An evaluation of the Positive Emotional Experiences Scale: A preliminary analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rene van Wyk

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Orientation: The positive organisational behaviour movement emphasises the advantages of psychological strengths in business. The psychological virtues of positive emotional experiences can potentially promote human strengths to the advantages of business functioning and the management of work conditions. This is supported by Fredrickson’s broaden-and-build theory that emphasises the broadening of reactive thought patterns through experiences of positive emotions. Research purpose: A preliminary psychometric evaluation of a positive measurement of dimensions of emotional experiences in the workplace, by rephrasing the Kiefer and Barclay Toxic Emotional Experiences Scale. Motivation for the study: This quantitative Exploratory Factor Analysis investigates the factorial structure and reliability of the Positive Emotional Experiences Scale, a positive rephrased version of the Toxic Emotional Experiences Scale. Research approach, design and method: This Exploratory Factor Analysis indicates an acceptable three-factor model for the Positive Emotional Experiences Scale. These three factors are: (1 psychological recurrent positive state, (2 social connectedness and (3 physical refreshed energy, with strong Cronbach’s alphas of 0.91, 0.91 and 0.94, respectively. Main findings: The three-factor model of the Positive Emotional Experiences Scale provides a valid measure in support of Fredrickson’s theory of social, physical and psychological endured personal resources that build positive emotions. Practical/Managerial implications: Knowledge gained on positive versus negative emotional experiences could be applied by management to promote endured personal resources that strengthen positive emotional experiences. Contribution/value-add: The contribution of this rephrased Positive Emotional Experiences Scale provides a reliable measure of assessment of the social, physical and endured psychological and personal resources identified in Fredrickson�

Intention to breastfeed in low-income pregnant women: the role of social support and previous experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Humphreys, A S; Thompson, N J; Miner, K R

1998-09-01

The purpose of this study was to describe the relationship between breastfeeding intention among socioeconomically disadvantaged pregnant women and maternal demographics, previous breastfeeding experience, and social support. A cross-sectional, convenience sampling strategy was employed for data collection. Low-income women (n = 1001) in a public hospital completed a six-page questionnaire about their infant feeding plans, demographics, and social support. Simple regression analyses were conducted to compare maternal breastfeeding intention with the hypothesized correlates. Breastfeeding intention was positively correlated with older maternal age, higher education, more breastfeeding experience, Hispanic ethnicity, and hearing about breastfeeding benefits from family members, the baby's father, and lactation consultants, but not from other health professionals. Health professionals' attitudes were less influential on women's infant feeding decisions than the attitudes and beliefs of members of women's social support networks. When controlling for breastfeeding experience (none vs any), some findings, varied, indicating a need for breastfeeding interventions tailored to women's level of experience. Use of peer counselors and lactation consultants, inclusion of a woman's family members in breastfeeding educational contacts, and creation of breastfeeding classes tailored to influential members of women's social support networks may improve breastfeeding rates among low-income women, especially those with no breastfeeding experience, more effectively than breastfeeding education to pregnant women that is solely conducted by health professionals.

The positive-ion injector of ATLAS: design and operating experience

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bollinger, L M [Physics Div., Argonne National Lab., IL (United States); Pardo, R C [Physics Div., Argonne National Lab., IL (United States); Shepard, K W [Physics Div., Argonne National Lab., IL (United States); Billquist, P J [Physics Div., Argonne National Lab., IL (United States); Bogaty, J M [Physics Div., Argonne National Lab., IL (United States); Clifft, B E [Physics Div., Argonne National Lab., IL (United States); Harkewicz, R [Physics Div., Argonne National Lab., IL (United States); Munson, F H [Physics Div., Argonne National Lab., IL (United States); Nolen, J A [Physics Div., Argonne National Lab., IL (United States); Zinkann, G P [Physics Div., Argonne National Lab., IL (United States)

1993-06-01

The recently completed positive-ion injector for the heavy-ion accelerator ATLAS is a replacement for the tandem injector of the present tandem-linac system. Unlike the tandem, the new injector provides ions from the full range of the periodic table. The concept for the new injector, which consists of an ECR ion source on a voltage platform coupled to a very-low-velocity superconducting linac, introduces technical problems and uncertainties that are well beyond those encountered previously for superconducting linacs. The solution to these problems and their relationship to performance are outlined, and experience in the operation of ATLAS with its new injector is discussed. (orig.)

The positive-ion injector of ATLAS: Design and operating experience

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bollinger, L.M.; Pardo, R.C.; Shepard, K.W.; Billquist, P.J.; Bogaty, J.M.; Clifft, B.E.; Harkewicz, R.; Munson, F.H.; Nolen, J.A.; Zinkann, G.P.

1992-01-01

The recently completed Positive-Ion Injector for the heavy-ion accelerator ATLAS is a replacement for the tandem injector of the present tandem-linac system. Unlike the tandem, the new injector provides ions from the full range of the periodic table. The concept for the new injector, which consists of an ECR ion source on a voltage platform coupled to a very-low-velocity superconducting linac, introduces technical problems and uncertainties that are well beyond those encountered previously for superconducting linacs. The solution to these problems and their relationship to performance are outlined, and experience in the operation of ATLAS with its new injector is discussed

Age, training, and previous experience predict race performance in long-distance inline skaters, not anthropometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Knechtle, Beat; Knechtle, Patrizia; Rüst, Christoph Alexander; Rosemann, Thomas; Lepers, Romuald

2012-02-01

The association of characteristics of anthropometry, training, and previous experience with race time in 84 recreational, long-distance, inline skaters at the longest inline marathon in Europe (111 km), the Inline One-eleven in Switzerland, was investigated to identify predictor variables for performance. Age, duration per training unit, and personal best time were the only three variables related to race time in a multiple regression, while none of the 16 anthropometric variables were related. Anthropometric characteristics seem to be of no importance for a fast race time in a long-distance inline skating race in contrast to training volume and previous experience, when controlled with covariates. Improving performance in a long-distance inline skating race might be related to a high training volume and previous race experience. Also, doing such a race requires a parallel psychological effort, mental stamina, focus, and persistence. This may be reflected in the preparation and training for the event. Future studies should investigate what motivates these athletes to train and compete.

HIV Status Disclosure in the Workplace: Positive and Stigmatizing Experiences of Health Care Workers Living with HIV.

Science.gov (United States)

Stutterheim, Sarah E; Brands, Ronald; Baas, Ineke; Lechner, Lilian; Kok, Gerjo; Bos, Arjan E R

We explored workplace experiences of 10 health care providers with HIV in the Netherlands. We used semi-structured interviews to discuss motivations for disclosure and concealment, reactions to disclosures, the impact of reactions, and coping with negative reactions. Reasons for disclosure were wanting to share the secret, expecting positive responses, observing positive reactions to others, wanting to prevent negative reactions, and being advised to disclose. Reasons for concealment included fearing negative reactions, observing negative reactions, previous negative experiences, having been advised to conceal, and considering disclosure unnecessary. Positive reactions included seeing HIV as a nonissue; showing interest, support, and empathy; and maintaining confidentiality. Negative reactions included management wanting to inform employees, work restrictions, hiring difficulties, gossip, and hurtful comments, resulting in participants being upset, taken aback, angry, depressed, or feeling resignation. Participants coped by providing information, standing above the experience, attributing reactions to ignorance, seeking social support, or leaving their jobs. Copyright © 2017 Association of Nurses in AIDS Care. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Study of some physical aspects previous to design of an exponential experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Caro, R.; Francisco, J. L. de

1961-01-01

This report presents the theoretical study of some physical aspects previous to the design of an exponential facility. The are: Fast and slow flux distribution in the multiplicative medium and in the thermal column, slowing down in the thermal column, geometrical distribution and minimum needed intensity of sources access channels and perturbations produced by possible variations in its position and intensity. (Author) 4 refs

Exploring Online Game Players' Flow Experiences and Positive Affect

Science.gov (United States)

Chiang, Yu-Tzu; Lin, Sunny S. J.; Cheng, Chao-Yang; Liu, Eric Zhi-Feng

2011-01-01

The authors conducted two studies to explore online game players' flow experiences and positive affect. Our findings indicated that online game are capable of evoking flow experiences and positive affect, and games of violent or nonviolent type may not arouse players' aggression. The players could be placed into four flow conditions: flow,…

Reoperative sentinel lymph node biopsy after previous mastectomy.

Science.gov (United States)

Karam, Amer; Stempel, Michelle; Cody, Hiram S; Port, Elisa R

2008-10-01

Sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy is the standard of care for axillary staging in breast cancer, but many clinical scenarios questioning the validity of SLN biopsy remain. Here we describe our experience with reoperative-SLN (re-SLN) biopsy after previous mastectomy. Review of the SLN database from September 1996 to December 2007 yielded 20 procedures done in the setting of previous mastectomy. SLN biopsy was performed using radioisotope with or without blue dye injection superior to the mastectomy incision, in the skin flap in all patients. In 17 of 20 patients (85%), re-SLN biopsy was performed for local or regional recurrence after mastectomy. Re-SLN biopsy was successful in 13 of 20 patients (65%) after previous mastectomy. Of the 13 patients, 2 had positive re-SLN, and completion axillary dissection was performed, with 1 having additional positive nodes. In the 11 patients with negative re-SLN, 2 patients underwent completion axillary dissection demonstrating additional negative nodes. One patient with a negative re-SLN experienced chest wall recurrence combined with axillary recurrence 11 months after re-SLN biopsy. All others remained free of local or axillary recurrence. Re-SLN biopsy was unsuccessful in 7 of 20 patients (35%). In three of seven patients, axillary dissection was performed, yielding positive nodes in two of the three. The remaining four of seven patients all had previous modified radical mastectomy, so underwent no additional axillary surgery. In this small series, re-SLN was successful after previous mastectomy, and this procedure may play some role when axillary staging is warranted after mastectomy.

Clients' experiences of HIV positive status disclosure to sexual ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The purpose of the study was to describe the experiences of HIV positive clients as they disclose their HIV positive status to their sexual partners. A qualitative descriptive and phenomenological design was used. Purposive sampling was used to select 15 HIV positive clients to participate in the study. Semi-structured ...

Trait and State Positive Emotional Experience in Schizophrenia: A Meta-Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Chao; Cao, Yuan; Zhang, Yang; Song, Li-Ling; Cheung, Eric F. C.; Chan, Raymond C. K.

2012-01-01

Background Prior meta-analyses indicated that people with schizophrenia show impairment in trait hedonic capacity but retain their state hedonic experience (valence) in laboratory-based assessments. Little is known about what is the extent of differences for state positive emotional experience (especially arousal) between people with schizophrenia and healthy controls. It is also not clear whether negative symptoms and gender effect contribute to the variance of positive affect. Methods and Findings The current meta-analysis examined 21 studies assessing state arousal experience, 40 studies measuring state valence experience, and 47studies assessing trait hedonic capacity in schizophrenia. Patients with schizophrenia demonstrated significant impairment in trait hedonic capacity (Cohen’s d = 0.81). However, patients and controls did not statistically differ in state hedonic (valence) as well as exciting (arousal) experience to positive stimuli (Cohen’s d = −0.24 to 0.06). They also reported experiencing relatively robust state aversion and calmness to positive stimuli compared with controls (Cohen’s d = 0.75, 0.56, respectively). Negative symptoms and gender contributed to the variance of findings in positive affect, especially trait hedonic capacity in schizophrenia. Conclusions Our findings suggest that schizophrenia patients have no deficit in state positive emotional experience but impairment in “noncurrent” hedonic capacity, which may be mediated by negative symptoms and gender effect. PMID:22815785

Subsequent childbirth after a previous traumatic birth.

Science.gov (United States)

Beck, Cheryl Tatano; Watson, Sue

2010-01-01

Nine percent of new mothers in the United States who participated in the Listening to Mothers II Postpartum Survey screened positive for meeting the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder after childbirth. Women who have had a traumatic birth experience report fewer subsequent children and a longer length of time before their second baby. Childbirth-related posttraumatic stress disorder impacts couples' physical relationship, communication, conflict, emotions, and bonding with their children. The purpose of this study was to describe the meaning of women's experiences of a subsequent childbirth after a previous traumatic birth. Phenomenology was the research design used. An international sample of 35 women participated in this Internet study. Women were asked, "Please describe in as much detail as you can remember your subsequent pregnancy, labor, and delivery following your previous traumatic birth." Colaizzi's phenomenological data analysis approach was used to analyze the stories of the 35 women. Data analysis yielded four themes: (a) riding the turbulent wave of panic during pregnancy; (b) strategizing: attempts to reclaim their body and complete the journey to motherhood; (c) bringing reverence to the birthing process and empowering women; and (d) still elusive: the longed-for healing birth experience. Subsequent childbirth after a previous birth trauma has the potential to either heal or retraumatize women. During pregnancy, women need permission and encouragement to grieve their prior traumatic births to help remove the burden of their invisible pain.

Exploring Positive Survivorship Experiences of Indigenous Australian Cancer Patients

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Tam, Laura; Garvey, Gail; Meiklejohn, Judith; Martin, Jennifer; Adams, Jon; Walpole, Euan; Fay, Michael; Valery, Patricia

2018-01-01

Amongst Indigenous Australians, “cancer” has negative connotations that detrimentally impact upon access to cancer care services. Barriers to accessing cancer services amongst Indigenous Australians are widely reported. In contrast, factors that facilitate this cohort to successfully navigate cancer care services (“enablers”) are scarcely reported in the literature. Through qualitative interviews, this article examines factors that assist Indigenous Australians to have positive cancer experiences. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with twelve adult Indigenous oncology patients recruited from a tertiary hospital in Queensland, Australia during 2012–2014. Data generated from the interviews were independently reviewed by two researchers via inductive thematic analytical processes. Discussions followed by consensus on the major categories allowed conclusions to be drawn on potential enablers. Two major categories of enablers were identified by the researchers: resilience and communication. Individual’s intrinsic strength, their coping strategies, and receipt of support improved participant’s resilience and consequently supported a positive experience. Communication methods and an effective patient-provider relationship facilitated positive experiences for participants. Despite potential barriers to access of care for Indigenous cancer patients, participants in the study demonstrated that it was still possible to focus on the positive aspects of their cancer experiences. Many participants explained how cancer changed their outlook on life, often for the better, with many feeling empowered as they progressed through their cancer diagnosis and treatment processes. PMID:29342934

Impact of vocational interests, previous academic experience, gender and age on Situational Judgement Test performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Schripsema, Nienke R; van Trigt, Anke M; Borleffs, Jan C C; Cohen-Schotanus, Janke

2017-05-01

Situational Judgement Tests (SJTs) are increasingly implemented in medical school admissions. In this paper, we investigate the effects of vocational interests, previous academic experience, gender and age on SJT performance. The SJT was part of the selection process for the Bachelor's degree programme in Medicine at University of Groningen, the Netherlands. All applicants for the academic year 2015-2016 were included and had to choose between learning communities Global Health (n = 126), Sustainable Care (n = 149), Intramural Care (n = 225), or Molecular Medicine (n = 116). This choice was used as a proxy for vocational interest. In addition, all graduate-entry applicants for academic year 2015-2016 (n = 213) were included to examine the effect of previous academic experience on performance. We used MANCOVA analyses with Bonferroni post hoc multiple comparisons tests for applicant performance on a six-scenario SJT. The MANCOVA analyses showed that for all scenarios, the independent variables were significantly related to performance (Pillai's Trace: 0.02-0.47, p performance on three scenarios (p performance on two scenarios (p performance, as was previous academic experience. Gender and age were related to performance on SJT scenarios in different settings. Especially the first effect might be helpful in selecting appropriate candidates for areas of health care in which more professionals are needed.

Wanting to maximize the positive and minimize the negative: implications for mixed affective experience in American and Chinese contexts.

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Sims, Tamara; Tsai, Jeanne L; Jiang, Da; Wang, Yaheng; Fung, Helene H; Zhang, Xiulan

2015-08-01

Previous studies have demonstrated that European Americans have fewer mixed affective experiences (i.e., are less likely to experience the bad with the good) compared with Chinese. In this article, we argue that these cultural differences are due to "ideal affect," or how people ideally want to feel. Specifically, we predict that people from individualistic cultures want to maximize positive and minimize negative affect more than people from collectivistic cultures, and as a result, they are less likely to actually experience mixed emotions (reflected by a more negative within-person correlation between actual positive and negative affect). We find support for this prediction in 2 experience sampling studies conducted in the United States and China (Studies 1 and 2). In addition, we demonstrate that ideal affect is a distinct construct from dialectical view of the self, which has also been related to mixed affective experience (Study 3). Finally, in Study 4, we demonstrate that experimentally manipulating the desire to maximize the positive and minimize the negative alters participants' actual experience of mixed emotions during a pleasant (but not unpleasant or combined pleasant and unpleasant) TV clip in the United States and Hong Kong. Together, these findings suggest that across cultures, how people want to feel shapes how they actually feel, particularly people's experiences of mixed affect. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved.

Wanting to Maximize the Positive and Minimize the Negative: Implications for Mixed Affective Experience in American and Chinese Contexts

Science.gov (United States)

Sims, Tamara; Tsai, Jeanne L.; Jiang, Da; Wang, Yaheng; Fung, Helene H.; Zhang, Xiulan

2016-01-01

Previous studies have demonstrated that European Americans have fewer mixed affective experiences (i.e., are less likely to experience the bad with the good) compared to Chinese. In this paper, we argue that these cultural differences are due to “ideal affect,” or how people ideally want to feel. Specifically, we predict that people from individualistic cultures want to maximize positive and minimize negative affect more than people from collectivistic cultures, and as a result, they are less likely to actually experience mixed emotions (reflected by a more negative within-person correlation between actual positive and negative affect). We find support for this prediction in two experience sampling studies conducted in the U.S. and China (Studies 1 and 2). In addition, we demonstrate that ideal affect is a distinct construct from dialectical view of the self, which has also been related to mixed affective experience (Study 3). Finally, in Study 4, we demonstrate that experimentally manipulating the desire to maximize the positive and minimize the negative alters participants' actual experience of mixed emotions during a pleasant (but not unpleasant or combined pleasant and unpleasant) television clip in the U.S. and Hong Kong. Together, these findings suggest that across cultures, how people want to feel shapes how they actually feel, particularly people's mixed affective experience. PMID:26121525

Gathering positive experience

CERN Document Server

2009-01-01

Last Monday, the new CERN Machine Advisory Committee (CMAC) met for the first time, and we had good news to tell its members. Over the weekend, injection tests for both LHC beams were successfully carried out. In other words, we’ve had beam in the LHC for the first time since September 2008. That’s a good feeling, but it’s no reason for complacency. There’s still a long way to go before first physics at the new energy frontier. As the Bulletin has reported over recent weeks, we’re gathering a lot of positive experience with the new quench detection and protection system (QPS), which is already allowing us to monitor the LHC far better than we were able to in the past. So far, the QPS for three of the LHC’s eight sectors has been put through its paces, and we’ve also power tested those sectors to 2000 amperes, the equivalent of around 1.2 TeV per beam. The next step is to slowly increase the current to 4000 amperes, and...

Entering the Field: Beginning Teachers' Positioning Experiences of the Staffroom

Science.gov (United States)

Christensen, Erin; Rossi, Tony; lisahunter; Tinning, Richard

2018-01-01

Little is known about beginning teachers' political positioning experiences of the staffroom. This paper employs Bourdieu's conceptual tools of field, habitus and capital to explore beginning health and physical education teachers' positioning experiences and learning in staffrooms, the place in which teachers spend the majority of their…

Positive Exercise Experience Facilitates Behavior Change via Self-Efficacy

Science.gov (United States)

Parschau, Linda; Fleig, Lena; Warner, Lisa Marie; Pomp, Sarah; Barz, Milena; Knoll, Nina; Schwarzer, Ralf; Lippke, Sonia

2014-01-01

Purpose: Motivational processes can be set in motion when positive consequences of physical exercise are experienced. However, relationships between positive exercise experience and determinants of the motivational and the volitional phases of exercise change have attracted only sparse attention in research. Method: This research examines direct…

Vantage sensitivity: individual differences in response to positive experiences.

Science.gov (United States)

Pluess, Michael; Belsky, Jay

2013-07-01

The notion that some people are more vulnerable to adversity as a function of inherent risk characteristics is widely embraced in most fields of psychology. This is reflected in the popularity of the diathesis-stress framework, which has received a vast amount of empirical support over the years. Much less effort has been directed toward the investigation of endogenous factors associated with variability in response to positive influences. One reason for the failure to investigate individual differences in response to positive experiences as a function of endogenous factors may be the absence of adequate theoretical frameworks. According to the differential-susceptibility hypothesis, individuals generally vary in their developmental plasticity regardless of whether they are exposed to negative or positive influences--a notion derived from evolutionary reasoning. On the basis of this now well-supported proposition, we advance herein the new concept of vantage sensitivity, reflecting variation in response to exclusively positive experiences as a function of individual endogenous characteristics. After distinguishing vantage sensitivity from theoretically related concepts of differential-susceptibility and resilience, we review some recent empirical evidence for vantage sensitivity featuring behavioral, physiological, and genetic factors as moderators of a wide range of positive experiences ranging from family environment and psychotherapy to educational intervention. Thereafter, we discuss genetic and environmental factors contributing to individual differences in vantage sensitivity, potential mechanisms underlying vantage sensitivity, and practical implications. 2013 APA, all rights reserved

Reliability and smallest worthwhile difference in 1RM tests according to previous resistance training experience in young women

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matheus Amarante do Nascimento

2017-10-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to determine the familiarization and smallest worthwhile difference (SWD of one-repetition maximum (1RM tests in detrained women according to their previous resistance training experience. Three groups of women with varying amounts of previous resistance training experience were recruited: Novice (n = 27, 1 to 6 months, Intermediate (n = 13, from 7 to 12 months, and Advanced (n = 20, 13 to 24 months. All participants performed four 1RM test sessions in the bench press (BP, squat (SQ, and arm curl (AC. A significant (p< 0.05 (group vs. time interaction was observed in SQ suggesting that more experienced participants needed fewer 1RM test sessions to reach a stable load compared to the less experienced groups. Strength changes (p 0.05, suggesting that experience had no impact on familiarization for these lifts. SWDs suggest that strength gains greater than 2-4% in these lifts would indicate a meaningful improvement in strength beyond random variation from trial to trial no matter the experience of the subject. Women with limited previous resistance training experience do not require more trials to reach load stabilization than those with more experience. Stability of 1RM loads for BP and AC may require only two sessions, while SQ may require at least three trials.

Previous experience in manned space flight: A survey of human factors lessons learned

Science.gov (United States)

Chandlee, George O.; Woolford, Barbara

1993-01-01

Previous experience in manned space flight programs can be used to compile a data base of human factors lessons learned for the purpose of developing aids in the future design of inhabited spacecraft. The objectives are to gather information available from relevant sources, to develop a taxonomy of human factors data, and to produce a data base that can be used in the future for those people involved in the design of manned spacecraft operations. A study is currently underway at the Johnson Space Center with the objective of compiling, classifying, and summarizing relevant human factors data bearing on the lessons learned from previous manned space flights. The research reported defines sources of data, methods for collection, and proposes a classification for human factors data that may be a model for other human factors disciplines.

Impact of vocational interests, previous academic experience, gender and age on Situational Judgement Test performance

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schripsema, Nienke R.; Trigt, van Anke M.; Borleffs, Jan C. C.; Cohen-Schotanus, Janke

Situational Judgement Tests (SJTs) are increasingly implemented in medical school admissions. In this paper, we investigate the effects of vocational interests, previous academic experience, gender and age on SJT performance. The SJT was part of the selection process for the Bachelor's degree

Analisis Hotel Experience Dalam Hubungan Terhadap Positive Ewom Motivation Di Surabaya

OpenAIRE

Wibisana, Kharisadi; Handojono, Vincentius Kusuma

2016-01-01

: This study was conducted to analyze the positive motivation that drives people of Surabaya to share their experience at hotel online review website based on hotel experience. Variables used are price fairness, service quality and atmosphere which are three main variables of hotel experience.The method used is Linear Multiple Regression with SPSS program. The results showed that the variables that have the most influence toward customer's positive motivation to do the online review is price...

Impact of Vocational Interests, Previous Academic Experience, Gender and Age on Situational Judgement Test Performance

Science.gov (United States)

Schripsema, Nienke R.; van Trigt, Anke M.; Borleffs, Jan C. C.; Cohen-Schotanus, Janke

2017-01-01

Situational Judgement Tests (SJTs) are increasingly implemented in medical school admissions. In this paper, we investigate the effects of vocational interests, previous academic experience, gender and age on SJT performance. The SJT was part of the selection process for the Bachelor's degree programme in Medicine at University of Groningen, the…

[Effect of previous experience in reacting to a danger signal on "open field" behavior in the rat].

Science.gov (United States)

Poltyreva, T E; Petrov, E S

1983-01-01

Modification of rats behaviour in an "hopen field" test was investigated, induced by an acoustic stimulus, previously subjected to conditioning in a shuttle chamber in experiments with possibility and impossibility of avoidance from electrical shock. It has been established that presentation of a stimulus having the meaning of a danger signal, in a new situation, significantly suppresses investigating behaviour of rats, whereas the stimulus which had not been subjected to conditioning exerts no marked effect on behaviour. The greatest suppression was observed in rats with "learned helplessness". This fact suggests that the degree of suppression of the behaviour in an open field in response to a danger signal, depends on the animal's previous experience in reacting to this signal.

Performance of high-resolution position-sensitive detectors developed for storage-ring decay experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamaguchi, T.; Suzaki, F.; Izumikawa, T.; Miyazawa, S.; Morimoto, K.; Suzuki, T.; Tokanai, F.; Furuki, H.; Ichihashi, N.; Ichikawa, C.; Kitagawa, A.; Kuboki, T.; Momota, S.; Nagae, D.; Nagashima, M.; Nakamura, Y.; Nishikiori, R.; Niwa, T.; Ohtsubo, T.; Ozawa, A.

2013-01-01

Highlights: • Position-sensitive detectors were developed for storage-ring decay spectroscopy. • Fiber scintillation and silicon strip detectors were tested with heavy ion beams. • A new fiber scintillation detector showed an excellent position resolution. • Position and energy detection by silicon strip detectors enable full identification. -- Abstract: As next generation spectroscopic tools, heavy-ion cooler storage rings will be a unique application of highly charged RI beam experiments. Decay spectroscopy of highly charged rare isotopes provides us important information relevant to the stellar conditions, such as for the s- and r-process nucleosynthesis. In-ring decay products of highly charged RI will be momentum-analyzed and reach a position-sensitive detector set-up located outside of the storage orbit. To realize such in-ring decay experiments, we have developed and tested two types of high-resolution position-sensitive detectors: silicon strips and scintillating fibers. The beam test experiments resulted in excellent position resolutions for both detectors, which will be available for future storage-ring experiments

Positive and negative experiences of breast pumping during the first 6 months.

Science.gov (United States)

Flaherman, Valerie J; Hicks, Katherine G; Huynh, Justine; Cabana, Michael D; Lee, Kathryn A

2016-04-01

For mothers with breastfeeding difficulties, pumping can be recommended to help establish milk production. However, pumping may present some barriers to successful breastfeeding. Mothers with milk supply concern may be at higher risk of barriers to successful breastfeeding. No previous studies have described experiences of pumping among mothers with milk supply concern. We conducted 10 focus groups of 56 mothers who had milk supply concern in the first month after birth. A paid, trained facilitator led groups in a semi-structured approach. Sessions were audiorecorded and transcribed verbatim. The transcripts were coded independently by two investigators and analysed using grounded theory. We identified five themes related to the experience of pumping among mothers with milk supply concern: (1) additional control over breastfeeding from pumping: 'I would feed and then give him … whatever I could manage to pump to him'. (2) Painful experience: 'The first time I pumped my boobs hurt so bad'. (3) Pumped volume affected milk supply concern: 'Pump and there was hardly anything coming out that's when I started to worry'. (4) Pumping interfered with other nurturing activities: 'While you're pumping, you can't touch the baby'. (5) Frustration from inconsistent provider advice: 'They told me to pump … and then said, "That's going to cause your milk to increase too much" '. Mothers had positive and negative experiences with pumping. Clinicians should assess a mother's experience shortly after she initiates pumping, as further management and counselling may be necessary to avoid barriers to successful breastfeeding. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Ethnographic experiences of HIV-positive nurses in managing ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Data were gathered through clinical participant observation, informal conversations, recorded life histories, open-ended in-depth interviews and topical focus group discussions. Nurses are in a position to help people through negative life events, yet they may personally experience the same types of negative life events.

Components of Camp Experiences for Positive Youth Development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karla A. Henderson

2007-03-01

Full Text Available Youth development specialists advocate that well designed, implemented, and staffed youth centered programs result in positive outcomes for young people. Youth organizations have provided opportunities for young people to participate in camping experiences for over a century. The purpose of this paper is to describe what program components were related to camp environments and positive youth development. We describe these program components related to positive youth development based on a large scale national study of ACA (American Camp Association accredited camps that included independent, religiously affiliated, government, and not-for-profit organizations. Based on the responses given by camp directors, contact and leadership from trained staff and the supportive relationships they provided were essential elements of camp. Other aspects leading to positive youth development in camps were program mission and structure along with elements of accountability, assessment of outcomes, and opportunities for skill building.

ASD Transition to Mainstream Secondary: A Positive Experience?

Science.gov (United States)

Neal, Sinead; Frederickson, Norah

2016-01-01

The transition to secondary school is considered difficult for children with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD), yet there has been little strength-based investigation of positive experiences of this population and the types of support they value most in managing anxiety about transition. The current article presents a qualitative exploration of the…

IL4 gene polymorphism and previous malaria experiences manipulate anti-Plasmodium falciparum antibody isotype profiles in complicated and uncomplicated malaria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kalambaheti Thareerat

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The IL4-590 gene polymorphism has been shown to be associated with elevated levels of anti-Plasmodium falciparum IgG antibodies and parasite intensity in the malaria protected Fulani of West Africa. This study aimed to investigate the possible impact of IL4-590C/T polymorphism on anti-P. falciparum IgG subclasses and IgE antibodies levels and the alteration of malaria severity in complicated and uncomplicated malaria patients with or without previous malaria experiences. Methods Anti-P.falciparum IgG subclasses and IgE antibodies in plasma of complicated and uncomplicated malaria patients with or without previous malaria experiences were analysed using ELISA. IL4-590 polymorphisms were genotyped using RFLP-PCR. Statistical analyses of the IgG subclass levels were done by Oneway ANOVA. Genotype differences were tested by Chi-squared test. Results The IL4-590T allele was significantly associated with anti-P. falciparum IgG3 antibody levels in patients with complicated (P = 0.031, but not with uncomplicated malaria (P = 0.622. Complicated malaria patients with previous malaria experiences carrying IL4-590TT genotype had significantly lower levels of anti-P. falciparum IgG3 (P = 0.0156, while uncomplicated malaria patients with previous malaria experiences carrying the same genotype had significantly higher levels (P = 0.0206 compared to their IL4-590 counterparts. The different anti-P. falciparum IgG1 and IgG3 levels among IL4 genotypes were observed. Complicated malaria patients with previous malaria experiences tended to have lower IgG3 levels in individuals carrying TT when compared to CT genotypes (P = 0.075. In contrast, complicated malaria patients without previous malaria experiences carrying CC genotype had significantly higher anti-P. falciparum IgG1 than those carrying either CT or TT genotypes (P = 0.004, P = 0.002, respectively. Conclusion The results suggest that IL4-590C or T alleles participated differently in the

Caring for women wanting a vaginal birth after previous caesarean section: A qualitative study of the experiences of midwives and obstetricians.

Science.gov (United States)

Foureur, Maralyn; Turkmani, Sabera; Clack, Danielle C; Davis, Deborah L; Mollart, Lyndall; Leiser, Bernadette; Homer, Caroline S E

2017-02-01

One of the greatest contributors to the overall caesarean section rate is elective repeat caesarean section. Decisions around mode of birth are often complex for women and influenced by the views of the doctors and midwives who care for and counsel women. Women may be more likely to choose a repeat elective caesarean section (CS) if their health care providers lack skills and confidence in supporting vaginal birth after caesarean section (VBAC). To explore the views and experiences of providers in caring for women considering VBAC, in particular the decision-making processes and the communication of risk and safety to women. A descriptive interpretive method was utilised. Four focus groups with doctors and midwives were conducted. The central themes were: 'developing trust', 'navigating the system' and 'optimising support'. The impact of past professional experiences; the critical importance of continuity of carer and positive relationships; the ability to weigh up risks versus benefits; and the language used were all important elements. The role of policy and guidelines on providing standardised care for women who had a previous CS was also highlighted. Midwives and doctors in this study were positively oriented towards assisting and supporting women to attempt a VBAC. Care providers considered that women who have experienced a prior CS need access to midwifery continuity of care with a focus on support, information-sharing and effective communication. Copyright © 2016 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Positive and negative caregiver experiences in first-episode psychosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jansen, Jens Einar; Lysaker, Paul H.; Harder, Susanne

2014-01-01

influenced their reports of both positive and negative caregiving experiences. Design A prospective consecutive cross-sectional study. Methods Forty caregivers of patients with first-episode psychosis were interviewed using semi-structured interview and questionnaires. Results Greater levels of distress...

Specific Previous Experience Affects Perception of Harmony and Meter

Science.gov (United States)

Creel, Sarah C.

2011-01-01

Prior knowledge shapes our experiences, but which prior knowledge shapes which experiences? This question is addressed in the domain of music perception. Three experiments were used to determine whether listeners activate specific musical memories during music listening. Each experiment provided listeners with one of two musical contexts that was…

Medical students, early general practice placements and positive supervisor experiences.

Science.gov (United States)

Henderson, Margaret; Upham, Susan; King, David; Dick, Marie-Louise; van Driel, Mieke

2018-03-01

Introduction Community-based longitudinal clinical placements for medical students are becoming more common globally. The perspective of supervising clinicians about their experiences and processes involved in maximising these training experiences has received less attention than that of students. Aims This paper explores the general practitioner (GP) supervisor perspective of positive training experiences with medical students undertaking urban community-based, longitudinal clinical placements in the early years of medical training. Methods Year 2 medical students spent a half-day per week in general practice for either 13 or 26 weeks. Transcribed semi-structured interviews from a convenience sample of participating GPs were thematically analysed by two researchers, using a general inductive approach. Results Identified themes related to the attributes of participating persons and organisations: GPs, students, patients, practices and their supporting institution; GPs' perceptions of student development; and triggers enhancing the experience. A model was developed to reflect these themes. Conclusions Training experiences were enhanced for GPs supervising medical students in early longitudinal clinical placements by the synergy of motivated students and keen teachers with support from patients, practice staff and academic institutions. We developed an explanatory model to better understand the mechanism of positive experiences. Understanding the interaction of factors enhancing teaching satisfaction is important for clinical disciplines wishing to maintain sustainable, high quality teaching.

Exploration of life experiences of positive growth in long-term childhood cancer survivors.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Yoonjung

2017-10-01

The aim of this study was to explore experiences of positive growth in long-term childhood cancer survivors, from their perspective. Fifteen long-term survivors of childhood cancer provided descriptions of their experiences. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews and the analysis was based on Giorgi's phenomenological research method. The analysis of positive growth experienced by long-term childhood cancer survivors revealed three themes: self-directed life, normalcy in life, and inner maturity. Long-term survivors defined positive growth as a successful transition to a self-satisfactory life based on motivation acquired through their cancer experience and on subjective goal-setting, as well as becoming cancer-free and living a normal life within society. They seemed to have acquired optimistic, flexible, active attitudes toward life while demonstrating profound gratefulness and consideration of people around them, as well as prudent approaches to health. The findings of this study verified that long-term survivors of childhood cancer have grown positively due to their negative past experience. We expect these findings to contribute to the development of programs that promote positive growth in long-term childhood cancer survivors. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

TU-CD-BRD-01: Making Incident Learning Practical and Useful: Challenges and Previous Experiences

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ezzell, G.

2015-01-01

It has long been standard practice in radiation oncology to report internally when a patient’s treatment has not gone as planned and to report events to regulatory agencies when legally required. Most potential errors are caught early and never affect the patient. Quality assurance steps routinely prevent errors from reaching the patient, and these “near misses” are much more frequent than treatment errors. A growing number of radiation oncology facilities have implemented incident learning systems to report and analyze both errors and near misses. Using the term “incident learning” instead of “event reporting” emphasizes the need to use these experiences to change the practice and make future errors less likely and promote an educational, non-punitive environment. There are challenges in making such a system practical and effective. Speakers from institutions of different sizes and practice environments will share their experiences on how to make such a system work and what benefits their clinics have accrued. Questions that will be addressed include: How to create a system that is easy for front line staff to access How to motivate staff to report How to promote the system as positive and educational and not punitive or demeaning How to organize the team for reviewing and responding to reports How to prioritize which reports to discuss in depth How not to dismiss the rest How to identify underlying causes How to design corrective actions and implement change How to develop useful statistics and analysis tools How to coordinate a departmental system with a larger risk management system How to do this without a dedicated quality manager Some speakers’ experience is with in-house systems and some will share experience with the AAPM/ASTRO national Radiation Oncology Incident Learning System (RO-ILS). Reports intended to be of value nationally need to be comprehensible to outsiders; examples of useful reports will be shown. There will be ample time set

TU-CD-BRD-01: Making Incident Learning Practical and Useful: Challenges and Previous Experiences

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ezzell, G. [Mayo Clinic Arizona (United States)

2015-06-15

It has long been standard practice in radiation oncology to report internally when a patient’s treatment has not gone as planned and to report events to regulatory agencies when legally required. Most potential errors are caught early and never affect the patient. Quality assurance steps routinely prevent errors from reaching the patient, and these “near misses” are much more frequent than treatment errors. A growing number of radiation oncology facilities have implemented incident learning systems to report and analyze both errors and near misses. Using the term “incident learning” instead of “event reporting” emphasizes the need to use these experiences to change the practice and make future errors less likely and promote an educational, non-punitive environment. There are challenges in making such a system practical and effective. Speakers from institutions of different sizes and practice environments will share their experiences on how to make such a system work and what benefits their clinics have accrued. Questions that will be addressed include: How to create a system that is easy for front line staff to access How to motivate staff to report How to promote the system as positive and educational and not punitive or demeaning How to organize the team for reviewing and responding to reports How to prioritize which reports to discuss in depth How not to dismiss the rest How to identify underlying causes How to design corrective actions and implement change How to develop useful statistics and analysis tools How to coordinate a departmental system with a larger risk management system How to do this without a dedicated quality manager Some speakers’ experience is with in-house systems and some will share experience with the AAPM/ASTRO national Radiation Oncology Incident Learning System (RO-ILS). Reports intended to be of value nationally need to be comprehensible to outsiders; examples of useful reports will be shown. There will be ample time set

Effect of radiologist experience on the risk of false-positive results in breast cancer screening programs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zubizarreta Alberdi, Raquel; Llanes, Ana B.F.; Ortega, Raquel Almazan; Exposito, Ruben Roman; Collado, Jose M.V.; Oliveres, Xavier Castells; Queiro Verdes, Teresa; Natal Ramos, Carmen; Sanz, Maria Ederra; Salas Trejo, Dolores

2011-01-01

To evaluate the effect of radiologist experience on the risk of false-positive results in population-based breast cancer screening programmes. We evaluated 1,440,384 single-read screening mammograms, corresponding to 471,112 women aged 45-69 years participating in four Spanish programmes between 1990 and 2006. The mammograms were interpreted by 72 radiologists. The overall percentage of false-positive results was 5.85% and that for false-positives resulting in an invasive procedure was 0.38%. Both the risk of false-positives overall and of false-positives leading to an invasive procedure significantly decreased (p 14,999 mammograms with respect to the reference category (<500). The risk of both categories of false-positives was also significantly reduced (p < 0.001) as radiologists' years of experience increased: OR 0.96 and OR 0.84, respectively, for 1 year's experience and OR 0.72 and OR 0.73, respectively, for more than 4 years' experience with regard to the category of <1 year's experience. Radiologist experience is a determining factor in the risk of a false-positive result in breast cancer screening. (orig.)

Previous experiences and emotional baggage as barriers to lifestyle change - a qualitative study of Norwegian Healthy Life Centre participants.

Science.gov (United States)

Følling, Ingrid S; Solbjør, Marit; Helvik, Anne-S

2015-06-23

Changing lifestyle is challenging and difficult. The Norwegian Directorate of Health recommends that all municipalities establish Healthy Life Centres targeted to people with lifestyle issues. Little is known about the background, experiences and reflections of participants. More information is needed about participants to shape effective lifestyle interventions with lasting effect. This study explores how participants in a lifestyle intervention programme describe previous life experiences in relation to changing lifestyle. Semi-structured qualitative in-depth interviews were performed with 23 participants (16 women and 7 men) aged 18 - 70 years. The data were analysed using systematic text condensation searching for issues describing participants' responses, and looking for the essence, aiming to share the basis of life-world experiences as valid knowledge. Participants identified two main themes: being stuck in old habits, and being burdened with emotional baggage from their previous negative experiences. Participants expressed a wish to change their lifestyles, but were unable to act in accordance with the health knowledge they possessed. Previous experiences with lifestyle change kept them from initiating attempts without professional assistance. Participants also described being burdened by an emotional baggage with problems from childhood and/or with family, work and social life issues. Respondents said that they felt that emotional baggage was an important explanation for why they were stuck in old habits and that conversely, being stuck in old habits added load to their already emotional baggage and made it heavier. Behavioural change can be hard to perform as psychological distress from life baggage can influence the ability to change. The study participants' experience of being stuck in old habits and having substantial emotional baggage raises questions as to whether or not Healthy Life Centres are able to help participants who need to make a lifestyle

The Upward Spiral of Adolescents' Positive School Experiences and Happiness: Investigating Reciprocal Effects over Time

Science.gov (United States)

Stiglbauer, Barbara; Gnambs, Timo; Gamsjager, Manuela; Batinic, Bernad

2013-01-01

In line with self-determination theory and Fredrickson's (2001) broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions, this study adopts a positive perspective on students' school experiences and their general psychological functioning. The reciprocal effects of positive school experiences and happiness, a dimension of affective well-being, are examined…

Scale for positive aspects of caregiving experience: development, reliability, and factor structure.

Science.gov (United States)

Kate, N; Grover, S; Kulhara, P; Nehra, R

2012-06-01

OBJECTIVE. To develop an instrument (Scale for Positive Aspects of Caregiving Experience [SPACE]) that evaluates positive caregiving experience and assess its psychometric properties. METHODS. Available scales which assess some aspects of positive caregiving experience were reviewed and a 50-item questionnaire with a 5-point rating was constructed. In all, 203 primary caregivers of patients with severe mental disorders were asked to complete the questionnaire. Internal consistency, test-retest reliability, cross-language reliability, split-half reliability, and face validity were evaluated. Principal component factor analysis was run to assess the factorial validity of the scale. RESULTS. The scale developed as part of the study was found to have good internal consistency, test-retest reliability, cross-language reliability, split-half reliability, and face validity. Principal component factor analysis yielded a 4-factor structure, which also had good test-retest reliability and cross-language reliability. There was a strong correlation between the 4 factors obtained. CONCLUSION. The SPACE developed as part of this study has good psychometric properties.

Does previous open surgical experience have any influence on robotic surgery simulation exercises?

Science.gov (United States)

Cumpanas, Alin Adrian; Bardan, Razvan; Ferician, Ovidiu Catalin; Latcu, Silviu Constantin; Duta, Ciprian; Lazar, Fulger Octavian

2017-12-01

Within the last years, there has been a trend in many hospitals to switch their surgical activity from open/laparoscopic procedures to robotic surgery. Some open surgeons have been shifting their activity to robotic surgery. It is still unclear whether there is a transfer of open surgical skills to robotic ones. To evaluate whether such transfer of skills occurs and to identify which specific skills are more significantly transferred from the operative table to the console. Twenty-five volunteers were included in the study, divided into 2 groups: group A (15 participants) - medical students (without any surgical experience in open, laparoscopic or robotic surgery); and group B (10 participants) - surgeons with exclusively open surgical experience, without any previous laparoscopic or robotic experience. Participants were asked to complete 3 robotic simulator console exercises structured from the easiest one (Peg Board) to the toughest one (Sponge Suture). Overall scores for each exercise as well as specific metrics were compared between the two groups. There were no significant differences between overall scores of the two groups for the easiest task. Overall scores were better for group B as the exercises got more complex. For the intermediate and high-difficulty level exercises, most of the specific metrics were better for group B, with the exception of the working master space item. Our results suggest that the open surgical skills transfer to robotic skills, at least for the very beginning of the training process.

Testing HIV positive in pregnancy: A phenomenological study of women's experiences.

Science.gov (United States)

Lingen-Stallard, Andrew; Furber, Christine; Lavender, Tina

2016-04-01

globally women receive HIV testing in pregnancy; however, limited information is available on their experiences of this potentially life-changing event. This study aims to explore women's experiences of receiving a positive HIV test result following antenatal screening. a qualitative, phenomenological approach. two public National Health Service (NHS) hospitals and HIV support organisations. a purposive sampling strategy was used. Thirteen black African women with a positive HIV result, in England, participated. data were collected using in-depth semi-structured interviews. An interpretive phenomenological approach to data analysis was used. the emergent phenomenon was transition and transformation of 'being,' as women accepted HIV as part of their lives. Paired themes support the phenomenon: shock and disbelief; anger and turmoil; stigma and confidentiality issues; acceptance and resilience. Women had extreme reactions to their positive HIV diagnosis, compounded by the cultural belief that they would die. Initial disbelief of the unexpected result developed into sadness at the loss of their old self. Turmoil was evident, as women considered termination of pregnancy, self-harm and suicide. Women felt isolated from others and relationship breakdowns often occurred. Most reported the pervasiveness of stigma, and how this was managed alongside living with HIV. Coping strategies included keeping HIV 'secret' and making their child(ren) the prime focus of life. Growing resilience was apparent with time. this study gives midwives unique understanding of the complexities and major implications for women who tested positive for HIV. Women's experiences resonated with processes of bereavement, providing useful insight into a transitional and transformational period, during which appropriate support can be targeted. midwives are crucial in improving the experience of women when they test HIV positive and to do this they need to be appropriately trained. Midwives need to

Detecting Position Using ARKit II: Generating Position-Time Graphs in Realtime and Further Information on Limitations of ARKit

Science.gov (United States)

Dilek, Ufuk; Erol, Mustafa

2018-01-01

ARKit is a framework which allows developers to create augmented reality apps for the iPhone and iPad. In a previous study, we had shown that it could be used to detect position in educational physics experiments and emphasized that the ability to provide position data in real-time was one of the prominent features of this newly emerging…

Previous International Experience, Cross-Cultural Training, and Expatriates' Cross-Cultural Adjustment: Effects of Cultural Intelligence and Goal Orientation

Science.gov (United States)

Koo Moon, Hyoung; Kwon Choi, Byoung; Shik Jung, Jae

2012-01-01

Although various antecedents of expatriates' cross-cultural adjustment have been addressed, previous international experience, predeparture cross-cultural training, and cultural intelligence (CQ) have been most frequently examined. However, there are few attempts that explore the effects of these antecedents simultaneously or consider the possible…

Experience with the shift technical advisor position

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Melber, B.D.; Olson, J.; Schreiber, R.E.; Winges, L.

1984-03-01

The provision of engineering expertise on shift at commercial nuclear power plants has mainly taken the form of the Shift Technical Advisor (STA). This person, acting in a capacity that is part engineer and part operator, is expected to advise the operations crew in the event of an emergency and review plant operating experience during normal circumstances. The position was mandated by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission following the incident at Three Mile Island. This report expands on a growing body of knowledge regarding the effectiveness of the STA. The new data presented here come from interviews with plant personnel and utility officials from nine sites. Researchers from the Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) interviewed plant personnel, including the STA and immediate management, the shift supervisor and management, the training department, and ancillary staff, all of whom affect the intended performance of the STA. The conclusions of the report are that the design of the STA position results in limited contribution during emergencies; more comprehensive ways should be sought to provide the variety and specificity of engineering expertise needed during such times

Experience with the shift technical advisor position

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Melber, B.D.; Olson, J.; Schreiber, R.E.; Winges, L.

1984-03-01

The provision of engineering expertise on shift at commercial nuclear power plants has mainly taken the form of the Shift Technical Advisor (STA). This person, acting in a capacity that is part engineer and part operator, is expected to advise the operations crew in the event of an emergency and review plant operating experience during normal circumstances. The position was mandated by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission following the incident at Three Mile Island. This report expands on a growing body of knowledge regarding the effectiveness of the STA. The new data presented here come from interviews with plant personnel and utility officials from nine sites. Researchers from the Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) interviewed plant personnel, including the STA and immediate management, the shift supervisor and management, the training department, and ancillary staff, all of whom affect the intended performance of the STA. The conclusions of the report are that the design of the STA position results in limited contribution during emergencies; more comprehensive ways should be sought to provide the variety and specificity of engineering expertise needed during such times.

Swedish fathers' experiences of childbirth in relation to maternal birth position: a mixed method study.

Science.gov (United States)

Johansson, Margareta; Thies-Lagergren, Li

2015-12-01

Fathers often want to be involved in labour and birth. To investigate how maternal birth position during second stage of labour may influence fathers' experience of childbirth. Mixed method study with 221 Swedish fathers completing an on-line questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and qualitative content analysis were used. In total 174 (78.7%) had a positive overall birth experience. The theme An emotional life-changing event influenced by the birth process and the structure of obstetrical care was revealed and included the categories; Midwives ability to be professional, The birth process' impact, and Being prepared to participate. The most frequently utilised birth position during a spontaneous vaginal birth was birth seat (n=83; 45.1%), and the fathers in this group were more likely to assess the birth position as very positive (n=40; 54.8%) compared to other upright and horizontal birth positions. Fathers with a partner having an upright birth position were more likely to have had a positive birth experience (p=0.048), to have felt comfortable (p=0.003) and powerful (p=0.019) compared to women adopting a horizontal birth position during a spontaneous vaginal birth. When the women had an upright birth position the fathers deemed the second stage of labour to have been more rapid (mean VAS 7.01 vs. 4.53) compared to women in a horizontal birth position. An upright birth position enhances fathers' experience of having been positively and actively engaged in the birth process. Midwives can enhance fathers' feelings of involvement and participation by attentiveness through interaction and communicating skills. Copyright © 2015 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Betwixt and Between: The Social Position and Stress Experiences of Graduate Students

Science.gov (United States)

Grady, Rebecca K.; La Touche, Rachel; Oslawski-Lopez, Jamie; Powers, Alyssa; Simacek, Kristina

2014-01-01

Graduate students occupy social positions within institutions of higher education that are rife with role strain and, relative to broader power relations within these institutions, are marginalized. In this study, we inquire how the social positions and concomitant roles of graduate students shape their mental health experiences, investigating…

Mandatory Parent Education Programs Can Create Positive Youth Sport Experiences

Science.gov (United States)

Christofferson, Jennifer; Strand, Bradford

2016-01-01

Youth sport leaders must not ignore the influence parents have on creating a positive developmental experience for young athletes. Therefore, expectations involving parental involvement and conduct must be addressed prior to athletes' participation. This article aims to examine the importance of creating mandatory parental training programs for…

Digital beam position monitor for the HAPPEX experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sherlon Kauffman; John Musson; Hai Dong; Lisa Kaufman; Arne Freyberger

2005-01-01

The proposed HAPPEX experiment at CEBAF employs a three cavity monitor system for high precision (1um), high bandwidth (100 kHz) position measurements. This is performed using a cavity triplet consisting of two TM110-mode cavities (one each for X and Y planes) combined with a conventional TM010-mode cavity for a phase and magnitude reference. Traditional systems have used the TM010 cavity output to directly down convert the BPM cavity signals to base band. The multi-channel HAPPEX digital receiver simultaneously I/Q samples each cavity and extracts position using a CORDIC algorithm. The hardware design consists of a RF receiver daughter board and a digital processor motherboard that resides in a VXI crate. The daughter board down converts 1.497 GHz signals from the TM010 cavity and X and Y signals from the TM110 cavities to 3 MHz and extracts the quadrature digital signals. The motherboard processes this data and computes beam intensity and X-Y positions with resolution of 1um, 100 kHz output bandwidth, and overall latency of 1us. The results are available in both the analog and digital format

Urban ministry workers' positive experiences of interpersonal and religious support during crisis.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilkins, Ashley; Eriksson, Cynthia; Gottuso, Ann; Fort, Christin

2017-01-01

Research on faith-based urban workers is limited despite the chronic and traumatic exposure inherent in their work. This study details the perception of positive interpersonal relationships during a time of trauma or crisis as described in semistructured 2- to 3-hour interviews with 13 faith-based urban workers in Los Angeles, California. Using strategies consistent with Consensual Qualitative Research, categories and subcategories defining positive interpersonal relationships were identified. Resulting categories suggested that there are specific characteristics, products, and types of relationships that urban workers experience as important during the time of trauma or crisis. Positive experiences were often religious in nature and included feeling supported, feeling connected, relationship growth, sharing and listening, authenticity, and feeling as through relationships facilitated personal growth or coping. The findings highlight participants' need for both practical support and relational support which reflects and enhances their spiritual commitment.

The problem of false positives and false negatives in violent video game experiments.

Science.gov (United States)

Ferguson, Christopher J

The problem of false positives and negatives has received considerable attention in behavioral research in recent years. The current paper uses video game violence research as an example of how such issues may develop in a field. Despite decades of research, evidence on whether violent video games (VVGs) contribute to aggression in players has remained mixed. Concerns have been raised in recent years that experiments regarding VVGs may suffer from both "false positives" and "false negatives." The current paper examines this issue in three sets of video game experiments, two sets of video game experiments on aggression and prosocial behaviors identified in meta-analysis, and a third group of recent null studies. Results indicated that studies of VVGs and aggression appear to be particularly prone to false positive results. Studies of VVGs and prosocial behavior, by contrast are heterogeneous and did not demonstrate any indication of false positive results. However, their heterogeneous nature made it difficult to base solid conclusions on them. By contrast, evidence for false negatives in null studies was limited, and little evidence emerged that null studies lacked power in comparison those highlighted in past meta-analyses as evidence for effects. These results are considered in light of issues related to false positives and negatives in behavioral science more broadly. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Differences between previously married and never married 'gay' men: family background, childhood experiences and current attitudes.

Science.gov (United States)

Higgins, Daryl J

2004-01-01

Despite a large body of literature on the development of sexual orientation, little is known about why some gay men have been (or remain) married to a woman. In the current study, a self-selected sample of 43 never married gay men ('never married') and 26 gay men who were married to a woman ('previously married') completed a self-report questionnaire. Hypotheses were based on five possible explanations for gay men's marriages: (a) differences in sexual orientation (i.e., bisexuality); (b) internalized homophobia; (c) religious intolerance; (d) confusion created because of childhood/adolescent sexual experiences; and/or (e) poor psychological adjustment. Previously married described their families' religious beliefs as more fundamentalist than never married. No differences were found between married' and never married' ratings of their sexual orientation and identity, and levels of homophobia and self-depreciation. Family adaptability and family cohesion and the degree to which respondents reported having experienced child maltreatment did not distinguish between previously married and never married. The results highlight how little is understood of the reasons why gay men marry, and the need to develop an adequate theoretical model.

Beam position reconstruction for the g2p experiment in Hall A at Jefferson lab

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Pengjia; Allada, Kalyan; Allison, Trent; Badman, Toby; Camsonne, Alexandre; Chen, Jian-ping; Cummings, Melissa; Gu, Chao; Huang, Min; Liu, Jie; Musson, John; Slifer, Karl; Sulkosky, Vincent; Ye, Yunxiu; Zhang, Jixie; Zielinski, Ryan

2016-02-01

Beam-line equipment was upgraded for experiment E08-027 (g2p) in Hall A at Jefferson Lab. Two beam position monitors (BPMs) were necessary to measure the beam position and angle at the target. A new BPM receiver was designed and built to handle the low beam currents (50-100 nA) used for this experiment. Two new super-harps were installed for calibrating the BPMs. In addition to the existing fast raster system, a slow raster system was installed. Before and during the experiment, these new devices were tested and debugged, and their performance was also evaluated. In order to achieve the required accuracy (1-2 mm in position and 1-2 mrad in angle at the target location), the data of the BPMs and harps were carefully analyzed, as well as reconstructing the beam position and angle event by event at the target location. The calculated beam position will be used in the data analysis to accurately determine the kinematics for each event.

Using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) to Define Different Domains of Negative Symptoms: Prediction of Everyday Functioning by Impairments in Emotional Expression and Emotional Experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Harvey, Philip D; Khan, Anzalee; Keefe, Richard S E

2017-12-01

Background: Reduced emotional experience and expression are two domains of negative symptoms. The authors assessed these two domains of negative symptoms using previously developed Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) factors. Using an existing dataset, the authors predicted three different elements of everyday functioning (social, vocational, and everyday activities) with these two factors, as well as with performance on measures of functional capacity. Methods: A large (n=630) sample of people with schizophrenia was used as the data source of this study. Using regression analyses, the authors predicted the three different aspects of everyday functioning, first with just the two Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale factors and then with a global negative symptom factor. Finally, we added neurocognitive performance and functional capacity as predictors. Results: The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale reduced emotional experience factor accounted for 21 percent of the variance in everyday social functioning, while reduced emotional expression accounted for no variance. The total Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale negative symptom factor accounted for less variance (19%) than the reduced experience factor alone. The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale expression factor accounted for, at most, one percent of the variance in any of the functional outcomes, with or without the addition of other predictors. Implications: Reduced emotional experience measured with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, often referred to as "avolition and anhedonia," specifically predicted impairments in social outcomes. Further, reduced experience predicted social impairments better than emotional expression or the total Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale negative symptom factor. In this cross-sectional study, reduced emotional experience was specifically related with social outcomes, accounting for essentially no variance in work or everyday activities, and being the

The Importance of Business Model Factors for Cloud Computing Adoption: Role of Previous Experiences

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bogataj Habjan Kristina

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Background and Purpose: Bringing several opportunities for more effective and efficient IT governance and service exploitation, cloud computing is expected to impact the European and global economies significantly. Market data show that despite many advantages and promised benefits the adoption of cloud computing is not as fast and widespread as foreseen. This situation shows the need for further exploration of the potentials of cloud computing and its implementation on the market. The purpose of this research was to identify individual business model factors with the highest impact on cloud computing adoption. In addition, the aim was to identify the differences in opinion regarding the importance of business model factors on cloud computing adoption according to companies’ previous experiences with cloud computing services.

Previous experience of family violence and intimate partner violence in pregnancy.

Science.gov (United States)

Ludermir, Ana Bernarda; Araújo, Thália Velho Barreto de; Valongueiro, Sandra Alves; Muniz, Maria Luísa Corrêa; Silva, Elisabete Pereira

2017-01-01

To estimate differential associations between the exposure to violence in the family of origin and victimization and perpetration of intimate partner violence in pregnancy. A nested case-control study was carried out within a cohort study with 1,120 pregnant women aged 18-49 years old, who were registered in the Family Health Strategy of the city of Recife, State of Pernambuco, Brazil, between 2005 and 2006. The cases were the 233 women who reported intimate partner violence in pregnancy and the controls were the 499 women who did not report it. Partner violence in pregnancy and previous experiences of violence committed by parents or other family members were assessed with a standardized questionnaire. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were modeled to identify differential associations between the exposure to violence in the family of origin and victimization and perpetration of intimate partner violence in pregnancy. Having seen the mother suffer intimate partner violence was associated with physical violence in childhood (OR = 2.62; 95%CI 1.89-3.63) and in adolescence (OR = 1.47; 95%CI 1.01-2.13), sexual violence in childhood (OR = 3.28; 95%CI 1.68-6.38) and intimate partner violence during pregnancy (OR = 1.47; 95% CI 1.01 - 2.12). The intimate partner violence during pregnancy was frequent in women who reported more episodes of physical violence in childhood (OR = 2.08; 95%CI 1.43-3.02) and adolescence (OR = 1.63; 95%CI 1.07-2.47), who suffered sexual violence in childhood (OR = 3.92; 95%CI 1.86-8.27), and who perpetrated violence against the partner (OR = 8.67; 95%CI 4.57-16.45). Experiences of violence committed by parents or other family members emerge as strong risk factors for intimate partner violence in pregnancy. Identifying and understanding protective and risk factors for the emergence of intimate partner violence in pregnancy and its maintenance may help policymakers and health service managers to develop intervention strategies.

Positive caregiving experiences are associated with life satisfaction in spouses of stroke survivors.

Science.gov (United States)

Kruithof, Willeke J; Visser-Meily, Johanna M A; Post, Marcel W M

2012-11-01

Studies into caregivers usually have been focused on negative caregiving experiences. This study is based on the hypotheses that positive caregiving experiences (i.e., self-esteem derived from caregiving) of spouses of stroke patients also need to be taken into account, and that these are related to life satisfaction in 2 ways: first, by a direct association with life satisfaction, and second, indirectly by way of a buffer effect (i.e., by compensating for the impact of negative caregiving experiences on life satisfaction). In this cross-sectional study (n = 121) 3 years poststroke, the Caregiver Reaction Assessment was used to assess caregiver burden (Burden) and self-esteem derived from caregiving (Self-esteem scale). Life satisfaction was measured with the Life Satisfaction Questionnaire (LiSat-9). Spearman correlations and regression analyses were performed. Both Self-esteem and Burden scores were associated with life satisfaction (correlation coefficients 0.35 and -0.74, respectively). An interaction effect was also found (P = .006); spouses who perceived both high Burden and high Self-esteem reported significantly higher life satisfaction scores (mean 4.2, standard deviation [SD] 0.5) than spouses who perceived high Burden but low Self-esteem (mean 3.6, SD 0.7). Positive caregiving experiences are related to spouses' life satisfaction 3 years poststroke and mediate the impact of burden on life satisfaction. Positive caregiving experiences should get more attention in rehabilitation research and practice. Copyright © 2012 National Stroke Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Position indicating split toroid for the RACE experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hurst, B.; Folkman, K.

2007-01-01

Aspects of the recent reactor accelerator coupled experiments (RACE) carried out at University of Texas Nuclear Engineering Teaching Laboratory will be discussed. In particular, a compact instrument that allowed a continuous non-invasive means of determining the relative electron beam position was developed. The operation of the instrument is similar to an inductive current pick up toroid except that the core is sectioned radially, which allows spatial information to be derived from the induced voltages. Results of initial tests, both in beam and with a pulser, will be presented along with plans to optimize future designs

Beam position reconstruction for the g2p experiment in Hall A at Jefferson lab

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu, Pengjia; Allada, Kalyan; Allison, Trent; Badman, Toby; Camsonne, Alexandre; Chen, Jian-ping; Cummings, Melissa; Gu, Chao; Huang, Min; Liu, Jie; Musson, John; Slifer, Karl; Sulkosky, Vincent; Ye, Yunxiu; Zhang, Jixie; Zielinski, Ryan

2016-01-01

Beam-line equipment was upgraded for experiment E08-027 (g2p) in Hall A at Jefferson Lab. Two beam position monitors (BPMs) were necessary to measure the beam position and angle at the target. A new BPM receiver was designed and built to handle the low beam currents (50–100 nA) used for this experiment. Two new super-harps were installed for calibrating the BPMs. In addition to the existing fast raster system, a slow raster system was installed. Before and during the experiment, these new devices were tested and debugged, and their performance was also evaluated. In order to achieve the required accuracy (1–2 mm in position and 1–2 mrad in angle at the target location), the data of the BPMs and harps were carefully analyzed, as well as reconstructing the beam position and angle event by event at the target location. The calculated beam position will be used in the data analysis to accurately determine the kinematics for each event.

Beam position reconstruction for the g2p experiment in Hall A at Jefferson lab

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhu, Pengjia, E-mail: pzhu@jlab.org [University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026 (China); Allada, Kalyan [Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, Newport News, VA 23606 (United States); Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MA 02139 (United States); Allison, Trent [Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, Newport News, VA 23606 (United States); Badman, Toby [University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824 (United States); Camsonne, Alexandre; Chen, Jian-ping [Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, Newport News, VA 23606 (United States); Cummings, Melissa [College of William & Mary, Williamsburg, VA 23187 (United States); Gu, Chao [University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904 (United States); Huang, Min [Duke University, Durham, NC 27708 (United States); Liu, Jie [University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904 (United States); Musson, John [Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, Newport News, VA 23606 (United States); Slifer, Karl [University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824 (United States); Sulkosky, Vincent [University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904 (United States); Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MA 02139 (United States); Ye, Yunxiu [University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026 (China); Zhang, Jixie [Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, Newport News, VA 23606 (United States); University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904 (United States); Zielinski, Ryan [University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824 (United States)

2016-02-01

Beam-line equipment was upgraded for experiment E08-027 (g2p) in Hall A at Jefferson Lab. Two beam position monitors (BPMs) were necessary to measure the beam position and angle at the target. A new BPM receiver was designed and built to handle the low beam currents (50–100 nA) used for this experiment. Two new super-harps were installed for calibrating the BPMs. In addition to the existing fast raster system, a slow raster system was installed. Before and during the experiment, these new devices were tested and debugged, and their performance was also evaluated. In order to achieve the required accuracy (1–2 mm in position and 1–2 mrad in angle at the target location), the data of the BPMs and harps were carefully analyzed, as well as reconstructing the beam position and angle event by event at the target location. The calculated beam position will be used in the data analysis to accurately determine the kinematics for each event.

Characterizing Positive and Negative Emotional Experiences in Young Adults With Borderline Personality Disorder Symptoms.

Science.gov (United States)

Chu, Carol; Victor, Sarah E; Klonsky, E David

2016-09-01

Some researchers suggest that borderline personality disorder (BPD) is characterized by elevated negative emotion; others argue that BPD involves both reduced positive and increased negative emotion. This study characterizes the emotional experiences of individuals with BPD symptoms in a combined university and community sample. Participants (N = 150) completed a clinical interview assessing BPD symptoms and self-report measures of positive and negative emotion. A subset (n = 106) completed a measure of emotion daily for 2 weeks. Pearson's correlations and multilevel modeling were used to examine the cross-sectional and longitudinal relationships between BPD symptoms and emotions. BPD symptoms were robustly related to increased negative emotion; this relationship remained after accounting for positive emotion. BPD symptoms were weakly related to decreased positive emotion; this relationship was no longer significant after accounting for negative emotion. BPD symptoms predicted higher levels of negative and not positive emotion over 14 days. These patterns held for subscales assessing intensity, frequency, and duration of negative and positive emotions. Findings suggest that individuals with BPD features are chiefly distinguished by elevated negative emotional experience. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Patient's anxiety and fear of anesthesia: effect of gender, age, education, and previous experience of anesthesia. A survey of 400 patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Mavridou, Paraskevi; Dimitriou, Varvara; Manataki, Adamantia; Arnaoutoglou, Elena; Papadopoulos, Georgios

2013-02-01

Patients express high anxiety preoperatively, because of fears related to anesthesia and its implications. The purpose of this survey was to gain insight into these fears and to study whether they are affected by patients' sex, age, education, or previous experience of anesthesia. Questionnaires with fixed questions were distributed to consenting, consecutive surgical patients before the pre-anesthetic visit. The questionnaires included patients' demographics and questions related to their fears about anesthesia. Four-hundred questionnaires were collected and analyzed. Eighty-one percent of patients experience preoperative anxiety. The main sources of their anxiety were fear of postoperative pain (84 %), of not waking up after surgery (64.8 %), of being nauseous or vomiting (60.2 %), and of drains and needles (59.5 %). Patients are less concerned about being paralyzed because of anesthesia (33.5 %) or of revealing personal issues (18.8 %). Gender seems to affect patients fears, with women being more afraid (85.3 vs. 75.6 % of men, p = 0.014). The effects of patients' age, level of education, and previous experience of anesthesia are minor, except for individual questions. Sixty-three percent of our patients (mostly women 67.4 vs. 57.4 % of men, p = 0.039) talk about these fears with their relatives, although a vast majority of 95.5 % would prefer to talk with the anesthesiologist and be reassured by him. All patients, mostly women, express fears about anesthesia; this fear leads to preoperative anxiety. Slight differences are observed for some individual questions among patients of different sex, education level, and previous experience of anesthesia.

Relationship between premature loss of primary teeth with oral hygiene, consumption of soft drinks, dental care, and previous caries experience.

Science.gov (United States)

López-Gómez, Sandra Aremy; Villalobos-Rodelo, Juan José; Ávila-Burgos, Leticia; Casanova-Rosado, Juan Fernando; Vallejos-Sánchez, Ana Alicia; Lucas-Rincón, Salvador Eduardo; Patiño-Marín, Nuria; Medina-Solís, Carlo Eduardo

2016-02-26

We determine the relationship between premature loss of primary teeth and oral hygiene, consumption of soft drinks, dental care and previous caries experience. This study focused on 833 Mexican schoolchildren aged 6-7. We performed an oral examination to determine caries experience and the simplified oral hygiene index. The dependent variable was the prevalence of at least one missing tooth (or indicated for extraction) of the primary dentition; this variable was coded as 0 = no loss of teeth and 1 = at least one lost primary tooth. The prevalence of at least one missing tooth was 24.7% (n = 206) (95% CI = 21.8-27.7). The variables that were associated with the prevalence of tooth loss (p oral hygiene (OR = 3.24), a lower frequency of brushing (OR = 1.60), an increased consumption of soda (OR = 1.89) and use of dental care (curative: OR = 2.83, preventive: OR = 1.93). This study suggests that the premature loss of teeth in the primary dentition is associated with oral hygiene, consumption of soft drinks, dental care and previous caries experience in Mexican schoolchildren. These data provide relevant information for the design of preventive dentistry programs.

Job stress, occupational position and gender as factors differentiating workplace bullying experience

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcin Drabek

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Background: The results of our research broaden the knowledge concerning the correlates of mobbing. The study is aimed at finding out whether an employee's gender, his/her occupational position and level of occupational stress are related to bullying experience. Material and Methods: 1313 employees of a transport company participated in the study. The relationships between gender, occupational position, the level of stress and bullying were analysed. Bullying was measured by the use of the MDM Questionnaire, while work environment was assessed using the Subjective Assessment of Work Questionnaire. Results: It was found that women were generally more exposed to bullying than men (Z = –1.999; p < 0.05. Women experienced more bullying by their colleagues than men did (Z = –2.712; p < 0.01, in particular: bullying by colleagues that destroys the worker's image (Z = –2.922; p < 0.01 and bullying by colleagues that destroys social relations (Z = –3.004; p < 0.01. Individuals with managerial jobs experienced overall bullying (Z = –2.762; p < 0.01, bullying by colleagues (Z = –0.014; p < 0.05 and bullying by colleagues that destroys social relations (Z = –2.260; p < 0.05 more often than the individuals with non-management positions. The results of the study also indicated that employees with higher level of stress in comparison with less stressed co-workers reported more incidents of bullying behaviour (overall bullying – Z = –8.171; p < 0.001, bullying by colleagues – Z = –7.114; p < 0.001, bullying by supervisors – Z = –6.716; p < 0.001, all types of behaviour – p < 0.001. Conclusions: Comparing the results of our study to the previous research, it seems that the pattern of relationships between individual characteristics and bullying is rooted in the wider cultural context, the specificity of the company, its organisational culture as well as its situation. Therefore it's difficult to talk about irrefutable individual

Effect of video-game experience and position of flight stick controller on simulated-flight performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, Bo-Keun; Aghazadeh, Fereydoun; Al-Qaisi, Saif

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of video-game experience and flight-stick position on flying performance. The study divided participants into 2 groups; center- and side-stick groups, which were further divided into high and low level of video-game experience subgroups. The experiment consisted of 7 sessions of simulated flying, and in the last session, the flight stick controller was switched to the other position. Flight performance was measured in terms of the deviation of heading, altitude, and airspeed from their respective requirements. Participants with high experience in video games performed significantly better (p increase (0.78 %). However, after switching from a center- to a side-stick controller, performance scores decreased (4.8%).

Previous experience of family violence and intimate partner violence in pregnancy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana Bernarda Ludermir

2017-09-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To estimate differential associations between the exposure to violence in the family of origin and victimization and perpetration of intimate partner violence in pregnancy. METHODS A nested case-control study was carried out within a cohort study with 1,120 pregnant women aged 18–49 years old, who were registered in the Family Health Strategy of the city of Recife, State of Pernambuco, Brazil, between 2005 and 2006. The cases were the 233 women who reported intimate partner violence in pregnancy and the controls were the 499 women who did not report it. Partner violence in pregnancy and previous experiences of violence committed by parents or other family members were assessed with a standardized questionnaire. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were modeled to identify differential associations between the exposure to violence in the family of origin and victimization and perpetration of intimate partner violence in pregnancy. RESULTS Having seen the mother suffer intimate partner violence was associated with physical violence in childhood (OR = 2.62; 95%CI 1.89–3.63 and in adolescence (OR = 1.47; 95%CI 1.01–2.13, sexual violence in childhood (OR = 3.28; 95%CI 1.68–6.38 and intimate partner violence during pregnancy (OR = 1.47; 95% CI 1.01 – 2.12. The intimate partner violence during pregnancy was frequent in women who reported more episodes of physical violence in childhood (OR = 2.08; 95%CI 1.43–3.02 and adolescence (OR = 1.63; 95%CI 1.07–2.47, who suffered sexual violence in childhood (OR = 3.92; 95%CI 1.86–8.27, and who perpetrated violence against the partner (OR = 8.67; 95%CI 4.57–16.45. CONCLUSIONS Experiences of violence committed by parents or other family members emerge as strong risk factors for intimate partner violence in pregnancy. Identifying and understanding protective and risk factors for the emergence of intimate partner violence in pregnancy and its maintenance may help

Experiences of internationally educated nurses holding management positions in the United States: Descriptive phenomenological study.

Science.gov (United States)

Allen, Lilian A

2018-02-12

The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of internationally educated nurses in management positions in United States health care organisations to understand the obstacles and support these individuals' experience when pursuing and working in managerial roles. Although internationally educated nurses are an integral part of the US health care industry, few work in managerial roles. Little is known about the experiences of internationally educated nurses who do obtain management positions. In this qualitative, phenomenological study, seven internationally educated nurses who were managers in Chicago, Illinois, responded to open-ended interview questions. Supervisors contributed to the participants' acceptance of management positions. The participants experienced challenges such as cultural differences, language, and communication. Despite these challenges, the participants had positive working relationships with staff and supervisors. Further, the participants had opportunities for education and professional growth. Internationally educated nurses benefit from participating in organisational committees. They face challenges related to work responsibilities, cultural differences and communication but can succeed in management roles through developing strategies to overcome the challenges and through receiving support from staff, colleagues and supervisors. More internationally educated nurses may obtain managerial positions if supervisors provide encouragement and support. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Hard-Earned Wisdom: Exploratory Processing of Difficult Life Experience Is Positively Associated with Wisdom

Science.gov (United States)

Weststrate, Nic M.; Glück, Judith

2017-01-01

Laypersons and experts believe that wisdom is cultivated through a diverse range of positive and negative life experiences. Yet, not all individuals with life experience are wise. We propose that one possible determinant of growth in wisdom from life experience is self-reflection. In a life span sample of adults (N = 94) ranging from 26 to 92…

Acute hepatitis B virus infection with simultaneous high HBsAg and high anti-HBs signals in a previously HBV vaccinated HIV-1 positive patient

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Dommelen, Laura; Verbon, Annelies; van Doorn, H. Rogier; Goossens, Valère J.

2010-01-01

We present a case of a clinical manifest hepatitis B virus infection and a potentially misleading HBV serological profile in an HIV-1 positive patient despite previous HBV vaccination. The patient presented with an acute hepatitis B and there was no indication of chronic HBV infection or the

The Cat Is out of the Bag: The Joint Influence of Previous Experience and Looking Behavior on Infant Categorization

Science.gov (United States)

Kovack-Lesh, Kristine A.; Horst, Jessica S.; Oakes, Lisa M.

2008-01-01

We examined the effect of 4-month-old infants' previous experience with dogs, cats, or both and their online looking behavior on their learning of the adult-defined category of "cat" in a visual familiarization task. Four-month-old infants' (N = 123) learning in the laboratory was jointly determined by whether or not they had experience…

A within-subject longitudinal study of the effects of positive job experiences and generalized workplace harassment on well-being.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoobler, Jenny M; Rospenda, Kathleen M; Lemmon, Grace; Rosa, Jose A

2010-10-01

Drawing on the mobilization-minimization hypothesis, this research examines the influence of positive job experiences and generalized workplace harassment (GWH) on employee job stress and well-being over time, postulating declines in the adverse influence of GWH between Time 1 and 2 and less pronounced declines in the influence of positive job experiences over this same timeframe of approximately one year. A national sample of 1,167 workers polled via telephone at two time periods illustrates that negative job experiences weigh more heavily on mental health than do positive job experiences in the short-term. In the long-term, GWH's association with mental health and job stress was diminished. But its effects on job stress, and mental health, and physical health persist over one year, and, in the case of long-term mental health, GWH overshadows the positive mental health effects of positive job experiences. The research also argues for a reconceptualization of GWH and positive job experiences as formative latent variables on theoretical grounds. © 2010 APA, all rights reserved.

Explaining effervescence: Investigating the relationship between shared social identity and positive experience in crowds.

Science.gov (United States)

Hopkins, Nick; Reicher, Stephen D; Khan, Sammyh S; Tewari, Shruti; Srinivasan, Narayanan; Stevenson, Clifford

2016-01-01

We investigated the intensely positive emotional experiences arising from participation in a large-scale collective event. We predicted such experiences arise when those attending a collective event are (1) able to enact their valued collective identity and (2) experience close relations with other participants. In turn, we predicted both of these to be more likely when participants perceived crowd members to share a common collective identity. We investigated these predictions in a survey of pilgrims (N = 416) attending a month-long Hindu pilgrimage festival in north India. We found participants' perceptions of a shared identity amongst crowd members had an indirect effect on their positive experience at the event through (1) increasing participants' sense that they were able to enact their collective identity and (2) increasing the sense of intimacy with other crowd members. We discuss the implications of these data for how crowd emotion should be conceptualised.

Positive and negative affect produce opposing task-irrelevant stimulus preexposure effects.

Science.gov (United States)

Lazar, Josef; Kaplan, Oren; Sternberg, Terri; Lubow, R E

2012-06-01

In three experiments, groups were exposed to either positive or negative affect video clips, after which they were presented with a series of task-irrelevant stimuli. In the subsequent test task, subjects were required to learn an association between the previously irrelevant stimulus and a consequence, and between a new stimulus and a consequence. Induced positive affect produced a latent inhibition effect (poorer evidence of learning with the previously irrelevant stimulus than with the novel stimulus). In opposition to this, induced negative affect resulted in better evidence of learning with a previously irrelevant stimulus than with a novel stimulus. In general, the opposing effects also were present in participants scoring high on self-report questionnaires of depression (Experiments 2 and 3). These unique findings were predicted and accounted for on the basis of two principles: (a) positive affect broadens the attentional field and negative affect contracts it; and (b) task-irrelevant stimuli are processed in two successive stages, the first encodes stimulus properties, and the second encodes stimulus relationships. The opposing influences of negative and positive mood on the processing of irrelevant stimuli have implications for the role of emotion in general theories of cognition, and possibly for resolving some of the inconsistent findings in research with schizophrenia patients.

Sample positioning in neutron diffraction experiments using a multi-material fiducial marker

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Marais, D., E-mail: Deon.Marais@necsa.co.za [Research and Development Division, South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) SOC Limited, PO Box 582, Pretoria 0001 (South Africa); School of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, North-West University, Potchefstroom 2520 (South Africa); Venter, A.M., E-mail: Andrew.Venter@necsa.co.za [Research and Development Division, South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) SOC Limited, PO Box 582, Pretoria 0001 (South Africa); Faculty of Agriculture Science and Technology, North-West University, Mahikeng 2790 (South Africa); Markgraaff, J., E-mail: Johan.Markgraaff@nwu.ac.za [School of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, North-West University, Potchefstroom 2520 (South Africa); James, J., E-mail: Jon.James@open.ac.uk [Faculty of Mathematics, Computing and Technology, The Open University, Milton Keynes, MK76AA England (United Kingdom)

2017-01-01

An alternative sample positioning method is reported for use in conjunction with sample positioning and experiment planning software systems deployed on some neutron diffraction strain scanners. In this approach, the spherical fiducial markers and location trackers used with optical metrology hardware are replaced with a specifically designed multi-material fiducial marker that requires one diffraction measurement. In a blind setting, the marker position can be determined within an accuracy of ±164 µm with respect to the instrument gauge volume. The scheme is based on a pre-determined relationship that links the diffracted peak intensity to the absolute positioning of the fiducial marker with respect to the instrument gauge volume. Two methods for establishing the linking relationship are presented, respectively based on fitting multi-dimensional quadratic functions and a cross-correlation artificial neural network.

Positioning Learning Design: Learner Experience and the challenges of transforming teaching practice

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Johnson, Mark; Griffiths, Dai; Hanslot, Zubair

2010-01-01

Johnson, M., Griffiths, D., & Hanslot, Z. (2010). Positioning Learning Design: Learner Experience and the challenges of transforming teaching practice. In D. Griffiths, & R. Koper (Eds.), Rethinking Learning and Employment at a Time of Economic Uncertainty. Proceedings of the 6th TENCompetence Open

Positive Childhood Experiences: Resilience and Recovery from Personality Disorder in Early Adulthood

Science.gov (United States)

Skodol, Andrew E.; Bender, Donna S.; Pagano, Maria E.; Shea, M. Tracie; Yen, Shirley; Sanislow, Charles A.; Grilo, Carlos M.; Daversa, Maria T.; Stout, Robert L.; Zanarini, Mary C.; McGlashan, Thomas H.; Gunderson, John G.

2009-01-01

Objective--Recent follow-along studies of personality disorders have shown significant improvement in psychopathology over time. The purpose of this study was to prospectively investigate the association between positive childhood experiences related to resiliency and remission from personality disorder. Method--Five hundred twenty patients with…

Study on reactor power transient characteristics (reactor training experiments). Control rod reactivity calibration by positive period method and other experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ozaki, Yoshihiko; Sunagawa, Takeyoshi

2014-01-01

In this paper, it is reported about some experiments that have been carried out in the reactor training that targets sophomore of the department of applied nuclear engineering, FUT. Reactor of Kinki University Atomic Energy Research Institute (UTR-KINKI) was used for reactor training. When each critical state was achieved at different reactor output respectively in reactor operating, it was confirmed that the control rod position at that time does not change. Further, control rod reactivity calibration experiments using positive Period method were carried out for shim safety rod and regulating rod, respectively. The results were obtained as reasonable values in comparison with the nominal value of the UTR-KINKI. The measurement of reactor power change after reactor scram was performed, and the presence of the delayed neutron precursor was confirmed by calculating the half-life. The spatial dose rate measurement experiment of neutrons and γ-rays in the reactor room in a reactor power 1W operating conditions were also performed. (author)

Using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) to Define Different Domains of Negative Symptoms: Prediction of Everyday Functioning by Impairments in Emotional Expression and Emotional Experience

OpenAIRE

Harvey, Philip D.; Khan, Anzalee; Keefe, Richard S. E.

2017-01-01

Background: Reduced emotional experience and expression are two domains of negative symptoms. The authors assessed these two domains of negative symptoms using previously developed Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) factors. Using an existing dataset, the authors predicted three different elements of everyday functioning (social, vocational, and everyday activities) with these two factors, as well as with performance on measures of functional capacity. Methods: A large (n=630) sampl...

Positional stability experiment and analysis of elongated plasmas in Doublet III

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yokomizo, Hideaki

1984-04-01

Control systems of the plasma position and shape on Doublet III are explained and experimental results of vertical stability of elongated plasmas are reviewed. Observed results of the vertical instability are qualitatively compared with the predictions from the simplified model and quantitatively compared with the numerical calculations based on a more realistic model. Experiments are in reasonable agreement with the theoretical analyses. (author)

Fostering Inclusion and Positive Physical Education Experiences for Overweight and Obese Students

Science.gov (United States)

Rukavina, Paul B.; Doolittle, Sarah A.

2016-01-01

Overweight and obese students are often socially and instructionally excluded from physical education and school physical activity opportunities. This article describes teaching strategies from a study of middle school physical education teachers who are committed to providing effective teaching and positive experiences for overweight and obese…

Toward Reducing Ageism: PEACE (Positive Education about Aging and Contact Experiences) Model.

Science.gov (United States)

Levy, Sheri R

2018-03-19

The population of older adults is growing worldwide. Negative ageism (negative attitudes and behavior toward older adults) is a serious international concern that negatively influences not only older adults but also individuals across the age continuum. This article proposes and examines the application of an integrative theoretical model across empirical evidence in the literature on ageism in psychology, medicine, social work, and sociology. The proposed Positive Education about Aging and Contact Experiences (PEACE) model focuses on 2 key contributing factors expected to reduce negative ageism: (a) education about aging including facts on aging along with positive older role models that dispel negative and inaccurate images of older adulthood; and (b) positive contact experiences with older adults that are individualized, provide or promote equal status, are cooperative, involve sharing of personal information, and are sanctioned within the setting. These 2 key contributing factors have the potential to be interconnected and work together to reduce negative stereotypes, aging anxiety, prejudice, and discrimination associated with older adults and aging. This model has implications for policies and programs that can improve the health and well-being of individuals, as well as expand the residential, educational, and career options of individuals across the age continuum.

The relationship of previous training and experience of journal peer reviewers to subsequent review quality.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael L Callaham

2007-01-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Peer review is considered crucial to the selection and publication of quality science, but very little is known about the previous experiences and training that might identify high-quality peer reviewers. The reviewer selection processes of most journals, and thus the qualifications of their reviewers, are ill defined. More objective selection of peer reviewers might improve the journal peer review process and thus the quality of published science. METHODS AND FINDINGS: 306 experienced reviewers (71% of all those associated with a specialty journal completed a survey of past training and experiences postulated to improve peer review skills. Reviewers performed 2,856 reviews of 1,484 separate manuscripts during a four-year study period, all prospectively rated on a standardized quality scale by editors. Multivariable analysis revealed that most variables, including academic rank, formal training in critical appraisal or statistics, or status as principal investigator of a grant, failed to predict performance of higher-quality reviews. The only significant predictors of quality were working in a university-operated hospital versus other teaching environment and relative youth (under ten years of experience after finishing training. Being on an editorial board and doing formal grant (study section review were each predictors for only one of our two comparisons. However, the predictive power of all variables was weak. CONCLUSIONS: Our study confirms that there are no easily identifiable types of formal training or experience that predict reviewer performance. Skill in scientific peer review may be as ill defined and hard to impart as is "common sense." Without a better understanding of those skills, it seems unlikely journals and editors will be successful in systematically improving their selection of reviewers. This inability to predict performance makes it imperative that all but the smallest journals implement routine review ratings

Local beam position feedback experiments on the ESRF storage ring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chung, Y.; Kahana, E.; Kirchman, J.

1995-01-01

This paper describes the results of local beam position feedback experiments conducted on the ESRF storage ring using digital signal processing (DSP) under the trilateral agreement of collaboration among ESRF, APS, and SPring-8. Two rf beam position monitors (BPMS) in the, upstream and downstream of the insertion device (ID) and two x-ray BPMs in the sixth cell were used to monitor the electron beam and the x-ray beam emitted from the ID, respectively. The local bump coefficients were obtained using the technique of singular value decomposition (SVD) on the global response matrix for the bump magnets and all the available BPMs outside the local bump. The local response matrix was then obtained between the two three-magnet bumps and the position monitors. The data sampling frequency was 4 kHz and a proportional, integral, and derivative (PID) controller was used. The result indicates the closed-loop feedback bandwidth close to 100 Hz and clear attenuation (∼ -40 dB) of the 7-Hz beam motion due to girder vibration resonance. Comparison of the results using the rf BPMs and x-ray BPMs will be also discussed

Previous Gardening Experience and Gardening Enjoyment Is Related to Vegetable Preferences and Consumption Among Low-Income Elementary School Children.

Science.gov (United States)

Evans, Alexandra; Ranjit, Nalini; Fair, Cori N; Jennings, Rose; Warren, Judith L

2016-10-01

To examine if gardening experience and enjoyment are associated with vegetable exposure, preferences, and consumption of vegetables among low-income third-grade children. Cross-sectional study design, using baseline data from the Texas! Grow! Eat! Go! Twenty-eight Title I elementary schools located in different counties in Texas. Third-grade students (n = 1,326, 42% Hispanic) MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Gardening experience, gardening enjoyment, vegetable exposure, preference, and consumption. Random-effects regression models, adjusted for age, sex, ethnicity, and body mass index percentile of child, estimated means and standard errors of vegetable consumption, exposure, and preference by levels of gardening experience and enjoyment. Wald χ 2 tests evaluated the significance of differences in means of outcomes across levels of gardening experience and enjoyment. Children with more gardening experience had greater vegetable exposure and higher vegetable preference and consumed more vegetables compared with children who reported less gardening experience. Those who reported that they enjoyed gardening had the highest levels of vegetable exposure, preference, and consumption. Garden-based interventions can have an important and positive effect on children's vegetable consumption by increasing exposure to fun gardening experiences. Copyright © 2016 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Experiment of Laser Pointing Stability on Different Surfaces to validate Micrometric Positioning Sensor

CERN Document Server

AUTHOR|(SzGeCERN)721924; Mainaud Durand, Helene; Piedigrossi, Didier; Sandomierski, Jacek; Sosin, Mateusz; Geiger, Alain; Guillaume, Sebastien

2014-01-01

CLIC requires 10 μm precision and accuracy over 200m for the pre-alignment of beam related components. A solution based on laser beam as straight line reference is being studied at CERN. It involves camera/shutter assemblies as micrometric positioning sensors. To validate the sensors, it is necessary to determine an appropriate material for the shutter in terms of laser pointing stability. Experiments are carried out with paper, metal and ceramic surfaces. This paper presents the standard deviations of the laser spot coordinates obtained on the different surfaces, as well as the measurement error. Our experiments validate the choice of paper and ceramic for the shutter of the micrometric positioning sensor. It also provides an estimate of the achievable precision and accuracy of the determination of the laser spot centre with respect to the shutter coordinate system defined by reference targets.

Influence of depressive symptoms on distress related to positive psychotic-like experiences in women.

Science.gov (United States)

Brañas, Antía; Barrigón, María Luisa; Lahera, Guillermo; Canal-Rivero, Manuel; Ruiz-Veguilla, Miguel

2017-12-01

The Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences (CAPE) is an effective instrument for detection of the presence of psychotic symptoms and associated distress in the general population. However, little research has studied distress associated with positive psychotic-like experiences (PLEs). Our aim is to study PLE-related distress using the CAPE. In this study we analysed factors associated with differences in PLE-related distress in a sample of 200 non-clinical participants recruited by snowball sampling. Presence of PLEs and related psychological distress was measured using the CAPE questionnaire. The influence of age, gender, educational level and drug use was studied. In univariate analysis we found that gender and CAPE positive, depressive and negative scores, were associated with CAPE positive distress. Using multiple linear regression, we found that only the effect of gender, and the interaction between frequency of depression and gender, remained statistically significant. In our sample interaction between gender and depressive symptoms is a determining factor in distress associated with positive PLEs. The results of this study may be useful for the implementation of prevention programs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Positive psychology leadership coaching experiences in a financial organisation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Frans Cilliers

2011-10-01

Research purpose: The purpose of this research was to describe the positive psychology leadership coaching experiences of leaders in a large financial organisation. Motivation for the study: The researcher addressed the organisation’s need to develop leadership by structuring and presenting a coaching programme. He chose positive psychology as the paradigm and experiential learning as the method to meet the organisation’s goal of enabling its leaders to take up their roles with self-awareness, internal motivation and effective interpersonal connections. Research design, approach and method: The researcher used a qualitative and descriptive research design with a case study. Leaders attended ten experiential leadership-coaching sessions over three months. The sessions focused on work engagement, learned resourcefulness, sense of coherence, self-actualisation values and locus of control. The data gathering consisted of the coach’s field notes and the participants’ reflective essays, which they wrote after the last coaching session. The researcher analysed the data using discourse analysis. Main findings: The manifesting themes were the coaching context, engagement in roles, understanding role complexity, emotional self-awareness and demands, self-authorisation and inability to facilitate the growth of others. Contribution/value-add: Although intrapersonal awareness increased significantly, leaders struggled with the interpersonal complexity of the leadership role. Positive psychology leadership coaching should refine the operationalisation of interpersonal effectiveness. Practical/managerial implications: Organisations should integrate the methodology of leadership coaching with leadership development interventions to expose leaders to better intrapersonal awareness and functioning.

Exceptional suffering? Enumeration and vernacular accounting in the HIV-positive experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Benton, Adia

2012-01-01

Drawing on 17 months of ethnographic fieldwork in Freetown, Sierra Leone, I highlight the recursive relationship between Sierra Leone as an exemplary setting and HIV as an exceptional disease. Through this relationship, I examine how HIV-positive individuals rely on both enumerative knowledge (seroprevalence rates) and vernacular accounting (NGO narratives of vulnerability) to communicate the uniqueness of their experience as HIV sufferers and to demarcate the boundaries of their status. Various observers' enumerative and vernacular accounts of Sierra Leone's decade-long civil conflict, coupled with global health accounts of HIV as exceptional, reveal the calculus of power through which global health projects operate. The contradictions between the exemplary and the exceptional-and the accompanying tension between quantitative and qualitative facts-are mutually constituted in performances and claims made by HIV-positive individuals themselves.

Deepwater Gulf of Mexico more profitable than previously thought

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Craig, M.J.K.; Hyde, S.T.

1997-01-01

Economic evaluations and recent experience show that the deepwater Gulf of Mexico (GOM) is much more profitable than previously thought. Four factors contributing to the changed viewpoint are: First, deepwater reservoirs have proved to have excellent productive capacity, distribution, and continuity when compared to correlative-age shelf deltaic sands. Second, improved technologies and lower perceived risks have lowered the cost of floating production systems (FPSs). Third, projects now get on-line quicker. Fourth, a collection of other important factors are: Reduced geologic risk and associated high success rates for deepwater GOM wells due primarily to improved seismic imaging and processing tools (3D, AVO, etc.); absence of any political risk in the deepwater GOM (common overseas, and very significant in some international areas); and positive impact of deepwater federal royalty relief. This article uses hypothetical reserve distributions and price forecasts to illustrate indicative economics of deepwater prospects. Economics of Shell Oil Co.'s three deepwater projects are also discussed

Position sensitive detection coupled to high-resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry: Imaging for molecular beam deflection experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abd El Rahim, M.; Antoine, R.; Arnaud, L.; Barbaire, M.; Broyer, M.; Clavier, Ch.; Compagnon, I.; Dugourd, Ph.; Maurelli, J.; Rayane, D.

2004-01-01

We have developed and tested a high-resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometer coupled to a position sensitive detector for molecular beam deflection experiments. The major achievement of this new spectrometer is to provide a three-dimensional imaging (X and Y positions and time-of-flight) of the ion packet on the detector, with a high acquisition rate and a high resolution on both the mass and the position. The calibration of the experimental setup and its application to molecular beam deflection experiments are discussed

[The positive psychological impact of rich childbirth experiences on child-rearing].

Science.gov (United States)

Takehara, Kenji; Noguchi, Makiko; Shimane, Takuya; Misago, Chizuru

2009-05-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the psychological implications of emotionally enriching childbirth experiences for problems such as awareness of motherhood, postnatal depression, and parenting stress among women after childbirth. All women who gave birth at five study centers (four birthing homes and one maternity hospital) during May 2002 and August 2003 were asked to participate in the cohort study. All 2314 women were approached and 1004 eligible women agreed to take part. Analyses were conducted using a baseline survey and four follow-up surveys conducted at 4 months, 9 months, 2 and a half years, and 3 years after childbirth. The questionnaire included four scales to evaluate the subjects' childbirth experiences, awareness of motherhood, postnatal depression, and parenting stress and difficulties. Data were collected via structured interviews and transcription from medical records. Bivariate and multivariate analysis indicated that women who had good childbirth experiences had positive feelings concerning motherhood and parenting stress and anxiety were lower. Bivariate analysis also indicated that childbirth experience had an inverse relationship with postnatal depression. This study revealed that having good childbirth experiences inhibits negative awareness of motherhood and abusive behavior towards children. These results show that it is important for mothers to be provided with appropriate care during pregnancy and labor for preventing child abuse and parenting stress and anxiety. More research is needed to identify the determinants of childbirth

Previous success and current body condition determine breeding propensity in Lesser Scaup: evidence for the individual heterogeneity hypothesis

Science.gov (United States)

Warren, Jeffrey M.; Cutting, Kyle A.; Takekawa, John Y.; De La Cruz, Susan E. W.; Williams, Tony D.; Koons, David N.

2014-01-01

The decision to breed influences an individual's current and future reproduction, and the proportion of individuals that breed is an important determinant of population dynamics. Age, experience, individual quality, and environmental conditions have all been demonstrated to influence breeding propensity. To elucidate which of these factors exerts the greatest influence on breeding propensity in a temperate waterfowl, we studied female Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis) breeding in southwestern Montana. Females were captured during the breeding seasons of 2007–2009, and breeding status was determined on the basis of (1) presence of an egg in the oviduct or (2) blood plasma vitellogenin (VTG) levels. Presence on the study site in the previous year, a proxy for adult female success, was determined with stable isotope signatures of a primary feather collected at capture. Overall, 57% of females had evidence of breeding at the time of capture; this increased to 86% for females captured on or after peak nest initiation. Capture date and size-adjusted body condition positively influenced breeding propensity, with a declining body-condition threshold through the breeding season. We did not detect an influence of age on breeding propensity. Drought conditions negatively affected breeding propensity, reducing the proportion of breeding females to 0.85 (SE = 0.05) from 0.94 (SE = 0.03) during normal-water years. A female that was present in the previous breeding season was 5% more likely to breed than a female that was not present then. The positive correlation between age and experience makes it difficult to differentiate the roles of age, experience, and individual quality in reproductive success in vertebrates. Our results indicate that individual quality, as expressed by previous success and current body condition, may be among the most important determinants of breeding propensity in female Lesser Scaup, providing further support for the individual heterogeneity hypothesis.

Work-Family facilitation: a positive psychological perspective on role combination

OpenAIRE

Steenbergen, Elianne Florence van

2007-01-01

This dissertation provides a balanced picture of the experiences that individuals can have in the combination of their work and family roles. Extending the common focus in previous literature on experiences of role conflict (and their detrimental consequences), the present research also addresses the positive side of role combination and reveals the different ways in which work and family roles can facilitate each other (energy-based, time-based, behavioral, and psychological facilitation). T...

Predictors of experiences of discrimination and positive treatment in people with mental health problems: findings from an Australian national survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Reavley, Nicola J; Morgan, Amy J; Jorm, Anthony F

2017-03-01

The aim of the study was to assess the factors predicting experiences of avoidance, discrimination and positive treatment in people with mental health problems. In 2014, telephone interviews were carried out with 5220 Australians aged 18+, 1381 of whom reported a mental health problem or scored highly on a symptom screening questionnaire. Questions covered experiences of avoidance, discrimination and positive treatment by friends, spouse, other family, workplace, educational institution and others in the community; as well as disclosure of mental health problems. Avoidance, discrimination and positive treatment scores were calculated by counting the number of domains in which each occurred. Predictors of avoidance, discrimination and positive treatment were modelled with negative binomial regression analyses. After adjusting for the effects of other predictors in multivariate analyses, symptom severity and a diagnosis of 'any other disorder' (most commonly psychotic disorders or eating disorders) predicted experiences of both avoidance and discrimination but not positive treatment. Disclosing a mental health problem in more settings was also associated with higher rates of avoidance and discrimination, but also with positive treatment. Disclosure of mental health problems to others may increases experiences of discrimination, but may also increase experiences of positive treatment. These findings can help to inform decision making by people with mental health problems about disclosure, particularly in the case of more severe or low-prevalence disorders.

A comparison of memory for homicide, non-homicidal violence, and positive life experiences.

Science.gov (United States)

Woodworth, Michael; Porter, Stephen; Ten Brinke, Leanne; Doucette, Naomi L; Peace, Kristine; Campbell, Mary Ann

2009-01-01

Defendants commonly claim amnesia for their criminal actions especially in cases involving extreme violence. While some claims are malingered or result from physiological factors, other cases may represent genuine partial or complete amnesia resulting from the psychological distress and/or extreme emotion associated with the perpetration of the crime. Fifty Canadian homicide offenders described their memories of their homicide, a non-homicide violent offense, and their most positive adulthood life experience. Self-reported and objective measures of memories for these events revealed that homicides were recalled with the greatest level of detail and sensory information. Although dissociative tendencies were associated with a self-reported memory loss, objective measures of memory quality did not reflect this perceived impairment, suggesting a failure of meta-memory. Recollections of positive life events were superior to those of non-homicidal violence, possibly due to greater impact and meaning attached to such experiences. Findings suggest that memory for homicide typically is enhanced by the powerful emotion associated with its perpetration.

Clouds and silver linings: positive experiences associated with primary affective disorders.

Science.gov (United States)

Jamison, K R; Gerner, R H; Hammen, C; Padesky, C

1980-02-01

Clinical psychiatry has focused almost entirely on the psychopathology of the affective disorders. The authors studied responses of 61 patients (35 bipolar. 26 unipolar) to questions about perceived short- and long-term benefits (increased sensitivity, sexuality, productivity, creativity, and social outgoingness) they attributed to their affective illness. Bipolar patients strongly indicated positive experiences associated with manic-depressive illness; few unipolar patients perceived their disorder in such a way. Significant sex differences emerged in the attributions made by bipolar patients.

Acute hepatitis B virus infection with simultaneous high HBsAg and high anti-HBs signals in a previously HBV vaccinated HIV-1 positive patient.

Science.gov (United States)

van Dommelen, Laura; Verbon, Annelies; van Doorn, H Rogier; Goossens, Valère J

2010-03-01

We present a case of a clinical manifest hepatitis B virus infection and a potentially misleading HBV serological profile in an HIV-1 positive patient despite previous HBV vaccination. The patient presented with an acute hepatitis B and there was no indication of chronic HBV infection or the presence of a mutation in the 'a' determinant. Remarkably, simultaneously with high HBV surface antigen and HBV viral load, high anti-HBs antibodies were present. If, due to previous HBV vaccination only anti-HBs was tested in this patient, the result of the high anti-HBs antibodies could be very misleading and offering a false sense of security. Our findings contribute to the ongoing discussion on how to assess HBV specific immunological memory and determining the role of HBV booster vaccinations in immunocompromised individuals.

Aggressiveness, social support and school experiences as dimensions differentiating negative and positive adaptation among adolescents

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marzanna Agnieszka Farnicka

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Background The study results presented below lie within a field of study which seeks to identify appropriate risk indicators for risky behaviours in the group of adolescents. The study drew on the tenets of developmental psychopathology. Adaptation assessment was performed on the basis of an objective indicator which comprised adolescents’ problems with social functioning. Participants and procedure The main determinants of the observed changes in behaviour and the development of adaptation pathways during the period of adolescence were considered to include bio-psycho-social temperamental factors (Buss & Plomin, 1984, attachment patterns (Armsden & Greenberg, 1987, trait of aggressiveness (Buss & Perry, 1992, conditions created by the environment (support of family members, peers and teachers [Malecki & Demaray, 2002] as well as previous experiences such as being a victim of violence (Osterman & Bjorqvist, 2008 or the level of school success. The final study group comprised a total of 140 positively and 140 negatively adapted teenagers (N = 280 between the ages of 12 and 19. The study was carried out in Poland. Results The study confirmed the gender effect, demonstrating a higher frequency of involvement in risky behaviours among boys. The results from searching for differences between positively and negatively adapted teens showed that in the negatively adapted group there were lower grades at school and more frequent aggressive behaviour. Conclusions The main conclusion that can be drawn from the study is that the potential prophylactic and therapeutic interventions require consideration of factors such as age, educational success, aggressiveness and social support.

Precision positioning of SuperKamiokande with GPS for a long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Noumi, H.; Ieiri, M.; Ishii, H.; Katoh, Y.; Minakawa, M.; Nakamura, K.; Nishikawa, K.; Suzuki, Y.; Takasaki, M.; Tanaka, K.H.; Yamanoi, Y.; Kurodai, M.; Kasa, H.; Yoshimura, K.

1997-01-01

A positioning of the neutrino detector superkamiokande (SK) was made for a long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiment planned at KEK. For positioning, global positioning system (GPS) was employed. It has been demonstrated that GPS is of practical use for measuring the positions of SK and KEK, being 250 km distance from each other, to a better resolution. The geodetic coordinates at the SK center were obtained to be Lat. 36 25'32.5862'' N., Long. 137 18'37.1241'' E., H. 371.839 m in the global ellipsoidal coordinate system, WGS-84. The obtained coordinates are based on the coordinates given at a triangulation point at the KEK site. The present work will be fed back for constructing the neutrino beam line. (orig.)

Processing negative valence of word pairs that include a positive word.

Science.gov (United States)

Itkes, Oksana; Mashal, Nira

2016-09-01

Previous research has suggested that cognitive performance is interrupted by negative relative to neutral or positive stimuli. We examined whether negative valence affects performance at the word or phrase level. Participants performed a semantic decision task on word pairs that included either a negative or a positive target word. In Experiment 1, the valence of the target word was congruent with the overall valence conveyed by the word pair (e.g., fat kid). As expected, response times were slower in the negative condition relative to the positive condition. Experiment 2 included target words that were incongruent with the overall valence of the word pair (e.g., fat salary). Response times were longer for word pairs whose overall valence was negative relative to positive, even though these word pairs included a positive word. Our findings support the Cognitive Primacy Hypothesis, according to which emotional valence is extracted after conceptual processing is complete.

Experience of Early Childhood Caries May Positively Correlate with Psychomotor Development.

Science.gov (United States)

Liang, Chen-Yi; Liu, Yen-Chun; Shieh, Tien-Yu; Lin, Jia-Rong; Tseng, Yi-Chun; Teng, Andy Yen-Tung

2015-01-01

To examine the as yet unknown relationship between dental caries and the child's psychomotor development. A cross-sectional study was designed by screening the kindergartens from urban areas of two cities in southern Taiwan. Besides the personal, demographic and dietary information, the common measures for caries (dmft) and the amended comprehensive scales (CCDI) for psychomotor development were used to assess their relationship(s). A power analysis showed that 334 subjects would be required. One-way ANOVA vs multiple linear regression analysis were used to compare the differences of variables between gender, age and dmft scales, vs the relationship among all variables tested, respectively. A total of 433 children completed the study. The results demonstrated that there was a positive relationship between higher (i.e. dmft≥4 and 5) but not lower or extremely high caries experience and aspects of psychomotor development (i.e. personal-social and expressive language) in children aged 4 to 6 years. The present results are important for paediatric dentists, as they suggest a positive correlation between caries experience (dmft 3 to 6) and psychomotor development in pre-school children and that such a correlation may occur more significantly as an attribute of the most affected teeth (incisors and molars) during the critical stage of personal-social and expressive language development (speech-communication).

An improved model to determine the inception of positive upward leader–streamer system considering the leader propagation during dark period

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xie Shijun; He Junjia; Chen Weijiang

2013-01-01

Stem–leader transition and front-streamer inception are two essential conditions for the inception of positive upward leader–streamer system (LSS). Previous models have not considered the initial-leader propagation during dark period and have not been verified systematically. In this paper, a series of positive upward discharge simulation experiments was designed and carried out. Characteristic parameters of the discharge process related to the inception of positive upward LSS, namely, the first-corona inception voltage, the first-corona charge, the dark period, and the LSS inception voltage, were obtained. By comparing these experiment results with simulation results calculated using previous models, it was found that it is improper to assume that the length of the initial leader is a fixed value. Finally, an improved inception model of positive upward LSS considering the leader propagation during dark period was developed and verified with experiment results.

Experiment study on four button electrode used to monitor position of high current electron-beam

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu Tiezheng; Wang Huacen; Xie Yutong; Zhang Wenwei

2004-01-01

The button electrode is one that widely used in high energy accelerators, such as storage ring, and the button electrode has many merit like high accuracy, high resolution, resisting magnetic field, simple machinery, without magnetic core and low cost, etc. It's helpful that the button electrode is used as the beam position monitor in the linear induction accelerator. The experimental facilities have been designed and set up and it can simulate the beam of linear induction accelerator. The button electrode beam position monitor experiment have been done on the experimental facilities. The result of the experiment prove that the button electrode has an accuracy of 0.5 mm, and can reflect the wave of electron-beam accurately

Affect and self-efficacy infuse the experience of ambivalent photographs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muth Claudia

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Ambivalent pictures offer several interpretations of different valence-e.g., some photographs by Claudia Otto document scenes which can be perceived as sad or happy, dangerous or sweet, and so on. We show that task experiences influence the experienced valence of these images. Previous work already documented that responses to images are task-dependent and self-created insights heighten pleasure. A resulting positive mood and high self-efficacy might broaden attention to positive valence. In contrast, low self-efficacy leads to the prediction of negative task experiences and strengthens the salience of a positive experience. In our study, participants rated the valence of ambivalent photographs to be more positive after positive feedback regarding the accomplishment of a precedent puzzle. We revealed a trend of positive feedback being more effective when it followed negative experiences. The experience of ambivalent images is strongly linked to mood and self-efficacy and both is influenced by taskexperiences in psycho-aesthetic studies.

The Impact of Previous Action on Bargaining—An Experiment on the Emergence of Preferences for Fairness Norms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thomas Neumann

2017-08-01

Full Text Available The communication of participants to identify an acceptable bargaining outcome in the Nash bargaining game is all about fairness norms. Participants introduce fairness norms which yield a better outcome for themselves in order to convince the other participant of their bargaining proposal. Typically, these fairness norms are in line with theoretical predictions, which support a wide variety of different but fair outcomes the participants can choose from. In this experiment, we play two treatments of the Nash bargaining game: in one treatment, the participants play a dictator game prior to bargaining, and in the other treatment they do not. We find that participants who have not played the dictator game intensively discuss the outcome of the game and come to solutions closer to the equal split of the pie the longer they chat. This effect vanishes as soon as the participants have previous experience from a dictator game: instead of chatting, they establish the fairness norm introduced in the dictator game. Remarkably, if the dictator is unfair in the dictator game, he also gets a higher share of the pie in the Nash bargaining game.

Development of Methods for Obtaining Position Image and Chemical Binding Information from Flow Experiments of Porous Media

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Haugan, Are

1998-12-01

Existing oil reservoirs might be more fully exploited if the properties of the flow of oil and water in porous media were better known. In laboratory experiments it is important to collect as much information as possible to make a descriptive model of the system, including position imaging and chemical binding information. This thesis develops nuclear methods for obtaining position image and chemical binding information from flow experiments of porous media. A combined positron emission tomography and single photon emission computed tomography system to obtain position images, and a time-differential perturbed angular correlation system to obtain chemical binding information, have been built and thoroughly tested. 68 refs., 123 figs., 14 tabs.

Position dependent mismatch discrimination on DNA microarrays – experiments and model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michel Wolfgang

2008-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The propensity of oligonucleotide strands to form stable duplexes with complementary sequences is fundamental to a variety of biological and biotechnological processes as various as microRNA signalling, microarray hybridization and PCR. Yet our understanding of oligonucleotide hybridization, in particular in presence of surfaces, is rather limited. Here we use oligonucleotide microarrays made in-house by optically controlled DNA synthesis to produce probe sets comprising all possible single base mismatches and base bulges for each of 20 sequence motifs under study. Results We observe that mismatch discrimination is mostly determined by the defect position (relative to the duplex ends as well as by the sequence context. We investigate the thermodynamics of the oligonucleotide duplexes on the basis of double-ended molecular zipper. Theoretical predictions of defect positional influence as well as long range sequence influence agree well with the experimental results. Conclusion Molecular zipping at thermodynamic equilibrium explains the binding affinity of mismatched DNA duplexes on microarrays well. The position dependent nearest neighbor model (PDNN can be inferred from it. Quantitative understanding of microarray experiments from first principles is in reach.

Evaluating user experience with respect to user expectations in brain-computer interface games

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gürkök, Hayrettin; Hakvoort, G.; Poel, Mannes; Müller-Putz, G.R.; Scherer, R.; Billinger, M.; Kreilinger, A.; Kaiser, V.; Neuper, C.

Evaluating user experience (UX) with respect to previous experiences can provide insight into whether a product can positively aect a user's opinion about a technology. If it can, then we can say that the product provides a positive UX. In this paper we propose a method to assess the UX in BCI

Essential UX metrics to be considered when designing m-health applications in order to provide positive user experiences

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Ouma, S

2010-07-01

Full Text Available into positive user experiences. More complications arise in that there is no agreed standard of measuring the user experience of a particular product. In this working paper, the authors propose core user experience metrics that are essential and should...

Job stress, occupational position and gender as factors differentiating workplace bullying experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Drabek, Marcin; Merecz, Dorota

2013-01-01

The results of our research broaden the knowledge concerning the correlates of mobbing. The study is aimed at finding out whether an employee's gender, his/her occupational position and level of occupational stress are related to bullying experience. 1313 employees of a transport company participated in the study. The relationships between gender, occupational position, the level of stress and bullying were analysed. Bullying was measured by the use of the MD)M Questionnaire, while work environment was assessed using the Subjective Assessment of Work Questionnaire. It was found that women were generally more exposed to bullying than men (Z = -1.999; p company, its organisational culture as well as its situation. Therefore it's difficult to talk about irrefutable individual correlates of bullying at work.

Creating a Positive PLA Experience: A Step-by-Step Look at University PLA

Science.gov (United States)

Leiste, Sara M.; Jensen, Kathryn

2011-01-01

A prior learning assessment (PLA) can be an intimidating process for adult learners. Capella University's PLA team has developed best practices, resources, and tools to foster a positive experience and to remove barriers in PLA and uses three criteria to determine how to best administer the assessment. First, a PLA must be motivating, as described…

Assessment of the Relationship between Recurrent High-risk Pregnancy and Mothers’ Previous Experience of Having an Infant Admitted to a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sedigheh Hantoosh Zadeh

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background & aim:  High-risk pregnancies increase the risk of Intensive Care Unit (ICU and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU admission in mothers and their newborns. In this study, we aimed to identify the association between the recurrence of high-risk pregnancy and mothers’ previous experience of having an infant admitted to NICU. Methods:We performed a cohort, retrospective study to compare subsequent pregnancy outcomes among 232 control subjects and 200 female cases with a previous experience of having a newborn requiring NICU admission due to intrauterine growth retardation, preeclampsia, preterm birth, premature rupture of membranes, and asphyxia. The information about the prevalence of subsequent high-risk pregnancies was gathered via phone calls. Results: As the results indicated, heparin, progesterone, and aspirin were more frequently administered in the case group during subsequent pregnancies, compared to the control group (P

A position sensitive silicon detector for AEgIS (Antimatter Experiment: Gravity, Interferometry, Spectroscopy)

CERN Multimedia

Gligorova, A

2014-01-01

The AEḡIS experiment (Antimatter Experiment: Gravity, Interferometry, Spectroscopy) is located at the Antiproton Decelerator (AD) at CERN and studies antimatter. The main goal of the AEḡIS experiment is to carry out the first measurement of the gravitational acceleration for antimatter in Earth’s gravitational field to a 1% relative precision. Such a measurement would test the Weak Equivalence Principle (WEP) of Einstein’s General Relativity. The gravitational acceleration for antihydrogen will be determined using a set of gravity measurement gratings (Moiré deflectometer) and a position sensitive detector. The vertical shift due to gravity of the falling antihydrogen atoms will be detected with a silicon strip detector, where the annihilation of antihydrogen will take place. This poster presents part of the development process of this detector.

Magnetic sensorless control experiment without drift problem on HT-7

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakamura, K.; Luo, J.R.; Wang, H.Z.; Ji, Z.S.; Wang, H.; Wang, F.; Qi, N.; Sato, K.N.; Hanada, K.; Sakamoto, M.; Idei, H.; Hasegawa, M.; Iyomasa, A.; Kawasaki, S.; Nakashima, H.; Higashijima, A.

2006-01-01

Magnetic sensorless control experiments of the plasma horizontal position have been carried out in the superconducting tokamak HT-7. Previously the horizontal position was calculated from the vertical field coil current and voltage without using signals of magnetic sensors like magnetic coils and flux loops placed near the plasma. The calculations are made focusing on the ripple frequency component of the power supply with thyristor and directly from them without time integration. There is no drift problem of integrator of magnetic sensors. Two kinds of experiments were carried out, to keep the position constant and swing the position in a triangular waveform

Design and experiments with scale model of a ship with dynamic positioning system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Souza, Carlos Eduardo S.; Morishita, Helio M.; Moratelli Junior, Lazaro; Lago, Glenan A.; Tannuri, Eduardo A. [Universidade de Sao Paulo (USP), SP (Brazil)

2008-07-01

Dynamic Positioning Systems (DPS) are used to keep a floating vessel on a specific position or follow pre-defined path through the action of controlled propellers. This paper describes a facility used to experimentally analyze DPS and to validate a numerical simulator. It is composed by a scale model of a DP tanker with 3 thrusters, a measurement system based on computational vision and a control software with the same DP algorithms used in industrial systems. Simple wind and current generators were also implemented. This work shows preliminary results of experiments, which has been useful to calibrate the simulator and to validate the mathematical model. (author)

What Is the Correct Answer about The Dress' Colors? Investigating the Relation between Optimism, Previous Experience, and Answerability.

Science.gov (United States)

Karlsson, Bodil S A; Allwood, Carl Martin

2016-01-01

The Dress photograph, first displayed on the internet in 2015, revealed stunning individual differences in color perception. The aim of this study was to investigate if lay-persons believed that the question about The Dress colors was answerable. Past research has found that optimism is related to judgments of how answerable knowledge questions with controversial answers are (Karlsson et al., 2016). Furthermore, familiarity with a question can create a feeling of knowing the answer (Reder and Ritter, 1992). Building on these findings, 186 participants saw the photo of The Dress and were asked about the correct answer to the question about The Dress' colors (" blue and black," "white and gold," "other, namely…," or "there is no correct answer" ). Choice of the alternative "there is no correct answer" was interpreted as believing the question was not answerable. This answer was chosen more often by optimists and by people who reported they had not seen The Dress before. We also found that among participants who had seen The Dress photo before, 19%, perceived The Dress as "white and gold" but believed that the correct answer was "blue and black ." This, in analogy to previous findings about non-believed memories (Scoboria and Pascal, 2016), shows that people sometimes do not believe the colors they have perceived are correct. Our results suggest that individual differences related to optimism and previous experience may contribute to if the judgment of the individual perception of a photograph is enough to serve as a decision basis for valid conclusions about colors. Further research about color judgments under ambiguous circumstances could benefit from separating individual perceptual experience from beliefs about the correct answer to the color question. Including the option "there is no correct answer " may also be beneficial.

On the Tengiz petroleum deposit previous study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nysangaliev, A.N.; Kuspangaliev, T.K.

1997-01-01

Tengiz petroleum deposit previous study is described. Some consideration about structure of productive formation, specific characteristic properties of petroleum-bearing collectors are presented. Recommendation on their detail study and using of experience on exploration and development of petroleum deposit which have analogy on most important geological and industrial parameters are given. (author)

Experiments of Laser Pointing Stability in Air and in Vacuum to Validate Micrometric Positioning Sensor

CERN Document Server

Stern, G; Piedigrossi, D; Sandomierski, J; Sosin, M; Geiger, A; Guillaume, S

2014-01-01

Aligning accelerator components over 200m with 10 μm accuracy is a challenging task within the Compact Linear Collider (CLIC) study. A solution based on laser beam in vacuum as straight line reference is proposed. The positions of the accelerator’s components are measured with respect to the laser beam by sensors made of camera/shutter assemblies. To validate these sensors, laser pointing stability has to be studied over 200m. We perform experiments in air and in vacuum in order to know how laser pointing stability varies with the distance of propagation and with the environment. The experiments show that the standard deviations of the laser spot coordinates increase with the distance of propagation. They also show that the standard deviations are much smaller in vacuum (8 μm at 35m) than in air (2000 μm at 200m). Our experiment validates the concept of laser beam in vacuum with camera/shutter assembly for micrometric positioning over 35m. It also gives an estimation of the achievable precision.

Design -|+ Negative emotions for positive experiences

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Fokkinga, S.F.

2015-01-01

Experience-driven design considers all aspects of a product – its appearance, cultural meaning, functionality, interaction, usability, technology, and indirect consequences of use – with the aim to optimize and orchestrate all these aspects and create the best possible user experience. Since the

Survey study of challenging experiences after ingesting psilocybin mushrooms: Acute and enduring positive and negative consequences.

Science.gov (United States)

Carbonaro, Theresa M; Bradstreet, Matthew P; Barrett, Frederick S; MacLean, Katherine A; Jesse, Robert; Johnson, Matthew W; Griffiths, Roland R

2016-12-01

Acute and enduring adverse effects of psilocybin have been reported anecdotally, but have not been well characterized. For this study, 1993 individuals (mean age 30 yrs; 78% male) completed an online survey about their single most psychologically difficult or challenging experience (worst "bad trip") after consuming psilocybin mushrooms. Thirty-nine percent rated it among the top five most challenging experiences of his/her lifetime. Eleven percent put self or others at risk of physical harm; factors increasing the likelihood of risk included estimated dose, duration and difficulty of the experience, and absence of physical comfort and social support. Of the respondents, 2.6% behaved in a physically aggressive or violent manner and 2.7% received medical help. Of those whose experience occurred >1 year before, 7.6% sought treatment for enduring psychological symptoms. Three cases appeared associated with onset of enduring psychotic symptoms and three cases with attempted suicide. Multiple regression analysis showed degree of difficulty was positively associated, and duration was negatively associated, with enduring increases in well-being. Difficulty of experience was positively associated with dose. Despite difficulties, 84% endorsed benefiting from the experience. The incidence of risky behavior or enduring psychological distress is extremely low when psilocybin is given in laboratory studies to screened, prepared, and supported participants. © The Author(s) 2016.

Motivating students through positive learning experiences

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lykke, Marianne; Coto Chotto, Mayela; Jantzen, Christian

2015-01-01

Based on the assumption that wellbeing, positive emotions and engagement influence motivation for learning, the aim of this paper is to provide insight into students’ emotional responses to and engagement in different learning designs. By comparing students’ reports on the experiential qualities...... of three different learning designs, their respective influence on students’ motivation for learning is discussed with the purpose of exploring the relationship between positive emotions, engagement and intrinsic motivation for learning. Our study thus aims at evaluating the motivational elements...

LH2 Target Design & Position Survey Techniques for the MUSE experiment for Precise Proton Radius Measurement

Science.gov (United States)

Le Pottier, Luc; Roy, Pryiashee; Lorenzon, Wolfgang; Raymond, Richard; Steinberg, Noah; Rossi de La Fuente, Erick; MUSE (MUon proton Scattering Experiment) Collaboration

2017-09-01

The proton radius puzzle is a currently unresolved problem which has intrigued the scientific community, dealing with a 7 σ discrepancy between the proton radii determined from muonic hydrogen spectroscopy and electron scattering measurements. The MUon Scattering Experiment (MUSE) aims to resolve this puzzle by performing the first simultaneous elastic scattering measurements of both electrons and muons on the proton, which will allow the comparison of the radii from the two interactions with reduced systematic uncertainties. The data from this experiment is expected to provide the best test of lepton universality to date. The experiment will take place at the Paul Scherrer Institute in Switzerland in 2018. An essential component of the experiment is a liquid hydrogen (LH2) cryotarget system. Our group at the University of Michigan is responsible for the design, fabrication and installation of this system. Here we present our LH2 target cell design and fabrication techniques for successful operation at 20 K and 1 atm, and our computer vision-based target position survey system which will determine the position of the target, installed inside a vacuum chamber, with 0.01 mm or better precision at the height of the liquid hydrogen target and along the beam direction during the experiment.

Experiences matter: Positive emotions facilitate intrinsic motivation

OpenAIRE

Løvoll, Helga Synnevåg; Røysamb, Espen; Vittersø, Joar

2017-01-01

This paper has two major aims. First, to investigate how positive emotions and intrinsic motivation affect each other over time. Second, to test the effect of positive emotions and intrinsic motivation on subsequent educational choices. Through two ordinary study semesters, 64 sport students in Norway reported on their intrinsic motivation for outdoor activities (twice) as well as positive emotions after two three-day outdoor events (four times). Next autumn, students study choice was collect...

Experiences matter: Positive emotions facilitate intrinsic motivation

OpenAIRE

Løvoll, Helga Synnevåg; Røysamb, Espen; Vittersø, Joar

2017-01-01

https://doi.org/10.1080/23311908.2017.1340083 This paper has two major aims. First, to investigate how positive emotions and intrinsic motivation affect each other over time. Second, to test the effect of positive emotions and intrinsic motivation on subsequent educational choices. Through two ordinary study semesters, 64 sport students in Norway reported on their intrinsic motivation for outdoor activities (twice) as well as positive emotions after two three-day outdoor e...

Experiences of discrimination and positive treatment in people with mental health problems: Findings from an Australian national survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Reavley, Nicola J; Jorm, Anthony F

2015-10-01

Stigma and discrimination are central concerns for people with mental health problems. The aim of the study was to carry out a national survey in order to assess experiences of avoidance, discrimination and positive treatment in people with mental health problems. In 2014, telephone interviews were carried out with 5220 Australians aged 18+, 1381 of whom reported a mental health problem or scored highly on a symptom screening questionnaire. Questions covered experiences of avoidance, discrimination and positive treatment by friends, spouse, other family, workplace, educational institution and others in the community. In most domains, respondents reported more positive treatment experiences than avoidance or discrimination. Friends and family were more likely to avoid the person than to discriminate. The results can provide input into the design of anti-discrimination interventions and further empower people with mental health problems as they advocate for change in the area of discrimination. © The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists 2015.

Oviposition preference hierarchy in Ceratitis capitata (Diptera, Tephritidae: influence of female age and experience

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joachim-Bravo Iara S.

2001-01-01

Full Text Available The influence of two factors, age and previous experience, on the oviposition hierarchy preference of Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann, 1824 females was studied. Two populations were analyzed: one reared in laboratory during 17 years and the other captured in nature. In the first experiment the oviposition preference for four fruits, papaya, orange, banana and apple was tested at the beginning of oviposition period and 20 days past. The results showed that the wild females as much the laboratory ones had an oviposition preference hierarchy at the beginning of peak period of oviposition. However this hierarchic preference disappeared in a later phase of life. In the second experiment the females were previously exposed to fruits of different hierarchic positions and afterwards their choice was tested in respect to the oviposition preference for those fruits. The results showed that there was an influence of the previous experience on the posterior choice of fruits to oviposition when the females were exposed to fruits of lower hierarchic position.

Detecting position using ARKit II: generating position-time graphs in real-time and further information on limitations of ARKit

Science.gov (United States)

Dilek, Ufuk; Erol, Mustafa

2018-05-01

ARKit is a framework which allows developers to create augmented reality apps for the iPhone and iPad. In a previous study, we had shown that it could be used to detect position in educational physics experiments and emphasized that the ability to provide position data in real-time was one of the prominent features of this newly emerging technology. In this study, we demonstrate an example of how real-time data acquisition can be employed in educational settings, report some of the limitations of ARKit and how we have overcome these limitations. By means of ARKit or a similar framework, ordinary mobile devices can be adapted for use in microcomputer-based lab activities.

Positive psychology and the training of psychologists: Students’ perspectives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tharina Guse

2010-12-01

Research purpose: The aim of this study was to explore the personal and professional impact of including positive psychology in the professional training of clinical and counselling psychologists. Motivation for the study: It is not known how students previously educated in a pathogenic paradigm experience the exposure to positive psychology, and resultant paradigm shift, as part of their professional training. Research design, approach and method: A qualitative research design was implemented. Data consisted of written documents submitted by the participants and was analyzed by means of thematic analysis. Main findings: Integrating positive psychology in the professional training curriculum was valuable and enriching on both a professional and personal level. The participants reported an experience of positive emotions and increased sense of self-understanding and psychological well-being. Professionally they experienced a sense of increased self-efficacy. Practical/managerial implications: Positive psychology should be considered as part of the basic training of psychologists since it may enhance the development of trainee psychologists’ professional self, enhance aspects of psychological well-being as well as prevent stress and burnout. Contribution/value-add: This is the first South African study to explore the impact of including positive psychology principles and interventions in professional training.

Putting Like a Pro: The Role of Positive Contagion in Golf Performance and Perception

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Charles; Linkenauger, Sally A.; Bakdash, Jonathan Z.; Joy-Gaba, Jennifer A.; Profitt, Dennis R.

2011-01-01

Many amateur athletes believe that using a professional athlete's equipment can improve their performance. Such equipment can be said to be affected with positive contagion, which refers to the belief of transference of beneficial properties between animate persons/objects to previously neutral objects. In this experiment, positive contagion was induced by telling participants in one group that a putter previously belonged to a professional golfer. The effect of positive contagion was examined for perception and performance in a golf putting task. Individuals who believed they were using the professional golfer's putter perceived the size of the golf hole to be larger than golfers without such a belief and also had better performance, sinking more putts. These results provide empirical support for anecdotes, which allege that using objects with positive contagion can improve performance, and further suggest perception can be modulated by positive contagion. PMID:22028804

Experiences of work among people with disabilities who are HIV-positive in Zambia.

Science.gov (United States)

Njelesani, Janet; Nixon, Stephanie; Cameron, Deb; Parsons, Janet; Menon, Anitha

2015-01-01

This paper focuses on accounts of how having a disability and being HIV-positive influences experiences of work among 21 people (12 women, 9 men) in Lusaka, Zambia. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted in English, Bemba, Nyanja, or Zambian sign language. Descriptive and thematic analyses were conducted. Three major themes were generated. The first, a triple burden, describes the burden of having a disability, being HIV-positive, and being unemployed. The second theme, disability and HIV is not inability, describes participants' desire for work and their resistance to being regarded as objects of charity. Finally, how work influences HIV management, describes the practicalities of working and living with HIV. Together these themes highlight the limited options available to persons with disabilities with HIV in Lusaka, not only secondary to the effects of HIV influencing their physical capacity to work, but also because of the attendant social stigma of being a person with a disability and HIV-positive.

Negative and positive childhood experiences across developmental periods in psychiatric patients with different diagnoses – an explorative study

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Schauer Margarete

2004-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background A high frequency of childhood abuse has often been reported in adult psychiatric patients. The present survey explores the relationship between psychiatric diagnoses and positive and negative life events during childhood and adulthood in psychiatric samples. Methods A total of 192 patients with diagnoses of alcohol-related disorders (n = 45, schizophrenic disorders (n = 52, affective disorders (n = 54, and personality disorders (n = 41 completed a 42-item self-rating scale (Traumatic Antecedents Questionnaire, TAQ. The TAQ assesses personal positive experiences (competence and safety and negative experiences (neglect, separation, secrets, emotional, physical and sexual abuse, trauma witnessing, other traumas, and alcohol and drugs abuse during four developmental periods, beginning from early childhood to adulthood. Patients were recruited from four Psychiatric hospitals in Germany, Switzerland, and Romania; 63 subjects without any history of mental illness served as controls. Results The amount of positive experiences did not differ significantly among groups, except for safety scores that were lower in patients with personality disorders as compared to the other groups. On the other side, negative experiences appeared more frequently in patients than in controls. Emotional neglect and abuse were reported in patients more frequently than physical and sexual abuse, with negative experiences encountered more often in late childhood and adolescence than in early childhood. The patients with alcohol-related and personality disorders reported more negative events than the ones with schizophrenic and affective disorders. Conclusions The present findings add evidence to the relationship between retrospectively reported childhood experiences and psychiatric diagnoses, and emphasize the fact that a emotional neglect and abuse are the most prominent negative experiences, b adolescence is a more 'sensitive' period for negative

Does Previous Experience of Floods Stimulate the Adoption of Coping Strategies? Evidence from Cross Sectional Surveys in Nigeria and Tanzania

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sheila A. Boamah

2015-11-01

Full Text Available In sub-Saharan Africa, hydro-meteorological related disasters, such as floods, account for the majority of the total number of natural disasters. Over the past century, floods have affected 38 million people, claimed several lives and caused substantial economic losses in the region. The goal of this paper is to examine how personality disposition, social network, and socio-demographic factors mitigate the complex relationship between stressful life experiences of floods and ocean surges and the adoption of coping strategies among coastal communities in Nigeria and Tanzania. Generalized linear models (GLM were fitted to cross-sectional survey data on 1003 and 1253 individuals in three contiguous coastal areas in Nigeria and Tanzania, respectively. Marked differences in the type of coping strategies were observed across the two countries. In Tanzania, the zero-order relationships between adoption of coping strategies and age, employment and income disappeared at the multivariate level. Only experience of floods in the past year and social network resources were significant predictors of participants’ adoption of coping strategies, unlike in Nigeria, where a plethora of factors such as experience of ocean surges in the past one year, personality disposition, age, education, experience of flood in the past one year, ethnicity, income, housing quality and employment status were still statistically significant at the multivariate level. Our findings suggest that influence of previous experience on adoption of coping strategies is spatially ubiquitous. Consequently, context-specific policies aimed at encouraging the adoption of flood-related coping strategies in vulnerable locations should be designed based on local needs and orientation.

Ethnographic experiences of HIV-positive nurses in managing stigma at a clinic in rural Uganda

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kyakuwa, M.

2009-01-01

This paper explores the workplace experiences of HIV-positive nurses and their attempts to manage HIV/AIDS stigma. An HIV diagnosis can have a major impact on an individual's psychological and emotional wellbeing. Moreover, caring for those suffering from chronic HIV-related illnesses comes with

The Role of Positive Emotions in Positive Psychology: The Broaden-and-Build Theory of Positive Emotions.

Science.gov (United States)

Fredrickson, Barbara L.

2001-01-01

Describes the broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions, situating it within the field of positive psychology. The theory posits that experiences of positive emotions broaden people's momentary thought-action repertoires, which in turn build their enduring personal resources (physical, intellectual, social, and psychological). Reviews…

Evolutionary Analysis Predicts Sensitive Positions of MMP20 and Validates Newly- and Previously-Identified MMP20 Mutations Causing Amelogenesis Imperfecta

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Barbara Gasse

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Amelogenesis imperfecta (AI designates a group of genetic diseases characterized by a large range of enamel disorders causing important social and health problems. These defects can result from mutations in enamel matrix proteins or protease encoding genes. A range of mutations in the enamel cleavage enzyme matrix metalloproteinase-20 gene (MMP20 produce enamel defects of varying severity. To address how various alterations produce a range of AI phenotypes, we performed a targeted analysis to find MMP20 mutations in French patients diagnosed with non-syndromic AI. Genomic DNA was isolated from saliva and MMP20 exons and exon-intron boundaries sequenced. We identified several homozygous or heterozygous mutations, putatively involved in the AI phenotypes. To validate missense mutations and predict sensitive positions in the MMP20 sequence, we evolutionarily compared 75 sequences extracted from the public databases using the Datamonkey webserver. These sequences were representative of mammalian lineages, covering more than 150 million years of evolution. This analysis allowed us to find 324 sensitive positions (out of the 483 MMP20 residues, pinpoint functionally important domains, and build an evolutionary chart of important conserved MMP20 regions. This is an efficient tool to identify new- and previously-identified mutations. We thus identified six functional MMP20 mutations in unrelated families, finding two novel mutated sites. The genotypes and phenotypes of these six mutations are described and compared. To date, 13 MMP20 mutations causing AI have been reported, making these genotypes and associated hypomature enamel phenotypes the most frequent in AI.

Evolutionary Analysis Predicts Sensitive Positions of MMP20 and Validates Newly- and Previously-Identified MMP20 Mutations Causing Amelogenesis Imperfecta.

Science.gov (United States)

Gasse, Barbara; Prasad, Megana; Delgado, Sidney; Huckert, Mathilde; Kawczynski, Marzena; Garret-Bernardin, Annelyse; Lopez-Cazaux, Serena; Bailleul-Forestier, Isabelle; Manière, Marie-Cécile; Stoetzel, Corinne; Bloch-Zupan, Agnès; Sire, Jean-Yves

2017-01-01

Amelogenesis imperfecta (AI) designates a group of genetic diseases characterized by a large range of enamel disorders causing important social and health problems. These defects can result from mutations in enamel matrix proteins or protease encoding genes. A range of mutations in the enamel cleavage enzyme matrix metalloproteinase-20 gene ( MMP20 ) produce enamel defects of varying severity. To address how various alterations produce a range of AI phenotypes, we performed a targeted analysis to find MMP20 mutations in French patients diagnosed with non-syndromic AI. Genomic DNA was isolated from saliva and MMP20 exons and exon-intron boundaries sequenced. We identified several homozygous or heterozygous mutations, putatively involved in the AI phenotypes. To validate missense mutations and predict sensitive positions in the MMP20 sequence, we evolutionarily compared 75 sequences extracted from the public databases using the Datamonkey webserver. These sequences were representative of mammalian lineages, covering more than 150 million years of evolution. This analysis allowed us to find 324 sensitive positions (out of the 483 MMP20 residues), pinpoint functionally important domains, and build an evolutionary chart of important conserved MMP20 regions. This is an efficient tool to identify new- and previously-identified mutations. We thus identified six functional MMP20 mutations in unrelated families, finding two novel mutated sites. The genotypes and phenotypes of these six mutations are described and compared. To date, 13 MMP20 mutations causing AI have been reported, making these genotypes and associated hypomature enamel phenotypes the most frequent in AI.

Does the patients′ educational level and previous counseling affect their medication knowledge?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdulmalik M Alkatheri

2013-01-01

Conclusions: The education level of the patient and previous counseling are positively linked to medication knowledge. Knowledge of the medications′ side effects proved to be the most difficult task for the participants in this study, requiring the highest level of education, and was improved by previous counseling.

Process cells dismantling of EUREX pant: previous activities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gili, M.

1998-01-01

In the '98-'99 period some process cells of the EUREX pant will be dismantled, in order to place there the liquid wastes conditioning plant 'CORA'. This report resumes the previous activities (plant rinsing campaigns and inactive Cell 014 dismantling), run in the past three years and the drawn experience [it

Do previous sports experiences influence the effect of an enrichment programme in basketball skills?

Science.gov (United States)

Santos, Sara; Mateus, Nuno; Sampaio, Jaime; Leite, Nuno

2017-09-01

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of an enrichment programme in motor, technical and tactical basketball skills, when accounting for the age of youth sport specialisation. Seventy-six college students (age: M = 20.4, SD = 1.9) were allocated according to three different paths: (i) non-structured (n = 14), (ii) early specialisation (n = 34), and (iii) late specialisation (n = 28), according to information previously provided by the participants about the quantity and type of sporting activities performed throughout their sporting careers. Then, the participants of each path were randomly distributed across control and experimental groups. Variables under study included agility, technical skills circuit, as well as tactical actions performed in a 4-on-4 full-court basketball game. The results indicated improvements in the early and late specialisation paths namely in the experimental training groups. However, the late specialisation path revealed larger benefits, in contrast with the non-structured path, which showed less sensitivity to the enrichment programme, mostly sustained in physical literacy and differential learning. Higher improvements were observed in agility, and also in reducing the number of unsuccessful actions performed during the game. Overall, this study provided evidence of how early sports experiences affect basketball skill acquisition and contribute to adapt to new contexts with motor and technical-tactical challenges. In addition, a path supported by late specialisation might present several advantages in sport performance achievement.

Is Self-Employment Really a Bad Experience? The Effects of Previous Self-Employment on Subsequent Wage-Employment Wages

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kaiser, Ulrich; Malchow-Møller, Nikolaj

2011-01-01

of self-employment is associated with lower hourly wages compared to workers who were consecutively wage-employed. We also show, however, that this effect disappears—and even becomes positive in some settings—for formerly self-employed who find dependent employment in the same sector as their self......-employment sector. Hence, the on average negative effect of self-employment is rather caused by sector switching than by the self-employment experience per se. Moreover, formerly self-employed who either enjoyed a high income or hired at least one worker during their self-employment spell receive wages...... in subsequent dependent employment that are at least as high as for individuals who have been consecutively wage-employed....

Positivity effect in healthy aging in observational but not active feedback-learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Bellebaum, Christian; Rustemeier, Martina; Daum, Irene

2012-01-01

The present study investigated the impact of healthy aging on the bias to learn from positive or negative performance feedback in observational and active feedback learning. In active learning, a previous study had already shown a negative learning bias in healthy seniors older than 75 years, while no bias was found for younger seniors. However, healthy aging is accompanied by a 'positivity effect', a tendency to primarily attend to stimuli with positive valence. Based on recent findings of dissociable neural mechanisms in active and observational feedback learning, the positivity effect was hypothesized to influence older participants' observational feedback learning in particular. In two separate experiments, groups of young (mean age 27) and older participants (mean age 60 years) completed an observational or active learning task designed to differentially assess positive and negative learning. Older but not younger observational learners showed a significant bias to learn better from positive than negative feedback. In accordance with previous findings, no bias was found for active learning. This pattern of results is discussed in terms of differences in the neural underpinnings of active and observational learning from performance feedback.

[Stigma and discrimination: the experiences of HIV-positive women in poor neighborhoods of Maputo, Mozambique].

Science.gov (United States)

Andrade, Rosário Gregório; Iriart, Jorge Alberto Bernstein

2015-03-01

The HIV/AIDS epidemic is a serious public health problem in Mozambique. The country has high prevalence rates, and the epidemic's impact is aggravated by the stigma affecting HIV-positive persons. This study takes a socio-anthropological perspective to analyze the experience of HIV-positive women in poor neighborhoods of Maputo and the ways they cope with stigma and discrimination. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 HIV-positive women. The results show how gender inequalities increase women's vulnerability to HIV and contribute to their stigmatization and discrimination. In dealing with stigma, women try to keep their diagnosis confidential, seeking support in group meetings with others living with HIV. Public policies should focus on women's empowerment and the reduction of HIV/AIDS-related stigma.

Challenges (Obstacles in Reaching Leadership Positions – Experiences of Women Professors at Novi Sad University Serbia

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Andrić Marijana Mišić

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Underrepresentation of women in leadership positions in universities is a phenomenon present in most countries of the world, with some significant differences. In our work we focused on obstacles that women professors in Novi Sad University (Serbia faced in reaching leadership positions. Analysis is based on qualitative research using a semi structured interview, statistical data and selected secondary sources. Obstacles, mentorship and networking have been researched from an idiographic perspective (reflection and the personal experience of the women at Novi Sad University. Results indicate a significant underrepresentation of women in leadership positions at Novi Sad University. Findings point to a general pattern: the more power and authority the leadership position holds, the scarcer the number of women participating in it. According to interviewees’ statements the patriarchal value system makes the leadership positions difficult to attain for women. Interview analysis also suggests additional limiting factors, such as lack of mentorship and inadequate networking, acting as inhibitors in reaching leadership positions.

Explaining infant feeding: The role of previous personal and vicarious experience on attitudes, subjective norms, self-efficacy, and breastfeeding outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Bartle, Naomi C; Harvey, Kate

2017-11-01

Breastfeeding confers important health benefits to both infants and their mothers, but rates are low in the United Kingdom and other developed countries despite widespread promotion. This study examined the relationships between personal and vicarious experience of infant feeding, self-efficacy, the theory of planned behaviour variables of attitudes and subjective norm, and the likelihood of breastfeeding at 6-8 weeks post-natally. A prospective questionnaire study of both first-time mothers (n = 77) and experienced breastfeeders (n = 72) recruited at an antenatal clinic in South East England. Participants completed a questionnaire at 32 weeks pregnant assessing personal and vicarious experience of infant feeding (breastfeeding, formula-feeding, and maternal grandmother's experience of breastfeeding), perceived control, self-efficacy, intentions, attitudes (to breastfeeding and formula-feeding), and subjective norm. Infant feeding behaviour was recorded at 6-8 weeks post-natally. Multiple linear regression modelled the influence of vicarious experience on attitudes, subjective norm, and self-efficacy (but not perceived control) and modelled the influence of attitude, subjective norm, self-efficacy, and past experience on intentions to breastfeed. Logistic regression modelled the likelihood of breastfeeding at 6-8 weeks. Previous experience (particularly personal experience of breastfeeding) explained a significant amount of variance in attitudes, subjective norm, and self-efficacy. Intentions to breastfeed were predicted by subjective norm and attitude to formula-feeding and, in experienced mothers, self-efficacy. Breastfeeding at 6 weeks was predicted by intentions and vicarious experience of formula-feeding. Vicarious experience, particularly of formula-feeding, has been shown to influence the behaviour of first-time and experienced mothers both directly and indirectly via attitudes and subjective norm. Interventions that reduce exposure to formula

Study of some physical aspects previous to design of an exponential experiment; Estudio de algunos aspectos fisicos previos al diseno de una experiencia exponencial

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Caro, R; Francisco, J L. de

1961-07-01

This report presents the theoretical study of some physical aspects previous to the design of an exponential facility. The are: Fast and slow flux distribution in the multiplicative medium and in the thermal column, slowing down in the thermal column, geometrical distribution and minimum needed intensity of sources access channels and perturbations produced by possible variations in its position and intensity. (Author) 4 refs.

Positive experiences of volunteers working in deployable laboratories in West Africa during the Ebola outbreak.

Science.gov (United States)

Belfroid, Evelien; Mollers, Madelief; Smit, Pieter W; Hulscher, Marlies; Koopmans, Marion; Reusken, Chantal; Timen, Aura

2018-01-01

The largest outbreak of Ebola virus disease ever started in West Africa in December 2013; it created a pressing need to expand the workforce dealing with it. The aim of this study was to gain insight into the experiences of volunteers from the European Union who worked in deployable laboratories in West Africa during the outbreak. This study is part of the EMERGE project. We assessed the experiences of 251 volunteers with a 19-item online questionnaire. The questions asked about positive aspects of volunteering such as learning new skills, establishing a new path in life, and changing life values. Other questionnaire subjects were the compliance to follow-up measures, the extent to which volunteers felt these measures restricted their daily activities, the fear of stigmatization, and worries about becoming infected or infecting their families. The volunteers reported positive effects that reached far beyond their daily work, such as changes in life priorities and a greater appreciation of the value of their own lives. Although the volunteers did not feel that temperature monitoring restricted their daily activities, full compliance to temperature monitoring and reporting it to the authorities was low. The volunteers did not fear Ebola infection for themselves or their families and were not afraid of stigmatization. With respect to the burden on the families, 50% reported that their family members were worried that the volunteer would be infected with Ebola virus. Altogether, the positive experiences of the volunteers in this study far outweigh the negative implications and constitute an important argument for inspiring people who intend to join such missions and for motivating the hesitant ones.

Positive experiences of volunteers working in deployable laboratories in West Africa during the Ebola outbreak.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Evelien Belfroid

Full Text Available The largest outbreak of Ebola virus disease ever started in West Africa in December 2013; it created a pressing need to expand the workforce dealing with it. The aim of this study was to gain insight into the experiences of volunteers from the European Union who worked in deployable laboratories in West Africa during the outbreak. This study is part of the EMERGE project. We assessed the experiences of 251 volunteers with a 19-item online questionnaire. The questions asked about positive aspects of volunteering such as learning new skills, establishing a new path in life, and changing life values. Other questionnaire subjects were the compliance to follow-up measures, the extent to which volunteers felt these measures restricted their daily activities, the fear of stigmatization, and worries about becoming infected or infecting their families. The volunteers reported positive effects that reached far beyond their daily work, such as changes in life priorities and a greater appreciation of the value of their own lives. Although the volunteers did not feel that temperature monitoring restricted their daily activities, full compliance to temperature monitoring and reporting it to the authorities was low. The volunteers did not fear Ebola infection for themselves or their families and were not afraid of stigmatization. With respect to the burden on the families, 50% reported that their family members were worried that the volunteer would be infected with Ebola virus. Altogether, the positive experiences of the volunteers in this study far outweigh the negative implications and constitute an important argument for inspiring people who intend to join such missions and for motivating the hesitant ones.

A rapid assessment of post-disclosure experiences of urban HIV-positive and HIV-negative school-aged children in Kenya

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Grace Gachanja

2015-06-01

Full Text Available There has been limited involvement of HIV-negative children in HIV disclosure studies; most studies conducted on the effects of disclosure on children have been with HIV-positive children and HIV-positive mother-child dyads. Seven HIV-positive and five HIV-negative children participated in a larger study conducted to understand the lived experiences of HIV-positive parents and their children during the disclosure process in Kenya. In this study, the experiences of these 12 children after receiving disclosure of their own and their parents’ illnesses respectively are presented. Each child underwent an in-depth qualitative semi-structured digitally recorded interview. The recorded interviews were transcribed and loaded into NVivo8 for phenomenological data analysis. Five themes emerged from the data, indicating that HIV-positive and negative children appear to have differing post-disclosure experiences revolving around acceptance of illness, stigma and discrimination, medication consumption, sexual awareness, and use of coping mechanisms. Following disclosure, HIV-negative children accepted their parents’ illnesses within a few hours to a few weeks; HIV-positive children took weeks to months to accept their own illnesses. HIV-negative children knew of high levels of stigma and discrimination within the community; HIV-positive children reported experiencing indirect incidences of stigma and discrimination. HIV-negative children wanted their parents to take their medications, stay healthy, and pay their school fees so they could have a better life in the future; HIV-positive children viewed medication consumption as an ordeal necessary to keep them healthy. HIV-negative children wanted their parents to speak to them about sexual-related matters; HIV-positive children had lingering questions about relationships, use of condoms, marriage, and childbearing options. All but one preadolescent HIV-positive child had self-identified a person to speak

Contextual positive psychology: Policy recommendations for implementing positive psychology into schools.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joseph Ciarrochi

2016-10-01

Full Text Available There has been a rapid growth in positive psychology, a research and intervention approach that focuses on promoting optimal functioning and well-being. Positive psychology interventions are now making their way into classrooms all over the world. However, positive psychology has been criticized for being decontextualized and coercive, and for putting an excessive emphasis on positive states, whilst failing to adequately consider negative experiences. Given this, how should policy be used to regulate and evaluate these interventions? We review evidence that suggests these criticisms may be valid, but only for those interventions that focus almost exclusively on changing the content of people’s inner experience (e.g., make it more positive and personality (improving character strength, and overemphasize the idea that inner experience causes action. We describe a contextualized form of positive psychology that not only deals with the criticisms, but also has clear policy implications for how to best implement and evaluate positive education programs so that they do not do more harm than good.

The experience of being a grandmother who is the primary caregiver for her HIV-positive grandchild.

Science.gov (United States)

Caliandro, G; Hughes, C

1998-01-01

The number of grandparents assuming care for their grandchildren is increasing, and this affects grandparents both positively and negatively. The current study builds on an earlier study of the effects of social support, stress, and level of illness on caregiving of children with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) that identified both positive and negative effects of caregiving. To identify the lived experience of African American and Latino grandmothers as the primary caregivers for their grandchildren who are human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected or have AIDS and to identify the similarities and differences between the two groups. Using Van Manen's method for hermeneutical phenomenological research, the lived experiences of 10 African American and Latino grandmothers who were the primary caregivers for their HIV-positive grandchildren were investigated. Additionally, the similarities and differences between the two groups were studied. Four themes identified were (a) upholding the primacy of the family, (b) living in the child-centered present, (c) being strong as mature women, and (d) living within a constricting environment. Twelve subthemes expanded and clarified the meaning of these themes. Although there were differences related to family structure and cultural backgrounds, the grandmothers were more alike than different.

Evaluation of an interdisciplinary re-isolation policy for patients with previous Clostridium difficile diarrhea.

Science.gov (United States)

Boone, N; Eagan, J A; Gillern, P; Armstrong, D; Sepkowitz, K A

1998-12-01

Diarrhea caused by Clostridium difficile is increasingly recognized as a nosocomial problem. The effectiveness and cost of a new program to decrease nosocomial spread by identifying patients scheduled for readmission who were previously positive for toxin was evaluated. The Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center is a 410-bed comprehensive cancer center in New York City. Many patients are readmitted during their course of cancer therapy. In 1995 as a result of concern about the nosocomial spread of C difficile, we implemented a policy that all patients who were positive for C difficile toxin in the previous 6 months with no subsequent toxin-negative stool as an outpatient would be placed into contact isolation on readmission pending evaluation of stool specimens. Patients who were previously positive for C difficile toxin were identified to infection control and admitting office databases via computer. Admitting personnel contacted infection control with all readmissions to determine whether a private room was required. Between July 1, 1995, and June 30, 1996, 47 patients who were previously positive for C difficile toxin were readmitted. Before their first scheduled readmission, the specimens for 15 (32%) of these patients were negative for C difficile toxin. They were subsequently cleared as outpatients and were readmitted without isolation. Workup of the remaining 32 patients revealed that the specimens for 7 patients were positive for C difficile toxin and 86 isolation days were used. An additional 25 patients used 107 isolation days and were either cleared after a negative specimen was obtained in-house or discharged without having an appropriate specimen sent. Four patients (9%) had reoccurring C difficile after having toxin-negative stools. We estimate (because outpatient specimens were not collected) the cost incurred at $48,500 annually, including the incremental cost of hospital isolation and equipment. Our policy to control the spread of nosocomial C

Psychological experiences in South African society before the 2010 FIFA World Cup from the systems psychodynamic and positive psychology perspectives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pieter Koortzen

2012-05-01

Research purpose: The objective of this study was to analyse and describe the psychological experiences of South Africans before the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Research design, approach and method: The researchers conducted the study from the systems psychodynamic and positive psychology perspectives. The study comprised a qualitative, explorative and social phenomenological study. The researchers conducted interviews with a wide range of their colleagues and clients. Main findings: The results seemed to indicate that South Africans had had a number of positive and negative experiences before the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Practical/managerial implications: The researchers presented the findings as a number of systems psychodynamic and positive psychology themes. Contribution/value-add: This study presents original research that contributes valuable new knowledge to the positive psychology and systems psychodynamic perspectives.

Some tests of wet tropospheric calibration for the CASA Uno Global Positioning System experiment

Science.gov (United States)

Dixon, T. H.; Wolf, S. Kornreich

1990-01-01

Wet tropospheric path delay can be a major error source for Global Positioning System (GPS) geodetic experiments. Strategies for minimizing this error are investigted using data from CASA Uno, the first major GPS experiment in Central and South America, where wet path delays may be both high and variable. Wet path delay calibration using water vapor radiometers (WVRs) and residual delay estimation is compared with strategies where the entire wet path delay is estimated stochastically without prior calibration, using data from a 270-km test baseline in Costa Rica. Both approaches yield centimeter-level baseline repeatability and similar tropospheric estimates, suggesting that WVR calibration is not critical for obtaining high precision results with GPS in the CASA region.

Experiences with an application of industrial robotics for accurate patient positioning in proton radiotherapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Allgower, C E; Schreuder, A N; Farr, J B; Mascia, A E

2007-03-01

Protons beams deliver targeted radiation doses with greater precision than is possible with electrons or megavoltage X-ray photons, but to retain this advantage, patient positioning systems at proton clinics must meet tighter accuracy requirements. For this and other reasons, robots were incorporated into the treatment room systems at MPRI. The Midwest Proton Radiotherapy Institute (MPRI) is the first radiotherapy facility in the United States to use commercial robots with six degrees of freedom for patient positioning, rather than a traditional bed with four degrees of freedom. This paper outlines the ways in which robots are used at MPRI and attempts to distil insights from the experience of treating over 200 radiotherapy patients with a robotic system from February 2004 to late 2006. The system has performed well, and with great reliability, but there is room for future improvement, especially in ease of use and in reducing the time to get patients into position. Copyright 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Mentoring to develop research selfefficacy, with particular reference to previously disadvantaged individuals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Schulze

2010-07-01

Full Text Available The development of inexperienced researchers is crucial. In response to the lack of research self-efficacy of many previously disadvantaged individuals, the article examines how mentoring can enhance the research self-efficacy of mentees. The study is grounded in the self-efficacy theory (SET – an aspect of the social cognitive theory (SCT. Insights were gained from an in-depth study of SCT, SET and mentoring, and from a completed mentoring project. This led to the formulation of three basic principles. Firstly, institutions need to provide supportive environmental conditions that facilitate research selfefficacy. This implies a supportive and efficient collective system. The possible effects of performance ratings and reward systems at the institution also need to be considered. Secondly, mentoring needs to create opportunities for young researchers to experience successful learning as a result of appropriate action. To this end, mentees need to be involved in actual research projects in small groups. At the same time the mentor needs to facilitate skills development by coaching and encouragement. Thirdly, mentors need to encourage mentees to believe in their ability to successfully complete research projects. This implies encouraging positive emotional states, stimulating self-reflection and self-comparison with others in the group, giving positive evaluative feedback and being an intentional role model.

Context matters: the benefits and costs of expressing positive emotion among survivors of childhood sexual abuse.

Science.gov (United States)

Bonanno, George A; Colak, Deniz M; Keltner, Dacher; Shiota, Michelle N; Papa, Anthony; Noll, Jennie G; Putnam, Frank W; Trickett, Penelope K

2007-11-01

Positive emotions promote adjustment to aversive life events. However, evolutionary theory and empirical research on trauma disclosure suggest that in the context of stigmatized events, expressing positive emotions might incur social costs. To test this thesis, the authors coded genuine (Duchenne) smiling and laughter and also non-Duchenne smiling from videotapes of late-adolescent and young adult women, approximately half with documented histories of childhood sexual abuse (CSA), as they described the most distressing event of their lives. Consistent with previous studies, genuine positive emotional expression was generally associated with better social adjustment two years later. However, as anticipated, CSA survivors who expressed positive emotion in the context of describing a past CSA experience had poorer long-term social adjustment, whereas CSA survivors who expressed positive emotion while describing a nonabuse experience had improved social adjustment. These findings suggest that the benefits of positive emotional expression may often be context specific.

Critical success factors for positive user experience in hotel websites:applying Herzberg’s two factor theory for user experience modeling

OpenAIRE

Sambhanthan, Arunasalam; Good, Alice

2013-01-01

This research presents the development of a critical success factor matrix for increasing positive user experience of hotel websites based upon user ratings. Firstly, a number of critical success factors for web usability have been identified through the initial literature review. Secondly, hotel websites were surveyed in terms of critical success factors identified through the literature review. Thirdly, Herzberg’s motivation theory has been applied to the user rating and the critical succ...

Positive Psychology

Science.gov (United States)

Peterson, Christopher

2009-01-01

Positive psychology is a deliberate correction to the focus of psychology on problems. Positive psychology does not deny the difficulties that people may experience but does suggest that sole attention to disorder leads to an incomplete view of the human condition. Positive psychologists concern themselves with four major topics: (1) positive…

Creating a Positive Prior Learning Assessment (PLA Experience: A Step-by-Step Look at University PLA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sara M. Leiste

2011-01-01

Full Text Available A prior learning assessment (PLA can be an intimidating process for adult learners. Capella University’s PLA team has developed best practices, resources, and tools to foster a positive experience and to remove barriers in PLA and uses three criteria to determine how to best administer the assessment. First, a PLA must be motivating, as described by the ARCS model. Second, it must enable success. Finally, it must use available resources efficiently. The tools and resources developed according to these criteria fall into two categories: staff and online resources. PLA programs can use both to ensure that all departments provide consistent communication to learners about the PLA process, which will foster a positive experience. The PLA online lab houses centralized resources and offers one-on-one interaction with a facilitator to assist learners step-by-step in the development of their petitions. Each unit contains resources, examples, and optional assignments that help learners to develop specific aspects of the petition. By following the examples and recommendations, learners are able to submit polished petitions after they complete the units. The lab facilitator supports learners throughout the units by answering questions and providing recommendations. When learners submit their petitions, the facilitator reviews it entirely and provides feedback to strengthen the final submission that goes to a faculty reviewer for an official evaluation. All of these individuals and tools work together to help create a positive experience for learners who submit a PLA petition. This article shares these resources with the goal of strengthening PLA as a field.

The error model and experiment of measuring angular position error based on laser collimation

Science.gov (United States)

Cai, Yangyang; Yang, Jing; Li, Jiakun; Feng, Qibo

2018-01-01

Rotary axis is the reference component of rotation motion. Angular position error is the most critical factor which impair the machining precision among the six degree-of-freedom (DOF) geometric errors of rotary axis. In this paper, the measuring method of angular position error of rotary axis based on laser collimation is thoroughly researched, the error model is established and 360 ° full range measurement is realized by using the high precision servo turntable. The change of space attitude of each moving part is described accurately by the 3×3 transformation matrices and the influences of various factors on the measurement results is analyzed in detail. Experiments results show that the measurement method can achieve high measurement accuracy and large measurement range.

Positive Eigenvalues of Generalized Words in Two Hermitian Positive Definite Matrices

OpenAIRE

Hillar, Christopher; Johnson, Charles R.

2005-01-01

We define a word in two positive definite (complex Hermitian) matrices $A$ and $B$ as a finite product of real powers of $A$ and $B$. The question of which words have only positive eigenvalues is addressed. This question was raised some time ago in connection with a long-standing problem in theoretical physics, and it was previously approached by the authors for words in two real positive definite matrices with positive integral exponents. A large class of words that do guarantee positive eig...

Openness to Experience as a Predictor and Outcome of Upward Job Changes into Managerial and Professional Positions

Science.gov (United States)

Nieß, Christiane; Zacher, Hannes

2015-01-01

In industrial and organizational psychology, there is a long tradition of studying personality as an antecedent of work outcomes. Recently, however, scholars have suggested that personality characteristics may not only predict, but also change due to certain work experiences, a notion that is depicted in the dynamic developmental model (DDM) of personality and work. Upward job changes are an important part of employees’ careers and career success in particular, and we argue that these career transitions can shape personality over time. In this study, we investigate the Big Five personality characteristics as both predictors and outcomes of upward job changes into managerial and professional positions. We tested our hypotheses by applying event history analyses and propensity score matching to a longitudinal dataset collected over five years from employees in Australia. Results indicated that participants’ openness to experience not only predicted, but that changes in openness to experience also followed from upward job changes into managerial and professional positions. Our findings thus provide support for a dynamic perspective on personality characteristics in the context of work and careers. PMID:26110527

Bose-Einstein condensate collapse: A comparison between theory and experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Savage, C.M.; Robins, N.P.; Hope, J.J.

2003-01-01

We solve the Gross-Pitaevskii equation numerically for the collapse induced by a switch from positive to negative scattering lengths. We compare our results with experiments performed with Bose-Einstein condensates of 85 Rb, in which the scattering length was controlled using a Feshbach resonance. Building on previous theoretical work we identify quantitative differences between the predictions of mean-field theory and the results of the experiments. In addition to the previously reported difference between the predicted and observed critical atom number for collapse, we also find that the predicted collapse times systematically exceed those observed experimentally

The Role of Positive Emotions in Positive Psychology: The Broaden-and-Build Theory of Positive Emotions

OpenAIRE

Fredrickson, Barbara L.

2001-01-01

In this article, the author describes a new theoretical perspective on positive emotions and situates this new perspective within the emerging field of positive psychology. The broaden-and-build theory posits that experiences of positive emotions broaden people's momentary thought-action repertoires, which in turn serves to build their enduring personal resources, ranging from physical and intellectual resources to social and psychological resources. Preliminary empirical evidence supporting ...

Aortic pseudoaneurysm detected on external jugular venous distention following a Bentall procedure 10 years previously.

Science.gov (United States)

Fukunaga, Naoto; Shomura, Yu; Nasu, Michihiro; Okada, Yukikatsu

2010-11-01

An asymptomatic 49-year-old woman was admitted for the purpose of surgery for aortic pseudoaneurysm. She had Marfan syndrome and had undergone an emergent Bentall procedure 10 years previously. About six months previously, she could palpate distended bilateral external jugular veins, which became distended only in a supine position and without any other symptoms. Enhanced computed tomography revealed an aortic pseudoaneurysm originating from a previous distal anastomosis site. During induction of general anesthesia in a supine position, bilateral external jugular venous distention was remarkable. Immediately after a successful operation, distention completely resolved. The present case emphasizes the importance of physical examination leading to a diagnosis of asymptomatic life-threatening diseases in patients with a history of previous aortic surgery.

Connecting experience and economy - aspects of disguised positioning

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Bo Allesøe

2013-01-01

The focus of this article is the use of experience made within the literature of the “new” economical discipline of experience economy. By combining a methodological individualism with a causal and dehumanising picture of the process of experience, this discipline conceives economic interactions ...

Bidirectional, Temporal Associations of Sleep with Positive Events, Affect, and Stressors in Daily Life Across a Week.

Science.gov (United States)

Sin, Nancy L; Almeida, David M; Crain, Tori L; Kossek, Ellen Ernst; Berkman, Lisa F; Buxton, Orfeu M

2017-06-01

Sleep is intricately tied to emotional well-being, yet little is known about the reciprocal links between sleep and psychosocial experiences in the context of daily life. The aim of this study is to evaluate daily psychosocial experiences (positive and negative affect, positive events, and stressors) as predictors of same-night sleep quality and duration, in addition to the reversed associations of nightly sleep predicting next-day experiences. Daily experiences and self-reported sleep were assessed via telephone interviews for eight consecutive evenings in two replicate samples of US employees (131 higher-income professionals and 181 lower-income hourly workers). Multilevel models evaluated within-person associations of daily experiences with sleep quality and duration. Analyses controlled for demographics, insomnia symptoms, the previous day's experiences and sleep measures, and additional day-level covariates. Daily positive experiences were associated with improved as well as disrupted subsequent sleep. Specifically, positive events at home predicted better sleep quality in both samples, whereas greater positive affect was associated with shorter sleep duration among the higher-income professionals. Negative affect and stressors were unrelated to subsequent sleep. Results for the reversed direction revealed that better sleep quality (and, to a lesser degree, longer sleep duration) predicted emotional well-being and lower odds of encountering stressors on the following day. Given the reciprocal relationships between sleep and daily experiences, efforts to improve well-being in daily life should reflect the importance of sleep.

Using Labeled Choice Experiments to Analyze Demand Structure and Market Position among Seafood Products

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nguyen, Thong Tien; Solgaard, Hans Stubbe; Haider, Wolfgang

2018-01-01

Understanding market competition and consumer preferences are important first steps in developing a business. In a competitive market, effectiveness of the various elements of a firm’s marketing mix depends not only on the absolute value of each element but also on the relative values......-employed consumers are the most sensitive to price. Four segments are identified and described in terms of both consumer characteristics and preferences. Our results are meaningful for producers and retailers to develop marketing strategies and production plan....... of the elements with respect to the firm’s position in the market. In this paper we analyze the demand structure and market positions for a variety of seafood products in the French retail market. We use a labeled choice experiment (LCE) to analyze twelve seafood species. The choice options are labeled...

Previous utilization of service does not improve timely booking in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Previous utilization of service does not improve timely booking in antenatal care: Cross sectional study ... Journal Home > Vol 24, No 3 (2010) > ... Results: Past experience on antenatal care service utilization did not come out as a predictor for ...

Previous Experiences with Epilepsy and Effectiveness of Information to Change Public Perception of Epilepsy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gutteling, Jan M.; Seydel, E.R.; Wiegman, O.

1986-01-01

Differences with regard to the effectiveness of health information and attitude change are suggested between people with direct, behavioral experiences with a health topic and people with indirect, nonbehavioral experiences. The effects of three different methods of health education about epilepsy,

Re-Forming the Boundaries: A Trans-Cultural Comparison of Positive Experiences among Adolescent Males and Females.

Science.gov (United States)

Magen, Zipora

1983-01-01

Presents a cross-cultural study of positive experiences among males and females from Israeli-Arab, Israeli-Jewish, and American samples (N=1094), which revealed that differences between the sexes were in the same direction across the three cultures. The one exception is the life aspiration of Israeli boys, markedly more self-transcending than…

Mirror neurons, procedural learning, and the positive new experience: a developmental systems self psychology approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Wolf, N S; Gales, M; Shane, E; Shane, M

2000-01-01

In summary, we are impressed with the existence of a mirror neuron system in the prefrontal cortex that serves as part of a complex neural network, including afferent and efferent connections to the limbic system, in particular the amygdala, in addition to the premotor and motor cortex. We think it is possible to arrive at an integration that postulates the mirror neuron system and its many types of associated multimodal neurons as contributing significantly to implicit procedural learning, a process that underlies a range of complex nonconscious, unconscious, preconscious and conscious cognitive activities, from playing musical instruments to character formation and traumatic configurations. This type of brain circuitry may establish an external coherence with developmental systems self psychology which implies that positive new experience is meliorative and that the intentional revival of old-old traumatic relational configurations might enhance maladaptive procedural patterns that would lead to the opposite of the intended beneficial change. When analysts revive traumatic transference patterns for the purpose of clarification and interpretation, they may fail to appreciate that such traumatic transference patterns make interpretation ineffective because, as we have stated above, the patient lacks self-reflection under such traumatic conditions. The continued plasticity and immediacy of the mirror neuron system can contribute to positive new experiences that promote the formation of new, adaptive, implicit-procedural patterns. Perhaps this broadened repertoire in the patient of ways of understanding interrelational events through the psychoanalytic process allows the less adaptive patterns ultimately to become vestigial and the newer, more adaptive patterns to emerge as dominant. Finally, as we have stated, we believe that the intentional transferential revival of trauma (i.e., the old-old relational configuration) may not contribute to therapeutic benefit. In

Surface protection of inner shells of cooling towers. Positive long-term experience with coating systems.; Oberflaechenschutz von Kuehlturminnenschalen. Positive Langzeiterfahrungen mit Beschichtungssystemen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Heine, Peer [MC-Bauchemie Mueller GmbH und Co.KG, Bottrop (Germany)

2010-07-15

Natural-draught cooling tower are modern power plant components with great importance for safe and reliable power supply. Due to the complex effects of operating and environmental conditions especially on the inner shell, the concrete must be protected by special resin-based surface coating systems. Parallel to the development of the power plant technology, also the coating systems are under constant improvement in order to ensure reliable and permanent protection. The positive long-term experience suggests that power plant operators may rely on a high level of safety here. (orig.)

The Impact of an International Cultural Experience on Previously Held Stereotypes by American Student Nurses.

Science.gov (United States)

Heuer, Loretta; Bengiamin, Marlene; Downey, Vicki Wessman

2001-01-01

Examined stereotypes held by U.S. student nurses before and after participating in an educational experience in Russia. The experience was intended to prepare them to be effective nurses in multicultural health care settings. Data from student interviews indicated that the experience changed students' stereotyped attitudes about Russian culture…

Positive experiences of a vocational rehabilitation intervention for individuals on long-term sick leave, the Dirigo project: a qualitative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Andersén, Åsa; Ståhl, Christian; Anderzén, Ingrid; Kristiansson, Per; Larsson, Kjerstin

2017-10-10

The process of returning to work after long-term sick leave can sometimes be complex. Many factors, (e.g. cooperation between different authorities and the individual as well as individual factors such as health, emotional well-being and self-efficacy) may have an impact on an individual's ability to work. The aim of this study was to investigate clients' experiences with an individually tailored vocational rehabilitation, the Dirigo project, and encounters with professionals working on it. The Dirigo project was based on collaboration between rehabilitation authorities, individually tailored interventions and a motivational interviewing approach. A descriptive qualitative design was used with data collected through interviews. Fourteen individuals on long-term sick leave took part in individual semi-structured interviews. The interviews were analysed using content analysis. The analysis showed overall positive experience of methods and encounters with professionals in a vocational rehabilitation project. The positive experiences were based on four key factors: 1. Opportunities for receiving various dimensions of support. 2. Good overall treatment by the professionals. 3. Satisfaction with the working methods of the project, and 4. Opportunities for personal development. The main result showed that the clients had an overall positive experience of a vocational rehabilitation project and encounters with professionals who used motivational interviewing as a communication method. The overall positive experience indicated that their interactions with the different professionals may have affected their self-efficacy in general and in relation to transition to work. The knowledge is essential for the professionals working in the area of vocational rehabilitation. However, vocational rehabilitation interventions also need a societal approach to be able to offer clients opportunities for job training and real jobs.

Impressions That Last: Particularly Negative and Positive Experiences Reported by Parents Five Years after the End of a Child's Successful Cancer Treatment or Death.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lisa Ljungman

Full Text Available To describe the experience of parenting a child diagnosed with cancer by examining particularly negative and positive experiences reported by parents of childhood cancer survivors and parents of children lost to cancer.168 parents (88 mothers, 80 fathers participated. Data were collected five years after the end of successful treatment or the child's death. The parents' experiences were identified by open-ended semi-structured questions about particularly negative and positive experiences of the child's cancer. An inductive approach was used in which the manifest verbal content of the answers was analysed using content analysis.The analysis revealed eight categories of negative experience (child late effects; distressing events; healthcare; impaired relationships; long-term psychological consequences; own reactions; surrounding institutions; the fact that the child got cancer and seven categories of positive experience (healthcare; improved relationships; long-term consequences for the child; personal development; support systems; treatment outcome; unexpected joy. The categories were related to past events or to the present situation. The findings indicate variations in experiences between parents of survivors and bereaved parents, and between fathers and mothers, as some experiences were only reported by parents of survivors and some experiences were only reported by mothers.The results highlight the importance of past and present events to parents, and accordingly the long-lasting impact of paediatric cancer on parents. The results also point to the wide range of negative as well as positive experiences involved in parenting a child diagnosed with cancer, and provide a comprehensive understanding of the overall experience for parents of children with cancer. Specifically, the findings give guidance to healthcare providers by illustrating the need to provide healthcare personnel with continuous training in communication skills, offering

Do global change experiments overestimate impacts on terrestrial ecosystems?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Leuzinger, Sebastian; Luo, Yiqi; Beier, Claus

2011-01-01

In recent decades, many climate manipulation experiments have investigated biosphere responses to global change. These experiments typically examined effects of elevated atmospheric CO2, warming or drought (driver variables) on ecosystem processes such as the carbon and water cycle (response...... of the responses to decline with higher-order interactions, longer time periods and larger spatial scales. This means that on average, both positive and negative global change impacts on the biosphere might be dampened more than previously assumed....

The experience of acculturative stress-related growth from immigrants’ perspectives

OpenAIRE

Kim, Junhyoung; Kim, Hakjun

2013-01-01

Previous literature has mainly focused on the positive effects of stress associated with disability and illness, called stressrelated growth. Little research has explored positive changes as a result of acculturative stress among a group of immigrants. In particular, older Asian immigrants may experience a high level of stress related to acculturation because they may face more challenges to adapt to and navigate a new culture. This study was designed to capture the characteristics of stress-...

Aberrant salience, self-concept clarity, and interview-rated psychotic-like experiences.

Science.gov (United States)

Cicero, David C; Docherty, Anna R; Becker, Theresa M; Martin, Elizabeth A; Kerns, John G

2015-02-01

Many social-cognitive models of psychotic-like symptoms posit a role for self-concept and aberrant salience. Previous work has shown that the interaction between aberrant salience and self-concept clarity is associated with self-reported psychotic-like experiences. In the current research with two structured interviews, the interaction between aberrant salience and self-concept clarity was found to be associated with interview-rated psychotic-like experiences. The interaction was associated with psychotic-like experiences composite scores, delusional ideation, grandiosity, and perceptual anomalies. In all cases, self-concept clarity was negatively associated with psychotic-like experiences at high levels of aberrant salience, but unassociated with psychotic-like experiences at low levels of aberrant salience. The interaction was specific to positive psychotic-like experiences and not present for negative or disorganized ratings. The interaction was not mediated by self-esteem levels. These results provide further evidence that aberrant salience and self-concept clarity play an important role in the generation of psychotic-like experiences.

Future time perspective and positive health practices in young adults: an extension.

Science.gov (United States)

Mahon, N E; Yarcheski, T J; Yarcheski, A

1997-06-01

A sample of 69 young adults attending a public university responded to the Future Time Perspective Inventory, two subscales of the Time Experience Scales (Fast and Slow Tempo), and the Personal Lifestyle Questionnaire in classroom settings. A statistically significant correlation (.52) was found between scores for future time perspective and the ratings for the practice of positive health behaviors in young adults. This correlation was larger than those previously found for middle and late adolescents. Scores on subscales of individual health practices and future time perspective indicated statistically significant correlations for five (.25 to .56) of the six subscales. Scores on neither Fast nor Slow Tempo were related to ratings of positive health practices or ratings on subscales measuring positive health practices.

Positive Technologies for Understanding and Promoting Positive Emotions.

Science.gov (United States)

Baños, Rosa María; Carrillo, Alba; Etchemendy, Ernestina; Botella, Cristina

2017-10-26

Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) have become increasingly present in our lives, and their use has spread considerably. This paper presents a review of the way ICTs can help practitioners and researchers to study, promote, and train positive emotions. It is framed within the field of Positive Technologies: the applied scientific approach to the study of the use of technology to improve the quality of personal experience, with the goal of increasing wellbeing. First, the article presents an introduction to the topic of technologies and positive emotions. Then, it describes how ICTs can aid in monitoring, assessing, promoting, modifying, and training positive emotions. Finally, implications and future directions of the role of Positive Technologies in positive emotions are discussed. The authors conclude that, in the near future, Positive Technologies and the field of positive emotions will interact synergistically, producing an exponential growth in the understanding and promotion of positive emotions.

DC cancellation as a method of generating a t2-response and of solving the radial position error in a concentric free-falling two-sphere equivalence-principle experiment in a drag-free satellite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lange, Benjamin

2010-01-01

This paper presents a new method for doing a free-fall equivalence-principle (EP) experiment in a satellite at ambient temperature which solves two problems that have previously blocked this approach. By using large masses to change the gravity gradient at the proof masses, the orbit dynamics of a drag-free satellite may be changed in such a way that the experiment can mimic a free-fall experiment in a constant gravitational field on the earth. An experiment using a sphere surrounded by a spherical shell both completely unsupported and free falling has previously been impractical because (1) it is not possible to distinguish between a small EP violation and a slight difference in the semi-major axes of the orbits of the two proof masses and (2) the position difference in the orbit due to an EP violation only grows as t whereas the largest disturbance grows as t 3/2 . Furthermore, it has not been known how to independently measure the positions of a shell and a solid sphere with sufficient accuracy. The measurement problem can be solved by using a two-color transcollimator (see the main text), and since the radial-position-error and t-response problems arise from the earth's gravity gradient and not from its gravity field, one solution is to modify the earth's gravity gradient with local masses fixed in the satellite. Since the gravity gradient at the surface of a sphere, for example, depends only on its density, the gravity gradients of laboratory masses and of the earth unlike their fields are of the same order of magnitude. In a drag-free satellite spinning perpendicular to the orbit plane, two fixed spherical masses whose connecting line parallels the satellite spin axis can generate a dc gravity gradient at test masses located between them which cancels the combined gravity gradient of the earth and differential centrifugal force. With perfect cancellation, the position-error problem vanishes and the response grows as t 2 along a line which always points toward

"Experience Isn't Everything": How Emotion Affects the Relationship Between Experience and Cue Utilization.

Science.gov (United States)

Crane, Monique Frances; Brouwers, Sue; Wiggins, Mark William; Loveday, Thomas; Forrest, Kirsty; Tan, Suyin Giselle Marianne; Cyna, Allan Michael

2018-04-01

This research examined whether negative and positive arousal emotions modify the relationship between experience level and cue utilization among anesthetists. The capacity of a practitioner to form precise associations between clusters of features (e.g., symptoms) and events (e.g., diagnosis) and then act on them is known as cue utilization. A common assumption is that practice experience allows opportunities for cue acquisition and cue utilization. However, this relationship is often not borne out in research findings. This study investigates the role of emotional state in this relationship. An online tool (EXPERTise 2.0) was used to assess practitioner cue utilization for tasks relevant to anesthesia. The experience of positive and negative arousal emotions in the previous three days was measured, and emotion clusters were generated. Experience was measured as the composite of practice years and hours of practice experience. The moderating role of emotion on the relationship between experience and cue utilization was examined. Data on 125 anesthetists (36% female) were included in the analysis. The predicted interaction between arousal emotions and the experience level emerged. In particular, post hoc analyses revealed that anxiety-related emotions facilitated the likelihood of high cue utilization in less experienced practitioners. The findings suggest a role for emotions in cue use and suggest a functional role for normal range anxiety emotions in a simulated work-relevant task. This research illustrates the importance of understanding the potentially functional effects common negative arousal emotions may have on clinical performance, particularly for those with less experience.

Positive childhood experiences predict less psychopathology and stress in pregnant women with childhood adversity: A pilot study of the benevolent childhood experiences (BCEs) scale.

Science.gov (United States)

Narayan, Angela J; Rivera, Luisa M; Bernstein, Rosemary E; Harris, William W; Lieberman, Alicia F

2018-04-01

This pilot study examined the psychometric properties of the Benevolent Childhood Experiences (BCEs) scale, a new instrument designed to assess positive early life experiences in adults with histories of childhood maltreatment and other adversities. A counterpart to the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) questionnaire, the BCEs was developed to be multiculturally-sensitive and applicable regardless of socioeconomic position, urban-rural background, or immigration status. Higher levels of BCEs were hypothesized to predict lower levels of psychopathology and stress beyond the effects of ACES in a sample of ethnically diverse, low-income pregnant women. BCEs were also expected to show adequate internal validity across racial/ethnic groups and test-retest stability from the prenatal to the postnatal period. Participants were 101 pregnant women (M=29.10years, SD=6.56, range=18-44; 37% Latina, 22% African-American, 20% White, 21% biracial/multiracial/other; 37% foreign-born, 26% Spanish-speaking) who completed the BCEs and ACEs scales; assessments of prenatal depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, perceived stress, and exposure to stressful life events (SLEs) during pregnancy; and demographic information. Higher levels of BCEs predicted less PTSD symptoms and SLEs, above and beyond ACEs. The BCEs showed excellent test-retest reliability, and mean levels were comparable across racial/ethnic and Spanish-English groups of women. Person-oriented analyses also showed that higher levels of BCEs offset the effects of ACEs on prenatal stress and psychopathology. The BCEs scale indexes promising promotive factors associated with lower trauma-related symptomatology and stress exposure during pregnancy and illuminates how favorable childhood experiences may counteract long-term effects of childhood adversity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Experiments with positive, negative and topical relevance feedback

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kaptein, R.; Kamps, J.; Li, R.; Hiemstra, D.

2008-01-01

This document contains a description of experiments for the 2008 Relevance Feedback track. We experiment with different amounts of feedback, including negative relevance feedback. Feedback is implemented using massive weighted query expansion. Parsimonious query expansion using Dirichlet smoothing

Positive muon diffusion in iron and nickel pressure dependence

CERN Document Server

Butz, T; Dufresne, J F; Hartmann, O; Karlsson, E; Lindgren, B; Longobardi, R; Norlin, L O; Pezzetti, J P; Yaouanc, A

1980-01-01

The hyperfine field B/sub hf/ at positive muon ( mu /sup +/) in iron and nickel was previously found. Exhibits marked deviations from the bulk magnetization as a function of temperature. For substitutional impurities in Fe and Ni matrices the volume dependence of B/sub hf/ has been considered as a possible reason for such deviations. Therefore the authors have measured at CERN the local magnetic field at mu /sup +/, B/sub mu /, in high purity polycrystalline Fe and Ni samples at room temperature and at pressures up to 7 kbar by the positive muon spin rotation ( mu /sup +/ SR) technique. To their knowledge, this is the first mu /sup +/SR experiment performed under hydrostatic pressure. The authors observe a linear pressure dependence for both samples but slopes are of opposite signs. (12 refs).

Positive experiences of a vocational rehabilitation intervention for individuals on long-term sick leave, the Dirigo project: a qualitative study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Åsa Andersén

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The process of returning to work after long-term sick leave can sometimes be complex. Many factors, (e.g. cooperation between different authorities and the individual as well as individual factors such as health, emotional well-being and self-efficacy may have an impact on an individual’s ability to work. The aim of this study was to investigate clients’ experiences with an individually tailored vocational rehabilitation, the Dirigo project, and encounters with professionals working on it. The Dirigo project was based on collaboration between rehabilitation authorities, individually tailored interventions and a motivational interviewing approach. Methods A descriptive qualitative design was used with data collected through interviews. Fourteen individuals on long-term sick leave took part in individual semi-structured interviews. The interviews were analysed using content analysis. Results The analysis showed overall positive experience of methods and encounters with professionals in a vocational rehabilitation project. The positive experiences were based on four key factors: 1. Opportunities for receiving various dimensions of support. 2. Good overall treatment by the professionals. 3. Satisfaction with the working methods of the project, and 4. Opportunities for personal development. Conclusions The main result showed that the clients had an overall positive experience of a vocational rehabilitation project and encounters with professionals who used motivational interviewing as a communication method. The overall positive experience indicated that their interactions with the different professionals may have affected their self-efficacy in general and in relation to transition to work. The knowledge is essential for the professionals working in the area of vocational rehabilitation. However, vocational rehabilitation interventions also need a societal approach to be able to offer clients opportunities for job training

Analysis of previous screening examinations for patients with breast cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Eun Hye; Cha, Joo Hee; Han, Dae Hee; Choi, Young Ho; Hwang, Ki Tae; Ryu, Dae Sik; Kwak, Jin Ho; Moon, Woo Kyung

2007-01-01

We wanted to improve the quality of subsequent screening by reviewing the previous screening of breast cancer patients. Twenty-four breast cancer patients who underwent previous screening were enrolled. All 24 took mammograms and 15 patients also took sonograms. We reviewed the screening retrospectively according to the BI-RADS criteria and we categorized the results into false negative, true negative, true positive and occult cancers. We also categorized the causes of false negative cancers into misperception, misinterpretation and technical factors and then we analyzed the attributing factors. Review of the previous screening revealed 66.7% (16/24) false negative, 25.0% (6/24) true negative, and 8.3% (2/24) true positive cancers. False negative cancers were caused by the mammogram in 56.3% (9/16) and by the sonogram in 43.7% (7/16). For the false negative cases, all of misperception were related with mammograms and this was attributed to dense breast, a lesion located at the edge of glandular tissue or the image, and findings seen on one view only. Almost all misinterpretations were related with sonograms and attributed to loose application of the final assessment. To improve the quality of breast screening, it is essential to overcome the main causes of false negative examinations, including misperception and misinterpretation. We need systematic education and strict application of final assessment categories of BI-RADS. For effective communication among physicians, it is also necessary to properly educate them about BI-RADS

Influence of different positive emotions on persuasion processing: a functional evolutionary approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Griskevicius, Vladas; Shiota, Michelle N; Neufeld, Samantha L

2010-04-01

Much research has found that positive affect facilitates increased reliance on heuristics in cognition. However, theories proposing distinct evolutionary fitness-enhancing functions for specific positive emotions also predict important differences among the consequences of different positive emotion states. Two experiments investigated how six positive emotions influenced the processing of persuasive messages. Using different methods to induce emotions and assess processing, we showed that the positive emotions of anticipatory enthusiasm, amusement, and attachment love tended to facilitate greater acceptance of weak persuasive messages (consistent with previous research), whereas the positive emotions of awe and nurturant love reduced persuasion by weak messages. In addition, a series of mediation analyses suggested that the effects distinguishing different positive emotions from a neutral control condition were best accounted for by different mediators rather than by one common mediator. These findings build upon approaches that link affective valence to certain types of processing, documenting emotion-specific effects on cognition that are consistent with functional evolutionary accounts of discrete positive emotions. Copyright 2010 APA, all rights reserved.

Social Interaction and Conditional Self-Discrimination under a Paradigm of Avoidance and Positive Reinforcement in Wistar Rats

Science.gov (United States)

Penagos-Corzo, Julio C.; Pérez-Acosta, Andrés M.; Hernández, Ingrid

2015-01-01

The experiment reported here uses a conditional self-discrimination task to examine the influence of social interaction on the facilitation of self-discrimination in rats. The study is based on a previous report (Penagos- Corzo et al., 2011) showing positive evidence of such facilitation, but extending the exposition to social interaction…

Factors associated with positive attitude towards blood donation among medical students.

Science.gov (United States)

Gazibara, Tatjana; Kovacevic, Nikolina; Maric, Gorica; Kurtagic, Ilma; Nurkovic, Selmina; Kisic-Tepavcevic, Darija; Pekmezovic, Tatjana

2015-12-01

The aim of this study was to assess attitudes and practice of blood donation among medical students. Medical students were recruited at Medical Faculty, University of Belgrade, Serbia. Of 973 students, 38.4% of freshmen and 41.4% of final year students have donated blood (χ(2) = 0.918, p = 0.186). Blood donors had significantly more positive attitude towards some aspects of blood donation. Being female, residing in a city other than the capital and previous blood donation experience were independent predictors of positive attitude towards being a blood donor to an unknown person. Efforts are required to augment blood donor pool among future physicians. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nano positioning control for dual stage using minimum order observer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Hong Gun

2012-01-01

A nano positioning control is developed using the ultra-precision positioning apparatus such as actuator, sensor, guide, power transmission element with an appropriate control method. Using established procedures, a single plane X-Y stage with ultra-precision positioning is manufactured. A global stage for materialization with robust system is combined by using an AC servo motor with a ball screw and rolling guide. An ultra-precision positioning system is developed using a micro stage with an elastic hinge and piezo element. Global and micro servos for positioning with nanometer accuracy are controlled simultaneously using an incremental encoder and a laser interferometer to measure displacement. Using established procedures, an ultra-precision positioning system (100 mm stroke and ±10 nm positioning accuracy) with a single plane X-Y stage is fabricated. Its performance is evaluated through simulation using Matlab. After analyzing previous control algorithms and adapting modern control theory, a dual servo algorithm is developed for a minimum order observer to secure the stability and priority on the controller. The simulations and experiments on the ultra precision positioning and the stability of the ultra-precision positioning system with single plane X-Y stage and the priority of the control algorithm are secured by using Matlab with Simulink and ControlDesk made in dSPACE

Context shapes social judgments of positive emotion suppression and expression.

Science.gov (United States)

Kalokerinos, Elise K; Greenaway, Katharine H; Casey, James P

2017-02-01

It is generally considered socially undesirable to suppress the expression of positive emotion. However, previous research has not considered the role that social context plays in governing appropriate emotion regulation. We investigated a context in which it may be more appropriate to suppress than express positive emotion, hypothesizing that positive emotion expressions would be considered inappropriate when the valence of the expressed emotion (i.e., positive) did not match the valence of the context (i.e., negative). Six experiments (N = 1,621) supported this hypothesis: when there was a positive emotion-context mismatch, participants rated targets who suppressed positive emotion as more appropriate, and evaluated them more positively than targets who expressed positive emotion. This effect occurred even when participants were explicitly made aware that suppressing targets were experiencing mismatched emotion for the context (e.g., feeling positive in a negative context), suggesting that appropriate emotional expression is key to these effects. These studies are among the first to provide empirical evidence that social costs to suppression are not inevitable, but instead are dependent on context. Expressive suppression can be a socially useful emotion regulation strategy in situations that call for it. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Nano positioning control for dual stage using minimum order observer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Hong Gun [Jeonju University, Jeonju (Korea, Republic of)

2012-03-15

A nano positioning control is developed using the ultra-precision positioning apparatus such as actuator, sensor, guide, power transmission element with an appropriate control method. Using established procedures, a single plane X-Y stage with ultra-precision positioning is manufactured. A global stage for materialization with robust system is combined by using an AC servo motor with a ball screw and rolling guide. An ultra-precision positioning system is developed using a micro stage with an elastic hinge and piezo element. Global and micro servos for positioning with nanometer accuracy are controlled simultaneously using an incremental encoder and a laser interferometer to measure displacement. Using established procedures, an ultra-precision positioning system (100 mm stroke and {+-}10 nm positioning accuracy) with a single plane X-Y stage is fabricated. Its performance is evaluated through simulation using Matlab. After analyzing previous control algorithms and adapting modern control theory, a dual servo algorithm is developed for a minimum order observer to secure the stability and priority on the controller. The simulations and experiments on the ultra precision positioning and the stability of the ultra-precision positioning system with single plane X-Y stage and the priority of the control algorithm are secured by using Matlab with Simulink and ControlDesk made in dSPACE.

9592 THE EXPERIENCES OF HIV-POSITIVE MOTHERS ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Mimi

exclusive breastfeeding, HIV-positive mothers, aged 21-41 years, married and unemployed, participated during two visits to the study site. Responses to semi- ... Five major themes emerged: (i) benefits of breast milk to the mother and the baby ...

The contribution of Multi-GNSS Experiment (MGEX) to precise point positioning

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Fei; Li, Xingxing; Zhang, Xiaohong; Wang, Jinling

2017-06-01

In response to the changing world of GNSS, the International GNSS Service (IGS) has initiated the Multi-GNSS Experiment (MGEX). As part of the MGEX project, initial precise orbit and clock products have been released for public use, which are the key prerequisites for multi-GNSS precise point positioning (PPP). In particular, precise orbits and clocks at intervals of 5 min and 30 s are presently available for the new emerging systems. This paper investigates the benefits of multi-GNSS for PPP. Firstly, orbit and clock consistency tests (between different providers) were performed for GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and BeiDou. In general, the differences of GPS are, respectively, 1.0-1.5 cm for orbit and 0.1 ns for clock. The consistency of GLONASS is worse than GPS by a factor of 2-3, i.e. 2-4 cm for orbit and 0.2 ns for clock. However, the corresponding differences of Galileo and BeiDou are significantly larger than those of GPS and GLONASS, particularly for the BeiDou GEO satellites. Galileo as well as BeiDou IGSO/MEO products have a consistency of 0.1-0.2 m for orbit, and 0.2-0.3 ns for clock. As to BeiDou GEO satellites, the difference of their orbits reaches 3-4 m in along-track, 0.5-0.6 m in cross-track, and 0.2-0.3 m in the radial directions, together with an average RMS of 0.6 ns for clock. Furthermore, the short-term stability of multi-GNSS clocks was analyzed by Allan deviation. Results show that clock stability of the onboard GNSS is highly dependent on the satellites generations, operational lifetime, orbit types, and frequency standards. Finally, kinematic PPP tests were conducted to investigate the contribution of multi-GNSS and higher rate clock corrections. As expected, the positioning accuracy as well as convergence speed benefit from the fusion of multi-GNSS and higher rate of precise clock corrections. The multi-GNSS PPP improves the positioning accuracy by 10-20%, 40-60%, and 60-80% relative to the GPS-, GLONASS-, and BeiDou-only PPP. The usage of 30 s

What makes dreams positive or negative: relations to fundamental dimensions of positive and negative mood.

Science.gov (United States)

Kallmeyer, R J; Chang, E C

1998-02-01

The present study examined the general emotional content of dreams reported by individuals who typically experience "positive" versus "negative" dreams. Self-reports of the 153 participants indicated that positive versus negative dreamers (ns = 42 and 24, respectively) generally experienced more positive emotions, e.g., joviality, self-assurance, and fewer negative emotions, e.g., fear, sadness. No differences were found in the self-reports of the participants in the experience of surprise, guilt, fatigue, and shyness between the groups, hence, positive and negative dreams do not appear to reflect simply more positive and fewer negative emotions, respectively.

Intrapersonal positive future thinking predicts repeat suicide attempts in hospital-treated suicide attempters.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Connor, Rory C; Smyth, Roger; Williams, J Mark G

2015-02-01

Although there is clear evidence that low levels of positive future thinking (anticipation of positive experiences in the future) and hopelessness are associated with suicide risk, the relationship between the content of positive future thinking and suicidal behavior has yet to be investigated. This is the first study to determine whether the positive future thinking-suicide attempt relationship varies as a function of the content of the thoughts and whether positive future thinking predicts suicide attempts over time. A total of 388 patients hospitalized following a suicide attempt completed a range of clinical and psychological measures (depression, hopelessness, suicidal ideation, suicidal intent and positive future thinking). Fifteen months later, a nationally linked database was used to determine who had been hospitalized again after a suicide attempt. During follow-up, 25.6% of linked participants were readmitted to hospital following a suicide attempt. In univariate logistic regression analyses, previous suicide attempts, suicidal ideation, hopelessness, and depression-as well as low levels of achievement, low levels of financial positive future thoughts, and high levels of intrapersonal (thoughts about the individual and no one else) positive future thoughts predicted repeat suicide attempts. However, only previous suicide attempts, suicidal ideation, and high levels of intrapersonal positive future thinking were significant predictors in multivariate analyses. Positive future thinking has predictive utility over time; however, the content of the thinking affects the direction and strength of the positive future thinking-suicidal behavior relationship. Future research is required to understand the mechanisms that link high levels of intrapersonal positive future thinking to suicide risk and how intrapersonal thinking should be targeted in treatment interventions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

CT colonography without cathartic preparation: positive predictive value and patient experience in clinical practice

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zueco Zueco, Carmen; Sobrido Sampedro, Carolina; Corroto, Juan D.; Rodriguez Fernandez, Paula; Fontanillo Fontanillo, Manuela [Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de Vigo - CHUVI, Vigo, Pontevedra (Spain)

2012-06-15

To determine the positive predictive value (PPV) for polyps {>=}6 mm detected at CT colonography (CTC) performed without cathartic preparation, with low-dose iodine faecal tagging regimen and to evaluate patient experience. 1920 average-risk patients underwent CTC without cathartic preparation. Faecal tagging was performed by diatrizoate meglumine and diatrizoate sodium at a total dose of 60 ml (22.2 g of iodine).The standard interpretation method was primary 3D with 2D problem solving. We calculated per-patient and per-polyp PPV in relation to size and morphology. All colonic segments were evaluated for image quality (faecal tagging, amount of liquid and solid residual faeces and luminal distension). Patients completed a questionnaire before and after CTC to assess preparation and examination experience. Per-polyp PPV for detected lesions of {>=}6 mm, 6-9 mm, {>=}10 mm and {>=}30 mm were 94.3%, 93.1%, 94.7% and 98%, respectively. Per-polyp PPV, according to lesion morphology, was 94.6%, 97.3% and 85.1% for sessile, pedunculated and flat polyps, respectively. Per-patient PPV was 92.8%. Preparation without frank cathartics was reported to cause minimal discomfort by 78.9% of patients. CTC without cathartic preparation and low-dose iodine faecal tagging may yield high PPVs for lesions {>=}6 mm and is well accepted by patients. circle Computed tomographic colonography (CTC) without cathartic preparation is well accepted by patients circle Cathartic-free faecal tagging CTC yields high positive predictive values circle CTC without cathartic preparation could improve uptake of colorectal cancer screening. (orig.)

Position coincidence optical identifications using Texas interferometer radio positions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bozyan, E.P.

1979-01-01

1048 radio source positions measured with the Texas Interferometer were searched for optical identifications on glass copies of the Palomar Sky Survey E and O plates, resulting in 242 identifications and 806 blank fields. Finding charts are presented for 124 of the 125 new identifications not previously reported in the literature, and for 73 blank fields containing nearby optical objects which may be real identifications. This brings the cumulative number of Texas radio positions searched to 2015, producing 864 optical identifications and 1151 blank fields

Measuring the Customer Experience in Online Environments: A Structural Modeling Approach

OpenAIRE

Thomas P. Novak; Donna L. Hoffman; Yiu-Fai Yung

2000-01-01

Intuition and previous research suggest that creating a compelling online environment for Web consumers will have numerous positive consequences for commercial Web providers. Online executives note that creating a compelling online experience for cyber customers is critical to creating competitive advantage on the Internet. Yet, very little is known about the factors that make using the Web a compelling experience for its users, and of the key consumer behavior outcomes of this compelling exp...

Social context surrounding HIV diagnosis and construction of masculinity: a qualitative study of stigma experiences of heterosexual HIV positive men in southwest Nigeria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Titilayo Ainegbesua Okoror

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Though research has documented experiences of stigma and its effects on the lives of women living with HIV/AIDS, there is limited research on heterosexual positive HIV men experience of stigma in Nigeria. This study explored how social context surrounding HIV diagnosis impacts stigma experiences of heterosexual HIV positive men and their construction of masculinity in southwest Nigeria. Methods Using purposive sampling, 17 heterosexual HIV positive men were recruited through community based organization to participate in two hours focus group discussions or 45 min in-depth interviews that were audio-recorded. Without using the word stigma, discussions and interviews were guided by four questions that explored participants’ experiences of living with HIV/AIDS. Interviews and discussions were conducted in three languages: English, Yoruba and Pidgin English. Thematic data analysis approach was in coding transcribed data, while social constructivist thinking guided data analysis. Results Participants ranged in age from 30 to 57 years old, and all were receiving antiretroviral therapy. Findings indicated that participants’ experiences of stigma might be moderated by the social context surrounding their HIV diagnosis, and whether they have met the socio-cultural construction of masculinity. Participants whose diagnosis were preceded by immediate family members’ diagnosis were less likely to report experiencing HIV stigma and more likely to report “not feeling less than a man” and educating others about HIV/AIDS. Contrarily, participants whose diagnosis was preceded by their own sickness were more likely to report isolation, sigma and feeling of being less than a man. All participants reported limiting their sexual intimacy, and those with children reported adjusting how they performed their role as fathers. Conclusions Social context surrounding HIV diagnosis impact how heterosexual HIV positive men experience HIV

Social context surrounding HIV diagnosis and construction of masculinity: a qualitative study of stigma experiences of heterosexual HIV positive men in southwest Nigeria.

Science.gov (United States)

Okoror, Titilayo Ainegbesua; Falade, Catherine Olufunke; Walker, Ebunlomo Mary; Olorunlana, Adetayo; Anaele, Agaptus

2016-06-13

Though research has documented experiences of stigma and its effects on the lives of women living with HIV/AIDS, there is limited research on heterosexual positive HIV men experience of stigma in Nigeria. This study explored how social context surrounding HIV diagnosis impacts stigma experiences of heterosexual HIV positive men and their construction of masculinity in southwest Nigeria. Using purposive sampling, 17 heterosexual HIV positive men were recruited through community based organization to participate in two hours focus group discussions or 45 min in-depth interviews that were audio-recorded. Without using the word stigma, discussions and interviews were guided by four questions that explored participants' experiences of living with HIV/AIDS. Interviews and discussions were conducted in three languages: English, Yoruba and Pidgin English. Thematic data analysis approach was in coding transcribed data, while social constructivist thinking guided data analysis. Participants ranged in age from 30 to 57 years old, and all were receiving antiretroviral therapy. Findings indicated that participants' experiences of stigma might be moderated by the social context surrounding their HIV diagnosis, and whether they have met the socio-cultural construction of masculinity. Participants whose diagnosis were preceded by immediate family members' diagnosis were less likely to report experiencing HIV stigma and more likely to report "not feeling less than a man" and educating others about HIV/AIDS. Contrarily, participants whose diagnosis was preceded by their own sickness were more likely to report isolation, sigma and feeling of being less than a man. All participants reported limiting their sexual intimacy, and those with children reported adjusting how they performed their role as fathers. Social context surrounding HIV diagnosis impact how heterosexual HIV positive men experience HIV related stigma and how they perceive themselves as men, which may influence their

Association between Positivity and Smoking Cessation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Caterina Grassi

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The literature documents that personality characteristics are associated with healthy lifestyles, including smoking. Among positive traits, Positivity (POS, defined as a general disposition conducive to facing experience under a positive outlook has shown robust associations with psychological health. Thus, the present study investigated the extent to which POS is able to predict (i relapse after quitting smoking and (ii the desire to smoke again. All participants (481 had previously attended a Group Counselling Program (GCP for Smoking Cessation (from 2005 through 2010. They were contacted through telephone interview. Among participants, 244 were ex-smokers (age: years 56.3±10.08, 52% female and 237 were still-smokers (age: years 55.0±9.63; 63.5% female. The association of POS with “craving to smoke” levels was assessed with multivariate linear regression analysis while controlling also for important differences in personality such as conscientiousness and general self-efficacy, as well as for gender and age. Results showed that POS was significantly and negatively associated with smoking status and with craving to smoke. Among covariates (i.e., conscientiousness, generalized self-efficacy, gender was associated with smoking status and with craving to smoke. Altogether these findings corroborate the idea that POS plays a significant role in sustaining individuals' efforts to quit smoking.

Patient obesity and the practical experience of the plain radiography professional: On everyday ethics, patient positioning and infelicitous equipment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Woods, A.L.; Miller, P.K.; Sloane, C.

2016-01-01

Patient obesity is increasingly placing significant and multifaceted strain upon medical imaging departments, and professionals, in (particularly Western) healthcare systems. The majority of obesity-related studies in radiology are, however, primarily focused only upon the technical business of collecting diagnostically-efficacious images. This study, using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), qualitatively explores the everyday clinical experiences of eight expert UK diagnosticians working in plain radiography. Focus herein falls particularly upon (a) problems with patient positioning during examination, and (b) challenges arising around available equipment. In line with extant research, participants reported that difficulties with positioning obese patients could have negative impacts on image quality, and that insufficient table weight limits and widths, and inadequate detector sizes, can adversely affect examination. They also raised some more novel issues, such as how the impact of available gown sizes upon a patient's sense of dignity can cause practical and ethical dilemmas for a clinician in situ. The issue of how one might ‘train’ experience in positioning patients without bony landmarks as a reference point was also made salient, with strong implications for undergraduate radiography curricula. It is finally highlighted how the participating radiographers themselves seldom conceptualised any given problem as a purely ‘technical’ one, instead recurrently recognising the interlinking of material, socio-economic and moral matters in real healthcare contexts. By better understanding such nuance and complexity as lived by real radiographers, it is contended, a more context-sensitive and flexible path to effective training and guideline-production can be mapped. - Highlights: • Difficulties with positioning obese patients can have negative impacts on image quality. • Positioning patients without bony landmarks as a reference point is

Is Previous Respiratory Disease a Risk Factor for Lung Cancer?

Science.gov (United States)

Denholm, Rachel; Schüz, Joachim; Straif, Kurt; Stücker, Isabelle; Jöckel, Karl-Heinz; Brenner, Darren R.; De Matteis, Sara; Boffetta, Paolo; Guida, Florence; Brüske, Irene; Wichmann, Heinz-Erich; Landi, Maria Teresa; Caporaso, Neil; Siemiatycki, Jack; Ahrens, Wolfgang; Pohlabeln, Hermann; Zaridze, David; Field, John K.; McLaughlin, John; Demers, Paul; Szeszenia-Dabrowska, Neonila; Lissowska, Jolanta; Rudnai, Peter; Fabianova, Eleonora; Dumitru, Rodica Stanescu; Bencko, Vladimir; Foretova, Lenka; Janout, Vladimir; Kendzia, Benjamin; Peters, Susan; Behrens, Thomas; Vermeulen, Roel; Brüning, Thomas; Kromhout, Hans

2014-01-01

Rationale: Previous respiratory diseases have been associated with increased risk of lung cancer. Respiratory conditions often co-occur and few studies have investigated multiple conditions simultaneously. Objectives: Investigate lung cancer risk associated with chronic bronchitis, emphysema, tuberculosis, pneumonia, and asthma. Methods: The SYNERGY project pooled information on previous respiratory diseases from 12,739 case subjects and 14,945 control subjects from 7 case–control studies conducted in Europe and Canada. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to investigate the relationship between individual diseases adjusting for co-occurring conditions, and patterns of respiratory disease diagnoses and lung cancer. Analyses were stratified by sex, and adjusted for age, center, ever-employed in a high-risk occupation, education, smoking status, cigarette pack-years, and time since quitting smoking. Measurements and Main Results: Chronic bronchitis and emphysema were positively associated with lung cancer, after accounting for other respiratory diseases and smoking (e.g., in men: odds ratio [OR], 1.33; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.20–1.48 and OR, 1.50; 95% CI, 1.21–1.87, respectively). A positive relationship was observed between lung cancer and pneumonia diagnosed 2 years or less before lung cancer (OR, 3.31; 95% CI, 2.33–4.70 for men), but not longer. Co-occurrence of chronic bronchitis and emphysema and/or pneumonia had a stronger positive association with lung cancer than chronic bronchitis “only.” Asthma had an inverse association with lung cancer, the association being stronger with an asthma diagnosis 5 years or more before lung cancer compared with shorter. Conclusions: Findings from this large international case–control consortium indicate that after accounting for co-occurring respiratory diseases, chronic bronchitis and emphysema continue to have a positive association with lung cancer. PMID:25054566

Accent Imitation Positively Affects Language Attitudes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patti eAdank

2013-05-01

Full Text Available People in conversation tend to accommodate the way they speak. It has been assumed that this tendency to imitate each other’s speech patterns serves to increase liking between partners in a conversation. Previous experiments examined the effect of perceived social attractiveness on the tendency to imitate someone else’s speech and found that vocal imitation increased when perceived attractiveness was higher. The present experiment extends this research by examining the inverse relationship and examines how overt vocal imitation affects attitudes. Participants listened to sentences spoken by two speakers of a regional accent (Glaswegian of English. They vocally repeated (speaking in their own accent without imitating the sentences spoken by a Glaswegian speaker, and subsequently imitated sentences spoken by a second Glaswegian speaker (order counterbalanced across participants. After each repeating or imitation session, participants completed a questionnaire probing the speakers’ perceived power, competence, and social attractiveness. Imitating had a positive effect on the perceived social attractiveness of the speaker compared to repeating. These results are interpreted in light of Communication Accommodation Theory.

Accent imitation positively affects language attitudes.

Science.gov (United States)

Adank, Patti; Stewart, Andrew J; Connell, Louise; Wood, Jeffrey

2013-01-01

People in conversation tend to accommodate the way they speak. It has been assumed that this tendency to imitate each other's speech patterns serves to increase liking between partners in a conversation. Previous experiments examined the effect of perceived social attractiveness on the tendency to imitate someone else's speech and found that vocal imitation increased when perceived attractiveness was higher. The present experiment extends this research by examining the inverse relationship and examines how overt vocal imitation affects attitudes. Participants listened to sentences spoken by two speakers of a regional accent (Glaswegian) of English. They vocally repeated (speaking in their own accent without imitating) the sentences spoken by a Glaswegian speaker, and subsequently imitated sentences spoken by a second Glaswegian speaker (order counterbalanced across participants). After each repeating or imitation session, participants completed a questionnaire probing the speakers' perceived power, competence, and social attractiveness. Imitating had a positive effect on the perceived social attractiveness of the speaker compared to repeating. These results are interpreted in light of Communication Accommodation Theory.

Daily events are important for age differences in mean and duration for negative affect but not positive affect.

Science.gov (United States)

Charles, Susan T; Mogle, Jacqueline; Urban, Emily J; Almeida, David M

2016-11-01

Across midlife and into old age, older adults often report lower levels of negative affect and similar if not higher levels of positive affect than relatively younger adults. Researchers have offered a simple explanation for this result: Age is related to reductions in stressors and increases in pleasurable activities that result in higher levels of well-being. The current study examines subjective reports of emotional experience assessed across 8 days in a large sample of adults (N = 2,022) ranging from 35 to 84 years old. By modeling age differences before and after adjusting for daily positive uplifts and negative stressors, this article assesses the extent to which daily events account for age differences in positive and negative affect reports. Consistent with previous research, the authors found that older age is related to lower mean levels and shorter duration of a negative emotional experience in a model only adjusting for gender, education, and ethnicity. After adjusting for daily events, however, the linear age-related effects were no longer significant. For positive affect, adjusting for daily events did not alter age-related patterns of experiencing higher mean levels and longer positive experience duration, suggesting that other factors underlie age-related increases in positive affect. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

The effects of autonomy-supportive and controlling teaching behaviour in biology lessons with primary and secondary experiences on students' intrinsic motivation and flow-experience

Science.gov (United States)

Hofferber, Natalia; Basten, Melanie; Großmann, Nadine; Wilde, Matthias

2016-09-01

Self-Determination Theory and Flow Theory propose that perceived autonomy fosters the positive qualities of motivation and flow-experience. Autonomy-support can help to maintain students' motivation in very interesting learning activities and may lead to an increase in the positive qualities of motivation in less interesting learning activities. This paper investigates whether autonomy-supportive or controlling teaching behaviour influence students' motivation and flow-experience in biology class. In study 1, 158 students of grade six worked on the adaptations of Harvest Mice (Micromys minutus) with living animals. The 153 sixth graders of study 2 dealt with the same content but instead worked with short films on laptops. Previous studies have shown that students perceive film sequences as less interesting than working with living animals. Students' intrinsic motivation and flow-experience were measured at the end of the first and the third lesson. In study 1, autonomy-supportive teaching behaviour led to significant differences in students' intrinsic motivation and flow-experience when compared to controlling teaching behaviour. In study 2, motivation and flow-experience were not always in line with theory. The positive effects of autonomy-supportive and the non-beneficial effects of the controlling teaching behaviour seem to be dependent on the interestingness of the teaching material.

Autonomous GPS/INS navigation experiment for Space Transfer Vehicle

Science.gov (United States)

Upadhyay, Triveni N.; Cotterill, Stephen; Deaton, A. W.

1993-01-01

An experiment to validate the concept of developing an autonomous integrated spacecraft navigation system using on board Global Positioning System (GPS) and Inertial Navigation System (INS) measurements is described. The feasibility of integrating GPS measurements with INS measurements to provide a total improvement in spacecraft navigation performance, i.e. improvement in position, velocity and attitude information, was previously demonstrated. An important aspect of this research is the automatic real time reconfiguration capability of the system designed to respond to changes in a spacecraft mission under the control of an expert system.

Analysis of current research addressing complementary use of life-cycle assessment and risk assessment for engineered nanomaterials: have lessons been learned from previous experience with chemicals?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grieger, Khara D.; Laurent, Alexis; Miseljic, Mirko; Christensen, Frans; Baun, Anders; Olsen, Stig I.

2012-01-01

While it is generally agreed that successful strategies to address the health and environmental impacts of engineered nanomaterials (NM) should consider the well-established frameworks for conducting life-cycle assessment (LCA) and risk assessment (RA), scientific research, and specific guidance on how to practically apply these methods are still very much under development. This paper evaluates how research efforts have applied LCA and RA together for NM, particularly reflecting on previous experiences with applying these methods to chemicals. Through a literature review and a separate analysis of research focused on applying LCA and RA together for NM, it appears that current research efforts have taken into account some key “lessons learned” from previous experience with chemicals while many key challenges remain for practically applying these methods to NM. We identified two main approaches for using these methods together for NM: “LC-based RA” (traditional RA applied in a life-cycle perspective) and “RA-complemented LCA” (conventional LCA supplemented by RA in specific life-cycle steps). Hence, the latter is the only identified approach which genuinely combines LC- and RA-based methods for NM-risk research efforts to date as the former is rather a continuation of normal RA according to standard assessment procedures (e.g., REACH). Both these approaches along with recommendations for using LCA and RA together for NM are similar to those made previously for chemicals, and thus, there does not appear to be much progress made specific for NM. We have identified one issue in particular that may be specific for NM when applying LCA and RA at this time: the need to establish proper dose metrics within both methods.

Art promoting mental health literacy and a positive attitude towards people with experience of mental illness.

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Koh, Eugen; Shrimpton, Bradley

2014-03-01

Exhibitions of art by people with experience of mental illness are increasingly being staged to improve awareness of mental health issues in the general community and to counter the stigma of mental illness. However, few exhibitions have incorporated research to ascertain their actual effectiveness. This paper reports the results of a study that considered the responses of 10,000 people after they viewed exhibitions of art produced by people with experience of mental illness. These works were selected from the Cunningham Dax Collection, one of the world's most extensive collection of artworks by people with experience of mental illness and/or psychological trauma. More than 90% of respondents agreed with three propositions that the exhibitions helped them: (1) gain a better understanding of mental illness; (2) gain a more sympathetic understanding of the suffering of people with mental illness; and (3) appreciate the ability and creativity of people with mental illness. The results suggest that exhibitions can successfully promote mental health literacy and contribute to positive attitudes towards people with experience of mental illness. This paper explores these findings and raises questions about how the presentation of artworks in an exhibition influences their effectiveness in mental health promotion.

Protein Supplement Usage Among Male University Students: Comparisons Between Current and Previous Users.

Science.gov (United States)

Sung, Youngmo; Choi, Jinkyung

2018-02-01

Interest in specialized dietary supplements is leading market growth, and protein supplements are popular for increasing muscle mass among young males. Therefore, this study investigated the attitudes toward and satisfaction with protein supplements to identify detailed consumer behaviors related to the consumption of protein supplements. The study sample includes male university students in their 20s in South Korea. In total, 223 responses were entered for analysis. Questions related to attitudes, satisfaction, and future behavioral intentions were asked using 5-point Likert scales. The responses were divided into two groups, current and previous users, to identify significant differences in terms of attitudes, satisfaction, and future behavioral intentions. A descriptive analysis, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and multiple regression were run. The majority of respondents prefer the powdered form of supplements in bulk with a price range between 30,000 won and 60,000 won. Online shopping was preferred, while word of mouth and friends/family were considered credible information sources. The most common side effects experienced were problems with digestion and hives, although more than 78% did not experience side effects. In comparison between current and previous users in terms of attitudes and satisfaction, the following areas showed significances. Regarding attitudes, the importance of brand, preference for products from overseas, the search for nutritional facts, and reading carefully all product information were significant, while regarding satisfaction, price, effectiveness, and ease of consumption were significant. All significances showed that current users had more positive attitudes and greater satisfaction. Overall, consumers' satisfaction regarding ease of consumption influenced future behavioral intentions. The market for protein supplements has been growing, so measuring consumers' attitudes and satisfaction would help attract potential consumers. In

Position Reconstruction and Charge Distribution in LHCb VELO Silicon Sensors

CERN Document Server

Versloot, TW; Akiba, K; Artuso, M; Van Beuzekom, M; Borel, J; Bowcock, TJV; Buytaert, J; Collins, P; Dumps, R; Dwyer, L; Eckstein, D; Eklund, L; Ferro-Luzzi, M; Frei, R; Gersabek M; Haefeli, G; Hennessy, K; Huse, T; Jans, E; John, M; Ketel, TJ; Keune, A; Lastoviicka, T; Mountain, R; Neufeld, N; Parkes, C; Stone, S; Szumlak, T; Tobin, M; Van Lysebetten, A; Viret, S; De Vries, H; Wang, J

2007-01-01

In 2006, a partially equipped LHCb VELO detector half was characterised in a test beam experiment (Alignment Challenge and Detector Commissioning, ACDC3). The position reconstruction and resolution for 2-strip R-sensor clusters was studied as a function of strip pitch and track inclination on the sensor surface. The Charge Density Distribution (CDD) is derived from the weighted charge distribution. It becomes asymmetric for tracks non-perpendicular to the strip surface. It is shown that the asymmetric broadening of the CDD around the track intercept position results in a linear eta-function at higher angles (>6 degrees). The sensor spatial resolution is determined both using a linear weighted mean of strip charges, as well as a third-order polynomial approximation via a eta-correction. The experimental results are in agreement with previous simulations. Future studies are underway to determine the angle and pitch dependent parameters which will be implemented in the LHCb VELO cluster position software tools.

Young Women's Lived Experience of Participating in a Positive Youth Development Programme: The "Teens & Toddlers" Pregnancy Prevention Intervention

Science.gov (United States)

Sorhaindo, Annik; Mitchell, Kirstin; Fletcher, Adam; Jessiman, Patricia; Keogh, Peter; Bonell, Chris

2016-01-01

Purpose: Evaluation of the Teens & Toddlers (T&T) positive youth development (PYD) and teenage pregnancy prevention programme suggested that the intervention had minimal effectiveness partly due to its unclear theory of change. The purpose of this paper is to examine the lived experiences of young women participating in the programme to…

Laser in situ keratomileusis enhancements with the Ziemer FEMTO LDV femtosecond laser following previous LASIK treatments.

Science.gov (United States)

Pietilä, Juhani; Huhtala, Anne; Mäkinen, Petri; Uusitalo, Hannu

2013-02-01

The aim of this paper is to present the accuracy, predictability, and safety outcomes of LASIK enhancements performed with the FEMTO LDV femtosecond laser (Ziemer Ophthalmic Systems, Port, Switzerland) and the Allegretto Wave Concerto 500 Hz excimer laser (Wavelight AG, Erlangen, Germany), following previous LASIK treatments. FEMTO LDV was used for flap creation in 85 previously LASIK-treated eyes of 62 patients. The intended flap thickness was 90 μm in 81 eyes and 140 μm in 4 eyes. The size of the suction ring was 9.0 mm in 72 eyes and 9.5 mm in 13 eyes. Flap dimensions were measured and correlated to preoperative characteristics. With the intended flap thickness of 90 μm in previously LASIK-treated eyes, the actual flap thickness was 90.2 ± 6.6 μm (range 80-122), and the flap diameter was 9.2 ± 0.2 mm (range 8.7-9.9). The mean hinge length was 4.0 ± 0.2 mm (range 3.0-4.8). Flap thickness correlated positively with patient age and hinge length. Complications were reported in 12 eyes (14.1 %). Most of the complications were very mild, and none of them prevented further refractive laser treatment. One eye lost two Snellen lines of best spectacle-corrected visual acuity. Femtosecond LASIK enhancement is warranted only in rare cases. Surgical experience is needed and special caution must be practiced. For cases of a primary free cap, femtosecond LASIK is not recommended.

Scientific opinion on the evaluation of substances as acceptable previous cargoes for edible fats and oils

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Knutsen, Helle Katrine; Alexander, Jan; Barregård, Lars; Bignami, Margherita; Brüschweiler, Beat; Ceccatelli, Sandra; Cottrill, Bruce; Dinovi, Michael; Edler, Lutz; Hogstrand, Christer; Hoogenboom, L.A.P.; Nebbia, Carlo; Oswald, Isabelle; Petersen, Annette; Rose, Martin; Roudot, Alain-Claude; Schwerdtle, Tanja; Vollmer, Günter; Wallace, Heather; Grasl-Kraupp, Bettina; Grob, Konrad; Penninks, André; Binaglia, Marco; Roldán Torres, Ruth; Vleminckx, Christiane

2017-01-01

Shipping of edible fats and oils into Europe is permitted in bulk tanks, provided that the previous cargo is included in a positive list. The European Commission requested EFSA to evaluate the acceptability as previous cargoes for fats and oils the substances calcium lignosulphonate, methyl acetate,

The relationship between personalities and self-report positive driving behavior in a Chinese sample

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Xianghong; Zhang, Kan

2018-01-01

Driving behaviors play an important role in accident involvement. Concretely speaking, aberrant driving behaviors would cause more accidents, and oppositely positive driving behaviors would promote to build safety traffic environment. The main goals of this study were to explore the positive driving behavior and its relationship with personality in a Chinese sample. A total of 421 licensed drivers (286 male and 135 female) from Beijing, China completed the Positive Driver Behavior Scale (PDBS), the Driver Behavior Questionnaire (DBQ), the Dula Dangerous Driving Index (DDDI) and the Big Five Inventory (BFI) on a voluntary and anonymous basis. The results showed that the Chinese version of the PDBS has both reliability and validity and that the PDBS was significantly correlated with the BFI. Specifically, the PDBS was negatively correlated with neuroticism (r = -0.38) and positively correlated with extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness and openness to experience (the correlation coefficient ranged from 0.36 to 0.55). In contrast with previous research, age was negatively correlated with the PDBS (r = -0.38) in our sample, which may have resulted from less driving experience or a lack of available cognitive resources. PMID:29324823

The relationship between personalities and self-report positive driving behavior in a Chinese sample.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Biying Shen

Full Text Available Driving behaviors play an important role in accident involvement. Concretely speaking, aberrant driving behaviors would cause more accidents, and oppositely positive driving behaviors would promote to build safety traffic environment. The main goals of this study were to explore the positive driving behavior and its relationship with personality in a Chinese sample. A total of 421 licensed drivers (286 male and 135 female from Beijing, China completed the Positive Driver Behavior Scale (PDBS, the Driver Behavior Questionnaire (DBQ, the Dula Dangerous Driving Index (DDDI and the Big Five Inventory (BFI on a voluntary and anonymous basis. The results showed that the Chinese version of the PDBS has both reliability and validity and that the PDBS was significantly correlated with the BFI. Specifically, the PDBS was negatively correlated with neuroticism (r = -0.38 and positively correlated with extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness and openness to experience (the correlation coefficient ranged from 0.36 to 0.55. In contrast with previous research, age was negatively correlated with the PDBS (r = -0.38 in our sample, which may have resulted from less driving experience or a lack of available cognitive resources.

The relationship between personalities and self-report positive driving behavior in a Chinese sample.

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Biying; Qu, Weina; Ge, Yan; Sun, Xianghong; Zhang, Kan

2018-01-01

Driving behaviors play an important role in accident involvement. Concretely speaking, aberrant driving behaviors would cause more accidents, and oppositely positive driving behaviors would promote to build safety traffic environment. The main goals of this study were to explore the positive driving behavior and its relationship with personality in a Chinese sample. A total of 421 licensed drivers (286 male and 135 female) from Beijing, China completed the Positive Driver Behavior Scale (PDBS), the Driver Behavior Questionnaire (DBQ), the Dula Dangerous Driving Index (DDDI) and the Big Five Inventory (BFI) on a voluntary and anonymous basis. The results showed that the Chinese version of the PDBS has both reliability and validity and that the PDBS was significantly correlated with the BFI. Specifically, the PDBS was negatively correlated with neuroticism (r = -0.38) and positively correlated with extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness and openness to experience (the correlation coefficient ranged from 0.36 to 0.55). In contrast with previous research, age was negatively correlated with the PDBS (r = -0.38) in our sample, which may have resulted from less driving experience or a lack of available cognitive resources.

The effect of group attachment and social position on prosocial behavior. Evidence from lab-in-the-field experiments.

Science.gov (United States)

Baldassarri, Delia; Grossman, Guy

2013-01-01

Social life is regulated by norms of fairness that constrain selfish behavior. While a substantial body of scholarship on prosocial behavior has provided evidence of such norms, large inter- and intra-personal variation in prosocial behavior still needs to be explained. The article identifies two social-structural dimensions along which people's generosity varies systematically: group attachment and social position. We conducted lab-in-the-field experiments involving 2,597 members of producer organizations in rural Uganda. Using different variants of the dictator game, we demonstrate that group attachment positively affects prosocial behavior, and that this effect is not simply the by-product of the degree of proximity between individuals. Second, we show that occupying a formal position in an organization or community leads to greater generosity toward in-group members. Taken together, our findings show that prosocial behavior is not an invariant social trait; rather, it varies according to individuals' relative position in the social structure.

The effect of group attachment and social position on prosocial behavior. Evidence from lab-in-the-field experiments.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Delia Baldassarri

Full Text Available Social life is regulated by norms of fairness that constrain selfish behavior. While a substantial body of scholarship on prosocial behavior has provided evidence of such norms, large inter- and intra-personal variation in prosocial behavior still needs to be explained. The article identifies two social-structural dimensions along which people's generosity varies systematically: group attachment and social position. We conducted lab-in-the-field experiments involving 2,597 members of producer organizations in rural Uganda. Using different variants of the dictator game, we demonstrate that group attachment positively affects prosocial behavior, and that this effect is not simply the by-product of the degree of proximity between individuals. Second, we show that occupying a formal position in an organization or community leads to greater generosity toward in-group members. Taken together, our findings show that prosocial behavior is not an invariant social trait; rather, it varies according to individuals' relative position in the social structure.

Conflict adaptation in positive and negative mood: Applying a success-failure manipulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Schuch, Stefanie; Zweerings, Jana; Hirsch, Patricia; Koch, Iring

2017-05-01

Conflict adaptation is a cognitive mechanism denoting increased cognitive control upon detection of conflict. This mechanism can be measured by the congruency sequence effect, indicating the reduction of congruency effects after incongruent trials (where response conflict occurs) relative to congruent trials (without response conflict). Several studies have reported increased conflict adaptation under negative, as compared to positive, mood. In these studies, sustained mood states were induced by film clips or music combined with imagination techniques; these kinds of mood manipulations are highly obvious, possibly distorting the actual mood states experienced by the participants. Here, we report two experiments where mood states were induced in a less obvious way, and with higher ecological validity. Participants received success or failure feedback on their performance in a bogus intelligence test, and this mood manipulation proved highly effective. We largely replicated previous findings of larger conflict adaptation under negative mood than under positive mood, both with a Flanker interference paradigm (Experiment 1) and a Stroop-like interference paradigm (Experiment 2). Results are discussed with respect to current theories on affective influences on cognitive control. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Wives without husbands: gendered vulnerability to sexually transmitted infections among previously married women in India.

Science.gov (United States)

Walters, Kimberly; Dandona, Rakhi; Walters, Lawrence C; Lakshmi, Vemu; Dandona, Lalit; Schneider, John A

2012-01-01

Using population-based and family structural data from a high HIV-prevalence district of Southern India, this paper considers four suggested social scenarios used to explain the positive correlation between HIV prevalence and previously married status among Indian women: (1) infection from and then bereavement of an infected husband; (2) abandonment after husbands learn of their wives' HIV status; (3) economic instability after becoming previously married, leading women to seek financial support through male partners; and (4) the social status of being previously married exposing women to sexual harassment and predation. By also considering seroprevalence of two other common sexually transmitted infections (STIs), herpes and syphilis, in a combined variable with HIV, we limit the likelihood of the first two scenarios accounting for the greater part of this correlation. Through a nuanced analysis of household residences patterns (family structure), standard of living, and education, we also limit the probability that scenario three explains a greater portion of the correlation. Scenario four emerges as the most likely explanation for this correlation, recognizing that other scenarios are also possible. Further, the interdisciplinary literature on the social position of previously married women in India strongly supports the suggestion that, as a population, previously married women are sexually vulnerable in India. Previously married status as an STI risk factor requires further biosocial research and warrants concentrated public health attention.

A Questionnaire Study on the Attitudes and Previous Experience of Croatian Family Physicians toward their Preparedness for Disaster Management.

Science.gov (United States)

Pekez-Pavliško, Tanja; Račić, Maja; Jurišić, Dinka

2018-04-01

To explore family physicians' attitudes, previous experience and self-assessed preparedness to respond or to assist in mass casualty incidents in Croatia. The cross-sectional survey was carried out during January 2017. Study participants were recruited through a Facebook group that brings together family physicians from Croatia. They were asked to complete the questionnaire, which was distributed via google.docs. Knowledge and attitudes toward disaster preparedness were evaluated by 18 questions. Analysis of variance, Student t test and Kruskal-Wallis test t were used for statistical analysis. Risk awareness of disasters was high among respondents (M = 4.89, SD=0.450). Only 16.4 of respondents have participated in the management of disaster at the scene. The majority (73.8%) of physicians have not been participating in any educational activity dealing with disaster over the past two years. Family physicians believed they are not well prepared to participate in national (M = 3.02, SD=0.856) and local community emergency response system for disaster (M = 3.16, SD=1.119). Male physicians scored higher preparedness to participate in national emergency response system for disaster ( p =0.012), to carry out accepted triage principles used in the disaster situation ( p =0.003) and recognize differences in health assessments indicating potential exposure to specific agents ( p =0,001) compared to their female colleagues. Croatian primary healthcare system attracts many young physicians, who can be an important part of disaster and emergency management. However, the lack of experience despite a high motivation indicates a need for inclusion of disaster medicine training during undergraduate studies and annual educational activities.

Pulmonary Aspergillosis in a Previously Healthy 13-Year-Old Boy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jonathan H. Rayment

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD is a rare, polygenic primary immunodeficiency. In this case report, we describe a previously healthy 13-year-old boy who presented with multifocal pulmonary aspergillosis and was subsequently diagnosed with an autosomal recessive form of chronic granulomatous disease. CGD has a variable natural history and age of presentation and should be considered when investigating a patient with recurrent or severe infections with catalase-positive organisms.

Many apples a day keep the blues away--daily experiences of negative and positive affect and food consumption in young adults.

Science.gov (United States)

White, Bonnie A; Horwath, Caroline C; Conner, Tamlin S

2013-11-01

Prior research has focused on the association between negative affect and eating behaviour, often utilizing laboratory or cross-sectional study designs. These studies have inherent limitations, and the association between positive affect and eating behaviour remains relatively unexplored. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the bidirectional relationships between daily negative and positive affective experiences and food consumption in a naturalistic setting among healthy young adults. Daily diary study across 21 days (microlongitudinal, correlational design). A total of 281 young adults with a mean age of 19.9 (± 1.2) years completed an Internet-based daily diary for 21 consecutive days. Each day they reported their negative and positive affect, and their consumption of five specific foods. Hierarchical linear modelling was used to test same-day associations between daily affect and food consumption, and next-day (lagged) associations to determine directionality. Moderating effects of BMI and gender were also examined in exploratory analyses. Analyses of same-day within-person associations revealed that on days when young adults experienced greater positive affect, they reported eating more servings of fruit (p = .002) and vegetables (p positive affect the next day, suggesting that healthy foods were driving affective experiences and not vice versa. Meaningful changes in positive affect were observed with the daily consumption of approximately 7-8 servings of fruit or vegetables. Eating fruit and vegetables may promote emotional well-being among healthy young adults. © 2013 The British Psychological Society.

Measuring attachment to life in old age: the Portuguese version of the Positive Valuation of Life Scale (Positive VOL).

Science.gov (United States)

Araújo, Lia; Ribeiro, Oscar; Teixeira, Laetitia; Azevedo, Maria João; Jopp, Daniela S; Rott, Christoph; Paúl, Constança

2015-10-01

This study aims to present the psychometric properties of the Portuguese version of the Positive Valuation of Life Scale (Lawton et al. in J Aging Ment Healt 13:3-31, 2001). Sample included 207 community-dwelling elders (129 women; M Age = 77.2 years, SD = 7.5). The data collection included the translated and adapted Portuguese version of Positive Valuation of Life Scale, Life Satisfaction Index Z, Meaning in Life Questionnaire and Geriatric Depression Scale. From exploratory factor analysis, two factors emerged, existential beliefs and perceived control, explaining 49 % of the total variance. Both factors were positively related with meaning in life and life satisfaction and negatively related with depression (p 0.75). The Portuguese version of Positive VOL Scale represents a reliable and valid measure to capture the subjective experience of attachment to one's life. The two-factor structure is an update to Lawton's previous work and in line with findings obtained in the USA (Dennis et al. in What is valuation of life for frail community-dwelling older adults: factor structure and criterion validity of the VOL, Thomas Jefferson University, Center for Applied Research on Aging and Health Research, 2005) and Japan (Nakagawa et al. in Shinrigaku Kenkyu 84:37-46, 2013). Future research is required to investigate VOL predictors and the potential changes toward the end of the life span.

Previously unknown species of Aspergillus.

Science.gov (United States)

Gautier, M; Normand, A-C; Ranque, S

2016-08-01

The use of multi-locus DNA sequence analysis has led to the description of previously unknown 'cryptic' Aspergillus species, whereas classical morphology-based identification of Aspergillus remains limited to the section or species-complex level. The current literature highlights two main features concerning these 'cryptic' Aspergillus species. First, the prevalence of such species in clinical samples is relatively high compared with emergent filamentous fungal taxa such as Mucorales, Scedosporium or Fusarium. Second, it is clearly important to identify these species in the clinical laboratory because of the high frequency of antifungal drug-resistant isolates of such Aspergillus species. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) has recently been shown to enable the identification of filamentous fungi with an accuracy similar to that of DNA sequence-based methods. As MALDI-TOF MS is well suited to the routine clinical laboratory workflow, it facilitates the identification of these 'cryptic' Aspergillus species at the routine mycology bench. The rapid establishment of enhanced filamentous fungi identification facilities will lead to a better understanding of the epidemiology and clinical importance of these emerging Aspergillus species. Based on routine MALDI-TOF MS-based identification results, we provide original insights into the key interpretation issues of a positive Aspergillus culture from a clinical sample. Which ubiquitous species that are frequently isolated from air samples are rarely involved in human invasive disease? Can both the species and the type of biological sample indicate Aspergillus carriage, colonization or infection in a patient? Highly accurate routine filamentous fungi identification is central to enhance the understanding of these previously unknown Aspergillus species, with a vital impact on further improved patient care. Copyright © 2016 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and

Vantage Sensitivity: Environmental Sensitivity to Positive Experiences as a Function of Genetic Differences.

Science.gov (United States)

Pluess, Michael

2017-02-01

A large number of gene-environment interaction studies provide evidence that some people are more likely to be negatively affected by adverse experiences as a function of specific genetic variants. However, such "risk" variants are surprisingly frequent in the population. Evolutionary analysis suggests that genetic variants associated with increased risk for maladaptive development under adverse environmental conditions are maintained in the population because they are also associated with advantages in response to different contextual conditions. These advantages may include (a) coexisting genetic resilience pertaining to other adverse influences, (b) a general genetic susceptibility to both low and high environmental quality, and (c) a coexisting propensity to benefit disproportionately from positive and supportive exposures, as reflected in the recent framework of vantage sensitivity. After introducing the basic properties of vantage sensitivity and highlighting conceptual similarities and differences with diathesis-stress and differential susceptibility patterns of gene-environment interaction, selected and recent empirical evidence for the notion of vantage sensitivity as a function of genetic differences is reviewed. The unique contribution that the new perspective of vantage sensitivity may make to our understanding of social inequality will be discussed after suggesting neurocognitive and molecular mechanisms hypothesized to underlie the propensity to benefit disproportionately from benevolent experiences. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The pathogenicity of genetic variants previously associated with left ventricular non-compaction

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Abbasi, Yeganeh; Jabbari, Javad; Jabbari, Reza

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND: Left ventricular non-compaction (LVNC) is a rare cardiomyopathy. Many genetic variants have been associated with LVNC. However, the number of the previous LVNC-associated variants that are common in the background population remains unknown. The aim of this study was to provide...... an updated list of previously reported LVNC-associated variants with biologic description and investigate the prevalence of LVNC variants in healthy general population to find false-positive LVNC-associated variants. METHODS AND RESULTS: The Human Gene Mutation Database and PubMed were systematically...... searched to identify all previously reported LVNC-associated variants. Thereafter, the Exome Sequencing Project (ESP) and the Exome Aggregation Consortium (ExAC), that both represent the background population, was searched for all variants. Four in silico prediction tools were assessed to determine...

Sexual behavior and risk practices of HIV positive and HIV negative Rwandan women

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ADEDIMEJI, Adebola A.; HOOVER, Donald R.; SHI, Qiuhu; GARD, Tracy; MUTIMURA, Eugene; SINAYOBYE, Jean d’Amour; COHEN, Mardge H.; ANASTOS, Kathryn

2014-01-01

It is not well understood how infection with HIV and prior experience of sexual violence affects sexual behavior in African women. We describe factors influencing current sexual practices of Rwandan women living with or without HIV/AIDS. By design, 75% of participants were HIV positive and ~50% reported having experienced genocidal rape. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were fit to describe demographic and clinical characteristics that influenced sexual behavior in the previous 6 months, condom use, history of transactional sex, and prior infection with a non-HIV sexually transmitted disease. Respondents’ age, where they lived, whether or not they lived with a husband or partner, experience of sexual trauma, CD4 count, CES-D and PTSD scores were strongly associated with risky sexual behavior and infection with non-HIV STI. HIV positive women with a history of sexual violence in the contexts of war and conflict may be susceptible to some high-risk sexual behaviors. PMID:25488169

Linguistic Identity Positioning in Facebook Posts during Second Language Study Abroad: One Teen's Language Use, Experience, and Awareness

Science.gov (United States)

Dressler, Roswita; Dressler, Anja

2016-01-01

Teens who post on the popular social networking site Facebook in their home environment often continue to do so on second language study abroad sojourns. These sojourners use Facebook to document and make sense of their experiences in the host culture and position themselves with respect to language(s) and culture(s). This study examined one…

Autonomous GPS/INS navigation experiment for Space Transfer Vehicle (STV)

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Upadhyay, Triveni N.; Cotterill, Stephen; Deaton, A. Wayne

1991-01-01

An experiment to validate the concept of developing an autonomous integrated spacecraft navigation system using on board Global Positioning System (GPS) and Inertial Navigation System (INS) measurements is described. The feasibility of integrating GPS measurements with INS measurements to provide a total improvement in spacecraft navigation performance, i.e. improvement in position, velocity and attitude information, was previously demonstrated. An important aspect of this research is the automatic real time reconfiguration capability of the system designed to respond to changes in a spacecraft mission under the control of an expert system.

On Being in the Wrong Place: The Role of Children's Conceptual Understanding and Ballgame Experience When Judging a Football Player's Offside Position

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Lange-Küttner, Christiane; Bosco, Giorgia

2016-01-01

We investigated the role of children's conceptual understanding and ballgame experience when judging whether a football player is in an offside position, or not. In the offside position, a player takes advantage of being behind the defence line of the opposing team and just waits for the ball to arrive in order to score a goal. We explained the…

The role of experience in teachers’ social representation of students with autism spectrum diagnosis (Asperger

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ann-Charlotte Linton

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Support from teachers is a key strategy for accommodating students with Asperger syndrome (AS diagnosis in the mainstream classroom. Teachers’ understanding and expectations of students, i.e. their social representations (SR, have a bearing on how they interact and accommodate, but little is known about why. Therefore, the current study examined the idea that teachers’ SR of these students are influenced by their previous experience with AS. To this end, Swedish mainstream teachers were invited to anonymously answer a web-based questionnaire (N = 153. An association task was used to obtain data on teachers’ SR and the content and structure of the SR were explored. Our results suggest that work-related experience of AS and/or private experience shape teachers’ SR of these students relative to teachers with no experience. Moreover, teachers with previous experience had more SR elements related to environment and learning factors while teachers without previous experience had more elements related to the individual’s behavior. Teachers with private experience produced fewer positive elements compared to those with work-related experience only. These results highlight the role of contextual factors and prior experience in forming SR. We conclude that contact with students with AS, e.g. during teacher training, could facilitate accommodation in mainstream schools.

Patch tests in children: a review of 13 years of experience in comparison with previous data.

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Milingou, Maria; Tagka, Anna; Armenaka, Melina; Kimpouri, Konstantina; Kouimintzis, Dimitris; Katsarou, Alexandra

2010-01-01

The true prevalence of allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) in children remains unknown. Our aim was to compare the results of patch tests in children with suspected ACD between two different periods of time and identify possible changes in emerging allergens. We compared contact allergens, gender, age distribution, and personal history of atopic dermatitis (AD), in correlation with the positivity of patch tests, between two equal periods of time (232 children tested during 1980-1993, period A, and 255 children during 1994-2007, period B) in the same region and in the same institution. Patch test positivity was 47.8% in period A, and 60% in period B (p = 0.083). The most common allergens in period A were: nickel sulfate (16.3%), cobalt chloride (8.6%), fragrance mix (7.3%), potassium dichromate (4.3%), and thimerosal only (1.7%). In period B, the allergen distribution was as follows: nickel sulfate (21.56%), thimerosal (18.03%), cobalt chloride (12.9%), potassium dichromate (9.4%), and fragrance mix (4.7%). Girls were more likely to have a positive patch test compared with boys, with reactions in 53% of girls and 39% of boys in period A (p = 0.003), and 61% of girls and 58% of boys in period B (p = 0.691). Twenty-nine per cent of patients with positive results had a personal history of AD in period A and 44% in period B (p = 0.015). Differences in the positivity of allergens between different time periods reflect changes in habits, of allergens exposure or preventive measures.

The long-term consequences of previous hyperthyroidism

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hjelm Brandt Kristensen, Frans

2015-01-01

Thyroid hormones affect every cell in the human body, and the cardiovascular changes associated with increased levels of thyroid hormones are especially well described. As an example, short-term hyperthyroidism has positive chronotropic and inotropic effects on the heart, leading to a hyperdynamic...... with CVD, LD and DM both before and after the diagnosis of hyperthyroidism. Although the design used does not allow a stringent distinction between cause and effect, the findings indicate a possible direct association between hyperthyroidism and these morbidities, or vice versa....... vascular state. While it is biologically plausible that these changes may induce long-term consequences, the insight into morbidity as well as mortality in patients with previous hyperthyroidism is limited. The reasons for this are a combination of inadequately powered studies, varying definitions...

Mammography with and without radiolucent positioning sheets : Comparison of projected breast area, pain experience, radiation dose and technical image quality

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Timmers, Janine; ten Voorde, Marloes; van Engen, Ruben E.; van Landsveld-Verhoeven, Cary; Pijnappel, Ruud; Droogh-de Greve, Kitty; den Heeten, Gerard J.; Broeders, Mireille J. M.

2015-01-01

Purpose: To compare projected breast area, image quality, pain experience and radiation dose between mammography performed with and without radiolucent positioning sheets. Methods: 184 women screened in the Dutch breast screening programme (May-June 2012) provided written informed consent to have

Is previous disaster experience a good predictor for disaster preparedness in extreme poverty households in remote Muslim minority based community in China?

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Chan, Emily Y Y; Kim, Jean H; Lin, Cherry; Cheung, Eliza Y L; Lee, Polly P Y

2014-06-01

Disaster preparedness is an important preventive strategy for protecting health and mitigating adverse health effects of unforeseen disasters. A multi-site based ethnic minority project (2009-2015) is set up to examine health and disaster preparedness related issues in remote, rural, disaster prone communities in China. The primary objective of this reported study is to examine if previous disaster experience significantly increases household disaster preparedness levels in remote villages in China. A cross-sectional, household survey was conducted in January 2011 in Gansu Province, in a predominately Hui minority-based village. Factors related to disaster preparedness were explored using quantitative methods. Two focus groups were also conducted to provide additional contextual explanations to the quantitative findings of this study. The village household response rate was 62.4 % (n = 133). Although previous disaster exposure was significantly associated with perception of living in a high disaster risk area (OR = 6.16), only 10.7 % households possessed a disaster emergency kit. Of note, for households with members who had non-communicable diseases, 9.6 % had prepared extra medications to sustain clinical management of their chronic conditions. This is the first study that examined disaster preparedness in an ethnic minority population in remote communities in rural China. Our results indicate the need of disaster mitigation education to promote preparedness in remote, resource-poor communities.

Previous experiences shape adaptive mate preferences

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Fawcett, Tim W.; Bleay, Colin

2009-01-01

Existing models of mate choice assume that individuals have perfect knowledge of their own ability to attract a mate and can adjust their preferences accordingly. However, real animals will typically be uncertain of their own attractiveness. A potentially useful source of information on this is the

Sexual behavior induction of c-Fos in the nucleus accumbens and amphetamine-stimulated locomotor activity are sensitized by previous sexual experience in female Syrian hamsters.

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Bradley, K C; Meisel, R L

2001-03-15

Dopamine transmission in the nucleus accumbens can be activated by drugs, stress, or motivated behaviors, and repeated exposure to these stimuli can sensitize this dopamine response. The objectives of this study were to determine whether female sexual behavior activates nucleus accumbens neurons and whether past sexual experience cross-sensitizes neuronal responses in the nucleus accumbens to amphetamine. Using immunocytochemical labeling, c-Fos expression in different subregions (shell vs core at the rostral, middle, and caudal levels) of the nucleus accumbens was examined in female hamsters that had varying amounts of sexual experience. Female hamsters, given either 6 weeks of sexual experience or remaining sexually naive, were tested for sexual behavior by exposure to adult male hamsters. Previous sexual experience increased c-Fos labeling in the rostral and caudal levels but not in the middle levels of the nucleus accumbens. Testing for sexual behavior increased labeling in the core, but not the shell, of the nucleus accumbens. To validate that female sexual behavior can sensitize neurons in the mesolimbic dopamine pathway, the locomotor responses of sexually experienced and sexually naive females to an amphetamine injection were then compared. Amphetamine increased general locomotor activity in all females. However, sexually experienced animals responded sooner to amphetamine than did sexually naive animals. These data indicate that female sexual behavior can activate neurons in the nucleus accumbens and that sexual experience can cross-sensitize neuronal responses to amphetamine. In addition, these results provide additional evidence for functional differences between the shell and core of the nucleus accumbens and across its anteroposterior axis.

Chronic impairments in spatial learning and memory in rats previously exposed to chlorpyrfos or diisopropylfluorophosphate.

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Terry, A V; Beck, W D; Warner, S; Vandenhuerk, L; Callahan, P M

2012-01-01

The acute toxicity of organophosphates (OPs) has been studied extensively; however, much less attention has been given to the subject of repeated exposures that are not associated with overt signs of toxicity (i.e., subthreshold exposures). The objective of this study was to determine if the protracted spatial learning impairments we have observed previously after repeated subthreshold exposures to the insecticide chlorpyrifos (CPF) or the alkylphosphate OP, diisopropylfluorophosphate (DFP) persisted for longer periods after exposure. Male Wistar rats (beginning at two months of age) were initially injected subcutaneously with CPF (10.0 or 18.0mg/kg) or DFP (0.25 or 0.75 mg/kg) every other day for 30 days. After an extended OP-free washout period (behavioral testing begun 50 days after the last OP exposure), rats previously exposed to CPF, but not DFP, were impaired in a radial arm maze (RAM) win-shift task as well as a delayed non-match to position procedure. Later experiments (i.e., beginning 140 days after the last OP exposure) revealed impairments in the acquisition of a water maze hidden platform task associated with both OPs. However, only rats previously exposed to DFP were impaired in a second phase of testing when the platform location was changed (indicative of deficits of cognitive flexibility). These results indicate, therefore, that repeated, subthreshold exposures to CPF and DFP may lead to chronic deficits in spatial learning and memory (i.e., long after cholinesterase inhibition has abated) and that insecticide and alkylphosphate-based OPs may have differential effects depending on the cognitive domain evaluated. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

CSR Position in the Top Management Team

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Strand, Robert

Recently, a number of positions with corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the position title have been introduced to the top management teams (TMTs) of some of the world’s largest corporations. I explore this phenomenon. I revisit 10 such positions identified in a previous study to add...

Robotic colorectal surgery: previous laparoscopic colorectal experience is not essential.

Science.gov (United States)

Sian, Tanvir Singh; Tierney, G M; Park, H; Lund, J N; Speake, W J; Hurst, N G; Al Chalabi, H; Smith, K J; Tou, S

2018-06-01

A background in minimally invasive colorectal surgery (MICS) has been thought to be essential prior to robotic-assisted colorectal surgery (RACS). Our aim was to determine whether MICS is essential prior to starting RACS training based on results from our initial experience with RACS. Two surgeons from our centre received robotic training through the European Academy of Robotic Colorectal Surgery (EARCS). One surgeon had no prior formal MICS training. We reviewed the first 30 consecutive robotic colorectal procedures from a prospectively maintained database between November 2014 and January 2016 at our institution. Fourteen patients were male. Median age was 64.5 years (range 36-82) and BMI was 27.5 (range 20-32.5). Twelve procedures (40%) were performed by the non-MICS-trained surgeon: ten high anterior resections (one conversion), one low anterior resection and one abdomino-perineal resection of rectum (APER). The MICS-trained surgeon performed nine high and four low anterior resections, one APER and in addition three right hemicolectomies and one abdominal suture rectopexy. There were no intra-operative complications and two patients required re-operation. Median post-operative stay was five days (range 1-26). There were two 30-day re-admissions. All oncological resections had clear margins and median node harvest was 18 (range 9-39). Our case series demonstrates that a background in MICS is not essential prior to starting RACS training. Not having prior MICS training should not discourage surgeons from considering applying for a robotic training programme. Safe and successful robotic colorectal services can be established after completing a formal structured robotic training programme.

Position-specific isotope modeling of organic micropollutants transformation through different reaction pathways

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jin, Biao; Rolle, Massimo

2016-01-01

The degradation of organic micropollutants occurs via different reaction pathways. Compound specific isotope analysis is a valuable tool to identify such degradation pathways in different environmental systems. We propose a mechanism-based modeling approach that provides a quantitative framework to simultaneously evaluate concentration as well as bulk and position-specific multi-element isotope evolution during the transformation of organic micropollutants. The model explicitly simulates position-specific isotopologues for those atoms that experience isotope effects and, thereby, provides a mechanistic description of isotope fractionation occurring at different molecular positions. To demonstrate specific features of the modeling approach, we simulated the degradation of three selected organic micropollutants: dichlorobenzamide (BAM), isoproturon (IPU) and diclofenac (DCF). The model accurately reproduces the multi-element isotope data observed in previous experimental studies. Furthermore, it precisely captures the dual element isotope trends characteristic of different reaction pathways as well as their range of variation consistent with observed bulk isotope fractionation. It was also possible to directly validate the model capability to predict the evolution of position-specific isotope ratios with available experimental data. Therefore, the approach is useful both for a mechanism-based evaluation of experimental results and as a tool to explore transformation pathways in scenarios for which position-specific isotope data are not yet available. - Highlights: • Mechanism-based, position-specific isotope modeling of micropollutants degradation. • Simultaneous description of concentration and primary and secondary isotope effects. • Key features of the model are demonstrated with three illustrative examples. • Model as a tool to explore reaction mechanisms and to design experiments. - We propose a modeling approach incorporating mechanistic information and

Mammography with and without radiolucent positioning sheets: Comparison of projected breast area, pain experience, radiation dose and technical image quality

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Timmers, Janine; ten Voorde, Marloes; van Engen, Ruben E.; van Landsveld-Verhoeven, Cary; Pijnappel, Ruud; Droogh-de Greve, Kitty; den Heeten, Gerard J.; Broeders, Mireille J. M.

2015-01-01

To compare projected breast area, image quality, pain experience and radiation dose between mammography performed with and without radiolucent positioning sheets. 184 women screened in the Dutch breast screening programme (May-June 2012) provided written informed consent to have one additional image

The Influence of Playing Experience and Position on Injury Risk in NCAA Division I College Football Players.

Science.gov (United States)

McCunn, Robert; Fullagar, Hugh H K; Williams, Sean; Halseth, Travis J; Sampson, John A; Murray, Andrew

2017-11-01

American football is widely played by college student-athletes throughout the United States; however, the associated injury risk is greater than in other team sports. Numerous factors likely contribute to this risk, yet research identifying these risk factors is limited. The present study sought to explore the relationship between playing experience and position on injury risk in NCAA Division I college football players. Seventy-six male college student-athletes in the football program of an American NCAA Division I university participated. Injuries were recorded over 2 consecutive seasons. Players were characterized based on college year (freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior) and playing position. The effect of playing experience and position on injury incidence rates was analyzed using a generalized linear mixed-effects model, with a Poisson distribution, log-linear link function, and offset for hours of training exposure or number of in-game plays (for training and game injuries, respectively). The overall rates of non-time-loss and time-loss game-related injuries were 2.1 (90% CI: 1.8-2.5) and 0.6 (90% CI: 0.4-0.8) per 1000 plays, respectively. The overall rates of non-time-loss and time-loss training-related injuries were 26.0 (90% CI: 22.6-29.9) and 7.1 (90% CI: 5.9-8.5) per 1000 h, respectively. During training, seniors and running backs displayed the greatest risk. During games, sophomores, juniors, and wide receivers were at greatest risk. Being aware of the elevated injury risk experienced by certain player groups may help coaches make considered decisions related to training design and player selection.

Effects of Positioning Aids on Understanding the Relationship Between a Mobile Map and the Environment

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Juho Kässi

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Positioning technologies such as GPS enable mobile map applications to display a symbol representing an estimation of a user’s location on a mobile map, therefore acting as a positioning aid. Previous research on the cognitive processes involved in map reading suggests that map readers need at least two map–environment points (objects that are visualized on the map and perceived in the environment for determining their location on a map. Hence, the positioning aid alone does not provide enough information for self-location. Using a field experiment, we assessed the effect of representing the user’s location on a map on the cognitive processes involved in self-location. The results show that positioning aids guide the search for map–environment points and narrow the area on the map that must be scanned for self-location.

Effect of previous exposure to hbv on liver histology and treatment response in chc patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khan, H.A.

2015-01-01

Objective: To analyze the influence of previous exposure to HBV on liver histology and treatment outcomes in chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients. Study Design: Case control study. Place and Duration of Study: Rawalian Liver Clinic, Department of Medicine, Holy Family Hospital, Rawalpindi, from January 2011 to December 2012. Methodology: Medical records of CHC patients attending the Rawalian Liver Clinic were retrospectively analyzed. Virological and treatment responses along with histological changes were compared between cases (anti-HBc positive) and controls (anti-HBc negative). Significance was determined through chi-square test at p < 0.05. Results: Among the 592 CHC patients, 254 (42.9%) had serological evidence of a positive anti-HBc (cases) and 338 (57.1%), patients had negative anti-HBc (controls). No significant difference was found between ETR, SVR and treatment responses (n=220) between the two groups. Out of 65 patients whose liver biopsy data was available, cases were more likely to respond in the absence of fibrosis (63.2%, (n=24) vs. 36.8%, (n=14), p=0.001). The controls responded more in the presence of fibrosis (100% (n=9) vs. 0, p=0.001). There was no significant effect of anti-HBc positivity on grades of inflammation and consequent treatment response (p=0.14). Conclusion: There are a significant number of CHC patients with markers of previous HBV infection in Pakistani population. Previous HBV (anti-HBc positive) does not seem to have an adverse effect on liver histology and treatment responses in HBV infection. (author)

Hierarchy and health: Physiological effects of interpersonal experiences associated with socioeconomic position.

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Cundiff, Jenny M; Smith, Timothy W; Baron, Carolynne E; Uchino, Bert N

2016-04-01

The inverse association between socioeconomic position (SEP) and cardiovascular disease may involve social psychophysiological processes. To test effects of aspects of SEP on physiological reactivity, we experimentally manipulated 3 features of social context related to social hierarchy-social rank or status relative to an interaction partner, the partner's degree of dominant behavior, and the presence of social-evaluative threat. The study design was a 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 (Participant Relative Status [high vs. low] × Partner Dominance [high vs. low] × Evaluative Threat [high vs. low] × Sex [male vs. female]) factorial, and 180 undergraduates participated. Cardiovascular and salivary cortisol responses were measured while participants engaged in a controlled interaction task with a prerecorded confederate partner. Lower participant relative status resulted in greater increases in systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP). Interacting with a more dominant partner resulted in greater increases in SBP and heart rate (HR), and larger changes in cardiac sympathetic and parasympathetic activation. Higher levels of social-evaluative threat evoked larger increases in HR and SBP. In some cases, these effects were stronger in men than in women, and aspects of the low status social context had synergistic effects on some physiological outcomes. Interpersonal interactions and experiences may contribute to the association between SEP and cardiovascular health through the mechanism of physiological activation. Recurring patterns of everyday social experiences and their physiological effects may be a pathway linking the broader social context to cardiovascular disease. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Feature binding and attention in working memory: a resolution of previous contradictory findings.

Science.gov (United States)

Allen, Richard J; Hitch, Graham J; Mate, Judit; Baddeley, Alan D

2012-01-01

We aimed to resolve an apparent contradiction between previous experiments from different laboratories, using dual-task methodology to compare effects of a concurrent executive load on immediate recognition memory for colours or shapes of items or their colour-shape combinations. Results of two experiments confirmed previous evidence that an irrelevant attentional load interferes equally with memory for features and memory for feature bindings. Detailed analyses suggested that previous contradictory evidence arose from limitations in the way recognition memory was measured. The present findings are inconsistent with an earlier suggestion that feature binding takes place within a multimodal episodic buffer Baddeley, ( 2000 ) and support a subsequent account in which binding takes place automatically prior to information entering the episodic buffer Baddeley, Allen, & Hitch, ( 2011 ). Methodologically, the results suggest that different measures of recognition memory performance (A', d', corrected recognition) give a converging picture of main effects, but are less consistent in detecting interactions. We suggest that this limitation on the reliability of measuring recognition should be taken into account in future research so as to avoid problems of replication that turn out to be more apparent than real.

Multi-technology positioning

CERN Document Server

Lohan, Elena-Simona; Wymeersch, Henk; Seco-Granados, Gonzalo; Nykänen, Ossi

2017-01-01

This book provides an overview of positioning technologies, applications and services in a format accessible to a wide variety of readers. Readers who have always wanted to understand how satellite-based positioning, wireless network positioning, inertial navigation, and their combinations work will find great value in this book. Readers will also learn about the advantages and disadvantages of different positioning methods, their limitations and challenges. Cognitive positioning, adding the brain to determine which technologies to use at device runtime, is introduced as well. Coverage also includes the use of position information for Location Based Services (LBS), as well as context-aware positioning services, designed for better user experience. • Brings understanding of positioning technology to readers from a variety of disciplines • Reviews multiple techniques, providing insight on the pros, cons and challenges related to each • Designed to be a tutorial on basic principles, avoiding unnecessary de...

Recent improvements to RC-line encoded position-sensitive proportional counters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borkowski, C.J.; Kopp, M.K.

1977-01-01

Continuing research on the principles of position encoding with RC lines has advanced the design of position-sensitive proportional counters (PSPCs) to meet the requirements for high count rates (>10 5 counts/sec) and good spatial resolution (>10 4 spatial elements) in small-angle scattering experiments with x rays and neutrons. Low-noise preamplifiers were developed with pole-zero cancellation in the feedback circuit and modular linear amplifiers with passive RCL shaping which, compared to previous designs, reduce output saturation at high count rates approx.20 times and shorten the position signal processing time to 2 ) for low-energy ( 800 x 800 mm 2 ) for the measurement of small-angle scattering with neutrons. The method of electronic thickness discrimination was applied to change the effective thickness of an area PSPC from 12 to 2 cm whenever the molybdenum target of an x-ray generator was changed to a copper target. This thickness adjustment increased the signal-to-background ratio by a factor of approx.6 for the 8-keV photons from the copper target, while maintaining a >90% detection efficiency

AIDS Cholangiopathy in an Asymptomatic, Previously Undiagnosed Late-Stage HIV-Positive Patient from Kenya

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Yiming Gao

2011-01-01

Full Text Available AIDS-associated cholangiopathy is a form of biliary tract inflammation with stricture formation seen in AIDS patients who are severely immunosuppressed. It is no longer common in countries in which HAART therapy is widely employed but is still seen in underdeveloped countries. The majority of patients are symptomatic at the time of presentation. Herein, we describe a seventy-four-year-old woman who presented with unilateral leg swelling after a prolonged airplane flight. She was otherwise entirely asymptomatic. Routine laboratory testing was notable for a hypochromic microcytic anemia, slight leukopenia, and mild hypoalbuminemia. Liver enzymes were all elevated. Deep venous thrombosis was confirmed, and a CT scan of the chest disclosed no pulmonary emboli. However, the visualized portion of the abdomen showed dilatation of the common bile and pancreatic ducts. This was confirmed on ultrasonography and MRCP, and no obstructive lesions were noted. An ERCP revealed a dilated common bile duct without filling defects or strictures. A balloon occlusion cholangiogram showed strictures and beading of the intrahepatic ducts. Shortly thereafter, serology for HIV returned positive along with a depressed CD4 cell count, and the patient was diagnosed with AIDS-associated cholangiography.

Positive aspects of menopause: a qualitative study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hvas, L

2001-01-01

As a part of a larger study, "Menopause described from the woman's perspective", it has been the aim to explore whether women have any positive experiences in relation to menopause, and if so, the nature of these experiences.......As a part of a larger study, "Menopause described from the woman's perspective", it has been the aim to explore whether women have any positive experiences in relation to menopause, and if so, the nature of these experiences....

Young Investigator Perspectives. Teaching and the postdoctoral experience: impact on transition to faculty positions.

Science.gov (United States)

Uno, Jennifer; Walton, Kristen L W

2014-05-01

This editorial continues with our Young Investigator Perspectives series. Drs. Uno and Walton are young investigators who hold faculty positions. They completed a K12 postdoctoral program through the IRACDA (Individual Research and Career Development Award) program sponsored through the NIGMS institute at NIH. IRACDA programs exist at multiple institutions in the USA to combine postdoctoral training with formal training in academic skills and teaching at partner institutions. I thank Drs. Walton and Uno for a thoughtful perspective on how this experience shaped their career goals to combine teaching and research and inspire undergraduates to science careers. Given the current national dialog on broadening career paths and outcomes for PhD scientists, this is a timely perspective. -P. Kay Lund.

Is valuing positive emotion associated with life satisfaction?

Science.gov (United States)

Bastian, Brock; Kuppens, Peter; De Roover, Kim; Diener, Ed

2014-08-01

The experience of positive emotion is closely linked to subjective well-being. For this reason, campaigns aimed at promoting the value of positive emotion have become widespread. What is rarely considered are the cultural implications of this focus on happiness. Promoting positive emotions as important for "the good life" not only has implications for how individuals value these emotional states, but for how they believe others around them value these emotions also. Drawing on data from over 9,000 college students across 47 countries we examined whether individuals' life satisfaction is associated with living in contexts in which positive emotions are socially valued. The findings show that people report more life satisfaction in countries where positive emotions are highly valued and this is linked to an increased frequency of positive emotional experiences in these contexts. They also reveal, however, that increased life satisfaction in countries that place a premium on positive emotion is less evident for people who tend to experience less valued emotional states: people who experience many negative emotions, do not flourish to the same extent in these contexts. The findings demonstrate how the cultural value placed on certain emotion states may shape the relationship between emotional experiences and subjective well-being.

Patterns and Determinants of Treatment Seeking among Previously Untreated Psychotic Patients in Aceh Province, Indonesia: A Qualitative Study

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Marthoenis Marthoenis

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Immediate treatment of first-episode psychosis is essential in order to achieve a positive outcome. However, Indonesian psychiatric patients often delay accessing health services, the reason for which is not yet fully understood. The current study aimed to understand patterns of treatment seeking and to reveal determinants of the delay in accessing psychiatric care among first-time user psychotic patients. Qualitative interviews were conducted with sixteen family members who accompanied the patients to a psychiatric hospital. Many families expressed beliefs that mental illness appertains to village sickness and not hospital sickness; therefore, they usually take the patients to traditional or religious healers before taking them to a health professional. They also identified various factors that potentially delay accessing psychiatric treatment: low literacy and beliefs about the cause of the illness, stigmatisation, the role of extended family, financial problems, and long distance to the psychiatric hospital. On the other hand, the family mentioned various factors related to timely help seeking, including being a well-educated family, living closer to health facilities, previous experience of successful psychotic therapy, and having more positive symptoms of psychosis. The findings call for mental health awareness campaigns in the community.

Autistic traits and positive psychotic experiences modulate the association of psychopathic tendencies with theory of mind in opposite directions.

Science.gov (United States)

Gillespie, Steven M; Mitchell, Ian J; Abu-Akel, Ahmad M

2017-07-25

Various clinical disorders, including psychopathy, and autism and schizophrenia spectrum disorders, have been linked with impairments in Theory of Mind (ToM). However, although these conditions can co-occur in the same individual, the effect of their inter-play on ToM abilities has not been investigated. Here we assessed ToM abilities in 55 healthy adults while performing a naturalistic ToM task, requiring participants to watch a short film and judge the actors' mental states. The results reveal for the first time that autistic traits and positive psychotic experiences interact with psychopathic tendencies in opposite directions to predict ToM performance-the interaction of psychopathic tendencies with autism traits was associated with a decrement in performance, whereas the interaction of psychopathic tendencies and positive psychotic experiences was associated with improved performance. These effects were specific to cognitive rather than affective ToM. These results underscore the importance of the simultaneous assessment of these dimensions within clinical settings. Future research in these clinical populations may benefit by taking into account such individual differences.

ASPIRE: An automated sample positioning and irradiation system for radiation biology experiments at Inter University Accelerator Centre, New Delhi

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kothari, Ashok; Barua, P.; Archunan, M.; Rani, Kusum; Subramanian, E.T.; Pujari, Geetanjali; Kaur, Harminder; Satyanarayanan, V.V.V.; Sarma, Asitikantha; Avasthi, D.K.

2015-01-01

An automated irradiation setup for biology samples has been built at Inter University Accelerator Centre (IUAC), New Delhi, India. It can automatically load and unload 20 biology samples in a run of experiment. It takes about 20 min [2% of the cell doubling time] to irradiate all the 20 samples. Cell doubling time is the time taken by the cells (kept in the medium) to grow double in numbers. The cells in the samples keep growing during entire of the experiment. The fluence irradiated to the samples is measured with two silicon surface barrier detectors. Tests show that the uniformity of fluence and dose of heavy ions reaches to 2% at the sample area in diameter of 40 mm. The accuracy of mean fluence at the center of the target area is within 1%. The irradiation setup can be used to the studies of radiation therapy, radiation dosimetry and molecular biology at the heavy ion accelerator. - Highlights: • Automated positioning and irradiation setup for biology samples at IUAC is built. • Loading and unloading of 20 biology samples can be automatically carried out. • Biologicals cells keep growing during entire experiment. • Fluence and dose of heavy ions are measured by two silicon barrier detectors. • Uniformity of fluence and dose of heavy ions at sample position reaches to 2%

The HIV Prison Paradox: Agency and HIV-Positive Women's Experiences in Jail and Prison in Alabama.

Science.gov (United States)

Sprague, Courtenay; Scanlon, Michael L; Radhakrishnan, Bharathi; Pantalone, David W

2017-08-01

Incarcerated women face significant barriers to achieve continuous HIV care. We employed a descriptive, exploratory design using qualitative methods and the theoretical construct of agency to investigate participants' self-reported experiences accessing HIV services in jail, in prison, and post-release in two Alabama cities. During January 2014, we conducted in-depth interviews with 25 formerly incarcerated HIV-positive women. Two researchers completed independent coding, producing preliminary codes from transcripts using content analysis. Themes were developed iteratively, verified, and refined. They encompassed (a) special rules for HIV-positive women: isolation, segregation, insults, food rationing, and forced disclosure; (b) absence of counseling following initial HIV diagnosis; and (c) HIV treatment impediments: delays, interruption, and denial. Participants deployed agentic strategies of accommodation, resistance, and care-seeking to navigate the social world of prison and HIV services. Findings illuminate the "HIV prison paradox": the chief opportunities that remain unexploited to engage and re-engage justice-involved women in the HIV care continuum.

Positioning performance of a maglev fine positioning system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wronosky, J.B.; Smith, T.G.; Jordan, J.D.; Darnold, J.R.

1996-12-01

A wafer positioning system was recently developed by Sandia National Laboratories for an Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography (EUVL) research tool. The system, which utilizes a magnetically levitated fine stage to provide ultra-precise positioning in all six degrees of freedom, incorporates technological improvements resulting from four years of prototype development experience. System enhancements, implemented on a second generation design for an ARPA National Center for Advanced Information Component Manufacturing (NCAICM) project, introduced active structural control for the levitated structure of the system. Magnetic levitation (maglev) is emerging as an important technology for wafer positioning systems in advanced lithography applications. The advantages of maglev stem from the absence of physical contact. The resulting lack of friction enables accurate, fast positioning. Maglev systems are mechanically simple, accomplishing full six degree-of-freedom suspension and control with a minimum of moving parts. Power-efficient designs, which reduce the possibility of thermal distortion of the platen, are achievable. Manufacturing throughput will be improved in future systems with the addition of active structural control of the positioning stages. This paper describes the design, implementation, and functional capability of the maglev fine positioning system. Specifics regarding performance design goals and test results are presented.

Response to health insurance by previously uninsured rural children.

Science.gov (United States)

Tilford, J M; Robbins, J M; Shema, S J; Farmer, F L

1999-08-01

To examine the healthcare utilization and costs of previously uninsured rural children. Four years of claims data from a school-based health insurance program located in the Mississippi Delta. All children who were not Medicaid-eligible or were uninsured, were eligible for limited benefits under the program. The 1987 National Medical Expenditure Survey (NMES) was used to compare utilization of services. The study represents a natural experiment in the provision of insurance benefits to a previously uninsured population. Premiums for the claims cost were set with little or no information on expected use of services. Claims from the insurer were used to form a panel data set. Mixed model logistic and linear regressions were estimated to determine the response to insurance for several categories of health services. The use of services increased over time and approached the level of utilization in the NMES. Conditional medical expenditures also increased over time. Actuarial estimates of claims cost greatly exceeded actual claims cost. The provision of a limited medical, dental, and optical benefit package cost approximately $20-$24 per member per month in claims paid. An important uncertainty in providing health insurance to previously uninsured populations is whether a pent-up demand exists for health services. Evidence of a pent-up demand for medical services was not supported in this study of rural school-age children. States considering partnerships with private insurers to implement the State Children's Health Insurance Program could lower premium costs by assembling basic data on previously uninsured children.

A Closer Look at the Camp Experience: Examining Relationships between Life Skills, Elements of Positive Youth Development, and Antecedents of Change among Camp Alumni

Science.gov (United States)

Garst, Barry A.; Gagnon, Ryan J.; Whittington, Anja

2016-01-01

Understanding program components that contribute to positive youth outcomes following camp experiences can help program providers bring a greater level of intentionality to their efforts. The purposes of this study were twofold: (a) to develop reliable and valid measures of life skill development, elements of positive youth development (PYD), and…

The Positive and Negative Experiences of Caregiving for Siblings of Young People with First Episode Psychosis

Science.gov (United States)

Bowman, Siann; Alvarez-Jimenez, Mario; Wade, Darryl; Howie, Linsey; McGorry, Patrick

2017-01-01

Background: The impact of first episode psychosis (FEP) upon parents’ experience of caregiving has been well-documented. However, the determinants and nature of this remain poorly understood in siblings. It is hypothesized that siblings of young people with FEP are also impacted by caregiving and burden. This study aimed to characterize the experience of caregiving for siblings of young people with FEP. Method: Survey methodology was used to explore the experience of 157 siblings in the first 18 months of their brother or sister’s treatment for FEP. Participants reported on their appraisal of the negative and positive aspects of caregiving as measured by the Experience of Caregiving Inventory (ECI). Descriptive statistics were used to establish the results for the total sample as well as for gender and birth order differences. A series of multivariate regression analyses were conducted to determine the relationships between illness characteristics and siblings’ experience of caregiving. Results: Older brothers reported the lowest scores for negative experiences in caregiving and younger sisters reported the highest. Negative experiences in caregiving resulted in less warmth within the sibling relationship and impacted negatively upon quality of life. When the young person with FEP had attempted suicide and/or been physically violent, siblings experienced more caregiver burden. Multivariate analysis showed that female gender was a significant factor in explaining the impact of illness related variables on the experience of caregiving. Conclusion: Suicide attempts and a history of violence resulted in higher caregiving burden for siblings regardless of whether they lived with the young person experiencing FEP or not. Female siblings are at higher risk of negative experiences from caregiving resulting in a reduced quality of life and a changed sibling relationship. Suicide attempts and violence are indicators for intensive case management to improve outcomes for

The Positive and Negative Experiences of Caregiving for Siblings of Young People with First Episode Psychosis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Siann Bowman

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Background: The impact of first episode psychosis (FEP upon parents’ experience of caregiving has been well-documented. However, the determinants and nature of this remain poorly understood in siblings. It is hypothesized that siblings of young people with FEP are also impacted by caregiving and burden. This study aimed to characterize the experience of caregiving for siblings of young people with FEP.Method: Survey methodology was used to explore the experience of 157 siblings in the first 18 months of their brother or sister’s treatment for FEP. Participants reported on their appraisal of the negative and positive aspects of caregiving as measured by the Experience of Caregiving Inventory (ECI. Descriptive statistics were used to establish the results for the total sample as well as for gender and birth order differences. A series of multivariate regression analyses were conducted to determine the relationships between illness characteristics and siblings’ experience of caregiving.Results: Older brothers reported the lowest scores for negative experiences in caregiving and younger sisters reported the highest. Negative experiences in caregiving resulted in less warmth within the sibling relationship and impacted negatively upon quality of life. When the young person with FEP had attempted suicide and/or been physically violent, siblings experienced more caregiver burden. Multivariate analysis showed that female gender was a significant factor in explaining the impact of illness related variables on the experience of caregiving.Conclusion: Suicide attempts and a history of violence resulted in higher caregiving burden for siblings regardless of whether they lived with the young person experiencing FEP or not. Female siblings are at higher risk of negative experiences from caregiving resulting in a reduced quality of life and a changed sibling relationship. Suicide attempts and violence are indicators for intensive case management to

Low sputum smear positive tuberculosis among pulmonary ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Low sputum smear positive tuberculosis among pulmonary tuberculosis suspects in a tertiary hospital in Mwanza, Tanzania. ... The risk factors among smear positive TB patients were co-illness (32.5%), previous history of TB (7.5%) and history of positive TB contact (4.7%). These findings also show that as CD4+ T Cells ...

Temporal focus, temporal distance, and mind-wandering valence: Results from an experience sampling and an experimental study.

Science.gov (United States)

Spronken, Maitta; Holland, Rob W; Figner, Bernd; Dijksterhuis, Ap

2016-04-01

When mind-wandering, people may think about events that happened in the past, or events that may happen in the future. Using experience sampling, we first aimed to replicate the finding that future-oriented thoughts show a greater positivity bias than past-oriented thoughts. Furthermore, we investigated whether there is a relation between the temporal distance of past- and future-oriented thoughts and the frequency of positive thoughts, a factor that has received little attention in previous work. Second, we experimentally investigated the relation between temporal focus, temporal distance, and thought valence. Both studies showed that future-oriented thoughts were more positive compared to past-oriented thoughts. Regarding temporal distance, thoughts about the distant past and future were more positive than thoughts about the near past and future in the experiment. However, the experience sampling study did not provide clear insight into this relation. Potential theoretical and methodological explanations for these findings are discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Validation of the revised Mystical Experience Questionnaire in experimental sessions with psilocybin.

Science.gov (United States)

Barrett, Frederick S; Johnson, Matthew W; Griffiths, Roland R

2015-11-01

The 30-item revised Mystical Experience Questionnaire (MEQ30) was previously developed within an online survey of mystical-type experiences occasioned by psilocybin-containing mushrooms. The rated experiences occurred on average eight years before completion of the questionnaire. The current paper validates the MEQ30 using data from experimental studies with controlled doses of psilocybin. Data were pooled and analyzed from five laboratory experiments in which participants (n=184) received a moderate to high oral dose of psilocybin (at least 20 mg/70 kg). Results of confirmatory factor analysis demonstrate the reliability and internal validity of the MEQ30. Structural equation models demonstrate the external and convergent validity of the MEQ30 by showing that latent variable scores on the MEQ30 positively predict persisting change in attitudes, behavior, and well-being attributed to experiences with psilocybin while controlling for the contribution of the participant-rated intensity of drug effects. These findings support the use of the MEQ30 as an efficient measure of individual mystical experiences. A method to score a "complete mystical experience" that was used in previous versions of the mystical experience questionnaire is validated in the MEQ30, and a stand-alone version of the MEQ30 is provided for use in future research. © The Author(s) 2015.

X-ray beam-position feedback system with easy-to-use beam-position monitor.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Jae Yeon; Kim, Yesul; Lee, Sangsul; Lim, Jun

2018-05-01

X-ray beam-position stability is indispensable in cutting-edge experiments using synchrotron radiation. Here, for the first time, a beam-position feedback system is presented that utilizes an easy-to-use X-ray beam-position monitor incorporating a diamond-fluorescence screen. The acceptable range of the monitor is above 500 µm and the feedback system maintains the beam position within 3 µm. In addition to being inexpensive, the system has two key advantages: it works without a scale factor for position calibration, and it has no dependence on X-ray energy, X-ray intensity, beam size or beam shape.

Dynamics of Brokerage Positions in Clusters: Evidence from the Spanish Foodstuffs Industry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Antonio Belso-Martínez

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Shifting away from traditional approaches orientated towards the analysis of the benefits associated with brokerage, this paper provides valuable insights into the dynamics of this network position and the opportunities to innovate that it provides. Using fine grain micro data collected in a foodstuff Spanish cluster, the evolution of different brokerage profiles is analyzed in depth. It was particularly evident how firm-level characteristics (status, former mediating experience and external openness and their interactions may generate changes in the different brokerage roles over a period of time. The findings of this work partially validate expectations based on the network dynamics approaches. Status and previous mediating experience facilitate the creation of partnerships, fostering brokerage. Conversely, interaction effects demote brokerage activity at the intra-cluster level, suggesting the selective nature of brokers’ relational behavior.

Families in Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) Teams in Norway: A Cross-Sectional Study on Relatives' Experiences of Involvement and Alienation.

Science.gov (United States)

Weimand, B M; Israel, P; Ewertzon, M

2017-11-10

International research shows that relatives of people with mental illness are rarely involved by mental health services. Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) has been recently implemented in Norway. The experience of relatives of ACT users is largely unknown. The aim of this study was to explore relatives' experience with ACT-teams in Norway. Data were collected using the family involvement and alienation questionnaire, consisting of experiences of approach, and alienation from the provision of professional care. 38 Relatives participated in this study. A majority experienced a positive approach (openness, confirmation, and cooperation) from the ACT teams, which also was considered better compared to previous services. They considered openness and cooperation as essential aspects from the professionals. Almost half did not feel alienated (powerlessness and social isolation). Higher level of being approached positively was significantly associated with lower level of feeling alienated. The knowledge of what constituted relatives' positive experiences with the ACT teams should be transferred into practice regarding how to form a positive alliance with relatives.

Sexual Experience Enhances Drosophila melanogaster Male Mating Behavior and Success

Science.gov (United States)

Saleem, Sehresh; Ruggles, Patrick H.; Abbott, Wiley K.; Carney, Ginger E.

2014-01-01

Competition for mates is a wide-spread phenomenon affecting individual reproductive success. The ability of animals to adjust their behaviors in response to changing social environment is important and well documented. Drosophila melanogaster males compete with one another for matings with females and modify their reproductive behaviors based on prior social interactions. However, it remains to be determined how male social experience that culminates in mating with a female impacts subsequent male reproductive behaviors and mating success. Here we show that sexual experience enhances future mating success. Previously mated D. melanogaster males adjust their courtship behaviors and out-compete sexually inexperienced males for copulations. Interestingly, courtship experience alone is not sufficient in providing this competitive advantage, indicating that copulation plays a role in reinforcing this social learning. We also show that females use their sense of hearing to preferentially mate with experienced males when given a choice. Our results demonstrate the ability of previously mated males to learn from their positive sexual experiences and adjust their behaviors to gain a mating advantage. These experienced-based changes in behavior reveal strategies that animals likely use to increase their fecundity in natural competitive environments. PMID:24805129

Sexual experience enhances Drosophila melanogaster male mating behavior and success.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sehresh Saleem

Full Text Available Competition for mates is a wide-spread phenomenon affecting individual reproductive success. The ability of animals to adjust their behaviors in response to changing social environment is important and well documented. Drosophila melanogaster males compete with one another for matings with females and modify their reproductive behaviors based on prior social interactions. However, it remains to be determined how male social experience that culminates in mating with a female impacts subsequent male reproductive behaviors and mating success. Here we show that sexual experience enhances future mating success. Previously mated D. melanogaster males adjust their courtship behaviors and out-compete sexually inexperienced males for copulations. Interestingly, courtship experience alone is not sufficient in providing this competitive advantage, indicating that copulation plays a role in reinforcing this social learning. We also show that females use their sense of hearing to preferentially mate with experienced males when given a choice. Our results demonstrate the ability of previously mated males to learn from their positive sexual experiences and adjust their behaviors to gain a mating advantage. These experienced-based changes in behavior reveal strategies that animals likely use to increase their fecundity in natural competitive environments.

SiPM-based azimuthal position sensor in ANITA-IV Hi-Cal Antarctic balloon experiment

Science.gov (United States)

Novikov, A.; Besson, D.; Chernysheva, I.; Dmitrenko, V.; Grachev, V.; Petrenko, D.; Prohira, S.; Shustov, A.; Ulin, S.; Uteshev, Z.; Vlasik, K.

2017-01-01

Hi-Cal (High-Altitude Calibration) is a balloon-borne experiment that will be launched in December, 2016 in Antarctica following ANITA-IV (Antarctic Impulsive Transient Antenna) and will generate a broad-band pulse over the frequency range expected from radiation induced by a cosmic ray shower. Here, we describe a device based on an array of silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) for determination of the azimuthal position of Hi-Cal. The angular resolution of the device is about 3 degrees. Since at the float altitude of ˜38 km the pressure will be ˜0.5 mbar and temperature ˜ - 20 °C, the equipment has been tested in a chamber over a range of corresponding pressures (0.5 ÷ 1000) mbar and temperatures (-40 ÷ +50) °C.

SiPM-based azimuthal position sensor in ANITA-IV Hi-Cal Antarctic balloon experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Novikov, A; Besson, D; Chernysheva, I; Dmitrenko, V; Grachev, V; Petrenko, D; Shustov, A; Ulin, S; Uteshev, Z; Vlasik, K; Prohira, S

2017-01-01

Hi-Cal (High-Altitude Calibration) is a balloon-borne experiment that will be launched in December, 2016 in Antarctica following ANITA-IV (Antarctic Impulsive Transient Antenna) and will generate a broad-band pulse over the frequency range expected from radiation induced by a cosmic ray shower. Here, we describe a device based on an array of silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) for determination of the azimuthal position of Hi-Cal. The angular resolution of the device is about 3 degrees. Since at the float altitude of ∼38 km the pressure will be ∼0.5 mbar and temperature ∼ − 20 °C, the equipment has been tested in a chamber over a range of corresponding pressures (0.5 ÷ 1000) mbar and temperatures (−40 ÷ +50) °C. (paper)

3D Fourier synthesis of a new X-ray picture identical in projection to a previous picture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carlsson, P.E.

1993-01-01

A central problem in diagnostic radiology is to compare a new X-ray picture with a previous picture and from this comparison be able to decide if anatomical changes have occurred in the patient or not. It is of primary interest that these pictures are identical in projection. If not it is difficult to decide with confidence if differences between the pictures are due to anatomical changes or differences in their projection geometry. In this thesis we present a non invasive method that makes it possible to find the relative changes in the projection geometry between the exposure of a previous picture and a new picture. The method presented is based on the projection slice theorem (central section theorem). Instead of an elaborate search for a single new picture a pre-planned set of pictures are exposed from a circular orbit above the patient. By using 3D Fourier transform techniques we are able to synthesize a new X-ray picture from this set of pictures that is identical in projection to the previous one. The method has certain limits. Those are as follows: *The X-ray focus position must always be at a fixed distance from the image plane. *The object may only be translated parallel to the image plane and rotated around axes perpendicular to this plane. Under those restrictions, we may treat divergent projection pictures as if they are generated by a parallel projection of a scaled object. The unknown rotation and translation of the object in the previous case are both retrieved in two different procedures and compensated for. Experiments on synthetic data has proved that the method is working even in the presence of severe noise

Positivity bias in judging ingroup members' emotional expressions.

Science.gov (United States)

Lazerus, Talya; Ingbretsen, Zachary A; Stolier, Ryan M; Freeman, Jonathan B; Cikara, Mina

2016-12-01

We investigated how group membership impacts valence judgments of ingroup and outgroup members' emotional expressions. In Experiment 1, participants, randomized into 2 novel, competitive groups, rated the valence of in- and outgroup members' facial expressions (e.g., fearful, happy, neutral) using a circumplex affect grid. Across all emotions, participants judged ingroup members' expressions as more positive than outgroup members' expressions. In Experiment 2, participants categorized fearful and happy expressions as being either positive or negative using a mouse-tracking paradigm. Participants exhibited the most direct trajectories toward the "positive" label for ingroup happy expressions and an initial attraction toward positive for ingroup expressions of fear, with outgroup emotion trajectories falling in between. Experiment 3 replicated Experiment 2 and demonstrated that the effect could not be accounted for by targets' gaze direction. Overall, people judged ingroup faces as more positive, regardless of emotion, both in deliberate and implicit judgments. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Impact of emotion on consciousness: positive stimuli enhance conscious reportability.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kristine Rømer Thomsen

2011-04-01

Full Text Available Emotion and reward have been proposed to be closely linked to conscious experience, but empirical data are lacking. The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC plays a central role in the hedonic dimension of conscious experience; thus potentially a key region in interactions between emotion and consciousness. Here we tested the impact of emotion on conscious experience, and directly investigated the role of the ACC. We used a masked paradigm that measures conscious reportability in terms of subjective confidence and objective accuracy in identifying the briefly presented stimulus in a forced-choice test. By manipulating the emotional valence (positive, neutral, negative and the presentation time (16 ms, 32 ms, 80 ms we measured the impact of these variables on conscious and subliminal (i.e. below threshold processing. First, we tested normal participants using face and word stimuli. Results showed that participants were more confident and accurate when consciously seeing happy versus sad/neutral faces and words. When stimuli were presented subliminally, we found no effect of emotion. To investigate the neural basis of this impact of emotion, we recorded local field potentials (LFPs directly in the ACC in a chronic pain patient. Behavioural findings were replicated: the patient was more confident and accurate when (consciously seeing happy versus sad faces, while no effect was seen in subliminal trials. Mirroring behavioural findings, we found significant differences in the LFPs after around 500 ms (lasting 30 ms in conscious trials between happy and sad faces, while no effect was found in subliminal trials. We thus demonstrate a striking impact of emotion on conscious experience, with positive emotional stimuli enhancing conscious reportability. In line with previous studies, the data indicate a key role of the ACC, but goes beyond earlier work by providing the first direct evidence of interaction between emotion and conscious experience in the human

Scientific opinion on the evaluation of substances as acceptable previous cargoes for edible fats and oils

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Petersen, Annette

Shipping of edible fats and oils into Europe is permitted in bulk tanks, provided that the previous cargo is included in a positive list. The European Commission requested EFSA to evaluate the acceptability as previous cargoes for fats and oils the substances calcium lignosulphonate, methyl acetate...... the criteria for acceptability as previous cargoes. Due to uncertainties, mainly with regard to the composition and toxicity of the low molecular mass fraction, and the fact that the toxicological database is limited to the 40–65 grade and does not cover all grades of calcium lignosulphonate shipped...... as previous cargoes, the EFSA Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain (CONTAM Panel) concluded that calcium lignosulphonate does not meet the criteria for acceptability as a previous cargo. Only food-grade ammonium sulphate meets the criteria for acceptability as a previous cargo due to uncertainties about...

Psilocybin occasioned mystical-type experiences: immediate and persisting dose-related effects.

Science.gov (United States)

Griffiths, Roland R; Johnson, Matthew W; Richards, William A; Richards, Brian D; McCann, Una; Jesse, Robert

2011-12-01

This dose-effect study extends previous observations showing that psilocybin can occasion mystical-type experiences having persisting positive effects on attitudes, mood, and behavior. This double-blind study evaluated psilocybin (0, 5, 10, 20, 30 mg/70 kg, p.o.) administered under supportive conditions. Participants were 18 adults (17 hallucinogen-naïve). Five 8-h sessions were conducted individually for each participant at 1-month intervals. Participants were randomized to receive the four active doses in either ascending or descending order (nine participants each). Placebo was scheduled quasi-randomly. During sessions, volunteers used eyeshades and were instructed to direct their attention inward. Volunteers completed questionnaires assessing effects immediately after and 1 month after each session, and at 14 months follow-up. Psilocybin produced acute perceptual and subjective effects including, at 20 and/or 30 mg/70 kg, extreme anxiety/fear (39% of volunteers) and/or mystical-type experience (72% of volunteers). One month after sessions at the two highest doses, volunteers rated the psilocybin experience as having substantial personal and spiritual significance, and attributed to the experience sustained positive changes in attitudes, mood, and behavior, with the ascending dose sequence showing greater positive effects. At 14 months, ratings were undiminished and were consistent with changes rated by community observers. Both the acute and persisting effects of psilocybin were generally a monotonically increasing function of dose, with the lowest dose showing significant effects. Under supportive conditions, 20 and 30 mg/70 kg psilocybin occasioned mystical-type experiences having persisting positive effects on attitudes, mood, and behavior. Implications for therapeutic trials are discussed.

Development experience and development prospect оf electromechanical technological complexes of movement and positioning of technic shelf development equipment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

А. Е. Козярук

2016-11-01

Full Text Available From the example of active semisubmersible drilling rigs it is shown characteristics of electromechanical complexes of drill rigs and anchor position control systems on the base of controlled electric drive with directcurrent motors. It is presented suggestions which allow increasing electric power and service reliability criteria through the use of semiconductor converters supplied from power semiconductor converter with active front end in technological drilling systems, propulsion and position control systems of electromechanical systems on the base of noncontact asynchronous motors. It is outlined information about experience of using such kind of electromechanical complexes at the objects of mining industry working in difficult operating conditions. It is presented information about developing of electromechanical complexes of displacement systems, position control systems, technological and technical shelf development equipment and their characteristics. Also it is outlined structures and examples of designing modern high efficiency systems with contactless actuating motors.

Positive emotions: A psychological tool for promoting resilience process in childhood

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carolina Greco

2015-09-01

Full Text Available The aim of this theoretical work is to assess the relation between the capacity to experiment positive emotions and the process of resilience throughout childhood. Our interest arises from two research works being carried out in the province of Mendoza, in Argentina (INCIHUSA-CRICYT-CONICET, directed by Dr Mirta Ison. One the so called “Assessment of resilience in childhood maltreatment”, and the other “ Positive emotions as psycological tools for fostering mental health throughout childhood within vulnerable social contexts”. Resilience is always associated to risky or vulnerable social situations. Positive emotions constitute a resource favorable to the development of resilience. This working hypothesis is based on previous studies which hold that positive emotions favor creative thinking for the solution of interpersonal problems, promote cognitive flexibility, reduce risks at decision making, promote replies to generosity and altruism, increase intelectual resources and counteract depressive tendencies among others. Other authors support the fact that the features a resilient child holds are closely connected to cognitive flexibility, to creative capacity, to the capacity for solving interpersonal problems, to self esteem and attachment links among others. Thus, positive emotions are believed to be one of the psycological resources and tools needed for the development of resilience throughout childhood. 

Gay men's experiences of surrogacy clinics in India.

Science.gov (United States)

Riggs, Damien W; Due, Clemence; Power, Jennifer

2015-01-01

While growing numbers of Australian gay men are entering into 'offshore' surrogacy arrangements in order to become parents, little empirical research has been conducted with this population. This article reports on a qualitative analysis of interviews with 12 gay men who had entered into surrogacy arrangements in India. The findings outline both positive and negative experiences in terms of support pre-conception, during the birth and post-birth. Changes to legislation in India mean that gay men can no longer access surrogacy services there, but it is important to understand the experiences of men who had previously accessed those services. The article concludes by highlighting aspects of the data that demonstrate the particular experiences of gay men who undertake offshore surrogacy arrangements, especially with regard to their need for support and involvement in all aspects of the process. A more thoroughly developed network of care may help to facilitate such support and this may further increase the positive outcomes reported by gay men who form families through surrogacy arrangements. 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.

Books average previous decade of economic misery.

Science.gov (United States)

Bentley, R Alexander; Acerbi, Alberto; Ormerod, Paul; Lampos, Vasileios

2014-01-01

For the 20(th) century since the Depression, we find a strong correlation between a 'literary misery index' derived from English language books and a moving average of the previous decade of the annual U.S. economic misery index, which is the sum of inflation and unemployment rates. We find a peak in the goodness of fit at 11 years for the moving average. The fit between the two misery indices holds when using different techniques to measure the literary misery index, and this fit is significantly better than other possible correlations with different emotion indices. To check the robustness of the results, we also analysed books written in German language and obtained very similar correlations with the German economic misery index. The results suggest that millions of books published every year average the authors' shared economic experiences over the past decade.

Investigation of students' experiences of gendered cultures in engineering workplaces

Science.gov (United States)

Male, Sally A.; Gardner, Anne; Figueroa, Eugenia; Bennett, Dawn

2018-05-01

Women remain severely under-represented in engineering in Australia as in all Western countries. This limits the pool of talent, standpoints and approaches within the profession. Furthermore, this under-representation equates to restriction of the benefits of being an engineer mainly to men. Gendered workplace experiences have been found to contribute to women leaving the profession. In this study we explore students' experiences of gendered cultures in engineering workplaces, using interviews with a purposive sample of 13 students (4 male) recruited following a previous survey. Although the overall experience of workplace learning is positive for many students, male and female engineering students reported experiences consistent with masculine cultures. Educators and employers must proactively lead improvements to the culture in engineering workplaces, prepare students for gendered workplaces and support students to reflect during and after workplace experiences. The experiences presented here could be adapted to enhance inclusivity training.

The Effect of Group Attachment and Social Position on Prosocial Behavior. Evidence from Lab-in-the-Field Experiments

OpenAIRE

Baldassarri, Delia; Grossman, Guy

2013-01-01

Social life is regulated by norms of fairness that constrain selfish behavior. While a substantial body of scholarship on prosocial behavior has provided evidence of such norms, large inter- and intra-personal variation in prosocial behavior still needs to be explained. The article identifies two social-structural dimensions along which people's generosity varies systematically: group attachment and social position. We conducted lab-in-the-field experiments involving 2,597 members of producer...

Why victimology should stay positive: The ongoing need for positive victimology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ronel Natti

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the need for positive victimology and its unique contribution to victimology. Victimology presented a shift in attention and awareness in practice, research and theory, by focusing on victims of crime and of abuse of power, and on victims’ rights and victims’ services. Positive victimology indicates a more specified shift in attention and awareness, within the larger shift of victimology. This shift stands in line with positive psychology, positive criminology and the idea of victims’ victimology. It denotes an approach to provide the following, as much as possible: 1. A wide range of social responses to the victims and their victimization that victims can experience as positive, 2. Positive outcomes of healing and recovery for victims, and 3. Positive integration of victims. Within each of those, positive victimology suggests a pragmatic coordinated system that ranges from definitions of negative poles to those of positive ones. When moving towards the positive pole at any given coordinate, a sense of justice is an important factor that might reduce the impact of the harm. Support is also a crucial factor and at the very positive pole, stands human, inter-personal love.

Intelligence, previous convictions and interrogative suggestibility: a path analysis of alleged false-confession cases.

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Sharrock, R; Gudjonsson, G H

1993-05-01

The main purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between interrogative suggestibility and previous convictions among 108 defendants in criminal trials, using a path analysis technique. It was hypothesized that previous convictions, which may provide defendants with interrogative experiences, would correlate negatively with 'shift' as measured by the Gudjonsson Suggestibility Scale (Gudjonsson, 1984a), after intelligence and memory had been controlled for. The hypothesis was partially confirmed and the theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed.

Pituitary-adrenocortical adjustments to transport stress in horses with previous different handling and transport conditions

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E. Fazio

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Aim: The changes of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA axis response to a long distance transportation results in increase of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH and cortisol levels. The purpose of the study was to quantify the level of short-term road transport stress on circulating ACTH and cortisol concentrations, related to the effect of previous handling and transport experience of horses. Materials and Methods: The study was performed on 56 healthy horses after short-term road transport of 30 km. The horses were divided into four groups, Groups A, B, C, and D, with respect to the handling quality: Good (Groups A and B, bad (Group D, and minimal handling (Group C conditions. According to the previous transport, experience horses were divided as follows: Horses of Groups A and D had been experienced long-distance transportation before; horses of Groups B and C had been limited experience of transportation. Results: One-way RM-ANOVA showed significant effects of transport on ACTH changes in Groups B and C and on cortisol changes in both Groups A and B. Groups A and B showed lower baseline ACTH and cortisol values than Groups C and D; Groups A and B showed lower post-transport ACTH values than Groups C and D. Groups A, B, and C showed lower post-transport cortisol values than Group D. Only Groups A and B horses have shown an adequate capacity of stress response to transportation. Conclusion: The previous transport experience and quality of handling could influence the HPA axis physiological responses of horses after short-term road transport.

Experiences of time loss among videogame players: an empirical study.

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Wood, Richard T A; Griffiths, Mark D; Parke, Adrian

2007-02-01

Playing videogames is now a major leisure pursuit, yet research in the area is comparatively sparse. Previous correlational evidence suggests that subjective time loss occurs during playing videogames. This study examined experiences of time loss among a relatively large group of gamers (n = 280). Quantitative and qualitative data were collected through an online survey. Results showed that time loss occurred irrespective of gender, age, or frequency of play, but was associated with particular structural characteristics of games such as their complexity, the presence of multi-levels, missions and/or high scores, multiplayer interactions, and plot. Results also demonstrated that time loss could have both positive and negative outcomes for players. Positive aspects of time loss included helping players to relax and temporarily escape from reality. Negative aspects included the sacrificing of other things in their lives, guilty feelings about wasted time, and social conflict. It is concluded that for many gamers, losing track of time is a positive experience and is one of the main reasons for playing videogames.

Attention to irrelevant cues is related to positive symptoms in schizophrenia.

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Morris, Richard; Griffiths, Oren; Le Pelley, Michael E; Weickert, Thomas W

2013-05-01

Many modern learning theories assume that the amount of attention to a cue depends on how well that cue predicted important events in the past. Schizophrenia is associated with deficits in attention and recent theories of psychosis have argued that positive symptoms such as delusions and hallucinations are related to a failure of selective attention. However, evidence demonstrating that attention to irrelevant cues is related to positive symptoms in schizophrenia is lacking. We used a novel method of measuring attention to nonpredictive (and thus irrelevant) cues in a causal learning test (Le Pelley ME, McLaren IP. Learned associability and associative change in human causal learning. Q J Exp Psychol B. 2003;56:68-79) to assess whether healthy adults and people with schizophrenia discriminate previously predictive and nonpredictive cues. In a series of experiments with independent samples, we demonstrated: (1) when people with schizophrenia who had severe positive symptoms successfully distinguished between predictive and nonpredictive cues during training, they failed to discriminate between predictive and nonpredictive cues relative to healthy adults during subsequent testing and (2) learning about nonpredictive cues was correlated with more severe positive symptoms scores in schizophrenia. These results suggest that positive symptoms of schizophrenia are related to increased attention to nonpredictive cues during causal learning. This deficit in selective attention results in learning irrelevant causal associations and may be the basis of positive symptoms in schizophrenia.

Positions in doctors' questions during psychiatric interviews.

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Ziółkowska, Justyna

2009-11-01

In this article I apply the concept of positioning to the analysis of 15 initial psychiatric interviews. I argue that through their questions the psychiatrists-in-training impose positions requiring the patients to gaze at themselves and their actual problems from particular perspectives. I point to three such positions: (a) the position of the observing assessor, from which it is expected that the patients will make a detached assessment of themselves or their problems, (b) the position of the informing witness, which requires the patients only to verify the information about themselves, and (c) the marginal one, the position of the experiencing narrator, from which talk about experiences and problems is expected. I explore the roots and consequences of the positions, with particular attention toward objectivization of the patients' experiences in the dominant witness and assessor positions. I conclude with a discussion about the medical model in psychiatry.

Positive implicit attitudes toward odor words.

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Bulsing, Patricia J; Smeets, Monique A M; van den Hout, Marcel A

2007-07-01

Associations between certain odors and for instance health effects may lead to positive or negative attitudes toward these odors. However, in experiments we conducted using the Implicit Association Test (IAT), we encountered attitudes even to odor "words." The IAT is based on the principle that reaction times measuring the association between words from a target dimension (in this case, odor vs. a neutral reference category) and an attribute dimension (i.e., positive or negative words) reflect the attitude to the target, where attitude-congruent associations between target and attribute are reflected by shorter reaction times. In a first experiment, we found distinctly positive attitudes to the concept odor in a student sample, which was replicated in a second experiment. In the main experiment, subjects in the aromatherapy group, who prefer using scented consumer products for relaxation purposes, showed a significantly more positive attitude toward odor words in the IAT than a control group, who did not have such a preference. The fact that results from the implicit test were not always associated with explicitly stated attitudes toward the odor words attests to the fact that the IAT measures the attitude of interest in a different way. As such, the IAT has added value in circumstances where explicit tests can be biased.

Church Attendance and Religious Experience

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marianne Nilsen Kvande

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Previous studies have shown that gender may moderate the relationship between religiousness and mental health in most countries, but few studies have been conducted in Norway and Denmark. This study examined gender differences in religious experiences and church attendance as predictors of existential well-being among 295 women and 233 men from the general Norwegian population. Analyses showed that the structural equation models for women and men did not differ significantly on the global level. The models for women and men, however, showed different patterns. Among men, church attendance and negative religious experiences predicted existential well-being; among women, positive and negative religious experiences were related to existential well-being, but church attendance was not. The present findings suggest that men may benefit more from active religiousness, whereas women may benefit more from affective religiousness. Comparing these results with research in other cultural contexts, we find that different operationalizations of church attendance yield the same types of patterns across cultural contexts. Consequently, the benefits of religiousness may be similar for women and men irrespective of cultural context.

Healthcare experiences of gender diverse Australians: a mixed-methods, self-report survey.

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Riggs, Damien W; Coleman, Katrina; Due, Clemence

2014-03-06

To date the healthcare experiences of gender diverse Australians have received little attention. Previous international research indicates a range of both negative and positive healthcare experiences amongst this diverse population, with negative experiences being those most frequently reported. An online survey was designed to examine the healthcare experiences of gender diverse Australians. The survey included Likert scales asking participants to rate their mental and physical health, and their experiences with psychiatrists, general practitioners and surgeons (in terms of perceived comfort, discrimination and information provision). Open-ended questions provided the opportunity for participants to further elaborate on their experiences. Data were collected between June 2012 and July 2013. Quantitative data analysis was conducted utilising SPSS 17.0, including ANCOVAs and correlations to examine the relationships between variables. Qualitative data were coded by the authors in terms of negative or positive responses and the validity of ratings were assessed utilising Cohen's kappa. 110 people assigned male at birth (MAAB) and 78 people assigned female at birth (FAAB) completed two separate surveys. All identified as gender diverse as defined in this paper. 70% of participants had accessed a psychiatrist. Participants MAAB rated their experiences with psychiatrists more highly than participants FAAB. 80% of participants had accessed a general practitioner. Comfort with, and respect from, general practitioners were both positively correlated with mental health, whilst discrimination was negatively correlated with mental health. 42.5% of participants had undertaken sex-affirming surgery. Those who had such surgery reported higher levels of physical and mental health than those who had not undertaken surgery. Participants MAAB reported more positive experiences of surgery than did participants FAAB. Findings highlight the need for increased education of medical

Knee Osteoarthritis Is Associated With Previous Meniscus and Anterior Cruciate Ligament Surgery Among Elite College American Football Athletes.

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Smith, Matthew V; Nepple, Jeffrey J; Wright, Rick W; Matava, Matthew J; Brophy, Robert H

Football puts athletes at risk for knee injuries such meniscus and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears, which are associated with the development of osteoarthritis (OA). Previous knee surgery, player position, and body mass index (BMI) may be associated with knee OA. In elite football players undergoing knee magnetic resonance imaging at the National Football League's Invitational Combine, the prevalence of knee OA is associated with previous knee surgery and BMI. Retrospective cohort. Level 4. A retrospective review was performed of all participants of the National Football League Combine from 2005 to 2009 who underwent magnetic resonance imaging of the knee because of prior knee injury, surgery, or knee-related symptoms or concerning examination findings. Imaging studies were reviewed for evidence of OA. History of previous knee surgery-including ACL reconstruction, meniscal procedures, and articular cartilage surgery-and position were recorded for each athlete. BMI was calculated based on height and weight. There was a higher prevalence of OA in knees with a history of previous knee surgery (23% vs 4.0%, P 30 kg/m 2 was also associated with a higher risk of OA ( P = 0.007) but player position was not associated with knee OA. Previous knee surgery, particularly ACL reconstruction and partial meniscectomy, and elevated BMI are associated with knee OA in elite football players. Future research should investigate ways to minimize the risk of OA after knee surgery in these athletes. Treatment of knee injuries in football athletes should consider chondroprotection, including meniscal preservation and cartilage repair, when possible.

Beta receptor-mediated modulation of the late positive potential in humans.

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de Rover, Mischa; Brown, Stephen B R E; Boot, Nathalie; Hajcak, Greg; van Noorden, Martijn S; van der Wee, Nic J A; Nieuwenhuis, Sander

2012-02-01

Electrophysiological studies have identified a scalp potential, the late positive potential (LPP), which is modulated by the emotional intensity of observed stimuli. Previous work has shown that the LPP reflects the modulation of activity in extrastriate visual cortical structures, but little is known about the source of that modulation. The present study investigated whether beta-adrenergic receptors are involved in the generation of the LPP. We used a genetic individual differences approach (experiment 1) and a pharmacological manipulation (experiment 2) to test the hypothesis that the LPP is modulated by the activation of β-adrenergic receptors. In experiment 1, we found that LPP amplitude depends on allelic variation in the β1-receptor gene polymorphism. In experiment 2, we found that LPP amplitude was modulated by the β-blocker propranolol in a direction dependent on subjects' level of trait anxiety: In participants with lower trait anxiety, propranolol led to a (nonsignificant) decrease in the LPP modulation; in participants with higher trait anxiety, propranolol increased the emotion-related LPP modulation. These results provide initial support for the hypothesis that the LPP reflects the downstream effects, in visual cortical areas, of β-receptor-mediated activation of the amygdala.

Classical reconstruction of interference patterns of position-wave-vector-entangled photon pairs by the time-reversal method

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Ogawa, Kazuhisa; Kobayashi, Hirokazu; Tomita, Akihisa

2018-02-01

The quantum interference of entangled photons forms a key phenomenon underlying various quantum-optical technologies. It is known that the quantum interference patterns of entangled photon pairs can be reconstructed classically by the time-reversal method; however, the time-reversal method has been applied only to time-frequency-entangled two-photon systems in previous experiments. Here, we apply the time-reversal method to the position-wave-vector-entangled two-photon systems: the two-photon Young interferometer and the two-photon beam focusing system. We experimentally demonstrate that the time-reversed systems classically reconstruct the same interference patterns as the position-wave-vector-entangled two-photon systems.

Reading Aloud: Does Previous Trial History Modulate the Joint Effects of Stimulus Quality and Word Frequency?

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O'Malley, Shannon; Besner, Derek

2013-01-01

No one would argue with the proposition that how we process events in the world is strongly affected by our experience. Nonetheless, recent experience (e.g., from the previous trial) is typically not considered in the analysis of timed cognitive performance in the laboratory. Masson and Kliegl (2013) reported that, in the context of the lexical…

Incidence of positive surgical margins after robotic assisted radical prostatectomy: Does the surgeon's experience have an influence on all pathological stages?

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Villamil, A W; Costabel, J I; Billordo Peres, N; Martínez, P F; Giudice, C R; Damia, O H

2014-03-01

The aim of this study is to analyze the clinical and surgical features of patients who underwent robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) at our institution, and the impact of the surgeon's experience in the oncological results related to pathological stage. An analysis of 300 RARP consecutively performed by the same urologist was conducted. Patients were divided into 3 groups of 100 patients in chronological order, according to surgery date. All patients had organ-confined clinical stage. Variables which could impact in positive margins rates were analyzed. Finally, positive surgical margins (PSM) in regard to pathological stage and surgeon's experience were compared and analyzed. No significant differences were found in variables which could impact in PSM rates. The overall PSM rate was 21%, with 28% in the first group, 20% in the second, and 16% in the third (P = .108). Significant lineal decreasing tendency was observed (P = .024). In pT2 patients, the overall PSM rate was 16.6%, with 27%, 13.8%, and 7.3% in each group respectively (P = .009). A significant difference was found between group 1 and group 3 (P = .004). In pT3 patients, the surgeon's experience was not significantly associated with margin reductions with an overall PSM rate of 27.7% (28.2%, 28.6%, and 26.7% in each group respectively). Clinical and surgical features in our patients did not vary over time. We found a significant reduction of PSM related to surgeon's experience in pT2 patients. Contrariwise, the margin status remained stable despite increasing experience in pT3 patients. Copyright © 2013 AEU. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Tracking the position of the underwater robot for nuclear reactor inspection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeo, J. W.; Kim, C. H.; Seo, Y. C.; Choi, Y. S.; Kim, S. H.

2003-01-01

The tracking procedure of the underwater mobile robot moving and submerging ahead to nuclear reactor vessel for visual inspection, which is required to find the foreign objects such as loose parts, is described. The yellowish underwater robot body tends to present a big contrast to boron solute cold water of nuclear reactor vessel, tinged with indigo by the Cerenkov effect. In this paper, we have found and tracked the positions of underwater mobile robot using the two color information, yellow and indigo. From the horizontal and vertical profiles analysis of the color image, the blue, green, and the gray component have the inferior signal-to-noise characteristics compared to the red component. The center coordinates extraction procedures areas follows. The first step is to segment the underwater robot body to cold water with indigo background. From the RGB color components of the entire monitoring image taken with the color CCD camera, we have selected the red color component. In the selected red image, we extracted the positions of the underwater mobile robot using the following process sequences; binarization, labelling, and centroid extraction techniques. In the experiment carried out at the Youngkwang unit 5 nuclear reactor vessel, we have tracked the center positions of the underwater robot submerged near the cold leg and the hot leg way, which is fathomed to 10m deep in depth. When the position of the robot vehicle fluctuates between the previous and the current image frame due to the flickering noise and light source, installed temporally in the bottom of the reactor vessel, we adaptively adjusted the ROI window. Adding the ROI windows of the previous frame to the current frame, and then setting up the ROI window of the next image frame, we can robustly track the positions of the underwater robot and control the target position's divergence. From these facts, we can conclude that using the red component from color camera is more efficient tracking method

Viewing-position effects in the Stroop task: Initial fixation position modulates Stroop effects in fully colored words.

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Perret, Patrick; Ducrot, Stéphanie

2010-08-01

In two experiments that we conducted with adult (Experiment 1) and child (Experiment 2) participants, we experimentally controlled the eyes' first fixation in the word using a variable viewing-position technique in a classical all-letter-coloring Stroop procedure. We explored the impact of initial-fixation position (optimal viewing position [OVP] vs. end of the word) on the magnitude of Stroop effects (both interference and facilitation). The results showed that both interference and facilitation effects were reduced when the first fixation was located at the end of the word rather than at the OVP. These data make a new contribution to the study of the role of low-level processes in Stroop effects and add support to the growing body of research indicating that oculomotor processes can act as moderators of cognitive processes in the determination of Stroop effects.

Books Average Previous Decade of Economic Misery

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Bentley, R. Alexander; Acerbi, Alberto; Ormerod, Paul; Lampos, Vasileios

2014-01-01

For the 20th century since the Depression, we find a strong correlation between a ‘literary misery index’ derived from English language books and a moving average of the previous decade of the annual U.S. economic misery index, which is the sum of inflation and unemployment rates. We find a peak in the goodness of fit at 11 years for the moving average. The fit between the two misery indices holds when using different techniques to measure the literary misery index, and this fit is significantly better than other possible correlations with different emotion indices. To check the robustness of the results, we also analysed books written in German language and obtained very similar correlations with the German economic misery index. The results suggest that millions of books published every year average the authors' shared economic experiences over the past decade. PMID:24416159

Clinical Positioning Space

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Williams, Lars Peter Hedegaard; Christensen, Mette Krogh; Rytter, Carsten

2014-01-01

In this article, we present a case study of residents’ clinical experiences and communication in outpatient oncology consultations. We apply positioning theory, a dynamic alternative to role theory, to investigate how oncology residents and patients situate themselves as persons with rights...... and duties. Drawing from seven qualitative interviews and six days of observation, we investigate the residents’ social positioning and their conversations with patients or supervisors. Our focus is on how (a) relational shifts in authority depend on each situation and its participants; (b) storylines...... establish acts and positions and narratively frame what participants can expect from a medical consultation viewed as a social episode; and (c) the positioning of rights and duties can lead to misunderstandings and frustrations. We conclude that residents and patients locate themselves in outpatient...

Being an HIV-positive mother: meanings for HIV-positive women and for professional nursing staff

OpenAIRE

Monticelli, Marisa; Santos, Evanguelia Kotzias Atherino dos; Erdmann, Alacoque Lorenzini

2007-01-01

OBJECTIVES: To comprehend the meanings of being an HIV-positive mother for HIV-positive women and for professional nursing staff of shared in-patient maternity wards, and to identify similarities and contrasts present in these meanings. METHODS: This was a descriptive and comparative secondary analysis study of data from two previous larger studies conducted in Public Hospitals of the Greater Florianopolis Area, Santa Catarina, Brazil. Data was collected through observation and interviews. RE...

Study of the mechanical support and positioning of the sensors for the new tracker of the ALICE experiment at CERN

CERN Document Server

AUTHOR|(CDS)2126653; Coli, Silvia

The Inner Tracking System Detector of the ALICE Experiment at CERN laboratory will be replaced in 2020 with a new detector entirely based on pixel sensor chips. The most critical aspects in the construction of this detector are the precise positioning and the stability of the sensors over time. The work of this thesis starts with the development of a procedure for the positioning of the sensors and has been performed at INFN of Turin. The procedure is split in several steps each of them based on semi-automatic programme to control a Coordinate-Measuring Machine that position the sensors. At the end of the assembly procedure the position of the sensors is verified and recorded such to provide a detailed map. This procedure will be used in five laboratories, four in Europe and one in the United States, where the detector will be assembled. The second part of the work is focused on the mechanical design and analysis of the global support structure of the Inner Tracking System, and has been performed at CERN in c...

Clinical experience of laboratory follow-up with noninvasive prenatal testing using cell-free DNA and positive microdeletion results in 349 cases.

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Schwartz, S; Kohan, M; Pasion, R; Papenhausen, P R; Platt, L D

2018-02-01

Screening via noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT) involving the analysis of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) from plasma has become readily available to screen for chromosomal and DNA aberrations through maternal blood. This report reviews a laboratory's experience with follow-up of positive NIPT screens for microdeletions. Patients that were screened positive by NIPT for a microdeletion involving 1p, 4p, 5p, 15q, or 22q who underwent diagnostic studies by either chorionic villus sampling or amniocentesis were evaluated. The overall positive predictive value for 349 patients was 9.2%. When a microdeletion was confirmed, 39.3% of the cases had additional abnormal microarray findings. Unrelated abnormal microarray findings were detected in 11.8% of the patients in whom the screen positive microdeletion was not confirmed. Stretches of homozygosity in the microdeletion were frequently associated with a false positive cfDNA microdeletion result. Overall, this report reveals that while cfDNA analysis will screen for microdeletions, the positive predictive value is low; in our series it is 9.2%. Therefore, the patient should be counseled accordingly. Confirmatory diagnostic microarray studies are imperative because of the high percentage of false positives and the frequent additional abnormalities not delineated by cfDNA analysis. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Continuous Indoor Positioning Fusing WiFi, Smartphone Sensors and Landmarks.

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Deng, Zhi-An; Wang, Guofeng; Qin, Danyang; Na, Zhenyu; Cui, Yang; Chen, Juan

2016-09-05

To exploit the complementary strengths of WiFi positioning, pedestrian dead reckoning (PDR), and landmarks, we propose a novel fusion approach based on an extended Kalman filter (EKF). For WiFi positioning, unlike previous fusion approaches setting measurement noise parameters empirically, we deploy a kernel density estimation-based model to adaptively measure the related measurement noise statistics. Furthermore, a trusted area of WiFi positioning defined by fusion results of previous step and WiFi signal outlier detection are exploited to reduce computational cost and improve WiFi positioning accuracy. For PDR, we integrate a gyroscope, an accelerometer, and a magnetometer to determine the user heading based on another EKF model. To reduce accumulation error of PDR and enable continuous indoor positioning, not only the positioning results but also the heading estimations are recalibrated by indoor landmarks. Experimental results in a realistic indoor environment show that the proposed fusion approach achieves substantial positioning accuracy improvement than individual positioning approaches including PDR and WiFi positioning.

Understanding Positive Play: An Exploration of Playing Experiences and Responsible Gambling Practices.

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Wood, Richard T A; Griffiths, Mark D

2015-12-01

This study is one of the first to explore in detail the behaviors, attitudes and motivations of players that show no signs of at-risk or problem gambling behavior (so-called 'positive players'). Via an online survey, 1484 positive players were compared with 209 problem players identified using the Lie/Bet screen. The study identified two distinct groups of positive players defined according to their motivations to play and their engagement with responsible gambling (RG) practices. Those positive players that played most frequently employed the most personal RG strategies. Reasons that positive players gave for gambling were focused on leisure (e.g., playing for fun, being entertained, and/or winning a prize). By contrast, problem gamblers were much more focused upon modifying mood states (e.g., excitement, relaxation, depression and playing when bored or upset). The present study also suggests that online gambling is not, by default, inherently riskier than gambling in more traditional ways, as online gambling was the most popular media by which positive players gambled. Furthermore, most positive players reported that it was easier to stick to their limits when playing the National Lottery online compared to traditional retail purchasing of tickets. Problem players were significantly more likely than positive players to gamble with family and friends, suggesting that, contrary to a popular RG message, social play may not be inherently safer than gambling alone. It is proposed that players (generally) may identify more with the term 'positive play' than the term 'RG' which is frequently interpreted as being aimed at people with gambling problems, rather than all players.

Insight into acid-base nucleation experiments by comparison of the chemical composition of positive, negative, and neutral clusters.

Science.gov (United States)

Bianchi, Federico; Praplan, Arnaud P; Sarnela, Nina; Dommen, Josef; Kürten, Andreas; Ortega, Ismael K; Schobesberger, Siegfried; Junninen, Heikki; Simon, Mario; Tröstl, Jasmin; Jokinen, Tuija; Sipilä, Mikko; Adamov, Alexey; Amorim, Antonio; Almeida, Joao; Breitenlechner, Martin; Duplissy, Jonathan; Ehrhart, Sebastian; Flagan, Richard C; Franchin, Alessandro; Hakala, Jani; Hansel, Armin; Heinritzi, Martin; Kangasluoma, Juha; Keskinen, Helmi; Kim, Jaeseok; Kirkby, Jasper; Laaksonen, Ari; Lawler, Michael J; Lehtipalo, Katrianne; Leiminger, Markus; Makhmutov, Vladimir; Mathot, Serge; Onnela, Antti; Petäjä, Tuukka; Riccobono, Francesco; Rissanen, Matti P; Rondo, Linda; Tomé, António; Virtanen, Annele; Viisanen, Yrjö; Williamson, Christina; Wimmer, Daniela; Winkler, Paul M; Ye, Penglin; Curtius, Joachim; Kulmala, Markku; Worsnop, Douglas R; Donahue, Neil M; Baltensperger, Urs

2014-12-02

We investigated the nucleation of sulfuric acid together with two bases (ammonia and dimethylamine), at the CLOUD chamber at CERN. The chemical composition of positive, negative, and neutral clusters was studied using three Atmospheric Pressure interface-Time Of Flight (APi-TOF) mass spectrometers: two were operated in positive and negative mode to detect the chamber ions, while the third was equipped with a nitrate ion chemical ionization source allowing detection of neutral clusters. Taking into account the possible fragmentation that can happen during the charging of the ions or within the first stage of the mass spectrometer, the cluster formation proceeded via essentially one-to-one acid-base addition for all of the clusters, independent of the type of the base. For the positive clusters, the charge is carried by one excess protonated base, while for the negative clusters it is carried by a deprotonated acid; the same is true for the neutral clusters after these have been ionized. During the experiments involving sulfuric acid and dimethylamine, it was possible to study the appearance time for all the clusters (positive, negative, and neutral). It appeared that, after the formation of the clusters containing three molecules of sulfuric acid, the clusters grow at a similar speed, independent of their charge. The growth rate is then probably limited by the arrival rate of sulfuric acid or cluster-cluster collision.

Exploring Inpatients' Experiences of Healing and Healing Spaces

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lorissa MacAllister PhD, AIA

2016-12-01

Full Text Available In order to understand a patient’s healing experience it is essential to understand the elements that they, the patient, believes contributed to their healing. Previous research has focused on symptom reducers or contributors through environment such as stress. A person’s experience of healing happens over time not instantaneous. Therefore, in this study, the interviews with patients happened after forty-eight hours of hospitalization. This mixed methods study describes the experiences of seventeen inpatients from two healthcare systems using a phenomenological approach combined with evidence based design evaluation methods to document the setting. The qualitative data was analyzed first for reoccurring themes then further explored and defined through quantitative environmental observations. The seventeen patients defined healing as “getting better/well.” Seventy three statements were recorded about contributors and detractors to healing in the physical environment. Three primary themes emerged from the data as positive influencers of a healing experience: being cared for, being comfortable and experiencing something familiar or like home. These results demonstrate that patients perceive their inpatient healing experience through a supported environment.

Position-dependent radiative transfer as a tool for studying Anderson localization: Delay time, time-reversal and coherent backscattering

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van Tiggelen, B. A.; Skipetrov, S. E.; Page, J. H.

2017-05-01

Previous work has established that the localized regime of wave transport in open media is characterized by a position-dependent diffusion coefficient. In this work we study how the concept of position-dependent diffusion affects the delay time, the transverse confinement, the coherent backscattering, and the time reversal of waves. Definitions of energy transport velocity of localized waves are proposed. We start with a phenomenological model of radiative transfer and then present a novel perturbational approach based on the self-consistent theory of localization. The latter allows us to obtain results relevant for realistic experiments in disordered quasi-1D wave guides and 3D slabs.

Neratinib Plus Paclitaxel vs Trastuzumab Plus Paclitaxel in Previously Untreated Metastatic ERBB2-Positive Breast Cancer: The NEfERT-T Randomized Clinical Trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Awada, Ahmad; Colomer, Ramon; Inoue, Kenichi; Bondarenko, Igor; Badwe, Rajendra A; Demetriou, Georgia; Lee, Soo-Chin; Mehta, Ajay O; Kim, Sung-Bae; Bachelot, Thomas; Goswami, Chanchal; Deo, Suryanarayan; Bose, Ron; Wong, Alvin; Xu, Feng; Yao, Bin; Bryce, Richard; Carey, Lisa A

2016-12-01

Efficacious ERBB2 (formerly HER2 or HER2/neu)-directed treatments, in addition to trastuzumab and lapatinib, are needed. To determine whether neratinib, an irreversible pan-ERBB tyrosine kinase inhibitor, plus paclitaxel improves progression-free survival compared with trastuzumab plus paclitaxel in the first-line treatment of recurrent and/or metastatic ERBB2-positive breast cancer. In the randomized, controlled, open-label NEfERT-T trial conducted from August 2009 to December 2014 at 188 centers in 34 countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America, 479 women with previously untreated recurrent and/or metastatic ERBB2-positive breast cancer were randomized to 1 of 2 treatment arms (neratinib-paclitaxel [n = 242] or trastuzumab-paclitaxel [n = 237]). Women with asymptomatic central nervous system metastases were eligible, and randomization was stratified by prior trastuzumab and lapatinib exposure, hormone-receptor status, and region. Women received neratinib (240 mg/d orally) or trastuzumab (4 mg/kg then 2 mg/kg weekly), each combined with paclitaxel (80 mg/m2 on days 1, 8, and 15 every 28 days). Primary prophylaxis for diarrhea was not mandatory. The primary outcome was progression-free survival. Secondary end points were response rate, clinical benefit rate, duration of response, frequency, and time to symptomatic and/or progressive central nervous system lesions, and safety. The intent-to-treat population comprised 479 women 18 years or older (neratinib-paclitaxel, n = 242; trastuzumab-paclitaxel, n = 237) randomized and stratified in their respective treatment arms by prior trastuzumab and lapatinib exposure, hormone-receptor status, and region. Median progression-free survival was 12.9 months (95% CI, 11.1-14.9) with neratinib-paclitaxel and 12.9 months (95% CI, 11.1-14.8) with trastuzumab-paclitaxel (hazard ratio [HR], 1.02; 95% CI, 0.81-1.27; P =.89). With neratinib-paclitaxel, the incidence of central nervous system recurrences was

Thoracoscopic part of minimal invasive oesophagectomy in semiprone position: our initial experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Thakkar, Chirag M; Kumar, Alankar V; Soni, Harshad N; Shah, Atul J; Patel, Kantilal S; Haribhakti, Sanjiv P

2014-08-01

Surgical resection with curative intent is till the mainstay of treatment for resectable esophageal cancer. Minimal invasive oesophagectomy has the potential to lower morbidity and mortality. In all likelihood, thoracoscopic oesophagectomy in semiprone position gives all the benefits of prone position and can be converted to thoracotomy without change in patient position if needed. The aim of this study is to analyze the feasibility of thoracoscopic oesophagectomy in semiprone position. This is a retrospective analysis of the data of thoracoscopic oesophgeactomy in semiprone position at Kaizen Hospital, a tertiary care center for gastroenterology during the period of December 2011 to December 2012. All surgeries were performed under general anesthesia with a single-lumen endotracheal tube. Esophageal mobilization was done by thoracoscopic approach in a semiprone position and an end-to-end hand-sewn cervical anastomosis was done. Abdominal part was performed by laparoscopic method in 3 patients and by laparotomy in rest of the patients. Total of 12 patients were included in this study. There was 1 conversion to thoracotomy and 1 surgical mortality. Mean operating time for the thoracoscopic part was 103 minutes, mean estimated blood loss for the thoracoscopic part was 110 mL, mean maximum end-tidal CO2 38.5 mm Hg, mean lymph nodes retrieved 14, and all patients had R0 resection. The median intensive care unit stay was 1 day and hospital stay was 8 days. Thoracoscopic part of thoracolaparoscopic oesophagectomy in semiprone position is a feasible option. It gives all advantages of prone position and thoracotomy is possible without change in patient position. However, further large-scale studies are required.

Laparoscopy After Previous Laparotomy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zulfo Godinjak

2006-11-01

Full Text Available Following the abdominal surgery, extensive adhesions often occur and they can cause difficulties during laparoscopic operations. However, previous laparotomy is not considered to be a contraindication for laparoscopy. The aim of this study is to present that an insertion of Veres needle in the region of umbilicus is a safe method for creating a pneumoperitoneum for laparoscopic operations after previous laparotomy. In the last three years, we have performed 144 laparoscopic operations in patients that previously underwent one or two laparotomies. Pathology of digestive system, genital organs, Cesarean Section or abdominal war injuries were the most common causes of previouslaparotomy. During those operations or during entering into abdominal cavity we have not experienced any complications, while in 7 patients we performed conversion to laparotomy following the diagnostic laparoscopy. In all patients an insertion of Veres needle and trocar insertion in the umbilical region was performed, namely a technique of closed laparoscopy. Not even in one patient adhesions in the region of umbilicus were found, and no abdominal organs were injured.

Patterns of positive selection in six Mammalian genomes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kosiol, Carolin; Vinar, Tomás; da Fonseca, Rute R

2008-01-01

Genome-wide scans for positively selected genes (PSGs) in mammals have provided insight into the dynamics of genome evolution, the genetic basis of differences between species, and the functions of individual genes. However, previous scans have been limited in power and accuracy owing to small...... several new lineage- and clade-specific tests to be applied. Of approximately 16,500 human genes with high-confidence orthologs in at least two other species, 400 genes showed significant evidence of positive selection (FDR... showed evidence of positive selection on particular lineages or clades. As in previous studies, the identified PSGs were enriched for roles in defense/immunity, chemosensory perception, and reproduction, but enrichments were also evident for more specific functions, such as complement-mediated immunity...

Integration of Visual and Proprioceptive Limb Position Information in Human Posterior Parietal, Premotor, and Extrastriate Cortex.

Science.gov (United States)

Limanowski, Jakub; Blankenburg, Felix

2016-03-02

The brain constructs a flexible representation of the body from multisensory information. Previous work on monkeys suggests that the posterior parietal cortex (PPC) and ventral premotor cortex (PMv) represent the position of the upper limbs based on visual and proprioceptive information. Human experiments on the rubber hand illusion implicate similar regions, but since such experiments rely on additional visuo-tactile interactions, they cannot isolate visuo-proprioceptive integration. Here, we independently manipulated the position (palm or back facing) of passive human participants' unseen arm and of a photorealistic virtual 3D arm. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) revealed that matching visual and proprioceptive information about arm position engaged the PPC, PMv, and the body-selective extrastriate body area (EBA); activity in the PMv moreover reflected interindividual differences in congruent arm ownership. Further, the PPC, PMv, and EBA increased their coupling with the primary visual cortex during congruent visuo-proprioceptive position information. These results suggest that human PPC, PMv, and EBA evaluate visual and proprioceptive position information and, under sufficient cross-modal congruence, integrate it into a multisensory representation of the upper limb in space. The position of our limbs in space constantly changes, yet the brain manages to represent limb position accurately by combining information from vision and proprioception. Electrophysiological recordings in monkeys have revealed neurons in the posterior parietal and premotor cortices that seem to implement and update such a multisensory limb representation, but this has been difficult to demonstrate in humans. Our fMRI experiment shows that human posterior parietal, premotor, and body-selective visual brain areas respond preferentially to a virtual arm seen in a position corresponding to one's unseen hidden arm, while increasing their communication with regions conveying visual

Dealing with Daily Challenges in Dementia (Deal-id Study): An Experience Sampling Study to Assess Caregivers' Sense of Competence and Experienced Positive Affect in Daily Life.

Science.gov (United States)

van Knippenberg, Rosalia J M; de Vugt, Marjolein E; Ponds, Rudolf W; Myin-Germeys, Inez; Verhey, Frans R J

2017-08-01

Positive emotions and feelings of competence seem to play an important role in the well-being of caregivers of people with dementia. Both are likely to fluctuate constantly throughout the caretaking process. Unlike standard retrospective methods, momentary assessments in daily life can provide insight into these moment-to-moment fluctuations. Therefore, in this study both retrospective and momentary assessments were used to examine the relationship between caregivers' sense of competence and their experienced positive affect (PA) in daily life. Thirty Dutch caregivers provided momentary data on PA and daily sense of competence ratings for 6 consecutive days using the experience sampling methodology. Additionally, they reported retrospectively on their sense of competence with a traditional questionnaire. A positive association was found between retrospective and daily measured sense of competence. Caregivers reported corresponding levels of sense of competence on both measures. Both daily and retrospective sense of competence were positively associated with the experienced levels of PA. However, daily sense of competence appeared to be the strongest predictor. Regarding the variability in PA, only daily sense of competence showed a significant association, with a higher daily sense of competence predicting a more stable PA pattern. This study provides support for redirecting caregiver support interventions toward enhancement of positive rather than negative experiences and focusing more on caregivers' momentary emotional experiences. Momentary assessments are a valuable addition to standard retrospective measures and provide a more comprehensive and dynamic view of caregiver functioning. Copyright © 2016 American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Representation of letter position in visual word recognition process].

Science.gov (United States)

Makioka, S

1994-08-01

Two experiments investigated the representation of letter position in visual word recognition process. In Experiment 1, subjects (12 undergraduates and graduates) were asked to detect a target word in a briefly-presented probe. Probes consisted of two kanji words. The latters which formed targets (critical letters) were always contained in probes. (e.g. target: [symbol: see text] probe: [symbol: see text]) High false alarm rate was observed when critical letters occupied the same within-word relative position (left or right within the word) in the probe words as in the target word. In Experiment 2 (subject were ten undergraduates and graduates), spaces adjacent to probe words were replaced by randomly chosen hiragana letters (e.g. [symbol: see text]), because spaces are not used to separate words in regular Japanese sentences. In addition to the effect of within-word relative position as in Experiment 1, the effect of between-word relative position (left or right across the probe words) was observed. These results suggest that information about within-word relative position of a letter is used in word recognition process. The effect of within-word relative position was explained by a connectionist model of word recognition.

The overtime effect of social position on dental caries experience in a group of old-aged Danes born in 1914

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Krustrup, Ulla; Holm-Pedersen, Poul; Petersen, Poul Erik

2008-01-01

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to analyze the life-course effects of education, occupation, and income at ages 70, 75, 80, and 85 years, respectively, on dental caries experience of 85-year-olds. METHODS: The present study includes follow-up data from a population-based study, which...... comprised a sample of 176 individuals aged 85 years. Data on social position were collected at ages 70, 75, 80, and 85 years by means of structured personal interviews. Clinical oral health examinations were conducted to obtain data on dental caries at age 85. Dental caries was recorded at tooth surface...... level and caries experience was expressed by the DMF Index: the decayed tooth surfaces (D component), missing tooth surfaces (M component), and filled tooth surfaces (F component). RESULTS: The participants in the present study demonstrated a high level of dental caries experience; the prevalence rate...

Innovation in retail: impact on creating a positive experience when buying fashion products

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cristinel Vasiliu

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Innovation in fashion retail is critical in order to ensure competitive advantage in a constantly evolving market, in terms of consumer expectations. The modern customer is mobile, permanently connected to the Internet, well-informed about international trends, mindful of the quality of products, but more price sensitive and less loyal to a brand. The shopping experience provided by retailers is a crucial factor in purchase decision, encompassing all these variables in a complex concept of exogenous variable. As retailers’ efforts to provide excellence in shopping experience are focused on operating costs and thus on the profit margins, it is important to consider and identify which are the most relevant variables that form the perception of excellence for Romanian customers, so that retailers can innovate according to their expectations. The purpose of this article was to highlight the role of innovation in creating a positive experience for consumers buying clothes, shoes and accessories. The approach was based on the conduct of exploratory research. The research ? represented by five original objectives and as many different working scenarios ? resulted in the identification of thematic outlined exploratory opinions, exploiting a first investigation of its kind in Romania, less Pearson coefficients used in the analysis of ordinal variables or hierarchical, but quickly assessed using SPSS, version 21. As a pioneering research emphasis was on identifying potential associations and quantified correlations and less on rigorous delimitation of exogenous or endogenous quality in general, leaving room for future studies, sharper and with a higher degree of representation. Thus, we could highlight some useful aspects of the investigated retailers, by the dominant character of interested customers’ opinions according to their volunteer responses. Consumers are accustomed to using the Internet to obtain information; they rarely express opinions on

High-accuracy local positioning network for the alignment of the Mu2e experiment.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hejdukova, Jana B. [Czech Technical Univ., Prague (Czech Republic)

2017-06-01

This Diploma thesis describes the establishment of a high-precision local positioning network and accelerator alignment for the Mu2e physics experiment. The process of establishing new network consists of few steps: design of the network, pre-analysis, installation works, measurements of the network and making adjustments. Adjustments were performed using two approaches. First is a geodetic approach of taking into account the Earth’s curvature and the metrological approach of a pure 3D Cartesian system on the other side. The comparison of those two approaches is performed and evaluated in the results and compared with expected differences. The effect of the Earth’s curvature was found to be significant for this kind of network and should not be neglected. The measurements were obtained with Absolute Tracker AT401, leveling instrument Leica DNA03 and gyrotheodolite DMT Gyromat 2000. The coordinates of the points of the reference network were determined by the Least Square Meth od and the overall view is attached as Annexes.

Visual Working Memory Supports the Inhibition of Previously Processed Information: Evidence from Preview Search

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Aidroos, Naseem; Emrich, Stephen M.; Ferber, Susanne; Pratt, Jay

2012-01-01

In four experiments we assessed whether visual working memory (VWM) maintains a record of previously processed visual information, allowing old information to be inhibited, and new information to be prioritized. Specifically, we evaluated whether VWM contributes to the inhibition (i.e., visual marking) of previewed distractors in a preview search.…

Previous Experience a Model of Practice UNAE

OpenAIRE

Ormary Barberi Ruiz; María Dolores Pesántez Palacios

2017-01-01

The statements presented in this article represents a preliminary version of the proposed model of pre-professional practices (PPP) of the National University of Education (UNAE) of Ecuador, an urgent institutional necessity is revealed in the descriptive analyzes conducted from technical support - administrative (reports, interviews, testimonials), pedagogical foundations of UNAE (curricular directionality, transverse axes in practice, career plan, approach and diagnostic examination as subj...

Previous Experience a Model of Practice UNAE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ormary Barberi Ruiz

2017-02-01

Full Text Available The statements presented in this article represents a preliminary version of the proposed model of pre-professional practices (PPP of the National University of Education (UNAE of Ecuador, an urgent institutional necessity is revealed in the descriptive analyzes conducted from technical support - administrative (reports, interviews, testimonials, pedagogical foundations of UNAE (curricular directionality, transverse axes in practice, career plan, approach and diagnostic examination as subject nature of the pre professional practice and the demand of socio educational contexts where the practices have been emerging to resize them. By relating these elements allowed conceiving the modeling of the processes of the pre-professional practices for the development of professional skills of future teachers through four components: contextual projective, implementation (tutoring, accompaniment (teaching couple and monitoring (meetings at the beginning, during and end of practice. The initial training of teachers is inherent to teaching (academic and professional training, research and links with the community, these are fundamental pillars of Ecuadorian higher education.

Continuous Indoor Positioning Fusing WiFi, Smartphone Sensors and Landmarks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhi-An Deng

2016-09-01

Full Text Available To exploit the complementary strengths of WiFi positioning, pedestrian dead reckoning (PDR, and landmarks, we propose a novel fusion approach based on an extended Kalman filter (EKF. For WiFi positioning, unlike previous fusion approaches setting measurement noise parameters empirically, we deploy a kernel density estimation-based model to adaptively measure the related measurement noise statistics. Furthermore, a trusted area of WiFi positioning defined by fusion results of previous step and WiFi signal outlier detection are exploited to reduce computational cost and improve WiFi positioning accuracy. For PDR, we integrate a gyroscope, an accelerometer, and a magnetometer to determine the user heading based on another EKF model. To reduce accumulation error of PDR and enable continuous indoor positioning, not only the positioning results but also the heading estimations are recalibrated by indoor landmarks. Experimental results in a realistic indoor environment show that the proposed fusion approach achieves substantial positioning accuracy improvement than individual positioning approaches including PDR and WiFi positioning.

Preoperative screening: value of previous tests.

Science.gov (United States)

Macpherson, D S; Snow, R; Lofgren, R P

1990-12-15

To determine the frequency of tests done in the year before elective surgery that might substitute for preoperative screening tests and to determine the frequency of test results that change from a normal value to a value likely to alter perioperative management. Retrospective cohort analysis of computerized laboratory data (complete blood count, sodium, potassium, and creatinine levels, prothrombin time, and partial thromboplastin time). Urban tertiary care Veterans Affairs Hospital. Consecutive sample of 1109 patients who had elective surgery in 1988. At admission, 7549 preoperative tests were done, 47% of which duplicated tests performed in the previous year. Of 3096 previous results that were normal as defined by hospital reference range and done closest to the time of but before admission (median interval, 2 months), 13 (0.4%; 95% CI, 0.2% to 0.7%), repeat values were outside a range considered acceptable for surgery. Most of the abnormalities were predictable from the patient's history, and most were not noted in the medical record. Of 461 previous tests that were abnormal, 78 (17%; CI, 13% to 20%) repeat values at admission were outside a range considered acceptable for surgery (P less than 0.001, frequency of clinically important abnormalities of patients with normal previous results with those with abnormal previous results). Physicians evaluating patients preoperatively could safely substitute the previous test results analyzed in this study for preoperative screening tests if the previous tests are normal and no obvious indication for retesting is present.

Students’ strategies for position-taking in transnational education

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Li, Jin Hui

2016-01-01

as a field of struggle. The article discusses in depth how different student positions are led by the dispositions of having a certain nationality combined with international experiences/travel mobility. It will furthermore also discuss how the dispositions of national academic capital are related......The article illuminates the positions distributed and the strategies for position-taking which students pursue in order to transform or preserve their positions in a classroom with a transnational context where students have different national and international education experiences. Furthermore......, how their positions are related to their aspirations for the future will be elucidated. Based on interviews with Danish and Chinese students enrolled at a Sino-Danish university situated in Beijing, the article identifies four different navigation strategies for position-taking in such a classroom...

Perceptions of community and family level IDU and HIV related stigma, disclosure decisions and experiences with layered stigma among HIV positive injection drug users in Vietnam

OpenAIRE

Rudolph, A.E.; Davis, W.W.; Quan, V.M.; Ha, T.V.; Minh, N.L.; Gregowski, A.; Salter, Megan; Celentano, D.D.; Go, V.

2011-01-01

This paper explores how perceived stigma and layered stigma related to injection drug use and being HIV positive influence the decision to disclose one’s HIV status to family and community and experiences with stigma following disclosure among a population of HIV positive male injection drug users (IDUs) in Thai Nguyen, Vietnam. In qualitative interviews conducted between 2007 and 2008, 25 HIV positive male IDUs described layered stigma in their community but an absence of layered stigma with...

The present and future of positive technologies

OpenAIRE

Botella C.; Riva G.; Gaggioli A.; Wiederhold B.K.; Alcaniz M.; Banos R.M.

2012-01-01

The goal of this work is to delimit the field of Positive Technology—the scientific and applied approach to the use of technology for improving the quality of our personal experience. This new field combines the objectives of Positive Psychology with enhancements of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) by focusing on three key variables—emotional quality, engagement/actualization, and connectedness—that are able to transform our personal experience in a tool for build...

The Effects of Organizational Justice on Positive Organizational Behavior: Evidence from a Large-Sample Survey and a Situational Experiment

Science.gov (United States)

Pan, Xiaofu; Chen, Mengyan; Hao, Zhichao; Bi, Wenfen

2018-01-01

Employees' positive organizational behavior (POB) is not only to promote organizational function but also improve individual and organizational performance. As an important concept in organizational research, organizational justice is thought to be a universal predictor of employee and organizational outcomes. The current set of two studies examined the effects of organizational justice (OJ) on POB of employees with two different studies, a large-sample survey and a situational experiment. In study 1, a total of 2,566 employees from 45 manufacturing enterprises completed paper-and-pencil questionnaires assessing organizational justice (OJ) and positive organizational behavior (POB) of employees. In study 2, 747 employees were randomly sampled to participate in the situational experiment with 2 × 2 between-subjects design. They were asked to read one of the four situational stories and to image that this situation happen to the person in the story or them, and then they were asked to imagine how the person in the story or they would have felt and what the person or they subsequently would have done. The results of study 1 suggested that OJ was correlated with POB of employees and OJ is a positive predictor of POB. The results of study 2 suggested that OJ had significant effects on POB and negative organizational behavior (NOB). Procedural justice accounted for significantly more variance than distributive justice in POB of employees. Distributive justice and procedural justice have different influences on POB and NOB in terms of effectiveness and direction. The effect of OJ on POB was greater than that of NOB. In addition, path analysis indicated that the direct effect of OJ on POB was smaller than its indirect effect. Thus, many intermediary effects could possibly be between them. PMID:29375434

The Effects of Organizational Justice on Positive Organizational Behavior: Evidence from a Large-Sample Survey and a Situational Experiment.

Science.gov (United States)

Pan, Xiaofu; Chen, Mengyan; Hao, Zhichao; Bi, Wenfen

2017-01-01

Employees' positive organizational behavior (POB) is not only to promote organizational function but also improve individual and organizational performance. As an important concept in organizational research, organizational justice is thought to be a universal predictor of employee and organizational outcomes. The current set of two studies examined the effects of organizational justice (OJ) on POB of employees with two different studies, a large-sample survey and a situational experiment. In study 1, a total of 2,566 employees from 45 manufacturing enterprises completed paper-and-pencil questionnaires assessing organizational justice (OJ) and positive organizational behavior (POB) of employees. In study 2, 747 employees were randomly sampled to participate in the situational experiment with 2 × 2 between-subjects design. They were asked to read one of the four situational stories and to image that this situation happen to the person in the story or them, and then they were asked to imagine how the person in the story or they would have felt and what the person or they subsequently would have done. The results of study 1 suggested that OJ was correlated with POB of employees and OJ is a positive predictor of POB. The results of study 2 suggested that OJ had significant effects on POB and negative organizational behavior (NOB). Procedural justice accounted for significantly more variance than distributive justice in POB of employees. Distributive justice and procedural justice have different influences on POB and NOB in terms of effectiveness and direction. The effect of OJ on POB was greater than that of NOB. In addition, path analysis indicated that the direct effect of OJ on POB was smaller than its indirect effect. Thus, many intermediary effects could possibly be between them.

POSITION DETERMINATION OF CLOSELY SPACED BUNCHES USING CAVITY BPMs

CERN Document Server

Joshi, N; Cullinan, F; Lyapin, A

2011-01-01

Radio Frequency (RF) Cavity Beam Position Monitor (BPM) systems form a major part of precision position measurement diagnostics for linear accelerators with low emittance beams. Using cavity BPMs, a position resolution of less than 100 nm has been demonstrated in single bunch mode operation. In the case of closely spaced bunches, where the decay time of the cavity is comparable to the time separation between bunches, the BPM signal from a bunch is polluted by the signal induced by the previous bunches in the same bunch-train. This paper discusses our ongoing work to develop the methods to extract the position of closely spaced bunches using cavity BPMs. A signal subtraction code is being developed to remove the signal pollution from previous bunches and to determine the individual bunch position. Another code has been developed to simulate the BPM data for the cross check. Performance of the code is studied on the experimental and simulated data. Application of the analysis techniques to the linear colliders,...

Positional reference system for ultraprecision machining

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arnold, J.B.; Burleson, R.R.; Pardue, R.M.

1982-01-01

A stable positional reference system for use in improving the cutting tool-to-part contour position in numerical controlledmultiaxis metal turning machines is provided. The reference system employs a plurality of interferometers referenced to orthogonally disposed metering bars which are substantially isolated from machine strain induced position errors for monitoring the part and tool positions relative to the metering bars. A microprocessor-based control system is employed in conjunction with the plurality of position interferometers and part contour description data inputs to calculate error components for each axis of movement and output them to corresponding axis drives with appropriate scaling and error compensation. Real-time position control, operating in combination with the reference system, makes possible the positioning of the cutting points of a tool along a part locus with a substantially greater degree of accuracy than has been attained previously in the art by referencing and then monitoring only the tool motion relative to a reference position located on the machine base

Positional reference system for ultraprecision machining

Science.gov (United States)

Arnold, J.B.; Burleson, R.R.; Pardue, R.M.

1980-09-12

A stable positional reference system for use in improving the cutting tool-to-part contour position in numerical controlled-multiaxis metal turning machines is provided. The reference system employs a plurality of interferometers referenced to orthogonally disposed metering bars which are substantially isolated from machine strain induced position errors for monitoring the part and tool positions relative to the metering bars. A microprocessor-based control system is employed in conjunction with the plurality of positions interferometers and part contour description data input to calculate error components for each axis of movement and output them to corresponding axis driven with appropriate scaling and error compensation. Real-time position control, operating in combination with the reference system, makes possible the positioning of the cutting points of a tool along a part locus with a substantially greater degree of accuracy than has been attained previously in the art by referencing and then monitoring only the tool motion relative to a reference position located on the machine base.

Scalability Optimization of Seamless Positioning Service

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juraj Machaj

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Recently positioning services are getting more attention not only within research community but also from service providers. From the service providers point of view positioning service that will be able to work seamlessly in all environments, for example, indoor, dense urban, and rural, has a huge potential to open new markets. However, such system does not only need to provide accurate position estimates but have to be scalable and resistant to fake positioning requests. In the previous works we have proposed a modular system, which is able to provide seamless positioning in various environments. The system automatically selects optimal positioning module based on available radio signals. The system currently consists of three positioning modules—GPS, GSM based positioning, and Wi-Fi based positioning. In this paper we will propose algorithm which will reduce time needed for position estimation and thus allow higher scalability of the modular system and thus allow providing positioning services to higher amount of users. Such improvement is extremely important, for real world application where large number of users will require position estimates, since positioning error is affected by response time of the positioning server.

The Belle II Experiment

CERN Document Server

Kahn, J

2017-01-01

Set to begin data taking at the end of 2018, the Belle II experiment is the next-generation B-factory experiment hosted at KEK in Tsukuba, Japan. The experiment represents the cumulative effort from the collaboration of experimental and detector physics, computing, and software development. Taking everything learned from the previous Belle experiment, which ran from 1998 to 2010, Belle II aims to probe deeper than ever before into the field of heavy quark physics. By achieving an integrated luminosity of 50 ab−1 and accumulating 50 times more data than the previous experiment across its lifetime, along with a rewritten analysis framework, the Belle II experiment will push the high precision frontier of high energy physics. This paper will give an overview of the key components and development activities that make the Belle II experiment possible.

Does being attractive always help? Positive and negative effects of attractiveness on social decision making.

Science.gov (United States)

Agthe, Maria; Spörrle, Matthias; Maner, Jon K

2011-08-01

Previous studies of organizational decision making demonstrate an abundance of positive biases directed toward highly attractive individuals. The current research, in contrast, suggests that when the person being evaluated is of the same sex as the evaluator, attractiveness hurts, rather than helps. Three experiments assessing evaluations of potential job candidates (Studies 1 and 3) and university applicants (Study 2) demonstrated positive biases toward highly attractive other-sex targets but negative biases toward highly attractive same-sex targets. This pattern was mediated by variability in participants' desire to interact with versus avoid the target individual (Studies 1 and 2) and was moderated by participants' level of self-esteem (Study 3); the derogation of attractive same-sex targets was not observed among people with high self-esteem. Findings demonstrate an important exception to the positive effects of attractiveness in organizational settings and suggest that negative responses to attractive same-sex targets stem from perceptions of self-threat.

A facilitator of leisure activities for stress-related growth experience among middle-aged Korean women with depression.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Junhyoung; Kim, Jung-Hyun

2014-01-01

Leisure may serve as a coping resource following negative life events that facilitate positive changes. Previous studies on leisure have mainly focused on stress-related growth among individuals living in Western cultures. This study aimed to capture the role of leisure involvement as a facilitator of stress-related growth among middle-aged Korean women with depression. Three main themes were identified as an outcome of participation in leisure activities: (a) strengthening meaningful relationships, (b) improving positive emotions, and (c) facilitating personal strength. By participating in leisure activities, individuals with depression may develop the ability to cope with stress and experience positive changes.

"It's all about acceptance": A qualitative study exploring a model of positive body image for people with spinal cord injury.

Science.gov (United States)

Bailey, K Alysse; Gammage, Kimberley L; van Ingen, Cathy; Ditor, David S

2015-09-01

Using modified constructivist grounded theory, the purpose of the present study was to explore positive body image experiences in people with spinal cord injury. Nine participants (five women, four men) varying in age (21-63 years), type of injury (C3-T7; complete and incomplete), and years post-injury (4-36 years) were recruited. The following main categories were found: body acceptance, body appreciation and gratitude, social support, functional gains, independence, media literacy, broadly conceptualizing beauty, inner positivity influencing outer demeanour, finding others who have a positive body image, unconditional acceptance from others, religion/spirituality, listening to and taking care of the body, managing secondary complications, minimizing pain, and respect. Interestingly, there was consistency in positive body image characteristics reported in this study with those found in previous research, demonstrating universality of positive body image. However, unique characteristics (e.g., resilience, functional gains, independence) were also reported demonstrating the importance of exploring positive body image in diverse groups. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The "common good" phenomenon: Why similarities are positive and differences are negative.

Science.gov (United States)

Alves, Hans; Koch, Alex; Unkelbach, Christian

2017-04-01

Positive attributes are more prevalent than negative attributes in the social environment. From this basic assumption, 2 implications that have been overlooked thus far: Positive compared with negative attributes are more likely to be shared by individuals, and people's shared attributes (similarities) are more positive than their unshared attributes (differences). Consequently, similarity-based comparisons should lead to more positive evaluations than difference-based comparisons. We formalized our probabilistic reasoning in a model and tested its predictions in a simulation and 8 experiments (N = 1,181). When participants generated traits about 2 target persons, positive compared with negative traits were more likely to be shared by the targets (Experiment 1a) and by other participants' targets (Experiment 1b). Conversely, searching for targets' shared traits resulted in more positive traits than searching for unshared traits (Experiments 2, 4a, and 4b). In addition, positive traits were more accessible than negative traits among shared traits but not among unshared traits (Experiment 3). Finally, shared traits were only more positive when positive traits were indeed prevalent (Experiments 5 and 6). The current framework has a number of implications for comparison processes and provides a new interpretation of well-known evaluative asymmetries such as intergroup bias and self-superiority effects. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Couples with dementia: Positioning the 'we'.

Science.gov (United States)

Hydén, Lars-Christer; Nilsson, Elin

2015-11-01

The aim of this article is to investigate how spouses in couples with dementia position themselves in relation to each other by analysing their use of pronouns, especially the we. The study uses joint interviews with 11 couples. Based on a quantitative analysis of pronoun use, it is argued that the pronoun we is used by all the spouses; however, it is used less frequently by the spouses with dementia in comparison with healthy spouses. A qualitative analysis of the use of the pronoun we shows that the spouses position, experience and consider themselves as a couple and that they position and experience themselves as individuals in relation to the couple. One of the challenges for couples with dementia is to be able to retain a we in face of the progression of the dementia disease. By positioning themselves in various ways, the spouses establish and negotiate quite a complex and emotionally charged web of relationships. © The Author(s) 2013.

Repeated Surgical or Endoscopic Myotomy for Recurrent Dysphagia in Patients After Previous Myotomy for Achalasia.

Science.gov (United States)

Fumagalli, Uberto; Rosati, Riccardo; De Pascale, Stefano; Porta, Matteo; Carlani, Elisa; Pestalozza, Alessandra; Repici, Alessandro

2016-03-01

Surgical myotomy of the lower esophageal sphincter has a 5-year success rate of approximately 91 %. Peroral endoscopic myotomy can provide similar results for controlling dysphagia. Some patients experience either persistent or recurrent dysphagia after myotomy. We present here a retrospective analysis of our experience with redo myotomy for recurrent dysphagia in patients with achalasia. From March 1996 to February 2015, 234 myotomies for primary or recurrent achalasia were performed in our center. Fifteen patients (6.4 %) had had a previous myotomy and were undergoing surgical redo myotomy (n = 9) or endoscopic redo myotomy (n = 6) for recurrent symptoms. Patients presented at a median of 10.4 months after previous myotomy. Median preoperative Eckardt score was 6. Among the nine patients undergoing surgical myotomy, three esophageal perforations occurred intraoperatively (all repaired immediately). Surgery lasted 111 and 62 min on average (median) in the surgical and peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) groups, respectively. No postoperative complications occurred in either group. Median postoperative stay was 3 and 2.5 days in the surgical and POEM groups, respectively. In the surgical group, Eckardt score was dysphagia. Preliminary results using POEM indicate that the technique can be safely used in patients who have undergone previous surgical myotomy.

Working with previously anonymous gamete donors and donor-conceived adults: recent practice experiences of running the DNA-based voluntary information exchange and contact register, UK DonorLink.

Science.gov (United States)

Crawshaw, Marilyn; Gunter, Christine; Tidy, Christine; Atherton, Freda

2013-03-01

This article describes recent practice experiences with donor conceived adults, donors, non-donor-conceived adult children of donors using the voluntary DNA-based register, UK DonorLink. It highlights additional complexities faced when using DNA rather than paper records for searching, in particular from the risk of false positives, low chances of success and potential inclusion of biological parents' DNA. Professionals' experiences in supporting those being "linked" suggest challenges as well as rewards. Registration carries the potential to be therapeutic for donor-conceived adults and donors and to enhance their political awareness regardless of links being made. Registrants value both peer and professional support, providing the latter can respond flexibly and be delivered by staff experienced in intermediary work. Given that the majority of those affected by donor conception internationally come from anonymous donation systems, these findings are highly pertinent and argue the need for political and moral debate about such service provision.

The Experience of Resilience for Adult Female Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence: A Phenomenological Inquiry.

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Crann, Sara E; Barata, Paula C

2016-06-01

While resilience research in the context of intimate partner violence (IPV) is increasing, there remains little known about women's lived experience of resilience. Using a phenomenological approach, this study examined the experience of resilience for adult female survivors of IPV. Sixteen women who were currently experiencing or had previously experienced abuse by an intimate partner participated in semi-structured interviews. Resilience was experienced as multiple cognitive, emotional, and behavioral shifts across three theme areas: toward resistance, in the experience of control, and toward positivity. The results of this study suggest a number of applications for clinical practice and intervention. © The Author(s) 2015.

Improving the Gauss–Newton convergence of a certain position registration scheme

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Toews, C; Nelson, B

2010-01-01

This paper explores practical and numerical facets of a position registration scheme first proposed in connection with cardiac surgery. The goal of the registration is to use voltage measurements to determine the shape of a bounded homogenous region embedded within an unknown and inhomogenous medium. We assume that a probe with one or more electrodes can access and be moved about within the region. At each of n discrete positions, each electrode records three voltages, one from each of three orthogonal fields that have been set up across the surrounding media. If the fields were linear, the position of the electrodes at each measurement could be read directly from the voltage data and the shape of the region inferred accordingly, but since the inhomogeneities in the surrounding media distort the fields, the problem becomes one of simultaneously calculating the electrode positions and the field distortions. In this paper we build on previous work by modeling the field distortions as having a low-order expansion in some known functional basis, and attempt to solve for both the expansion coefficients and the probe positions via a Gauss–Newton iteration. Our interest is focused on how well the reconstruction can be expected to succeed under variations in both the choice of orientation parameters and the shape of the probe. Our results, which are supported with numerical experiments on simulated data, suggest that proper attention to these factors can strongly influence the accuracy of the reconstruction

Students’ strategies for position-taking in transnational education

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Li, Jin Hui

2016-01-01

The article illuminates the positions distributed and the strategies for position-taking which students pursue in order to transform or preserve their positions in a classroom with a transnational context where students have different national and international education experiences. Furthermore...

The meaning of life and health experience for the Chinese elderly with chronic illness: a qualitative study from positive health philosophy.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Heng; Shan, WeiYing; Jiang, AnLi

2014-10-01

Ageing and the concurrent prevalence of chronic disease in older adults produce a great burden and challenge for family, society and individuals. There is a definite need to build the science about caring for older Chinese adults from their perspective to inform health-care professionals. The aim of the study was to investigate the meaning of life and health experience of Chinese elderly with chronic illness and identify health potential from a positive perspective. A qualitative descriptive study was undertaken to interview 11 older adults ages 64-92 in a day centre. In 2011, the data were collected and analysed by thematic analysis. Four interrelated themes indicated a rich meaning of life and health experience from the older adults: (i) happiness lies in contentment; (ii) sense of responsibility; (iii) letting nature take its course; (iv) and proactive self-balance. These interrelated themes with partial conflict presented a dialectic meaning of life and were interpreted from traditional Chinese culture and compared with positive health philosophy. The significance of finding will encourage nursing practice work with clients and identify the potential and self-help strength of the elderly. © 2013 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Public health impact of isoniazid-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains with a mutation at amino-acid position 315 of katG: a decade of experience in The Netherlands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Doorn, H. R.; de Haas, P. E. W.; Kremer, K.; Vandenbroucke-Grauls, C. M. J. E.; Borgdorff, M. W.; van Soolingen, D.

2006-01-01

A previous limited study demonstrated that Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates with a mutation at amino-acid position 315 of katG (Delta315) exhibited high-level resistance to isoniazid and were more frequently resistant to streptomycin. In the present study, isoniazid-resistant M. tuberculosis

Chronic Chagas disease: PCR-xenodiagnosis without previous microscopic observation is a useful tool to detect viable Trypanosoma cruzi.

Science.gov (United States)

Saavedra, Miguel; Zulantay, Inés; Apt, Werner; Martínez, Gabriela; Rojas, Antonio; Rodríguez, Jorge

2013-01-01

We evaluate the elimination of the microscopic stage of conventional xenodiagnosis (XD) to optimize the parasitological diagnosis of Trypanosoma cruzi in chronic Chagas disease. To this purpose we applied under informed consent two XD cages to 150 Chilean chronic chagasic patients. The fecal samples (FS) of the triatomines at 30, 60 and 90 days post feeding were divided into two parts: in one a microscopic search for mobile trypomastigote and/or epimastigote forms was performed. In the other part, DNA extraction-purification for PCR directed to the conserved region of kDNA minicircles of trypanosomes (PCR-XD), without previous microscopic observation was done. An XD was considered positive when at least one mobile T. cruzi parasite in any one of three periods of incubation was observed, whereas PCR-XD was considered positive when the 330 bp band specific for T. cruzi was detected. 25 of 26 cases with positive conventional XD were PCR-XD positive (concordance 96.2%), whereas 85 of 124 cases with negative conventional XD were positive by PCR-XD (68.5%). Human chromosome 12 detected by Real-time PCR used as exogenous internal control of PCR-XD reaction allowed to discounting of PCR inhibition and false negative in 40 cases with negative PCR-XD. PCR-XD performed without previous microscopic observation is a useful tool for detection of viable parasites with higher efficiency then conventional XD.

Intuitive Choices Lead to Intensified Positive Emotions: An Overlooked Reason for "Intuition Bias"?

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Kirkebøen, Geir; Nordbye, Gro H H

2017-01-01

People have, for many well-documented reasons, a tendency to overemphasize their intuitions and to follow them, even when they should not. This "intuition bias" leads to several kinds of specific intuitive biases in judgments and decision making. Previous studies have shown that characteristics of the decision process have a tendency to "leak" into the experience of the choice outcome. We explore whether intuitive choices influence the experience of the choice outcomes differently from "non-intuitive," analytic choices. Since intuition is feeling based, we examine in particular if intuitive choices have stronger affective consequences than non-intuitive ones. Participants in two scenario studies ( N = 90; N = 126) rated the feelings of decision makers who experienced a conflict between two options, one intuitively appealing and another that appeared preferable on analytic grounds. Choosing the intuitive alternative was anticipated to lead to somewhat more regret after negative outcomes and, in particular, much more satisfaction with positive outcomes. In two autobiographical studies, one with psychology students ( N = 88) and the other with experienced engineers ( N = 99), participants were asked to provide examples of choice conflicts between an intuitive and a non-intuitive option from their own private or professional lives. Both groups showed a tendency to report stronger emotions, in particular positive, after intuitive choices. One well-established explanation for intuition bias focuses on the nature of people's anticipated negative counterfactual thoughts if their decisions were to turn out badly. The present data indicate that intuitive choices intensify positive emotions, anticipated and real, after successful outcomes much more than negative emotions after failures. Positive outcomes are also more commonly expected than negative ones, when we make choices. We argue that markedly amplified emotions, mediated by stronger personal involvement, in the

Brand Experience in Banking Industry: Direct and Indirect Relationship to Loyalty

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nuri WULANDARI

2016-02-01

Full Text Available In marketing, the meaning of value is rapidly shifting from service and relationships to experiences. It is believed that the traditional value proposition is no longer effective to compete in the market and to gain customer loyalty. By adapting the brand experience model, this study tries to validate the model in the banking industry, which is currently facing intense competition to retain customers. The brand experience construct is tested for its direct and indirect relationship toward loyalty. It is postulated that satisfaction and brand authenticity might be instrumental in mediating brand experience to loyalty. Research was conducted via in-depth interview and quantitative survey, targeting bank customers in Jakarta. The result confirmed that brand experience has direct and indirect contribution to loyalty in significant and positive manner. The research contributes in validating previous studies with a rare emphasis in banking sector. The result implies that brand experience is an important value to lead to customer loyalty in this area and subject to growing research on experience marketing.

The Bluebirds: World War I Soldiers' Experiences of Occupational Therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Pettigrew, Judith; Robinson, Katie; Moloney, Stephanie

More is known about the experience of occupational therapists than the experience of patients during the profession's early years. We examined soldiers' experiences of occupational therapy in American Base Hospital 9 in France during World War I through analysis of a 53-line poem by Corporal Frank Wren contained in the unpublished memoir of occupational therapy reconstruction aide Lena Hitchcock. Historical documentary research methods and thematic analysis were used to analyze the poem, the memoir, and the hospital's published history. The poem describes the activities engaged in during occupational therapy, equipment used, and the context of therapy. It articulates positive dimensions of the experience of engaging in activities, including emotional benefits, diversion, and orthopedic benefits. Previous historical research has identified core philosophical premises about the use of occupational therapy; in this article, the enactment of these principles is established through the analysis of a soldier's account of receiving occupational therapy. Copyright © 2017 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

Taking part in 'Understanding Your Child's Behaviour' and positive changes for parents.

Science.gov (United States)

Appleton, Rebecca; Douglas, Hazel; Rheeston, Mary

2016-02-01

ABSTRACT The Solihull Approach's Understanding Your Child's Behaviour (UYCB) is a 10-session group for parents run by facilitators in their local area. Previous studies have shown that parents enjoy taking part in the group, and that UYCB can reduce problematic behaviours in children. Building on this research, the present study evaluated whether UYCB programmes run more recently in the UK were rated as positively by parents, and what positive changes were reported by parents. Both quantitative and qualitative data was analysed from 105 parents who took part in 18 different UYCB groups between 2012 and 2015. The results of this analysis showed that 90 per cent of parents found the group a great place to relax and share experiences, 93 per cent rated the group as 'great' for helping them understand their child, and 92 per cent gave a 'great' rating for helping them identify changes. In addition to this, content analysis showed that 47 per cent of parents reported having a better relationship with their child after taking part, 42 per cent said they were more confident, and importantly six per cent reported a significant positive change in their lives generally as a direct result of UYCB.

Positive Technology for Healthy Living and Active Ageing.

Science.gov (United States)

Riva, Giuseppe; Gaggioli, Andrea; Villani, Daniela; Cipresso, Pietro; Repetto, Claudia; Serino, Silvia; Triberti, Stefano; Brivio, Eleonora; Galimberti, Carlo; Graffigna, Guendalina

2014-01-01

Information and communication technologies are widely and rapidly spreading in people's daily lives. But what is the possible role of the mass proliferation of digital devices in supporting healthy living and active ageing? Are they useful in fostering personal growth and individual integration of the elderly, by promoting satisfaction, opportunities for action, and self-expression? Rather, do they enhance automation, impose constraints on personal initiative, and result in compulsive consumption of information? In this chapter, we suggest that possible answers to these questions will be offered by the "Positive Technology" approach, i.e., the scientific and applied approach to using technology so that it improves the quality of our personal experiences through its structuring, augmentation, and/or replacement. First, we suggest that it is possible to use technology to manipulate the quality of experience with the goal of increasing wellness and generating strengths and resilience in individuals, organizations, and society. Then, we classify positive technologies according to their effects on these three features of personal experience - Hedonic: technologies used to induce positive and pleasant experiences; Eudaimonic: technologies used to support individuals in reaching engaging and self-actualizing experiences; Social/Interpersonal: technologies used to support and improve the connectedness between individuals, groups, and organizations. Finally, we discuss the possible role of positive technologies for healthy living and active ageing by presenting different practical applications of this approach.

Positive experience in the construction and project management of Kashiwazaki-Kariwa no. 6 and no. 7

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Minematsu, A.

1999-01-01

Kashiwazaki-Kariwa No.6 and No.7 (K-6/7), the world first Advanced Boiling Water Reactor (ABWR) units, started commercial operations on November 7, 1996 and July 2, 1997 respectively. ABWR has been developed as a standard design of the next generation BWR to meet common goals set by the Japanese electric utilities and BWR manufacturers (GE, Hitachi and Toshiba) based on our design, construction, operation and maintenance experience of nuclear power plants. The construction of K-6/7 and confirmatory tests for the verification of the first-of-a-kind (FOAK) design features of ABWR were conducted smoothly without any delay. The duration of the construction was 51.5 months. It was shorter than conventional BWRs in Japan by nearly one year. This was realized by design features of ABWR for better constructability, a principle of 'test before use' applied to the FOAKs, advanced construction technology, detailed engineering at very early stages of the project, and good construction management. The positive experience in the K-6/7 project is now being reviewed and standardized for next ABWR projects. The data and knowledge accumulated through the K-6/7 project will be utilized effectively with the aide of the latest information technology. (author)

The Relation Between Supervisors' Big Five Personality Traits and Employees' Experiences of Abusive Supervision.

Science.gov (United States)

Camps, Jeroen; Stouten, Jeroen; Euwema, Martin

2016-01-01

The present study investigates the relation between supervisors' personality traits and employees' experiences of supervisory abuse, an area that - to date - remained largely unexplored in previous research. Field data collected from 103 supervisor-subordinate dyads showed that contrary to our expectations supervisors' agreeableness and neuroticism were not significantly related to abusive supervision, nor were supervisors' extraversion or openness to experience. Interestingly, however, our findings revealed a positive relation between supervisors' conscientiousness and abusive supervision. That is, supervisors high in conscientiousness were more likely to be perceived as an abusive supervisor by their employees. Overall, our findings do suggest that supervisors' Big Five personality traits explain only a limited amount of the variability in employees' experiences of abusive supervision.

Explaining Research Utilization Among 4-H Faculty, Staff, and Volunteers: The Role of Self-Efficacy, Learning Goal Orientation, Training, and Previous Experience

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Julianne Tillman

2014-06-01

Full Text Available An investigation of factors that facilitate the utilization of research evidence among faculty, staff, and volunteers in the 4-H Youth Development Program is presented in this paper. Participants (N= 368; 86 4-H faculty, 153 staff, and 129 volunteers represented 35 states; structural equation modeling was utilized in the analyses. Results of the path analysis explained 56% of variance in research utilization and 28% in research utilization self-efficacy. Among the factors impacting research utilization, self-efficacy played the most important role. In turn, self-efficacy for research utilization was positively influenced by participants’ learning goal orientation, frequency of 4-H training during the last 12 months, education in research-related areas, and investigative career interests. In addition, 4-H staff who were exposed to research at higher levels reported higher research utilization self-efficacy. The findings reinforce the importance of fostering research utilization self-efficacy among 4-H faculty, staff, and volunteers. Among the suggestions presented are regular 4-H training opportunities and on-going exposure to program evaluation and program improvement experiences.

Effect of available space and previous contact in the social integration of Saint Croix and Suffolk ewes.

Science.gov (United States)

Orihuela, A; Averós, X; Solano, J; Clemente, N; Estevez, I

2016-03-01

Reproduction in tropical sheep is not affected by season, whereas the reproductive cycle of temperate-climate breeds such as Suffolk depends on the photoperiod. Close contact with tropical ewes during the anestrous period might induce Suffolk ewes to cycle, making the use of artificial light or hormonal treatments unnecessary. However, the integration of both breeds within the social group would be necessary to trigger this effect, and so the aim of the experiment was to determine the speed of integration of 2 groups of Saint Croix and Suffolk ewes into a single flock, according to space allowance and previous experience. For this, 6 groups of 10 ewes (half from each breed) from both breeds, housed at 2 or 4 m/ewe (3 groups/treatment) and with or without previous contact with the other breed, were monitored for 3 d. Each observation day, the behavior, movement, and use of space of ewes were collected during 10 min at 1-h intervals between 0900 and 1400 h. Generalized linear mixed models were used to test the effects of breed, space allowance, and previous experience on behavior, movement, and use of space. Net distances, interbreed farthest neighbor distance, mean interbreed distance, and walking frequencies were greater at 4 m/ewe ( ewe were greatest for Saint Croix ewes, whereas the opposite was found for lying down ( ewes showed larger intrabreed nearest neighbor distances, minimum convex polygons, and home range overlapping ( ewes at 4 m/ewe showed longest total distances and step lengths and greatest movement activity ( ewes walked longer total distances during Day 1 and 2 ( ewes kept longer interindividual distances during Day 1 ( ewes did not fully integrate into a cohesive flock, with each breed displaying specific behavioral patterns. Decreasing space allowance and previous experience resulted in limited benefits for the successful group cohesion. Longer cohabitation periods might result in complete integration, although practical implementation might be

From Affective Experience to Motivated Action: Tracking Reward-Seeking and Punishment-Avoidant Behaviour in Real-Life.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marieke Wichers

Full Text Available Many of the decisions and actions in everyday life result from implicit learning processes. Important to psychopathology are, for example, implicit reward-seeking and punishment-avoidant learning processes. It is known that when specific actions get associated with a rewarding experience, such as positive emotions, that this will increase the likelihood that an organism will engage in similar actions in the future. Similarly, when actions get associated with punishing experiences, such as negative emotions, this may reduce the likelihood that the organism will engage in similar actions in the future. This study examines whether we can observe these implicit processes prospectively in the flow of daily life. If such processes take place then we expect that current behaviour can be predicted by how similar behaviour was experienced (in terms of positive and negative affect at previous measurement moments. This was examined in a sample of 621 female individuals that had participated in an Experience Sampling data collection. Measures of affect and behaviour were collected at 10 semi-random moments of the day for 5 consecutive days. It was examined whether affective experience that was paired with certain behaviours (physical activity and social context at previous measurements modified the likelihood to show similar behaviours at next measurement moments. Analyses were performed both at the level of observations (a time scale with units of ± 90 min and at day level (a time scale with units of 24 h. As expected, we found that affect indeed moderated the extent to which previous behaviour predicted similar behaviour later in time, at both beep- and day-level. This study showed that it is feasible to track reward-seeking and punishment-avoidant behaviour prospectively in humans in the flow of daily life. This opens up a new toolbox to examine processes determining goal-oriented behaviour in relation to psychopathology in humans.

Appreciative Pedagogy: Constructing Positive Models for Learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Yballe, Leodones; O'Connor, Dennis

2000-01-01

Appreciative inquiry, an approach focused on generation of a vision for an organization, may be adapted for management classes. Students and teachers conduct collaborative inquiry into successful experiences, creating positive images that generate positive action in the classroom. (SK)

The experience of family carers attending a joint reminiscence group with people with dementia: A thematic analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Melunsky, Nina; Crellin, Nadia; Dudzinski, Emma; Orrell, Martin; Wenborn, Jennifer; Poland, Fiona; Woods, Bob; Charlesworth, Georgina

2015-11-01

Reminiscence therapy has the potential to improve quality of life for people with dementia. In recent years reminiscence groups have extended to include family members, but carers' experience of attending joint sessions is undocumented. This qualitative study explored the experience of 18 family carers attending 'Remembering Yesterday Caring Today' groups. Semi-structured interviews were transcribed and subjected to thematic analysis. Five themes were identified: experiencing carer support; shared experience; expectations (met and unmet), carer perspectives of the person with dementia's experience; and learning and comparing. Family carers' experiences varied, with some experiencing the intervention as entirely positive whereas others had more mixed feelings. Negative aspects included the lack of respite from their relative, the lack of emphasis on their own needs, and experiencing additional stress and guilt through not being able to implement newly acquired skills. These findings may explain the failure of a recent trial of joint reminiscence groups to replicate previous findings of positive benefit. More targeted research within subgroups of carers is required to justify the continued use of joint reminiscence groups in dementia care. © The Author(s) 2013.

Response of Sorghum bicolor L. to Residual Phosphate on Two Contrasting Soils Previously Planted to Cowpea or Maize

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tola Omolayo Olasunkanmi

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Proper fertilizer nutrient management through adequate utilization of the residual value coupled with healthy crop rotation contributes significantly to sustainable crop production. This study was conducted to evaluate the direct and residual effects of two rock phosphate (RP materials on two contrasting soils previously planted with either the cereal crop or the leguminous crop. The effectiveness of the RP materials as substitute for the conventional P fertilizers was evaluated using single superphosphate as reference at the Department of Agronomy, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria. The experiments were 2 × 2 × 4 factorial in completely randomized design. The test crops in the first cropping performed better on the slightly acidic loamy sand than on the strongly acidic sandy clay loam. Performance of each crop was improved by P supply in the first and second cropping. Single superphosphate proved to be more efficient than the RPs in the first cropping but not as effective as MRP in the second cropping. In the second cropping, sorghum performed better on the soil previously cropped to cowpea while Morocco RP had the highest residual effect among the P-fertilizer sources. It is evident that rock phosphates are better substitutes to the conventional phosphorus fertilizers due to their long term residual effect in soils. The positive effects of healthy rotation of crops as well as the negative effects of low soil pH are also quite obvious.

Responsive Social Positioning Behaviors for Semi-Autonomous Telepresence Robots

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vroon, Jered Hendrik

2017-01-01

Social interaction with a mobile robot requires the establishment of appropriate social positioning behaviors. Previous work has focused mostly on general and static rules that can be applied to robotics, such as proxemics. How can we deal effectively and efficiently with the dynamic positioning

Effect of previous irradiation of mineral powders on stability of suspensions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kazaryan, G.A.; Polushkin, V.A.; Vlasov, A.V.; Tsetlin, B.L.; Chakhoyan, P.A.; TsNII Khlopchatobumazhnoj Promyshlennosti, Moscow)

1984-01-01

One has investigated the influence of the previous irradiation (X-rays and gamma rays) in the viscosity and the aggregative stability of the suspensions of mineral powders (e. g. kaolin, MgO, TiO 2 ) in a number of organic liquids. It has been shown that when the powders have been irradiated at a dose of the order of 10 to 100 Gy, a considerable increase in the stability of suspensions in polar organic liquids is observed. The detected phenomenon is attributed to the formation of additional, positively charged centres on the surface of the particles of mineral substances under the effect of irradiation

Gamification Experience in Secondary Education on Learning of Digital Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jesús Carlos DÍEZ RIOJA

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Games have always been used in order to motivate learning at early ages. Nevertheless, during teen years, playing games have often been stigmatized as a waste of time. Thus, the phenomenon of gamification has become recently a methodological trend with a relevant presence in the classroom. In this paper, an analysis of previous work in gamification is performed in primary and secondary education. Next, the experience carried out at a secondary school in Barcelona is described where a program has been implemented ad hoc to teach, in a playful way, contents of digital systems in the context of the Industrial Technology course in secondary school. The results of the experience and the students’ opinion that have been positive are summarized in this paper.

Global positioning method based on polarized light compass system

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Jun; Yang, Jiangtao; Wang, Yubo; Tang, Jun; Shen, Chong

2018-05-01

This paper presents a global positioning method based on a polarized light compass system. A main limitation of polarization positioning is the environment such as weak and locally destroyed polarization environments, and the solution to the positioning problem is given in this paper which is polarization image de-noising and segmentation. Therefore, the pulse coupled neural network is employed for enhancing positioning performance. The prominent advantages of the present positioning technique are as follows: (i) compared to the existing position method based on polarized light, better sun tracking accuracy can be achieved and (ii) the robustness and accuracy of positioning under weak and locally destroyed polarization environments, such as cloudy or building shielding, are improved significantly. Finally, some field experiments are given to demonstrate the effectiveness and applicability of the proposed global positioning technique. The experiments have shown that our proposed method outperforms the conventional polarization positioning method, the real time longitude and latitude with accuracy up to 0.0461° and 0.0911°, respectively.

Lack of experience-based stratification in homing pigeon leadership hierarchies.

Science.gov (United States)

Watts, Isobel; Pettit, Benjamin; Nagy, Máté; de Perera, Theresa Burt; Biro, Dora

2016-01-01

In societies that make collective decisions through leadership, a fundamental question concerns the individual attributes that allow certain group members to assume leadership roles over others. Homing pigeons form transitive leadership hierarchies during flock flights, where flock members are ranked according to the average time differences with which they lead or follow others' movement. Here, we test systematically whether leadership ranks in navigational hierarchies are correlated with prior experience of a homing task. We constructed experimental flocks of pigeons with mixed navigational experience: half of the birds within each flock had been familiarized with a specific release site through multiple previous releases, while the other half had never been released from the same site. We measured the birds' hierarchical leadership ranks, then switched the same birds' roles at a second site to test whether the relative hierarchical positions of the birds in the two subsets would reverse in response to the reversal in levels of experience. We found that while across all releases the top hierarchical positions were occupied by experienced birds significantly more often than by inexperienced ones, the remaining experienced birds were not consistently clustered in the top half-in other words, the network did not become stratified. We discuss our results in light of the adaptive value of structuring leadership hierarchies according to 'merit' (here, navigational experience).

Visual working memory supports the inhibition of previously processed information: evidence from preview search.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Aidroos, Naseem; Emrich, Stephen M; Ferber, Susanne; Pratt, Jay

2012-06-01

In four experiments we assessed whether visual working memory (VWM) maintains a record of previously processed visual information, allowing old information to be inhibited, and new information to be prioritized. Specifically, we evaluated whether VWM contributes to the inhibition (i.e., visual marking) of previewed distractors in a preview search. We evaluated this proposal by testing three predictions. First, Experiments 1 and 2 demonstrate that preview inhibition is more effective when the number of previewed distractors is below VWM capacity than above; an effect that can only be observed at small preview set sizes (Experiment 2A) and when observers are allowed to move their eyes freely (Experiment 2B). Second, Experiment 3 shows that, when quantified as the number of inhibited distractors, the magnitude of the preview effect is stable across different search difficulties. Third, Experiment 4 demonstrates that individual differences in preview inhibition are correlated with individual differences in VWM capacity. These findings provide converging evidence that VWM supports the inhibition of previewed distractors. More generally, these findings demonstrate how VWM contributes to the efficiency of human visual information processing--VWM prioritizes new information by inhibiting old information from being reselected for attention.

MDEP Common Position CP-DICWG-13. Common position on spurious actuation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2017-01-01

would be those which are plausible and that have not been previously addressed. For example, a potential spurious actuation may not be of concern if the cause was the failure of multiple independent systems. As such, the potential for this spurious actuation may be considered implausible. However, a potential spurious actuation due to a single system failing may be considered plausible, particularly if it relies on the failed system to prevent itself from causing the spurious actuation. Spurious actuations are a cross-cutting safety issue that can affect multiple disciplines. Adequate resolution to this issue may necessarily involve personnel with expertise in safety analysis, human factors, I and C, electrical, probabilistic analysis, etc. Therefore, evaluating spurious actuations necessitates a multi-disciplinary approach to ensure that the consequences of spurious actuations on plant safety are fully understood and accounted for. This common position addresses the I and C review role. Other technical disciplines will need to establish their roles in addressing this issue. The Digital Instrumentation and Controls Working Group (DICWG) has agreed that a common position on this topic is warranted given the increase of use of Digital I and C in new reactor designs, its safety implications, and the need to develop a common understanding from the perspectives of regulatory authorities. This action follows the DICWG examination of the regulatory requirements of the participating members and of relevant industry standards and IAEA documents. The DICWG proposes a common position based on its recent experience with the new reactor application reviews and operating plant issues

Short- and long-term memory contributions to immediate serial recognition: evidence from serial position effects.

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Purser, Harry; Jarrold, Christopher

2010-04-01

A long-standing body of research supports the existence of separable short- and long-term memory systems, relying on phonological and semantic codes, respectively. The aim of the current study was to measure the contribution of long-term knowledge to short-term memory performance by looking for evidence of phonologically and semantically coded storage within a short-term recognition task, among developmental samples. Each experimental trial presented 4-item lists. In Experiment 1 typically developing children aged 5 to 6 years old showed evidence of phonologically coded storage across all 4 serial positions, but evidence of semantically coded storage at Serial Positions 1 and 2. In a further experiment, a group of individuals with Down syndrome was investigated as a test case that might be expected to use semantic coding to support short-term storage, but these participants showed no evidence of semantically coded storage and evidenced phonologically coded storage only at Serial Position 4, suggesting that individuals with Down syndrome have a verbal short-term memory capacity of 1 item. Our results suggest that previous evidence of semantic effects on "short-term memory performance" does not reflect semantic coding in short-term memory itself, and provide an experimental method for researchers wishing to take a relatively pure measure of verbal short-term memory capacity, in cases where rehearsal is unlikely.

Effects of water table position and plant functional group on plant community, aboveground production, and peat properties in a peatland mesocosm experiment (PEATcosm)

Science.gov (United States)

Lynette R. Potvin; Evan S. Kane; Rodney A. Chimner; Randall K. Kolka; Erik A. Lilleskov

2015-01-01

Aims Our objective was to assess the impacts of water table position and plant functional type on peat structure, plant community composition and aboveground plant production. Methods We initiated a full factorial experiment with 2 water table (WT) treatments (high and low) and 3 plant functional groups (PFG: sedge, Ericaceae,...

The effect of farrowing environment and previous experience on the maternal behaviour of sows in indoor pens and outdoor huts.

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Wülbers-Mindermann, M; Berg, C; Illmann, G; Baulain, U; Algers, B

2015-04-01

Outdoor farrowing huts facilitate a less restricted maternal behaviour in sows compared with sows kept indoors in farrowing pens. The aim of our study was to investigate whether there are behavioural differences between primiparous sows kept outdoors in farrowing huts and indoors in pens, and whether the maternal behaviour during the second parity, when all sows were kept outdoors in farrowing huts, would differ between sows that have experienced the indoor or the outdoor environment, respectively, during their first parturition. A total of 26 Yorkshire×Swedish Landrace sows were studied. Of these, 11 sows were housed outdoors in farrowing huts during both parturitions (group=OUTOUT). The other 15 sows were kept indoors in a barn with single farrowing pens during their first parturition. During their second parturition, sows were kept outdoors in farrowing huts (group=INOUT). The behaviour was video recorded from 2 h prepartum to 48 h postpartum. The sows' responsiveness to playbacks of a piglet's screams was tested on days 2 to 3 postpartum. Parity 1: during the last 2 h prepartum, OUTOUT sows had a higher proportion of observations in the sternal lying position (Pbehavioural differences between INOUT and OUTOUT sows. In conclusion, it is not problematic for a second parity sow with initial maternal experience from an indoor farrowing pen to be kept outdoors in farrowing huts during its following farrowing.

Polychlorinated biphenyl exposure, diabetes and endogenous hormones: a cross-sectional study in men previously employed at a capacitor manufacturing plant.

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Persky, Victoria; Piorkowski, Julie; Turyk, Mary; Freels, Sally; Chatterton, Robert; Dimos, John; Bradlow, H Leon; Chary, Lin Kaatz; Burse, Virlyn; Unterman, Terry; Sepkovic, Daniel W; McCann, Kenneth

2012-08-29

Studies have shown associations of diabetes and endogenous hormones with exposure to a wide variety of organochlorines. We have previously reported positive associations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and inverse associations of selected steroid hormones with diabetes in postmenopausal women previously employed in a capacitor manufacturing plant. This paper examines associations of PCBs with diabetes and endogenous hormones in 63 men previously employed at the same plant who in 1996 underwent surveys of their exposure and medical history and collection of bloods and urine for measurements of PCBs, lipids, liver function, hematologic markers and endogenous hormones. PCB exposure was positively associated with diabetes and age and inversely associated with thyroid stimulating hormone and triiodothyronine-uptake. History of diabetes was significantly related to total PCBs and all PCB functional groupings, but not to quarters worked and job score, after control for potential confounders. None of the exposures were related to insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) in non-diabetic men. Associations of PCBs with specific endogenous hormones differ in some respects from previous findings in postmenopausal women employed at the capacitor plant. Results from this study, however, do confirm previous reports relating PCB exposure to diabetes and suggest that these associations are not mediated by measured endogenous hormones.

Experiences of working from a freestanding position as a case manager when supporting clients in the Swedish welfare system.

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Klockmo, Carolina; Marnetoft, Sven-Uno

2016-06-01

The Swedish state uses a case management function known as Personligt Ombud (PO). The role as PO differs from the traditional professional roles. It has a freestanding position in the welfare system. The aim of this study was to investigate POs' experiences of working from a freestanding position when supporting clients. Telephone interviews were conducted with 22 POs across Sweden. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed by latent qualitative content analysis. The findings were reflected in three categories - freedom-promoted flexibility, surfing through a complex welfare system, and working for legitimacy. POs developed a holistic view to both the client as well as to the welfare system. POs experienced solely representing the client, which is a positive feature because part of the POs' role is advocating for the clients rights. The PO service differs from the PO service from other existing case management models and may need to develop strategies for decision-making and support in their own role. For example, they may use group supervision teams or 'reflective teams'. The freestanding position may also entail problems in terms of lack of legitimacy. It is important for POs to develop good platforms with the surrounding actors among others things to improve the co-ordination process. It could be interesting if the PO model would be tested in other countries that have a fragmented welfare system. The PO model may also be useful to other 'target groups' who are in need of co-ordinated rehabilitation services.

Morgellons disease: experiences of an integrated multidisciplinary dermatology team to achieve positive outcomes.

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Mohandas, Padma; Bewley, Anthony; Taylor, Ruth

2018-03-01

In recent years, there has been a reported increase in affliction of the skin with small fibres or other particles. The condition has been referred to as Morgellons disease. Patients present with stinging, burning or crawling sensations of the skin, with perceived extrusion of inanimate material alongside fatigue and other systemic symptoms. Sufferers often experience significant morbidity and reduction in quality of life. We aimed to explore the various clinical presentations, management strategies and outcomes employed to treat this condition in our patients. We conducted a retrospective case notes review of 35 patients referred to our multidisciplinary psycho-dermatology clinic at the Royal London Hospital between January 2004 and January 2017. The majority of patients were women (25) 71.4%, with a mean age of 54.6 years (26-80 years). Most (26) 74.2% were living alone. The average duration of illness prior to presentation was 3.8 years (4 months-20 years). Many patients had perceived precipitating factors (54.2%) and often self-diagnosed (28.5%). Psychiatric co-morbidities included 42.8% with depressive symptoms and 25.7% with anxiety. Substance misuse was elicited in five patients (14%). Management of patients included both the treatment of skin disease and psychosocial co-morbidities. Out of the 35 patients who attended (14) 40% cleared or showed significant improvement. Sixteen (45.7%) patients were stable and under review. One patient declined treatment and three did not attend review. One patient died from disease unrelated to her skin condition. Morgellons disease is a condition, which is widely discussed on the internet and patients often self-diagnose. The course of the disease can be chronic and debilitating. For a positive outcome, it is important that a strong physican-patient relationship is cultivated. As demonstrated in this case series, managing patients holistically in an integrated multidisciplinary dermatology setting helps achieve

Position-specific 13C distributions within propane from experiments and natural gas samples

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Piasecki, Alison; Sessions, Alex L.; Lawson, Michael; Ferreira, A.A.; Santos Neto, E. V.; Ellis, Geoffrey S.; Lewan, Michael; Eilers, J.M.

2018-01-01

Site-specific carbon isotope measurements of organic compounds potentially recover information that is lost in a conventional, ‘bulk’ isotopic analysis. Such measurements are useful because isotopically fractionating processes may have distinct effects at different molecular sites, and thermodynamically equilibrated populations of molecules tend to concentrate heavy isotopes in one molecular site versus another. Most recent studies of site-specific 13C in organics use specialized Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) techniques or complex chemical degradations prior to mass spectrometric measurements. Herein we present the first application of a new mass spectrometric technique that reconstructs the site-specific carbon isotope composition of propane based on measurements of the 13C/12C ratios of two or more fragment ions that sample different proportions of the terminal and central carbon sites. We apply this method to propane from laboratory experiments and natural gas samples to explore the relationships between site-specific carbon isotope composition, full-molecular δ13C, thermal maturity, and variation in organic matter precursors. Our goal is to advance the understanding of the sources and histories of short-chain alkanes within geologic systems. Our findings suggest that propane varies in its site-specific carbon isotope structure, which is correlated with increasing thermal maturity, first increasing in terminal position δ13C and then increasing in both center and terminal position δ13C. This pattern is observed in both experimental and natural samples, and is plausibly explained by a combination of site-specific, temperature-dependent isotope effects associated with conversion of different precursor molecules (kerogen, bitumen, and/or oil) to propane, differences in site-specific isotopic contents of those precursors, and possibly distillation of reactive components of those precursors with increasing maturity. We hypothesize that the largest changes in

Position-specific 13C distributions within propane from experiments and natural gas samples

Science.gov (United States)

Piasecki, Alison; Sessions, Alex; Lawson, Michael; Ferreira, A. A.; Santos Neto, E. V.; Ellis, Geoffrey S.; Lewan, Michael D.; Eiler, John M.

2018-01-01

Site-specific carbon isotope measurements of organic compounds potentially recover information that is lost in a conventional, 'bulk' isotopic analysis. Such measurements are useful because isotopically fractionating processes may have distinct effects at different molecular sites, and thermodynamically equilibrated populations of molecules tend to concentrate heavy isotopes in one molecular site versus another. Most recent studies of site-specific 13C in organics use specialized Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) techniques or complex chemical degradations prior to mass spectrometric measurements. Herein we present the first application of a new mass spectrometric technique that reconstructs the site-specific carbon isotope composition of propane based on measurements of the 13C/12C ratios of two or more fragment ions that sample different proportions of the terminal and central carbon sites. We apply this method to propane from laboratory experiments and natural gas samples to explore the relationships between site-specific carbon isotope composition, full-molecular δ13C, thermal maturity, and variation in organic matter precursors. Our goal is to advance the understanding of the sources and histories of short-chain alkanes within geologic systems. Our findings suggest that propane varies in its site-specific carbon isotope structure, which is correlated with increasing thermal maturity, first increasing in terminal position δ13C and then increasing in both center and terminal position δ13C. This pattern is observed in both experimental and natural samples, and is plausibly explained by a combination of site-specific, temperature-dependent isotope effects associated with conversion of different precursor molecules (kerogen, bitumen, and/or oil) to propane, differences in site-specific isotopic contents of those precursors, and possibly distillation of reactive components of those precursors with increasing maturity. We hypothesize that the largest changes in

Shunt malfunction causing acute neurological deterioration in 2 patients with previously asymptomatic Chiari malformation Type I. Report of two cases.

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Elliott, Robert; Kalhorn, Stephen; Pacione, Donato; Weiner, Howard; Wisoff, Jeffrey; Harter, David

2009-08-01

Patients with symptomatic Chiari malformation Type I (CM-I) typically exhibit a chronic, slowly progressive disease course with evolution of symptoms. However, some authors have reported acute neurological deterioration in the setting of CM-I and acquired Chiari malformations. Although brainstem dysfunction has been documented in patients with CM-II and hydrocephalus or shunt malfunction, to the authors' knowledge only 1 report describing ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt malfunction causing neurological deterioration in a patient with CM-I exists. The authors report on their experience with the treatment of previously asymptomatic CM-I in 2 children who experienced quite different manifestations of acute neurological deterioration secondary to VP shunt malfunction. Presumably, VP shunt malfunction created a positive rostral pressure gradient across a stenotic foramen magnum, resulting in tetraparesis from foramen magnum syndrome in 1 patient and acute ataxia and cranial nerve deficits from syringobulbia in the other. Although urgent shunt revisions yielded partial recovery of neurological function in both patients, marked improvement occurred only after posterior fossa decompression.

Perceived duration of emotional events: evidence for a positivity effect in older adults.

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Nicol, Jeffrey R; Tanner, Jessica; Clarke, Kelly

2013-01-01

BACKGROUND/STUDY CONTEXT: Arousal and negative affect modulate the effect of emotion on the subjective experience of the passage of time. Given that older adults are less aroused by negative emotional stimuli, and report lower levels of negative affect, compared with younger adults, the present study examined whether the effect of emotion on time perception differed in older and younger adults. Participants performed a temporal bisection task for emotional (i.e., angry, sad, happy) and neutral facial expressions presented at varying temporal intervals. Older adults perceived the duration of both positive and threatening events longer than neutral events, whereas younger adults only perceived threatening events longer than neutral events. The results, which are partially consistent with the positivity effect of aging postulated by the socioemotional selectivity theory, are the first to show how the effect of emotion on perceived duration affects older adults, and support previous research indicating that only threatening events prolong perceived duration in younger adults.

Parental anxiety associated with Kawasaki disease in previously healthy children.

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Chahal, Nita; Clarizia, Nadia A; McCrindle, Brian W; Boydell, Katherine M; Obadia, Maya; Manlhiot, Cedric; Dillenburg, Rejane; Yeung, Rae S M

2010-01-01

The objective of this study was to explore the lived experience of parents of children diagnosed with Kawasaki disease (KD) and to identify factors associated with increased levels of parental anxiety. Three focus groups were conducted including 25 parents of 17 patients with KD, seven (41%) of whom had coronary artery complications. A conceptual model was developed to depict parental experiences and illustrate the key issues related to heightened anxiety. Themes identified included anxiety related to the child's sudden illness and delay in obtaining a correct diagnosis because of the lack of health care providers' awareness and knowledge regarding KD. Parents were frustrated by the lack of information available in lay language and the limited scientific knowledge regarding the long-term consequences of the disease. Parents also reported positive transformations and different perspective toward challenges in life. However, the parents of children with coronary artery complications expressed persistent anxiety even years after the acute phase of the illness due to the uncertainty of the long-term prognosis. There remains a critical need for richly textured research data on the perspective and experience of families of children with KD. Copyright 2010 National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Intending to stay: Positive images, attitudes, and classroom experiences as influences on students' intentions to persist in science and engineering majors

Science.gov (United States)

Wyer, Mary Beth

2000-10-01

Contemporary research on persistence in undergraduate education in science and engineering has focused primarily on identifying the structural, social, and psychological barriers to participation by students in underrepresented groups. As a result, there is a wealth of data to document why students leave their majors, but there is little direct empirical data to support prevailing presumptions about why students stay. Moreover, researchers have used widely differing definitions and measures of persistence, and they have seldom explored field differences. This study compared three ways of measuring persistence. These constituted three criterion variables: commitment to major, degree aspirations, and commitment to a science/engineering career. The study emphasized social factors that encourage students to persist, including four predictor variables---(1) positive images of scientists/engineers, (2) positive attitudes toward gender and racial equality, (3) positive classroom experiences, and (4) high levels of social integration. In addition, because researchers have repeatedly documented the degree to which women are more likely than men to drop out of science and engineering majors, the study examined the potential impact of gender in relation to these predictor variables. A survey was administered in the classroom to a total of 285 students enrolled in a required course for either a biological sciences and or an engineering major. Predictor variables were developed from standard scales, including the Images of Science/Scientists Scale, the Attitudes toward Women Scale, the Women in Science Scale, and the Perceptions of Prejudice Scale. Based on logistic regression models, results indicate that positive images of scientists and engineers was significantly related to improving the odds of students having a high commitment to major, high degree aspirations, and high commitment to career. There was also evidence that positive attitudes toward gender and racial equality

Usefulness and limits of ultrasound guided hook-wire positioning for localisation of soft tissue lesions prior to surgery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trenaghi, Alberto; Dal Bosco, Chiara; Talenti, Enrico; Rubaltelli, Enrico; Borsato, Simonetta; Rossi, Carlo Riccardo; Lumachi, Franco

2005-01-01

Purpose. The aim of our study was to assess the usefulness of positioning metal wires under ultrasound guidance for localising soft tissue lesions in the preoperative phase. Materials and methods. We studied superficial soft-tissue lesions in 12 patients, using hooked mammographic wires of different lengths. One patient had a multifocal growth of disease which required a double localisation procedure. Correct positioning of the wire was confirmed by ultrasonography. All patients underwent surgery within five hours of hook-wire positioning. Results. Correct wire position was confirmed at surgery in 12 out of 13 procedures. In one case the hook-wire reached the margin of the lesion. In all cases, the preoperative localisation procedure facilitated identification and resection of the masses. Conclusions. In our experience, the main indications for hook-wire positioning before surgery are: marking of small lesions, localisation of lesions in anatomic areas structurally subverted by previous surgery and consequently difficult to detect, guidance for surgical sectioning in order to safeguard the noble structures dose to the lesions [it

Subliminal presentation of emotionally negative vs positive primes increases the perceived beauty of target stimuli.

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Era, Vanessa; Candidi, Matteo; Aglioti, Salvatore Maria

2015-11-01

Emotions have a profound influence on aesthetic experiences. Studies using affective priming procedures demonstrate, for example, that inducing a conscious negative emotional state biases the perception of abstract stimuli towards the sublime (Eskine et al. Emotion 12:1071-1074, 2012. doi: 10.1037/a0027200). Moreover, subliminal happy facial expressions have a positive impact on the aesthetic evaluation of abstract art (Flexas et al. PLoS ONE 8:e80154, 2013). Little is known about how emotion influences aesthetic perception of non-abstract, representational stimuli, especially those that are particularly relevant for social behaviour, like human bodies. Here, we explore whether the subliminal presentation of emotionally charged visual primes modulates the explicit subjective aesthetic judgment of body images. Using a forward/backward masking procedure, we presented subliminally positive and negative, arousal-matched, emotional or neutral primes and measured their effect on the explicit evaluation of perceived beauty (high vs low) and emotion (positive vs negative) evoked by abstract and body images. We found that negative primes increased subjective aesthetic evaluations of target bodies or abstract images in comparison with positive primes. No influence of primes on the emotional dimension of the targets was found, thus ruling out an unspecific arousal effect and strengthening the link between emotional valence and aesthetic appreciation. More specifically, that subliminal negative primes increase beauty ratings compared to subliminal positive primes indicates a clear link between negative emotions and positive aesthetic evaluations and vice versa, suggesting a possible link between negative emotion and the experience of sublime in art. The study expands previous research by showing the effect of subliminal negative emotions on the subjective aesthetic evaluation not only of abstract but also of body images.

Influence of Previous Crop on Durum Wheat Yield and Yield Stability in a Long-term Experiment

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Anna Maria Stellacci

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Long-term experiments are leading indicators of sustainability and serve as an early warning system to detect problems that may compromise future productivity. So the stability of yield is an important parameter to be considered when judging the value of a cropping system relative to others. In a long-term rotation experiment set up in 1972 the influence of different crop sequences on the yields and on yield stability of durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf. was studied. The complete field experiment is a split-split plot in a randomized complete block design with two replications; the whole experiment considers three crop sequences: 1 three-year crop rotation: sugar-beet, wheat + catch crop, wheat; 2 one-year crop rotation: wheat + catch crop; 3 wheat continuous crop; the split treatments are two different crop residue managements; the split-split plot treatments are 18 different fertilization formulas. Each phase of every crop rotation occurred every year. In this paper only one crop residue management and only one fertilization treatment have been analized. Wheat crops in different rotations are coded as follows: F1: wheat after sugar-beet in three-year crop rotation; F2: wheat after wheat in three-year crop rotation; Fc+i: wheat in wheat + catch crop rotation; Fc: continuous wheat. The following two variables were analysed: grain yield and hectolitre weight. Repeated measures analyses of variance and stability analyses have been perfomed for the two variables. The stability analysis was conducted using: three variance methods, namely the coefficient of variability of Francis and Kannenberg, the ecovalence index of Wricke and the stability variance index of Shukla; the regression method of Eberhart and Russell; a method, proposed by Piepho, that computes the probability of one system outperforming another system. It has turned out that each of the stability methods used has enriched of information the simple variance analysis. The Piepho�

High Hopes: Organizational Position, Employment Experiences, and Women's and Men's Promotion Aspirations.

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Cassirer, Naomi; Reskin, Barbara

2000-01-01

Analysis of General Social Survey data (n=733) indicated that men attached greater importance to promotion than women because they were more likely in positions with promotion potential. Results support Kanter's thesis that men's and women's positions in the workplace opportunity structure, not gender, shape career attitudes. (Contains 66…

Memorable Experiences with Sad Music—Reasons, Reactions and Mechanisms of Three Types of Experiences

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Peltola, Henna-Riikka

2016-01-01

Reactions to memorable experiences of sad music were studied by means of a survey administered to a convenience (N = 1577), representative (N = 445), and quota sample (N = 414). The survey explored the reasons, mechanisms, and emotions of such experiences. Memorable experiences linked with sad music typically occurred in relation to extremely familiar music, caused intense and pleasurable experiences, which were accompanied by physiological reactions and positive mood changes in about a third of the participants. A consistent structure of reasons and emotions for these experiences was identified through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses across the samples. Three types of sadness experiences were established, one that was genuinely negative (Grief-Stricken Sorrow) and two that were positive (Comforting Sorrow and Sweet Sorrow). Each type of emotion exhibited certain individual differences and had distinct profiles in terms of the underlying reasons, mechanisms, and elicited reactions. The prevalence of these broad types of emotional experiences suggested that positive experiences are the most frequent, but negative experiences were not uncommon in any of the samples. The findings have implications for measuring emotions induced by music and fiction in general, and call attention to the non-pleasurable aspects of these experiences. PMID:27300268

Indoor Positioning using Wi-Fi

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kjærgaard, Mikkel Baun; Krarup, Mads Vering; Stisen, Allan

The past decade has witnessed substantial research on methods for indoor Wi-Fi positioning. While much effort has gone into achieving high positioning accuracy and easing fingerprint collection, it is our contention that the general problem is not sufficiently well understood, thus preventing...... deployments and their usage by applications to become more widespread. Based on our own and published experiences on indoor Wi-Fi positioning deployments, we hypothesize the following: Current indoor Wi-Fi positioning systems and their utilization in applications are hampered by the lack of understanding...... of the requirements present in the real-world deployments. In this paper, we report findings from qualitatively studying organisational requirements for indoor Wi-Fi positioning. The studied cases and deployments cover both company and public-sector settings and the deployment and evaluation of several types...

Preservice teachers’ objectives and their experience of practical work

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V. Nivalainen

2013-01-01

Full Text Available This study explores third-year preservice physics teachers’ (n=32 views concerning the objectives of practical work at school and university. Content analysis of their essays about practical work revealed not only the objectives of the practical work undertaken but also how they had experienced teaching as school and university students. The objectives most commonly referred to were related to the connections between theory and practice, motivation, understanding phenomena, learning how to observe, and learning how to report. In contrast, some objectives were recognized only rarely, which is an important issue for discussion as a future challenge. Preservice teachers’ positive experiences of practical work resulted from the successful implementation of practical work. According to our findings, practical work can in many cases be regarded as successful, especially when the participants understand the objectives of the teaching. In contrast, negative experiences reflected failures or difficulties in implementation. We conclude by suggesting that preservice teachers should be offered opportunities to reflect on their previous experiences and to see and experience in practice the advantages of practical work.

Chronic Chagas disease: PCR-xenodiagnosis without previous microscopic observation is a useful tool to detect viable Trypanosoma cruzi

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Miguel Saavedra

2013-01-01

Full Text Available We evaluate the elimination of the microscopic stage of conventional xenodiagnosis (XD to optimize the parasitological diagnosis of Trypanosoma cruzi in chronic Chagas disease. To this purpose we applied under informed consent two XD cages to 150 Chilean chronic chagasic patients. The fecal samples (FS of the triatomines at 30, 60 and 90 days post feeding were divided into two parts: in one a microscopic search for mobile trypomastigote and/or epimastigote forms was performed. In the other part, DNA extraction-purification for PCR directed to the conserved region of kDNA minicircles of trypanosomes (PCR-XD, without previous microscopic observation was done. An XD was considered positive when at least one mobile T. cruzi parasite in any one of three periods of incubation was observed, whereas PCR-XD was considered positive when the 330 bp band specific for T. cruzi was detected. 25 of 26 cases with positive conventional XD were PCR-XD positive (concordance 96.2%, whereas 85 of 124 cases with negative conventional XD were positive by PCR-XD (68.5%. Human chromosome 12 detected by Real-time PCR used as exogenous internal control of PCR-XD reaction allowed to discounting of PCR inhibition and false negative in 40 cases with negative PCR-XD. Conclusion: PCR-XD performed without previous microscopic observation is a useful tool for detection of viable parasites with higher efficiency then conventional XD.

The 'positive' magnetic islands conception and its applications to T-11M experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mirnov, S.V.; Semenov, I.B.; Belov, A.M.; Azizov, E.A.

1999-01-01

A situation in tokamaks is analyzed in which the development of strong plasma current filamentation leads to nonlinear magnetic islands formation near resonant magnetic surfaces. It is shown that, along with the usual 'negative' magnetic islands, in which the modulation of the perturbation currents is negative, 'positive' islands can form in local regions with the positive current modulation. The 'positive' magnetic islands can be a reason of the 'hot spot' in plasma center during sawtooth crash. Also the 'positive' islands, probably, plays the important role in m=2 development during the major disruption and in the locked modes dynamics. (author)

The ''positive'' magnetic islands conception and its applications to T-11M experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mirnov, S.V.; Semenov, I.; Belov, A.M.; Azizov, E.A.

2001-01-01

A situation in tokamaks is analyzed in which the development of strong plasma current filamentation leads to nonlinear magnetic islands formation near resonant magnetic surfaces. It is shown that, along with the usual ''negative'' magnetic islands, in which the modulation of the perturbation currents is negative, ''positive'' islands can form in local regions with the positive current modulation. The ''positive'' magnetic islands can be a reason of the ''hot spot'' in plasma center during sawtooth crash. Also the ''positive'' islands, probably, plays the important role in m=2 development during the major disruption and in the locked modes dynamics. (author)

Positive emotion in distress as a potentially effective emotion regulation strategy for depression: A preliminary investigation.

Science.gov (United States)

Yamaguchi, Keiko; Ito, Masaya; Takebayashi, Yoshitake

2018-03-12

Emotion regulation utilizing positive emotion during negative emotional states might be one of the effective ways to alleviate depression and anxiety problems among people with emotional disorders. This study examined the psychometric properties and incremental validity of the Positive Emotion In Distress Scale (PEIDS), a newly developed self-report scale, in a sample of university students in Japan. To examine the psychometric properties of the PEIDS, the scale was completed by Japanese university students (396 men and 363 women; mean age of 19.92). Participants additionally answered the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire, Rumination and Reflection Questionnaire - Shorter Version, Affective Style Questionnaire, Positive and Negative Affective Schedule, and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. The survey was conducted at two time points separated by 1 month to assess test-retest reliability and validity of the PEIDS. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses confirmed a one-factor structure. Reliability was confirmed by high internal consistency and test-retest stability; the convergent and discriminant validity was confirmed by correlations with related and unrelated variables. The results of hierarchical regression analyses demonstrated that positive emotion in distress might predict depression above and beyond the effect of baseline depression and other common emotion regulation strategies. The PEIDS showed acceptable reliability and validity within young adults and a non-clinical population in Japan. Further research will be needed to examine the effect of positive emotion among clinical populations. Previous research suggests that positive emotions play a key role in recovery from depression and anxiety problems through some forms of psychotherapy. The Positive Emotion In Distress Scale (PEIDS) measures individual differences regarding the extent to which people can experience positive emotions in negative emotional states. Results suggested that the

Overview of TJ-II experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alejaldre, C.; Alonso, J.; Almoguera, L.

2005-01-01

This paper presents an overview of experimental results and progress made in investigating the role of magnetic configuration on stability and transport in the TJ-II stellarator. Global confinement studies have revealed a positive dependence of energy confinement on the rotational transform and plasma density, together with different parametric dependences for metallic and boronised wall conditions. Spontaneous and biasing-induced improved confinement transitions, with some characteristics that resemble those of previously reported H-mode regimes in other stellarator devices, have been observed. Also, magnetic configuration scan experiments have shown an interplay between magnetic structure (rationals, magnetic shear), transport and electric fields. Although the DC radial electric fields are comparable with those expected from neoclassical calculations, additional mechanisms based on neoclassical/turbulent bifurcations and kinetic effects are needed to explain the impact of magnetic topology on flows and radial electric fields. Local transport studies have demonstrated a dependence of plasma diffusivities and convective velocities on plasma density and heating power in consistency with global confinement properties. Hydrocarbon fuelling experiments in configurations with a low order rational value in the rotational transform located in the proximity of the last close flux surface (n = 4/m = 2) have shown the impurity screening properties related to the expected divertor effect. First experiments in NBI plasmas are reported. (author)

Positive autobiographical memory retrieval reduces temporal discounting

Science.gov (United States)

Lempert, Karolina M; Speer, Megan E; Delgado, Mauricio R

2017-01-01

Abstract People generally prefer rewards sooner rather than later. This phenomenon, temporal discounting, underlies many societal problems, including addiction and obesity. One way to reduce temporal discounting is to imagine positive future experiences. Since there is overlap in the neural circuitry associated with imagining future experiences and remembering past events, here we investigate whether recalling positive memories can also promote more patient choice. We found that participants were more patient after retrieving positive autobiographical memories, but not when they recalled negative memories. Moreover, individuals were more impulsive after imagining novel positive scenes that were not related to their memories, showing that positive imagery alone does not drive this effect. Activity in the striatum and temporo parietal junction during memory retrieval predicted more patient choice, suggesting that to the extent that memory recall is rewarding and involves perspective-taking, it influences decision-making. Furthermore, representational similarity in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex between memory recall and decision phases correlated with the behavioral effect across participants. Thus, we have identified a novel manipulation for reducing temporal discounting—remembering the positive past—and have begun to characterize the psychological and neural mechanisms behind it. PMID:28655195

Positive autobiographical memory retrieval reduces temporal discounting.

Science.gov (United States)

Lempert, Karolina M; Speer, Megan E; Delgado, Mauricio R; Phelps, Elizabeth A

2017-10-01

People generally prefer rewards sooner rather than later. This phenomenon, temporal discounting, underlies many societal problems, including addiction and obesity. One way to reduce temporal discounting is to imagine positive future experiences. Since there is overlap in the neural circuitry associated with imagining future experiences and remembering past events, here we investigate whether recalling positive memories can also promote more patient choice. We found that participants were more patient after retrieving positive autobiographical memories, but not when they recalled negative memories. Moreover, individuals were more impulsive after imagining novel positive scenes that were not related to their memories, showing that positive imagery alone does not drive this effect. Activity in the striatum and temporo parietal junction during memory retrieval predicted more patient choice, suggesting that to the extent that memory recall is rewarding and involves perspective-taking, it influences decision-making. Furthermore, representational similarity in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex between memory recall and decision phases correlated with the behavioral effect across participants. Thus, we have identified a novel manipulation for reducing temporal discounting-remembering the positive past-and have begun to characterize the psychological and neural mechanisms behind it. © The Author (2017). Published by Oxford University Press.

Value Positions in E-government strategies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Persson, John Stouby; Reinwald, Anja Kaldahl; Skorve, Espen

2017-01-01

by value positions deeply enshrined in the traditions of public administration. We present a theory directed con-tent analysis of value positions in the national e-government strategy for Denmark published for the first time in 1994 and latest in 2016. Our comparison of the value positions in the two e......-government strategies show consistency over time when looking at the ideals of professionalism, service, and efficiency. While the least dominant ideal of engagement, has declined. The 22-year timespan separating the development of these two strategies had major technological advances, but little transformational...... impact on Danish e-government strategies in their general value positions. We discuss how our findings contribute to previous research on values in e-government and have practical implications for working with e-government strategies....

Culture and drug susceptibility testing among previously treated tuberculosis patients in the Dominican Republic, 2014

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Katia J. Romero Mercado

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB is a major public health concern that threatens global progress toward effective TB control. The risk of MDR-TB is increased in patients who have received previous TB treatment. This article describes the performance of culture and drug susceptibility testing (DST in patients registered as previously treated TB patients in the Dominican Republic in 2014, based on operational research that followed a retrospective cohort design and used routine program data. Under the current system of TB culturing and DST, the majority of patients with previously treated TB do not undergo DST, and those who do often experience considerable delay in obtaining their results. The lack of DST and delay in receiving DST results leads to underestimation of the number of MDR-TB cases and hinders the timely initiation of MDR-TB treatment.

Menstruation across time: menarche, menstrual attitudes, experiences, and behaviors.

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McPherson, Marianne E; Korfine, Lauren

2004-01-01

This study explored the relationship between early and current menstrual experiences. The primary hypothesis was that women who reported positive menarcheal experiences (including menstrual education and menarche) would tend to report positive current menstrual attitudes, experiences, and/or behaviors, and vice versa for women who reported negative menarcheal experiences. In this survey-based study, college-aged women (n = 327) were screened by completing a questionnaire concerning their menarcheal experiences. Women who had extremely negative ("negative group," n = 46) or extremely positive ("positive group," n = 38) early menstrual experiences returned to complete questionnaires concerning current menstrual attitudes, experiences, and behaviors. Early and current menstrual experiences were most strongly associated in the domain of menstrual attitudes. Women in the negative group reported more negative menstrual attitudes than did women in the positive group. There were additional associations between early menstrual experiences and measures of body image and health behaviors. Positive group participants reported more positive body image and better general health behaviors. Results suggest that early menstrual experiences may be related to menstrual experiences later in life. This study invites further investigation of the psychology of menstruation and suggests connecting menstruation with other women's health issues.

University Student and Lecturer Perceptions of Positive Emotions in Learning

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Rowe, Anna Dluzewska; Fitness, Julie; Wood, Leigh Norma

2015-01-01

This paper presents results of an investigation exploring the experience and functionality of positive feelings and emotions in learning and teaching. The role of emotions in learning is receiving increasing attention; however, few studies have researched how university students and academics experience and perceive positive emotions. A prototype…

Positive uncertainty: The benefit of the doubt in advertising

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ketelaar, P.E.; Riet, J.P. van 't; Thorbjornsen, H.; Buijzen, M.A.

2018-01-01

Positive uncertainty refers to uncertainty surrounding an anticipated positive outcome. It provides consumers with the opportunity to imagine and speculate on a product's or experience's potentially positive characteristics. Research has shown that when uncertainty is associated with something

A misleading feeling of happiness: metamemory for positive emotional and neutral pictures.

Science.gov (United States)

Hourihan, Kathleen L; Bursey, Elliott

2017-01-01

Emotional information is often remembered better than neutral information, but the emotional benefit for positive information is less consistently observed than the benefit for negative information. The current study examined whether positive emotional pictures are recognised better than neutral pictures, and further examined whether participants can predict how emotion affects picture recognition. In two experiments, participants studied a mixed list of positive and neutral pictures, and made immediate judgements of learning (JOLs). JOLs for positive pictures were consistently higher than for neutral pictures. However, recognition performance displayed an inconsistent pattern. In Experiment 1, neutral pictures were more discriminable than positive pictures, but Experiment 2 found no difference in recognition based on emotional content. Despite participants' beliefs, positive emotional content does not appear to consistently benefit picture memory.

Paradoxical immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome associated with previous Cryptococcus neoformans infection in an HIV-positive patient requiring neurosurgical intervention.

Science.gov (United States)

Biagetti, Carlo; Nicola, Monica; Borderi, Marco; Pavoni, Michele; Tampellini, Livia; Verucchi, Gabriella; Chiodo, Francesco

2009-04-01

Immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) in HIV-1-infected patients is associated with an exaggerated inflammatory response against an opportunistic infection during highly active antiretroviral therapy. The only review on IRIS associated with Criptococcus neoformans reported 21 episodes including lymphadenitis, necrotizing pneumonitis, breast and cutaneous abscess, and cryptococcomas. To our knowledge this is the first report of IRIS associated with previous meningeal criptococcal infection which required neurosurgical intervention with placement of a ventriculo-peritoneal shunt to drain a CSF cyst formed by exclusion of the temporal horn of the right lateral ventricle. We demonstrate that this procedure is possible without complications such as cryptococcal dissemination into the peritoneum.

Design and construction of the movable limiters for holding the plasma in position in the nuclear fusion experiment TEXTOR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Butzek, D.A.; Derichs, K.

1983-11-01

The nuclear fusion experiment TEXTOR (Tokamak Experiment for Technology Oriented Research) has been constructed for investigation of plasma-wall-interaction. The plasma is generated inside a torus-shaped vacuum vessel. In addition to the magnetic fields mechanical limiters are provided to hold the plasma in position. The limiter scheme of textor consists of main limiters and reference limiters (measuring limiters). Main and reference limiters are mounted in different cross sections of the torus. The main limiters are movable during the plasma discharge while the reference limiters are kept fixed. They are adjustable. Thus, by moving the main limiters, the reference limiters can be exposed to different thermal loads during the discharge. Exposing the reference limiters to the plasma, first results have been obtained concerning the scrape off layer: thickness, fluxes of hydrogen and chromium through this layer. The limiter scheme, the final design and construction of the limiters and the first phase of operation are described in this report. (orig.) [de

Effects of Emotional Experience in Lexical Decision

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Paul D Siakaluk

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Previous research has examined the effects of emotional experience (i.e., the ease with which words evoke emotion information in semantic categorization, word naming, and Stroop tasks (Moffat, Siakaluk, Sidhu, & Pexman, 2015; Newcombe, Campbell, Siakaluk, & Pexman, 2012; Siakaluk, Knol, & Pexman, 2014. However, to date there are no published reports on whether emotional experience influences performance in the lexical decision task (LDT. In the present study, we examined the influence of emotional experience in LDT using three different stimulus sets. In Experiment 1 we used a stimulus set used by both Kousta, Vinson, and Vigliocco (2009; Experiment 1 and Yap and Seow (2014 that is comprised of 40 negative, 40 positive, and 40 neutral words; in Experiment 2 we used a stimulus set comprised of 150 abstract nouns; and in Experiment 3 we used a stimulus set comprised of 373 verbs. We observed facilitatory effects of emotional experience in each of the three experiments, such that words with higher emotional experience ratings were associated with faster response latencies. These results are important because the influence of emotional experience: (a is observed in stimulus sets comprised of different types of words, demonstrating the generalizability of the effect in LDT; (b accounts for LDT response latency variability above and beyond the influences of valence and arousal, and is thus a robust dimension of conceptual knowledge; (c suggests that a richer representation of emotional experience provides more reliable evidence that a stimulus is a word, which facilitates responding in LDT; and (d is consistent with grounded cognition frameworks that propose that emotion information may be grounded in bodily experience with the world (Barsalou, 2003, 2009; Vigliocco, Meteyard, Andrews, & Kousta, 2009.

Factors associated with a positive attitude towards change among employees during the early phase of a downsizing process.

Science.gov (United States)

Svensen, Erling; Neset, Gunnar; Eriksen, Hege R

2007-04-01

Most research on organizational changes in working life, including downsizing, focuses on the negative attitudes and negative consequences of the change. The aim of this study was to evaluate if the employee's previous learning experience and characteristics of the working environment were associated with positive attitudes towards organizational change. The 467 employees (73.5% males) working in a global oil company in the early phases of a downsizing process were asked to answer a questionnaire with demographic variables, perception of the working environment, and attitude to change (93% response rate). Corporate social responsibility (CSR), involvement and participation, team leadership and team effectiveness were important factors related to positive attitudes towards organizational change. Non-leaders and older employees were positive to change. We conclude that employees' perceptions of their psychosocial working environment, in particular the CSR, were highly related to their attitude to organizational change.

Car-Like Mobile Robot Oriented Positioning by Fuzzy Controllers

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Noureddine Ouadah

2008-11-01

Full Text Available In this paper, fuzzy logic controllers (FLC are used to implement an efficient and accurate positioning of an autonomous car-like mobile robot, respecting final orientation. To accomplish this task, called "Oriented Positioning", two FLC have been developed: robot positioning controller (RPC and robot following controller (RFC. Computer simulation results illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed technique. Finally, real-time experiments have been made on an autonomous car-like mobile robot called "Robucar", developed to perform people transportation. Obtained results from experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy.

Working with LGBT Individuals: Incorporating Positive Psychology into Training and Practice

Science.gov (United States)

Lytle, Megan C.; Vaughan, Michelle D.; Rodriguez, Eric M.; Shmerler, David L.

2014-01-01

This paper examines how positive psychology principles can be incorporated into clinical training and practice to work with lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) clients. LGBT psychology literature has all too often relied on heterosexual and cisgender reference groups as the norm with respect to psychological health, primarily framing the experiences of LGBT individuals through the lens of psychopathology. As a result, strengths that could be ascribed to the LGBT experience have been overlooked within training and practice. While positive psychology is actively being incorporated into clinical and counseling psychology curricula, broadening the paradigm to include LGBT individuals has generally not been included in the discussion. Specific recommendations for training psychologists to incorporate and foster positive social institutions, positive subjective experiences and character strengths when working with LGBT clients and celebrating their unique experiences are provided. PMID:25544947