Studies on provoked asthma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Munkner, L.; Bundgaard, A.

1982-01-01

A group of adult patients with perennial bronchial asthma has been studied as to lung perfusion and alveolar ventilation (81m-Kr) at rest and after provocation of an acute attack. Asthma was provoked by exercise and by histamine inhalation. After provocation the peak expiratory flow values were reduced to less than 80% of the base line values. Perfusion was often deranged. Regional ventilation changed rapidly after provocation and not always in the same fashion after exercise and histamine. During attacks lung volume increased. The expansion decreased (in parallel with increased peak expiratory flow) after inhalator of a #betta#-2 agonist (terbutaline). 81m-Kr offers unique opportunities for studying acute regional changes in alveolar ventilation. (Author)

Parlementaires debout : l'interface de l'opposition politique pendant ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

espace médiatique dans la lutte qui opposa singulièrement le pouvoir (Mobutu) et l'opposition (Tshisekedi) entre 1990 et 1997. L'expérience congolaise de Parlement debout ne pourrait servir de modèle à la gestion de l'espace public africain qu'à ...

Visible technologies, invisible organisations: An empirical study of public beliefs about electricity supply networks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Devine-Wright, Patrick; Devine-Wright, Hannah; Sherry-Brennan, Fionnguala

2010-01-01

Reducing carbon emissions in the energy system poses significant challenges to electricity transmission and distribution networks. Whilst these challenges are as much social as economic or technical, to date few research studies have investigated public beliefs about electricity supply networks. This research aimed to address this gap by means of a nationally representative study of UK adults (n=1041), probing beliefs about how electricity reaches the home, responsibility for electricity supply, associations with the words 'National Grid', as well as beliefs about the planning of new infrastructure. Findings suggest that electricity networks are represented predominantly in terms of technologies rather than organisations, specifically in terms of familiar, visible components such as cables or wires, rather than more systemic concepts such as networks. Transmission and distribution network operators were largely invisible to members of the public. In terms of planning new lines, most respondents assumed that government ministers were involved in decision-making, while local residents were widely perceived to have little influence; moreover, there was strong public support for placing new power lines underground, regardless of the cost. In conclusion, organisational invisibility, coupled with low expectations of participatory involvement, could provoke public opposition and delay siting new network infrastructure.

National renewable energy policy and local opposition in the UK: the failed development of a biomass electricity plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Upreti, B.R.; Horst, Dan van der

2004-01-01

Biomass energy developments in the UK are supported by central government but face considerable opposition from the public. The purpose of this study is to explore the causes and consequences of public opposition to biomass energy development in North Wiltshire where Ambient Energy Ltd. proposed the development of a 5 MWe wood gasification plant near the town of Cricklade. The case study was conducted through in-depth interviews, content analysis, person to person questionnaire survey, focus group discussion and participatory appraisal methods. Though biomass energy plants in general have fewer environmental impacts than plants which use fossil fuel, there could still be local impacts which give rise to concerns and local opposition to the development. The opposition could be partially explained by the fact that the general public is relatively unfamiliar with biomass energy. Public acceptance or rejection was mainly based on the public trust or mistrust. The case study demonstrates two distinctly rigid characteristics among the key stakeholders of biomass energy development. These are the 'not-in-my-back-yard' attitude from the public and the 'there-is-no-alternative' attitude of the developers. These rigid stances were widely contributing to the failure of the project to gain planning permission. The environmental justification of biomass energy at the national level is not always sufficient to convince the local residents. Winning public support to promote biomass energy requires an alternative approach of planning and action through interactive communication, public participation and collective learning among all the stakeholders

Understanding opposition in green advertising: The opposite does not always attract

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bialkova, Svetlana; Bialkova, Svetlana; Hubner, Arlette; Fenko, Anna; Warlop, L.; Muylle, S.

2015-01-01

Opposition (contrasting images and/or verbal cues) is acknowledged as a powerful tool to increase ads recall. Yet, no evidence exists whether opposition may be efficiently used in green advertising. The current study addresses this issue. European consumers (N=120) were exposed to print ads. Type of

Privatisation of agro-industrial parastatals and anglophone opposition in Cameroon

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Konings, P.J.J.

1996-01-01

This article focuses on the regional anglophone opposition in Cameroon which arose after 15 July 1994, when the government was forced by international donors to announce the privatization of 15 public enterprises, notably in the transport and agroindustrial sectors. The most prominent among them was

Opposite Degree Algorithm and Its Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiao-Guang Yue

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The opposite (Opposite Degree, referred to as OD algorithm is an intelligent algorithm proposed by Yue Xiaoguang et al. Opposite degree algorithm is mainly based on the concept of opposite degree, combined with the idea of design of neural network and genetic algorithm and clustering analysis algorithm. The OD algorithm is divided into two sub algorithms, namely: opposite degree - numerical computation (OD-NC algorithm and opposite degree - Classification computation (OD-CC algorithm.

Horizontal dimensions of ionosphere agitation provoked by underground nuclear explosions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Drobzheva, Ya.V.; Krasnov, V.M.; Sokolova, O.I.

2001-01-01

The horizontal dimensions of ionosphere agitation provoked by underground nuclear explosions have been experimentally determined for 13 explosions conducted at the Balapan test site of the Semipalatinsk test site. (author)

Narrowing the Gap: Explaining the Increasing Competitiveness of the Venezuelan Opposition

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Krouwel, A.P.M.; Kutiyski, Y.

2014-01-01

This article seeks to explain why electoral support for the Venezuelan opposition has increased substantially, using Venezuelan public opinion survey data from LAPOP and an opt-in sample collected through the online vote advice application Brújula Presidencial Venezuela. It analyzes why Venezuelans

Understanding the critics : a case study of opposition to wind power initiatives in Europe and North America. Volume 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Etcheverry, J.

2005-01-01

The causes behind public opposition to wind power projects were examined. A summary of factors identified in existing literature as affecting public perception of wind farms included physical, contextual, political, and socio-economic concerns. It was suggested that opposition to wind projects was correlated with the types of institutional policies used in a country to support development of the renewable energy sector. Explicit policy choices directly affect the type of project ownership as well as public acceptance and opposition of wind power projects. A review of international wind power policies and development was presented. While Denmark pioneered advanced renewable tariffs (ARTs) and remain fourth in the world, with over 3177 MW, public opposition to wind power is developing due to an increasing shift in ownership from co-operatives to individuals. Germany uses ARTs and has become leader in the world with over 17,000 MW. Canada uses tendering and ranks fourteenth in the world, with 570 MW. Opposition to wind power is increasing in some provinces who argue that it poses a threat to tourism opportunities and presents a visual intrusion to the landscape. Opposition in the United Kingdom has existed for decades. However, the United Kingdom ranks ninth in the world, with 880 MW and has one of Europe's best wind regimes. Spain uses ARTs and now ranks second in the world with 8263 MW with a new target of 20,000 MW by 2011. Some locations in Spain have been declared out of bounds for wind power development, and opposition is developing against proposed offshore facilities. It was concluded that the wind power industry needs to advocate for community power policy initiatives, listen to local people and maximize local participation, as well as accepting that some areas will remain out of bounds for development. refs., tabs., figs

Public values in public-private partnerships

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Reynaers, A.; de Graaf, G.

2014-01-01

Although public-private partnerships (PPPs) are often evaluated in terms of efficiency, their impact on public values is often neglected. In order to find out what we know about the public values-PPPs relation, this article reviews public administration literature and describes two opposite

Do stages of dentistry training affect anxiety provoking situations ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Getting diagnosis wrong, help in faint episode, not developing radiograph properly and coping with children were the anxiety provoking situations that showed statistically significant difference in the 3 studied training stages of dentistry. Bonferroni post‑hoc analysis significant difference was in the preclinical and clinical ...

Opposition to nuclear power: a review of international experience

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Surrey, J; Huggett, C

1976-12-01

This paper examines the rise of opposition to nuclear power in the USA, the Federal Republic of Germany, France, Sweden, and Japan. It explores the course that opposition has taken, the issues on which it has focused, the factors that have influenced it, and the problems it poses for public decision making. Opinions differ about the causes of nuclear opposition. Indeed, it is probable that a variety of factors have contributed, including cultural and political values regarding continued economic and energy growth and fears of deliberate large-scale violence with the spread of radioactive materials, the protest movements against nuclear weapons testing, the upsurge in environmental concern in the 1960s, the movement towards greater social responsibility in science, and a growing distrust of ''the Establishment''--particularly in the USA because of Watergate. The upsurge in concern was reflected in greater attention to environmental matters in the mass media, schools, universities, and the international agencies. It is important to recognize that this concern cuts across conventional left-right divisions of politics. Radicals, communists, and conservatives can be found among both the proponents and the critics. These difficulties facing the policy maker are accentuated by the amorphous nature both of the opposition and the issues which have received attention and by the evidence of many opinion surveys: that more people are in favor of nuclear power than oppose it, but the majority are uncertain and do not understand the issues. For purposes of analysis it is useful to distinguish between three types of opposition--nuclear-specific, site-specific, and that related to planning and consent procedures. (MCW)

State Violence and Oppositional Protest in High-Capacity Authoritarian Regimes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hank Johnston

2012-05-01

Full Text Available This examination of the mobilization-repression nexus in high-capacity authoritarian regimes draws on examples from China, Russia, Iran, and several Middle Eastern states to develop a framework for analyzing state violence and how political oppositions are organized. The study examines middle and low levels of state violence, the provincial and municipal organization of party and regime, and the police, private militias, and thugs as low-level enforcers, and focuses on: (1 the complexity of the state’s apparatus of repression and control and how different levels exercise different forms of violence against activists; (2 the creativity of the opposition’s actions to voice its demands and avoid repression and surveillance; and (3 the recursive relationship between the two, a dark dance between state and opposition with high stakes for both. Hierarchical analysis at national, provincial, and local levels, and lateral analysis across these levels, where elite interests frequently diverge, show that intersections and gaps on both axes can create lapses in social control and openings the opposition. These free spaces of speech and innovative action give rise to novel ways to keep oppositional sentiments in the public forum. The article offers several propositions for analyzing repression and state violence at various levels, and, similarly, the various ways that these free spaces occur.

Efficacy of transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) in women with provoked vestibulodynia: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Morin, Annie; Léonard, Guillaume; Gougeon, Véronique; Waddell, Guy; Bureau, Yves-André; Girard, Isabelle; Morin, Mélanie

2016-05-14

Provoked vestibulodynia is the most common form of vulvodynia. Despite its high prevalence and deleterious sexual, conjugal, and psychological repercussions, effective evidence-based interventions for provoked vestibulodynia remain limited. For a high proportion of women, significant pain persists despite the currently available treatments. Growing evidence suggests that the central nervous system (CNS) could play a key role in provoked vestibulodynia; thus, treatment targeting the CNS, rather than localized dysfunctions, may be beneficial for women suffering from provoked vestibulodynia. In this study, we aim to build on the promising results of a previous case report and evaluate whether transcranial direct-current stimulation, a non-invasive brain stimulation technique targeting the CNS, could be an effective treatment option for women with provoked vestibulodynia. This single-center, triple-blind, parallel group, randomized, controlled trial aims to compare the efficacy of transcranial direct-current stimulation with sham transcranial direct-current stimulation in women with provoked vestibulodynia. Forty women diagnosed with provoked vestibulodynia by a gynecologist, following a standardized treatment protocol, are randomized to either active transcranial direct-current stimulation treatment for ten sessions of 20 minutes at an intensity of 2 mA or sham transcranial direct-current stimulation over a 2-week period. Outcome measures are collected at baseline, 2 weeks after treatment and at 3-month follow-up. The primary outcome is pain during intercourse, assessed with a numerical rating scale. Secondary measurements focus on the sexual function, vestibular pain sensitivity, psychological distress, treatment satisfaction, and the patient's global impression of change. To our knowledge, this study is the first randomized controlled trial to examine the efficacy of transcranial direct-current stimulation in women with provoked vestibulodynia. Findings from this

Oral regurgitation after reflux provoking meals: a possible cause of dental erosion?

Science.gov (United States)

Bartlett, D W; Evans, D F; Smith, B G

1997-02-01

Certain foods and drinks such as alcohol, heavily spiced or fatty meals are known to provoke gastro-oesophageal reflux (GOR). This may give rise to symptoms of heartburn, epigastric pain and occasionally oral regurgitation of the gastric contents. Oral regurgitation of gastric juice is important in dentistry because of its association with dental erosion. This study measured oesophageal and oral reflux in 12 healthy subjects after a curry meal taken with alcohol 2 h before sleep. Each subject repeated the test with a bland non-reflux provoking control meal. GOR was measured by recording distal and proximal oesophageal pH on a dual channel, portable pH monitor. Oral pH was measured with a pH sensitive radio-telemetry capsule (RTC) held on the palate in a vacuum formed splint. Signals from the RTC were received by an aerial worn around the head. The pH change produced by GOR was estimated as the percentage time that pH (PTpH) was less than 4 in the distal oesophagus. Similarly, the PTpH was estimated reflux in only two subjects. In one of these subjects the bland meal provoked oral regurgitation with a PTpH < 5.5 of 13.5%. In the remaining subjects little oral regurgitation occurred.

Emerging and continuing trends in vaccine opposition website content.

Science.gov (United States)

Bean, Sandra J

2011-02-24

Anti-vaccination websites appeal to persons searching the Internet for vaccine information that reinforces their predilection to avoid vaccination for themselves or their children. Few published studies have systematically examined these sites. The aim of this study was to employ content analysis as a useful tool for examining and comparing anti-vaccination websites for recurring and changing emphases in content, design, and credibility themes since earlier anti-vaccination website content analyses were conducted. Between February and May 2010, using a commonly available search engine followed by a deep web search, 25 websites that contained anti-vaccination content were reviewed and analyzed for 24 content, 14 design, and 13 credibility attributes. Although several content claims remained similar to earlier analyses, two new themes emerged: (1) the 2009 H1N1 epidemic threat was "manufactured," and (2) the increasing presence of so-called "expert" testimony in opposing vaccination. Anti-vaccination websites are constantly changing in response to the trends in public health and the success of vaccination. Monitoring the changes can permit public health workers to mount programs more quickly to counter the opposition arguments. Additionally, opposition claims commonly appeal to emotions whereas the supporting claims appeal to reason. Effective vaccine support may be better served by including more emotionally compelling content. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Phenomenon of isomorphic provoking responses in cases of limited scleroderma

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Talnikova Е.Е.

2015-09-01

Full Text Available The article presents the historical origin of the term "Koebner phenomenon". The literature data reflect the etiology, pathogenesis and epidemiology of isomorphic mechanisms provoking responses in lichen planus, psoriasis, scleroder-ma, syphilis. Variants of the Koebner phenomenon's classifications are given. The clinical cases of limited scleroderma after mechanical injury are described.

OPPOSITIONS CREATING HOMOUR IN JOKES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Umral Deveci

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Human beings, who perceive the reality of death however who do not know when it will happen, begin their life with this deficiency. Therefore, throughout their lives, they struggle to consummate and make up for the things that they perceive as deficiency or shortcomings through different ways. Humor is one of these means. The fact that deficiencies are eliminated results in superiority and relaxation. The sense of humor and relaxation simultaneously provide laughter. When theories of humor such as superiority, incongruous and relief are taken into consideration, it seems that these theories are related and support each other. Each text is whole with its form and content, which should be evaluated as a whole as much as possible. Hence this study dwells on shortcomings in jokes and in the lights of these shortcomings and theories of humor, it is intended tomake humor in stories, in terms of structural and semantic context, more concrete. Five stories/jokes randomly selected through samples are analyzed in this article. There are two basic types of opposition. The firstone is opposition that creates situation, the second one is thatcreates laughter. The first opposition depicts the shortcomings of knowledge, skill, patience arrogance and jealousyand prepares the second opposition. The opposition that creates laughter make up for shortcomings through cause and effect relationship and laughter comes out.

Some Observations on Cultural Opposites in Contemporary China: Kunming and Beijing Twenty Years Later

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vesna Vučinić-Nešković

2016-02-01

Full Text Available This paper considers the cultural opposites observed in various segments of Chinese culture during the author's three stays in China over a period of twenty years. The first and second stay, in 1986 and 1989 respectively, coincided with the initial period of the implementation of modernization reforms in China, when their results were just beginning to be felt. The third stay was in 2009, towards the end of the third decade of reform implementation, at the time of an already developed marketoriented communism. The paper's main thesis is that most of the phenomena observed in present-day urban China can be assigned to opposite categories, namely Chinese-Western and traditional- contemporary. Cultural opposites have been observed in the sphere of tourism and the behavior of both Chinese and foreign visitors, in the use of Chinese and English in notices and signs in public places, and in the promotion of traditional and modern architecture. In addition, they have been noted in the presentation of arts and crafts and industrial products, in the manner of consumption of hot drinks, and in the combining of Chinese and foreign cuisine. They are also evident in a Beijing Opera performance adapted both to the modern Chinese and to foreigners, and in the traditional Chinese exercises and western dances performed in public parks. In conclusion, the paper suggests that the process of establishing connections between China and the West is being carried on in a moderate and controlled way. In the globalization process cultural opposites coexist and merge, imparting new features to Chinese culture.

Acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis provoked by furosemide

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andżelika Schwann-Majewska

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Introduction. Acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP is a skin disease characterized by the sudden appearance of generalized pustules, accompanied by elevated body temperature and neutrophilia. Objective. Presentation of a patient with AGEP provoked by furosemide. Case report. We present a case of a 65-year-old patient diagnosed with and treated for generalized pustular eruption, with fever and changes in laboratory tests. Numerous coexisting medical conditions and a great number of frequently changed drugs (ciprofloxacin, allopurinol, folic acid, calcium carbonate, cyclophosphamide, atorvastatin, betaxolol and furosemide hindered identification of the causative factor. Conclusions. On the basis of the medical history and clinical picture, the patient was diagnosed with generalized exanthematous pustulosis induced by furosemide.

Nuclear safety and public debate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanguy, P.

1997-01-01

In this article are evoked the question of nuclear safety and the public opinion, from the beginning of nuclear power plants in 1954 where a peaceful use of nuclear energy is developed in minds. If the aim was to avoid any important accident, the Three Miles Island accident and more recently the Chernobyl accident provoked a shock in public opinion and marked a peak of nuclear controversy. From this point, the policy of transparence and a best information of the public taken as a partner are necessary to maintain the dialogue. (N.C.)

Mucosal versus muscle pain sensitivity in provoked vestibulodynia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Witzeman K

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Kathryn Witzeman,1 Ruby HN Nguyen,2 Alisa Eanes,3 Sawsan As-Sanie,4 Denniz Zolnoun51Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Denver Health Medical Center, Denver, CO, 2Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 3Pelvic Pain Research Unit, Division of Advanced Laparoscopy and Pelvic Pain, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 4Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 5Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Center for Neurosensory Disorders, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USABackground: An estimated 8.3%–16% of women experience vulvovaginal discomfort during their lifetime. Frequently these patients report provoked pain on contact or with attempted intercourse, commonly referred to as provoked vestibulodynia (PVD. Despite the burden of this condition, little is known about its potential etiologies including pelvic floor muscular dysfunction and mucosal components. This knowledge would be beneficial in developing targeted therapies including physical therapy.Objective: To explore the relative contribution of mucosal versus muscle pain sensitivity on pain report from intercourse among women with PVD.Design: In this proof of concept study, 54 women with PVD underwent a structured examination assessing mucosal and pelvic muscle sensitivity.Methods: We examined three mucosal sites in the upper and lower vestibule. Patients were asked to rate their pain on cotton swab palpation of the mucosa using a 10-point visual analog scale. Muscle pain was assessed using transvaginal application of pressure on right and left puborectalis, and the perineal muscle complex. The Gracely pain scale (0–100 was used to assess the severity of pain with intercourse, with women rating the lowest, average, and highest pain levels; a 100 rating the

Multiple Pseudomonas species secrete exolysin-like toxins and provoke Caspase-1-dependent macrophage death.

Science.gov (United States)

Basso, Pauline; Wallet, Pierre; Elsen, Sylvie; Soleilhac, Emmanuelle; Henry, Thomas; Faudry, Eric; Attrée, Ina

2017-10-01

Pathogenic bacteria secrete protein toxins that provoke apoptosis or necrosis of eukaryotic cells. Here, we developed a live-imaging method, based on incorporation of a DNA-intercalating dye into membrane-damaged host cells, to study the kinetics of primary bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) mortality induced by opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa expressing either Type III Secretion System (T3SS) toxins or the pore-forming toxin, Exolysin (ExlA). We found that ExlA promotes the activation of Caspase-1 and maturation of interleukin-1β. BMDMs deficient for Caspase-1 and Caspase-11 were resistant to ExlA-induced death. Furthermore, by using KO BMDMs, we determined that the upstream NLRP3/ASC complex leads to the Caspase-1 activation. We also demonstrated that Pseudomonas putida and Pseudomonas protegens and the Drosophila pathogen Pseudomonas entomophila, which naturally express ExlA-like toxins, are cytotoxic toward macrophages and provoke the same type of pro-inflammatory death as does ExlA + P. aeruginosa. These results demonstrate that ExlA-like toxins of two-partner secretion systems from diverse Pseudomonas species activate the NLRP3 inflammasome and provoke inflammatory pyroptotic death of macrophages. © 2017 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Opposition-Based Adaptive Fireworks Algorithm

OpenAIRE

Chibing Gong

2016-01-01

A fireworks algorithm (FWA) is a recent swarm intelligence algorithm that is inspired by observing fireworks explosions. An adaptive fireworks algorithm (AFWA) proposes additional adaptive amplitudes to improve the performance of the enhanced fireworks algorithm (EFWA). The purpose of this paper is to add opposition-based learning (OBL) to AFWA with the goal of further boosting performance and achieving global optimization. Twelve benchmark functions are tested in use of an opposition-based a...

Evaluation of pro-convulsant risk in the rat: spontaneous and provoked convulsions.

Science.gov (United States)

Esneault, Elise; Peyon, Guillaume; Froger-Colléaux, Christelle; Castagné, Vincent

2015-01-01

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the utility of different tests performed in the absence or presence of factors promoting seizures in order to evaluate the pro-convulsant effects of drugs. We studied the effects of theophylline in the rat since this is a well-known pro-convulsant substance in humans. The occurrence of spontaneous convulsions following administration of theophylline was evaluated by observation in the Irwin Test and by measuring brain activity using video-EEG recording in conscious telemetered animals. Theophylline was also tested in the electroconvulsive shock (ECS) threshold and pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced convulsions tests, two commonly used models of provoked convulsions. In the Irwin test, theophylline induced convulsions in 1 out of 6 rats at 128 mg/kg. Paroxysmal/seizure activity was also observed by video-EEG recording in 4 out of the 12 animals tested at 128 mg/kg, in presence of clonic convulsions in 3 out of the 4 rats. Paroxysmal activity was observed in two rats in the absence of clear behavioral symptoms, indicating that some precursor signs can be detected using video-EEG. Clear pro-convulsant activity was shown over the dose-range 32-128 mg/kg in the ECS threshold and PTZ-induced convulsions tests. Evaluation of spontaneous convulsions provides information on the therapeutic window of a drug and the translational value of the approach is increased by the use of video-EEG. Tests based on provoked convulsions further complement the evaluation since they try to mimic high risk situations. Measurement of both spontaneous and provoked convulsions improves the evaluation of the pro-convulsant risk of novel pharmacological substances. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Learning preferences from paired opposite-based semantics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Franco de los Ríos, Camilo; Rodríguez, J. Tinguaro; Montero, Javier

2017-01-01

Preference semantics examine the meaning of the preference predicate, according to the way that alternatives can be understood and organized for decision making purposes. Through opposite-based semantics, preference structures can be characterized by their paired decomposition of preference...... on the character of opposition, the compound meaning of preference emerges from the fuzzy reinforcement of paired opposite concepts, searching for significant evidence for affirming dominance among the decision objects. Here we propose a general model for the paired decomposition of preference, examining its...

The square of opposition a cornerstone of thought

CERN Document Server

Basti, Gianfranco

2017-01-01

This is a collection of new investigations and discoveries on the theory of opposition (square, hexagon, octagon, polyhedra of opposition) by the best specialists from all over the world. The papers range from historical considerations to new mathematical developments of the theory of opposition including applications to theology, theory of argumentation and metalogic.

Inhibition of Bcl-2 or IAP proteins does not provoke mutations in surviving cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shekhar, Tanmay M. [Department of Biochemistry, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora 3083 (Australia); Green, Maja M. [Department of Biochemistry, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora 3083 (Australia); Department of Anatomy & Neuroscience, The University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010 (Australia); Rayner, David M.; Miles, Mark A.; Cutts, Suzanne M. [Department of Biochemistry, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora 3083 (Australia); Hawkins, Christine J., E-mail: c.hawkins@latrobe.edu.au [Department of Biochemistry, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora 3083 (Australia)

2015-07-15

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Mutagenicities of anti-cancer drugs were tested using HPRT, γH2AX and comet assays. • TRAIL, doxorubicin and etoposide were more mutagenic than BH3- or Smac-mimetics. • Physiologically achievable levels of the BH3-mimetic ABT-737 were not mutagenic. • High concentrations of ABT-737 provoked mutations via an off-target mechanism. • Even very high concentrations of IAP antagonists were not mutagenic. - Abstract: Chemotherapy and radiotherapy can cause permanent damage to the genomes of surviving cells, provoking severe side effects such as second malignancies in some cancer survivors. Drugs that mimic the activity of death ligands, or antagonise pro-survival proteins of the Bcl-2 or IAP families have yielded encouraging results in animal experiments and early phase clinical trials. Because these agents directly engage apoptosis pathways, rather than damaging DNA to indirectly provoke tumour cell death, we reasoned that they may offer another important advantage over conventional therapies: minimisation or elimination of side effects such as second cancers that result from mutation of surviving normal cells. Disappointingly, however, we previously found that concentrations of death receptor agonists like TRAIL that would be present in vivo in clinical settings provoked DNA damage in surviving cells. In this study, we used cell line model systems to investigate the mutagenic capacity of drugs from two other classes of direct apoptosis-inducing agents: the BH3-mimetic ABT-737 and the IAP antagonists LCL161 and AT-406. Encouragingly, our data suggest that IAP antagonists possess negligible genotoxic activity. Doses of ABT-737 that were required to damage DNA stimulated Bax/Bak-independent signalling and exceeded concentrations detected in the plasma of animals treated with this drug. These findings provide hope that cancer patients treated by BH3-mimetics or IAP antagonists may avoid mutation-related illnesses that afflict

Inhibition of Bcl-2 or IAP proteins does not provoke mutations in surviving cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shekhar, Tanmay M.; Green, Maja M.; Rayner, David M.; Miles, Mark A.; Cutts, Suzanne M.; Hawkins, Christine J.

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Mutagenicities of anti-cancer drugs were tested using HPRT, γH2AX and comet assays. • TRAIL, doxorubicin and etoposide were more mutagenic than BH3- or Smac-mimetics. • Physiologically achievable levels of the BH3-mimetic ABT-737 were not mutagenic. • High concentrations of ABT-737 provoked mutations via an off-target mechanism. • Even very high concentrations of IAP antagonists were not mutagenic. - Abstract: Chemotherapy and radiotherapy can cause permanent damage to the genomes of surviving cells, provoking severe side effects such as second malignancies in some cancer survivors. Drugs that mimic the activity of death ligands, or antagonise pro-survival proteins of the Bcl-2 or IAP families have yielded encouraging results in animal experiments and early phase clinical trials. Because these agents directly engage apoptosis pathways, rather than damaging DNA to indirectly provoke tumour cell death, we reasoned that they may offer another important advantage over conventional therapies: minimisation or elimination of side effects such as second cancers that result from mutation of surviving normal cells. Disappointingly, however, we previously found that concentrations of death receptor agonists like TRAIL that would be present in vivo in clinical settings provoked DNA damage in surviving cells. In this study, we used cell line model systems to investigate the mutagenic capacity of drugs from two other classes of direct apoptosis-inducing agents: the BH3-mimetic ABT-737 and the IAP antagonists LCL161 and AT-406. Encouragingly, our data suggest that IAP antagonists possess negligible genotoxic activity. Doses of ABT-737 that were required to damage DNA stimulated Bax/Bak-independent signalling and exceeded concentrations detected in the plasma of animals treated with this drug. These findings provide hope that cancer patients treated by BH3-mimetics or IAP antagonists may avoid mutation-related illnesses that afflict

Around and Beyond the Square of Opposition

CERN Document Server

Béziau, Jean-Yves

2012-01-01

aiThe theory of oppositions based on Aristotelian foundations of logic has been pictured in a striking square diagram which can be understood and applied in many different ways having repercussions in various fields: epistemology, linguistics, mathematics, psychology. The square can also be generalized in other two-dimensional or multi-dimensional objects extending in breadth and depth the original theory of oppositions of Aristotle. The square of opposition is a very attractive theme which has been going through centuries without evaporating. Since 10 years there is a new growing interest for

Public opinion on abortion in eight Mexican states amid opposition to legalization.

Science.gov (United States)

Valencia Rodríguez, Jorge; Wilson, Kate S; Díaz Olavarrieta, Claudia; García, Sandra G; Sánchez Fuentes, Maria Luisa

2011-09-01

In opposition to Mexico City's legalization of first-trimester abortion, 17 Mexican states (53 percent) have introduced initiatives or reforms to ban abortion entirely, and other states have similar legislation pending. We conducted an opinion survey in eight states--four where constitutional amendments have already been approved and four with pending amendments. Using logistic regression analyses, we found that higher education, political party affiliation, and awareness of reforms/initiatives were significantly associated with support for the Mexico City law. Legal abortion was supported by a large proportion of respondents in cases of rape (45-70 percent), risk to a woman's life (55-71 percent), and risk to a woman's health (48-68 percent). A larger percentage of respondents favored the Mexico City law, which limits elective legal abortion to the first 12 weeks of gestation (32-54 percent), than elective abortion without regard to gestational limit (14-31 percent).

Public opinion and the politics of the killer robots debate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael C Horowitz

2016-02-01

Full Text Available The possibility that today’s drones could become tomorrow’s killer robots has attracted the attention of people around the world. Scientists and business leaders, from Stephen Hawking to Elon Musk, recently signed a letter urging the world to ban autonomous weapons. Part of the argument against these systems is that they violate the public conscience provision of the Martens Clause due to public opposition, making them illegal under international law. What, however, does the US public think of these systems? Existing research suggests widespread US public opposition, but focused on support for autonomous weapons in a vacuum. This paper uses two survey experiments to test the conditions in which public opposition rises and falls. The results demonstrate that public opposition to autonomous weapons is contextual. Fear of other countries or non-state actors developing these weapons makes the public significantly more supportive of developing them. The public also becomes much more willing to actually use autonomous weapons when their use would protect US forces. Beyond contributing to ongoing academic debates about casualty aversion, the microfoundations of foreign policy, and weapon systems, these results suggest the need for modesty when making claims about how the public views new, unknown technologies such as autonomous weapons.

Emotional stimuli-provoked seizures potentially misdiagnosed as psychogenic non-epileptic attacks: A case of temporal lobe epilepsy with amygdala enlargement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hidetaka Tamune

Full Text Available The association between emotional stimuli and temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE is largely unknown. Here, we report the case of a depressed, 50-year-old female complaining of episodes of a “spaced out” experience precipitated by emotional stimuli. Psychogenic non-epileptic attacks were suspected. However, video-EEG coupled with emotional stimuli-provoked procedures and MRI findings of amygdala enlargement, led to the diagnosis of left TLE. Accurate diagnosis and explanation improved her subjective depression and seizure frequency. This case demonstrated that emotional stimuli can provoke seizures in TLE and suggested the involvement of the enlarged amygdala and the modulation of emotion-related neural circuits. Keywords: Video-EEG, Psychogenic non-epileptic attacks, Temporal lobe epilepsy, Amygdala enlargement, Reflex seizure, Provoked seizure

Twenty years of environmental opposition in the electric sector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Molocchi, Andrea

1997-01-01

This article aims to provide a framework for analysing social opposition In Italy against the construction and management of electric power plants (nuclear and thermoelectric) and big electricity power lines in the past twenty years. First The author provide a history of social environmental opposition in the electric sector. This is followed by a typology of reason for opposition in terms of risk perception, which has been applied to about forty cases of social opposition against electric plants. This study an original experimental methodology which could also yield useful results when applied to other complex social phenomena. In the third phase of the study the author analyse the various roles of the social and institutional actors involved in the opposition, and the obstacles to future consensus building. The most interesting result of the study is the not only social but political nature opposition. This factor necessitates integration of the traditional individual risk perception approach with an approach which analyses political and social action of NGO's

Public sphere proof against antinuclear phenomenon in France (1962-2012)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chambru, Mikael

2014-01-01

By using the concept of public sphere this article analyzes the dynamics of publicization the French nuclear power controversy by social movement. I recount the emergence of the antinuclear phenomenon since the sixties, its deployment across multiple oppositional public spheres, and its repercussions on the dynamics of public sphere until the year 2010. I highlight the ongoing interaction, over the decades, between oppositional public spheres and the established public sphere. This interaction results in a crossed process of empowerment and institutionalization of the action of social movements. (author)

Synchronized SETI-The Case for "Opposition"

Science.gov (United States)

Corbet, Robin H. D.

2003-06-01

If the signals being sought in search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) programs exist but are brief (for example, they are produced intermittently to conserve energy), then it is essential to know when these signals will arrive at the Earth. Different types of transmitter/receiver synchronization schemes are possible, which vary in the relative amount of effort required by the transmitter and the receiver. The case is made for a scheme that is extremely simple for the receiver: Make observations of a target when it is at maximum angular distance from the Sun (i.e., "opposition"). This strategy requires that the transmitter has accurate knowledge of the distance and proper motion of the Sun and the orbit of the Earth. It is anticipated that within the next 10-20 years it will be possible to detect directly nearby extrasolar planets of approximately terrestrial mass. Since extraterrestrial transmitters are expected to have significantly more advanced technology, it is not unreasonable to expect that they would be able to detect the presence of the Earth and measure its orbit at even greater distances. This strategy is simple to implement, and opposition is also typically the time when observations are easiest to make. Limited opposition surveys contained in a number of all-sky surveys have already been performed. However, full-sky opposition surveys are best suited to detectors with very large fields of view.

Neither Knowledge Deficit nor NIMBY: Understanding Opposition to Hydraulic Fracturing as a Nuanced Coalition in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania (USA).

Science.gov (United States)

McLaughlin, Danielle M; Cutts, Bethany B

2018-05-08

The expansion of unconventional sources of natural gas across the world has generated public controversy surrounding fracking drilling methods. Public debates continue to reverberate through policy domains despite very inconclusive biophysical evidence of net harm. As a consequence, there is a need to test the hypothesis that resistance to fracking is due to the way it redistributes economic and environmental risks. As in many other communities, opposition to fracking is common in central Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, (USA) but the rationale underpinning opposition is poorly understood. We test the prevailing assumption in the environmental management literature that fracking opposition is motivated by knowledge deficits and/or not-in-my-backyard (NIMBY) politics. This study uses Q methodology to examine emergent perspectives and sub-discourses within the fracking opposition debate in central Westmoreland County, PA. Q methodology offers a systematic and iterative use of both quantitative and qualitative research techniques to explore frequently overlooked marginal viewpoints that are critical to understanding the fracking problem. The analysis reveals four different narratives of factors amongst people actively involved in locally opposing fracking, labeled (1) Future Fears; (2) NIMBY (3) Community Concerns; and (4) Distrust Stakeholders. The conflicts that emerge across these four factors are indicative of deeper discourse within the fracking debate that signifies diversity in motivations, values, and convictions, and suggests the inadequacy of relying on knowledge deficit and/or NIMBY explanations to fracking politics.

Breaching barriers to collaboration in public spaces

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Heinemann, Trine; Mitchell, Robb

2014-01-01

Technology provoking disparate individuals to collaborate or share experiences in the public space faces a difficult barrier, namely the ordinary social order of urban places. We employed the notion of the breaching experiment to explore how this barrier might be overcome. We analyse responses...... of life in public spaces. Arising from this, we argue for the importance of qualities such as availability, facilitation, perspicuous settings, and perspicuous participants to encourage and support co-located strangers to collaborate and share experiences....

Changes provoked by boiling, steaming and sous-vide cooking in the lipid and volatile profile of European sea bass.

Science.gov (United States)

Nieva-Echevarría, Bárbara; Manzanos, María J; Goicoechea, Encarnación; Guillén, María D

2017-09-01

This study aims to shed light on the changes provoked by boiling, steaming and sous-vide cooking on the lipids and volatile profile of farmed and wild European sea bass meat. None of the cooking techniques provoked changes due to hydrolytic or oxidation processes detectable by 1 H NMR on sea bass lipids. The lipid profile of main and minor lipidic components was maintained after cooking. However, study by SPME-GC/MS evidenced that steaming and sous-vide cooking modified the volatile profile of sea bass meat, especially in farmed specimens. The compounds generated came from the occurrence, to a very small extent, of lipid and protein degradation. By contrast, boiling scarcely modified the initial characteristics of raw sea bass. Thus, from a sensory point of view and considering the odour-active compounds generated, steaming and sous-vide cooking provoked more noticeable changes than boiling, especially in farmed sea bass meat. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Neural markers of opposite-sex bias in face processing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alice Mado eProverbio

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Some behavioral and neuroimaging studies suggest that adults prefer to view attractive faces of the opposite sex more than attractive faces of the same sex. However, unlike the other-race face effect (ORE; Caldara et al., 2004, little is known regarding the existence of an opposite-/same-sex bias in face processing. In this study, the faces of 130 attractive male and female adults were foveally presented to 40 heterosexual university students (20 men and 20 women who were engaged in a secondary perceptual task (landscape detection. The automatic processing of face gender was investigated by recording ERPs from 128 scalp sites. Neural markers of opposite- vs. same-sex bias in face processing included larger and earlier centro-parietal N400s in response to faces of the opposite sex and a larger late positivity (LP to same-sex faces. Analysis of intra-cortical neural generators (swLORETA showed that facial processing-related (FG, BA37, BA20/21 and emotion-related brain areas (the right parahippocampal gyrus, BA35; uncus, BA36/38; and the cingulate gyrus, BA24 had higher activations in response to opposite- than same-sex faces. The results of this analysis, along with data obtained from ERP recordings, support the hypothesis that both genders process opposite-sex faces differently than same-sex faces. The data also suggest a hemispheric asymmetry in the processing of opposite-/same-sex faces, with the right hemisphere involved in processing same-sex faces and the left hemisphere involved in processing faces of the opposite sex. The data support previous literature suggesting a right lateralization for the representation of self-image and body awareness.

Neural markers of opposite-sex bias in face processing.

Science.gov (United States)

Proverbio, Alice Mado; Riva, Federica; Martin, Eleonora; Zani, Alberto

2010-01-01

Some behavioral and neuroimaging studies suggest that adults prefer to view attractive faces of the opposite sex more than attractive faces of the same sex. However, unlike the other-race face effect (Caldara et al., 2004), little is known regarding the existence of an opposite-/same-sex bias in face processing. In this study, the faces of 130 attractive male and female adults were foveally presented to 40 heterosexual university students (20 men and 20 women) who were engaged in a secondary perceptual task (landscape detection). The automatic processing of face gender was investigated by recording ERPs from 128 scalp sites. Neural markers of opposite- vs. same-sex bias in face processing included larger and earlier centro-parietal N400s in response to faces of the opposite sex and a larger late positivity (LP) to same-sex faces. Analysis of intra-cortical neural generators (swLORETA) showed that facial processing-related (FG, BA37, BA20/21) and emotion-related brain areas (the right parahippocampal gyrus, BA35; uncus, BA36/38; and the cingulate gyrus, BA24) had higher activations in response to opposite- than same-sex faces. The results of this analysis, along with data obtained from ERP recordings, support the hypothesis that both genders process opposite-sex faces differently than same-sex faces. The data also suggest a hemispheric asymmetry in the processing of opposite-/same-sex faces, with the right hemisphere involved in processing same-sex faces and the left hemisphere involved in processing faces of the opposite sex. The data support previous literature suggesting a right lateralization for the representation of self-image and body awareness.

The problem of social opposition to industrial plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Malocchi, Andrea

1996-01-01

The problem of social opposition to the localization, construction and operation of industrial plants is a major social issue in many industrialized countries where environmental consciousness has rooted deeply in society. This paper proposes a general model for the analysis of the social conflict against the localization and operation of industrial plants. The paper investigates the difference between the 'risk analysis' approach and the 'social acceptability' approach in order to demonstrate the major influence of information and communication between industry and society on social consensus (rather than ordinary technological and environmental factors). In a second part the paper analyses a limit of social acceptability approach highlighting the role of environmental NGO's in the promotion and diffusion of the social protest. As a result of the analysis, a general model for the management of social consensus by companies and public authorities is provided

Public involvement in radioactive waste management decisions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-04-01

Current repository siting efforts focus on Yucca Mountain, Nevada, where DOE's Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management (OCRWM) is conducting exploratory studies to determine if the site is suitable. The state of Nevada has resisted these efforts: it has denied permits, brought suit against DOE, and publicly denounced the federal government's decision to study Yucca Mountain. The state's opposition reflects public opinion in Nevada, and has considerably slowed DOE's progress in studying the site. The Yucca Mountain controversy demonstrates the importance of understanding public attitudes and their potential influence as DOE develops a program to manage radioactive waste. The strength and nature of Nevada's opposition -- its ability to thwart if not outright derail DOE's activities -- indicate a need to develop alternative methods for making decisions that affect the public. This report analyzes public participation as a key component of this openness, one that provides a means of garnering acceptance of, or reducing public opposition to, DOE's radioactive waste management activities, including facility siting and transportation. The first section, Public Perceptions: Attitudes, Trust, and Theory, reviews the risk-perception literature to identify how the public perceives the risks associated with radioactivity. DOE and the Public discusses DOE's low level of credibility among the general public as the product, in part, of the department's past actions. This section looks at the three components of the radioactive waste management program -- disposal, storage, and transportation -- and the different ways DOE has approached the problem of public confidence in each case. Midwestern Radioactive Waste Management Histories focuses on selected Midwestern facility-siting and transportation activities involving radioactive materials

Lack of effect of laboratory-provoked anxiety on plasma homovanillic acid concentration in normal subjects.

Science.gov (United States)

Zemishlany, Z; Davidson, M

1996-08-15

The present study was undertaken to investigate if acute anxiety can affect plasma concentrations of homovanillic acid (pHVA). Since elevated pHVA levels have been associated with severity of schizophrenic symptoms, the results of this study will help determine if the pHVA elevations are directly related to psychosis or if anxiety is also a contributory factor. Anxiety was provoked in 10 young normal subjects by a combined paradigm of mental arithmetic task and threat of electrical shock. A significant increase in self-ratings of anxiety, blood pressure, and plasma levels of norepinephrine, 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylethyleneglycol and growth hormone indicated that the paradigm used was effective in provoking anxiety; however, anxiety did not affect pHVA concentrations. The results may support the notion that increased pHVA levels in severely ill schizophrenic patients are related to the schizophrenic pathophysiology rather than to anxiety.

Anxiety and oppositional behavior profiles among youth with selective mutism.

Science.gov (United States)

Diliberto, Rachele A; Kearney, Christopher A

2016-01-01

Selective mutism (SM) is a debilitating condition in which a child does not speak in social situations where speech is expected. The clinical conceptualization of SM has been debated historically, with evidence pointing partly to anxious and oppositional behavior profiles. Behavioral characteristics were examined in a clinical sample of 57 youth formally diagnosed with selective mutism. Parents rated children across internalizing and externalizing behaviors on the Child Behavior Checklist. Eighteen highly rated items were subjected to exploratory and then confirmatory factor analysis. Anxiety and oppositional behavior factors were derived. The anxious behavior profile was associated with social anxiety disorder symptoms, social problems, and aggressive behaviors but not oppositional defiant disorder symptoms. The oppositional behavior profile was associated with aggressive behaviors, oppositional defiant disorder symptoms, social problems, and inversely to social anxiety disorder symptoms. Results are consistent with emerging research regarding subgroups of children with SM. Behavior profiles are discussed as well with respect to assessment and treatment implications. Readers will learn about the nature of children with selective mutism as well as behaviors that differentiate anxious and oppositional behavior profiles. Items that comprise anxious and oppositional behavior profiles are presented. These item profiles may have ramifications for assessment and treatment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

RISK MANAGEMENT AND EXPERTISE: Germany: “Elite precaution” alongside continued public opposition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dreyer Marion

2000-07-01

Full Text Available Germany is the EU member state with the most difficult situation (besides Austria for marketing genetically modified (GM crops and food. At the same time, it shows the least administrative effort to respond to the reasons for this situation - public suspicion and protest. Regulators advocate specific precaution-related measures, including market-stage monitoring; these measures, however, do not relate to the primary demands of critics and opponents. The administration’s claim to prioritize scientific evidence over politics constructs the administration and the public as two separate worlds without real mediation. This conflicts with the ever-growing demands for public participation. Participation in a broader sense, however, is not dependent on formal opportunities. In this conflict, NGOs bring up issues of democracy, transparency and precaution through public mobilization. This strategy results in an anticipated consumer boycott and thereby a commercial blockage of GM products. These dynamics can be analysed as “reflexive modernization”, which implies greater public aversion to externally imposed risks. The politico-administrative system responds with a legalistic-scientistic approach in order to increase safety but without participatory measures to overcome predictive uncertainty and value conflicts. Environmental and consumer protest has led the technology providers to revise their political strategies in the biotechnology conflict. Thus, in Germany reflexive modernization takes place without reflexive politics.

Oppositional Culture Theory and the Delusion of Colorblindness

Science.gov (United States)

Berlowitz, Marvin J.; Hutchins, Brandi N.; Jenkins, Derrick J.; Mussman, Mark P.; Schneider, Carri A.

2006-01-01

Oppositional culture theory is a widely accepted explanation for disparities in academic performance between middle class Whites and middle class African Americans. The authors make the case that oppositional culture theory has its roots in cultural deficit theory popularized in the early 1960s and present a significant body of evidence to refute…

Defining Oppositional Defiant Disorder

Science.gov (United States)

Rowe, Richard; Maughan, Barbara; Costello, E. Jane; Angold, Adrian

2005-01-01

Background: ICD-10 and DSM-IV include similar criterial symptom lists for conduct disorder (CD) and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), but while DSM-IV treats each list separately, ICD-10 considers them jointly. One consequence is that ICD-10 identifies a group of children with ODD subtype who do not receive a diagnosis under DSM-IV. Methods: We…

Epitaxial strain relaxation by provoking edge dislocation dipoles

Science.gov (United States)

Soufi, A.; El-Hami, K.

2018-02-01

Thin solid films have been used in various devices and engineering systems such as rapid development of highly integrated electronic circuits, the use of surface coatings to protect structural materials in high temperature environments, and thin films are integral parts of many micro-electro-mechanical systems designed to serve as sensors, actuators. Among techniques of ultra-thin films deposition, the heteroepitaxial method becomes the most useful at nanoscale level to obtain performed materials in various applications areas. On the other hand, stresses that appeared during the elaboration of thin films could rise deformations and fractures in materials. The key solution to solve this problem at the nanoscale level is the nucleation of interface dislocations from free surfaces. By provoking edge dislocation dipoles we obtained a strain relaxation in thin films. Moreover, the dynamic of nucleation in edge dislocations from free lateral surfaces was also studied.

Study of the generation and suppression of runaway currents in provoked disruptions in J-TEXT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Z.Y., E-mail: zychen@mail.hust.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Advanced Electromagnetic Engineering and Technology, College of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074 (China); Chen, Z.P., E-mail: zpchen@mail.hust.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Advanced Electromagnetic Engineering and Technology, College of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074 (China); Zhang, Y.; Jin, W.; Fang, D.; Ba, W.G.; Wang, Z.J.; Zhang, M.; Yang, Z.J.; Ding, Y.H.; Zhuang, G. [State Key Laboratory of Advanced Electromagnetic Engineering and Technology, College of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074 (China)

2012-05-14

Runaway currents following disruptions have an important effect on the first wall for the next generation tokamak. The behaviors of runaway currents following intentional provoked disruptions have been investigated in the J-TEXT tokamak. It is found that the runaway current generation following provoked disruptions depends on both the toroidal magnetic field and the plasma current. The conversion efficiency of pre-disruptive plasma currents into runaway currents is in the ranges of 30% to 60% in J-TEXT. The runaway currents can be avoided by the intensive gas puffing of H{sub 2} due to the low multiplication factor in J-TEXT. -- Highlights: ► The regime of runaway generation in disruptions in J-TEXT has been established. ► The magnetic field threshold for runaway current generation in disruptions is 2.2 T. ► The conversion efficiency of runaway current is in the ranges of 30% to 60%. ► The runaway currents can be avoided by the intensive gas puffing of H{sub 2}.

Study of the generation and suppression of runaway currents in provoked disruptions in J-TEXT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Z.Y.; Chen, Z.P.; Zhang, Y.; Jin, W.; Fang, D.; Ba, W.G.; Wang, Z.J.; Zhang, M.; Yang, Z.J.; Ding, Y.H.; Zhuang, G.

2012-01-01

Runaway currents following disruptions have an important effect on the first wall for the next generation tokamak. The behaviors of runaway currents following intentional provoked disruptions have been investigated in the J-TEXT tokamak. It is found that the runaway current generation following provoked disruptions depends on both the toroidal magnetic field and the plasma current. The conversion efficiency of pre-disruptive plasma currents into runaway currents is in the ranges of 30% to 60% in J-TEXT. The runaway currents can be avoided by the intensive gas puffing of H 2 due to the low multiplication factor in J-TEXT. -- Highlights: ► The regime of runaway generation in disruptions in J-TEXT has been established. ► The magnetic field threshold for runaway current generation in disruptions is 2.2 T. ► The conversion efficiency of runaway current is in the ranges of 30% to 60%. ► The runaway currents can be avoided by the intensive gas puffing of H 2 .

Nuclear risk and citizen information

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Charbonneau, S.

1999-01-01

This issue studies the citizen information relative to the nuclear risk. If the regulation about the information and the participation of the citizen on the nuclear risk is relatively complete, the industrial and administrative practice is marked by the habits of information retention. The official caution has for motive the fact to provoke the unjustified anxiety of the populations. An opposite strategy is actually experimented with the operators of nuclear industry in informing the public opinion with the slightest technical incidents. (N.C.)

Public involvement in radioactive waste management decisions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1994-04-01

Current repository siting efforts focus on Yucca Mountain, Nevada, where DOE`s Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management (OCRWM) is conducting exploratory studies to determine if the site is suitable. The state of Nevada has resisted these efforts: it has denied permits, brought suit against DOE, and publicly denounced the federal government`s decision to study Yucca Mountain. The state`s opposition reflects public opinion in Nevada, and has considerably slowed DOE`s progress in studying the site. The Yucca Mountain controversy demonstrates the importance of understanding public attitudes and their potential influence as DOE develops a program to manage radioactive waste. The strength and nature of Nevada`s opposition -- its ability to thwart if not outright derail DOE`s activities -- indicate a need to develop alternative methods for making decisions that affect the public. This report analyzes public participation as a key component of this openness, one that provides a means of garnering acceptance of, or reducing public opposition to, DOE`s radioactive waste management activities, including facility siting and transportation. The first section, Public Perceptions: Attitudes, Trust, and Theory, reviews the risk-perception literature to identify how the public perceives the risks associated with radioactivity. DOE and the Public discusses DOE`s low level of credibility among the general public as the product, in part, of the department`s past actions. This section looks at the three components of the radioactive waste management program -- disposal, storage, and transportation -- and the different ways DOE has approached the problem of public confidence in each case. Midwestern Radioactive Waste Management Histories focuses on selected Midwestern facility-siting and transportation activities involving radioactive materials.

Is There an Oppositional Culture among Immigrant Adolescents in the Netherlands?

Science.gov (United States)

van Tubergen, Frank; van Gaans, Milou

2016-01-01

This study examines oppositional culture among immigrant and majority adolescents in the Netherlands. Oppositional culture theory expects that immigrant adolescents would uphold positive attitudes towards education. The social exclusion theory predicts instead that immigrant adolescents develop an oppositional culture, particularly in ethnically…

Qualitative investigation of the reasons behind opposition to water fluoridation in regional NSW, Australia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matthew C Knox

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Objectives: To investigate reasons behind strong opposition to water fluoridation in regional New South Wales, Australia, and to make recommendations to improve community engagement. Importance: Few studies have used qualitative methodologies to understand the reasons for strong antifluoridation views. An understanding of these reasons could be useful when designing public campaigns to combat the strong antifluoridation message. Methods: The qualitative study used semistructured interviewing and thematic analysis. Ten participants were recruited using purposive and snowball sampling methods until data saturation was reached. Thematic analysis and graphical representation of themes assisted in analysing the data for logical connections and relationships. Results: Six dominant themes and numerous subthemes were identified. Five of the major themes were reasons for opposition: scepticism, health effects, ethics, environmental impacts and economics. Each of these was inextricably linked to a sixth major theme: alternatives to fluoridation. Conclusions: All participants had strongly held antifluoridation views, and provided a unique insight into their perceptions and reasons for opposing water fluoridation. Concerns about ‘fraudulent research’ and the influence of industry on government bodies were novel themes. The concerns raised could be used to inform future population health campaigns, research, public education and resource-allocation decisions. Open community consultation may be able to address the issues raised in a nonjudgemental and collaborative manner.

Linguistic Representation of the Category of Oppositeness in English Folk Tales

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Наталия Владимировна Соловьева

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The purpose of the article is to study manifestations of the category of oppositeness at all language levels in order to establish a classification of textual oppositions found in folktales. Achieving this goal requires using integrated multi-disciplinary research methods such as hypothetical-deductive, inductive, descriptive, comparative and classification methods. The study also involves specifically linguistic research procedures: the method of phonological oppositions which served as the methodological basis for further research into morphological and grammatical oppositions, transformational and component analyses to describe the semantic content of the considered language units, the logical and semantic procedures in text analysis. English is used as the basis for the research, the theoretical principles are illustrated by the data included in The Oxford Dictionary of Synonyms and Antonyms, The Merriam-Webster Dictionary of Synonyms and Antonyms, and The Collins Dictionary of Synonyms and Antonyms, the collection of folktales edited by J. Jacobs serves as the material for the empirical analysis. The category of oppositeness is seen as a phenomenon represented by phonological, semantic and grammatical oppositions and their subclasses. The textual oppositions under consideration are based on semantic and grammatical oppositions and represent the opposed spatial images, the opposed characters and the opposed beginning and ending of a folktale. The phenomenon of neutralization, which is the removal of the opposition in certain positions, is found at all levels of the language system, manifesting itself on the textual level in the ambivalent nature and the contradictory functional roles of certain folktale characters.

Opposition-Based Adaptive Fireworks Algorithm

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chibing Gong

2016-07-01

Full Text Available A fireworks algorithm (FWA is a recent swarm intelligence algorithm that is inspired by observing fireworks explosions. An adaptive fireworks algorithm (AFWA proposes additional adaptive amplitudes to improve the performance of the enhanced fireworks algorithm (EFWA. The purpose of this paper is to add opposition-based learning (OBL to AFWA with the goal of further boosting performance and achieving global optimization. Twelve benchmark functions are tested in use of an opposition-based adaptive fireworks algorithm (OAFWA. The final results conclude that OAFWA significantly outperformed EFWA and AFWA in terms of solution accuracy. Additionally, OAFWA was compared with a bat algorithm (BA, differential evolution (DE, self-adapting control parameters in differential evolution (jDE, a firefly algorithm (FA, and a standard particle swarm optimization 2011 (SPSO2011 algorithm. The research results indicate that OAFWA ranks the highest of the six algorithms for both solution accuracy and runtime cost.

Nuclear public information activities in Chile

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Munoz Quintana; R

1995-01-01

Nuclear plans and developing programs in developing and developed countries are facing-in a higher or lower degree- opposition from public opinion. The objectives and contents of the public education program on nuclear energy in Chile are dealt with in this paper

A survey on virtual environment applications to fear of public speaking.

Science.gov (United States)

Vanni, F; Conversano, C; Del Debbio, A; Landi, P; Carlini, M; Fanciullacci, C; Bergamasco, M; Di Fiorino, A; Dell'Osso, L

2013-06-01

Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is one of the most prevalent anxiety disorders in Europe and comprises the fear of public speaking as its typical sub-type. Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is the intervention of choice for SAD, and it includes exposure to anxiety-provoking stimuli to induce systematic desensitization and reduce anxiety. Similarly, exposure therapy per se has been used and found effective, although it is not as specific as CBT for the treatment of SAD. Interestingly, exposure to anxiety-provoking situations can be achieved in Virtual Environments (VEs) through the simulation of social situations allowing individuals with public speaking anxiety to live and develop real exposure-like reactions. The Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET) is the treatment of anxiety disorders based on such VEs. This article aims to provide an overview of the scientific literature related to the applications of Virtual Reality to the treatment of fear of public speaking. We conducted the literature review on PubMed and Google Scholar for studies including the fear-of-public-speaking VEs. Reviewed studies addressed two main aspects: the design parameters of the VEs for adequate reactions to synthetic social stimuli, and the efficacy of VEs for fear of public speaking treatment. VEs resulted effective for triggering as-if-real reactions in relation to public speaking. VE-based exposures reduced public speaking anxiety measurements, decreased scores and maintained them at 3 month follow-up. Studies comparing VRET to pharmacological therapy are lacking, and there are few randomized controlled trials that compare VRET to CBT, especially on fear of public speaking treatment.

Objectifying the adjacent and opposite angles: a cultural historical analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Daher, Wajeeh; Musallam, Nadera

2018-02-01

The angle topic is central to the development of geometric knowledge. Two of the basic concepts associated with this topic are the adjacent and opposite angles. It is the goal of the present study to analyze, based on the cultural historical semiotics framework, how high-achieving seventh grade students objectify the adjacent and opposite angles' concepts. We videoed the learning of a group of three high-achieving students who used technology, specifically GeoGebra, to explore geometric relations related to the adjacent and opposite angles' concepts. To analyze students' objectification of these concepts, we used the categories of objectification of knowledge (attention and awareness) and the categories of generalization (factual, contextual and symbolic), developed by Radford. The research results indicate that teacher's and students' verbal and visual signs, together with the software dynamic tools, mediated the students' objectification of the adjacent and opposite angles' concepts. Specifically, eye and gestures perceiving were part of the semiosis cycles in which the participating students were engaged and which related to the mathematical signs that signified the adjacent and the opposite angles. Moreover, the teacher's suggestions/requests/questions included/suggested semiotic signs/tools, including verbal signs that helped the students pay attention, be aware of and objectify the adjacent and opposite angles' concepts.

Public acceptance of nuclear power

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wildgruber, O.H.

1990-01-01

The lecture addresses the question why we need public acceptance work and provides some clues to it. It explains various human behaviour patterns which determine the basics for public acceptance. To some extent, the opposition to nuclear energy and the role the media play are described. Public acceptance efforts of industry are critically reviewed. Some hints on difficulties with polling are provided. The lecture concludes with recommendations for further public acceptance work. (author)

Epilepsy provoked by television and video games: safety of 100-Hz screens.

Science.gov (United States)

Ricci, S; Vigevano, F; Manfredi, M; Kasteleijn-Nolst Trenité, D G

1998-03-01

Television (TV) and video games (VG) can provoke seizures in patients with photosensitive epilepsies. Flicker frequency is the most important factor in screen activation. We tested conventional 50-Hz versus 100-Hz monitors during TV viewing and VG playing in 30 photosensitive subjects, 23 of whom had a history of TV or VG seizures or both. Fifteen subjects' discharges were activated by 50-Hz TV; 17 by 50-Hz VG; and one by a 100-Hz screen. Thus, 100-Hz screens protect against screen activation.

Not so sweet refrain: sugar-sweetened beverage taxes, industry opposition and harnessing the lessons learned from tobacco control legal challenges.

Science.gov (United States)

George, Anita

2018-05-21

As a growing number of countries implement, or announce plans to introduce, a sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) tax, this paper explores the public health rationale for such a tax and provides an overview of the international normative and policy instruments supporting the introduction of fiscal measures on sugary drinks. After examining parallels between the legal arguments raised by the food and beverage industry in opposition to SSB taxes and those raised by the tobacco industry in response to tobacco control measures, this paper draws four key lessons that will assist countries to design effective and robust SSB tax measures and counter food and beverage industry opposition: regulatory distinctions in tax coverage should be based on bona fide, evidence-based reasoning; evidence-based measures need to be tailored to a country's public health objectives as part of a comprehensive strategy to address unhealthy diet consumption; procedural requirements and due process should be observed in the drafting and implementation of the measure; and regulatory space exists within domestic constitutions, laws and international trade and investment agreements recognising the sovereign right of states to regulate in the interests of public health.

Influence Of Opposition On Ball Velocity In The Handball Jump Throw

Science.gov (United States)

Rivilla-Garcia, Jesús; Grande, Ignacio; Sampedro, Javier; Van Den Tillaar, Roland

2011-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the influence of different degrees of opposition on ball velocity in the jump throw in elite, amateur and adolescent team handball players. Thus, one hundred and nineteen elite, amateur and under 18 team handball players performed jump throws under three different conditions: 1) without opposition, 2) with the opposition of the goalkeeper and 3) with the opposition of the goalkeeper and a defensive player. The degree of opposition was found to have a negative effect on ball velocity in all three groups (p handball players in the jump throw. It indicated that an increase of external stimuli influences the execution of throwing. Experience does not seem to be a factor that can reduce the influence of these external stimuli. PMID:24150629

COOBBO: A Novel Opposition-Based Soft Computing Algorithm for TSP Problems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qingzheng Xu

2014-12-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we propose a novel definition of opposite path. Its core feature is that the sequence of candidate paths and the distances between adjacent nodes in the tour are considered simultaneously. In a sense, the candidate path and its corresponding opposite path have the same (or similar at least distance to the optimal path in the current population. Based on an accepted framework for employing opposition-based learning, Oppositional Biogeography-Based Optimization using the Current Optimum, called COOBBO algorithm, is introduced to solve traveling salesman problems. We demonstrate its performance on eight benchmark problems and compare it with other optimization algorithms. Simulation results illustrate that the excellent performance of our proposed algorithm is attributed to the distinct definition of opposite path. In addition, its great strength lies in exploitation for enhancing the solution accuracy, not exploration for improving the population diversity. Finally, by comparing different version of COOBBO, another conclusion is that each successful opposition-based soft computing algorithm needs to adjust and remain a good balance between backward adjacent node and forward adjacent node.

Deep underground disposal facility and the public

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sumberova, V.

1997-01-01

Factors arousing public anxiety in relation to the deep burial of radioactive wastes are highlighted based on Czech and foreign analyses, and guidelines are presented to minimize public opposition when planning a geologic disposal site in the Czech Republic. (P.A.)

The irresistible fascination of medical theories about opposites.

Science.gov (United States)

Angeletti, L R; Frati, L

1989-01-01

Theurgical medicine was a part of the eternal fight between good and evil and health was reconciliation with the gods. This duality characterized ancient medicine, i.e. Greek medicine after the Homeric age or Chinese traditional medicine. In the passage to medicine of observation due to the School of Cos duel between good and evil becomes substrate of new medicine and the balances between*opposites represented by elements and qualities were the fundaments of the humoralism. Fascination of opposites continues for centuries up to now, both in western and far eastern medicine: yin/yang, antibody/antigen, cAMP/cGMP, oncogene/antioncogene are examples of this attractive theory. Although fundaments of biological and medical observations are the basis of theories of opposites, the trend is to overcome reality and today represents, following idealism in the 19th century, an inconscious ancestral reminiscence of theurgical philosophy and medicine.

Nuclear power: the question of public acceptance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Otway, H.J.; Maurer, D.; Thomas, K.

1978-01-01

Technologists have been surprised - in view of the persuasive technical arguments - at the strength of public opposition to nuclear power. But their assumption that information and argument can, by their rational force, change public opinion on sensitive issues, rests on oversimplified theories about attitude formation. When the grounds for opposition to or approval of a controversial programme are investigated - as the authors of this article have done, on the issue of nuclear power - it becomes apparent that attitude formation is not, in the technologists' sense, a 'rational' process. Here the authors describe an attitude model, and present the results of its application to the question of public attitudes to nuclear power - including the discovery of the relatively minor role that technical and environmental questions play in determining those attitudes. (author)

Nuclear power threats, public opposition and green electricity adoption: Effects of threat belief appraisal and fear arousal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hartmann, Patrick; Apaolaza, Vanessa; D'Souza, Clare; Echebarria, Carmen; Barrutia, Jose M.

2013-01-01

This study analyses the extent to which willingness to oppose nuclear power and intention to adopt green electricity are related to the cognitive and emotional appraisal of threats deriving from nuclear power. The analysis draws on a theoretical framework which introduces emotional fear arousal as a direct behavioural antecedent of coping behaviour into a model based on cognitive centred Protection Motivation Theory (PMT, Maddux and Rogers, 1983; Rogers, 1983) and the Extended Parallel Processing Model (EPPM, Witte, 1992, 1998). Hypothesized relations are tested in a nationally representative online study conducted in April and May 2012, one year after the Fukushima accident. Results support the hypothesized influences of perceived threat, fear arousal and perceived coping efficacy. Support for the proposed effects of fear control is rather limited. Findings contribute to extending previous knowledge on the role of cognitive and emotional appraisal processes induced by awareness of threats from nuclear power as behavioural antecedents of both opposing nuclear power and adopting green electricity. Findings of the study have implications for nuclear power policy and activism, as well as for institutional and commercial promoters of voluntary residential green electricity adoption. - Highlights: • Nationally representative online survey on nuclear power conducted in Spain in April and May 2012. • Opposition to nuclear power and green electricity adoption are related to threat beliefs. • Emotional fear arousal motivates nuclear opposition and green electricity uptake. • Significant behavioural effects of coping efficacy are confirmed. • Influences of fear control on behaviour intentions are rather weak

Oppositely charged colloids out of equilibrium

Science.gov (United States)

Vissers, T.

2010-11-01

Colloids are particles with a size in the range of a few nanometers up to several micrometers. Similar to atomic and molecular systems, they can form gases, liquids, solids, gels and glasses. Colloids can be used as model systems because, unlike molecules, they are sufficiently large to be studied directly with light microscopy and move sufficiently slow to study their dynamics. In this thesis, we study binary systems of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) colloidal particles suspended in low-polar solvent mixtures. Since the ions can still partially dissociate, a surface charge builds up which causes electrostatic interactions between the colloids. By carefully tuning the conditions inside the suspension, we make two kinds of particles oppositely charged. To study our samples, we use Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM). The positively and negatively charged particles can be distinguished by a different fluorescent dye. Colloids constantly experience a random motion resulting from random kicks of surrounding solvent molecules. When the attractions between the oppositely charged particles are weak, the particles can attach and detach many times and explore a lot of possible configurations and the system can reach thermodynamic equilibrium. For example, colloidal ‘ionic’ crystals consisting of thousands to millions of particles can form under the right conditions. When the attractions are strong, the system can become kinetically trapped inside a gel-like state. We observe that when the interactions change again, crystals can even emerge again from this gel-like phase. By using local order parameters, we quantitatively study the crystallization of colloidal particles and identify growth defects inside the crystals. We also study the effect of gravity on the growth of ionic crystals by using a rotating stage. We find that sedimentation can completely inhibit crystal growth and plays an important role in crystallization from the gel-like state. The surface

Emotional reaction evaluation provoked by the vestibular caloric test through physiological variables monitoring.

Science.gov (United States)

Barona-de-Guzmán, Rafael; Krstulovic-Roa, Claudio; Donderis-Malea, Elena; Barona-Lleó, Luz

2018-03-08

The emotional evaluation of the causes of vertigo is made using the clinical records and several subjective questionnaires. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the emotional response objectively, in normal subjects, during an induced vertigo crisis. A caloric vestibular test with cold water was performed on 30 healthy subjects. The following physiological parameters were monitored during the 60seconds prior to and the 60seconds after the stimulation: Skin Conductivity, Peripheral Pulse Volume, Body Temperature, Muscle Contraction, Heart Rate, and Respiratory Rate. The maximum angular speed of the nystagmus slow phase at each stimulation was assessed. Skin conductance presented a statistically significant increase during the vertigo crisis in relation to the prior period while the peripheral pulse volume presented a statistically significant decrease. There was no relationship between the slow phase of the provoked nystagmus angular speed and skin conductance and peripheral pulse volume changes. The decrease in peripheral pulse volume was significantly higher in the second vertigo crisis. Skin conductance and peripheral pulse volume changed significantly during a vertigo crisis. There was no relation between the provoked vertiginous crisis intensity and the changes produced in those variables. The stress generated by the caloric stimulation is higher in the second crisis, when the subject has experience of the vertigo caused by the stimulation. Copyright © 2018 Sociedad Española de Otorrinolaringología y Cirugía de Cabeza y Cuello. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Sex and Age Differences in Attitude toward the Opposite Sex.

Science.gov (United States)

Silver, Rawley

1997-01-01

Examines fantasies about the opposite sex expressed by 116 children, adolescents, and adults responding to the Drawing from Imagination task of the Silver Drawing Test of Cognition and Emotion. Results indicate that both males and females expressed more negative than positive feelings toward subjects of the opposite sex. Males were more negative.…

What is the opposite of cat?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ejersbo, Lisser Rye; Leron, Uri

2016-01-01

the open and interactive teaching approach needed to achieve students' active participation and reflection. To demonstrate these challenges, and our experience of trying to cope with them, we have chosen the concept of "inverses" as used in group theory, and its common sense precursor "opposites". We...

Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Conduct, and ADHD

OpenAIRE

J Gordon Millichap

1996-01-01

The link between oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) and conduct disorder (CD) was evaluated in 140 children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and 120 normal controls examined at baseline and 4 years later, in midadolescence, at the Pediatric Psychopharmacology Unit, Psychiatric Service, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA.

Public attitudes toward nuclear generating facilities: positive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krannich, R.S.

1977-01-01

Public opposition and intervention in the siting and development of nuclear power plants has become more of a limiting factor than technological issues. Attitude surveys indicate that, while the majority of Americans support nuclear power, the utilities would do well to respond to the concerns and opinions of local residents when projects are in the planning stages. Recent polls are analyzed to identify the demographic and perceptive factors of opposition. Demographic studies indicate that the greatest opposition comes from women, young people, urban residents, farmers, low-income groups, and the unemployed. Perceptual opposition is associated with anticipated negative impacts in the form of hazards and social disruption. Since there appears to be a correlation between access to pertinent information and level of support, utility planners could develop educational programs to provide this information on the advantages of nuclear power. 10 references

Politics, proximity and the pipeline: Mapping public attitudes toward Keystone XL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gravelle, Timothy B.; Lachapelle, Erick

2015-01-01

The politics of oil pipelines have become increasingly salient in American politics in recent years. In particular, debates about economic benefits, energy security and environmental impact have been provoked by the proposed Keystone XL pipeline expansion intended to take bitumen from northern Alberta in Canada to refineries on the Gulf Coast in Texas. Drawing on data from recent surveys conducted by the Pew Research Center, this article asks a series of questions. What levels of support for (and opposition to) the pipeline exist among the American public? What are the roles of political factors (such as party identification and ideology), economic attitudes, environmental attitudes and proximity to the proposed pipeline route in shaping attitudes toward the pipeline? And how do political factors and proximity to the pipeline interact? We find that partisanship and ideology drive attitudes toward the Keystone XL pipeline, and that the effect of ideology is attenuated by proximity to the proposed route. The policy implications of these findings for energy infrastructure siting controversies are discussed. -- Highlights: •Americans are divided on the Keystone XL energy pipeline. •Attitudes toward Keystone XL are driven by political party identification and ideology. •Attitudes toward the pipeline are also shaped by attitudes toward the economy and global warming. •The effect of proximity on attitudes toward Keystone XL is non-linear. •Spatial proximity to the pipeline attenuates the effect of ideology

Objectifying the Adjacent and Opposite Angles: A Cultural Historical Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Daher, Wajeeh; Musallam, Nadera

2018-01-01

The angle topic is central to the development of geometric knowledge. Two of the basic concepts associated with this topic are the adjacent and opposite angles. It is the goal of the present study to analyze, based on the cultural historical semiotics framework, how high-achieving seventh grade students objectify the adjacent and opposite angles'…

An international comparative analysis of public acceptance of nuclear energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Younghwan; Kim, Wonjoon; Kim, Minki

2014-01-01

Across the globe, public acceptance of nuclear power is a crucial factor for governmental establishment of a nuclear energy program. Therefore, it is important to understand the determinants of public acceptance of nuclear power. This study examines the effects of knowledge, trust, risk, and benefit related factors on public acceptance of nuclear power across 19 countries. We consider three levels of public acceptance – strongly accept, reluctantly accept, and oppose – and classify countries into four groups according to the ratio of those three levels of public acceptance. Our results indicate that knowledge of nuclear inspection is more effective than trust in inspection authorities in creating stronger public acceptance among people in the countries with a high level of reluctant acceptance and a low level of strong acceptance, while trust in inspection authorities is more important than knowledge of nuclear inspection for the selection between opposition and reluctant acceptance in countries with a low level of reluctant acceptance and a high level of strong acceptance. Without grouping the countries, we found that trust in inspection authorities is crucial for the decision between opposition and reluctant acceptance. Additionally, the generation of electricity has the most positive effect on public acceptance of nuclear power. - Highlights: • We examine public acceptance (PA) of nuclear power across 19 countries. • Three levels of PA – strongly accept, reluctantly accept, and oppose – are considered. • Knowledge is most effective in creating stronger PA. • Trust is effective in shifting PA from opposition to reluctant acceptance. • Low risk and benefit of electricity generation enhance PA the most

Political and Public Acceptability of Congestion Pricing: Ideology and Self-Interest

Science.gov (United States)

Harsman, Bjorn; Quigley, John M.

2010-01-01

Studies of the "stated preferences" of households generally report public and political opposition by urban commuters to congestion pricing. It is thought that this opposition inhibits or precludes tolls and pricing systems that would enhance efficiency in the use of scarce roadways. This paper analyzes the only case in which road…

Treatment of Provoked Vulvodynia in a Swedish cohort using desensitization exercises and cognitive behavioral therapy

OpenAIRE

Lindstr?m, Suzanne; Kvist, Linda J.

2015-01-01

Background Problems related to pain during vaginal penetration are complex and the etiology is multi-factorial. It was the aim of the present study to measure whether treatment using desensitization exercises and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for women with provoked vulvodynia (PVD) could increase sexual interest, sexual satisfaction and response whilst decreasing experiences of sexual pain. Methods and outcome measures Sixty women suffering from PVD were treated during a 10-week period ...

Public acceptance in Southern Africa

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clarke, J.; Heerden, A. van

1990-01-01

The paper deals with public perceptions of nuclear power. These perceptions were shaped initially by the worlds violent introduction to nuclear power when the first nuclear bombs were exploded during 1945. Public perceptions have deteriorated due to the Three Mile Island and Chernobyl accidents. Although there are signs of improvement the nuclear industry internationally is facing opposition, a situation which also obtains in South Africa, although to a lesser degree. Public concern in respect of fossil fuels have lessened the pressure on nuclear power. (author)

Public acceptance in Southern Africa

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Clarke, J [The Star, Johannesburg (South Africa); Heerden, A van [Eskom, Johannesburg (South Africa)

1990-06-01

The paper deals with public perceptions of nuclear power. These perceptions were shaped initially by the worlds violent introduction to nuclear power when the first nuclear bombs were exploded during 1945. Public perceptions have deteriorated due to the Three Mile Island and Chernobyl accidents. Although there are signs of improvement the nuclear industry internationally is facing opposition, a situation which also obtains in South Africa, although to a lesser degree. Public concern in respect of fossil fuels have lessened the pressure on nuclear power. (author)

Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation as an Additional Treatment for Women Suffering from Therapy-Resistant Provoked Vestibulodynia : A Feasibility Study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vallinga, Marleen S.; Spoelstra, Symen K.; Hemel, Inge L. M.; van de Wiel, Harry B. M.; Schultz, Willibrord C. M. Weijnnar

IntroductionThe current approach to women with provoked vestibulodynia (PVD) comprises a multidimensional, multidisciplinary therapeutic protocol. As PVD is considered to be a chronic pain disorder, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) can be used as an additional therapy for women

Symmetry breaking in clogging for oppositely driven particles

Science.gov (United States)

Glanz, Tobias; Wittkowski, Raphael; Löwen, Hartmut

2016-11-01

The clogging behavior of a symmetric binary mixture of colloidal particles that are driven in opposite directions through constrictions is explored by Brownian dynamics simulations and theory. A dynamical state with a spontaneously broken symmetry occurs where one species is flowing and the other is blocked for a long time, which can be tailored by the size of the constrictions. Moreover, we find self-organized oscillations in clogging and unclogging of the two species. Apart from statistical physics, our results are of relevance for fields like biology, chemistry, and crowd management, where ions, microparticles, pedestrians, or other particles are driven in opposite directions through constrictions.

Reasons for opposition to the breeder reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Timbal-Duclaux, Louis

1979-01-01

The author gives a sociological analysis of the opposition to breeder reactors in France, stressing that the antinuclear groups main thrust of protest against the Super-Phenix has dimished since its apex two years ago [fr

Development and implementation of public relations strategy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kukovica, T.; Mele, I.; Stritar, A.; Isteni, R.

1995-01-01

Following the strong public opposition after the announcement of the results of possible site selections for the final low and intermediate waste repository in Slovenia in 1993, the Agency for Radwaste Management has completely revised its public information strategy. The information and education programs, that should lead to greater public acceptance, are described. At present the bulletin, leaflets, booklet, permanent exhibition and lectures in the Nuclear Training Centre are applied. (author)

Success of opposition against Temelin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tollmann, A.

1989-01-01

A first success for the anti-nuclear movement emerges: the Czechoslovakian government renounces of blocks 3 and 4, 1000 MW each, in Temelin. Although lack of money is admitted as a partial cause, the main cause is the broad opposition of the population, especially in Austria, says the author. Therefore the author appeals to the coworkers to double their efforts in the signature collection against Temelin. The slogan is: we shall make Temelin too. (qui)

Conflict between public perceptions and technical processes in site selection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Avant, R.V. Jr.; Jacobi, L.R.

1985-01-01

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission regulations and guidance on site selection are based on sound technical reasoning. Geology, hydrology, flora and fauna, transportation, demographics, and sociopolitical concerns, to name a few, have been factored into the process. Regardless of the technical objectivity of a site selection process, local opposition groups will challenge technical decisions using technical, nontechnical, and emotional arguments. This paper explores the many conflicts between public perceptions, technical requirements designed to protect the general public, and common arguments against site selection. Ways to deal with opposition are also discussed with emphasis placed on developing effective community relations

Interaction between opposite river bank dynamics

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bonilla Porras, J.A.; Crosato, A.; Uijttewaal, W.S.J.

2017-01-01

Although many studies regarding bank erosion  and accretion can be found in the literature, it is  not common to find works studying the interaction  between opposite banks. Some existing  morphodynamic models describe bank erosion as  an event that depends on

Same sex marriage and the perceived assault on opposite sex marriage.

Science.gov (United States)

Dinno, Alexis; Whitney, Chelsea

2013-01-01

Marriage benefits both individuals and societies, and is a fundamental determinant of health. Until recently same sex couples have been excluded from legally recognized marriage in the United States. Recent debate around legalization of same sex marriage has highlighted for anti-same sex marriage advocates and policy makers a concern that allowing same sex couples to marry will lead to a decrease in opposite sex marriages. Our objective is to model state trends in opposite sex marriage rates by implementation of same sex marriages and other same sex unions. Marriage data were obtained for all fifty states plus the District of Columbia from 1989 through 2009. As these marriage rates are non-stationary, a generalized error correction model was used to estimate long run and short run effects of same sex marriages and strong and weak same sex unions on rates of opposite sex marriage. We found that there were no significant long-run or short run effects of same sex marriages or of strong or weak same sex unions on rates of opposite sex marriage. A deleterious effect on rates of opposite sex marriage has been argued to be a motivating factor for both the withholding and the elimination of existing rights of same sex couples to marry by policy makers-including presiding justices of current litigation over the rights of same sex couples to legally marry. Such claims do not appear credible in the face of the existing evidence, and we conclude that rates of opposite sex marriages are not affected by legalization of same sex civil unions or same sex marriages.

Same Sex Marriage and the Perceived Assault on Opposite Sex Marriage

Science.gov (United States)

Dinno, Alexis; Whitney, Chelsea

2013-01-01

Background Marriage benefits both individuals and societies, and is a fundamental determinant of health. Until recently same sex couples have been excluded from legally recognized marriage in the United States. Recent debate around legalization of same sex marriage has highlighted for anti-same sex marriage advocates and policy makers a concern that allowing same sex couples to marry will lead to a decrease in opposite sex marriages. Our objective is to model state trends in opposite sex marriage rates by implementation of same sex marriages and other same sex unions. Methods and Findings Marriage data were obtained for all fifty states plus the District of Columbia from 1989 through 2009. As these marriage rates are non-stationary, a generalized error correction model was used to estimate long run and short run effects of same sex marriages and strong and weak same sex unions on rates of opposite sex marriage. We found that there were no significant long-run or short run effects of same sex marriages or of strong or weak same sex unions on rates of opposite sex marriage. Conclusion A deleterious effect on rates of opposite sex marriage has been argued to be a motivating factor for both the withholding and the elimination of existing rights of same sex couples to marry by policy makers–including presiding justices of current litigation over the rights of same sex couples to legally marry. Such claims do not appear credible in the face of the existing evidence, and we conclude that rates of opposite sex marriages are not affected by legalization of same sex civil unions or same sex marriages. PMID:23776536

Activation of vestibule-associated lymphoid tissue in localized provoked vulvodynia.

Science.gov (United States)

Tommola, Päivi; Bützow, Ralf; Unkila-Kallio, Leila; Paavonen, Jorma; Meri, Seppo

2015-04-01

Localized provoked vulvodynia (LPV) may have inflammatory etiology. We wanted to find out whether the cell-mediated immune system becomes activated in the vestibular mucosa in LPV. This was a controlled cross-sectional study. Vestibular mucosal specimens were obtained from 27 patients with severe LPV and 15 controls. Detailed clinical history of the patients was obtained. For immunohistochemistry, antibodies against CD3 (T cells), CD20 (B cells), IgA (mucosal plasma cells), CD163 (dendritic cells [DCs]), CD68 (macrophages), and CD117 (mast cells) were employed. Mann-Whitney U test and χ(2) test were used for statistical analyses. More B lymphocytes and mature mucosal IgA-plasma cells were found in patients than in controls (P associated lymphoid tissue analogous to mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue. Vestibule-associated lymphoid tissue may emerge as a response to local infection or inflammation in LPV. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Synergism between endotoxin priming and exotoxin challenge in provoking severe vascular leakage in rabbit lungs.

Science.gov (United States)

Schütte, H; Rosseau, S; Czymek, R; Ermert, L; Walmrath, D; Krämer, H J; Seeger, W; Grimminger, F

1997-09-01

Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) of gram-negative bacteria prime rabbit lungs for enhanced thromboxane-mediated vasoconstriction upon subsequent challenge with the exotoxin Escherichia coli hemolysin (HlyA) (Walmrath et al. J. Exp. Med. 1994;180:1437-1443). We investigated the impact of endotoxin priming and subsequent HlyA challenge on lung vascular permeability while maintaining constancy of capillary pressure. Rabbit lungs were perfused in a pressure-controlled mode in the presence of the thromboxane receptor antagonist BM 13.505, with continuous monitoring of flow. Perfusion for 180 min with 10 ng/ml LPS did not provoke vasoconstriction or alteration of capillary filtration coefficient (Kfc) values. HlyA (0.021 hemolytic units/ml) induced thromboxane release and a transient decrease in perfusion flow in the absence of significant changes in Kfc. Similar results were obtained when LPS and HlyA were coapplied simultaneously. However, when the HlyA challenge was undertaken after 180 min of LPS priming, a manifold increase in Kfc values was noted, with concomitant severe lung edema formation, although capillary pressure remained unchanged. Thus, endotoxin primes the lung vasculature to respond with a severe increase in vascular permeability to a subsequent low-dose application of HlyA. Such synergism between endotoxin priming and exotoxin challenge in provoking lung vascular leakage may contribute to the pathogenesis of respiratory failure in sepsis and severe lung infection.

Physical properties of the Saturn's rings with the opposition effect.

Science.gov (United States)

Deau, E.

2012-04-01

We use the Cassini/ISS images from the early prime mission to build lit phase curves data from 0.01 degrees to 155 degrees at a solar elevation of 23-20 degrees. All the main rings exhibit on their phase curves a prominent surge at small phase angles. We use various opposition effect models to explain the opposition surge of the rings, including the coherent backscattering, the shadow hiding and a combination of the two (Kawata & Irvine 1974 In: Exploration of the planetary system Book p441; Shkuratov et al. 1999, Icarus, 141, p132; Poulet et al. 2002 Icarus, 158, p224 ; Hapke et al. 2002 Icarus, 157, p523). Our results show that either the coherent backscattering alone or a combination of the shadow hiding and the coherent backscattering can explain the observations providing physical properties (albedo, filling factor, grain size) consistent with previous other studies. However, they disagree with the most recent work of Degiorgio et al. 2011 (EPSC-DPS Abstract #732). We think that their attempt to use the shadow hiding alone lead to unrealistic values of the filling factor of the ring particles layer. For example they found 10^-3 in one of the thickest regions of the C ring (a plateau at R=88439km with an optical depth tau=0.22). We totally disagree with their conclusions stating that these values are consistent for the C ring plateaux and did not found any references that are consistent with theirs, as they claimed. We believe that their unrealistic values originated from the assumptions of the models they used (Kawata & Irvine and Hapke), which are basically an uniform size distribution. Any model using an uniform size distribution force the medium to be very diluted to reproduce the opposition surge. Our modeling that uses a power law size distribution provides realistic values. All these results have been already published previously (http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2007PhDT........25D) and are summarized in a forthcoming manuscript submitted to publication so

Muscular hypertrophy and atrophy in normal rats provoked by the administration of normal and denervated muscle extracts.

Science.gov (United States)

Agüera, Eduardo; Castilla, Salvador; Luque, Evelio; Jimena, Ignacio; Leiva-Cepas, Fernando; Ruz-Caracuel, Ignacio; Peña, José

2016-12-01

This study was conducted to determine the effects of extracts obtained from both normal and denervated muscles on different muscle types. Wistar rats were used and were divided into a control group and four experimental groups. Each experimental group was treated intraperitoneally during 10 consecutive days with a different extract. These extracts were obtained from normal soleus muscle, denervated soleus, normal extensor digitorum longus, and denervated extensor digitorum longus. Following treatment, the soleus and extensor digitorum longus muscles were obtained for study under optic and transmission electron microscope; morphometric parameters and myogenic responses were also analyzed. The results demonstrated that the treatment with normal soleus muscle and denervated soleus muscle extracts provoked hypertrophy and increased myogenic activity. In contrast, treatment with extracts from the normal and denervated EDL had a different effect depending on the muscle analyzed. In the soleus muscle it provoked hypertrophy of type I fibers and increased myogenic activity, while in the extensor digitorum longus atrophy of the type II fibers was observed without changes in myogenic activity. This suggests that the muscular responses of atrophy and hypertrophy may depend on different factors related to the muscle type which could be related to innervation.

Oppositional Defiant Disorder: Information for School Nurses

Science.gov (United States)

Barcalow, Kelly

2006-01-01

Oppositional defiant disorder, one of the disruptive behavior disorders, has far-reaching consequences for the individual, family, school, community, and society. Early recognition allows interventions geared toward promotion of prosocial behaviors, possibly halting progression to the more deviant conduct disorder. Awareness of this disorder and…

A Study about Youth and Uses of Public Spaces

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fardin Alikhah

2016-04-01

Full Text Available There has been a huge concern about the manner of confrontations of different social groups with urban public spaces within urban scholars. Among these social groups, young people have been particularly important. Because they have a tangible presence in the city's public spaces and social life of the city are affected by their presence. This paper examines the uses of public spaces by young people and will pay special attention to the role of social control on use of public spaces. Paper focuses on the study of young people who attend in public places with their friends from opposite sex. We have inspired by theories of urban public spaces such as Oldenburg's third place as well as comprehensive research of Rob White on crime, policing and urban public spaces in Australia in this paper. The main question of the paper is that this particular group of young people choose which public spaces and why? In a qualitative approach, two techniques of observation and in - depth interviews have been chosen for collecting data. Original data collected in interviews with 20 girls and boys who attend in public places with their friends from opposite sex. Results show that parks and coffee shops are preferred urban public places of youth. Formal control would push these youth to out of the way and cozy public spaces.

Dig1 protects against cell death provoked by glyphosate-based herbicides in human liver cell lines

OpenAIRE

Gasnier, C?line; Benachour, Nora; Clair, Emilie; Travert, Carine; Langlois, Fr?d?ric; Laurant, Claire; Decroix-Laporte, C?cile; S?ralini, Gilles-Eric

2010-01-01

Abstract Background Worldwide used pesticides containing different adjuvants like Roundup formulations, which are glyphosate-based herbicides, can provoke some in vivo toxicity and in human cells. These pesticides are commonly found in the environment, surface waters and as food residues of Roundup tolerant genetically modified plants. In order to know their effects on cells from liver, a major detoxification organ, we have studied their mechanism of action and possible protection by precise ...

Oppositional Decoding as an Act of Resistance.

Science.gov (United States)

Steiner, Linda

1988-01-01

Argues that contributors to the "No Comment" feature of "Ms." magazine are engaging in oppositional decoding and speculates on why this is a satisfying group process. Also notes such decoding presents another challenge to the idea that mass media has the same effect on all audiences. (SD)

Prevalence of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome in Women from Opposite-Sex Twin Pairs

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kuijper, E.A.M.; Vink, J.M.; Lambalk, C.B.; Boomsma, D.I.

2009-01-01

Introduction: Intrauterine androgens of a male fetus may influence the female fetus in opposite-sex twin pairs. Because female intrauterine overexposure to androgens could lead to polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), the prevalence of PCOS should be higher in women from opposite-sex twin pairs.

Variables that Predict Serve Efficacy in Elite Men's Volleyball with Different Quality of Opposition Sets.

Science.gov (United States)

Valhondo, Álvaro; Fernández-Echeverría, Carmen; González-Silva, Jara; Claver, Fernando; Moreno, M Perla

2018-03-01

The objective of this study was to determine the variables that predicted serve efficacy in elite men's volleyball, in sets with different quality of opposition. 3292 serve actions were analysed, of which 2254 were carried out in high quality of opposition sets and 1038 actions were in low quality of opposition sets, corresponding to a total of 24 matches played during the Men's European Volleyball Championships held in 2011. The independent variables considered in this study were the serve zone, serve type, serving player, serve direction, reception zone, receiving player and reception type; the dependent variable was serve efficacy and the situational variable was quality of opposition sets. The variables that acted as predictors in both high and low quality of opposition sets were the serving player, reception zone and reception type. The serve type variable only acted as a predictor in high quality of opposition sets, while the serve zone variable only acted as a predictor in low quality of opposition sets. These results may provide important guidance in men's volleyball training processes.

Dig1 protects against cell death provoked by glyphosate-based herbicides in human liver cell lines

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Travert Carine

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Worldwide used pesticides containing different adjuvants like Roundup formulations, which are glyphosate-based herbicides, can provoke some in vivo toxicity and in human cells. These pesticides are commonly found in the environment, surface waters and as food residues of Roundup tolerant genetically modified plants. In order to know their effects on cells from liver, a major detoxification organ, we have studied their mechanism of action and possible protection by precise medicinal plant extracts called Dig1. Methods The cytotoxicity pathways of four formulations of glyphosate-based herbicides were studied using human hepatic cell lines HepG2 and Hep3B, known models to study xenobiotic effects. We monitored mitochondrial succinate dehydrogenase activity and caspases 3/7 for cell mortality and protection by Dig1, as well as cytochromes P450 1A1, 1A2, 3A4 and 2C9 and glutathione-S-transferase to approach the mechanism of actions. Results All the four Roundup formulations provoke liver cell death, with adjuvants having stronger effects than glyphosate alone. Hep3B are 3-5 times more sensitive over 48 h. Caspases 3/7 are greatly activated in HepG2 by Roundup at non-cytotoxic levels, and some apoptosis induction by Roundup is possible together with necrosis. CYP3A4 is specifically enhanced by Roundup at doses 400 times less than used in agriculture (2%. CYP1A2 is increased to a lesser extent together with glutathione-S-transferase (GST down-regulation. Dig 1, non cytotoxic and not inducing caspases by itself, is able to prevent Roundup-induced cell death in a time-dependant manner with an important efficiency of up to 89%, within 48 h. In addition, we evidenced that it prevents Caspases 3/7 activation and CYP3A4 enhancement, and not GST reduction, but in turn it slightly inhibited CYP2C9 when added before Roundup. Conclusion Roundup is able to provoke intracellular disruption in hepatic cell lines at different levels, but a

Evidence for age-associated disinhibition of the wake drive provided by scoring principal components of the resting EEG spectrum in sleep-provoking conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Putilov, Arcady A; Donskaya, Olga G

2016-01-01

Age-associated changes in different bandwidths of the human electroencephalographic (EEG) spectrum are well documented, but their functional significance is poorly understood. This spectrum seems to represent summation of simultaneous influences of several sleep-wake regulatory processes. Scoring of its orthogonal (uncorrelated) principal components can help in separation of the brain signatures of these processes. In particular, the opposite age-associated changes were documented for scores on the two largest (1st and 2nd) principal components of the sleep EEG spectrum. A decrease of the first score and an increase of the second score can reflect, respectively, the weakening of the sleep drive and disinhibition of the opposing wake drive with age. In order to support the suggestion of age-associated disinhibition of the wake drive from the antagonistic influence of the sleep drive, we analyzed principal component scores of the resting EEG spectra obtained in sleep deprivation experiments with 81 healthy young adults aged between 19 and 26 and 40 healthy older adults aged between 45 and 66 years. At the second day of the sleep deprivation experiments, frontal scores on the 1st principal component of the EEG spectrum demonstrated an age-associated reduction of response to eyes closed relaxation. Scores on the 2nd principal component were either initially increased during wakefulness or less responsive to such sleep-provoking conditions (frontal and occipital scores, respectively). These results are in line with the suggestion of disinhibition of the wake drive with age. They provide an explanation of why older adults are less vulnerable to sleep deprivation than young adults.

An opposition-based harmony search algorithm for engineering optimization problems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abhik Banerjee

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Harmony search (HS is a derivative-free real parameter optimization algorithm. It draws inspiration from the musical improvisation process of searching for a perfect state of harmony. The proposed opposition-based HS (OHS of the present work employs opposition-based learning for harmony memory initialization and also for generation jumping. The concept of opposite number is utilized in OHS to improve the convergence rate of the HS algorithm. The potential of the proposed algorithm is assessed by means of an extensive comparative study of the numerical results on sixteen benchmark test functions. Additionally, the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm is tested for reactive power compensation of an autonomous power system. For real-time reactive power compensation of the studied model, Takagi Sugeno fuzzy logic (TSFL is employed. Time-domain simulation reveals that the proposed OHS-TSFL yields on-line, off-nominal model parameters, resulting in real-time incremental change in terminal voltage response profile.

Political opposition in patriarchal East London

OpenAIRE

Atkinson, D

2010-01-01

This paper describes the growing level of politicization in East London in the 1950s, and the way this affected the patriarchal normative system, which prevailed in urban administration. Patriarchalism, as a system, was susceptible of different interpretations by white municipal officials, and their response to black political opposition ranged from liberal forbearance to rigid and uncompromising intolerance. Black leaders’ attitudes to the patriarchal order were similarly nuan...

Psychophysiological and self-reported reactivity associated with social anxiety and public speaking fear symptoms: Effects of fear versus distress.

Science.gov (United States)

Panayiotou, Georgia; Karekla, Maria; Georgiou, Dora; Constantinou, Elena; Paraskeva-Siamata, Michaela

2017-09-01

This study examines psychophysiological and subjective reactivity to anxiety-provoking situations in relation to social anxiety and public speaking fear. We hypothesized that social anxiety symptoms would be associated with similar reactivity across types of imaginary anxiety scenes and not specifically to social anxiety-related scenes. This would be attributed to co-existing depression symptoms. Public speaking fear was expected to be associated with more circumscribed reactivity to survival-threat scenes, due to its association with fearfulness. Community participants imagined standardized anxiety situations, including social anxiety and animal fear scenes, while their physiological reactivity and self-reported emotions were assessed. Findings supported that social anxiety was associated with undifferentiated physiological reactivity across anxiety-provoking situations, except with regards to skin conductance level, which was higher during social anxiety imagery. Public speaking fear was associated with increased reactivity to animal phobia and panic scenes. Covariance analyses indicated that the lack of response specificity associated with social anxiety could be attributed to depression levels, while the specificity associated with public speaking fear could be explained by fearfulness. Findings highlight the need to assess not only primary anxiety symptoms but also depression and fearfulness, which likely predict discrepant reactions of individuals to anxiogenic situations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Receptivity to sexual invitations from strangers of the opposite gender

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hald, Gert Martin; Hogh-Olesen, Henrik

2010-01-01

This study investigated the primary conclusion from Clark and Hatfield's often cited field experiment ``Consent to Sex with a Stranger'' that men agree to sexual invitations from moderately attractive strangers of the opposite gender more readily than women do. In addition, this study investigated...... whether rates of consent are influenced by a subject's age, relationship status, rating of confederate attractiveness, and type of sexual invitation. A number of moderately attractive confederates of the opposite gender individually approached 173 men and 216 women. After a standard introduction...

Peculiarities of functioning of opposition political parties in modern Russia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Y. V. Malyavin

2017-07-01

It has been proven that the political opposition does not take into account the mentality of Russians, their aspiration not to the mild model of Western democracy but to the host leader, the defender of the Motherland from external threat. Whereas, the ruling elite and its leader successfully and effectively implement this image in practice, and despite the deterioration of economic indicators, they get the support among the population. Consequently, the political opposition of Russia is immature and primary controlled by the current government.

Genesis of Josephitism and functioning the opposition in “anti-Sergius” movement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kamila Pawełczyk-Dura

2015-11-01

Full Text Available The crisis in the Russian Orthodox Church, connected with the Patriarch Tikhon’s death, initiated the deep divisions between hierarchs. Deputies of Tikhon, including dignity as a result of the nomination – which was a precedent in the canonical order of the Orthodox Church authorities – were not able to maintain the monolith community, destructed by internal divisions and persecuted by the communist state. Nomination of metropolitan of Nizhny Novogorod on the Guardian of the Patriarchal Throne and publication of The Letter (declaration of the deputy of the Guardian of the Patriarchal Throne Metropolitan Sergius (Stragorodsky of Nizhny Novgorod and the Temporary Saint Synod about the attitude of Russian Orthodox Church to the state authorities underlined differences between the faithful and the clergy. On opposite sides were followers and opponents of the Sergius’ “political line”. Activity of the last ones, manifesting in not-exchanging name of Sergius during liturgy, in moments, when words of the prayer for the superior of the local Church are being said, took the non-institutional forms of movement, definite as not-recalling. This formation, which was essentially the conglomeration of different groups of the clergy and faithful, dominated Josephites – the strongest and most active adherents of the archbishop of Leningrad Joseph (Petrovykh. Genesis those movement as a kind of symbol of opposition to the policy of servility and compromises metropolitan Sergius has been the subject of analysis of this text.

Public information and education in Canada

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Macpherson, J.A.

1993-01-01

The history of providing public information on nuclear energy in Canada for more than 40 years is described. Information centers are part of all nuclear power plants and they receive many thousands of visitors each year. Until the 1970s public information programs were relatively easy. There was a lot of interest in nuclear energy, and there was little debate about it or opposition to it. But times have changed, and Canadian public information strategies and tactics have evolved to meet challenge of answering increasing public concerns. In the past 20 years Canada has gone through three phases in relationship with the public: information, communication, participation. Activities on implementation of these phases are outlined

Evidence for Absolute Moral Opposition to Genetically Modified Food in the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Scott, Sydney E; Inbar, Yoel; Rozin, Paul

2016-05-01

Public opposition to genetic modification (GM) technology in the food domain is widespread (Frewer et al., 2013). In a survey of U.S. residents representative of the population on gender, age, and income, 64% opposed GM, and 71% of GM opponents (45% of the entire sample) were "absolutely" opposed-that is, they agreed that GM should be prohibited no matter the risks and benefits. "Absolutist" opponents were more disgust sensitive in general and more disgusted by the consumption of genetically modified food than were non-absolutist opponents or supporters. Furthermore, disgust predicted support for legal restrictions on genetically modified foods, even after controlling for explicit risk-benefit assessments. This research suggests that many opponents are evidence insensitive and will not be influenced by arguments about risks and benefits. © The Author(s) 2016.

Effect of the systemic inflammatory response, as provoked by elective orthopaedic surgery, on HbA1c.

Science.gov (United States)

Chadburn, Andrew J; Garman, Elizabeth; Abbas, Raad; Modupe, Anu; Ford, Clare; Thomas, Osmond L; Chugh, Sanjiv; Deshpande, Shreeram; Gama, Rousseau

2017-07-01

Background In acutely ill patients with new onset hyperglycaemia, plasma glucose cannot reliably distinguish between stress hyperglycaemia and undiagnosed diabetes mellitus. We, therefore, investigated the diagnostic reliability of glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) in acute illness by prospectively evaluating the effect of the systemic inflammatory response, as provoked by elective orthopaedic surgery, on HbA 1c . Methods HbA 1c and serum C-reactive protein concentrations were compared before and two days after elective knee or hip surgery in 30 patients without diabetes. C-reactive protein was used to assess the systemic inflammatory response. Results The mean (standard deviation) serum C-reactive protein increased following surgery (4.8 [7.5] vs. 179.7 [61.9] mg/L; P<0.0001). HbA 1c was similar before and after surgery (39.2 [5.4] vs. 38.1 [5.1] mmol/moL, respectively; P = 0.4363). Conclusions HbA 1c is unaffected within two days of a systemic inflammatory response as provoked by elective orthopaedic surgery. This suggests that HbA 1c may be able to differentiate newly presenting type 2 diabetes mellitus from stress hyperglycaemia in acutely ill patients with new onset hyperglycaemia.

Nuclear Energy and Public Acceptance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Daifuku, K.

2002-01-01

The continued use of nuclear power in the European Union and elsewhere requires an adequate level of public and political acceptance. A lack of acceptance is often mistakenly cited as a reason for the slowdown in nuclear power plant construction in Western Europe and as a justification for abandoning nuclear power. In fact, the reasons for the slowdown have more to do with the following two factors: Plentiful supplies of low-priced natural gas, making gas-fired power plants a more attractive investment choice; more than adequate supplies of electricity which have curbed the need for the construction of new plant of any kind. In general, moves towards a withdrawal from nuclear in certain Community countries have been due to party political pressures and have not been a response to public opposition to nuclear. In addition, opinion polls do not show widespread public opposition to the use of nuclear power. Figures consistently indicate that the use of nuclear power does not come high on the list of most people's main worries. Their main concerns focus on other issues such as crime and financial problems. In the main, electricity is taken for granted in the industrialised world. Electric power only becomes an issue when there is a threat of shortages. So if public acceptance is not the main obstacle, what is? Political acceptance is an integral part of the process in which nuclear becomes acceptable or not. The relationship between public and political acceptance and the role of the industry in this context, on how to foster a better trialogue, will be examined. (author)

The relevance of introducing opposition proceedings into the Serbian trademark legislation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vasić Aleksandra

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This paper analyzes the quality of certain legal procedures applied in domestic trademark legislation in the light of harmonizing our legislation with those of the EU. Trademark Law in the Republic of Serbia (2009 does not rely on opposition proceedings as a phase in the process of trademark registration and a tool that would ensure that only those trademarks that fulfill the necessary conditions are granted legal protection. Intellectual Property Office examines the so-called relative grounds for trademark registration refusal but does so ex officio, thus preventing the holders of trademark rights from benefiting from a relatively inexpensive and effective opposition procedure regarding the registration of a second trademark which violates their previously established rights. In contrast to our trademark laws, EU Council Regulation 207/2009 on Community Trademarks of February 26, 2009 (CTMR -Community trademark regulation enforces opposition proceedings as the most important phase in the process of trademark registration. European experience shows that opposition proceedings carry significant benefits for the process of trademark application. First of all, they allow the holders of previously established trademark rights to avoid long and costly court proceedings whose purpose is to dispute trademarks that violate the owner's rights. Also, state agencies authorizing in trademark approval no longer need to monitor registered trademarks.

Ictal brain SPET during seizures pharmacologically provoked with pentylenetetrazol: a new diagnostic procedure in drug-resistant epileptic patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Calcagni, Maria Lucia; Giordano, Alessandro; Bruno, Isabella; Di Giuda, Daniela; De Rossi, Giuseppe; Troncone, Luigi; Parbonetti, Giovanni; Colicchio, Gabriella

2002-01-01

Functional brain imaging plays an important role in seizure focus localisation. However, truly ictal single-photon emission tomography (SPET) studies are not routinely performed owing to technical problems associated with the use of tracers and methodological and logistical difficulties. In this study we tried to resolve both of these issues by means of a new procedure: technetium-99m ethyl cysteinate dimer (ECD) brain SPET performed during seizures pharmacologically provoked with pentylenetetrazol, a well-known central and respiratory stimulant. We studied 33 drug-resistant epileptic patients. All patients underwent anamnestic evaluation, neuropsychological and psychodynamic assessment, magnetic resonance imaging, interictal and ictal video-EEG monitoring, and interictal and ictal SPET with 99m Tc-ECD. In order to obtain truly ictal SPET, 65 mg of pentylenetetrazol was injected every 2 minutes and, immediately the seizure began, 740 MBq of 99m Tc-ECD was injected. The scintigraphic findings were considered abnormal if a single area of hyperperfusion was present and corresponded to the site of a single area of hypoperfusion at interictal SPET: the ''hypo-hyperperfusion'' SPET pattern. In 27 of the 33 patients (82%), interictal-ictal SPET showed the hypo-hyperperfusion SPET pattern. Video-EEG showed a single epileptogenic zone in 21/33 patients (64%), and MRI showed anatomical lesions in 19/33 patients (57%). Twenty-two of the 27 patients with hypo-hyperperfusion SPET pattern underwent ablative or palliative surgery and were seizure-free at 3 years of follow-up. No adverse effects were noted during pharmacologically provoked seizure. It is concluded that ictal brain SPET performed during pharmacologically provoked seizure provides truly ictal images because 99m Tc-ECD is injected immediately upon seizure onset. Using this feasible procedure it is possible to localise the focus, to avoid the limitations due to the unpredictability of seizures, to avoid pitfalls due

Variables that Predict Serve Efficacy in Elite Men’s Volleyball with Different Quality of Opposition Sets

Science.gov (United States)

Valhondo, Álvaro; Fernández-Echeverría, Carmen; González-Silva, Jara; Claver, Fernando; Moreno, M. Perla

2018-01-01

Abstract The objective of this study was to determine the variables that predicted serve efficacy in elite men’s volleyball, in sets with different quality of opposition. 3292 serve actions were analysed, of which 2254 were carried out in high quality of opposition sets and 1038 actions were in low quality of opposition sets, corresponding to a total of 24 matches played during the Men’s European Volleyball Championships held in 2011. The independent variables considered in this study were the serve zone, serve type, serving player, serve direction, reception zone, receiving player and reception type; the dependent variable was serve efficacy and the situational variable was quality of opposition sets. The variables that acted as predictors in both high and low quality of opposition sets were the serving player, reception zone and reception type. The serve type variable only acted as a predictor in high quality of opposition sets, while the serve zone variable only acted as a predictor in low quality of opposition sets. These results may provide important guidance in men’s volleyball training processes. PMID:29599869

Dynamic force spectroscopy of oppositely charged polyelectrolyte brushes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Spruijt, E.; Cohen Stuart, M.A.; Gucht, van der J.

2010-01-01

Ion pairing is the main driving force in the formation of polyelectrolyte complexes, which find widespread use in micellar assemblies, drug carriers, and coatings. In this paper we examine the actual ion pairing forces in a polyelectrolyte complex between two oppositely charged polyelectrolyte

Social acceptability of energy policy: the case of nuclear power and the public

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zinberg, D.S.

1983-01-01

Public protest against nuclear power and other energy policies in the US, West Germany, and Sweden contrasts sharply with an apparent lack of public involvement in Belgium, Finland, Canada, and several other countries. The author notes that the concept of an energy policy as opposed to using whatever fuel is available and cheapest is new to society, while nuclear power is unique only in its inability to overcome the historical opposition to new technology. The opposition is strengthened by the coalition of many diverse groups and the emergence of public participation in decision making. Dr. Zinberg feels that open negotiation, taken one step at a time, will be needed to depolarize the controversy and retain the nuclear option. 1 reference

Same Sex Marriage and the Perceived Assault on Opposite Sex Marriage

OpenAIRE

Dinno, Alexis; Whitney, Chelsea

2013-01-01

BACKGROUND: Marriage benefits both individuals and societies, and is a fundamental determinant of health. Until recently same sex couples have been excluded from legally recognized marriage in the United States. Recent debate around legalization of same sex marriage has highlighted for anti-same sex marriage advocates and policy makers a concern that allowing same sex couples to marry will lead to a decrease in opposite sex marriages. Our objective is to model state trends in opposite sex mar...

In Defense of Tradition: Religiosity, Conservatism, and Opposition to Same-Sex Marriage in North America.

Science.gov (United States)

van der Toorn, Jojanneke; Jost, John T; Packer, Dominic J; Noorbaloochi, Sharareh; Van Bavel, Jay J

2017-10-01

Arguments opposing same-sex marriage are often made on religious grounds. In five studies conducted in the United States and Canada (combined N = 1,673), we observed that religious opposition to same-sex marriage was explained, at least in part, by conservative ideology and linked to sexual prejudice. In Studies 1 and 2, we discovered that the relationship between religiosity and opposition to same-sex marriage was mediated by explicit sexual prejudice. In Study 3, we saw that the mediating effect of sexual prejudice was linked to political conservatism. Finally, in Studies 4a and 4b we examined the ideological underpinnings of religious opposition to same-sex marriage in more detail by taking into account two distinct aspects of conservative ideology. Results revealed that resistance to change was more important than opposition to equality in explaining religious opposition to same-sex marriage.

Dimensions of Oppositionality in a Brazilian Community Sample: Testing the "DSM-5" Proposal and Etiological Links

Science.gov (United States)

Krieger, Fernanda Valle.; Polanczyk, Guilherme Vanoni; Goodman, Robert; Rohde, Luis Augusto; Graeff-Martins, Ana Soledade; Salum, Giovanni; Gadelha, Ary; Pan, Pedro; Stahl, Daniel; Stringaris, Argyris

2013-01-01

Objective: Investigating dimensions of oppositional symptoms may help to explain heterogeneity of etiology and outcomes for mental disorders across development and provide further empirical justification for the "DSM-5"-proposed modifications of oppositional defiant disorder (ODD). However, dimensions of oppositionality have not…

Beyond NIMBYs and NOOMBYs: what can wind farm controversies teach us about public involvement in hospital closures?

Science.gov (United States)

Stewart, Ellen; Aitken, Mhairi

2015-12-01

Many policymakers, researchers and commentators argue that hospital closures are necessary as health systems adapt to new technological and financial contexts, and as population health needs in developed countries shift. However closures are often unpopular with local communities. Previous research has characterised public opposition as an obstacle to change. Public opposition to the siting of wind farms, often described as NIMBYism (Not In My Back Yard), is a useful comparator issue to the perceived NOOMBYism (Not Out Of My Back Yard) of hospital closure protestors. The analysis of public attitudes to wind farms has moved from a fairly crude characterisation of the 'attitude-behaviour gap' between publics who support the idea of wind energy, but oppose local wind farms, to empirical, often qualitative, studies of public perspectives. These have emphasised the complexity of public attitudes, and revealed some of the 'rational' concerns which lie beneath protests. Research has also explored processes of community engagement within the wind farm decision-making process, and the crucial role of trust between communities, authorities, and developers. Drawing on what has been learnt from studies of opposition to wind farms, we suggest a range of questions and approaches to explore public perspectives on hospital closure more thoroughly. Understanding the range of public responses to service change is an important first step in resolving the practical dilemma of effecting health system transformation in a democratic fashion.

Will the Real Tunisian Opposition Please Stand Up?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Haugbølle, Rikke Hostrup; Cavatorta, Francesco

2011-01-01

ABSTRACT This contribution examines the reasons behind the failure of Tunisia’s opposition to forge effective coordination and collaborative links during Ben Ali’s reign, focusing specifically on the inability and unwillingness of political parties to act in concert in order to challenge his auth...

Impulsore Chresto. Opposition to Christianity in the Roman Empire c. 50-250 AD

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Engberg, Jakob

in context as the most dramatic aspect of a spectrum of opposition including rumors, polemic, harassment and accusations. Such opposition was taken for granted and rarely described. But studying the preserved texts on trials against Christians it appears that even here the roles of relatives, plaintiffs...

Social aspects of the nuclear energy. Public acceptance. Preliminary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-06-01

This report approaches the social aspects of the nuclear energy an public acceptance. It presents the following main topics: historical of the public opposition to the nuclear energy; emergency planning; legislation related to the popular participation; best strategies to acceptance; insurance of nuclear risks; protection of the population and the environment in the licensing; and organization of the licensing system

Contribution of safety issues to public perceptions of energy systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Otway, H.J.; Thomas, K.

1978-01-01

Public opposition is an important consideration for those responsible for energy planning; however, the formulation of socially viable policies requires an understanding of the reasons for this opposition. An attitude model was applied to identify the underlying determinants of public perceptions of five energy systems: nuclear, coal, oil, solar and hydro. Empirical results (heterogeneous sample of the general public, N = 224) are reported in which these energy systems were found to be perceived in terms of four basic dimensions: psychological aspects; economic benefits; socio-political implications; environmental and physical safety issues. For the total sample, safety issues made an appreciable contribution to attitudes toward all of the systems except nuclear energy, where it was not significant. A differential analysis of two sub-samples, those respondents PRO and CON nuclear energy, showed that benefits and safety issues were important determinants of PRO attitudes while CON attitudes were primarily due to psychological aspects and concerns about personal and political power. The role of technical information in the formation of public attitudes toward technological policies is discussed

Rising stakeholder expectations and the changing role of public relations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Grossberndt, D. [BP Canada Energy Company, Calgary, AB (Canada)

2004-07-01

The role of public relations is changing along with growing public awareness of stakeholder's ability to intervene in the development of energy projects. Public relations and community consultation departments must work closely together to ensure that consistent messages are being delivered to the public. This presentation explained how to develop a successful public relations strategy ranging from environmental risk assessment to community consultation. It also discussed the degree to which effective and ongoing communication with stakeholders prevents opposition and negative media coverage.

Learning to argue as a biotechnologist: disprivileging opposition to genetically modified food

Science.gov (United States)

Solli, Anne; Bach, Frank; Åkerman, Björn

2014-03-01

In the public discussion of genetically modified (GM) food the representations of science as a social good, conducted in the public interest to solve major problems are being subjected to intense scrutiny and questioning. Scientists working in these areas have been seen to struggle for the position of science in society. However few in situ studies of how the debate about science appears in learning situations at the university level have been undertaken. In the present study an introductory course in biotechnology was observed during one semester, lectures and small group supervision concerning GM food were videotaped and student's reports on the issue were collected. The ethnographic approach to Discourse analysis was conducted by means of a set of carefully selected and representative observations of how a group of students learn to argue and appropriate views held in the Discourse they are enculturated into. While socio-scientific issues (SSIs) are often associated with achieving scientific literacy in terms of "informed decisions" involving "rational thought and Discourse" this study shows that SSI in practice, in the context studied here, is primarily concerned with using scientific language to privilege professional understandings of GMOs and discredit public worries and concerns. Scientific claims were privileged over ethical, economical and political claims which were either made irrelevant or rebutted. The students were seen to appropriate a Discourse model held in the biotechnological community that public opposition towards GMO is due to "insufficient knowledge". The present study offers insights into biotechnology students' decision making regarding socio-scientific issues, while also demonstrating the utility of Discourse analysis for understanding learning in this university context. Implications for reflection on the institutional Discourse of science and teaching of controversial issues in science are drawn and the study contributes to the

Understanding the Uncanny: Both Atypical Features and Category Ambiguity Provoke Aversion toward Humanlike Robots

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Megan K. Strait

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Robots intended for social contexts are often designed with explicit humanlike attributes in order to facilitate their reception by (and communication with people. However, observation of an “uncanny valley”—a phenomenon in which highly humanlike entities provoke aversion in human observers—has lead some to caution against this practice. Both of these contrasting perspectives on the anthropomorphic design of social robots find some support in empirical investigations to date. Yet, owing to outstanding empirical limitations and theoretical disputes, the uncanny valley and its implications for human-robot interaction remains poorly understood. We thus explored the relationship between human similarity and people's aversion toward humanlike robots via manipulation of the agents' appearances. To that end, we employed a picture-viewing task (Nagents = 60 to conduct an experimental test (Nparticipants = 72 of the uncanny valley's existence and the visual features that cause certain humanlike robots to be unnerving. Across the levels of human similarity, we further manipulated agent appearance on two dimensions, typicality (prototypic, atypical, and ambiguous and agent identity (robot, person, and measured participants' aversion using both subjective and behavioral indices. Our findings were as follows: (1 Further substantiating its existence, the data show a clear and consistent uncanny valley in the current design space of humanoid robots. (2 Both category ambiguity, and more so, atypicalities provoke aversive responding, thus shedding light on the visual factors that drive people's discomfort. (3 Use of the Negative Attitudes toward Robots Scale did not reveal any significant relationships between people's pre-existing attitudes toward humanlike robots and their aversive responding—suggesting positive exposure and/or additional experience with robots is unlikely to affect the occurrence of an uncanny valley effect in humanoid robotics

Understanding the Uncanny: Both Atypical Features and Category Ambiguity Provoke Aversion toward Humanlike Robots.

Science.gov (United States)

Strait, Megan K; Floerke, Victoria A; Ju, Wendy; Maddox, Keith; Remedios, Jessica D; Jung, Malte F; Urry, Heather L

2017-01-01

Robots intended for social contexts are often designed with explicit humanlike attributes in order to facilitate their reception by (and communication with) people. However, observation of an "uncanny valley"-a phenomenon in which highly humanlike entities provoke aversion in human observers-has lead some to caution against this practice. Both of these contrasting perspectives on the anthropomorphic design of social robots find some support in empirical investigations to date. Yet, owing to outstanding empirical limitations and theoretical disputes, the uncanny valley and its implications for human-robot interaction remains poorly understood. We thus explored the relationship between human similarity and people's aversion toward humanlike robots via manipulation of the agents' appearances. To that end, we employed a picture-viewing task ( N agents = 60) to conduct an experimental test ( N participants = 72) of the uncanny valley's existence and the visual features that cause certain humanlike robots to be unnerving. Across the levels of human similarity, we further manipulated agent appearance on two dimensions, typicality (prototypic, atypical, and ambiguous) and agent identity (robot, person), and measured participants' aversion using both subjective and behavioral indices. Our findings were as follows: (1) Further substantiating its existence, the data show a clear and consistent uncanny valley in the current design space of humanoid robots. (2) Both category ambiguity, and more so, atypicalities provoke aversive responding, thus shedding light on the visual factors that drive people's discomfort. (3) Use of the Negative Attitudes toward Robots Scale did not reveal any significant relationships between people's pre-existing attitudes toward humanlike robots and their aversive responding-suggesting positive exposure and/or additional experience with robots is unlikely to affect the occurrence of an uncanny valley effect in humanoid robotics. This work furthers

Lumbar internal disc derangement in patients with chronic low back pain: diagnostic value of the MR imaging findings as compared with provoked discography as the standard

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Hyeon Seon; Park, Jee Young; Lee, Sang Ho; Ahn, Yong [Wooridul spine Hospital, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Sang Yeun [Puchon Daesung Hospital, Puchon (Korea, Republic of)

2006-04-15

The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of the MR imaging findings with provoked discography used as the standard for painful lumbar disc derangement. Two hundred patients (412 discs), (age rang: 21-77 year), with chronic low back pain underwent MRI and provoked discography. We evaluated the MRI T2-WI findings such as disc degeneration, high-Intensity zones and endplate abnormalities. Subsequently, provocative discography was independently performed with using MR imaging, and a painful disc was defined when moderate to severe and concordant pain was provoked. We calculated the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of the MRI findings with using provoked discography as the standard. 400 discs showed abnormal findings such as disc degeneration, HIZ and endplate abnormalities on the T2-WI images. 12 discs showed normal finding. HIZ or endplate abnormalities were always combined with disc degeneration. The prevalence of each findings were disc degeneration (400 discs: 97.1%), HIZ (111 discs: 26.9%), type I endplate abnormalities (34 discs: 8.3%), type II endplate abnormalities (75 discs: 18.2%), the combined findings of HIZ and type I endplate abnormalities (2 discs: 0.5%) and the combined findings of HIZ and type II endplate abnormalities (7 discs: 1.7%). The disc degeneration showed high sensitivity (99.5%) and low specificity (5.0%), so only the NPV (91.7%) was significant, and not the PPV (47.8%). Each findings of HIZ (sensitivity, 36.5%, specificity, 81.4%; PPV, 63.18%; NPV, 59.5%), type I endplate abnormalities (11.0%, 94.1%, 61.8% and 54.8%, respectively), type II endplate abnormalities (19.8%, 83.2%, 50.7% and 54.3%, respectively), the combined findings of HIZ and type I endplate abnormalities (0.5%, 99.6%, 50.0% and 53.4%, respectively) and the combined findings of HIZ and type II endplate abnormalities (26.0%, 99.1%, 71.4% and 53.8%, respectively) show high specificity, but low

Lumbar internal disc derangement in patients with chronic low back pain: diagnostic value of the MR imaging findings as compared with provoked discography as the standard

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Hyeon Seon; Park, Jee Young; Lee, Sang Ho; Ahn, Yong; Lee, Sang Yeun

2006-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of the MR imaging findings with provoked discography used as the standard for painful lumbar disc derangement. Two hundred patients (412 discs), (age rang: 21-77 year), with chronic low back pain underwent MRI and provoked discography. We evaluated the MRI T2-WI findings such as disc degeneration, high-Intensity zones and endplate abnormalities. Subsequently, provocative discography was independently performed with using MR imaging, and a painful disc was defined when moderate to severe and concordant pain was provoked. We calculated the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of the MRI findings with using provoked discography as the standard. 400 discs showed abnormal findings such as disc degeneration, HIZ and endplate abnormalities on the T2-WI images. 12 discs showed normal finding. HIZ or endplate abnormalities were always combined with disc degeneration. The prevalence of each findings were disc degeneration (400 discs: 97.1%), HIZ (111 discs: 26.9%), type I endplate abnormalities (34 discs: 8.3%), type II endplate abnormalities (75 discs: 18.2%), the combined findings of HIZ and type I endplate abnormalities (2 discs: 0.5%) and the combined findings of HIZ and type II endplate abnormalities (7 discs: 1.7%). The disc degeneration showed high sensitivity (99.5%) and low specificity (5.0%), so only the NPV (91.7%) was significant, and not the PPV (47.8%). Each findings of HIZ (sensitivity, 36.5%, specificity, 81.4%; PPV, 63.18%; NPV, 59.5%), type I endplate abnormalities (11.0%, 94.1%, 61.8% and 54.8%, respectively), type II endplate abnormalities (19.8%, 83.2%, 50.7% and 54.3%, respectively), the combined findings of HIZ and type I endplate abnormalities (0.5%, 99.6%, 50.0% and 53.4%, respectively) and the combined findings of HIZ and type II endplate abnormalities (26.0%, 99.1%, 71.4% and 53.8%, respectively) show high specificity, but low

Problems in siting low level radioactive wastes: A focus on public participation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bord, R.J.

1985-01-01

Public participation programs must develop a means to enlist meaningful public feedback. Besides the traditional public meetings, which generally mobilize the opposition, careful surveys can be done of a representative spectrum of the public getting their judgments about specific criteria. These judgments can be used to shape siting policy. Such an approach would help avoid the criticism that public input is not taken into account. While the suggestions included in this paper go far in dealing with public fear and distrust they cannot guarantee siting success. There are a number of uncontrollable contingencies that can affect any siting program. Another energy crises, for example, may increase the prestige of the nuclear industry and make LLRW siting less onerous. Or, new broadcasts of waste site failures or of nuclear accidents could make LLRW siting more problematic. The problems of waste siting will not disappear nor are the solutions easy ones. They demand serious consideration by talented scientists of all kinds. Waste siting difficulties certainly rank near the top of challenges facing advanced industrial societies. Attempts to site wastes of all kinds have foundered because of strong public opposition. LLRW siting attempts are certain to meet similar problems. Local communities tend to see little or no benefits but high costs in hosting waste sites. Fear of pollution, the unknown aspects of radiation risks, a lack of confidence in governmental agencies, are all factors promoting public resistance. Compounding these problems has been the failure of citizen participation programs to fulfill the functions for which they were designed. Instead of fostering more open communication, regulating conflict, and generating better ideas, participation programs dealing with waste siting tend to generate more conflict and mobilize determined opposition

The Necessary Unity of Opposites

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Graham, Brian Russell

and `suprahistorical' alternative. As Graham points out, much of Frye's thought is focused on secular concerns, and, within that context, his dialectical and `suprahistorical' thinking is `post-partisan,' a feature which also signifies and explains Frye's appeal. Graham contends it is the thinking of William Blake......, specifically his conceptions of innocence and experience, which provides the inspiration for Frye's dialectical thinking. Graham systematically addresses the main areas of Frye's work: Blake's poetry, secular literature, education and work, politics, and Scripture. In following each of these themes......, The Necessary Unity of Opposites expertly clarifies Frye's dialectical thinking, while drawing attention to its structural connection to Blake, Frye's great preceptor....

A review of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder complicated by symptoms of oppositional defiant disorder or conduct disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Connor, Daniel F; Steeber, Jennifer; McBurnett, Keith

2010-06-01

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a highly prevalent disorder with significant functional impairment. ADHD is frequently complicated by oppositional symptoms, which are difficult to separate from comorbidity with oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder, and aggressive symptoms. This review addresses the impact of oppositional symptoms on ADHD, disease course, functional impairment, clinical management, and treatment response. Oppositional defiant disorder or conduct disorder may be comorbid in more than half of ADHD cases and are more common with the combined than with the inattentive ADHD subtype. Comorbid symptoms of oppositional defiant disorder and conduct disorder in patients with ADHD can have a significant impact on the course and prognosis for these patients and may lead to differential treatment response to both behavioral and pharmacologic treatments. Assessment of oppositional symptoms is an essential part of ADHD screening and diagnosis and should include parental, as well as educator, input. Although clinical evidence remains limited, some stimulant and nonstimulant medications have shown effectiveness in treating both core ADHD symptoms and oppositional symptoms. Oppositional symptoms are a key consideration in ADHD management, although the optimum approach to treating ADHD complicated by such symptoms remains unclear. Future research should focus on the efficacy and safety of various behavioral and medication regimens, as well as longitudinal studies to further clarify the relationships between ADHD, oppositional defiant disorder, and conduct disorder.

Public interest group involvement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shelley, P.

1986-01-01

Including public interest groups in the siting process for nuclear waste disposal facilities is of great importance. Controversial sitings often result in litigation, but involving public interest groups early in the process will lessen the change of this. They act as surrogates for the general public and should be considered as members of the team. It is important to remember though, that all public interest groups are different. In choosing public panels such as public advisory committees, members should not be chosen on the basis of some quota. Opposition groups should not be excluded. Also, it is important to put the right person in charge of the committee. The goal of public involvement is to identify the conflicts. This must be done during the decision process, because conflicts must be known before they can be eliminated. Regarding litigation, it is important to ease through and around legal battles. If the siting process has integrity and a good faith effort has been shown, the court should uphold the effort. In addition, it is important to be negotiable and to eliminate shortcuts

Two consecutive levels of unilateral cervical spondylolysis on opposite sides

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ryu, Kyeong Hwa; Kim, Seon Jeong; KIm Ok Hwa; Kim, Seung Ho; Lee, Kwang Hwi; Beak, Hye Jin; Lee, Ye Daun [Dept. of Radiology, Inje University College of Medicine, Haeundae Paik Hospital, Busan (Korea, Republic of); Cha, Yoon Ki [Dept. of Radiology, Dongguk University College of Medicine, Ilsan Hospital, Goyang (Korea, Republic of)

2015-09-15

Cervical spondylolysis, with or without spondylolisthesis, is a rare condition defined as a corticated cleft between the superior and inferior articular facets of the articular pillar. The defect occurs predominantly at C6, and is usually bilateral in up to two-thirds of cases. Multilevel involvement is uncommon, however, to date, no case of two consecutive levels of unilateral cervical spondylolysis on opposite sides has been reported. Here, we report a rare case of a patient affected by two consecutive levels of unilateral cervical spondylolysis at C5 and C6 on opposite sides in a 19-year-old male complaining of neck pain.

Two consecutive levels of unilateral cervical spondylolysis on opposite sides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ryu, Kyeong Hwa; Kim, Seon Jeong; KIm Ok Hwa; Kim, Seung Ho; Lee, Kwang Hwi; Beak, Hye Jin; Lee, Ye Daun; Cha, Yoon Ki

2015-01-01

Cervical spondylolysis, with or without spondylolisthesis, is a rare condition defined as a corticated cleft between the superior and inferior articular facets of the articular pillar. The defect occurs predominantly at C6, and is usually bilateral in up to two-thirds of cases. Multilevel involvement is uncommon, however, to date, no case of two consecutive levels of unilateral cervical spondylolysis on opposite sides has been reported. Here, we report a rare case of a patient affected by two consecutive levels of unilateral cervical spondylolysis at C5 and C6 on opposite sides in a 19-year-old male complaining of neck pain

Three dimensions of oppositionality in autism spectrum disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Mandy, William; Roughan, Laura; Skuse, David

2014-02-01

In autism spectrum disorder (ASD), symptoms of oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) are common but poorly understood. DSM-5 has adopted a tripartite model of ODD, parsing its features into 'angry and irritable symptoms' (AIS), 'argumentative and defiant behavior' (ADB) and 'vindictiveness'. This was based on findings in non-autistic populations that each of these dimensions of oppositionality has a distinct constellation of associations with internalising and externalising psychopathology. We applied the tripartite DSM-5 ODD model to ASD to test its generalisability beyond non-ASD populations; and to elucidate the nature of ODD symptoms in ASD. Participants were 216 verbally-fluent young people (mean age = 9.6 years, range 3.0 to 16.2 years, 82 % male) with ASD. Cross-sectional parent-and teacher-report data were analysed using bootstrap multiple regression to test the following predictions, derived from studies of non-ASD young people: (1) AIS will be the main predictor of internalising problems; (2) ADB will be the main predictor of ADHD symptoms; (3) all ODD traits will independently predict conduct disorder symptoms; (4) vindictiveness will be the main predictor of aggressive conduct problems. Our findings using both parent and teacher data were consistent with the non-ASD ODD literature. AIS were associated with internalising but not externalising problems; ADB and vindictiveness were associated with externalising but not internalising problems; and vindictiveness was the main predictor of aggression. The DSM-5 tripartite model of ODD appears to be generalisable to ASD: for people with an autistic disorder, AIS, ADB and vindictive dimensions of oppositionality have distinct associations with concurrent psychopathology, suggesting the need to assess them as separate constructs.

Prevalence of oppositional defiant disorder in Spain.

Science.gov (United States)

López-Villalobos, José Antonio; Andrés-De Llano, Jesús María; Rodríguez-Molinero, Luis; Garrido-Redondo, Mercedes; Sacristán-Martín, Ana María; Martínez-Rivera, María Teresa; Alberola-López, Susana; Sánchez-Azón, María Isabel

2014-01-01

Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) is characterized by a pattern of negative, defiant, disobedient and hostile behavior toward authority figures. ODD is one of the most frequent reasons for clinical consultation on mental health during childhood and adolescence. ODD has a high morbidity and dysfunction, and has important implications for the future if not treated early. To determine the prevalence of ODD in schoolchildren aged 6-16 years in Castile and Leon (Spain). Population study with a stratified multistage sample, and a proportional cluster design. Sample analyzed: 1,049. Cases were defined according to DSM-IV criteria. An overall prevalence rate of 5.6% was found (95% CI: 4.2%-7%). Male gender prevalence=6.8%; female=4.3%. Prevalence in secondary education=6.2%; primary education=5.3%. No significant differences by gender, age, grade, type of school, or demographic area were found. ODD prevalence without considering functional impairment, such as is performed in some research, would increase the prevalence to 7.4%. ODD cases have significantly worse academic outcomes (overall academic performance, reading, maths and writing), and worse classroom behavior (relationship with peers, respect for rules, organizational skills, academic tasks, and disruption of the class). Castile and Leon has a prevalence rate of ODD slightly higher to that observed in international publications. Depending on the distribution by age, morbidity and clinical dysfunctional impact, an early diagnosis and a preventive intervention are required for health planning. Copyright © 2013 SEP y SEPB. Published by Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

Paired fuzzy sets and other opposite-based models

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Montero, Javier; Gómez, Daniel; Tinguaro Rodríguez, J.

2016-01-01

In this paper we stress the relevance of those fuzzy models that impose a couple of simultaneous views in order to represent concepts. In particular, we point out that the basic model to start with should contain at least two somehow opposite valuations plus a number of neutral concepts that are ...

Parliamentary Behaviour of the Members of Opposition Political Parties in Malaysia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muhamad Fuzi Omar

2008-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract: In a hegemonic consociational system practised in Malaysia, the Opposition can hardly play a dominant role in making democracy work. Nevertheless, a content analysis of the debates in the House of Representatives from 1982 to 2003 show that the opposition members have contributed to the process of check and balance in the government by asking questions to relevant ministries and by initiating adjournment motions. In the process, they not merely attacked the government for their failure but also suggested alternative policies some of which were implemented by the ruling coalition.

Conduct behaviors and oppositional defiant behaviors in children and adolescents with ADHD.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghanizadeh, Ahmad

2015-04-01

There is controversy about the association among attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), conduct disorder behaviors, and oppositional defiant behaviors. This study examines whether different subcategories of conduct behaviors co-occur in children with ADHD, and investigates the association of conduct behaviors with ADHD symptoms and oppositional defiant behavior, considering the covariant factors of parental age and educational level. A total of 441 children and adolescents with ADHD participated in this study - 342 (77.6%) boys and 99 girls (22.4%). Their mean age was 9.1 (standard deviation = 2.2) years. They came from families with 1 to 8 children. There were statistically significant correlations among different subcategories of conduct disorder (p Oppositional behavior scores were associated with all 4 subcategories of conduct behaviors. The severity of hyperactivity/impulsivity was associated with the subcategory of "destruction of property." The inattentiveness score was associated with "aggression to people and animals." The current results do not suggest that conduct behaviors exclude oppositional defiant behaviors. The subcategories of conduct behaviors occur in a cluster rather than as a solitary behavior. Larger family size and lower educational level of the father increase the risk of aggression to people and animals in children with ADHD.

Three-Dimensional Bioprinting of Oppositely Charged Hydrogels with Super Strong Interface Bonding.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Huijun; Tan, Yu Jun; Liu, Sijun; Li, Lin

2018-04-04

A novel strategy to improve the adhesion between printed layers of three-dimensional (3D) printed constructs is developed by exploiting the interaction between two oppositely charged hydrogels. Three anionic hydrogels [alginate, xanthan, and κ-carrageenan (Kca)] and three cationic hydrogels [chitosan, gelatin, and gelatin methacrylate (GelMA)] are chosen to find the optimal combination of two oppositely charged hydrogels for the best 3D printability with strong interface bonding. Rheological properties and printability of the hydrogels, as well as structural integrity of printed constructs in cell culture medium, are studied as functions of polymer concentration and the combination of hydrogels. Kca2 (2 wt % Kca hydrogel) and GelMA10 (10 wt % GelMA hydrogel) are found to be the best combination of oppositely charged hydrogels for 3D printing. The interfacial bonding between a Kca layer and a GelMA layer is proven to be significantly higher than that of the bilayered Kca or bilayered GelMA because of the formation of polyelectrolyte complexes between the oppositely charged hydrogels. A good cell viability of >96% is obtained for the 3D-bioprinted Kca-GelMA construct. This novel strategy has a great potential for 3D bioprinting of layered constructs with a strong interface bonding.

Measurement of Bitumen Viscosity in a Room-Temperature Drop Experiment: Student Education, Public Outreach and Modern Science in One

Science.gov (United States)

Widdicombe, A. T.; Ravindrarajah, P.; Sapelkin, A.; Phillips, A. E.; Dunstan, D.; Dove, M. T.; Brazhkin, V. V.; Trachenko, K.

2014-01-01

The slow flow of a viscous liquid is a thought-provoking experiment that challenges students, academics and the public to think about some fundamental questions in modern science. In the Queensland demonstration--the world's longest-running experiment, which has earned the Ig Nobel prize--one drop of pitch takes about ten years to fall, leading to…

Relationship between non-genital tender point tenderness and intra-vaginal muscle pain intensity: Ratings in women with provoked vestibulodynia and implications for treatment

Science.gov (United States)

PHILLIPS, Nancy; BROWN, Candace; BACHMANN, Gloria; WAN, Jim; WOOD, Ronald; ULRICH, Dagny; BACHOUR, Candi; FOSTER, David

2016-01-01

Background Vulvodynia is a chronic vulvar pain disorder and fibromyalgia is a chronic widespread musculoskeletal pain disorder; both of unknown etiology. Association of these conditions is well documented. Intra-vaginal algometer measurement of tenderness to pressure applied to the pelvic floor muscles helps to define vulvodynia associated with musculoskeletal factors. Women with both vulvodynia and fibromyalgia might have increased pelvic muscle pain compared to women with vulvodynia alone, defining the possible link of these two conditions. Objective 1) correlate pain intensity during the non-genital tender point tenderness examination to pain intensity with the vaginal algometer in women with provoked vestibulodynia, 2) determine whether subjects with provoked vestibulodynia and fibromyalgia had higher pain intensity scores with the vaginal algometer than those without fibromyalgia. Study Design Ninety-two subjects referred for vulvar pain were confirmed to have provoked vestibulodynia using the cotton swab test. A diagnosis of fibromyalgia was made if pain was present (Numerical rating scale> 1) in at least 11 sites of the 18-point non-genital tender point tenderness exam. Vaginal pain sensitivity was measured using an intra-vaginal pressure algometer, where 0.1, 0.3, and 0.5 kg/cm2 forces were applied digitally in random assignment by force and location to the right and left iliococcygeus muscle regions and the posterior vaginal wall. Both tender point tenderness and algometer pain intensity were reported on a 0 (no pain) to 10 (worse pain) numeric rating scale. Correlations were computed between the composite pain intensity (total of rating scale from each pressure threshold at specified site) of non-genital and those of iliococcygeus regions and the posterior vaginal wall. Independent t-tests were used to determine differences in iliococcygeus regions and the posterior vaginal algometer pain ratings and presence or absence of fibromyalgia. The significance

Gender differences in the effects of oppositional behavior on teacher ratings of ADHD symptoms.

Science.gov (United States)

Jackson, David A; King, Alan R

2004-04-01

H. Abikoff, M. Courtney, W. E. Pelham, and H. S. Koplewicz (1993) presented elementary school teachers with a videotape of a 4th-grade male child exhibiting behavior associated with either Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD). Comparisons with ratings generated from a control tape (same child exhibiting unremarkable behavior) suggested that oppositional tendencies inflated teacher ratings of ADHD for boys. The term "halo effect" has been used in the literature to refer to the impact of one class of behavior on the perception of another. This study replicated this procedure using identical scripts with both male and female child models. Oppositional behavior was associated with higher teacher ratings of hyperactivity and inattentiveness. Portrayals of behavior associated with ADHD generated higher teacher ratings of oppositional conduct. This bidirectional effect differed in magnitude as a function of child gender. The boy actor exhibiting oppositional behavior received teacher ratings of hyperactivity and inattention that were roughly half of those elicited by his portrayal of ADHD itself. The girl actor portraying ADHD generated oppositional defiant ratings that were roughly two thirds of those elicited from her performance as a child with ODD. These teacher rating tendencies could contribute to higher diagnostic rates of ADHD among boys and ODD among girls. Available epidemiologic data indicate a much higher rate of ADHD among boys and prevalence differentials for ODD (girls initially lower) that disappear by adolescence. Future research will be required to determine the extent to which these teacher response sets generalize to other evaluators such as parents, physicians and mental health professionals.

Konstruksi Prinsip Kinerja Public Relations Dalam Pandangan Syariat Islam

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mubarok Mubarok

2016-07-01

Full Text Available PR performance principle formulated as part of the management functions to achieve the objectives of an organization. Likewise with the influence of religious scriptures embraced by every individual involved in the communication process. One scripture that the reference human life is the Qur'an as a way of life of Muslims. Related to the practice and science of public relations it is interesting to look at dikontruksi how Islamic law principle of PR performance. The scales of the Shari'a as an integral part of the life of a Muslim will guide how he practice the principles of PR performance. Institutions are trying to get support through activities that can provoke support from the public without coercion or through a stage of conflict. Arthur W. Page mentions a number of principles that can be used in practice and as a philosophical PR in maintaining relations with the public institutions.

Academic Inbreeding and Publication Activities of Russian Faculty

Science.gov (United States)

Alipova, Olga; Lovakov, Andrey

2018-01-01

The literature on the consequences of academic inbreeding shows ambiguous results: some papers show that inbreeding positively influences research productivity measured by the quantity and quality of publications, while others demonstrate the opposite effect. There are contradictory results both in the studies of different countries and within…

Public opinion and the politics of the killer robots debate

OpenAIRE

Michael C Horowitz

2016-01-01

The possibility that today’s drones could become tomorrow’s killer robots has attracted the attention of people around the world. Scientists and business leaders, from Stephen Hawking to Elon Musk, recently signed a letter urging the world to ban autonomous weapons. Part of the argument against these systems is that they violate the public conscience provision of the Martens Clause due to public opposition, making them illegal under international law. What, however, does the US public think o...

Four nuclear paradoxes which affect Japanese public opinion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanaka, Y.

1985-01-01

Four major paradoxes - sociological, political, economic and psychological - are described with respect to the contemporary use of nuclear energy, drawing attention to Japan. Sociologically nuclear energy is a paradox because it is an irreversible social process; politically because it discriminates between the 'have' and 'have not' countries, making rich countries richer and poor countries poorer (political power); economically because, despite strong opposition for various reasons, there are also strong economic incentives for localities and individuals (stronger opposition may bring about greater profit in the long run); psychologically, because its acceptance or rejection tends to depend on the emotional 'psycho-logic' which seems to operate in the psychological process of individuals. Public acceptance seems to be both an institutional and a psychological process; consequently a close examination of the cross-pressures, resulting from all the influences is needed, to achieve public acceptance. Finally, it seems important to take into consideration cultural uniqueness as well as cross-cultural similarities. (author)

Assassinating political opposition: An "Albatross" and aberration-the ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Logicians, though they are not mathematicians, do challenge mathematicians to prove that one plus one is equal to two; so also it appeals to governance and especially the democratic system, where the judiciary and legislature act as watch dogs to the executive; so is the opposition party to the ruling party. This is what the ...

The Effectiveness of the Process of Socialisation to Behavioural Conformity Within the Public Schools Is Their Strength and also their Weakness: Some Observations

Science.gov (United States)

Whitton, D. J.

1977-01-01

Analyzes the effectiveness of the process of socialization within the public schools (known as private schools in the United States) and seeks to provoke a reappraisal of their function in Australia. Available from: Australian College of Education, 916 Swanston Street, Carlton, Victoria 3053, Australia, $2.50 single copy. (Author/MLF)

Effectiveness of Group Play Therapy on Symptoms of Oppositional Defiant Among Children

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Narges Morshed

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Background and Objectives: With regard to the prevalence of Oppositional-Defiant Disorder in children and converting to the other disorders, if left untreated, this research aims to investigate the effectiveness of group play therapy on oppositional-defiant disorder symptoms among children. Materials and Methods: This study is interventional and quasi-experimental research. In this study based on cluster sampling method, 30 participants were selected and randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups. The tools discussed here included Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL, Raven's Progressive Matrixes, Teacher Report Form (TRF as well as a clinical interview with parents. Play therapy was provided weekly by group for the participants, in sixty-minute eight sessions. Participants were assessed in three stages of pre- interference post- interference and after two month intervals from completing sessions. SPSS18 and multi-variables covariance analysis method were used for analyzing data. Results: The results obtained by Mancova analysis showed that there was a significant decrease in oppositional defiant-disorder symptoms in comparison with control group reporting by parents and teacher (P < 0.001. In addition, the results indicated the same effect after two months. Conclusions: The results indicated the efficiency of group play therapy on decrease of oppositional defiant disorder symptoms among children. Accordingly using this treatment method on children was recommended to the therapists.

Colloids from oppositely charged polymers: reversibility and surface activity

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hofs, P.S.

2009-01-01

The research described in this thesis concerns the formation, solution properties, and adsorption of polyelectrolyte complexes composed of at least one diblock copolymer with a neutral and a charged block and either an oppositely charged homopolyelectrolyte or a diblock copolymer, with a neutral

Repulsion between oppositely charged rod-shaped macromolecules: Role of overcharging and ionic confinement

Science.gov (United States)

Antila, Hanne S.; Van Tassel, Paul R.; Sammalkorpi, Maria

2017-09-01

The interaction between two oppositely charged rod-shaped macro-ions in a micro-ion solution is investigated via Monte Carlo simulations of the primitive model. The focus is on the asymmetry in rod and/or ion charge, i.e., conditions where oppositely charged objects can repel one another. For equally and oppositely charged rods with asymmetric z:1 micro-ions, repulsion may be induced by overcharging one of the rods with the z valent ions. For asymmetrically charged rods in a symmetric z:z micro-ion solution, a repulsive interaction—at separation of the order of one ion diameter—can arise via an unbalanced osmotic pressure contribution from the ionic atmosphere in the inter-rod space, and an attractive interaction—at a smaller separation—may occur due to a "squeezing out" of the micro-ions from the space between the rods (with a consequent gain in entropy). The thermodynamics of each mechanism is investigated in terms of rod charge and size and micro-ion valence, size, and concentration. Our findings contribute to the understanding of the complex role of charge asymmetry on the interaction of, for example, oppositely charged polyelectrolytes, functionalized nanotubes, and rod-like biomolecules, e.g., viruses.

Public Discourse in Energy Policy Decision-Making: Final Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Idaho Citizen; Eileen DeShazo; John Freemuth; Tina Giannini; Troy Hall; Ann Hunter; Jeffrey C. Joe; Michael Louis; Carole Nemnich; Jennie Newman; Steven J. Piet; Stephen Sorensen; Paulina Starkey; Kendelle Vogt; Patrick Wilson

2010-08-01

The ground is littered with projects that failed because of strong public opposition, including natural gas and coal power plants proposed in Idaho over the past several years. This joint project , of the Idaho National Laboratory, Boise State University, Idaho State University and University of Idaho has aimed to add to the tool box to reduce project risk through encouraging the public to engage in more critical thought and be more actively involved in public or social issues. Early in a project, project managers and decision-makers can talk with no one, pro and con stakeholder groups, or members of the public. Experience has shown that talking with no one outside of the project incurs high risk because opposition stakeholders have many means to stop most (if not all) energy projects. Talking with organized stakeholder groups provides some risk reduction from mutual learning, but organized groups tend not to change positions except under conditions of a negotiated settlement. Achieving a negotiated settlement may be impossible. Furthermore, opposition often arises outside pre-existing groups. Standard public polling provides some information but does not reveal underlying motivations, intensity of attitudes, etc. Improved methods are needed that probe deeper into stakeholder (organized groups and members of the public) values and beliefs/heuristics to increase the potential for change of opinions and/or out-of-box solutions. The term “heuristics” refers to the mental short-cuts, underlying beliefs, and paradigms that everyone uses to filter and interpret information, to interpret what is around us, and to guide our actions and decisions. This document is the final report of a 3-year effort to test different public discourse methods in the subject area of energy policy decision-making. We analyzed 504 mail-in surveys and 80 participants in groups on the Boise State University campus for their preference, financial support, and evaluations of eight attributes

Peak provoked craving: an alternative to smoking cue-reactivity.

Science.gov (United States)

Sayette, Michael A; Tiffany, Stephen T

2013-06-01

Smoking cue-exposure research has provided a powerful tool for examining cravings in the laboratory. A key attraction of this method is that tightly controlled experimental procedures can model craving experiences that are presumed to relate to addiction. Despite its appeal, key assumptions underlying the clinical relevance of smoking cue-reactivity studies have been questioned recently. For both conceptual and methodological reasons it may be difficult to tease apart cue-based and abstinence-based cravings. Moreover, conventional cue-reactivity procedures typically generate levels of craving with only minimal clinical relevance. We argue here that sometimes it is unfeasible-and in some instances conceptually misguided-to disentangle abstinence-based and cued components of cigarette cravings. In light of the challenges associated with cue-reactivity research, we offer an alternative approach to smoking cue-exposure experimental research focusing on peak provoked craving (PPC) states. The PPC approach uses nicotine-deprived smokers and focuses on urges during smoking cue-exposure without subtracting out urge ratings during control cue or baseline assessments. This design relies on two factors found in many cue-exposure studies-nicotine deprivation and exposure to explicit smoking cues-which, when combined, can create powerful craving states. The PPC approach retains key aspects of the cue-exposure method, and in many circumstances may be a viable design for studies examining robust laboratory-induced cravings. © 2012 The Authors, Addiction © 2012 Society for the Study of Addiction.

Systematic Review of the Effectiveness of Physical Therapy Modalities in Women With Provoked Vestibulodynia.

Science.gov (United States)

Morin, Mélanie; Carroll, Marie-Soleil; Bergeron, Sophie

2017-07-01

Pelvic floor muscle physical therapy is recommended in clinical guidelines for women with provoked vestibulodynia (PVD). Including isolated or combined treatment modalities, physical therapy is viewed as an effective first-line intervention, yet no systematic review concerning the effectiveness of physical therapy has been conducted. To systematically appraise the current literature on the effectiveness of physical therapy modalities for decreasing pain during intercourse and improving sexual function in women with PVD. A systematic literature search using PubMed, Scopus, CINHAL, and PEDro was conducted until October 2016. Moreover, a manual search from reference lists of included articles was performed. Ongoing trials also were reviewed using clinicaltrial.gov and ISRCTNregistry. Randomized controlled trials, prospective and retrospective cohorts, and case reports evaluating the effect of isolated or combined physical therapy modalities in women with PVD were included in the review. Main outcome measures were pain during intercourse, sexual function, and patient's perceived improvement. The literature search resulted in 43 eligible studies including 7 randomized controlled trials, 20 prospective studies, 5 retrospective studies, 6 case reports, and 6 study protocols. Most studies had a high risk of bias mainly associated with the lack of a comparison group. Another common bias was related to insufficient sample size, non-validated outcomes, non-standardized intervention, and use of other ongoing treatment. The vast majority of studies showed that physical therapy modalities such as biofeedback, dilators, electrical stimulation, education, multimodal physical therapy, and multidisciplinary approaches were effective for decreasing pain during intercourse and improving sexual function. The positive findings for the effectiveness of physical therapy modalities in women with PVD should be investigated further in robust and well-designed randomized controlled trials

Socio-economic aspects and public opinion concerning radioactive waste sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gonzalez, V.

1998-01-01

Spain has nine nuclear power units in operation covering 33% of the country's electricity consumption. Radioactive waste management in Spain is carried out by Empresa Nacional de Residuos Radiactivos, S.A. (ENRESA), a public sector company created by the Government in 1984. ENRESA has developed a management system for low and intermediate level waste. For spent fuel and high level waste, it has enlarged the capacity of the reactor pools and has licensed, in the United States and in Spain, a dual-use container for use in case the capacity of any pool is exhausted before the end of the reactor's service life. In Spain, as in all other countries, there is public opposition to radioactive waste management. This opposition is basically attributable to the lack of objective information causing the public to base its opinion on the alarmist approach taken by the mass media reports on radioactivity or nuclear power plants. ENRESA has had to conduct its activities in this context, pursuing an active policy of communication and information. (author)

Tracing developmental trajectories of oppositional defiant behaviors in preschool children.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lourdes Ezpeleta

Full Text Available Previous studies on developmental trajectories have used ad hoc definitions of oppositional defiant behaviors (ODB, which makes it difficult to compare results. This article defines developmental trajectories of ODB from ages 3-5 based on five different standard measurements derived from three separate instruments.A sample of 622 three-year-old preschoolers, followed up at ages 4, 5, and 6, was assessed with the five measures of oppositionality answered by parents and teachers. Growth-Mixture-Modeling (GMM estimated separate developmental trajectories for each ODB measure for ages 3 to 5.The number of classes-trajectories obtained in each GMM depended on the ODB measure, but two clear patterns emerged: four trajectories (persistent low, decreasers, increasers/high increasers, persistent moderate/persistent high or three trajectories (persistent low, decreasers, increasers/high increasers. Persistent high trajectories accounted for 4.4%-9.5% of the children. The trajectories emerging from the different ODB measures at ages 3 to 5 discriminated disruptive disorders, comorbidity, use of services, and impairment at age 6, and globally showed a similar pattern, summarizing longitudinal information on oppositionality in preschool children in a similar way.Trajectories resulting from standard scales of the questionnaires have predictive validity for identifying relevant clinical outcomes, but are measure-specific. The results contribute to knowledge about the development of ODB in preschool children.

Phase-space dynamics of opposition control in wall-bounded turbulent flows

Science.gov (United States)

Hwang, Yongyun; Ibrahim, Joseph; Yang, Qiang; Doohan, Patrick

2017-11-01

The phase-space dynamics of wall-bounded shear flow in the presence of opposition control is explored by examining the behaviours of a pair of nonlinear equilibrium solutions (exact coherent structures), edge state and life time of turbulence at low Reynolds numbers. While the control modifies statistics and phase-space location of the edge state and the lower-branch equilibrium solution very little, it is also found to regularise the periodic orbit on the edge state by reverting a period-doubling bifurcation. Only the upper-branch equilibrium solution and mean turbulent state are significantly modified by the control, and, in phase space, they gradually approach the edge state on increasing the control gain. It is found that this behaviour results in a significant reduction of the life time of turbulence, indicating that the opposition control significantly increases the probability that the turbulent solution trajectory passes through the edge state. Finally, it is shown that the opposition control increases the critical Reynolds number of the onset of the equilibrium solutions, indicating its capability of transition delay. This work is sponsored by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) in the UK (EP/N019342/1).

The effect of the promiscuity stereotype on opposition to gay rights.

Science.gov (United States)

Pinsof, David; Haselton, Martie G

2017-01-01

Opposition to gay rights is prevalent in countries around the world. Recent correlational research suggests that opposition to gay rights may be driven by an interaction between one's own short-term mating orientation (i.e. willingness to engage in casual sex) and representations of gay people as sexually promiscuous. Here, we experimentally manipulated representations of gay men by randomly assigning participants to read one of two versions of a fictitious newspaper article, one of which contained faux scientific evidence confirming the stereotype that gay men are promiscuous, and the other containing faux scientific evidence refuting the stereotype. We found that the manipulation interacted with short-term mating orientation (STMO) to predict opposition to gay rights, such that low-STMO individuals (i.e. more averse to casual sex) exhibited more support for gay rights when assigned to read the stereotype-refuting article compared to the stereotype-confirming article, whereas high-STMO individuals (i.e. less averse to casual sex) were not significantly influenced by the manipulation. We discuss the implications of these findings for the study of antigay attitudes, as well as for recent societal changes in acceptance of homosexuality.

Microscopic origin and macroscopic implications of lane formation in mixtures of oppositely-driven particles

Science.gov (United States)

Whitelam, Stephen

Colloidal particles of two types, driven in opposite directions, can segregate into lanes. I will describe some results on this phenomenon obtained by simple physical arguments and computer simulations. Laning results from rectification of diffusion on the scale of a particle diameter: oppositely-driven particles must, in the time taken to encounter each other in the direction of the drive, diffuse in the perpendicular direction by about one particle diameter. This geometric constraint implies that the diffusion constant of a particle, in the presence of those of the opposite type, grows approximately linearly with Peclet number, a prediction confirmed by our numerics. Such environment-dependent diffusion is statistically similar to an effective interparticle attraction; consistent with this observation, we find that oppositely-driven colloids display features characteristic of the simplest model system possessing both interparticle attractions and persistent motion, the driven Ising lattice gas. Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, of the U.S. Department of Energy under Contract No. DE-AC02-05CH11231.

[Children's oppositional behaviour, practice of parental authority and temporal anomie].

Science.gov (United States)

Gadeau, L

2014-02-01

This article examines the relationship between children's oppositional behaviour and the exercise of parental authority. It seeks to explore the value of a heuristic approach to psychic temporality in exercising parental authority. The study aims to better understand the role of psychic temporality in operations producing symbolic law. It goes on to describe a disorder of temporality, known as temporal anomie, which may be involved in a child's oppositional disorders. Psychiatric or psychological consultations motivated by oppositional disorders in children have increased steadily in the past fifteen years in France. The primary reason for consultation is in the form of difficulties for children in accepting the social rules or constraints, but also the difficulties of parenting while coping with the opposition of their children. This increase is made in connection with the works analysing the social and psychological effects imposed by modernity and its acceleration. Correspondingly, we find that some parents do not prioritize their educational requirements, do not know when or how to frustrate their child, or even if it is legitimate to expect from him/her a certain type of behaviour. They seem more preoccupied with the fear of not being loved by their child more than their duty to educate. A general trend suggests an alteration of psychological time, characterized by: a) a disinvestment of links between present and past for the enjoyment of the moment and its extension in the immediate future ; b) a difficulty in supporting educational responses causing frustration for the child ; c) a lack of continuity and constancy in educational requirements. The author proposes to define temporal anomie as the psychical time that weakens the consistency of educational responses. A link between psychological temporality and the symbolic law is discussed. Specifically, the study notes that: in intersubjective relations, mastery of psychological time by parents is an

[Family violence and aggressive and oppositional behavior in childhood: a literature review].

Science.gov (United States)

Pesce, Renata

2009-01-01

This article presents a review of the world literature about two important subjects: family violence and problems of aggressive behavior and oppositional defiant disorder in childhood. We opted for publications that had used the CBCL- Child Behavior Checklist for investigating behavior problems in children. This instrument is internationally recognized for its reliability and validity, considered an efficient tool for identifying behavior problems in children. Our findings showed that marital violence predominated in the studies as kind of familiar violence able to cause problems of aggressiveness and transgression in children. Another point discussed was the lack of consensus on the terms used in the articles to refer to such behavior problems. The review showed the need for in-depth studies into this subject, mainly in the sense of thinking about prevention and health promotion in childhood and adolescence. Aggressive behavior in children tends to remain and increase over time, a fact that points to the need for strategies for preventing these problems in the school, familiar and health environments.

Cancer risk in opposite-sex and same-sex twins

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Juel Ahrenfeldt, Linda

2015-01-01

Twin pregnancies are characterized by simultaneous development of two fetuses that share the womb. An interest in opposite-sex (OS) twins, twin pairs consisting of one male and one female, comes from animal studies that showed that exposure to sex hormones is influenced by the position of the fetus...

Social aspects of the nuclear energy. Public acceptance. Rev. 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-03-01

This report approaches the social aspects of the nuclear energy an public acceptance. It presents the following main topics: the societal participation; information and opinion research surveys; historical of the public opposition to the nuclear energy; emergency planning; legislation related to the popular participation; best strategies to acceptance; insurance of nuclear risks; protection of the population and the environment in the licensing; and organization of the licensing system

Consolidity: Moving opposite to built-as-usual systems practices

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hassen Taher Dorrah

2013-06-01

Full Text Available With the recent uncovering of the mystery of consolidity as an inner property of systems, it is demonstrated that this notion is an indispensable pillar of systems modeling, analysis, design and building. Based on the opposite mathematical relation between consolidity versus stability and controllability, a new conceptual life cycle (change pathway graph for natural and man-made built-as-usual systems is presented and thoroughly discussed. For the conceptual cycle development progress, it is logically conceived that system behavior changes rate has not accidentally happened, but is relatively influenced at the point of progress by the associated direct system consolidity index corresponding to the acting on-the-spot varying environments or effects. Such conceptual graph represents a real research advancement indicating that we have to move opposite to current systems building practices for solving many real life enigmatic problems. It is illustrated using stabilization of inverted pendulum problem that it is amenable by cleverly manipulating systems structure and parameters to attain new designed systems with aggregates of superiority of consolidity, stability and controllability principle. It is recommended that we have to seek new generation of innovative non-conventional systems structures moving opposite to conventional built-as-usual system practices that can enable providing directly such three aggregates of superiority requirements as their built-in self property. This will open the door towards solving many real life challenging dilemmas in various sciences and disciplines, such as engineering, space sciences, medicine, pharmacology, biology, ecology, life sciences, economy, operations research, humanities and social sciences that are believed to be attributed due to their systems inferior consolidity.

Identification of Fuzzy Inference Systems by Means of a Multiobjective Opposition-Based Space Search Algorithm

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wei Huang

2013-01-01

Full Text Available We introduce a new category of fuzzy inference systems with the aid of a multiobjective opposition-based space search algorithm (MOSSA. The proposed MOSSA is essentially a multiobjective space search algorithm improved by using an opposition-based learning that employs a so-called opposite numbers mechanism to speed up the convergence of the optimization algorithm. In the identification of fuzzy inference system, the MOSSA is exploited to carry out the parametric identification of the fuzzy model as well as to realize its structural identification. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed fuzzy models.

Nuclear public information activities in Chile; Programa de educacion publica de la energia nuclear en Chile

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Munoz Quintana, R [Comision Chilena de Energia Nuclear, Santiago (Chile)

1995-10-01

Nuclear plans and developing programs in developing and developed countries are facing-in a higher or lower degree- opposition from public opinion. The objectives and contents of the public education program on nuclear energy in Chile are dealt with in this paper.

Oppositional Defiant Disorder: An Overview and Strategies for Educators

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Sara H.

2018-01-01

Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) is a behavioral disorder that affects approximately 3.3% of the population across cultures. In this article, the author discusses symptoms, methods of diagnosis, and treatments for the disorder. Although most empirically supported treatments of ODD are based on parent--child training and therapy, there are some…

Modelling the Effects of Public Support to Small Firms in the UK - Paradise Gained?

OpenAIRE

Mark Hart; Stephen Roper

2003-01-01

The evaluation of the impact of public policies to improve the performance of the small business sector has provoked a great deal of debate and research activity in recent years. The debate can be categorised in two broad ways. First, it can be seen in terms of the actual impact measures and schemes of small business support may have in terms of enhanced growth performance of SMEs. Second, the search for appropriate evaluation methodologies which reflect the range of problems associated with ...

The public spending crisis: a case study of Nigeria public sector

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

PhD(AccountingMBA.Mukoro Dick Oluku

2011-12-01

Full Text Available The objective of this paper is to discuss the differences in the concept and measurement of efficiency between the private and public sectors, stressing that the lessons from the private sector can only be transferred to the public sector if there is a proper awareness of these issues and constrains imposed by considerations of equity. In evaluating policy initiatives, the governments method for all the talk of “rolling back the public sector” and opposition companies of “cuts,” the public expenditure/EDP ration went up steadily during Obasanjo’s first term. However deep the divisions over what ought to be in the public sector, it is of paramount importance to all concerned that the resources are managed effectively. The paper argued that an attempt to instill into the public sector the cost consciousness of the best parts of the private sector is wholly admirable. In conclusion, the severity of the impending budgetary crises will make the search for greater efficiency in the public sector of paramount importance. The paper recommends that the common theme of all these cases in that an appropriate set of relative prices can encourage resources to be minimized. very great care has to be taken when introducing piecemeal charging in order to ensure that this does not have side-effects at odds with programme objectives

Oppositionality and socioemotional competence: interacting risk factors in the development of childhood conduct disorder symptoms.

Science.gov (United States)

Mandy, William; Skuse, David; Steer, Colin; St Pourcain, Beate; Oliver, Bonamy R

2013-07-01

Oppositional behavior in childhood is a probabilistic risk factor for the subsequent development of more serious conduct problems characteristic of conduct disorder (CD). The capacity to understand the subjective states of others (socioemotional competence) helps regulate antisocial behavior in typical development. We hypothesized that socioemotional competence moderates the developmental relationship between oppositionality and CD symptoms, such that oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) symptoms pose the greatest risk for subsequent CD symptoms in children with poor socioemotional competence. Parent-report data were collected for 6,218 children at 7 and 10 years of age. Bootstrap multiple regression predicting CD symptoms at age 10 was used to test for an interaction between socioemotional competence and ODD symptoms, while also accounting for direct effects and controlling for sex, maternal education, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms, and CD symptoms at 7 years. We further tested whether the interaction applied to both males and females, and to both aggressive and rule-breaking CD symptoms. A significant interaction was found between ODD and socioemotional competence: the association between oppositionality at 7 years and CD traits at 10 years was strongest for children with poor socioemotional capacities. As predicted, this moderation effect was significant in a model predicting aggression, but it was not significant for rule-breaking CD symptoms. Socioemotional competence moderates the developmental relationship between mid-childhood oppositionality and more serious conduct problems in later childhood. A capacity to understand the subjective states of others may buffer the risk posed by oppositionality for later CD symptoms, including aggression. Copyright © 2013 American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Private and public decisions in social dilemmas

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Houser, Daniel; Montinari, Natalia; Piovesan, Marco

2012-01-01

impulse for several minutes in order to benefit others. In Public Condition children make decisions in public view of the group of other participants, while in Private Condition they have the possibility to decide privately. We find that children aged 9 and higher are better able to resist selfish......Are selfish impulses less likely to be pursued when decisions are publicly observable? Is the presence of peers a potential solution to social dilemmas? In this paper we report data on the self-control decisions of children aged 6 to 11 who participated in games that require one to resist a selfish...... impulses in public environments. Younger children, however, display no such effect. Further, we find self-control substantially impacted by group size. When decisions are public, self-control is better in larger groups, while in private condition the opposite holds....

Experimental public speaking: contributions to the understanding of the serotonergic modulation of fear.

Science.gov (United States)

Garcia-Leal, Cybele; Graeff, Frederico Guilherme; Del-Ben, Cristina Marta

2014-10-01

Public speaking is widely used as a model of experimental fear and anxiety. This review aimed to evaluate the effects of pharmacological challenges on public speaking responses and their implications for the understanding of the neurobiology of normal and pathological anxiety, specifically panic disorder. We also describe methodological features of experimental paradigms using public speaking as an inducer of fear and stress. Public speaking is a potent stressor that can provoke significant subjective and physiological responses. However, variations in the manners in which public speaking is modelled can lead to different responses that need to be considered when interpreting the results. Results from pharmacological studies with healthy volunteers submitted to simulated public speaking tests have similarities with the pharmacological responses of panic patients observed in clinical practice and panic patients differ from controls in the response to the public speaking test. These data are compatible with the Deakin and Graeff hypothesis that serotonin inhibits fear, as accessed by public speaking tasks, and that this inhibition is likely related to the actions of serotonin in the dorsal periaqueductal grey matter. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Men behaving nicely: public goods as peacock tails.

Science.gov (United States)

Van Vugt, Mark; Iredale, Wendy

2013-02-01

Insights from sexual selection and costly signalling theory suggest that competition for females underlies men's public good contributions. We conducted two public good experiments to test this hypothesis. First, we found that men contributed more in the presence of an opposite sex audience, but there was no parallel effect for the women. In addition, men's public good contributions went up as they rated the female observer more attractive. In the second experiment, all male groups played a five round public good game and their contributions significantly increased over time with a female audience only. In this condition men also volunteered more time for various charitable causes. These findings support the idea that men compete with each other by creating public goods to impress women. Thus, a public good is the human equivalent of a peacock's tail. © 2012 The British Psychological Society.

Understanding Death Penalty Support and Opposition Among Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Students

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raj Sethuraju

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Although a sizable number of studies have gathered information from college students regarding their varying degrees of support for capital punishment, few have explored the underlying rationales behind these students’ death penalty support or opposition. In addition, although criminal justice majors have frequently been used as study participants, little research has sought to explore if law enforcement majors are different in manners for supporting or opposing capital punishment than other criminal justice majors. In the current study, a survey designed to measure reasons for support or opposition to capital punishment was administered to a convenience sample of 135 criminal justice and law enforcement majors at a mid-size Midwestern university. The results indicated that law enforcement majors were not significantly different from criminal justice majors on measures of support or opposition to capital punishment. There were, however, some notable differences found related to the academic standing of the students.

Opposite-side flavour tagging of B mesons at the LHCb experiment.

Science.gov (United States)

Aaij, R; Abellan Beteta, C; Adeva, B; Adinolfi, M; Adrover, C; Affolder, A; Ajaltouni, Z; Albrecht, J; Alessio, F; Alexander, M; Alkhazov, G; Alvarez Cartelle, P; Alves, A A; Amato, S; Amhis, Y; Anderson, J; Appleby, R B; Aquines Gutierrez, O; Archilli, F; Arrabito, L; Artamonov, A; Artuso, M; Aslanides, E; Auriemma, G; Bachmann, S; Back, J J; Bailey, D S; Balagura, V; Baldini, W; Barlow, R J; Barschel, C; Barsuk, S; Barter, W; Bates, A; Bauer, C; Bauer, Th; Bay, A; Bediaga, I; Belogurov, S; Belous, K; Belyaev, I; Ben-Haim, E; Benayoun, M; Bencivenni, G; Benson, S; Benton, J; Bernet, R; Bettler, M-O; van Beuzekom, M; Bien, A; Bifani, S; Bird, T; Bizzeti, A; Bjørnstad, P M; Blake, T; Blanc, F; Blanks, C; Blouw, J; Blusk, S; Bobrov, A; Bocci, V; Bondar, A; Bondar, N; Bonivento, W; Borghi, S; Borgia, A; Bowcock, T J V; Bozzi, C; Brambach, T; van den Brand, J; Bressieux, J; Brett, D; Britsch, M; Britton, T; Brook, N H; Brown, H; de Bruyn, K; Büchler-Germann, A; Burducea, I; Bursche, A; Buytaert, J; Cadeddu, S; Callot, O; Calvi, M; Calvo Gomez, M; Camboni, A; Campana, P; Carbone, A; Carboni, G; Cardinale, R; Cardini, A; Carson, L; Carvalho Akiba, K; Casse, G; Cattaneo, M; Cauet, Ch; Charles, M; Charpentier, Ph; Chiapolini, N; Ciba, K; Cid Vidal, X; Ciezarek, G; Clarke, P E L; Clemencic, M; Cliff, H V; Closier, J; Coca, C; Coco, V; Cogan, J; Collins, P; Comerma-Montells, A; Constantin, F; Contu, A; Cook, A; Coombes, M; Corti, G; Couturier, B; Cowan, G A; Currie, R; D'Ambrosio, C; David, P; David, P N Y; De Bonis, I; De Capua, S; De Cian, M; De Lorenzi, F; De Miranda, J M; De Paula, L; De Simone, P; Decamp, D; Deckenhoff, M; Degaudenzi, H; Del Buono, L; Deplano, C; Derkach, D; Deschamps, O; Dettori, F; Dickens, J; Dijkstra, H; Diniz Batista, P; Domingo Bonal, F; Donleavy, S; Dordei, F; Dosil Suárez, A; Dossett, D; Dovbnya, A; Dupertuis, F; Dzhelyadin, R; Dziurda, A; Easo, S; Egede, U; Egorychev, V; Eidelman, S; van Eijk, D; Eisele, F; Eisenhardt, S; Ekelhof, R; Eklund, L; Elsasser, Ch; Elsby, D; Esperante Pereira, D; Falabella, A; Fanchini, E; Färber, C; Fardell, G; Farinelli, C; Farry, S; Fave, V; Fernandez Albor, V; Ferro-Luzzi, M; Filippov, S; Fitzpatrick, C; Fontana, M; Fontanelli, F; Forty, R; Francisco, O; Frank, M; Frei, C; Frosini, M; Furcas, S; Gallas Torreira, A; Galli, D; Gandelman, M; Gandini, P; Gao, Y; Garnier, J-C; Garofoli, J; Garra Tico, J; Garrido, L; Gascon, D; Gaspar, C; Gauld, R; Gauvin, N; Gersabeck, M; Gershon, T; Ghez, Ph; Gibson, V; Gligorov, V V; Göbel, C; Golubkov, D; Golutvin, A; Gomes, A; Gordon, H; Grabalosa Gándara, M; Graciani Diaz, R; Granado Cardoso, L A; Graugés, E; Graziani, G; Grecu, A; Greening, E; Gregson, S; Gui, B; Gushchin, E; Guz, Yu; Gys, T; Hadjivasiliou, C; Haefeli, G; Haen, C; Haines, S C; Hampson, T; Hansmann-Menzemer, S; Harji, R; Harnew, N; Harrison, J; Harrison, P F; Hartmann, T; He, J; Heijne, V; Hennessy, K; Henrard, P; Hernando Morata, J A; van Herwijnen, E; Hicks, E; Holubyev, K; Hopchev, P; Hulsbergen, W; Hunt, P; Huse, T; Huston, R S; Hutchcroft, D; Hynds, D; Iakovenko, V; Ilten, P; Imong, J; Jacobsson, R; Jaeger, A; Jahjah Hussein, M; Jans, E; Jansen, F; Jaton, P; Jean-Marie, B; Jing, F; John, M; Johnson, D; Jones, C R; Jost, B; Kaballo, M; Kandybei, S; Karacson, M; Karbach, T M; Keaveney, J; Kenyon, I R; Kerzel, U; Ketel, T; Keune, A; Khanji, B; Kim, Y M; Knecht, M; Koopman, R F; Koppenburg, P; Korolev, M; Kozlinskiy, A; Kravchuk, L; Kreplin, K; Kreps, M; Krocker, G; Krokovny, P; Kruse, F; Kruzelecki, K; Kucharczyk, M; Kvaratskheliya, T; La Thi, V N; Lacarrere, D; Lafferty, G; Lai, A; Lambert, D; Lambert, R W; Lanciotti, E; Lanfranchi, G; Langenbruch, C; Latham, T; Lazzeroni, C; Le Gac, R; van Leerdam, J; Lees, J-P; Lefèvre, R; Leflat, A; Lefrançois, J; Leroy, O; Lesiak, T; Li, L; Li Gioi, L; Lieng, M; Liles, M; Lindner, R; Linn, C; Liu, B; Liu, G; von Loeben, J; Lopes, J H; Lopez Asamar, E; Lopez-March, N; Lu, H; Luisier, J; Mac Raighne, A; Machefert, F; Machikhiliyan, I V; Maciuc, F; Maev, O; Magnin, J; Malde, S; Mamunur, R M D; Manca, G; Mancinelli, G; Mangiafave, N; Marconi, U; Märki, R; Marks, J; Martellotti, G; Martens, A; Martin, L; Martín Sánchez, A; Martinez Santos, D; Massafferri, A; Mathe, Z; Matteuzzi, C; Matveev, M; Maurice, E; Maynard, B; Mazurov, A; McGregor, G; McNulty, R; Meissner, M; Merk, M; Merkel, J; Messi, R; Miglioranzi, S; Milanes, D A; Minard, M-N; Molina Rodriguez, J; Monteil, S; Moran, D; Morawski, P; Mountain, R; Mous, I; Muheim, F; Müller, K; Muresan, R; Muryn, B; Muster, B; Musy, M; Mylroie-Smith, J; Naik, P; Nakada, T; Nandakumar, R; Nasteva, I; Nedos, M; Needham, M; Neufeld, N; Nguyen, A D; Nguyen-Mau, C; Nicol, M; Niess, V; Nikitin, N; Nomerotski, A; Novoselov, A; Oblakowska-Mucha, A; Obraztsov, V; Oggero, S; Ogilvy, S; Okhrimenko, O; Oldeman, R; Orlandea, M; Otalora Goicochea, J M; Owen, P; Pal, K; Palacios, J; Palano, A; Palutan, M; Panman, J; Papanestis, A; Pappagallo, M; Parkes, C; Parkinson, C J; Passaleva, G; Patel, G D; Patel, M; Paterson, S K; Patrick, G N; Patrignani, C; Pavel-Nicorescu, C; Pazos Alvarez, A; Pellegrino, A; Penso, G; Pepe Altarelli, M; Perazzini, S; Perego, D L; Perez Trigo, E; Pérez-Calero Yzquierdo, A; Perret, P; Perrin-Terrin, M; Pessina, G; Petrella, A; Petrolini, A; Phan, A; Picatoste Olloqui, E; Pie Valls, B; Pietrzyk, B; Pilař, T; Pinci, D; Plackett, R; Playfer, S; Plo Casasus, M; Polok, G; Poluektov, A; Polycarpo, E; Popov, D; Popovici, B; Potterat, C; Powell, A; Prisciandaro, J; Pugatch, V; Puig Navarro, A; Qian, W; Rademacker, J H; Rakotomiaramanana, B; Rangel, M S; Raniuk, I; Raven, G; Redford, S; Reid, M M; Dos Reis, A C; Ricciardi, S; Richards, A; Rinnert, K; Roa Romero, D A; Robbe, P; Rodrigues, E; Rodrigues, F; Rodriguez Perez, P; Rogers, G J; Roiser, S; Romanovsky, V; Rosello, M; Rouvinet, J; Ruf, T; Ruiz, H; Sabatino, G; Saborido Silva, J J; Sagidova, N; Sail, P; Saitta, B; Salzmann, C; Sannino, M; Santacesaria, R; Santamarina Rios, C; Santinelli, R; Santovetti, E; Sapunov, M; Sarti, A; Satriano, C; Satta, A; Savrie, M; Savrina, D; Schaack, P; Schiller, M; Schleich, S; Schlupp, M; Schmelling, M; Schmidt, B; Schneider, O; Schopper, A; Schune, M-H; Schwemmer, R; Sciascia, B; Sciubba, A; Seco, M; Semennikov, A; Senderowska, K; Sepp, I; Serra, N; Serrano, J; Seyfert, P; Shapkin, M; Shapoval, I; Shatalov, P; Shcheglov, Y; Shears, T; Shekhtman, L; Shevchenko, O; Shevchenko, V; Shires, A; Silva Coutinho, R; Skwarnicki, T; Smith, N A; Smith, E; Sobczak, K; Soler, F J P; Solomin, A; Soomro, F; Souza De Paula, B; Spaan, B; Sparkes, A; Spradlin, P; Stagni, F; Stahl, S; Steinkamp, O; Stoica, S; Stone, S; Storaci, B; Straticiuc, M; Straumann, U; Subbiah, V K; Swientek, S; Szczekowski, M; Szczypka, P; Szumlak, T; T'Jampens, S; Teodorescu, E; Teubert, F; Thomas, C; Thomas, E; van Tilburg, J; Tisserand, V; Tobin, M; Topp-Joergensen, S; Torr, N; Tournefier, E; Tourneur, S; Tran, M T; Tsaregorodtsev, A; Tuning, N; Ubeda Garcia, M; Ukleja, A; Urquijo, P; Uwer, U; Vagnoni, V; Valenti, G; Vazquez Gomez, R; Vazquez Regueiro, P; Vecchi, S; Velthuis, J J; Veltri, M; Viaud, B; Videau, I; Vieira, D; Vilasis-Cardona, X; Visniakov, J; Vollhardt, A; Volyanskyy, D; Voong, D; Vorobyev, A; Voss, H; Wandernoth, S; Wang, J; Ward, D R; Watson, N K; Webber, A D; Websdale, D; Whitehead, M; Wiedner, D; Wiggers, L; Wilkinson, G; Williams, M P; Williams, M; Wilson, F F; Wishahi, J; Witek, M; Witzeling, W; Wotton, S A; Wyllie, K; Xie, Y; Xing, F; Xing, Z; Yang, Z; Young, R; Yushchenko, O; Zangoli, M; Zavertyaev, M; Zhang, F; Zhang, L; Zhang, W C; Zhang, Y; Zhelezov, A; Zhong, L; Zvyagin, A

The calibration and performance of the opposite-side flavour tagging algorithms used for the measurements of time-dependent asymmetries at the LHCb experiment are described. The algorithms have been developed using simulated events and optimized and calibrated with B + → J / ψK + , B 0 → J / ψK ∗0 and B 0 → D ∗- μ + ν μ decay modes with 0.37 fb -1 of data collected in pp collisions at [Formula: see text] during the 2011 physics run. The opposite-side tagging power is determined in the B + → J / ψK + channel to be (2.10±0.08±0.24) %, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second is systematic.

Comparing Tense Systems: the Primacy of the Pres/Past Opposition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Olga Borik

2004-01-01

Full Text Available A way of improving on the description of the English tense system in Reichenbach [1947] is achieved by changing its matrix 3x3 design into a 2x2x2 set up, formed by 3 basic oppositions: • present vs. past • synchronous vs. posterior • incompleted vs. completed action The advantages of the binary system over the Reichenbachian ternary system are the following: • the binary system is completely compositional; • there is no tripartition between Past, Present and Future, but only the basic opposition between Past and Present remains. As we intend to show later, this is empirically supported by the Russian and Polish data; • some concrete problems, for instance, the ambiguity of past perfect with temporal adverbials or more then one configuration for the same tense form [Future Perfect [will have written] or Past Future tense [would write

Examining ISIS Support and Opposition Networks on Twitter

Science.gov (United States)

2016-01-01

Examining ISIS Support and Opposition Networks on Twitter Elizabeth Bodine-Baron, Todd C. Helmus, Madeline Magnuson, Zev Winkelman C O R P O R A T...Syria (ISIS), like no other terrorist organization before, has used Twitter and other social media channels to broadcast its message, inspire followers...and recruit new fighters. Though much less heralded, ISIS opponents have also taken to Twitter to cas- tigate the ISIS message. This report draws on

The pharmacological management of oppositional behaviour, conduct problems, and aggression in children and adolescents with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, and conduct disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Part 1: psychostimulants, alpha-2 agonists, and atomoxetine.

Science.gov (United States)

Pringsheim, Tamara; Hirsch, Lauren; Gardner, David; Gorman, Daniel A

2015-02-01

Children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may have oppositional behaviour, conduct problems, and aggression. These symptoms vary in severity, and may be related to a comorbid diagnosis of oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) or conduct disorder (CD). Critical evaluation of the efficacy of ADHD medications may guide the clinician regarding the usefulness of medications for these symptoms. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of psychostimulants, alpha-2 agonists, and atomoxetine for oppositional behaviour, conduct problems, and aggression in youth with ADHD, ODD, and CD. The quality of evidence for medications was rated using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach. Two systematic reviews and 20 randomized controlled trials were included. There is high-quality evidence that psychostimulants have a moderate-to-large effect on oppositional behaviour, conduct problems, and aggression in youth with ADHD, with and without ODD or CD. There is very-low-quality evidence that clonidine has a small effect on oppositional behaviour and conduct problems in youth with ADHD, with and without ODD or CD. There is moderate-quality evidence that guanfacine has a small-to-moderate effect on oppositional behaviour in youth with ADHD, with and without ODD. There is high-quality evidence that atomoxetine has a small effect on oppositional behaviour in youth with ADHD, with and without ODD or CD. Evidence indicates that psychostimulants, alpha-2 agonists, and atomoxetine can be beneficial for disruptive and aggressive behaviours in addition to core ADHD symptoms; however, psychostimulants generally provide the most benefit.

Korean public's preference for supply security of oil and gas and the impact of protest bidders

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Jihyo; Kim, Jinsoo; Kim, Yoon Kyung

2016-01-01

The Korean governmental support for supply security of oil and gas via overseas exploration and production (E&P) projects are publicly criticized because of some poor projects lacking of economic feasibility, even though it should be expanded from a long-term perspective. Applying the contingent valuation, this study investigates the Korean public's preferences for governmental support for overseas oil and gas E&P projects. The result shows that the governmental support for overseas E&P projects rather decreases public utility. The primary reason behind this utility decrease is that some respondents protested to bid because of their resistance toward tax increase without guaranteeing the efficient government support. This result implies that simple tax increases for expansion of the governmental support may bring about public's strong opposition. In order to overcome this public opposition, this study suggests that it is necessary to arouse public understanding of the necessity of overseas oil and gas E&P projects. - Highlights: • We investigate the Korean public's preferences for an oil and gas supply security. • The respondents are willing to pay USD 0.017 per liter of gasoline or diesel. • Governmental support for overseas E&P projects decreases the public utility. • It is need to increase public understanding of overseas oil and gas E&P projects.

Modeling Game Avatar Synergy and Opposition through Embedding in Multiplayer Online Battle Arena Games

OpenAIRE

Chen, Zhengxing; Xu, Yuyu; Nguyen, Truong-Huy D.; Sun, Yizhou; El-Nasr, Magy Seif

2018-01-01

Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) games have received increasing worldwide popularity recently. In such games, players compete in teams against each other by controlling selected game avatars, each of which is designed with different strengths and weaknesses. Intuitively, putting together game avatars that complement each other (synergy) and suppress those of opponents (opposition) would result in a stronger team. In-depth understanding of synergy and opposition relationships among game ...

Opposite Regulation of Ghrelin and Glucagon-like Peptide-1 by Metabolite G-Protein-Coupled Receptors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Engelstoft, M S; Schwartz, T W

2016-01-01

Gut hormones send information about incoming nutrients to the rest of the body and thereby control many aspects of metabolism. The secretion of ghrelin and glucagon-like protein (GLP)-1, two hormones with opposite secretory patterns and opposite actions on multiple targets, is controlled by a lim......Gut hormones send information about incoming nutrients to the rest of the body and thereby control many aspects of metabolism. The secretion of ghrelin and glucagon-like protein (GLP)-1, two hormones with opposite secretory patterns and opposite actions on multiple targets, is controlled...... by a limited number of G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs); half of which recognize and bind dietary nutrient metabolites, metabolites generated by gut microbiota, and metabolites of the host's intermediary metabolism. Most metabolite GPCRs controlling ghrelin secretion are inhibitory, whereas all metabolite...... receptors controlling GLP-1 secretion are stimulatory. This dichotomy in metabolite sensor function, which is obtained through a combination of differential expression and cell-dependent signaling bias, offers pharmacological targets to stimulate GLP-1 and inhibit ghrelin through the same mechanism....

MODULUS OF ELASTICITY AND HARDNESS OF COMPRESSION AND OPPOSITE WOOD CELL WALLS OF MASSON PINE

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Yanhui Huang,

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Compression wood is commonly found in Masson pine. To evaluate the mechanical properties of the cell wall of Masson pine compression and opposite wood, nanoindentation was used. The results showed that the average values of hardness and cell wall modulus of elasticity of opposite wood were slightly higher than those of compression wood. With increasing age of the annual ring, the modulus of elasticity showed a negative correlation with microfibril angle, but a weak correlation was observed for hardness. In opposite and compression wood from the same annual ring, the differences in average values of modulus of elasticity and hardness were small. These slight differences were explained by the change of microfibril angle (MFA, the press-in mode of nanoindentation, and the special structure of compression wood. The mechanical properties were almost the same for early, transition, and late wood in a mature annual ring of opposite wood. It can therefore be inferred that the average modulus of elasticity (MOE and hardness of the cell walls in a mature annual ring were not being affected by cell wall thickness.

Leaders, Followers, Oppositional Intellectuals, and the PhD Job Market.

Science.gov (United States)

Morris, Adalaide

1994-01-01

Discusses the role of the English department head in a time of educational crisis. Examines the possibility that graduate study in English is losing its moral base. Considers the role of leadership and oppositional politics in the context of the crisis in graduate study. (HB)

Implications of Public Opinion for Space Program Planning, 1980 - 2000

Science.gov (United States)

Overholt, W.; Wiener, A. J.; Yokelson, D.

1975-01-01

The effect of public opinion on future space programs is discussed in terms of direct support, apathy, or opposition, and concern about the tax burden, budgetary pressures, and national priorities. Factors considered include: the salience and visibility of NASA as compared with other issues, the sources of general pressure on the federal budget which could affect NASA, the public's opinions regarding the size and priority of NASA'S budget, the degree to which the executive can exercise leverage over NASA's budget through influencing or disregarding public opinion, the effects of linkages to other issues on space programs, and the public's general attitudes toward the progress of science.

Efficacy of an opposite position aspiration on resolution of pneumothorax following CT-guided lung biopsy

Science.gov (United States)

Zeng, L-C; Du, Y; Yang, H-F; Xie, M-G; Liao, H-Q; Zhang, Y-D; Li, L; Wang, Q; Hu, L

2015-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of aspiration in an opposite position to deal with pneumothorax after CT-guided lung biopsy. Methods: A retrospective study was developed involving 210 patients with pneumothorax who had undergone CT-guided percutaneous core biopsies from January 2012 to March 2014 for various pulmonary lesions. Asymptomatic patients with minimal pneumothorax were treated conservatively. Simple manual aspiration was performed for symptomatic patients with minimal pneumothorax and for all patients with moderate to large pneumothorax. An opposite position aspiration was performed when simple manual aspiration failed. The efficacy of simple manual aspiration and the opposite position aspiration was observed. Results: Among 210 patients with pneumothorax, 128 (61.0%) asymptomatic patients with minimal pneumothorax were treated conservatively. The remaining 82 were treated with attempted simple manual aspiration. Out of these 82 patients, simple manual aspiration was successful in 58 (70.7%, 58/82) cases. The complete and partial regression rates were 17.2% (10/58) and 82.8% (48/58), respectively. In the other 24 patients (29.3%, 24/82), simple aspiration technique was ineffective. An opposite position (from prone to supine or vice versa) was applied, and a new biopsy puncture site was chosen for reaspiration. This procedure was successful in 22 patients but not in 2 patients who had to have a chest tube insertion. The complete and partial regression rates were 25.0% (6/24) and 66.7% (16/24), respectively. Applying the new method, the total effective rate of aspiration improved significantly from 70.7% (58/82) to 97.6% (80/82). Conclusion: The opposite position aspiration can be safe, effective and minimally invasive treatment for CT-guided lung biopsy-induced pneumothorax thus reducing the use of chest tube significantly. Advances in knowledge: (1) Opposite position aspiration can elevate the success rate of aspiration significantly (from 70.7% to 97

COURAGE AND FEAR IN THE CONTEXT OF OPPOSITION OF HUMAN ACTIVITY AND INACTIVITY: EXISTENTIAL ASPECT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dmytro Yu. Snitko

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The purpose of the article is to analyse fear and courage in the history of philosophy in the context of opposi-tion of human activity and inactivity that may lead to a profound understanding of the essence, causes and existen-tial aspects of human activity and inactivity. The implementation of the objective assumes the solution of the follow-ing tasks: analysis of philosophical interpretation of fear and courage; investigation of the relationship of fear and courage with active and passive forms of human being; revelation of existential dialectic of human activity and inac-tivity through the opposition of fear and courage. Methodology. The application of phenomenological approach and other methods of existential philosophy enabled to discover the importance of fear and courage for human existence. Significant contribution to the importance of the investigation of the fear-courage opposition in the context of hu-man activity and inactivity was made by M. Heidegger who pointed to the main modes of human being - «authen-tic» and «inauthentic» in the context of human activity and passivity. The application of hermeneutic method made possible the reconstruction of the reflection of fear-courage opposition in the history of philosophy. Scientific nov-elty. For the first time the analysis of the fear-courage opposition in the context of human activity and inactivity was carried out. Due to the analysis the fundamental existential character of the fear and courage opposition and its es-sential relationship with active and passive forms of human being were justified. Conclusions. In the course of this research it was found out that fear is closely connected with passive modes of human being. If classical philosophy placed emphasis on courage and associated fear with human mind and conscious decision, non-classical philosophy of the XIX century and existentialism focused on existential and ontological character of fear, its fundamental mean

COURAGE AND FEAR IN THE CONTEXT OF OPPOSITION OF HUMAN ACTIVITY AND INACTIVITY: EXISTENTIAL ASPECT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dmytro Yu. Snitko

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The purpose of the article is to analyse fear and courage in the history of philosophy in the context of opposition of human activity and inactivity that may lead to a profound understanding of the essence, causes and existential aspects of human activity and inactivity. The implementation of the objective assumes the solution of the following tasks: analysis of philosophical interpretation of  fear and courage; investigation of the relationship of fear and courage with active and passive forms of human being; revelation of existential dialectic of human activity and inactivity through the opposition of  fear and courage. Methodology. The application of phenomenological approach and other methods of existential philosophy enabled to discover the importance of fear and courage for human existence. Significant contribution to the importance of the investigation of the fear-courage opposition in the context of human activity and inactivity was made by M. Heidegger who pointed to the main modes of human being - «authentic» and «inauthentic» in the context of human activity and passivity. The application of hermeneutic method made possible the reconstruction of the reflection of fear-courage opposition in the history of philosophy. Scientific novelty. For the first time the analysis of the  fear-courage opposition in the context of human activity and inactivity was carried out. Due to the analysis the  fundamental existential character of the fear and courage opposition and its essential relationship with active and passive forms of human being were justified. Conclusions. In the course of this research it was found out that fear is closely connected with passive modes of human being.  If classical philosophy placed emphasis on courage and associated fear with  human mind and conscious decision,  non-classical philosophy of the XIX century and existentialism focused on existential and ontological character of fear, its fundamental meaning

[Nature and severity of oppositional defiant disorder and conduct disorder as they occur together or separately in children].

Science.gov (United States)

Lapalme, Mélanie; Déry, Michèle

2009-09-01

Co-occurring oppositional defiant disorder and conduct disorder symptoms are particularly common, which could be related to the greater severity (number and nature of symptoms) of each disorder. Our study aims to determine if oppositional defiant disorder and conduct disorder symptoms vary when they occur together or separately in children. Our study was conducted with 406 children (aged 6 to 13 years) divided in 4 groups (oppositional disorder only, conduct disorder only, oppositional disorder and conduct disorder, control) with no age or sex difference. Structured diagnostic interviews conducted with one parent and each child separately led to assessing the average number of symptoms for each disorder as well as the onset frequency of each symptom. When occurring together, oppositional disorder and conduct disorder appear more severe than when they occur separately, considering the number and nature of symptoms shown. Further, children with an oppositional disorder only or a conduct disorder only also have more frequent symptoms of the other disorder, compared with children in the control group. These results suggest taking into account, at the time of assessment and potential intervention, the presence of both disorders.

Public Policies Analysis and the Prince System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Behxhet Brajshori

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Public Policies present governmental sectorial policies and according to several scholars those are defined based on "what does the Government do". In fact, those are mandatory state's principles for the Government that aims the implementation of the strategy, objectives and Government's goals in the function of its promises' fulfilment towards the electors and all of the country's citizens. Public Policies Analysis has to do with the monitoring of government's agenda which directly can influence on a specific community. The idea of public policies analysis in linked with the need that the Government through statistical data has to prove what is being worked. Public Policies Analysis evolves in terms of design, implementation and public policies' effects. One of the methods for predicting the probability that a specifi c public policy will be implemented or not, is the Prince System. The Prince System, actually, presents a technique for assessing the relative support or opposition to a particular policy from individuals, groups or organizations.

Expanding the understanding of motivation in the theory of public service contracting

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lindholst, Christian

The understanding of what drives efficient performance is only partial in the standard theory of public service contracting where performance essentially is explained as dependent on extrinsic incentives. In this paper I claim that intrinsic motivations and the dynamics between intrinsic...... motivations and extrinsic incentives also have a role for explaining performance. This role is not limited to shifts from the public to the private service sector, as suggested by current supplements to standard theory, but it is also extended to play a part in on-going and recurrent contractual relationships...... that motivations among staff are rooted in both intrinsic as well as extrinsic motives and the provision of extrinsic incentives through the performance management scheme provokes different motivational reactions among staff with importance for both performance and management....

Perspectives on Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Conduct Disorder, and Psychopathic Features

Science.gov (United States)

Loeber, Rolf; Burke, Jeffrey; Pardini, Dustin A.

2009-01-01

This paper presents a few perspectives on oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), conduct disorder (CD), and early forms of psychopathy. The developmental changes and stability of each, and the interrelationship between the three conditions are reviewed, and correlates and predictors are highlighted. The paper also examines effective interventions…

Grey Wisdom? : Philosophical Reflections on Conformity and Opposition between Generations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mulder, Ernst; Goor, van Roel

2006-01-01

Should 'new' generations act in conformity with, or in opposition to 'older' generations? This can be regarded as a central question in the philosophical study of education. This question has practical implications. Should it be our main concern to initiate children into our traditions, or should we

THE OPPOSITION ‘WEST/NON-WEST’ IN THE SOCIAL THOUGHT: PRO ET CONTRA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

К В Радкевич

2018-12-01

Full Text Available The article considers the phenomenon of social science debates in the form of the opposi-tion ‘West/Non-West’ and its social-political and identification consequences. The authors focus on the histo-ry of this opposition, the ways to overcome the scientific and social confrontations that were determined by it, and on the methodological significance of the concept ‘Non-Western theories’. The authors study the features of social and political knowledge of the countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America; compare social values of Western Europe, China and other countries to identify the ways for its integration in the course of postcolonial political and scientific development. In particular, the article compares the axio-logical triad of T. Heuss (democracy, Roman law, Christian ethics and the Chinese dyad - the will of the people (minxin suoxiang and three convents (sāngāng. Within the West/Non-West opposition, the Western European, Chinese, Japanese, Indian, African, Latin-American social-political constructs are considered to assess the productivity of some categorical oppositions and contaminations adopted in the sphere of social knowledge and to prove the theoretical inconsistency of multiculturalism. The authors also consider the issues of eurocentrism and Western-European messianism on the examples of their relation-ship with Sino-Centrism, and the ideas of African and Latin-American nationalism. Such comparisons prove the metatheoretical status of the ‘West/Non-West’ opposition that can be explained within the paradigm of the social construction of reality. The authors conclude that the concepts ‘West’ and ‘Non-West’ do not have a truly scientific status; they are rather markers of social values claiming a special identifica-tion value, i.e. having a direct relation to self-representation. The concepts ‘West’ and ‘Non-West’ are a kind of political declarations tather than an evidence of epistemological

Paired structures and other opposite-based models

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rodríguez, J. Tinguaro; Franco, Camilo; Gómez, Daniel

2015-01-01

, that we will assume dependent on a specific negation, previously determined. In this way we can define a paired fuzzy set as a couple of opposite valuation fuzzy sets. Then we shall explore what kind of new valuation fuzzy sets can be generated from the semantic tension between those two poles, leading...... to a more complex valuation structure that still keeps the essence of being paired. In this way several neutral fuzzy sets can appear, in particular indeterminacy, ambivalence and conflict. Two consequences are then presented: on one hand, we will show how Atanassov´s Intuitionistic Fuzzy Sets can be viewed...

The Brazilian Public Health in Contemporary Capitalism.

Science.gov (United States)

Junqueira, Virgínia; Mendes, Áquilas N

2018-01-01

This article examines some political and economic facts that led to an intensification of austerity measures by the Brazilian government, including ones against the Unified Health System (SUS) and its progressive dismantling. In a country where fundamental human rights were never fully respected, nowadays social and labor rights are under severe attacks. The deepening of the capital crisis and the rise of interest-bearing capital dominance have been causing unemployment, social insecurity growth, and resulting public fund appropriation by the private capital. The Brazilian governments in the 1990s and 2000s have implemented deeper cuts in social policy expenditure, freezing security benefits, privatizing services, and prioritizing the payment of public debt interests. The right wing's project involves the demoralization of not only the Workers' Party but also the left as a whole, so that the adoption of austerity measures could be achieved without popular resistance. It is the duty of the Brazilian left wing to denounce such a project and to provoke firm initiatives to rebuild its bonds with the working class.

Effect of subdepressor clonidine on flushing reactions in rosacea. Change in malar thermal circulation index during provoked flushing reactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilkin, J K

1983-03-01

The effects of clonidine hydrochloride, an agent effective in suppressing other types of flushing reactions, were investigated in patients with erythematotelangiectatic rosacea. Clonidine hydrochloride, 0.05 mg, was given orally twice daily for two weeks. Mean arterial BP was not altered during clonidine treatment. Flushing reactions provoked with water at 60 degrees C, red wine, and chocolate were not suppressed during clonidine treatment. Clonidine did lead to malar hypothermia. It may be that any treatment benefit obtained from the reduction in vascular reactivity by clonidine in rosacea is offset by the malar hypothermia.

Antithrombotic Protective Effects of Arg-Pro-Gly-Pro Peptide during Emotional Stress Provoked by Forced Swimming Test in Rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Grigor'eva, M E; Lyapina, L A

2017-01-01

Blood coagulation was enhanced and all factors (total, enzyme, and non-enzyme) of the fibrinolytic system were suppressed in rats in 60 min after forced swimming test. Argininecontaining tetrapeptide glyproline Arg-Pro-Gly-Pro administered prior to this test activated fibrinolysis and prevented hypercoagulation. Administration of this peptide in 5 min after swimming test also enhanced anticoagulant, fibrinolytic, and antithrombotic activity of the blood. Therefore, glyproline Arg-Pro-Gly-Pro exerted both preventive and curative effects on the hemostasis system and prevented enhancement of blood coagulation provoked by emotional stress modeled by forced swimming test.

The effects of presenting oncologic information in terms of opposites in a medical context

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Burro R

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Roberto Burro,1 Ugo Savardi,1 Maria Antonietta Annunziata,2 Paolo De Paoli,2 Ivana Bianchi3 1Department of Human Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy; 2National Cancer Institute IRCCS ‘Centro di Riferimento Oncologico’ (CRO, Aviano, Italy; 3Department of Humanities (Section Philosophy and Human Sciences, University of Macerata, Macerata, Italy Background: An extensive body of literature has demonstrated that many patients who have been asked to participate in clinical trials do not fully understand the informed consent forms. A parallel independent study has demonstrated that opposites have a special status in human cognitive organization: they are common to all-natural languages and are intuitively and naturally understood and learnt.Purpose: The study investigates whether, and how, the use of opposites impacts on doctor–patient communication: does using the terms “small–large” to describe a nodule (ie, bipolar communication rather than speaking in terms of centimeters (ie, unipolar communication affect a patient’s understanding of the situation? And is it better to speak of “common–rare” side effects (ie, bipolar communication instead of the number of people who have suffered from particular side effects (ie, unipolar communication?Methods: Two questionnaires were created and used, one presenting the information in terms of opposites (ie, bipolar communication and another using unipolar communication.Results: The participants’ perception of their situation (in terms of feeling healthy–ill, being at high–low risk, and their treatment requiring high–low commitment varied in the two conditions. Moreover, self-reported levels of understanding and satisfaction with how the information was communicated were higher when opposites were used.Limitations: Since this is the first study that addresses the merits of using bipolar structures versus unipolar structures in doctor–patient communication, further work is

Oppositional Behavior and Anxiety in Boys and Girls: A Cross-Sectional Study in Two Community Samples

Science.gov (United States)

Mireault, Gina; Rooney, Siri; Kouwenhoven, Kristen; Hannan, Carolyn

2008-01-01

Studies have repeatedly shown that oppositional behavior is linked to anxiety in clinical samples of children. This study explored whether these variables were similarly related in nonclinical samples of elementary and middle school students (N = 302). Despite greater self-reported oppositional behavior among boys in these samples, anxiety…

Challenging Social Hierarchy: Playing with Oppositional Identities in Family Talk

Science.gov (United States)

Bani-Shoraka, Helena

2008-01-01

This study examines how bilingual family members use language choice and language alternation as a local scheme of interpretation to distinguish different and often contesting social identities in interaction. It is argued that the playful creation of oppositional identities in interaction relieves the speakers from responsibility and creates a…

Differentiating social and personal power: opposite effects on stereotyping, but parallel effects on behavioral approach tendencies.

Science.gov (United States)

Lammers, Joris; Stoker, Janka I; Stapel, Diederik A

2009-12-01

How does power affect behavior? We posit that this depends on the type of power. We distinguish between social power (power over other people) and personal power (freedom from other people) and argue that these two types of power have opposite associations with independence and interdependence. We propose that when the distinction between independence and interdependence is relevant, social power and personal power will have opposite effects; however, they will have parallel effects when the distinction is irrelevant. In two studies (an experimental study and a large field study), we demonstrate this by showing that social power and personal power have opposite effects on stereotyping, but parallel effects on behavioral approach.

Adrenal crisis provoked by dental infection: case report and review of the literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Milenkovic, Ana; Markovic, Dejan; Zdravkovic, Dragan; Peric, Tamara; Milenkovic, Tatjana; Vukovic, Rade

2010-09-01

Primary adrenal insufficiency is an endocrine disorder characterized by cortisol and aldosterone deficiency caused by destruction of the adrenal cortex. Adrenal crisis is a medical emergency with acute symptoms: nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, fever, hypoglycemia, seizures, hypovolemic shock, and cardiovascular failure. It occurs in patients with chronic adrenal insufficiency who are exposed to additional stress, such as infection, trauma, or surgical procedures. Dental infection is a possible cause of adrenal crisis in patients with chronic adrenal insufficiency, so pediatric endocrinologists and pediatric dentists should be aware of this risk. The purpose of this report was to present a 6-year-old patient in whom Addison disease was diagnosed through adrenal crisis provoked by dental infection. The patient was treated with intravenous rehydration, intravenous hydrocortisone and antibiotics, and extraction of the infected primary tooth. Multidisciplinary approach and collaboration between the pediatric endocrinologist and the pediatric dentist are necessary to enable adequate medical and dental treatment in children with primary adrenal insufficiency. Copyright (c) 2010 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Opposition and Identicalness: Two Basic Components of Adults’ Perception and Mental Representation of Symmetry

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Ivana Bianchi

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Symmetry is a salient aspect of biological and man-made objects, and has a central role in perceptual organization. Two studies investigate the role of opposition and identicalness in shaping adults’ naïve idea of “symmetry”. In study 1, both verbal descriptions of symmetry (either provided by the participants or selected from among alternatives presented by the experimenter and configurations drawn as exemplars of symmetry were studied. In study 2, a pair comparison task was used. Both studies focus on configurations formed by two symmetrical shapes (i.e., between-objects symmetry. Three main results emerged. The explicit description of symmetry provided by participants generally referred to features relating to the relationship perceived between the two shapes and not to geometrical point-by-point transformations. Despite the fact that people tended to avoid references to opposition in their verbal definition of symmetry in study 1, the drawings that they did to represent their prototypical idea of symmetry manifested opposition as a basic component. This latter result was confirmed when the participants were asked to select the definition (in study 1 or the configuration (in study 2 that best fitted with their idea of symmetry. In conclusion, identicalness is an important component in people’s naïve idea of symmetry, but it does not suffice: opposition complements it.

Friends with benefits: the evolved psychology of same- and opposite-sex friendship.

Science.gov (United States)

Lewis, David M G; Conroy-Beam, Daniel; Al-Shawaf, Laith; Raja, Annia; DeKay, Todd; Buss, David M

2011-12-08

During human evolution, men and women faced distinct adaptive problems, including pregnancy, hunting, childcare, and warfare. Due to these sex-linked adaptive problems, natural selection would have favored psychological mechanisms that oriented men and women toward forming friendships with individuals possessing characteristics valuable for solving these problems. The current study explored sex-differentiated friend preferences and the psychological design features of same- and opposite-sex friendship in two tasks. In Task 1, participants (N = 121) categorized their same-sex friends (SSFs) and opposite-sex friends (OSFs) according to the functions these friends serve in their lives. In Task 2, participants designed their ideal SSFs and OSFs using limited budgets that forced them to make trade-offs between the characteristics they desire in their friends. In Task 1, men, more than women, reported maintaining SSFs for functions related to athleticism and status enhancement and OSFs for mating opportunities. In Task 2, both sexes prioritized agreeableness and dependability in their ideal SSFs, but men prioritized physical attractiveness in their OSFs, whereas women prioritized economic resources and physical prowess. These findings suggest that friend preferences may have evolved to solve ancestrally sex-linked adaptive problems, and that opposite-sex friendship may directly or indirectly serve mating functions.

Friends with Benefits: The Evolved Psychology of Same- and Opposite-Sex Friendship

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David M.G. Lewis

2011-10-01

Full Text Available During human evolution, men and women faced distinct adaptive problems, including pregnancy, hunting, childcare, and warfare. Due to these sex-linked adaptive problems, natural selection would have favored psychological mechanisms that oriented men and women toward forming friendships with individuals possessing characteristics valuable for solving these problems. The current study explored sex-differentiated friend preferences and the psychological design features of same- and opposite-sex friendship in two tasks. In Task 1, participants (N = 121 categorized their same-sex friends (SSFs and opposite-sex friends (OSFs according to the functions these friends serve in their lives. In Task 2, participants designed their ideal SSFs and OSFs using limited budgets that forced them to make trade-offs between the characteristics they desire in their friends. In Task 1, men, more than women, reported maintaining SSFs for functions related to athleticism and status enhancement and OSFs for mating opportunities. In Task 2, both sexes prioritized agreeableness and dependability in their ideal SSFs, but men prioritized physical attractiveness in their OSFs, whereas women prioritized economic resources and physical prowess. These findings suggest that friend preferences may have evolved to solve ancestrally sex-linked adaptive problems, and that opposite-sex friendship may directly or indirectly serve mating functions.

Quantifying the molecular origins of opposite solvent effects on protein-protein interactions.

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Vincent Vagenende

Full Text Available Although the nature of solvent-protein interactions is generally weak and non-specific, addition of cosolvents such as denaturants and osmolytes strengthens protein-protein interactions for some proteins, whereas it weakens protein-protein interactions for others. This is exemplified by the puzzling observation that addition of glycerol oppositely affects the association constants of two antibodies, D1.3 and D44.1, with lysozyme. To resolve this conundrum, we develop a methodology based on the thermodynamic principles of preferential interaction theory and the quantitative characterization of local protein solvation from molecular dynamics simulations. We find that changes of preferential solvent interactions at the protein-protein interface quantitatively account for the opposite effects of glycerol on the antibody-antigen association constants. Detailed characterization of local protein solvation in the free and associated protein states reveals how opposite solvent effects on protein-protein interactions depend on the extent of dewetting of the protein-protein contact region and on structural changes that alter cooperative solvent-protein interactions at the periphery of the protein-protein interface. These results demonstrate the direct relationship between macroscopic solvent effects on protein-protein interactions and atom-scale solvent-protein interactions, and establish a general methodology for predicting and understanding solvent effects on protein-protein interactions in diverse biological environments.

Paired structures, imprecision types and two-level knowledge representation by means of opposites

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rodríguez, J. Tinguaro; Franco de los Ríos, Camilo; Gómez, Daniel

2016-01-01

Opposition-based models are a current hot-topic in knowledge representation. The point of this paper is to suggest that opposition can be in fact introduced at two different levels, those of the predicates of interest being represented (as short/tall) and of the logical references (true/false) used...... to evaluate the verification of the former. We study this issue by means of the consideration of different paired structures at each level. We also pay attention at how different types of fuzziness may be introduced in these paired structures to model imprecision and lack of knowledge. As a consequence, we...

Leading public service organizations: How to obtain high employee self-efficacy and organizational performance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jacobsen, Christian Bøtcher; Andersen, Lotte Bøgh

2017-01-01

Concerns are sometimes raised that transactional leadership harms public organisations’ performance, because demands thwart employees’ self-efficacy. However, the opposite may be argued – conditional rewards strengthen feelings of competence because they provide positive feedback on performance. ......, the teachers’ self-efficacy can be linked positively to organisational performance. This suggests that rewards can be an important tool for managers in the public sector....

Does public awareness increase support for invasive species management? Promising evidence across taxa and landscape types

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Novoa, Ana; Dehnen-Schmutz, K.; Fried, J.; Vimercati, G.

2017-01-01

Roč. 19, č. 12 (2017), s. 3691-3705 ISSN 1387-3547 R&D Projects: GA ČR GB14-36079G Institutional support: RVO:67985939 Keywords : alien species * attitudes * non-native species * pPublic opposition * public perception Subject RIV: EH - Ecology, Behaviour OBOR OECD: Ecology Impact factor: 2.473, year: 2016

Opposite variations in maternal and neonatal thyroid function induced by iodine supplementation during pregnancy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nøhr, S B; Laurberg, P

2000-01-01

pregnancy, and 95 took no artificial iodine supplementation. Iodine supplementation (+I) induced opposite variations in thyroid function in the mother and the fetus. In +I mothers, TSH was 7.6% lower than in mothers with no supplementation (P ... in the +I group (P caused by opposite shifts in TSH frequency distribution in mothers and neonates. The association between iodine supplementation and high serum TSH in the neonates was further substantiated by an inverse correlation between thyroglobulin and TSH in cord blood...

Public information - the crucial element in nuclear power acceptance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hayes, R.; Middlemiss, N.

1996-01-01

The British nuclear industry approach to the public information is described as the crucial element in nuclear power acceptance. The industry need to be a reliable, trustworthy source of information. There is evidence that when issues are examined in court or in quasi-judicial contexts, the public gains a better appreciation of the issues. The media report both sides of debate more evenly. Therefore the best way to deal with the most hostile opposition may be to take into a legal framework, rather than engage in hand-to-hand battle

Public information - the crucial element in nuclear power acceptance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hayes, R; Middlemiss, N [British Nuclear Industry Forum, London (United Kingdom)

1996-07-01

The British nuclear industry approach to the public information is described as the crucial element in nuclear power acceptance. The industry need to be a reliable, trustworthy source of information. There is evidence that when issues are examined in court or in quasi-judicial contexts, the public gains a better appreciation of the issues. The media report both sides of debate more evenly. Therefore the best way to deal with the most hostile opposition may be to take into a legal framework, rather than engage in hand-to-hand battle.

Initial Opposition--Won't Portfolio Assessment Take Away Teacher Autonomy?

Science.gov (United States)

Dickson, Marcia

Unacknowledged and untended opposition can lead the "resistance" to destroy even the best planned of portfolio systems. The greatest cause of initial resistance to portfolio assessment is the fear that teachers will lose their autonomy and/or authority in the classroom. Writing instructors need to ask themselves about issues of control and…

Public opinion about nuclear energy. Year 2007 poll

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Istenic, R.; Jencic, I.

2007-01-01

Nuclear Training Centre Milan Copic (Izobrazevalni center za jedrsko tehnologijo - ICJT) at Jozef Stefan Institute in Ljubljana incorporates the Information Centre for general public. Most of the visitors are youngsters and almost one half of every generation of schoolchildren in Slovenia is informed on nuclear energy by live lectures, exhibition, publications and laboratory demonstrations. About 1000 visitors are polled every year since 1993 to measure the opinion about nuclear power and get a feed-back for our activities. Continued operation of NPP Krsko is supported by 69% of youngsters (negative trend from the last year's 76%), while opposition remains low. (author)

Reassuring the public

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zeleznik, N.; Mele, I.

1999-01-01

The first site selection, which was performed in Slovenia between 1990 and 1993, was unsuccessful. The representatives of local municipalities which were identified in the siting process were alarmed and had shown extremely high opposition to everything linked to radioactive waste. To learn by previous mistakes, the RAO Agency decided to conduct a public opinion poll on those locations, with the main objective of obtaining information on the present opinion of the local communities, and to use the experiences in the preparation of a new site selection procedure. The results of this poll and the starting-points for the new siting process are presented in this paper.(author)

International trade versus public health during the FCTC negotiations, 1999-2003.

Science.gov (United States)

Mamudu, Hadii M; Hammond, Ross; Glantz, Stanton A

2011-01-01

To examine why the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control did not include an explicit trade provision and delineate the central arguments in the debate over trade provision during the negotiations. Triangulate interviews with participants in the FCTC negotiations, the FCTC negotiations documents, and tobacco industry documents. An explicit FCTC trade provision on relation between international trade and public health became a contentious issue during the negotiations. As a result, two conflicting positions, health-over-trade and opposition to health-over-trade emerged. Opposition to explicit trade language giving health priority was by both tobacco industry and countries that generally supported strong FCTC provisions because of concerns over 'disguised protectionism' and setting a precedent whereby governments could forfeit their obligations under pre-existing treaties. Owing to lack of consensus among political actors involved in the negotiations, a compromise position eliminating any mention of trade emerged, which was predicated on belief among some in the public health community that public health would prevail in future trade versus health conflicts. The absence of an explicit FCTC trade provision was due to a political compromise rather than the impact of international trade agreements and decisions on public health and lack of consensus among health advocates. This failure to include an explicit trade provision in the FCTC suggests that the public health community should become more involved in trade and health issues at all levels of governance and press the FCTC Conference of the Parties for clarification of this critical issue.

Temporality and permanence in Romanian public art

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria-Judit Balko

2015-09-01

Full Text Available This paper analyzes the relationship between permanent monuments and temporary art projects, as temporality is one of the strategies employed by Romanian artists to counterbalance the support that the Romanian state has shown only towards monuments and memorials dedicated to affirming its value. The complex nature of public art requires a careful consideration of the different dimensions this practice employs, and for that the Western debate on this matter can be a reference point in understanding Romanian public art. We will be looking at possible aspects of the functions of these two main directions in Romanian public art, as they stand methodically one in opposition to the other, in connection with the texts of Piotr Piotrowski (Art and Democracy in Post-communist Europe, 2012 and Boris Groys (Art Power, 2008.

Opposite brain laterality in analogous auditory and visual tests.

Science.gov (United States)

Oltedal, Leif; Hugdahl, Kenneth

2017-11-01

Laterality for language processing can be assessed by auditory and visual tasks. Typically, a right ear/right visual half-field (VHF) advantage is observed, reflecting left-hemispheric lateralization for language. Historically, auditory tasks have shown more consistent and reliable results when compared to VHF tasks. While few studies have compared analogous tasks applied to both sensory modalities for the same participants, one such study by Voyer and Boudreau [(2003). Cross-modal correlation of auditory and visual language laterality tasks: a serendipitous finding. Brain Cogn, 53(2), 393-397] found opposite laterality for visual and auditory language tasks. We adapted an experimental paradigm based on a dichotic listening and VHF approach, and applied the combined language paradigm in two separate experiments, including fMRI in the second experiment to measure brain activation in addition to behavioural data. The first experiment showed a right-ear advantage for the auditory task, but a left half-field advantage for the visual task. The second experiment, confirmed the findings, with opposite laterality effects for the visual and auditory tasks. In conclusion, we replicate the finding by Voyer and Boudreau (2003) and support their interpretation that these visual and auditory language tasks measure different cognitive processes.

Nuclear power and ratepayer protest: The Washington Public Power Supply System crisis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sugai, W.H.

1986-01-01

In early 1982, the Washington Public Power Supply System (WPPSS) terminated two nuclear projects, triggering an episode of mass ratepayer insurgency throughout the state. In this survey of the crisis, the author analyzes the political and economic conditions that precipitated the protest and examines citizen opposition to the WPPSS nuclear venture between 1976 and 1981. The review of the public initiative campaigns aimed at the Northwest utility establishment by local antinuclear forces and the role of key individuals and organizations involved in anti-KPPSS activism are central to the discussion. By emphasizing the organizational dynamics of citizen opposition, the analysis clarifies the influence of antinuclear protest in bringing about the WPPSS crisis, which is still in litigation over disputed financial and management liability claims. Finally, the author offers insights into the implications of the 1980 Pacific Northwest Electric Power Planning and Conservation Act and the role of the new Northwest Power Planning Council in regional electrical energy planning

Repulsion between oppositely charged planar macroions.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

YongSeok Jho

Full Text Available The repulsive interaction between oppositely charged macroions is investigated using Grand Canonical Monte Carlo simulations of an unrestricted primitive model, including the effect of inhomogeneous surface charge and its density, the depth of surface charge, the cation size, and the dielectric permittivity of solvent and macroions, and their contrast. The origin of the repulsion is a combination of osmotic pressure and ionic screening resulting from excess salt between the macroions. The excess charge over-reduces the electrostatic attraction between macroions and raises the entropic repulsion. The magnitude of the repulsion increases when the dielectric constant of the solvent is lowered (below that of water and/or the surface charge density is increased, in good agreement with experiment. Smaller size of surface charge and the cation, their discreteness and mobility are other factors that enhance the repulsion and charge inversion phenomenons.

The Loyal Opposition & The Practice of Aikido

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jonathan Miller-Lane

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Discussions regarding martial arts often focus on the unique manner in which different styles respond to a set of common attacks. Indeed, it is in these unique responses that most martial arts distinguish themselves. However, this paper examines the role of the aggressor during training; specifically, in the martial art of Aikido and draws an analogy between the role of an aggressor during Aikido practice and the actions of a member of the loyal opposition in a democracy. A commitment to a set of rules that govern and protect the participants and a commitment to maintain a rich, creative tension mark both the vibrant interactions of an Aikido dojo and democratic life in a multicultural society.

Opposite effects of capacity load and resolution load on distractor processing.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Weiwei; Luck, Steven J

2015-02-01

According to the load theory of attention, an increased perceptual load reduces distractor processing whereas an increased working memory load facilitates distractor processing. Here we raise the possibility that the critical distinction may instead be between an emphasis on resolution and an emphasis on capacity. That is, perceptual load manipulations typically emphasize resolution (fine-grained discriminations), whereas working memory load manipulations typically emphasize capacity (simultaneous processing of multiple relevant stimuli). To test the plausibility of this hypothesis, we used a visual working memory task that emphasized either the number of items to be stored (capacity load, retaining 2 vs. 4 colors) or the precision of the representations (resolution load, detecting small vs. large color changes). We found that an increased capacity load led to increased flanker interference (a measure of distractor processing), whereas an increased resolution load led to reduced flanker interference. These opposite effects of capacity load and resolution load on distractor processing mirror the previously described opposite effects of perceptual load and working memory load.

Political opposition in patriarchal East London, 1950-1960: dilemmas of paternalism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D Atkinson

2010-04-01

Full Text Available This paper describes the growing level of politicization in East London in the 1950s, and the way this affected the patriarchal normative system, which prevailed in urban adminis tration. Patriarchal ism, as a sys tem, was susceptible of different interpretations by white municipal officials, and their response to black political opposition ranged from liberal forbearance to rigid and uncompromising intolerance. Black leaders’ attitudes to the patriarchal order were similarly nuanced. The Location Native Advisory Boards vacillated between opposition to the white patriarchal order and compliance with it. Towards the late 1950s, the political climate became ever more polarized. The paper draws on archival sources from East London to show that patriarchalism, as a moral system, was sufficiently robust to accommodate a variety of viewpoints, within the white and black communities. But as violent resistance took its toll during the 1950s, more coercive forms of paternalism came increasingly to the fore.

The potential of public engagement in sustainable waste management: designing the future for biosolids in New Zealand.

Science.gov (United States)

Goven, Joanna; Lisa Langer, E R

2009-02-01

Strategies for beneficial use of biosolids in New Zealand and elsewhere are currently focused primarily on land application. The long-term success of these and other strategies is dependent not only on technical factors, but also on their environmental, economic, social and cultural sustainability. This paper briefly reviews the situation with respect to biosolids management in New Zealand, where land application is not yet widespread; the rise in public opposition to land application in the United States; and the biosolids industry's approach to public engagement. We argue that, at least until recently, the industry has misinterpreted the nature and meaning of public opposition and thus substituted public relations for public engagement. We argue that genuine public engagement is necessary and that its purpose cannot be to gain public acceptance for an already-decided-upon strategy. It therefore calls for humility among biosolids managers, including a willingness to open up the framing of 'the problem', to acknowledge areas of uncertainty, and to recognise the role of values in 'technical' decision-making. We then present and analyse an example of the use of the scenario workshop process for public participation in biosolids management policy in Christchurch, New Zealand, and conclude that scenario workshops and related methods represent an opportunity to enhance sustainable waste management when certain conditions are met.

Two opposite hysteresis curves in semiconductors with mobile dopants

OpenAIRE

Lee, Jae Sung; Lee, Shin Buhm; Kahng, Byungnam; Noh, Tae Won

2012-01-01

Recent experimental researches on semiconductors with mobile dopants (SMD) have reported unconventional hysteretic current-voltage (I-V) curves, which form dynamically in either one of the two opposite directions, the counter-figure-eight and figure-eight ways. However the fundamental theory for the formation of the two directions is still absent, and this poses a major barrier for researches oriented to applications. Here, we introduce a theoretical model to explain the origin of the two dir...

Smoking, vaping and public health: Time to be creative.

Science.gov (United States)

Sweanor, David

2016-03-16

The development of policies on vaping in health care organizations (HCOs) needs to be based on a solid understanding of science and a recognition of individual rights. It should also be seen in the broader public health context of innovative alternative nicotine delivery systems playing a key role in ending the immense devastation of combustible cigarettes. Opposition to vaping based on inaccurate and incomplete information, or fear of unlikely and avoidable hypothetical unintended consequences, will invariably cause great harm to individuals, impede rather than assist the attainment of public health objectives, and unnecessarily prolong the epidemic of cigarette-caused diseases.

A study of public acceptance of construction of atomic power plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harada, Kazunori; Matsuhashi, Ryuji; Yoshida, Yoshikuni

2011-01-01

In June 2010, Basic Energy Plan was approved in a Cabinet meeting. It says that Japan aims to construct more than 14 atomic power plants by 2030. Today, there are 12 plans of construction of atomic power plant, but it is hard to say that their plans easily come off. That's because public acceptance of atomic power plant is low in Japan, for example local residents wage opposition campaigns. This study conducts a survey in the form of a questionnaire and analyzes it by Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP). Analytic Hierarchy Process is a structured technique for dealing with complex decisions. A questionnaire using AHP is very easy to answer and analyze. This survey was conducted in 2 areas. First area is Hohoku-cho, Yamaguchi Pref. that had a plan of construction of atomic power plant and the plan was demolished by opposition campaigns. Second area is Kaminoseki-cho, Yamaguchi Pref. that has a plan of construction of atomic power plant now and the plan is working order. Public acceptance can be calculated from survey data of 2 areas, and it helps to understand why first area disapproved a plan of atomic power plant and second area approves it. We consider a model to analyze public acceptance. (author)

[Public and private in times of the pest].

Science.gov (United States)

Caponi, S

1999-01-01

The paper explores how Hannah Arendt's oppositions public-private and intimate-social can be used as an analytical tool to better understand a very concrete, extreme situation: the state of emergency triggered when an epidemiological outbreak hits a city, totally altering its inhabitants lives. Studied observation of what specific individuals (be they imagined or real) feel and think during times of epidemic is an underutilized tool that may prove helpful in studying epidemics themselves. Focusing on Camus' "The pest" and events in the city of Oran, the article looks at how victims of the plague felt about their public or private lives and their intimate and social ties.

Public opinion about nuclear energy. Year 2006 poll

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Istenic, R.; Jencic, I.; Tkavc, M.

2006-01-01

Public information, one of the important activities of the Nuclear Training Centre Milan Copic at the Jozef Stefan Institute in Ljubljana, is focused on youngsters. Almost one half of every generation of schoolchildren in Slovenia is informed on nuclear energy by live lectures, exhibition, publications and laboratory demonstrations. To measure the opinion of youngsters about nuclear power and get a feed-back for our activities about 1000 youngsters are polled every year since 1993 using the same basic set of questions. Continued operation of the NPP Krsko is supported by 76% of youngsters in Slovenia (slightly positive trend from the last year's 71%). Opposition to NPP Krsko operation remains low. (author)

Sports celebrities and public health: Diego Maradona's influence on drug use prevention.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, William J; de Matviuk, Marcela Alejandra Chavan

2010-06-01

Exposure to a sports celebrity through media and sporting events can have important influences on a public health issue associated with that celebrity. The battle against drug use by Argentinean soccer icon Diego Maradona has provoked concerns about drug abuse and prevention in Argentina, particularly among young people. The present study analyzes how two forms of involvement with Maradona affected the public's concern and perceptions of drug use after Maradona's drug-related health crisis in 2004. Results indicate that those who had a greater degree of parasocial interaction with Maradona were more likely to have an increased awareness of drug abuse, a greater personal concern about drug abuse, abstained from drug use, and more strongly support drug abuse prevention programs. In contrast, identification with Maradona had a mitigating effect on drug use prevention. Implications of these findings regarding the influence of sports celebrities on substance abuse are discussed.

Moscow and St. Petersburgpsychological schools: from opposition to friendship

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Victor M. Allakhverdov

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The paper is an attempt to summarize the interaction of the two largest schools of psychology in Russia: the psychological schools of Moscow and St. Petersburg. The paper is a sketch dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the psychological faculties of Moscow and St. Petersburg, and should not be appreciated as a historical treatise. Tense ties between the psychological schools, that originate in the distant past, have gone through different historical stages. Slavophilevs Westernizer traditions affected the initial difference in these schoolsemerging into the opposition: either the human being is studied entirety with his/her vast subjective experience, but losing the reliability of our statements (peculiarity of Moscow school, or we study the human being accurately using objective methods, but losing the integrity of our ideas (peculiarity of St.-Petersburg school. Both psychological schools, having gone through the ups and downs, have retained their identity and their emphasis on research. Moscow scholars in their studies are aimed to larger issues and still rely on large-scale Vygotsky-Leontiev approach. Scholars of St.-Petersburgtouch upon more specific issues using empirical methods, but still continue with nostalgia and hope making plans about creating a common concept of human individual according to Ananiev. Nowadays between the two schools there is no opposition, but only one mutual love.

The parakeet protectors: Understanding opposition to introduced species management.

Science.gov (United States)

Crowley, Sarah L; Hinchliffe, Steve; McDonald, Robbie A

2018-01-02

The surveillance and control of introduced and invasive species has become an increasingly important component of environmental management. However, initiatives targeting 'charismatic' wildlife can be controversial. Opposition to management, and the subsequent emergence of social conflict, present significant challenges for would-be managers. Understanding the substance and development of these disputes is therefore vital for improving the legitimacy and effectiveness of wildlife management. It also provides important insights into human-wildlife relations and the 'social dimensions' of wildlife management. Here, we examine how the attempted eradication of small populations of introduced monk parakeets (Myiopsitta monachus) from England has been challenged and delayed by opposition from interested and affected communities. We consider how and why the UK Government's eradication initiative was opposed, focusing on three key themes: disagreements about justifying management, the development of affective attachments between people and parakeets, and the influence of distrustful and antagonistic relationships between proponents and opponents of management. We draw connections between our UK case and previous management disputes, primarily in the USA, and suggest that the resistance encountered in the UK might readily have been foreseen. We conclude by considering how management of this and other introduced species could be made less conflict-prone, and potentially more effective, by reconfiguring management approaches to be more anticipatory, flexible, sensitive, and inclusive. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Temperament Differences among Children with Conduct Disorder and Oppositional Defiant Disorder

Science.gov (United States)

Joyce, Diana; Oakland, Thomas

2005-01-01

Temperament-based learning style preferences of 80 children, ages 8 to 17, 40 with conduct disorder (CD) and 40 with oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) were examined using the Student Styles Questionnaire (SSQ). The SSQ measures four dimensions of learning style preferences based on temperament theory (Extroverted-Introverted, Thinking-Feeling,…

Severe catastrophes and public reactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Osmachkin, Vitaly

2002-01-01

Full text: Sustainable Development and Anti-Nuclear Opposition: In the new century many problems of sustainable development of the world are exacerbated. Naturally these problems- how to reach harmonious development of the North and South, East and West, how to solve power problems of the world without infringement of ecological balances in the environment, without a substantial climate warming over a growing intensity of greenhouses discharges from an industry are very complicated. Many experts and we are convinced that these problems cannot be solved without broad uses of a nuclear energy. On Millennium Summit meeting in 2000 Mr. President of Russia V. Putin has presented the important initiative directed on solution of future energy problems and on searching the ways of sustainable development. His ideas consisted of the development under IAEA aegis the International Project for ensuring of Non-proliferation of arms, protection and improvement of the environment, use of nuclear energy without accumulation of plutonium and enriched uranium. The nuclear societies should participate in broadly informing the public about this initiative. But in a society there is the opposition of development of nuclear power, the prolonged conflict 'greens' with nuclear supporters is continuing. Despite many advantages of nuclear power the fear of nuclear radiation inspires fighters for cleanliness of an environment on struggle for closing of nuclear power plants. The pressure of 'greens' gained strength after failures on TMI-2 and Chernobyl plants. It is possible to expect that the attacks 'greens' will be intensified after September 11 when aeroplanes with passengers captured by kamikazes crashed and destroyed the buildings of WTC in New York and Pentagon in Washington. Such terrible events have showed a vulnerability of a modem civilisation before the actions of terrorists. The roots of anti-nuclear position: It is possible to distinguish economical, social, scientific roots of

Relationship between nongenital tender point tenderness and intravaginal muscle pain intensity: ratings in women with provoked vestibulodynia and implications for treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Phillips, Nancy; Brown, Candace; Bachmann, Gloria; Wan, Jim; Wood, Ronald; Ulrich, Dagny; Bachour, Candi; Foster, David

2016-12-01

Vulvodynia is a chronic vulvar pain disorder and fibromyalgia is a chronic widespread musculoskeletal pain disorder, both of unknown etiology. Association of these conditions is well documented. Intravaginal algometer measurement of tenderness to pressure applied to the pelvic floor muscles helps define vulvodynia associated with musculoskeletal factors. Women with both vulvodynia and fibromyalgia might have increased pelvic muscle pain compared to women with vulvodynia alone, defining the possible link of these 2 conditions. We sought to: (1) correlate pain intensity during the nongenital tender point tenderness examination to pain intensity with the vaginal algometer in women with provoked vestibulodynia, and (2) determine whether subjects with provoked vestibulodynia and fibromyalgia had higher pain intensity scores with the vaginal algometer than those without fibromyalgia. In all, 92 subjects referred for vulvar pain were confirmed to have provoked vestibulodynia using the cotton swab test. A diagnosis of fibromyalgia was made if pain was present (numeric rating scale >1) in at least 11 sites of the 18-point nongenital tender point tenderness exam. Vaginal pain sensitivity was measured using an intravaginal pressure algometer, where 0.1, 0.3, and 0.5 kg/cm 2 forces were applied digitally in random assignment by force and location to the right and left iliococcygeus muscle regions and the posterior vaginal wall. Both tender point tenderness and algometer pain intensity were reported on a 0 (no pain) to 10 (worse pain) numeric rating scale. Correlations were computed between the composite pain intensity (total of rating scale from each pressure threshold at specified site) of nongenital and those of iliococcygeus regions and the posterior vaginal wall. Independent t tests were used to determine differences in iliococcygeus regions and the posterior vaginal algometer pain ratings and presence or absence of fibromyalgia. The significance level was at P pain

Cognitive, psychophysical, and neural correlates of vulvar pain in primary and secondary provoked vestibulodynia: a pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Sutton, Katherine; Pukall, Caroline; Wild, Conor; Johnsrude, Ingrid; Chamberlain, Susan

2015-05-01

Provoked vestibulodynia (PVD) is a common condition characterized by localized, provoked pain that can be present since first vaginal penetration attempt (primary) or can develop after a period of pain-free penetration (secondary). Research has demonstrated psychosocial and psychophysical differences between women with these subtypes of PVD, but the question of whether neural responses to pain also differ remains to be investigated. This study aims to examine whether cognitive, psychophysical, and neural responses to vulvar pressure pain differ between women with PVD1 and PVD2. Women with PVD1 and PVD2 were compared for group differences using multiple modalities, including questionnaires, psychophysical testing, and neuroimaging. Pain ratings were held constant across groups, rather than amount of pressure applied. Demographics, sexual functioning, four questionnaires examining anxiety and catastrophizing, quantitative sensory testing at the vulvar vestibule using a vulvalgesiometer, and functional and structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Findings suggest that women with PVD1 are more anxious and that they catastrophize more about their vulvar and nonvulvar pain than women with PVD2. Overall, MRI results demonstrated structural and functional similarities to other chronic pain findings for both groups of women. Gray matter (GM) density also differed between groups: women with PVD1 showed significant decreases in GM throughout areas associated with pain processing. Functionally, between-groups differences were found during painful vulvar stimulation despite lower pressures applied to the vulva for women with PVD1 because of their heightened sensitivity; the determination of the level of vulvar pressure to elicit pain was based on subjective ratings. Findings are limited by sample size and liberal alpha values; however, future research is certainly warranted based on the preliminary findings of this study suggesting both similarities and differences between

Adoption Concerns for the Deployment of Interactive Public Displays at Schools

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Alberto Lencastre

2014-12-01

Full Text Available JuxtaLearn is a research project focused on ‘performance’ as a means of provoking students’ understanding of science and technology through the creation and sharing of educational videos. As the videos will be shared in public displays, the Portuguese research team developed three workshops with twelve teachers from a Portuguese Secondary School representing different school departments and sharing organizational responsibilities. The aim was to generate scenarios of possible features and interaction for the curricular integration of the technological device. Our findings suggest that teachers are not motivated to use, on their own, technologies in the classroom, but receptive to new and challenging technologies when properly stimulated. They were able to generate scenarios that take advantage of the possibilities offered by digital public displays to stimulate learning processes. However, there are pedagogical, organizational and ethical concerns in the management and control of content that need to be resolved before they feel confortable to deal with change and technological innovation.

Complexation behavior of oppositely charged polyelectrolytes: Effect of charge distribution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao, Mingtian; Li, Baohui; Zhou, Jihan; Su, Cuicui; Niu, Lin; Liang, Dehai

2015-01-01

Complexation behavior of oppositely charged polyelectrolytes in a solution is investigated using a combination of computer simulations and experiments, focusing on the influence of polyelectrolyte charge distributions along the chains on the structure of the polyelectrolyte complexes. The simulations are performed using Monte Carlo with the replica-exchange algorithm for three model systems where each system is composed of a mixture of two types of oppositely charged model polyelectrolyte chains (EGEG) 5 /(KGKG) 5 , (EEGG) 5 /(KKGG) 5 , and (EEGG) 5 /(KGKG) 5 , in a solution including explicit solvent molecules. Among the three model systems, only the charge distributions along the chains are not identical. Thermodynamic quantities are calculated as a function of temperature (or ionic strength), and the microscopic structures of complexes are examined. It is found that the three systems have different transition temperatures, and form complexes with different sizes, structures, and densities at a given temperature. Complex microscopic structures with an alternating arrangement of one monolayer of E/K monomers and one monolayer of G monomers, with one bilayer of E and K monomers and one bilayer of G monomers, and with a mixture of monolayer and bilayer of E/K monomers in a box shape and a trilayer of G monomers inside the box are obtained for the three mixture systems, respectively. The experiments are carried out for three systems where each is composed of a mixture of two types of oppositely charged peptide chains. Each peptide chain is composed of Lysine (K) and glycine (G) or glutamate (E) and G, in solution, and the chain length and amino acid sequences, and hence the charge distribution, are precisely controlled, and all of them are identical with those for the corresponding model chain. The complexation behavior and complex structures are characterized through laser light scattering and atomic force microscopy measurements. The order of the apparent weight

Cortisol responses to a group public speaking task for adolescents: variations by age, gender, and race.

Science.gov (United States)

Hostinar, Camelia E; McQuillan, Mollie T; Mirous, Heather J; Grant, Kathryn E; Adam, Emma K

2014-12-01

Laboratory social stress tests involving public speaking challenges are widely used for eliciting an acute stress response in older children, adolescents, and adults. Recently, a group protocol for a social stress test (the Trier Social Stress Test for Groups, TSST-G) was shown to be effective in adults and is dramatically less time-consuming and resource-intensive compared to the single-subject version of the task. The present study sought to test the feasibility and effectiveness of an adapted group public speaking task conducted with a racially diverse, urban sample of U.S. adolescents (N=191; 52.4% female) between the ages of 11 and 18 (M=14.4 years, SD=1.93). Analyses revealed that this Group Public Speaking Task for Adolescents (GPST-A) provoked a significant increase in cortisol production (on average, approximately 60% above baseline) and in self-reported negative affect, while at the same time avoiding excessive stress responses that would raise ethical concerns or provoke substantial participant attrition. Approximately 63.4% of participants exhibited an increase in cortisol levels in response to the task, with 59.2% of the total sample showing a 10% or greater increase from baseline. Results also suggested that groups of five adolescents might be ideal for achieving more uniform cortisol responses across various serial positions for speech delivery. Basal cortisol levels increased with age and participants belonging to U.S. national minorities tended to have either lower basal cortisol or diminished cortisol reactivity compared to non-Hispanic Whites. This protocol facilitates the recruitment of larger sample sizes compared to prior research and may show great utility in answering new questions about adolescent stress reactivity and development. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

White cells facilitate opposite- and same-sex mating of opaque cells in Candida albicans.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Li Tao

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Modes of sexual reproduction in eukaryotic organisms are extremely diverse. The human fungal pathogen Candida albicans undergoes a phenotypic switch from the white to the opaque phase in order to become mating-competent. In this study, we report that functionally- and morphologically-differentiated white and opaque cells show a coordinated behavior during mating. Although white cells are mating-incompetent, they can produce sexual pheromones when treated with pheromones of the opposite mating type or by physically interacting with opaque cells of the opposite mating type. In a co-culture system, pheromones released by white cells induce opaque cells to form mating projections, and facilitate both opposite- and same-sex mating of opaque cells. Deletion of genes encoding the pheromone precursor proteins and inactivation of the pheromone response signaling pathway (Ste2-MAPK-Cph1 impair the promoting role of white cells (MTLa in the sexual mating of opaque cells. White and opaque cells communicate via a paracrine pheromone signaling system, creating an environment conducive to sexual mating. This coordination between the two different cell types may be a trade-off strategy between sexual and asexual lifestyles in C. albicans.

Anomalous aortic origin of coronary arteries from the opposite sinus: A critical appraisal of risk

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peñalver Josiah M

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Anomalous aortic origin of the coronary artery (AAOCA from the opposite sinus of Valsalva with an interarterial course has received much attention due to its association with sudden death in otherwise healthy individuals. AAOCA is relatively common and may have significant public health implications. While our knowledge of its pathophysiology and natural history remains incomplete, an emphasis has been placed on surgical correction. Discussion In 2005 we published a review examining the rates of sudden death with AAOCA, as well as complications of surgical management. Evidence now points even more strongly to lower rates of sudden death, while surgical outcomes data now better documents associated risks. Summary Armed with this updated information, we agree with the need for a national registry to better track patients with AAOCA. We submit that the risks of surgical management outweigh any benefits in the asymptomatic patient with anomalous right coronary artery, and expectant management should also be strongly considered even in asymptomatic patients with anomalous left coronary artery.

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation training in Washington state public high schools.

Science.gov (United States)

Reder, Sheri; Quan, Linda

2003-03-01

To determine the best approaches for increasing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training opportunities for public high school students, we conducted a statewide survey of all 310 public high schools in Washington State. The findings describe CPR student training currently provided by high schools, barriers to providing, and strategies to increase CPR training of high school students. The response rate was 89% (276 schools) from a combination of mail and telephone surveys; 35% (n=97) reported that they did not provide any CPR student training. Of the 132 schools that provided CPR student training, 23% trained less than 10% of their students, and 39% trained more than 90% of their students. The majority of public high schools, 70%, did not have any teacher trained to teach CPR or had only one teacher with such training. Yet 80% of schools felt that CPR training is best provided in school settings. Schools perceived the greatest benefit of CPR training as providing students with the skill to save a life (43%). The most frequently identified barriers were logistical: limited time to teach the curriculum (24%), lack of funds (16%), and instructor scheduling difficulties (17%). Less than 5% of respondents voiced any opposition to CPR training, and that opposition was for logistical reasons. To increase CPR training, the single best strategies suggested were: increase funding, provide time in the curriculum, have more certified instructors, and make CPR student training a requirement.

Public Service Motivation and Monetary Incentives: Substitutes or Motivation Crowding?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jacobsen, Christian Bøtcher

2011-01-01

Motivation is probably one of the most important determinants for organizational performance, because it stimulates effort and effective behaviors among people in the organization. But what type of motivation should public managers rely on? The PSM literature has argued that public service...... motivation is the most important type of motivation in the delivery of public service, because it substitutes for egoistic motivation. Organizations whose members have high levels of PSM are therefore expected to be less dependent on utilitarian motivators such as monetary incentives. Motivation crowding...... theory, on the other hand, argues that the relationship is opposite, so it is the degree of incentives that affects motivation. Both arguments lead to expectations of an association between public service motivation and monetary incentives, but so far this complex relationship has not been entangled...

Superposition of two optical vortices with opposite integer or non-integer orbital angular momentum

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carlos Fernando Díaz Meza

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This work develops a brief proposal to achieve the superposition of two opposite vortex beams, both with integer or non-integer mean value of the orbital angular momentum. The first part is about the generation of this kind of spatial light distributions through a modified Brown and Lohmann’s hologram. The inclusion of a simple mathematical expression into the pixelated grid’s transmittance function, based in Fourier domain properties, shifts the diffraction orders counterclockwise and clockwise to the same point and allows the addition of different modes. The strategy is theoretically and experimentally validated for the case of two opposite rotation helical wavefronts.

Trend of public perception on nuclear energy and future PA programs for winning public consensus in Korea

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choe, Seung-Jin

1996-01-01

Before the second half of 1980's, the Korean government could carry out the nuclear power projects easily without any oppositions. However, the anti-nuclear and environmental preservation movement has been more vigorous after Chernobyl accident. Since 1987, the democratized social environment and improved standard of living which is resulted from economic growth have increased the public interest on a positive environment and safety of life. Moreover, the introduction of local self-government system has imposed heavy burdens on nuclear power development. The prevailing of local egoism is also a hard task to overcome in securing nuclear facility sites. The public began to recognize the necessity of nuclear energy. However, this is still a far cry from the ultimate target to the site selection. Therefore, winning public acceptance is the most important issue in implementing the nation's nuclear programs without significant obstacles, and it is necessary to develop sociopolitical approaches to deal with nuclear issues. (author)

Trend of public perception on nuclear energy and future PA programs for winning public consensus in Korea

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Choe, Seung-Jin [Organization for Korea Atomic Energy Awareness, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

1996-10-01

Before the second half of 1980`s, the Korean government could carry out the nuclear power projects easily without any oppositions. However, the anti-nuclear and environmental preservation movement has been more vigorous after Chernobyl accident. Since 1987, the democratized social environment and improved standard of living which is resulted from economic growth have increased the public interest on a positive environment and safety of life. Moreover, the introduction of local self-government system has imposed heavy burdens on nuclear power development. The prevailing of local egoism is also a hard task to overcome in securing nuclear facility sites. The public began to recognize the necessity of nuclear energy. However, this is still a far cry from the ultimate target to the site selection. Therefore, winning public acceptance is the most important issue in implementing the nation`s nuclear programs without significant obstacles, and it is necessary to develop sociopolitical approaches to deal with nuclear issues. (author)

Air conditioning system and component therefore distributing air flow from opposite directions

Science.gov (United States)

Obler, H. D.; Bauer, H. B. (Inventor)

1974-01-01

The air conditioning system comprises a plurality of separate air conditioning units coupled to a common supply duct such that air may be introduced into the supply duct in two opposite flow directions. A plurality of outlets such as registers or auxiliary or branch ducts communicate with the supply duct and valve means are disposed in the supply duct at at least some of the outlets for automatically channelling a controllable amount of air from the supply duct to the associated outlet regardless of the direction of air flow within the supply duct. The valve means comprises an automatic air volume control apparatus for distribution within the air supply duct into which air may be introduced from two opposite directions. The apparatus incorporates a freely swinging movable vane in the supply duct to automatically channel into the associated outlet only the deflected air flow which has the higher relative pressure.

Sexual imprinting on facial traits of opposite-sex parents in humans.

Science.gov (United States)

Marcinkowska, Urszula M; Rantala, Markus J

2012-09-05

Positive sexual imprinting is a process by which individuals use the phenotype of their opposite-sex parent as a template for acquiring mates. Recent studies in humans have concluded that an imprinting-like mechanism influences human mate choice in facial traits. However, some of the previous studies have had methodological problems or flaws which might have invalidated or led to an overgeneralization of the original interpretation of their results. In this study, 70 heterosexual adults were used to test if their partners resembled facially their opposite-sex parent as the sexual imprinting hypothesis predicts. Judges assessed the subjective facial similarity between each participant's partner and their parent. We found that there was no perceived facial similarity between women's partners and their fathers. However, men tended to pair more often with women that were perceived as resembling the men's own mothers. In contrast to previous studies, the quality of the relationship between participants and their parents did not predict the level of facial resemblance between the participant's spouse and their parent.

Sexual Imprinting on Facial Traits of Opposite-Sex Parents in Humans

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Urszula M Marcinkowska

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Positive sexual imprinting is a process by which individuals use the phenotype of their opposite-sex parent as a template for acquiring mates. Recent studies in humans have concluded that an imprinting-like mechanism influences human mate choice in facial traits. However, some of the previous studies have had methodological problems or flaws which might have invalidated or led to an overgeneralization of the original interpretation of their results. In this study, 70 heterosexual adults were used to test if their partners resembled facially their opposite-sex parent as the sexual imprinting hypothesis predicts. Judges assessed the subjective facial similarity between each participant's partner and their parent. We found that there was no perceived facial similarity between women's partners and their fathers. However, men tended to pair more often with women that were perceived as resembling the men's own mothers. In contrast to previous studies, the quality of the relationship between participants and their parents did not predict the level of facial resemblance between the participant's spouse and their parent.

Politics, Police Accountability, and Public Health: Civilian Review in Newark, New Jersey.

Science.gov (United States)

McGregor, Alecia

2016-04-01

Police brutality, a longstanding civil rights issue, has returned to the forefront of American public debate. A growing body of public health research shows that excessive use of force by police and racial profiling have adverse effects on health for African Americans and other marginalized groups. Yet, interventions to monitor unlawful policing have been met with fierce opposition at the federal, state, and local levels. On April 30, 2015, the mayor of Newark, New Jersey signed an executive order establishing a Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB) to monitor the Newark Police Department (NPD). Using a mixed-methods approach, this study examined how advocates and government actors accomplished this recent policy change in the face of police opposition and after a 50-year history of unsuccessful attempts in Newark. Drawing on official public documents, news media, and interviews conducted in April and May 2015, I propose that: (1) a Department of Justice investigation of the NPD, (2) the activist background of the Mayor and his relationships with community organizations, and (3) the momentum provided by the national Black Lives Matter movement were pivotal in overcoming political obstacles to reform. Examining the history of CCRB adoption in Newark suggests when and where advocates may intervene to promote policing reforms in other US cities.

Genetic engineering in agriculture and corporate engineering in public debate: risk, public relations, and public debate over genetically modified crops.

Science.gov (United States)

Patel, Rajeev; Torres, Robert J; Rosset, Peter

2005-01-01

Corporations have long influenced environmental and occupational health in agriculture, doing a great deal of damage, making substantial profits, and shaping public debate to make it appear that environmental misfortunes are accidents of an otherwise well-functioning system, rather than systemic. The debate over the genetically modified (GM) crops is an example. The largest producer of commercial GM seeds, Monsanto, exemplifies the industry's strategies: the invocation of poor people as beneficiaries, characterization of opposition as technophobic or anti-progress, and portrayal of their products as environmentally beneficial in the absence of or despite the evidence. This strategy is endemic to contemporary market capitalism, with its incentives to companies to externalize health and environmental costs to increase profits.

Provoked Vestibulodynia: Does Pain Intensity Correlate With Sexual Dysfunction and Dissatisfaction?

Science.gov (United States)

Aerts, Leen; Bergeron, Sophie; Pukall, Caroline F; Khalifé, Samir

2016-06-01

Provoked vestibulodynia (PVD) is suspected to be the most frequent cause of vulvodynia in premenopausal women. Previous research has been inconclusive as to whether higher vulvovaginal pain ratings are associated with lower sexual function and satisfaction in women with PVD. Whether pain intensity correlates with sexual impairment is an important question given its implications for treatment recommendations. To examine the associations among self-reported and objective pain measurements, sexual function, and sexual satisfaction in a large combined clinical and community sample of premenopausal women diagnosed with PVD. Ninety-eight women with PVD underwent a cotton-swab test, a vestibular friction pain measurement, and a vestibular pressure-pain threshold measurement. In addition to sociodemographics, participants completed measurements of pain, sexual function, and sexual satisfaction. Self-report measurements were the pain numerical rating scale (0-10), the McGill-Melzack Pain Questionnaire, the Female Sexual Function Index, and the Global Measure of Sexual Satisfaction. Objective measurements were pain during a cotton-swab test, pain during a vestibular friction procedure, and the vestibular pressure-pain threshold measurement. Age and relationship duration were significantly correlated with the Female Sexual Function Index total score (r = -0.31, P sexual function and satisfaction in women with PVD. The findings show that in women with PVD, self-report and objective pain ratings are not associated with sexual function and satisfaction. The results support the biopsychosocial nature of PVD and underscore the importance of a patient-focused multidisciplinary treatment approach for PVD. Copyright © 2016 International Society for Sexual Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

How to achieve public participation in nuclear waste decisions: Public relations or transparent adversary science

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Treichel, J.

1999-01-01

correctly, are in this case, merely tools being employed to co-opt or buy off the opposition and legitimize the process. It appears at this point that there are two choices: either the decision-makers can attempt to continue with the current program of forced siting, ignoring all citizen and scientific opposition and eventually leading to litigation; or a new program can be developed. Since the US nuclear waste programs have utilized or have been perceived as utilizing advocacy science, the country must add 'adversary science' to the national program. This is described as the providing of financial support for competing teams of experts to investigate, and to tell the public about, any hazards which the enthusiasts of a project may have failed to report, or even to see. If citizens were able to participate in the debate between scientists and experts, with differing opinions concerning the merits of a nuclear waste site or indeed, any controversial technology, they would feel represented. They would believe that the final decisions were made only after the program in question had withstood and overcome all criticism-rather than just ignored it. There is probably no chance that the current US nuclear waste program can succeed in light of the level of public opposition. It is therefore necessary to move to a policy that respects those who must pay the costs and live with its consequences

How to achieve public participation in nuclear waste decisions: Public relations or transparent adversary science

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Treichel, J. [Nevada Nuclear Waste Task Force, Las Vegas, NV (United States)

1999-12-01

applied correctly, are in this case, merely tools being employed to co-opt or buy off the opposition and legitimize the process. It appears at this point that there are two choices: either the decision-makers can attempt to continue with the current program of forced siting, ignoring all citizen and scientific opposition and eventually leading to litigation; or a new program can be developed. Since the US nuclear waste programs have utilized or have been perceived as utilizing advocacy science, the country must add 'adversary science' to the national program. This is described as the providing of financial support for competing teams of experts to investigate, and to tell the public about, any hazards which the enthusiasts of a project may have failed to report, or even to see. If citizens were able to participate in the debate between scientists and experts, with differing opinions concerning the merits of a nuclear waste site or indeed, any controversial technology, they would feel represented. They would believe that the final decisions were made only after the program in question had withstood and overcome all criticism-rather than just ignored it. There is probably no chance that the current US nuclear waste program can succeed in light of the level of public opposition. It is therefore necessary to move to a policy that respects those who must pay the costs and live with its consequences.

Family Life and Alcohol Consumption: The Transmission of "Public" and "Private" Drinking Cultures

Science.gov (United States)

Jayne, Mark; Valentine, Gill; Gould, Myles

2012-01-01

This article considers the transmission of drinking cultures within families. In particular, we highlight the differential and discursive construction of the home as a space where parents/carers are happy to introduce children to alcohol in a "safe" environment in opposition to public spaces which they consider to be locations where…

Opposite-side flavour tagging of $B$ mesons at the LHCb experiment

CERN Document Server

Aaij, R; Adeva, B; Adinolfi, M; Adrover, C; Affolder, A; Ajaltouni, Z; Albrecht, J; Alessio, F; Alexander, M; Alkhazov, G; Alvarez Cartelle, P; Alves, A A; Amato, S; Amhis, Y; Anderson, J; Appleby, R B; Aquines Gutierrez, O; Archilli, F; Arrabito, L; Artamonov, A; Artuso, M; Aslanides, E; Auriemma, G; Bachmann, S; Back, J J; Bailey, D S; Balagura, V; Baldini, W; Barlow, R J; Barschel, C; Barsuk, S; Barter, W; Bates, A; Bauer, C; Bauer, Th; Bay, A; Bediaga, I; Belogurov, S; Belous, K; Belyaev, I; Ben-Haim, E; Benayoun, M; Bencivenni, G; Benson, S; Benton, J; Bernet, R; Bettler, M-O; van Beuzekom, M; Bien, A; Bifani, S; Bird, T; Bizzeti, A; Bjørnstad, P M; Blake, T; Blanc, F; Blanks, C; Blouw, J; Blusk, S; Bobrov, A; Bocci, V; Bondar, A; Bondar, N; Bonivento, W; Borghi, S; Borgia, A; Bowcock, T J V; Bozzi, C; Brambach, T; van den Brand, J; Bressieux, J; Brett, D; Britsch, M; Britton, T; Brook, N H; Brown, H; de Bruyn, K; Büchler-Germann, A; Burducea, I; Bursche, A; Buytaert, J; Cadeddu, S; Callot, O; Calvi, M; Calvo Gomez, M; Camboni, A; Campana, P; Carbone, A; Carboni, G; Cardinale, R; Cardini, A; Carson, L; Carvalho Akiba, K; Casse, G; Cattaneo, M; Cauet, Ch; Charles, M; Charpentier, Ph; Chiapolini, N; Ciba, K; Cid Vidal, X; Ciezarek, G; Clarke, P E L; Clemencic, M; Cliff, H V; Closier, J; Coca, C; Coco, V; Cogan, J; Collins, P; Comerma-Montells, A; Constantin, F; Contu, A; Cook, A; Coombes, M; Corti, G; Couturier, B; Cowan, G A; Currie, R; D'Ambrosio, C; David, P; David, P N Y; De Bonis, I; De Capua, S; De Cian, M; De Lorenzi, F; De Miranda, J M; De Paula, L; De Simone, P; Decamp, D; Deckenhoff, M; Degaudenzi, H; Del Buono, L; Deplano, C; Derkach, D; Deschamps, O; Dettori, F; Dickens, J; Dijkstra, H; Diniz Batista, P; Domingo Bonal, F; Donleavy, S; Dordei, F; Dosil Suárez, A; Dossett, D; Dovbnya, A; Dupertuis, F; Dzhelyadin, R; Dziurda, A; Easo, S; Egede, U; Egorychev, V; Eidelman, S; van Eijk, D; Eisele, F; Eisenhardt, S; Ekelhof, R; Eklund, L; Elsasser, Ch; Elsby, D; Esperante Pereira, D; Falabella, A; Fanchini, E; Färber, C; Fardell, G; Farinelli, C; Farry, S; Fave, V; Fernandez Albor, V; Ferro-Luzzi, M; Filippov, S; Fitzpatrick, C; Fontana, M; Fontanelli, F; Forty, R; Francisco, O; Frank, M; Frei, C; Frosini, M; Furcas, S; Gallas Torreira, A; Galli, D; Gandelman, M; Gandini, P; Gao, Y; Garnier, J-C; Garofoli, J; Garra Tico, J; Garrido, L; Gascon, D; Gaspar, C; Gauld, R; Gauvin, N; Gersabeck, M; Gershon, T; Ghez, Ph; Gibson, V; Gligorov, V V; Göbel, C; Golubkov, D; Golutvin, A; Gomes, A; Gordon, H; Grabalosa Gándara, M; Graciani Diaz, R; Granado Cardoso, L A; Graugés, E; Graziani, G; Grecu, A; Greening, E; Gregson, S; Gui, B; Gushchin, E; Guz, Yu; Gys, T; Hadjivasiliou, C; Haefeli, G; Haen, C; Haines, S C; Hampson, T; Hansmann-Menzemer, S; Harji, R; Harnew, N; Harrison, J; Harrison, P F; Hartmann, T; He, J; Heijne, V; Hennessy, K; Henrard, P; Hernando Morata, J A; van Herwijnen, E; Hicks, E; Holubyev, K; Hopchev, P; Hulsbergen, W; Hunt, P; Huse, T; Huston, R S; Hutchcroft, D; Hynds, D; Iakovenko, V; Ilten, P; Imong, J; Jacobsson, R; Jaeger, A; Jahjah Hussein, M; Jans, E; Jansen, F; Jaton, P; Jean-Marie, B; Jing, F; John, M; Johnson, D; Jones, C R; Jost, B; Kaballo, M; Kandybei, S; Karacson, M; Karbach, T M; Keaveney, J; Kenyon, I R; Kerzel, U; Ketel, T; Keune, A; Khanji, B; Kim, Y M; Knecht, M; Koopman, R F; Koppenburg, P; Korolev, M; Kozlinskiy, A; Kravchuk, L; Kreplin, K; Kreps, M; Krocker, G; Krokovny, P; Kruse, F; Kruzelecki, K; Kucharczyk, M; Kvaratskheliya, T; La Thi, V N; Lacarrere, D; Lafferty, G; Lai, A; Lambert, D; Lambert, R W; Lanciotti, E; Lanfranchi, G; Langenbruch, C; Latham, T; Lazzeroni, C; Le Gac, R; van Leerdam, J; Lees, J-P; Lefèvre, R; Leflat, A; Lefrançois, J; Leroy, O; Lesiak, T; Li, L; Li Gioi, L; Lieng, M; Liles, M; Lindner, R; Linn, C; Liu, B; Liu, G; von Loeben, J; Lopes, J H; Lopez Asamar, E; Lopez-March, N; Lu, H; Luisier, J; Mac Raighne, A; Machefert, F; Machikhiliyan, I V; Maciuc, F; Maev, O; Magnin, J; Malde, S; Mamunur, R M D; Manca, G; Mancinelli, G; Mangiafave, N; Marconi, U; Märki, R; Marks, J; Martellotti, G; Martens, A; Martin, L; Martín Sánchez, A; Martinez Santos, D; Massafferri, A; Mathe, Z; Matteuzzi, C; Matveev, M; Maurice, E; Maynard, B; Mazurov, A; McGregor, G; McNulty, R; Meissner, M; Merk, M; Merkel, J; Messi, R; Miglioranzi, S; Milanes, D A; Minard, M-N; Molina Rodriguez, J; Monteil, S; Moran, D; Morawski, P; Mountain, R; Mous, I; Muheim, F; Müller, K; Muresan, R; Muryn, B; Muster, B; Musy, M; Mylroie-Smith, J; Naik, P; Nakada, T; Nandakumar, R; Nasteva, I; Nedos, M; Needham, M; Neufeld, N; Nguyen, A D; Nguyen-Mau, C; Nicol, M; Niess, V; Nikitin, N; Nomerotski, A; Novoselov, A; Oblakowska-Mucha, A; Obraztsov, V; Oggero, S; Ogilvy, S; Okhrimenko, O; Oldeman, R; Orlandea, M; Otalora Goicochea, J M; Owen, P; Pal, K; Palacios, J; Palano, A; Palutan, M; Panman, J; Papanestis, A; Pappagallo, M; Parkes, C; Parkinson, C J; Passaleva, G; Patel, G D; Patel, M; Paterson, S K; Patrick, G N; Patrignani, C; Pavel-Nicorescu, C; Pazos Alvarez, A; Pellegrino, A; Penso, G; Pepe Altarelli, M; Perazzini, S; Perego, D L; Perez Trigo, E; Pérez-Calero Yzquierdo, A; Perret, P; Perrin-Terrin, M; Pessina, G; Petrella, A; Petrolini, A; Phan, A; Picatoste Olloqui, E; Pie Valls, B; Pietrzyk, B; Pilař, T; Pinci, D; Plackett, R; Playfer, S; Plo Casasus, M; Polok, G; Poluektov, A; Polycarpo, E; Popov, D; Popovici, B; Potterat, C; Powell, A; Prisciandaro, J; Pugatch, V; Puig Navarro, A; Qian, W; Rademacker, J H; Rakotomiaramanana, B; Rangel, M S; Raniuk, I; Raven, G; Redford, S; Reid, M M; dos Reis, A C; Ricciardi, S; Richards, A; Rinnert, K; Roa Romero, D A; Robbe, P; Rodrigues, E; Rodrigues, F; Rodriguez Perez, P; Rogers, G J; Roiser, S; Romanovsky, V; Rosello, M; Rouvinet, J; Ruf, T; Ruiz, H; Sabatino, G; Saborido Silva, J J; Sagidova, N; Sail, P; Saitta, B; Salzmann, C; Sannino, M; Santacesaria, R; Santamarina Rios, C; Santinelli, R; Santovetti, E; Sapunov, M; Sarti, A; Satriano, C; Satta, A; Savrie, M; Savrina, D; Schaack, P; Schiller, M; Schleich, S; Schlupp, M; Schmelling, M; Schmidt, B; Schneider, O; Schopper, A; Schune, M-H; Schwemmer, R; Sciascia, B; Sciubba, A; Seco, M; Semennikov, A; Senderowska, K; Sepp, I; Serra, N; Serrano, J; Seyfert, P; Shapkin, M; Shapoval, I; Shatalov, P; Shcheglov, Y; Shears, T; Shekhtman, L; Shevchenko, O; Shevchenko, V; Shires, A; Silva Coutinho, R; Skwarnicki, T; Smith, N A; Smith, E; Sobczak, K; Soler, F J P; Solomin, A; Soomro, F; Souza De Paula, B; Spaan, B; Sparkes, A; Spradlin, P; Stagni, F; Stahl, S; Steinkamp, O; Stoica, S; Stone, S; Storaci, B; Straticiuc, M; Straumann, U; Subbiah, V K; Swientek, S; Szczekowski, M; Szczypka, P; Szumlak, T; T'Jampens, S; Teodorescu, E; Teubert, F; Thomas, C; Thomas, E; van Tilburg, J; Tisserand, V; Tobin, M; Topp-Joergensen, S; Torr, N; Tournefier, E; Tourneur, S; Tran, M T; Tsaregorodtsev, A; Tuning, N; Ubeda Garcia, M; Ukleja, A; Urquijo, P; Uwer, U; Vagnoni, V; Valenti, G; Vazquez Gomez, R; Vazquez Regueiro, P; Vecchi, S; Velthuis, J J; Veltri, M; Viaud, B; Videau, I; Vieira, D; Vilasis-Cardona, X; Visniakov, J; Vollhardt, A; Volyanskyy, D; Voong, D; Vorobyev, A; Voss, H; Wandernoth, S; Wang, J; Ward, D R; Watson, N K; Webber, A D; Websdale, D; Whitehead, M; Wiedner, D; Wiggers, L; Wilkinson, G; Williams, M P; Williams, M; Wilson, F F; Wishahi, J; Witek, M; Witzeling, W; Wotton, S A; Wyllie, K; Xie, Y; Xing, F; Xing, Z; Yang, Z; Young, R; Yushchenko, O; Zangoli, M; Zavertyaev, M; Zhang, F; Zhang, L; Zhang, W C; Zhang, Y; Zhelezov, A; Zhong, L; Zvyagin, A

2012-01-01

The calibration and performance of the opposite-side flavour tagging algorithms used for the measurements of time-dependent asymmetries at the LHCb experiment are described. The algorithms have been developed using simulated events and optimized and calibrated with $B^+ \\to J/ \\psi K^+$, $B^0 \\to J/\\psi K^{*0}$ and $B^0 \\to D^{*-} \\mu^+ \

Selling Academies: Local Democracy and the Management of "Consultation"

Science.gov (United States)

Hatcher, Richard

2008-01-01

Academies (state schools owned and run by private sponsors on a non-profit basis) are a key element in Labour's education agenda. Proposals to set up Academies, in most cases by taking over existing schools, have provoked local campaigns of opposition in many areas. Replacing a Local Authority with an Academy entails a process of consultation.…

Complementary resistive switching in BaTiO3/NiO bilayer with opposite switching polarities

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Shuo; Wei, Xianhua; Lei, Yao; Yuan, Xincai; Zeng, Huizhong

2016-12-01

Resistive switching behaviors have been investigated in the Au/BaTiO3/NiO/Pt structure by stacking the two elements with different switching types. The conducting atomic force microscope measurements on BaTiO3 thin films and NiO thin films suggest that with the same active resistive switching region, the switching polarities in the two semiconductors are opposite to each other. It is in agreement with the bipolar hysteresis I-V curves with opposite switching polarities for single-layer devices. The bilayer devices show complementary resistive switching (CRS) without electroforming and unipolar resistive switching (URS) after electroforming. The coexistence of CRS and URS is mainly ascribed to the co-effect of electric field and Joule heating mechanisms, indicating that changeable of resistance in this device is dominated by the redistribution of oxygen vacancies in BaTiO3 and the formation, disruption, restoration of conducting filaments in NiO. CRS in bilayer with opposite switching polarities is effective to solve the sneak current without the introduction of any selector elements or an additional metal electrode.

[Effect of rehabilitation for prelingual deaf children who use cochlear implants in conjunction with hearing aids in the opposite ears].

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, Yanjing; Zhou, Huifang; Zhang, Jing; Yang, Dong; Xu, Yi; Guo, Yuxi

2012-10-01

To compare the effect of rehabilitation of prelingual deaf children who used a cochlear implant (CI) in one ear and a hearing aids in the opposite ear while the hearing level of the opposite ears are different. Hearing ability, language ability and learning ability was included in the content. The aim of this research is to investigate better style of rehabilitation, and to offer the best help to the prelingual deaf children. Accord ing to the hearing level of the ear opposite to the one wearing a cochlear implant and whether the opposite ear wear a hearing aid or not, 30 prelingual deaf children were divided into three groups, including cochlear implant with opposite severe hearing loss and hearing aid ear (CI+SHA), cochlear implant with opposite profound hearing loss and hearing aid ear (CI+PHA), cochlear implant only (CI). The effect of rehabilitation was assessed in six different times (3,6,9,12,15 and 18 months after the cochlear implants and hearing aids began to work). The longer time the rehabilitation spends, the better the hearing ability,language ability and the learning ability were. The hearing ability of CI+SHA was better than those of CI+PHA (Pdeaf children should take much more time on rehabilitation. The effect of rehabilitation for prelingual deaf children who used cochlear implant in one ear and hearing aid in the other depend on the residual hearing level of the other ear. If a prelingual deaf children still has any residual hearing level in the ear opposite to the cochlear implant ear, it is better for him/her to wear a hearing aid in the ear.

Nuclear energy and its public acceptance in Japan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsui, A.

1981-01-01

Heavily dependent on imported oil, Japan with a nuclear park of 22 working power plants meets with public opposition for its nuclear program extension. Consequently, the foreseen 53.000 MWe installed nuclear capacity will be reduced to some 30.000 MWe for the beginning of the nineties. The paper analyses the different varieties of factors clogging the development of nuclear energy such as social, psychological and economic aspects and describes the information campaigns of concerned milieus in order to deal with this situation and comments the final results of these actions. Two concrete examples of confrontation of the public with the authorities on the approval of new nuclear power plant projects are presented. (AF)

Longing for the country's good old days: National nostalgia, autochthony beliefs, and opposition to Muslim expressive rights.

Science.gov (United States)

Smeekes, Anouk; Verkuyten, Maykel; Martinovic, Borja

2015-09-01

Four studies tested the prediction that feelings of national nostalgia (i.e. nostalgia on the basis of one's national ingroup membership) result in more opposition towards expressive rights for Muslim immigrants, because they strengthen the belief that a place belongs to its original inhabitants, and that they are therefore more entitled (i.e. autochthony). Study 1 found that national nostalgia can be distinguished from personal nostalgia, and that national (rather than personal) nostalgia was related to more opposition to Muslim rights via stronger endorsement of autochthony. This latter result was replicated in another survey study (Study 2) and in an experiment (Study 3) in which national nostalgia was manipulated. Study 4 provided preliminary evidence that the salience of autochthony increases opposition to Muslim rights. © 2014 The British Psychological Society.

Microscopic origin and macroscopic implications of lane formation in mixtures of oppositely driven particles

Science.gov (United States)

Klymko, Katherine; Geissler, Phillip L.; Whitelam, Stephen

2016-08-01

Colloidal particles of two types, driven in opposite directions, can segregate into lanes [Vissers et al., Soft Matter 7, 2352 (2011), 10.1039/c0sm01343a]. This phenomenon can be reproduced by two-dimensional Brownian dynamics simulations of model particles [Dzubiella et al., Phys. Rev. E 65, 021402 (2002), 10.1103/PhysRevE.65.021402]. Here we use computer simulation to assess the generality of lane formation with respect to variation of particle type and dynamical protocol. We find that laning results from rectification of diffusion on the scale of a particle diameter: oppositely driven particles must, in the time taken to encounter each other in the direction of the drive, diffuse in the perpendicular direction by about one particle diameter. This geometric constraint implies that the diffusion constant of a particle, in the presence of those of the opposite type, grows approximately linearly with the Péclet number, a prediction confirmed by our numerics over a range of model parameters. Such environment-dependent diffusion is statistically similar to an effective interparticle attraction; consistent with this observation, we find that oppositely driven nonattractive colloids display features characteristic of the simplest model system possessing both interparticle attractions and persistent motion, the driven Ising lattice gas [Katz, Leibowitz, and Spohn, J. Stat. Phys. 34, 497 (1984), 10.1007/BF01018556]. These features include long-ranged correlations in the disordered regime, a critical regime characterized by a change in slope of the particle current with the Péclet number, and fluctuations that grow with system size. By analogy, we suggest that lane formation in the driven colloid system is a phase transition in the macroscopic limit, but that macroscopic phase separation would not occur in finite time upon starting from disordered initial conditions.

Combination of same-side with opposite-side flavour tagging

CERN Document Server

Calvo, M; Musy, M

2010-01-01

A considerable number of CP violation measurements require the most possible accurate knowledge of the flavour at production of the reconstructed $B$ meson. The performance of different flavour tagging methods will be measured from control channels. One of the possible tagging methods that can be used is the one known as $Same Side kaon$. In this note we present how to calibrate the response of the tagging algorithms using the data and combine the result with the so called $Opposite Side tagging$. Also trigger and selection effects are briefly discussed.

Opposition-Based Improved PSO for Optimal Reactive Power Dispatch and Voltage Control

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shengrang Cao

2015-01-01

Full Text Available An opposition-based improved particle swarm optimization algorithm (OIPSO is presented for solving multiobjective reactive power optimization problem. OIPSO uses the opposition learning to improve search efficiency, adopts inertia weight factors to balance global and local exploration, and takes crossover and mutation and neighborhood model strategy to enhance population diversity. Then, a new multiobjective model is built, which includes system network loss, voltage dissatisfaction, and switching operation. Based on the market cost prices, objective functions are converted to least-cost model. In modeling process, switching operation cost is described according to the life cycle cost of transformer, and voltage dissatisfaction penalty is developed considering different voltage quality requirements of customers. The experiment is done on the new mathematical model. Through the simulation of IEEE 30-, 118-bus power systems, the results prove that OIPSO is more efficient to solve reactive power optimization problems and the model is more accurate to reflect the real power system operation.

Sustainability of the public debt and the financial crisis

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Aura Gabriela SOCOL

2013-03-01

Full Text Available The European Union sovereign-debt crisis brings up again the problem of current account sustainability, the fiscal policy sustainability and the public debt sustainability, as well as the interconditionality between them. On the background of the severe structural problems, the lack of competitiveness has constituted the main factor resulting in the severe deterioration of the European public finances. The external deficits have put additional pressure upon the fiscal deficits. Practically, they entered a vicious circle, to a great extent due to the extremely different economic evolutions of the weak economies opposite to the strongly structurally advanced and solid economies. This study makes a risk analysis of the public debt sustainability in Romania for the period 2010-2015, under the circumstances in which it will enter the Euro zone in the near future.

Phase behavior of mixtures of oppositely charged nanoparticles: Heterogeneous Poisson-Boltzmann cell model applied to lysozyme and succinylated lysozyme

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Biesheuvel, P.M.; Lindhoud, S.; Vries, de R.J.; Stuart, M.A.C.

2006-01-01

We study the phase behavior of mixtures of oppositely charged nanoparticles, both theoretically and experimentally. As an experimental model system we consider mixtures of lysozyme and lysozyme that has been chemically modified in such a way that its charge is nearly equal in magnitude but opposite

Spent nuclear fuel transportation: public issues and answers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoffman, W.D.

1986-01-01

The court-ordered shipping of 750 spent nuclear fuel assemblies from West Valley, New York back to their utility owners has generated considerable public and media interest. This paper discusses the specific concerns of the general public over the West Valley shipments, the issues raised by opposition groups, the interest of public officials and emergency preparedness teams as well as the media coverage generated. An analysis is performed on the effectiveness of the West Valley and utility public information programs utilized in addressing these issues, concerns and interests. Emphasis is placed on communications which work to facilitate the shipments and generate fuel transport acceptance. Information programs are discussed which increase preparedness for nuclear shipments by emergency response teams and build public confidence in their safety. The paper also examines communications which could have further enhanced the shipping campaign to date. Finally, plans are discussed for media preparation with interview training and press conferences. Emphasis is placed on materials provided for the media which have served to generate more favorable print and air time

Spent nuclear fuel transportation: Public issues and answers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoffman, W.D.

1986-01-01

The court-ordered shipping of 750 spent nuclear fuel assemblies from West Valley, New York back to their utility owners has generated considerable public and media interest. This paper discusses the specific concerns of the general public over the West Valley shipments, the issues raised by opposition groups, the interests of public officials and emergency preparedness teams as well as the media coverage generated. An analysis is performed on the effectiveness of the West Valley and utility public information programs utilized in addressing these issues, concerns and interests. Emphasis is placed on communications which work to facilitate the shipments and generate fuel transport acceptance. Information programs are discussed which increase preparedness for nuclear shipments by emergency response teams and build public confidence in their safety. The paper also examines communications which could have further enhanced the shipping campaigns to date. Finally, plans are discussed for media preparation with interview training and press conferences. Emphasis is placed on materials provided for the media which has served to generate more favorable print and air time

Preschool Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity and Oppositional Defiant Problems as Antecedents of School Bullying

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verlinden, Marina; Jansen, Pauline W.; Veenstra, Rene; Jaddoe, Vincent W. V.; Hofman, Albert; Verhulst, Frank C.; Shaw, Philip; Tiemeier, Henning

Objective: To examine whether early manifestations of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) increase children's later risk of bullying or victimization. Method: Using a population-based, prospective cohort, our multi-informant approach comprised

Adaptive Allocation of Attention: Effects of Sex and Sociosexuality on Visual Attention to Attractive Opposite-Sex Faces.

Science.gov (United States)

Duncan, Lesley A; Park, Justin H; Faulkner, Jason; Schaller, Mark; Neuberg, Steven L; Kenrick, Douglas T

2007-09-01

We tested the hypothesis that, compared with sociosexually restricted individuals, those with an unrestricted approach to mating would selectively allocate visual attention to attractive opposite-sex others. We also tested for sex differences in this effect. Seventy-four participants completed the Sociosexual Orientation Inventory, and performed a computer-based task that assessed the speed with which they detected changes in attractive and unattractive male and female faces. Differences in reaction times served as indicators of selective attention. Results revealed a Sex X Sociosexuality interaction: Compared with sociosexually restricted men, unrestricted men selectively allocated attention to attractive opposite-sex others; no such effect emerged among women. This finding was specific to opposite-sex targets and did not occur in attention to same-sex others. These results contribute to a growing literature on the adaptive allocation of attention in social environments.

It Takes Two: Sexual Communication Patterns and the Sexual and Relational Adjustment of Couples Coping With Provoked Vestibulodynia.

Science.gov (United States)

Rancourt, Kate M; Flynn, Michelle; Bergeron, Sophie; Rosen, Natalie O

2017-03-01

Provoked vestibulodynia (PVD) is a prevalent vulvovaginal pain condition that is associated with sexual and relational consequences for women and their partners. Greater perceived quality of sexual communication has been associated with women's lower pain during intercourse and with couples' better sexual and relational well-being. Whether couples' collaborative (eg, expressing feelings or problem solving) and negative (eg, withdrawing or criticizing) sexual communication patterns (SCPs) are differentially associated with couples' adjustment to PVD is unknown. To examine associations between collaborative and negative SCPs and women's pain and the sexual and relationship adjustment of women with PVD and their partners. Women diagnosed with PVD (N = 87) and their partners completed the Sexual Communication Patterns Questionnaire and measurements of pain (women only), sexual functioning, sexual satisfaction, sexual distress, and relationship satisfaction. (i) Numerical rating scale of pain during intercourse, (ii) Female Sexual Function Index and International Index of Erectile Function, (iii) Global Measure of Sexual Satisfaction, (iv) Female Sexual Distress Scale-Revised, and (v) Couple Satisfaction Index. When women reported greater collaborative SCP, they also reported higher sexual and relationship satisfaction. When women reported greater negative SCP, they reported less relationship satisfaction and had partners who reported greater sexual distress. When partners reported greater collaborative SCP, they also reported higher relationship satisfaction and had female partners who were less sexually distressed. When partners reported higher negative SCP, they also reported less relationship satisfaction. There were no associations between SCP and women's or partners' sexual functioning or women's pain. Collaborative SCP may benefit couples' sexual and relational well-being, whereas negative SCP may impede sexual and relational adjustment to PVD. Findings

How did the public respond to the 2015 expert consensus public health guidance statement on workplace sedentary behaviour? A qualitative analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Benjamin Gardner

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In June 2015, an expert consensus guidance statement was published recommending that office workers accumulate 2–4 h of standing and light activity daily and take regular breaks from prolonged sitting. This paper describes public responses to media coverage of the guidance, so as to understand public acceptability of the recommendations within the guidance, and perceptions of sitting and standing as health behaviours. Methods UK news media websites that had reported on the sedentary workplace guidance statement, and permitted viewers to post comments responding to the story, were identified. 493 public comments, posted in a one-month period to one of six eligible news media websites, were thematically analysed. Results Three themes were extracted: (1 challenges to the credibility of the sedentary workplace guidance; (2 challenges to the credibility of public health; and (3 the guidance as a spur to knowledge exchange. Challenges were made to the novelty of the guidance, the credibility of its authors, the strength of its evidence base, and its applicability to UK workplaces. Public health was commonly mistrusted and viewed as a tool for controlling the public, to serve a paternalistic agenda set by a conspiracy of stakeholders with hidden non-health interests. Knowledge exchanges focused on correcting others’ misinterpretations, raising awareness of historical or scientific context, debating current workplace health policies, and sharing experiences around sitting and standing. Conclusions The guidance provoked exchanges of health-promoting ideas among some, thus demonstrating the potential for sitting reduction messages to be translated into everyday contexts by lay champions. However, findings also demonstrated confusion, misunderstanding and misapprehension among some respondents about the health value of sitting and standing. Predominantly unfavourable, mistrusting responses reveal significant hostility towards

Adversarial Framing: President Bashar al-Assad’s Depiction of the Armed Syrian Opposition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fabien Merz

2014-06-01

Full Text Available 'This paper evaluates how Syrian president Bashar al-Assad is framing his opponents in the context of the Syrian civil war. The question is addressed by conducting a qualitative thematic analysis of 13 interviews he gave to international television news networks and newspapers between March and November 2013. It is found that Al-Assad consequently labels the armed opposition as “terrorists” preponderantly composed of groups affiliated to Al-Qaeda. The “terrorists” are framed as posing a threat to the region as well as to international security on a global scale. Furthermore, Al-Assad denies the armed opposition its Syrian grassroots by portraying them as outside aggressors fighting for foreign interests. They are also depicted as “enemies of the Syrian people”, responsible for all the atrocities and human suffering committed during the Syrian civil war.' ' '

Performance Assessment in a Heat Exchanger Tube with Opposite/Parallel Wing Twisted Tapes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Eiamsa-ard

2015-02-01

Full Text Available The thermohydraulic performance in a tube containing a modified twisted tape with alternate-axes and wing arrangements is reported. This work aims to investigate the effects of wing arrangements (opposite (O and parallel (P wings at different wing shapes (triangle (Tri, rectangular (Rec, and trapezoidal (Tra wings and on the thermohydraulic performance characteristics. The obtained results show that wing twisted tapes with all wing shape arrangements (O-Tri/O-Rec/O-Tra/P-Tri/P-Rec/P-Tra give superior thermohydraulic performance and heat transfer rate to the typical twisted tape. In addition, the tapes with opposite wing arrangement of O-Tra, O-Rec, and O-Tri give superior thermohydraulic performances to those with parallel wing arrangement of P-Tra, P-Rec, and P-Tri around 2.7%, 3.5%, and 3.2%, respectively.

Intranasal oxytocin reduces provoked symptoms in female patients with posttraumatic stress disorder despite exerting sympathomimetic and positive chronotropic effects in a randomized controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Sack, M; Spieler, D; Wizelman, L; Epple, G; Stich, J; Zaba, M; Schmidt, U

2017-02-17

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a severe psychiatric disease accompanied by neuroendocrine changes such as adrenergic overdrive and hence an elevated cardiovascular morbidity. Current pharmacotherapeutic options for PTSD are less than suboptimal, necessitating the development of PTSD-specific drugs. Although the neuropeptide oxytocin has been repeatedly suggested to be effective in PTSD treatment, there are, to our knowledge, only three studies that have assessed its efficacy on the intensity of PTSD symptoms in PTSD patients - among them one symptom provocation study in male veterans. To evaluate for the first time how oxytocin influences the intensity of provoked PTSD symptoms and, furthermore, cardiac control in female PTSD patients, we assessed their psychic and cardiac response to trauma-script exposure with and without oxytocin pretreatment in a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled study. We used a within-subject design to study 35 female PTSD patients who received oxytocin and placebo in a 2-week interval. Furthermore, we performed a small pilot study to get an idea of the relation of the stress-modulated endogenous oxytocin levels and heart rate - we correlated oxytocin serum levels with the heart rate of 10 healthy individuals before and after exposure to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST). Intranasal oxytocin treatment was followed by a reduction of provoked total PTSD symptoms, in particular of avoidance, and by an elevation in baseline and maximum heart rate together with a drop in the pre-ejection period, a marker for sympathetic cardiac control. Furthermore, we found a positive correlation between endogenous oxytocin levels and heart rate both before and after TSST challenge in healthy control subjects. This study provides the first evidence that oxytocin treatment reduces the intensity of provoked PTSD symptoms in female PTSD patients. The small size of both samples and the heterogeneity of the patient sample restrict the

Opposition to nuclear power in Europe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sweet, W.

1977-01-01

The opposing factions to nuclear energy in Europe are composed of groups establishing themselves as distinct political forces. The author describes specifically the anti-nuclear movements in West Germany, Sweden, England, and France. The new government in Sweden, swept to power on a wave of anti-nuclear and anti-big government sentiment on September 19, 1976, has put tight restrictions on reactor construction. In Great Britain, economic crisis, North Sea oil, new coal discoveries, and political confusion concerning choice of technology have sufficed to bring new nuclear construction to a halt. The German government, under pressure from a complex coalition of groups exploiting every available means of protest, has stalled on a waste-management issue. While the French opposition has had little success in blocking nuclear construction, the movement is increasingly broad-based; it has managed to make certain issues the subject of a national debate with elections scheduled for March 1978. It is concluded that whatever the outcome, there is no assurance that it will be favorable from the point of view of weapons proliferation

Dimensions of oppositional defiant disorder as predictors of depression and conduct disorder in preadolescent girls.

Science.gov (United States)

Burke, Jeffrey D; Hipwell, Alison E; Loeber, Rolf

2010-05-01

To examine whether oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) rather than conduct disorder (CD) may explain the comorbidity between behavioral disorders and depression; to test whether distinct affective and behavioral dimensions can be discerned within the symptoms of ODD; and to determine whether an affective dimension of ODD symptoms is specifically predictive of later depression. The dimensions of ODD and their prediction to later CD and depression were examined in a community sample of 2,451 girls between the ages of 5 and 8 years, followed up annually over a 5-year period, using parent, child, and teacher questionnaire ratings of the severity of symptoms of psychopathology. Dimensions of negative affect, oppositional behavior, and antagonistic behavior were found within ODD symptoms. Negative affect predicted later depression. Oppositional and antagonistic behavior predicted CD overall, and for Caucasian girls, negative affect also predicted later CD. CD was not predictive of later depression, controlling for comorbid conditions. ODD plays a key role in the early development of psychopathology. It is central in the comorbidity between internalizing and externalizing psychopathology, which may be caused by a dimension of negative affective symptoms within ODD. How this dimension relates to later CD appears to vary by race.

An Improved Opposition-Based Learning Particle Swarm Optimization for the Detection of SNP-SNP Interactions

Science.gov (United States)

Shang, Junliang; Sun, Yan; Li, Shengjun; Liu, Jin-Xing; Zheng, Chun-Hou; Zhang, Junying

2015-01-01

SNP-SNP interactions have been receiving increasing attention in understanding the mechanism underlying susceptibility to complex diseases. Though many works have been done for the detection of SNP-SNP interactions, the algorithmic development is still ongoing. In this study, an improved opposition-based learning particle swarm optimization (IOBLPSO) is proposed for the detection of SNP-SNP interactions. Highlights of IOBLPSO are the introduction of three strategies, namely, opposition-based learning, dynamic inertia weight, and a postprocedure. Opposition-based learning not only enhances the global explorative ability, but also avoids premature convergence. Dynamic inertia weight allows particles to cover a wider search space when the considered SNP is likely to be a random one and converges on promising regions of the search space while capturing a highly suspected SNP. The postprocedure is used to carry out a deep search in highly suspected SNP sets. Experiments of IOBLPSO are performed on both simulation data sets and a real data set of age-related macular degeneration, results of which demonstrate that IOBLPSO is promising in detecting SNP-SNP interactions. IOBLPSO might be an alternative to existing methods for detecting SNP-SNP interactions. PMID:26236727

Uncovering the mystery of opposite circadian rhythms between mouse and human leukocytes in humanized mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Yue; Liu, Min; Chan, Xue Ying; Tan, Sue Yee; Subramaniam, Sharrada; Fan, Yong; Loh, Eva; Chang, Kenneth Tou En; Tan, Thiam Chye; Chen, Qingfeng

2017-11-02

Many immune parameters show circadian rhythms during the 24-hour day in mammals. The most striking circadian oscillation is the number of circulating immune cells that display an opposite rhythm between humans and mice. The physiological roles and mechanisms of circadian variations in mouse leukocytes are well studied, whereas for humans they remain unclear because of the lack of a proper model. In this study, we found that consistent with their natural host species, mouse and human circulating leukocytes exhibited opposite circadian oscillations in humanized mice. This cyclic pattern of trafficking correlated well with the diurnal expression levels of C-X-C chemokine receptor 4, which were controlled by the intracellular hypoxia-inducible factor 1α/aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator-like heterodimer. Furthermore, we also discovered that p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases/mitogen-activated 2 had opposite effects between mice and humans in generating intracellular reactive oxygen species, which subsequently regulated HIF-1α expression. In conclusion, we propose humanized mice as a robust model for human circadian studies and reveal insights on a novel molecular clock network in the human circadian rhythm. © 2017 by The American Society of Hematology.

Effects of complexation of oppositely charged water-soluble cobaltphthalocyanines on catalytic mercaptoethanol autoxidation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schipper, E.T.W.M.; Heuts, J.P.A.; Piet, P.; Beelen, T.P.M.; German, A.L.

1994-01-01

In order to elucidate the different promoting effects polycations have on cobalt(II) phthalocyanine-catalyzed autoxidn. of 2-mercaptoethanol, the properties of mixts. of oppositely charged water-sol. cobalt(II) phthalocyanines were studied. The contribution of polycation-induced dimerization of the

Provoked Vestibulodynia and the Health Care Implications of Comorbid Pain Conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Lester, Robynn A; Brotto, Lori A; Sadownik, Leslie A

2015-11-01

Sexual pain secondary to provoked vestibulodynia (PVD) is a chronic pain condition affecting up to 16% of women. Women with PVD may report other chronic pain conditions. The goals of this study were (1) to identify the prevalence of self-reported chronic pain conditions in a sample of women with a diagnosis of PVD and seeking treatment, and (2) to compare demographic and clinical characteristics and health care needs of women with PVD alone and women with PVD and two or more self-reported chronic pain conditions. We assessed the characteristics of 236 women with PVD alone and 55 women with PVD and comorbid chronic pain using a standardized questionnaire, the Beck Depression Inventory, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Pain Vigilance and Awareness Questionnaire, and the Female Sexual Distress Scale. Compared with women with PVD alone, women with PVD and other concurrent pain reported a significantly longer duration of pain, pain radiating to other parts of the vulva, and pain interfering in a variety of daily activities. This group was also significantly more likely to have seen more gynaecologists, and to have had more office visits with their gynaecologist than women with PVD alone. They were more likely to have tried anticonvulsants, antidepressants, and stress/relaxation therapy for their PVD and were also more likely to have allergies and skin sensitivities. Finally, this group of women had higher symptoms of depression, trait anxiety, and showed a trend towards more pain vigilance. Taken together, these findings suggest that physicians caring for women with PVD and concurrent chronic pain must be alert to the potentially greater health needs among this subsample of women.

Starry Cities and Astrolies - Books to communicate with the public

Science.gov (United States)

Stanic, N.

2008-06-01

Extragalactic worlds have been presented as star cities in a book of original design - STARRY CITIES - galaxies and time travel, the first book about galaxies written in Serbian for the general public. This book isn't written just for those interested in science, but for all kind of artists, philosophers and thinkers. A second book, ASTROLIES deals with common confusions concerning astronomy and astrology. These two books don't only offer interesting illustrations, data from the latest astronomical observations and currently accepted cosmological theories - they induce, by provoking curiosity in a specific and witty way, a sense of adventure and a challenge to explore. The publisher of both books is the oldest and the biggest publisher of text-books in Serbia, Zavod za udzbenike i nastavna sredstva2, currently celebrating 50 years in publishing (1957-2007). They already publish a dozen books in popular astronomy, but a special astronomical series for the general public was introduced in 2004. STARRY CITIES and ASTROLIES are part of the ongoing multidisciplinary project Astronomy. Inspiration. Art that started at the end of 2004 at the Public Observatory in Belgrade. This project intends to inspire (or perhaps even "infect") artists with cosmic themes and the fantastic scenery of the Universe.

A prospective 2-year examination of cognitive and behavioral correlates of provoked vestibulodynia outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, Seth N P; Bergeron, Sophie; Bois, Katy; Sadikaj, Gentiana; Binik, Yitzchak M; Steben, Marc

2015-04-01

Provoked vestibulodynia (PVD) is a common genital pain disorder in women that is associated with sexual dysfunction and lowered sexual satisfaction. A potentially applicable cognitive-behavioral model of chronic pain and disability is the fear-avoidance model (FAM) of pain. The FAM posits that cognitive variables, such as pain catastrophizing, fear, and anxiety lead to avoidance of pain-provoking behaviors (eg, intercourse), resulting in continued pain and disability. Although some of the FAM variables have been shown to be associated with PVD pain and sexuality outcomes, the model as a whole has never been tested in this population. An additional protective factor, pain self-efficacy (SE), is also associated with PVD, but has not been tested within the FAM model. Using a 2-year longitudinal design, we examine (1) whether initial levels (T1) of the independent FAM variables and pain SE were associated with changes in pain, sexual function, and sexual satisfaction over the 2-year time period; (2) the prospective contribution of changes in cognitive-affective (FAM) variables to changes in pain, and sexuality outcomes; and (3) whether these were mediated by behavioral change (avoidance of intercourse). A sample of 222 women with PVD completed self-report measures of FAM variables, SE, pain, sexual function, and sexual satisfaction at time 1 and at a 2-year follow-up. Structural equation modeling with Latent Difference Scores was used to examine changes and to examine mediation between variables. Questionnaires included the Pain Catastrophizing Scale, McGill Pain Questionnaire, Trait Anxiety Inventory, Pain Self-Efficacy Scale, and Global Measure of Sexual Satisfaction, Female Sexual Function Index. Participants who reported higher SE at T1 reported greater declines in pain, greater increases in sexual satisfaction, and greater declines in sexual function over the 2 time points. The overall change model did not support the FAM using negative cognitive

Zhong-Yong as Dynamic Balancing Between Yin-Yang Opposites

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Li, Xin

2018-01-01

of Zhong-Yong balancing being incorrect and incomplete, the author proposes an alternative perspective on Zhong-Yong as dynamic balancing between Yin-Yang opposites. Design/methodology/approach: The author first explain why Peter P. Li’s “asymmetry” and “superiority” arguments are flawed by referring...... to the original text of the classical book of Zhong-Yong (中庸) and a comparison between Zhong-Yong and Aristotle’s doctrine of the mean. The author then propose an alternative approach to Zhong-Yong balancing that is embedded in the original text Zhong-Yong but somehow has been neglected by many Chinese scholars...

Zhong-Yong as Dynamic Balancing Between Yin-Yang Opposites

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Li, Xin

2017-01-01

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to comment on Peter Ping Li’s understanding of Zhong-Yong balancing, presented in his article titled “Global implications of the indigenous epistemological system from the East: How to apply Yin-Yang balancing to paradox management.” Seeing his understanding....... Originality/value This commentary contributes to the “West meets East” discourse by debunking Peter P. Li’s assertion that Yin-Yang balancing is superior as a solution to paradox management and his prescription that balancing between Yin-Yang opposites must be asymmetric. It also contributes to the Chinese...

Ethical aspects of radioactive waste management and public information. The Belgian situation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Minon, J.P.

1996-01-01

Belgium has a well-developed nuclear programme and has elaborated several research and nuclear fuel cycle facilities on its territory since the beginning of the nineteen fifties. About 60 per cent of the electricity produced is of nuclear origin. All these facilities produce waste. In 1980, waste management was entrusted by law to the ONDRAF. The Agency new controls all aspects of waste management and has indicated the direction for final disposal of waste. Both public information and the justification, from an ethical point of view, of the solutions proposed have become an essential topic in radioactive waste management. The situation as it exists today in Belgium is described in this paper. The paper indicates that all decision-making process now pass through an objective information phase, involving the public and the various decision makers. This is intended to provoke discussion and encourage the public to become more active and responsible, and should be based on new ethical concepts. We need to be sure that we put into place for the future, systems based on passive technology, full information and with sufficient financial provision for future needs. (authors)

A Global Public Goods Approach to the Health of Migrants.

Science.gov (United States)

Widdows, Heather; Marway, Herjeet

2015-07-01

This paper explores a global public goods approach to the health of migrants. It suggests that this approach establishes that there are a number of health goods which must be provided to migrants not because these are theirs by right (although this may independently be the case), but because these goods are primary goods which fit the threefold criteria of global public goods. There are two key advantages to this approach: first, it is non-confrontational and non-oppositional, and second, it provides self-interested arguments to provide at least some health goods to migrants and thus appeals to those little moved by rights-based arguments.

Legalized or Not? Poor Public Communication Causes Confusion over the New Cannabis Policy in Belgium

Science.gov (United States)

Gelders, Dave; Van Mierlo, Jan

2004-01-01

During the last three years, the newly announced drug policy, specifically cannabis, has been the subject of debate between the Government and the opposition parties within the Belgian Federal Government. Public communication by the Federal Government and the competent ministers was incomplete, untimely, inconsistent, tendentious and polemical.…

Public health and primary care: struggling to "win friends and influence people".

Science.gov (United States)

Mayes, Rick; McKenna, Sean

2011-01-01

Why are the goals of public health and primary care less politically popular and financially supported than those of curative medicine? A major part of the answer to this question lies in the fact that humans often worry wrongly by assessing risk poorly. This reality is a significant obstacle to the adequate promotion of and investment in public health, primary care, and prevention. Also, public health's tendency to infringe on personal privacy-as well as to call for difficult behavioral change-often sparks intense controversy and interest group opposition that discourage broader political support. Finally, in contrast to curative medicine, both the cost-benefit structure of public health (costs now, benefits later) and the way in which the profession operates make it largely invisible to and, thus, underappreciated by the general public. When curative medicine works well, most everybody notices. When public health and primary care work well, virtually nobody notices.

Bubble merging in breathing DNA as a vicious walker problem in opposite potentials

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Jonas Nyvold; Hansen, Mikael Sonne; Novotny, Tomas

2009-01-01

on the problem of two vicious walkers in opposite potentials. We also present a discrete master equation approach to the bubble coalescence problem. Numerical evaluation and stochastic simulation of the master equation show excellent agreement with the results from the continuum approach. Given...

Methylphenidate Transdermal System in Adult ADHD and Impact on Emotional and Oppositional Symptoms

Science.gov (United States)

Marchant, Barrie K.; Reimherr, Frederick W.; Robison, Reid J.; Olsen, John L.; Kondo, Douglas G.

2011-01-01

Objective: This trial evaluated the effect of methylphenidate transdermal system (MTS) on the full spectrum of adult symptoms (attention-disorganization, hyperactivity-impulsivity, emotional dysregulation [ED], and oppositional-defiant disorder [ODD]) found in this disorder. Method: This placebo-controlled, double-blind, flexible-dose, crossover…

Optimal allocation of SVC and TCSC using quasi-oppositional chemical reaction optimization for solving multi-objective ORPD problem

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Susanta Dutta

2018-05-01

Full Text Available This paper presents an efficient quasi-oppositional chemical reaction optimization (QOCRO technique to find the feasible optimal solution of the multi objective optimal reactive power dispatch (RPD problem with flexible AC transmission system (FACTS device. The quasi-oppositional based learning (QOBL is incorporated in conventional chemical reaction optimization (CRO, to improve the solution quality and the convergence speed. To check the superiority of the proposed method, it is applied on IEEE 14-bus and 30-bus systems and the simulation results of the proposed approach are compared to those reported in the literature. The computational results reveal that the proposed algorithm has excellent convergence characteristics and is superior to other multi objective optimization algorithms. Keywords: Quasi-oppositional chemical reaction optimization (QOCRO, Reactive power dispatch (RPD, TCSC, SVC, Multi-objective optimization

Long-Ranged Oppositely Charged Interactions for Designing New Types of Colloidal Clusters

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmet Faik Demirörs

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Getting control over the valency of colloids is not trivial and has been a long-desired goal for the colloidal domain. Typically, tuning the preferred number of neighbors for colloidal particles requires directional bonding, as in the case of patchy particles, which is difficult to realize experimentally. Here, we demonstrate a general method for creating the colloidal analogs of molecules and other new regular colloidal clusters without using patchiness or complex bonding schemes (e.g., DNA coating by using a combination of long-ranged attractive and repulsive interactions between oppositely charged particles that also enable regular clusters of particles not all in close contact. We show that, due to the interplay between their attractions and repulsions, oppositely charged particles dispersed in an intermediate dielectric constant (4<ϵ<10 provide a viable approach for the formation of binary colloidal clusters. Tuning the size ratio and interactions of the particles enables control of the type and shape of the resulting regular colloidal clusters. Finally, we present an example of clusters made up of negatively charged large and positively charged small satellite particles, for which the electrostatic properties and interactions can be changed with an electric field. It appears that for sufficiently strong fields the satellite particles can move over the surface of the host particles and polarize the clusters. For even stronger fields, the satellite particles can be completely pulled off, reversing the net charge on the cluster. With computer simulations, we investigate how charged particles distribute on an oppositely charged sphere to minimize their energy and compare the results with the solutions to the well-known Thomson problem. We also use the simulations to explore the dependence of such clusters on Debye screening length κ^{−1} and the ratio of charges on the particles, showing good agreement with experimental observations.

Effects of electrocautery to provoke endovascular thermal injury Efeitos do eletrocautério para provocar lesão térmica endovascular

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fabio Henrique Rossi

2011-10-01

Full Text Available PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of a new electrocautery device to provoke endovascular venous thermal injury. METHODS: An experimental endovascular electrocautery was placed inside eight ex-vivo bovine saphenous veins models. Each one was divided in eight segments and progressive intensities of electric energy liberated. The macroscopic and microscopic effects were analyzed. RESULTS: Forty bovine saphenous veins segments were studied. The higher the electric energy applied the greater the nuclear picnosis and more intense the cytoplasmatic shrinkage and electrocoagulation effects. CONCLUSION: The experimental endovascular electrocautery device demonstrated to be both capable of inducing the destruction of the intimal layers of the studied vein model and provoke endovascular thermal injury.OBJETIVO: Investigar os efeitos de um modelo experimental de eletrocautério em provocar lesão venosa térmica endovascular. MÉTODOS: O eletrocautério endovascular foi colocado dentro de oito modelos experimentais de veia safena bovina. Cada uma foi dividida em oito segmentos e intensidades progressivas de energia elétrica liberada. Os efeitos macroscópicos e microscópicos foram analisados. RESULTADOS: Foram estudados quarenta segmentos de veia safena bovina. Quanto maior a energia elétrica aplicada pelo eletrocauterizador endovascular maiores foram as alteraçoes de picnose nuclear e mais intensa a retração citoplasmática observada. CONCLUSÃO: O eletrocautério endovascular experimental demonstrou ser capaz de induzir a destruição da camada íntima e provocar lesão térmica endovascular.

The Struggle for the Soul of Public Health.

Science.gov (United States)

Wiley, Lindsay F

2016-12-01

Prevention has become a central focus for health care payers, providers, policy makers, and the general public. Given the centrality of prevention to public health science, practice, and law, it would seem that conditions are ripe for the public health law renaissance to expand beyond legal and scientific circles to permeate the general consciousness. Yet, public health law and policy interventions continue to face considerable political and legal opposition. The population perspective-which emphasizes the social determinants of health, collective action to create healthier communities, and communitarian rationales for prioritizing health-is as important to public health problem-solving as the prevention orientation. But it conflicts with the individualistic orientation that dominates American legal, cultural, and social discourse. This article suggests that public health law and policy debates offer important opportunities for public health advocates to reach across silos to promote the population perspective that unites the field. The article explores contrasting explanations for disease, injury, premature death, and health disparities offered by the population perspective and the individualistic orientation; political and cultural barriers that stand in the way of innovative law and policy interventions; and normative tensions between the communitarian population perspective and self-interested rationales for investment in prevention. Copyright © 2016 by Duke University Press.

Benefit and Risk Perceptions of Controversial Facilities: A Comparison between Local Officials and the Public in China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qingduo Mao

2018-04-01

Full Text Available This article investigates the perception biases of local government officials and the general public by comparing their benefit and risk perceptions towards controversial facilities. The analysis framework of Social Judgement Theory (SJT—i.e., (a economic benefits, (b environmental health, and (c social and political factors—was used to design the research. SJT is a widely recognized theoretical framework that includes experimental approaches to the study of cognitive conflicts. An experimental survey was conducted to collect data in order to make a comparison of the weight of different elements. Results demonstrate that there are perception differences between the general public and local officials on controversial facilities. Local officials responsible for endorsing and supervising plants attach more significance to environmental factors than the public, while the public focuses more on social and political factors than officials. There is no significant difference in the cognition of economic benefits. Factors such as demolition compensation and legitimacy may provoke these perception gaps. This paper enriches the current understanding of SJT and policy making for controversial facilities by investigating the perception gaps between officials and the general public.

Political rhetoric from Canada can inform healthy public policy argumentation.

Science.gov (United States)

Patterson, Patrick B; McIntyre, Lynn; Anderson, Laura C; Mah, Catherine L

2017-10-01

Household food insecurity (HFI), insufficient income to obtain adequate food, is a growing problem in Canada and other Organisation of economic cooperation and development (OECD) countries. Government political orientations impact health policies and outcomes. We critically examined Canadian political rhetoric around HFI from 1995 to 2012 as a means to support effective healthy public policy argumentation. We analysed a data set comprised of Hansard extracts on HFI from the legislative debates of the Canadian federal and three provincial governments, using thematic coding guided by interpretivist theories of policy. Extracts were examined for content, jurisdiction, the political affiliation of the legislator speaking and governing status. Members of non-governing, or 'opposition' parties, dominated the rhetoric. A central hunger-as-poverty theme was used by legislators across the political spectrum, both in government and in opposition. Legislators differed in terms of policy approach around how income should flow to citizens facing HFI: income intervention on the left, pragmatism in the centre, reliance on markets on the right. This analysis is a case-example from Canada and caution must be exercised in terms of the generalizability of findings across jurisdictions. Despite this limitation, our findings can help healthy public policy advocates in designing and communicating HFI policy interventions in OECD countries with a similar left-right spectrum. First, even with a divisive health policy issue such as actions to address HFI, core themes around poverty are widely understood. Secondly, the non-polarizing centrist, pragmatist, approach may be strategically valuable. Thirdly, it is important to treat the rhetoric of opposition members differently from that of government members. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Source-Specific Oppositional Defiant Disorder among Inner-City Children: Prospective Prediction and Moderation

Science.gov (United States)

Drabick, Deborah A. G.; Bubier, Jennifer; Chen, Diane; Price, Julia; Lanza, H. Isabella

2011-01-01

We examined prospective prediction from parent- and teacher-reported oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) symptoms to parent-reported ODD, conduct disorder (CD), major depressive disorder (MDD), and generalized anxiety disorder symptoms and whether child executive functioning abilities moderated these relations among an urban, low-income sample of…

Support and Opposition to the Women's Liberation Movement: Some Personality and Parental Correlates

Science.gov (United States)

Worell, Judith; Worell, Leonard

1977-01-01

This study examines eight hypotheses concerning personality and parental determinants of support and opposition to the Women's Liberation Movement. These cognitive, motivational, and parental variables are interpreted in relation to the differing dispositions of each group toward the issues raised by the women's movement. (Editor/RK)

Birth weight in opposite sex twins as compared to same sex dizygotic twins

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Orlebeke, J.F.; van Baal, G.C.M.; Boomsma, D.I.; Neeleman, D.

1993-01-01

The question addressed in the present report is whether the large birth weight differences in dizygotic twin pairs of opposite sex (DZos), especially in 'male first' couples - observed by Blickstein and Weissman (Blickstein I, Weissman A. Birth weight discordancy in male-first and female-first pairs

Features of conflict sensitivity implementation mechanisms’ in the public sector projects

OpenAIRE

T. V. Маматоvа

2017-01-01

It has been found in the study that potential conflicts are natural for public sector projects. Among the factors, that predetermine it, one can distinguish the following: the opposite to the processes of making changes; competition of participants during the allocation of project resources; different opportunities to access the project product; insufficient consideration of interested parties’ interests; context conflicts; directing the project to resolve the conflict in the territory; unsuc...

The Emergence of Political Opposition in Mexico, 1949-1952. Two Proposals for Electoral

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Fernando Ayala López

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Using methodological elements from political and institutional history, the present article analyzes, the first proposal for the implementation of an electoral system of proportional representation in Mexico and its primary repercussions in the formulation of subsequent electoral laws. This initiative was presented by Vicente Lombardo Toledano and the Popular Party (PP in 1951, during the XLI Legislature (1949-1952. This event is correlated with the emergence of political opposition in the Chamber of Deputies. In the same year as the PP proposes reform, the National Action Party (PAN proposes another initiative of electoral reform. Both proposals propitiate a legislative debate that identifies the importance of elections as an instrument of State political control and proposed its reformulation. In this sense, the principal contribution of this study is to visibilize the proreform discourses of political opposition in a period which is often through of as being characterized by authoritarianism and censorship.

Optimization of submerged arc welding process parameters using quasi-oppositional based Jaya algorithm

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rao, R. Venkata; Rai, Dhiraj P.

2017-01-01

Submerged arc welding (SAW) is characterized as a multi-input process. Selection of optimum combination of process parameters of SAW process is a vital task in order to achieve high quality of weld and productivity. The objective of this work is to optimize the SAW process parameters using a simple optimization algorithm, which is fast, robust and convenient. Therefore, in this work a very recently proposed optimization algorithm named Jaya algorithm is applied to solve the optimization problems in SAW process. In addition, a modified version of Jaya algorithm with oppositional based learning, named “Quasi-oppositional based Jaya algorithm” (QO-Jaya) is proposed in order to improve the performance of the Jaya algorithm. Three optimization case studies are considered and the results obtained by Jaya algorithm and QO-Jaya algorithm are compared with the results obtained by well-known optimization algorithms such as Genetic algorithm (GA), Particle swarm optimization (PSO), Imperialist competitive algorithm (ICA) and Teaching learning based optimization (TLBO).

Optimization of submerged arc welding process parameters using quasi-oppositional based Jaya algorithm

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rao, R. Venkata; Rai, Dhiraj P. [Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology, Gujarat (India)

2017-05-15

Submerged arc welding (SAW) is characterized as a multi-input process. Selection of optimum combination of process parameters of SAW process is a vital task in order to achieve high quality of weld and productivity. The objective of this work is to optimize the SAW process parameters using a simple optimization algorithm, which is fast, robust and convenient. Therefore, in this work a very recently proposed optimization algorithm named Jaya algorithm is applied to solve the optimization problems in SAW process. In addition, a modified version of Jaya algorithm with oppositional based learning, named “Quasi-oppositional based Jaya algorithm” (QO-Jaya) is proposed in order to improve the performance of the Jaya algorithm. Three optimization case studies are considered and the results obtained by Jaya algorithm and QO-Jaya algorithm are compared with the results obtained by well-known optimization algorithms such as Genetic algorithm (GA), Particle swarm optimization (PSO), Imperialist competitive algorithm (ICA) and Teaching learning based optimization (TLBO).

Critical (public) masses: a case study of a radioactive waste site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Williams, R.G.; Payne, B.A.

1985-01-01

Increasing public sensitivity to radioactive and other hazardous waste issues often results in opposition that ranges from presentations by individuals at various public meetings to organizations initiating legal action in the courts. Organized opposition to proposed plans by the US Department of Energy (DOE) for a Surplus Facilities Management Program site near Weldon Spring, Missouri, has emerged during the two years that DOE has been involved in developing plans for this waste management site. An important aspect in the development of the major interest group in this case was the reliance on extra-local expertise at both the state and national levels. The group received organizational strategies, information on radioactive waste, legal advice, and direction from state and local environmental interest groups and various state agencies. In this paper, the authors present the historical development of organized public response and agency response to DOE's plans for the Weldon Spring site. The role of the interest group has emerged as one of a watchdog, scrutinizing and evaluating data publications, and plans. Other organizations now rely on the group as a clearinghouse for information. This case is of particular importance to other waste management projects because it demonstrates the effective use of networking between various interest groups and agencies from the local to the national level. The authors believe that the emergence of such groups and their ties with a variety of extra-local organizations will be the rule rather than the exception in future waste projects. Agency personnel and project sponsors will find that an interactive, cooperative approach with such groups is an effective way to resolve waste issues. 9 references

Critical (public) masses: a case study of a radioactive waste site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Williams, R.G.; Payne, B.A.

1985-01-01

Increasing public sensitivity to radioactive and other hazardous waste issues often results in opposition that ranges from presentations by individuals at various public meetings to organizations initiating legal action in the courts. Organized opposition to proposed plans by the US Department of Energy (DOE) for a Surplus Facilities Management Program site near Weldon Spring, Missouri, has emerged during the two years that DOE has been involved in developing plans for this waste management site. An important aspect in the development of the major interest group in this case was the reliance on extra-local expertise at both the state and national levels. The group received organizational strategies, information on radioactive waste, legal advice, and direction from state and local environmental interest groups and various state agencies. In this paper, we present the historical development of organized public response and agency response to DOE's plans for the Weldon Spring site. The role of the interest group has emerged as one of a watchdog, scrutinizing and evaluating data, publications, and plans. Other organizations now rely on the group as a clearinghouse for information. This case is of particular importance to other waste management projects because it demonstrates the effective use of networking between various interest groups and agencies from the local to the national level. We believe that the emergence of such groups and their ties with a variety of extra-local organizations will be the rule rather than the exception in future waste projects. Agency personnel and project sponsors will find that an interactive, cooperative approach with such groups is an effective way to resolve waste issues

Estimating the Fiscal Effects of Public Pharmaceutical Expenditure Reduction in Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

Souliotis, Kyriakos; Papageorgiou, Manto; Politi, Anastasia; Frangos, Nikolaos; Tountas, Yiannis

2015-01-01

The purpose of the present study is to estimate the impact of pharmaceutical spending reduction on public revenue, based on data from the national health accounts as well as on reports of Greece's organizations. The methodology of the analysis is structured in two basic parts. The first part presents the urgency for rapid cutbacks on public pharmaceutical costs due to the financial crisis and provides a conceptual framework for the contribution of the Greek pharmaceutical branch to the country's economy. In the second part, we perform a quantitative analysis for the estimation of multiplier effects of public pharmaceutical expenditure reduction on main revenue sources, such as taxes and social contributions. We also fit projection models with multipliers as regressands for the evaluation of the efficiency of the particular fiscal measure in the short run. According to the results, nearly half of the gains from the measure's application is offset by financially equivalent decreases in the government's revenue, i.e., losses in tax revenues and social security contributions alone, not considering any other direct or indirect costs. The findings of multipliers' high value and increasing short-term trend imply the measure's inefficiency henceforward and signal the risk of vicious circles that will provoke the economy's deprivation of useful resources.

Common Questions About Oppositional Defiant Disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Riley, Margaret; Ahmed, Sana; Locke, Amy

2016-04-01

Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) is a disruptive behavior disorder characterized by a pattern of angry or irritable mood, argumentative or defiant behavior, or vindictiveness lasting for at least six months. Children and adolescents with ODD may have trouble controlling their temper and are often disobedient and defiant toward others. There are no tools specifically designed for diagnosing ODD, but multiple questionnaires can aid in diagnosis while assessing for other psychiatric conditions. ODD is often comorbid with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, conduct disorder, and mood disorders, including anxiety and depression. Behavioral therapy for the child and family members improves symptoms of ODD. Medications are not recommended as first-line treatment for ODD; however, treatment of comorbid mental health conditions with medications often improves ODD symptoms. Adults and adolescents with a history of ODD have a greater than 90% chance of being diagnosed with another mental illness in their lifetime. They are at high risk of developing social and emotional problems as adults, including suicide and substance use disorders. Early intervention seeks to prevent the development of conduct disorder, substance abuse, and delinquency that can cause lifelong social, occupational, and academic impairments.

Acts of Atrocity: Effects on Public Opinion Support During War or Conflict

Science.gov (United States)

2007-12-01

while] general public disenchantment, however, seems to have been largely practical , springing from the failure of our substantial military...have much effect on the majority of Americans focused on more practical measures for determining their support or opposition for the Vietnam War...of male detainees to masturbate while being photographed and videotaped; arranging naked male detainees in a pile and then jumping on them

Differences of “Traditional Marketing” in Opposition to “Electronic Marketing”

OpenAIRE

Mehrdad Salehi

2012-01-01

This paper initially seeks to document and review Differences of traditional marketing in opposition to Electronic marketing.Nowadays; the methods of business conduction have been changed by the revolution of information communication technology (ICT) that most of the transactions are related to internet. Execution of Electronic marketing all over the world can transform the forms of transactions due to the rapid proliferation of the Internet. The World Wide Web, online communication skills h...

Political opposition in patriarchal East London, 1950-1960: dilemmas of paternalism

OpenAIRE

D Atkinson

2010-01-01

This paper describes the growing level of politicization in East London in the 1950s, and the way this affected the patriarchal normative system, which prevailed in urban adminis tration. Patriarchal ism, as a sys tem, was susceptible of different interpretations by white municipal officials, and their response to black political opposition ranged from liberal forbearance to rigid and uncompromising intolerance. Black leaders’ attitudes to the patriarchal order were similarly nuanced. The Loc...

Consumption value theory and the marketing of public health: an effective formative research tool.

Science.gov (United States)

Nelson, Douglas G; Byus, Kent

2002-01-01

Contemporary public health requires the support and participation of its constituency. This study assesses the capacity of consumption value theory to identify the basis of this support. A telephone survey design used simple random sampling of adult residents of Cherokee County, Oklahoma. Factor analysis and stepwise discriminant analysis was used to identify and classify personal and societal level support variables. Most residents base societal level support on epistemic values. Direct services clientele base their support on positive emotional values derived from personal contact and attractive programs. Residents are curious about public health and want to know more about the health department. Where marketing the effectiveness of public health programs would yield relatively little support, marketing health promotion activities may attract public opposition. This formative research tool suggests a marketing strategy for public health practitioners.

Beliefs and practices of the parents of violent and oppositional adolescents: an ecological perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Bradshaw, Catherine P; Glaser, Brian A; Calhoun, Georgia B; Bates, Jeffrey M

2006-05-01

Parenting is a transactional process, influenced by the child's behavior and the environmental context. The present study explores the beliefs and practices of parents of aggressive and oppositional adolescents to understand better the relation among parenting practices, context, and youth violence. Parents of juvenile offenders (N=203) completed assessments of youths' violent and oppositional behaviors, community violence exposure, and their own beliefs and parenting behaviors and perceptions of the juvenile justice system. Parents of youth with the highest levels of violent and oppositional behavior problems reported elevated feelings of hopelessness regarding the child's future, inadequacy as a parent, fear of physical harm by the child, anger toward the child, as well as difficulty monitoring the child. All parents reported relatively high levels of perceived support by the justice system. Parental stress was also examined as a possible influence on the parents' beliefs and behaviors regarding the child. Results suggest that parents' emotional and behavioral responses should be addressed when intervening with juvenile offenders. Editors' Strategic Implications: The authors present evidence to suggest that parents' perceptions of hopelessness/inadequacy and their fear for their child's safety are both by-products of life with an aggressive child as well as contributing factors to that aggressive behavior. Thus, successful interventions must both target the parents as change agents in the youth's life but also include a strong parental support component, so that parents will have an opportunity to orchestrate positive impacts in high-risk environments.

A consideration on Public Nuclear Energy Acceptance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seki, Yosinobu

1998-01-01

PA (Public Acceptance for Nuclear Energy) has been discussed so long time. Much of people understood, it is so important, but they understood, it has not existed with good evaluation method. Only saying, it is necessary to distribute a correct knowledge to public, but how we can do? It is hard to do. Saying inside talking to others, teach speaking for the people, or showing on the same stage opposite people and understandable people. They do not fit the purpose. First key word is curiosity, 2nd one is the intelligence circle, instead of unusable knowledge and third one is the long time continuation. To do actual should consider on the sounding circumstance and the feeling of person to talk. To find the way is very complicated and difficult to do. The second cartoon has been published for high-level waste burying. (author)

The wandering mind of men: ERP evidence for gender differences in attention bias towards attractive opposite sex faces

OpenAIRE

van Hooff, Johanna C.; Crawford, Helen; van Vugt, Mark

2010-01-01

To examine the time course and automaticity of our attention bias towards attractive opposite sex faces, event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded from 20 males and 20 females while they carried out a covert orienting task. Faces that were high, low or average in attractiveness, were presented in focus of attention, but were unrelated to task goals. Across the entire sample larger P2 amplitudes were found in response to both attractive and unattractive opposite sex faces, presumably refle...

Predicting Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Oppositional Defiant Disorder from Preschool Diagnostic Assessments

Science.gov (United States)

Harvey, Elizabeth A.; Youngwirth, Sara D.; Thakar, Dhara A.; Errazuriz, Paula A.

2009-01-01

The present study examined the power of measures of early preschool behavior to predict later diagnoses of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD)/conduct disorder (CD). Participants were 168 children with behavior problems at age 3 who underwent a multimethod assessment of ADHD and ODD symptoms and…

An Analysis of Oppositional Culture Theory Applied to One Suburban Midwestern High School

Science.gov (United States)

Blackard, Tricia; Puchner, Laurel; Reeves, Alison

2014-01-01

This study explored whether and to what extent Ogbu and Fordham's Oppositional Culture Theory applied to African American high school students at one Midwestern suburban high school. Based on multiple interviews with six African American students, the study found support for some aspects of the theory but not for others.

Transfer of radioactive materials in the fuel cycle. Transportation systems, transportation volume and radiation protection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schwarz, G.

1997-01-01

No other aspect of the carriage of hazardous goods has been provoking such long-lived concern in the general public and in the press during the last few years as the transport of spent nuclear fuels and high-level radioactive wastes to the storage facility at Gorleben. One reason for this controversy, besides clear-cut opposition in principal against such transfer activities, is the fact that there is an information gap, so that large parts of the population are not well informed about the relevant legal safety requirements and obligations governing such transports. The article therefore tries to fill this gap, presenting information on the number and necessity of transports of radioactive materials in the nuclear fuel cycle, the relevant scenarios, the transportation systems and packing and shielding requirements, as well as information on the radiological classification and hazardousness of waste forms. (Orig.) [de

Opposition-Based Memetic Algorithm and Hybrid Approach for Sorting Permutations by Reversals.

Science.gov (United States)

Soncco-Álvarez, José Luis; Muñoz, Daniel M; Ayala-Rincón, Mauricio

2018-02-21

Sorting unsigned permutations by reversals is a difficult problem; indeed, it was proved to be NP-hard by Caprara (1997). Because of its high complexity, many approximation algorithms to compute the minimal reversal distance were proposed until reaching the nowadays best-known theoretical ratio of 1.375. In this article, two memetic algorithms to compute the reversal distance are proposed. The first one uses the technique of opposition-based learning leading to an opposition-based memetic algorithm; the second one improves the previous algorithm by applying the heuristic of two breakpoint elimination leading to a hybrid approach. Several experiments were performed with one-hundred randomly generated permutations, single benchmark permutations, and biological permutations. Results of the experiments showed that the proposed OBMA and Hybrid-OBMA algorithms achieve the best results for practical cases, that is, for permutations of length up to 120. Also, Hybrid-OBMA showed to improve the results of OBMA for permutations greater than or equal to 60. The applicability of our proposed algorithms was checked processing permutations based on biological data, in which case OBMA gave the best average results for all instances.

The relevance of introducing opposition proceedings into the Serbian trademark legislation

OpenAIRE

Vasić Aleksandra

2014-01-01

This paper analyzes the quality of certain legal procedures applied in domestic trademark legislation in the light of harmonizing our legislation with those of the EU. Trademark Law in the Republic of Serbia (2009) does not rely on opposition proceedings as a phase in the process of trademark registration and a tool that would ensure that only those trademarks that fulfill the necessary conditions are granted legal protection. Intellectual Property Office examines the so-called relative groun...

Speciation and gene flow between snails of opposite chirality.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Angus Davison

2005-09-01

Full Text Available Left-right asymmetry in snails is intriguing because individuals of opposite chirality are either unable to mate or can only mate with difficulty, so could be reproductively isolated from each other. We have therefore investigated chiral evolution in the Japanese land snail genus Euhadra to understand whether changes in chirality have promoted speciation. In particular, we aimed to understand the effect of the maternal inheritance of chirality on reproductive isolation and gene flow. We found that the mitochondrial DNA phylogeny of Euhadra is consistent with a single, relatively ancient evolution of sinistral species and suggests either recent "single-gene speciation" or gene flow between chiral morphs that are unable to mate. To clarify the conditions under which new chiral morphs might evolve and whether single-gene speciation can occur, we developed a mathematical model that is relevant to any maternal-effect gene. The model shows that reproductive character displacement can promote the evolution of new chiral morphs, tending to counteract the positive frequency-dependent selection that would otherwise drive the more common chiral morph to fixation. This therefore suggests a general mechanism as to how chiral variation arises in snails. In populations that contain both chiral morphs, two different situations are then possible. In the first, gene flow is substantial between morphs even without interchiral mating, because of the maternal inheritance of chirality. In the second, reproductive isolation is possible but unstable, and will also lead to gene flow if intrachiral matings occasionally produce offspring with the opposite chirality. Together, the results imply that speciation by chiral reversal is only meaningful in the context of a complex biogeographical process, and so must usually involve other factors. In order to understand the roles of reproductive character displacement and gene flow in the chiral evolution of Euhadra, it will be

Public opinion about nuclear energy is in a change process: we have moved from opposition to the consideration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nunez, P.

2012-01-01

The nuclear sector in Spain is making huge affords towards improving public acceptance. the common trend is rigorous and professional diffusion and information regarding nuclear issues. The goal, besides informing on the excel ent results and impeccable performance of nuclear power plants, is for effective communication to offer society information on current activities. (Author)

ICTs as a Tool to Increase the Attractiveness of Public Spaces

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Reinhold Lehel Stadler

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Nowadays, ICTs is one of the major factors influencing urban development. Consequently, public spaces – an important urban subsystem – are shaped by interaction with the new technologies. This paper aims to present the ways, in which different ICT tools can increase the attractiveness and competitiveness of public spaces, in opposition to several approaches stating that technologies can only encourage segregation of individuals. The article is focused on possibilities to open the public realm for functions and activities that are usually regarded as private. The major roles that ICTs can play in the public space are: education, information, art and entertainment. Based on this classification various examples and proposals of ICTs interventions in public spaces are presented and analysed, including the Zaragoza’s Digital Mile, the Cloud at Athens and the concept of Flux Space. The specificity of this paper rests on a constant parallel drawn between the interventions around the globe and Romania, aiming to highlight the potential for competitiveness of Romanian public spaces, as a result of using various ICTs tools.

Nuclear energy and the public - only an information problem

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rudloff, W.

1976-01-01

An analysis of the problem 'nuclear energy and the public' leads to the following findings: 1) one has to find out what exactly worries the citizen, because otherwise the information one supplies is not relevant; 2) information, and nothing else, is not enough if the opposition is based on emotion. This where trust is needed and not printed paper; 3) the basis of trust is the relationship between humans. The proponents of nuclear energy act too much as institutions, they are 'not human'. (RW) [de

Polarized Couples in Therapy: Recognizing Indifference as the Opposite of Love.

Science.gov (United States)

Abbasi, Irum Saeed; Alghamdi, Nawal G

2017-01-02

How can a couple "fall in love" and then subsequently "stumble out of love"? For centuries, this question has perplexed partners, researchers, and therapists alike. Unlike falling out of love, which may be a long-term gradual decline in love, falling in love may occur without much deliberation like the famous "love at first sight." During a developing love relationship, couples are more susceptible to ignoring a myriad of factors that will eventually influence their relationship. These ignored personal and general factors become increasingly conspicuous after the relationship is established. When facing relationship difficulties, the presence or absence of mutual love and intimacy steers the couple's relationship toward continuity or termination. Emotional indifference (which is the opposite of love) diminishes love and care; the terms marital disaffection and romantic disengagement are used synonymously to represent emotional indifference in couples. Marital disaffection is one of the central concerns of couples entering therapy. Nevertheless, spouses may enter therapy with divergent goals that may be polar opposites. Therefore, treatment of polarized or different agenda couples is challenging because disaffected spouses may be seeking counseling to break the bond at a safe venue, while their partners may still be obliviously hoping for the rebirth of their lost love. This article reviews marital disaffection/romantic disengagement and discusses counseling options for polarized couples.

Left and right brain-oriented hemisity subjects show opposite behavioral preferences.

Science.gov (United States)

Morton, Bruce E

2012-01-01

Recently, three independent, intercorrelated biophysical measures have provided the first quantitative measures of a binary form of behavioral laterality called "Hemisity," a term referring to inherent opposite right or left brain-oriented differences in thinking and behavioral styles. Crucially, the right or left brain-orientation of individuals assessed by these methods was later found to be essentially congruent with the thicker side of their ventral gyrus of the anterior cingulate cortex (vgACC) as revealed by a 3 min MRI procedure. Laterality of this putative executive structural element has thus become the primary standard defining individual hemisity. Here, the behavior of 150 subjects, whose hemisity had been calibrated by MRI, was assessed using five MRI-calibrated preference questionnaires, two of which were new. Right and left brain-oriented subjects selected opposite answers (p > 0.05) for 47 of the 107 "either-or," forced choice type preference questionnaire items. The resulting 30 hemisity subtype preference differences were present in several areas. These were: (1) in logical orientation, (2) in type of consciousness, (3) in fear level and sensitivity, (4) in social-professional orientation, and (5) in pair bonding-spousal dominance style. The right and left brain-oriented hemisity subtype subjects, sorted on the anatomical basis of upon which brain side their vgACC was thickest, showed 30 significant differences in their "either-or" type of behavioral preferences.

Left and right brain-oriented hemisity subjects show opposite behavioral preferences

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bruce Eldine Morton

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Recently, three independent, intercorrelated biophysical measures have provided the first quantitative measures of a binary form of behavioral laterality called Hemisity, a term referring to inherent opposite right or left brain-oriented differences in thinking and behavioral styles. Crucially, the right or left brain-orientation of individuals assessed by these methods was later found to be essentially congruent with the thicker side of their ventral gyrus of the anterior cingulate cortex (vgACC as revealed by a 3 minute MRI procedure. Laterality of this putative executive structural element has thus become the primary standard defining individual hemisity. Methods: Here, the behavior of 150 subjects, whose hemisity had been calibrated by MRI, was assessed using five MRI-calibrated preference questionnaires, two of which were new.Results: Right and left brain-oriented subjects selected opposite answers (p > 0.05 for 47 of the 107 either-or, forced choice type preference questionnaire items. Hemisity subtype preference differences were present in several areas. They were in: a. logical orientation, b. type of consciousness, c. fear level and sensitivity, d. social-professional orientation, and e. pair bonding-spousal dominance style.Conclusions: The right and left brain-oriented hemisity subtype subjects, sorted on the anatomical basis of upon which brain side their vgACC was thickest, showed numerous significant differences in their either-or type of behavioral preferences.

Memory-provoked rCBF-SPECT as a diagnostic tool in Alzheimer's disease?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sundstroem, Torbjoern; Riklund, Katrine Aa.; Elgh, Eva; Naesman, Birgitta; Larsson, Anne; Nyberg, Lars

2006-01-01

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a primary degenerative disease that progressively affects all brain functions, with devastating consequences for the patient, the patient's family and society. Rest regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) could have a strategic role in differentiating between AD patients and normal controls, but its use for this purpose has a low discriminatory capacity. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether the diagnostic sensitivity of rCBF single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) could be increased by using an episodic memory task provocation, i.e. memory-provoked rCBF-SPECT (MP-SPECT). Eighteen persons (73.2±4.8 years) with mild AD and 18 healthy elderly (69.4±3.9 years) were included in the study. The subjects were injected with 99m Tc-hexamethylpropylene amine oxime (HMPAO) during memory provocation with faces and names, followed by an rCBF-SPECT study. The rCBF 99m Tc-HMPAO SPECT images were analysed using statistical parametric mapping (SPM2). Peaks with a false discovery rate corrected value of 0.05 were considered significant. On MP-SPECT, the AD group showed a significant rCBF reduction in the left parietal cortex in comparison with healthy elderly. At rest, no significant group differences were seen. Memory provocation increased the sensitivity of rCBF-SPECT for the detection of AD-related blood flow changes in the brain at the group level. Further studies are needed to evaluate MP-SPECT as a diagnostic tool at the individual level. If a higher sensitivity for AD at the individual level is verified in future studies, a single MP-SPECT study might be sufficient in the clinical setting. (orig.)

Public understanding of solar radiation management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mercer, A M; Keith, D W; Sharp, J D

2011-01-01

We report the results of the first large-scale international survey of public perception of geoengineering and solar radiation management (SRM). Our sample of 3105 individuals in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom was recruited by survey firms that administer internet surveys to nationally representative population samples. Measured familiarity was higher than expected, with 8% and 45% of the population correctly defining the terms geoengineering and climate engineering respectively. There was strong support for allowing the study of SRM. Support decreased and uncertainty rose as subjects were asked about their support for using SRM immediately, or to stop a climate emergency. Support for SRM is associated with optimism about scientific research, a valuing of SRM's benefits and a stronger belief that SRM is natural, while opposition is associated with an attitude that nature should not be manipulated in this way. The potential risks of SRM are important drivers of public perception with the most salient being damage to the ozone layer and unknown risks. SRM is a new technology and public opinions are just forming; thus all reported results are sensitive to changes in framing, future information on risks and benefits, and changes to context.

Renewable energy policy and public perceptions of renewable energy. A cultural theory approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

West, J.; Bailey, I.; Winter, M.

2010-01-01

Public opposition to the siting of renewable energy (RE) facilities and public reluctance to invest in RE remain key obstacles to the expansion of the renewables sector in the UK and a number of other European countries. Although there is a growing body of qualitative research on factors that inform public attitudes towards RE, the majority of studies have tended to be quantitative and to view 'the public' and 'public opinion' as homogeneous wholes. This study uses a cultural theory framework and focus groups conducted in the South West UK to develop deeper understandings of how individuals' worldviews can inform opinions and behaviour in relation to RE. These findings are used to explore ways in which government policies on RE might be tailored to engender greater public support and participation. Issues discussed include the provision of economic incentives, information on climate change and RE, linking renewables to overall energy behaviour, and landscape aesthetics. (author)

Environmental impacts of public transport. Why peak-period travellers cause a greater environmental burden than off-peak travellers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rietveld, P.

2002-01-01

Given the difference between peak and off-peak occupancy rates in public transport, emissions per traveller kilometre are lower in the peak than in the off-peak period, whereas the opposite pattern is observed for cars. It is argued that it is much more fruitful to analyse environmental effects in marginal terms. This calls for a careful analysis of capacity management policies of public transport suppliers that are facing increased demand during both peak and off-peak periods. A detailed analysis of capacity management by the Netherlands Railways (NS) revealed that off-peak capacity supply is mainly dictated by the demand levels during the peak period. The analysis included the effects of increased frequency and increased vehicle size on environmental impacts, while environmental economies of vehicle size were also taken into account. The main conclusion is that the marginal environmental burden during the peak hours is much higher than is usually thought, whereas it is almost zero during the off-peak period. This implies a pattern that is the precise opposite of the average environmental burden. Thus, an analysis of environmental effects of public transport based on average performance would yield misleading conclusions [nl

Faith Moves Mountains-Mountains Move Faith: Two Opposite Epidemiological Forces in Research on Religion and Health.

Science.gov (United States)

Hvidt, N C; Hvidtjørn, D; Christensen, K; Nielsen, J B; Søndergaard, J

2017-02-01

Research suggests opposite epidemiological forces in religion and health: (1). Faith seems to move mountains in the sense that religion is associated with positive health outcomes. (2). Mountains of bad health seem to move faith. We reflected on these forces in a population of 3000 young Danish twins in which all religiosity measures were associated with severe disease. We believe the reason for this novel finding is that the sample presents as a particularly secular population-based study and that the second epidemiological force has gained the upper hand in this sample. We suggest that all cross-sectional research on religion and health should be interpreted in light of such opposite epidemiological forces potentially diluting each other.

Predictive Validity of DSM-IV Oppositional Defiant and Conduct Disorders in Clinically Referred Preschoolers

Science.gov (United States)

Keenan, Kate; Boeldt, Debra; Chen, Diane; Coyne, Claire; Donald, Radiah; Duax, Jeanne; Hart, Katherine; Perrott, Jennifer; Strickland, Jennifer; Danis, Barbara; Hill, Carri; Davis, Shante; Kampani, Smita; Humphries, Marisha

2011-01-01

Background: Diagnostic validity of oppositional defiant and conduct disorders (ODD and CD) for preschoolers has been questioned based on concerns regarding the ability to differentiate normative, transient disruptive behavior from clinical symptoms. Data on concurrent validity have accumulated, but predictive validity is limited. Predictive…

Family Correlates of Oppositional and Conduct Disorders in Children with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Science.gov (United States)

Pfiffner, Linda J.; McBurnett, Keith; Rathouz, Paul J.; Judice, Samuel

2005-01-01

Comorbidities among children with ADHD are key determinants of treatment response, course, and outcome. This study sought to separate family factors (parental psychopathology and parenting practices) associated with comorbid Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) from those associated with Conduct Disorder (CD) among children with Attention…

Epistemic brokerage in the bio-property narrative: contributions to explaining opposition to transgenic technologies in agriculture.

Science.gov (United States)

Herring, Ronald J

2010-11-30

Unlike some global contentions - abolition of slavery, or universal franchise, for example - the rift over rDNA crops is not about ultimate values. Improvement of farmer welfare and enhanced sustainability of agriculture are universally valued goals. However, means to those ends are politically disputed; that dispute depends on alternative empirical stories about biotechnology, sometimes even alternative epistemologies. Opposition revolves around two fundamental dimensions: bio-safety and bio-property. There is convergence of these dimensions around exceptional risk and vulnerability to corporate control of farmers, but these are analytically separable questions of fact. This paper concentrates on bio-property. Epistemic brokers have successfully established knowledge claims that simultaneously undermine the case for rDNA technologies as potential contributors to development and motivate opposition. Epistemic brokers command authority from their positions at junctures of networks, enabling the screening, weighting, theorizing and diffusion of contentious empirical accounts. In contentions of low information, high information costs and diffuse anxiety, these claims provide cognitive support for opposition to 'GMOs'. Specifically, claims of patents, monopoly corporate control and terminator technology have diffused to and from India in global networks. Though effective in transnational advocacy networks, these claims have proved either false or inconsistent with dynamics on the ground. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Opposite Effects of Stimulant and Antipsychotic Drugs on Striatal Fast-Spiking Interneurons

OpenAIRE

Wiltschko, Alexander B; Pettibone, Jeffrey R; Berke, Joshua D

2010-01-01

Psychomotor stimulants and typical antipsychotic drugs have powerful but opposite effects on mood and behavior, largely through alterations in striatal dopamine signaling. Exactly how these drug actions lead to behavioral change is not well understood, as previous electrophysiological studies have found highly heterogeneous changes in striatal neuron firing. In this study, we examined whether part of this heterogeneity reflects the mixture of distinct cell types present in the striatum, by di...

Opposition to legal abortion: challenges and questions.

Science.gov (United States)

Kissling, F

1993-01-01

An analysis of the Roman Catholic Church's arguments against abortion rights suggests that its opposition is grounded more in outmoded views regarding women's roles than in concern for protecting fetal life. The 1st argument raised by Catholics and other anti-abortion forces is that abortion represents the unjustifiable destruction of a human life. A 2nd argument focuses on the status of the fetus as a person from the moment of conception, making abortion murder. A 3rd equates the fetus's potential for personhood with the pregnant woman's actual personhood. Despite the vehement sentiments expressed by Catholic leaders against abortion, the majority of Catholics support legal abortion. The assignment of personhood status to the fetus is contraindicated by actual practice in the Church, where aborted or miscarried products of early pregnancy are not baptized. Also, the Church does not forbid the taking of human life in war or to preserve political freedom. Finally, in countries such as Poland where abortion has been made illegal through religious pressure, there have been drastic cuts in health care and child care programs.

The formation of the polish opposite movement in Western Ukraine at the beginning of the Second world war

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Viktoriya V. Dashko

2016-02-01

Full Text Available The article highlights the nature of the Soviet totalitarian ethnic policy and its influence on the origin of the Polish opposite movement in Western Ukraine at the beginning of the Second World War. It also clarifies the main factors of the formation of active opposite movements among the Polish part of population in the Western Ukraine territory, which withdrew to the Soviet Union due to the distribution of Poland as a result of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. The author defined category of Polish nationality persons, who were dissatisfied with Stalin’s repressive policies in 1939-1941 and become that social environment, in which finally formed opposite movement to totalitarianism and, in particular, antinational regime against the Polish ethnos, and the environment from which later appeared activists of this movement. By the author was analyzed the activity of Soviet authorities in the occupied territories of the former «Wshodnih kresuv» of the Second Rich Pospolyta and determined main factors that led to dissatisfaction with the rigid Soviet policy against the former government officials, military precipitators and servants of the Roman Catholic Church. Investigated and determined features of the Polish opposite movement formation in the former eastern Polish territories occupied in 1939 by the Soviet Union and seized in 1941 by Nazi Germany. The article also describes the origin and activity of the first underground Polish armed forces on Ukrainian territory.

Does beauty catch the eye?: Sex differences in gazing at attractive opposite-sex targets

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Straaten, I.; Holland, R.; Finkenauer, C.; Hollenstein, T.; Engels, R.C.M.E.

2010-01-01

We investigated to what extent the length of people's gazes during conversations with opposite-sex persons is affected by the physical attractiveness of the partner. Single participants (N = 115) conversed for 5 min with confederates who were rated either as low or high on physical attractiveness.

Functional Outcomes of Child and Adolescent Oppositional Defiant Disorder Symptoms in Young Adult Men

Science.gov (United States)

Burke, Jeffrey D.; Rowe, Richard; Boylan, Khrista

2014-01-01

Background: Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) is considered to be a disorder of childhood, yet evidence suggests that prevalence rates of the disorder are stable into late adolescence and trajectories of symptoms persist into young adulthood. Functional outcomes associated with ODD through childhood and adolescence include conflict within…

Role of market information in gaining public acceptance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berman, A.B.

1992-01-01

The nuclear energy industry challenge to gain acceptance for its next generation of nuclear power plants is immense. If not the majority, then a vocal minority, has doubts about the technology, its need, or those who implement it. Perceptions about the nuclear industry are complex. These are due to the difficulty in understanding the technology itself, the trade-offs of benefits against repercussions, and well-publicized plant problems. The industry requires a continual flow of actionable and comprehensive market information as input for decision making. The cost of implementing misdirected strategies is high. If not sensitive to public needs, the cost is opposition to nuclear development based on faulty or unsubstantiated reasoning. This paper addresses the required market information flow. It is suggested that a market information system is necessary for timely and usable information to ensure understanding of industry developmental efforts

Drivers of Public Attitudes towards Small Wind Turbines in the UK.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cerian Tatchley

Full Text Available Small Wind Turbines (SWTs are a growing micro-generation industry with over 870,000 installed units worldwide. No research has focussed on public attitudes towards SWTs, despite evidence the perception of such attitudes are key to planning outcomes and can be a barrier to installations. Here we present the results of a UK wide mail survey investigating public attitudes towards SWTs. Just over half of our respondents, who were predominantly older, white males, felt that SWTs were acceptable across a range of settings, with those on road signs being most accepted and least accepted in hedgerows and gardens. Concern about climate change positively influenced how respondents felt about SWTs. Respondent comments highlight visual impacts and perceptions of the efficiency of this technology are particularly important to this sector of the UK public. Taking this into careful consideration, alongside avoiding locating SWTs in contentious settings such as hedgerows and gardens where possible, may help to minimise public opposition to proposed installations.

Drivers of Public Attitudes towards Small Wind Turbines in the UK.

Science.gov (United States)

Tatchley, Cerian; Paton, Heather; Robertson, Emma; Minderman, Jeroen; Hanley, Nicholas; Park, Kirsty

2016-01-01

Small Wind Turbines (SWTs) are a growing micro-generation industry with over 870,000 installed units worldwide. No research has focussed on public attitudes towards SWTs, despite evidence the perception of such attitudes are key to planning outcomes and can be a barrier to installations. Here we present the results of a UK wide mail survey investigating public attitudes towards SWTs. Just over half of our respondents, who were predominantly older, white males, felt that SWTs were acceptable across a range of settings, with those on road signs being most accepted and least accepted in hedgerows and gardens. Concern about climate change positively influenced how respondents felt about SWTs. Respondent comments highlight visual impacts and perceptions of the efficiency of this technology are particularly important to this sector of the UK public. Taking this into careful consideration, alongside avoiding locating SWTs in contentious settings such as hedgerows and gardens where possible, may help to minimise public opposition to proposed installations.

Drivers of Public Attitudes towards Small Wind Turbines in the UK

Science.gov (United States)

Tatchley, Cerian; Paton, Heather; Robertson, Emma; Minderman, Jeroen; Hanley, Nicholas; Park, Kirsty

2016-01-01

Small Wind Turbines (SWTs) are a growing micro-generation industry with over 870,000 installed units worldwide. No research has focussed on public attitudes towards SWTs, despite evidence the perception of such attitudes are key to planning outcomes and can be a barrier to installations. Here we present the results of a UK wide mail survey investigating public attitudes towards SWTs. Just over half of our respondents, who were predominantly older, white males, felt that SWTs were acceptable across a range of settings, with those on road signs being most accepted and least accepted in hedgerows and gardens. Concern about climate change positively influenced how respondents felt about SWTs. Respondent comments highlight visual impacts and perceptions of the efficiency of this technology are particularly important to this sector of the UK public. Taking this into careful consideration, alongside avoiding locating SWTs in contentious settings such as hedgerows and gardens where possible, may help to minimise public opposition to proposed installations. PMID:27011356

Low-level radioactive waste disposal technology development through a public process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murphy, M.P.; Hysong, R.J.; Edwards, C.W.

1989-01-01

When Pennsylvania's legislature ratified the Appalachian States Low-Level Radioactive Waste Compact in 1985, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania became the host state designee for the compact's low-level radioactive waste (LLWR) disposal facility. Programs necessary for the establishment of this facility became the responsibility of the Department of Environmental Resources' (DER), Bureau of Radiation Protection's, Division of Nuclear Safety (DNS). It was realized early in the process that the technical aspects of this program, while challenging, probably were not the largest obstacle to completing the facility on schedule. The largest obstacle was likely to be public acceptance. Recognizing this, the DNS set out to develop a program that would maximize public involvement in all aspects of site and facility development. To facilitate public involvement in the process, the DNS established a LLRW advisory committee and a strategy for holding public meetings throughout Pennsylvania. As a result of the significant public involvement generated by these efforts, Pennsylvania passed, in February of 1988, one of the most stringent and technically demanding LLRW disposal laws in the nation. Hopefully, increased public confidence will reduce to a minimum public opposition to the facility

From Situation to opposition: the welfare reform of the Lula’s government from the perspective of the PSDB deputies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Felipe Corral de Freitas

2015-06-01

Full Text Available With the defeat in the 2002 elections, the PSDB was characterized as the "strong opposition" to the government of the PT. He reached the command of the Executive in 2003, implemented a reform in Social Security, thus constituting the first time the opposition PSDB. Thus, the objective of this work is to understand the discursive behavior of federal PSDB deputies, held during the sessions of the Great Expedient of the Federal Chamber, when dealing with this reform. For the analysis, the theoretical and methodological aspects of discourse theory of Ernesto Laclau and Chantal Mouffe were used. It was possible to identify that the new political context has changed the identities of PT and PSDB, but kept the antagonistic relationship. Moreover, because it is the first time opposition, the PSDB did not build hegemonic discourse against the reform, but critical of its formatting.

Same strategy different industry: corporate influence on public policy.

Science.gov (United States)

Shelley, Donna; Ogedegbe, Gbenga; Elbel, Brian

2014-04-01

In March 2013 a state judge invalidated New York City's proposal to ban sales of sugar-sweetened beverages larger than 16 ounces; the case is under appeal. This setback was attributable in part to opposition from the beverage industry and racial/ethnic minority organizations they support. We provide lessons from similar tobacco industry efforts to block policies that reduced smoking prevalence. We offer recommendations that draw on the tobacco control movement's success in thwarting industry influence and promoting public health policies that hold promise to improve population health.

[Relationship between opposite acupoints and acupoint effect from acupoint effect of Sanyinjiao (SP 6)-Xuanzhong (GB 39)].

Science.gov (United States)

Xin, Siyuan; Yang, Zhixin; Guo, Jianen; Lu, Hongtong; Wang, Pei; Pang, Jia; Zhang, Huan

2017-10-12

The acupoint effect of Sanyinjiao (SP 6) and Xuanzhong (GB 39) as well as the internal relation of Sanyinjiao (SP 6)-Xuanzhong (GB 39) were analyzed in this paper to explore the relationship between opposite acupoints and acupoint effect. It was found both Sanyinjiao (SP 6) and Xuanzhong (GB 39) had acupoint effects, and the two acupoints had close relationship in acupoint effects (specificity along meridian and specificity of acupoints), acupoint-meridian relationship (anatomical locations, meridians and organs, indications). It is indicated the opposite acupoint of Sanyinjiao (SP 6)-Xuanzhong (GB 39) had related aspects in acupoint effects, which is related with acupoint effect through specificity and relationship of acupoint-meridian.

Attitude of public opinion to nuclear power, and reasons of prejudiced position towards it

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vishnevs'kij, Yi.M.; Trofimenko, A.P.

1998-01-01

A review of events which have led to the public opposition to nuclear power is given. Arguments of 'Greens' and social structure of this movement are exposed. INIS Database was used for finding the main directions of works in nuclear power in the World and for their comparison with such directions in thermal power field. The results obtained demonstrate that the 'Greens' strongly exaggerate the nuclear hazards and do not pay due attention to environmental pollution from fossil-fuel power plants. Attitude of the population in Ukraine to nuclear power after Chernobyl accident is analysed and actions for public opinion balancing are proposed

Understanding public responses to offshore wind power

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haggett, Claire

2011-01-01

This paper is about understanding the role and importance of public responses to offshore wind power. It builds on a framework for understanding social acceptance and opposition to onshore turbines, and reviews the emerging research on offshore wind. While less is known about how people will respond to offshore than onshore wind, there is now an emerging body of research. From this literature, several common factors which influence responses have emerged and are discussed here: the (continued) role of visual impact; place attachment to the local area; lack of tangible benefits; relationships with developers and outsiders; and the role of the planning and decision-making systems. The paper argues that, as with onshore developments, the public should be included in decision-making about offshore wind farms, and that they have a key role which should not be underestimated. The paper concludes with some thoughts about the means to involve people and how effected communities might be effectively acknowledged, identified and engaged. - Research Highlights: →Comprehensive review of public responses to offshore wind literature. →Applies key lessons and analytic insights from onshore wind to offshore wind. →Emphasizes the role and importance of the public in the planning and implementation of offshore wind energy.

Intracellular scFvs against the viral E6 oncoprotein provoke apoptosis in human papillomavirus-positive cancer cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lagrange, Magali; Boulade-Ladame, Charlotte; Mailly, Laurent; Weiss, Etienne; Orfanoudakis, Georges; Deryckere, Francois

2007-01-01

The E6 protein of human papillomavirus type 16 (16E6) is involved in the tumorigenesis of human cervical cells by targeting numerous cellular proteins. We have designed a strategy for neutralizing 16E6 based on the intracellular expression of single-chain Fv antibodies (scFvs) specific to 16E6. Recombinant adenovirus vectors were constructed to allow expression of two 16E6-binding scFvs and one 16E6-non-binding scFv in HPV16-positive and -negative cells. Expression of the scFvs provoked two types of effects: (i) inhibition of proliferation of all cell lines tested, this aspecific toxicity being likely due to the aggregation of unfolded scFvs; and (ii) apoptosis observed only in HPV16-positive cervical cancer cell lines after expression of 16E6-binding scFvs, this specific effect being proportional to the intracellular solubility of the scFvs. These data demonstrate the feasibility of intracellular immunization with anti-16E6 scFvs and highlight the importance of the solubility of the intracellular antibodies

Co-precipitation of oppositely charged nanoparticles: the case of mixed ligand nanoparticles

OpenAIRE

Moglianetti, Mauro; Ponomarev, Evgeniy; Szybowski, Maxime; Stellacci, Francesco; Reguera, Javier

2015-01-01

Colloid stability is of high importance in a multitude of fields ranging from food science to biotechnology. There is strong interest in studying the stability of small particles (of a size of a few nanometres) with complex surface structures, that make them resemble the complexity of proteins and other natural biomolecules, in the presence of oppositely charged nanoparticles. While for nanoparticles with homogeneously charged surfaces an abrupt precipitation has been observed at the neutrali...

GCH1-polymorphism and pain sensitivity among women with provoked vestibulodynia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Heddini Ulrika

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Provoked vestibulodynia (PVD is a pain disorder localized in the vestibular mucosa. It is the most common cause of dyspareunia among young women and it is associated with general pain hypersensitivity and other chronic pain conditions. Polymorphism in the guanosine triphosphate cyclohydrolase (GCH1 gene has been found to influence general pain sensitivity and the risk of developing a longstanding pain condition. The aim of this study was to investigate GCH1-polymorphism in women with PVD and healthy controls, in correlation to pain sensitivity. Results We found no correlation between the previously defined pain-protective GCH1-SNP combination and the diagnosis of PVD. Nor any correlation with pain sensitivity measured as pressure pain thresholds on the arm, leg and in the vestibule, coital pain scored on a visual analog scale and prevalence of other bodily pain conditions among women with PVD (n = 98 and healthy controls (n = 102. However, among patients with current treatment (n = 36, there was a significant interaction effect of GCH1-gene polymorphism and hormonal contraceptive (HC therapy on coital pain (p = 0.04 as well as on pressure pain thresholds on the arm (p = 0.04. PVD patients carrying the specified SNP combination and using HCs had higher pain sensitivity compared to non-carriers. In non-HC-users, carriers had lower pain sensitivity. Conclusions The results of this study gave no support to the hypothesis that polymorphism in the GCH1-gene contributes to the etiology of PVD. However, among patients currently receiving treatment an interaction effect of the defined SNP combination and use of hormonal contraceptives on pain sensitivity was found. This finding offers a possible explanation to the clinically known fact that some PVD patients improve after cessation of hormonal contraceptives, indicating that PVD patients carrying the defined SNP combination of GCH1 would benefit from this

An obesity provoking behaviour negatively influences young normal weight subjects' health related quality of life and causes depressive symptoms.

Science.gov (United States)

Ernersson, Asa; Frisman, Gunilla Hollman; Sepa Frostell, Anneli; Nyström, Fredrik H; Lindström, Torbjörn

2010-12-01

In many parts of the world the prevalence of a sedentary lifestyle in combination with high consumption of food has increased, which contributes to increased risk for becoming overweight. Our primary aim was, in an intervention, to examine the influence on health related quality of life (HRQoL) and mood in young normal weight subjects of both sexes, when adopting an obesity provoking behaviour by increasing the energy intake via fast food and simultaneously adopting a sedentary lifestyle. A secondary aim was to follow-up possible long-term effects on HRQoL and mood 6 and 12 months after this short-term intervention. In this prospective study, 18 healthy normal weight subjects (mean age 26±6.6 years), mainly university students were prescribed doubled energy intake, and maximum 5000 steps/day, during 4 weeks. An age and sex matched control group (n=18), who were asked to have unchanged eating habits and physical activity, was recruited. Before and after the intervention questionnaires including Short Form-36, Hospital Anxiety Depression scale, Center of Epidemiological Studies Depression scale, Sense of Coherence and Mastery scale were completed by the subjects in the intervention group and by the controls with 4 weeks interval. Six and 12 months after the intervention the subjects underwent the same procedure as at baseline and the controls completed the same questionnaires. During the intervention, subjects in the intervention group increased their bodyweight and developed markedly lower physical and mental health scores on Short Form-36 as well as depressive symptoms while no changes appeared in the controls. The increase of depressive symptoms was associated with increases of energy intake, body weight and body fat. When followed up, 6 and 12 months after the intervention, physical and mental health had returned completely to baseline values, despite somewhat increased body weight. In conclusion, adopting obesity provoking behaviour for 4 weeks decreases HRQo

Optimal battery sizing in photovoltaic based distributed generation using enhanced opposition-based firefly algorithm for voltage rise mitigation.

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, Ling Ai; Shareef, Hussain; Mohamed, Azah; Ibrahim, Ahmad Asrul

2014-01-01

This paper presents the application of enhanced opposition-based firefly algorithm in obtaining the optimal battery energy storage systems (BESS) sizing in photovoltaic generation integrated radial distribution network in order to mitigate the voltage rise problem. Initially, the performance of the original firefly algorithm is enhanced by utilizing the opposition-based learning and introducing inertia weight. After evaluating the performance of the enhanced opposition-based firefly algorithm (EOFA) with fifteen benchmark functions, it is then adopted to determine the optimal size for BESS. Two optimization processes are conducted where the first optimization aims to obtain the optimal battery output power on hourly basis and the second optimization aims to obtain the optimal BESS capacity by considering the state of charge constraint of BESS. The effectiveness of the proposed method is validated by applying the algorithm to the 69-bus distribution system and by comparing the performance of EOFA with conventional firefly algorithm and gravitational search algorithm. Results show that EOFA has the best performance comparatively in terms of mitigating the voltage rise problem.

Optimal Battery Sizing in Photovoltaic Based Distributed Generation Using Enhanced Opposition-Based Firefly Algorithm for Voltage Rise Mitigation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ling Ai Wong

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the application of enhanced opposition-based firefly algorithm in obtaining the optimal battery energy storage systems (BESS sizing in photovoltaic generation integrated radial distribution network in order to mitigate the voltage rise problem. Initially, the performance of the original firefly algorithm is enhanced by utilizing the opposition-based learning and introducing inertia weight. After evaluating the performance of the enhanced opposition-based firefly algorithm (EOFA with fifteen benchmark functions, it is then adopted to determine the optimal size for BESS. Two optimization processes are conducted where the first optimization aims to obtain the optimal battery output power on hourly basis and the second optimization aims to obtain the optimal BESS capacity by considering the state of charge constraint of BESS. The effectiveness of the proposed method is validated by applying the algorithm to the 69-bus distribution system and by comparing the performance of EOFA with conventional firefly algorithm and gravitational search algorithm. Results show that EOFA has the best performance comparatively in terms of mitigating the voltage rise problem.

Estimating the fiscal effects of public pharmaceutical expenditure reduction in Greece

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kyriakos eSouliotis

2015-08-01

Full Text Available The purpose of the present study is to estimate the impact of pharmaceutical spending reduction on public revenue, based on data from the national health accounts as well as on reports of Greece’s organizations. The methodology of the analysis is structured in two basic parts. The first part presents the urgency for rapid cutbacks on public pharmaceutical costs due to the financial crisis and provides a conceptual framework for the contribution of the Greek pharmaceutical branch to the country’s economy. In the second part, we perform a quantitative analysis for the estimation of multiplier effects of public pharmaceutical expenditure reduction on main revenue sources such as taxes and social contributions. We also fit projection models with multipliers as regressands for the evaluation of the efficiency of the particular fiscal measure in the short run. According to the results, near half of the gains from the measure’s application is offset by financially equivalent decreases in the government’s revenue, i.e. losses in tax revenues and social security contributions alone, not considering any other direct or indirect costs. The findings of multipliers’ high value and increasing short-term trend imply the measure’s inefficiency henceforward and signal the risk of vicious circles that will provoke the economy’s deprivation of useful resources.

Risk of epilepsy in opposite-sex and same-sex twins

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mao, Yanyan; Ahrenfeldt, Linda Juel; Christensen, Kaare

2018-01-01

Background: There is a complex interaction between female and male sex hormones and the risk of epilepsy. Whether prenatal exposure to higher levels of sex hormones affects the development of epilepsy in childhood or later in life is not well known. The sex hormone environment of fetuses may...... be affected by the sex of the co-twin. We estimated the risk of epilepsy for twins with an opposite-sex (OS) co-twin compared with twins with a same-sex (SS) co-twin. Methods: From the Danish Twin Registry, we identified OS female twins (n = 11,078), SS female twins (n = 19,186), OS male twins (n = 11...

Gender Differences in the Effects of Oppositional Behavior on Teacher Ratings of ADHD Symptoms.

Science.gov (United States)

Jackson, David A.; King, Alan R.

2004-01-01

H. Abikoff, M. Courtney, W. E. Pelham, and H. S. Koplewicz (1993) presented elementary school teachers with a videotape of a 4th-grade male child exhibiting behavior associated with either Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD). Comparisons with ratings generated from a control tape (same child…

Electrostatic self-assembly in polyelectrolyte-neutral block copolymers and oppositely charged surfactant solutions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berret, J.-F.Jean-Francois; Oberdisse, Julian

2004-01-01

We report on small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) of colloidal complexes resulting from the electrostatic self-assembly of polyelectrolyte-neutral copolymers and oppositely charged surfactants. The polymers are double hydrophilic block copolymers of low molecular weight (between 5000 and 50 000 g/mol). One block is a polyelectrolyte chain, which can be either positively or negatively charged, whereas the second block is neutral and in good solvent conditions. In aqueous solutions, surfactants with an opposite charge to that of the polyelectrolyte interact strongly with these copolymers. The two species associate into stable 100 nm-colloidal complexes which exhibit a core-shell microstructure. For different polymer/surfactant couples, we have shown that the core is constituted from densely packed surfactant micelles connected by the polyelectrolyte chains. The outer part of the complex is a corona formed by the neutral soluble chains. Using a model of aggregation based on a Monte-Carlo algorithm, we have simulated the internal structure of the aggregates. The model assumes spherical cages containing one to several hundreds of micelles in a closely packed state. The agreement between the model and the data is remarkable

Structural basis for proficient incorporation of dTTP opposite O6-methylguanine by human DNA polymerase iota.

Science.gov (United States)

Pence, Matthew G; Choi, Jeong-Yun; Egli, Martin; Guengerich, F Peter

2010-12-24

O(6)-methylguanine (O(6)-methylG) is highly mutagenic and is commonly found in DNA exposed to methylating agents, even physiological ones (e.g. S-adenosylmethionine). The efficiency of a truncated, catalytic DNA polymerase ι core enzyme was determined for nucleoside triphosphate incorporation opposite O(6)-methylG, using steady-state kinetic analyses. The results presented here corroborate previous work from this laboratory using full-length pol ι, which showed that dTTP incorporation occurs with high efficiency opposite O(6)-methylG. Misincorporation of dTTP opposite O(6)-methylG occurred with ∼6-fold higher efficiency than incorporation of dCTP. Crystal structures of the truncated form of pol ι with O(6)-methylG as the template base and incoming dCTP or dTTP were solved and showed that O(6)-methylG is rotated into the syn conformation in the pol ι active site and that dTTP misincorporation by pol ι is the result of Hoogsteen base pairing with the adduct. Both dCTP and dTTP base paired with the Hoogsteen edge of O(6)-methylG. A single, short hydrogen bond formed between the N3 atom of dTTP and the N7 atom of O(6)-methylG. Protonation of the N3 atom of dCTP and bifurcation of the N3 hydrogen between the N7 and O(6) atoms of O(6)-methylG allow base pairing of the lesion with dCTP. We conclude that differences in the Hoogsteen hydrogen bonding between nucleotides is the main factor in the preferential selectivity of dTTP opposite O(6)-methylG by human pol ι, in contrast to the mispairing modes observed previously for O(6)-methylG in the structures of the model DNA polymerases Sulfolobus solfataricus Dpo4 and Bacillus stearothermophilus DNA polymerase I.

Numerical simulations for the coal/oxidant distribution effects between two-stages for multi opposite burners (MOB) gasifier

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Unar, Imran Nazir; Wang, Lijun; Pathan, Abdul Ghani; Mahar, Rasool Bux; Li, Rundong; Uqaili, M. Aslam

2014-01-01

Highlights: • We simulated a double stage 3D entrained flow coal gasifier with multi-opposite burners. • The various reaction mechanisms have evaluated with experimental results. • The effects of coal and oxygen distribution between two stages on the performance of gasifier have investigated. • The local coal to oxygen ratio is affecting the overall efficiency of gasifier. - Abstract: A 3D CFD model for two-stage entrained flow dry feed coal gasifier with multi opposite burners (MOB) has been developed in this paper. At each stage two opposite nozzles are impinging whereas the two other opposite nozzles are slightly tangential. Various numerical simulations were carried out in standard CFD software to investigate the impacts of coal and oxidant distributions between the two stages of the gasifier. Chemical process was described by Finite Rate/Eddy Dissipation model. Heterogeneous and homogeneous reactions were defined using the published kinetic data and realizable k–ε turbulent model was used to solve the turbulence equations. Gas–solid interaction was defined by Euler–Lagrangian frame work. Different reaction mechanism were investigated first for the validation of the model from published experimental results. Then further investigations were made through the validated model for important parameters like species concentrations in syngas, char conversion, maximum inside temperature and syngas exit temperature. The analysis of the results from various simulated cases shows that coal/oxidant distribution between the stages has great influence on the overall performance of gasifier. The maximum char conversion was found 99.79% with coal 60% and oxygen 50% of upper level of injection. The minimum char conversion was observed 95.45% at 30% coal with 40% oxygen at same level. In general with oxygen and coal above or equal to 50% of total at upper injection level has shown an optimized performance

Mass insurgency: the ratepayers' revolt and the Washington Public Power Supply System crisis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sugai, W.H.

1985-01-01

This essay critically examines the conditions leading to the emergence of mass insurgency in the American political setting and expands the traditional debate over the influence of social discontent versus organizational infrastructure in the outbreak of mass insurgency. It focuses on the ratepayer unrest in Washington during the first half of 1982 as a case of mass insurgency, and describes both the influence of the preceding Initiative 394 campaign in triggering mass ratepayer protests and the subsequent attempt at formal coalition among the various groups. The essay includes an account of both the institutional development surrounding the Washington Public Power Supply System's nuclear-power-generating projects and the organized opposition by local anti-nuclear challengers in the series of public initiative campaigns between 1976 and 1981. The discussion of antinuclear opposition is highlighted by an analysis of the I-394 campaign that argues the influence of the structured campaign setting in establishing the triggering effect of the termination of WPPSS projects 4 and 5 for the ratepayer insurgency. Based upon empirical data showing a historically unique combination of severe rate escalation and high unemployment, comparison with earlier unsuccessful initiative campaigns suggests the underlying economic basis of I-394's passage

The clinical relevance of the duration of loss of consciousness provoked by tilt testing.

Science.gov (United States)

Zyśko, Dorota; Gajek, Jacek; Kozluk, Edward; Agrawal, Anil Kumar; Smereka, Jacek; Checiński, Igor

2010-04-01

The authors assessed the relationships between the duration of loss of consciousness (dLOC) during tilt testing-induced syncope (TTS) and demographics, medical history as well as tilt testing results. Previous research focused on the relevance of the type of neurocardiogenic reaction during TTS. The importance of dLOC has not been assessed so far. The study was carried out in 274 patients with suspected neurally mediated syncope and total loss of consciousness during tilt testing. The syncope burden, demographics, and data regarding spontaneous syncope orTTS were compared between group I with dLOC > or =47 seconds and group 2 with dLOC <47 seconds. Medical history revealed that patients in group I had more syncopal spells, more frequent syncope-related traumatic injuries, urine incontinence, jerking movements and typical vasovagal history than in group 2. Moreover, group I patients had more frequently a cardioinhibitory type of reaction and a shorter active phase duration. In addition, they manifested more frequent accompanying cerebral hypoperfusion signs and reproduction of symptoms during TTS than patients in group 2. The loss of consciousness during tilt testing-induced syncope differs in terms of duration among patients with neurally mediated syncope. The dLOC during TTS is associated with medical history and tilt-testing data which confirm the vasovagal aetiology of spontaneous events. The longer dLOC suggests deeper cerebral haemodynamic disturbances during either spontaneous or provoked syncope.

Influence of political opposition and compromise on conservation outcomes in the Tongass National Forest, Alaska.

Science.gov (United States)

Beier, Colin M

2008-12-01

To understand how a highly contentious policy process influenced a major conservation effort, I examined the origins, compromises, and outcomes of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act of 1980 (ANILCA) for the Tongass National Forest. Tongass wilderness designation was among the most controversial issues in the ANILCA debate, and it faced strong opposition from influential lawmakers, land managers, and Alaska residents. To investigate the influence of this opposition on Tongass conservation outcomes, I conducted a gap analysis of Tongass reserves and a policy analysis of the ANILCA debate and traced the influence of specific interests through the amendments, negotiations, and resulting compromises needed to enact ANILCA. Overall, I found that Tongass reserves comprise a broadly representative cross-section of ecosystems and species habitats in southeastern Alaska. Redrawn reserve boundaries, industry subsidies, and special access regulations reflected compromises to minimize the impact of wilderness conservation on mining, timber, and local stakeholder interests, respectively. Fragmentation of the Admiralty Island National Monument-the most ecologically valuable and politically controversial reserve-resulted from compromises with Alaskan Native (indigenous peoples of Alaska) corporations and timber interests. Despite language to accommodate "reasonable access" to wilderness reserves, ongoing access limitations highlight the concerns of Alaska residents that opposed ANILCA several decades ago. More broadly, the Tongass case suggests that early and ambitious conservation action may offset strong political opposition; compromises needed to establish key reserves often exacerbate development impacts in unprotected areas; and efforts to minimize social conflicts are needed to safeguard the long-term viability of conservation measures.

Risk communication between Experts and the Public: Perceptions and Intentions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sjoeberg, Lennart; Verhost, Philippe; Bouzon, Arlette

2002-01-01

This paper develops a conceptual and theoretical analysis of risk communication in cases where experts and the public have widely divergent views about the size of a risk: experts find it very small but some members of the public have an opposite view. Other members of the public agree with the experts. Applications are chosen from the risk management problems inhere in the handling of spent nuclear fuel. It is pointed out that the conflicting views have very different bases.The role of trust is analyzed and while it is a crucial issue, it is much broader than what has usually been assumed. Trust refers not only to social trust (i.e. trust in experts or authorities/corporation) but also to basic notions regarding knowledge and science. In a communication situation, the communicated position with regard to risk seems may not be perceived correctly by any of the parties, and positions tend to be entrenched

Trades Between Opposition and Conjunction Class Trajectories for Early Human Missions to Mars

Science.gov (United States)

Mattfeld, Bryan; Stromgren, Chel; Shyface, Hilary; Komar, David R.; Cirillo, William; Goodliff, Kandyce

2014-01-01

Candidate human missions to Mars, including NASA's Design Reference Architecture 5.0, have focused on conjunction-class missions with long crewed durations and minimum energy trajectories to reduce total propellant requirements and total launch mass. However, in order to progressively reduce risk and gain experience in interplanetary mission operations, it may be desirable that initial human missions to Mars, whether to the surface or to Mars orbit, have shorter total crewed durations and minimal stay times at the destination. Opposition-class missions require larger total energy requirements relative to conjunction-class missions but offer the potential for much shorter mission durations, potentially reducing risk and overall systems performance requirements. This paper will present a detailed comparison of conjunction-class and opposition-class human missions to Mars vicinity with a focus on how such missions could be integrated into the initial phases of a Mars exploration campaign. The paper will present the results of a trade study that integrates trajectory/propellant analysis, element design, logistics and sparing analysis, and risk assessment to produce a comprehensive comparison of opposition and conjunction exploration mission constructs. Included in the trade study is an assessment of the risk to the crew and the trade offs between the mission duration and element, logistics, and spares mass. The analysis of the mission trade space was conducted using four simulation and analysis tools developed by NASA. Trajectory analyses for Mars destination missions were conducted using VISITOR (Versatile ImpulSive Interplanetary Trajectory OptimizeR), an in-house tool developed by NASA Langley Research Center. Architecture elements were evaluated using EXploration Architecture Model for IN-space and Earth-to-orbit (EXAMINE), a parametric modeling tool that generates exploration architectures through an integrated systems model. Logistics analysis was conducted using

Windpower opposition : notify, consult, engage or partnership?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Prier, P.G. [Stantec Consulting, Guelph, ON (Canada)

2010-07-01

This PowerPoint presentation discussed some of the methods that can be used to understand and defuse opposition to wind power projects. The presentation discussed the actual empowerment of communities and citizens as opposed to the token gestures often used by large organizations to placate and manipulate stakeholders. Stakeholders were defined as regulatory authorities, directly and indirectly affected landowners, non-government organizations, First Nations groups, and anyone in or outside the study area with an interest in the prospective development. The consultation scope should reflect the significance of potential effects and be conducted early in the decision-making process. The design of the project and its implementation should be transparent, and operators should be responsive to all concerns and questions. A range of consultation techniques should be used to reflect the nature of different stakeholders. Community engagement should support mutual respect of values in order to create an authentic decision-making partnership. Communities should be notified when routine operational or maintenance activities are being conducted. Consultations are required for increases in nameplate capacity of less than 25 percent. Community engagement is required for the development of greenfield wind farms greater than 20 MW. tabs., figs.

The contribution of safety issues to public perceptions of energy systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Otway, H.J.; Thomas, Kerry

1978-01-01

Public opposition is an important consideration for those responsible for energy planning. An attitude model was applied to identify the underlying determinants of public perceptions of five energy systems: nuclear, coal, oil, solar and hydro. Empirical results are reported in which these energy systems were found to be perceived in terms of four basic dimensions: psychological aspects; economics benefits; socio-political implications; environmental and physical safety issues. For the total sample, safety issues made an appreciable contribution to attitudes toward all of the systems except nuclear energy, where it was not significant. A differential analysis of two sub-samples, those respondents PRO and CON nuclear energy, showed that benefits and safety issues were important determinants of PRO attitudes while CON attitudes were primarily due to psychological aspects and concerns about personal and political power. The role of technical information in the formation of public attitudes toward technological policies is discussed [fr

From heresy to dogma in accounts of opposition to Howard Temin's DNA provirus hypothesis.

Science.gov (United States)

Marcum, James A

2002-01-01

In 1964 the Wisconsin virologist Howard Temin proposed the DNA provirus hypothesis to explain the mechanism by which a cancer-producing virus containing only RNA infects and transforms cells. His hypothesis reversed the flow of genetic information, as ordained by the central dogma of molecular biology. Although there was initial opposition to his hypothesis it was widely accepted, after the discovery of reverse transcriptase in 1970. Most accounts of Temin's hypothesis after the discovery portray the hypothesis as heretical, because it challenged the central dogma. Temin himself in his Nobel Prize speech of 1975 narrates a similar story about its reception. But are these accounts warranted? I argue that members of the virology community opposed Temin's provirus hypothesis not simply because it was a counterexample to the central dogma, but more importantly because his experimental evidence for supporting it was inconclusive. Furthermore, I propose that these accounts of opposition to the DNA provirus hypothesis as heretical, written by Temin and others after the discovery of reverse transcriptase, played a significant role in establishing retrovirology as a specialized field.

The politics of radioactive waste disposal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kemp, R.

1992-01-01

Plans for radioactive waste disposal have been among the most controversial of all environmental policies, provoking vociferous public opposition in a number of countries. This book looks at the problem from an international perspective, and shows how proposed solutions have to be politically and environmentally, as well as technologically acceptable. In the book the technical and political agenda behind low and intermediate level radioactive waste disposal in the UK, Western Europe, Scandinavia and North America is examined. The technical issues and the industrial proposals and analyses and factors which have been crucial in affecting relative levels of public acceptability are set out. Why Britain has lagged behind countries such as Sweden and France in establishing Low Level Waste (LLW) and Intermediate Level Waste (ILW) sites, the strength of the 'not in my backyard' syndrome in Britain, and comparisons of Britain's decision-making process with the innovative and open pattern followed in the US and Canada are examined. An important insight into the problems facing Nirex, Britain's radioactive waste disposal company, which is seeking to establish an underground waste site at Sellafield in Cumbria is given. (author)

Executive Function Features in Drug-naive Children with Oppositional Defiant Disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Manfei; Jiang, Wenqing; DU, Yasong; Li, Yan; Fan, Juan

2017-08-25

Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) that is characterized by markedly defiant, disobedient, and disruptive behavior in younger children has been regarded as disruptive behavior disorder (DBD), together with conduct disorder (CD). However, in contrast to CD, ODD does not include severe aggressive or antisocial behavior. This study aimed to examine executive function (EF) features of children with oppositional defiant disorder (ODD). Cross sectional design was used in this study. The EF of children with ODD and pure attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) were compared with children without a psychiatric disorder, using the Stroop Color-Word Tests A and B, Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (Fourth Edition; WISC-IV), Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), and Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) corrected for age. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify risk factors for EF deficits characteristic of ODD and ADHD. The ODD group exhibited significantly lower scores in both Stroop Color-Word Tests, the backwards digital span of the WISC-IV, and the categories completed and perseverative responses of the WCST, and significantly higher scores in spatial working memory (SWM) between errors, and the strategy in SWM of the CANTAB compared with the control group. When the ODD group was designated as 1 and the ADHD group was designated as 0, digital span (X1) fit the regression equation very well. Children with ODD perform substantially worse in EF tasks. Responsive inhibition appears to be uniquely associated with ODD development, while responsive inhibition and working memory appear to be associated with ADHD.

Public Outreach Guerilla Style: Just Add Science to Existing Events

Science.gov (United States)

Gelderman, Richard

2016-01-01

We report on a campaign to use the visual appeal of astronomy as a gateway drug to inject public outreach into settings where people aren't expecting an encounter with science. Our inspiration came from the team at guerillascience.org, who have earned a reputation for creating, at sites around the world, "experiences and events that are unexpected, thought-provoking, but, above all, that delight and entertain." Our goal is to insert astronomy into existing festivals of music, culture, and art; county and state fairs; sporting events; and local farmer's markets. With volunteers and near-zero budgets, we have been able to meaningfully engage with audience members who would never willingly attend an event advertised as science related. By purposefully relating astronomy to the non-science aspects of the event that caused the audience members to attend, new learning experiences are created that alter the often negative pre-conceived notions about science that many of them held before our encounter.

In defense of tradition: Religiosity, conservatism, and opposition to same-sex marriage in North America

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Toorn, J.; Jost, J. T.; Packer, D. J.; Noorbaloochi, S.; van Bavel, J. J.

2017-01-01

Arguments opposing same-sex marriage are often made on religious grounds. In five studies conducted in the United States and Canada (combined N = 1,673), we observed that religious opposition to same-sex marriage was explained, at least in part, by conservative ideology and linked to sexual

How Oppositionality, Inattention, and Hyperactivity Affect Response to Atomoxetine versus Methylphenidate: A Pooled Meta-Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

van Wyk, Gregory W.; Hazell, Philip L.; Kohn, Michael R.; Granger, Renee E.; Walton, Richard J.

2012-01-01

Objective: To assess how threshold oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), inattention, and hyperactivity-impulsivity affect the response to atomoxetine versus methylphenidate. Method: Systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs; greater than or equal to 6 weeks follow-up). The primary measure was core symptom response--greater than or…

Familial Risk Factors to Oppositional Defiant Disorder and Conduct Disorder: Parental Psychopathology and Maternal Parenting.

Science.gov (United States)

Frick, Paul J.; And Others

1992-01-01

In sample of 177 clinic-referred children aged 7-13, association was found between diagnosis of conduct disorder and several aspects of family functioning: maternal parenting (supervision and persistence in discipline) and parent adjustment (paternal antisocial personality disorder and paternal substance abuse). Children with oppositional defiant…

Anodal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Provokes Neuroplasticity in Repetitive Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in Rats

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ho Jeong Kim

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Repetitive mild traumatic brain injury (rmTBI provokes behavioral and cognitive changes. But the study about electrophysiologic findings and managements of rmTBI is limited. In this study, we investigate the effects of anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS on rmTBI. Thirty-one Sprague Dawley rats were divided into the following groups: sham, rmTBI, and rmTBI treated by tDCS. Animals received closed head mTBI three consecutive times a day. Anodal tDCS was applied to the left motor cortex. We evaluated the motor-evoked potential (MEP and the somatosensory-evoked potential (SEP. T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging was performed 12 days after rmTBI. After rmTBI, the latency of MEP was prolonged and the amplitude in the right hind limb was reduced in the rmTBI group. The latency of SEP was delayed and the amplitude was decreased after rmTBI in the rmTBI group. In the tDCS group, the amplitude in both hind limbs was increased after tDCS in comparison with the values before rmTBI. Anodal tDCS after rmTBI seems to be a useful tool for promoting transient motor recovery through increasing the synchronicity of cortical firing, and it induces early recovery of consciousness. It can contribute to management of concussion in humans if further study is performed.

Direct measurement of sub-Debye-length attraction between oppositely charged surfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Kampf, Nir; Ben-Yaakov, Dan; Andelman, David; Safran, S A; Klein, Jacob

2009-09-11

Using a surface force balance with fast video analysis, we have measured directly the attractive forces between oppositely charged solid surfaces (charge densities sigma(+), sigma(-)) across water over the entire range of interaction, in particular, at surface separations D below the Debye screening length lambda(S). At very low salt concentration we find a long-ranged attraction between the surfaces (onset ca. 100 nm), whose variation at D

"The Opposite Ends of Supersymmetry and their Implications for the LHC" (3/3)

CERN Multimedia

CERN. Geneva

2009-01-01

There have been many predictions for the mass patterns of superpartners. In these lectures I discuss two interesting opposite-end approaches to supersymmetry breaking that determine the superpartner masses: zero scalar mass supersymmetry (no scale, gaugino mediation, etc.) and heavy scalar mass supersymmetry (split susy, PeV-scale susy, etc.). We will step through the theory motivations for each scenario, and detail the rich phenomena that each implies for LHC discovery.

"The Opposite Ends of Supersymmetry and their Implications for the LHC" (2/3)

CERN Multimedia

CERN. Geneva

2009-01-01

There have been many predictions for the mass patterns of superpartners. In these lectures I discuss two interesting opposite-end approaches to supersymmetry breaking that determine the superpartner masses: zero scalar mass supersymmetry (no scale, gaugino mediation, etc.) and heavy scalar mass supersymmetry (split susy, PeV-scale susy, etc.). We will step through the theory motivations for each scenario, and detail the rich phenomena that each implies for LHC discovery.

"The Opposite Ends of Supersymmetry and their Implications for the LHC" (1/3)

CERN Multimedia

CERN. Geneva

2009-01-01

There have been many predictions for the mass patterns of superpartners. In these lectures I discuss two interesting opposite-end approaches to supersymmetry breaking that determine the superpartner masses: zero scalar mass supersymmetry (no scale, gaugino mediation, etc.) and heavy scalar mass supersymmetry (split susy, PeV-scale susy, etc.). We will step through the theory motivations for each scenario, and detail the rich phenomena that each implies for LHC discovery.

Oppositional defiant disorder: current insight

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ghosh A

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Abhishek Ghosh,1 Anirban Ray,2 Aniruddha Basu1 1Drug De-addiction and Treatment Centre, Department of Psychiatry, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER, Chandigarh, 2Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research, Kolkata, India Abstract: Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD is diagnosed broadly on the basis of frequent and persistent angry or irritable mood, argumentativeness/defiance, and vindictiveness. Since its inception in the third Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, epidemiological and longitudinal studies have strongly suggested a distinct existence of ODD that is different from other closely related externalizing disorders, with different course and outcome and possibly discrete subtypes. However, several issues, such as symptom threshold, dimensional versus categorical conceptualization, and sex-specific symptoms, are yet to be addressed. Although ODD was found to be highly heritable, no genetic polymorphism has been identified with confidence. There has been a definite genetic overlap with other externalizing disorders. Studies have begun to explore its epigenetics and gene–environment interaction. Neuroimaging findings converge to implicate various parts of the prefrontal cortex, amygdala, and insula. Alteration in cortisol levels has also been demonstrated consistently. Although a range of environmental factors, both familial and extrafamilial, have been studied in the past, current research has combined these with other biological parameters. Psychosocial treatment continues to be time-tested and effective. These include parental management training, school-based training, functional family therapy/brief strategic family therapy, and cognitive behavior therapy. Management of severe aggression and treatment of co-morbid disorders are indications for pharmacotherapy. In line with previous conceptualization of chronic

Einstein's opponents the public controversy about the theory of relativity in the 1920s

CERN Document Server

Wazeck, Milena

2014-01-01

This detailed account of the controversy surrounding the publication of Albert Einstein's theory of relativity explores the ferocious popular and academic opposition which at one time encircled one of the most important scientific breakthroughs of the twentieth century. Based on extensive archival research, this fascinating discourse includes a compelling and entertaining examination of the contemporary literature created by Einstein's detractors. Exploring the arguments and strategies, social contexts, and motivations of Einstein's detractors, and providing unique insights into the dynamics of scientific controversies, this book is ideal for anyone interested in the history and philosophy of physics, popular science, and the public understanding of science.

Public reactions to windfarms: the dynamics of opinion formation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elliott, D.A.

1994-03-01

With more than 20 windfarms now in operation in the UK, public responses to the reality rather than to the idea are emerging. The evidence is mixed: most opinion polls show overall strong support, but there are, equally, signs of strong local opposition in some areas and a general polarisation of views. This paper attempts to explore the way in which local and national attitudes and views have developed, looking in particular at the role of the Government, academia, and the media. It argues for more constructive debate aimed at developing a consensus on the UK's 'carrying capacity' for windfarms. (Author)

Public reactions to windfarms: the dynamics of opinion formation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elliott, D.A.

1994-01-01

With more than 20 windfarms now in operation in the UK, public responses to the reality rather than to the idea are emerging. The evidence is mixed: most opinion polls show strong overall support, but there are, equally, signs of strong local opposition in some areas and a general polarisation of views. This paper attempts to explore the way in which local and national attitudes and views have developed, looking in particular at the role of the Government, academic, and the media. It argues for a more constructive debate aimed at developing a consensus on the UK's 'carrying capacity' for windfarms. (author)

Nuclear wastes and public trust

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Flynn, J.; Slovic, P.

1993-01-01

Citing public fear and mistrust, strong opposition to the proposed Yucca Mountain repository site, and less-than-exemplary performance by the Department of Energy (DOE), two private researchers believe present high-level radioactive waste-disposal plans may have to be scrapped. Government and the nuclear industry may have to start over. Policy makers should seek to develop new relationships with communities and states where suitable disposal sites exist. These relationships may require that citizen groups and local institutions be given unprecedented authority in locating and operating such facilities. Contrary to popular impressions, there is still time to take a new approach. The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission says present on-site storage arrangements offer a safe alternative for 100 years or more. The sense of immediate crisis and cries for immediate solutions should be calmed and a more considered strategy brought to the public debate. For starters, the researchers propose that the problems of defense waste be separated from the problems of commercial waste. They also suggest that DOE be assigned responsibility for defense waste and a new agency be created to handle high-level commercial waste

To drill or not to drill? An econometric analysis of US public opinion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mukherjee, Deep; Rahman, Mohammad Arshad

2016-01-01

Offshore drilling in the United States (US) has been the subject of public and political discourse due to multiple reasons which include economic impact, energy security, and environmental hazard. Consequently, several polls have been conducted over time to gauge public attitude towards offshore drilling. Nevertheless, the economic literature on this issue is sparse. This paper contributes to the literature and analyzes support for offshore drilling based on demographic, economic, social, belief, and shock (e.g. spill) factors. The data is taken from ten nationwide surveys conducted before, during and after the British Petroleum (BP) oil spill and analyzed within the framework of discrete choice model. The results from an ordinal probit model demonstrate that age, annual household income, affiliation to Republican Party, and residence in oil-rich states positively affect the probability of strong support and reduce the probability of strong opposition for offshore drilling. In contrast, the female gender, higher education, association to Democratic Party, and environmental concern affect opinion in opposite direction. Marginal effects show that belief about environmental consequences of drilling has the highest impact on opinion. Binary probit model also yields a similar result and suggests that BP oil disaster resulted in a transient decrease in support for offshore drilling. - Highlights: •US public opinion on offshore drilling is analyzed based on ten national polls. •Ordinal and binary probit models are utilized to identify the underlying factors that shape public opinion. •Belief about environmental cost of drilling and educational attainment have the highest negative impact on opinion. •Age, income, affiliation to Republican party and oil-rich states positively affect support for drilling. •BP oil spill resulted in a transient decrease in support for offshore drilling.

Anorexia and bulimia nervosa in same-sex and opposite-sex twins: lack of association with twin type in a nationwide study of Finnish twins.

Science.gov (United States)

Raevuori, Anu; Kaprio, Jaakko; Hoek, Hans W; Sihvola, Elina; Rissanen, Aila; Keski-Rahkonen, Anna

2008-12-01

The authors tested the hypothesis that either prenatal feminization or masculinization hormone influences in utero or later socialization affects the risk for anorexia and bulimia nervosa and disordered eating in members of opposite-sex twin pairs. Finnish twins (N=2,426 women, N=1,962 men with known zygosity) from birth cohorts born 1974-1979 were assessed at age 22 to 28 years with a questionnaire for eating disorder symptoms. Based on the questionnaire screen, women (N=292), men (N=53), and their cotwins were interviewed to assess diagnoses of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa (per DSM-IV and broad criteria). In women from opposite-sex twin pairs, the prevalence of DSM-IV or broad anorexia nervosa was not significantly different than that of women from monozygotic pairs or same-sex dizygotic pairs. Of the five male anorexia nervosa probands, only one was from an opposite-sex twin pair. Bulimia nervosa in men was too rare to be assessed by zygosity; the prevalence of DSM-IV or broad bulimia nervosa did not differ in women from opposite- versus same-sex twin pairs. In both sexes, the overall profile of indicators on eating disorders was rather similar between individuals from opposite- and same-sex pairs. The authors found little evidence that the risk for anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, or disordered eating was associated with zygosity or sex composition of twin pairs, thus making it unlikely that in utero femininization or masculinization or socialization effects of growing up with an opposite-sex twin have a major influence on the later development of eating disorders.

Dimensions of Oppositional Defiant Disorder as Predictors of Depression and Conduct Disorder in Preadolescent Girls

Science.gov (United States)

Burke, Jeffrey D.; Hipwell, Alison E.; Loeber, Rolf

2010-01-01

Objective: To examine whether oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) rather than conduct disorder (CD) may explain the comorbidity between behavioral disorders and depression; to test whether distinct affective and behavioral dimensions can be discerned within the symptoms of ODD; and to determine whether an affective dimension of ODD symptoms is…

A Comprehensive Investigation of Memory Impairment in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Oppositional Defiant Disorder

Science.gov (United States)

Rhodes, Sinead M.; Park, Joanne; Seth, Sarah; Coghill, David R.

2012-01-01

Background: We conducted a comprehensive and systematic assessment of memory functioning in drug-naive boys with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD). Methods: Boys performed verbal and spatial working memory (WM) component (storage and central executive) and verbal and spatial storage load tasks,…

Public and media attitudes to nuclear power in Italy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Belelli, U.

1988-01-01

A study carried out by the Italian Electricity Board on the public acceptability of nuclear power, is reported. The question was examined in two ways. A sociological analysis was carried out with the aim of understanding the behaviour of public opinion. The results revealed that individual attitudes towards nuclear power are based on cost-benefit evaluations assessed in terms of social parameters by an instinctive rather than a rational process. Secondly press articles before and after the Chernobyl accident were analysed in terms of both the message being communicated and the quality of the technical content. Characteristics of the press coverage were more stress on nuclear safety after Chernobyl leading to greater opposition to nuclear power in general, a tendency for comment to dominate over factual information and no proper evaluation of the technical content. The major overall conclusions drawn are the need for international cooperation to address the social implications of the nuclear question, and for effective communication of information on power plant safety both to expert social and political bodies and, in a popular version, to the general public. (U.K.)

Synthesis and binding properties of new selective ligands for the nucleobase opposite the AP site.

Science.gov (United States)

Abe, Yukiko; Nakagawa, Osamu; Yamaguchi, Rie; Sasaki, Shigeki

2012-06-01

DNA is continuously damaged by endogenous and exogenous factors such as oxidative stress or DNA alkylating agents. These damaged nucleobases are removed by DNA N-glycosylase and form apurinic/apyrimidinic sites (AP sites) as intermediates in the base excision repair (BER) pathway. AP sites are also representative DNA damages formed by spontaneous hydrolysis. The AP sites block DNA polymerase and a mismatch nucleobase is inserted opposite the AP sites by polymerization to cause acute toxicities and mutations. Thus, AP site specific compounds have attracted much attention for therapeutic and diagnostic purposes. In this study, we have developed nucleobase-polyamine conjugates as the AP site binding ligand by expecting that the nucleobase part would play a role in the specific recognition of the nucleobase opposite the AP site by the Watson-Crick base pair formation and that the polyamine part should contribute to the access of the ligand to the AP site by a non-specific interaction to the DNA phosphate backbone. The nucleobase conjugated with 3,3'-diaminodipropylamine (A-ligand, G-ligand, C-ligand, T-ligand and U-ligand) showed a specific stabilization of the duplex containing the AP site depending on the complementary combination with the nucleobase opposite the AP site; that is A-ligand to T, G-ligand to C, C-ligand to G, T- and U-ligand to A. The thermodynamic binding parameters clearly indicated that the specific stabilization is due to specific binding of the ligands to the complementary AP site. These results have suggested that the complementary base pairs of the Watson-Crick type are formed at the AP site. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Possible connections of the opposite trends in Arctic and Antarctic sea-ice cover.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Lejiang; Zhong, Shiyuan; Winkler, Julie A; Zhou, Mingyu; Lenschow, Donald H; Li, Bingrui; Wang, Xianqiao; Yang, Qinghua

2017-04-05

Sea ice is an important component of the global climate system and a key indicator of climate change. A decreasing trend in Arctic sea-ice concentration is evident in recent years, whereas Antarctic sea-ice concentration exhibits a generally increasing trend. Various studies have investigated the underlying causes of the observed trends for each region, but possible linkages between the regional trends have not been studied. Here, we hypothesize that the opposite trends in Arctic and Antarctic sea-ice concentration may be linked, at least partially, through interdecadal variability of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) and the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO). Although evaluation of this hypothesis is constrained by the limitations of the sea-ice cover record, preliminary statistical analyses of one short-term and two long-term time series of observed and reanalysis sea-ice concentrations data suggest the possibility of the hypothesized linkages. For all three data sets, the leading mode of variability of global sea-ice concentration is positively correlated with the AMO and negatively correlated with the PDO. Two wave trains related to the PDO and the AMO appear to produce anomalous surface-air temperature and low-level wind fields in the two polar regions that contribute to the opposite changes in sea-ice concentration.

Sexual Assertiveness Mediates the Associations Between Partner Facilitative Responses and Sexual Outcomes in Women With Provoked Vestibulodynia.

Science.gov (United States)

McNicoll, Gabrielle; Corsini-Munt, Serena; O Rosen, Natalie; McDuff, Pierre; Bergeron, Sophie

2017-10-03

Provoked vestibulodynia (PVD) is a recurrent idiopathic vulvo-vaginal pain associated with negative sexual and psychological consequences. Facilitative partner responses to pain are currently receiving empirical attention because they are positively associated with women's sexual outcomes. However, the mechanisms through which facilitative responses to pain are associated with these outcomes have not been examined. One potential mechanism is sexual assertiveness, which has been found to be associated with better sexual function and satisfaction in women with PVD. The present study examined whether women's sexual assertiveness mediated the association between women's perception of facilitative partner responses and women's sexual function and satisfaction. Women (N = 140) with PVD symptomatology completed self-reported questionnaires evaluating their perception of their partners' facilitative responses, and their own sexual assertiveness, sexual function, and sexual satisfaction. Dependent measures were sexual function measured by the Female Sexual Function Index and sexual satisfaction assessed by the Global Measure of Sexual Satisfaction Scale. Results indicated that women's higher sexual assertiveness mediated the association between their greater perceived facilitative partner responses and their improved sexual function and satisfaction. Findings suggest a potential mechanism through which partner responses may be associated with women's sexual outcomes.

The influence of comorbid oppositional defiant disorder on white matter microstructure in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Ewijk, Hanneke; Noordermeer, Siri D. S.; Heslenfeld, Dirk J.; Luman, Marjolein; Hartman, Catharina A.; Hoekstra, Pieter J.; Faraone, Stephen V.; Franke, Barbara; Buitelaar, Jan K.; Oosterlaan, J.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) are highly comorbid disorders. ADHD has been associated with altered white matter (WM) microstructure, though the literature is inconsistent, which may be due to differences in the in- or exclusion of

Collective bargaining: An analysis of hurdles and applicability in the public sector

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel Chigudu

2015-04-01

Full Text Available This article discusses the arguments against adopting collective bargaining in the public sector and its benefits. Collective bargaining in the public sector is viewed primarily as undermining democratic governance in one way and paradoxically it is seen as an essential part of democratic governance. In the former view, collective bargaining in the public sector is seen as an interference with administrative law for personal benefit to the detriment of the taxpayer. Proponents of this view argue that unionising public sector employees encourages disloyalty to the government at the expense of public welfare. In the later view, public sector collective bargaining is viewed as a fundamental human right in a pluralistic society. Advocates of this view posit that, public sector unions provide a collective voice that stimulates improvement of government services as well as sound administration of law. They also argue that, public sector collective bargaining represents public policy interests and serves as a watchdog to government’s monopoly power in employment matters. Public sector unions raise employee salaries and perks to levels higher than they would have been in the absence of collective bargaining. These two opposite views are subjected to a critical analysis in this paper, with empirical evidence for both the benefits of public sector collective bargaining and arguments against public sector unions. The article found that public sector collective bargaining depends on the socio-economic background of states although international laws favour public sector unionism.

The independent effects of match location, match result and the quality of opposition on subjective wellbeing in under 23 soccer players: a case study.

Science.gov (United States)

Abbott, Will; Brownlee, Thomas E; Harper, Liam D; Naughton, Robert J; Clifford, Tom

2018-03-04

This study examined if subjective wellbeing in soccer players was affected by match location, match result and opposition quality before a match (PRE), 1 day after (POST-1), and 3 days after a match (POST-3). Eleven professional male soccer players from the under 23 squad playing in the Premier League 2 division completed a wellbeing questionnaire before and after 17 matches. Match training load (session-rating perceived exertion) was not different, regardless of the location, result, or quality of opposition faced (P > 0.05). Subjective wellbeing was not different at PRE (P > 0.05); however, at POST-1 and POST-3, stress and mood were ≥20% lower after playing away from home or losing (P sleep were ≥12% worse after playing against a higher-level opposition at POST-1. Coaches need to be aware that match location, match result and the quality of the opposition can influence post-match wellbeing, irrespective of match load.

HIV criminal prosecutions and public health: an examination of the empirical research.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Byrne, Patrick; Bryan, Alyssa; Roy, Marie

2013-12-01

To review the extant literature on HIV criminal laws, and to determine the impact of these laws on public health practice. The available research on this topic was obtained and reviewed. The extant literature addressed three main topics: people's awareness of HIV criminal laws; people's perceptions of HIV criminal laws; and the potential effects of HIV criminal laws on people's sexual, HIV-status disclosure and healthcare-seeking practices. Within these categories, the literature demonstrated a high level of awareness of HIV criminal laws, but a poor comprehension of these laws. For perceptions, on the whole, the quantitative research identified support for, while the qualitative literature indicated opposition to, these laws. Lastly, the behavioural effects of HIV criminal laws appear to be complex and non-linear. A review of the extant literature from a public health perspective leads to the conclusion that HIV criminal laws undermine public health.

Childhood trajectories of inattention, hyperactivity and oppositional behaviors and prediction of substance abuse/dependence: a 15-year longitudinal population-based study.

Science.gov (United States)

Pingault, J-B; Côté, S M; Galéra, C; Genolini, C; Falissard, B; Vitaro, F; Tremblay, R E

2013-07-01

Numerous prospective studies have shown that children diagnosed with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are at higher risk of long-term substance abuse/dependence. However, there are three important limits to these studies: (a) most did not differentiate the role of hyperactivity and inattention; (b) most did not control for associated behavioral problems; and (c) most did not consider females. Our aim was to clarify the unique and interactive contributions of childhood inattention and hyperactivity symptoms to early adulthood substance abuse/dependence. Behavioral problems of 1803 participants (814 males) in a population-based longitudinal study were assessed yearly between 6 and 12 years by mothers and teachers. The prevalence of substance abuse/dependence at age 21 years was 30.7% for nicotine, 13.4% for alcohol, 9.1% for cannabis and 2.0% for cocaine. The significant predictors of nicotine dependence were inattention (odds ratio (OR): 2.25; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.63-3.11) and opposition (OR: 1.65; 95%: 1.20-2.28). Only opposition contributed to the prediction of cannabis dependence (OR: 2.33; 95% CI: 1.40-3.87) and cocaine dependence (OR: 2.97; 95% CI: 1.06-8.57). The best behavioral predictor of alcohol abuse/dependence (opposition) was only marginally significant (OR: 1.38; 95% CI: 0.98-1.95). Frequent oppositional behaviors during elementary school were clearly the most pervasive predictors of substance abuse/dependence in early adulthood. The association of childhood ADHD with substance abuse/dependence is largely attributable to its association with opposition problems during childhood. However, inattention remained an important predictor of nicotine dependence, in line with genetic and molecular commonalities between the two phenotypes suggested in the literature.

Binary Opposition Sociolinguistic Picture of the World (on the Material of Modern English Language

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Natalia B. Boyeva-Omelechko

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The article is topical due to the interest of scientists to the problems of interaction of society and language and the role of language in constructing and reconstructing political reality. The authors of the article introduce the notion of the sociolinguistic picture of the world. This picture reflects different aspects of the phenomenon «society» with the help of words which may be called «sociolinguisms». The words in question cover such spheres of society as economical, social, political and spiritual ones. The authors put forward the idea that binary oppositions are typical of the sociolinguistic picture of the world because social phenomena usually contain interdependent and at the same time mutually excluding each other sides which are revealed by the conscience and reflecteded in the language. Unfortunately only some of these oppositions are represented in the dictionaries of synonyms and antonyms. The authors stress that their range is much wider and can be described on the basis of different types of general and explanatory dictionaries with the help of linguistic methods of investigation. Special attention is paid to national peculiarities and axiological properties of antonyms-sociolinguisms.

Not in My Backyard: CCS Sites and Public Perception of CCS.

Science.gov (United States)

Braun, Carola

2017-12-01

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a technology that counteracts climate change by capturing atmospheric emissions of CO 2 from human activities, storing them in geological formations underground. However, CCS also involves major risks and side effects, and faces strong public opposition. The whereabouts of 408 potential CCS sites in Germany were released in 2011. Using detailed survey data on the public perception of CCS, this study quantifies how living close to a potential storage site affects the acceptance of CCS. It also analyzes the influence of other regional characteristics on the acceptance of CCS. The study finds that respondents who live close to a potential CCS site have significantly lower acceptance rates than those who do not. Living in a coal-mining region also markedly decreases acceptance. © 2017 Society for Risk Analysis.

The Treatment of Maladaptive Shame in Borderline Personality Disorder: A Pilot Study of "Opposite Action"

Science.gov (United States)

Rizvi, Shireen L.; Linehan, Marsha M.

2005-01-01

This study sought to pilot test a short-term intervention for maladaptive shame in borderline personality disorder (BPD) based on the skill of "opposite action" from dialectical behavior therapy. Five women with BPD were treated with the intervention using a single-subject, multiple-baseline design. Results indicate that, although state ratings of…

33 CFR 110.84 - Black Rock Channel opposite foot of Porter Avenue, Buffalo, N.Y.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... of Porter Avenue, Buffalo, N.Y. 110.84 Section 110.84 Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST GUARD... Channel opposite foot of Porter Avenue, Buffalo, N.Y. An area extending northwesterly between Black Rock... Triangulation Marker “N-5” on Bird Island Pier; thence southeasterly along the pier a distance of approximately...

Dimensions of Oppositional Defiant Disorder as Predictors of Depression and Conduct Disorder in Preadolescent Girls

OpenAIRE

Burke, Jeffrey D.; Hipwell, Alison E.; Loeber, Rolf

2010-01-01

Objectives: To examine whether Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) rather than CD may explain the comorbidity between behavioral disorders and depression; to test whether distinct affective and behavioral dimensions can be discerned within the symptoms of ODD; and to determine if an affective dimension of ODD symptoms is specifically predictive of later depression.

Good intentions and received wisdom are not good enough: the need for controlled trials in public health.

Science.gov (United States)

Macintyre, Sally

2011-07-01

In the 1970s Archie Cochrane noted that many healthcare procedures and forms of organisation lacked evidence of effectiveness and efficiency, and argued for improved methods of evaluation, moving from clinical opinion and observation to randomised controlled trials (RCTs). His arguments gradually became accepted in medicine, but there has been considerable resistance among policymakers and researchers to their application to social and public health interventions. This essay argues that opposition to RCTs in public health is often based on a false distinction between healthcare and community settings, and sometimes on a misunderstanding of the principles of RCTs in health care. It suggests that just as in medicine, good intentions and received wisdom are not a sufficient basis for making public policy and allocating public funds for social or health improvement.

Phase behaviour and structure of stable complexes of oppositely charged polyelectrolytes

Science.gov (United States)

Mengarelli, V.; Auvray, L.; Zeghal, M.

2009-03-01

We study the formation and structure of stable electrostatic complexes between oppositely charged polyelectrolytes, a long polymethacrylic acid and a shorter polyethylenimine, at low pH, where the polyacid is weakly charged. We explore the phase diagram as a function of the charge and concentration ratio of the constituents. In agreement with theory, turbidity and ζ potential measurements show two distinct regimes of weak and strong complexation, which appear successively as the pH is increased and are separated by a well-defined limit. Weak complexes observed by neutron scattering and contrast matching have an open, non-compact structure, while strong complexes are condensed.

Telomere length is associated with oppositional defiant behavior and maternal clinical depression in Latino preschool children.

Science.gov (United States)

Wojcicki, J M; Heyman, M B; Elwan, D; Shiboski, S; Lin, J; Blackburn, E; Epel, E

2015-06-16

Exposure to psychological stress and depression are associated with shorter white blood cell telomere length (TL) in adults, possibly via associated lifelong oxidative stressors. Exposure to maternal depression increases risk for future depression and behavior problems in children, and Latino youth are at high risk. Few studies have evaluated the role of exposure to maternal depression or child behavior in relation to TL in children. We assessed early-childhood exposures to maternal depression from birth to the age of 5 years and child behavior from ages 3-5 years in a cohort of Latino children in relation to child leukocyte TL at ages 4 and 5 years. Children who had oppositional defiant behavior at 3, 4 or 5 years had shorter TL than those without by ~450 base pairs (P maternal clinical depression at 3 years of age (β = -363.99, 95% CI -651.24 to 764.74; P = 0.01), shorter maternal TL (β = 502.92, 95% CI 189.21-816.63) and younger paternal age at the child's birth (β = 24.63, 95% CI 1.14-48.12). Thus, exposure to maternal clinical depression (versus depressive symptoms) in early childhood was associated with deleterious consequences on child cellular health as indicated by shorter TL at 4 and 5 years of age. Similarly, children with oppositional defiant behavior also had shorter TL, possibly related to early exposures to maternal clinical depression. Our study is the first to link maternal clinical depression and oppositional defiant behavior with shorter TL in the preschool years in a relatively homogenous population of low-income Latino children.

Conflictele juridice de natură constituţională dintre autorităţile publice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

George Liviu GÎRLEŞTEANU

2012-06-01

Full Text Available This study outlines the legal institution of legal conflicts of a constitutional nature between public authorities drawing the normative coordinates of the institution from the general constitutional framework established by art. 146 letter e of the Romanian Constitution and in relation to the Romanian Constitutional Court case law. These regulations cover issues related to the holders of the right to appeal to the Constitutional Court, legal subjects that may be found in opposition in a legal conflict of constitutional nature (public authorities, objective facts triggering the conflict or the content of the legal conflict of constitutional nature and the resulting legal effects.

Disease-Related Microstructural Differences in the Brain in Women With Provoked Vestibulodynia.

Science.gov (United States)

Gupta, Arpana; Woodworth, Davis C; Ellingson, Benjamin M; Rapkin, Andrea J; Naliboff, Bruce; Kilpatrick, Lisa A; Stains, Jean; Masghati, Salome; Tillisch, Kirsten; Mayer, Emeran A; Labus, Jennifer S

2018-05-01

Provoked vestibulodynia (PVD) is a chronic pelvic pain disorder affecting 16% of the female population. Neuroimaging studies have highlighted central abnormalities in PVD, similar to other chronic pelvic pain disorders, including brain regions involved in sensory processing and modulation of pain. The aim of the study was to determine alterations in the subvoxel, microstructural organization within tissues in PVD compared with healthy control participants (HCs) and a disease control group (irritable bowel syndrome [IBS]). Diffusion tensor imaging magnetic resonance imaging was conducted in 87 age-matched premenopausal women (29 PVD, 29 HCs, 29 IBS). Statistical parameter mapping of fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) maps were used to identify microstructural difference in the brain specific to PVD or shared with IBS. PVD alterations in microstructural organization of the brain were predominantly observed in fibers associated with sensorimotor integration and pain processing that relay information between the thalamus, basal ganglia, sensorimotor, and insular cortex. PVD, compared with HCs, showed extensive increases in the FA of somatosensory and basal ganglia regions. In contrast, PVD and IBS subjects did not show any FA-related group differences. PVD subjects showed greater MD in the basal ganglia compared with HCs (higher MD in the internal capsule and pallidum) and IBS (higher MD in the putamen and pallidum). Increases in MD were associated with increased vaginal muscle tenderness and vulvar pain. The current findings highlight possible shared mechanisms between 2 different pelvic pain disorders, but also highlight the widespread alterations observed specifically in PVD compared with HCs. Alterations in microstructure in PVD were observed in fibers associated with sensorimotor integration and pain processing, which were also associated with increased vaginal muscle tenderness and vulvar pain. These alterations may be contributing to increased

Mobilising public opinion for the tobacco industry: the Consumer Tax Alliance and excise taxes.

Science.gov (United States)

Campbell, R; Balbach, E D

2008-10-01

Tobacco industry funding was instrumental in creating and financing the Consumer Tax Alliance in 1989 as an organisation that relied upon extensive media outreach to build opposition to excise taxes as a regressive form of taxation. By obscuring its own role in this effort, the tobacco industry undermined the public's reasonable expectations for transparency in the policy-making process. To examine the formation and activities of the Consumer Tax Alliance as a "hybrid" form of interest group in order to provide tobacco control and public health advocates with a better understanding of unanticipated tobacco industry coalitions and facilitate appropriate countermeasures. Document searches through the Legacy Tobacco Documents Library and through Tobacco Documents Online and review of background literature. The Tobacco Institute actively sought liberal allies beginning in the mid-1980s in seeking to build public opposition to cigarette excise tax increases by promoting them as a regressive form of taxation. The creation of the Consumer Tax Alliance in 1989 was expressly intended to turn labour and middle-class opinion against prospective excise tax increases in federal budget deficit negotiations, without divulging the tobacco industry's role in its formation. It is important to understand the dynamic by which trusted organisations can be induced to alter their agendas in response to funding sources. Advocates need to understand this form of interest group behaviour so that they are better able to negotiate the policy arena by diagnosing and exposing this influence where it occurs and, by doing so, be better prepared to take appropriate countermeasures.

MAOA, early experiences of harsh parenting, irritable oppositionality and bullying-victimization : A moderated indirect-effects analysis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Whelan, Yvonne M.; Kretschmer, Tina; Barker, Edward D.

Harsh parenting and child characteristics such as opposition and aggression have been found to relate to bullying, victimization, and bullying-victimization, yet not all children display equal vulnerability to harsh parenting. The monoamine oxidase A gene (MAOA; low-activity variant) may be a key

Parental Emotion Coaching and Child Emotion Regulation as Protective Factors for Children with Oppositional Defiant Disorder

Science.gov (United States)

Dunsmore, Julie C.; Booker, Jordan A.; Ollendick, Thomas H.

2013-01-01

We assessed linkages of mothers' emotion coaching and children's emotion regulation and emotion lability/negativity with children's adjustment in 72 mother-child dyads seeking treatment for oppositional defiant disorder (ODD). Dyads completed the questionnaires and discussed emotion-related family events. Maternal emotion coaching was associated…

Emotional Regulation and Executive Function Deficits in Unmedicated Chinese Children with Oppositional Defiant Disorder

OpenAIRE

Jiang, Wenqing; Li, Yan; Du, Yasong; Fan, Juan

2016-01-01

Objective This study aims to explore the feature of emotional regulation and executive functions in oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) children. Methods The emotional regulation and executive functions of adolescents with ODD, as well as the relationship between the two factors were analyzed using tools including Adolescent Daily Emotional Regulation Questionnaire (ADERQ), Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) and Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB), in comparison with ...

Luxury as the opposite of vulgarity:a trio of perspectives on luxury brands

OpenAIRE

Reyneke, Mignon

2011-01-01

This thesis, entitled “Luxury as the opposite of vulgarity: A trio of perspectives on luxury brands” considers luxury brands in a trio of contemporary contexts. Despite the academic research surrounding luxury brands being limited, the existent research most often studies luxury brands in a traditional retail context. That is, luxury is viewed from a perspective where the products are sold in luxury retail stores. However, the landscape that these brands function within has changed significan...

International trends in electronic media communication among 11- to 15-year-olds in 30 countries from 2002 to 2010: association with ease of communication with friends of the opposite sex.

Science.gov (United States)

Boniel-Nissim, Meyran; Lenzi, Michela; Zsiros, Emese; de Matos, Margarida Gaspar; Gommans, Rob; Harel-Fisch, Yossi; Djalovski, Amir; van der Sluijs, Winfried

2015-04-01

Electronic media has become a central part of the lives of adolescents. Therefore, this study examines trends in adolescent electronic media communication (EMC) and its relationship with ease of communication with friends of the opposite sex, from 2002 to 10 in 30 European and North American regions. Data from the HBSC study were collected using self-report questionnaires from 11-, 13- and 15-year-old participants (N = 404 523). EMC use has grown over the years in most of these regions and increases with age. Even though Internet usage is often blamed for its negative effects on teenagers' social interactions in the physical world, in this study EMC was found to predict ease of communication with friends. Especially, the more they use EMC, the easier they find it to talk with friends of the opposite sex. Although these findings suggest that EMC reinforces communication, the interaction between year (2002-2006-2010) and EMC usage was not significant. This finding contradicts research that suggests that EMC contributes to loneliness and isolation, and supports other studies that present electronic media as a powerful tool for helping to connect people. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.

Opposite effect of ATP on contraction force of tonic and phasic skeletal muscles in frogs.

Science.gov (United States)

Grishin, S N; Kamaliev, R R; Teplov, A Yu; Ziganshin, A U

2011-07-01

Experiments in vitro showed that ATP and adenosine equally suppressed contractions of frog m. sartorius, which belongs to the phasic type muscles. Adenosine receptors antagonist 8-SPT abolished the effect of adenosine, but did not change the effect of ATP. This fact proves the independence of signaling pathways of these purines. ATP produced an opposite effect on the tonic muscle m. cruralis and increased the force of its contraction. Adenosine produced an inhibitory effect on the force of m. cruralis contration. In this case, 8-SPT also eliminated the effect of adenosine, but did not change the effect of ATP. The potentiating effect of ATP was blocked by suramin, a nonselective antagonist of P2 receptors, which attests to their involvement into the effects of this purine. The opposite effects of purinergic regulation reflect fundamental differences in functional organization of phasic and tonic muscular systems. It was hypothesized that the increase in contraction force under the effect of ATP is a mechanism providing maitenance of the contracted state of tonic muscle without appreciable metabolic costs.

Opposite photo-induced deformations in azobenzene-containing polymers with different molecular architecture: Molecular dynamics study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ilnytskyi, Jaroslav M.; Neher, Dieter; Saphiannikova, Marina

2011-01-01

Photo-induced deformations in azobenzene-containing polymers (azo-polymers) are central to a number of applications, such as optical storage and fabrication of diffractive elements. The microscopic nature of the underlying opto-mechanical coupling is yet not clear. In this study, we address the experimental finding that the scenario of the effects depends on molecular architecture of the used azo-polymer. Typically, opposite deformations in respect to the direction of light polarization are observed for liquid crystalline and amorphous azo-polymers. In this study, we undertake molecular dynamics simulations of two different models that mimic these two types of azo-polymers. We employ hybrid force field modeling and consider only trans-isomers of azobenzene, represented as Gay-Berne sites. The effect of illumination on the orientation of the chromophores is considered on the level of orientational hole burning and emphasis is given to the resulting deformation of the polymer matrix. We reproduce deformations of opposite sign for the two models being considered here and discuss the relevant microscopic mechanisms in both cases.

[Positioning diagnosis of benign positional paroxysmal vertigo by VNG].

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Na; Chen, Taisheng; Lin, Peng; Song, Wei; Dong, Hong

2009-07-01

To analyze the value of positioning diagnosis of VNG (Videonystagmograph) in patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). One hundred and twenty-six patients with BPPV were enrolled in this retrospective study. Their positional nystagmus recorded by VNG in Dix-Hallpike and roll tests were analyzed to summarize the characteristics of nystagmus on nystagmography of various BPPV. Of 126 patients with BPPV diagnosed in our center, the posterior semicircular canals (PSC) were involved in 98 patients (77.8%), whereas the horizontal semicircular canal (HSC) and anterior semicircular canal (ASC) were involved in 17 (13.5%) and 5 (3.9%), respectively. Six patients (4.8%) confirmed combined-BPPV had HSC-BPPV and ipsilateral PSC-BPPV. Twenty-eight patients with PSC-BPPV had reversal phase on nystagmography. The nystagmus of patients with P/ASC-canalithiasis showed upward/downward on the vertical phase of nystagmography and orientated the opposite side on horizontal phase in the head hanging position, and the nystagmus reversed when returned to sit. Nystagmus on horizontal phase could be provoked when the head turned to both sides of the roll tests in patients with HSC-BPPV. If the nystagmus and the head-turning shared the same direction, then HSC-canalithiasis was confirmed, and the direction of the head-turning which provoked the stronger nystagmus indicates the lesion side. If the nystagmus and the head-turning had the opposite direction, then HSC-cupulolithiasis was confirmed, and the direction of the head-turning which provoked the weaker nystagmus indicates the lesion side. Positional nystagmus can be recorded objectively using VNG, According to which positioning the semicircular canal involved would be easier and more accurate. The recording conserved also could be helpful for clinical diagnosis and repositioning of BPPV.

Nuclear energy and the public: risk perception, attitudes and behaviour

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Renn, O.

1982-01-01

A research group at the Nuclear Research Centre, Julich, has attempted to trace public attitudes to nuclear power and their roots. The structure of attitudes, types of reasoning and the processes involved in deciding about nuclear power were measured. Intuitive perceptions of technology and risk were studied. Attitudes to nuclear energy are found to be the result of intuitive processes and opposition is 'natural' on the basis of intuitive reasoning. Many people who believe nuclear power to be hazardous nevertheless will accept it as inevitable for the economic advantages it will bring in the future. (U.K.)

Differentiating social and personal power : opposite effects on stereotyping, but parallel effects on behavioral approach tendencies

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lammers, J.; Stoker, J.I.; Stapel, D.A.

2009-01-01

How does power affect behavior? We posit that this depends on the type of power. We distinguish between social power (power over other people) and personal power (freedom from other people) and argue that these two types of power have opposite associations with independence and interdependence. We

Adsorption of molecular brushes with polyelectrolyte backbones onto oppositely charged surfaces: A self-consistent field theory

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Feuz, L.; Leermakers, F.A.M.; Textor, M.; Borisov, O.V.

2008-01-01

The two-gradient version of the Scheutjens¿Fleer self-consistent field (SF-SCF) theory is employed to model the interaction between a molecular bottle brush with a polyelectrolyte backbone and neutral hydrophilic side chains and an oppositely charged surface. Our system mimics graft-copolymers with

Oppositional identities: dissimilarities in how women and men experience parent versus professional roles.

Science.gov (United States)

Hodges, Allegra J; Park, Bernadette

2013-08-01

As stereotypes of social groups undergo change, group members gain access to previously denied social and cultural roles. Although such access is desirable, to the extent that the behavior, traits, and attitudes required to succeed in a new role are in opposition to those required to do well in a still-valued old role, conflict in the self-concept may ensue. Specifically, the individual must necessarily fall short in social comparisons of the self to the ideal group member in 1 or both roles, threatening self-integrity. Examining the specific case of oppositional identities between career and mom roles, we argue that women respond to this conflict by shifting back and forth between activation of whichever identity is relevant in a given situational context in a way that men do not. This shifting of self-associations is hypothesized to deplete scarce cognitive resources, interfering with performance on a task that requires executive function capacity. In addition, to the extent the identities are viewed as trading off against one another, failure in 1 domain may be responded to by activating the alternate identity in an effort to restore self-integrity, again in a way that is not true for men. These hypotheses are explored across 4 studies, utilizing both college students in the midst of formulating--and working parents in the midst of negotiating--these identities.

Oppositional Identities: Dissimilarities in How Women and Men Experience Parent versus Professional Roles

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Bernadette

2013-01-01

As stereotypes of social groups undergo change, group members gain access to previously denied social and cultural roles. Although such access is desirable, to the extent that the behavior, traits, and attitudes required to succeed in a new role are in opposition to those required to do well in a still-valued old role, conflict in the self-concept may ensue. Specifically, the individual must necessarily fall short in social comparisons of the self to the ideal group member in one or both roles, threatening self-integrity. Examining the specific case of oppositional identities between career and mom roles, we argue that women respond to this conflict by shifting back and forth between activation of whichever identity is relevant in a given situational context in a way that men do not. This shifting of self-associations is hypothesized to deplete scarce cognitive resources, interfering with performance on a task that requires executive function capacity. In addition, to the extent the identities are viewed as trading off against one another, failure in one domain may be responded to by activating the alternate identity in an effort to restore self-integrity, again in a way that is not true for men. These hypotheses are explored across four studies, utilizing both college students in the midst of formulating – and working parents in the midst of negotiating – these PMID:23713699

Public opinion about nuclear energy. Year 2005 poll

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Istenic, R.; Jencic, I.

2005-01-01

Public information is one of the important permanent activities of the Nuclear Training Centre Milan Copic at Jozef Stefan Institute in Ljubljana. It is focused on youngsters and about one half of every generation of schoolchildren in Slovenia is informed on nuclear energy. Every year since 1993 we poll youngsters using the same basic set of questions. For comparison we also polled professionals (our colleagues at the Jozef Stefan Institute) using the same questionnaire. Opinion of youngsters about nuclear energy in Slovenia can be considered favourable now (71 %), but the trend is negative. The support is dropping from initial 83% for two consecutive years. Opposition to NPP Krsko operation remains low. (author)

Fructose during pregnancy provokes fetal oxidative stress: The key role of the placental heme oxygenase-1.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodrigo, Silvia; Rodríguez, Lourdes; Otero, Paola; Panadero, María I; García, Antonia; Barbas, Coral; Roglans, Núria; Ramos, Sonia; Goya, Luis; Laguna, Juan C; Álvarez-Millán, Juan J; Bocos, Carlos

2016-12-01

One of the features of metabolic syndrome caused by liquid fructose intake is an impairment of redox status. We have investigated whether maternal fructose ingestion modifies the redox status in pregnant rats and their fetuses. Fructose (10% wt/vol) in the drinking water of rats throughout gestation, leads to maternal hepatic oxidative stress. However, this change was also observed in glucose-fed rats and, in fact, both carbohydrates produced a decrease in antioxidant enzyme activity. Surprisingly, mothers fed carbohydrates displayed low plasma lipid oxidation. In contrast, fetuses from fructose-fed mothers showed elevated levels of plasma lipoperoxides versus fetuses from control or glucose-fed mothers. Interestingly, a clearly augmented oxidative stress was observed in placenta of fructose-fed mothers, accompanied by a lower expression of the transcription factor Nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor-2 (Nrf2) and its target gene, heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), a potent antioxidant molecule. Moreover, histone deacetylase 3 (HDAC3) that has been proposed to upregulate HO-1 expression by stabilizing Nrf2, exhibited a diminished expression in placenta of fructose-supplemented mothers. Maternal fructose intake provoked an imbalanced redox status in placenta and a clear diminution of HO-1 expression, which could be responsible for the augmented oxidative stress found in their fetuses. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Upregulations of Clcn3 and P-Gp Provoked by Lens Osmotic Expansion in Rat Galactosemic Cataract

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lixia Ji

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Objective. Lens osmotic expansion, provoked by overactivated aldose reductase (AR, is the most essential event of sugar cataract. Chloride channel 3 (Clcn3 is a volume-sensitive channel, mainly participating in the regulation of cell fundamental volume, and P-glycoprotein (P-gp acts as its modulator. We aim to study whether P-gp and Clcn3 are involved in lens osmotic expansion of galactosemic cataract. Methods and Results. In vitro, lens epithelial cells (LECs were primarily cultured in gradient galactose medium (10–60 mM, more and more vacuoles appeared in LEC cytoplasm, and mRNA and protein levels of AR, P-gp, and Clcn3 were synchronously upregulated along with the increase of galactose concentration. In vivo, we focused on the early stage of rat galactosemic cataract, amount of vacuoles arose from equatorial area and scattered to the whole anterior capsule of lenses from the 3rd day to the 9th day, and mRNA and protein levels of P-gp and Clcn3 reached the peak around the 9th or 12th day. Conclusion. Galactosemia caused the osmotic stress in lenses; it also markedly leads to the upregulations of AR, P-gp, and Clcn3 in LECs, together resulting in obvious osmotic expansion in vitro and in vivo.

Optimal duration of anticoagulation. Provoked versus unprovoked VTE and role of adjunctive thrombophilia and imaging tests.

Science.gov (United States)

Prandoni, Paolo; Barbar, Sofia; Milan, Marta; Campello, Elena; Spiezia, Luca; Piovella, Chiara; Pesavento, Raffaele

2015-06-01

Once anticoagulation is stopped, the risk of recurrent venous thromboembolism (VTE) over years after a first episode is consistently around 30%. This risk is higher in patients with unprovoked than in those with (transient) provoked VTE, and among the latter in patients with medical than in those with surgical risk factors. Baseline parameters that have been found to be related to the risk of recurrent VTE are the proximal location of deep-vein thrombosis, obesity, old age, male sex and non-0 blood group, whereas the role of inherited thrombophilia is controversial. The persistence of residual vein thrombosis at ultrasound assessment has consistently been shown to increase the risk, as do persistently high values of D-dimer and the early development of the post-thrombotic syndrome. Although the latest international guidelines suggest indefinite anticoagulation for most patients with the first episode of unprovoked VTE, strategies that incorporate the assessment of residual vein thrombosis and D-dimer have the potential to identify subjects in whom anticoagulation can be safely discontinued. Moreover, new opportunities are offered by a few emerging anti-Xa and anti-IIa oral compounds, which are likely to induce fewer haemorrhagic complications than vitamin K antagonists while preserving the same effectiveness; and by low-dose aspirin, which has the potential to prevent the occurrence of both venous and arterial thrombotic events.

Goldstone Radar Observations of the 1999 Mars Opposition and other Observing Opportunities

Science.gov (United States)

Slade, M. A.

1997-07-01

As part of the International Mars Watch, Goldstone radar observations of Mars are planned during the 1999 Opposition ( Feb.'99-Aug'99). While some observing time is already allocated, a number of tracks could be made available for well-focused scientific objectives. Since the Deep Space Network plans far in advance, now is the time to develop your plans. During the next Mars opposition, the sub-Earth latitudes are in Mars' Northern hemisphere over the most northerly terrain accessible, which has not been previously examined with current sensitivity. The North residual ice cap is of particular interest. As a reminder to the Planetary Science community, observing proposals from any scientist with peer-reviewed planetary funding are solicited and should be forwarded to Martin.A.Slade@jpl.nasa.gov by email. Data reduction can, in principle, be carried out over the Internet. A graduate student or postdoctoral fellow resident at JPL for short period is recommended, however, to become familiar with suite of software for data analysis. Unfortunately, JPL cannot guarantee travel reimbursement due to funding limitations. We urge your consideration of becoming involved with the acquisition and analysis of Goldstone radar data. In the recent past, P.I.'s or co-I.s from Cornell, Arecibo/NAIC, Washington State University, Univ. Cal. Berkeley, Harvard -Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Univ. of Chicago, the DLR, Kashima SRC, ISAS, the Russian Academy of Science, the Russian Space Agency, and the USGS, have participated in radar experiments with Goldstone transmitting. This work is supported by the California Institute of Technology, under contract with NASA.

MAOA, Early Experiences of Harsh Parenting, Irritable Opposition, and Bullying-Victimization: A Moderated Indirect-Effects Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Whelan, Yvonne M.; Kretschmer, Tina; Barker, Edward D.

2014-01-01

Harsh parenting and child characteristics such as opposition and aggression have been found to relate to bullying, victimization, and bullying-victimization, yet not all children display equal vulnerability to harsh parenting. The monoamine oxidase A gene ("MAOA"; "low-activity" variant) may be a key vulnerability allele as it…

Tris-(2,3-Dibromopropyl Isocyanurate, a New Emerging Pollutant, Impairs Cognition and Provokes Depression-Like Behaviors in Adult Rats.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liang Ye

Full Text Available Tris-(2,3-dibromopropyl isocyanurate (TDBP-TAZTO, an emerging brominated flame retardant, possesses the characteristics of candidate persistent organic pollutants and has displayed toxicity to fish and rodents. TDBP-TAZTO can pass through the blood brain barrier and accumulate in brain. However, the neurotoxicity of TDBP-TAZTO has not yet studied in rodents. We hypothesize that TDBP-TAZTO could induce the neurotoxicity in rat hippocampal neurons. The male adult rats were exposed to TDBP-TAZTO of 5 and 50 mg/kg by gavage, daily for 6 months. TDBP-TAZTO resulted in cognitive impairment and depression-like behaviors, which may be related with TDBP-TAZTO-induced hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis hyperactivation, upregulation of inflammatory and oxidative stress markers, overexpression of pro-apoptotic proteins, downexpression of neurogenesis-related proteins in hippocampus, and hippocampal neurons damage in DG, CA1 and CA3 areas. Our findings suggested that TDBP-TAZTO induces significant hippocampal neurotoxicity, which provokes cognitive impairment and depression-like behaviors in adult rats. Therefore, this research will contribute to evaluate the neurotoxic effects of TDBP-TAZTO in human.

Adaptive allocation of attention : effects of sex and sociosexuality on visual attention to attractive opposite-sex faces

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Duncan, Lesley A.; Park, Justin H.; Faulkner, Jason; Schaller, Mark; Neuberg, Steven L.; Kenrick, Douglas T.

We tested the hypothesis that, compared with sociosexually restricted individuals, those with an unrestricted approach to mating would selectively allocate visual attention to attractive opposite-sex others. We also tested for sex differences in this effect. Seventy-four participants completed the

Infrared photometric behavior and opposition effect of Mars

Science.gov (United States)

Erard, S.; Bibring, J-P.; Drossart, P.

1992-01-01

Although the instrument wasn't designed for this purpose, data from the imaging spectrometer ISM may be used for studying photometric variations of Mars reflectance, that are related to the surface materials and aerosols physical properties. ISM flew aboard the Phobos-2 spacecraft which orbited Mars from January to March, 1989. About 40,000 spectra were acquired in 128 channels ranging from 0.76 to 3.16 micro-m, with a spatial resolution of 25 km and a signal-to-noise ratio ranging up to 1000. Analysis of the results leads to the following conclusions: width variations of the opposition surge can be related to differences in porosity or grain size distribution on the various domains, with little or no effect from suspended dust. As the biggest effects are observed on dark and bright materials, intermediate behaviors on average-bright regions cannot result from a mixing process, but are more likely to come from either cementation processes or modification of the grain size distribution under the influence of wind, which under Martian conditions preferentially removes the biggest particles. Thus, a surface dust consisting in big bright and small dark grains could explain the observations.

Public opinion on renewable energy: The nexus of climate, politics, and economy

Science.gov (United States)

Olson-Hazboun, Shawn K.

Increased use of renewable energy sources in the generation of electricity is a crucial component of transitioning to a less polluting energy system in the United States. Technologies like solar photovoltaic cells and wind turbines are being deployed at a rapid rate around the country, which means that an increasing portion of the public is becoming aware of renewable energy systems. The construction of these new industrial facilities has resulted in a variety of public reactions, positive and negative. Citizen opposition has been widely observed toward a variety of renewable energy facilities, and citizen groups can influence policy-making at the national, state, and local levels. Further research is needed to understand under what circumstances the public may take oppositional stances. To examine this topic, I analyze public perceptions of renewable energy using three different datasets. First, I used data from a survey conducted in 2014 in five communities in Utah, Wyoming, and Idaho experiencing renewable energy development (n=906). This dataset allowed me to untangle what factors help explain both individual as well as community-level variation in support for renewable energy. Second, I employed nationally representative survey data (n=13, 322) collected from 2008 to 2015 to examine the influence of a number of factors hypothesized to shape individuals' level of support for renewable energy policies including socio-demographic characteristics, political beliefs, belief in anthropogenic climate change, and nearby extractive industry activities. Last, I analyzed discourse about renewable energy in sixty-one semi-structured interviews with individuals representing various community sectors in three energy-producing rural communities in Utah. My research findings, on a whole, suggest that several place-based factors are significant in shaping public opinion about renewable energy, including community experience with renewable energy and local economic reliance on

Atomoxetine Treatment in Children and Adolescents with Attention-Deficit/hyperactivity Disorder and Comorbid Oppositional Defiant Disorder

Science.gov (United States)

Newcorn, Jeffrey H.; Spencer, Thomas J.; Biederman, Joseph; Milton, Denai R.; Michelson, David

2005-01-01

Objective: To examine (1) moderating effects of oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) on attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) treatment response and (2) responses of ODD symptoms to atomoxetine. Method: Children and adolescents (ages 8-18) with ADHD were treated for approximately 8 weeks with placebo or atomoxetine (fixed dosing: 0.5,…

Nuclear power in the United States: public views and industry actions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Poncelet, C.G.

1981-01-01

The author describes the public policy environment that surround the nuclear power program in the United States and the social implications as an expression of the public opinion, the mass media as a source of information and the organized opposition movements with their socio-political motivations. The political climate after the new Republican government is also analysed as well as the communication efforts of the nuclear industry to ascertain the need of assertive programs and the sense of cooperation and commitment on the part of both the nuclear and electric utility industries. The general situation is characterized on the one hand by the growing acknowledgement of the need for nuclear power development in an economy dominated by the oil crisis; on the other hand, it is the financial crisis faced by electric utilities which directly impacts on this future development. (AF)

Earned media and public engagement with CDC's "Tips from Former Smokers" campaign: an analysis of online news and blog coverage.

Science.gov (United States)

Kornfield, Rachel; Smith, Katherine Clegg; Szczypka, Glen; Vera, Lisa; Emery, Sherry

2015-01-20

In March 2012, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) launched the first-ever paid national tobacco education campaign. At a cost of US $54 million, "Tips from Former Smokers" (Tips) ran for 3 months across multiple media, depicting the suffering experienced by smokers and their families in graphic detail. The potential impact and reach of the Tips campaign was not limited to that achieved through paid media placements. It was also potentially extended through "earned media", including news and blog coverage of the campaign. Such coverage can shape public understanding of and facilitate public engagement with key health issues. To better understand the contribution of earned media to the public's engagement with health issues in the current news media environment, we examined the online "earned media" and public engagement generated by one national public health campaign. We constructed a purposive sample of online media coverage of the CDC's 2012 Tips from Former Smokers television campaign, focusing on 14 influential and politically diverse US news outlets and policy-focused blogs. We identified relevant content by combining campaign and website-specific keywords for 4 months around the campaign release. Each story was coded for content, inclusion of multimedia, and measures of audience engagement. The search yielded 36 stories mentioning Tips, of which 27 were focused on the campaign. Story content between pieces was strikingly similar, with most stories highlighting the same points about the campaign's content, cost, and potential impact. We saw notable evidence of audience engagement; stories focused on Tips generated 9547 comments, 8891 Facebook "likes", 1027 tweets, and 505 story URL shares on Facebook. Audience engagement varied by story and site, as did the valence and relevance of associated audience comments. Comments were most oppositional on CNN and most supportive on Yahoo. Comment coding revealed approximately equal levels of

Parenting practices as mediating variables between parents' psychopathology and oppositional defiant disorder in preschoolers

OpenAIRE

Trepat de Ancos, Esther

2014-01-01

Background: Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) is very frequent in preschoolers. The severity and the long-term negative outcomes make the understanding of this disorder a priority. The goal in this study was to assess the mediating role of parenting practices in the relationship between parents’ psychopathology and ODD in preschoolers. Method: A community sample of 622 children was assessed longitudinally at age 3 and age 5. Parents reported on children’s psychopathology through a diagnosti...

Social skills training and play group intervention for children with oppositional-defiant disorders/conduct disorder: Mediating mechanisms in a head-to-head comparison.

Science.gov (United States)

Katzmann, Josepha; Goertz-Dorten, Anja; Hautmann, Christopher; Doepfner, Manfred

2018-01-19

Social-cognitive information processing, social skills, and social interactions are problem-maintaining variables for aggressive behavior in children. We hypothesized that these factors may be possible mediators of the mechanism of change in the child-centered treatment of conduct disorders (CDs). The aim of the present study (Clinical trials.gov Identifier: NCT01406067) was to examine putative mechanisms of change for the decrease in oppositional-defiant behavior resulting from child-centered treatment of patients with oppositional-defiant disorder (ODD) or CD. 91 children (age 6-12 years) with ODD/CD were randomized to receive either social skills training or to a resource activating play group. Mediator analyses were conducted using path analyses. The assumed mediating effects were not significant. However, alternative models with the putative mediators and outcome in reversed positions showed significant indirect effects of the oppositional-defiant symptoms as mediator for the decrease of disturbance of social-information processing, social skills, and social interactions. The proposed model for mechanisms of change could not be confirmed, with the results pointing to a reversed causality. Variables other than those hypothesized must be responsible for mediating the effects of the intervention on child oppositional-defiant behavior. Possible mechanisms of change were discussed.

Social Anxiety Predicts Aggression in Children with ASD: Clinical Comparisons with Socially Anxious and Oppositional Youth

Science.gov (United States)

Pugliese, Cara E.; White, Bradley A.; White, Susan W.; Ollendick, Thomas H.

2013-01-01

The present study examined the degree to which social anxiety predicts aggression in children with high functioning autism spectrum disorders (HFASD, n = 20) compared to children with Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD, n = 20) or with Oppositional Defiant Disorder or Conduct Disorder (ODD/CD, n = 20). As predicted, children with HFASD reported levels…

CBCL Clinical Scales Discriminate ADHD Youth with Structured-Interview Derived Diagnosis of Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)

Science.gov (United States)

Biederman, Joseph; Ball, Sarah W.; Monuteaux, Michael C.; Kaiser, Roselinde; Faraone, Stephen V.

2008-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the association between the clinical scales of the child behavior checklist (CBCL) and the comorbid diagnosis of oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) in a large sample of youth with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Method: The sample consisted of 101 girls and 106 boys ages 6 to 17 with ADHD. Conditional…

The relationship between addiction to internet and adolescence’s tendency toward opposite sex, sexual behaviors, alcohol, aggression, chatting and hacking

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mehri Mowlaie

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Given the importance of adolescent period and impact of internet and virtual communication tools on high risk behaviors, this research was conducted to examine the relationship between addiction to internet and adolescent’s tendency toward opposite sex, sexual behaviors, alcohol, aggression, chatting and hacking. Methods: The population of this study included all (n=40597 junior and senior high school students (boys and girls in academic year 2014-2015 in Ardabil, Iran. 380 subjects were selected as the study sample by multistage cluster sampling. The instruments for data collection in this research were addiction to internet questionnaire, Iranian adolescent's risk-taking scale and the researcher-made tendency to chat and hacking questionnaire. The data were analyzed by SPSS-22 software using correlation coefficient and simultaneous regression analysis. Results: The results showed a significantly positive correlation between addiction to internet and sexual behavior, tendency toward opposite sex, aggression, chatting and hacking (P<0.001, but there was no significant relationship between addiction to internet and alcohol. Conclusion: The results of the present study showed that addiction to internet was able to significantly predict sexual behavior, tendency toward opposite sex, aggression, chatting and hacking.

Application of information and complexity theories to public opinion polls. The case of Greece (2004-2007)

OpenAIRE

Panos, C. P.; Chatzisavvas, K. Ch.

2007-01-01

A general methodology to study public opinion inspired from information and complexity theories is outlined. It is based on probabilistic data extracted from opinion polls. It gives a quantitative information-theoretic explanation of high job approval of Greek Prime Minister Mr. Constantinos Karamanlis (2004-2007), while the same time series of polls conducted by the company Metron Analysis showed that his party New Democracy (abbr. ND) was slightly higher than the opposition party of PASOK -...

The opposition effect in Saturn's main rings as seen by Cassini ISS: 4. Correlations of the surge morphology with surface albedos and VIMS spectral properties

Science.gov (United States)

Déau, Estelle; Dones, Luke; Mishchenko, Michael I.; West, Robert A.; Helfenstein, Paul; Hedman, Matt M.; Porco, Carolyn C.

2018-05-01

In this paper, we continue our analysis of the saturnian ring opposition effect seen by Cassini ISS. The ring opposition effect is a peak in the rings' reflectivity caused as the directions from a spot on the rings to the observer and to the light source, respectively, converge toward zero degrees. So far, the exact origin of the ring's opposition effect is still a matter of debate. In our previous work (Déau, et al., 2013, Icarus, 226, 591-603), we compared the opposition effect morphology with the rings' optical depth and found that only the slope of the linear part of the rings' phase curves was strongly correlated with the optical depth. We interpreted this as an indication of the predominant role of interparticle shadowing at moderate phase angles (α ∼ 10-40o). More recently (Déau, 2015, Icarus, 253, 311-345), we showed that interparticle shadowing cannot explain the behavior at low phase angles (α Journal Letters, 711, L71-L74). We find that the opposition surge morphology is strongly correlated with the water ice band depth and the regolith albedo. We interpret this finding as an indication that coherent backscattering plays a role in affecting both the water ice band depths and the opposition surge at low phase angles (α < 1o). As the regolith albedo and spectral properties are related to the grain size, porosity, roughness, and composition, we try to assess which of these regolith properties are preponderant in coherent backscattering. Our study is able to narrow down the parameter space of these properties, whose values allow a good match between the angular width predicted by models of coherent backscattering and the width of the observed peak.

The neurobiology of oppositional defiant disorder and conduct disorder: altered functioning in three mental domains.

Science.gov (United States)

Matthys, Walter; Vanderschuren, Louk J M J; Schutter, Dennis J L G

2013-02-01

This review discusses neurobiological studies of oppositional defiant disorder and conduct disorder within the conceptual framework of three interrelated mental domains: punishment processing, reward processing, and cognitive control. First, impaired fear conditioning, reduced cortisol reactivity to stress, amygdala hyporeactivity to negative stimuli, and altered serotonin and noradrenaline neurotransmission suggest low punishment sensitivity, which may compromise the ability of children and adolescents to make associations between inappropriate behaviors and forthcoming punishments. Second, sympathetic nervous system hyporeactivity to incentives, low basal heart rate associated with sensation seeking, orbitofrontal cortex hyporeactiviy to reward, and altered dopamine functioning suggest a hyposensitivity to reward. The associated unpleasant emotional state may make children and adolescents prone to sensation-seeking behavior such as rule breaking, delinquency, and substance abuse. Third, impairments in executive functions, especially when motivational factors are involved, as well as structural deficits and impaired functioning of the paralimbic system encompassing the orbitofrontal and cingulate cortex, suggest impaired cognitive control over emotional behavior. In the discussion we argue that more insight into the neurobiology of oppositional defiance disorder and conduct disorder may be obtained by studying these disorders separately and by paying attention to the heterogeneity of symptoms within each disorder.

[Evaluation of school and afterschool activities of public and nonpublic secondary school students].

Science.gov (United States)

Polus-Szeniawska, E

1995-01-01

The studies were performed on 825 school children (512 girls and 313 boys) from 1st and 2nd classes of secondary schools in som voievodship capital cities. 406 school children were from public, and 419 from non-public schools. The questionnaire prepared in the Institute for Children and Youngsters Institute in Berlin was used in this study. The evaluation of collected responses made possible to state the following conclusions: The organization of school and out school activities in public and non public schools was incorrect in several aspects ie. incorrect from the hygienic point of view organization of classes during day, too early beginning of the classes, too late ending of the classes in some week days, too long time needed to complete homework, and too late return to home after completing out school activities. The difficulties in homework completing were stated by school children from both public and non public schools. In 52% cases the parents helped in homework and 12% of children reported private lessons as an additional help in homework. The analysis of responses concerning frame of mind of school children showed better situation of pupils from non public schools. Only 15% of non public school children expressed reluctancy towards schools, as compared to 21% from public schools. The relationships between pupils and teachers did not worsened during consecutive years in non public schools, as opposite to public schools where the worsening of these relationships during the consecutive years was evident.

Longing for the country's good old days : National nostalgia, autochthony beliefs, and opposition to Muslim expressive rights

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Smeekes, Anouk; Verkuyten, Maykel; Martinovic, Borja

2015-01-01

Four studies tested the prediction that feelings of national nostalgia (i.e. nostalgia on the basis of one's national ingroup membership) result in more opposition towards expressive rights for Muslim immigrants, because they strengthen the belief that a place belongs to its original inhabitants,

A proposed approach to systematically identify and monitor the corporate political activity of the food industry with respect to public health using publicly available information.

Science.gov (United States)

Mialon, M; Swinburn, B; Sacks, G

2015-07-01

Unhealthy diets represent one of the major risk factors for non-communicable diseases. There is currently a risk that the political influence of the food industry results in public health policies that do not adequately balance public and commercial interests. This paper aims to develop a framework for categorizing the corporate political activity of the food industry with respect to public health and proposes an approach to systematically identify and monitor it. The proposed framework includes six strategies used by the food industry to influence public health policies and outcomes: information and messaging; financial incentive; constituency building; legal; policy substitution; opposition fragmentation and destabilization. The corporate political activity of the food industry could be identified and monitored through publicly available data sourced from the industry itself, governments, the media and other sources. Steps for country-level monitoring include identification of key food industry actors and related sources of information, followed by systematic data collection and analysis of relevant documents, using the proposed framework as a basis for classification of results. The proposed monitoring approach should be pilot tested in different countries as part of efforts to increase the transparency and accountability of the food industry. This approach has the potential to help redress any imbalance of interests and thereby contribute to the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases. © 2015 World Obesity.

Complementary resistive switching in BaTiO{sub 3}/NiO bilayer with opposite switching polarities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Shuo [State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base for Nonmetal Composites and Functional Materials, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang 621010 (China); Institut d’Electronique de Micro-électronique et de Nanotechnologie (IEMN), CNRS, Université des Sciences et Technologies de Lille, avenue Poincaré, BP 60069, 59652, Villeneuve d’Ascq cedex (France); Wei, Xianhua, E-mail: weixianhua@swust.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base for Nonmetal Composites and Functional Materials, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang 621010 (China); Lei, Yao [State Key Laboratory of Electronic Thin Films and Integrated Devices, University of Electronics Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054 (China); Yuan, Xincai [State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base for Nonmetal Composites and Functional Materials, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang 621010 (China); Zeng, Huizhong [State Key Laboratory of Electronic Thin Films and Integrated Devices, University of Electronics Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054 (China)

2016-12-15

Graphical abstract: Au/BaTiO{sub 3}/NiO/Pt bilayer device shows complementary resistive switching (CRS) without electroforming which is mainly ascribed to anti-serial stack of two RRAM cells with bipolar behaviors. - Highlights: • Complementary resistive switching (CRS) has been investigated in Au/BaTiO{sub 3}/NiO/Pt by stacking the two elements with different switching types. • The realization of complementary resistive switching (CRS) is mainly ascribed to the anti-serial stack of two RRAM cells with bipolar behaviors. • Complementary resistive switching (CRS) in bilayer is effective to solve the sneak current problem briefly and economically. - Abstract: Resistive switching behaviors have been investigated in the Au/BaTiO{sub 3}/NiO/Pt structure by stacking the two elements with different switching types. The conducting atomic force microscope measurements on BaTiO{sub 3} thin films and NiO thin films suggest that with the same active resistive switching region, the switching polarities in the two semiconductors are opposite to each other. It is in agreement with the bipolar hysteresis I–V curves with opposite switching polarities for single-layer devices. The bilayer devices show complementary resistive switching (CRS) without electroforming and unipolar resistive switching (URS) after electroforming. The coexistence of CRS and URS is mainly ascribed to the co-effect of electric field and Joule heating mechanisms, indicating that changeable of resistance in this device is dominated by the redistribution of oxygen vacancies in BaTiO{sub 3} and the formation, disruption, restoration of conducting filaments in NiO. CRS in bilayer with opposite switching polarities is effective to solve the sneak current without the introduction of any selector elements or an additional metal electrode.

Opposition Policy Influence Through Agenda-Setting: The Environment in Denmark, 1993–2009

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Seeberg, Henrik Bech

2016-01-01

This article addresses the opposition’s opportunities to influence policy; a topic that has been neglected in existing party-policy research. The idea that is developed is applied to a remarkable policy development on the environment during the Danish right-wing government in the 2000s. Contrary...... opinion, carbon dioxide emissions, and the government’s approval ratings into account, the empirical estimation based on unique quarterly data shows that opposition criticism had a systematic impact on the pro-environmental policy development. The implications for party-policy research are important...

Risk Factors for Conduct Disorder and Oppositional/Defiant Disorder: Evidence from a New Zealand Birth Cohort

Science.gov (United States)

Boden, Joseph M.; Fergusson, David M.; Horwood, L. John

2010-01-01

Objective: To examine the social, family background, and individual antecedents of conduct disorder (CD) and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), the extent to which CD and ODD symptoms were predicted by common environmental risk factors, and the extent to which the antecedents of CD and ODD accounted for the comorbidity between the two disorders.…

Therapeutic Assessment for Preadolescent Boys with Oppositional Defiant Disorder: A Replicated Single-Case Time-Series Design

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Justin D.; Handler, Leonard; Nash, Michael R.

2010-01-01

The Therapeutic Assessment (TA) model is a relatively new treatment approach that fuses assessment and psychotherapy. The study examines the efficacy of this model with preadolescent boys with oppositional defiant disorder and their families. A replicated single-case time-series design with daily measures is used to assess the effects of TA and to…

Disrupted Reinforcement Signaling in Orbital Frontal Cortex and Caudate in Youths with Conduct Disorder/Oppositional Defiant Disorder and High Psychopathic Traits

Science.gov (United States)

Finger, Elizabeth C.; Marsh, Abigail A.; Blair, Karina S.; Reid, Marguerite. E.; Sims, Courtney; Ng, Pamela; Pine, Daniel S.; Blair, R. James. R.

2010-01-01

OBJECTIVE Dysfunction in amygdala and orbital frontal cortex functioning has been reported in youths and adults with psychopathic traits. However, the specific nature of the computational irregularities within these brain structures remains poorly understood. The current study used the passive avoidance task to examine responsiveness of these systems to early stimulus-reinforcement exposure, when prediction errors are greatest and learning maximized, and to reward in youths with psychopathic traits and comparison youths. METHOD 30 youths (N=15 with conduct disorder or oppositional defiant disorder plus high psychopathic traits and N=15 comparison subjects) completed a 3.0 T fMRI scan while performing a passive avoidance learning task. RESULTS Relative to comparison youth, youths with conduct disorder or oppositional defiant disorder plus psychopathic traits showed reduced orbitofrontal cortex responsiveness both to early stimulus-reinforcement exposure and to rewards, as well as reduced caudate response to early stimulus-reinforcement exposure. Contrary to other predictions, however, there were no group differences in amygdala responsiveness specifically to these two task parameters. However, amygdala responsiveness throughout the task was reduced in the youths with conduct disorder or oppositional defiant disorder plus psychopathic traits. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates that youths with conduct disorder or oppositional defiant disorder plus psychopathic traits are marked by a compromised sensitivity to early reinforcement information in both orbitofrontal cortex and caudate and to reward outcome information within orbitofrontal cortex. They further suggest that the integrated functioning of the amygdala, caudate and orbitofrontal cortex may be disrupted in individuals with this disorder. PMID:21078707

Version of the galaxy spiral structure model with opposite-directed arms and inter-arm links

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dolidze, M V [AN Gruzinskoj SSR, Abastumani. Abastumanskaya Astrofizicheskaya Observatoriya

1963-05-01

An attempt is made to explain some peculiarities of the local spiral structure and large-scale distribution of HII regions in the Galaxy by coexistence of the trailing and leading arm systems of different power and development. The existence of opposite-directed arms and inter-arm links in the circular zone (5-15 kpc) is analysed from the point of view of different Galaxy models.

Oppositional banality: Watching ordinary Muslims in ‘Little Mosque on the Prairie’

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jenifer Chao

2015-04-01

Full Text Available This essay interrogates how the globally-syndicated series Little Mosque on the Prairie (2007-2012 mobilises one of the most beloved television formats – the situation comedy – to insert a banal and normalised gaze toward Muslims and contest hostile representations of Islam in Western media. Through what I have termed ‘oppositional banality’ the show relocates Muslim identities to the realm of everyday life and out of the confines of global terrorism. Rather than being under the scrutiny of news cameras and viewed through cataclysmic international events the Muslims in Little Mosque are made comical and timeless, subjected to the emotional entanglements of ordinary life.

Characterizing psychiatric comorbidity in children with autism spectrum disorder receiving publicly funded mental health services.

Science.gov (United States)

Brookman-Frazee, Lauren; Stadnick, Nicole; Chlebowski, Colby; Baker-Ericzén, Mary; Ganger, William

2017-09-01

Publicly funded mental health programs play a significant role in serving children with autism spectrum disorder. Understanding patterns of psychiatric comorbidity for this population within mental health settings is important to implement appropriately tailored interventions. This study (1) describes patterns of psychiatric comorbidity in children with autism spectrum disorder who present to mental health services with challenging behaviors and (2) identifies child characteristics associated with comorbid conditions. Data are drawn from baseline assessments from 201 children with autism spectrum disorder who participated in a community effectiveness trial across 29 publicly funded mental health programs. Non-autism spectrum disorder diagnoses were assessed using an adapted Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview, parent version. Approximately 92% of children met criteria for at least one non-autism spectrum disorder diagnosis (78% attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, 58% oppositional defiant disorder, 56% anxiety, 30% mood). Logistic regression indicated that child gender and clinical characteristics were differentially associated with meeting criteria for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, an anxiety, or a mood disorder. Exploratory analyses supported a link between challenging behaviors and mood disorder symptoms and revealed high prevalence of these symptoms in this autism spectrum disorder population. Findings provide direction for tailoring intervention to address a broad range of clinical issues for youth with autism spectrum disorder served in mental health settings.

Are Central Banks in CEE Countries Concerned about the Burden of Public Debt?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mackiewicz-Łyziak Joanna

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study is to analyze the monetary policy rules in the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland, with public debt as an additional explanatory variable. We estimate linear rules by the GMM estimation and non-linear rules, using the Markov-switching model. Our findings suggest that in the Czech Republic and Poland the monetary authorities respond to growing public debt by lowering interest rates, while in Hungary the opposite may be observed. Moreover, we distinguish between passive and active monetary policy regimes and find that the degree of interest rate smoothing is lower and the response of the central banks to inflation and/or output gap is stronger in an active regime. In the passive regime, the output gap seems to be statistically insignificant.

Preferential loss of dorsal-hippocampus synapses underlies memory impairments provoked by short, multimodal stress.

Science.gov (United States)

Maras, P M; Molet, J; Chen, Y; Rice, C; Ji, S G; Solodkin, A; Baram, T Z

2014-07-01

The cognitive effects of stress are profound, yet it is unknown if the consequences of concurrent multiple stresses on learning and memory differ from those of a single stress of equal intensity and duration. We compared the effects on hippocampus-dependent memory of concurrent, hours-long light, loud noise, jostling and restraint (multimodal stress) with those of restraint or of loud noise alone. We then examined if differences in memory impairment following these two stress types might derive from their differential impact on hippocampal synapses, distinguishing dorsal and ventral hippocampus. Mice exposed to hours-long restraint or loud noise were modestly or minimally impaired in novel object recognition, whereas similar-duration multimodal stress provoked severe deficits. Differences in memory were not explained by differences in plasma corticosterone levels or numbers of Fos-labeled neurons in stress-sensitive hypothalamic neurons. However, although synapses in hippocampal CA3 were impacted by both restraint and multimodal stress, multimodal stress alone reduced synapse numbers severely in dorsal CA1, a region crucial for hippocampus-dependent memory. Ventral CA1 synapses were not significantly affected by either stress modality. Probing the basis of the preferential loss of dorsal synapses after multimodal stress, we found differential patterns of neuronal activation by the two stress types. Cross-correlation matrices, reflecting functional connectivity among activated regions, demonstrated that multimodal stress reduced hippocampal correlations with septum and thalamus and increased correlations with amygdala and BST. Thus, despite similar effects on plasma corticosterone and on hypothalamic stress-sensitive cells, multimodal and restraint stress differ in their activation of brain networks and in their impact on hippocampal synapses. Both of these processes might contribute to amplified memory impairments following short, multimodal stress.

Memory-provoked rCBF-SPECT as a diagnostic tool in Alzheimer's disease?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sundstroem, Torbjoern; Riklund, Katrine Aa. [Umeaa University, Umeaa University Hospital, Department of Radiation Sciences, Diagnostic Radiology, Umeaa (Sweden); Elgh, Eva; Naesman, Birgitta [Umeaa University, Department of Community Medicine and Rehabilitation, Geriatric Medicine, Umeaa (Sweden); Larsson, Anne [Umeaa University, Department of Radiation Sciences, Radiation Physics, Umeaa (Sweden); Nyberg, Lars [Umeaa University, Department of Psychology, Umeaa (Sweden)

2006-01-01

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a primary degenerative disease that progressively affects all brain functions, with devastating consequences for the patient, the patient's family and society. Rest regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) could have a strategic role in differentiating between AD patients and normal controls, but its use for this purpose has a low discriminatory capacity. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether the diagnostic sensitivity of rCBF single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) could be increased by using an episodic memory task provocation, i.e. memory-provoked rCBF-SPECT (MP-SPECT). Eighteen persons (73.2{+-}4.8 years) with mild AD and 18 healthy elderly (69.4{+-}3.9 years) were included in the study. The subjects were injected with{sup 99m}Tc-hexamethylpropylene amine oxime (HMPAO) during memory provocation with faces and names, followed by an rCBF-SPECT study. The rCBF{sup 99m}Tc-HMPAO SPECT images were analysed using statistical parametric mapping (SPM2). Peaks with a false discovery rate corrected value of 0.05 were considered significant. On MP-SPECT, the AD group showed a significant rCBF reduction in the left parietal cortex in comparison with healthy elderly. At rest, no significant group differences were seen. Memory provocation increased the sensitivity of rCBF-SPECT for the detection of AD-related blood flow changes in the brain at the group level. Further studies are needed to evaluate MP-SPECT as a diagnostic tool at the individual level. If a higher sensitivity for AD at the individual level is verified in future studies, a single MP-SPECT study might be sufficient in the clinical setting. (orig.)

Preferential loss of dorsal-hippocampus synapses underlies memory impairments provoked by short, multimodal stress

Science.gov (United States)

Maras, P M; Molet, J; Chen, Y; Rice, C; Ji, S G; Solodkin, A; Baram, T Z

2014-01-01

The cognitive effects of stress are profound, yet it is unknown if the consequences of concurrent multiple stresses on learning and memory differ from those of a single stress of equal intensity and duration. We compared the effects on hippocampus-dependent memory of concurrent, hours-long light, loud noise, jostling and restraint (multimodal stress) with those of restraint or of loud noise alone. We then examined if differences in memory impairment following these two stress types might derive from their differential impact on hippocampal synapses, distinguishing dorsal and ventral hippocampus. Mice exposed to hours-long restraint or loud noise were modestly or minimally impaired in novel object recognition, whereas similar-duration multimodal stress provoked severe deficits. Differences in memory were not explained by differences in plasma corticosterone levels or numbers of Fos-labeled neurons in stress-sensitive hypothalamic neurons. However, although synapses in hippocampal CA3 were impacted by both restraint and multimodal stress, multimodal stress alone reduced synapse numbers severely in dorsal CA1, a region crucial for hippocampus-dependent memory. Ventral CA1 synapses were not significantly affected by either stress modality. Probing the basis of the preferential loss of dorsal synapses after multimodal stress, we found differential patterns of neuronal activation by the two stress types. Cross-correlation matrices, reflecting functional connectivity among activated regions, demonstrated that multimodal stress reduced hippocampal correlations with septum and thalamus and increased correlations with amygdala and BST. Thus, despite similar effects on plasma corticosterone and on hypothalamic stress-sensitive cells, multimodal and restraint stress differ in their activation of brain networks and in their impact on hippocampal synapses. Both of these processes might contribute to amplified memory impairments following short, multimodal stress. PMID:24589888

The post-2015 landscape: vested interests, corporate social responsibility and public health advocacy.

Science.gov (United States)

Herrick, Clare

2016-09-01

This paper explores the tensions between UN calls for private sector engagement in the post-2015 landscape and public health opposition to those 'harm industries' that are 'corporate vectors of disease' for the mounting global non-communicable disease burden. The UN's support for public-private partnership has provided industries with 'vested interests' in the propagation of unhealthy behaviours with new opportunities for the strategic alignment of their corporate social responsibility (CSR) endeavours with the post-2015 sustainable development agenda. This has galvanised public health advocates to place pressure on the World Health Organisation to formalise their ambiguous stance towards private sector involvement in public policy formation and the resultant 'conflicts of interest'. This paper critically examines the 'gathering storm' between this 'anti-corporate movement' and the alcohol industry in the increasingly politicised domain of CSR. Drawing on the example of SABMiller's Tavern Intervention Program, the paper argues that CSR represents a profound threat to the sanctity and moral authority of the public health worldview. Questions therefore need to be asked about whether the public health-led path of industry non-association will necessarily result in health improvements or just a further retrenchment of the ideological faultlines explored in the paper. © 2016 Foundation for the Sociology of Health & Illness.

Sibutramine provokes apoptosis of aortic endothelial cells through altered production of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species.

Science.gov (United States)

Morikawa, Yoshifumi; Shibata, Akinobu; Okumura, Naoko; Ikari, Akira; Sasajima, Yasuhide; Suenami, Koichi; Sato, Kiyohito; Takekoshi, Yuji; El-Kabbani, Ossama; Matsunaga, Toshiyuki

2017-01-01

Overdose administration of sibutramine, a serotonin-noradrenalin reuptake inhibitor, is considered to elicit severe side effects including hypertension, whose pathogenic mechanism remains unclear. Here, we found that 48-h incubation with >10μM sibutramine provokes apoptosis of human aortic endothelial (HAE) cells. Treatment with the lethal concentration of sibutramine facilitated production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), altered expression of endoplasmic reticulum stress response genes (heat shock protein 70 and C/EBP homologous protein), and inactivated 26S proteasome-based proteolysis. The treatment also decreased cellular level of nitric oxide (NO) through lowering of expression and activity of endothelial NO synthase. These results suggest that ROS production and depletion of NO are crucial events in the apoptotic mechanism and may be linked to the pathogenesis of vasoconstriction elicited by the drug. Compared to sibutramine, its metabolites (N-desmethylsibutramine and N-didesmethylsibutramine) were much less cytotoxic to HAE cells, which hardly metabolized sibutramine. In contrast, both the drug and metabolites showed low cytotoxicity to hepatic HepG2 cells with high metabolic potency and expression of cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4. The cytotoxicity of sibutramine to HepG2 and Chang Liver cells was remarkably augmented by inhibition and knockdown of CYP3A4. This study also suggests an inverse relationship between sibutramine cytotoxicity and CYP3A4-mediated metabolism into the N-desmethyl metabolites. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Body image in women with primary and secondary provoked vestibulodynia: a controlled study.

Science.gov (United States)

Maillé, Delphine L; Bergeron, Sophie; Lambert, Bernard

2015-02-01

Provoked vestibulodynia (PVD) is a women's genito-pelvic pain condition associated with psychosexual impairments, including depression. Body image (BI) has been found to be different in women with primary (PVD1) and secondary (PVD2) PVD. No controlled study has compared BI in women with PVD1 and PVD2 and investigated its associations with sexual satisfaction, sexual function, and pain. The aims of this study were to (i) compare BI in women with PVD1, PVD2, and asymptomatic controls and (ii) to examine associations between BI and sexual satisfaction, sexual function, and pain during intercourse in women with PVD. Fifty-seven women (20 with PVD1, 19 with PVD2, and 18 controls) completed measures of BI, sexual satisfaction, sexual function, pain during intercourse, and depression. The main outcome measures were (i) Global Measure of Sexual Satisfaction Scale, (ii) Female Sexual Function Index, and (iii) pain numerical rating scale. Controlling for depression, women with PVD1 reported more body exposure anxiety during sexual activities than women with PVD2 and controls F(2,51)=4.23, P=0.02. For women with PVD, more negative BI during sexual activities was associated with lower sexual satisfaction (β=-0.45, P=0.02) and function (β=-0.39, P=0.04) and higher pain during intercourse (β=0.59, P=0.004). More positive body esteem was associated with higher sexual function (β=0.34, P=0.05). Findings suggest that women with PVD1 present more body exposure anxiety during sexual activities than women with PVD2 and asymptomatic women. Body esteem and general attitudes toward women's genitalia were not significantly different between groups. Higher body exposure anxiety during sexual activities was associated with poorer sexual outcomes in women with PVD. Further studies assessing interventions targeting BI during sexual activities in this population are needed, as improving BI during sexual interactions may enhance sexual outcomes in women with PVD. © 2014 International

Associative cortico-cortical plasticity may affect ipsilateral finger opposition movements

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rizzo, V; Bove, M; Naro, A

2011-01-01

We have recently demonstrated that cortico-cortical paired associative stimulation (cc-PAS) can modulate interhemispheric inhibition (IHI) in the human brain. Here we further explored the after effects of cc-PAS on fine hand movements. Ten healthy right-handed volunteers received 90 paired...... transcranial stimuli to the right and left primary motor hand area (M1(HAND)) at an interstimulus interval (ISI) of 8 ms. We studied the after effects of cc-PAS on the performance of repetitive finger opposition movements of different complexity on both hands using a sensor-engineered glove. A quantitative...... evaluation of the following parameters was performed: Touch Duration (TD), Inter Tapping Interval (ITI) and Number of Errors (NE). We confirmed previous data by showing that left-to-right and right-to-left cc-PAS attenuated IHI. The new finding is that both left-to-right and right-to-left cc-PAS were able...

Impaired Neurocognitive Functions Affect Social Learning Processes in Oppositional Defiant Disorder and Conduct Disorder: Implications for Interventions

Science.gov (United States)

Matthys, Walter; Vanderschuren, Louk J. M. J.; Schutter, Dennis J. L. G.; Lochman, John E.

2012-01-01

In this review, a conceptualization of oppositional defiant (ODD) and conduct disorder (CD) is presented according to which social learning processes in these disorders are affected by neurocognitive dysfunctions. Neurobiological studies in ODD and CD suggest that the ability to make associations between behaviors and negative and positive…

Public Attitudes to Nuclear Power - It's Not (just) About Science

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grimston, M.

2016-01-01

The nuclear industry frequently accuses the public of having an 'irrational' fear of radiation, and sees it as a mission to 'educate' the public in order to improve their attitudes towards atomic energy. In fact there is little evidence that facts per se affect attitudes: in forming opinions people apply a 'common sense' rationality based on a range of factors, of which information is only one. 'Public information' campaigns may actually contribute to fears of radiation in the nuclear power context. Better communication - e.g. not banging on so much about safety - would undoubtedly help to put nuclear power into a proper perspective. But while the industry and its regulators continue to do silly things and treat nuclear power and radiation as if they are vastly more dangerous than they actually are - in the bizarre hope that this will put people's minds at rest rather than inevitably doing precisely the opposite - then only truly irrational members of the public will be convinced. Krsko may be a test case - can the waste debate be brought back onto a 'rational' footing. (author).

Is Deliberation a Laudable Goal When Policy Is a "Done Deal"? The Habermasian Public Sphere and Legitimacy in a Market Era of Education Policymaking

Science.gov (United States)

Pappas, Liza N.

2016-01-01

The state mandated public hearings concerning school closing proposals in New York City provide a window into a diverse set of policy actors and their deliberations. Opposition to school closures is often cast as entrenched interests, emotional attachment, support for the status quo or at worst negligence. However, content analysis reveals that…

Structuralistic Analysis of the Poem “The Stone Chat” by Taufeeq Rafat in perspective of Binary Opposition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bushra Munawar

2016-07-01

Full Text Available The aim of this research study is to apply Structuralism (a Linguistic movement related to scientific study of words as signs as a theoretical framework on the poem “The Stone Chat” by Taufiq Rafat, a prominent Pakistani poet. The study focuses on, presenting Structuralistic analysis (relation between sign and signifier of the selected text, as proposed by the Swiss Structuralist, De Saussure. Besides, this paper particularly is a textual analysis of a Pakistani piece of poetry by application of linguistic concept of binary opposites (paired opposite as proposed by a Linguist Levi-Strauss (a linguist in his book Structuralist Anthropology, (1950. The searching of text for binary oppositions is the targeted endeavor of this study with the focus to analyze how far they are skillfully and contextually positioned in this poem. Hence, the researchers intend to focus on the antithetical forces and binary ideas present in the text. The close textual analysis of the poem is aimed at in this context, since The Stone Chat has antithetical ideas in abundance. Furthermore, the proposed study underhand, focuses upon bringing to foreground the syntagmatic relation (concept of chain between signifiers as they are employed in linguistic framework or pattern of this poem. Besides, to the fact how text (signifiers acts and reacts (contradicts to its linguistic framework, this paper aims to analyze the variations in tone, attitude and thinking perspectives of speaker in the poem. Furthermore, the close textual analysis, descriptive and interpretive methods as research techniques have been utilized in this study. This research study is likely to contribute to fields of Linguistics, Literary theory and Pakistani literature as a distinct genre.

What the public want in nuclear use

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsuchida, Shoji

2013-01-01

This article described public opinion poll by the web in October 2011 and considered human behavior facing a danger to understand silent majority's opinion change and what safety was required from the public. Web's social investigation showed (1) opposition to nuclear power with great anxiety (no admission and necessity of nuclear power was strong enough at east Japan (Tohoku, Niigata and Tokyo area)), (2) trust on electric utilities and government was lost and accident was thought manmade, and (3) as for radioactivity contamination, residents at east Japan were more acceptable than at west Japan (Osaka and Kyushu) (radiation hazards were scientifically better understood at east Japan). Human behavior facing a danger such as accident or natural disaster could be predicted by two factors: controllability and extend of damage. If recognized as controllable and damage was slightly greater than threshold, cost vs. benefit action or rational response might be taken. If recognized as controllable and damage were far beyond threshold, psychological excessive reaction would be taken. If recognized not controllable, apathy, patience and resignation would prevail dependent on extent of damage evaluation. Also 'confidence bias' would occur at facing a danger. Results of web poll and public opinion of silent majority were analyzed from these psychological aspect of human mind facing a danger. After the Fukushima accident, the public might require appropriate measures to assure (1) security not to allow the accident, (2) safety to minimize accident damage and (3) resilience for efficient and swift restoration from the damage. (T. Tanaka)

Public management, policy capacity, innovation and development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Erkki Karo

2014-03-01

Full Text Available In this paper we discuss the question of what factors in development policy create specific forms of policy capacity and under what circumstances developmentoriented complementarities or mismatches between the public and private sectors emerge. We argue that specific forms of policy capacity emerge from three interlinked policy choices, each fundamentally evolutionary in nature: policy choices on understanding the nature and sources of technical change and innovation; on the ways of financing economic growth, in particular technical change; and on the nature of public management to deliver and implement both previous sets of policy choices. Thus, policy capacity is not so much a continuum of abilities (from less to more, but rather a variety of modes of making policy that originate from co-evolutionary processes in capitalist development. To illustrate, we briefly reflect upon how the East Asian developmental states of the 1960s-1980s and Eastern European transition policies since the 1990s led to almost opposite institutional systems for financing, designing and managing development strategies, and how this led, through co-evolutionary processes, to different forms of policy capacity.

Caffeine provokes adverse interactions with 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ‘ecstasy’) and related psychostimulants: mechanisms and mediators

Science.gov (United States)

Vanattou-Saïfoudine, N; McNamara, R; Harkin, A

2012-01-01

Concomitant consumption of caffeine with recreational psychostimulant drugs of abuse can provoke severe acute adverse reactions in addition to longer term consequences. The mechanisms by which caffeine increases the toxicity of psychostimulants include changes in body temperature regulation, cardiotoxicity and lowering of the seizure threshold. Caffeine also influences the stimulatory, discriminative and reinforcing effects of psychostimulant drugs. In this review, we consider our current understanding of such caffeine-related drug interactions, placing a particular emphasis on an adverse interaction between caffeine and the substituted amphetamine, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ‘ecstasy’), which has been most recently described and characterized. Co-administration of caffeine profoundly enhances the acute toxicity of MDMA in rats, as manifested by high core body temperature, tachycardia and increased mortality. In addition, co-administration of caffeine enhances the long-term serotonergic neurotoxicity induced by MDMA. Observations to date support an interactive model of drug-induced toxicity comprising MDMA-related enhancement of dopamine release coupled to a caffeine-mediated antagonism of adenosine receptors in addition to inhibition of PDE. These experiments are reviewed together with reports of caffeine-related drug interactions with cocaine, d-amphetamine and ephedrine where similar mechanisms are implicated. Understanding the underlying mechanisms will guide appropriate intervention strategies for the management of severe reactions and potential for increased drug-related toxicity, resulting from concomitant caffeine consumption. PMID:22671762

Micro-computed tomography derived anisotropy detects tumor provoked deviations in bone in an orthotopic osteosarcoma murine model.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Heather A Cole

Full Text Available Radiographic imaging plays a crucial role in the diagnosis of osteosarcoma. Currently, computed-tomography (CT is used to measure tumor-induced osteolysis as a marker for tumor growth by monitoring the bone fractional volume. As most tumors primarily induce osteolysis, lower bone fractional volume has been found to correlate with tumor aggressiveness. However, osteosarcoma is an exception as it induces osteolysis and produces mineralized osteoid simultaneously. Given that competent bone is highly anisotropic (systematic variance in its architectural order renders its physical properties dependent on direction of load and that tumor induced osteolysis and osteogenesis are structurally disorganized relative to competent bone, we hypothesized that μCT-derived measures of anisotropy could be used to qualitatively and quantitatively detect osteosarcoma provoked deviations in bone, both osteolysis and osteogenesis, in vivo. We tested this hypothesis in a murine model of osteosarcoma cells orthotopically injected into the tibia. We demonstrate that, in addition to bone fractional volume, μCT-derived measure of anisotropy is a complete and accurate method to monitor osteosarcoma-induced osteolysis. Additionally, we found that unlike bone fractional volume, anisotropy could also detect tumor-induced osteogenesis. These findings suggest that monitoring tumor-induced changes in the structural property isotropy of the invaded bone may represent a novel means of diagnosing primary and metastatic bone tumors.

Opposition and identicalness: Two basic components of adults' perception and mental representation of symmetry

OpenAIRE

Bianchi, I.; Bertamini, M.; Burro, R.; Savardi, U.

2017-01-01

Symmetry is a salient aspect of biological and man-made objects, and has a central role in perceptual organization. Two studies investigate the role of opposition and identicalness in shaping adults’ naïve idea of “symmetry”. In study 1, both verbal descriptions of symmetry (either provided by the participants or selected from among alternatives presented by the experimenter) and configurations drawn as exemplars of symmetry were studied. In study 2, a pair comparison task was used. Both stud...

Public Perception of Bio fuels; Percepcion Publica de los Biocombustibles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oltra, C.; Priolo, V.

2011-11-10

The deployment of bio fuels has generated a significant controversy in the energy, agricultural and environmental fields. Governments and promoters around the world have advocated for developing bio fuels based on their potential contribution to emissions reduction and energy security. But opposition to bio fuels has growth in the last years. Environmental NGO's and other stake holders have called for a review of the environmental and social sustainability of energy crops. This controversy has characterized the public debate around bio fuels. In this context, and given the need to improve public involvement in energy technologies, this article reports an investigation of Spanish citizens' perceptions about bio fuels. The study investigated the perceptions of informed citizens and the reasoning basis underlying beliefs and attitudes. The study finds an initial positive association of bio fuels to a clean and natural fuel that is mitigated by participants' concerns on the practical usage of bio fuels and the social and environmental impacts. Study participants' reactions show the need to differentiate among the diverse groups of publics holding differing views and a different reaction to information on the benefits and costs of bio fuels. (Author) 9 refs.

Public Perception of Bio fuels; Percepcion Publica de los Biocombustibles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oltra, C; Priolo, V

2011-11-10

The deployment of bio fuels has generated a significant controversy in the energy, agricultural and environmental fields. Governments and promoters around the world have advocated for developing bio fuels based on their potential contribution to emissions reduction and energy security. But opposition to bio fuels has growth in the last years. Environmental NGO's and other stake holders have called for a review of the environmental and social sustainability of energy crops. This controversy has characterized the public debate around bio fuels. In this context, and given the need to improve public involvement in energy technologies, this article reports an investigation of Spanish citizens' perceptions about bio fuels. The study investigated the perceptions of informed citizens and the reasoning basis underlying beliefs and attitudes. The study finds an initial positive association of bio fuels to a clean and natural fuel that is mitigated by participants' concerns on the practical usage of bio fuels and the social and environmental impacts. Study participants' reactions show the need to differentiate among the diverse groups of publics holding differing views and a different reaction to information on the benefits and costs of bio fuels. (Author) 9 refs.