 2014.

The predictive value of general movement tasks in assessing occupational task performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Frost, David M; Beach, Tyson A C; McGill, Stuart M; Callaghan, Jack P

2015-01-01

Within the context of evaluating individuals' movement behavior it is generally assumed that the tasks chosen will predict their competency to perform activities relevant to their occupation. This study sought to examine whether a battery of general tasks could be used to predict the movement patterns employed by firefighters to perform select job-specific skills. Fifty-two firefighters performed a battery of general and occupation-specific tasks that simulated the demands of firefighting. Participants' peak lumbar spine and frontal plane knee motion were compared across tasks. During 85% of all comparisons, the magnitude of spine and knee motion was greater during the general movement tasks than observed during the firefighting skills. Certain features of a worker's movement behavior may be exhibited across a range of tasks. Therefore, provided that a movement screen's tasks expose the motions of relevance for the population being tested, general evaluations could offer valuable insight into workers' movement competency or facilitate an opportunity to establish an evidence-informed intervention.

Progress in the surgery of rectal cancer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rudolf Schiessel

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The treatment of rectal cancer has been improved a great deal within the last 20 years. Major progress has been made in the preoperative evaluation by introducing MRI- imaging as a basis for the further management. Neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy has been shown to be effective in downstaging of advanced tumours. The surgical technique has been improved in many respects.- Total mesorectal excision has reduced local recurrences, sphincter saving techniques such as low anterior resection and intersphincteric resection reduced the need for a permanent stoma to 10%-20%. Recently the introduction of minimal invasive techniques and the application of robotic systems have reduced the surgical trauma.

Task A: direct photon production (R807/808) and lepton production (NA34). Task B: direct photon production at the Tevatron (E-706). Task C: search for fractional charge particles in semiconductors. Progress report, June 1, 1984-May 31, 1985

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cleland, W.E.; Coon, D.D.; Engels, E. Jr.; Shepard, P.F.; Thompson, J.A.

1984-12-01

Task A started as the support of Pitt contingent of the Axial Field Spectrometer Collaboration, performing experiment R807/808 at CERN. Last year we joined a collaboration which was formed around the same basic group to perform an experiment at the SPS, using many of the R807/808 components to set up an experiment to study lepton production (NA34). We are therefore involved both in the setting up of the new experiment, for which we have taken a major responsibility for the trigger system, and in the analysis of data from the AFS experiment. The R807/808 experiment has probed several topics related to study of high P/sub T/ phenomena such as production of jets at high E/sub T/ [1, 2, 3, 4] and a comparison of their properties with jets seen in e + e - . Task B supports the Pitt contingent of the E706 collaboration, which is studying prompt photon production in πp and pp collisions at the Tevatron. The major contribution of the Pitt effort to the experiment is the provision of the array of semiconductor detectors required for the charged particle spectrometer to be used in the study of correlated hadronic jets. Because of the physics overlap between tasks A and B, our active participation in R807/808 strengthens our contribution to E706. In particular, the πp/pp comparison in E706 complements the anti pp/pp comparison in R807/808. Task C is the search for fractional-charge in semiconductors. The major effort is the development of a new experimental technique which combines field ionization and low background infrared spectroscopy using a liquid helium cooled monochromator and a computer controlled data acquisition. 87 references

Task conflict and proactive control: A computational theory of the Stroop task.

Science.gov (United States)

Kalanthroff, Eyal; Davelaar, Eddy J; Henik, Avishai; Goldfarb, Liat; Usher, Marius

2018-01-01

The Stroop task is a central experimental paradigm used to probe cognitive control by measuring the ability of participants to selectively attend to task-relevant information and inhibit automatic task-irrelevant responses. Research has revealed variability in both experimental manipulations and individual differences. Here, we focus on a particular source of Stroop variability, the reverse-facilitation (RF; faster responses to nonword neutral stimuli than to congruent stimuli), which has recently been suggested as a signature of task conflict. We first review the literature that shows RF variability in the Stroop task, both with regard to experimental manipulations and to individual differences. We suggest that task conflict variability can be understood as resulting from the degree of proactive control that subjects recruit in advance of the Stroop stimulus. When the proactive control is high, task conflict does not arise (or is resolved very quickly), resulting in regular Stroop facilitation. When proactive control is low, task conflict emerges, leading to a slow-down in congruent and incongruent (but not in neutral) trials and thus to Stroop RF. To support this suggestion, we present a computational model of the Stroop task, which includes the resolution of task conflict and its modulation by proactive control. Results show that our model (a) accounts for the variability in Stroop-RF reported in the experimental literature, and (b) solves a challenge to previous Stroop models-their ability to account for reaction time distributional properties. Finally, we discuss theoretical implications to Stroop measures and control deficits observed in some psychopathologies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Planning and task management in Parkinson's disease: differential emphasis in dual-task performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Bialystok, Ellen; Craik, Fergus I M; Stefurak, Taresa

2008-03-01

Seventeen patients diagnosed with Parkinson's disease completed a complex computer-based task that involved planning and management while also performing an attention-demanding secondary task. The tasks were performed concurrently, but it was necessary to switch from one to the other. Performance was compared to a group of healthy age-matched control participants and a group of young participants. Parkinson's patients performed better than the age-matched controls on almost all measures and as well as the young controls in many cases. However, the Parkinson's patients achieved this by paying relatively less attention to the secondary task and focusing attention more on the primary task. Thus, Parkinson's patients can apparently improve their performance on some aspects of a multidimensional task by simplifying task demands. This benefit may occur as a consequence of their inflexible exaggerated attention to some aspects of a complex task to the relative neglect of other aspects.

The Task Is Not Enough: Processing Approaches to Task-Based Performance

Science.gov (United States)

Skehan, Peter; Xiaoyue, Bei; Qian, Li; Wang, Zhan

2012-01-01

This article reports on three research studies, all of which concern second language task performance. The first focuses on planning, and compares on-line and strategic planning as well as task repetition. The second study examines the role of familiarity on task performance, and compares this with conventional strategic planning. The third study…

Self-narrative reconstruction in emotion-focused therapy: A preliminary task analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Cunha, Carla; Mendes, Inês; Ribeiro, António P; Angus, Lynne; Greenberg, Leslie S; Gonçalves, Miguel M

2017-11-01

This research explored the consolidation phase of emotion-focused therapy (EFT) for depression and studies-through a task-analysis method-how client-therapist dyads evolved from the exploration of the problem to self-narrative reconstruction. Innovative moments (IMs) were used to situate the process of self-narrative reconstruction within sessions, particularly through reconceptualization and performing change IMs. We contrasted the observation of these occurrences with a rational model of self-narrative reconstruction, previously built. This study presents the rational model and the revised rational-empirical model of the self-narrative reconstruction task in three EFT dyads, suggesting nine steps necessary for task resolution: (1) Explicit recognition of differences in the present and steps in the path of change; (2) Development of a meta-perspective contrast between present self and past self; (3) Amplification of contrast in the self; (4) A positive appreciation of changes is conveyed; (5) Occurrence of feelings of empowerment, competence, and mastery; (6) Reference to difficulties still present; (7) Emphasis on the loss of centrality of the problem; (8) Perception of change as a gradual, developing process; and (9) Reference to projects, experiences of change, or elaboration of new plans. Central aspects of therapist activity in facilitating the client's progression along these nine steps are also elaborated.

Single-task and dual-task tandem gait test performance after concussion.

Science.gov (United States)

Howell, David R; Osternig, Louis R; Chou, Li-Shan

2017-07-01

To compare single-task and dual-task tandem gait test performance between athletes after concussion with controls on observer-timed, spatio-temporal, and center-of-mass (COM) balance control measurements. Ten participants (19.0±5.5years) were prospectively identified and completed a tandem gait test protocol within 72h of concussion and again 1 week, 2 weeks, 1 month, and 2 months post-injury. Seven uninjured controls (20.0±4.5years) completed the same protocol in similar time increments. Tandem gait test trials were performed with (dual-task) and without (single-task) concurrently performing a cognitive test as whole-body motion analysis was performed. Outcome variables included test completion time, average tandem gait velocity, cadence, and whole-body COM frontal plane displacement. Concussion participants took significantly longer to complete the dual-task tandem gait test than controls throughout the first 2 weeks post-injury (mean time=16.4 [95% CI: 13.4-19.4] vs. 10.1 [95% CI: 6.4-13.7] seconds; p=0.03). Single-task tandem gait times were significantly lower 72h post-injury (p=0.04). Dual-task cadence was significantly lower for concussion participants than controls (89.5 [95% CI: 68.6-110.4] vs. 127.0 [95% CI: 97.4-156.6] steps/minute; p=0.04). Moderately-high to high correlations between tandem gait test time and whole-body COM medial-lateral displacement were detected at each time point during dual-task gait (r s =0.70-0.93; p=0.03-0.001). Adding a cognitive task during the tandem gait test resulted in longer detectable deficits post-concussion compared to the traditional single-task tandem gait test. As a clinical tool to assess dynamic motor function, tandem gait may assist with return to sport decisions after concussion. Copyright © 2017 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Great Lakes Environmental Database (GLENDA)

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — The Great Lakes Environmental Database (GLENDA) houses environmental data on a wide variety of constituents in water, biota, sediment, and air in the Great Lakes area.

When predictions take control: The effect of task predictions on task switching performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wout eDuthoo

2012-08-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we aimed to investigate the role of self-generated predictions in the flexible control of behaviour. Therefore, we ran a task switching experiment in which participants were asked to try to predict the upcoming task in three conditions varying in switch rate (30%, 50% and 70%. Irrespective of their predictions, the colour of the target indicated which task participants had to perform. In line with previous studies (Mayr, 2006; Monsell & Mizon, 2006, the switch cost was attenuated as the switch rate increased. Importantly, a clear task repetition bias was found in all conditions, yet the task repetition prediction rate dropped from 78% over 66% to 49% with increasing switch probability in the three conditions. Irrespective of condition, the switch cost was strongly reduced in expectation of a task alternation compared to the cost of an unexpected task alternation following repetition predictions. Hence, our data suggest that the reduction in the switch cost with increasing switch probability is caused by a diminished expectancy for the task to repeat. Taken together, this paper highlights the importance of predictions in the flexible control of behaviour, and suggests a crucial role for task repetition expectancy in the context-sensitive adjusting of task switching performance.

ExM:System Support for Extreme-Scale, Many-Task Applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Katz, Daniel S

2011-05-31

The ever-increasing power of supercomputer systems is both driving and enabling the emergence of new problem-solving methods that require the effi cient execution of many concurrent and interacting tasks. Methodologies such as rational design (e.g., in materials science), uncertainty quanti fication (e.g., in engineering), parameter estimation (e.g., for chemical and nuclear potential functions, and in economic energy systems modeling), massive dynamic graph pruning (e.g., in phylogenetic searches), Monte-Carlo- based iterative fi xing (e.g., in protein structure prediction), and inverse modeling (e.g., in reservoir simulation) all have these requirements. These many-task applications frequently have aggregate computing needs that demand the fastest computers. For example, proposed next-generation climate model ensemble studies will involve 1,000 or more runs, each requiring 10,000 cores for a week, to characterize model sensitivity to initial condition and parameter uncertainty. The goal of the ExM project is to achieve the technical advances required to execute such many-task applications efficiently, reliably, and easily on petascale and exascale computers. In this way, we will open up extreme-scale computing to new problem solving methods and application classes. In this document, we report on combined technical progress of the collaborative ExM project, and the institutional financial status of the portion of the project at University of Chicago, over the rst 8 months (through April 30, 2011)

Progression-free survival, post-progression survival, and tumor response as surrogate markers for overall survival in patients with extensive small cell lung cancer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hisao Imai

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Objectives: The effects of first-line chemotherapy on overall survival (OS might be confounded by subsequent therapies in patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC. We examined whether progression-free survival (PFS, post-progression survival (PPS, and tumor response could be valid surrogate endpoints for OS after first-line chemotherapies for patients with extensive SCLC using individual-level data. Methods: Between September 2002 and November 2012, we analyzed 49 cases of patients with extensive SCLC who were treated with cisplatin and irinotecan as first-line chemotherapy. The relationships of PFS, PPS, and tumor response with OS were analyzed at the individual level. Results: Spearman rank correlation analysis and linear regression analysis showed that PPS was strongly correlated with OS (r = 0.97, p < 0.05, R 2 = 0.94, PFS was moderately correlated with OS (r = 0.58, p < 0.05, R 2 = 0.24, and tumor shrinkage was weakly correlated with OS (r = 0.37, p < 0.05, R 2 = 0.13. The best response to second-line treatment, and the number of regimens employed after progression beyond first-line chemotherapy were both significantly associated with PPS ( p ≤ 0.05. Conclusion: PPS is a potential surrogate for OS in patients with extensive SCLC. Our findings also suggest that subsequent treatment after disease progression following first-line chemotherapy may greatly influence OS.

The similar effects of verbal and non-verbal intervening tasks on word recall in an elderly population.

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, B R; Sullivan, S K; Morra, L F; Williams, J R; Donovick, P J

2014-01-01

Vulnerability to retroactive interference has been shown to increase with cognitive aging. Consistent with the findings of memory and aging literature, the authors of the California Verbal Learning Test-II (CVLT-II) suggest that a non-verbal task be administered during the test's delay interval to minimize the effects of retroactive interference on delayed recall. The goal of the present study was to determine the extent to which retroactive interference caused by non-verbal and verbal intervening tasks affects recall of verbal information in non-demented, older adults. The effects of retroactive interference on recall of words during Long-Delay recall on the California Verbal Learning Test-II (CVLT-II) were evaluated. Participants included 85 adults age 60 and older. During a 20-minute delay interval on the CVLT-II, participants received either a verbal (WAIS-III Vocabulary or Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-IIIB) or non-verbal (Raven's Standard Progressive Matrices or WAIS-III Block Design) intervening task. Similarly to previous research with young adults (Williams & Donovick, 2008), older adults recalled the same number of words across all groups, regardless of the type of intervening task. These findings suggest that the administration of verbal intervening tasks during the CVLT-II do not elicit more retroactive interference than non-verbal intervening tasks, and thus verbal tasks need not be avoided during the delay interval of the CVLT-II.

On the importance of Task 1 and error performance measures in PRP dual-task studies

Science.gov (United States)

Strobach, Tilo; Schütz, Anja; Schubert, Torsten

2015-01-01

The psychological refractory period (PRP) paradigm is a dominant research tool in the literature on dual-task performance. In this paradigm a first and second component task (i.e., Task 1 and Task 2) are presented with variable stimulus onset asynchronies (SOAs) and priority to perform Task 1. The main indicator of dual-task impairment in PRP situations is an increasing Task 2-RT with decreasing SOAs. This impairment is typically explained with some task components being processed strictly sequentially in the context of the prominent central bottleneck theory. This assumption could implicitly suggest that processes of Task 1 are unaffected by Task 2 and bottleneck processing, i.e., decreasing SOAs do not increase reaction times (RTs) and error rates of the first task. The aim of the present review is to assess whether PRP dual-task studies included both RT and error data presentations and statistical analyses and whether studies including both data types (i.e., RTs and error rates) show data consistent with this assumption (i.e., decreasing SOAs and unaffected RTs and/or error rates in Task 1). This review demonstrates that, in contrast to RT presentations and analyses, error data is underrepresented in a substantial number of studies. Furthermore, a substantial number of studies with RT and error data showed a statistically significant impairment of Task 1 performance with decreasing SOA. Thus, these studies produced data that is not primarily consistent with the strong assumption that processes of Task 1 are unaffected by Task 2 and bottleneck processing in the context of PRP dual-task situations; this calls for a more careful report and analysis of Task 1 performance in PRP studies and for a more careful consideration of theories proposing additions to the bottleneck assumption, which are sufficiently general to explain Task 1 and Task 2 effects. PMID:25904890

On the importance of Task 1 and error performance measures in PRP dual-task studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Strobach, Tilo; Schütz, Anja; Schubert, Torsten

2015-01-01

The psychological refractory period (PRP) paradigm is a dominant research tool in the literature on dual-task performance. In this paradigm a first and second component task (i.e., Task 1 and Task 2) are presented with variable stimulus onset asynchronies (SOAs) and priority to perform Task 1. The main indicator of dual-task impairment in PRP situations is an increasing Task 2-RT with decreasing SOAs. This impairment is typically explained with some task components being processed strictly sequentially in the context of the prominent central bottleneck theory. This assumption could implicitly suggest that processes of Task 1 are unaffected by Task 2 and bottleneck processing, i.e., decreasing SOAs do not increase reaction times (RTs) and error rates of the first task. The aim of the present review is to assess whether PRP dual-task studies included both RT and error data presentations and statistical analyses and whether studies including both data types (i.e., RTs and error rates) show data consistent with this assumption (i.e., decreasing SOAs and unaffected RTs and/or error rates in Task 1). This review demonstrates that, in contrast to RT presentations and analyses, error data is underrepresented in a substantial number of studies. Furthermore, a substantial number of studies with RT and error data showed a statistically significant impairment of Task 1 performance with decreasing SOA. Thus, these studies produced data that is not primarily consistent with the strong assumption that processes of Task 1 are unaffected by Task 2 and bottleneck processing in the context of PRP dual-task situations; this calls for a more careful report and analysis of Task 1 performance in PRP studies and for a more careful consideration of theories proposing additions to the bottleneck assumption, which are sufficiently general to explain Task 1 and Task 2 effects.

Basic studies of atomic dynamics. Progress report for period October 1, 1977--September 30, 1978

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fano, U.

1978-01-01

Novel and unexpected progress was achieved this year on the interaction of an electron with a polar molecule, by introducing an adiabatic procedure of progressive frame transformation whose adiabatic channels are determined by solving a two-variable non-separable problem. This success and the requirements of other tasks have increased interest in unraveling the significance of approximations based on separability of variables and adiabaticity whose success keeps exceeding expectations. Efforts in this direction are just beginning. Promising progress has also been achieved in calculations of a pair of correlated electrons in the field of an ion rather than of a bare nucleus. This work centers on the states of K - . The theory of crystal electron states with point symmetry about an impurity has made further progress but it has reached now a stopping point still short of its ultimate goal. The study of symmetries in atomic processes by tensorial methods has made much progress, thanks primarily to experimentalists interested in exploiting or refining their work. A list of reports is included

Task-shifting: experiences and opinions of health workers in Mozambique and Zambia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ferrinho Paulo

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background This paper describes the task-shifting taking place in health centres and district hospitals in Mozambique and Zambia. The objectives of this study were to identify the perceived causes and factors facilitating or impeding task-shifting, and to determine both the positive and negative consequences of task-shifting for the service users, for the services and for health workers. Methods Data collection involved individual and group interviews and focus group discussions with health workers from the civil service. Results In both the Republic of Mozambique and the Republic of Zambia, health workers have to practice beyond the traditional scope of their professional practice to cope with their daily tasks. They do so to ensure that their patients receive the level of care that they, the health workers, deem due to them, even in the absence of written instructions. The “out of professional scope” activities consume a significant amount of working time. On occasions, health workers are given on-the-job training to assume new roles, but job titles and rewards do not change, and career progression is unheard of. Ancillary staff and nurses are the two cadres assuming a greater diversity of functions as a result of improvised task-shifting. Conclusions Our observations show that the consequences of staff deficits and poor conditions of work include heavier workloads for those on duty, the closure of some services, the inability to release staff for continuing education, loss of quality, conflicts with patients, risks for patients, unsatisfied staff (with the exception of ancillary staff and hazards for health workers and managers. Task-shifting is openly acknowledged and widespread, informal and carries risks for patients, staff and management.

The Effect of Written Corrective Feedback on the Accuracy of Output Task and Learning of Target Form

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad Reza Hasannejad

2010-05-01

Full Text Available The effect of error feedback on the accuracy of output task types such as editing task, text reconstruction task, picture cued writing task, and dictogloss task, has not been clearly explored. Following arguments concerning that the combination of both corrective feedback and output makes it difficult to determine whether their effects were in combination or alone, the purpose of the present study is to document the role of teachers’ feedback in improving the accuracy of linguistic form in output tasks and in acquiring target form. To this end, this study compared three groups of Iranian intermediate learners (N= 93, one with direct grammar feedback, the other one with indirect grammar feedback and the last one with no grammar feedback. In terms of the target form uptake from first to subsequent text reconstruction tasks, the analysis of the data obtained within ten treatment sessions indicated that the participants, who received written corrective feedback compared to those who did not, progressed significantly from the first to the subsequent output tasks. In terms of learning, the learners who had the opportunities for receiving feedback performed significantly better than those in non- feedback condition on the production and recognition post- tests although explicit feedback rather than implicit feedback led to greater learning of target form on the production test, but no significant differences were found in relative efficacy of the two written corrective feedback types as far as the result of the recognition test was concerned.

Evaluating the Predictive Power of Multivariate Tensor-based Morphometry in Alzheimers Disease Progression via Convex Fused Sparse Group Lasso.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsao, Sinchai; Gajawelli, Niharika; Zhou, Jiayu; Shi, Jie; Ye, Jieping; Wang, Yalin; Lepore, Natasha

2014-03-21

Prediction of Alzheimers disease (AD) progression based on baseline measures allows us to understand disease progression and has implications in decisions concerning treatment strategy. To this end we combine a predictive multi-task machine learning method 1 with novel MR-based multivariate morphometric surface map of the hippocampus 2 to predict future cognitive scores of patients. Previous work by Zhou et al. 1 has shown that a multi-task learning framework that performs prediction of all future time points (or tasks) simultaneously can be used to encode both sparsity as well as temporal smoothness. They showed that this can be used in predicting cognitive outcomes of Alzheimers Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) subjects based on FreeSurfer-based baseline MRI features, MMSE score demographic information and ApoE status. Whilst volumetric information may hold generalized information on brain status, we hypothesized that hippocampus specific information may be more useful in predictive modeling of AD. To this end, we applied Shi et al. 2 s recently developed multivariate tensor-based (mTBM) parametric surface analysis method to extract features from the hippocampal surface. We show that by combining the power of the multi-task framework with the sensitivity of mTBM features of the hippocampus surface, we are able to improve significantly improve predictive performance of ADAS cognitive scores 6, 12, 24, 36 and 48 months from baseline.

Evaluating the predictive power of multivariate tensor-based morphometry in Alzheimer's disease progression via convex fused sparse group Lasso

Science.gov (United States)

Tsao, Sinchai; Gajawelli, Niharika; Zhou, Jiayu; Shi, Jie; Ye, Jieping; Wang, Yalin; Lepore, Natasha

2014-03-01

Prediction of Alzheimers disease (AD) progression based on baseline measures allows us to understand disease progression and has implications in decisions concerning treatment strategy. To this end we combine a predictive multi-task machine learning method1 with novel MR-based multivariate morphometric surface map of the hippocampus2 to predict future cognitive scores of patients. Previous work by Zhou et al.1 has shown that a multi-task learning framework that performs prediction of all future time points (or tasks) simultaneously can be used to encode both sparsity as well as temporal smoothness. They showed that this can be used in predicting cognitive outcomes of Alzheimers Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) subjects based on FreeSurfer-based baseline MRI features, MMSE score demographic information and ApoE status. Whilst volumetric information may hold generalized information on brain status, we hypothesized that hippocampus specific information may be more useful in predictive modeling of AD. To this end, we applied Shi et al.2s recently developed multivariate tensor-based (mTBM) parametric surface analysis method to extract features from the hippocampal surface. We show that by combining the power of the multi-task framework with the sensitivity of mTBM features of the hippocampus surface, we are able to improve significantly improve predictive performance of ADAS cognitive scores 6, 12, 24, 36 and 48 months from baseline.

Progress towards the development of SH2 domain inhibitors.

Science.gov (United States)

Kraskouskaya, Dziyana; Duodu, Eugenia; Arpin, Carolynn C; Gunning, Patrick T

2013-04-21

Src homology 2 (SH2) domains are 100 amino acid modular units, which recognize and bind to tyrosyl-phosphorylated peptide sequences on their target proteins, and thereby mediate intracellular protein-protein interactions. This review summarizes the progress towards the development of synthetic agents that disrupt the function of the SH2 domains in different proteins as well as the clinical relevance of targeting a specific SH2 domain. Since 1986, SH2 domains have been identified in over 110 human proteins, including kinases, transcription factors, and adaptor proteins. A number of these proteins are over-activated in many diseases, including cancer, and their function is highly dependent on their SH2 domain. Thus, inhibition of a protein's function through disrupting that of its SH2 domain has emerged as a promising approach towards the development of novel therapeutic modalities. Although targeting the SH2 domain is a challenging task in molecular recognition, the progress reported here demonstrates the feasibility of such an approach.

Technical progress in planning organization of the Ostravo-Karwina coal basin, ''Mining Projects of Ostravo''

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Karpeta, B; Kolar, J

1979-01-01

Based on the main task of further improvement in labor productivity and improvement in the quality of products, the leading planning organization of the Ostravo-Karwina basin is planning and realizing progressive technological plans based on new equipment. Long-term plans for basin development up to 1990 stipulate a rise in capital investments by 180%, increase in the volume of productivity by 164% with a rise in the number of workers by 142%. Corresponding technical progress in planning is based on an improvement in the system of scientific-technical information, automation and technical equipping of the planning process, improvements in the forms and organizational structure. Organization of specialized research-planning groups to substantiate and to technically-economically evaluate technical progress, and also to develop comprehensive technical assignments is stipulated.

Primary progressive apraxia of speech: clinical features and acoustic and neurologic correlates.

Science.gov (United States)

Duffy, Joseph R; Strand, Edythe A; Clark, Heather; Machulda, Mary; Whitwell, Jennifer L; Josephs, Keith A

2015-05-01

This study summarizes 2 illustrative cases of a neurodegenerative speech disorder, primary progressive apraxia of speech (AOS), as a vehicle for providing an overview of the disorder and an approach to describing and quantifying its perceptual features and some of its temporal acoustic attributes. Two individuals with primary progressive AOS underwent speech-language and neurologic evaluations on 2 occasions, ranging from 2.0 to 7.5 years postonset. Performance on several tests, tasks, and rating scales, as well as several acoustic measures, were compared over time within and between cases. Acoustic measures were compared with performance of control speakers. Both patients initially presented with AOS as the only or predominant sign of disease and without aphasia or dysarthria. The presenting features and temporal progression were captured in an AOS Rating Scale, an Articulation Error Score, and temporal acoustic measures of utterance duration, syllable rates per second, rates of speechlike alternating motion and sequential motion, and a pairwise variability index measure. AOS can be the predominant manifestation of neurodegenerative disease. Clinical ratings of its attributes and acoustic measures of some of its temporal characteristics can support its diagnosis and help quantify its salient characteristics and progression over time.

Bruce A refurbishment - preparatory work completed, major tasks to begin soon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boyd, F.

2006-01-01

Over the past year Bruce Power has been planning and organizing for an extensive refurbishment of the Units 1 and 2 of the Bruce A station. Now the company and its several major contractors are ready to proceed with the most challenging aspects of the actual work. The largest tasks are the replacement of the 8 steam generators and of the 480 complete fuel channels in each unit Bruce Power has created a separate website connected to their basic one to provide ongoing information about the progress of the work. The following brief note is intended to provide an outline of this challenging refurbishment program and to invite readers to visit this website to follow its progress. To provide background the writer was accorded an informative and interesting tour of the units by Rob Liddle, of Bruce Power, on September 28, 2006 the day after the ceremony commemorating the Douglas Point station held at the Bruce site. (author)

Comparative Effects of Different Balance-Training-Progression Styles on Postural Control and Ankle Force Production: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Cuğ, Mutlu; Duncan, Ashley; Wikstrom, Erik

2016-02-01

Despite the effectiveness of balance training, the exact parameters needed to maximize the benefits of such programs remain unknown. One such factor is how individuals should progress to higher levels of task difficulty within a balance-training program. Yet no investigators have directly compared different balance-training-progression styles. To compare an error-based progression (ie, advance when proficient at a task) with a repetition-based progression (ie, advance after a set amount of repetitions) style during a balance-training program in healthy individuals. Randomized controlled trial. Research laboratory. A total of 28 (16 women, 12 men) physically healthy young adults (age = 21.57 ± 3.95 years, height = 171.60 ± 11.03 cm, weight = 72.96 ± 16.18 kg, body mass index = 24.53 ± 3.7). All participants completed 12 supervised balance-training sessions over 4 weeks. Each session consisted of a combination of dynamic unstable-surface tasks that incorporated a BOSU ball and lasted about 30 minutes. Static balance from an instrumented force plate, dynamic balance as measured via the Star Excursion Balance Test, and ankle force production in all 4 cardinal planes of motion as measured with a handheld dynamometer before and after the intervention. Selected static postural-control outcomes, dynamic postural control, and ankle force production in all planes of motion improved (P .05) for any of the outcome measures. A 4-week balance-training program consisting of dynamic unstable-surface exercises on a BOSU ball improved dynamic postural control and ankle force production in healthy young adults. These results suggest that an error-based balance-training program is comparable with but not superior to a repetition-based balance-training program in improving postural control and ankle force production in healthy young adults.

Is a "Complex" Task Really Complex? Validating the Assumption of Cognitive Task Complexity

Science.gov (United States)

Sasayama, Shoko

2016-01-01

In research on task-based learning and teaching, it has traditionally been assumed that differing degrees of cognitive task complexity can be inferred through task design and/or observations of differing qualities in linguistic production elicited by second language (L2) communication tasks. Without validating this assumption, however, it is…

33 CFR 100.124 - Maggie Fischer Memorial Great South Bay Cross Bay Swim, Great South Bay, New York.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Maggie Fischer Memorial Great South Bay Cross Bay Swim, Great South Bay, New York. 100.124 Section 100.124 Navigation and Navigable... NAVIGABLE WATERS § 100.124 Maggie Fischer Memorial Great South Bay Cross Bay Swim, Great South Bay, New York...

On the importance of Task 1 and error performance measures in PRP dual-task studies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tilo eStrobach

2015-04-01

Full Text Available The Psychological Refractory Period (PRP paradigm is a dominant research tool in the literature on dual-task performance. In this paradigm a first and second component task (i.e., Task 1 and 2 are presented with variable stimulus onset asynchronies (SOAs and priority to perform Task 1. The main indicator of dual-task impairment in PRP situations is an increasing Task 2-RT with decreasing SOAs. This impairment is typically explained with some task components being processed strictly sequentially in the context of the prominent central bottleneck theory. This assumption could implicitly suggest that processes of Task 1 are unaffected by Task 2 and bottleneck processing, i.e. decreasing SOAs do not increase RTs and error rates of the first task. The aim of the present review is to assess whether PRP dual-task studies included both RT and error data presentations and statistical analyses and whether studies including both data types (i.e., RTs and error rates show data consistent with this assumption (i.e., decreasing SOAs and unaffected RTs and/ or error rates in Task 1. This review demonstrates that, in contrast to RT presentations and analyses, error data is underrepresented in a substantial number of studies. Furthermore, a substantial number of studies with RT and error data showed a statistically significant impairment of Task 1 performance with decreasing SOA. Thus, these studies produced data that is not primarily consistent with the strong assumption that processes of Task 1 are unaffected by Task 2 and bottleneck processing in the context of PRP dual-task situations; this calls for a more careful report and analysis of Task 1 performance in PRP studies and for a more careful consideration of theories proposing additions to the bottleneck assumption, which are sufficiently general to explain Task 1 and Task 2 effects.

Support of nuclear engineering education and research at the University of Michigan. Progress report, May 15, 1993--May 14, 1994

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martin, W.R.

1994-05-01

This report describes progress on four different projects in the fission reactor area that have been supported by the grant during the past year. These projects are: Accelerator transmutation of nuclear waste (Steve Pearson); Neutronic analysis of the Ford Nuclear Reactor (Brent Renkema); and Monte Carlo depletion capability and new perturbation Monte Carlo algorithms, with utilization of massively parallel processors (Amit Majumdar). These tasks are briefly described and progress to date is presented

Coolant mixing in LMFBR rod bundles and outlet plenum mixing transients. Progress report, March 1, 1977--May 31, 1977

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Todreas, N.E.; Golay, M.W.; Wolf, L.

1977-01-01

Progress is summarized in the following tasks: (1) bundle flow studies (wrapped and bare rods); (2) subchannel flow studies (bare rods); (3) LMFBR outlet plenum flow mixing; and (4) theoretical determination of local temperature fields in LMFBR fuel rod bundles

Discovering Greatness

Science.gov (United States)

Ali, Muhammad

2012-01-01

People are confronting the most pressing challenge facing every family, school, and community--raising respectful children in a toxic world. In simpler societies, raising children was a shared task of the whole community, as adults and youth worked in harmony and mutual respect. Today, humans are the only species in creation living out of balance.…

Cognitive task load analysis : Allocating tasks and designing support

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Neerincx, M.A.

2003-01-01

We present a method for Cognitive Task Analysis that guides the early stages of software development, aiming at an optimal cognitive load for operators of process control systems. The method is based on a practical theory of cognitive task load and support. In addition to the classical measure

Impact of cardiac symptoms on self-reported household task performance in women with coronary artery disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Kimble, L P

2001-01-01

, especially in older women with heart disease, and whether changes in ability to perform household tasks could be a marker for coronary artery disease progression in women.

Overview of the ID, EPI and REL tasks of BioNLP Shared Task 2011

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pyysalo Sampo

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract We present the preparation, resources, results and analysis of three tasks of the BioNLP Shared Task 2011: the main tasks on Infectious Diseases (ID and Epigenetics and Post-translational Modifications (EPI, and the supporting task on Entity Relations (REL. The two main tasks represent extensions of the event extraction model introduced in the BioNLP Shared Task 2009 (ST'09 to two new areas of biomedical scientific literature, each motivated by the needs of specific biocuration tasks. The ID task concerns the molecular mechanisms of infection, virulence and resistance, focusing in particular on the functions of a class of signaling systems that are ubiquitous in bacteria. The EPI task is dedicated to the extraction of statements regarding chemical modifications of DNA and proteins, with particular emphasis on changes relating to the epigenetic control of gene expression. By contrast to these two application-oriented main tasks, the REL task seeks to support extraction in general by separating challenges relating to part-of relations into a subproblem that can be addressed by independent systems. Seven groups participated in each of the two main tasks and four groups in the supporting task. The participating systems indicated advances in the capability of event extraction methods and demonstrated generalization in many aspects: from abstracts to full texts, from previously considered subdomains to new ones, and from the ST'09 extraction targets to other entities and events. The highest performance achieved in the supporting task REL, 58% F-score, is broadly comparable with levels reported for other relation extraction tasks. For the ID task, the highest-performing system achieved 56% F-score, comparable to the state-of-the-art performance at the established ST'09 task. In the EPI task, the best result was 53% F-score for the full set of extraction targets and 69% F-score for a reduced set of core extraction targets, approaching a level

Financial Capacity and its Cognitive Predictors in Progressive Multiple Sclerosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Gerstenecker, Adam; Myers, Terina; Lowry, Kathleen; Martin, Roy C; Triebel, Kristen L; Bashir, Khurram; Marson, Daniel C

2017-12-01

Financial capacity is a cognitively-complex activity of daily living that has been shown to decline in a number of neurocognitive disorders. Although it has been well established that cognitive decline is common in multiple sclerosis (MS), little is known about possible financial capacity impairment in people with MS. Thus, the objective of the current study is to investigate financial capacity and its neurocognitive correlates in MS. Data from 22 people with progressive MS and a healthy comparison group composed of 18 adults were analyzed. MS diagnoses were made by a board-certified neurologist with experience in MS. Study participants were administered the Financial Capacity Instrument, a performance-based measure of financial capacity, and neuropsychological battery. Overall financial capacity and most complex financial domains were significantly poorer for people with progressive MS in relation to the healthy comparison group, and a number of cognitive variables were associated with financial capacity declines. Financial capacity is a complex cognitively-mediated functional ability that was impaired in 50% of the current sample of people with progressive MS. These results indicate that people with progressive MS are at greater risk for showing impairment in complex financial tasks and should be clinically monitored for possible deficits in financial capacity. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Mechanisms of Practice-Related Reductions of Dual-Task Interference with Simple Tasks: Data and Theory

Science.gov (United States)

Strobach, Tilo; Torsten, Schubert

2017-01-01

In dual-task situations, interference between two simultaneous tasks impairs performance. With practice, however, this impairment can be reduced. To identify mechanisms leading to a practice-related improvement in sensorimotor dual tasks, the present review applied the following general hypothesis: Sources that impair dual-task performance at the beginning of practice are associated with mechanisms for the reduction of dual-task impairment at the end of practice. The following types of processes provide sources for the occurrence of this impairment: (a) capacity-limited processes within the component tasks, such as response-selection or motor response stages, and (b) cognitive control processes independent of these tasks and thus operating outside of component-task performance. Dual-task practice studies show that, under very specific conditions, capacity-limited processes within the component tasks are automatized with practice, reducing the interference between two simultaneous tasks. Further, there is evidence that response-selection stages are shortened with practice. Thus, capacity limitations at these stages are sources for dual-task costs at the beginning of practice and are overcome with practice. However, there is no evidence demonstrating the existence of practice-related mechanisms associated with capacity-limited motor-response stages. Further, during practice, there is an acquisition of executive control skills for an improved allocation of limited attention resources to two tasks as well as some evidence supporting the assumption of improved task coordination. These latter mechanisms are associated with sources of dual-task interference operating outside of component task performance at the beginning of practice and also contribute to the reduction of dual-task interference at its end. PMID:28439319

Great Expectations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dickens, Charles

2005-01-01

One of Dickens's most renowned and enjoyable novels, Great Expectations tells the story of Pip, an orphan boy who wishes to transcend his humble origins and finds himself unexpectedly given the opportunity to live a life of wealth and respectability. Over the course of the tale, in which Pip

An Overview of the Smart Grid in Great Britain

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nick Jenkins

2015-12-01

Full Text Available This paper presents an overview of the current status of the development of the smart grid in Great Britain (GB. The definition, policy and technical drivers, incentive mechanisms, technological focus, and the industry's progress in developing the smart grid are described. In particular, the Low Carbon Networks Fund and Electricity Network Innovation Competition projects, together with the rollout of smart metering, are detailed. A more observable, controllable, automated, and integrated electricity network will be supported by these investments in conjunction with smart meter installation. It is found that the focus has mainly been on distribution networks as well as on real-time flows of information and interaction between suppliers and consumers facilitated by improved information and communications technology, active power flow management, demand management, and energy storage. The learning from the GB smart grid initiatives will provide valuable guidelines for future smart grid development in GB and other countries.

Task design influences prosociality in captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bailey R House

Full Text Available Chimpanzees confer benefits on group members, both in the wild and in captive populations. Experimental studies of how animals allocate resources can provide useful insights about the motivations underlying prosocial behavior, and understanding the relationship between task design and prosocial behavior provides an important foundation for future research exploring these animals' social preferences. A number of studies have been designed to assess chimpanzees' preferences for outcomes that benefit others (prosocial preferences, but these studies vary greatly in both the results obtained and the methods used, and in most cases employ procedures that reduce critical features of naturalistic social interactions, such as partner choice. The focus of the current study is on understanding the link between experimental methodology and prosocial behavior in captive chimpanzees, rather than on describing these animals' social motivations themselves. We introduce a task design that avoids isolating subjects and allows them to freely decide whether to participate in the experiment. We explore key elements of the methods utilized in previous experiments in an effort to evaluate two possibilities that have been offered to explain why different experimental designs produce different results: (a chimpanzees are less likely to deliver food to others when they obtain food for themselves, and (b evidence of prosociality may be obscured by more "complex" experimental apparatuses (e.g., those including more components or alternative choices. Our results suggest that the complexity of laboratory tasks may generate observed variation in prosocial behavior in laboratory experiments, and highlights the need for more naturalistic research designs while also providing one example of such a paradigm.

Force control tasks with pure haptic feedback promote short-term focused attention.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Dangxiao; Zhang, Yuru; Yang, Xiaoxiao; Yang, Gaofeng; Yang, Yi

2014-01-01

Focused attention has great impact on our quality of life. Our learning, social skills and even happiness are closely intertwined with our capacity for focused attention. Attention promotion is replete with examples of training-induced increases in attention capability, most of which rely on visual and auditory stimulation. Pure haptic stimulation to increase attention capability is rarely found. We show that accurate force control tasks with pure haptic feedback enhance short-term focused attention. Participants were trained by a force control task in which information from visual and auditory channels was blocked, and only haptic feedback was provided. The trainees were asked to exert a target force within a pre-defined force tolerance for a specific duration. The tolerance was adaptively modified to different levels of difficulty to elicit full participant engagement. Three attention tests showed significant changes in different aspects of focused attention in participants who had been trained as compared with those who had not, thereby illustrating the role of haptic-based sensory-motor tasks in the promotion of short-term focused attention. The findings highlight the potential value of haptic stimuli in brain plasticity and serve as a new tool to extend existing computer games for cognitive enhancement.

Contracts for field projects and supporting research on enhanced oil recovery. Progress review No. 71, quarter ending June 30, 1992

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1993-06-01

Progress reports are presented for the following tasks: chemical flooding--supporting research; gas displacement--supporting research; thermal recovery--supporting research; geoscience technology; resource assessment technology; microbial technology; and novel technology. A list of available publication is also provided.

Oil shale research and coordination. Progress report, 1980-1981

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chappell, W R

1981-01-01

Purpose is to evaluate the environmental and health consequences of the release of toxic trace elements by an oil shale industry. Emphasis is on the five elements As, Mo, F, Se, and B. Results of four years' research are summarized and the research results over the past year are reported in this document. Reports by the task force are included as appendices, together with individual papers on various aspects of the subject topic. Separate abstracts were prepared for the eleven individual papers. A progress report on the IWG oil shale risk analysis is included at the end of this document. (DLC)

Self-Efficacy, Task Complexity and Task Performance: Exploring Interactions in Two Versions of Vocabulary Learning Tasks

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Xiaoli; Lowyck, Joost; Sercu, Lies; Elen, Jan

2012-01-01

The present study aimed for better understanding of the interactions between task complexity and students' self-efficacy beliefs and students' use of learning strategies, and finally their interacting effects on task performance. This investigation was carried out in the context of Chinese students learning English as a foreign language in a…

Site characterization progress report: Yucca Mountain, Nevada. Progress report number 17, April 1, 1997--September 30, 1997

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1998-04-01

The US Department of Energy`s (DOE) Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management (OCRWM), created with the enactment of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 (NWPA), is tasked to accept and dispose of the nation`s high-level radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel in a deep geologic repository (high-level radioactive waste program). The report summarizes significant site characterization activities during the period from April 1, 1997 through September 30, 1997, in the evaluation of Yucca Mountain as a potential site for the geologic disposal of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive wastes. The progress report also cites technical reports and research products that provide the detailed information on these activities. Chapter 2 outlines technical and regulatory issues that must be addressed by the Project and planned work toward achieving future objectives concerning the viability assessment, the environmental impact statement, the site recommendation, and the license application. Chapter 3 describes technical progress in preclosure radiological safety analysis, postclosure performance assessment, and performance confirmation activities. Chapter 4 describes various aspects of repository and waste package design and construction. It also discusses the Exploration Studies Facility cross drift. Chapter 5 describes site characterization activities, and Chapter 6 contains a complete list of references.

Site characterization progress report: Yucca Mountain, Nevada. Progress report number 17, April 1, 1997 - September 30, 1997

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1998-04-01

The US Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management (OCRWM), created with the enactment of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 (NWPA), is tasked to accept and dispose of the nation's high-level radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel in a deep geologic repository (high-level radioactive waste program). The report summarizes significant site characterization activities during the period from April 1, 1997 through September 30, 1997, in the evaluation of Yucca Mountain as a potential site for the geologic disposal of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive wastes. The progress report also cites technical reports and research products that provide the detailed information on these activities. Chapter 2 outlines technical and regulatory issues that must be addressed by the Project and planned work toward achieving future objectives concerning the viability assessment, the environmental impact statement, the site recommendation, and the license application. Chapter 3 describes technical progress in preclosure radiological safety analysis, postclosure performance assessment, and performance confirmation activities. Chapter 4 describes various aspects of repository and waste package design and construction. It also discusses the Exploration Studies Facility cross drift. Chapter 5 describes site characterization activities, and Chapter 6 contains a complete list of references

Differences in time course activation of dorsolateral prefrontal cortex associated with low or high risk choicesin a gambling task

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stefano eBembich

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Prefrontal cortex plays an important role in decision making (DM, supporting choices in the ordinary uncertainty of everyday life. To assess DM in an unpredictable situation, a playing card task, such as the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT, has been proposed. This task is supposed to specifically test emotion-based learning, linked to the integrity of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC. However, the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC has demonstrated a role in IGT performance too. Our aim was to study, by multichannel near-infrared spectroscopy, the contribution of DLPFC to the IGT execution over time. We tested the hypothesis that low and high risk choices would differentially activate DLPFC, as IGT execution progressed. We enrolled 11 healthy adults. To identify DLPFC activation associated with IGT choices, we compared regional differences in oxy-haemoglobin variation, from baseline to the event. The time course of task execution was divided in four periods, each one consisting of 25 choices, and DLPFC activation was distinctly analyzed for low and high risk choices in each period. We found different time courses in DLPFC activation, associated with low or high risk choices. During the first period, a significant DLPFC activation emerged with low risk choices, whereas, during the second period, we found a cortical activation with high risk choices. Then, DLPFC activation decreased to non-significant levels during the third and fourth period. This study shows that DLPFC involvement in IGT execution is differentiated over time and according to choice risk level. DLPFC is activated only in the first half of the task, earlier by low risk and later by high risk choices. We speculate that DLPFC may sustain initial and more cognitive functions, such as attention shifting and response inhibition. The lack of DLPFC activation, as the task progresses, may be due to VMPFC activation, not detectable by fNIRS, which takes over the IGT execution in its

The great intimidators.

Science.gov (United States)

Kramer, Roderick M

2006-02-01

After Disney's Michael Eisner, Miramax's Harvey Weinstein, and Hewlett-Packard's Carly Fiorina fell from their heights of power, the business media quickly proclaimed thatthe reign of abrasive, intimidating leaders was over. However, it's premature to proclaim their extinction. Many great intimidators have done fine for a long time and continue to thrive. Their modus operandi runs counter to a lot of preconceptions about what it takes to be a good leader. They're rough, loud, and in your face. Their tactics include invading others' personal space, staging tantrums, keeping people guessing, and possessing an indisputable command of facts. But make no mistake--great intimidators are not your typical bullies. They're driven by vision, not by sheer ego or malice. Beneath their tough exteriors and sharp edges are some genuine, deep insights into human motivation and organizational behavior. Indeed, these leaders possess political intelligence, which can make the difference between paralysis and successful--if sometimes wrenching--organizational change. Like socially intelligent leaders, politically intelligent leaders are adept at sizing up others, but they notice different things. Those with social intelligence assess people's strengths and figure out how to leverage them; those with political intelligence exploit people's weaknesses and insecurities. Despite all the obvious drawbacks of working under them, great intimidators often attract the best and brightest. And their appeal goes beyond their ability to inspire high performance. Many accomplished professionals who gravitate toward these leaders want to cultivate a little "inner intimidator" of their own. In the author's research, quite a few individuals reported having positive relationships with intimidating leaders. In fact, some described these relationships as profoundly educational and even transformational. So before we throw out all the great intimidators, the author argues, we should stop to consider what

Use of evidence in a categorization task: analytic and holistic processing modes.

Science.gov (United States)

Greco, Alberto; Moretti, Stefania

2017-11-01

Category learning performance can be influenced by many contextual factors, but the effects of these factors are not the same for all learners. The present study suggests that these differences can be due to the different ways evidence is used, according to two main basic modalities of processing information, analytically or holistically. In order to test the impact of the information provided, an inductive rule-based task was designed, in which feature salience and comparison informativeness between examples of two categories were manipulated during the learning phases, by introducing and progressively reducing some perceptual biases. To gather data on processing modalities, we devised the Active Feature Composition task, a production task that does not require classifying new items but reproducing them by combining features. At the end, an explicit rating task was performed, which entailed assessing the accuracy of a set of possible categorization rules. A combined analysis of the data collected with these two different tests enabled profiling participants in regard to the kind of processing modality, the structure of representations and the quality of categorial judgments. Results showed that despite the fact that the information provided was the same for all participants, those who adopted analytic processing better exploited evidence and performed more accurately, whereas with holistic processing categorization is perfectly possible but inaccurate. Finally, the cognitive implications of the proposed procedure, with regard to involved processes and representations, are discussed.

Investigating the possibility of a syntactic impairment in the semantic variant of PPA using a constrained production task: Preliminary findings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jennifer Cupit

2015-04-01

Full Text Available In the semantic variant of primary progressive aphasia (svPPA, syntactic skills are generally thought to be preserved, while in the non-fluent variant (nfvPPA syntactic impairment is a core diagnostic feature (Gorno-Tempini et al., 2011. There are, however, some indications in the literature that syntactic processing may not be entirely normal in svPPA. Most studies of syntactic production in svPPA have used unconstrained tasks and have found no syntactic impairment (e.g., Bird et al., 2000; Kave et al., 2007. In the two published studies that have found a syntactic impairment in svPPA, one used a constrained task (Benedet et al., 2006, and the other (Meteyard & Patterson, 2009 did not. However, the authors of the latter article suggested that the observed syntactic errors were subtle. They also suggested that a syntactic impairment in svPPA might not be observed in spontaneous language samples due to an overreliance on simpler structures. In the current study, we used a constrained sentence production task to compare the syntactic abilities of individuals with nfvPPA, svPPA and healthy controls longitudinally, to investigate the existence of a syntactic impairment in the different PPA variants. We predicted that by using a constrained task we would observe a syntactic impairment in both variants of PPA. We tested 18 participants with nfvPPA, 13 with svPPA and 23 control participants. They were tested up to three separate times, with approximately one year between sessions. Groups were matched on age and years of education. The patient groups were matched on Mini Mental State Examination score (Folstein, Folstein & McHugh, 1975 and estimated time post onset of initial symptoms, but the nfvPPA group scored higher than the svPPA group on the Boston Naming Test (Kaplan, Goodglass, & Weintraub, 2001. We used the sentence production task from Caplan and Hanna (1998 to elicit active, passive, dative and dative-passive sentences. A mixed ANOVA (Group X

A Novel Eye-Tracking Method to Assess Attention Allocation in Individuals with and without Aphasia Using a Dual-Task Paradigm

Science.gov (United States)

Heuer, Sabine; Hallowell, Brooke

2015-01-01

Numerous authors report that people with aphasia have greater difficulty allocating attention than people without neurological disorders. Studying how attention deficits contribute to language deficits is important. However, existing methods for indexing attention allocation in people with aphasia pose serious methodological challenges. Eye-tracking methods have great potential to address such challenges. We developed and assessed the validity of a new dual-task method incorporating eye tracking to assess attention allocation. Twenty-six adults with aphasia and 33 control participants completed auditory sentence comprehension and visual search tasks. To test whether the new method validly indexes well-documented patterns in attention allocation, demands were manipulated by varying task complexity in single- and dual-task conditions. Differences in attention allocation were indexed via eye-tracking measures. For all participants significant increases in attention allocation demands were observed from single- to dual-task conditions and from simple to complex stimuli. Individuals with aphasia had greater difficulty allocating attention with greater task demands. Relationships between eye-tracking indices of comprehension during single and dual tasks and standardized testing were examined. Results support the validity of the novel eye-tracking method for assessing attention allocation in people with and without aphasia. Clinical and research implications are discussed. PMID:25913549

Cancer classification through filtering progressive transductive support vector machine based on gene expression data

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Xinguo; Chen, Dan

2017-08-01

Traditional supervised classifiers neglect a large amount of data which not have sufficient follow-up information, only work with labeled data. Consequently, the small sample size limits the advancement of design appropriate classifier. In this paper, a transductive learning method which combined with the filtering strategy in transductive framework and progressive labeling strategy is addressed. The progressive labeling strategy does not need to consider the distribution of labeled samples to evaluate the distribution of unlabeled samples, can effective solve the problem of evaluate the proportion of positive and negative samples in work set. Our experiment result demonstrate that the proposed technique have great potential in cancer prediction based on gene expression.

Predictive power of task orientation, general self-efficacy and self-determined motivation on fun and boredom

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lorena Ruiz-González

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract The aim of this study was to test the predictive power of dispositional orientations, general self-efficacy and self-determined motivation on fun and boredom in physical education classes, with a sample of 459 adolescents between 13 and 18 with a mean age of 15 years (SD = 0.88. The adolescents responded to four Likert scales: Perceptions of Success Questionnaire, General Self-Efficacy Scale, Sport Motivation Scale and Intrinsic Satisfaction Questionnaire in Sport. The results showed the structural regression model showed that task orientation and general self-efficacy positively predicted self-determined motivation and this in turn positively predicted more fun and less boredom in physical education classes. Consequently, the promotion of an educational task-oriented environment where learners perceive their progress and make them feel more competent, will allow them to overcome the intrinsically motivated tasks, and therefore they will have more fun. Pedagogical implications for less boredom and more fun in physical education classes are discussed.

Advanced Turbine Systems (ATS) program conceptual design and product development. Quarterly progress report, December 1, 1995--February 29, 1996

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-06-01

This report describes the overall program status of the General Electric Advanced Gas Turbine Development program, and reports progress on three main task areas. The program is focused on two specific products: (1) a 70-MW class industrial gas turbine based on the GE90 core technology, utilizing a new air cooling methodology; and (2) a 200-MW class utility gas turbine based on an advanced GE heavy-duty machine, utilizing advanced cooling and enhancement in component efficiency. The emphasis for the industrial system is placed on cycle design and low emission combustion. For the utility system, the focus is on developing a technology base for advanced turbine cooling while achieving low emission combustion. The three tasks included in this progress report are on: conversion to a coal-fueled advanced turbine system, integrated program plan, and design and test of critical components. 13 figs., 1 tab.

Progress, problems and prospects of porcine pluripotent stem cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hanning WANG,Yangli PEI,Ning LI,Jianyong HAN

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Pluripotent stem cells (PSCs, including embryonic stem cells (ESCs and induced PSCs (iPSCs, can differentiate into cells of the three germ layers, suggesting that PSCs have great potential for basic developmental biology research and wide applications for clinical medicine. Genuine ESCs and iPSCs have been derived from mice and rats, but not from livestock such as the pig─an ideal animal model for studying human disease and regenerative medicine due to similarities with human physiologic processes. Efforts to derive porcine ESCs and iPSCs have not yielded high-quality PSCs that can produce chimeras with germline transmission. Thus, exploration of the unique porcine gene regulation network of preimplantation embryonic development may permit optimization of in vitro culture systems for raising porcine PSCs. Here we summarize the recent progress in porcine PSC generation as well as the problems encountered during this progress and we depict prospects for generating porcine naive PSCs.

Co-immunotherapy with interleukin-2 and taurolidine for progressive metastatic melanoma.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

O'Brien, G C

2012-02-03

BACKGROUND: Recombinant interleukin-2(rIL-2) therapy in metastatic melanoma is limited by toxicities, particularly vascular leak syndrome(VLS). Taurolidine potentiates the anti-neoplastic effects of IL-2 while reducing its associated endothelial cell dysfunction in experimental settings. We hypothesized that co-administration of rIL-2 with taurolidine could enhance tolerability without weakening effectiveness. METHODS: Eleven patients with progressive metastatic melanoma received high-dose rIL-2 with co-infusion of taurolidine. Patients were monitored for the development of toxicities and evidence of response. RESULTS: Ten patients tolerated twenty-nine courses of high-dose rIL-2 without dose-reduction. Most toxicities were low-grade. No patient developed VLS. Seven patients died from disease progression. Two had complete clinical and radiological responses to treatment. Two patients remain alive despite evidence of disease progression a mean of 17.5 months after diagnosing metastatic disease. CONCLUSION: Co-administration of taurolidine with high-dose rIL-2 in stage IV melanoma patients appears to greatly enhance the tolerability of this regime without diminishing its therapeutic value.

Effective task communication : the role of task information and the interpersonal teacher-student relationship.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Broekkamp, H.; Dijk, van E.; Brekelmans, J.M.G.; Mainhard, T.; Brok, den P.J.

2009-01-01

Students who perceive assigned academic tasks as more clear perform better on these tasks. Moreover, it has been shown that "task clarity" (as experienced by students) varies across teachers. Apparently, some teachers are more effective than other teachers in communicating tasks. There is, however,

Release measurement of great amount of waste. Conveyor belt versus wire mesh pallet systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sokcic-Kostic, Marina; Schultheis, Roland; Langer, Felix [NUKEM Technologies Engineering Services GmbH, Alzenau (Germany)

2014-08-15

Great amount of waste has to be measured for release during the decommissioning and rebuilding of nuclear facilities and installation. Since the enclosed storage or decontamination is very expensive it is advisable for economic reasons to separate contaminated material. The necessary measurement is however a time and cost intensive work which has carefully provided. There are two general methods to perform this task: one is a continuously running system on the basis of a conveyor belt system. The other approach is a discontinuously running system using wire mesh pallets. With the knowledge from existing installations this article will discuss the pro's and contra's and show the limits of the systems.

Kokkos' Task DAG Capabilities.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Edwards, Harold C. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Ibanez, Daniel Alejandro [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

2017-09-01

This report documents the ASC/ATDM Kokkos deliverable "Production Portable Dy- namic Task DAG Capability." This capability enables applications to create and execute a dynamic task DAG ; a collection of heterogeneous computational tasks with a directed acyclic graph (DAG) of "execute after" dependencies where tasks and their dependencies are dynamically created and destroyed as tasks execute. The Kokkos task scheduler executes the dynamic task DAG on the target execution resource; e.g. a multicore CPU, a manycore CPU such as Intel's Knights Landing (KNL), or an NVIDIA GPU. Several major technical challenges had to be addressed during development of Kokkos' Task DAG capability: (1) portability to a GPU with it's simplified hardware and micro- runtime, (2) thread-scalable memory allocation and deallocation from a bounded pool of memory, (3) thread-scalable scheduler for dynamic task DAG, (4) usability by applications.

Not all reading is alike: Task modulation of magnetic evoked response to visual word

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pavlova A. A.

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Background. Previous studies have shown that brain response to a written word depends on the task: whether the word is a target in a version of lexical decision task or should be read silently. Although this effect has been interpreted as an evidence for an interaction between word recognition processes and task demands, it also may be caused by greater attention allocation to the target word. Objective. We aimed to examine the task effect on brain response evoked by non- target written words. Design. Using MEG and magnetic source imaging, we compared spatial-temporal pattern of brain response elicited by a noun cue when it was read silently either without additional task (SR or with a requirement to produce an associated verb (VG. Results.The task demands penetrated into early (200-300 ms and late (500-800 ms stages of a word processing by enhancing brain response under VG versus SR condition. The cortical sources of the early response were localized to bilateral inferior occipitotemporal and anterior temporal cortex suggesting that more demanding VG task required elaborated lexical-semantic analysis. The late effect was observed in the associative auditory areas in middle and superior temporal gyri and in motor representation of articulators. Our results suggest that a remote goal plays a pivotal role in enhanced recruitment of cortical structures underlying orthographic, semantic and sensorimotor dimensions of written word perception from the early processing stages. Surprisingly, we found that to fulfil a more challenging goal the brain progressively engaged resources of the right hemisphere throughout all stages of silent reading. Conclusion. Our study demonstrates that a deeper processing of linguistic input amplifies activation of brain areas involved in integration of speech perception and production. This is consistent with theories that emphasize the role of sensorimotor integration in speech understanding.

Implicit and Explicit Knowledge Both Improve Dual Task Performance in a Continuous Pursuit Tracking Task.

Science.gov (United States)

Ewolds, Harald E; Bröker, Laura; de Oliveira, Rita F; Raab, Markus; Künzell, Stefan

2017-01-01

The goal of this study was to investigate the effect of predictability on dual-task performance in a continuous tracking task. Participants practiced either informed (explicit group) or uninformed (implicit group) about a repeated segment in the curves they had to track. In Experiment 1 participants practices the tracking task only, dual-task performance was assessed after by combining the tracking task with an auditory reaction time task. Results showed both groups learned equally well and tracking performance on a predictable segment in the dual-task condition was better than on random segments. However, reaction times did not benefit from a predictable tracking segment. To investigate the effect of learning under dual-task situation participants in Experiment 2 practiced the tracking task while simultaneously performing the auditory reaction time task. No learning of the repeated segment could be demonstrated for either group during the training blocks, in contrast to the test-block and retention test, where participants performed better on the repeated segment in both dual-task and single-task conditions. Only the explicit group improved from test-block to retention test. As in Experiment 1, reaction times while tracking a predictable segment were no better than reaction times while tracking a random segment. We concluded that predictability has a positive effect only on the predictable task itself possibly because of a task-shielding mechanism. For dual-task training there seems to be an initial negative effect of explicit instructions, possibly because of fatigue, but the advantage of explicit instructions was demonstrated in a retention test. This might be due to the explicit memory system informing or aiding the implicit memory system.

Annual report on major results and progress of Fusion Research and Development Directorate of JAEA from April 1, 2006 to March 31, 2007

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suzuki, Satoshi; Ishii, Yasutomo; Sukegawa, Atsuhiko; Iwai, Yasunori; Nakamura, Hiroo; Sugie, Tatsuo

2008-08-01

Transitional Arrangements, the Design and R and D Tasks (ITA Tasks) have been carried out by the Participant Teams along the work plan. In FY 2006, JAEA has performed seventy-four ITA Tasks and has completed fifty-nine Tasks. In addition, the provisional activity for the establishment of Japan Domestic Agency has been performed. For 'Broader Approach (BA)', the site of BA activity has been decided in Rokkasho (the ex-ITER candidate site). Finally, in fusion reactor design studies, a reactor concept of SlimCS was progressed from the view point of maintenance scheme. (author)

[Need-based resource allocation--experiences with the RAWP formula in Great Britain].

Science.gov (United States)

Brand, H; Menke, R

1997-07-01

The RAWP formula used for resource allocation in Great Britain between 1976 and 1991 is a morbidity-oriented instrument of controlling, which has so far received only little attention in Germany. The development of this model was supported by the intention to intervene in the regional pattern of hospital supply by means of resource allocation and to refine it according to the guiding principles of equity and efficiency. The basic elements-regional population, average bed use, ICD chapter-specific SMRs-are discussed and the various modifications outlined. The RAWP formula's potentials of controlling resulted in a progressive reduction of the apparent disparities between regions in hospital supply, and knee was considered to be a "qualified success". The future development in the sense of an internal market addressed.

Silicon germanium (SiGe) radioisotope thermoelectric generator (RTG) program for space missions. Nineteenth technical progress report, December 1980-January 1981

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1981-01-01

Work accomplished during the reporting period on the DOE Silicon Germanium RTG Program, Contract DE-AC01-79ET-32043 is described. This program consists of the following three tasks: multi-hundred watt RTG for the Galileo probe mission; reestablishment of silicon germanium unicouple capability; and general purpose heat source RTG for the international solar polar and Galileo orbiter missions. Details of program progress for each task, including a milestone schedule and a discussion of current problem areas (if any) are presented

The role of local theories: teacher knowledge and its impact on engaging students with challenging tasks

Science.gov (United States)

Choppin, Jeffrey

2011-03-01

This study explores the extent to which a teacher elicited students' mathematical reasoning through the use of challenging tasks and the role her knowledge played in doing so. I characterised the teacher's knowledge in terms of a local theory of instruction, a form of pedagogical content knowledge that involves an empirically tested set of conjectures situated within a mathematical domain. Video data were collected and analysed and used to stimulate the teacher's reflection on her enactments of an instructional sequence. The teacher, chosen for how she consistently elicited student reasoning, showed evidence of possessing a local theory in that she articulated the ways student thinking developed over time, the processes by which that thinking developed, and the resources that facilitated the development of student thinking. Her knowledge informed how she revised and enacted challenging tasks in ways that elicited and refined student thinking around integer addition and subtraction. Furthermore, her knowledge and practices emphasised the progressive formalisation of students' ideas as a key learning process. A key implication of this study is that teachers are able to develop robust knowledge from enacting challenging tasks, knowledge that organises how they elicit and refine student reasoning from those tasks.

Task Uncertainty Can Account for Mixing and Switch Costs in Task-Switching

Science.gov (United States)

Rennie, Jaime L.

2015-01-01

Cognitive control is required in situations that involve uncertainty or change, such as when resolving conflict, selecting responses and switching tasks. Recently, it has been suggested that cognitive control can be conceptualised as a mechanism which prioritises goal-relevant information to deal with uncertainty. This hypothesis has been supported using a paradigm that requires conflict resolution. In this study, we examine whether cognitive control during task switching is also consistent with this notion. We used information theory to quantify the level of uncertainty in different trial types during a cued task-switching paradigm. We test the hypothesis that differences in uncertainty between task repeat and task switch trials can account for typical behavioural effects in task-switching. Increasing uncertainty was associated with less efficient performance (i.e., slower and less accurate), particularly on switch trials and trials that afford little opportunity for advance preparation. Interestingly, both mixing and switch costs were associated with a common episodic control process. These results support the notion that cognitive control may be conceptualised as an information processor that serves to resolve uncertainty in the environment. PMID:26107646

Advanced thermally stable jet fuels: Technical progress report, October 1994--December 1994

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schobert, H.H.; Eser, S.; Song, C.; Hatcher, P.G.; Boehman, A.; Coleman, M.M.

1995-02-01

There are five tasks within this project on thermally stable coal-based jet fuels. Progress on each of the tasks is described. Task 1, Investigation of the quantitative degradation chemistry of fuels, has 5 subtasks which are described: Literature review on thermal stability of jet fuels; Pyrolytic and catalytic reactions of potential endothermic fuels: cis- and trans-decalin; Use of site specific {sup 13}C-labeling to examine the thermal stressing of 1-phenylhexane: A case study for the determination of reaction kinetics in complex fuel mixtures versus model compound studies; Estimation of critical temperatures of jet fuels; and Surface effects on deposit formation in a flow reactor system. Under Task 2, Investigation of incipient deposition, the subtask reported is Uncertainty analysis on growth and deposition of particles during heating of coal-derived aviation gas turbine fuels; under Task 3, Characterization of solid gums, sediments, and carbonaceous deposits, is subtask, Studies of surface chemistry of PX-21 activated carbon during thermal degradation of jet A-1 fuel and n-dodecane; under Task 4, Coal-based fuel stabilization studies, is subtask, Exploratory screening and development potential of jet fuel thermal stabilizers over 400 C; and under Task 5, Exploratory studies on the direct conversion of coal to high quality jet fuels, are 4 subtasks: Novel approaches to low-severity coal liquefaction and coal/resid co-processing using water and dispersed catalysts; Shape-selective naphthalene hydrogenation for production of thermally stable jet fuels; Design of a batch mode and a continuous mode three-phase reactor system for the liquefaction of coal and upgrading of coal liquids; and Exploratory studies on coal liquids upgrading using mesopores molecular sieve catalysts. 136 refs., 69 figs., 24 tabs.

Central receiver solar thermal power system, phase 1. Progress report for period ending December 31, 1975

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

1976-04-01

The program objective is the preliminary design of a 10 MWe pilot solar power plant supported by major subsystem experiments. Progress is reported on the following task elements: 10 MWe pilot plant; collector subsystem design and analysis; receiver subsystem requirements; receiver subsystem design; thermal storage subsystem; electrical power generation subsystem; and pilot plant architectural engineering and support. (WDM)

The progress of functional neuroimaging in the study of mild cognitive impairment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Zugui

2006-01-01

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) represents a transitional state between healthy aging and very mild Alzheimer's disease. MCI patients have a substantially higher rate of progression to Alzheimer's disease compared with cognitively normal elderly people. Functional neutroimaging modalities, including PET, SPECT and functional MRI show that MCI patients have special abnormalities in brain metabolism and perfusion, so they can offer great value in the predicting cognitive decline and early diagnosis of dementia. (authors)

The Next Great Ship: NASA's Space Launch System

Science.gov (United States)

May, Todd A.

2013-01-01

Topics covered include: Most Capable U.S. Launch Vehicle; Liquid engines Progress; Boosters Progress; Stages and Avionics Progress; Systems Engineering and Integration Progress; Spacecraft and Payload Integration Progress; Advanced Development Progress.

Performance Enhancements Under Dual-task Conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Kramer, A. F.; Wickens, C. D.; Donchin, E.

1984-01-01

Research on dual-task performance has been concerned with delineating the antecedent conditions which lead to dual-task decrements. Capacity models of attention, which propose that a hypothetical resource structure underlies performance, have been employed as predictive devices. These models predict that tasks which require different processing resources can be more successfully time shared than tasks which require common resources. The conditions under which such dual-task integrality can be fostered were assessed in a study in which three factors likely to influence the integrality between tasks were manipulated: inter-task redundancy, the physical proximity of tasks and the task relevant objects. Twelve subjects participated in three experimental sessions in which they performed both single and dual-tasks. The primary task was a pursuit step tracking task. The secondary tasks required the discrimination between different intensities or different spatial positions of a stimulus. The results are discussed in terms of a model of dual-task integrality.

[Progress of cytogenetic detection in myelodysplastic syndromes].

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Qing-Bing; Hu, Xiao-Mei; Liu, -Feng; Ma, Rou

2011-12-01

In recent years, significant progresses have been got in study on pathogenesis, treatment and prognosis of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), especially on use of new technology, that has great importance for cytogenetics of MDS. Recently, the progress of cytogenetic detection in MDS is very remarkable. Based on the metaphase cytogenetics (MC) method, prognostic significance of cytogenetics in MDS was clarified gradually. For example, people have known the prognostic significance of 12 p-, 11 q-, +21, t(11(q23)), although these genetic abnormalities are rare in the MDS. In addition, chromosome mutation emerged in the process of MDS may indicate the poor prognosis. On the other hand, with the use of SNP-A and aCGH in the study of genetics, MDS cytogenetic abnormality detection rate has been further improved and can reach to 78%. At the same time, some of MDS patients with the "normal karyotype" detected by MC have new hidden aberrations through the SNP or CGH detection, and these patients have a poorer prognosis. In this review, the advances of study on cytogenetic detection for MDS based on MC and SNP-A or aCGH methods are summarized.

Task-relevant cognitive and motor functions are prioritized during prolonged speed-accuracy motor task performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Solianik, Rima; Satas, Andrius; Mickeviciene, Dalia; Cekanauskaite, Agne; Valanciene, Dovile; Majauskiene, Daiva; Skurvydas, Albertas

2018-06-01

This study aimed to explore the effect of prolonged speed-accuracy motor task on the indicators of psychological, cognitive, psychomotor and motor function. Ten young men aged 21.1 ± 1.0 years performed a fast- and accurate-reaching movement task and a control task. Both tasks were performed for 2 h. Despite decreased motivation, and increased perception of effort as well as subjective feeling of fatigue, speed-accuracy motor task performance improved during the whole period of task execution. After the motor task, the increased working memory function and prefrontal cortex oxygenation at rest and during conflict detection, and the decreased efficiency of incorrect response inhibition and visuomotor tracking were observed. The speed-accuracy motor task increased the amplitude of motor-evoked potentials, while grip strength was not affected. These findings demonstrate that to sustain the performance of 2-h speed-accuracy task under conditions of self-reported fatigue, task-relevant functions are maintained or even improved, whereas less critical functions are impaired.

Fast-mixed spectrum reactor. Progress report for 1980

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fischer, G.J.; Galperin, A.; Shenoy, S.; Atefi, B.

1980-10-01

Reactor physics, fuel cycle, thermal-hydraulics and fuel cycle cost studies have been performed for this concept and are reported. The most serious drawback of previous FMSR designs, namely the level of irradiation damage to the stainless steel of the cladding and duct materials, has been greatly reduced by the new design. The peak fuel burnup level is also reduced. Work continued on earlier FMSR designs, and in particular, the centrally-moderated FMSR. Emphasis was placed on defining the first core and then the total sequence of core histories over the 30-year life of the reactor. It was found possible to define a two-year fuel cycle with limited reactivity swing over the cycle. Fuel cycle cost studies were begun. The results indicate a modest fuel cycle cost advantage for the FMSR, but the basic cost assumptions must be improved for metal fuel. Improved thermal-hydraulic analysis capabilities have greatly improved the understanding of heat transfer behavior, particularly where thter catalyst were synthesized, and seven were tested in the gas phase. In Task 3, the distributor plate foen conversion can be controlled by adjusting external variables of the coss two- fatigue stren obtained

The Effects of Audio-Visual Recorded and Audio Recorded Listening Tasks on the Accuracy of Iranian EFL Learners' Oral Production

Science.gov (United States)

Drood, Pooya; Asl, Hanieh Davatgari

2016-01-01

The ways in which task in classrooms has developed and proceeded have receive great attention in the field of language teaching and learning in the sense that they draw attention of learners to the competing features such as accuracy, fluency, and complexity. English audiovisual and audio recorded materials have been widely used by teachers and…

Diagnostic Distortions: A Case Report of Progressive Apraxia of Speech.

Science.gov (United States)

Brodtmann, Amy; Pemberton, Hugh; Darby, David; Vogel, Adam P

2016-04-19

Apraxia of speech (AOS) can be the presenting symptom of neurodegenerative disease. The position of primary progressive AOS in the nosology of the dementias is still controversial. Despite seeing many specialists, patients are often misdiagnosed, in part due to a lack of quantitative measures of speech dysfunction. We present a single case report of a patient presenting with AOS, including acoustic analysis, language assessment, and brain imaging. A 52-year-old woman presenting with AOS had remained undiagnosed for 6 years despite seeing 8 specialists. Results of her MRI scans, genetic testing, and computerized speech analysis are provided. AOS is an underdiagnosed clinical syndrome causing great distress to patients and families. Using acoustic analysis of speech may lead to improved diagnostic accuracy. AOS is a complex entity with an expanding phenotype, and quantitative clinical measures will be critical for detection and to assess progression.

Progress in Establishment of Fission Mo Production Technology in Korea

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Jun Sig

2013-01-01

Research activities have been made in both the development of the fission Mo production process and the designing of the production facility that will be established at Kijang, Korea including a new research reactor in 2017. Progress in the process development for target preparation, target dissolution, Mo extraction, and purification has been made. It is also a great concern to minimize the radioactive wastes or at least to generate the wastes in readily treatable forms in the project. After series of cold experiments, the target dissolution and solution formulation for a column operation are optimized. Progress in the design of the production facility has been made. Two trains of hot cells including the waste storages have been proposed for the alternative operation of the facility. A radioisotope production facility is designed to locate next to the fission Mo production building to provide a simpler and easier handling pathway of the products

Great Ellipse Route Planning Based on Space Vector

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

LIU Wenchao

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Aiming at the problem of navigation error caused by unified earth model in great circle route planning using sphere model and modern navigation equipment using ellipsoid mode, a method of great ellipse route planning based on space vector is studied. By using space vector algebra method, the vertex of great ellipse is solved directly, and description of great ellipse based on major-axis vector and minor-axis vector is presented. Then calculation formulas of great ellipse azimuth and distance are deduced using two basic vectors. Finally, algorithms of great ellipse route planning are studied, especially equal distance route planning algorithm based on Newton-Raphson(N-R method. Comparative examples show that the difference of route planning between great circle and great ellipse is significant, using algorithms of great ellipse route planning can eliminate the navigation error caused by the great circle route planning, and effectively improve the accuracy of navigation calculation.

The Impact of Authentic Materials and Tasks on Students’ Communicative Competence at a Colombian Language School

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

César Augusto Castillo Losada

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This article reports on a study carried out in a foreign language school at a Colombian public university. Its main purpose was to analyze the extent to which the use of authentic materials and tasks contributes to the enhancement of the communicative competence on an A2 level English course. A mixed study composed of a quasi-experimental and a descriptive-qualitative research design was implemented by means of a pre-test, a post-test, observations, semi-structured interviews, surveys, and diaries. The findings showed that the use of authentic materials and tasks, within the framework of a pedagogical project, had an impact on students’ communicative competence progress and on the teaching practices of the experimental group teacher.

Task assignment and coaching

OpenAIRE

Dominguez-Martinez, S.

2009-01-01

An important task of a manager is to motivate her subordinates. One way in which a manager can give incentives to junior employees is through the assignment of tasks. How a manager allocates tasks in an organization, provides information to the junior employees about his ability. Without coaching from a manager, the junior employee only has information about his past performance. Based on his past performance, a talented junior who has performed a difficult task sometimes decides to leave the...

Functional Task Test (FTT)

Science.gov (United States)

Bloomberg, Jacob J.; Mulavara, Ajitkumar; Peters, Brian T.; Rescheke, Millard F.; Wood, Scott; Lawrence, Emily; Koffman, Igor; Ploutz-Snyder, Lori; Spiering, Barry A.; Feeback, Daniel L.;

Comparing Young and Elderly Serial Reaction Time Task Performance on Repeated and Random Conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fatemeh Ehsani

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Objectives: Acquisition motor skill training in elderly is at great importance. The main purpose of this study was to compare young and elderly performance in serial reaction time task on different repeated and random conditions. Methods & Materials: A serial reaction time task by using software was applied for studying motor learning in 30 young and 30 elderly. Each group divided randomly implicitly and explicitly into subgroups. A task 4 squares with different colors appeared on the monitor and subjects were asked to press its defined key immediately after observing it. Subjects practiced 8 motor blocks (4 repeated blocks, then 2 random blocks and 2 repeated blocks. Block time that was dependent variable measured and Independent-samples t- test with repeated ANOVA measures were used in this test. Results: young groups performed both repeated and random sequences significantly faster than elderly (P0.05. Explicit older subgroup performed 7,8 blocks slower than 6 block with a significant difference (P<0.05. Conclusion: Young adults discriminate high level performance than elderly in both repeated and random practice. Elderly performed random practice better than repeated practice.

Anterior medial prefrontal cortex exhibits activation during task preparation but deactivation during task execution.

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Hideya Koshino

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The anterior prefrontal cortex (PFC exhibits activation during some cognitive tasks, including episodic memory, reasoning, attention, multitasking, task sets, decision making, mentalizing, and processing of self-referenced information. However, the medial part of anterior PFC is part of the default mode network (DMN, which shows deactivation during various goal-directed cognitive tasks compared to a resting baseline. One possible factor for this pattern is that activity in the anterior medial PFC (MPFC is affected by dynamic allocation of attentional resources depending on task demands. We investigated this possibility using an event related fMRI with a face working memory task. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Sixteen students participated in a single fMRI session. They were asked to form a task set to remember the faces (Face memory condition or to ignore them (No face memory condition, then they were given 6 seconds of preparation period before the onset of the face stimuli. During this 6-second period, four single digits were presented one at a time at the center of the display, and participants were asked to add them and to remember the final answer. When participants formed a task set to remember faces, the anterior MPFC exhibited activation during a task preparation period but deactivation during a task execution period within a single trial. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The results suggest that the anterior MPFC plays a role in task set formation but is not involved in execution of the face working memory task. Therefore, when attentional resources are allocated to other brain regions during task execution, the anterior MPFC shows deactivation. The results suggest that activation and deactivation in the anterior MPFC are affected by dynamic allocation of processing resources across different phases of processing.

Prospective memory in young and older adults: the effects of task importance and ongoing task load.

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Smith, Rebekah E; Hunt, R Reed

2014-01-01

Remembering to perform an action in the future, called prospective memory, often shows age-related differences in favor of young adults when tested in the laboratory. Recently Smith, Horn, and Bayen (2012; Aging, Neuropsychology, and Cognition, 19, 495) embedded a PM task in an ongoing color-matching task and manipulated the difficulty of the ongoing task by varying the number of colors on each trial of the task. Smith et al. found that age-related differences in PM performance (lower PM performance for older adults relative to young adults) persisted even when older adults could perform the ongoing task as well or better than the young adults. The current study investigates a possible explanation for the pattern of results reported by Smith et al. by including a manipulation of task emphasis: for half of the participants the prospective memory task was emphasize, while for the other half the ongoing color-matching task was emphasized. Older adults performed a 4-color version of the ongoing color-matching task, while young adults completed either the 4-color or a more difficult 6-color version of the ongoing task. Older adults failed to perform as well as the young adults on the prospective memory task regardless of task emphasis, even when older adults were performing as well or better than the young adults on the ongoing color-matching task. The current results indicate that the lack of an effect of ongoing task load on prospective memory task performance is not due to a perception that one or the other task is more important than the other.

Increased cognitive control after task conflict? Investigating the N-3 effect in task switching.

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Schuch, Stefanie; Grange, James A

2018-05-25

Task inhibition is considered to facilitate switching to a new task and is assumed to decay slowly over time. Hence, more persisting inhibition needs to be overcome when returning to a task after one intermediary trial (ABA task sequence) than when returning after two or more intermediary trials (CBA task sequence). Schuch and Grange (J Exp Psychol Learn Mem Cogn 41:760-767, 2015) put forward the hypothesis that there is higher task conflict in ABA than CBA sequences, leading to increased cognitive control in the subsequent trial. They provided evidence that performance is better in trials following ABA than following CBA task sequences. Here, this effect of the previous task sequence ("N-3 effect") is further investigated by varying the cue-stimulus interval (CSI), allowing for short (100 ms) or long (900 ms) preparation time for the upcoming task. If increased cognitive control after ABA involves a better preparation for the upcoming task, the N-3 effect should be larger with long than short CSI. The results clearly show that this is not the case. In Experiment 1, the N-3 effect was smaller with long than short CSI; in Experiment 2, the N-3 effect was not affected by CSI. Diffusion model analysis confirmed previous results in the literature (regarding the effect of CSI and of the ABA-CBA difference); however, the N-3 effect was not unequivocally associated with any of the diffusion model parameters. In exploratory analysis, we also tested the alternative hypothesis that the N-3 effect involves more effective task shielding, which would be reflected in reduced congruency effects in trials following ABA, relative to trials following CBA; congruency effects did not differ between these conditions. Taken together, we can rule out two potential explanations of the N-3 effect: Neither is this effect due to enhanced task preparation, nor to more effective task shielding.

Cultural differences in attention: Eye movement evidence from a comparative visual search task.

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Alotaibi, Albandri; Underwood, Geoffrey; Smith, Alastair D

2017-10-01

Individual differences in visual attention have been linked to thinking style: analytic thinking (common in individualistic cultures) is thought to promote attention to detail and focus on the most important part of a scene, whereas holistic thinking (common in collectivist cultures) promotes attention to the global structure of a scene and the relationship between its parts. However, this theory is primarily based on relatively simple judgement tasks. We compared groups from Great Britain (an individualist culture) and Saudi Arabia (a collectivist culture) on a more complex comparative visual search task, using simple natural scenes. A higher overall number of fixations for Saudi participants, along with longer search times, indicated less efficient search behaviour than British participants. Furthermore, intra-group comparisons of scan-path for Saudi participants revealed less similarity than within the British group. Together, these findings suggest that there is a positive relationship between an analytic cognitive style and controlled attention. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Progress In Fresnel-Köhler Concentrators

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Mohedano, Rubén; Cvetković, Aleksandra; Benítez, Pablo; Chaves, Julio; Miñano, Juan C.; Zamora, Pablo; Hernandez, Maikel; Vilaplana, Juan

2011-12-01

The Fresnel Köhler (FK) concentrator was first presented in 2008. Since then, various CPV companies have adopted this technology as base for their future commercial product. The key for this rapid penetration is a mixture of simplicity (the FK is essentially a Fresnel lens concentrator, a technology that dominates the market) and excellent performance: high concentration without giving up large manufacturing/aiming tolerances, enabling high efficiency even at the array level. All these features together have a great potential to lower energy costs. This work shows recent results and progress regarding this device, covering new design features, measurements and tests along with first performance achievements at the array level (pilot 6.5 Kwp plant). The work also discusses the potential impact of the FK enhanced performance on the Levelized Cost Of Electricity (LCOE).

Behavioural and neuroanatomical correlates of auditory speech analysis in primary progressive aphasias.

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Hardy, Chris J D; Agustus, Jennifer L; Marshall, Charles R; Clark, Camilla N; Russell, Lucy L; Bond, Rebecca L; Brotherhood, Emilie V; Thomas, David L; Crutch, Sebastian J; Rohrer, Jonathan D; Warren, Jason D

2017-07-27

Non-verbal auditory impairment is increasingly recognised in the primary progressive aphasias (PPAs) but its relationship to speech processing and brain substrates has not been defined. Here we addressed these issues in patients representing the non-fluent variant (nfvPPA) and semantic variant (svPPA) syndromes of PPA. We studied 19 patients with PPA in relation to 19 healthy older individuals. We manipulated three key auditory parameters-temporal regularity, phonemic spectral structure and prosodic predictability (an index of fundamental information content, or entropy)-in sequences of spoken syllables. The ability of participants to process these parameters was assessed using two-alternative, forced-choice tasks and neuroanatomical associations of task performance were assessed using voxel-based morphometry of patients' brain magnetic resonance images. Relative to healthy controls, both the nfvPPA and svPPA groups had impaired processing of phonemic spectral structure and signal predictability while the nfvPPA group additionally had impaired processing of temporal regularity in speech signals. Task performance correlated with standard disease severity and neurolinguistic measures. Across the patient cohort, performance on the temporal regularity task was associated with grey matter in the left supplementary motor area and right caudate, performance on the phoneme processing task was associated with grey matter in the left supramarginal gyrus, and performance on the prosodic predictability task was associated with grey matter in the right putamen. Our findings suggest that PPA syndromes may be underpinned by more generic deficits of auditory signal analysis, with a distributed cortico-subcortical neuraoanatomical substrate extending beyond the canonical language network. This has implications for syndrome classification and biomarker development.

Nothing Great Is Easy

OpenAIRE

Stansbie, Lisa

2014-01-01

A solo exhibition of 13 pieces of art work.\\ud \\ud Nothing Great is Easy is an exhibition of sculpture, film, drawing and photography that proposes reconstructed narratives using the sport of swimming and in particular the collective interaction and identity of the channel swimmer. The work utilises the processes, rituals/rules, language and the apparatus of sport.\\ud \\ud “Nothing great is easy” are the words on the memorial to Captain Matthew Webb who was the first man to swim the English ch...

Task assignment and coaching

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dominguez-Martinez, S.

2009-01-01

An important task of a manager is to motivate her subordinates. One way in which a manager can give incentives to junior employees is through the assignment of tasks. How a manager allocates tasks in an organization, provides information to the junior employees about his ability. Without coaching