Risk Analysis Group annual progress report 1984

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1985-06-01

The activities of the Risk Analysis Group at Risoe during 1984 are presented. These include descriptions in some detail of work on general development topics and risk analysis performed as contractor. (author)

The Effectiveness of Transactional Analysis Group-counseling on the Improvement of Couples’ Family Functioning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ghorban Ali Yahyaee

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Background & Aims of the Study: Family functioning is among the most important factors ensuring the mental health of family members. Disorder or disturbance in family functioning would cause many psychological problems for family members. Current study intended to examine the effectiveness of transactional analysis group counseling on the improvement of couple's family functioning. Materials & Methods: The design of the study is as semi experimental research with pretest and posttest with follow up and control group. Statistical population consists all couples referring to the psychological and counseling centers of Rasht city in 2012. Samples were selected at first by available sampling method and after completing family assessment  device, and obtaining score for enter to research, were placement using random sampling method in two experimental and control groups (N = 8 couples per group. The experimental group participated in 12 sessions of group counseling based on transactional analysis and control group received no intervention. The gathered data were analyzed using covariance analysis. Results: The results show that there are significant differences between the pre-test and post test scores of the experimental group. This difference is significant at the level of 0.05. Therefore it seems that transactional group therapy improved the dimensions of family functioning in couples. Conclusions: The results indicated that transactional analysis group counseling can improve the family functioning and use this approach to working with couples is recommended.

Group analysis and renormgroup symmetries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kovalev, V.F.; Pustovalov, V.V.; Shirkov, D.V.

1996-01-01

An original regular approach to constructing special type symmetries for boundary-value problems, namely renormgroup symmetries, is presented. Different methods of calculating these symmetries based on modern group analysis are described. An application of the approach to boundary value problems is demonstrated with the help of a simple mathematical model. 35 refs

Group-sequential analysis may allow for early trial termination

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gerke, Oke; Vilstrup, Mie H; Halekoh, Ulrich

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: Group-sequential testing is widely used in pivotal therapeutic, but rarely in diagnostic research, although it may save studies, time, and costs. The purpose of this paper was to demonstrate a group-sequential analysis strategy in an intra-observer study on quantitative FDG-PET/CT mea......BACKGROUND: Group-sequential testing is widely used in pivotal therapeutic, but rarely in diagnostic research, although it may save studies, time, and costs. The purpose of this paper was to demonstrate a group-sequential analysis strategy in an intra-observer study on quantitative FDG...... assumed to be normally distributed, and sequential one-sided hypothesis tests on the population standard deviation of the differences against a hypothesised value of 1.5 were performed, employing an alpha spending function. The fixed-sample analysis (N = 45) was compared with the group-sequential analysis...... strategies comprising one (at N = 23), two (at N = 15, 30), or three interim analyses (at N = 11, 23, 34), respectively, which were defined post hoc. RESULTS: When performing interim analyses with one third and two thirds of patients, sufficient agreement could be concluded after the first interim analysis...

Seismological analysis of group pile foundation for reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Demin.

1984-01-01

In the seismic analysis for reactor foundation of nuclear power plant, the local raise of base mat is of great significance. Base on the study of static and dynamic stability as well as soil-structure interaction of group piles on stratified soil, this paper presents a method of seismic analysis for group piles of reactor foundation at abroad, and a case history is enclosed. (Author)

Impact vibration analysis of group of hexagonal bars immersed in liquid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Horiuchi, Toshihiko

1994-01-01

A simulation method was studied to calculate the vibration response during seismic excitation of a group of hexagonal bars installed in a restraint immersed in liquid. In this study, the influence of fluid force on structural motion was modeled using an added mass matrix. The added mass matrix was then transferred into the space composed of the eigen modes of hexagonal bars without the added mass and introduced into eigenvalue analysis of the whole bar group structure. By means of this method, the computational time of the added mass matrix calculation and the eigenvalue analysis can be reduced. It was shown that the proposed method yielded almost the same eigenvalues as the conventional method in the physical space. Using the proposed method, added mass models to be used in the impact vibration analysis were investigated. Comparing the calculated results by the proposed method with those using a concentrated added mass, which is a simplified model, showed that the concentrated added mass can be used for a rough response calculation, although the precise calculation requires the added mass matrix. (author)

Social structure of a semi-free ranging group of mandrills (Mandrillus sphinx: a social network analysis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Céline Bret

Full Text Available The difficulty involved in following mandrills in the wild means that very little is known about social structure in this species. Most studies initially considered mandrill groups to be an aggregation of one-male/multifemale units, with males occupying central positions in a structure similar to those observed in the majority of baboon species. However, a recent study hypothesized that mandrills form stable groups with only two or three permanent males, and that females occupy more central positions than males within these groups. We used social network analysis methods to examine how a semi-free ranging group of 19 mandrills is structured. We recorded all dyads of individuals that were in contact as a measure of association. The betweenness and the eigenvector centrality for each individual were calculated and correlated to kinship, age and dominance. Finally, we performed a resilience analysis by simulating the removal of individuals displaying the highest betweenness and eigenvector centrality values. We found that related dyads were more frequently associated than unrelated dyads. Moreover, our results showed that the cumulative distribution of individual betweenness and eigenvector centrality followed a power function, which is characteristic of scale-free networks. This property showed that some group members, mostly females, occupied a highly central position. Finally, the resilience analysis showed that the removal of the two most central females split the network into small subgroups and increased the network diameter. Critically, this study confirms that females appear to occupy more central positions than males in mandrill groups. Consequently, these females appear to be crucial for group cohesion and probably play a pivotal role in this species.

Social structure of a semi-free ranging group of mandrills (Mandrillus sphinx): a social network analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Bret, Céline; Sueur, Cédric; Ngoubangoye, Barthélémy; Verrier, Delphine; Deneubourg, Jean-Louis; Petit, Odile

2013-01-01

The difficulty involved in following mandrills in the wild means that very little is known about social structure in this species. Most studies initially considered mandrill groups to be an aggregation of one-male/multifemale units, with males occupying central positions in a structure similar to those observed in the majority of baboon species. However, a recent study hypothesized that mandrills form stable groups with only two or three permanent males, and that females occupy more central positions than males within these groups. We used social network analysis methods to examine how a semi-free ranging group of 19 mandrills is structured. We recorded all dyads of individuals that were in contact as a measure of association. The betweenness and the eigenvector centrality for each individual were calculated and correlated to kinship, age and dominance. Finally, we performed a resilience analysis by simulating the removal of individuals displaying the highest betweenness and eigenvector centrality values. We found that related dyads were more frequently associated than unrelated dyads. Moreover, our results showed that the cumulative distribution of individual betweenness and eigenvector centrality followed a power function, which is characteristic of scale-free networks. This property showed that some group members, mostly females, occupied a highly central position. Finally, the resilience analysis showed that the removal of the two most central females split the network into small subgroups and increased the network diameter. Critically, this study confirms that females appear to occupy more central positions than males in mandrill groups. Consequently, these females appear to be crucial for group cohesion and probably play a pivotal role in this species.

Ignalina Safety Analysis Group's report for the year 1998

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uspuras, E.; Augutis, J.; Bubelis, E.; Cesna, B.; Kaliatka, A.

1999-02-01

Results of Ignalina NPP Safety Analysis Group's research are presented. The main fields of group's activities in 1998 were following: safety analysis of reactor's cooling system, safety analysis of accident localization system, investigation of the problem graphite - fuel channel, reactor core modelling, assistance to the regulatory body VATESI in drafting regulations and reviewing safety reports presented by Ignalina NPP during the process of licensing of unit 1

Thyroid-specific questions on work ability showed known-groups validity among Danes with thyroid diseases.

Science.gov (United States)

Nexo, Mette Andersen; Watt, Torquil; Bonnema, Steen Joop; Hegedüs, Laszlo; Rasmussen, Åse Krogh; Feldt-Rasmussen, Ulla; Bjorner, Jakob Bue

2015-07-01

We aimed to identify the best approach to work ability assessment in patients with thyroid disease by evaluating the factor structure, measurement equivalence, known-groups validity, and predictive validity of a broad set of work ability items. Based on the literature and interviews with thyroid patients, 24 work ability items were selected from previous questionnaires, revised, or developed anew. Items were tested among 632 patients with thyroid disease (non-toxic goiter, toxic nodular goiter, Graves' disease (with or without orbitopathy), autoimmune hypothyroidism, and other thyroid diseases), 391 of which had participated in a study 5 years previously. Responses to select items were compared to general population data. We used confirmatory factor analyses for categorical data, logistic regression analyses and tests of differential item function, and head-to-head comparisons of relative validity in distinguishing known groups. Although all work ability items loaded on a common factor, the optimal factor solution included five factors: role physical, role emotional, thyroid-specific limitations, work limitations (without disease attribution), and work performance. The scale on thyroid-specific limitations showed the most power in distinguishing clinical groups and time since diagnosis. A global single item proved useful for comparisons with the general population, and a thyroid-specific item predicted labor market exclusion within the next 5 years (OR 5.0, 95 % CI 2.7-9.1). Items on work limitations with attribution to thyroid disease were most effective in detecting impact on work ability and showed good predictive validity. Generic work ability items remain useful for general population comparisons.

Group-sequential analysis may allow for early trial termination

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gerke, Oke; Vilstrup, Mie H; Halekoh, Ulrich

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: Group-sequential testing is widely used in pivotal therapeutic, but rarely in diagnostic research, although it may save studies, time, and costs. The purpose of this paper was to demonstrate a group-sequential analysis strategy in an intra-observer study on quantitative FDG-PET/CT mea......BACKGROUND: Group-sequential testing is widely used in pivotal therapeutic, but rarely in diagnostic research, although it may save studies, time, and costs. The purpose of this paper was to demonstrate a group-sequential analysis strategy in an intra-observer study on quantitative FDG...

Assessing Group Interaction with Social Language Network Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Scholand, Andrew J.; Tausczik, Yla R.; Pennebaker, James W.

In this paper we discuss a new methodology, social language network analysis (SLNA), that combines tools from social language processing and network analysis to assess socially situated working relationships within a group. Specifically, SLNA aims to identify and characterize the nature of working relationships by processing artifacts generated with computer-mediated communication systems, such as instant message texts or emails. Because social language processing is able to identify psychological, social, and emotional processes that individuals are not able to fully mask, social language network analysis can clarify and highlight complex interdependencies between group members, even when these relationships are latent or unrecognized.

Process Analysis of the CV Group's Operation

CERN Document Server

Wilhelmsson, M

2000-01-01

This report will give an explanation of the internal reorganization that has been done because of the necessity to optimize operation in the cooling and ventilation group. The basic structure for the group was defined at the end of 1998. We understood then that change was needed to accommodate the increased workload due to the LHC project. In addition, we face a relatively large turnover of personnel (retirements and some recruitment) with related integration issues to consider. We would also like to implement new approaches in the management of both operations and maintenance. After some running-in problems during the first half of 1999, we realized that much more could be gained with the analysis and the definition and documenting of each single function and generic activity within the group. The authors will explain how this analysis was carried out and give some feedback of the outcome, so far.

Harmonic analysis on exponential solvable Lie groups

CERN Document Server

Fujiwara, Hidenori

2015-01-01

This book is the first one that brings together recent results on the harmonic analysis of exponential solvable Lie groups. There still are many interesting open problems, and the book contributes to the future progress of this research field. As well, various related topics are presented to motivate young researchers. The orbit method invented by Kirillov is applied to study basic problems in the analysis on exponential solvable Lie groups. This method tells us that the unitary dual of these groups is realized as the space of their coadjoint orbits. This fact is established using the Mackey theory for induced representations, and that mechanism is explained first. One of the fundamental problems in the representation theory is the irreducible decomposition of induced or restricted representations. Therefore, these decompositions are studied in detail before proceeding to various related problems: the multiplicity formula, Plancherel formulas, intertwining operators, Frobenius reciprocity, and associated alge...

Proteome Analysis of the Plant Pathogenic Fungus Monilinia laxa Showing Host Specificity

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Olja Bregar

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Brown rot fungus Monilinia laxa (Aderh. & Ruhl. Honey is an important plant pathogen in stone and pome fruits in Europe. We applied a proteomic approach in a study of M. laxa isolates obtained from apples and apricots in order to show the host specifity of the isolates and to analyse differentially expressed proteins in terms of host specifity, fungal pathogenicity and identification of candidate proteins for diagnostic marker development. Extracted mycelium proteins were separated by 2-D electrophoresis (2-DE and visualized by Coomassie staining in a non-linear pH range of 3–11 and Mr of 14–116 kDa. We set up a 2-DE reference map of M. laxa, resolving up to 800 protein spots, and used it for image analysis. The average technical coefficient of variance (13 % demonstrated a high reproducibility of protein extraction and 2-D polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2-DE PAGE, and the average biological coefficient of variance (23 % enabled differential proteomic analysis of the isolates. Multivariate statistical analysis (principal component analysis discriminated isolates from two different hosts, providing new data that support the existence of a M. laxa specialized form f. sp. mali, which infects only apples. A total of 50 differentially expressed proteins were further analyzed by LC-MS/MS, yielding 41 positive identifications. The identified mycelial proteins were functionally classified into 6 groups: amino acid and protein metabolism, energy production, carbohydrate metabolism, stress response, fatty acid metabolism and other proteins. Some proteins expressed only in apple isolates have been described as virulence factors in other fungi. The acetolactate synthase was almost 11-fold more abundant in apple-specific isolates than in apricot isolates and it might be implicated in M. laxa host specificity. Ten proteins identified only in apple isolates are potential candidates for the development of M. laxa host-specific diagnostic markers.

Mathematical Model and Analysis of Negative Skin Friction of Pile Group in Consolidating Soil

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Gangqiang Kong

2013-01-01

Full Text Available In order to calculate negative skin friction (NSF of pile group embedded in a consolidating soil, the dragload calculating formulas of single pile were established by considering Davis one-dimensional nonlinear consolidation soils settlement and hyperbolic load-transfer of pile-soil interface. Based on effective influence area theory, a simple semiempirical mathematical model of analysis for predicting the group effect of pile group under dragload was described. The accuracy and reliability of mathematical models built in this paper were verified by practical engineering comparative analysis. Case studies were studied, and the prediction values were found to be in good agreement with those of measured values. Then, the influences factors, such as, soil consolidation degree, the initial volume compressibility coefficient, and the stiffness of bearing soil, were analyzed and discussed. The results show that the mathematical models considering nonlinear soil consolidation and group effect can reflect the practical NSF of pile group effectively and accurately. The results of this paper can provide reference for practical pile group embedded in consolidating soil under NSF design and calculation.

Dimensional analysis and group theory in astrophysics

CERN Document Server

Kurth, Rudolf

2013-01-01

Dimensional Analysis and Group Theory in Astrophysics describes how dimensional analysis, refined by mathematical regularity hypotheses, can be applied to purely qualitative physical assumptions. The book focuses on the continuous spectral of the stars and the mass-luminosity relationship. The text discusses the technique of dimensional analysis, covering both relativistic phenomena and the stellar systems. The book also explains the fundamental conclusion of dimensional analysis, wherein the unknown functions shall be given certain specified forms. The Wien and Stefan-Boltzmann Laws can be si

Financial Analysis on the example of Audi Group

OpenAIRE

Maltseva, Anna

2015-01-01

The aim of this master thesis is a financial analysis of Audi Group. Audi is one of the most popular brand of premium car manufacturers, which has a long history and which is a part of one of the biggest world groups in automotive industry -- Volkswagen Group. In this paper we will look into its financial reports in order to analyze its financial performance and make the conclusion in the end -- is Audi Group successful?

Group-wise Principal Component Analysis for Exploratory Data Analysis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Camacho, J.; Rodriquez-Gomez, Rafael A.; Saccenti, E.

2017-01-01

In this paper, we propose a new framework for matrix factorization based on Principal Component Analysis (PCA) where sparsity is imposed. The structure to impose sparsity is defined in terms of groups of correlated variables found in correlation matrices or maps. The framework is based on three new

[Practice marketing. Data analysis of a urological group practice].

Science.gov (United States)

Schneider, T; Schneider, B; Eisenhardt, A; Sperling, H

2009-07-01

The urological practice setting in Germany has changed tremendously over the last years. Group practices with two or more urologists working together are becoming more and more popular. At the same time, marketing has become essential even for urologists. To evaluate the patient flow to our group practice, we asked all new patients to fill out a questionnaire (n=2112). We also evaluated the efficacy of our recall system. The analysis showed that patients were 18-93 years old (mean 57 years), 68% being male and 32% female. The largest age group consisted of 41-50-year-olds. The most important reasons for choosing our practice were recommendations by general practitioners in 38%, recommendations by specialists in 11%, and recommendations by friends and relatives in 27%. Five percent of the patients chose the practice because of the Internet home page and 10% because of entries in various phone books. Three percent of the patients came because of newspaper articles about the practice owners, and advertising for a urological practice. Phone books are increasingly becoming less important, and the Internet is increasingly attractive to the younger population. Recall systems can also be useful for urological practices.

Multi-group transport methods for high-resolution neutron activation analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burns, K. A.; Smith, L. E.; Gesh, C. J.; Shaver, M. W.

2009-01-01

The accurate and efficient simulation of coupled neutron-photon problems is necessary for several important radiation detection applications. Examples include the detection of nuclear threats concealed in cargo containers and prompt gamma neutron activation analysis for nondestructive determination of elemental composition of unknown samples. In these applications, high-resolution gamma-ray spectrometers are used to preserve as much information as possible about the emitted photon flux, which consists of both continuum and characteristic gamma rays with discrete energies. Monte Carlo transport is the most commonly used modeling tool for this type of problem, but computational times for many problems can be prohibitive. This work explores the use of multi-group deterministic methods for the simulation of neutron activation problems. Central to this work is the development of a method for generating multi-group neutron-photon cross-sections in a way that separates the discrete and continuum photon emissions so that the key signatures in neutron activation analysis (i.e., the characteristic line energies) are preserved. The mechanics of the cross-section preparation method are described and contrasted with standard neutron-gamma cross-section sets. These custom cross-sections are then applied to several benchmark problems. Multi-group results for neutron and photon flux are compared to MCNP results. Finally, calculated responses of high-resolution spectrometers are compared. Preliminary findings show promising results when compared to MCNP. A detailed discussion of the potential benefits and shortcomings of the multi-group-based approach, in terms of accuracy, and computational efficiency, is provided. (authors)

Johnson Space Center's Risk and Reliability Analysis Group 2008 Annual Report

Science.gov (United States)

Valentine, Mark; Boyer, Roger; Cross, Bob; Hamlin, Teri; Roelant, Henk; Stewart, Mike; Bigler, Mark; Winter, Scott; Reistle, Bruce; Heydorn,Dick

2009-01-01

The Johnson Space Center (JSC) Safety & Mission Assurance (S&MA) Directorate s Risk and Reliability Analysis Group provides both mathematical and engineering analysis expertise in the areas of Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA), Reliability and Maintainability (R&M) analysis, and data collection and analysis. The fundamental goal of this group is to provide National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) decisionmakers with the necessary information to make informed decisions when evaluating personnel, flight hardware, and public safety concerns associated with current operating systems as well as with any future systems. The Analysis Group includes a staff of statistical and reliability experts with valuable backgrounds in the statistical, reliability, and engineering fields. This group includes JSC S&MA Analysis Branch personnel as well as S&MA support services contractors, such as Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) and SoHaR. The Analysis Group s experience base includes nuclear power (both commercial and navy), manufacturing, Department of Defense, chemical, and shipping industries, as well as significant aerospace experience specifically in the Shuttle, International Space Station (ISS), and Constellation Programs. The Analysis Group partners with project and program offices, other NASA centers, NASA contractors, and universities to provide additional resources or information to the group when performing various analysis tasks. The JSC S&MA Analysis Group is recognized as a leader in risk and reliability analysis within the NASA community. Therefore, the Analysis Group is in high demand to help the Space Shuttle Program (SSP) continue to fly safely, assist in designing the next generation spacecraft for the Constellation Program (CxP), and promote advanced analytical techniques. The Analysis Section s tasks include teaching classes and instituting personnel qualification processes to enhance the professional abilities of our analysts

a Morphometric Analysis of HYLARANA SIGNATA Group (previously Known as RANA SIGNATA and RANA PICTURATA) of Malaysia

Science.gov (United States)

Zainudin, Ramlah; Sazali, Siti Nurlydia

A study on morphometrical variations of Malaysian Hylarana signata group was conducted to reveal the morphological relationships within the species group. Twenty-seven morphological characters from 18 individuals of H. signata and H. picturata were measured and recorded. The numerical data were analysed using Discriminant Function Analysis in SPSS program version 16.0 and UPGMA Cluster Analysis in Minitab program version 14.0. The results show the complexity clustering between the examined species that might be due to ancient polymorphism of the lineages or cryptic species within the group. Hence, further study should include more representatives in order to fully elucidate the morphological relationships of H. signata group.

Chemical Abundance Analysis of Moving Group W11450 (Latham 1)

Science.gov (United States)

O'Connell, Julia E.; Martens, Kylee; Frinchaboy, Peter M.

2016-12-01

We present elemental abundances for all seven stars in Moving Group W11450 (Latham 1) to determine if they may be chemically related. These stars appear to be both spatially and kinematically related, but no spectroscopic abundance analysis exists in literature. Abundances for eight elements were derived via equivalent width analyses of high-resolution (R ˜ 60,000), high-signal-to-noise ratio ( ˜ 100) spectra obtained with the Otto Struve 2.1 m telescope and the Sandiford Echelle Spectrograph at McDonald Observatory. The large star-to-star scatter in metallicity, -0.55 ≤ [Fe/H] ≤slant 0.06 dex (σ = 0.25), implies these stars were not produced from the same chemically homogeneous molecular cloud, and are therefore not part of a remnant or open cluster as previously proposed. Prior to this analysis, it was suggested that two stars in the group, W11449 and W11450, are possible wide binaries. The candidate wide binary pair show similar chemical abundance patterns with not only iron but with other elements analyzed in this study, suggesting the proposed connection between these two stars may be real.

Few-Group Transport Analysis of the Core-Reflector Problem in Fast Reactor Cores via Equivalent Group Condensation and Local/Global Iteration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Won, Jong Hyuck; Cho, Nam Zin

2011-01-01

In deterministic neutron transport methods, a process called fine-group to few-group condensation is used to reduce the computational burden. However, recent results on the core-reflector problem in fast reactor cores show that use of a small number of energy groups has limitation to describe neutron flux around core reflector interface. Therefore, researches are still ongoing to overcome this limitation. Recently, the authors proposed I) direct application of equivalently condensed angle-dependent total cross section to discrete ordinates method to overcome the limitation of conventional multi-group approximations, and II) local/global iteration framework in which fine-group discrete ordinates calculation is used in local problems while few-group transport calculation is used in the global problem iteratively. In this paper, an analysis of the core-reflector problem is performed in few-group structure using equivalent angle-dependent total cross section with local/global iteration. Numerical results are obtained under S 12 discrete ordinates-like transport method with scattering cross section up to P1 Legendre expansion

Relation Analysis of Knowledge Management, Research, and Innovation in University Research Groups

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Heyder Paez-Logreira

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Knowledge is a competitive advantage for companies. Knowledge Management helps to keep this competitiveness. Universities face with challenges in research, innovation and international competitiveness. The purpose of this paper includes studying Knowledge Management Models, and Innovation Models apply to Research Groups of Universities, through an analysis of relation in inter-organizational level. Some researchers and leaders of research groups participated in a survey about knowledge management and innovation. Here we show the relationship between knowledge management, innovation and research, including processes and operations performed by universities around these. We organize the results in three dimensions: Knowledge Management perception, the relationship between Knowledge Management and Innovation, and Strategic Knowledge organization. Too, we identify a generality of good practices, challenges, and limitations on Research Groups for Knowledge Management.

Genetic relatedness of Brazilian Colletotrichum truncatum isolates assessed by vegetative compatibility groups and RAPD analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Sant'Anna, Juliane R; Miyamoto, Cláudia T; Rosada, Lúcia J; Franco, Claudinéia C S; Kaneshima, Edilson N; Castro-Prado, Marialba A A

2010-01-01

The genetic variation among nine soybean-originating isolates of Colletotrichum truncatum from different Brazilian states was studied. Nitrate non-utilizing (nit) mutants were obtained with potassium chlorate and used to characterize vegetative compatibility reactions, heterokaryosis and RAPD profile. Based on pairings of nit mutants from the different isolates, five vegetative complementation groups (VCG) were identified, and barriers to the formation of heterokaryons were observed among isolates derived from the same geographic area. No complementation was observed among any of the nit mutants recovered from the isolate A, which was designed heterokaryon-self-incompatible. Based on RAPD analysis, a polymorphism was detected among the wild isolate C and their nit1 and NitM mutants. RAPD amplification, with five different primers, also showed polymorphic profiles among Brazilian C. truncatum isolates. Dendrogram analysis resulted in a similarity degree ranging between 0.331 and 0.882 among isolates and identified three RAPD groups. Despite the lack of a correlation between the RAPD analysis and the vegetative compatibility grouping, results demonstrated the potential of VCG analysis to differentiate C. truncatum isolates genotypically similar when compared by RAPD.

Convergence Analysis of the Preconditioned Group Splitting Methods in Boundary Value Problems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Norhashidah Hj. Mohd Ali

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The construction of a specific splitting-type preconditioner in block formulation applied to a class of group relaxation iterative methods derived from the centred and rotated (skewed finite difference approximations has been shown to improve the convergence rates of these methods. In this paper, we present some theoretical convergence analysis on this preconditioner specifically applied to the linear systems resulted from these group iterative schemes in solving an elliptic boundary value problem. We will theoretically show the relationship between the spectral radiuses of the iteration matrices of the preconditioned methods which affects the rate of convergence of these methods. We will also show that the spectral radius of the preconditioned matrices is smaller than that of their unpreconditioned counterparts if the relaxation parameter is in a certain optimum range. Numerical experiments will also be presented to confirm the agreement between the theoretical and the experimental results.

Group sparse canonical correlation analysis for genomic data integration.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Dongdong; Zhang, Jigang; Li, Jingyao; Calhoun, Vince D; Deng, Hong-Wen; Wang, Yu-Ping

2013-08-12

The emergence of high-throughput genomic datasets from different sources and platforms (e.g., gene expression, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP), and copy number variation (CNV)) has greatly enhanced our understandings of the interplay of these genomic factors as well as their influences on the complex diseases. It is challenging to explore the relationship between these different types of genomic data sets. In this paper, we focus on a multivariate statistical method, canonical correlation analysis (CCA) method for this problem. Conventional CCA method does not work effectively if the number of data samples is significantly less than that of biomarkers, which is a typical case for genomic data (e.g., SNPs). Sparse CCA (sCCA) methods were introduced to overcome such difficulty, mostly using penalizations with l-1 norm (CCA-l1) or the combination of l-1and l-2 norm (CCA-elastic net). However, they overlook the structural or group effect within genomic data in the analysis, which often exist and are important (e.g., SNPs spanning a gene interact and work together as a group). We propose a new group sparse CCA method (CCA-sparse group) along with an effective numerical algorithm to study the mutual relationship between two different types of genomic data (i.e., SNP and gene expression). We then extend the model to a more general formulation that can include the existing sCCA models. We apply the model to feature/variable selection from two data sets and compare our group sparse CCA method with existing sCCA methods on both simulation and two real datasets (human gliomas data and NCI60 data). We use a graphical representation of the samples with a pair of canonical variates to demonstrate the discriminating characteristic of the selected features. Pathway analysis is further performed for biological interpretation of those features. The CCA-sparse group method incorporates group effects of features into the correlation analysis while performs individual feature

Group and Individual Variability in Mouse Pup Isolation Calls Recorded on the Same Day Show Stability

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Terra D. Barnes

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Mice produce ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs in a variety of social situations, and USVs have been leveraged to study many neurological diseases including verbal dyspraxia, depression, autism and stuttering. Pups produce isolation calls, a common USV, spontaneously when they are isolated from their mother during the first 2 weeks of life. Several genetic manipulations affect (and often reduce pup isolation calls in mice. To facilitate the use of this assay as a means of testing whether significant functional differences in genotypes exist instead of contextual differences, we test the variability inherent in many commons measures of mouse vocalizations. Here we use biological consistency as a way of determining which are reproducible in mouse pup vocalizations. We present a comprehensive analysis of the normal variability of these vocalizations in groups of mice, individual mice and different strains of mice. To control for maturation effects, we recorded pup isolation calls in the same group of C57BL/6J 5 days old mice twice, with 1 h of rest in between recordings. In almost all cases, the group averages between the first and second recordings were the same. We also found that there were high correlations in some parameters in individual mice across recording while others were not well correlated. These findings could be replicated for the majority of features in a separate group of C57BL/6J mice and a group of 129/SvEvBrd-C57BL/6J mice. The averages of these mouse USV features are highly consistent and represent a robust assay to test the effects of genetic and other interventions in the experimental setting.

Gaze distribution analysis and saliency prediction across age groups.

Science.gov (United States)

Krishna, Onkar; Helo, Andrea; Rämä, Pia; Aizawa, Kiyoharu

2018-01-01

Knowledge of the human visual system helps to develop better computational models of visual attention. State-of-the-art models have been developed to mimic the visual attention system of young adults that, however, largely ignore the variations that occur with age. In this paper, we investigated how visual scene processing changes with age and we propose an age-adapted framework that helps to develop a computational model that can predict saliency across different age groups. Our analysis uncovers how the explorativeness of an observer varies with age, how well saliency maps of an age group agree with fixation points of observers from the same or different age groups, and how age influences the center bias tendency. We analyzed the eye movement behavior of 82 observers belonging to four age groups while they explored visual scenes. Explorative- ness was quantified in terms of the entropy of a saliency map, and area under the curve (AUC) metrics was used to quantify the agreement analysis and the center bias tendency. Analysis results were used to develop age adapted saliency models. Our results suggest that the proposed age-adapted saliency model outperforms existing saliency models in predicting the regions of interest across age groups.

Surface plasmon resonance analysis shows an IgG-isotype-specific defect in ABO blood group antibody formation in patients with common variable immunodeficiency

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael Bernhard Fischer

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Background: Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID is the most common clinically severe primary immunodeficiency and comprises a heterogeneous group of patients with recurrent severe bacterial infections due to the failure to produce IgG antibodies after exposure to infectious agents and immunization. Diagnostic recommendations for antibody failure include assessment of isoagglutinins. We have readdressed this four decades old but still accepted recommendation with up to date methodology.Methods: Anti-A/B IgM- and IgG-antibodies were measured by Diamed-ID Micro Typing, surface plasmon resonance (SPR using the Biacore® device and flow cytometry.Results: When Diamed-ID Micro Typing was used, CVID patients (n=34 showed IgG- and IgM-isoagglutinins that were comparable to healthy volunteers (n=28, while all XLA patients (n=8 had none. Anti-A/B IgM-antibodies were present in more than 2/3 of the CVID patients and showed binding kinetics comparable to anti-A/B IgM-antibodies from healthy individuals. A correlation could be found in CVID patients between levels of anti-A/B IgM-antibodies and levels of serum IgM and PnP-IgM-antibodies. In contrast in CVID patients as a group ABO antibodies were significantly decreased when assessed by SPR, which correlated with levels of switched memory, non-switched memory and naïve B cells, but all CVID patients had low/undetectable anti-A/B IgG-antibodies.Conclusion: These results indicate that conventional isoagglutinin assessment and assessment of anti-A/B IgM antibodies are not suited for the diagnosis of impaired antibody production in CVID. Examination of anti-A/B IgG antibodies by SPR provides a useful method for the diagnosis of IgG antibody failure in all CVID patients studied, thus indicating an important additional rationale to start immunoglobulin replacement therapy early in these patients, before post-infectious sequelae develop.

Integrative analysis of multiple diverse omics datasets by sparse group multitask regression

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Dongdong eLin

2014-10-01

Full Text Available A variety of high throughput genome-wide assays enable the exploration of genetic risk factors underlying complex traits. Although these studies have remarkable impact on identifying susceptible biomarkers, they suffer from issues such as limited sample size and low reproducibility. Combining individual studies of different genetic levels/platforms has the promise to improve the power and consistency of biomarker identification. In this paper, we propose a novel integrative method, namely sparse group multitask regression, for integrating diverse omics datasets, platforms and populations to identify risk genes/factors of complex diseases. This method combines multitask learning with sparse group regularization, which will: 1 treat the biomarker identification in each single study as a task and then combine them by multitask learning; 2 group variables from all studies for identifying significant genes; 3 enforce sparse constraint on groups of variables to overcome the ‘small sample, but large variables’ problem. We introduce two sparse group penalties: sparse group lasso and sparse group ridge in our multitask model, and provide an effective algorithm for each model. In addition, we propose a significance test for the identification of potential risk genes. Two simulation studies are performed to evaluate the performance of our integrative method by comparing it with conventional meta-analysis method. The results show that our sparse group multitask method outperforms meta-analysis method significantly. In an application to our osteoporosis studies, 7 genes are identified as significant genes by our method and are found to have significant effects in other three independent studies for validation. The most significant gene SOD2 has been identified in our previous osteoporosis study involving the same expression dataset. Several other genes such as TREML2, HTR1E and GLO1 are shown to be novel susceptible genes for osteoporosis, as confirmed

BAYESIAN ANALYSIS TO IDENTIFY NEW STAR CANDIDATES IN NEARBY YOUNG STELLAR KINEMATIC GROUPS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Malo, Lison; Doyon, René; Lafrenière, David; Artigau, Étienne; Gagné, Jonathan; Baron, Frédérique; Riedel, Adric

2013-01-01

We present a new method based on a Bayesian analysis to identify new members of nearby young kinematic groups. The analysis minimally takes into account the position, proper motion, magnitude, and color of a star, but other observables can be readily added (e.g., radial velocity, distance). We use this method to find new young low-mass stars in the β Pictoris and AB Doradus moving groups and in the TW Hydrae, Tucana-Horologium, Columba, Carina, and Argus associations. Starting from a sample of 758 mid-K to mid-M (K5V-M5V) stars showing youth indicators such as Hα and X-ray emission, our analysis yields 214 new highly probable low-mass members of the kinematic groups analyzed. One is in TW Hydrae, 37 in β Pictoris, 17 in Tucana-Horologium, 20 in Columba, 6 in Carina, 50 in Argus, 32 in AB Doradus, and the remaining 51 candidates are likely young but have an ambiguous membership to more than one association. The false alarm rate for new candidates is estimated to be 5% for β Pictoris and TW Hydrae, 10% for Tucana-Horologium, Columba, Carina, and Argus, and 14% for AB Doradus. Our analysis confirms the membership of 58 stars proposed in the literature. Firm membership confirmation of our new candidates will require measurement of their radial velocity (predicted by our analysis), parallax, and lithium 6708 Å equivalent width. We have initiated these follow-up observations for a number of candidates, and we have identified two stars (2MASSJ01112542+1526214, 2MASSJ05241914-1601153) as very strong candidate members of the β Pictoris moving group and one strong candidate member (2MASSJ05332558-5117131) of the Tucana-Horologium association; these three stars have radial velocity measurements confirming their membership and lithium detections consistent with young age.

Linear mixed-effects modeling approach to FMRI group analysis.

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Chen, Gang; Saad, Ziad S; Britton, Jennifer C; Pine, Daniel S; Cox, Robert W

2013-06-01

Conventional group analysis is usually performed with Student-type t-test, regression, or standard AN(C)OVA in which the variance-covariance matrix is presumed to have a simple structure. Some correction approaches are adopted when assumptions about the covariance structure is violated. However, as experiments are designed with different degrees of sophistication, these traditional methods can become cumbersome, or even be unable to handle the situation at hand. For example, most current FMRI software packages have difficulty analyzing the following scenarios at group level: (1) taking within-subject variability into account when there are effect estimates from multiple runs or sessions; (2) continuous explanatory variables (covariates) modeling in the presence of a within-subject (repeated measures) factor, multiple subject-grouping (between-subjects) factors, or the mixture of both; (3) subject-specific adjustments in covariate modeling; (4) group analysis with estimation of hemodynamic response (HDR) function by multiple basis functions; (5) various cases of missing data in longitudinal studies; and (6) group studies involving family members or twins. Here we present a linear mixed-effects modeling (LME) methodology that extends the conventional group analysis approach to analyze many complicated cases, including the six prototypes delineated above, whose analyses would be otherwise either difficult or unfeasible under traditional frameworks such as AN(C)OVA and general linear model (GLM). In addition, the strength of the LME framework lies in its flexibility to model and estimate the variance-covariance structures for both random effects and residuals. The intraclass correlation (ICC) values can be easily obtained with an LME model with crossed random effects, even at the presence of confounding fixed effects. The simulations of one prototypical scenario indicate that the LME modeling keeps a balance between the control for false positives and the sensitivity

The Effect of Group Therapy With Transactional Analysis Approach on Emotional Intelligence, Executive Functions and Drug Dependency.

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Forghani, Masoomeh; Ghanbari Hashem Abadi, Bahram Ali

2016-06-01

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of group psychotherapy with transactional analysis (TA) approach on emotional intelligence (EI), executive functions and substance dependency among drug-addicts at rehabilitation centers in Mashhad city, Iran, in 2013. In this quasi-experimental study with pretest, posttest, case- control stages, 30 patients were selected from a rehabilitation center and randomly divided into two groups. The case group received 12 sessions of group psychotherapy with transactional analysis approach. Then the effects of independent variable (group psychotherapy with TA approach) on EI, executive function and drug dependency were assessed. The Bar-on test was used for EI, Stroop test for measuring executive function and morphine test, meth-amphetamines and B2 test for evaluating drug dependency. Data were analyzed using multifactorial covariance analysis, Levenes' analysis, MANCOVA, t-student and Pearson correlation coefficient tests t with SPSS software. Our results showed that group psychotherapy with the TA approach was effective in improving EI, executive functions and decreasing drug dependency (P addicts and prevents addiction recurrence by improving the coping capabilities and some mental functions of the subjects. However, there are some limitations regarding this study including follow-up duration and sample size.

Genetic analysis of the porcine group B rotavirus NSP2 gene from wild-type Brazilian strains

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K.C. Médici

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Group B rotaviruses (RV-B were first identified in piglet feces, being later associated with diarrhea in humans, cattle, lambs, and rats. In human beings, the virus was only described in China, India, and Bangladesh, especially infecting adults. Only a few studies concerning molecular analysis of the RV-B NSP2 gene have been conducted, and porcine RV-B has not been characterized. In the present study, three porcine wild-type RV-B strains from piglet stool samples collected from Brazilian pig herds were used for analysis. PAGE results were inconclusive for those samples, but specific amplicons of the RV-B NSP2 gene (segment 8 were obtained in a semi-nested PCR assay. The three porcine RV-B strains showed the highest nucleotide identity with the human WH1 strain and the alignments with other published sequences resulted in three groups of strains divided according to host species. The group of human strains showed 92.4 to 99.7% nucleotide identity while the porcine strains of the Brazilian RV-B group showed 90.4 to 91.8% identity to each other. The identity of the Brazilian porcine RV-B strains with outer sequences consisting of group A and C rotaviruses was only 35.3 to 38.8%. A dendrogram was also constructed to group the strains into clusters according to host species: human, rat, and a distinct third cluster consisting exclusively of the Brazilian porcine RV-B strains. This is the first study of the porcine RV-B NSP2 gene that contributes to the partial characterization of this virus and demonstrates the relationship among RV-B strains from different host species.

Genetic relatedness of Brazilian Colletotrichum truncatum isolates assessed by vegetative compatibility groups and RAPD analysis

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JULIANE R SANT’ANNA

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The genetic variation among nine soybean-originating isolates of Colletotrichum truncatum from different Brazilian states was studied. Nitrate non-utilizing (nit mutants were obtained with potassium chlorate and used to characterize vegetative compatibility reactions, heterokaryosis and RAPD profile. Based on pairings of nit mutants from the different isolates, five vegetative complementation groups (VCG were identified, and barriers to the formation of heterokaryons were observed among isolates derived from the same geographic area. No complementation was observed among any of the nit mutants recovered from the isolate A, which was designed heterokaryon-self-incompatible. Based on RAPD analysis, a polymorphism was detected among the wild isolate C and their nit1 and NitM mutants. RAPD amplification, with five different primers, also showed polymorphic profiles among Brazilian C. truncatum isolates. Dendrogram analysis resulted in a similarity degree ranging between 0.331 and 0.882 among isolates and identified three RAPD groups. Despite the lack of a correlation between the RAPD analysis and the vegetative compatibility grouping, results demonstrated the potential of VCG analysis to differentiate C. truncatum isolates genotypically similar when compared by RAPD.

Automated analysis in generic groups

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Fagerholm, Edvard

This thesis studies automated methods for analyzing hardness assumptions in generic group models, following ideas of symbolic cryptography. We define a broad class of generic and symbolic group models for different settings---symmetric or asymmetric (leveled) k-linear groups --- and prove ''computational soundness'' theorems for the symbolic models. Based on this result, we formulate a master theorem that relates the hardness of an assumption to solving problems in polynomial algebra. We systematically analyze these problems identifying different classes of assumptions and obtain decidability and undecidability results. Then, we develop automated procedures for verifying the conditions of our master theorems, and thus the validity of hardness assumptions in generic group models. The concrete outcome is an automated tool, the Generic Group Analyzer, which takes as input the statement of an assumption, and outputs either a proof of its generic hardness or shows an algebraic attack against the assumption. Structure-preserving signatures are signature schemes defined over bilinear groups in which messages, public keys and signatures are group elements, and the verification algorithm consists of evaluating ''pairing-product equations''. Recent work on structure-preserving signatures studies optimality of these schemes in terms of the number of group elements needed in the verification key and the signature, and the number of pairing-product equations in the verification algorithm. While the size of keys and signatures is crucial for many applications, another aspect of performance is the time it takes to verify a signature. The most expensive operation during verification is the computation of pairings. However, the concrete number of pairings is not captured by the number of pairing-product equations considered in earlier work. We consider the question of what is the minimal number of pairing computations needed to verify structure-preserving signatures. We build an

Radiographic analysis of odontogenic cysts showing displacement of the mandibular canal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cho, Bong Hae

2003-01-01

To assess the radiographic findings of odontogenic cysts showing displacement of the mandibular canal using computed tomographic (CT) and panoramic images. CT and panoramic images of 63 odontogenic cysts (27 dentigerous, 16 odontogenic keratocysts, and 20 radicular cysts) were analyzed to evaluate the following parameters: the dimension and shape of the cysts, and the effect of the cysts on the mandibular canal and cortical plates. Of the 63 cysts examined in the study, 35 (55.6%) showed inferior displacement of the mandibular canal and 46 (73.0%) showed perforation of the canal. There were statistically significant differenced between CT and panoramic images in depicting displacement and perforation of the mandibular canal. Cortical expansion was seen in 46 cases (73.0%) and cortical perforation in 23 cases (36.5%). The radicular cysts showed cortical expansion and perforation less frequently than the other cyst groups. Large cysts of mandible should be evaluated by multiplanar CT images in order to detect the mandibular canal and cortical bone involvement.

Inferring Group Processes from Computer-Mediated Affective Text Analysis

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Schryver, Jack C [ORNL; Begoli, Edmon [ORNL; Jose, Ajith [Missouri University of Science and Technology; Griffin, Christopher [Pennsylvania State University

2011-02-01

Political communications in the form of unstructured text convey rich connotative meaning that can reveal underlying group social processes. Previous research has focused on sentiment analysis at the document level, but we extend this analysis to sub-document levels through a detailed analysis of affective relationships between entities extracted from a document. Instead of pure sentiment analysis, which is just positive or negative, we explore nuances of affective meaning in 22 affect categories. Our affect propagation algorithm automatically calculates and displays extracted affective relationships among entities in graphical form in our prototype (TEAMSTER), starting with seed lists of affect terms. Several useful metrics are defined to infer underlying group processes by aggregating affective relationships discovered in a text. Our approach has been validated with annotated documents from the MPQA corpus, achieving a performance gain of 74% over comparable random guessers.

Novel Method To Identify Source-Associated Phylogenetic Clustering Shows that Listeria monocytogenes Includes Niche-Adapted Clonal Groups with Distinct Ecological Preferences

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nightingale, K. K.; Lyles, K.; Ayodele, M.

2006-01-01

population are identified (TreeStats test). Analysis of sequence data for 120 L. monocytogenes isolates revealed evidence of clustering between isolates from the same source, based on the phylogenies inferred from actA and inlA (P = 0.02 and P = 0.07, respectively; SourceCluster test). Overall, the Tree...... are biologically valid. Overall, our data show that (i) the SourceCluster and TreeStats tests can identify biologically meaningful source-associated phylogenetic clusters and (ii) L. monocytogenes includes clonal groups that have adapted to infect specific host species or colonize nonhost environments......., including humans, animals, and food. If the null hypothesis that the genetic distances for isolates within and between source populations are identical can be rejected (SourceCluster test), then particular clades in the phylogenetic tree with significant overrepresentation of sequences from a given source...

Profits for OGJ group show big gain in 1993; revenues dip

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beck, R.J.; Sanders, V.

1994-01-01

Earnings for Oil ampersand Gas Journal's group of 22 large US oil companies jumped sharply last year, increasing 78.6% from 1992. Profits totaled $16.2 billion in 1993, compared with $9.1 billion in 1992. This is in sharp contrast to performance in 1992, when group net income fell 47%. That was due mainly to costs related to restructuring, staff reductions, and adoption of new accounting rules. The new rules moved forward some charges stemming from future retirement benefits and caused a substantial slide in 1992 profits for a number of companies. The absence of similar charges last year was a major reason for the increase in earnings. The paper describes the earnings by sector, oil and gas prices, financial indicators, exploration and production activities, refining and marketing activities, earnings from petrochemicals, capital spending, and the outlook for 1994 performance

GALA: Group Analysis Leads to Accuracy, a novel approach for solving the inverse problem in exploratory analysis of group MEG recordings

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Vladimir eKozunov

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Although MEG/EEG signals are highly variable between subjects, they allow characterizing systematic changes of cortical activity in both space and time. Traditionally a two-step procedure is used. The first step is a transition from sensor to source space by the means of solving an ill-posed inverse problem for each subject individually. The second is mapping of cortical regions consistently active across subjects. In practice the first step often leads to a set of active cortical regions whose location and timecourses display a great amount of interindividual variability hindering the subsequent group analysis.We propose Group Analysis Leads to Accuracy (GALA - a solution that combines the two steps into one. GALA takes advantage of individual variations of cortical geometry and sensor locations. It exploits the ensuing variability in electromagnetic forward model as a source of additional information. We assume that for different subjects functionally identical cortical regions are located in close proximity and partially overlap and their timecourses are correlated. This relaxed similarity constraint on the inverse solution can be expressed within a probabilistic framework, allowing for an iterative algorithm solving the inverse problem jointly for all subjects.A systematic simulation study showed that GALA, as compared with the standard min-norm approach, improves accuracy of true activity recovery, when accuracy is assessed both in terms of spatial proximity of the estimated and true activations and correct specification of spatial extent of the activated regions. This improvement obtained without using any noise normalization techniques for both solutions, preserved for a wide range of between-subject variations in both spatial and temporal features of regional activation. The corresponding activation timecourses exhibit significantly higher similarity across subjects. Similar results were obtained for a real MEG dataset of face

State and group dynamics of world stock market by principal component analysis

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Nobi, Ashadun; Lee, Jae Woo

2016-05-01

We study the dynamic interactions and structural changes by a principal component analysis (PCA) to cross-correlation coefficients of global financial indices in the years 1998-2012. The variances explained by the first PC increase with time and show a drastic change during the crisis. A sharp change in PC coefficient implies a transition of market state, a situation which occurs frequently in the American and Asian indices. However, the European indices remain stable over time. Using the first two PC coefficients, we identify indices that are similar and more strongly correlated than the others. We observe that the European indices form a robust group over the observation period. The dynamics of the individual indices within the group increase in similarity with time, and the dynamics of indices are more similar during the crises. Furthermore, the group formation of indices changes position in two-dimensional spaces due to crises. Finally, after a financial crisis, the difference of PCs between the European and American indices narrows.

From knowledge to recognition: Evaluation of the process of a supervision group through lexical and textual statistical analysis

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Giovanna Di Falco

2014-09-01

Full Text Available The following article shows the process analysis of group supervision within a Therapeutic Community for adolescents with psychiatric problems. The main aim is to explore the influence of the group supervision on the quality of the patients care and, at the same time, the relationship between the therapists. The evaluation was made recording the group meetings and analyzing the transcriptions (representation of therapists’ speeches in written form through the use of statistical text analysis. Data analysis describes the frame of an institution – the TC – where it seems possible to “think” and “rethink” the clinical work and the relationship with patients bearing in mind – at the same time – institutional aspects; patients’ family role; social context; emotional and relational aspects of the therapists.Keywords: Process, Supervision, Therapeutic community

Multiple-Group Analysis Using the sem Package in the R System

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Evermann, Joerg

2010-01-01

Multiple-group analysis in covariance-based structural equation modeling (SEM) is an important technique to ensure the invariance of latent construct measurements and the validity of theoretical models across different subpopulations. However, not all SEM software packages provide multiple-group analysis capabilities. The sem package for the R…

Population Analysis of Adverse Events in Different Age Groups Using Big Clinical Trials Data.

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Jake; Eldredge, Christina; Cho, Chi C; Cisler, Ron A

2016-10-17

Understanding adverse event patterns in clinical studies across populations is important for patient safety and protection in clinical trials as well as for developing appropriate drug therapies, procedures, and treatment plans. The objective of our study was to conduct a data-driven population-based analysis to estimate the incidence, diversity, and association patterns of adverse events by age of the clinical trials patients and participants. Two aspects of adverse event patterns were measured: (1) the adverse event incidence rate in each of the patient age groups and (2) the diversity of adverse events defined as distinct types of adverse events categorized by organ system. Statistical analysis was done on the summarized clinical trial data. The incident rate and diversity level in each of the age groups were compared with the lowest group (reference group) using t tests. Cohort data was obtained from ClinicalTrials.gov, and 186,339 clinical studies were analyzed; data were extracted from the 17,853 clinical trials that reported clinical outcomes. The total number of clinical trial participants was 6,808,619, and total number of participants affected by adverse events in these trials was 1,840,432. The trial participants were divided into eight different age groups to support cross-age group comparison. In general, children and older patients are more susceptible to adverse events in clinical trial studies. Using the lowest incidence age group as the reference group (20-29 years), the incidence rate of the 0-9 years-old group was 31.41%, approximately 1.51 times higher (P=.04) than the young adult group (20-29 years) at 20.76%. The second-highest group is the 50-59 years-old group with an incidence rate of 30.09%, significantly higher (Pgroup. The adverse event diversity also increased with increase in patient age. Clinical studies that recruited older patients (older than 40 years) were more likely to observe a diverse range of adverse events (Page group (older

Application of Lie group analysis in geophysical fluid dynamics

CERN Document Server

Ibragimov, Ranis

2011-01-01

This is the first monograph dealing with the applications of the Lie group analysis to the modeling equations governing internal wave propagation in the deep ocean. A new approach to describe the nonlinear interactions of internal waves in the ocean is presented. While the central idea of the book is to investigate oceanic internal waves through the prism of Lie group analysis, it is also shown for the first time that internal wave beams, representing exact solutions to the equation of motion of stratified fluid, can be found by solving the given model as invariant solutions of nonlinear equat

Latent cluster analysis of ALS phenotypes identifies prognostically differing groups.

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Jeban Ganesalingam

2009-09-01

Full Text Available Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS is a degenerative disease predominantly affecting motor neurons and manifesting as several different phenotypes. Whether these phenotypes correspond to different underlying disease processes is unknown. We used latent cluster analysis to identify groupings of clinical variables in an objective and unbiased way to improve phenotyping for clinical and research purposes.Latent class cluster analysis was applied to a large database consisting of 1467 records of people with ALS, using discrete variables which can be readily determined at the first clinic appointment. The model was tested for clinical relevance by survival analysis of the phenotypic groupings using the Kaplan-Meier method.The best model generated five distinct phenotypic classes that strongly predicted survival (p<0.0001. Eight variables were used for the latent class analysis, but a good estimate of the classification could be obtained using just two variables: site of first symptoms (bulbar or limb and time from symptom onset to diagnosis (p<0.00001.The five phenotypic classes identified using latent cluster analysis can predict prognosis. They could be used to stratify patients recruited into clinical trials and generating more homogeneous disease groups for genetic, proteomic and risk factor research.

Does Group-Level Commitment Predict Employee Well-Being?: A Prospective Analysis.

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Clausen, Thomas; Christensen, Karl Bang; Nielsen, Karina

2015-11-01

To investigate the links between group-level affective organizational commitment (AOC) and individual-level psychological well-being, self-reported sickness absence, and sleep disturbances. A total of 5085 care workers from 301 workgroups in the Danish eldercare services participated in both waves of the study (T1 [2005] and T2 [2006]). The three outcomes were analyzed using linear multilevel regression analysis, multilevel Poisson regression analysis, and multilevel logistic regression analysis, respectively. Group-level AOC (T1) significantly predicted individual-level psychological well-being, self-reported sickness absence, and sleep disturbances (T2). The association between group-level AOC (T1) and psychological well-being (T2) was fully mediated by individual-level AOC (T1), and the associations between group-level AOC (T1) and self-reported sickness absence and sleep disturbances (T2) were partially mediated by individual-level AOC (T1). Group-level AOC is an important predictor of employee well-being in contemporary health care organizations.

A Project Team Analysis Using Tuckman's Model of Small-Group Development.

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Natvig, Deborah; Stark, Nancy L

2016-12-01

Concerns about equitable workloads for nursing faculty have been well documented, yet a standardized system for workload management does not exist. A project team was challenged to establish an academic workload management system when two dissimilar universities were consolidated. Tuckman's model of small-group development was used as the framework for the analysis of processes and effectiveness of a workload project team. Agendas, notes, and meeting minutes were used as the primary sources of information. Analysis revealed the challenges the team encountered. Utilization of a team charter was an effective tool in guiding the team to become a highly productive group. Lessons learned from the analysis are discussed. Guiding a diverse group into a highly productive team is complex. The use of Tuckman's model of small-group development provided a systematic mechanism to review and understand group processes and tasks. [J Nurs Educ. 2016;55(12):675-681.]. Copyright 2016, SLACK Incorporated.

On the spectral analysis of iterative solutions of the discretized one-group transport equation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanchez, Richard

2004-01-01

We analyze the Fourier-mode technique used for the spectral analysis of iterative solutions of the one-group discretized transport equation. We introduce a direct spectral analysis for the iterative solution of finite difference approximations for finite slabs composed of identical layers, providing thus a complementary analysis that is more appropriate for reactor applications. Numerical calculations for the method of characteristics and with the diamond difference approximation show the appearance of antisymmetric modes generated by the iteration on boundary data. We have also utilized the discrete Fourier transform to compute the spectrum for a periodic slab containing N identical layers and shown that at the limit N → ∞ one obtains the familiar Fourier-mode solution

Optimization of multi-group cross sections for fast reactor analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chin, M. R.; Manalo, K. L.; Edgar, C. A.; Paul, J. N.; Molinar, M. P.; Redd, E. M.; Yi, C.; Sjoden, G. E.

2013-01-01

The selection of the number of broad energy groups, collapsed broad energy group boundaries, and their associated evaluation into collapsed macroscopic cross sections from a general 238-group ENDF/B-VII library dramatically impacted the k eigenvalue for fast reactor analysis. An analysis was undertaken to assess the minimum number of energy groups that would preserve problem physics; this involved studies using the 3D deterministic transport parallel code PENTRAN, the 2D deterministic transport code SCALE6.1, the Monte Carlo based MCNP5 code, and the YGROUP cross section collapsing tool on a spatially discretized MOX fuel pin comprised of 21% PUO 2 -UO 2 with sodium coolant. The various cases resulted in a few hundred pcm difference between cross section libraries that included the 238 multi-group reference, and cross sections rendered using various reaction and adjoint weighted cross sections rendered by the YGROUP tool, and a reference continuous energy MCNP case. Particular emphasis was placed on the higher energies characteristic of fission neutrons in a fast spectrum; adjoint computations were performed to determine the average per-group adjoint fission importance for the MOX fuel pin. This study concluded that at least 10 energy groups for neutron transport calculations are required to accurately predict the eigenvalue for a fast reactor system to within 250 pcm of the 238 group case. In addition, the cross section collapsing/weighting schemes within YGROUP that provided a collapsed library rendering eigenvalues closest to the reference were the contribution collapsed, reaction rate weighted scheme. A brief analysis on homogenization of the MOX fuel pin is also provided, although more work is in progress in this area. (authors)

JIHADIST GROUPS IN THE SAHEL. AN ETYMOLOGICAL ANALYSIS

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Francesco Saverio Angió

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The names of the insurgent groups include historical, cultural, ethnic, territorial and doctrinal references that appear too specific to be considered accidental and thus could be indicative of their strategy. The examples of terrorist attacks carried out by these groups support this argument, as they adopted or changed their name beforehand, shortly before a spinoff group, a new alliance or an offshoot emerged, or when an attack occurred in a non-traditional geographic area of action. Unfortunately, too often mass media and government officials utilise incorrect and/or superficial translations of these names, thus contributing to a lack of detailed information on the jihadists. The etymological analysis of the Arabic names of the Sahelian jihadist insurgents intends to and contributes to increase the knowledge on the nature and actions of these groups

Using Cluster Analysis to Group Countries for Cost-effectiveness Analysis: An Application to Sub-Saharan Africa.

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Russell, Louise B; Bhanot, Gyan; Kim, Sun-Young; Sinha, Anushua

2018-02-01

To explore the use of cluster analysis to define groups of similar countries for the purpose of evaluating the cost-effectiveness of a public health intervention-maternal immunization-within the constraints of a project budget originally meant for an overall regional analysis. We used the most common cluster analysis algorithm, K-means, and the most common measure of distance, Euclidean distance, to group 37 low-income, sub-Saharan African countries on the basis of 24 measures of economic development, general health resources, and past success in public health programs. The groups were tested for robustness and reviewed by regional disease experts. We explored 2-, 3- and 4-group clustering. Public health performance was consistently important in determining the groups. For the 2-group clustering, for example, infant mortality in Group 1 was 81 per 1,000 live births compared with 51 per 1,000 in Group 2, and 67% of children in Group 1 received DPT immunization compared with 87% in Group 2. The experts preferred four groups to fewer, on the ground that national decision makers would more readily recognize their country among four groups. Clusters defined by K-means clustering made sense to subject experts and allowed a more detailed evaluation of the cost-effectiveness of maternal immunization within the constraint of the project budget. The method may be useful for other evaluations that, without having the resources to conduct separate analyses for each unit, seek to inform decision makers in numerous countries or subdivisions within countries, such as states or counties.

Effectiveness of Cognitive and Transactional Analysis Group Therapy on Improving Conflict-Solving Skill

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Bahram A. Ghanbari-Hashemabadi

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Background: Today, learning the communication skills such as conflict solving is very important. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the efficiency of cognitive and transactional analysis group therapy on improving the conflict-solving skill.Materials and Method: This study is an experimental study with pretest-posttest and control group. Forty-five clients who were referring to the counseling and psychological services center of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad were chosen based on screening method. In addition, they were randomly divided into three equal groups: control group (15 participants, cognitive experimental group (15 participants and transactional analysis group (15 participants. Conflict-solving questionnaire was used to collect data and the intervention methods were cognitive and transactional analysis group therapy that was administrated during 8 weekly two-hour sessions. Mean and standard deviation were used for data analysis in the descriptive level and One-Way ANOVA method was used at the inference level.Results: The results of the study suggest that the conflict-solving skills in the two experimental groups were significantly increased. Conclusion: The finding of this research is indicative of the fact that both cognitive and transactional analysis group therapy could be an effective intervention for improving conflict-solving skills

Physically Active Men Show Better Semen Parameters than Their Sedentary Counterparts.

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Lalinde-Acevedo, Paula C; Mayorga-Torres, B Jose Manuel; Agarwal, Ashok; du Plessis, Stefan S; Ahmad, Gulfam; Cadavid, Ángela P; Cardona Maya, Walter D

2017-10-01

The quality of semen depends upon several factors such as environment, life style, physical activity, age, and occupation. The aim of this study was to analyze and compare the conventional and functional semen parameters in men practicing vigorous physical activity to those of sedentary men. In this descriptive cross-sectional study, semen samples of 17 physically active men and 15 sedentary men were collected for analysis. Semen analysis was performed according to the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, while functional parameters were evaluated by flow cytometry. Results showed that several semen parameters (semen volume, viability, progressive motility, total motility, normal morphology, and moribund cells) were superior in the physically active group in comparison with the sedentary group. Semen parameters such as viability, progressive motility and total motility, as well as the percentage of moribund spermatozoa were significantly different between both groups. However, sperm DNA damage, lipid peroxidation and mitochondrial potential were not significantly different among the groups. Nevertheless, the physical activity shows better semen parameters than sedentary group. Taken together, our results demonstrate that regular physical activity has beneficial impact in sperm fertility parameters and such a life style can enhance the fertility status of men. Copyright© by Royan Institute. All rights reserved.

Is there evidence that walking groups have health benefits? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Hanson, Sarah; Jones, Andy

2015-06-01

To assess the health benefits of outdoor walking groups. Systematic review and meta-analysis of walking group interventions examining differences in commonly used physiological, psychological and well-being outcomes between baseline and intervention end. Seven electronic databases, clinical trial registers, grey literature and reference lists in English language up to November 2013. Adults, group walking outdoors with outcomes directly attributable to the walking intervention. Forty-two studies were identified involving 1843 participants. There is evidence that walking groups have wide-ranging health benefits. Meta-analysis showed statistically significant reductions in mean difference for systolic blood pressure -3.72 mm Hg (-5.28 to -2.17) and diastolic blood pressure -3.14 mm Hg (-4.15 to -2.13); resting heart rate -2.88 bpm (-4.13 to -1.64); body fat -1.31% (-2.10 to -0.52), body mass index -0.71 kg/m(2) (-1.19 to -0.23), total cholesterol -0.11 mmol/L (-0.22 to -0.01) and statistically significant mean increases in VO(2max) of 2.66 mL/kg/min (1.67-3.65), the SF-36 (physical functioning) score 6.02 (0.51 to 11.53) and a 6 min walk time of 79.6 m (53.37-105.84). A standardised mean difference showed a reduction in depression scores with an effect size of -0.67 (-0.97 to -0.38). The evidence was less clear for other outcomes such as waist circumference fasting glucose, SF-36 (mental health) and serum lipids such as high-density lipids. There were no notable adverse side effects reported in any of the studies. Walking groups are effective and safe with good adherence and wide-ranging health benefits. They could be a promising intervention as an adjunct to other healthcare or as a proactive health-promoting activity. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Importance-performance analysis of dental satisfaction among three ethnic groups in malaysia.

Science.gov (United States)

Dewi, Fellani Danasra; Gundavarapu, Kalyan C; Cugati, Navaneetha

2013-01-01

To find the differences in patient satisfaction related to dental services among three ethnic groups - Chinese, Indian and Malay - at AIMST University Dental Centre and analyse them with an importance-performance grid, identifying the weak and strong points, in order to provide better service. This questionnaire-based study consisted of convenience samples of 174 patients of Chinese, Indian and Malay ethnicity. Importance-performance analysis for 20 attributes were compared using Likert's scale. The data obtained were statistically analysed using the Kruskal-Wallis test. Chinese and Indians both emphasised low performance on the interpersonal relationship attribute in terms of the receptionist's courtesy, whereas the Malay participants were concerned with convenience attributes. All the ethnic groups favoured maintaining existing major attributes towards technical competency, interpersonal relationship and facility factors. This study demonstrated priority differences between the ethnic groups' perception of the quality of dental services, where ethnic Chinese showed the highest gap (measure of dissatisfaction) between importance and performance compared to ethnic Malays, followed by ethnic Indians. The patients from the three major ethnic groups of Malaysia were generally well satisfied. Perhaps more priority should be placed on improving the interpersonal relationship attribute, especially with the receptionists.

Has Group Work Education Lost Its Social Group Work Essence? A Content Analysis of MSW Course Syllabi in Search of Mutual Aid and Group Conflict Content

Science.gov (United States)

Sweifach, Jay Stephen

2015-01-01

This article presents the results of a content analysis of MSW group work course syllabi in an effort to better understand the extent to which mutual aid and group conflict, two important dimensions of social group work, are included and featured as prominent elements in MSW-level group work instruction.

The analysis of multivariate group differences using common principal components

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bechger, T.M.; Blanca, M.J.; Maris, G.

2014-01-01

Although it is simple to determine whether multivariate group differences are statistically significant or not, such differences are often difficult to interpret. This article is about common principal components analysis as a tool for the exploratory investigation of multivariate group differences

Multivariate analysis of chromatographic retention data as a supplementary means for grouping structurally related compounds.

Science.gov (United States)

Fasoula, S; Zisi, Ch; Sampsonidis, I; Virgiliou, Ch; Theodoridis, G; Gika, H; Nikitas, P; Pappa-Louisi, A

2015-03-27

In the present study a series of 45 metabolite standards belonging to four chemically similar metabolite classes (sugars, amino acids, nucleosides and nucleobases, and amines) was subjected to LC analysis on three HILIC columns under 21 different gradient conditions with the aim to explore whether the retention properties of these analytes are determined from the chemical group they belong. Two multivariate techniques, principal component analysis (PCA) and discriminant analysis (DA), were used for statistical evaluation of the chromatographic data and extraction similarities between chemically related compounds. The total variance explained by the first two principal components of PCA was found to be about 98%, whereas both statistical analyses indicated that all analytes are successfully grouped in four clusters of chemical structure based on the retention obtained in four or at least three chromatographic runs, which, however should be performed on two different HILIC columns. Moreover, leave-one-out cross-validation of the above retention data set showed that the chemical group in which an analyte belongs can be 95.6% correctly predicted when the analyte is subjected to LC analysis under the same four or three experimental conditions as the all set of analytes was run beforehand. That, in turn, may assist with disambiguation of analyte identification in complex biological extracts. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fat stigmatization in television shows and movies: a content analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Himes, Susan M; Thompson, J Kevin

2007-03-01

To examine the phenomenon of fat stigmatization messages presented in television shows and movies, a content analysis was used to quantify and categorize fat-specific commentary and humor. Fat stigmatization vignettes were identified using a targeted sampling procedure, and 135 scenes were excised from movies and television shows. The material was coded by trained raters. Reliability indices were uniformly high for the seven categories (percentage agreement ranged from 0.90 to 0.98; kappas ranged from 0.66 to 0.94). Results indicated that fat stigmatization commentary and fat humor were often verbal, directed toward another person, and often presented directly in the presence of the overweight target. Results also indicated that male characters were three times more likely to engage in fat stigmatization commentary or fat humor than female characters. To our knowledge, these findings provide the first information regarding the specific gender, age, and types of fat stigmatization that occur frequently in movies and television shows. The stimuli should prove useful in future research examining the role of individual difference factors (e.g., BMI) in the reaction to viewing such vignettes.

Supervised group Lasso with applications to microarray data analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Huang Jian

2007-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background A tremendous amount of efforts have been devoted to identifying genes for diagnosis and prognosis of diseases using microarray gene expression data. It has been demonstrated that gene expression data have cluster structure, where the clusters consist of co-regulated genes which tend to have coordinated functions. However, most available statistical methods for gene selection do not take into consideration the cluster structure. Results We propose a supervised group Lasso approach that takes into account the cluster structure in gene expression data for gene selection and predictive model building. For gene expression data without biological cluster information, we first divide genes into clusters using the K-means approach and determine the optimal number of clusters using the Gap method. The supervised group Lasso consists of two steps. In the first step, we identify important genes within each cluster using the Lasso method. In the second step, we select important clusters using the group Lasso. Tuning parameters are determined using V-fold cross validation at both steps to allow for further flexibility. Prediction performance is evaluated using leave-one-out cross validation. We apply the proposed method to disease classification and survival analysis with microarray data. Conclusion We analyze four microarray data sets using the proposed approach: two cancer data sets with binary cancer occurrence as outcomes and two lymphoma data sets with survival outcomes. The results show that the proposed approach is capable of identifying a small number of influential gene clusters and important genes within those clusters, and has better prediction performance than existing methods.

Can Automated Facial Expression Analysis Show Differences Between Autism and Typical Functioning?

Science.gov (United States)

Borsos, Zsófia; Gyori, Miklos

2017-01-01

Exploratory analyses of emotional expressions using a commercially available facial expression recognition software are reported, from the context of a serious game for screening purposes. Our results are based on a comparative analysis of two matched groups of kindergarten-age children (high-functioning children with autism spectrum condition: n=13; typically developing children: n=13). Results indicate that this technology has the potential to identify autism-specific emotion expression features, and may play a role in affective diagnostic and assistive technologies.

The cross-cultural transition experience: Phenomenological analysis on a group of international students

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Maria Grazia Novara

2014-09-01

Full Text Available This study is focused on exploration of experience of cultural transition that has lived a group of international students (European and not European host at an Italian University during particular experiential segment marking the transition from their culture of belonging to the new social and cultural context. From an epistemological point of view that aligns with the phenomenological tradition with individual and group interviews, it was monitored with a longitudinal methodology as the representation of the transit cross-cultural adaptation to the context it emerged from the interviews are associated through the dominant narrative themes. The results show how in the early stage of contact with the new culture, the group of students, both European and not, have felt a sense of disorientation associated with the loss of its cultural matrix. Over the next step of analysis is rather more clearly the difference between the group of European students, whose performances evoke an adjustment process easier and less based on feelings of ambivalence and close relationships that characterize the group of non-European students.Keywords: Cross-cultural transition; International students: Phenomenology  

Prediction of functional sites in proteins using conserved functional group analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Innis, C Axel; Anand, A Prem; Sowdhamini, R

2004-04-02

A detailed knowledge of a protein's functional site is an absolute prerequisite for understanding its mode of action at the molecular level. However, the rapid pace at which sequence and structural information is being accumulated for proteins greatly exceeds our ability to determine their biochemical roles experimentally. As a result, computational methods are required which allow for the efficient processing of the evolutionary information contained in this wealth of data, in particular that related to the nature and location of functionally important sites and residues. The method presented here, referred to as conserved functional group (CFG) analysis, relies on a simplified representation of the chemical groups found in amino acid side-chains to identify functional sites from a single protein structure and a number of its sequence homologues. We show that CFG analysis can fully or partially predict the location of functional sites in approximately 96% of the 470 cases tested and that, unlike other methods available, it is able to tolerate wide variations in sequence identity. In addition, we discuss its potential in a structural genomics context, where automation, scalability and efficiency are critical, and an increasing number of protein structures are determined with no prior knowledge of function. This is exemplified by our analysis of the hypothetical protein Ydde_Ecoli, whose structure was recently solved by members of the North East Structural Genomics consortium. Although the proposed active site for this protein needs to be validated experimentally, this example illustrates the scope of CFG analysis as a general tool for the identification of residues likely to play an important role in a protein's biochemical function. Thus, our method offers a convenient solution to rapidly and automatically process the vast amounts of data that are beginning to emerge from structural genomics projects.

About normal distribution on SO(3) group in texture analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Savyolova, T. I.; Filatov, S. V.

2017-12-01

This article studies and compares different normal distributions (NDs) on SO(3) group, which are used in texture analysis. Those NDs are: Fisher normal distribution (FND), Bunge normal distribution (BND), central normal distribution (CND) and wrapped normal distribution (WND). All of the previously mentioned NDs are central functions on SO(3) group. CND is a subcase for normal CLT-motivated distributions on SO(3) (CLT here is Parthasarathy’s central limit theorem). WND is motivated by CLT in R 3 and mapped to SO(3) group. A Monte Carlo method for modeling normally distributed values was studied for both CND and WND. All of the NDs mentioned above are used for modeling different components of crystallites orientation distribution function in texture analysis.

The multilevel analysis of surface acting and mental health: A moderation of positive group affective tone

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Meng-Shiu; Huang, Jui-Chan; Wu, Tzu-Jung

2017-06-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship among surface acting, mental health, and positive group affective tone. According to the prior theory, this study attempts to establish a comprehensive research framework among these variables, and furthermore tests the moderating effect of positive group affective tone. Data were collected from 435 employees in 52 service industrial companies by questionnaire, and this study conducted multilevel analysis. The results showed that surface acting will negatively affect the mental health. In addition, the positive group affective tone have significant moderating effect on the relationship among surface acting and mental health. Finally, this study discusses managerial implications and highlights future research suggestions.

Establishing Equivalence: Methodological Progress in Group-Matching Design and Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Kover, Sara T.; Atwood, Amy K.

2013-01-01

This methodological review draws attention to the challenges faced by intellectual and developmental disabilities researchers in the appropriate design and analysis of group comparison studies. We provide a brief overview of matching methodologies in the field, emphasizing group-matching designs used in behavioral research on cognition and…

Automatized Assessment of Protective Group Reactivity: A Step Toward Big Reaction Data Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Arkadii I; Madzhidov, Timur I; Klimchuk, Olga; Nugmanov, Ramil I; Antipin, Igor S; Varnek, Alexandre

2016-11-28

We report a new method to assess protective groups (PGs) reactivity as a function of reaction conditions (catalyst, solvent) using raw reaction data. It is based on an intuitive similarity principle for chemical reactions: similar reactions proceed under similar conditions. Technically, reaction similarity can be assessed using the Condensed Graph of Reaction (CGR) approach representing an ensemble of reactants and products as a single molecular graph, i.e., as a pseudomolecule for which molecular descriptors or fingerprints can be calculated. CGR-based in-house tools were used to process data for 142,111 catalytic hydrogenation reactions extracted from the Reaxys database. Our results reveal some contradictions with famous Greene's Reactivity Charts based on manual expert analysis. Models developed in this study show high accuracy (ca. 90%) for predicting optimal experimental conditions of protective group deprotection.

Whole genome sequencing as a tool for phylogenetic analysis of clinical strains of Mitis group streptococci

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmusen, L. H.; Dargis, R.; Iversen, Katrine Højholt

2016-01-01

observed in single gene analyses. Species identification based on single gene analysis showed their limitations when more strains were included. In contrast, analyses incorporating more sequence data, like MLSA, SNPs and core-genome analyses, provided more distinct clustering. The core-genome tree showed......Identification of Mitis group streptococci (MGS) to the species level is challenging for routine microbiology laboratories. Correct identification is crucial for the diagnosis of infective endocarditis, identification of treatment failure, and/or infection relapse. Eighty MGS from Danish patients...

Determination of arterial input function in dynamic susceptibility contrast MRI using group independent component analysis technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, S.; Liu, H.-L.; Yang Yihong; Hsu, Y.-Y.; Chuang, K.-S.

2006-01-01

Quantification of cerebral blood flow (CBF) with dynamic susceptibility contrast (DSC) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) requires the determination of the arterial input function (AIF). The segmentation of surrounding tissue by manual selection is error-prone due to the partial volume artifacts. Independent component analysis (ICA) has the advantage in automatically decomposing the signals into interpretable components. Recently group ICA technique has been applied to fMRI study and showed reduced variance caused by motion artifact and noise. In this work, we investigated the feasibility and efficacy of the use of group ICA technique to extract the AIF. Both simulated and in vivo data were analyzed in this study. The simulation data of eight phantoms were generated using randomized lesion locations and time activity curves. The clinical data were obtained from spin-echo EPI MR scans performed in seven normal subjects. Group ICA technique was applied to analyze data through concatenating across seven subjects. The AIFs were calculated from the weighted average of the signals in the region selected by ICA. Preliminary results of this study showed that group ICA technique could not extract accurate AIF information from regions around the vessel. The mismatched location of vessels within the group reduced the benefits of group study

Review of Recent Methodological Developments in Group-Randomized Trials: Part 2-Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Turner, Elizabeth L; Prague, Melanie; Gallis, John A; Li, Fan; Murray, David M

2017-07-01

In 2004, Murray et al. reviewed methodological developments in the design and analysis of group-randomized trials (GRTs). We have updated that review with developments in analysis of the past 13 years, with a companion article to focus on developments in design. We discuss developments in the topics of the earlier review (e.g., methods for parallel-arm GRTs, individually randomized group-treatment trials, and missing data) and in new topics, including methods to account for multiple-level clustering and alternative estimation methods (e.g., augmented generalized estimating equations, targeted maximum likelihood, and quadratic inference functions). In addition, we describe developments in analysis of alternative group designs (including stepped-wedge GRTs, network-randomized trials, and pseudocluster randomized trials), which require clustering to be accounted for in their design and analysis.

Issues in the Analysis of Focus Groups: Generalisability, Quantifiability, Treatment of Context and Quotations

Science.gov (United States)

Vicsek, Lilla

2010-01-01

In this paper I discuss some concerns related to the analysis of focus groups: (a) the issue of generalisation; (b) the problems of using numbers and quantifying in the analysis; (c) how the concrete situation of the focus groups could be included in the analysis, and (d) what formats can be used when quoting from focus groups. Problems with…

Group performance and group learning at dynamic system control tasks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Drewes, Sylvana

2013-01-01

Proper management of dynamic systems (e.g. cooling systems of nuclear power plants or production and warehousing) is important to ensure public safety and economic success. So far, research has provided broad evidence for systematic shortcomings in individuals' control performance of dynamic systems. This research aims to investigate whether groups manifest synergy (Larson, 2010) and outperform individuals and if so, what processes lead to these performance advantages. In three experiments - including simulations of a nuclear power plant and a business setting - I compare the control performance of three-person-groups to the average individual performance and to nominal groups (N = 105 groups per experiment). The nominal group condition captures the statistical advantage of aggregated group judgements not due to social interaction. First, results show a superior performance of groups compared to individuals. Second, a meta-analysis across all three experiments shows interaction-based process gains in dynamic control tasks: Interacting groups outperform the average individual performance as well as the nominal group performance. Third, group interaction leads to stable individual improvements of group members that exceed practice effects. In sum, these results provide the first unequivocal evidence for interaction-based performance gains of groups in dynamic control tasks and imply that employers should rely on groups to provide opportunities for individual learning and to foster dynamic system control at its best.

A cladistic analysis of Aristotle's animal groups in the Historia animalium.

Science.gov (United States)

von Lieven, Alexander Fürst; Humar, Marcel

2008-01-01

The Historia animalium (HA) of Aristotle contains an extraordinarily rich compilation of descriptions of animal anatomy, development, and behaviour. It is believed that Aristotle's aim in HA was to describe the correlations of characters rather than to classify or define animal groups. In order to assess if Aristotle, while organising his character correlations, referred to a pre-existing classification that underlies the descriptions in HA, we carried out a cladistic analysis according to the following procedure: by disentangeling 147 species and 40 higher taxa-designations from 157 predicates in the texts, we transcribed Aristotle's descriptions on anatomy and development of animals in books I-V of HA into a character matrix for a cladistic analysis. By analysing the distribution of characters as described in his books, we obtained a non-phylogenetic dendrogram displaying 58 monophyletic groups, 29 of which have equivalents among Aristotle's group designations. Eleven Aristotelian groupings turned out to be non-monophyletic, and six of them are inconsistent with the monophyletic groups. Twelve of 29 taxa without equivalents in Aristotle's works have equivalents in modern classifications. With this analysis we demonstate there exists a fairly consistent underlying classification in the zoological works of Aristotle. The peculiarities of Aristotle's character basis are discussed and the dendrogram is compared with a current phylogenetic tree.

LACEwING: A New Moving Group Analysis Code

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Riedel, Adric R. [Department of Astronomy, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Blunt, Sarah C.; Faherty, Jacqueline K. [Department of Astrophysics, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY 10024 (United States); Lambrides, Erini L. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); Rice, Emily L. [Department of Engineering Science and Physics, The College of Staten Island, Staten Island, NY 10314 (United States); Cruz, Kelle L., E-mail: arr@astro.caltech.edu [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Hunter College, New York, NY 10065 (United States)

2017-03-01

We present a new nearby young moving group (NYMG) kinematic membership analysis code, LocAting Constituent mEmbers In Nearby Groups (LACEwING), a new Catalog of Suspected Nearby Young Stars, a new list of bona fide members of moving groups, and a kinematic traceback code. LACEwING is a convergence-style algorithm with carefully vetted membership statistics based on a large numerical simulation of the Solar Neighborhood. Given spatial and kinematic information on stars, LACEwING calculates membership probabilities in 13 NYMGs and three open clusters within 100 pc. In addition to describing the inputs, methods, and products of the code, we provide comparisons of LACEwING to other popular kinematic moving group membership identification codes. As a proof of concept, we use LACEwING to reconsider the membership of 930 stellar systems in the Solar Neighborhood (within 100 pc) that have reported measurable lithium equivalent widths. We quantify the evidence in support of a population of young stars not attached to any NYMGs, which is a possible sign of new as-yet-undiscovered groups or of a field population of young stars.

Assessment of genetic diversity within the Merodon ruficornis species group (Diptera: Syrphidae by RAPD analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrić Andrijana

2017-01-01

Full Text Available As one of the most distinct groups in the hoverfly genus Merodon, the monophyletic ruficornis species group has been the focus of several studies using different approaches. Molecular methods have shown incongruences between morphological and molecular data. In the present study, we investigated four species of the Merodon ruficornis group (i.e. M. loewi, M. armipes, M. papillus and M. hoplitis with the aim of detecting intra- and interspecific genetic diversity, and we examined the usefulness of random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD in an integrative taxonomic approach to species delimitation. Analysis of Nei’s genetic variation over all loci showed that genetic diversity for the analyzed Merodon species was h=0.24. Based on UPGMA, PCoA and Bayesian clustering analyses, our results clearly differentiated four groups that correspond to the four morphologically-defined Merodon species. Among the analyzed species, M. armipes and M. hoplitis showed the lowest level of genetic divergence; M. loewi was clearly separated from both M. armipes and M. papillus. Based on our data, we propose the use of RAPD-PCR as an additional tool for resolving taxonomic problems within Merodon. [Project of the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Grant no.173002

Fungal communities in wheat grain show significant co-existence patterns among species

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nicolaisen, M.; Justesen, A. F.; Knorr, K.

2014-01-01

identified as ‘core’ OTUs as they were found in all or almost all samples and accounted for almost 99 % of all sequences. The remaining OTUs were only sporadically found and only in small amounts. Cluster and factor analyses showed patterns of co-existence among the core species. Cluster analysis grouped...... the 21 core OTUs into three clusters: cluster 1 consisting of saprotrophs, cluster 2 consisting mainly of yeasts and saprotrophs and cluster 3 consisting of wheat pathogens. Principal component extraction showed that the Fusarium graminearum group was inversely related to OTUs of clusters 1 and 2....

Analysis of allergen immunotherapy studies shows increased clinical efficacy in highly symptomatic patients

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Howarth, P; Malling, Hans-Jørgen; Molimard, M

2011-01-01

them. Thus, clinical studies of AIT can neither establish baseline symptom levels nor limit the enrolment of patients to those with the most severe symptoms. Allergen immunotherapy treatment effects are therefore diluted by patients with low symptoms for a particular pollen season. The objective...... tertiles). The difference observed in the average score in each tertile in active vs placebo-treated patients was assessed. This allowed an estimation of the efficacy that could be achieved in patients from sites where symptoms were high during the pollen season. Results:  An increased treatment effect...... of this analysis was to assess the effect possible to achieve with AIT in the groups of patients presenting the most severe allergic symptoms. Methods:  Study centres were grouped into tertiles categorized according to symptom severity scores observed in the placebo patients in each centre (low, middle and high...

Finansial Analysis of Wanayasa Tilapia Culture in Mekarsari Farmer Group

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. Diatin

2007-01-01

Full Text Available This research aims to discover the general overview of the Nila Wanayasa's seeding business which conduct by Mekarsari's Conductors Group in Tanjungsari Village, to analyze the business' rent, to analyze the investment eligibility and to analyze the sensitivity of the price fluctuation of production factors, in this case is feed.  The business eligibility and its sensitivity judged by investment criteria i.e. NPV, Net B/C, and IRR.  The result shows the NPV is IDR 225,116,401.83, Net B/C is 19.38, and IRR is 707%.  The sensitivity analysis which using the switching value methods shows that the business is eligible to be continued with increasing price of feed until 800.917%, because of the NPV is zero, Net B/C is 1, and IRR is equal to the rate.  Keywords:  financial analysis, NPV, Net B/C, IRR, Nila Wanayasa's Culture   ABSTRAK Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui kelayakan ekonomi usaha budidaya ikan nila Wanayasa yang dilakukan oleh kelompok tani Mekarsari, Desa Tanjungsari, Purwakarta.  Kriteria kelayakan usaha dan faktor sensitivitas yang diamati meliputi NPV, B/C net, dan IRR.  Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa nilai NPV adalah sebesar Rp 225.116.401,83, B/C net sebesar 19,38, dan IRR 707%.  Analisa sensitivitas menggunakan metode "switching value" menunjukkan bahwa usaha petani layak dilanjutkan sampai harga pakan meningkat  800,92%, karena nilai NPV adalah nol, B/C net 1, dan IRR sama dengan tingkat suku bunga yang berlaku. Kata kunci:  analisis finansial, NPV, B/C, IRR, Nila Wanayasa

The Purpose of Tutorial Groups: Social Influence and the Group as Means and Objective

Science.gov (United States)

Rosander, Michael; Chiriac, Eva Hammar

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate how first-year students view the purpose of tutorial groups in problem-based learning. In all, 147 students from 24 groups participated, providing 399 statements. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. The results showed a focus on both learning and social influence. Learning involved the tutorial as…

Chromosome aberration analysis in a group of workers who dealt with radioluminious paints

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Markovicj, B.; Panov, D.; Joksicj, G.

1988-01-01

By using radiotoxicology tests (H-3 analysis in urine) in a group of workers who dealt with radioluminous paints, the presence of internal contamination was discovered. Moreover, the frequency of chromosome aberrations increased as well. The observation of chromosome aberrations was therefore continued for next 6 and 9 months. Chromosome aberrations still exist even 6 months after taking the subject away from the endangered workplace, but nine months after the incident they mostly disappear from peripheral blood. Biodosimetry investigations show that dose estimates were in the range 0,12 - 0,595 Gy. (author). 3 refs.; 1 tab

Seismic analysis program group: SSAP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uchida, Masaaki

2002-05-01

A group of programs SSAP has been developed, each member of which performs seismic calculation using simple single-mass system model or multi-mass system model. For response of structures to a transverse s-wave, a single-mass model program calculating response spectrum and a multi-mass model program are available. They perform calculation using the output of another program, which produces simulated earthquakes having the so-called Ohsaki-spectrum characteristic. Another program has been added, which calculates the response of one-dimensional multi-mass systems to vertical p-wave input. It places particular emphasis on the analysis of the phenomena observed at some shallow earthquakes in which stones jump off the ground. Through a series of test calculations using these programs, some interesting information has been derived concerning the validity of superimposing single-mass model calculation, and also the condition for stones to jump. (author)

Testing Group Mean Differences of Latent Variables in Multilevel Data Using Multiple-Group Multilevel CFA and Multilevel MIMIC Modeling.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Eun Sook; Cao, Chunhua

2015-01-01

Considering that group comparisons are common in social science, we examined two latent group mean testing methods when groups of interest were either at the between or within level of multilevel data: multiple-group multilevel confirmatory factor analysis (MG ML CFA) and multilevel multiple-indicators multiple-causes modeling (ML MIMIC). The performance of these methods were investigated through three Monte Carlo studies. In Studies 1 and 2, either factor variances or residual variances were manipulated to be heterogeneous between groups. In Study 3, which focused on within-level multiple-group analysis, six different model specifications were considered depending on how to model the intra-class group correlation (i.e., correlation between random effect factors for groups within cluster). The results of simulations generally supported the adequacy of MG ML CFA and ML MIMIC for multiple-group analysis with multilevel data. The two methods did not show any notable difference in the latent group mean testing across three studies. Finally, a demonstration with real data and guidelines in selecting an appropriate approach to multilevel multiple-group analysis are provided.

Effects of group reminiscence on elderly depression: A meta-analysis

OpenAIRE

Dan Song; Qin Shen; Tu-Zhen Xu; Qiu-Hua Sun

2014-01-01

Background/purpose: The present meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the effectiveness of group reminiscence on depression in elderly patients. Methods: Published and unpublished randomised controlled trials that assessed the effects of group reminiscence on depression in elderly patients were systematically reviewed using multiple electronic databases. Relative risks for dichotomous data and weighted mean differences for continuous data were calculated with 95% confidence intervals. ...

Working group on VVER safety analysis - report of the 2010 meeting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kliem, S.

2010-01-01

The AER Working Group D on WWER reactor safety analysis held its nineteenth meeting in Pisa, Italy, during the period 15-16 April, 2010. The meeting was hosted by the San Piero a Grado Nuclear Research Group of the University of Pisa and was held in conjunction with the second workshop on the OECD/NEA Benchmark for the Kalinin-3 WWER-1000 NPP and the fourth workshop on the OECD Benchmark for Uncertainty Analysis in Best-Estimate Modelling (UAM) for Design, Operation and Safety Analysis of LWRs. Altogether 12 participants attended the meeting of the working group D, 8 from AER member organizations and 4 guests from non-member organization. The co-ordinator of the working group, Mr. S. Kliem, served as chairman of the meeting. The meeting started with a general information exchange about the recent activities in the participating organizations. The given presentations and the discussions can be attributed to the following topics:-Code validation and benchmarking including the calculation of the OECD/NEA Benchmark for the Kalinin-3 WWER-1000 NPP;-Safety analyses and code developments;-Future activities A list of the participants and a list of the handouts distributed at the meeting are attached to the report. The corresponding PDF-files can be obtained from the chairman. (Author)

Content analysis of neurodegenerative and mental diseases social groups.

Science.gov (United States)

Martínez-Pérez, Borja; de la Torre-Díez, Isabel; Bargiela-Flórez, Beatriz; López-Coronado, Miguel; Rodrigues, Joel J P C

2015-12-01

This article aims to characterize the different types of Facebook and Twitter groups for different mental diseases, their purposes, and their functions. We focused the search on depressive disorders, dementia, and Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases and examined the Facebook (www.facebook.com) and Twitter (www.twitter.com) groups. We used four assessment criteria: (1) purpose, (2) type of creator, (3) telehealth content, and (4) free-text responses in surveys and interviews. We observed a total of 357 Parkinson groups, 325 dementia groups, 853 Alzheimer groups, and 1127 depression groups on Facebook and Twitter. Moreover, we analyze the responses provided by different users. The survey and interview responses showed that many people were interested in using social networks to support and help in the fight against these diseases. The results indicate that social networks are acceptable by users in terms of simplicity and utility. People use them for finding support, information, self-help, advocacy and awareness, and for collecting funds. © The Author(s) 2014.

Young Adults’ Attitude Towards Advertising: a multi-group analysis by ethnicity

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Hiram Ting

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Objective – This study aims to investigate the attitude of Malaysian young adults towards advertising. How this segment responds to advertising, and how ethnic/cultural differences moderate are assessed. Design/methodology/approach – A quantitative questionnaire is used to collect data at two universities. Purposive sampling technique is adopted to ensure the sample represents the actual population. Structural equation modelling (SEM and multi-group analysis (MGA are utilized in analysis. Findings - The findings show that product information, hedonism, and good for economy are significant predictors of attitude towards advertising among young adults. Additionally, falsity is found to be significant among the Chinese, while social role and materialism among the Dayaks. No difference is observed in the effect of attitude on intention towards advertising by ethnicity. While homogeneity in advertising beliefs is assumed across ethnic groups, the Chinese and Dayak young adults are different in some of their advertising beliefs. Practical implications – Despite cultural effect being well-documented, young adults today seem to have similar beliefs and attitude towards advertising. Knowing what is shared and what is not for this segment is essential. Hence, it is imperative to keep track of their values in diversified communities to ensure effective communication process in advertising. Originality/value – In addition to the theory of reasoned action, MGA is utilized to assess the moderating effect of ethnic/culture on the whole model. This affords a more comprehensive understanding on the subject matter in multi-ethnic and cultural countries.

Developing group investigation-based book on numerical analysis to increase critical thinking student’s ability

Science.gov (United States)

Maharani, S.; Suprapto, E.

2018-03-01

Critical thinking is very important in Mathematics; it can make student more understanding mathematics concept. Critical thinking is also needed in numerical analysis. The Numerical analysis's book is not yet including critical thinking in them. This research aims to develop group investigation-based book on numerical analysis to increase critical thinking student’s ability, to know the quality of the group investigation-based book on numerical analysis is valid, practical, and effective. The research method is Research and Development (R&D) with the subject are 30 student college department of Mathematics education at Universitas PGRI Madiun. The development model used is 4-D modified to 3-D until the stage development. The type of data used is descriptive qualitative data. Instruments used are sheets of validation, test, and questionnaire. Development results indicate that group investigation-based book on numerical analysis in the category of valid a value 84.25%. Students response to the books very positive, so group investigation-based book on numerical analysis category practical, i.e., 86.00%. The use of group investigation-based book on numerical analysis has been meeting the completeness criteria classical learning that is 84.32 %. Based on research result of this study concluded that group investigation-based book on numerical analysis is feasible because it meets the criteria valid, practical, and effective. So, the book can be used by every mathematics academician. The next research can be observed that book based group investigation in other subjects.

Exclusively visual analysis of classroom group interactions

Science.gov (United States)

Tucker, Laura; Scherr, Rachel E.; Zickler, Todd; Mazur, Eric

2016-12-01

Large-scale audiovisual data that measure group learning are time consuming to collect and analyze. As an initial step towards scaling qualitative classroom observation, we qualitatively coded classroom video using an established coding scheme with and without its audio cues. We find that interrater reliability is as high when using visual data only—without audio—as when using both visual and audio data to code. Also, interrater reliability is high when comparing use of visual and audio data to visual-only data. We see a small bias to code interactions as group discussion when visual and audio data are used compared with video-only data. This work establishes that meaningful educational observation can be made through visual information alone. Further, it suggests that after initial work to create a coding scheme and validate it in each environment, computer-automated visual coding could drastically increase the breadth of qualitative studies and allow for meaningful educational analysis on a far greater scale.

Exclusively visual analysis of classroom group interactions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laura Tucker

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Large-scale audiovisual data that measure group learning are time consuming to collect and analyze. As an initial step towards scaling qualitative classroom observation, we qualitatively coded classroom video using an established coding scheme with and without its audio cues. We find that interrater reliability is as high when using visual data only—without audio—as when using both visual and audio data to code. Also, interrater reliability is high when comparing use of visual and audio data to visual-only data. We see a small bias to code interactions as group discussion when visual and audio data are used compared with video-only data. This work establishes that meaningful educational observation can be made through visual information alone. Further, it suggests that after initial work to create a coding scheme and validate it in each environment, computer-automated visual coding could drastically increase the breadth of qualitative studies and allow for meaningful educational analysis on a far greater scale.

Support vector machine learning-based fMRI data group analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Ze; Childress, Anna R; Wang, Jiongjiong; Detre, John A

2007-07-15

To explore the multivariate nature of fMRI data and to consider the inter-subject brain response discrepancies, a multivariate and brain response model-free method is fundamentally required. Two such methods are presented in this paper by integrating a machine learning algorithm, the support vector machine (SVM), and the random effect model. Without any brain response modeling, SVM was used to extract a whole brain spatial discriminance map (SDM), representing the brain response difference between the contrasted experimental conditions. Population inference was then obtained through the random effect analysis (RFX) or permutation testing (PMU) on the individual subjects' SDMs. Applied to arterial spin labeling (ASL) perfusion fMRI data, SDM RFX yielded lower false-positive rates in the null hypothesis test and higher detection sensitivity for synthetic activations with varying cluster size and activation strengths, compared to the univariate general linear model (GLM)-based RFX. For a sensory-motor ASL fMRI study, both SDM RFX and SDM PMU yielded similar activation patterns to GLM RFX and GLM PMU, respectively, but with higher t values and cluster extensions at the same significance level. Capitalizing on the absence of temporal noise correlation in ASL data, this study also incorporated PMU in the individual-level GLM and SVM analyses accompanied by group-level analysis through RFX or group-level PMU. Providing inferences on the probability of being activated or deactivated at each voxel, these individual-level PMU-based group analysis methods can be used to threshold the analysis results of GLM RFX, SDM RFX or SDM PMU.

Group theoretical analysis of octahedral tilting in perovskites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Howard, C.J.; Stokes, H.T.

1998-01-01

Full text: Structures of the perovskite family, ABX 3 , have interested crystallographers over many years, and continue to attract attention on account of their fascinating electrical and magnetic properties, for example the giant magnetoresistive effects exhibited by certain perovskite materials. The ideal perovskite (cubic, space group Pm -/3 m) is a particularly simple structure, but also a demanding one, since aside from the lattice parameter there are no variable parameters in the structure. Consequently, the majority of perovskite structures are distorted perovskites (hettotypes), the most common distortion being the corner-linked tilting of the practically rigid BX 6 octahedral units. In this work, group theoretical methods have been applied to the study of octahedral tilting in perovskites. The only irreducible representations of the parent group (Pm -/3 m) which produce octahedral tilting subject to corner-linking constraints are M + / 3 and R 4 ' + . A six-dimensional order parameter in the reducible representation space of M + / 3 + R + / 4 describes the different possible tilting patterns. The space groups for the different perovskites are then simply the isotropy subgroups, comprising those operations which leave the order parameter invariant. The isotropy subgroups are obtained from a computer program or tabulations. The analysis yields a list of fifteen possible space groups for perovskites derived through octahedral tilting. A connection is made to the (twenty-three) tilt systems given previously by Glazer. The group-subgroup relationships have been derived and displayed. It is interesting to note that all known perovskites based on octahedral tilting conform with the fifteen space groups on our list, with the exception of one perovskite at high temperature, the structure of which seems poorly determined

Seeking support on facebook: a content analysis of breast cancer groups.

Science.gov (United States)

Bender, Jacqueline L; Jimenez-Marroquin, Maria-Carolina; Jadad, Alejandro R

2011-02-04

Social network sites have been growing in popularity across broad segments of Internet users, and are a convenient means to exchange information and support. Research on their use for health-related purposes is limited. This study aimed to characterize the purpose, use, and creators of Facebook groups related to breast cancer. We searched Facebook (www.Facebook.com) using the term breast cancer. We restricted our analysis to groups that were related to breast cancer, operated in English, and were publicly available. Two of us independently extracted information on the administrator and purpose of the group, as well as the number of user-generated contributions. We developed a coding scheme to guide content analysis. We found 620 breast cancer groups on Facebook containing a total of 1,090,397 members. The groups were created for fundraising (277/620, 44.7%), awareness (236, 38.1%), product or service promotion related to fundraising or awareness (61, 9%), or patient/caregiver support (46, 7%). The awareness groups as a whole contained by far the most members (n = 957,289). The majority of groups (532, 85.8%) had 25 wall posts or fewer. The support oriented groups, 47% (27/57) of which were established by high school or college students, were associated with the greatest number of user-generated contributions. Facebook groups have become a popular tool for awareness-raising, fundraising, and support-seeking related to breast cancer attracting over one million users. Given their popularity and reach, further research is warranted to explore the implications of social network sites as a health resource across various health conditions, cultures, ages, and socioeconomic groups.

HEP Software Foundation Community White Paper Working Group - Data Analysis and Interpretation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bauerdick, Lothar; et al.

2018-04-09

At the heart of experimental high energy physics (HEP) is the development of facilities and instrumentation that provide sensitivity to new phenomena. Our understanding of nature at its most fundamental level is advanced through the analysis and interpretation of data from sophisticated detectors in HEP experiments. The goal of data analysis systems is to realize the maximum possible scientific potential of the data within the constraints of computing and human resources in the least time. To achieve this goal, future analysis systems should empower physicists to access the data with a high level of interactivity, reproducibility and throughput capability. As part of the HEP Software Foundation Community White Paper process, a working group on Data Analysis and Interpretation was formed to assess the challenges and opportunities in HEP data analysis and develop a roadmap for activities in this area over the next decade. In this report, the key findings and recommendations of the Data Analysis and Interpretation Working Group are presented.

Multidimensional Recurrence Quantification Analysis (MdRQA) for the Analysis of Multidimensional Time-Series: A Software Implementation in MATLAB and Its Application to Group-Level Data in Joint Action.

Science.gov (United States)

Wallot, Sebastian; Roepstorff, Andreas; Mønster, Dan

2016-01-01

We introduce Multidimensional Recurrence Quantification Analysis (MdRQA) as a tool to analyze multidimensional time-series data. We show how MdRQA can be used to capture the dynamics of high-dimensional signals, and how MdRQA can be used to assess coupling between two or more variables. In particular, we describe applications of the method in research on joint and collective action, as it provides a coherent analysis framework to systematically investigate dynamics at different group levels-from individual dynamics, to dyadic dynamics, up to global group-level of arbitrary size. The Appendix in Supplementary Material contains a software implementation in MATLAB to calculate MdRQA measures.

Analysis of Lyrics from Group Songwriting with Bereaved Children and Adolescents.

Science.gov (United States)

Fiore, Jennifer

2016-01-01

Songwriting is a group intervention that is often used to help bereaved children and adolescents express thoughts and feelings associated with grief experiences. Few studies have examined the lyrical content of songs written by bereaved children/adolescents and how thematic content may vary by age and developmental understanding of death. The purpose of this study was to determine whether experiences of songwriting and lyrical content of songs written by children and adolescents participating in a bereavement camp vary by age. Thirty-three participants, ages 6-16, were grouped according to age (child, tween, or teen) and asked to write a group song. Analysis of song lyrics was based on both inductive and deductive content analysis processes. A seven-item questionnaire was also used with the tween and teen groups to gather descriptive information about the songwriting process, including participant views on benefits, enjoyment, and preferences. Analyses revealed a total of five different themes among the three age groups, with two of the five themes present across the age groups. A majority of the participants enjoyed the songwriting process, but no clear indication of preference for verbal or written contribution was determined based on age or gender. The lyric content of the songs varied across the age groups, with the older groups providing more diverse content and demonstrating growth in their understanding of death. Providing participants both written and verbal options to contribute to the songwriting process allows for individual preferences among tweens and teens. © the American Music Therapy Association 2016. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Ethnic Diversity, Inter-group Attitudes and Countervailing Pathways of Positive and Negative Inter-group Contact: An Analysis Across Workplaces and Neighbourhoods.

Science.gov (United States)

Laurence, James; Schmid, Katharina; Hewstone, Miles

2018-01-01

This study advances the current literature investigating the relationship between contextual out-group exposure, inter-group attitudes and the role of inter-group contact. Firstly, it introduces the concept of contact-valence into this relationship; that is, whether contact is experienced positively or negatively. Secondly, it presents a comparative analysis of how processes of out-group exposure and frequency of (valenced) contact affect prejudice across both neighbourhoods and workplaces. Applying path analysis modelling to a nationally-representative sample of white British individuals in England, we demonstrate, across both contexts, that increasing out-group exposure is associated with higher rates of both positively- and negatively-valenced contact. This results in exposure exhibiting both positive and negative indirect associations with prejudice via more frequent inter-group mixing. These countervailing contact-pathways help explain how out-group exposure is associated with inter-group attitudes. In neighbourhoods, increasing numbers of individuals experiencing positive-contact suppress an otherwise negative effect of neighbourhood diversity (driven partly by increasing numbers of individuals reporting negative contact). Across workplaces the effect differs such that increasing numbers of individuals experiencing negative-contact suppress an otherwise positive effect of workplace diversity (driven largely by increasing numbers of individuals experiencing positive contact).

The Use of Tactile Sensors and PIV Analysis for Understanding the Bearing Mechanism of Pile Groups.

Science.gov (United States)

You, Zhijia; Chen, Yulong

2018-02-06

Model tests were carried out in dry silica sand under pile loading and visualizing observation to investigate the behavior of a pile group. The pile group consisted of nine cylindrical model piles of 40 mm in diameter in most tests or three rectangular parallelepiped model piles in the visualizing observation. Pile spacings of 200 mm and 100 mm between pile centers were used in the models. Tactile sensors were installed to measure the pressure distribution in the ground and colored sand layer with particle image velocimetry (PIV) analysis to reveal the ground deformation in addition to strain gauges inside the model piles to investigate the interaction among group piles. The tests results showed that a narrower spacing between piles resulted in a wider affected area of the ground and the interaction was more significant below the tips.

Urine proteome analysis in Dent's disease shows high selective changes potentially involved in chronic renal damage.

Science.gov (United States)

Santucci, Laura; Candiano, Giovanni; Anglani, Franca; Bruschi, Maurizio; Tosetto, Enrica; Cremasco, Daniela; Murer, Luisa; D'Ambrosio, Chiara; Scaloni, Andrea; Petretto, Andrea; Caridi, Gianluca; Rossi, Roberta; Bonanni, Alice; Ghiggeri, Gian Marco

2016-01-01

Definition of the urinary protein composition would represent a potential tool for diagnosis in many clinical conditions. The use of new proteomic technologies allows detection of genetic and post-trasductional variants that increase sensitivity of the approach but complicates comparison within a heterogeneous patient population. Overall, this limits research of urinary biomarkers. Studying monogenic diseases are useful models to address this issue since genetic variability is reduced among first- and second-degree relatives of the same family. We applied this concept to Dent's disease, a monogenic condition characterised by low-molecular-weight proteinuria that is inherited following an X-linked trait. Results are presented here on a combined proteomic approach (LC-mass spectrometry, Western blot and zymograms for proteases and inhibitors) to characterise urine proteins in a large family (18 members, 6 hemizygous patients, 6 carrier females, and 6 normals) with Dent's diseases due to the 1070G>T mutation of the CLCN5. Gene ontology analysis on more than 1000 proteins showed that several clusters of proteins characterised urine of affected patients compared to carrier females and normal subjects: proteins involved in extracellular matrix remodelling were the major group. Specific analysis on metalloproteases and their inhibitors underscored unexpected mechanisms potentially involved in renal fibrosis. Studying with new-generation techniques for proteomic analysis of the members of a large family with Dent's disease sharing the same molecular defect allowed highly repetitive results that justify conclusions. Identification in urine of proteins actively involved in interstitial matrix remodelling poses the question of active anti-fibrotic drugs in Dent's patients. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

How Chinese are entrepreneurial strategies of ethnic Chinese business groups in Southeast Asia? : a multifaceted analysis of the Salim Group of Indonesia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dieleman, Maria Helena

2007-01-01

Family business groups are ubiquitous in most emerging markets. This book provides a richly documented analysis of the strategy of the Salim Group, one of the largest family conglomerates in Southeast Asia. It argues that the strategy of this group oscillated irregularly between a business model

Statistical Analysis of Human Body Movement and Group Interactions in Response to Music

Science.gov (United States)

Desmet, Frank; Leman, Marc; Lesaffre, Micheline; de Bruyn, Leen

Quantification of time series that relate to physiological data is challenging for empirical music research. Up to now, most studies have focused on time-dependent responses of individual subjects in controlled environments. However, little is known about time-dependent responses of between-subject interactions in an ecological context. This paper provides new findings on the statistical analysis of group synchronicity in response to musical stimuli. Different statistical techniques were applied to time-dependent data obtained from an experiment on embodied listening in individual and group settings. Analysis of inter group synchronicity are described. Dynamic Time Warping (DTW) and Cross Correlation Function (CCF) were found to be valid methods to estimate group coherence of the resulting movements. It was found that synchronicity of movements between individuals (human-human interactions) increases significantly in the social context. Moreover, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) revealed that the type of music is the predominant factor in both the individual and the social context.

Neural network integration during the perception of in-group and out-group members.

Science.gov (United States)

Greven, Inez M; Ramsey, Richard

2017-11-01

Group biases guide social interactions by promoting in-group favouritism, but the neural mechanisms underpinning group biases remain unclear. While neuroscience research has shown that distributed brain circuits are associated with seeing in-group and out-group members as "us" and "them", it is less clear how these networks exchange signals. This fMRI study uses functional connectivity analyses to investigate the contribution of functional integration to group bias modulation of person perception. Participants were assigned to an arbitrary group and during scanning they observed bodies of in-group or out-group members that cued the recall of positive or negative social knowledge. The results showed that functional coupling between perceptual and cognitive neural networks is tuned to particular combinations of group membership and social knowledge valence. Specifically, coupling between body perception and theory-of-mind networks is biased towards seeing a person that had previously been paired with information consistent with group bias (positive for in-group and negative for out-group). This demonstrates how brain regions associated with visual analysis of others and belief reasoning exchange and integrate signals when evaluating in-group and out-group members. The results update models of person perception by showing how and when interplay occurs between perceptual and extended systems when developing a representation of another person. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Functional Group Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Walter T., Jr.; Patterson, John M.

1984-01-01

Literature on analytical methods related to the functional groups of 17 chemical compounds is reviewed. These compounds include acids, acid azides, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, amino acids, aromatic hydrocarbons, carbodiimides, carbohydrates, ethers, nitro compounds, nitrosamines, organometallic compounds, peroxides, phenols, silicon compounds,…

A Systematic Review of Group Social Skills Interventions, and Meta-analysis of Outcomes, for Children with High Functioning ASD.

Science.gov (United States)

Wolstencroft, J; Robinson, L; Srinivasan, R; Kerry, E; Mandy, W; Skuse, D

2018-07-01

Group social skills interventions (GSSIs) are a commonly offered treatment for children with high functioning ASD. We critically evaluated GSSI randomised controlled trials for those aged 6-25 years. Our meta-analysis of outcomes emphasised internal validity, thus was restricted to trials that used the parent-report social responsiveness scale (SRS) or the social skills rating system (SSRS). Large positive effect sizes were found for the SRS total score, plus the social communication and restricted interests and repetitive behaviours subscales. The SSRS social skills subscale improved with moderate effect size. Moderator analysis of the SRS showed that GSSIs that include parent-groups, and are of greater duration or intensity, obtained larger effect sizes. We recommend future trials distinguish gains in children's social knowledge from social performance.

Influence of training and competitive sessions on peripheral β-endorphin levels in training show jumping horses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cristina Cravana

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Aim: To investigate the effects of training sessions on circulating β-endorphin changes in sport horses before and after competition and to ascertain whether competition would affect this response. Materials and Methods: A total of 24 trained jumping horses were randomly assigned to one of two training groups: Group A (competing and Group B (not competing. To determined plasma β-endorphin concentrations, two pre- and postcompetition training weeks at aerobic workout and two competitive show jumping event days at anaerobic workout were measured before, 5 and 30 min after exercise. Exercise intensity is described using lactate concentrations and heart rate. The circuit design, intensity, and duration of training sessions were the same for both groups. Results: In Group A, one-way analysis of variance for repeated measures (RM-ANOVA showed significant effects of exercise on β-endorphin changes (F=14.41; p<0.001, only in the post-competition training sessions, while in Group B showed no significant effects. Two-way RM-ANOVA showed, after post-competition training sessions, a significant difference between Group A and Group B (F=6.235; p=0.023, with higher β-endorphin changes in Group A, compared to Group B. During the competitive show jumping sessions, one-way RM ANOVA showed significant effects of exercise on β-endorphin changes (F=51.10; p<0.001. The statistical analysis, in Group A, showed a significant difference between postcompetition training and competitive exercise (F=6.32; p=0.024 with higher β-endorphin values in competitive sessions compared to those of post-competition training. Conclusion: Lactate concentrations seem to be the main factors being correlated with the raise of β-endorphin during anaerobic exercise of competitive events. Exercise of low intensity, as well as that one of training sessions, does not appear to stimulate a significant increased release of β-endorphin and it may depend on the duration of the exercise

Karyomorphometric analysis of Fritillaria montana group in Greece

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sofia Samaropoulou

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Fritillaria Linnaeus, 1753 (Liliaceae is a genus of geophytes, represented in Greece by 29 taxa. Most of the Greek species are endemic to the country and/or threatened. Although their classical cytotaxonomic studies have already been presented, no karyomorphometric analysis has ever been given. In the present study, the cytological results of Fritillaria montana Hoppe ex W.D.J. Koch, 1832 group, which includes F. epirotica Turrill ex Rix, 1975 and F. montana are statistically evaluated for the first time. Further indices about interchromosomal and intrachromosomal asymmetry are given. A new population of F. epirotica is also investigated, while for F. montana, a diploid individual was found in a known as triploid population. Paired t-tests and PCoA analysis have been applied to compare the two species.

Karyomorphometric analysis of Fritillaria montana group in Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

Samaropoulou, Sofia; Bareka, Pepy; Kamari, Georgia

2016-01-01

Fritillaria Linnaeus, 1753 (Liliaceae) is a genus of geophytes, represented in Greece by 29 taxa. Most of the Greek species are endemic to the country and/or threatened. Although their classical cytotaxonomic studies have already been presented, no karyomorphometric analysis has ever been given. In the present study, the cytological results of Fritillaria montana Hoppe ex W.D.J. Koch, 1832 group, which includes Fritillaria epirotica Turrill ex Rix, 1975 and Fritillaria montana are statistically evaluated for the first time. Further indices about interchromosomal and intrachromosomal asymmetry are given. A new population of Fritillaria epirotica is also investigated, while for Fritillaria montana , a diploid individual was found in a known as triploid population. Paired t-tests and PCoA analysis have been applied to compare the two species.

Integrated Analysis and Visualization of Group Differences in Structural and Functional Brain Connectivity: Applications in Typical Ageing and Schizophrenia.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carolyn D Langen

Full Text Available Structural and functional brain connectivity are increasingly used to identify and analyze group differences in studies of brain disease. This study presents methods to analyze uni- and bi-modal brain connectivity and evaluate their ability to identify differences. Novel visualizations of significantly different connections comparing multiple metrics are presented. On the global level, "bi-modal comparison plots" show the distribution of uni- and bi-modal group differences and the relationship between structure and function. Differences between brain lobes are visualized using "worm plots". Group differences in connections are examined with an existing visualization, the "connectogram". These visualizations were evaluated in two proof-of-concept studies: (1 middle-aged versus elderly subjects; and (2 patients with schizophrenia versus controls. Each included two measures derived from diffusion weighted images and two from functional magnetic resonance images. The structural measures were minimum cost path between two anatomical regions according to the "Statistical Analysis of Minimum cost path based Structural Connectivity" method and the average fractional anisotropy along the fiber. The functional measures were Pearson's correlation and partial correlation of mean regional time series. The relationship between structure and function was similar in both studies. Uni-modal group differences varied greatly between connectivity types. Group differences were identified in both studies globally, within brain lobes and between regions. In the aging study, minimum cost path was highly effective in identifying group differences on all levels; fractional anisotropy and mean correlation showed smaller differences on the brain lobe and regional levels. In the schizophrenia study, minimum cost path and fractional anisotropy showed differences on the global level and within brain lobes; mean correlation showed small differences on the lobe level. Only

Group type analysis of asphalt by column liquid chromatography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, C.; Yang, J.; Xue, Y.; Li, Y. [Chinese Academy of Science, Taiyuan (China)

2008-07-01

An improved analysis method for characterization of asphalt was established. The method is based on column chromatography technique. The asphalts were separated into four groups: saturates, aromatics, resins, and asphaltenes, quantitatively. About 0.1 g of sample was required in each analysis. About 20 mL of n-heptanes was used to separate out saturates first. Then about 35 mL of n-heptanes/dichloromethane (.5, v/v) mixture was used to separate out aromatics. About 30 mL of dichloromethane/tetrahydrofuran (1/3, v/v) mixture was used to separate out resin. The quality of the separation was confirmed by infrared spectra (IR) and {sup 1}H NMR analysis. The model compounds, tetracosan for saturates, dibenz(o)anthracen for aromatics, and acetanilide for resins were used for verification. The IR and {sup 1}H NMR analysis of the prepared fractions from the column liquid chromatography were in good agreement that of pure reagents.

Interpretive focus groups: a participatory method for interpreting and extending secondary analysis of qualitative data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michelle Redman-MacLaren

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Background: Participatory approaches to qualitative research practice constantly change in response to evolving research environments. Researchers are increasingly encouraged to undertake secondary analysis of qualitative data, despite epistemological and ethical challenges. Interpretive focus groups can be described as a more participative method for groups to analyse qualitative data. Objective: To facilitate interpretive focus groups with women in Papua New Guinea to extend analysis of existing qualitative data and co-create new primary data. The purpose of this was to inform a transformational grounded theory and subsequent health promoting action. Design: A two-step approach was used in a grounded theory study about how women experience male circumcision in Papua New Guinea. Participants analysed portions or ‘chunks’ of existing qualitative data in story circles and built upon this analysis by using the visual research method of storyboarding. Results: New understandings of the data were evoked when women in interpretive focus groups analysed the data ‘chunks’. Interpretive focus groups encouraged women to share their personal experiences about male circumcision. The visual method of storyboarding enabled women to draw pictures to represent their experiences. This provided an additional focus for whole-of-group discussions about the research topic. Conclusions: Interpretive focus groups offer opportunity to enhance trustworthiness of findings when researchers undertake secondary analysis of qualitative data. The co-analysis of existing data and co-generation of new data between research participants and researchers informed an emergent transformational grounded theory and subsequent health promoting action.

Interpretive focus groups: a participatory method for interpreting and extending secondary analysis of qualitative data.

Science.gov (United States)

Redman-MacLaren, Michelle; Mills, Jane; Tommbe, Rachael

2014-01-01

Participatory approaches to qualitative research practice constantly change in response to evolving research environments. Researchers are increasingly encouraged to undertake secondary analysis of qualitative data, despite epistemological and ethical challenges. Interpretive focus groups can be described as a more participative method for groups to analyse qualitative data. To facilitate interpretive focus groups with women in Papua New Guinea to extend analysis of existing qualitative data and co-create new primary data. The purpose of this was to inform a transformational grounded theory and subsequent health promoting action. A two-step approach was used in a grounded theory study about how women experience male circumcision in Papua New Guinea. Participants analysed portions or 'chunks' of existing qualitative data in story circles and built upon this analysis by using the visual research method of storyboarding. New understandings of the data were evoked when women in interpretive focus groups analysed the data 'chunks'. Interpretive focus groups encouraged women to share their personal experiences about male circumcision. The visual method of storyboarding enabled women to draw pictures to represent their experiences. This provided an additional focus for whole-of-group discussions about the research topic. Interpretive focus groups offer opportunity to enhance trustworthiness of findings when researchers undertake secondary analysis of qualitative data. The co-analysis of existing data and co-generation of new data between research participants and researchers informed an emergent transformational grounded theory and subsequent health promoting action.

Functional Group Analysis for Diesel-like Mixing-Controlled Compression Ignition Combustion Blendstocks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gaspar, Daniel J.; McCormick, Robert L.; Polikarpov, Evgueni; Fioroni, Gina; George, Anthe; Albrecht, Karl O.

2016-12-30

This report addresses the suitability of hydrocarbon and oxygenate functional groups for use as a diesel-like fuel blending component in an advanced, mixing-controlled, compression ignition combustion engine. The functional groups are chosen from those that could be derived from a biomass feedstock, and represent a full range of chemistries. This first systematic analysis of functional groups will be of value to all who are pursuing new bio-blendstocks for diesel-like fuels.

A Trace-Driven Analysis of Wireless Group Communication Mechanisms

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Surendar Chandra

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Wireless access is increasingly ubiquitous while mobile devices that use them are resource rich. These trends allow wireless users to collaborate with each other. We investigate various group communication paradigms that underly collaboration applications. We synthesize durations when members collaborate using wireless device availability traces. Wireless users operate from a variety of locations. Hence, we analyzed the behavior of wireless users in universities, corporations, conference venues, and city-wide hotspots. We show that the availability durations are longer in corporations followed by university and then in hotspots. The number of simultaneously available wireless users is small in all the scenarios. The session lengths are becoming smaller while the durations between sessions are becoming larger. We observed user churn in all the scenarios. We show that synchronous mechanisms require less effort to maintain update synchronicity among the group members. However, distributed mechanisms require a large number of replicas in order to propagate updates among the users. For asynchronous mechanisms, we show that pull-based mechanisms naturally randomize the times when updates are propagated and thus achieve better performance than push based mechanisms.We develop an adaptive approach that customizes the update frequency using the last session duration and show that this mechanism exhibits good performance when the required update frequency intervals are large. We also show that for a given number of gossips, it is preferable to propagate updates to all available nodes rather than increasing the frequency while correspondingly reducing the number of nodes to propagate updates.We develop a middleware to illustrate the practicality of our approach.

Functional analysis of the putative peroxidase domain of FANCA, the Fanconi anemia complementation group A protein.

Science.gov (United States)

Ren, J; Youssoufian, H

2001-01-01

Fanconi anemia (FA) is an autosomal recessive disorder manifested by chromosomal breakage, birth defects, and susceptibility to bone marrow failure and cancer. At least seven complementation groups have been identified, and the genes defective in four groups have been cloned. The most common subtype is complementation group A. Although the normal functions of the gene products defective in FA cells are not completely understood, a clue to the function of the FA group A gene product (FANCA) was provided by the detection of limited homology in the amino terminal region to a class of heme peroxidases. We evaluated this hypothesis by mutagenesis and functional complementation studies. We substituted alanine residues for the most conserved FANCA residues in the putative peroxidase domain and tested their effects on known biochemical and cellular functions of FANCA. While the substitution mutants were comparable to wild-type FANCA with regard to their stability, subcellular localization, and interaction with FANCG, only the Trp(183)-to-Ala substitution (W183A) abolished the ability of FANCA to complement the sensitivity of FA group A cells to mitomycin C. By contrast, TUNEL assays for apoptosis after exposure to H2O2 showed no differences between parental FA group A cells, cells complemented with wild-type FANCA, and cells complemented with the W183A of FANCA. Moreover, semiquantitative RT-PCR analysis for the expression of the peroxide-sensitive heme oxygenase gene showed appropriate induction after H2O2 exposure. Thus, W183A appears to be essential for the in vivo activity of FANCA in a manner independent of its interaction with FANCG. Moreover, neither wild-type FANCA nor the W183A mutation appears to alter the peroxide-induced apoptosisor peroxide-sensing ability of FA group A cells. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.

Uncertainty Analysis of Few Group Cross Sections Based on Generalized Perturbation Theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han, Tae Young; Lee, Hyun Chul; Noh, Jae Man

2014-01-01

In this paper, the methodology of the sensitivity and uncertainty analysis code based on GPT was described and the preliminary verification calculations on the PMR200 pin cell problem were carried out. As a result, they are in a good agreement when compared with the results by TSUNAMI. From this study, it is expected that MUSAD code based on GPT can produce the uncertainty of the homogenized few group microscopic cross sections for a core simulator. For sensitivity and uncertainty analyses for general core responses, a two-step method is available and it utilizes the generalized perturbation theory (GPT) for homogenized few group cross sections in the first step and stochastic sampling method for general core responses in the second step. The uncertainty analysis procedure based on GPT in the first step needs the generalized adjoint solution from a cell or lattice code. For this, the generalized adjoint solver has been integrated into DeCART in our previous work. In this paper, MUSAD (Modues of Uncertainty and Sensitivity Analysis for DeCART) code based on the classical perturbation theory was expanded to the function of the sensitivity and uncertainty analysis for few group cross sections based on GPT. First, the uncertainty analysis method based on GPT was described and, in the next section, the preliminary results of the verification calculation on a VHTR pin cell problem were compared with the results by TSUNAMI of SCALE 6.1

Applying an Activity System to Online Collaborative Group Work Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Hyungshin; Kang, Myunghee

2010-01-01

This study determines whether an activity system provides a systematic framework to analyse collaborative group work. Using an activity system as a unit of analysis, the research examined learner behaviours, conflicting factors and facilitating factors while students engaged in collaborative work via asynchronous computer-mediated communication.…

Introduction of JAXA Lunar and Planetary Exploration Data Analysis Group: Landing Site Analysis for Future Lunar Polar Exploration Missions

Science.gov (United States)

Otake, H.; Ohtake, M.; Ishihara, Y.; Masuda, K.; Sato, H.; Inoue, H.; Yamamoto, M.; Hoshino, T.; Wakabayashi, S.; Hashimoto, T.

2018-04-01

JAXA established JAXA Lunar and Planetary Exploration Data Analysis Group (JLPEDA) at 2016. Our group has been analyzing lunar and planetary data for various missions. Here, we introduce one of our activities.

[Classification of gamblers from self-help groups using cluster analysis].

Science.gov (United States)

Meyer, G

1991-01-01

In an empirically based classification by cluster analysis of 437 gamblers from self-help groups five distinct homogeneous subgroups were determined on the basis of such characteristics as frequency of gambling of various kinds, function of gambling and sensation during gambling, symptoms of pathological gambling as well as personality characteristics. These can be characterized as: Pathological slot-machine gamblers with 1) an emotionally instable, depressive-aggressive personality structure and 2) an emotionally instable, depressive personality structure; 3) pathological gamblers on German-style slot-machines and 4) pathological gamblers on classical games of chance--both without conspicuous personality, and 5) gamblers on German-style slot-machines under a subjective strain. On the whole, the distinctions are due to psychological variables, the social data hardly differ. A comparison of the subgroups on the basis of variables regarding the course and result of treatment shows that the pathological gamblers with a conspicuous personality structure more often failed to reach, the goal of abstinence set by "Gamblers Anonymous" and instead report about an improvement of their gambling behaviour. On the other hand, the gamblers on German-style slot-machines who were under a subjective strain more often found it easier to stop gambling completely. The results of the cluster analysis are compared with clinical diagnostic classifications of gamblers who received out-patient or in-patient treatment as well as with empirical classifications of addicts, and first hypotheses of a differential therapy indication are being discussed.

The value of psychosocial group activity in nursing education: A qualitative analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Yun-Jung

2018-05-01

Nursing faculty often struggle to find effective teaching strategies for nursing students that integrate group work into nursing students' learning activities. This study was conducted to evaluate students' experiences in a psychiatric and mental health nursing course using psychosocial group activities to develop therapeutic communication and interpersonal relationship skills, as well as to introduce psychosocial nursing interventions. A qualitative research design was used. The study explored nursing students' experiences of the course in accordance with the inductive, interpretative, and constructive approaches via focus group interviews. Participants were 17 undergraduate nursing students who registered for a psychiatric and mental health nursing course. The collected data were analyzed by qualitative content analysis. The analysis resulted in 28 codes, 14 interpretive codes, 4 themes (developing interpersonal relationships, learning problem-solving skills, practicing cooperation and altruism, and getting insight and healing), and a core theme (interdependent growth in self-confidence). The psychosocial group activity provided constructive opportunities for the students to work independently and interdependently as healthcare team members through reflective learning experiences. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Working group of experts on rare events in human error analysis and quantification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goodstein, L.P.

1977-01-01

In dealing with the reference problem of rare events in nuclear power plants, the group has concerned itself with the man-machine system and, in particular, with human error analysis and quantification. The Group was requested to review methods of human reliability prediction, to evaluate the extent to which such analyses can be formalized and to establish criteria to be met by task conditions and system design which would permit a systematic, formal analysis. Recommendations are given on the Fessenheim safety system

THEORETICAL PRINCIPLES OF PSYCHOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF STUDENTS’ GROUP PROJECT ACTIVITY WHILE LEARNING FOREIGN LANGUAGE

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Viktoriia Kalamazh

2016-06-01

Full Text Available In this research the theoretical principles of psychological analysis of group project activity of students in the process of learning foreign language are defined on the basis of subject-activity, socio-psychological and cognitive paradigms. The approaches of different authors to the understanding of the concept of project and in particular group project activity are considered. The difficulties of the theoretical analysis of this specific notion are indicated due to the considerable variety of subjects, types and forms of the pedagogical activity, academic disciplines regarding which the researches are being carried out. Not disclosed aspects of organizing the group project activity of students are being determined, among them is a project group as an autonomous subject of joint activity for the realization students’ project activity while learning a foreign language; forming psychological readiness of teacher and student to use project method; the role of metacognitive aspect in the surrounding, where the project activity is being carried out; group functioning through the project work as a subject of group examination. It has been indicated that the analysis of project activity as an innovative technology must include its assessment as a condition of student’s developing as a subject of learning activity, his personal, socio-psychological, intellectual and professional self-perfection. Three levels of subjectivity in group project activity are being distinguished: teacher; each particular student; and student project group. Interaction between teacher and student is based on subject-subject relations. An organization of a project activity while learning a foreign language is considered as the one in which the student is moving in order to get the manager position and to master the basis of expert knowledge. Hereby, the main stress is on the group role as a subject of group examination, and also on metacognitive character of the

Spectral Analysis Of Business Cycles In The Visegrad Group Countries

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Kijek Arkadiusz

2017-06-01

Full Text Available This paper examines the business cycle properties of Visegrad group countries. The main objective is to identify business cycles in these countries and to study the relationships between them. The author applies a modification of the Fourier analysis to estimate cycle amplitudes and frequencies. This allows for a more precise estimation of cycle characteristics than the traditional approach. The cross-spectral analysis of GDP cyclical components for the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia makes it possible to assess the degree of business cycle synchronization between the countries.

Molecular genotyping of ABO blood groups in some population groups from India.

Science.gov (United States)

Ray, Sabita; Gorakshakar, Ajit C; Vasantha, K; Nadkarni, Anita; Italia, Yazdi; Ghosh, Kanjaksha

2014-01-01

Indian population is characterized by the presence of various castes and tribal groups. Various genetic polymorphisms have been used to differentiate among these groups. Amongst these, the ABO blood group system has been extensively studied. There is no information on molecular genotyping of ABO blood groups from India. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to characterize the common A, B and O alleles by molecular analysis in some Indian population groups. One hundred samples from the mixed population from Mumbai, 101 samples from the Dhodia tribe and 100 samples from the Parsi community were included in this study. Initially, the samples were phenotyped by standard serologic techniques. PCR followed by single strand conformational polymorphsim (SSCP) was used for molecular ABO genotyping. Samples showing atypical SSCP patterns were further analysed by DNA sequencing to characterize rare alleles. Seven common ABO alleles with 19 different genotypes were found in the mixed population. The Dhodias showed 12 different ABO genotypes and the Parsis revealed 15 different ABO genotypes with six common ABO alleles identified in each of them. Two rare alleles were also identified. This study reports the distribution of molecular genotypes of ABO alleles among some population groups from India. Considering the extremely heterogeneous nature of the Indian population, in terms of various genotype markers like blood groups, red cell enzymes, etc., many more ABO alleles are likely to be encountered.

Young Adults’ Attitude Towards Advertising: a multi-group analysis by ethnicity

OpenAIRE

Hiram Ting; Ernest Cyril de Run; Ramayah Thurasamy

2015-01-01

Objective – This study aims to investigate the attitude of Malaysian young adults towards advertising. How this segment responds to advertising, and how ethnic/cultural differences moderate are assessed.Design/methodology/approach – A quantitative questionnaire is used to collect data at two universities. Purposive sampling technique is adopted to ensure the sample represents the actual population. Structural equation modelling (SEM) and multi-group analysis (MGA) are utilized in analysis.Fin...

Strategic Groups and Banks’ Performance

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Gregorz Halaj

2009-06-01

Full Text Available The theory of strategic groups predicts the existence of stable groups of companies that adopt similar business strategies. The theory also predicts that groups will differ in performance and in their reaction to external shocks. We use cluster analysis to identify strategic groups in the Polish banking sector. We find stable groups in the Polish banking sector constituted after the year 2000 following the major privatisation and ownership changes connected with transition to the mostly-privately-owned banking sector in the late 90s. Using panel regression methods we show that the allocation of banks to groups is statistically significant in explaining the profitability of banks. Thus, breaking down the banks into strategic groups and allowing for the different reaction of the groups to external shocks helps in a more accurate explanation of profits of the banking sector as a whole.Therefore, a more precise ex ante assessment of the loss absorption capabilities of banks is possible, which is crucial for an analysis of banking sector stability. However, we did not find evidence of the usefulness of strategic groups in explaining the quality of bank portfolios as measured by irregular loans over total loans, which is a more direct way to assess risks to financial stability.

[Goal analysis and goal operationalisation: a group intervention for the enhancement of work motivation].

Science.gov (United States)

Hanna, Rana; Fiedler, Rolf G; Dietrich, Hilke; Greitemann, Bernhard; Heuft, Gereon

2010-08-01

Work motivation, mental well-being and competencies of self-regulation are linked to successful job-related reintegration after rehabilitation. Based on the Diagnostical Instrument to assess Work motivation (Diagnostikinstrument für Arbeitsmotivation DIAMO) and existing training programs, a new group intervention, the goal analysis and goal operationalization, was developed and evaluated. The objective of this intervention, designed for participants of a rehabilitation program was to enhance work motivation and volitional control processes (self-regulation and self-control), to encourage job-related goal orientation and to thereby increase the probability of goal achievement. In a quasi-experimental longitudinal design 207 patients (111 experimental group/96 control group) were tested. The experimental group took part in the job-related training (ZAZO) in addition to the usual rehabilitation. The evaluation was conducted through various scales at t0 (beginning) and t1 (end of the training). Scales for the measurement of work motivation, mental well-being, status of rehabilitation, competencies of self-regulation and the subjective prognosis of the ability to work were used. As direct effects of the training an enhancement of work motivation and of an improved subjective prognosis of the ability to work were expected. Accordingly, a positive influence on the subjective well-being as indirect effects, were anticipated in the long run, the experimental group should also show an enhanced job-related reintegration. Participants of the experimental group showed significantly higher values on particular scales of the Diagnostical Instrument of Work motivation as opposed to the control group (curiosity motive, attitudes to work and contact motive). Most notably, significant interactional effects could be found on the scale for the subjective prognosis of the ability to work, which is a highly reliable instrument and important predictor for prospective job

Detecting and accounting for multiple sources of positional variance in peak list registration analysis and spin system grouping.

Science.gov (United States)

Smelter, Andrey; Rouchka, Eric C; Moseley, Hunter N B

2017-08-01

Peak lists derived from nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra are commonly used as input data for a variety of computer assisted and automated analyses. These include automated protein resonance assignment and protein structure calculation software tools. Prior to these analyses, peak lists must be aligned to each other and sets of related peaks must be grouped based on common chemical shift dimensions. Even when programs can perform peak grouping, they require the user to provide uniform match tolerances or use default values. However, peak grouping is further complicated by multiple sources of variance in peak position limiting the effectiveness of grouping methods that utilize uniform match tolerances. In addition, no method currently exists for deriving peak positional variances from single peak lists for grouping peaks into spin systems, i.e. spin system grouping within a single peak list. Therefore, we developed a complementary pair of peak list registration analysis and spin system grouping algorithms designed to overcome these limitations. We have implemented these algorithms into an approach that can identify multiple dimension-specific positional variances that exist in a single peak list and group peaks from a single peak list into spin systems. The resulting software tools generate a variety of useful statistics on both a single peak list and pairwise peak list alignment, especially for quality assessment of peak list datasets. We used a range of low and high quality experimental solution NMR and solid-state NMR peak lists to assess performance of our registration analysis and grouping algorithms. Analyses show that an algorithm using a single iteration and uniform match tolerances approach is only able to recover from 50 to 80% of the spin systems due to the presence of multiple sources of variance. Our algorithm recovers additional spin systems by reevaluating match tolerances in multiple iterations. To facilitate evaluation of the

Process synthesis, design and analysis using a process-group contribution method

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kumar Tula, Anjan; Eden, Mario R.; Gani, Rafiqul

2015-01-01

) techniques. The fundamental pillars of this framework are the definition and use of functional process-groups (building blocks) representing a wide range of process operations, flowsheet connectivity rules to join the process-groups to generate all the feasible flowsheet alternatives and flowsheet property...... models like energy consumption, atom efficiency, environmental impact to evaluate the performance of the generated alternatives. In this way, a list of feasible flowsheets are quickly generated, screened and selected for further analysis. Since the flowsheet is synthesized and the operations......This paper describes the development and application of a process-group contribution method to model, simulate and synthesize chemical processes. Process flowsheets are generated in the same way as atoms or groups of atoms are combined to form molecules in computer aided molecular design (CAMD...

PHYLOGENETIC ANALYSIS WHITHIN THE PRISTIMANTIS UNISTRIGATUS (ANURA, CRAUGASTORIDAE GROUP BASED ON MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERS

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JULIO MARIO HOYOS

2014-06-01

Full Text Available We present a phylogenetic analysis within the Pristimantis unistrigatus group (Anura, Craugastoridae of Colombia . Characters from the superficial muscles of the hands and feet as well as external characters were taken for analysis. Most of the muscle characters were observed directly, and some were taken from the literature. Similarly, the external ones were taken mostly from the original descriptions and others from the literature as well. Two matrices were constructed, as the species belonging to this group have changed in recent years with respect to the initially proposed when the group was defined. The results lead us to conclude that the group is not monophyletic, although there are some relationships that are worth to survey because they are kept in the very last cladograms obtained for both proposals. It is suggested that these last relationships should be explored in particular, and the overall group in general, increasing the number of characters and taxa that belong to P. unistrigatus. An open question we left is whether actually is worth to keep these informal taxonomic hierarchy called group within the genera of anurans.

Automated Image Analysis Corrosion Working Group Update: February 1, 2018

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wendelberger, James G. [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2018-02-01

These are slides for the automated image analysis corrosion working group update. The overall goals were: automate the detection and quantification of features in images (faster, more accurate), how to do this (obtain data, analyze data), focus on Laser Scanning Confocal Microscope (LCM) data (laser intensity, laser height/depth, optical RGB, optical plus laser RGB).

Dual Solutions for Nonlinear Flow Using Lie Group Analysis.

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Muhammad Awais

Full Text Available `The aim of this analysis is to investigate the existence of the dual solutions for magnetohydrodynamic (MHD flow of an upper-convected Maxwell (UCM fluid over a porous shrinking wall. We have employed the Lie group analysis for the simplification of the nonlinear differential system and computed the absolute invariants explicitly. An efficient numerical technique namely the shooting method has been employed for the constructions of solutions. Dual solutions are computed for velocity profile of an upper-convected Maxwell (UCM fluid flow. Plots reflecting the impact of dual solutions for the variations of Deborah number, Hartman number, wall mass transfer are presented and analyzed. Streamlines are also plotted for the wall mass transfer effects when suction and blowing situations are considered.

Integrated seismic analysis of the Chalk Group in eastern Denmark—Implications for estimates of maximum palaeo-burial in southwest Scandinavia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Lars; Boldreel, Lars Ole; Hansen, Thomas Mejer

2011-01-01

Group. The sonic velocities are consistent with the overall seismic layering, although they show additional fine-scale layering. Integration of gamma and sonic log with porosity data shows that seismic velocity is sensitive to clay content. In intervals near boundaries of the refraction model, moderate......The origin of the topography of southwest Scandinavia is subject to discussion. Analysis of borehole seismic velocity has formed the basis for interpretation of several hundred metres of Neogene uplift in parts of Denmark.Here, refraction seismic data constrain a 7.5km long P-wave velocity model...... of the Chalk Group below the Stevns peninsula, eastern part of the Danish Basin. The model contains four layers in the ~860m thick Chalk Group with mean velocities of 2.2km/s, 2.4km/s, 3.1km/s, and 3.9–4.3km/s. Sonic and gamma wireline log data from two cored boreholes represent the upper ~450m of the Chalk...

Structural analysis of the RH-like blood group gene products in nonhuman primates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Salvignol, I. [Centre Regional de Transfusion Sanguine, Toulouse (France); Calvas, P.; Blancher, A. [Universitaire d`Immunogenetique moleculaire, Toulouse (France); Socha, W.W. [University Medical Center, New York, NY (United States); Colin, Y.; Le Van Kim, C.; Bailly, P.; Cartron, J.P. [Institut National de la Transfusion Sanguine, Paris (France); Ruffie, J.; Blancher, A. [College de France, Paris (France)

1995-03-01

Rh-related transcripts present in bone marrow samples from several species of nonhuman primates (chimpanzee, gorilla, gibbon, crab-eating macaque) have been amplified by RT-polymerase chain reaction using primers deduced from the sequence of human RH genes. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the nonhuman transcripts revealed a high degree of similarity to human blood group Rh sequences, suggesting a great conservation of the RH genes throughout evolution. Full-length transcripts, potentially encoding 417 amino acid long proteins homologous to Rh polypeptides, were characterized, as well as mRNA isoforms which harbored nucleotide deletions or insertions and potentially encode truncated proteins. Proteins of 30-40,000 M{sub r}, immunologically related to human Rh proteins, were detected by western blot analysis with antipeptide antibodies, indicating that Rh-like transcripts are translated into membrane proteins. Comparison of human and nonhuman protein sequences was pivotal in clarifying the molecular basis of the blood group C/c polymorphism, showing that only the Pro103Ser substitution was correlated with C/c polymorphism. In addition, it was shown that a proline residue at position 102 was critical in the expression of C and c epitopes, most likely by providing an appropriate conformation of Rh polypeptides. From these data a phylogenetic reconstruction of the RH locus evolution has been calculated from which an unrooted phylogenetic tree could be proposed, indicating that African ape Rh-like genes would be closer to the human RhD gene than to the human RhCE gene. 55 refs., 4 figs., 1 tab.

Using Molecular Modeling in Teaching Group Theory Analysis of the Infrared Spectra of Organometallic Compounds

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Lihua

2012-01-01

A new method is introduced for teaching group theory analysis of the infrared spectra of organometallic compounds using molecular modeling. The main focus of this method is to enhance student understanding of the symmetry properties of vibrational modes and of the group theory analysis of infrared (IR) spectra by using visual aids provided by…

Mask_explorer: A tool for exploring brain masks in fMRI group analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Gajdoš, Martin; Mikl, Michal; Mareček, Radek

2016-10-01

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies of the human brain are appearing in increasing numbers, providing interesting information about this complex system. Unique information about healthy and diseased brains is inferred using many types of experiments and analyses. In order to obtain reliable information, it is necessary to conduct consistent experiments with large samples of subjects and to involve statistical methods to confirm or reject any tested hypotheses. Group analysis is performed for all voxels within a group mask, i.e. a common space where all of the involved subjects contribute information. To our knowledge, a user-friendly interface with the ability to visualize subject-specific details in a common analysis space did not yet exist. The purpose of our work is to develop and present such interface. Several pitfalls have to be avoided while preparing fMRI data for group analysis. One such pitfall is spurious non-detection, caused by inferring conclusions in the volume of a group mask that has been corrupted due to a preprocessing failure. We describe a MATLAB toolbox, called the mask_explorer, designed for prevention of this pitfall. The mask_explorer uses a graphical user interface, enables a user-friendly exploration of subject masks and is freely available. It is able to compute subject masks from raw data and create lists of subjects with potentially problematic data. It runs under MATLAB with the widely used SPM toolbox. Moreover, we present several practical examples where the mask_explorer is usefully applied. The mask_explorer is designed to quickly control the quality of the group fMRI analysis volume and to identify specific failures related to preprocessing steps and acquisition. It helps researchers detect subjects with potentially problematic data and consequently enables inspection of the data. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Group differences in physician responses to handheld presentation of clinical evidence: a verbal protocol analysis

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Pavlovic Nada J

2007-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background To identify individual differences in physicians' needs for the presentation of evidence resources and preferences for mobile devices. Methods Within-groups analysis of responses to semi-structured interviews. Interviews consisted of using prototypes in response to task-based scenarios. The prototypes were implemented on two different form factors: a tablet style PC and a pocketPC. Participants were from three user groups: general internists, family physicians and medicine residents, and from two different settings: urban and semi-urban. Verbal protocol analysis, which consists of coding utterances, was conducted on the transcripts of the testing sessions. Statistical relationships were investigated between staff physicians' and residents' background variables, self-reported experiences with the interfaces, and verbal code frequencies. Results 47 physicians were recruited from general internal medicine, family practice clinics and a residency training program. The mean age of participants was 42.6 years. Physician specialty had a greater effect on device and information-presentation preferences than gender, age, setting or previous technical experience. Family physicians preferred the screen size of the tablet computer and were less concerned about its portability. Residents liked the screen size of the tablet, but preferred the portability of the pocketPC. Internists liked the portability of the pocketPC, but saw less advantage to the large screen of the tablet computer (F[2,44] = 4.94, p = .012. Conclusion Different types of physicians have different needs and preferences for evidence-based resources and handheld devices. This study shows how user testing can be incorporated into the process of design to inform group-based customization.

Group devaluation and group identification

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Leach, C.W.; Rodriguez Mosquera, P.M.; Vliek, M.L.W.; Hirt, E.

2010-01-01

In three studies, we showed that increased in-group identification after (perceived or actual) group devaluation is an assertion of a (preexisting) positive social identity that counters the negative social identity implied in societal devaluation. Two studies with real-world groups used order

Social network analysis shows direct evidence for social transmission of tool use in wild chimpanzees.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Catherine Hobaiter

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Social network analysis methods have made it possible to test whether novel behaviors in animals spread through individual or social learning. To date, however, social network analysis of wild populations has been limited to static models that cannot precisely reflect the dynamics of learning, for instance, the impact of multiple observations across time. Here, we present a novel dynamic version of network analysis that is capable of capturing temporal aspects of acquisition--that is, how successive observations by an individual influence its acquisition of the novel behavior. We apply this model to studying the spread of two novel tool-use variants, "moss-sponging" and "leaf-sponge re-use," in the Sonso chimpanzee community of Budongo Forest, Uganda. Chimpanzees are widely considered the most "cultural" of all animal species, with 39 behaviors suspected as socially acquired, most of them in the domain of tool-use. The cultural hypothesis is supported by experimental data from captive chimpanzees and a range of observational data. However, for wild groups, there is still no direct experimental evidence for social learning, nor has there been any direct observation of social diffusion of behavioral innovations. Here, we tested both a static and a dynamic network model and found strong evidence that diffusion patterns of moss-sponging, but not leaf-sponge re-use, were significantly better explained by social than individual learning. The most conservative estimate of social transmission accounted for 85% of observed events, with an estimated 15-fold increase in learning rate for each time a novice observed an informed individual moss-sponging. We conclude that group-specific behavioral variants in wild chimpanzees can be socially learned, adding to the evidence that this prerequisite for culture originated in a common ancestor of great apes and humans, long before the advent of modern humans.

Social network analysis shows direct evidence for social transmission of tool use in wild chimpanzees.

Science.gov (United States)

Hobaiter, Catherine; Poisot, Timothée; Zuberbühler, Klaus; Hoppitt, William; Gruber, Thibaud

2014-09-01

Social network analysis methods have made it possible to test whether novel behaviors in animals spread through individual or social learning. To date, however, social network analysis of wild populations has been limited to static models that cannot precisely reflect the dynamics of learning, for instance, the impact of multiple observations across time. Here, we present a novel dynamic version of network analysis that is capable of capturing temporal aspects of acquisition--that is, how successive observations by an individual influence its acquisition of the novel behavior. We apply this model to studying the spread of two novel tool-use variants, "moss-sponging" and "leaf-sponge re-use," in the Sonso chimpanzee community of Budongo Forest, Uganda. Chimpanzees are widely considered the most "cultural" of all animal species, with 39 behaviors suspected as socially acquired, most of them in the domain of tool-use. The cultural hypothesis is supported by experimental data from captive chimpanzees and a range of observational data. However, for wild groups, there is still no direct experimental evidence for social learning, nor has there been any direct observation of social diffusion of behavioral innovations. Here, we tested both a static and a dynamic network model and found strong evidence that diffusion patterns of moss-sponging, but not leaf-sponge re-use, were significantly better explained by social than individual learning. The most conservative estimate of social transmission accounted for 85% of observed events, with an estimated 15-fold increase in learning rate for each time a novice observed an informed individual moss-sponging. We conclude that group-specific behavioral variants in wild chimpanzees can be socially learned, adding to the evidence that this prerequisite for culture originated in a common ancestor of great apes and humans, long before the advent of modern humans.

Qualification test of few group constants generated from an MC method by the two-step neutronics analysis system McCARD/MASTER

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Ho Jin; Shim, Hyung Jin; Joo, Han Gyu; Kim, Chang Hyo

2011-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to examine the qualification of few group constants estimated by the Seoul National University Monte Carlo particle transport analysis code McCARD in terms of core neutronics analyses and thus to validate the McCARD method as a few group constant generator. The two- step core neutronics analyses are conducted for a mini and a realistic PWR by the McCARD/MASTER code system in which McCARD is used as an MC group constant generation code and MASTER as a diffusion core analysis code. The two-step calculations for the effective multiplication factors and assembly power distributions of the two PWR cores by McCARD/MASTER are compared with the reference McCARD calculations. By showing excellent agreements between McCARD/MASTER and the reference MC core neutronics analyses for the two PWRs, it is concluded that the MC method implemented in McCARD can generate few group constants which are well qualified for high-accuracy two-step core neutronics calculations. (author)

Measurement invariance of the strength of motivation for medical school: a multi-group confirmatory factor analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

An, M; Kusurkar, R A; Li, L; Xiao, Y; Zheng, C; Hu, J; Chen, M

2017-07-11

The Strength of Motivation for Medical School-Revised (SMMS-R) questionnaire measures students' motivation for studying medicine. It includes three subscales: 'willingness to sacrifice', 'readiness to start', and 'persistence'. Measurement invariance is a prerequisite for group comparisons. The objectives of this study were to verify the factorial structure of the SMMS-R questionnaire and to investigate it's measurement invariance. A total of 989 medical students were approached, 930 cases were kept for data analysis. Factorial structure of and measurement invariance of the SMMS-R were tested using single and multiple group confirmatory factor analyses with Mplus. Trational Cronbach's α along with McDonald's ω and glb were used to measure internal consistency for each subscale. Internal consistency for subscales and the full instrument were within the acceptable range. A 3-factor structure of the Chinese version of the SMMS-R was supported. Full configural, metric and partial scalar invariance were obtained. The SMMS-R showed measurement invariance across gender and two independent samples. So it can be used for group and cross-cultural comparisons.

Intracerebral metastasis showing restricted diffusion: Correlation with histopathologic findings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Duygulu, G. [Radiology Department, Ege University Medicine School, Izmir (Turkey); Ovali, G. Yilmaz [Radiology Department, Celal Bayar University Medicine School, Manisa (Turkey)], E-mail: gulgun.yilmaz@bayar.edu.tr; Calli, C.; Kitis, O.; Yuenten, N. [Radiology Department, Ege University Medicine School, Izmir (Turkey); Akalin, T. [Pathology Department, Ege University Medicine School, Izmir (Turkey); Islekel, S. [Neurosurgery Department, Ege University Medicine School, Izmir (Turkey)

2010-04-15

Objective: We aimed to detect the frequency of restricted diffusion in intracerebral metastases and to find whether there is correlation between the primary tumor pathology and diffusion-weighted MR imaging (DWI) findings of these metastases. Material and methods: 87 patients with intracerebral metastases were examined with routine MR imaging and DWI. 11 hemorrhagic metastatic lesions were excluded. The routine MR imaging included three plans before and after contrast enhancement. The DWI was performed with spin-echo EPI sequence with three b values (0, 500 and 1000), and ADC maps were calculated. 76 patients with metastases were grouped according to primary tumor histology and the ratios of restricted diffusion were calculated according to these groups. ADCmin values were measured within the solid components of the tumors and the ratio of metastases with restricted diffusion to that which do not show restricted diffusion were calculated. Fisher's exact and Mann-Whitney U tests were used for the statistical analysis. Results: Restricted diffusion was observed in a total of 15 metastatic lesions (19, 7%). Primary malignancy was lung carcinoma in 10 of these cases (66, 6%) (5 small cell carcinoma, 5 non-small cell carcinoma), and breast carcinoma in three cases (20%). Colon carcinoma and testicular teratocarcinoma were the other two primary tumors in which restricted diffusion in metastasis was detected. There was no statistical significant difference between the primary pathology groups which showed restricted diffusion (p > 0.05). ADCmin values of solid components of the metastasis with restricted diffusion and other metastasis without restricted diffusion also showed no significant statistical difference (0.72 {+-} 0.16 x 10{sup -3} mm{sup 2}/s and 0.78 {+-} 21 x 10{sup -3} mm{sup 2}/s respectively) (p = 0.325). Conclusion: Detection of restricted diffusion on DWI in intracerebral metastasis is not rare, particularly if the primary tumor is lung or breast

Analysis of admixture and genetic structure of two Native American groups of Southern Argentinean Patagonia.

Science.gov (United States)

Sala, Andrea; Corach, Daniel

2014-03-01

Argentinean Patagonia is inhabited by people that live principally in urban areas and by small isolated groups of individuals that belong to indigenous aboriginal groups; this territory exhibits the lowest population density of the country. Mapuche and Tehuelche (Mapudungun linguistic branch), are the only extant Native American groups that inhabit the Argentinean Patagonian provinces of Río Negro and Chubut. Fifteen autosomal STRs, 17 Y-STRs, mtDNA full length control region sequence and two sets of Y and mtDNA-coding region SNPs were analyzed in a set of 434 unrelated individuals. The sample set included two aboriginal groups, a group of individuals whose family name included Native American linguistic root and urban samples from Chubut, Río Negro and Buenos Aires provinces of Argentina. Specific Y Amerindian haplogroup Q1 was found in 87.5% in Mapuche and 58.82% in Tehuelche, while the Amerindian mtDNA haplogroups were present in all the aboriginal sample contributors investigated. Admixture analysis performed by means of autosomal and Y-STRs showed the highest degree of admixture in individuals carrying Mapuche surnames, followed by urban populations, and finally by isolated Native American populations as less degree of admixture. The study provided novel genetic information about the Mapuche and Tehuelche people and allowed us to establish a genetic correlation among individuals with Mapudungun surnames that demonstrates not only a linguistic but also a genetic relationship to the isolated aboriginal communities, representing a suitable proxy indicator for assessing genealogical background.

Empirical study on social groups in pedestrian evacuation dynamics

Science.gov (United States)

von Krüchten, Cornelia; Schadschneider, Andreas

2017-06-01

Pedestrian crowds often include social groups, i.e. pedestrians that walk together because of social relationships. They show characteristic configurations and influence the dynamics of the entire crowd. In order to investigate the impact of social groups on evacuations we performed an empirical study with pupils. Several evacuation runs with groups of different sizes and different interactions were performed. New group parameters are introduced which allow to describe the dynamics of the groups and the configuration of the group members quantitatively. The analysis shows a possible decrease of evacuation times for large groups due to self-ordering effects. Social groups can be approximated as ellipses that orientate along their direction of motion. Furthermore, explicitly cooperative behaviour among group members leads to a stronger aggregation of group members and an intermittent way of evacuation.

Examination of bariatric surgery Facebook support groups: a content analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Koball, Afton M; Jester, Dylan J; Domoff, Sarah E; Kallies, Kara J; Grothe, Karen B; Kothari, Shanu N

2017-08-01

Support following bariatric surgery is vital to ensure long-term postoperative success. Many individuals undergoing bariatric surgery are turning to online modalities, especially the popular social media platform Facebook, to access support groups and pages. Despite evidence suggesting that the majority of patients considering bariatric surgery are utilizing online groups, little is known about the actual content of these groups. The purpose of the present study was to conduct a content analysis of bariatric surgery support groups and pages on Facebook. Online via Facebook, independent academic medical center, United States. Data from bariatric surgery-related Facebook support groups and pages were extracted over a 1-month period in 2016. Salient content themes (e.g., progress posts, depression content, eating behaviors) were coded reliably (all κ> .70). More than 6,800 posts and replies were coded. Results indicated that seeking recommendations (11%), providing information or recommendations (53%), commenting on changes since surgery (19%), and lending support to other members (32%) were the most common types of posts. Content surrounding anxiety, eating behaviors, depression, body image, weight bias, and alcohol was found less frequently. Online bariatric surgery groups can be used to receive support, celebrate physical and emotional accomplishments, provide anecdotal accounts of the "bariatric lifestyle" for preoperative patients, and comment on challenges with mental health and experiences of weight bias. Providers should become acquainted with the content commonly found in online groups and exercise caution in recommending these platforms to information-seeking patients. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Bariatric Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of Sequences of Cognitions on Group Performance Over Time.

Science.gov (United States)

Molenaar, Inge; Chiu, Ming Ming

2017-04-01

Extending past research showing that sequences of low cognitions (low-level processing of information) and high cognitions (high-level processing of information through questions and elaborations) influence the likelihoods of subsequent high and low cognitions, this study examines whether sequences of cognitions are related to group performance over time; 54 primary school students (18 triads) discussed and wrote an essay about living in another country (32,375 turns of talk). Content analysis and statistical discourse analysis showed that within each lesson, groups with more low cognitions or more sequences of low cognition followed by high cognition added more essay words. Groups with more high cognitions, sequences of low cognition followed by low cognition, or sequences of high cognition followed by an action followed by low cognition, showed different words and sequences, suggestive of new ideas. The links between cognition sequences and group performance over time can inform facilitation and assessment of student discussions.

Modeling and performance analysis of movement-based group location management using RFID sensing in public transportation systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Chung, Yun Won

2012-11-22

Location management, which consists of location registration and paging, is essential to provide mobile communication services to mobile stations (MSs). Since MSs riding on a public transportation system (TS) generates significant location registration signaling loads simultaneously when a TS with riding MSs moves between location areas (LAs), group location management was proposed. Under the group location management, an MS performs group registration when it gets on a TS and performs group deregistration when it gets off a TS. Then, only a TS updates its current location when it changes LA, on behalf of all riding MSs. In this paper, movement-based group location management using radio frequency identification (RFID) is proposed, where the MS's getting on and getting off behaviors are detected using RFID and only location update of a TS is carried out if the number of crossed cells from the last updated cell exceeds a predefined movement threshold, on behalf of all riding MSs. Then, we develop an analytical model for the performance analysis of the movement-based group location management and analyze the effects of various parameters on the performance. The results show that the movement-based group location management has reduced signaling cost compared with movement-based individual location management, and optimal performance can be achieved by choosing appropriate movement threshold values.

AER Working Group D on VVER safety analysis - report of the 2009 meeting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kliem, S.

2009-01-01

The AER Working Group D on VVER reactor safety analysis held its 18-th meeting in Rez, Czech Republic, during the period 18-19 May, 2009. The meeting was hosted by the Nuclear Research Institute Rez. Altogether 17 participants attended the meeting of the working group D, 16 from AER member organizations and 1 guest from a non-member organization. The co-ordinator of the working group, S. Kliem, served as chairman of the meeting. The meeting started with a general information exchange about the recent activities in the participating organizations. The given presentations and the discussions can be attributed to the following topics: 1) Code validation and benchmarking; 2) Safety analysis and code developments; 3) Reactor pressure vessel thermal hydraulics; 4) Future activities including discussion on the participation in the OECD/NEA Benchmark for the Kalinin-3 NPP

Carboxylic acid functional group analysis using constant neutral loss scanning-mass spectrometry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dron, Julien [Laboratoire de Chimie et Environnement, Marseille Universites (case 29), 3 place Victor Hugo, 13331 Marseille Cedex 3 (France)], E-mail: julien.dron@up.univ-mrs.fr; Eyglunent, Gregory; Temime-Roussel, Brice; Marchand, Nicolas; Wortham, Henri [Laboratoire de Chimie et Environnement, Marseille Universites (case 29), 3 place Victor Hugo, 13331 Marseille Cedex 3 (France)

2007-12-12

The present study describes the development of a new analytical technique for the functional group determination of the carboxylic moiety using atmospheric pressure chemical ionization-mass spectrometry (APCI-MS/MS) operated in the constant neutral loss scanning (CNLS) mode. Carboxylic groups were first derivatized into their corresponding methyl esters by reacting with BF{sub 3}/methanol mix and the reaction mixture was then directly injected into the APCI chamber. The loss of methanol (m/z = 32 amu) resulting from the fragmentation of the protonated methyl esters was then monitored. Applying this method together with a statistical approach to reference mixtures containing 31 different carboxylic acids at randomly calculated concentrations demonstrated its suitability for quantitative functional group measurements with relative standard deviations below 15% and a detection limit of 0.005 mmol L{sup -1}. Its applicability to environmental matrices was also shown through the determination of carboxylic acid concentrations inside atmospheric aerosol samples. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first time that the tandem mass spectrometry was successfully applied to functional group analysis, offering great perspectives in the characterization of complex mixtures which are prevailing in the field of environmental analysis as well as in the understanding of the chemical processes occurring in these matrices.

Carboxylic acid functional group analysis using constant neutral loss scanning-mass spectrometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dron, Julien; Eyglunent, Gregory; Temime-Roussel, Brice; Marchand, Nicolas; Wortham, Henri

2007-01-01

The present study describes the development of a new analytical technique for the functional group determination of the carboxylic moiety using atmospheric pressure chemical ionization-mass spectrometry (APCI-MS/MS) operated in the constant neutral loss scanning (CNLS) mode. Carboxylic groups were first derivatized into their corresponding methyl esters by reacting with BF 3 /methanol mix and the reaction mixture was then directly injected into the APCI chamber. The loss of methanol (m/z = 32 amu) resulting from the fragmentation of the protonated methyl esters was then monitored. Applying this method together with a statistical approach to reference mixtures containing 31 different carboxylic acids at randomly calculated concentrations demonstrated its suitability for quantitative functional group measurements with relative standard deviations below 15% and a detection limit of 0.005 mmol L -1 . Its applicability to environmental matrices was also shown through the determination of carboxylic acid concentrations inside atmospheric aerosol samples. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first time that the tandem mass spectrometry was successfully applied to functional group analysis, offering great perspectives in the characterization of complex mixtures which are prevailing in the field of environmental analysis as well as in the understanding of the chemical processes occurring in these matrices

[Analysis of scientific production and bibliometric impact of a group of Spanish clinical researchers].

Science.gov (United States)

Miró, O; Burbano Santos, P; Trilla, A; Casademont, J; Fernandez Pérez, C; Martín-Sánchez, Fj

2016-01-01

To study the behaviour of several indicators of scientific production and repercussion in a group of Spanish clinical researchers and to evaluate their possible utility for interpreting individual or collective scientific pathways. We performed a unicentric, ecological pilot study involving a group of physicians with consolidated research experience. From the Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-Expanded) database, we obtained the number of publications of each author (indicator of production) and the number of citations, impact factor and h index (indicators of repercussion). These indicators were calculated individually for each of the years of research experience and we assessed the relationship between the experience of the researcher and the value of the indicator achieved, the relationship between these indicators themselves, and their temporal evolution, both individually and for the entire group. We analysed 35 researchers with a research experience of 28.4 (9.6) years. The h index showed the lowest coefficient of variance. The relationship between the indicators and research experience was significant, albeit modest (R2 between 0.15-0.22). The 4 indicators showed good correlations. The temporal evolution of the indicators, both individual and collective, adjusted better to a second grade polynomial than a linear function: individually, all the authors obtained R2>0.90 in all the indicators; together the best adjustment was produced with the h index (R2=0.61). Based on the indicator used, substantial variations may be produced in the researchers' ranking. A model of the temporal evolution of the indicators of production and repercussion can be described in a relatively homogeneous sample of researchers and the h index seems to demonstrate certain advantages compared to the remaining indicators. This type of analysis could become a predictive tool of performance to be achieved not only for a particular researcher, but also for a homogeneous group of resear

Sociodemographic analysis of patients in radiation therapy oncology group clinical trials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chamberlain, Robert M.; Winter, Kathryn A.; Vijayakumar, Srinivasan; Porter, Arthur T.; Roach, M.; Streeter, Oscar; Cox, James D.; Bondy, Melissa L.

1998-01-01

no racial differences in RTOG accrual and SEER incidence data for women on trials in brain, lung, and head and neck cancer. However, the RTOG trials accrued nearly twice the proportion of African-American women in cervical cancer trials and in all sites combined, compared to the SEER data. Conclusions: Comparisons with the U.S. Census and SEER show that African-Americans are proportionally well represented in cancer clinical trials conducted by the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group. The comparative analysis indicates that all educational levels in each age group of African-Americans generally mirror the U.S. Census, with one exception. The exception is a significant overrepresentation of less-educated African-Americans in the youngest age category. This exception is counter to the expectation that better-educated patients are more likely to enroll in trials. When compared with SEER data, the RTOG trials either parallel or overrepresent African-American men and women, with the only exception being in lung cancer, where men are underrepresented. These results show that, in comparison to the Census and SEER data, the RTOG has fulfilled its commitment to enroll African-American patients in its clinical trials

Facilitating Group Decision-Making: Facilitator's Subjective Theories on Group Coordination

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michaela Kolbe

2008-10-01

Full Text Available A key feature of group facilitation is motivating and coordinating people to perform their joint work. This paper focuses on group coordination which is a prerequisite to group effectiveness, especially in complex tasks. Decision-making in groups is a complex task that consequently needs to be coordinated by explicit rather than implicit coordination mechanisms. Based on the embedded definition that explicit coordination does not just happen but is purposely executed by individuals, we argue that individual coordination intentions and mechanisms should be taken into account. Thus far, the subjective perspective of coordination has been neglected in coordination theory, which is understandable given the difficulties in defining and measuring subjective aspects of group facilitation. We therefore conducted focused interviews with eight experts who either worked as senior managers or as experienced group facilitators and analysed their approaches to group coordination using methods of content analysis. Results show that these experts possess sophisticated mental representations of their coordination behaviour. These subjective coordination theories can be organised in terms of coordination schemes in which coordination-releasing situations are facilitated by special coordination mechanisms that, in turn, lead to the perception of specific consequences. We discuss the importance of these subjective coordination theories for effectively facilitating group decision-making and minimising process losses. URN: urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs0901287

Effects of Group Counseling Programs, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Sports Intervention on Internet Addiction in East Asia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Jun; Nie, Jing; Wang, Yafeng

2017-11-28

To evaluate the effects of group counseling programs, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and sports intervention on Internet addiction (IA), a systematic search in ten databases was performed to identify eligible studies without language restrictions up to January 2017. A meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis (TSA) was performed, respectively. A total of 58 randomized controlled trials (RCTs), which included 2871 participants, were incorporated into our meta-analysis. The results showed that group counseling programs, CBT, and sports intervention could significantly reduce IA levels (group counseling program: standardized mean difference (SMD), -1.37; 95% confidence interval (CI), -1.89 to -0.85; CBT: SMD, -1.88; 95% CI, -2.53 to -1.23; sports intervention: SMD, -1.70; 95% CI, -2.14 to -1.26). For group counseling programs, this treatment was more effective in four dimensions of IA, including time management, interpersonal and health issues, tolerance, and compulsive Internet use. For CBT, this treatment yielded a positive change in depression, anxiousness, aggressiveness, somatization, social insecurity, phobic anxiety, paranoid ideation, and psychoticism. For sports intervention, the significant effects were also observed in all dimensions of the IA scale. Each of group counseling programs, cognitive behavioral therapy, and sports intervention had a significant effect on IA and psychopathological symptoms. Sports intervention could improve withdrawal symptoms especially.

The Effects of Ability Grouping: A Meta-Analysis of Research Findings.

Science.gov (United States)

Noland, Theresa Koontz; Taylor, Bob L.

The study reported in this paper quantitatively integrated the recent research findings on ability grouping in order to generalize about these effects on student achievement and student self-concept. Meta-analysis was used to statistically integrate the empirical data. The relationships among various experimental variables including grade level,…

Clinical patch test data evaluated by multivariate analysis. Danish Contact Dermatitis Group

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christophersen, J; Menné, T; Tanghøj, P

1989-01-01

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the influence of individual explanatory factors, such as sex, age, atopy, test time and presence of diseased skin, on clinical patch test results, by application of multivariate statistical analysis. The study population was 2166 consecutive patients...... patch tested with the standard series of the International Contact Dermatitis Research Group (ICDRG) by members of the Danish Contact Dermatitis Group (DCDG) over a period of 6 months. For the 8 test allergens most often found positive (nickel, fragrance-mix, cobalt, chromate, balsam of Peru, carba......-mix, colophony, and formaldehyde), one or more individual factors were of significance for the risk of being sensitized, except for chromate and formaldehyde. It is concluded that patch test results can be compared only after stratification of the material or by multivariate analysis....

StreptoBase: An Oral Streptococcus mitis Group Genomic Resource and Analysis Platform.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wenning Zheng

Full Text Available The oral streptococci are spherical Gram-positive bacteria categorized under the phylum Firmicutes which are among the most common causative agents of bacterial infective endocarditis (IE and are also important agents in septicaemia in neutropenic patients. The Streptococcus mitis group is comprised of 13 species including some of the most common human oral colonizers such as S. mitis, S. oralis, S. sanguinis and S. gordonii as well as species such as S. tigurinus, S. oligofermentans and S. australis that have only recently been classified and are poorly understood at present. We present StreptoBase, which provides a specialized free resource focusing on the genomic analyses of oral species from the mitis group. It currently hosts 104 S. mitis group genomes including 27 novel mitis group strains that we sequenced using the high throughput Illumina HiSeq technology platform, and provides a comprehensive set of genome sequences for analyses, particularly comparative analyses and visualization of both cross-species and cross-strain characteristics of S. mitis group bacteria. StreptoBase incorporates sophisticated in-house designed bioinformatics web tools such as Pairwise Genome Comparison (PGC tool and Pathogenomic Profiling Tool (PathoProT, which facilitate comparative pathogenomics analysis of Streptococcus strains. Examples are provided to demonstrate how StreptoBase can be employed to compare genome structure of different S. mitis group bacteria and putative virulence genes profile across multiple streptococcal strains. In conclusion, StreptoBase offers access to a range of streptococci genomic resources as well as analysis tools and will be an invaluable platform to accelerate research in streptococci. Database URL: http://streptococcus.um.edu.my.

StreptoBase: An Oral Streptococcus mitis Group Genomic Resource and Analysis Platform.

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Wenning; Tan, Tze King; Paterson, Ian C; Mutha, Naresh V R; Siow, Cheuk Chuen; Tan, Shi Yang; Old, Lesley A; Jakubovics, Nicholas S; Choo, Siew Woh

2016-01-01

The oral streptococci are spherical Gram-positive bacteria categorized under the phylum Firmicutes which are among the most common causative agents of bacterial infective endocarditis (IE) and are also important agents in septicaemia in neutropenic patients. The Streptococcus mitis group is comprised of 13 species including some of the most common human oral colonizers such as S. mitis, S. oralis, S. sanguinis and S. gordonii as well as species such as S. tigurinus, S. oligofermentans and S. australis that have only recently been classified and are poorly understood at present. We present StreptoBase, which provides a specialized free resource focusing on the genomic analyses of oral species from the mitis group. It currently hosts 104 S. mitis group genomes including 27 novel mitis group strains that we sequenced using the high throughput Illumina HiSeq technology platform, and provides a comprehensive set of genome sequences for analyses, particularly comparative analyses and visualization of both cross-species and cross-strain characteristics of S. mitis group bacteria. StreptoBase incorporates sophisticated in-house designed bioinformatics web tools such as Pairwise Genome Comparison (PGC) tool and Pathogenomic Profiling Tool (PathoProT), which facilitate comparative pathogenomics analysis of Streptococcus strains. Examples are provided to demonstrate how StreptoBase can be employed to compare genome structure of different S. mitis group bacteria and putative virulence genes profile across multiple streptococcal strains. In conclusion, StreptoBase offers access to a range of streptococci genomic resources as well as analysis tools and will be an invaluable platform to accelerate research in streptococci. Database URL: http://streptococcus.um.edu.my.

Annual activity report of Ignalina NPP Safety Analysis Group for 1996 year

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ushpuras, E.; Augutis, J.; Bubelis, E.

1997-03-01

The main results of Ignalina NPP Safety Analysis Group (ISAG) investigations for 1996 are presented. ISAG is concentrating its research activities into four areas: the neutrons dynamics modelling, simulation of transient processes during loss of coolant accident, the reactor cooling systems modelling and the probabilistic safety assessment of accident confinement system. Ignalina Safety Analysis Report was prepared on the basis of these results. 37 refs., 9 tabs., 96 figs

Bacillus subtilis from Soybean Food Shows Antimicrobial Activity for Multidrug-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii by Affecting the adeS Gene.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Tieshan; Su, Jianrong

2016-12-28

Exploring novel antibiotics is necessary for multidrug-resistant pathogenic bacteria. Because the probiotics in soybean food have antimicrobial activities, we investigated their effects on multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii . Nineteen multidrug-resistant A. baumannii strains were clinifcally isolated as an experimental group and 11 multidrug-sensitive strains as controls. The growth rates of all bacteria were determined by using the analysis for xCELLigence Real-Time Cell. The combination of antibiotics showed synergistic effects on the strains in the control group but no effect on the strains in the experimental group. Efflux pump gene adeS was absent in all the strains from the control group, whereas it exists in all the strains from the experimental group. Furthermore, all the strains lost multidrug resistance when an adeS inhibitor was used. One strain of probiotics isolated from soybean food showed high antimicrobial activity for multidrug-resistant A. baumannii . The isolated strain belongs to Bacillus subtilis according to 16S RNA analysis. Furthermore, E. coli showed multidrug resistance when it was transformed with the adeS gene from A. baumannii whereas the resistant bacteria could be inhibited completely by isolated Bacillus subtilis . Thus, probiotics from soybean food provide potential antibiotics against multidrug-resistant pathogenic bacteria.

A systematic review of the effectiveness of CBT/ERP group therapy of OCD: A meta-analysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jónsson, Hjalti; Hougaard, Esben; Bennedsen, Birgit

, as well as reviewers of the literature have focused on within single treatments effect sizes rather between group effect sizes. OBJECTIVES To make a systematic review, and by methods of meta analysis compute a pooled within effect size of studies of group CBT of OCD and compare these to previously.......05 and 1.25 respectively, with an overall combined pooled within effect size across the categories at 1.18. Finally a between effect sizes of the four studies comparing group therapy to waitlist control group was reported at.1.12 CONCLUSION The reported within effect sizes in this meta-analysis (range 1...

The rational weakness of strong ties : Failure of group solidarity in a highly cohesive group of rational agents

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Flache, Andreas

2002-01-01

Recent research (Flache, 1996; Flache and Macy, 1996) suggests a "weakness of strong ties." Cohesive social networks may undermine group solidarity, rather than sustain it. In the original analysis, simulations showed that adaptive actors learn cooperation in bilateral exchanges faster than

The rational weakness of strong ties : Failure of group solidarity in a highly cohesive group of rational agents

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Flache, A; Yamamoto, H

2006-01-01

Recent research (Flache 1996; Flache and Macy 1996) suggests a "weakness of strong ties." Cohesive social networks may undermine group solidarity, rather than sustain it. In the original analysis, simulations showed that adaptive actors learn cooperation in bilateral exchanges faster than

Qualitative Analysis of Collaborative Learning Groups in Large Enrollment Introductory Astronomy

Science.gov (United States)

Skala, Chija; Slater, Timothy F.; Adams, Jeffrey P.

2000-08-01

Large-lecture introductory astronomy courses for undergraduate, non-science majors present numerous problems for faculty. As part of a systematic effort to improve the course learning environment, a series of small-group, collaborative learning activities were implemented in an otherwise conventional lecture astronomy survey course. These activities were used once each week during the regularly scheduled lecture period. After eight weeks, ten focus group interviews were conducted to qualitatively assess the impact and dynamics of these small group learning activities. Overall, the data strongly suggest that students enjoy participating in the in-class learning activities in learning teams of three to four students. These students firmly believe that they are learning more than they would from lectures alone. Inductive analysis of the transcripts revealed five major themes prevalent among the students' perspectives: (1) self-formed, cooperative group composition and formation should be more regulated by the instructor; (2) team members' assigned rolls should be less formally structured by the instructors; (3) cooperative groups helped in learning the course content; (4) time constraints on lectures and activities need to be more carefully aligned; and (5) gender issues can exist within the groups. These themes serve as a guide for instructors who are developing instructional interventions for large lecture courses.

TIBER II/ETR: Nuclear Performance Analysis Group Report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-09-01

A Nuclear Performance Analysis Group was formed to develop the nuclear technology mission of TIBER-II under the leadership of Argonne National Laboratory reporting to LLNL with major participation by the University of California - Los Angeles (test requirements, R and D needs, water-cooled test modules, neutronic tests). Additional key support was provided by GA Technologies (helium-cooled test modules), Hanford Engineering Development Laboratory (material-irradiation tests), Sandia National Laboratory - Albuquerque (high-heat-flux component tests), and the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (safety tests). Support also was provided by Rennselaer Polytechnic Institute, Grumman Aerospace Corporation, and the Canadian Fusion Fuels Technology Program. This report discusses these areas and provides a schedule for their completion

Ion-selective electrodes in organic elemental and functional group analysis: a review

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Selig, W.

1977-11-08

The literature on the use of ion-selective electrodes in organic elemental and functional group analysis is surveyed in some detail. The survey is complete through Chemical Abstracts, Vol. 83 (1975). 40 figures, 52 tables, 236 references.

Ion-selective electrodes in organic elemental and functional group analysis: a review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Selig, W.

1977-01-01

The literature on the use of ion-selective electrodes in organic elemental and functional group analysis is surveyed in some detail. The survey is complete through Chemical Abstracts, Vol. 83 (1975). 40 figures, 52 tables, 236 references

Following Musical Shows: A Study with Focal Groups on Satisfaction of Musical Concerts Regular Visitors and Socialization between Them

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lúmia Massa Garcia Pires

2017-06-01

Full Text Available This article aimed to identify which attributes impact more significantly on the satisfaction of concerts’ regular visitors and socialization between them when inserted in these kinds of events. Thus, we used a qualitative methodology, performing focus groups. Among the main results of this study, we found, regarding satisfaction of concerts’ visitors, the attributes that most influence the public are related to services - especially for beverage supply, cleaning of bathrooms and lines formed inside the event - organization, show infrastructure and performance artists. Furthermore, considering the socialization of the visitors, we found that most respondents often go to concerts together with other people, but some did not exclude the possibility to attend the concerts alone when it comes to a familiar artist.

BOG: R-package for Bacterium and virus analysis of Orthologous Groups

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jincheol Park

2015-01-01

Full Text Available BOG (Bacterium and virus analysis of Orthologous Groups is a package for identifying groups of differentially regulated genes in the light of gene functions for various virus and bacteria genomes. It is designed to identify Clusters of Orthologous Groups (COGs that are enriched among genes that have gone through significant changes under different conditions. This would contribute to the detection of pathogens, an important scientific research area of relevance in uncovering bioterrorism, among others. Particular statistical analyses include hypergeometric, Mann–Whitney rank sum, and gene set enrichment. Results from the analyses are organized and presented in tabular and graphical forms for ease of understanding and dissemination of results. BOG is implemented as an R-package, which is available from CRAN or can be downloaded from http://www.stat.osu.edu/~statgen/SOFTWARE/BOG/.

What Are We Drinking? Beverages Shown in Adolescents' Favorite Television Shows.

Science.gov (United States)

Eisenberg, Marla E; Larson, Nicole I; Gollust, Sarah E; Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne

2017-05-01

Media use has been shown to contribute to poor dietary intake; however, little attention has been paid to programming content. The portrayal of health behaviors in television (TV) programming contributes to social norms among viewers, which have been shown to influence adolescent behavior. This study reports on a content analysis of beverages shown in a sample of TV shows popular with a large, diverse group of adolescents, with attention to the types of beverages and differences across shows and characters. Favorite TV shows were assessed in an in-school survey in 2010. Three episodes of each of the top 25 shows were analyzed, using a detailed coding instrument. Beverage incidents (ie, beverage shown or described) were recorded. Beverage types included milk, sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), diet beverages, juice, water, alcoholic drinks, and coffee. Characters were coded with regard to gender, age group, race, and weight status. Shows were rated for a youth, general, or adult audience. χ 2 tests were used to compare the prevalence of each type of beverage across show ratings (youth, general, adult), and to compare characteristics of those involved in each type of beverage incident. Beverage incidents were common (mean=7.4 incidents/episode, range=0 to 25). Alcohol was the most commonly shown (38.8%); milk (5.8%) and juice (5.8%) were least common; 11.0% of incidents included SSBs. Significant differences in all types of beverage were found across characters' age groups. Almost half of young adults' (49.2%) or adults' (42.0%) beverage incidents included alcohol. Beverages are often portrayed on TV shows viewed by adolescents, and common beverages (alcohol, SSBs) may have adverse consequences for health. The portrayal of these beverages likely contributes to social norms regarding their desirability; nutrition and health professionals should talk with youth about TV portrayals to prevent the adoption of unhealthy beverage behaviors. Copyright © 2017 Academy of

What are we drinking? Beverages shown in adolescents’ favorite TV shows

Science.gov (United States)

Eisenberg, Marla E.; Larson, Nicole I.; Gollust, Sarah E.; Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne

2016-01-01

Background Media use has been shown to contribute to poor dietary intake; however, little attention has been paid to programming content. The portrayal of health behaviors in television (TV) programming contributes to social norms among viewers, which have been shown to influence adolescent behavior. Objective This study reports on a content analysis of beverages shown in a sample of TV shows popular with a large, diverse group of adolescents, with attention to the types of beverages and differences across shows and characters. Design Favorite TV shows were assessed in an in-school survey in 2010. Three episodes of each of the top 25 shows were analyzed using a detailed coding instrument. Key measures Beverage incidents (i.e. beverage shown or described) were recorded. Beverage types included milk, sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB), diet beverages, juice, water, alcoholic drinks and coffee. Characters were coded with regards to gender, age group, race, and weight status. Shows were rated for a youth, general or adult audience. Statistical analyses Chi-square tests were used to compare the prevalence of each type of beverage across show ratings (youth, general, adult), and to compare characteristics of those involved in each type of beverage incident. Results Beverage incidents were common (mean=7.4 incidents/episode, range=0–25). Alcohol was the most commonly shown (38.8%); milk (5.8%) and juice (5.8%) were least common; 11.0% of incidents included SSB. Significant differences in all types of beverage were found across age groups. Almost half of young adults’ (49.2%) or adults’ (42.0%) beverage incidents included alcohol. Conclusions Beverages are often portrayed on TV shows viewed by adolescents, and common beverages (alcohol, SSB) may have adverse consequences for health. The portrayal of these beverages likely contributes to social norms regarding their desirability; nutrition and health professionals should talk with youth about TV portrayals to prevent the

Design and analysis of group-randomized trials in cancer: A review of current practices.

Science.gov (United States)

Murray, David M; Pals, Sherri L; George, Stephanie M; Kuzmichev, Andrey; Lai, Gabriel Y; Lee, Jocelyn A; Myles, Ranell L; Nelson, Shakira M

2018-06-01

The purpose of this paper is to summarize current practices for the design and analysis of group-randomized trials involving cancer-related risk factors or outcomes and to offer recommendations to improve future trials. We searched for group-randomized trials involving cancer-related risk factors or outcomes that were published or online in peer-reviewed journals in 2011-15. During 2016-17, in Bethesda MD, we reviewed 123 articles from 76 journals to characterize their design and their methods for sample size estimation and data analysis. Only 66 (53.7%) of the articles reported appropriate methods for sample size estimation. Only 63 (51.2%) reported exclusively appropriate methods for analysis. These findings suggest that many investigators do not adequately attend to the methodological challenges inherent in group-randomized trials. These practices can lead to underpowered studies, to an inflated type 1 error rate, and to inferences that mislead readers. Investigators should work with biostatisticians or other methodologists familiar with these issues. Funders and editors should ensure careful methodological review of applications and manuscripts. Reviewers should ensure that studies are properly planned and analyzed. These steps are needed to improve the rigor and reproducibility of group-randomized trials. The Office of Disease Prevention (ODP) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has taken several steps to address these issues. ODP offers an online course on the design and analysis of group-randomized trials. ODP is working to increase the number of methodologists who serve on grant review panels. ODP has developed standard language for the Application Guide and the Review Criteria to draw investigators' attention to these issues. Finally, ODP has created a new Research Methods Resources website to help investigators, reviewers, and NIH staff better understand these issues. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Emergence of Leadership in a Group of Autonomous Robots

Science.gov (United States)

Pugliese, Francesco; Acerbi, Alberto; Marocco, Davide

2015-01-01

In this paper we examine the factors contributing to the emergence of leadership in a group, and we explore the relationship between the role of the leader and the behavioural capabilities of other individuals. We use a simulation technique where a group of foraging robots must coordinate to choose between two identical food zones in order to forage collectively. Behavioural and quantitative analysis indicate that a form of leadership emerges, and that groups with a leader are more effective than groups without. Moreover, we show that the most skilled individuals in a group tend to be the ones that assume a leadership role, supporting biological findings. Further analysis reveals the emergence of different “styles” of leadership (active and passive). PMID:26340449

Emergence of Leadership in a Group of Autonomous Robots.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francesco Pugliese

Full Text Available In this paper we examine the factors contributing to the emergence of leadership in a group, and we explore the relationship between the role of the leader and the behavioural capabilities of other individuals. We use a simulation technique where a group of foraging robots must coordinate to choose between two identical food zones in order to forage collectively. Behavioural and quantitative analysis indicate that a form of leadership emerges, and that groups with a leader are more effective than groups without. Moreover, we show that the most skilled individuals in a group tend to be the ones that assume a leadership role, supporting biological findings. Further analysis reveals the emergence of different "styles" of leadership (active and passive.

Students’ educational use of Facebook groups

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dalsgaard, Christian

2016-01-01

by students and without participation from teachers. As this study shows, students’ use of student-managed groups differs from their use of teacher-managed tools such as learning management systems (LMSs). The article presents an empirical study based partly on a content analysis of 3139 posts and 15...

An Integrated Approach with Group Decision-Making for Strategy Selection in SWOT Analysis

OpenAIRE

İhsan Yüksel

2012-01-01

The main aim of this study was to improve the analytical dimension of SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis with group decision-making, which underlines the analysis of internal and external environments that in turn, will improve the definition of corporate strategy within the strategic planning process. The main issue of the study was how to select the most appropriate strategy by taking into consideration different effects of each factor of SWOT analysis on strat...

Cross-year peer tutoring on internal medicine wards: results of a qualitative focus group analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Krautter, Markus; Andreesen, Sven; Köhl-Hackert, Nadja; Hoffmann, Katja; Herzog, Wolfgang; Nikendei, Christoph

2014-01-01

Peer-assisted learning (PAL) has become a well-accepted teaching method within medical education. However, descriptions of on-ward PAL programs are rare. A focus group analysis of a newly established PAL program on an internal medicine ward was conducted to provide insights into PAL teaching from a student perspective. To provide insights into students' experiences regarding their on-ward training with and without accompanying PAL tutors. A total of N=168 medical students in their sixth semester participated in the investigation (intervention group: N=88; control group: N=80). The intervention group took part in the PAL program, while the control group received standard on-ward training. There were seven focus groups with N=43 participants (intervention group: four focus groups, N=28 participants; control group: three focus groups, N=15 participants). The discussions were analyzed using content analysis. The intervention group emphasized the role of the tutors as competent and well-trained teachers, most beneficial in supervising clinical skills. Tutors motivate students, help them to integrate into the ward team, and provide a non-fear-based working relationship whereby students' anxiety regarding working on ward decreases. The control group had to rely on autodidactic learning strategies when neither supervising physicians nor final-year students were available. On-ward PAL programs represent a particularly valuable tool for students' support in training clinical competencies on ward. The tutor-student working alliance acts through its flat hierarchy. Nevertheless, tutors cannot represent an adequate substitute for experienced physicians.

ABO blood group and esophageal carcinoma risk: from a case-control study in Chinese population to meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Wei; Liu, Lei; Wang, Zhiwei; Lu, Xiaopeng; Wei, Min; Lin, Tianlong; Zhang, Yixin; Jiang, Songqi; Wang, Qiang; Cao, Ziang; Shi, Minxin

2014-10-01

The association between ABO blood group and the risk of esophageal carcinoma (EC) in previously published studies is uncertain and conflicting. The aim of the current study was to determine the correlation of ABO blood group with EC risk via a case-control study and meta-analysis. We performed a population-based case-control study of 3,595 cases and 41,788 controls in Chinese population to evaluate the association between ABO blood group and EC risk. Then, a comprehensive meta-analysis combining our original data and previously published data was conducted to clearly discern the real relationship. The strength of association was measured by odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). In our case-control study, the risk of EC in blood group B was significantly higher than that in non-B groups (A, O, and AB) (OR = 1.15, 95% CI 1.09-1.21). Compared with non-O groups (A, B, and AB), individuals with blood group O demonstrated a reduced risk of EC (OR = 0.90, 95% CI 0.85-0.94). The meta-analysis also indicated that blood group B was associated with significantly higher EC risk (OR = 1.20, 95% CI 1.10-1.31), and people with blood group O had a decreased EC risk (OR = 0.94, 95% CI 0.90-0.99). Neither the case-control study nor the meta-analysis produced any significant association of blood group A or AB with EC risk. Results from our case-control study and the followed meta-analysis confirmed that there was an increased risk of EC in blood group B individuals, whereas a decreased risk of EC was observed in blood group O individuals.

Effects of Group Counseling Programs, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Sports Intervention on Internet Addiction in East Asia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jun Liu

2017-11-01

Full Text Available To evaluate the effects of group counseling programs, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT, and sports intervention on Internet addiction (IA, a systematic search in ten databases was performed to identify eligible studies without language restrictions up to January 2017. A meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis (TSA was performed, respectively. A total of 58 randomized controlled trials (RCTs, which included 2871 participants, were incorporated into our meta-analysis. The results showed that group counseling programs, CBT, and sports intervention could significantly reduce IA levels (group counseling program: standardized mean difference (SMD, −1.37; 95% confidence interval (CI, −1.89 to −0.85; CBT: SMD, −1.88; 95% CI, −2.53 to −1.23; sports intervention: SMD, −1.70; 95% CI, −2.14 to −1.26. For group counseling programs, this treatment was more effective in four dimensions of IA, including time management, interpersonal and health issues, tolerance, and compulsive Internet use. For CBT, this treatment yielded a positive change in depression, anxiousness, aggressiveness, somatization, social insecurity, phobic anxiety, paranoid ideation, and psychoticism. For sports intervention, the significant effects were also observed in all dimensions of the IA scale. Each of group counseling programs, cognitive behavioral therapy, and sports intervention had a significant effect on IA and psychopathological symptoms. Sports intervention could improve withdrawal symptoms especially.

Lithofacies analysis of the Simpson Group in south-central Kansas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Doveton, J.H.; Charpentier, R.R.; Metzger, E.P.

1990-01-01

This book discusses detailed stratigraphy and lithofacies of the oil-productive Middle Ordovician Simpson Group in south-central Kansas. The report presents results of studies of the Simpson Group in Barber, Comanche, Kiowa, and Pratt counties. The high density of exploration holes and their associated logs allowed a detailed stratigraphic subdivision to be made of shale, sandstone, and sandy carbonate units. The lateral changes in these units are depicted in a series of maps and cross sections and show distinctive lithofacies patterns that reflect a history of northward-moving marine transgression. Working with digital data from gamma-ray logs, the geologists used computer methods to generate a series of cross sections of the Simpson Group, based on the statistical moments of the log traces. Automated mapping displayed the shapes and disposition of shale and non-shale units as continuous features in three dimensions. The ground truth information from drill cuttings further refined interpretations of stratigraphy, lithofacies, and depositional history implied by these computer models

Group identity and positive deviance in work groups.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Moon Joung; Choi, Jin Nam

2017-12-05

This study examines why and how identity cognitions, including group identification and individual differentiation, influence the positive deviance of employees. We identify the risk-taking intention of employees as a critical psychological mechanism to overcome stigma-induced identity threat of positive deviance. The analysis of data collected from 293 members comprising 66 work teams reveals that the relationship between individual differentiation and positive deviance is partially mediated by risk-taking intention. The indirect effect of group identification on positive deviance through risk-taking intention is also significant and positive in groups with low conformity pressure, whereas the same indirect effect is neutralized in groups with high conformity pressure. The current analysis offers new insights into the way the group context and the identity cognition of members explain the development of positive deviance and workplace creativity.

Symmetries and Laplacians introduction to harmonic analysis, group representations and applications

CERN Document Server

Gurarie, D

1992-01-01

Designed as an introduction to harmonic analysis and group representations,this book covers a wide range of topics rather than delving deeply into anyparticular one. In the words of H. Weyl ...it is primarily meant forthe humble, who want to learn as new the things set forth therein, rather thanfor the proud and learned who are already familiar with the subject and merelylook for quick and exact information.... The main objective is tointroduce the reader to concepts, ideas, results and techniques that evolvearound symmetry-groups, representations and Laplacians. Morespecifically, the main interest concerns geometrical objects and structures{X}, discrete or continuous, that possess sufficiently large symmetrygroup G, such as regular graphs (Platonic solids), lattices, andsymmetric Riemannian manifolds. All such objects have a natural Laplacian&Dgr;, a linear operator on functions over X, invariant underthe group action. There are many problems associated with Laplacians onX, such as continuous or discrete...

Novel phage group infecting Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis, as revealed by genomic and proteomic analysis of bacteriophage Ldl1.

Science.gov (United States)

Casey, Eoghan; Mahony, Jennifer; Neve, Horst; Noben, Jean-Paul; Dal Bello, Fabio; van Sinderen, Douwe

2015-02-01

Ldl1 is a virulent phage infecting the dairy starter Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis LdlS. Electron microscopy analysis revealed that this phage exhibits a large head and a long tail and bears little resemblance to other characterized phages infecting Lactobacillus delbrueckii. In vitro propagation of this phage revealed a latent period of 30 to 40 min and a burst size of 59.9 +/- 1.9 phage particles. Comparative genomic and proteomic analyses showed remarkable similarity between the genome of Ldl1 and that of Lactobacillus plantarum phage ATCC 8014-B2. The genomic and proteomic characteristics of Ldl1 demonstrate that this phage does not belong to any of the four previously recognized L. delbrueckii phage groups, necessitating the creation of a new group, called group e, thus adding to the knowledge on the diversity of phages targeting strains of this industrially important lactic acid bacterial species.

Transactional Analysis and Gestalt Therapy Used in Conjunction with Group Counseling for Married Couples

Science.gov (United States)

Sisson, P. Joe; And Others

1977-01-01

This study investigated the effects of combining Transactional Analysis and Gestalt therapy with group counseling for married couples. Six treatment couples and 12 control group members were pre/post administered the Tennessee Self-Concept Scale to assess changes in the level of their self-esteem. There were some significant results. (Author/JEL)

Distribution of ABO Blood Groups and Coronary Artery Calcium.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yao; Zhou, Bing-Yang; Zhu, Cheng-Gang; Guo, Yuan-Lin; Wu, Na-Qiong; Qing, Ping; Gao, Ying; Liu, Geng; Dong, Qian; Li, Jian-Jun

2017-06-01

ABO blood groups have been confirmed to be associated with cardiovascular diseases such as coronary artery disease. However, whether ABO blood group is correlated with coronary artery calcium (CAC) is still unknown. 301 patients with coronary artery calcium score (CACS) assessed by computed tomography were consecutively enrolled and divided into two groups: with calcium group (CACS>0, n=104) and without calcium group (CACS=0, n=197). Distribution of ABO blood groups was evaluated between the two groups. The percentage of A blood type was significantly higher (p=0.008) and O blood type was significantly lower (p=0.037) in the calcium group. Univariate regression analysis showed that age, total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, A blood type were positively correlated with CAC, and O blood type was inversely associated with CAC. Multivariate regression analysis showed that A blood type was independently associated with CAC (odds ratio: 2.217, 95% confidence interval: 1.260-3.900, p=0.006) even after further adjustment for variables that were clearly different between the two groups. Our data has suggested for the first time that A blood type was an independent risk marker for CAC. Copyright © 2016 Australian and New Zealand Society of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgeons (ANZSCTS) and the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand (CSANZ). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Array-based genotyping and genetic dissimilarity analysis of a set of maize inbred lines belonging to different heterotic groups

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jambrović Antun

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Here we describe the results of the detailed array-based genotyping obtained by using the Illumina MaizeSNP50 BeadChip of eleven inbred lines belonging to different heterotic groups relevant for maize breeding in Southeast Europe - European Corn Belt. The objectives of this study were to assess the utility of the MaizeSNP50 BeadChip platform by determining its descriptive power and to assess genetic dissimilarity of the inbred lines. The distribution of the SNPs was found not completely uniform among chromosomes, but average call rate was very high (97.9% and number of polymorphic loci was 33200 out of 50074 SNPs with known mapping position indicating descriptive power of the MaizeSNP50 BeadChip. The dendrogram obtained from UPGMA cluster analysis as well as principal component analysis (PCA confirmed pedigree information, undoubtedly distinguishing lines according to their background in two population varieties of Reid Yellow Dent and Lancaster Sure Crop. Dissimilarity analysis showed that all of the inbred lines could be distinguished from each other. Whereas cluster analysis did not definitely differentiate Mo17 and Ohio inbred lines, PCA revealed clear genetic differences between them. The studied inbred lines were confirmed to be genetically diverse, representing a large proportion of the genetic variation occurring in two maize heterotic groups.

Group Milieu in systemic and psychodynamic group therapy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lau, Marianne Engelbrecht; Kristensen, Ellids

Objectives: A recent meta-analysis also concluded that psychotherapeutic approaches are beneficial for adult with a history of CSA and maintained for at least six months follow-up. The results suggest that different characteristics of therapy moderate the therapeutic outcome. We found in a random......Objectives: A recent meta-analysis also concluded that psychotherapeutic approaches are beneficial for adult with a history of CSA and maintained for at least six months follow-up. The results suggest that different characteristics of therapy moderate the therapeutic outcome. We found...... in a randomized study of systemic versus psychodynamic group therapy, that the short-term outcome for patients who received systemic group psychotherapy was significantly better than the outcome for patients who received psychodynamic group psychotherapy. The current study assessed the group milieu in both groups....... Methods: This randomized prospective study included 106 women: 52 assigned to psychodynamic group psychotherapy and 54 assigned to systemic group psychotherapy. The Group Environment Scale (GES) was filled in the mid phase of therapy and analysed in three dimensions and 10 subscales. Results: The systemic...

Sensitivity Analysis of Nuclide Importance to One-Group Neutron Cross Sections

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sekimoto, Hiroshi; Nemoto, Atsushi; Yoshimura, Yoshikane

2001-01-01

The importance of nuclides is useful when investigating nuclide characteristics in a given neutron spectrum. However, it is derived using one-group microscopic cross sections, which may contain large errors or uncertainties. The sensitivity coefficient shows the effect of these errors or uncertainties on the importance.The equations for calculating sensitivity coefficients of importance to one-group nuclear constants are derived using the perturbation method. Numerical values are also evaluated for some important cases for fast and thermal reactor systems.Many characteristics of the sensitivity coefficients are derived from the derived equations and numerical results. The matrix of sensitivity coefficients seems diagonally dominant. However, it is not always satisfied in a detailed structure. The detailed structure of the matrix and the characteristics of coefficients are given.By using the obtained sensitivity coefficients, some demonstration calculations have been performed. The effects of error and uncertainty of nuclear data and of the change of one-group cross-section input caused by fuel design changes through the neutron spectrum are investigated. These calculations show that the sensitivity coefficient is useful when evaluating error or uncertainty of nuclide importance caused by the cross-section data error or uncertainty and when checking effectiveness of fuel cell or core design change for improving neutron economy

Group-level self-definition and self-investment: a hierarchical (multicomponent) model of in-group identification.

Science.gov (United States)

Leach, Colin Wayne; van Zomeren, Martijn; Zebel, Sven; Vliek, Michael L W; Pennekamp, Sjoerd F; Doosje, Bertjan; Ouwerkerk, Jaap W; Spears, Russell

2008-07-01

Recent research shows individuals' identification with in-groups to be psychologically important and socially consequential. However, there is little agreement about how identification should be conceptualized or measured. On the basis of previous work, the authors identified 5 specific components of in-group identification and offered a hierarchical 2-dimensional model within which these components are organized. Studies 1 and 2 used confirmatory factor analysis to validate the proposed model of self-definition (individual self-stereotyping, in-group homogeneity) and self-investment (solidarity, satisfaction, and centrality) dimensions, across 3 different group identities. Studies 3 and 4 demonstrated the construct validity of the 5 components by examining their (concurrent) correlations with established measures of in-group identification. Studies 5-7 demonstrated the predictive and discriminant validity of the 5 components by examining their (prospective) prediction of individuals' orientation to, and emotions about, real intergroup relations. Together, these studies illustrate the conceptual and empirical value of a hierarchical multicomponent model of in-group identification.

"My YAP Family": Analysis of a Facebook Group for Young Adults Living with HIV.

Science.gov (United States)

Gaysynsky, Anna; Romansky-Poulin, Kathryn; Arpadi, Stephen

2015-06-01

Little research exists regarding the use of social networking sites, like Facebook, for improving patient well-being. The aim of this study was to evaluate a private Facebook group established for members of an HIV clinic's young adult program. This study employed directed content analysis to examine the types and frequencies of interactions observable in the 3,838 posts and comments that appeared on the Facebook group page between March 1, 2011 and July 1, 2012. Analysis revealed that a large percentage (41.7 %) of the content was classified as "administrative/engagement in group" and functioned to enhance the operations of the program as a whole. Additionally, positive interactions were frequently observed, especially socializing (24.8 %), banter (20.2 %), and offers of social support (15.1 %). Emotional support was the most frequent type of support requested, while esteem support was the most commonly provided form of support. The results of this study demonstrate that a Facebook group can be a means of providing patients with social support and positive social interaction and can improve services for young adults with HIV.

Unbiased group-wise image registration: applications in brain fiber tract atlas construction and functional connectivity analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Geng, Xiujuan; Gu, Hong; Shin, Wanyong; Ross, Thomas J; Yang, Yihong

2011-10-01

We propose an unbiased implicit-reference group-wise (IRG) image registration method and demonstrate its applications in the construction of a brain white matter fiber tract atlas and the analysis of resting-state functional MRI (fMRI) connectivity. Most image registration techniques pair-wise align images to a selected reference image and group analyses are performed in the reference space, which may produce bias. The proposed method jointly estimates transformations, with an elastic deformation model, registering all images to an implicit reference corresponding to the group average. The unbiased registration is applied to build a fiber tract atlas by registering a group of diffusion tensor images. Compared to reference-based registration, the IRG registration improves the fiber track overlap within the group. After applying the method in the fMRI connectivity analysis, results suggest a general improvement in functional connectivity maps at a group level in terms of larger cluster size and higher average t-scores.

Performance of Group Communication Over Ad-Hoc Networks

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Mosko, Marc; Garcia-Luna-Aceves, J. J

2002-01-01

... through a network of cluster trees, where a spanning tree joins groups of fully connected nodes. Through numerical analysis and simulations in GloMoSim, we show throughput, goodput, and loss rates for reliable and unreliable networks...

The evolution of cooperation in spatial groups

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Jianlei; Zhang Chunyan; Chu Tianguang

2011-01-01

Research highlights: → We propose a model of evolutionary games in which individuals are organized into networked groups. → We show that the social dilemma can be resolved and high cooperation levels are attained. → Larger average group size would lead to lower cooperation level but higher average payoffs. → The results show that higher expectations can bring the system with larger average payoffs. - Abstract: Much of human cooperation remains an evolutionary riddle. There is evidence that individuals are often organized into groups in many social situations. Inspired by this observation, we propose a simple model of evolutionary public goods games in which individuals are organized into networked groups. Here, nodes in the network represent groups; the edges, connecting the nodes, refer to the interactions between the groups. Individuals establish public goods games with partners in the same group and migrate among neighboring groups depending on their payoffs and expectations. We show that the paradigmatic public goods social dilemma can be resolved and high cooperation levels are attained in structured groups, even in relatively harsh conditions for cooperation. Further, by means of numerical simulations and mean-field analysis, we arrive at the result: larger average group size and milder cooperation environment would lead to lower cooperation level but higher average payoffs of the entire population. Altogether, these results emphasize that our understanding of cooperation can be enhanced by investigations of how spatial groups of individuals affect the evolution dynamics, which might help in explaining the emergence and evolution of cooperation.

Morphological appearance manifolds for group-wise morphometric analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Lian, Nai-Xiang; Davatzikos, Christos

2011-12-01

Computational anatomy quantifies anatomical shape based on diffeomorphic transformations of a template. However, different templates warping algorithms, regularization parameters, or templates, lead to different representations of the same exact anatomy, raising a uniqueness issue: variations of these parameters are confounding factors as they give rise to non-unique representations. Recently, it has been shown that learning the equivalence class derived from the multitude of representations of a given anatomy can lead to improved and more stable morphological descriptors. Herein, we follow that approach, by approximating this equivalence class of morphological descriptors by a (nonlinear) morphological appearance manifold fitting to the data via a locally linear model. Our approach parallels work in the computer vision field, in which variations lighting, pose and other parameters lead to image appearance manifolds representing the exact same figure in different ways. The proposed framework is then used for group-wise registration and statistical analysis of biomedical images, by employing a minimum variance criterion to perform manifold-constrained optimization, i.e. to traverse each individual's morphological appearance manifold until group variance is minimal. The hypothesis is that this process is likely to reduce aforementioned confounding effects and potentially lead to morphological representations reflecting purely biological variations, instead of variations introduced by modeling assumptions and parameter settings. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Analysis of 49 autosomal SNPs in three ethnic groups from Iran

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sharafi Farzad, M; Tomas Mas, Carmen; Børsting, C

2013-01-01

Asian populations in the MDS plot drawn from the FST values. Statistical parameters of forensic interest calculated for the Iranian ethnic groups showed values of the same order of magnitudes as those obtained for Asians. The mean match probability calculated for the 49 SNPs ranged from 1.7x10...

Control-group feature normalization for multivariate pattern analysis of structural MRI data using the support vector machine.

Science.gov (United States)

Linn, Kristin A; Gaonkar, Bilwaj; Satterthwaite, Theodore D; Doshi, Jimit; Davatzikos, Christos; Shinohara, Russell T

2016-05-15

Normalization of feature vector values is a common practice in machine learning. Generally, each feature value is standardized to the unit hypercube or by normalizing to zero mean and unit variance. Classification decisions based on support vector machines (SVMs) or by other methods are sensitive to the specific normalization used on the features. In the context of multivariate pattern analysis using neuroimaging data, standardization effectively up- and down-weights features based on their individual variability. Since the standard approach uses the entire data set to guide the normalization, it utilizes the total variability of these features. This total variation is inevitably dependent on the amount of marginal separation between groups. Thus, such a normalization may attenuate the separability of the data in high dimensional space. In this work we propose an alternate approach that uses an estimate of the control-group standard deviation to normalize features before training. We study our proposed approach in the context of group classification using structural MRI data. We show that control-based normalization leads to better reproducibility of estimated multivariate disease patterns and improves the classifier performance in many cases. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A content analysis of chronic diseases social groups on Facebook and Twitter.

Science.gov (United States)

De la Torre-Díez, Isabel; Díaz-Pernas, Francisco Javier; Antón-Rodríguez, Míriam

2012-01-01

Research on the use of social networks for health-related purposes is limited. This study aims to characterize the purpose and use of Facebook and Twitter groups concerning colorectal cancer, breast cancer, and diabetes. We searched in Facebook ( www.facebook.com ) and Twitter ( www.twitter.com ) using the terms "colorectal cancer," "breast cancer," and "diabetes." Each important group has been analyzed by extracting its network name, number of members, interests, and Web site URL. We found 216 breast cancer groups, 171 colorectal cancer groups, and 527 diabetes groups on Facebook and Twitter. The largest percentage of the colorectal cancer groups (25.58%) addresses prevention, similarly to breast cancer, whereas diabetes groups are mainly focused on research issues (25.09%). There are more social groups about breast cancer and diabetes on Facebook (around 82%) than on Twitter (around 18%). Regarding colorectal cancer, the difference is less: Facebook had 62.23%, and Twitter 31.76%. Social networks are a useful tool for supporting patients suffering from these three diseases. Regarding the use of these social networks for disease support purposes, Facebook shows a higher usage rate than Twitter, perhaps because Twitter is newer than Facebook, and its use is not so generalized.

Comparing linear probability model coefficients across groups

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Holm, Anders; Ejrnæs, Mette; Karlson, Kristian Bernt

2015-01-01

of the following three components: outcome truncation, scale parameters and distributional shape of the predictor variable. These results point to limitations in using linear probability model coefficients for group comparisons. We also provide Monte Carlo simulations and real examples to illustrate......This article offers a formal identification analysis of the problem in comparing coefficients from linear probability models between groups. We show that differences in coefficients from these models can result not only from genuine differences in effects, but also from differences in one or more...... these limitations, and we suggest a restricted approach to using linear probability model coefficients in group comparisons....

Coupling Reagent for UV/vis Absorbing Azobenzene-Based Quantitative Analysis of the Extent of Functional Group Immobilization on Silica.

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Ra-Young; Lee, Chang-Hee; Jun, Chul-Ho

2018-05-18

A methallylsilane coupling reagent, containing both a N-hydroxysuccinimidyl(NHS)-ester group and a UV/vis absorbing azobenzene linker undergoes acid-catalyzed immobilization on silica. Analysis of the UV/vis absorption band associated with the azobenzene group in the adduct enables facile quantitative determination of the extent of loading of the NHS groups. Reaction of NHS-groups on the silica surface with amine groups of GOx and rhodamine can be employed to generate enzyme or dye-immobilized silica for quantitative analysis.

Renormalization group analysis of a simple hierarchical fermion model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dorlas, T.C.

1991-01-01

A simple hierarchical fermion model is constructed which gives rise to an exact renormalization transformation in a 2-dimensional parameter space. The behaviour of this transformation is studied. It has two hyperbolic fixed points for which the existence of a global critical line is proven. The asymptotic behaviour of the transformation is used to prove the existence of the thermodynamic limit in a certain domain in parameter space. Also the existence of a continuum limit for these theories is investigated using information about the asymptotic renormalization behaviour. It turns out that the 'trivial' fixed point gives rise to a two-parameter family of continuum limits corresponding to that part of parameter space where the renormalization trajectories originate at this fixed point. Although the model is not very realistic it serves as a simple example of the appliclation of the renormalization group to proving the existence of the thermodynamic limit and the continuum limit of lattice models. Moreover, it illustrates possible complications that can arise in global renormalization group behaviour, and that might also be present in other models where no global analysis of the renormalization transformation has yet been achieved. (orig.)

Translational groups as generators of gauge transformations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scaria, Tomy

2003-01-01

We examine the gauge generating nature of the translational subgroup of Wigner's little group for the case of massless tensor gauge theories and show that the gauge transformations generated by the translational group are only a subset of the complete set of gauge transformations. We also show that, just as in the case of topologically massive gauge theories, translational groups act as generators of gauge transformations in gauge theories obtained by extending massive gauge noninvariant theories by a Stueckelberg mechanism. The representations of the translational groups that generate gauge transformations in such Stueckelberg extended theories can be obtained by the method of dimensional descent. We illustrate these results with the examples of Stueckelberg extended first class versions of Proca, Einstein-Pauli-Fierz, and massive Kalb-Ramond theories in 3+1 dimensions. A detailed analysis of the partial gauge generation in massive and massless second rank symmetric gauge theories is provided. The gauge transformations generated by the translational group in two-form gauge theories are shown to explicitly manifest the reducibility of gauge transformations in these theories

Translational groups as generators of gauge transformations

Science.gov (United States)

Scaria, Tomy

2003-11-01

We examine the gauge generating nature of the translational subgroup of Wigner’s little group for the case of massless tensor gauge theories and show that the gauge transformations generated by the translational group are only a subset of the complete set of gauge transformations. We also show that, just as in the case of topologically massive gauge theories, translational groups act as generators of gauge transformations in gauge theories obtained by extending massive gauge noninvariant theories by a Stückelberg mechanism. The representations of the translational groups that generate gauge transformations in such Stückelberg extended theories can be obtained by the method of dimensional descent. We illustrate these results with the examples of Stückelberg extended first class versions of Proca, Einstein-Pauli-Fierz, and massive Kalb-Ramond theories in 3+1 dimensions. A detailed analysis of the partial gauge generation in massive and massless second rank symmetric gauge theories is provided. The gauge transformations generated by the translational group in two-form gauge theories are shown to explicitly manifest the reducibility of gauge transformations in these theories.

Criticality analysis of thermal reactors for two energy groups applying Monte Carlo and neutron Albedo method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Terra, Andre Miguel Barge Pontes Torres

2005-01-01

The Albedo method applied to criticality calculations to nuclear reactors is characterized by following the neutron currents, allowing to make detailed analyses of the physics phenomena about interactions of the neutrons with the core-reflector set, by the determination of the probabilities of reflection, absorption, and transmission. Then, allowing to make detailed appreciations of the variation of the effective neutron multiplication factor, keff. In the present work, motivated for excellent results presented in dissertations applied to thermal reactors and shieldings, was described the methodology to Albedo method for the analysis criticality of thermal reactors by using two energy groups admitting variable core coefficients to each re-entrant current. By using the Monte Carlo KENO IV code was analyzed relation between the total fraction of neutrons absorbed in the core reactor and the fraction of neutrons that never have stayed into the reflector but were absorbed into the core. As parameters of comparison and analysis of the results obtained by the Albedo method were used one dimensional deterministic code ANISN (ANIsotropic SN transport code) and Diffusion method. The keff results determined by the Albedo method, to the type of analyzed reactor, showed excellent agreement. Thus were obtained relative errors of keff values smaller than 0,78% between the Albedo method and code ANISN. In relation to the Diffusion method were obtained errors smaller than 0,35%, showing the effectiveness of the Albedo method applied to criticality analysis. The easiness of application, simplicity and clarity of the Albedo method constitute a valuable instrument to neutronic calculations applied to nonmultiplying and multiplying media. (author)

I-SG : Interactive Search Grouping - Search result grouping using Independent Component Analysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lauritsen, Thomas; Kolenda, Thomas

2002-01-01

We present a computational simple and efficient approach to unsupervised grouping the search result from any search engine. Along with each group a set of keywords are found to annotate the contents. This approach leads to an interactive search trough a hierarchial structure that is build online....... It is the users task to improve the search, trough expanding the search query using the topic keywords representing the desired groups. In doing so the search engine limits the space of possible search results, virtually moving down in the search hierarchy, and so refines the search....

An Analysis of Interaction Patterns in the Focus Group Interview

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Gavora Peter

2015-12-01

Full Text Available This paper is based on the analysis of a focus group interview of a moderator and a group of undergraduate students on the topic of self-regulation of learning. The purpose of the investigation was to identify interaction patterns that appeared in the talk of participants and the moderator. In the stream of communication two rudimentary interaction patterns were recognized. The first pattern was named the Catalogue. It consists of a sequence of turns of participants who respond to a request of the moderator and who provide their answers, one by one, without reacting on the content of the previous partner(s talk. The other interaction pattern was called the Domino. In this pattern participants respond to each other. The Catalogue pattern prevailed in the interview. Alongside with identification of patterns of interaction the study demonstrated the functions of the common ground and its accomplishment in the talk of the moderator and participants.

Environmental drivers of phototrophic biofilms in an Alpine show cave (SW-Italian Alps)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Piano, E.; Bona, F.; Falasco, E.; La Morgia, V.; Badino, G.; Isaia, M.

2015-01-01

The proliferation of lampenflora is a major threat for the conservation of show caves, since phototrophic organisms cause physical, chemical and aesthetic damage to speleothems. In this paper we examine the environmental factors influencing the presence and the growth of the three main photosynthetic groups composing phototrophic biofilms in the Bossea show cave (SW-Italian Alps). The presence and the primary production of cyanobacteria, diatoms and green algae were detected with BenthoTorch®, an instrument for in situ measurement of chlorophyll a concentration that has never been used before in caves. By means of different techniques of regression analysis, we highlighted the response of the three photosynthetic groups to different environmental factors. Illuminance proved to be the main factor influencing positively both the probability of the presence and the productivity of the three groups. The presence of seeping water on the substrate and the distance from the cave entrance proved to play an important role in determining patterns of colonization. By means of GIS techniques, we provide thematic maps of the cave, providing a representation of pattern of the density of the three examined photosynthetic groups within different areas of the cave. The same approach may apply to other show caves, aiming at providing suggestions for the cave management (i.e. cleaning of the cave walls and positioning of artificial lights) and reduce impact caused by tourism. - Highlights: • We used a PAM fluorimeter on autotrophic biofilms in a show cave for the first time. • We modelled the environmental factors influencing phototrophic biofilms. • Illuminance, moisture and distance from the entrance proved to be significant. • We produced thematic maps illustrating our results. • We provide suggestions for cave management

Environmental drivers of phototrophic biofilms in an Alpine show cave (SW-Italian Alps)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Piano, E., E-mail: elena.piano@unito.it [Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Via Accademia Albertina 13, 10123 Turin (Italy); Bona, F.; Falasco, E. [Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Via Accademia Albertina 13, 10123 Turin (Italy); La Morgia, V. [ISPRA, via Ca' Fornacetta, 9, 40064 Ozzano dell' Emilia (Italy); Badino, G. [Department of Physics, University of Turin, Via P. Giuria 1, 10125 Turin (Italy); Isaia, M. [Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Via Accademia Albertina 13, 10123 Turin (Italy)

2015-12-01

The proliferation of lampenflora is a major threat for the conservation of show caves, since phototrophic organisms cause physical, chemical and aesthetic damage to speleothems. In this paper we examine the environmental factors influencing the presence and the growth of the three main photosynthetic groups composing phototrophic biofilms in the Bossea show cave (SW-Italian Alps). The presence and the primary production of cyanobacteria, diatoms and green algae were detected with BenthoTorch®, an instrument for in situ measurement of chlorophyll a concentration that has never been used before in caves. By means of different techniques of regression analysis, we highlighted the response of the three photosynthetic groups to different environmental factors. Illuminance proved to be the main factor influencing positively both the probability of the presence and the productivity of the three groups. The presence of seeping water on the substrate and the distance from the cave entrance proved to play an important role in determining patterns of colonization. By means of GIS techniques, we provide thematic maps of the cave, providing a representation of pattern of the density of the three examined photosynthetic groups within different areas of the cave. The same approach may apply to other show caves, aiming at providing suggestions for the cave management (i.e. cleaning of the cave walls and positioning of artificial lights) and reduce impact caused by tourism. - Highlights: • We used a PAM fluorimeter on autotrophic biofilms in a show cave for the first time. • We modelled the environmental factors influencing phototrophic biofilms. • Illuminance, moisture and distance from the entrance proved to be significant. • We produced thematic maps illustrating our results. • We provide suggestions for cave management.

Simplified analysis of laterally loaded pile groups

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F.M. Abdrabbo

2012-06-01

Full Text Available The response of laterally loaded pile groups is a complicated soil–structure interaction problem. Although fairly reliable methods are developed to predicate the lateral behavior of single piles, the lateral response of pile groups has attracted less attention due to the required high cost and complication implication. This study presents a simplified method to analyze laterally loaded pile groups. The proposed method implements p-multiplier factors in combination with the horizontal modulus of subgrade reaction. Shadowing effects in closely spaced piles in a group were taken into consideration. It is proven that laterally loaded piles embedded in sand can be analyzed within the working load range assuming a linear relationship between lateral load and lateral displacement. The proposed method estimates the distribution of lateral loads among piles in a pile group and predicts the safe design lateral load of a pile group. The benefit of the proposed method is in its simplicity for the preliminary design stage with a little computational effort.

Analysis of corium recovery concepts by the EUROCORE group

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seiler, J.-M.; Latrobe, A.; Sehgal, B.R.; Alsmeyer, H.; Kymaelaeinen, O.; Turland, B.; Grange, J.-L.; Fischer, M.; Azarian, G.; Buerger, M.; Cirauqui, C.J.; Zurita, A.

2003-01-01

The objective of the EUROCORE (European Group for Analysis of Corium Recovery Concepts) Concerted Action is to obtain a clear view of the state-of-the-art for melt stabilisation as considered in accident management schemes and to better identify Research and Development (R and D) needs. Five different melt stabilisation concepts have been discussed: in-vessel retention with external cooling, core-concrete interaction with top cooling, ex-vessel spreading with top flooding, water injection by bottom flooding, and crucible concept with sacrificial material. For each concept, main unresolved problems are discussed in this paper and recommended R and D actions are outlined. The project started on 1 March 2000 and ended on 28 February 2002

Analysis of consumer behaviour when purchasing selected commodity groups concerning the effect of price, habit, discount and product characteristics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jitka Poměnková

2008-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of the paper is consumer behaviour analysis when purchasing selected commodity groups concerning the effect of price, habit, discount and product characteristics. Analysis proceed from the Czech household marketing research, where 726 households were electronically questioned. As mentioned above, selected factors for the analysis were habit, products‘ characteristics, price and discount actions.Primary aim is to measure the correspondence of selected factors influence on consumer behaviour during purchase decision making process of selected commodity groups. Interpretation is based on two-tier evaluation. First level represents commodity groups distinction by the character of goods and subsequent evaluation of goods characteristics correspondence in accordance with each influencing factor. Second one represents behaviour of commodity group in cross-section of selected factors. For consumer behaviour analysis chi-square test was used. Before its application the data set (responses was divided according to the ten-point scale into three interval’ groups.

Efficacy of group social skills interventions for youth with autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Gates, Jacquelyn A; Kang, Erin; Lerner, Matthew D

2017-03-01

Group-based social skills interventions (GSSIs) are widely used for treating social competence among youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but their efficacy is unclear. Previous meta-analysis of the literature on well-designed trials of GSSIs is limited in size and scope, collapsing across highly heterogeneous sources (parents; youths; teachers; observers; behavioral tasks). The current meta-analysis of randomized control trials (RCTs) was conducted to ascertain overall effectiveness of GSSIs and differences by reporting sources. Nineteen RCTs met inclusion criteria. Results show that overall positive aggregate effects were medium (g=0.51, pskilled social behaviors (social knowledge; g=1.15, psocial performance; g=0.28, p=0.31). Social skills interventions presently appear modestly effective for youth with ASD, but may not generalize to school settings or self-reported social behavior. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Enabling Collaborative Analysis: State Evaluation Groups, the Electronic State File, and Collaborative Analysis Tools

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eldridge, C.; Gagne, D.; Wilson, B.; Murray, J.; Gazze, C.; Feldman, Y.; Rorif, F.

2015-01-01

The timely collection and analysis of all safeguards relevant information is the key to drawing and maintaining soundly-based safeguards conclusions. In this regard, the IAEA has made multidisciplinary State Evaluation Groups (SEGs) central to this process. To date, SEGs have been established for all States and tasked with developing State-level approaches (including the identification of technical objectives), drafting annual implementation plans specifying the field and headquarters activities necessary to meet technical objectives, updating the State evaluation on an ongoing basis to incorporate new information, preparing an annual evaluation summary, and recommending a safeguards conclusion to IAEA senior management. To accomplish these tasks, SEGs need to be staffed with relevant expertise and empowered with tools that allow for collaborative access to, and analysis of, disparate information sets. To ensure SEGs have the requisite expertise, members are drawn from across the Department of Safeguards based on their knowledge of relevant data sets (e.g., nuclear material accountancy, material balance evaluation, environmental sampling, satellite imagery, open source information, etc.) or their relevant technical (e.g., fuel cycle) expertise. SEG members also require access to all available safeguards relevant data on the State. To facilitate this, the IAEA is also developing a common, secure platform where all safeguards information can be electronically stored and made available for analysis (an electronic State file). The structure of this SharePoint-based system supports IAEA information collection processes, enables collaborative analysis by SEGs, and provides for management insight and review. In addition to this common platform, the Agency is developing, deploying, and/or testing sophisticated data analysis tools that can synthesize information from diverse information sources, analyze diverse datasets from multiple viewpoints (e.g., temporal, geospatial

Influence of training and competitive sessions on peripheral β-endorphin levels in training show jumping horses.

Science.gov (United States)

Cravana, Cristina; Medica, P; Ragonese, G; Fazio, E

2017-01-01

To investigate the effects of training sessions on circulating β-endorphin changes in sport horses before and after competition and to ascertain whether competition would affect this response. A total of 24 trained jumping horses were randomly assigned to one of two training groups: Group A (competing) and Group B (not competing). To determined plasma β-endorphin concentrations, two pre- and post-competition training weeks at aerobic workout and two competitive show jumping event days at anaerobic workout were measured before, 5 and 30 min after exercise. Exercise intensity is described using lactate concentrations and heart rate. The circuit design, intensity, and duration of training sessions were the same for both groups. In Group A, one-way analysis of variance for repeated measures (RM-ANOVA) showed significant effects of exercise on β-endorphin changes (F=14.41; prelease of β-endorphin and it may depend on the duration of the exercise program. Moreover, the responses during exercise in the course of post-competition training sessions seem to be significantly different from those the pre-competition training. These data show that the preliminary competitive stress induced additional significant changes of β-endorphin pattern. It would reflect the need of a long-lasting modulation of fatigue and pain perception related to the effect of an additional physical and mental effort for the consecutive competitive and training sessions.

ANALYSIS OF RAILWAY USER TRAVEL BEHAVIOUR PATTERNS OF DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Takamasa AKIYAMA

2009-01-01

Full Text Available In recent years, there have been requirments for a transport environment that will foster the development of safe, comfortable townships. The study of urban activities amid an aging society and effective use of public transport modes in addressing environmental problems have become particularly important issues. This study analyzes travel behaviour patterns of varying age groups using urban railways in order to examine the relationship between urban public transport use and urban activities. specifically, it analyzes the composition of urban activity and travel behaviour patterns among urban railway users in the Keihanshin (Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe metropolitan area. This paper looks at urban activities within aging societies and identifies the differences in travel behaviour of railway users by separating them into young, middle aged and senior citizen age groups. Analysis makes particular use of the Railway station Database, which is a compilation of existing studies into attributes of railway stations and their surroundings, and results of person trip surveys. Rail use behaviour characteristics have been sorted by age group because mobility via urban railway systems is varied by age group. As a result, differences in railway usage patterns (travel objectives, distance and time, and number of transfers, etc. have been identified and so too have differences in urban activity patterns related to free activities (shopping, recreation. Furthermore, the study developed a travel behaviour pattern estimation model which is capable of categorizing specific transport behaviour patterns and estimating rail users and transport behaviour patterns from the relationship with areas surrounding railway stations to ensure future mobility by public transport for older age groups. The results make it possible to put forward proposals for urban rail services that will facilitate urban activities for the different age groups. Eventually, it will be possible to understand

Role of ''standard'' fine-group cross section libraries in shielding analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weisbin, C.R.; Roussin, R.W.; Oblow, E.M.; Cullen, D.E.; White, J.E.; Wright, R.Q.

1977-01-01

The Divisions of Magnetic Fusion Energy (DMFE) and Reactor Development and Demonstration (DRDD) of the United States Energy Research and Development Administration (ERDA) have jointly sponsored the development of a 171 neutron, 36 gamma ray group pseudo composition independent cross section library based upon ENDF/B-IV. This library (named VITAMIN-C and packaged by RSIC as DLC-41) is intended to be generally applicable to fusion blanket and LMFBR core and shield analysis. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate this library as a possible candidate for specific designation as a ''standard'' in light of American Nuclear Society standards for fine-group cross section data sets. The rationale and qualification procedure for such a standard are discussed. Finally, current limitations and anticipated extensions to this processed data file are described

Group Membership Modulates the Neural Circuitry Underlying Third Party Punishment.

Science.gov (United States)

Morese, Rosalba; Rabellino, Daniela; Sambataro, Fabio; Perussia, Felice; Valentini, Maria Consuelo; Bara, Bruno G; Bosco, Francesca M

2016-01-01

This research aims to explore the neural correlates involved in altruistic punishment, parochial altruism and anti-social punishment, using the Third-Party Punishment (TPP) game. In particular, this study considered these punishment behaviors in in-group vs. out-group game settings, to compare how people behave with members of their own national group and with members of another national group. The results showed that participants act altruistically to protect in-group members. This study indicates that norm violation in in-group (but not in out-group) settings results in increased activity in the medial prefrontal cortex and temporo-parietal junction, brain regions involved in the mentalizing network, as the third-party attempts to understand or justify in-group members' behavior. Finally, exploratory analysis during anti-social punishment behavior showed brain activation recruitment of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, an area associated with altered regulation of emotions.

Health adaptation policy for climate vulnerable groups: a 'critical computational linguistics' analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Seidel, Bastian M; Bell, Erica

2014-11-28

Many countries are developing or reviewing national adaptation policy for climate change but the extent to which these meet the health needs of vulnerable groups has not been assessed. This study examines the adequacy of such policies for nine known climate-vulnerable groups: people with mental health conditions, Aboriginal people, culturally and linguistically diverse groups, aged people, people with disabilities, rural communities, children, women, and socioeconomically disadvantaged people. The study analyses an exhaustive sample of national adaptation policy documents from Annex 1 ('developed') countries of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change: 20 documents from 12 countries. A 'critical computational linguistics' method was used involving novel software-driven quantitative mapping and traditional critical discourse analysis. The study finds that references to vulnerable groups are relatively little present or non-existent, as well as poorly connected to language about practical strategies and socio-economic contexts, both also little present. The conclusions offer strategies for developing policy that is better informed by a 'social determinants of health' definition of climate vulnerability, consistent with best practice in the literature and global policy prescriptions.

The Analysis Performance Method Naive Bayes Andssvm Determine Pattern Groups of Disease

Science.gov (United States)

Sitanggang, Rianto; Tulus; Situmorang, Zakarias

2017-12-01

Information is a very important element and into the daily needs of the moment, to get a precise and accurate information is not easy, this research can help decision makers and make a comparison. Researchers perform data mining techniques to analyze the performance of methods and algorithms naïve Bayes methods Smooth Support Vector Machine (ssvm) in the grouping of the disease.The pattern of disease that is often suffered by people in the group can be in the detection area of the collection of information contained in the medical record. Medical records have infromasi disease by patients in coded according to standard WHO. Processing of medical record data to find patterns of this group of diseases that often occur in this community take the attribute address, sex, type of disease, and age. Determining the next analysis is grouping of four ersebut attribute. From the results of research conducted on the dataset fever diabete mellitus, naïve Bayes method produces an average value of 99% and an accuracy and SSVM method produces an average value of 93% accuracy

Ongoing Analysis of Rocket Based Combined Cycle Engines by the Applied Fluid Dynamics Analysis Group at Marshall Space Flight Center

Science.gov (United States)

Ruf, Joseph; Holt, James B.; Canabal, Francisco

1999-01-01

This paper presents the status of analyses on three Rocket Based Combined Cycle configurations underway in the Applied Fluid Dynamics Analysis Group (TD64). TD64 is performing computational fluid dynamics analysis on a Penn State RBCC test rig, the proposed Draco axisymmetric RBCC engine and the Trailblazer engine. The intent of the analysis on the Penn State test rig is to benchmark the Finite Difference Navier Stokes code for ejector mode fluid dynamics. The Draco engine analysis is a trade study to determine the ejector mode performance as a function of three engine design variables. The Trailblazer analysis is to evaluate the nozzle performance in scramjet mode. Results to date of each analysis are presented.

Analysis of mortality trends by specific ethnic groups and age groups in Malaysia

Science.gov (United States)

Ibrahim, Rose Irnawaty; Siri, Zailan

2014-07-01

The number of people surviving until old age has been increasing worldwide. Reduction in fertility and mortality have resulted in increasing survival of populations to later life. This study examines the mortality trends among the three main ethnic groups in Malaysia, namely; the Malays, Chinese and Indians for four important age groups (adolescents, adults, middle age and elderly) for both gender. Since the data on mortality rates in Malaysia is only available in age groups such as 1-5, 5-9, 10-14, 15-19 and so on, hence some distribution or interpolation method was essential to expand it to the individual ages. In the study, the Heligman and Pollard model will be used to expand the mortality rates from the age groups to the individual ages. It was found that decreasing trend in all age groups and ethnic groups. Female mortality is significantly lower than male mortality, and the difference may be increasing. Also the mortality rates for females are different than that for males in all ethnic groups, and the difference is generally increasing until it reaches its peak at the oldest age category. Due to the decreasing trend of mortality rates, the government needs to plan for health program to support more elderly people in the coming years.

Semper Fidelis: Some Values of The Marine Retiree Group

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Virienia Puspita

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This research tried to reveal the group values of Marine retiree Depok, which has done by using symbolic convergence theory as the main theory. The aims of this research were to find and identify fantasy themes, rhetorical vision and group values of Marine retiree group in Depok. This study was based on a foundation of interpretative paradigm with qualitative research methods to find a fantasy theme that emerged in the group through the method of analysis of fantasy by Bormann. The results of the this study indicate the stories of Marine retiree in Depok are the bridge of experience of Marine retiree in the past with present time. Besides that, it is the formation of behavior in forms of values, culture and communication behavior of them. From the analysis theme shows that the group values of Marine retiree in Depok has manifested by universal's idealism value of Marines Semper Fidelis (loyalty, sacrifice, dedication, pride and self esteem. The group rhetorical visions are pride of the group, desire for being accepted and close to their group's identity. 

Nursing leadership in a chronic pain management group approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Dysvik, Elin; Furnes, Bodil

2012-03-01

To explore and debate nursing leadership and challenges on organizational and group levels when conducting rehabilitation groups for people suffering from chronic pain. Group approaches based on cognitive behavioural therapy are generally described as effective. Leadership in group approaches offered to people suffering from chronic pain is a great challenge for nurses on an organizational as well as a group level. One overall leader and nine group leaders conducting 13 groups constituted the sample. Qualitative content analysis was used by identifying categories, subthemes and themes. The results from the content analysis revealed one main theme ('Complexity in nursing leadership') and three subthemes ('Challenges in leadership on organizational level', 'Challenges in leadership on teamwork level' and 'Challenges in leadership on group level'. The results show how important it is to have firm overall leadership and trained group leaders with a common purpose, interdependent roles and complementary skills, who are thus well prepared to prevent or deal with challenging group processes. The leaders of both levels, which are highly interrelated, should have a current theoretical understanding of pain theory, group leadership skills and a cognitive behavioural approach. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Systemic isotretinoin treatment and pregnancy: A comparative study of two groups of women: A retrospective analysis of 569 women

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Piotr Brzezinski

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Background: Oral isotretinoin is the only drug which promotes prolonged remission or cure of severe acne. The aim of our study was to estimate the isotretinoin exposure and to evaluate the effectiveness of the Polish and Romanian pregnancy prevention. This is a comparative study of two groups of women. Methods: A retrospective, comparative study of 569 women with acne vulgaris. The study included two groups of randomly selected women during treatment and follow-up. Group I with rigorous prevention of pregnancy; Group II without this rigor. Results: We did not register any pregnancies. 1.93% used oral contraceptives, 92.79% used a condom during sex, and 7.21% of women abstained from sex. The analysis showed significant differences (p <0.0001 total dose applied depending on the method of treatment. No statistically significant correlations were found between patients' age, duration of disease, location, and type of acne. Average length of therapy was 8.81 months. Isotretinoin therapy was interrupted for 27 patients from group I. Conclusion: The isotretinoin pregnancy prevention in Poland and Romania was very good during our study. Every woman in the fertile phase of life should use contraception while taking isotretinoin. The most important thing is the awareness of the patient.

From feelings of imprisonment to group cohesion: A qualitative analysis of group analytic psychotherapy with dual diagnosed patients admitted to an acute inpatient psychiatric unit.

Science.gov (United States)

Sánchez Morales, Lidia; Eiroa-Orosa, Francisco José; Valls Llagostera, Cristina; González Pérez, Alba; Alberich, Cristina

2018-05-01

Group cohesion, the establishment of hope, and the expression of feelings have been said to be the basic ingredients of group psychotherapy. To date, there is few literature describing therapeutic processes in short stay settings such as acute psychiatric wards and with special patient groups such as addictions. Our goal with this study is to describe and analyze group processes in such contexts. We used a qualitative methodology combining constant comparative methods and hermeneutical triangulation to analyze therapeutic narratives in the context of a group analytic process carried following Foulkes' and Yalom's styles. The results provide a picture of the therapeutic process including the use of norms to strengthen group cohesion facilitating the expression of emotions in early stages of group development. This analysis is intended to be a guide for practitioners implementing group therapy in contexts involving several constraints, such as acute psychiatric wards.

Analysis of transference in Gestalt group psychotherapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Frew, J E

1990-04-01

In Gestalt therapy, transference is viewed as a contact boundary disturbance which impairs the patient's ability to accurately perceive the present therapy situation. The boundary disturbances in Gestalt therapy most closely related to the analytic notion of transference are projection, introjection, and confluence. In Gestalt group psychotherapy, group members interfere with the process of need identification and satisfaction by distorting their contact with each other through projecting, introjecting, and being confluent. The Gestalt group therapist uses interventions directed to individuals and to the group to increase participants' awareness of these boundary disturbances and of the present contact opportunities available to them when these disturbances are resolved. In formulating interventions, the leader is mindful of the function of boundary disturbances to the group-as-a-whole as well as to individuals.

Renormalization group analysis of the temperature dependent coupling constant in massless theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamada, Hirofumi.

1987-06-01

A general analysis of finite temperature renormalization group equations for massless theories is presented. It is found that in a direction where momenta and temperature are scaled up with their ratio fixed the coupling constant behaves in the same manner as in zero temperature and that asymptotic freedom at short distances is also maintained at finite temperature. (author)

Annual activity report of Ignalina NPP Safety Analysis Group for 1995 year

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ushpuras, E.; Augutis, J.; Bubelis, E.

1995-01-01

The main results of Ignalina NPP Safety Analysis Group (ISAG) investigations for 1995 are presented. ISAG is concentrating its research activities into four areas: the neutrons dynamics modelling, simulation of transient processes during loss of coolant accident, the reactor cooling systems modelling and the probabilistic safety assessment of accident confinement system. 18 refs., 9 tabs., 110 figs

Annual activity report of Ignalina NPP Safety Analysis Group for 1994 year

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ushpuras, E.; Kaliatka, A.; Chesna, B.; Dundulis, G.

1995-01-01

The main results of Ignalina NPP Safety Analysis Group (ISAG) investigations for 1994 are presented. ISAG is concentrated its research activities into 3 areas: the neutrons dynamics modeling, simulation of transient processes during loss of coolant accident and calculation of reactor building structure's streses and other mechanical properties in the case of accident. 6 refs., 13 tabs., 69 figs

Group lending and the role of the group leader

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Eijkel, van R.; Hermes, N.; Lensink, B.W.

2011-01-01

This paper investigates strategic monitoring behavior within group lending. We show that monitoring efforts of group members differ in equilibrium due to the asymmetry between members in terms of future profits. In particular, we show that the entrepreneur with the highest future profits also puts

Group lending and the role of the group leader

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Eijkel, R.; Hermes, C.L.M.; Lensink, B.W.

This paper investigates strategic monitoring behavior within group lending. We show that monitoring efforts of group members differ in equilibrium due to the asymmetry between members in terms of future profits. In particular, we show that the entrepreneur with the highest future profits also puts

Mutual Group Hypnosis: A Social Interaction Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Sanders, Shirley

Mutual Group Hypnosis is discussed in terms of its similarity to group dynamics in general and in terms of its similarity to a social interaction program (Role Modeling) designed to foster the expression of warmth and acceptance among group members. Hypnosis also fosters a regression to prelogical thought processes in the service of the ego. Group…

The Educational Gradient in Intermarriage: A Comparative Analysis of Immigrant Groups in the United States

Science.gov (United States)

Kalmijn, Matthijs

2012-01-01

A common claim in the literature is that higher-educated persons are more likely to marry outside their ethnic/racial group than lower-educated persons. We re-examine this "educational gradient" with a multilevel analysis of 46 immigrant groups in the Current Population Survey. We find that there are positive effects not only of individual…

The network researchers' network: A social network analysis of the IMP Group 1985-2006

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Henneberg, Stephan C. M.; Ziang, Zhizhong; Naudé, Peter

The Industrial Marketing and Purchasing (IMP) Group is a network of academic researchers working in the area of business-to-business marketing. The group meets every year to discuss and exchange ideas, with a conference having been held every year since 1984 (there was no meeting in 1987......). In this paper, based upon the papers presented at the 22 conferences held to date, we undertake a Social Network Analysis in order to examine the degree of co-publishing that has taken place between this group of researchers. We identify the different components in this database, and examine the large main...

Group lending and the role of the group leader

OpenAIRE

Eijkel, van, R.; Hermes, N.; Lensink, B.W.

2011-01-01

This paper investigates strategic monitoring behavior within group lending. We show that monitoring efforts of group members differ in equilibrium due to the asymmetry between members in terms of future profits. In particular, we show that the entrepreneur with the highest future profits also puts in the highest monitoring effort. Moreover, monitoring efforts differ between group members due to free-riding: one member reduces her level of monitoring if the other increases her monitoring effor...

The Biochemistry Show: a new and fun tool for learning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A.H Ono

2006-07-01

Full Text Available The traditional methods to teach biochemistry in most universities are based on the memorization of chemical structures,  biochemical  pathways  and  reagent  names,  which  is  many  times  dismotivating  for  the  students.  We presently describe an innovative, interactive and alternative method for teaching biochemistry to medical and nutrition undergraduate students, called the Biochemistry Show (BioBio Show.The Biobio show is based on active participation of the students. They are divided in groups and the groups face each other. One group faces another one group at a time, in a game based on true or false questions that involve subjects of applied biochemistry (exercise, obesity, diabetes, cholesterol, free radicals, among others. The questions of the Show are previously elaborated by senior students. The Biobio Show has four phases, the first one is a selection exam, and from the second to the fourth phase, eliminatory confrontations happen. On a confrontation, the first group must select a certain quantity of questions for the opponent to answer.  The group who choses the questions must know how to answer and justify the selected questions. This procedure is repeated on all phases of the show. On the last phase, the questions used are taken from an exam previously performed by the students: either the 9-hour biochemistry exam (Sé et al. A 9-hour biochemistry exam. An iron man competition or a good way of evaluating undergraduate students? SBBq 2005, abstract K-6 or the True-or-False exam (TFE (Sé et al. Are tutor-students capable of writing good biochemistry exams? SBBq 2004, abstract K-18. The winner group receives an extra 0,5 point on the final grade. Over 70% of the students informed on a questionnaire that the Biobio Show is a valuable tool for learning biochemistry.    That is a new way to enrich the discussion of biochemistry in the classroom without the students getting bored. Moreover, learning

With or without the group: Swedish midwives' and child healthcare nurses' experiences in leading parent education groups.

Science.gov (United States)

Forslund Frykedal, Karin; Rosander, Michael; Berlin, Anita; Barimani, Mia

2016-12-01

The aim of the study was to describe and to understand midwives' and child healthcare nurses' experiences of working with parent education groups through their descriptions of the role and what they find rewarding and challenging in that work. Data were collected through three open-ended questions from a web survey: 'How do you refer to your role when working in parent education?', 'What is the biggest challenge or difficulty for you when working in parent education?' and 'What is most rewarding when working in parent education?' The answers were analysed by using qualitative content analysis and correlation analysis. The results show that the midwives and child healthcare nurses either included or excluded the group when describing their role as leaders and their influence on parents. The same applies to what they found rewarding and what was difficult and challenging for them in working with the groups. Primarily, the leaders who excluded the group expressed a lack of competence on a professional level in managing groups and using the right teaching methods to process the knowledge content. One important question to deal with is how to best support midwives and nurses in child healthcare to be prepared for working with parent education groups. One obvious thing is to provide specialized training in an educational sense. An important aspect could also be providing supervision, individually or in groups. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Dynamic of consumer groups and response of commodity markets by principal component analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Nobi, Ashadun; Alam, Shafiqul; Lee, Jae Woo

2017-09-01

This study investigates financial states and group dynamics by applying principal component analysis to the cross-correlation coefficients of the daily returns of commodity futures. The eigenvalues of the cross-correlation matrix in the 6-month timeframe displays similar values during 2010-2011, but decline following 2012. A sharp drop in eigenvalue implies the significant change of the market state. Three commodity sectors, energy, metals and agriculture, are projected into two dimensional spaces consisting of two principal components (PC). We observe that they form three distinct clusters in relation to various sectors. However, commodities with distinct features have intermingled with one another and scattered during severe crises, such as the European sovereign debt crises. We observe the notable change of the position of two dimensional spaces of groups during financial crises. By considering the first principal component (PC1) within the 6-month moving timeframe, we observe that commodities of the same group change states in a similar pattern, and the change of states of one group can be used as a warning for other group.

Food groups and risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Schwingshackl, Lukas; Hoffmann, Georg; Lampousi, Anna-Maria; Knüppel, Sven; Iqbal, Khalid; Schwedhelm, Carolina; Bechthold, Angela; Schlesinger, Sabrina; Boeing, Heiner

2017-05-01

The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to synthesize the knowledge about the relation between intake of 12 major food groups and risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D). We conducted a systematic search in PubMed, Embase, Medline (Ovid), Cochrane Central, and Google Scholar for prospective studies investigating the association between whole grains, refined grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts, legumes, eggs, dairy, fish, red meat, processed meat, and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) on risk of T2D. Summary relative risks were estimated using a random effects model by contrasting categories, and for linear and non-linear dose-response relationships. Six out of the 12 food-groups showed a significant relation with risk of T2D, three of them a decrease of risk with increasing consumption (whole grains, fruits, and dairy), and three an increase of risk with increasing consumption (red meat, processed meat, and SSB) in the linear dose-response meta-analysis. There was evidence of a non-linear relationship between fruits, vegetables, processed meat, whole grains, and SSB and T2D risk. Optimal consumption of risk-decreasing foods resulted in a 42% reduction, and consumption of risk-increasing foods was associated with a threefold T2D risk, compared to non-consumption. The meta-evidence was graded "low" for legumes and nuts; "moderate" for refined grains, vegetables, fruit, eggs, dairy, and fish; and "high" for processed meat, red meat, whole grains, and SSB. Among the investigated food groups, selecting specific optimal intakes can lead to a considerable change in risk of T2D.

Genomic Analysis of the Emergence and Rapid Global Dissemination of the Clonal Group 258 Klebsiella pneumoniae Pandemic.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jolene R Bowers

Full Text Available Multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae producing the KPC carbapenemase have rapidly spread throughout the world, causing severe healthcare-associated infections with limited antimicrobial treatment options. Dissemination of KPC-producing K. pneumoniae is largely attributed to expansion of a single dominant strain, ST258. In this study, we explore phylogenetic relationships and evolution within ST258 and its clonal group, CG258, using whole genome sequence analysis of 167 isolates from 20 countries collected over 17 years. Our results show a common ST258 ancestor emerged from its diverse parental clonal group around 1995 and likely acquired blaKPC prior to dissemination. Over the past two decades, ST258 has remained highly clonal despite diversity in accessory elements and divergence in the capsule polysaccharide synthesis locus. Apart from the large recombination event that gave rise to ST258, few mutations set it apart from its clonal group. However, one mutation occurs in a global transcription regulator. Characterization of outer membrane protein sequences revealed a profile in ST258 that includes a truncated OmpK35 and modified OmpK37. Our work illuminates potential genomic contributors to the pathogenic success of ST258, helps us better understand the global dissemination of this strain, and identifies genetic markers unique to ST258.

Protest behavior: Individual and group factors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Agadullina E.R.

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Normative and nonnormative collective actions are the consequence of differences in estimation of political situation. The article regards the predictors in selection of normative (participation in meetings, signing petitions, etc. vs. nonnormative (strike, violent actions, etc. forms of protest behavior (perception of unfairness, self-efficacy, social identity, ideas of out-group. The carried out analysis showed that high self-efficacy, idea of out-group members as equal participants of interaction and experiencing of emotion of anger lead to the choice of various normative protest behavior. Low self-efficacy, steady social identity (including politicized identity, experiencing the emotion of contempt to out-group members often lead to choice of nonnormative forms. In conclusion the article regards the link of various predictors with the choice of individual and group forms of protest and analyzes the possible directions for further empirical studies.

Religious attitudes toward nuclear energy: an analysis of statements by religious groups

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, J.A. III.

1983-01-01

This dissertation analyzes selected responses of religious groups to the question, Should society increase or decrease its reliance on energy produced by nuclear fission and for what reasons. The primary sources, dating from 1974 until mid-1980, are 82 official or semi-official statements and study documents of religious groups and 17 shareholder resolutions filed by religious groups. The groups are primarily from the United States, Canada, and Great Britain or related to the World Council of Churches. The thesis of the study is that a fully adequate religious statement about nuclear energy would show awareness of and deal with the questions raised in the analytical framework. Using that framework, there are few, if any, adequate religious statements about nuclear energy. A typology of ethical modes in Chapter V describes five positions: polemical anti-nuclear, dialogical anti-nuclear, dialogical middle, dialogical pro-nuclear, and polemical pro-nuclear. The bias of the study is to maintain open and rational discourse with all perspectives rather than to take a position for or against nuclear energy. The study primarily analyzes how religious groups deal with one complex social issue, nuclear energy, but the analytical framework has broad application to a variety of social issues as treated by religious groups

Cross-year peer tutoring on internal medicine wards: results of a qualitative focus group analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Krautter M

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Markus Krautter,1 Sven Andreesen,2 Nadja Köhl-Hackert,2 Katja Hoffmann,3 Wolfgang Herzog,2 Christoph Nikendei2 1Department of Nephrology, University of Heidelberg, 2Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, University of Heidelberg Medical Hospital, 3Department of General Practice and Health Services Research, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany Background: Peer-assisted learning (PAL has become a well-accepted teaching method within medical education. However, descriptions of on-ward PAL programs are rare. A focus group analysis of a newly established PAL program on an internal medicine ward was conducted to provide insights into PAL teaching from a student perspective.Purpose: To provide insights into students' experiences regarding their on-ward training with and without accompanying PAL tutors.Methods: A total of N=168 medical students in their sixth semester participated in the investigation (intervention group: N=88; control group: N=80. The intervention group took part in the PAL program, while the control group received standard on-ward training. There were seven focus groups with N=43 participants (intervention group: four focus groups, N=28 participants; control group: three focus groups, N=15 participants. The discussions were analyzed using content analysis.Results: The intervention group emphasized the role of the tutors as competent and well-trained teachers, most beneficial in supervising clinical skills. Tutors motivate students, help them to integrate into the ward team, and provide a non-fear-based working relationship whereby students' anxiety regarding working on ward decreases. The control group had to rely on autodidactic learning strategies when neither supervising physicians nor final-year students were available.Conclusion: On-ward PAL programs represent a particularly valuable tool for students' support in training clinical competencies on ward. The tutor–student working alliance

Friends With Performance Benefits: A Meta-Analysis on the Relationship Between Friendship and Group Performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Chung, Seunghoo; Lount, Robert B; Park, Hee Man; Park, Ernest S

2018-01-01

The current article examines if, and under which conditions, there exists a positive relationship between working with friends and group performance. To do so, using data from 1,016 groups obtained from 26 studies, we meta-analyzed comparisons of the performance of friendship groups versus acquaintance groups. Results show that friendship has a significant positive effect on group task performance (Cohen's d = 0.31). Furthermore, this relationship was moderated by group size (i.e., the positive effect of friendship on performance increased with group size) and task focus (i.e., friendship groups performed better than acquaintance groups on tasks requiring a high quantity of output, whereas there was no performance benefit on tasks requiring a single or high-quality output). These results help to reconcile mixed findings and illustrate when friendship groups are more likely to perform better than acquaintance groups.

Nuclear data evaluation and group constant generation for reactor analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Jung Do; Gil, Choong Sup; Min, Byung Joo; Lee, Jong Tai [Korea Atomic Energy Res. Inst., Taejon (Korea, Republic of)

1993-01-01

In nuclear or shielding design analysis for reactors or other facilities, nuclear data are one of the primary importances. Research project for nuclear data evaluation and their effective applications has been continuously performed. The objectives of this project are (1) to compile the latest evaluated nuclear data files, (2) to establish their processing code systems, and (3) to evaluate the multi-group constant library using the newly compiled data files and the code systems. As the results of this project, the latest version of NJOY nuclear data processing system, NJOY91.38 which is capable of processing data in ENDF-6 format, was compiled and installed in Cyber 960-31(OS : NOS/VE) and HP710 workstation. A 50-group constant library for fast reactor was generated with NJOY91.38 using evaluated data from JEF-1 and benchmark test of this library was performed. The newly generated library has been found to do an excellent job of calculating integral quantities for fast critical assemblies and is expected to be positively used to develop fast reactors. (Author).

Large-Scale No-Show Patterns and Distributions for Clinic Operational Research

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael L. Davies

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Patient no-shows for scheduled primary care appointments are common. Unused appointment slots reduce patient quality of care, access to services and provider productivity while increasing loss to follow-up and medical costs. This paper describes patterns of no-show variation by patient age, gender, appointment age, and type of appointment request for six individual service lines in the United States Veterans Health Administration (VHA. This retrospective observational descriptive project examined 25,050,479 VHA appointments contained in individual-level records for eight years (FY07-FY14 for 555,183 patients. Multifactor analysis of variance (ANOVA was performed, with no-show rate as the dependent variable, and gender, age group, appointment age, new patient status, and service line as factors. The analyses revealed that males had higher no-show rates than females to age 65, at which point males and females exhibited similar rates. The average no-show rates decreased with age until 75–79, whereupon rates increased. As appointment age increased, males and new patients had increasing no-show rates. Younger patients are especially prone to no-show as appointment age increases. These findings provide novel information to healthcare practitioners and management scientists to more accurately characterize no-show and attendance rates and the impact of certain patient factors. Future general population data could determine whether findings from VHA data generalize to others.

Large-Scale No-Show Patterns and Distributions for Clinic Operational Research.

Science.gov (United States)

Davies, Michael L; Goffman, Rachel M; May, Jerrold H; Monte, Robert J; Rodriguez, Keri L; Tjader, Youxu C; Vargas, Dominic L

2016-02-16

Patient no-shows for scheduled primary care appointments are common. Unused appointment slots reduce patient quality of care, access to services and provider productivity while increasing loss to follow-up and medical costs. This paper describes patterns of no-show variation by patient age, gender, appointment age, and type of appointment request for six individual service lines in the United States Veterans Health Administration (VHA). This retrospective observational descriptive project examined 25,050,479 VHA appointments contained in individual-level records for eight years (FY07-FY14) for 555,183 patients. Multifactor analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed, with no-show rate as the dependent variable, and gender, age group, appointment age, new patient status, and service line as factors. The analyses revealed that males had higher no-show rates than females to age 65, at which point males and females exhibited similar rates. The average no-show rates decreased with age until 75-79, whereupon rates increased. As appointment age increased, males and new patients had increasing no-show rates. Younger patients are especially prone to no-show as appointment age increases. These findings provide novel information to healthcare practitioners and management scientists to more accurately characterize no-show and attendance rates and the impact of certain patient factors. Future general population data could determine whether findings from VHA data generalize to others.

THE APPLICABILITY OF SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION IN ENGLISH READING CLASS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kurniawan Yudhi Nugroho

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Success of learning is not only a matter of using an appropriate teaching resources, instead, the interference of teaching method is found to be essential to determine the students’ learning achievement. Teacher as a captain of class has the right to choose type of method used in the classroom for sake of students’ improvement. This study was designed as an attempt to help Master Students from a well established private university improve their reading comprehension skill through small group discussion. This study was participated by 30 students, later divided into two classes and served differently as an experimental group for the class A and a control group for the class B. Referring to the final data analysis of the study, it is found that there is an improving learning achievement in the experimental group, indicated by higher performance of posttest (20.333 than the pretest. Apart from this, further analysis was also conducted to find out whether or not small group discussion was able to show better performance than another teaching method applied in another different class. Based on the result of statistical calculation, it shows that small group discussion got better result 12.334 than that of another group. As a result, some suggestions were made by referring to result of the study.

Obesity in show cats.

Science.gov (United States)

Corbee, R J

2014-12-01

Obesity is an important disease with a high prevalence in cats. Because obesity is related to several other diseases, it is important to identify the population at risk. Several risk factors for obesity have been described in the literature. A higher incidence of obesity in certain cat breeds has been suggested. The aim of this study was to determine whether obesity occurs more often in certain breeds. The second aim was to relate the increased prevalence of obesity in certain breeds to the official standards of that breed. To this end, 268 cats of 22 different breeds investigated by determining their body condition score (BCS) on a nine-point scale by inspection and palpation, at two different cat shows. Overall, 45.5% of the show cats had a BCS > 5, and 4.5% of the show cats had a BCS > 7. There were significant differences between breeds, which could be related to the breed standards. Most overweight and obese cats were in the neutered group. It warrants firm discussions with breeders and cat show judges to come to different interpretations of the standards in order to prevent overweight conditions in certain breeds from being the standard of beauty. Neutering predisposes for obesity and requires early nutritional intervention to prevent obese conditions. Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition © 2014 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Small group learning: effect on item analysis and accuracy of self-assessment of medical students.

Science.gov (United States)

Biswas, Shubho Subrata; Jain, Vaishali; Agrawal, Vandana; Bindra, Maninder

2015-01-01

Small group sessions are regarded as a more active and student-centered approach to learning. Item analysis provides objective evidence of whether such sessions improve comprehension and make the topic easier for students, in addition to assessing the relative benefit of the sessions to good versus poor performers. Self-assessment makes students aware of their deficiencies. Small group sessions can also help students develop the ability to self-assess. This study was carried out to assess the effect of small group sessions on item analysis and students' self-assessment. A total of 21 female and 29 male first year medical students participated in a small group session on topics covered by didactic lectures two weeks earlier. It was preceded and followed by two multiple choice question (MCQ) tests, in which students were asked to self-assess their likely score. The MCQs used were item analyzed in a previous group and were chosen of matching difficulty and discriminatory indices for the pre- and post-tests. The small group session improved the marks of both genders equally, but female performance was better. The session made the items easier; increasing the difficulty index significantly but there was no significant alteration in the discriminatory index. There was overestimation in the self-assessment of both genders, but male overestimation was greater. The session improved the self-assessment of students in terms of expected marks and expectation of passing. Small group session improved the ability of students to self-assess their knowledge and increased the difficulty index of items reflecting students' better performance.

The Effects of Music and Group Stage on Group Leader and Member Behavior in Psychoeducational Groups for Children of Divorce

Science.gov (United States)

Cercone, Kristin; DeLucia-Waack, Janice

2012-01-01

This study examined the effects of music and group stage on group process and group leader and member behavior within 8-week psychoeducational groups for children of divorce. Audiotapes of group sessions were rated using the Interactional Process Analysis and the Group Sessions Ratings Scale. Both treatment groups were very similar in terms of…

Music Taste Groups and Problem Behavior.

Science.gov (United States)

Mulder, Juul; Bogt, Tom Ter; Raaijmakers, Quinten; Vollebergh, Wilma

2007-04-01

Internalizing and externalizing problems differ by musical tastes. A high school-based sample of 4159 adolescents, representative of Dutch youth aged 12 to 16, reported on their personal and social characteristics, music preferences and social-psychological functioning, measured with the Youth Self-Report (YSR). Cluster analysis on their music preferences revealed six taste groups: Middle-of-the-road (MOR) listeners, Urban fans, Exclusive Rock fans, Rock-Pop fans, Elitists, and Omnivores. A seventh group of musically Low-Involved youth was added. Multivariate analyses revealed that when gender, age, parenting, school, and peer variables were controlled, Omnivores and fans within the Exclusive Rock groups showed relatively high scores on internalizing YSR measures, and social, thought and attention problems. Omnivores, Exclusive Rock, Rock-Pop and Urban fans reported more externalizing problem behavior. Belonging to the MOR group that highly appreciates the most popular, chart-based pop music appears to buffer problem behavior. Music taste group membership uniquely explains variance in both internalizing and externalizing problem behavior.

Compatibility between mental disorder and mental capacity: analysis of a particular case of group sexual homicide.

Science.gov (United States)

Carabellese, Felice; Vinci, Francesco; Catanesi, Roberto

2008-11-01

On the night of August 19, 2000, at the foot of Castel del Monte, an 8-year-old girl was brutally murdered. The perpetrators were identified as five young men who captured their victim and sexually abused her. The policemen found the cadaver by following "Mario," one of the five, who had been discovered lying on the ground, near the castle. Investigation led to demonstrate that the murder was not premeditated. The only desire of the group was to sexually molest the little girl. Mario showed signs of psychiatric pathology and for that he underwent psychiatric evaluation by judicial authorities. Analysis of this case, combined with a criminological and medical-legal perspective led to conclusions very much different from the expectations of Mario's defense attorneys. Mario, a marginal figure and seemingly the least intelligent, played the role of group instigator, both in the initiation of sexually abusing the child, as well as in the elimination of an inconvenient witness. However, the group was able to activate Mario's sadistic fantasies and his sexual perversions, and he ended up in a catalyzing role influencing the behavior of others and realizing what would otherwise remain only fantasies. The circularity of the group allows people like Mario, who are apparently subordinate, to influence the behavior of others. Mario was found to have a mental disorder but it was not sufficient to diminish his personal responsibility related to the crime. In fact, according to Italian judicial code, it is necessary that the motivation for the crime was psychopathological. It was for this reason that, according to Italian law, all of the members of the group were considered to be responsible for the crimes committed and were condemned.

Frailty Across Age Groups.

Science.gov (United States)

Pérez-Zepeda, M U; Ávila-Funes, J A; Gutiérrez-Robledo, L M; García-Peña, C

2016-01-01

The implementation of an aging biomarker into clinical practice is under debate. The Frailty Index is a model of deficit accumulation and has shown to accurately capture frailty in older adults, thus bridging biological with clinical practice. To describe the association of socio-demographic characteristics and the Frailty Index in different age groups (from 20 to over one hundred years) in a representative sample of Mexican subjects. Cross-sectional analysis. Nationwide and population-representative survey. Adults 20-years and older interviewed during the last Mexican National Health and Nutrition Survey (2012). A 30-item Frailty Index following standard construction was developed. Multi-level regression models were performed to test the associations of the Frailty Index with multiple socio-demographic characteristics across age groups. A total of 29,504 subjects was analyzed. The 30-item Frailty Index showed the highest scores in the older age groups, especially in women. No sociodemographic variable was associated with the Frailty Index in all the studied age groups. However, employment, economic income, and smoking status were more consistently found across age groups. To our knowledge, this is the first report describing the Frailty Index in a representative large sample of a Latin American country. Increasing age and gender were closely associated with a higher score.

COMMUNICATIONS GROUP

CERN Multimedia

L. Taylor

2011-01-01

Communications Infrastructure The 55 CMS Centres worldwide are well used by physicists working on remote CMS shifts, Computing operations, data quality monitoring, data analysis and outreach. The CMS Centre@CERN in Meyrin is particularly busy at the moment, hosting about 50 physicists taking part in the heavy-ion data-taking and analysis. Three new CMS meeting room will be equipped for videoconferencing in early 2012: 40/5B-08, 42/R-031, and 28/S-029. The CMS-TV service showing LHC Page 1, CMS Page 1, etc. (http://cmsdoc.cern.ch/cmscc/projector/index.jsp) is now also available for mobile devices: http://cern.ch/mcmstv. Figure 12: Screenshots of CMS-TV for mobile devices Information Systems CMS has a new web site: (http://cern.ch/cms) using a modern web Content Management System to ensure content and links are managed and updated easily and coherently. It covers all CMS sub-projects and groups, replacing the iCMS internal pages. It also incorporates the existing CMS public web site (http:/...

O-Methylisourea Can React with the α-Amino Group of Lysine: Implications for the Analysis of Reactive Lysine.

Science.gov (United States)

Hulshof, Tetske G; Rutherfurd, Shane M; Sforza, Stefano; Bikker, Paul; van der Poel, Antonius F B; Hendriks, Wouter H

2017-02-01

The specificity of O-methylisourea (OMIU) to bind to the ε-amino group of Lys, an important supposition for the OMIU-reactive Lys analysis of foods, feeds, ingredients, and digesta, was investigated. Crystalline l-Lys incubated under standard conditions with OMIU resulted in low homoarginine recoveries. The reaction of OMIU with the α-amino group of Lys was confirmed by MS analysis, with double derivatized Lys being identified. None of the changes in reaction conditions (OMIU pH, OMIU to Lys ratio, and reaction time) with crystalline l-Lys resulted in 100% recovery of homoarginine. The average free Lys content in ileal digesta of growing pigs and broilers was found to be 13% of total Lys, which could result in a significant underestimation of the reactive Lys content. The reaction of OMIU with α-amino groups may necessitate analysis of free Lys to accurately quantify reactive lysine in samples containing a large proportion of Lys with a free α-amino group.

Large Scale Management of Physicists Personal Analysis Data Without Employing User and Group Quotas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Norman, A.; Diesbug, M.; Gheith, M.; Illingworth, R.; Lyon, A.; Mengel, M.

2015-01-01

The ability of modern HEP experiments to acquire and process unprecedented amounts of data and simulation have lead to an explosion in the volume of information that individual scientists deal with on a daily basis. Explosion has resulted in a need for individuals to generate and keep large personal analysis data sets which represent the skimmed portions of official data collections, pertaining to their specific analysis. While a significant reduction in size compared to the original data, these personal analysis and simulation sets can be many terabytes or 10s of TB in size and consist of 10s of thousands of files. When this personal data is aggregated across the many physicists in a single analysis group or experiment it can represent data volumes on par or exceeding the official production samples which require special data handling techniques to deal with effectively.In this paper we explore the changes to the Fermilab computing infrastructure and computing models which have been developed to allow experimenters to effectively manage their personal analysis data and other data that falls outside of the typically centrally managed production chains. In particular we describe the models and tools that are being used to provide the modern neutrino experiments like NOvA with storage resources that are sufficient to meet their analysis needs, without imposing specific quotas on users or groups of users. We discuss the storage mechanisms and the caching algorithms that are being used as well as the toolkits are have been developed to allow the users to easily operate with terascale+ datasets. (paper)

Comparative analysis of countries in the peer-group based on economic potential and components of sustainable development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sergii VOITKO

2017-10-01

Full Text Available The authors study levels of sustainable development potential and determine the positions of Ukraine and other countries in the peer-groups [4], based on individual macroeconomic indicators. The research includes a comparative analysis of absolute and relative terms of GDP, industrial production and the index of competitiveness for the countries included to the peer-groups. The authors analyse the position of countries based on the GDP per capita and components of sustainable development (Quality of Life Index and Security of Life Index. In the article, the authors suggest the methodical approach of performing the comparative analysis of peer-group countries based on their indicators values. This approach gives the possibility to investigate the country’s potential in the limits of the chosen peer-group and propose the recommendations for increase of economic potential in purpose of sustainable development achievement.

Stepwise Analysis of Differential Item Functioning Based on Multiple-Group Partial Credit Model.

Science.gov (United States)

Muraki, Eiji

1999-01-01

Extended an Item Response Theory (IRT) method for detection of differential item functioning to the partial credit model and applied the method to simulated data using a stepwise procedure. Then applied the stepwise DIF analysis based on the multiple-group partial credit model to writing trend data from the National Assessment of Educational…

Annual activity report of Ignalina NPP Safety Analysis Group for the year 1997

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ushpuras, E.; Augutis, J.; Bubelis, E.; Kaliatka, A

1998-01-01

The main results of Ignalina NPP Safety Analysis Group (ISAG) investigations for the year 1997 are presented. ISAG is concentrating its research activities into four areas: the neutrons dynamics modelling, simulation of transient processes during loss of coolant accident, the reactor cooling systems modelling and the probabilistic safety assessment of accident confinement system

Proteomic Analysis Shows Constitutive Secretion of MIF and p53-associated Activity of COX-2−/− Lung Fibroblasts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mandar Dave

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The differential expression of two closelyassociated cyclooxygenase isozymes, COX-1 and COX-2, exhibited functions beyond eicosanoid metabolism. We hypothesized that COX-1 or COX-2 knockout lung fibroblasts may display altered protein profiles which may allow us to further differentiate the functional roles of these isozymes at the molecular level. Proteomic analysis shows constitutive production of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF in lung fibroblasts derived from COX-2−/− but not wild-type (WT or COX-1−/− mice. MIF was spontaneously released in high levels into the extracellular milieu of COX2−/− fibroblasts seemingly from the preformed intracellular stores, with no change in the basal gene expression of MIF. The secretion and regulation of MIF in COX-2−/− was “prostaglandin-independent.” GO analysis showed that concurrent with upregulation of MIF, there is a significant surge in expression of genes related to fibroblast growth, FK506 binding proteins, and isomerase activity in COX-2−/− cells. Furthermore, COX-2−/− fibroblasts also exhibit a significant increase in transcriptional activity of various regulators, antagonists, and co-modulators of p53, as well as in the expression of oncogenes and related transcripts. Integrative Oncogenomics Cancer Browser (IntroGen analysis shows downregulation of COX-2 and amplification of MIF and/or p53 activity during development of glioblastomas, ependymoma, and colon adenomas. These data indicate the functional role of the MIF-COX-p53 axis in inflammation and cancer at the genomic and proteomic levels in COX-2-ablated cells. This systematic analysis not only shows the proinflammatory state but also unveils a molecular signature of a pro-oncogenic state of COX-1 in COX-2 ablated cells.

Genomic identification of WRKY transcription factors in carrot (Daucus carota) and analysis of evolution and homologous groups for plants.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Meng-Yao; Xu, Zhi-Sheng; Tian, Chang; Huang, Ying; Wang, Feng; Xiong, Ai-Sheng

2016-03-15

WRKY transcription factors belong to one of the largest transcription factor families. These factors possess functions in plant growth and development, signal transduction, and stress response. Here, we identified 95 DcWRKY genes in carrot based on the carrot genomic and transcriptomic data, and divided them into three groups. Phylogenetic analysis of WRKY proteins from carrot and Arabidopsis divided these proteins into seven subgroups. To elucidate the evolution and distribution of WRKY transcription factors in different species, we constructed a schematic of the phylogenetic tree and compared the WRKY family factors among 22 species, which including plants, slime mold and protozoan. An in-depth study was performed to clarify the homologous factor groups of nine divergent taxa in lower and higher plants. Based on the orthologous factors between carrot and Arabidopsis, 38 DcWRKY proteins were calculated to interact with other proteins in the carrot genome. Yeast two-hybrid assay showed that DcWRKY20 can interact with DcMAPK1 and DcMAPK4. The expression patterns of the selected DcWRKY genes based on transcriptome data and qRT-PCR suggested that those selected DcWRKY genes are involved in root development, biotic and abiotic stress response. This comprehensive analysis provides a basis for investigating the evolution and function of WRKY genes.

The use of conversation analysis to study social accessibility of an online support group on eating disorders.

Science.gov (United States)

Stommel, Wyke; Meijman, Frans J

2011-06-01

We conducted a conversation analysis of 21 threads initiated by newcomers of an online support group (OSG) on eating disorders, to examine the discursive process of entering such a group. The analysis revealed three important issues. First, many newcomers articulate that the step to join the group is extremely difficult. Second, a presentation of the self in terms of a diagnosis works as a legitimization for joining the forum. The data suggest that participants who do not fulfil the conditions for such a legitimization do not join the forum. Third, the option of acquiring a serious symptom as a solution to the legitimization problem is offered by one of the regular members. Hence, the newcomers' discourse reveals issues relevant to the accessibility for undiagnosed sufferers. We discuss these findings theoretically as a phenomenon of self-presentation in relation to community norms. The analysis generates the hypothesis that newcomers are confronted with implicit norms regarding membership legitimacy that they should obey in their self-presentation, although they may not be ready yet to actually do so. OSGs should find strategies to facilitate various possibilities for newcomers to present themselves to the group while becoming a member.

Group Milieu in systemic and psychodynamic group therapy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lau, Marianne Engelbrecht

Objectives: A recent meta-analysis also concluded that psychotherapeutic approaches are beneficial for adult with a history of CSA and maintained for at least six months follow-up. The results suggest that different characteristics of therapy moderate the therapeutic outcome. We found in a random......Objectives: A recent meta-analysis also concluded that psychotherapeutic approaches are beneficial for adult with a history of CSA and maintained for at least six months follow-up. The results suggest that different characteristics of therapy moderate the therapeutic outcome. We found....... Methods: This randomized prospective study included 106 women: 52 assigned to psychodynamic group psychotherapy and 54 assigned to systemic group psychotherapy. The Group Environment Scale (GES) was filled in the mid phase of therapy and analysed in three dimensions and 10 subscales. Results: The systemic...... subscales: Cohesion (pLeader support (p=0.001), Expressiveness (p

Carboxyl group reactivity in actin

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Elzinga, M.

1986-01-01

While earlier work showed that the carboxyl groups of proteins could be quantitatively coupled to amino groups at pH 4.75 in the presence of EDC and a denaturing agent, the work presented here indicates that under milder conditions the modification of sidechain carboxyls is limited and somewhat specific. Most of the incorporated glycine ethyl ester (GEE) is apparently bound to five carboxyls. The total GEE incorporated was 3 to 4 moles/mole of protein as measured by an increase in Gly upon acid hydrolysis and amino acid analysis, as well as total radioactivity. 3.55 residues were found in peptides, 2.75 bound to residues 1 to 4, and 0.8 bound to Gly-100. 9 refs., 2 figs., 2 tabs.

Carboxyl group reactivity in actin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elzinga, M.

1986-01-01

While earlier work showed that the carboxyl groups of proteins could be quantitatively coupled to amino groups at pH 4.75 in the presence of EDC and a denaturing agent, the work presented here indicates that under milder conditions the modification of sidechain carboxyls is limited and somewhat specific. Most of the incorporated glycine ethyl ester (GEE) is apparently bound to five carboxyls. The total GEE incorporated was 3 to 4 moles/mole of protein as measured by an increase in Gly upon acid hydrolysis and amino acid analysis, as well as total radioactivity. 3.55 residues were found in peptides, 2.75 bound to residues 1 to 4, and 0.8 bound to Gly-100. 9 refs., 2 figs., 2 tabs

Activity/inactivity circadian rhythm shows high similarities between young obesity-induced rats and old rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Bravo Santos, R; Delgado, J; Cubero, J; Franco, L; Ruiz-Moyano, S; Mesa, M; Rodríguez, A B; Uguz, C; Barriga, C

2016-03-01

The objective of the present study was to compare differences between elderly rats and young obesity-induced rats in their activity/inactivity circadian rhythm. The investigation was motivated by the differences reported previously for the circadian rhythms of both obese and elderly humans (and other animals), and those of healthy, young or mature individuals. Three groups of rats were formed: a young control group which was fed a standard chow for rodents; a young obesity-induced group which was fed a high-fat diet for four months; and an elderly control group with rats aged 2.5 years that was fed a standard chow for rodents. Activity/inactivity data were registered through actimetry using infrared actimeter systems in each cage to detect activity. Data were logged on a computer and chronobiological analysis were performed. The results showed diurnal activity (sleep time), nocturnal activity (awake time), amplitude, acrophase, and interdaily stability to be similar between the young obesity-induced group and the elderly control group, but different in the young control group. We have concluded that obesity leads to a chronodisruption status in the body similar to the circadian rhythm degradation observed in the elderly.

Brain SPECT of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS): SPM analysis of two age groups

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barnden, L.; Casse, R.; Kwiatek, R.; Kitchener, M.; DelFante, P.; Burnet, R.; Behin-Ain, S.; Unger, S.

2002-01-01

Full text: Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a complex disorder characterised by profound fatigue and neuropsychiatric dysfunction. Previous studies with cerebral perfusion SPECT (rCBF) scans were performed with inhomogeneous patient populations and were not analysed with Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM). We have used SPM to study subjects with moderate CFS based on the Fukuda criteria, who were not on medication and not depressed, compared to age matched control subjects. An apparent bimodal age distribution has been observed in CFS. Subjects were therefore divided into two age groups: 16-35 or under 35 (17 CFS, 11 control) and 36-61 or over 35 (15 CFS, 15 control). HMPAO brain SPECT was acquired on a 3-head camera. After lower window scatter subtraction, reconstruction with attenuation correction (mu=0.15/cm) and editing of facial activity, scans were spatially normalised (affine + 2x3x2 nonlinear) to SPM's anatomical space. SPM statistical analysis yielded the location, amplitude and corrected p-value of significant focal rCBF deficits. They were: for under 35, left lateral temporal lobe (13%, 0.004), the left insular region (15%, 0.006) and the right lentiform nucleus (15%, 0.01); and for over 35 the left lentiform nucleus (18%, 0.01). Counts at the most significant voxel in the under 35 age group permitted separation of the CFS and control groups with sensitivity 94% and specificity 100%. We are acquiring more controls to better define the age and sex dependence of rCBF in CFS. Analysis of associated clinical variables will be used to investigate the observed differences between the two age groups. Copyright (2002) The Australian and New Zealand Society of Nuclear Medicine Inc

A general formula considering one group delayed neutron under nonequilibrium condition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Haofeng; Chen Wenzhen; Zhu Qian; Luo Lei

2008-01-01

A general neutron breeder formula is developed when the reactor does not reach the steady state and the reactivity changes in phase. This formula can be used to calculate the results of six groups delayed neutron model through a way of amending λ in one group delayed neutron model. The analysis shows that the solution of amended single group delayed neutron model is approximately equal to that of six-group delayed neutron model, and the amended model meets the engineering accuracy. (authors)

Performance Analysis of Hierarchical Group Key Management Integrated with Adaptive Intrusion Detection in Mobile ad hoc Networks

Science.gov (United States)

2016-04-05

applications in wireless networks such as military battlefields, emergency response, mobile commerce , online gaming, and collaborative work are based on the...www.elsevier.com/locate/peva Performance analysis of hierarchical group key management integrated with adaptive intrusion detection in mobile ad hoc...Accepted 19 September 2010 Available online 26 September 2010 Keywords: Mobile ad hoc networks Intrusion detection Group communication systems Group

Numerical analysis for multi-group neutron-diffusion equation using Radial Point Interpolation Method (RPIM)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Kyung-O; Jeong, Hae Sun; Jo, Daeseong

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Employing the Radial Point Interpolation Method (RPIM) in numerical analysis of multi-group neutron-diffusion equation. • Establishing mathematical formation of modified multi-group neutron-diffusion equation by RPIM. • Performing the numerical analysis for 2D critical problem. - Abstract: A mesh-free method is introduced to overcome the drawbacks (e.g., mesh generation and connectivity definition between the meshes) of mesh-based (nodal) methods such as the finite-element method and finite-difference method. In particular, the Point Interpolation Method (PIM) using a radial basis function is employed in the numerical analysis for the multi-group neutron-diffusion equation. The benchmark calculations are performed for the 2D homogeneous and heterogeneous problems, and the Multiquadrics (MQ) and Gaussian (EXP) functions are employed to analyze the effect of the radial basis function on the numerical solution. Additionally, the effect of the dimensionless shape parameter in those functions on the calculation accuracy is evaluated. According to the results, the radial PIM (RPIM) can provide a highly accurate solution for the multiplication eigenvalue and the neutron flux distribution, and the numerical solution with the MQ radial basis function exhibits the stable accuracy with respect to the reference solutions compared with the other solution. The dimensionless shape parameter directly affects the calculation accuracy and computing time. Values between 1.87 and 3.0 for the benchmark problems considered in this study lead to the most accurate solution. The difference between the analytical and numerical results for the neutron flux is significantly increased in the edge of the problem geometry, even though the maximum difference is lower than 4%. This phenomenon seems to arise from the derivative boundary condition at (x,0) and (0,y) positions, and it may be necessary to introduce additional strategy (e.g., the method using fictitious points and

A renormalization group scaling analysis for compressible two-phase flow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Y.; Deng, Y.; Glimm, J.; Li, G.; Zhang, Q.; Sharp, D.H.

1993-01-01

Computational solutions to the Rayleigh--Taylor fluid mixing problem, as modeled by the two-fluid two-dimensional Euler equations, are presented. Data from these solutions are analyzed from the point of view of Reynolds averaged equations, using scaling laws derived from a renormalization group analysis. The computations, carried out with the front tracking method on an Intel iPSC/860, are highly resolved and statistical convergence of ensemble averages is achieved. The computations are consistent with the experimentally observed growth rates for nearly incompressible flows. The dynamics of the interior portion of the mixing zone is simplified by the use of scaling variables. The size of the mixing zone suggests fixed-point behavior. The profile of statistical quantities within the mixing zone exhibit self-similarity under fixed-point scaling to a limited degree. The effect of compressibility is also examined. It is found that, for even moderate compressibility, the growth rates fail to satisfy universal scaling, and moreover, increase significantly with increasing compressibility. The growth rates predicted from a renormalization group fixed-point model are in a reasonable agreement with the results of the exact numerical simulations, even for flows outside of the incompressible limit

Stability analysis of multi-group deterministic and stochastic epidemic models with vaccination rate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Zhi-Gang; Gao Rui-Mei; Fan Xiao-Ming; Han Qi-Xing

2014-01-01

We discuss in this paper a deterministic multi-group MSIR epidemic model with a vaccination rate, the basic reproduction number ℛ 0 , a key parameter in epidemiology, is a threshold which determines the persistence or extinction of the disease. By using Lyapunov function techniques, we show if ℛ 0 is greater than 1 and the deterministic model obeys some conditions, then the disease will prevail, the infective persists and the endemic state is asymptotically stable in a feasible region. If ℛ 0 is less than or equal to 1, then the infective disappear so the disease dies out. In addition, stochastic noises around the endemic equilibrium will be added to the deterministic MSIR model in order that the deterministic model is extended to a system of stochastic ordinary differential equations. In the stochastic version, we carry out a detailed analysis on the asymptotic behavior of the stochastic model. In addition, regarding the value of ℛ 0 , when the stochastic system obeys some conditions and ℛ 0 is greater than 1, we deduce the stochastic system is stochastically asymptotically stable. Finally, the deterministic and stochastic model dynamics are illustrated through computer simulations. (general)

National logistics working groups: A landscape analysis study.

Science.gov (United States)

Leab, Dorothy; Schreiber, Benjamin; Kasonde, Musonda; Bessat, Olivia; Bui, Son; Loisel, Carine

2017-04-19

Several countries have acknowledged the contributions made by national logistics working groups (NLWG) to ensure equitable access to the expanded program on immunization's (EPI) vaccines against preventable diseases. In order to provide key insights to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) supply chain hub - as well as other players, including national EPI - a landscape analysis study was conducted from September 2015 to February 2016. This is a cross-sectional survey taken by 43 countries that combines qualitative and quantitative approaches. Data was collected through a desk review, consultation, interviews, and distance questioning. References and guidance were used to determine and specify the underlying mechanisms of NLWGs. The key findings are:This study has provided a general overview of the status of NLWGs for immunization in various countries. Based on the key insights of the study, technical assistance needs have been identified, and immunization partners will be required to help countries create and reinforce their NLWGs. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

[Ethnic groups and towns: an analysis of migration toward the towns of the Ivory Coast].

Science.gov (United States)

Marguerat, Y

1981-01-01

An analysis of urbanization and internal migration in the Ivory Coast is presented based on unpublished data from the 1975 census. Particular attention is paid to variations in migration by ethnic group.

Group guidance services to improved creativity for teachers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Solihatun Solihatun

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Creativity in the learning process by teachers is very important in order to support the task at school. Teacher creativity allows teachers to apply various learning methods that encourage students' interest to learn from the classroom. Besides, creativity for teachers is needed to support student development. This study aims to determine the level of creativity of teachers through group guidance services. Subjects in this study involved 10 teachers at Gemma Insani Indonesia Depok. Data analysis used a quantitative approach with pre-test and post-test control group of one design. The results show effective group guidance to improve teacher creativity at Gemma Insani Indonesia Depok.

Enhancing medical students' reflectivity in mentoring groups for professional development - a qualitative analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Lutz, Gabriele; Pankoke, Nina; Goldblatt, Hadass; Hofmann, Marzellus; Zupanic, Michaela

2017-07-14

Professional competence is important in delivering high quality patient care, and it can be enhanced by reflection and reflective discourse e.g. in mentoring groups. However, students are often reluctant though to engage in this discourse. A group mentoring program involving all preclinical students as well as faculty members and co-mentoring clinical students was initiated at Witten-Herdecke University. This study explores both the attitudes of those students towards such a program and factors that might hinder or enhance how students engage in reflective discourse. A qualitative design was applied using semi-structured focus group interviews with preclinical students and semi-structured individual interviews with mentors and co-mentors. The interview data were analyzed using thematic content analysis. Students' attitudes towards reflective discourse on professional challenges were diverse. Some students valued the new program and named positive outcomes regarding several features of professional development. Enriching experiences were described. Others expressed aversive attitudes. Three reasons for these were given: unclear goals and benefits, interpersonal problems within the groups hindering development and intrapersonal issues such as insecurity and traditional views of medical education. Participants mentioned several program setup factors that could enhance how students engage in such groups: explaining the program thoroughly, setting expectations and integrating the reflective discourse in a meaningful way into the curriculum, obliging participation without coercion, developing a sense of security, trust and interest in each other within the groups, randomizing group composition and facilitating group moderators as positive peer and faculty role models and as learning group members. A well-designed and empathetic setup of group mentoring programs can help raise openness towards engaging in meaningful reflective discourse. Reflection on and communication of

Expert group formation using facility location analysis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Neshati, M.; Beigy, H.; Hiemstra, Djoerd

In this paper, we propose an optimization framework to retrieve an optimal group of experts to perform a multi-aspect task. While a diverse set of skills are needed to perform a multi-aspect task, the group of assigned experts should be able to collectively cover all these required skills. We

Expert group formation using facility location analysis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Neshati, Mahmood; Beigy, Hamid; Hiemstra, Djoerd

2014-01-01

In this paper, we propose an optimization framework to retrieve an optimal group of experts to perform a multi-aspect task. While a diverse set of skills are needed to perform a multi-aspect task, the group of assigned experts should be able to collectively cover all these required skills. We

Paragrassmann analysis and quantum groups

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Filippov, A.T.; Isaev, A.P.; Kurdikov, A.B.

1992-01-01

Paragrassmann algebras with one and many paragrassmann variables are considered from the algebraic point of view without using the Green anzatz. A differential operator with respect to paragrassmann variable and a covariant para-super-derivative are introduced giving a natural generalization of the Grassmann calculus to a paragrassmann one. Deep relations between paragrassmann and quantum groups with deformation parameters being root of unity are established. 20 refs

MULTIDIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS OF SELF-ESTEEM IN A GROUP OF CHILDREN WITH ADHD

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marco Lamberti

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD is characterised by low levels of internalizing symptoms and self-efficacy which causes low self-esteem, while externalizing behaviours appear to be related to high levels of stress in the parents. The purpose of this research is to analyze the impact of ADHD on self-esteem and parental stress. A multidimensional assessment of self-esteem was performed using the MSCS (Multidimensional Self-Concept Scale in a group of 12 male patients with ADHD (age range 9-11 years. Parental stress was investigated using the Parenting Stress Index (PSI. These results were compared with a group of 12 healthy children (age 9-11 years, with both parametric statistics and correlation statistics. The comparison between ADHD children and control subjects, performed by a calculation to rank with the Mann-Whitney, showed a high significance in two dimensional components of self-esteem: social relationships (Z -2.028 p 0.045 and academic success (Z - 2.166 p 0.028. The total self-esteem score differed significantly between the two groups (Z -2.227 p 0.024. Parental stress increaseed with the level of the child‟s oppositional symptoms (p 0.790 but it did not correlate with the other scores (cognitive problems / inattention p 0.381; hyperactivity p 0.414; ADHD index p 0.324. The present study shows that self-esteem is impaired among children with ADHD.

How groups cope with collective responsibility for ecological problems: Symbolic coping and collective emotions.

Science.gov (United States)

Caillaud, Sabine; Bonnot, Virginie; Ratiu, Eugenia; Krauth-Gruber, Silvia

2016-06-01

This study explores the way groups cope with collective responsibility for ecological problems. The social representations approach was adopted, and the collective symbolic coping model was used as a frame of analysis, integrating collective emotions to enhance the understanding of coping processes. The original feature of this study is that the analysis is at group level. Seven focus groups were conducted with French students. An original use of focus groups was proposed: Discussions were structured to induce feelings of collective responsibility and enable observation of how groups cope with such feelings at various levels (social knowledge; social identities; group dynamics). Two analyses were conducted: Qualitative analysis of participants' use of various kinds of knowledge, social categories and the group dynamics, and lexicometric analysis to reveal how emotions varied during the different discussion phases. Results showed that groups' emotional states moved from negative to positive: They used specific social categories and resorted to shared stereotypes to cope with collective responsibility and maintain the integrity of their worldview. Only then did debate become possible again; it was anchored in the nature-culture dichotomy such that groups switched from group-based to system-based emotions. © 2015 The British Psychological Society.

Efficacy of group psychotherapy for social anxiety disorder: A meta-analysis of randomized-controlled trials.

Science.gov (United States)

Barkowski, Sarah; Schwartze, Dominique; Strauss, Bernhard; Burlingame, Gary M; Barth, Jürgen; Rosendahl, Jenny

2016-04-01

Group psychotherapy for social anxiety disorder (SAD) is an established treatment supported by findings from primary studies and earlier meta-analyses. However, a comprehensive summary of the recent evidence is still pending. This meta-analysis investigates the efficacy of group psychotherapy for adult patients with SAD. A literature search identified 36 randomized-controlled trials examining 2171 patients. Available studies used mainly cognitive-behavioral group therapies (CBGT); therefore, quantitative analyses were done for CBGT. Medium to large positive effects emerged for wait list-controlled trials for specific symptomatology: g=0.84, 95% CI [0.72; 0.97] and general psychopathology: g=0.62, 95% CI [0.36; 0.89]. Group psychotherapy was also superior to common factor control conditions in alleviating symptoms of SAD, but not in improving general psychopathology. No differences appeared for direct comparisons of group psychotherapy and individual psychotherapy or pharmacotherapy. Hence, group psychotherapy for SAD is an efficacious treatment, equivalent to other treatment formats. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

'You don't show everyone your weakness': Older adults' views on using Family Group Conferencing to regain control and autonomy.

Science.gov (United States)

Metze, Rosalie N; Kwekkeboom, Rick H; Abma, Tineke A

2015-08-01

Family Group Conferencing (FGC), a model in which a person and his or her social network make their own 'care' plan, is used in youth care and might also be useful in elderly care to support older persons living at home. In Amsterdam, the Netherlands, FGC was implemented for older adults but they showed resistance. Reasons for this resistance have been researched and are described in this article. We examine existing views and attitudes of older adults concerning the use of FGC, and report on how older adults see the possibility to regain control over their lives using FGC. To do this, focus group sessions, duo interviews and individual interviews were held with older adults with varying characteristics: living at home, in sheltered housing, or in a home for the elderly; and living in urban, suburban or rural areas. Themes were: views on and contentment with the control and autonomy that they experience in their lives, and the willingness to use FGC to improve this. The main reasons for our respondents to resist FGC were: expecting people to be there for them without a FGC, not feeling ready yet for a FGC, feeling embarrassed when asking for help, being reluctant to open up about their problems, and having the fear of losing control when organizing a FGC. We conclude that, for this generation of older adults, FGC means losing control and autonomy rather than gaining it. To be appealing to older adults, a relational empowerment strengthening model should most likely be focused on reciprocity, peer-to-peer support, and solutions instead of problems. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

ABO blood groups and susceptibility to brucellosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Mohsenpour, Behzad; Hajibagheri, Katayon; Afrasiabian, Shahla; Ghaderi, Ebrahim; Ghasembegloo, Saeideh

2015-01-01

The relationship between blood groups and some infections such as norovirus, cholera, and malaria has been reported. Despite the importance of brucellosis, there is a lack of data on the relationship between blood groups and brucellosis. Thus, in this study, we examined the relationship between blood groups and brucellosis. In this case-control study, the blood groups of 100 patients with brucellosis and 200 healthy individuals were studied. Exclusion criteria for the control group consisted of a positive Coombs Wright test or a history of brucellosis. The chi-square test was used to compare qualitative variables between the two groups. The variables that met inclusion criteria for the regression model were entered into the logistic regression model. A total of 43% patients were female and 57% male; 27% were urban and 73% rural. Regression analysis showed that the likelihood of brucellosis infection was 6.26 times more in people with blood group AB than in those with blood group O (Pblood group and brucellosis. People with blood group AB were susceptible to brucellosis, but no difference was observed for brucellosis infection in terms of blood Rh type.

Market reaction to grouping equities in stock markets: An empirical analysis on Borsa Istanbul

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yilmaz Yildiz

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The main aim of this study is to investigate the market reaction to stock grouping announcements in Borsa Istanbul which requires stocks to be classified into groups “A”, “B” and “C” according to their market capitalization and floating rates. By utilizing event study analysis, our results suggest that grouping announcements have significant effect on stock prices and trading volume. The event day positive (negative relationship between abnormal return and volume for the upgraded (downgraded stocks supports the downward sloping demand curve hypothesis. Moreover, findings also suggest that stocks which are upgraded to Group A are exposed to more attention which is in line with the attention hypothesis. The reverse is valid for the downgraded firms. We find no evidence of price reversals and long-term symmetrical liquidity effect which lead us to reject price pressure and liquidity hypotheses. Finally, we reach controversial evidence for the information hypothesis. Keywords: Equity grouping, Regulation, Price and volume effects, Jel Classification: G11, G12, G14

Proposed minimum reporting standards for chemical analysis Chemical Analysis Working Group (CAWG) Metabolomics Standards Initiative (MSI)

Science.gov (United States)

Amberg, Alexander; Barrett, Dave; Beale, Michael H.; Beger, Richard; Daykin, Clare A.; Fan, Teresa W.-M.; Fiehn, Oliver; Goodacre, Royston; Griffin, Julian L.; Hankemeier, Thomas; Hardy, Nigel; Harnly, James; Higashi, Richard; Kopka, Joachim; Lane, Andrew N.; Lindon, John C.; Marriott, Philip; Nicholls, Andrew W.; Reily, Michael D.; Thaden, John J.; Viant, Mark R.

2013-01-01

There is a general consensus that supports the need for standardized reporting of metadata or information describing large-scale metabolomics and other functional genomics data sets. Reporting of standard metadata provides a biological and empirical context for the data, facilitates experimental replication, and enables the re-interrogation and comparison of data by others. Accordingly, the Metabolomics Standards Initiative is building a general consensus concerning the minimum reporting standards for metabolomics experiments of which the Chemical Analysis Working Group (CAWG) is a member of this community effort. This article proposes the minimum reporting standards related to the chemical analysis aspects of metabolomics experiments including: sample preparation, experimental analysis, quality control, metabolite identification, and data pre-processing. These minimum standards currently focus mostly upon mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy due to the popularity of these techniques in metabolomics. However, additional input concerning other techniques is welcomed and can be provided via the CAWG on-line discussion forum at http://msi-workgroups.sourceforge.net/ or http://Msi-workgroups-feedback@lists.sourceforge.net. Further, community input related to this document can also be provided via this electronic forum. PMID:24039616

Grouping and clustering of maize Lancaster germplasm inbreds according to the results of SNP-analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. V. Derkach

2017-08-01

group within the general set of analyzed inbred lines. Two-dimensional component analysis showed that the first principal component (PCA1 accounted for 36.0% of total variation and divided the investigated set of 91 inbred lines into two fractions, while all the inbred lines which are considered Lancaster based on pedigree information were included in one of the fractions. The second principal component (PCA2, which accounted for 12.1% of total variation, separated most of the Lancaster germplasm inbred lines from the others in this fraction, although the overlapping of the locations of Lancaster and non-Lancaster inbred lines was observed. Qualitative cluster analysis of 31 Lancaster germplasm inbred lines allowed to identify two clusters: the first one includes 23 inbred lines of Ukrainian selection and the well known Mo17 inbred line (77.4% of total number of analysed lines inbred line, and the second cluster included 6 inbred lines of Ukrainian selection and the well known Oh43 inbred line (22.6% of total number of analysed lines inbred line. The isolation of two clusters within Lancaster germplasm indicates the genetic diversity in this plasm. The evaluation of genome similarities through allelic states of SNP-markers can successfully be used for classification and systematization of the gene pool of maize genetic resources.

Group Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Program Shows Potential in Reducing Symptoms of Depression and Stress among Young People with ASD

Science.gov (United States)

McGillivray, J. A.; Evert, H. T.

2014-01-01

We examined the efficacy of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) delivered in groups on the reduction of symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress in young people on the autism spectrum. Utilising a quasi-experimental design, comparisons were made between individuals allocated to a group intervention program and individuals allocated to a…

Analysis of core-periphery organization in protein contact networks reveals groups of structurally and functionally critical residues.

Science.gov (United States)

Isaac, Arnold Emerson; Sinha, Sitabhra

2015-10-01

The representation of proteins as networks of interacting amino acids, referred to as protein contact networks (PCN), and their subsequent analyses using graph theoretic tools, can provide novel insights into the key functional roles of specific groups of residues. We have characterized the networks corresponding to the native states of 66 proteins (belonging to different families) in terms of their core-periphery organization. The resulting hierarchical classification of the amino acid constituents of a protein arranges the residues into successive layers - having higher core order - with increasing connection density, ranging from a sparsely linked periphery to a densely intra-connected core (distinct from the earlier concept of protein core defined in terms of the three-dimensional geometry of the native state, which has least solvent accessibility). Our results show that residues in the inner cores are more conserved than those at the periphery. Underlining the functional importance of the network core, we see that the receptor sites for known ligand molecules of most proteins occur in the innermost core. Furthermore, the association of residues with structural pockets and cavities in binding or active sites increases with the core order. From mutation sensitivity analysis, we show that the probability of deleterious or intolerant mutations also increases with the core order. We also show that stabilization centre residues are in the innermost cores, suggesting that the network core is critically important in maintaining the structural stability of the protein. A publicly available Web resource for performing core-periphery analysis of any protein whose native state is known has been made available by us at http://www.imsc.res.in/ ~sitabhra/proteinKcore/index.html.

Need for Cognition and Active Information Search in Small Student Groups

Science.gov (United States)

Curseu, Petru Lucian

2011-01-01

In a sample of 213 students organized in 44 groups this study tests the impact of need for cognition on active information search by using a multilevel analysis. The results show that group members with high need for cognition seek more advice in task related issues than those with low need for cognition and this pattern of information exchange is…

Advertising Discourse Analysis of FES stores: Killing Love, Cowards Show

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cristian Venegas Ahumada

2013-08-01

Full Text Available The objective is to analyze the structural and photographic discourse of the Autumn-Winter campaign 2008 of FES stores for young people. This was done by a semiotic theory and a critical-structural methodology of discourse. An analysis of 4 advertising photographs was done, and at once an analysis of the discourse “FES says no to violence against Women”, which explains the campaign’s target. The result is: The discourse was subjected to production condition (society of control and makes advertising a way to homogenize subjectivity of masses to consume. Recognition conditions demonstrate that this advertising discourse of symbolic violence means a type of violation of Men and Women Rights. An action like this requires commitment of Psychology in order to promote the social humanizing change, by means of university teaching and professional tasks.

Education and labor market activity of women: an age-group specific empirical analysis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Münch, C.; van Wijnbergen, S.

2009-01-01

We analyze the determinants of female labor market participation for different age-groups in the European Union. We show that female participation is positively affected by tertiary education at any age. But upper secondary education increases participation only up to an age of 40 while after that

Analysis of a renormalization group method and normal form theory for perturbed ordinary differential equations

Science.gov (United States)

DeVille, R. E. Lee; Harkin, Anthony; Holzer, Matt; Josić, Krešimir; Kaper, Tasso J.

2008-06-01

For singular perturbation problems, the renormalization group (RG) method of Chen, Goldenfeld, and Oono [Phys. Rev. E. 49 (1994) 4502-4511] has been shown to be an effective general approach for deriving reduced or amplitude equations that govern the long time dynamics of the system. It has been applied to a variety of problems traditionally analyzed using disparate methods, including the method of multiple scales, boundary layer theory, the WKBJ method, the Poincaré-Lindstedt method, the method of averaging, and others. In this article, we show how the RG method may be used to generate normal forms for large classes of ordinary differential equations. First, we apply the RG method to systems with autonomous perturbations, and we show that the reduced or amplitude equations generated by the RG method are equivalent to the classical Poincaré-Birkhoff normal forms for these systems up to and including terms of O(ɛ2), where ɛ is the perturbation parameter. This analysis establishes our approach and generalizes to higher order. Second, we apply the RG method to systems with nonautonomous perturbations, and we show that the reduced or amplitude equations so generated constitute time-asymptotic normal forms, which are based on KBM averages. Moreover, for both classes of problems, we show that the main coordinate changes are equivalent, up to translations between the spaces in which they are defined. In this manner, our results show that the RG method offers a new approach for deriving normal forms for nonautonomous systems, and it offers advantages since one can typically more readily identify resonant terms from naive perturbation expansions than from the nonautonomous vector fields themselves. Finally, we establish how well the solution to the RG equations approximates the solution of the original equations on time scales of O(1/ɛ).

Renormalisation group analysis of single right-handed neutrino dominance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

King, S.F.; Nimai Singh, N.

2000-01-01

We perform a renormalisation group (RG) analysis of neutrino masses and mixing angles in the see-saw mechanism in the minimal supersymmetric standard model with three right-handed neutrinos, including the effects of the heavy neutrino thresholds. We focus on the case that one of the right-handed neutrinos provides the dominant contribution to the 23 block of the light Majorana matrix, causing its determinant to approximately vanish and giving an automatic neutrino mass hierarchy, so-called single right-handed neutrino dominance which may arise from a U(1) family symmetry. In these models radiative corrections can increase atmospheric and solar neutrino mixing by up to about 10% and 5%, respectively, and may help to achieve bi-maximal mixing. Significantly we find that the radiative corrections over the heavy neutrino threshold region are at least as important as those usually considered from the lightest right-handed neutrino down to low energies

Competing failure analysis in phased-mission systems with multiple functional dependence groups

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Chaonan; Xing, Liudong; Peng, Rui; Pan, Zhusheng

2017-01-01

A phased-mission system (PMS) involves multiple, consecutive, non-overlapping phases of operation. The system structure function and component failure behavior in a PMS can change from phase to phase, posing big challenges to the system reliability analysis. Further complicating the problem is the functional dependence (FDEP) behavior where the failure of certain component(s) causes other component(s) to become unusable or inaccessible or isolated. Previous studies have shown that FDEP can cause competitions between failure propagation and failure isolation in the time domain. While such competing failure effects have been well addressed in single-phase systems, only little work has focused on PMSs with a restrictive assumption that a single FDEP group exists in one phase of the mission. Many practical systems (e.g., computer systems and networks), however may involve multiple FDEP groups during the mission. Moreover, different FDEP groups can be dependent due to sharing some common components; they may appear in a single phase or multiple phases. This paper makes new contributions by modeling and analyzing reliability of PMSs subject to multiple FDEP groups through a Markov chain-based methodology. Propagated failures with both global and selective effects are considered. Four case studies are presented to demonstrate application of the proposed method. - Highlights: • Reliability of phased-mission systems subject to competing failure propagation and isolation effects is modeled. • Multiple independent or dependent functional dependence groups are considered. • Propagated failures with global effects and selective effects are studied. • Four case studies demonstrate generality and application of the proposed Markov-based method.

Meta-analysis of field experiments shows no change in racial discrimination in hiring over time.

Science.gov (United States)

Quillian, Lincoln; Pager, Devah; Hexel, Ole; Midtbøen, Arnfinn H

2017-10-10

This study investigates change over time in the level of hiring discrimination in US labor markets. We perform a meta-analysis of every available field experiment of hiring discrimination against African Americans or Latinos ( n = 28). Together, these studies represent 55,842 applications submitted for 26,326 positions. We focus on trends since 1989 ( n = 24 studies), when field experiments became more common and improved methodologically. Since 1989, whites receive on average 36% more callbacks than African Americans, and 24% more callbacks than Latinos. We observe no change in the level of hiring discrimination against African Americans over the past 25 years, although we find modest evidence of a decline in discrimination against Latinos. Accounting for applicant education, applicant gender, study method, occupational groups, and local labor market conditions does little to alter this result. Contrary to claims of declining discrimination in American society, our estimates suggest that levels of discrimination remain largely unchanged, at least at the point of hire.

Focus Group Evidence: Implications for Design and Analysis

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Ryan, Katherine E.; Gandha, Tysza; Culbertson, Michael J.; Carlson, Crystal

2014-01-01

In evaluation and applied social research, focus groups may be used to gather different kinds of evidence (e.g., opinion, tacit knowledge). In this article, we argue that making focus group design choices explicitly in relation to the type of evidence required would enhance the empirical value and rigor associated with focus group utilization. We…

A Progress Evaluation of Four Bilingual Children's Television Shows.

Science.gov (United States)

Klein, Stephen P.; And Others

An evaluation of a bilingual education TV series was conducted involving 6-year-old English speaking, Spanish speaking, and bilingual children at four sites. Children were assigned to control and experimental groups with the latter group seeing four 30 minute shows. A pretest-posttest design was employed with the pretest serving as the covariate…

Synthesis, characterization, vibrational spectroscopy, and factor group analysis of partially metal-doped phosphate materials

Science.gov (United States)

Sronsri, Chuchai; Boonchom, Banjong

2018-04-01

A simple precipitating method was used to synthesize effectively a partially metal-doped phosphate hydrate (Mn0.9Mg0.1HPO4·3H2O), whereas the thermal decomposition process of the above hydrate precursor was used to obtain Mn1.8Mg0.2P2O7 and LiMn0.9Mg0.1PO4 compounds under different conditions. To separate the overlapping thermal decomposition peak, a deconvolution technique was used, and the separated peak was applied to calculate the water content. The factor group splitting analysis was used to exemplify their vibrational spectra obtained from normal vibrations of HPO42-, H2O, P2O74- and PO43- functional groups. Further, the deconvoluted bending mode of water was clearly observed. Mn0.9Mg0.1HPO4·3H2O was observed in the orthorhombic crystal system with the space group of Pbca (D2h15). The formula units per unit cell were found to be eight (Z = 8), and the site symmetric type of HPO42- was observed as Cs. For the HPO42- unit, the correlation filed splitting analysis of type C3v - Cs - D2h15 was calculated and had 96 internal modes, whereas H2O in the above hydrate was symbolized as C2v - Cs - D2h15 and had 24 modes. The symbol C2v - Cs - C2h3 was used for the correlation filed splitting analysis of P2O74- in Mn1.8Mg0.2P2O7 (monoclinic, C2/m (C2h3), Z = 2, and 42 modes). Finally, the symbol Td - Cs - D2h16 was used for the correlation filed splitting analysis of PO43- in LiMn0.9Mg0.1PO4 (orthorhombic, Pnma (D2h16), Z = 4, and 36 modes).

Protocol Analysis of Group Problem Solving in Mathematics: A Cognitive-Metacognitive Framework for Assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Artzt, Alice F.; Armour-Thomas, Eleanor

The roles of cognition and metacognition were examined in the mathematical problem-solving behaviors of students as they worked in small groups. As an outcome, a framework that links the literature of cognitive science and mathematical problem solving was developed for protocol analysis of mathematical problem solving. Within this framework, each…

Dental computed tomographic imaging as age estimation: morphological analysis of the third molar of a group of Turkish population.

Science.gov (United States)

Cantekin, Kenan; Sekerci, Ahmet Ercan; Buyuk, Suleyman Kutalmis

2013-12-01

Computed tomography (CT) is capable of providing accurate and measurable 3-dimensional images of the third molar. The aims of this study were to analyze the development of the mandibular third molar and its relation to chronological age and to create new reference data for a group of Turkish participants aged 9 to 25 years on the basis of cone-beam CT images. All data were obtained from the patients' records including medical, social, and dental anamnesis and cone-beam CT images of 752 patients. Linear regression analysis was performed to obtain regression formulas for dental age calculation with chronological age and to determine the coefficient of determination (r) for each sex. Statistical analysis showed a strong correlation between age and third-molar development for the males (r2 = 0.80) and the females (r2 = 0.78). Computed tomographic images are clinically useful for accurate and reliable estimation of dental ages of children and youth.

When high achievers and low achievers work in the same group: the roles of group heterogeneity and processes in project-based learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Rebecca Wing-yi; Lam, Shui-fong; Chan, Joanne Chung-yan

2008-06-01

There has been an ongoing debate about the inconsistent effects of heterogeneous ability grouping on students in small group work such as project-based learning. The present research investigated the roles of group heterogeneity and processes in project-based learning. At the student level, we examined the interaction effect between students' within-group achievement and group processes on their self- and collective efficacy. At the group level, we examined how group heterogeneity was associated with the average self- and collective efficacy reported by the groups. The participants were 1,921 Hong Kong secondary students in 367 project-based learning groups. Student achievement was determined by school examination marks. Group processes, self-efficacy and collective efficacy were measured by a student-report questionnaire. Hierarchical linear modelling was used to analyse the nested data. When individual students in each group were taken as the unit of analysis, results indicated an interaction effect of group processes and students' within-group achievement on the discrepancy between collective- and self-efficacy. When compared with low achievers, high achievers reported lower collective efficacy than self-efficacy when group processes were of low quality. However, both low and high achievers reported higher collective efficacy than self-efficacy when group processes were of high quality. With 367 groups taken as the unit of analysis, the results showed that group heterogeneity, group gender composition and group size were not related to the discrepancy between collective- and self-efficacy reported by the students. Group heterogeneity was not a determinant factor in students' learning efficacy. Instead, the quality of group processes played a pivotal role because both high and low achievers were able to benefit when group processes were of high quality.

Comprehensive Analysis of Oculocutaneous Albinism among Non-Hispanic Caucasians Shows that OCA1 Is the Most Prevalent OCA Type

OpenAIRE

Hutton, Saunie M.; Spritz, Richard A.

2008-01-01

Oculocutaneous albinism (OCA) is a genetically heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by absent or reduced pigmentation of the skin, hair, and eyes. In humans, four genes have been associated with “classical” OCA and another 12 genes with syndromic forms of OCA. To assess the prevalence of different forms of OCA and different gene mutations among non-Hispanic Caucasian patients, we performed DNA sequence analysis of the four genes associated with “classical” OCA (TYR, OCA2, TYRP1, SLC...

Multi trace element analysis of dry biological materials by neutron activation analysis including a chemical group separation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weers, C.A.

1980-01-01

The principles of activation analysis and the practical aspects of neutron activation analysis are outlined. The limits which are set to accuracy and precision are defined. The description of the evaporation process is summarised in terms of the half-volume. This quantity is then used to define the resolving power. The formulation is checked by radiotracer experiments. Dried animal blood is used as the testing material. The pretreatment of the samples and (the development of) the destruction-evaporation apparatus is described. Four successive devices were built and tested. The development of the successive adsorption steps with active charcoal, Al 2 O 3 and coprecipitation with Fe(OH) 3 is presented. Seven groups of about 25 elements in total can be determined this way. The results obtained for standard reference materials are summarized and compared with literature data. (Auth.)

Where are compact groups in the local Universe?

Science.gov (United States)

Díaz-Giménez, Eugenia; Zandivarez, Ariel

2015-06-01

Aims: The purpose of this work is to perform a statistical analysis of the location of compact groups in the Universe from observational and semi-analytical points of view. Methods: We used the velocity-filtered compact group sample extracted from the Two Micron All Sky Survey for our analysis. We also used a new sample of galaxy groups identified in the 2M++ galaxy redshift catalogue as tracers of the large-scale structure. We defined a procedure to search in redshift space for compact groups that can be considered embedded in other overdense systems and applied this criterion to several possible combinations of different compact and galaxy group subsamples. We also performed similar analyses for simulated compact and galaxy groups identified in a 2M++ mock galaxy catalogue constructed from the Millennium Run Simulation I plus a semi-analytical model of galaxy formation. Results: We observed that only ~27% of the compact groups can be considered to be embedded in larger overdense systems, that is, most of the compact groups are more likely to be isolated systems. The embedded compact groups show statistically smaller sizes and brighter surface brightnesses than non-embedded systems. No evidence was found that embedded compact groups are more likely to inhabit galaxy groups with a given virial mass or with a particular dynamical state. We found very similar results when the analysis was performed using mock compact and galaxy groups. Based on the semi-analytical studies, we predict that 70% of the embedded compact groups probably are 3D physically dense systems. Finally, real space information allowed us to reveal the bimodal behaviour of the distribution of 3D minimum distances between compact and galaxy groups. Conclusions: The location of compact groups should be carefully taken into account when comparing properties of galaxies in environments that are a priori different. Appendices are available in electronic form at http://www.aanda.orgFull Tables B.1 and B.2

#13ReasonsWhy Health Professionals and Educators are Tweeting: A Systematic Analysis of Uses and Perceptions of Show Content and Learning Outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Walker, Kimberly K; Burns, Kelli

2018-04-27

This study is a content analysis of health professionals' and educators' tweets about a popular Netflix show that depicts teen suicide: 13 Reasons Why. A content analysis of 740 tweets was conducted to determine the main themes associated with professionals' and educators' tweets about the show, as well as the valence of the tweets. Additionally, a thematic analysis of linked content in tweets (n = 178) was conducted to explore additional content shared about the show and modeling outcomes. Results indicated the largest percentage of tweets was related to social learning, particularly about outcomes that could occur from viewing the show. The valence of the tweets about outcomes was more positive than negative. However, linked materials commonly circulated in tweets signified greater concern with unintended learning outcomes. Some of the linked content included media guidelines for reporting on suicide with recommendations that entertainment producers follow the guidelines. This study emphasizes the importance of including social learning objectives in future typologies of Twitter uses and demonstrates the importance of examining linked content in Twitter studies.

Investigation of MOZART experimental data and analysis of MOZART experiment using JFS-3-J3.2R group constant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaise, Yoichiro; Osada, Hiroo

2003-03-01

Various critical experiments have been analyzed and evaluated in Japan Nuclear Cycle Development Institute (JNC) to improve the accuracy of prediction for nuclear characteristics of fast breeder reactors. This report describes update of the analysis of Monju Zebra Assembly Reactor Test (MOZART) reflecting a recent development of JNC analysis scheme. The main results are as follows: (1) Compilation of spectrum measurements: Spectrum measurement data are newly compiled including energy structure and geometrical information. (2) Reevaluation of atomic number density data: Atomic number density data were reevaluated considering impurities that had been neglected in the past analysis and reflecting a JNC standard analysis scheme. The revision of the data successfully reduces core type dependence of C/E values for criticality from 0.4%dk to 0.1%dk. (3) Analyses using JFS-3-J3.2R group constant set: The base-calculation and correction factors were fully reevaluated suing JFS-3-J3.2R group constant set and the results were compared with those using JFS-3-J3.2. For criticality, C/E values become smaller by 0.1%dk, which tendency is consistent with that observed in the analysis of JUPITER experiment. Reduction of B-10 concentration dependence from 7% to 1% is observed in C/E values for control rod worth, and 10% improvement are for Na void reactivity. These improvements are attribute to the revision of the group constant set and analysis scheme. The correction factors are confirmed to be insensitive to the revision of group constant sets. (author)

Analysis of Ethnic Group Relations in Living Life

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rafael Grady Christianto

2017-08-01

Full Text Available This research uses qualitative method approach. The data is taken through semi structured interviews so that the researcher can get the deepest information from the subject but still use interview and observation guidance. Aims to determine the perspectives between ethnic groups by looking at how the interactions or relationships that occur in everyday activities, the management of conflicts, what activities are usually done together, and the attachment that exists between various ethnic groups in Kelurahan Pengasinan Kota Bekasi to meet Practical needs. The theory used is the group definition theory of Joseph S. Roucek, Major Polak, and Wila Huky, inter-group relations of Kinloch and Stanley Liberson, social interaction theory of Soekanto, Sunarto-majority minority relations theory, Budiman, Suparlan and Edward M Bruner, and the inter-ethnic perspective theory of Setiaman. Social relations itself has a sense of relationship in which there are interactions that occur in society in order to prevent the emergence of conflict. Based on the results of research and discussion that has been done, it can be concluded that, good interaction among ethnic groups is the key in maintaining relationships among ethnic groups. This will affect the survival, social behavior, and perspectives that arise and develop among others.

Lie Group Analysis of the Photo-Induced Fluorescence of Drosophila Oogenesis with the Asymmetrically Localized Gurken Protein.

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Jen-Cheng Wang

Full Text Available Lie group analysis of the photo-induced fluorescence of Drosophila oogenesis with the asymmetrically localized Gurken protein has been performed systematically to assess the roles of ligand-receptor complexes in follicle cells. The (2×2 matrix representations resulting from the polarized tissue spectra were employed to characterize the asymmetrical Gurken distributions. It was found that the fluorescence of the wild-type egg shows the Lie point symmetry X 23 at early stages of oogenesis. However, due to the morphogen regulation by intracellular proteins and extracellular proteins, the fluorescence of the embryogenesis with asymmetrically localized Gurken expansions exhibits specific symmetry features: Lie point symmetry Z 1 and Lie point symmetry X 1. The novel approach developed herein was successfully used to validate that the invariant-theoretical characterizations are consonant with the observed asymmetric fluctuations during early embryological development.

Determinants of profitability according to groups of banks in Albania

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dr.Sc. Arjeta Hallunovi

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The paper analyzed the determinants of profitability of all the commercial banks in Albania, where the banks were analyzed by dividing into groups[1]. These determinants are categorized into two groups, internal and external factors. The objective of the study is to determine the factors that affect the profitability in commercial banks, to show how they differ according to groups of the banks and making some recommendations which can help the management. A panel data with all the commercial banks that operate in Albania is analyzed for the period 2009-2014. To measure the profitability is used the independent variable return on assets. Banking specific factors that are used in this study include variables such as bank size, asset management, credit risk, liquidity of assets, capital adequacy, operational efficiency and cost of financing. On the other hand is taken into consideration only one industry specific factor, which is the concentration and some macroeconomic factors as GDP, exchange rate and inflation. The quantitative data are obtained from the financial statements of commercial banks, INSTAT, Bank of Albania, World Bank and Bankscope, in order to make empirical analysis needed to identify and measure the determinants of bank profitability. In particular, the multiple regression analysis is used to measure the impact of determinants in bank profitability and to realize empirical analysis is used Eviews 7. The results of the study showed a positive relationship between bank size and profitability, statistically important in the group 2, with 1% level of significance. The credit risk had an inverse relation with profitability in the model, statistically significant at 1% level of significance for the group 2 and 5% for the group 1 and 3. While, in terms of macroeconomic factors, GDP had a positive relationship with profitability and it is statistically significant in the group 3. On the other hand, inflation and exchange rate showed a

Qualitative analysis fingertip patterns in ABO blood group

OpenAIRE

S. V. KShirsagar

2013-01-01

The inheritance of the dermatoglyphic patterns is polygenic. The genetic basis of the blood group is well established. The correlation between the dermatoglyphic patterns and the ABO blood group is studied by some workers in different populations. In the present study, the correlation between dermatoglyphics and ABO blood group is studied in the Marathwada Region of Maharashtra. The qualitative data included fingertip patterns and three indices. It was observed that, the Arch pattern is more ...

Activation analysis for platinum in gold and metals of the platinum group through 199Au

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Foerster, H.

1976-01-01

Platinum was determined in gold and in metals of the platinum group through 199 Au by activation analysis. The matrix was separated at the end of irradiation before the daughter nuclide was formed. Gold was separated by extraction with MIBK from 1

Treatment strategies for women with WHO group II anovulation: systematic review and network meta-analysis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wang, Rui; Kim, Bobae V.; van Wely, Madelon; Johnson, Neil P.; Costello, Michael F.; Zhang, Hanwang; Ng, Ernest Hung Yu; Legro, Richard S.; Bhattacharya, Siladitya; Norman, Robert J.; Mol, Ben Willem J.

2017-01-01

To compare the effectiveness of alternative first line treatment options for women with WHO group II anovulation wishing to conceive. Systematic review and network meta-analysis. Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Medline, and Embase, up to 11 April 2016. Randomised controlled trials

Genomic analysis of codon usage shows influence of mutation pressure, natural selection, and host features on Marburg virus evolution.

Science.gov (United States)

Nasrullah, Izza; Butt, Azeem M; Tahir, Shifa; Idrees, Muhammad; Tong, Yigang

2015-08-26

The Marburg virus (MARV) has a negative-sense single-stranded RNA genome, belongs to the family Filoviridae, and is responsible for several outbreaks of highly fatal hemorrhagic fever. Codon usage patterns of viruses reflect a series of evolutionary changes that enable viruses to shape their survival rates and fitness toward the external environment and, most importantly, their hosts. To understand the evolution of MARV at the codon level, we report a comprehensive analysis of synonymous codon usage patterns in MARV genomes. Multiple codon analysis approaches and statistical methods were performed to determine overall codon usage patterns, biases in codon usage, and influence of various factors, including mutation pressure, natural selection, and its two hosts, Homo sapiens and Rousettus aegyptiacus. Nucleotide composition and relative synonymous codon usage (RSCU) analysis revealed that MARV shows mutation bias and prefers U- and A-ended codons to code amino acids. Effective number of codons analysis indicated that overall codon usage among MARV genomes is slightly biased. The Parity Rule 2 plot analysis showed that GC and AU nucleotides were not used proportionally which accounts for the presence of natural selection. Codon usage patterns of MARV were also found to be influenced by its hosts. This indicates that MARV have evolved codon usage patterns that are specific to both of its hosts. Moreover, selection pressure from R. aegyptiacus on the MARV RSCU patterns was found to be dominant compared with that from H. sapiens. Overall, mutation pressure was found to be the most important and dominant force that shapes codon usage patterns in MARV. To our knowledge, this is the first detailed codon usage analysis of MARV and extends our understanding of the mechanisms that contribute to codon usage and evolution of MARV.

New Developments in Mass Spectrometry for Group-Type Analysis of Petroleum Cuts (First Part

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fafet A.

1999-07-01

Full Text Available Characterization of petroleum cuts constitutes a necessary stage to perfect understanding of the reaction mechanisms and to the description of the kinetics of certain refining processes such as hydrotreating or catalytic cracking. Mass spectrometry (MS, thanks to group-type quantitative analysis methods, enables to access detailed description of complex hydrocarbon mixtures such as middle distillates or heavy cuts such as vacuum distillates. But these methods are also subject to some drawbacks and we shall expose, thereunder, two examples of improvements. In a first part, the accuracy of MS quantification of thiophenic sulphured compounds in middle distillates is studied by intertechnique comparison with the results obtained by gas phase chromatography coupled to sulphur-specific detection by chemiluminescence (GC/SCD. Improving on the MS method is suggested. In the second part, a new system for introducing the sample in the spectrometer source, dedicated to group-type analysis of heavy cuts is described. Its validation, by comparison of the MS results to those of liquid chromatography (LC as well as its performances, is exposed.

Subcarrier Group Assignment for MC-CDMA Wireless Networks

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Le-Ngoc Tho

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Two interference-based subcarrier group assignment strategies in dynamic resource allocation are proposed for MC-CDMA wireless systems to achieve high throughput in a multicell environment. Least interfered group assignment (LIGA selects for each session the subcarrier group on which the user receives the minimum interference, while best channel ratio group assignment (BCRGA chooses the subcarrier group with the largest channel response-to-interference ratio. Both analytical framework and simulation model are developed for evaluation of throughput distribution of the proposed schemes. An iterative approach is devised to handle the complex interdependency between multicell interference profiles in the throughput analysis. Illustrative results show significant throughput improvement offered by the interference-based assignment schemes for MC-CDMA multicell wireless systems. In particular, under low loading conditions, LIGA renders the best performance. However, as the load increases BCRGA tends to offer superior performance.

Subcarrier Group Assignment for MC-CDMA Wireless Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tho Le-Ngoc

2007-12-01

Full Text Available Two interference-based subcarrier group assignment strategies in dynamic resource allocation are proposed for MC-CDMA wireless systems to achieve high throughput in a multicell environment. Least interfered group assignment (LIGA selects for each session the subcarrier group on which the user receives the minimum interference, while best channel ratio group assignment (BCRGA chooses the subcarrier group with the largest channel response-to-interference ratio. Both analytical framework and simulation model are developed for evaluation of throughput distribution of the proposed schemes. An iterative approach is devised to handle the complex interdependency between multicell interference profiles in the throughput analysis. Illustrative results show significant throughput improvement offered by the interference-based assignment schemes for MC-CDMA multicell wireless systems. In particular, under low loading conditions, LIGA renders the best performance. However, as the load increases BCRGA tends to offer superior performance.

Analysis of a support group for children of parents with mental illnesses: managing stressful situations.

Science.gov (United States)

Gladstone, Brenda M; McKeever, Patricia; Seeman, Mary; Boydell, Katherine M

2014-09-01

We report an ethnographic analysis of a psycho-education and peer-support program for school-aged children of parents with mental illnesses. We conducted a critical discourse analysis of the program manual and observed group interactions to understand whether children shared program goals predetermined by adults, and how, or if, the intervention was responsive to their needs. Children were expected to learn mental illness information because "knowledge is power," and to express difficult feelings about being a child of a mentally ill parent that was risky. Participants used humor to manage group expectations, revealing how they made sense of their parents' problems, as well as their own. Suggestions are made for determining good mental health literacy based on children's preferences for explaining circumstances in ways they find relevant, and for supporting children's competencies to manage relationships that are important to them. © The Author(s) 2014.

Thematic Analysis of the Experience of Group Music Therapy for People with Chronic Quadriplegia

Science.gov (United States)

Baker, Felicity A.; Grocke, Denise; Berlowitz, David J.

2014-01-01

Background: People living with quadriplegia are at risk for social isolation and depression. Research with other marginalized groups has indicated that music therapy can have a positive effect on mood and social interaction. Objective: To gather descriptions of participants’ experience of 2 types of group music therapy – therapeutic singing or music appreciation and relaxation – and to determine commonalities and differences between participants’ experience of these 2 methods. Methods: We interviewed 20 people with quadriplegia about their experience of participating in 12 weeks of therapeutic singing (n = 10) or music appreciation and relaxation (n = 10). These methods of group music therapy were the interventions tested in a previously reported randomized controlled trial. The interview data were subjected to an inductive thematic analysis. Results: Six main themes were generated from the interview data. Four of these were shared themes and indicated that both types of group music therapy had a positive effect on mood/mental state and physical state, encouraged social engagement, and reconnected participants with their music identity or relationship with music. In addition, the participants who participated in the singing groups found singing to be challenging and confronting, but experienced a general increase in motivation. Conclusions: Group music therapy was experienced as an enjoyable and accessible activity that reconnected participants with their own music. Participants frequently described positive shifts in mood and energy levels, and social interaction was stimulated both within and beyond the music therapy groups. PMID:25484569

Group-theoretical and topological analysis of localized rotation-vibration states

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sadovskii, D.A.; Zhilinskii, B.I.

1993-01-01

A general scheme of qualitative analysis is applied to molecular rovibrational problems. The classical-quantum correspondence provides a description of different classes of localized quantum rotation-vibration states associated with localized classical motion. A description of qualitative features, such as localized motion, and of qualitative changes, such as localization phenomena, is based on the concept of the simplest Hamiltonian. It uses only the topological properties of the compact reduced phase space and the action of the symmetry group on this space. The qualitative changes of the simplest Hamiltonian are analyzed as bifurcations caused by rotational or vibrational excitation. The relation between the stationary points of the classical Hamiltonian function on the reduced phase space and the principal periodic trajectories in the coordinate space is analyzed for vibrational Hamiltonians. In particular, the relation between the nonlinear normal modes, proposed by Montaldi, Roberts, and Stewart [Philos. Trans. R. Soc. London, Ser. A 325, 237 (1988)], and normal- and local-mode models widely used in molecular physics is discussed. Along with a general consideration of localized rotational and vibrational states a more detailed analysis of the vibrational dynamics of an X 3 molecule with the D 3h symmetry, such as the H 3 + molecular ion, is given

Association between anterior corneal astigmatism and posterior corneal astigmatism across age groups: a cross-sectional analysis

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Vijay Shetty

2017-11-01

Full Text Available AIM: To assess the anterior corneal astigmatism(ACAand posterior corneal astigmatism(PCApatterns across various age groups. We also evaluated the association between magnitudes and axes of the ACA and PCA across these age groups. METHODS: The present study was a cross-sectional analysis of clinical data of 381 eyes. We converted the clinical astigmatic notation to vector notation for analysis of ACA and PCA. We estimated the correlation between magnitude and axes of the ACA and PCA in the whole population and in four age groups(5-19, 20-39, 40-59, and ≥ 60y. We used random effects linear regression models for estimating the association between the magnitudes of ACA and PCA.RESULTS: The mean of the magnitude of the ACA(3.59Dand the PCA(0.50Dwas highest in children(5 to 9y. Overall, the magnitude of the ACA ranged from 0D to 10.0 Diopters(Dand the magnitude of the PCA ranged from 0 to 3.5 D. There was a significant correlation between the ACA and the PCA in the younger age group(r=0.85, PP=0.03with each unit increase in the ACA, the increase was the smallest in this age group.CONCLUSION: It will be prudent to measure the both the magnitude and axis of the PCA, particularly in those above 60y rather than rely on rule-of-thumb calculations based on ACA parameters for IOL power calculation.

What Really Happens in Quantitative Group Research? Results of a Content Analysis of Recent Quantitative Research in "JSGW"

Science.gov (United States)

Boyle, Lauren H.; Whittaker, Tiffany A.; Eyal, Maytal; McCarthy, Christopher J.

2017-01-01

The authors conducted a content analysis on quantitative studies published in "The Journal for Specialists in Group Work" ("JSGW") between 2012 and 2015. This brief report provides a general overview of the current practices of quantitative group research in counseling. The following study characteristics are reported and…

Sub-grouping and sub-functionalization of the RIFIN multi-copy protein family

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Sonnhammer Erik L

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Parasitic protozoans possess many multicopy gene families which have central roles in parasite survival and virulence. The number and variability of members of these gene families often make it difficult to predict possible functions of the encoded proteins. The families of extra-cellular proteins that are exposed to a host immune response have been driven via immune selection to become antigenically variant, and thereby avoid immune recognition while maintaining protein function to establish a chronic infection. Results We have combined phylogenetic and function shift analyses to study the evolution of the RIFIN proteins, which are antigenically variant and are encoded by the largest multicopy gene family in Plasmodium falciparum. We show that this family can be subdivided into two major groups that we named A- and B-RIFIN proteins. This suggested sub-grouping is supported by a recently published study that showed that, despite the presence of the Plasmodium export (PEXEL motif in all RIFIN variants, proteins from each group have different cellular localizations during the intraerythrocytic life cycle of the parasite. In the present study we show that function shift analysis, a novel technique to predict functional divergence between sub-groups of a protein family, indicates that RIFINs have undergone neo- or sub-functionalization. Conclusion These results question the general trend of clustering large antigenically variant protein groups into homogenous families. Assigning functions to protein families requires their subdivision into meaningful groups such as we have shown for the RIFIN protein family. Using phylogenetic and function shift analysis methods, we identify new directions for the investigation of this broad and complex group of proteins.

Soil bacteria show different tolerance ranges to an unprecedented disturbance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nunes, Ines Marques; Jurburg, Stephanie; Jacquiod, Samuel Jehan Auguste

2018-01-01

stress doses. FRG1, the most sensitive group, was dominated by Actinobacteria. FRG2 and FRG3, with intermediate tolerance, displayed prevalence of Proteobacteria, while FRG4, the most resistant group, was driven by Firmicutes. While the most sensitive FRGs showed predictable responses linked to changes...

EXPERIENTIAL GROUPS IN THE TRAINING OF GROUP COUNSELORS AND THERAPISTS: A VIEW FROM TRAINEES PERSPECTIVE

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Birutė Jakubkaitė

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Many theorists and practitioners believe that integration of theoretical knowledge, observation of proficient group counselor work, supervision of personal work with groups and personal experience as a group member help future group therapists to acquire skills necessary for group counseling. Personal experience can be acquired through participation in experiential groups. As it is little known of the personal experience of experiential group members, it is not sufficiently clear whether insights and opinions of these members are consistent with those emphasized in the literature about experiential groups in the training context. The aim of this research is to provide a structured description of experiences of experiential group participants in the training context: how trainees perceive experiential groups in the training context. To achieve this aim, a qualitative study strategy was employed which is particularly appropriate in cases when a research object has been little explored and results of available studies are controversial. The research was organized and carried out on the basis of the principles and requirements of thematic analysis. Students from one and the same Group Therapy training program of the Institute of Humanistic and Existential Psychology (Birštonas, Lithuania were chosen for this research. In addition to theoretical lectures, program participants went through three experiential groups that were led by experienced group counselors. The work of the group was observed by two program supervisors. Participants of the research were 8 persons aged from 29 to 48. Semi-structured interviews were used to gather research data. The participants were asked to share their experiences, mostly focusing on experiential groups. The analysis of the gathered data crystallized around 5 themes: preliminary expectations; goals of the experiential group; weakness and unsafety of the experiential group; experiential group process continuity

Factor analysis shows association between family activity environment and children's health behaviour.

Science.gov (United States)

Hendrie, Gilly A; Coveney, John; Cox, David N

2011-12-01

To characterise the family activity environment in a questionnaire format, assess the questionnaire's reliability and describe its predictive ability by examining the relationships between the family activity environment and children's health behaviours - physical activity, screen time and fruit and vegetable intake. This paper describes the creation of a tool, based on previously validated scales, adapted from the food domain. Data are from 106 children and their parents (Adelaide, South Australia). Factor analysis was used to characterise factors within the family activity environment. Pearson-Product Moment correlations between the family environment and child outcomes, controlling for demographic variation, were examined. Three factors described the family activity environment - parental activity involvement, opportunity for role modelling and parental support for physical activity - and explained 37.6% of the variance. Controlling for demographic factors, the scale was significantly correlated with children's health behaviour - physical activity (r=0.27), screen time (r=-0.24) and fruit and vegetable intake (r=0.34). The family activity environment questionnaire shows high internal consistency and moderate predictive ability. This study has built on previous research by taking a more comprehensive approach to measuring the family activity environment. This research suggests the family activity environment should be considered in family-based health promotion interventions. © 2011 The Authors. ANZJPH © 2011 Public Health Association of Australia.

A multi-group path analysis of the relationship between perceived racial discrimination and self-rated stress: how does it vary across racial/ethnic groups?

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Tse-Chuan; Chen, Danhong

2018-04-01

The objective of this study was to answer three questions: (1) Is perceived discrimination adversely related to self-rated stress via the social capital and health care system distrust pathways? (2) Does the relationship between perceived discrimination and self-rated stress vary across race/ethnicity groups? and (3) Do the two pathways differ by one's race/ethnicity background? Using the Philadelphia Health Management Corporation's Southeastern Pennsylvania Household Survey, we classified 9831 respondents into 4 race/ethnicity groups: non-Hispanic White (n = 6621), non-Hispanic Black (n = 2359), Hispanic (n = 505), and non-Hispanic other races (n = 346). Structural equation modeling was employed to simultaneously estimate five sets of equations, including the confirmatory factor analysis for both social capital and health care distrust and both direct and indirect effects from perceived discrimination to self-rated stress. The key findings drawn from the analysis include the following: (1) in general, people who experienced racial discrimination have higher distrust and weaker social capital than those without perceived discrimination and both distrust and social capital are ultimately related to self-rated stress. (2) The direct relationship between perceived discrimination and self-rated stress is found for all race/ethnicity groups (except non-Hispanic other races) and it does not vary across groups. (3) The two pathways can be applied to non-Hispanic White and Black, but for Hispanic and non-Hispanic other races, we found little evidence for the social capital pathway. For non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black, and Hispanic, perceived discrimination is negatively related to self-rated stress. This finding highlights the importance of reducing interpersonal discriminatory behavior even for non-Hispanic White. The health care system distrust pathway can be used to address the racial health disparity in stress as it holds true for all four race

[Differentiation of coding quality in orthopaedics by special, illustration-oriented case group analysis in the G-DRG System 2005].

Science.gov (United States)

Schütz, U; Reichel, H; Dreinhöfer, K

2007-01-01

We introduce a grouping system for clinical practice which allows the separation of DRG coding in specific orthopaedic groups based on anatomic regions, operative procedures, therapeutic interventions and morbidity equivalent diagnosis groups. With this, a differentiated aim-oriented analysis of illustrated internal DRG data becomes possible. The group-specific difference of the coding quality between the DRG groups following primary coding by the orthopaedic surgeon and final coding by the medical controlling is analysed. In a consecutive series of 1600 patients parallel documentation and group-specific comparison of the relevant DRG parameters were carried out in every case after primary and final coding. Analysing the group-specific share in the additional CaseMix coding, the group "spine surgery" dominated, closely followed by the groups "arthroplasty" and "surgery due to infection, tumours, diabetes". Altogether, additional cost-weight-relevant coding was necessary most frequently in the latter group (84%), followed by group "spine surgery" (65%). In DRGs representing conservative orthopaedic treatment documented procedures had nearly no influence on the cost weight. The introduced system of case group analysis in internal DRG documentation can lead to the detection of specific problems in primary coding and cost-weight relevant changes of the case mix. As an instrument for internal process control in the orthopaedic field, it can serve as a communicative interface between an economically oriented classification of the hospital performance and a specific problem solution of the medical staff involved in the department management.

Linear deformations of discrete groups and constructions of multivalued groups

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yagodovskii, Petr V

2000-01-01

We construct deformations of discrete multivalued groups described as special deformations of their group algebras in the class of finite-dimensional associative algebras. We show that the deformations of ordinary groups producing multivalued groups are defined by cocycles with coefficients in the group algebra of the original group and obtain classification theorems on these deformations. We indicate a connection between the linear deformations of discrete groups introduced in this paper and the well-known constructions of multivalued groups. We describe the manifold of three-dimensional associative commutative algebras with identity element, fixed basis, and a constant number of values. The group algebras of n-valued groups of order three (three-dimensional n-group algebras) form a discrete set in this manifold

Minimal sharing of Y-chromosome STR haplotypes among five endogamous population groups from western and southwestern India.

Science.gov (United States)

Das, Birajalaxmi; Chauhan, P S; Seshadri, M

2004-10-01

We attempt to address the issue of genetic variation and the pattern of male gene flow among and between five Indian population groups of two different geographic and linguistic affiliations using Y-chromosome markers. We studied 221 males at three Y-chromosome biallelic loci and 184 males for the five Y-chromosome STRs. We observed 111 Y-chromosome STR haplotypes. An analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) based on Y-chromosome STRs showed that the variation observed between the population groups belonging to two major regions (western and southwestern India) was 0.17%, which was significantly lower than the level of genetic variance among the five populations (0.59%) considered as a single group. Combined haplotype analysis of the five STRs and the biallelic locus 92R7 revealed minimal sharing of haplotypes among these five ethnic groups, irrespective of the similar origin of the linguistic and geographic affiliations; this minimal sharing indicates restricted male gene flow. As a consequence, most of the haplotypes were population specific. Network analysis showed that the haplotypes, which were shared between the populations, seem to have originated from different mutational pathways at different loci. Biallelic markers showed that all five ethnic groups have a similar ancestral origin despite their geographic and linguistic diversity.

Gene-set analysis shows association between FMRP targets and autism spectrum disorder

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jansen, Arija; Dieleman, Gwen C; Smit, August B; Verhage, Matthijs; Verhulst, Frank C; Polderman, Tinca J C; Posthuma, Danielle

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by problems with social interaction, communication, and repetitive and restricted behavior. Despite its high heritability and the substantial progress made in elucidating genetic associations, the corresponding

Analysis of Feedback processes in Online Group Interaction: a methodological model

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Anna Espasa

2013-06-01

Full Text Available The aim of this article is to present a methodological model to analyze students' group interaction to improve their essays in online learning environments, based on asynchronous and written communication. In these environments teacher and student scaffolds for discussion are essential to promote interaction. One of these scaffolds can be the feedback. Research on feedback processes has predominantly focused on feedback design rather than on how students utilize feedback to improve learning. This methodological model fills this gap contributing to analyse the implementation of the feedback processes while students discuss collaboratively in a specific case of writing assignments. A review of different methodological models was carried out to define a framework adjusted to the analysis of the relationship of written and asynchronous group interaction, and students' activity and changes incorporated into the final text. The model proposed includes the following dimensions: 1 student participation 2 nature of student learning and 3 quality of student learning. The main contribution of this article is to present the methodological model and also to ascertain the model's operativity regarding how students incorporate such feedback into their essays.

Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) Profile of Modified Sba-15 at Different Amount of Alkoxy silane Group

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Norhasyimi Rahmat; Nur Fathilah Mohd Yusof; Ezani Hafiza

2014-01-01

This study focused on meso porous silica SBA-15 modified with alkoxy silane functional group; phenyltriethoxysilane (PTES) and vinyltriethoxysilane (VTES) using direct synthesis and post-grafting methods. By direct synthesis method, SBA-15 template by triblock copolymer (P123) and functionalized with alkoxy silane groups at different amount of loadings were co-condensed with tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) under acidic conditions. As for post-grafting method, different loadings of alkoxy silane groups were added after co-condensation of TEOS with P123 template. Both synthesis methods used calcination process to remove surfactant template at 550 degree Celsius for 5 hours. The derivatized SBA-15 was characterized by thermogravimetric analysis to evaluate the profile at different loadings of alkoxy silane groups with different synthesis method. At temperature range of 300-800 degree Celsius, post-grafting method displayed the highest weight loss of phenyl and vinyl groups. However, there was no significant difference of weight loss for different amount of organo silane groups. In this study, TGA has shown to be significant characterization means to determine the effects of different method used in synthesizing modified SBA-15. It was shown that different loading of phenyl and vinyl groups did not affect the efficiency of surfactant removal. (author)

Financial liquidity analysis of CSR based Capital Group Żywiec SA

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Aleksandra Gąsior

2013-11-01

Full Text Available The article presents the Capital Group Grupa Żywiec plc. as an enterprise operating in food industry which has received a "Golden Leaf Award for CSR” (Pichola, Rudzki, 2013 and has been ranked among the top ten companies in the aforementioned sector. It is a beer producer, i.e. a good which is controversial in the opinion of society. In order to change the attitude of the public toward the Capital Group and show concern for ecological aspects, the company has made attempts to create and implement CSR strategy in formal terms. It should be emphasized that major shareholder (Heineken company has already been following the strategy of sustainable development referred to as Brewing a Better Future (Social Report, 2013. However, the period during which the aforementioned actions were taken arouses a number of doubts, e.g. if the enterprise is able to continue its activity having achieved a certain level of liquidity. In times of great financial crisis, which started at the turn of 2007 and 2008, maintaining adequate liquidity was the main problem. It was then that enterprises ought to pay special attention to this aspect (Gorczyńska, 2011; Raport, 2010. Having the above in mind, the paper discusses issues relating to financial liquidity of the Capital Group Żywiec plc. in times of economic crisis and at the initial stage of CSR strategy implementation. Case study is the main method employed to verify the hypothesis formulated at the beginning of the article. Selected financial ratios are used in order to compare the liquidity of the Capital Group with the liquidity of the entire sector.

Robotic Assisted Radical Cystectomy with Extracorporeal Urinary Diversion Does Not Show a Benefit over Open Radical Cystectomy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomised Controlled Trials.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wei Shen Tan

Full Text Available The number of robotic assisted radical cystectomy (RARC procedures is increasing despite the lack of Level I evidence showing any advantages over open radical cystectomy (ORC. However, several systematic reviews with meta-analyses including non-randomised studies, suggest an overall benefit for RARC compared to ORC. We performed a systematic review with meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials (RCTs to evaluate the perioperative morbidity and efficacy of RARC compared to ORC in patients with bladder cancer.Literature searches of Medline/Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science and clinicaltrials.gov databases up to 10th March 2016 were performed. The inclusion criteria for eligible studies were RCTs which compared perioperative outcomes of ORC and RARC for bladder cancer. Primary objective was perioperative and histopathological outcomes of RARC versus ORC while the secondary objective was quality of life assessment (QoL, oncological outcomes and cost analysis.Four RCTs (from 5 articles met the inclusion criteria, with a total of 239 patients all with extracorporeal urinary diversion. Patient demographics and clinical characteristics of RARC and ORC patients were evenly matched. There was no significant difference between groups in perioperative morbidity, length of stay, positive surgical margin, lymph node yield and positive lymph node status. RARC group had significantly lower estimated blood loss (p<0.001 and wound complications (p = 0.03 but required significantly longer operating time (p<0.001. QoL was not measured uniformly across trials and cost analysis was reported in one RCTs. A test for heterogeneity did highlight differences across operating time of trials suggesting that surgeon experience may influence outcomes.This study does not provide evidence to support a benefit for RARC compared to ORC. These results may not have inference for RARC with intracorporeal urinary diversion. Well-designed trials with appropriate endpoints conducted

GroupFinder

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bøgh, Kenneth Sejdenfaden; Skovsgaard, Anders; Jensen, Christian S.

2013-01-01

. Such groups are relevant to users who wish to conveniently explore several options before making a decision such as to purchase a specific product. Specifically, we demonstrate a practical proposal for finding top-k PoI groups in response to a query. We show how problem parameter settings can be mapped...

Effectiveness of Group-Delivered Cognitive Therapy and Treatment Length in Women Veterans with PTSD

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Diane T. Castillo

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The effectiveness and length of group-delivered cognitive treatment for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD was examined in a sample of women veterans. The sample included 271 primarily non-Hispanic white (61% and Hispanic (25% women veterans treated in 8-, 10-, or 12-group length sessions with manualized cognitive therapy for PTSD. Outcome was measured with the PTSD Symptom Checklist (PCL in an intention-to-treat analysis (N = 271, in completer subjects (n = 172, and with group as the unit of analysis (n = 47 groups. Significant decreases in PTSD were found in the full sample (effect size [ES] range = 0.27 to 0.38, completers (ES range = 0.37 to 0.54, and group as the unit of analysis (ES range = 0.71 to 0.92, suggesting effectiveness of cognitive group treatment for PTSD. PCL scores significantly improved in the 8, 10, and 12 group lengths, with no differences between each. Clinical improvement showed a third decreasing 10 or more PCL points and 22% no longer meeting PTSD diagnostic criteria, with the best results in the 10-session group. The results suggest group-delivered cognitive therapy is an effective, efficient, time-limited treatment for PTSD.

Autocracy bias in informal groups under need for closure.

Science.gov (United States)

Pierro, Antonio; Mannetti, Lucia; De Grada, Eraldo; Livi, Stefano; Kruglanski, Arie W

2003-03-01

Two experiments investigated the tendency of groups with members under high (vs. low) need for cognitive closure to develop an autocratic leadership structure in which some members dominate the discussion, constitute the "hubs" of communication, and influence the group more than other members. The first experiment found that high (vs. low) need for closure groups, as assessed via dispositional measure of the need for closure, manifested greater asymmetry of conversational floor control, such that members with autocratic interactional style were more conversationally dominant and influential than less autocratic members. The second experiment manipulated the need for closure via time pressure and utilized a social network analysis. Consistent with expectation, groups under time pressure (vs. no pressure) showed a greater asymmetry of participation, of centrality, and of prestige among the group members, such that the more focal members were perceived to exert the greater influence over the groups' decisions.

Cognitive synergy in groups and group-to-individual transfer of decision-making competencies

Science.gov (United States)

Curşeu, Petru L.; Meslec, Nicoleta; Pluut, Helen; Lucas, Gerardus J. M.

2015-01-01

In a field study (148 participants organized in 38 groups) we tested the effect of group synergy and one's position in relation to the collaborative zone of proximal development (CZPD) on the change of individual decision-making competencies. We used two parallel sets of decision tasks reported in previous research to test rationality and we evaluated individual decision-making competencies in the pre-group and post-group conditions as well as group rationality (as an emergent group level phenomenon). We used multilevel modeling to analyze the data and the results showed that members of synergetic groups had a higher cognitive gain as compared to members of non-synergetic groups, while highly rational members (members above the CZPD) had lower cognitive gains compared to less rational group members (members situated below the CZPD). These insights extend the literature on group-to-individual transfer of learning and have important practical implications as they show that group dynamics influence the development of individual decision-making competencies. PMID:26441750

Cognitive synergy in groups and group-to-individual transfer of decision-making competencies.

Science.gov (United States)

Curşeu, Petru L; Meslec, Nicoleta; Pluut, Helen; Lucas, Gerardus J M

2015-01-01

In a field study (148 participants organized in 38 groups) we tested the effect of group synergy and one's position in relation to the collaborative zone of proximal development (CZPD) on the change of individual decision-making competencies. We used two parallel sets of decision tasks reported in previous research to test rationality and we evaluated individual decision-making competencies in the pre-group and post-group conditions as well as group rationality (as an emergent group level phenomenon). We used multilevel modeling to analyze the data and the results showed that members of synergetic groups had a higher cognitive gain as compared to members of non-synergetic groups, while highly rational members (members above the CZPD) had lower cognitive gains compared to less rational group members (members situated below the CZPD). These insights extend the literature on group-to-individual transfer of learning and have important practical implications as they show that group dynamics influence the development of individual decision-making competencies.

Analysis of Conceptualization Patterns across Groups of People

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Glückstad, Fumiko Kano; Herlau, Tue; Schmidt, Mikkel Nørgaard

2013-01-01

This paper analyzes patterns of conceptualizations possessed by different groups of subjects. The eventual goal of this work is to dynamically learn and structure semantic representations for groups of people sharing domain knowledge. In this paper, we conduct a survey for collecting data...

Interpersonal processes in psychodynamic-interpersonal and cognitive behavioral group therapy: a systematic case study of two groups.

Science.gov (United States)

Tasca, Giorgio A; Foot, Meredith; Leite, Catherine; Maxwell, Hilary; Balfour, Louise; Bissada, Hany

2011-09-01

This mixed method systematic case study applied an interpersonal stage model of the therapeutic process to examine interpersonal processes among a highly adherent Group Psychodynamic-Interpersonal Psychotherapy (GPIP) therapist and a highly adherent Group Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (GCBT) therapist and their groups of binge eating disordered (BED) patients. This is the first case study to apply the interpersonal stage model of psychotherapy to compare GCBT and GPIP methods and the first to apply the model to group therapy. Early-, middle-, and late-stage transcribed video recordings of sequential interactions among therapists and patients in each of these two time-limited group therapies were analyzed with the Structural Analysis of Social Behavior (SASB). We also provide qualitative presentations of the transcripts from each stage as context for the quantitative analyses. BED patients in both groups achieved positive outcomes for binge eating and depression. Consistent with their treatment model, the GPIP therapist was more autonomy-giving, whereas the GCBT therapist was more controlling/directive. The GPIP therapist and her group had high levels of interpersonal complementary interaction sequences in the early stage followed by lower complementarity in the middle stage. The GCBT therapist and her group showed a high-low-high pattern of complementarity across the three stage of therapy. However, overall the GPIP group had higher levels complementarity than the GCBT group. This mixed method case study of group processes based on an interpersonal stage model of psychotherapy suggested specific therapist behaviors in each modality to maximize positive therapeutic interactions at each stage of group therapy. (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved.

Application of AHP-Ansoff Matrix Analysis in Business Diversification: The case of Evergrande Group

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Yin Nan

2016-01-01

Full Text Available A new method of enterprise strategic research, the AHP—Ansoff Matrix analysis method, is put forward in this paper for the first time and applied in the enterprise practices. By using this research method, the development strategy of enterprise diversification is analyzed scientifically and reasonably with Evergrande group as the example. And finally, main procedures of the method are summarized.

Application of AHP-Ansoff Matrix Analysis in Business Diversification: The case of Evergrande Group

OpenAIRE

Yin Nan

2016-01-01

A new method of enterprise strategic research, the AHP—Ansoff Matrix analysis method, is put forward in this paper for the first time and applied in the enterprise practices. By using this research method, the development strategy of enterprise diversification is analyzed scientifically and reasonably with Evergrande group as the example. And finally, main procedures of the method are summarized.

Effect of phase-encoding direction on group analysis of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Mori, Yasuo; Miyata, Jun; Isobe, Masanori; Son, Shuraku; Yoshihara, Yujiro; Aso, Toshihiko; Kouchiyama, Takanori; Murai, Toshiya; Takahashi, Hidehiko

2018-05-17

Echo-planar imaging is a common technique used in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), however it suffers from image distortion and signal loss because of large susceptibility effects that are related to the phase-encoding direction of the scan. Despite this relationship, the majority of neuroimaging studies have not considered the influence of phase-encoding direction. Here, we aimed to clarify how phase-encoding direction can affect the outcome of an fMRI connectivity study of schizophrenia. Resting-state fMRI using anterior to posterior (A-P) and posterior to anterior (P-A) directions was used to examine 25 patients with schizophrenia (SC) and 37 matched healthy controls (HC). We conducted a functional connectivity analysis using independent component analysis and performed three group comparisons: A-P vs. P-A (all participants), SC vs. HC for the A-P and P-A datasets, and the interaction between phase-encoding direction and participant group. The estimated functional connectivity differed between the two phase-encoding directions in areas that were more extensive than those where signal loss has been reported. Although functional connectivity in the SC group was lower than that in the HC group for both directions, the A-P and P-A conditions did not exhibit the same specific pattern of differences. Further, we observed an interaction between participant group and the phase-encoding direction in the left temporo-parietal junction and left fusiform gyrus. Phase-encoding direction can influence the results of functional connectivity studies. Thus, appropriate selection and documentation of phase-encoding direction will be important in future resting-state fMRI studies. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Environmental pressure group strength and air pollution. An empirical analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Binder, Seth; Neumayer, Eric [Department of Geography and Environment and Center for Environmental Policy and Governance (CEPG), London School of Economics and Political Science, Houghton Street, London WC2A 2AE (United Kingdom)

2005-12-01

There is an established theoretical and empirical case-study literature arguing that environmental pressure groups have a real impact on pollution levels. Our original contribution to this literature is to provide the first systematic quantitative test of the strength of environmental non-governmental organizations (ENGOs) on air pollution levels. We find that ENGO strength exerts a statistically significant impact on sulfur dioxide, smoke and heavy particulates concentration levels in a cross-country time-series regression analysis. This result holds true both for ordinary least squares and random-effects estimation. It is robust to controlling for the potential endogeneity of ENGO strength with the help of instrumental variables. The effect is also substantively important. Strengthening ENGOs represents an important strategy by which aid donors, foundations, international organizations and other stakeholders can try to achieve lower pollution levels around the world.

Environmental pressure group strength and air pollution. An empirical analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Binder, Seth; Neumayer, Eric

2005-01-01

There is an established theoretical and empirical case-study literature arguing that environmental pressure groups have a real impact on pollution levels. Our original contribution to this literature is to provide the first systematic quantitative test of the strength of environmental non-governmental organizations (ENGOs) on air pollution levels. We find that ENGO strength exerts a statistically significant impact on sulfur dioxide, smoke and heavy particulates concentration levels in a cross-country time-series regression analysis. This result holds true both for ordinary least squares and random-effects estimation. It is robust to controlling for the potential endogeneity of ENGO strength with the help of instrumental variables. The effect is also substantively important. Strengthening ENGOs represents an important strategy by which aid donors, foundations, international organizations and other stakeholders can try to achieve lower pollution levels around the world

Student Teaching Abroad Inter-Group Outcomes: A Comparative, Country-Specific Analysis

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Binbin Jiang

2010-11-01

Full Text Available As student diversity becomes the norm in U.S. schools, future teachers must be comprehensively prepared to work with the increasingly diverse student population through application of informed instruction that enhances general and individual student learning and outcomes. Teacher Education programs increasingly promote student teaching in international settings as a substantive step to develop teachers who embody these new competencies and instructional practices. The proposed paper presentation offers a framework and analysis highlighting similarities and differences between two groups of student teachers in Belize (2005 and 2008. Findings are comparative and relate to the type and degree of (1 cultural-, professional-, and character-development influences on student teachers, and (2 emergent common intergroup patterns.

Alcohol Content in the 'Hyper-Reality' MTV Show 'Geordie Shore'.

Science.gov (United States)

Lowe, Eden; Britton, John; Cranwell, Jo

2018-05-01

To quantify the occurrence of alcohol content, including alcohol branding, in the popular primetime television UK Reality TV show 'Geordie Shore' Series 11. A 1-min interval coding content analysis of alcohol content in the entire DVD Series 11 of 'Geordie Shore' (10 episodes). Occurrence of alcohol use, implied use, other alcohol reference/paraphernalia or branding was recorded. All categories of alcohol were present in all episodes. 'Any alcohol' content occurred in 78%, 'actual alcohol use' in 30%, 'inferred alcohol use' in 72%, and all 'other' alcohol references occurred in 59% of all coding intervals (ACIs), respectively. Brand appearances occurred in 23% of ACIs. The most frequently observed alcohol brand was Smirnoff which appeared in 43% of all brand appearances. Episodes categorized as suitable for viewing by adolescents below the legal drinking age of 18 years comprised of 61% of all brand appearances. Alcohol content, including branding, is highly prevalent in the UK Reality TV show 'Geordie Shore' Series 11. Two-thirds of all alcohol branding occurred in episodes age-rated by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) as suitable for viewers aged 15 years. The organizations OfCom, Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) and the Portman Group should implement more effective policies to reduce adolescent exposure to on-screen drinking. The drinks industry should consider demanding the withdrawal of their brands from the show. Alcohol content, including branding, is highly prevalent in the MTV reality TV show 'Geordie Shore' Series 11. Current alcohol regulation is failing to protect young viewers from exposure to such content.

Association of HIV prevalence and concurrency of sexual partnerships in South Africa’s language groups: An ecological analysis

OpenAIRE

Chris Kenyon

2013-01-01

Background. There is considerable variation in HIV prevalence between different language groups in South Africa (SA). Sexual partner concurrency has been linked to the spread of HIV, but its effect on differential HIV transmission within SA’s language groups has not been investigated quantitatively. Objective. This ecological analysis was intended to explore the degree to which the variation in HIV prevalence according to language group can be explained by differential concurrency rates. ...

Influence of ABO blood group on sports performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Lippi, Giuseppe; Gandini, Giorgio; Salvagno, Gian Luca; Skafidas, Spyros; Festa, Luca; Danese, Elisa; Montagnana, Martina; Sanchis-Gomar, Fabian; Tarperi, Cantor; Schena, Federico

2017-06-01

Despite being a recessive trait, the O blood group is the most frequent worldwide among the ABO blood types. Since running performance has been recognized as a major driver of evolutionary advantage in humans, we planned a study to investigate whether the ABO blood group may have an influence on endurance running performance in middle-aged recreational athletes. The study population consisted of 52 recreational, middle-aged, Caucasian athletes (mean age: 49±13 years, body mass index, 23.4±2.3 kg/m 2 ), regularly engaged in endurance activity. The athletes participated to a scientific event called "Run for Science" (R4S), entailing the completion of a 21.1 km (half-marathon) run under competing conditions. The ABO blood type status of the participants was provided by the local Service of Transfusion Medicine. In univariate analysis, running performance was significantly associated with age and weekly training, but not with body mass index. In multiple linear regression analysis, age and weekly training remained significantly associated with running performance. The ABO blood group status was also found to be independently associated with running time, with O blood type athletes performing better than those with non-O blood groups. Overall, age, weekly training and O blood group type explained 62.2% of the total variance of running performance (age, 41.6%; training regimen, 10.5%; ABO blood group, 10.1%). The results of our study show that recreational athletes with O blood group have better endurance performance compared to those with non-O blood group types. This finding may provide additional support to the putative evolutionary advantages of carrying the O blood group.

From root to fruit: RNA-Seq analysis shows that arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis may affect tomato fruit metabolism.

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Zouari, Inès; Salvioli, Alessandra; Chialva, Matteo; Novero, Mara; Miozzi, Laura; Tenore, Gian Carlo; Bagnaresi, Paolo; Bonfante, Paola

2014-03-21

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) establishes a beneficial symbiosis with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi. The formation of the mycorrhizal association in the roots leads to plant-wide modulation of gene expression. To understand the systemic effect of the fungal symbiosis on the tomato fruit, we used RNA-Seq to perform global transcriptome profiling on Moneymaker tomato fruits at the turning ripening stage. Fruits were collected at 55 days after flowering, from plants colonized with Funneliformis mosseae and from control plants, which were fertilized to avoid responses related to nutrient deficiency. Transcriptome analysis identified 712 genes that are differentially expressed in fruits from mycorrhizal and control plants. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis of these genes showed 81 overrepresented functional GO classes. Up-regulated GO classes include photosynthesis, stress response, transport, amino acid synthesis and carbohydrate metabolism functions, suggesting a general impact of fungal symbiosis on primary metabolisms and, particularly, on mineral nutrition. Down-regulated GO classes include cell wall, metabolism and ethylene response pathways. Quantitative RT-PCR validated the RNA-Seq results for 12 genes out of 14 when tested at three fruit ripening stages, mature green, breaker and turning. Quantification of fruit nutraceutical and mineral contents produced values consistent with the expression changes observed by RNA-Seq analysis. This RNA-Seq profiling produced a novel data set that explores the intersection of mycorrhization and fruit development. We found that the fruits of mycorrhizal plants show two transcriptomic "signatures": genes characteristic of a climacteric fleshy fruit, and genes characteristic of mycorrhizal status, like phosphate and sulphate transporters. Moreover, mycorrhizal plants under low nutrient conditions produce fruits with a nutrient content similar to those from non-mycorrhizal plants under high nutrient conditions

Stakeholder Groups of Public and Private Universities in the Czech Republic – Identification, Categorization and Prioritization

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Slabá Marie

2015-09-01

Full Text Available With regard to changes in the environment of tertiary education and tertiary educational systems, universities are now unlikely to succeed as ‘separated closed’ institutions that are unresponsive to their environment and stakeholders. Stakeholder analysis is considered as an important part of university management and marketing and universities have to take care of key stakeholder groups and build long term relationships with them. This paper focuses on the stakeholder analysis and adopts the stake-holder theory and analysis for the needs of the Czech market of tertiary education. This paper analyses results of the author’s online questionnaire that provided the input for data analysis deploying basic descriptive analysis and first steps of stakeholder analysis – identification, categorization and prioritization. Results of author’s research show that there are only slight differences between public and private universities and their perspective concerning generic stakeholder groups of universities. However the research revealed two controversial stakeholder groups – donors and competitors. In comparison with other stakeholder groups perception of these two stakeholder groups by public and private universities is very different. Stakeholder groups of public and private universities were categorized into four basic groups - primary internal stakeholder groups, primary external stakeholder groups, secondary internal stakeholder groups, and secondary external stakeholder groups. Primary internal and external stakeholder groups which are crucial for survival of universities are the most important stakeholder groups for universities. The author identified ten most important stakeholder groups for public and private universities separately, based on assigned priorities that will be used for further research.

Group cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia: a meta-analysis

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Beatriz Navarro-Bravo

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background: insomnia is a highly prevalent disorder in the general population and in clinical practice. Although pharmacological treatment is the most widespread choice, psychological treatment appears to have longer lasting effects. The main objective of this meta-analysis was to assess the cognitive-behavioural group therapy treatment for insomnia. Method: a systematic search for cognitive-behavioural therapy clinical trials in Pubmed, PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, Scielo, WOK, Cochrane, Scopus and Embase. 153 articles were reviewed, of which 9 met inclusion criteria for the metaanalysis. Adding up the data from all 9 trials, a total of 699 people completed the post-test phase. Results: after finishing cognitive-behavioural therapy, significant improvements regarding insomnia were found according to the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and Insomnia Severity Index, sleep latency, wake after sleep onset and sleep efficiency. There were no significant improvements in total sleep time. Conclusions: the results from experimental studies on cognitive-behavioural therapy as an insomnia treatment clearly suggest a positive impact on symptoms, as assessed using both validated scales and sleep diaries.

Endogenous Oxytocin Release Eliminates In-Group Bias in Monetary Transfers With Perspective-Taking

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Elizabeth T. Terris

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Oxytocin (OT has been shown to facilitate trust, empathy and other prosocial behaviors. At the same time, there is evidence that exogenous OT infusion may not result in prosocial behaviors in all contexts, increasing in-group biases in a number of studies. The current investigation seeks to resolve this inconsistency by examining if endogenous OT release is associated with in-group bias. We studied a large group of participants (N = 399 in existing groups and randomly formed groups. Participants provided two blood samples to measure the change in OT after a group salience task and then made computer-mediated monetary transfer decisions to in-group and out-group members. Our results show that participants with an increase in endogenous OT showed no bias in monetary offers in the ultimatum game (UG to out-group members compared to in-groups. There was also no bias in accepting UG offers, though in-group bias persisted for a unilateral monetary transfer. Our analysis shows that the strength of identification with one’s group diminished the effects that an increase in OT had on reducing bias, but bias only recurred when group identification reached 87% of its maximum value. Our results indicate that the endogenous OT system appears to reduce in-group bias in some contexts, particularly those that require perspective-taking.

Endogenous Oxytocin Release Eliminates In-Group Bias in Monetary Transfers With Perspective-Taking.

Science.gov (United States)

Terris, Elizabeth T; Beavin, Laura E; Barraza, Jorge A; Schloss, Jeff; Zak, Paul J

2018-01-01

Oxytocin (OT) has been shown to facilitate trust, empathy and other prosocial behaviors. At the same time, there is evidence that exogenous OT infusion may not result in prosocial behaviors in all contexts, increasing in-group biases in a number of studies. The current investigation seeks to resolve this inconsistency by examining if endogenous OT release is associated with in-group bias. We studied a large group of participants ( N = 399) in existing groups and randomly formed groups. Participants provided two blood samples to measure the change in OT after a group salience task and then made computer-mediated monetary transfer decisions to in-group and out-group members. Our results show that participants with an increase in endogenous OT showed no bias in monetary offers in the ultimatum game (UG) to out-group members compared to in-groups. There was also no bias in accepting UG offers, though in-group bias persisted for a unilateral monetary transfer. Our analysis shows that the strength of identification with one's group diminished the effects that an increase in OT had on reducing bias, but bias only recurred when group identification reached 87% of its maximum value. Our results indicate that the endogenous OT system appears to reduce in-group bias in some contexts, particularly those that require perspective-taking.

Design and evaluation of learning strategies for a group of radiographers in radiostereometric analysis (RSA)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Muharemovic, O; Troelsen, A; Thomsen, M G

2017-01-01

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to design and evaluate a radiostereometric analysis (RSA) program aimed at radiographers in order to increase their cognitive and practical skills, thereby increasing image quality and minimizing exposure repetition. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Twenty...... radiographers were randomized into two identically sized study groups. Training consisted of a theoretical and practical workshop using a phantom. Tests were performed to compare the effect of training to nontraining, and the effect of time duration on the maintenance of RSA skills. The effect of training...... after training group B had experienced overall significant improvement on a par with group A. CONCLUSION: It is realistic to implement an RSA X-ray training program where radiographers significantly improve their theoretical and practical skills in centering the CP closer to the CCF, NB and RP...

Growth conditions of 0-group plaice Pleuronectes platessa in the western Wadden Sea as revealed by otolith microstructure analysis

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Cardoso, Joana F. M. F.; Freitas, Vânia; de Paoli, Hélène; Witte, Johannes IJ.; van der Veer, Henk W.

2016-05-01

Growth studies based on population-based growth estimates are limited by the fact that they do not take into account differences in age/size structure within the population. To overcome these problems, otolith microstructure analysis is often used to estimate individual growth. Here, we analyse growth of 0-group plaice in the western Wadden Sea in two years: a year preceded by a mild winter (1995) and a year preceded by a severe winter (1996). Growth was analysed by combining information on individual growth based on otolith analysis with predictions of maximum growth (= under optimal food conditions) based on a Dynamic Energy Budget model. Otolith analysis revealed that settlement occurred earlier in 1995 than in 1996. In both years, one main cohort was found, followed by a group of late settlers. No differences in mean length-at-age were found between these groups. DEB modelling suggested that growth was not maximal during the whole growing season: realized growth (the fraction of maximum growth realized by 0-group plaice) declined in the summer, although this decline was relatively small. In addition, late settling individuals exhibited lower realized growth than individuals from the main cohort. This study confirms that growth conditions for 0-group plaice are not optimal and that a growth reduction occurs in summer, as suggested in previous studies.

Clinical gait analysis : A review of research at the Interdepartmental Research group of Kinesiology in Leiden

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Daanen, H. A M

1990-01-01

In this article the methodology used in the Interdepartmental Research Group of Kinesiology to quantify (clinical) human gait is elaborated upon. Four methods are described: analysis of temporal parameters, goniometry, accelerometry and electromyography. A correct representation of electromyographic

Tomato Fruits Show Wide Phenomic Diversity but Fruit Developmental Genes Show Low Genomic Diversity.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vijee Mohan

Full Text Available Domestication of tomato has resulted in large diversity in fruit phenotypes. An intensive phenotyping of 127 tomato accessions from 20 countries revealed extensive morphological diversity in fruit traits. The diversity in fruit traits clustered the accessions into nine classes and identified certain promising lines having desirable traits pertaining to total soluble salts (TSS, carotenoids, ripening index, weight and shape. Factor analysis of the morphometric data from Tomato Analyzer showed that the fruit shape is a complex trait shared by several factors. The 100% variance between round and flat fruit shapes was explained by one discriminant function having a canonical correlation of 0.874 by stepwise discriminant analysis. A set of 10 genes (ACS2, COP1, CYC-B, RIN, MSH2, NAC-NOR, PHOT1, PHYA, PHYB and PSY1 involved in various plant developmental processes were screened for SNP polymorphism by EcoTILLING. The genetic diversity in these genes revealed a total of 36 non-synonymous and 18 synonymous changes leading to the identification of 28 haplotypes. The average frequency of polymorphism across the genes was 0.038/Kb. Significant negative Tajima'D statistic in two of the genes, ACS2 and PHOT1 indicated the presence of rare alleles in low frequency. Our study indicates that while there is low polymorphic diversity in the genes regulating plant development, the population shows wider phenotype diversity. Nonetheless, morphological and genetic diversity of the present collection can be further exploited as potential resources in future.

Recruitment Methods and Show Rates to a Prostate Cancer Early Detection Program for High-Risk Men: A Comprehensive Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Giri, Veda N.; Coups, Elliot J.; Ruth, Karen; Goplerud, Julia; Raysor, Susan; Kim, Taylor Y.; Bagden, Loretta; Mastalski, Kathleen; Zakrzewski, Debra; Leimkuhler, Suzanne; Watkins-Bruner, Deborah

2009-01-01

Purpose Men with a family history (FH) of prostate cancer (PCA) and African American (AA) men are at higher risk for PCA. Recruitment and retention of these high-risk men into early detection programs has been challenging. We report a comprehensive analysis on recruitment methods, show rates, and participant factors from the Prostate Cancer Risk Assessment Program (PRAP), which is a prospective, longitudinal PCA screening study. Materials and Methods Men 35–69 years are eligible if they have a FH of PCA, are AA, or have a BRCA1/2 mutation. Recruitment methods were analyzed with respect to participant demographics and show to the first PRAP appointment using standard statistical methods Results Out of 707 men recruited, 64.9% showed to the initial PRAP appointment. More individuals were recruited via radio than from referral or other methods (χ2 = 298.13, p < .0001). Men recruited via radio were more likely to be AA (p<0.001), less educated (p=0.003), not married or partnered (p=0.007), and have no FH of PCA (p<0.001). Men recruited via referrals had higher incomes (p=0.007). Men recruited via referral were more likely to attend their initial PRAP visit than those recruited by radio or other methods (χ2 = 27.08, p < .0001). Conclusions This comprehensive analysis finds that radio leads to higher recruitment of AA men with lower socioeconomic status. However, these are the high-risk men that have lower show rates for PCA screening. Targeted motivational measures need to be studied to improve show rates for PCA risk assessment for these high-risk men. PMID:19758657

Minimal groups increase young children's motivation and learning on group-relevant tasks.

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Master, Allison; Walton, Gregory M

2013-01-01

Three experiments (N = 130) used a minimal group manipulation to show that just perceived membership in a social group boosts young children's motivation for and learning from group-relevant tasks. In Experiment 1, 4-year-old children assigned to a minimal "puzzles group" persisted longer on a challenging puzzle than children identified as the "puzzles child" or children in a control condition. Experiment 2 showed that this boost in motivation occurred only when the group was associated with the task. In Experiment 3, children assigned to a minimal group associated with word learning learned more words than children assigned an analogous individual identity. The studies demonstrate that fostering shared motivations may be a powerful means by which to shape young children's academic outcomes. © 2012 The Authors. Child Development © 2012 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

Non-commutative representation for quantum systems on Lie groups

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Raasakka, Matti Tapio

2014-01-27

The topic of this thesis is a new representation for quantum systems on weakly exponential Lie groups in terms of a non-commutative algebra of functions, the associated non-commutative harmonic analysis, and some of its applications to specific physical systems. In the first part of the thesis, after a review of the necessary mathematical background, we introduce a {sup *}-algebra that is interpreted as the quantization of the canonical Poisson structure of the cotangent bundle over a Lie group. From the physics point of view, this represents the algebra of quantum observables of a physical system, whose configuration space is a Lie group. We then show that this quantum algebra can be represented either as operators acting on functions on the group, the usual group representation, or (under suitable conditions) as elements of a completion of the universal enveloping algebra of the Lie group, the algebra representation. We further apply the methods of deformation quantization to obtain a representation of the same algebra in terms of a non-commutative algebra of functions on a Euclidean space, which we call the non-commutative representation of the original quantum algebra. The non-commutative space that arises from the construction may be interpreted as the quantum momentum space of the physical system. We derive the transform between the group representation and the non-commutative representation that generalizes in a natural way the usual Fourier transform, and discuss key properties of this new non-commutative harmonic analysis. Finally, we exhibit the explicit forms of the non-commutative Fourier transform for three elementary Lie groups: R{sup d}, U(1) and SU(2). In the second part of the thesis, we consider application of the non-commutative representation and harmonic analysis to physics. First, we apply the formalism to quantum mechanics of a point particle on a Lie group. We define the dual non-commutative momentum representation, and derive the phase

Non-commutative representation for quantum systems on Lie groups

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raasakka, Matti Tapio

2014-01-01

The topic of this thesis is a new representation for quantum systems on weakly exponential Lie groups in terms of a non-commutative algebra of functions, the associated non-commutative harmonic analysis, and some of its applications to specific physical systems. In the first part of the thesis, after a review of the necessary mathematical background, we introduce a * -algebra that is interpreted as the quantization of the canonical Poisson structure of the cotangent bundle over a Lie group. From the physics point of view, this represents the algebra of quantum observables of a physical system, whose configuration space is a Lie group. We then show that this quantum algebra can be represented either as operators acting on functions on the group, the usual group representation, or (under suitable conditions) as elements of a completion of the universal enveloping algebra of the Lie group, the algebra representation. We further apply the methods of deformation quantization to obtain a representation of the same algebra in terms of a non-commutative algebra of functions on a Euclidean space, which we call the non-commutative representation of the original quantum algebra. The non-commutative space that arises from the construction may be interpreted as the quantum momentum space of the physical system. We derive the transform between the group representation and the non-commutative representation that generalizes in a natural way the usual Fourier transform, and discuss key properties of this new non-commutative harmonic analysis. Finally, we exhibit the explicit forms of the non-commutative Fourier transform for three elementary Lie groups: R d , U(1) and SU(2). In the second part of the thesis, we consider application of the non-commutative representation and harmonic analysis to physics. First, we apply the formalism to quantum mechanics of a point particle on a Lie group. We define the dual non-commutative momentum representation, and derive the phase space path

Is There an Association between Keloids and Blood Groups?

Science.gov (United States)

Mouhari-Toure, Abas; Saka, Bayaki; Kombaté, Koussaké; Akakpo, Sefako; Egbohou, Palakiyem; Tchangaï-Walla, Kissem; Pitche, Palokinam

2012-01-01

Objective. The aim of the study is to investigate the possible associations between the blood groups ABO and Rhesus systems and the presence of keloids in patients with black skin. Method. This case-control study was conducted between September 2007 and August 2011 comparing dermatologic outpatients with keloids to matched controls recruited in preanesthetic consultation at Tokoin Teaching Hospital of Lomé (Togo). Results. The distribution of different ABO blood groups and Rhesus blood groups in both groups (cases versus controls) was not significantly different. This distribution of different blood groups was superimposed on the general population of blood donors at the National Blood Transfusion Center of Lomé. Univariate analysis between each blood group and the presence of keloid does not yield any statistically significant association between blood groups and presence of keloids in the subjects. Conclusion. The study shows no significant association between blood groups and the presence of keloids in our patients. Further investigation needs to be conducted to elucidate this hypothesis further by conducting multicenter studies of several ethnic groups.

Using the event analysis of systemic teamwork (EAST) to explore conflicts between different road user groups when making right hand turns at urban intersections.

Science.gov (United States)

Salmon, Paul M; Lenne, Michael G; Walker, Guy H; Stanton, Neville A; Filtness, Ashleigh

2014-01-01

Collisions between different types of road users at intersections form a substantial component of the road toll. This paper presents an analysis of driver, cyclist, motorcyclist and pedestrian behaviour at intersections that involved the application of an integrated suite of ergonomics methods, the Event Analysis of Systemic Teamwork (EAST) framework, to on-road study data. EAST was used to analyse behaviour at three intersections using data derived from an on-road study of driver, cyclist, motorcyclist and pedestrian behaviour. The analysis shows the differences in behaviour and cognition across the different road user groups and pinpoints instances where this may be creating conflicts between different road users. The role of intersection design in creating these differences in behaviour and resulting conflicts is discussed. It is concluded that currently intersections are not designed in a way that supports behaviour across the four forms of road user studied. Interventions designed to improve intersection safety are discussed. Practitioner Summary: Intersection safety currently represents a key road safety issue worldwide. This paper presents a novel application of a framework of ergonomics methods for studying differences in road user behaviour at intersections. The findings support development of interventions that consider all road users as opposed to one group in isolation.

The influence of different classification standards of age groups on prognosis in high-grade hemispheric glioma patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Jian-Wu; Zhou, Chang-Fu; Lin, Zhi-Xiong

2015-09-15

Although age is thought to correlate with the prognosis of glioma patients, the most appropriate age-group classification standard to evaluate prognosis had not been fully studied. This study aimed to investigate the influence of age-group classification standards on the prognosis of patients with high-grade hemispheric glioma (HGG). This retrospective study of 125 HGG patients used three different classification standards of age-groups (≤ 50 and >50 years old, ≤ 60 and >60 years old, ≤ 45 and 45-65 and ≥ 65 years old) to evaluate the impact of age on prognosis. The primary end-point was overall survival (OS). The Kaplan-Meier method was applied for univariate analysis and Cox proportional hazards model for multivariate analysis. Univariate analysis showed a significant correlation between OS and all three classification standards of age-groups as well as between OS and pathological grade, gender, location of glioma, and regular chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment. Multivariate analysis showed that the only independent predictors of OS were classification standard of age-groups ≤ 50 and > 50 years old, pathological grade and regular chemotherapy. In summary, the most appropriate classification standard of age-groups as an independent prognostic factor was ≤ 50 and > 50 years old. Pathological grade and chemotherapy were also independent predictors of OS in post-operative HGG patients. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

The Impact of Militancy and Cult Groups' Activities on Rundele ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The study adopted expectancy theory as its theoretical framework of analysis, emphasizing that the cult groups and militants were motivated in their activities due to the expected rewards from their actions. The findings showed that Rundele as one of the communities in the Niger Delta region had intensive militants' and cult ...

How threats influence the evolutionary resolution of within-group conflict.

Science.gov (United States)

Cant, Michael A; Johnstone, Rufus A

2009-06-01

Most examples of cooperation in nature share a common feature: individuals can interact to produce a productivity benefit or fitness surplus, but there is conflict over how these gains are shared. A central question is how threats to exercise outside options influence the resolution of conflict within such cooperative associations. Here we show how a simple principle from economic bargaining theory, the outside option principle, can help to solve this problem in biological systems. According to this principle, outside options will affect the resolution of conflict only when the payoff of taking up these options exceeds the payoffs individuals can obtain from bargaining or negotiating within the group; otherwise, threats to exercise outside options are not credible and are therefore irrelevant. We show that previous attempts to incorporate outside options in synthetic models of reproductive conflict fail to distinguish between credible and incredible threats, and then we use the outside option principle to develop credible synthetic models in two contexts: reproductive skew and biparental care. A striking prediction of our analysis is that outside options are least relevant to the resolution of conflict in cooperative groups of kin and are most relevant in transient associations or interactions among nonrelatives. Our analysis shows a way to link the resolution of within-group conflict to the environmental setting in which it occurs, and it illuminates the role of threats in the evolution of social behavior.

Multi-Aspect Group Formation using Facility Location Analysis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Neshati, Mahmood; Beigy, Hamid; Hiemstra, Djoerd

2012-01-01

In this paper, we propose an optimization framework to retrieve an optimal group of experts to perform a given multi-aspect task/project. Each task needs a diverse set of skills and the group of assigned experts should be able to collectively cover all required aspects of the task. We consider three

Physical Workload and Work Capacity across Occupational Groups

Science.gov (United States)

Brighenti-Zogg, Stefanie; Mundwiler, Jonas; Schüpbach, Ulla; Dieterle, Thomas; Wolfer, David Paul; Leuppi, Jörg Daniel; Miedinger, David

2016-01-01

This study aimed to determine physical performance criteria of different occupational groups by investigating physical activity and energy expenditure in healthy Swiss employees in real-life workplaces on workdays and non-working days in relation to their aerobic capacity (VO2max). In this cross-sectional study, 337 healthy and full-time employed adults were recruited. Participants were classified (nine categories) according to the International Standard Classification of Occupations 1988 and merged into three groups with low-, moderate- and high-intensity occupational activity. Daily steps, energy expenditure, metabolic equivalents and activity at different intensities were measured using the SenseWear Mini armband on seven consecutive days (23 hours/day). VO2max was determined by the 20-meter shuttle run test. Data of 303 subjects were considered for analysis (63% male, mean age: 33 yrs, SD 12), 101 from the low-, 102 from the moderate- and 100 from the high-intensity group. At work, the high-intensity group showed higher energy expenditure, metabolic equivalents, steps and activity at all intensities than the other groups (pphysical activity between the occupational groups on non-working days. VO2max did not differ across groups when stratified for gender. The upper workload limit was 21%, 29% and 44% of VO2max in the low-, moderate- and high-intensity group, respectively. Men had a lower limit than women due to their higher VO2max (26% vs. 37%), when all groups were combined. While this study did confirm that the average workload limit is one third of VO2max, it showed that the average is misrepresenting the actual physical work demands of specific occupational groups, and that it does not account for gender-related differences in relative workload. Therefore, clinical practice needs to consider these differences with regard to a safe return to work, particularly for the high-intensity group. PMID:27136206

Analysis Method for Laterally Loaded Pile Groups Using an Advanced Modeling of Reinforced Concrete Sections.

Science.gov (United States)

Stacul, Stefano; Squeglia, Nunziante

2018-02-15

A Boundary Element Method (BEM) approach was developed for the analysis of pile groups. The proposed method includes: the non-linear behavior of the soil by a hyperbolic modulus reduction curve; the non-linear response of reinforced concrete pile sections, also taking into account the influence of tension stiffening; the influence of suction by increasing the stiffness of shallow portions of soil and modeled using the Modified Kovacs model; pile group shadowing effect, modeled using an approach similar to that proposed in the Strain Wedge Model for pile groups analyses. The proposed BEM method saves computational effort compared to more sophisticated codes such as VERSAT-P3D, PLAXIS 3D and FLAC-3D, and provides reliable results using input data from a standard site investigation. The reliability of this method was verified by comparing results from data from full scale and centrifuge tests on single piles and pile groups. A comparison is presented between measured and computed data on a laterally loaded fixed-head pile group composed by reinforced concrete bored piles. The results of the proposed method are shown to be in good agreement with those obtained in situ.

Analysis Method for Laterally Loaded Pile Groups Using an Advanced Modeling of Reinforced Concrete Sections

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stefano Stacul

2018-02-01

Full Text Available A Boundary Element Method (BEM approach was developed for the analysis of pile groups. The proposed method includes: the non-linear behavior of the soil by a hyperbolic modulus reduction curve; the non-linear response of reinforced concrete pile sections, also taking into account the influence of tension stiffening; the influence of suction by increasing the stiffness of shallow portions of soil and modeled using the Modified Kovacs model; pile group shadowing effect, modeled using an approach similar to that proposed in the Strain Wedge Model for pile groups analyses. The proposed BEM method saves computational effort compared to more sophisticated codes such as VERSAT-P3D, PLAXIS 3D and FLAC-3D, and provides reliable results using input data from a standard site investigation. The reliability of this method was verified by comparing results from data from full scale and centrifuge tests on single piles and pile groups. A comparison is presented between measured and computed data on a laterally loaded fixed-head pile group composed by reinforced concrete bored piles. The results of the proposed method are shown to be in good agreement with those obtained in situ.

Evolution of group-wise cooperation: Is direct reciprocity insufficient?

Science.gov (United States)

Kurokawa, Shun; Ihara, Yasuo

2017-02-21

Group-wise cooperation, or cooperation among three or more individuals, is an integral part of human societies. It is likely that group-wise cooperation also played a crucial role in the survival of early hominins, who were confronted with novel environmental challenges, long before the emergence of Homo sapiens. However, previous theoretical and empirical studies, focusing mainly on modern humans, have tended to suggest that evolution of cooperation in sizable groups cannot be explained by simple direct reciprocity and requires some additional mechanisms (reputation, punishment, etc.), which are cognitively too demanding for early hominins. As a partial resolution of the paradox, our recent analysis of a stochastic evolutionary model, which considers the effect of random drift, has revealed that evolution of group-wise cooperation is more likely to occur in larger groups when an individual's share of the benefit produced by one cooperator does not decrease with increasing group size (i.e., goods are non-rivalrous). In this paper, we further extend our previous analysis to explore possible consequences of introducing rare mistakes in behavior or imperfect information about behavior of others on the model outcome. Analyses of the extended models show that evolution of group-wise cooperation can be facilitated by large group size even when individuals intending to cooperate sometimes fail to do so or when all the information about the past behavior of group members is not available. We argue, therefore, that evolution of cooperation in sizable groups does not necessarily require other mechanisms than direct reciprocity if the goods to be produced via group-wise cooperation are non-rivalrous. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ability Grouping in Schools: An Analysis of Effects.

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Ireson, Judith; Hallam, Susan; Mortimore, Peter; Hack, Sarah; Clark, Helen

This paper presents preliminary findings from a large-scale study of ability grouping in English secondary schools. Forty-five secondary schools representing three levels of grouping took part in the research. Within these schools, data have been collected from a cohort of Year 9 pupils, aged 13-14 years. All these pupils took tests in English,…

Development and Analysis of Group Contribution Plus Models for Property Prediction of Organic Chemical Systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mustaffa, Azizul Azri

for the GIPs are then used in the UNIFAC model to calculate activity coefficients. This approach can increase the application range of any “host” UNIFAC model by providing a reliable predictive model towards fast and efficient product development. This PhD project is focused on the analysis and further......Prediction of properties is important in chemical process-product design. Reliable property models are needed for increasingly complex and wider range of chemicals. Group-contribution methods provide useful tool but there is a need to validate them and improve their accuracy when complex chemicals...... are present in the mixtures. In accordance with that, a combined group-contribution and atom connectivity approach that is able to extend the application range of property models has been developed for mixture properties. This so-called Group-ContributionPlus (GCPlus) approach is a hybrid model which combines...

Estimation of glandular content rate and statistical analysis of the influence of age group and compressed breast thickness on the estimated value

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohmori, Naoki; Ashida, Kenji; Fujita, Osamu

2003-01-01

Because the glandular content rate is an important factor in evaluating breast cancer detection and average glandular dose, it is important in mammography research to estimate and analyze this rate. The purpose of this study was to obtain a formula for statistical estimation of the glandular content rate, to clarify statistically the influence of age group and compressed breast thickness (CBT) on estimating the glandular content rate, and to show statistically the general relation between glandular content rate and the factors of age and CBT. The subjects were 740 Japanese women aged 20-91 years (mean±SD: 48.3±12.8 years) who had undergone mammography. In our study, the glandular content rate was statistically estimated from age group, mAs-value, and CBT when subjects underwent mammography, from a phantom simulation, and from MR images of the breast. In addition, multivariate analysis was carried to examine statistically the influence of age group and CBT on glandular content rate. The mean glandular content rate as estimated by age group was as follows: 35.6% for those in their 20s, 33.4% in the 30s, 27.5% in the 40s, 23.8% in the 50s, and 21.8% in those 60 and over. The rate for the subjects as a whole was 27.1%. This study indicated that overestimation occurred if the estimated value of the glandular content rate was not corrected in the 3D-measurement by MRI. In addition, this study showed that the statistical influence on glandular content rate was significantly larger for CBT than age. (author)

HIV-1 phylogenetic analysis shows HIV-1 transits through the meninges to brain and peripheral tissues.

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Lamers, Susanna L; Gray, Rebecca R; Salemi, Marco; Huysentruyt, Leanne C; McGrath, Michael S

2011-01-01

Brain infection by the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) has been investigated in many reports with a variety of conclusions concerning the time of entry and degree of viral compartmentalization. To address these diverse findings, we sequenced HIV-1 gp120 clones from a wide range of brain, peripheral and meningeal tissues from five patients who died from several HIV-1 associated disease pathologies. High-resolution phylogenetic analysis confirmed previous studies that showed a significant degree of compartmentalization in brain and peripheral tissue subpopulations. Some intermixing between the HIV-1 subpopulations was evident, especially in patients that died from pathologies other than HIV-associated dementia. Interestingly, the major tissue harboring virus from both the brain and peripheral tissues was the meninges. These results show that (1) HIV-1 is clearly capable of migrating out of the brain, (2) the meninges are the most likely primary transport tissues, and (3) infected brain macrophages comprise an important HIV reservoir during highly active antiretroviral therapy. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Observing Engineering Student Teams from the Organization Behavior Perspective Using Linguistic Analysis of Student Reflections and Focus Group Interviews

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Kearney, Kerri S.; Damron, Rebecca; Sohoni, Sohum

2015-01-01

This paper investigates group/team development in computer engineering courses at a University in the Central USA from the perspective of organization behavior theory, specifically Tuckman's model of the stages of group development. The investigation, conducted through linguistic analysis of student reflection essays, and through focus group…

The Wolf 630 moving group of stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McDonald, A.R.E.; Hearnshaw, J.B.; Canterbury Univ., Christchurch

1983-01-01

An analysis is made of the probability of collective membership of the stars assigned by Eggen to the Wolf 630 moving group. This probability is estimated from the scatter of points in the colour-absolute magnitude diagram when compared to the intrinsic scatter observed for M67. Particular attention is paid to the random errors for all the observed and deduced stellar parameters. Results show that either the observational errors must be about 2.4 times larger than given in the proper motion and radial velocity source catalogues, or the intrinsic scatter in the colour-magnitude diagram for the Wolf 630 group must be much larger than for M67, or many of the stars considered cannot be members. (author)

Mustelidae are natural hosts of Staphylococcus delphini group A

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Guardabassi, Luca; Schmidt, Kristina Runge; Petersen, Tina Steiner

2012-01-01

158 SIG isolates from less studied animal species belonging to the order Carnivora, including mink (n=118), fox (n=33), badger (n=6) and ferret (n=1). Species identification was performed by nuc PCR in combination with sodA sequence analysis and pta PCR restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP......). The results showed a consistent association between host and bacterial species. All isolates from minks, ferret and badgers belonged to S. delphini group A, whereas all fox isolates except one were identified as S. pseudintermedius. The remaining fox isolate belonged to S. delphini group A. The results...... through host adaptation....

Exploring Peer Relationships, Friendships and Group Work Dynamics in Higher Education: Applying Social Network Analysis

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Mamas, Christoforos

2018-01-01

This study primarily applied social network analysis (SNA) to explore the relationship between friendships, peer social interactions and group work dynamics within a higher education undergraduate programme in England. A critical case study design was adopted so as to allow for an in-depth exploration of the students' voice. In doing so, the views…

Feasibility of Economic Analysis of Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) 91-11 Using Medicare Data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Konski, Andre; Bhargavan, Mythreyi; Owen, Jean; Paulus, Rebecca; Cooper, Jay; Forastiere, Arlene; Ang, K. Kian; Watkins-Bruner, Deborah

2011-01-01

Purpose: The specific aim of this analysis was to evaluate the feasibility of performing a cost-effectiveness analysis using Medicare data from patients treated on a randomized Phase III clinical trial. Methods and Materials: Cost data included Medicare Part A and Part B costs from all providers-inpatient, outpatient, skilled nursing facility, home health, hospice, and physicians-and were obtained from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for patients eligible for Medicare, treated on Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) 9111 between 1992 and 1996. The 47-month expected discounted (annual discount rate of 3%) cost for each arm of the trial was calculated in 1996 dollars, with Kaplan-Meier sampling average estimates of survival probabilities for each month and mean monthly costs. Overall and disease-free survival was also discounted 3%/year. The analysis was performed from a payer's perspective. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios were calculated comparing the chemotherapy arms to the radiation alone arm. Results: Of the 547 patients entered, Medicare cost data and clinical outcomes were available for 66 patients. Reasons for exclusion included no RTOG follow-up, Medicare HMO enrollment, no Medicare claims since trial entry, and trial entry after 1996. Differences existed between groups in tumor characteristics, toxicity, and survival, all which could affect resource utilization. Conclusions: Although we were able to test the methodology of economic analysis alongside a clinical trial using Medicare data, the results may be difficult to translate to the entire trial population because of non-random missing data. Methods to improve Medicare data capture and matching to clinical trial samples are required.

Who uses apps in health promotion? A target group analysis of leaders.

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Bregenzer, Anita; Wagner-Hartl, Verena; Jiménez, Paul

2017-11-01

User characteristics should be considered when designing features for e-health or m-health applications, as the developed solution should aim to support this specific target group. This study explores the effect of user characteristics (personality, health state, stress/recovery state, leadership behavior) on the interest and likelihood of using an app for health promotion activities at the workplace. Leaders are a key factor for the success of workplace health promotion; therefore, the target group of this study are leaders. The data of 412 leaders were collected in an online study. Hierarchical multiple linear regression analyses were conducted for four outcome criteria ("personal health," "contacting," "leadership feedback" and "corporate key figures"). The findings showed that neuroticism, physical health and health-promoting leadership were important predictors for using an app for monitoring personal health and getting in social contact about health issues. The stress/recovery state was significantly related to the feature of getting in social contact.

Transformational leadership and group interaction as climate antecedents: a social network analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Zohar, Dov; Tenne-Gazit, Orly

2008-07-01

In order to test the social mechanisms through which organizational climate emerges, this article introduces a model that combines transformational leadership and social interaction as antecedents of climate strength (i.e., the degree of within-unit agreement about climate perceptions). Despite their longstanding status as primary variables, both antecedents have received limited empirical research. The sample consisted of 45 platoons of infantry soldiers from 5 different brigades, using safety climate as the exemplar. Results indicate a partially mediated model between transformational leadership and climate strength, with density of group communication network as the mediating variable. In addition, the results showed independent effects for group centralization of the communication and friendship networks, which exerted incremental effects on climate strength over transformational leadership. Whereas centralization of the communication network was found to be negatively related to climate strength, centralization of the friendship network was positively related to it. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Connectome-scale group-wise consistent resting-state network analysis in autism spectrum disorder

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