Psychic changes following myelography with metrizamide and iohexol

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cronqvist, S.E.; Holtas, S.L.; Laike, T.; Ozolins, A.; Lund Univ.

1984-01-01

Based upon the results of repeated psychologic tests, psychic impairment following myelography has been studied in 60 patients. Thirty of these had lumbar myelography with metrizamide and 30 with iohexol. Psychic impairment was noted in both groups, although with a higher frequency and much more marked in the group which had metrizamide myelography. For this type of examination iohexol is thus to be recommended. (orig.)

Possible affection of psychic health with regard to exposure to ionizing radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Otten, W.; Vlek, C.A.J.

1988-12-01

This report makes part of a series of eight reports which have been drawn up in behalf of the dutch Policy Notition Radiation Standards (BNS). It presents the results of an investigation into the possible affection of psychic health with regard to exposure to ionizing radiation. First the concept 'psychic health' is circumscribed. Subsequently the possible effects of ionizing radiation upon psychic health are entered by outlining two cause-effect chains, in which various variables are distinguished. Thus the framework in which the remainder of the report has been written, is described (ch.2). Ch. 3 deals with the measurability of psychic health and of the various variables in two cause-effect chains. In ch. 4 the found empirical evidence of the effects of ionizing radiation upon psychic health is described. This chapter is especially based upon study of literature. In ch. 5 interviews with users of various radiation sources are reported. In ch. 6 the question of standardization of ionizing radiation with regard to possible (psychic) damage is entered. It is looked if one can speak in terms of 'standards' in case of psychic damage. As far as standardization does not seem to be possible practical alternatives are presented with which eventual psychic damage from ionizing (radiation) sources may be limited. Finally in ch. 7 a comparison is made between the theoretical framework of the (possible) effects of ionizing radiation upon psychic health and the measurability of the therein distinguishable variables on the one hand, and, on the other hand, the empirical materials obtained from the study of the literature and the interviews. (H.W.) 103 refs.; 8 figs

Perceptions of intrinsically and extrinsically motivated distance education students of the barriers to persistence

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. P. Fourie

1998-06-01

Full Text Available The aim of the study was to investigate the influence of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation on the perceptions held by distance education students of the barriers to persistence. A review of the literature on attrition in traditional and distance education and motivation to learn in adults - with specific reference to intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, as well as barriers to persistence - is presented. The "Barriers to Persistence Questionnaire" (BPQ, consisting of 97 items, was developed. It was administered, in combination with Maritz's (1980 86 item "Motivation to Learn Questionnaire" (MLQ to 212 adults enrolled for management development programmes via distance education. Statistically significant differences were found between predominantly intrinsically motivated students and those students who were predominantly extrinsically motivated. The implications of the findings/ as well as the implications for distance education institutions and organisations involved in distance education, are discussed. Opsomming Die doel van die studie was om die invloed van intrinsieke en ekstrinsieke motivering op die persepsies van afstandsonderrigstudente van die hindemisse tot volharding te ondersoek. 'n Literatuuroorsig ten opsigte van slytasie in tradisionele onderrig en afstandsonderrig, asook die rol van motivering in volwasse onderrig - met spesifieke verwysing na intrinsieke en ekstrinsieke motivering, asook die hindemisse tot volharding - is gedoen. Die "Barriers to Persistence Questionnaire" (BPQ is ontwikkel, bestaande uit 97 items. Dit is saam met Maritz (1980 se 86- item "Motivation to Learn Questionnaire" toegepas op 212 volwassenes wat geregistreer is vir bestuursontwikkelingsprogramme via afstandsonderrig. Statisries beduidende verskille is gevind in die persepsies van oorwegend intrinsieke en oorwegend ekstrinsieke studente. Die implikasies van die bevindinge word bespreek, asook implikasies vir afstandsonderrigmstellings en organisasies

Aplikácia distance workingu v konkrétnej firme

OpenAIRE

Hasík, Gabriel

2010-01-01

Bachelor thesis provides an overview of the various forms of distance working. It includes a theoretical part, where are described all types of distance working, then the section describing the effects of distance working on the employee and employer (the impact on the psychic, work efficiency, work ethic, etc.). The final part focuses on the application of distance working on a specific company. This section includes the assessment of various options and choices to suit the company.

Rational Thinking and Belief in Psychic Abilities: It Depends on Level of Involvement.

Science.gov (United States)

Stone, Anna

2016-02-01

Previous research has shown that lay believers in psychic abilities are more prone to intuitive thinking, less inclined to rational thinking, and have an external locus of control, compared to non-believers. Psychic practitioners, however, may have different characteristics. Psychic practitioners ( n = 31; M age = 42.7 yr., SD = 13.1), lay believers ( n = 33; M age = 33.0 yr., SD = 10.3), and non-believers ( n = 31; M age = 34.4 yr., SD = 15.4) completed questionnaires measuring thinking styles, locus of control, and psychic belief. Comparisons of lay believers with non-believers confirmed previous observations: believers had a higher propensity for intuitive thinking, lower propensity for rational thinking, and more external locus of control. In contrast, practitioners were equivalent to non-believers in rational thinking and had the highest internal locus of control. This highlights the importance of considering level of involvement with psychic practice in understanding the thinking styles of believers. Results suggested that practitioners may have rationalized their beliefs and constructed a coherent model of psychic phenomena that satisfies a propensity for rational thinking within a community of belief.

Haunted thoughts of the careful experimentalist: psychical research and the troubles of experimental physics.

Science.gov (United States)

Noakes, Richard

2014-12-01

This paper analyses the relationship between the 'elusive' science of psychical research and experimental physics in the period approximately, 1870-1930. Most studies of the relationship between psychical research and the established sciences have examined the ways in which psychical researchers used theories in the established sciences to give greater plausibility to their interpretations of such puzzling phenomena as telepathy, telekinesis and ectoplasm. A smaller literature has examined the use of laboratory instruments to produce scientific evidence for these phenomena. This paper argues that the cultures of experiment in the established science of physics could matter to psychical research in a different way: it suggests that experience of capricious effects, recalcitrant instruments and other problems of the physical laboratory made British physicists especially sympathetic towards the difficulties of the spiritualistic séance and other sites of psychical enquiry. In the wake of widely-reported claims that the mediums they had investigated had been exposed as frauds, these scientific practitioners were eventually persuaded by the merits of an older argument that human psychic subjects could not be treated like laboratory hardware. However, well into the twentieth century, they maintained that experimental physics had important lessons for psychical researchers. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Psychic Warfare: Exploring the Mind Frontier

Science.gov (United States)

1988-05-01

month later Anderson was bacrk reinforcing psychic skepticism. This time he began, "The brass hats are, indeed, dabbling in the dark arts." Other...Emotion Radiator Ray; (10) Antisubmarine Systems; (11) Teleporters (Prototype); (12) Force Generators: (13) Orthoframe Generators; (14) Quark /Antiquark

Rational Thinking and Belief in Psychic Abilities: It Depends on Level of Involvement

OpenAIRE

Stone, Anna

2016-01-01

Previous research has shown that lay believers in psychic abilities are more\\ud prone to intuitive thinking, less inclined to rational thinking, and have an external locus of\\ud control, compared to non-believers. Psychic practitioners, however, may have different\\ud characteristics. Psychic practitioners (N=31; mean age = 42.7 years, s.d.=13.1), lay believers\\ud (N=33; mean age = 33.0 years, s.d.=10.3), and non-believers (N=31; mean age = 34.4 years,\\ud s.d.=15.4) completed questionnaires me...

Benefits, barriers, and intentions/desires of nurses related to distance learning in rural island communities.

Science.gov (United States)

Kataoka-Yahiro, Merle R; Richardson, Karol; Mobley, Joseph

2011-03-01

This study assessed distance learning needs among nurses on the Neighbor Islands in Hawaii. An exploratory study was conducted using a descriptive qualitative design. Of the 37 nurses who completed the study, 7 were nurse administrators and 30 were staff nurses. There were 18 focus groups of nurses recruited from six public hospitals on the Neighbor Islands. Three major themes related to distance learning emerged in this study: benefits, barriers, and intentions/desires. Each major theme had several linkages to categories and subcategories. Overall findings were as follows: (1) cost was mentioned more often in three major thematic areas (benefit, barriers, and intentions/desires); (2) the need to revisit and address current curriculum approaches and practices in distance learning programs was identified; and (3) strong recommendations were made for programs and organizational support for distance learning in hospital settings. These findings have implications for nursing research, education, and practice. Copyright 2011, SLACK Incorporated.

Distance and protective barrier effects on the composite resin degree of conversion

Science.gov (United States)

Coutinho, Margareth; Trevizam, Natália Carvalho; Takayassu, Renata Nakase; Leme, Ariene Arcas; Soares, Giulliana Panfiglio

2013-01-01

Context: The food wrap films are used to cover the tip of curing light units in order to avoid contamination and prevent damage to the light guide. However, their effects on resin polymerization are not fully known. Aims: We investigated the effects on restoration efficiency of a food wrap protective barrier used on the tip of curing light units. Materials and Methods: For each treatment, five replications were performed, a total of 60 bovine incisor. The degree of conversion (%DC) of restorations with the composite resin Opallis EA2 was evaluated using 3 curing light devices (Optilux 501, Optilight and Ultra LED) and 2 curing distances (0 and 5 mm). The composite resin was tested for restoration of cavities in bovine crowns. %DC values were measured by the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy-attenuated total reflectance technique. Statistical Analysis Used: The data were analyzed using 3-way ANOVA and Tukey's test. Results: Use of the protective film lowered %DC (F = 4.13; P = 0.05), and the effects of curing distance were associated to the curing light device (F = 3.61; P = 0.03). Conclusions: The distance from the light curing tip and use of a translucent protective barrier on the light-cure device can both impair composite resin %DC. PMID:24015001

THE IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY IN BREAKING BARRIERS TOWARDS WOMEN’S LIBERATION IN OPEN DISTANCE LEARNING

OpenAIRE

NNDOWISENI RAVHUDZULO, Anniekie

2015-01-01

Technology has brought about unique changes in education as a whole, how people communicate; research, preference and social interaction. It presents before the society a growing recognition of the recent and wider possibilities in the new era. The proposed study identified the impact of technology in breaking barriers towards women’s liberation in Open Distance Learning (ODL) to contribute towards enhancing women empowerment. The two concepts Open Distance Learning (ODL) and Distance Educati...

Exploring "psychic transparency" during pregnancy: a mixed-methods approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Oriol, Cécile; Tordjman, Sylvie; Dayan, Jacques; Poulain, Patrice; Rosenblum, Ouriel; Falissard, Bruno; Dindoyal, Asha; Naudet, Florian

2016-08-12

Psychic transparency is described as a psychic crisis occurring during pregnancy. The objective was to test if it was clinically detectable. Seven primiparous and seven nulliparous subjects were recorded during 5 min of spontaneous speech about their dreams. 25 raters from five groups (psychoanalysts, psychiatrists, general practitioners, pregnant women and medical students) listened to the audiotapes. They were asked to rate the probability of the women being pregnant or not. Their ability to discriminate the primiparous women was tested. The probability of being identified correctly or not was calculated for each woman. A qualitative analysis of the speech samples was performed. No group of rater was able to correctly classify pregnant and non-pregnant women. However, the raters' choices were not completely random. The wish to be pregnant or to have a baby could be linked to a primiparous classification whereas job priorities could be linked to a nulliparous classification. It was not possible to detect Psychic transparency in this study. The wish for a child might be easier to identify. In addition, the raters' choices seemed to be connected to social representations of motherhood.

Is Distance to Provider a Barrier to Care for Medicaid Patients with Breast, Colorectal, or Lung Cancer?

Science.gov (United States)

Scoggins, John F.; Fedorenko, Catherine R.; Donahue, Sara M. A.; Buchwald, Dedra; Blough, David K.; Ramsey, Scott D.

2012-01-01

Purpose: Distance to provider might be an important barrier to timely diagnosis and treatment for cancer patients who qualify for Medicaid coverage. Whether driving time or driving distance is a better indicator of travel burden is also of interest. Methods: Driving distances and times from patient residence to primary care provider were…

Psychic energy and synchronicity.

Science.gov (United States)

Zabriskie, Beverley

2014-04-01

Given Jung's interest in physics' formulations of psychic energy and the concept of time, overlaps and convergences in the themes addressed in analytical psychology and in quantum physics are to be expected. These are informed by the active intersections between the matter of mind and mindfulness re matter. In 1911, Jung initiated dinners with Einstein. Jung's definition of libido in the pivotal 1912 Fordham Lectures reveals the influence of these conversations. Twenty years later, a significant period in physics, Wolfgang Pauli contacted Jung. Their collaboration led to the theory of synchronicity. © 2014, The Society of Analytical Psychology.

Theodor Waitz on psychic unity.

Science.gov (United States)

Jahoda, Gustav

2014-06-01

The tolerant stance on 'race' by prominent Enlightenment figures was followed in the 19th century by a powerful wave of biological racism. Many of its proponents took the view that human 'races' constitute separate species, and that most non-white ones are of inferior mentality. An early opponent of this claim was James Cowles Prichard, who used mainly missionary reports in seeking to refute it. Far more extensive work was undertaken by the Herbartian psychologist Theodor Waitz, who collected ethnographic material from all over the world. It was published in six volumes - the last two after his death by his former student Georg Gerland. Waitz aim was to demonstrate the 'psychic unity' of mankind. Initially extracts from the volume on African peoples are presented in order to show how he dealt with his material. The main focus is on his first volume entitled Introduction to Anthropology, in which he elaborates his general thesis. In it Waitz maintains, against the biological racists, that mankind is a single species. Furthermore he discusses the changes from savagery to civilization, attributing them to a combination of geography and history. He was followed by Adolf Bastian who, unlike Waitz, was a great traveller with personal experience of peoples all over the globe. Both firmly believed in the psychic unity of mankind, but Bastian's approach to psychology was very different.

[From reflex arc to psychic apparatus: neurology and psychoanalysis around 1900].

Science.gov (United States)

Porath, Erik

2009-03-01

As a disciple of Ernst Wilhelm von Brücke and Theodor Meynert, Sigmund Freud was familiar with 19th century physiology and neurology. He started his career with laboratory work and began later on, when being a young medic to develop an explicit psychological method for curating hysterics. These cases of hysteria ask riddles to the established medical discourse and practice. Freud's long time unpublished Entwurf einer Psychologie (1895) makes the attempt of a "psychology for the neurologist". He tried to give a sufficient theory of the psychic apparatus on the basis of natural science. At the same time he (together with Josef Breuer) published his Studies on Hysteria, which--in addition to his earlier essay on Aphasia (1891)--argued, that there is no clear cut relation between body and soul. Despite the dubious, non-reductive character of the soma-psyche-relation, Freud gave reason to search for a complex field of interrelations between the physiological and psychological knowledge, beyond the divide of natural sciences and humanities. Not until his groundbreaking Traumdeutung (1900) Freud gave up the claim of reintegrating psychological knowledge into the neuroscientific field for now. But up to his latest work he always adheres to the principal project of unifying the natural and the psychical being of the subject. In the gap between the two spheres, for long occupied by the discursive figure of the 'psycho-physical parallelism', Freud situated the Unconscious. In the passage to a psychoanalytical theory of psychic events Freud took up the model of the reflex arc well known from neurology. The transmission into psychoanalysis complexifies the unilinearity of reflexes, so that the psychic apparatus can be analysed as a cybernetic mechanism 'avant la lettre'. It is interesting enough that inhibition as well as consciousness play a key role in the regulation of the psychic apparatus. In this context Freud stresses the importance of speech and language within the

Sibling differentiation, identity development, and the lateral dimension of psychic life.

Science.gov (United States)

Vivona, Jeanine M

2007-01-01

The lateral dimension of psychic life, lived through relationships with siblings and their substitutes, is structured around a distinct psychic challenge: to find one's unique place in a world of similar others. Like the challenge that structures the vertical parent-child dimension, the lateral challenge is fraught with conflict and ambivalence; its resolution imbues psychic structure. That resolution may be accomplished through a process of differentiation, an active and unconscious process of identity development by which a child amplifies differences with siblings and minimizes similarities. Differentiation from siblings serves to mitigate interpersonal rivalry with them and to ease internal conflict associated with the lateral dimension. Three clinical examples are offered to illustrate the operation of sibling differentiation and its costs, particularly in terms of constricted identity and attenuated relationships with siblings and peers. Differentiation as a process of becoming what the other is not has been eclipsed by identification in psychoanalytic theories of identity development. Yet differentiation is a common strategy for resolving the primary rivalries and conflicts of the lateral dimension, and has unique developmental and clinical implications.

‘Spiritalismus vincit Mundum’ Dutch spiritualism and the beginning of psychical research

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ingrid Kloosterman

2014-11-01

Full Text Available The science of psychical research and parapsychology stemmed, among other things, from wonder about the phenomena of spiritualism: manifestations of the deceased through mediums in séances. In the Netherlands, academic psychical research emerged in 1919, when the Studievereeniging voor Psychical Research (SPR was founded. In this paper, it is argued that a revival of the popularity of spiritualism during the war contributed to the emergence of the Dutch SPR shortly after the First World War had ended. Mass bereavement does not suffice as an explanation for the growth of the spiritualistic movement in the neutral Netherlands in the war years. It is demonstrated that in the writings of spiritualists about the First World War persistent fin-de-siècle themes can be distinguished. Before and during the First World War Dutch spiritualism was dominated by ‘ideologically’ inclined spiritualists and their more ‘critical-scientific’ counterparts were a minority. This had hindered the development of Dutch psychical research. After the war spiritualists shared their hopeful and optimistic perspective of the human soul with scholars leaning towards psychoanalytical and psychomonist ideas. This eventually led to a joint foundation of the Dutch SPR. This alignment between ideological and critical-scientific spiritualists would not last; opinions on how to handle the research subjects (i.e. mediums remained too distinct.

The concept of psychical trauma: a bridge in interdisciplinary space.

Science.gov (United States)

Tutté, Juan Carlos

2004-08-01

The concept of trauma currently occupies a central position in interdisciplinary dialogue. Using the concept of psychical trauma as a bridge, the author attempts an interdisciplinary dialogue with psychiatry, biology and neuroscience. Beginning with the concept of psychical trauma in Freud, the author reviews the evolution of Freud's thinking, and links it with the ideas of Ferenczi and post-Freudian psychoanalytical authors. From a different framework, he considers the present state of research on post-traumatic stress disorder in current psychiatric nosography and attempts an interdisciplinary approximation to the concept of psychical trauma. Interesting ideas like the traumatic situation, trauma spectrum and psychopathological spectrum emerge, which enable a better understanding of the concept of psychical trauma through its relatedness, as a bridge connecting a broad psychopathological range extending from normality to psychosis. The ensuing possible relative loss of nosographical rigour is more than compensated by the resulting increased understanding and enlarged therapeutic possibilities. In the second part of the paper, the author attempts a dialogue with neuroscience, taking into account new advances in current research on emotion and memory, and making them compatible with the psychoanalytical concept of trauma. In this sense, the paper underlines the importance of emotion and crucially of memory, regarded as a fundamental axis of the subject explored in this paper. Here a substantial distinction which is pertinent for analytical work appears: declarative memories versus non-declarative or procedural memories. In a concluding discussion the author argues that, taking into account the implications of these current notions regarding a number of theoretical and technical aspects, psychoanalysis currently holds a privileged position, both in its potential for prevention and regarding the treatment of patients, in so far as, through interdisciplinary dialogue

The Psychic Life of Resistance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Barinaga, Ester

2013-01-01

to power. This article is a first step to remedy that oversight. Inspired by Butler’s reading of Foucault’s notion of power at work in subjection and resistance, the article uses Goffman to substantiate such an account. Based on a 20-month ethnographic study of a traditional immigrant suburb north...... of Stockholm, Sweden, which is being redeveloped into a high-tech region, it offers empirical insight into the psychic life of resistance. Further, a particular resistance strategy is identified: symbolic dislocations through adherence to a boundary other than the one subjecting the self in the first place....

Paranormal psychic believers and skeptics: a large-scale test of the cognitive differences hypothesis.

Science.gov (United States)

Gray, Stephen J; Gallo, David A

2016-02-01

Belief in paranormal psychic phenomena is widespread in the United States, with over a third of the population believing in extrasensory perception (ESP). Why do some people believe, while others are skeptical? According to the cognitive differences hypothesis, individual differences in the way people process information about the world can contribute to the creation of psychic beliefs, such as differences in memory accuracy (e.g., selectively remembering a fortune teller's correct predictions) or analytical thinking (e.g., relying on intuition rather than scrutinizing evidence). While this hypothesis is prevalent in the literature, few have attempted to empirically test it. Here, we provided the most comprehensive test of the cognitive differences hypothesis to date. In 3 studies, we used online screening to recruit groups of strong believers and strong skeptics, matched on key demographics (age, sex, and years of education). These groups were then tested in laboratory and online settings using multiple cognitive tasks and other measures. Our cognitive testing showed that there were no consistent group differences on tasks of episodic memory distortion, autobiographical memory distortion, or working memory capacity, but skeptics consistently outperformed believers on several tasks tapping analytical or logical thinking as well as vocabulary. These findings demonstrate cognitive similarities and differences between these groups and suggest that differences in analytical thinking and conceptual knowledge might contribute to the development of psychic beliefs. We also found that psychic belief was associated with greater life satisfaction, demonstrating benefits associated with psychic beliefs and highlighting the role of both cognitive and noncognitive factors in understanding these individual differences.

Attitudes on Barriers and Benefits of Distance Education among Mississippi Delta Allied Health Community College Faculty, Staff, and Students

Science.gov (United States)

Mayfield-Johnson, Susan; Mohn, Richard S.; Mitra, Amal K.; Young, Rebekah; McCullers, Elizabeth M.

2014-01-01

Online distance education creates increased opportunities for continuing education and advanced training for allied health professionals living in underserved and geographically isolated areas. The purpose of this article was to explore attitudes on barriers and benefits of distance education technology among underrepresented minority allied…

Psychic wear and social vulnerability of Zapotlenses women: A descriptive study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Claudia Saldaña-Orozco

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Numerous studies have documented the impact of psychosocial risks, and particularly the psychic wear on workers’ health. However, women in a situation of social vulnerability have not been the subject of exploration. Objective: To characterize the psychic wear in a sample of vulnerable women. Materials and methods: An exploratory, descriptive and correlational study was conducted. The dimension number 4 from the Battery for the study of the working conditions of psychosocial character was applied (CTCPS-MAC, which evaluates psychological wear and 3 particular factors (cognitive-emotional response; behavioral response and physiological response at 99 Vulnerable women of Zapotlán el Grande. Results: A 75.8 % of the participants presented optimal conditions with ratings between good and very good, 24.2% between normal and harmful, which indicates that they require immediate assistance. The most affected factor was number 1 (cognitive-emotional response, 52,5% presented negative symptomatology. There were no significant associations between the sociodemographic variables studied and the psychic wear. Conclusions: The results allow to open doors for deeper investigations with the population studied in order to guarantee mental health and quality of life for women with social vulnerability in Zapotlán el Grande.

Factors driving the location investment decision of South African ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

As trade barriers fell, South African enterprises faced new competition in their previously protected home market. With established markets becoming saturated, multinational enterprises (MNEs) steered towards emerging markets abroad. Geographically, South Africa is an intrinsic part of Africa, and psychic distance, defined ...

Effects of distances and company resources for enterprise export performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Givanildo Silva

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this article is to evaluate the effect of distance on the export performance of companies in Santa Catarina, and to what extent this effect is moderated by organizational resource characteristics. Multiple linear regression and variance analysis were used for a perception survey of export managers with a final sample of 49 exporting producers. The constructs showed internal validity and allowed the data to be analyzed. The results only revealed evidence regarding the effect of psychic distance, showing a positive relationship with export performance. Also, the model estimation showed that the organization's resources moderate the relation between distance and export performance. Finally the study also shows that the export team and the organizational structure moderate the effect of distance on the performance and future performance expectations of the companies.

Special features of pathophysiological mechanisms of psychical disadaptation under influence of the Chernobyl NPP disaster

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sinitskij, V.N.; Kovtun, T.V.; Kharchenko, N.K.; Stognij, N.A.; Duplenko, P.Yu.; Opanasenko, E.V.

1994-01-01

A complex clinical-laboratory examination of 110 patients with various phenomena of psychical disadaptation has been carried out.In the first group (5% of examined patients) the signs of psychical-organical syndrome characteristics for dismnestical dementia has been stated. In the second group (75% of examined patients) the neurological (vascular, vegetative, convulsive) disorders, developed due to systemic lesion of subcortical mezodiencephalular and limbic formation of the brain, have been revealed. For the third group of patients the neurotical and neurosis-like disorders have been typical. The most characteristic changes of electroencephalogram, higher neural activity, psychic-test data, indexes of vegetative-vascular tonus, exchange of biogenic amines (catecholamines and serotonin), the content of key metabolites in the blood, glomeruli filtration of kidneys have been investigated for the patients of each group

[Establishment of rat model of psychical erectile dysfunction].

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Qiu-lin; Wang, Shu-ren; Duan, Jin

2006-01-01

To set up a method of establishing the animal model of psychical erectile dysfunction with emotional stress. All thirty-six male rats with normal sexual function were divided into three groups, i. e. normal group, model group and demasculinized group randomly according to their weights. The rats in the model group were suspended upside down in midair over the water and irritated repeatedly. Two weeks later, the sexual abilities of all rats, i. e. the times of mounting and intromitting the estrus female rats, the latent period of mounting, intromission and ejaculation, were recorded, and the number of rats that had sexual activities was also counted. And the hemorheology indices of the rats were measured. Compared with the normal rats, the latency of mounting [(152.5 +/- 24.6) s vs (42.4 +/- 9.6) s] and intromission [(437.0 +/- 67.7) s vs (130.8 +/- 39.1) s] of the model rats were longer (P 0.05). The hemorheology indices, e. g. blood viscosity, hematocrit (Hct) and red cell aggregation (RCA), of the model rats was significant higher than that of the normal and demasculinized rats (P erectile dysfunction can be made ideally with psychical stress.

[Is the brain the creator of psychic phenomena or is a paradigm shift inevitable?].

Science.gov (United States)

Bonilla, Ernesto

2014-06-01

Every day new scientific information is appearing that cannot be explained using the classical Newtonian model and is calling for the emergence of a new paradigm that would include the explanation of such phenomena as telepathy, clairvoyance, presentiment, precognition, out of the body experiences, psychic healing, after-death communication, near-death experiences and reincarnation. The materialist paradigm which considers the brain as the sole cause of consciousness and psychic phenomena has been challenged by a new paradigm that seems to demonstrate that there is not a cause-effect relationship between brain activity and psychic phenomena but only a correlation between them, since these phenomena can be experienced without the body and appear to have an extra-cerebral origin (cosmic field, cosmic consciousness?). Of course, the brain is intensely involved in the manifestation of consciousness in our daily life but this is not equivalent to affirm that brain creates consciousness. Recent findings force us to consider a non-physical, spiritual and transpersonal aspect of reality.

Border-line neuro psychic disturbances in children and teenagers living on the territory contaminated with radionuclides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bazyl'chik, S. V.

1993-01-01

Spread of the border-line neuro psychic disturbances in children and teenagers aged 10-16 living in the districts contaminated with radionuclides was studied. A marked increase of psychic disturbances, particularly in girls, attributed to the growth of neurotic and neurosis-like disorders as compared with the control group was revealed. Asthenic type disorders prevailed in derangement structure. 7 refs., 1 tab

[Psychic factors in case histories of patients with alopecia areata--preliminary report].

Science.gov (United States)

Wygledowska-Kania, M; Bogdanowski, T

1996-01-01

We tested the significance of psychic factors in the etiopathogenesis of alopecia areata. We analysed the patient on the basis of a detailed examination based on the case history, including important events in his/her life, personality traits, serious events and the loss of emotional attachment. General important events happened to 80% of the patients, personality traits able to cause the disease were present in 73%, serious events in 62% and the loss of emotional attachment was also found in 62% of the patients. We tested 60 patients (31 women and 29 men). The evidence obtained from the detailed examination based on case histories indicated significantly frequent occurrence of the psychic factors preceding the occurrence of alopecia areata.

Subjective and objective symptoms of psychical load in nuclear power plant operators in connection with shift operation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kozeny, J.; Prochazkova, Z.

1992-01-01

A group of 56 operators (mean age=34.6 years, S.D. 3.4 year, range=30-40 years; university graduates of technical direction) in a nuclear power plant was followed during the morning, afternoon and night shift from the standpoint of subjective symptoms (an evaluation scale assessed at the beginning, in the middle and at the end of the shift) and objective symptoms (critical flicker frequency determined at the same time) of the psychical load. No significant differences were found by multivariation analysis between subjective perception of the work load and its objective reflection. The night shift, where the load lies particularly in the monotony of stimuli, appears to exert a higher psychical load aimed at maintaining mental activity when compared with the afternoon and morning shift. In contrast to subjective assessment of the psychical condition where the data fluctuated during the whole shift, the psychical activity reflected in the objective data, decreased until the middle of the shift when stabilization occurred. (author) 1 tab., 8 refs

[Aspects of aetiology of neuro-psychic disorders in male liquidators of Chernobyl nuclear power accident consequences].

Science.gov (United States)

Skavysh, V A

2009-01-01

The author considered aetiology of neuro-psychic disorders in liquidators of Chernobyl nuclear power accident consequences, demonstrated scientific value of studying the liquidators cohort, as they were protected from internal radiation factors and reside on radiation "pure" territories. External radiation doses in those liquidators vary from 16 cGy to 18.7 +/- 10.8 cGy, according to the author. Catamnesis enabled to doubt radiation aetiology of psychic organic syndrome revealed in 1991-1994 by clinical and instrumental studies among 53.6% of 213 male examinees. According to the author, prolonged over 1-2 months external radiation of low dose could not cause health deterioration in adult males. Diagnosed psychic organic syndrome and vascular encephalopathy in some cases could have alcohol aetiology. This conclusion is not extrapolated to the whole liquidators cohort.

Rheumatoid arthritis as psychic problem

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jiří Kaas

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The article deals with the issue of psychic problems of rheumatoid arthritis patients. Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, inflammatory motor system disease with comprehensive impact on the patient's life. The disease is often considered an exclusively physical disease. But such approach is insufficient because the disease is accompanied by motor limitations of different intensities, by pain and by fatigue that cause considerable exhaustion to the patient. The patients often must give up their hobbies and in some cases even their jobs. In most serious cases, even common daily activities including self–servicing actions become an obstacle to the patient. It is therefore logical that the psyche of a patient with such disease is considerably strained. One of the partial goals of the study consisted in mapping the subjectively perceived quality of life of rheumatoid arthritis patients in facet 8, "negative feelings", and in ascertaining whether there is statistically significant relation to facets 1, "pain and discomfort", and 2, "energy and fatigue". Another goal consisted in comparing the subjectively perceived quality of life between men and women with rheumatoid arthritis, as well as between population of rheumatoid arthritis patients and control healthy population. The study was implemented within the research project of the Grant Agency of the University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice number 120/2012/S, „Reflection of quality of life in nursing", under use of two standardized questionnaires, WHOQOL–100 and HAQ. This article presents exclusively the data acquired based on the WHOQOL–100 questionnaire. The research set consisted of patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis from all over the Czech Republic. The size of the set was determined by a statistician at 200 individuals suffering from the disease, in a ratio of 150 women and 50 men. The selection set was derived from the basic set of rheumatoid arthritis patients and

Rheumatoid arthritis as psychic problem

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jiří Kaas

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The article deals with the issue of psychic problems of rheumatoid arthritis patients. Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, inflammatory motor system disease with comprehensive impact on the patient's life. The disease is often considered an exclusively physical disease. But such approach is insufficient because the disease is accompanied by motor limitations of different intensities, by pain and by fatigue that cause considerable exhaustion to the patient. The patients often must give up their hobbies and in some cases even their jobs. In most serious cases, even common daily activities including self-servicing actions become an obstacle to the patient. It is therefore logical that the psyche of a patient with such disease is considerably strained. One of the partial goals of the study consisted in mapping the subjectively perceived quality of life of rheumatoid arthritis patients in facet 8, "negative feelings", and in ascertaining whether there is statistically significant relation to facets 1, "pain and discomfort", and 2, "energy and fatigue". Another goal consisted in comparing the subjectively perceived quality of life between men and women with rheumatoid arthritis, as well as between population of rheumatoid arthritis patients and control healthy population. The study was implemented within the research project of the Grant Agency of the University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice number 120/2012/S, "Reflection of quality of life in nursing", under use of two standardized questionnaires, WHOQOL-100 and HAQ. This article presents exclusively the data acquired based on the WHOQOL-100 questionnaire. The research set consisted of patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis from all over the Czech Republic. The size of the set was determined by a statistician at 200 individuals suffering from the disease, in a ratio of 150 women and 50 men. The selection set was derived from the basic set of rheumatoid arthritis patients and can

Priming psychic and conjuring abilities of a magic demonstration influences event interpretation and random number generation biases

Science.gov (United States)

Mohr, Christine; Koutrakis, Nikolaos; Kuhn, Gustav

2015-01-01

Magical ideation and belief in the paranormal is considered to represent a trait-like character; people either believe in it or not. Yet, anecdotes indicate that exposure to an anomalous event can turn skeptics into believers. This transformation is likely to be accompanied by altered cognitive functioning such as impaired judgments of event likelihood. Here, we investigated whether the exposure to an anomalous event changes individuals’ explicit traditional (religious) and non-traditional (e.g., paranormal) beliefs as well as cognitive biases that have previously been associated with non-traditional beliefs, e.g., repetition avoidance when producing random numbers in a mental dice task. In a classroom, 91 students saw a magic demonstration after their psychology lecture. Before the demonstration, half of the students were told that the performance was done respectively by a conjuror (magician group) or a psychic (psychic group). The instruction influenced participants’ explanations of the anomalous event. Participants in the magician, as compared to the psychic group, were more likely to explain the event through conjuring abilities while the reverse was true for psychic abilities. Moreover, these explanations correlated positively with their prior traditional and non-traditional beliefs. Finally, we observed that the psychic group showed more repetition avoidance than the magician group, and this effect remained the same regardless of whether assessed before or after the magic demonstration. We conclude that pre-existing beliefs and contextual suggestions both influence people’s interpretations of anomalous events and associated cognitive biases. Beliefs and associated cognitive biases are likely flexible well into adulthood and change with actual life events. PMID:25653626

Priming psychic and conjuring abilities of a magic demonstration influences event interpretation and random number generation biases

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Christine eMohr

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Magical ideation and belief in the paranormal is considered to represent a trait-like character; people either believe in it or not. Yet, anecdotes indicate that exposure to an anomalous event can turn sceptics into believers. This transformation is likely to be accompanied by altered cognitive functioning such as impaired judgements of event likelihood. Here, we investigated whether the exposure to an anomalous event changes individuals’ explicit traditional (religious and non-traditional (e.g. paranormal beliefs as well as cognitive biases that have previously been associated with non-traditional beliefs, e.g. repetition avoidance when producing random numbers in a mental dice task. In a classroom, 91 students saw a magic demonstration after their psychology lecture. Before the demonstration, half of the students were told that the performance was done respectively by a conjuror (magician group or a psychic (psychic group. The instruction influenced participants’ explanations of the anomalous event. Participants in the magician, as compared to the psychic group, were more likely to explain the event through conjuring abilities while the reverse was true for psychic abilities. Moreover, these explanations correlated positively with their prior traditional and non-traditional beliefs. Finally, we observed that the psychic group showed more repetition avoidance than the magician group, and this effect remained the same regardless of whether assessed before or after the magic demonstration. We conclude that pre-existing beliefs and contextual suggestions both influence people’s interpretations of anomalous events and associated cognitive biases. Beliefs and associated cognitive biases are likely flexible well into adulthood and change with actual life events.

The physical and psychical sphere in the context of development of student young people on the stage of teaching in the institute of higher

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Sobko S.G.

2010-05-01

Full Text Available Influence of employments is shown a physical culture and sport on psychical activity of students of the non-special faculties of institutes of higher education. The questions of system resulting bases of integral development of student young people are examined: physical and psychical his spheres. It is certain that psychical activity is depending on to physically-health-improvement. The higher estimations of results of psychical activity are got on five scales of the modified form of questionnaire of FPI for the students of groups of sporting perfection.

Psychic centrality: reflections on two psychohistoriographic cultural therapy workshops in Montreal.

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Hickling, Frederick W; Guzder, Jaswant; Robertson-Hickling, Hilary; Snow, Stephen; Kirmayer, Laurence J

2010-02-01

The use of psychohistoriographic cultural therapy (PCT) developed in Jamaica is described in the context of two workshops in Montreal. PCT is a form of group intervention that seeks to elicit and clarify the "psychic centrality" of a group. Psychic centrality refers to a sense of psychological containment or organization of diverse individual points of view through creating a historical map of collective experience. In PCT, this collective map is constructed and techniques borrowed from creative arts therapies are used to develop a performance. This performance provides additional containment and fosters a group process that can contain collective conflicts. The performance can also be used to engage an audience, working to contain conflict while representing diverse perspectives within the group. Factors that may contribute to the effectiveness of PCT and those that may derail the process are identified through the systematic comparison of the two workshops. PCT was demonstrated to cross successfully from a Third to a First World culture, and established potential as a method to facilitate group conflict resolution and for the promotion of pluralistic civil societies.

Psychic blindness or visual agnosia: early descriptions of a nervous disorder.

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Baumann, Christian

2011-01-01

This article briefly reports on three early contributions to the understanding of visual agnosia as a syndrome sui generis. The authors of the respective papers worked in different fields such as physiology, ophthalmology, and neurology, and, although they were not in direct contact with each other, their results converged upon a consistent view of a nervous disorder that they called psychic blindness.

[Long-term effects of traumatic experiences on somatic and psychic complaints of German World War Two refugees].

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Fischer, C J; Struwe, J; Lemke, M R

2006-01-01

The effects of expulsion from German territories following World War Two have not been studied systematically, and little is known about long-term effects of this potentially traumatic experience. Via mail, 600 refugees from former German territories due to World War Two were asked to complete questionnaires about biographic data, somatic and psychic health (SCL-90-R questionnaire), and specific aspects related to traumatic experiences (post-traumatic stress disorder questionnaire). Of those contacted, 25% participated in the investigation. Of them, 9.8% fulfilled diagnostic criteria of post-traumatic stress disorder according to DSM IV. Only 1.8% of an age-matched control group met these criteria. Analysis of the SCL-90-R questionnaire showed higher scores for former refugees in somatic and psychic complaints than the control group. We show that expulsion following war may lead to symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and somatic and psychic complaints after more than 50 years. Our investigation supports the necessity of adequate care for subjects expelled from their home countries and the psychologically traumatised.

Vehicle barrier systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sena, P.A.

1986-01-01

The ground vehicle is one of the most effective tools available to an adversary force. Vehicles can be used to penetrate many types of perimeter barriers, transport equipment and personnel rapidly over long distances, and deliver large amounts of explosives directly to facilities in suicide missions. The function of a vehicle barrier system is to detain or disable a defined threat vehicle at a selected distance from a protected facility. Numerous facilities are installing, or planning to install, vehicle barrier systems and many of these facilities are requesting guidance to do so adequately. Therefore, vehicle barriers are being evaluated to determine their stopping capabilities so that systems can be designed that are both balanced and capable of providing a desired degree of protection. Equally important, many of the considerations that should be taken into account when establishing a vehicle barrier system have been identified. These considerations which pertain to site preparation, barrier selection, system integration and operation, and vehicle/barrier interaction, are discussed in this paper

Psychic disorders caused by the Chernobyl accident

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kondrashenko, V.T.; Sorokina, T.T.; Donskoj, D.I.; Kopytov, A.V.; Igumnov, S.A.; Avin, A.I.; Golovach, A.A.; Bosina, L.G.

1997-01-01

The results of the investigations being fulfilled in accordance with three programs for different groups of people are received. People living in the radionuclide contaminated areas from the both Gomel and Mogilev Regions (n=304), liquidators (n=114), children, having been born from the mothers living on the radionuclide contaminated territories (n=154), when they were pregnant, were involved in the study. The number of persons of male and female sex were accordingly 63% and 47%. 50 children and 50 adults from the both Minsk and Vitebsk Regions (clean zones) were in the control group. The study has shown that neuro psychic disorders occurred in the majority of the examined persons and it was caused mainly by an organic impairment of brain

Enrico Morselli's Psychology and "Spiritism": psychiatry, psychology and psychical research in Italy in the decades around 1900.

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Brancaccio, Maria Teresa

2014-12-01

This paper traces Enrico Morselli's intellectual trajectory from the 1870s to the early 1900s. His interest in phenomena of physical mediumship is considered against the backdrop of the theoretical developments in Italian psychiatry and psychology. A leading positivist psychiatrist and a prolific academic, Morselli was actively involved in the making of Italian experimental psychology. Initially sceptical of psychical research and opposed to its association with the 'new psychology', Morselli subsequently conducted a study of the physical phenomena produced by the medium Eusapia Palladino. He concluded that her phenomena were genuine and represented them as the effects of an unknown bio-psychic force present in all human beings. By contextualizing Morselli's study of physical mediumship within contemporary theoretical and disciplinary discourse, this study elaborates shifts in the interpretations of 'supernormal' phenomena put forward by leading Italian psychiatrists and physiologists. It demonstrates that Morselli's interest in psychical research stems from his efforts to comprehend the determinants of complex psychological phenomena at a time when the dynamic theory of matter in physics, and the emergence of neo-vitalist theories influenced the theoretical debates in psychiatry, psychology and physiology. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Violence against children/adolescents in psychic suffering and nursing care: reflections of social phenomenology.

Science.gov (United States)

Freitas, Rodrigo Jácob Moreira de; Moura, Natana Abreu de; Monteiro, Ana Ruth Macêdo

2016-03-01

Objective To reflect on violence against children and adolescents in psychic suffering, and nursing care based on social phenomenology. Method Theoretical study based on the conceptions of Alfred Schütz. Results The subject in psychic suffering shows conflicts in family relationships, and is often immersed in a biographical situation that removes their autonomy, contributing violence itself. Violence is a social phenomenon expressed through power relations in the everyday world and, through group relationships, resulting in suffering for the victims. Conclusions Studies performed by Schütz enable a new look for the nursing care/health professionals who deal with this problem by allowing them to know the biographical situation, and have full stock of knowledge about their patients, their motivations and the meanings these patients attribute to their experiences. This enables the overcoming of the biomedical model and leads to valuing interpersonal relations from the perspective of a culture of peace.

[Harry Potter--the trauma as a drive for psychic development].

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Subkowski, Peter

2004-12-01

The Harry Potter books are centered around the psychic development of a traumatised young boy starting from his internalised early experience of being loved by his mother to the sudden loss of both of his parents at the anal stage and the later cumulative traumatisation by being negleced and mistreated by his relatives up to the present times. By identifying with his father and other father replacements Harry Potter finally acquires self-assurance and wins new friends. Harry goes through different stages of initiation into the adult world with all its conflicts and rivalries but also friendships. He stands up to his fears and symptoms resulting from his early childhood traumata and thereby helps to encourage readers of all ages to handle their own conflicts. On the oedipal level Harry Potter finally has to deidealize his father and Dumbledore, but also their opponent the dark Lord Voldemort, who thereby becomes more human, understandable and in the long run probably defeatable. The reader can identify himself with Harry and/ or a wide range of other characters. He can recognize his own experiences in life and conflicts in the story and argue internally with the demonstrated conflict solving patterns on different levels. It is the skillfully displayed and logically constructed story of the psychic development of a child that is traumatised at an early age and the possibilities the reader has to identify selectively with the different characters that constitutes the attractiveness of the Harry Potter novels.

The dynamic interplay of mourning and forgiveness in the early development of the self and psychic structure.

Science.gov (United States)

Rankin, Eric D

2014-04-01

Mourning has received considerable attention in the psychoanalytic literature. Beginning with Freud's 1917 investigation, the central role of mourning in psychical development via identification has been articulated and subsequently elaborated upon by various authors (e.g., Klein, 1940; Schafer, 2005). Forgiveness, on the other hand, has until recently received considerably less attention, perhaps because of the strong religious and moral connotations often associated with it (Lansky, 2009a). Contemporary writers exploring the psychoanalytic implications of mourning and forgiveness, however, have suggested the importance of both in normal psychical development. The purpose of this paper is to propose an integrated model of mourning and forgiveness and explore its potential role in nascent infant development.

Barriers to Communication in Distance Education

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Berge, Zane L.

2013-01-01

To a large extent education can be thought of as a communication process among the participants. This article focuses on distance education, which has both the general communication processes that in-person education venues possess, and also communication specific to the technologies that mediate the teaching and learning taking place at a…

Nonlocality and exceptional experiences: a study of genius, religious epiphany, and the psychic.

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Schwartz, Stephan A

2010-01-01

Two hundred years of reductive materialism has failed to explain the extraordinary experiences we know as moments of genius, religious epiphany, and psychic insight. This paper proposes that these three experiences are in essence the same experience, differentiated only by intention and context. It reaches this conclusion based on well-conducted experimental research across the continuum of science--work that proposes a new interdependent model of consciousness that takes into consideration a nonlocal linkage or entanglement, as an aspect of consciousness not limited by space and time. The paper surveys some of the most important relevant research from quantum biology, physics, psychology, medicine, anthropology, and parapsychology. It proposes that more attention should be paid to the autobiographies, correspondence, and journals of men and women to whom history unequivocally accords the designation of genius, saint, or psychic, offering examples from these sources. And it presents comparisons between ethnohistorical material and spiritual traditions, suggesting they arrive at a similar worldview. Finally, it proposes that meditation research, some examples of which are cited, be seen in the context of psychophysical self-regulation, and that it offers one powerful avenue for producing these exceptional experiences. 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Funciones psíquicas de las marcas corporales. // Psychic functions of body marking.

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Margarita María Valencia Valencia.

2010-06-01

Full Text Available This article shows the results of a research titled Funciones psíquicas de las marcas corporales (Psychic Functions of Body Marking that analyses the tattoo, scarification and piercing boom in teenagers and young people. Its aim is to elucidate the body statute in our days. From the acknowledgment of the changes in status of human body throughout history and in different cultures, we investigate the special psychic functions of those practices and their symbolic implications, by using some psychoanalytical theories about body image and adolescence. // Este artículo presenta los resultados de la investigación Funciones psíquicas de las marcas corporales, que interroga el significado del auge de tatuajes, escarificaciones y piercings en adolescentes y jóvenes, con el fin de esclarecer el estatuto del cuerpo en la contemporaneidad. A partir de un reconocimiento de los cambios de estatus que el cuerpo ha tenido a través de la historia y las culturas, se indaga, con ayuda de las teorizaciones psicoanalíticas sobre lo corporal y la adolescencia, acerca de las funciones psíquicas particulares de dichas prácticas y su alcance simbolizador.

Physiology or psychic powers? William Carpenter and the debate over spiritualism in Victorian Britain.

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Delorme, Shannon

2014-12-01

This paper analyses the attitude of the British Physiologist William Benjamin Carpenter (1813-1885) to spiritualist claims and other alleged psychical phenomena in the second half of the Nineteenth Century. It argues that existing portraits of Carpenter as a critic of psychical studies need to be refined so as to include his curiosity about certain 'unexplained phenomena', as well as broadened so as to take into account his overarching epistemological approach in a context of theological and social fluidity within nineteenth-century British Unitarianism. Carpenter's hostility towards spiritualism has been well documented, but his interest in the possibility of thought-transference or his secret fascination with the medium Henry Slade have not been mentioned until now. This paper therefore highlights Carpenter's ambivalences and focuses on his conciliatory attitude towards a number of heterodoxies while suggesting that his Unitarian faith offers the keys to understanding his unflinching rationalism, his belief in the enduring power of mind, and his effort to resolve dualisms. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

From catalepsy to psychical research: The itinerary of Timothée Puel (1812-1890).

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Evrard, Renaud; Pratte, Erika Annabelle

2017-02-01

The physician and botanist Timothée Puel (1812-1890) lived through a pivotal period of psychology (1848-1878), between the academic prohibition of the study of animal magnetism to its disjointed recovery in hypnotism and psychical research. One of his cases of "catalepsy complicated with somnambulism" triggered a lively debate on "extraordinary neuroses" within the young Société médico-psychologique [Medico-psychological Society]. In 1874, Puel founded the Revue de psychologie expérimentale [Journal of Experimental Psychology], the first of its kind in French, which he intended as the vehicle of international interest in psychical research, the scholarly and institutionalized study of "psychism" that prepared the way for the recognition of academic psychology. Puel circulated between these different currents by taking advantage of the polysemy of concepts like "sleep," "experimental psychology," and "psychism." This article discusses his role in the context of emerging French psychology in the mid- to late 19th century. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Predictability of psychic outcome for exercise training and exercise training including relaxation therapy after myocardial infarction

NARCIS (Netherlands)

H.J. Duivenvoorden (Hugo); J. van Dixhoorn (J.)

1991-01-01

markdownabstractAbstract Predictability of the psychic outcome for two cardiac rehabilitation programmes was investigated in 119 myocardial infarction patients. They were randomly assigned to either a five-week daily exercise training or to an identical training in combination with six sessions

Psicología y Salud Psíquica Psychology and Psychic Health

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Juan Diego Lopera Echavarría

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Es frecuente utilizar la expresión salud mental en lugar de salud psíquica. Partiendo de una definición del objeto de la psicología como cultura encarnada, en este escrito argumentaremos por qué es preferible utilizar la expresión salud psíquica. Consideramos que psyché es un concepto mucho más amplio que mente, y que abarca las diferentes facetas de la realidad humana. Basándonos en las elaboraciones de Canguilhem sobre lo normal y lo patológico, proponemos un concepto de salud que contempla el despliegue del ser humano, en tanto continuación de las pautas que la vida misma establece en su proceso de evolución.It is common to use the term "mental health" rather than "psychic health". Starting with a definition of the object of psychology as culture incarnate, in this paper we will argue why it is preferable to use the term psychic health. We believe that "psyche" is a much broader concept than mind, covering the different facets of human reality. Based on the working of Canguilhem on the normal and the pathological, we propose a concept of health that includes the deployment of human beings, like a continuation of the patterns that life itself states in its evolution process.

[Correlation between adolescents psychical disorders and their difficulties of psychosocial adaptation].

Science.gov (United States)

Markeviciūte, Aurelija; Kalkyte, Rūta; Adomaitiene, Virginija; Gudiene, Devika; Velaviciene, Dalia

2007-01-01

To study the correlation between adolescents' psychical disorders and their difficulties of psychosocial adaptation. There were 63 adolescent participants in our study (47 girls and 16 boys) who were hospitalized in Department of Children and Adolescent Psychiatry, Kaunas University of Medicine Hospital (Lithuania) during the period from September to December, 2005. Twenty-seven adolescents (19 girls and 8 boys) had suicidal and self-harming behavior. Psychical disorders were diagnosed according to ICD-10 diagnostic criterions. We used Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire SDQ-lit adapted for Lithuania. While comparing the mean scores in both sexes of adolescents with diagnoses of depressive, behavioral and adaptation disturbances, we found a statistically significant difference only in emotionally disturbance scale results (p=0.016). Analyzing groups of girls and boys separately, girls showed to be worse psychosocially adapted and had more emotional problems. Girls who tried to commit suicide had more emotional (p=0.006) and psychosocial problems (padaptation (p=0.031) difficulties. Parents noted that those who committed a suicide and had behavior disturbances had more expressed emotional (p=0.007) and general adaptation (p=0.053) problems. 1. Adolescent girls who were diagnosed depressive illnesses had more emotional and general adaptation problems than girls who were diagnosed behavior or adaptation disorders. 2. Adolescent girls who tried to commit suicide had more expressed behavior problems and difficulties of emotional, general adaptation. 3. Most expressed difficulties of emotional and general adaptation were typical to girls who were diagnosed with depression and who tried to commit a suicide.

Fusion barriers in heavy ion collisions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu Long; Su Jun; Xie Wenjie; Guo Chenchen; Zhang Donghong; Zhang Fengshou

2014-01-01

Study of fusion barrier is very important for people to better understand fusion reactions. In this paper the Improved Isospin-dependent Quantum Molecular Dynamics (ImIQMD) model is introduced firstly. Then the shell correction effects, energy dependence, isospin effects and orientation effects of fusion barrier are studied. The fusion barriers for the fusion reactions "4"0Ca + "4"0Ca, "4"8Ca + "2"0"8Pb, "4"8Ca + "2"0"4Pb and "1"6O + "1"5"4Sm are extracted. The negative shell correction energies lower potential barriers of a certain reaction. A complex phenomenon of energy dependence is observed. It is also found that incident energy dependence of the barrier radius and barrier height shows opposite behaviors. The Coulomb potential shows weak energy dependence when distance of two colliding nuclei is lower than the touching distance. The isospin effects of the potential barrier are investigated. The orientation effects of the potential barrier are also discussed for the system "1"6O + "1"5"4Sm. (authors)

Psychic pathology of anthropogenic accidents at risk enterprises

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pukhovskij, N.N.

1993-01-01

The literary data on the clinic and pathogenesis distinctions of traumatic and posttraumatic stress following the accidents are analyzed. The inner contradictory character of the Chernobyl NPP operators reaction to psychodraumatic situation is revealed. A number of concepts liable to discussion is given: inner contradiction of the reactions to traumatic stress on account of accidents at risk cuterprises puts forward the way for psychology evolution in process, besides, posttraumatic stress may be considered as one of the stages of such evolution; the misuse of spirits by the persons with traumatic stress appeared on account of accidents at risk enterprises puts forward the way for the subsequent evolution towards psychic degeneration; the prevailing effect of the reality denial among the personnel of the risk enterprises may form a muthcreative attitude to technical sphere and play a certain role in the emergence of anthropogenic accidents at these enterprises. 22 refs

THE SUBJECTIVAL CONTENT OF IMAGES “SUCCESSFUL MAN” AND “SUCCESSFUL WOMAN” AS A FACTOR OF PSYCHIC ADJUSTMENT OF WOMEN IN INVOLUNTARY UNEMPLOYMENT SITUATION

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Ольга Геннадьевна Лопухова

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Purpose of the study is investigation of correlation between a content of gender appearance of image “successful person” and parameters of psychic and social adjustment of women belonging to different generations.Methodology.  Subjective image “successful person” means a stable and possibly gender differentiated element of “Ideal Me” images system. It includes cognitive component (conscious and verbalization representations of typical description of successful person, and affective component (positive or negative positions in regards to image “successful person”. We have compared results of survey and valuation of 265 women belonging to different generations and staying in different social situations: involuntary unemployment situation, employment and getting professional education. Subjective and projective methods were used in survey of cognitive and affective components of “successful person” image. Valuation of psychic adjustment based on parameters of internal conflict in comparison with manifestations of anxiety, frustration, aggression, rigidity, neurotic. Data analysis used parametric and nonparametric methods, including ANOVA/MANOVA.Results. It has been discovered that level of psychic adjustment of women depends much more on proper integration of subjective “successful person” image content with individual features of self-conception than on objective “social status” (being in involuntary unemployment situation.Practical implications are psychology consulting and correction of social or psychic unadjustment.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.12731/2218-7405-2013-6-41

Nuclear reorganization barriers to electron transfer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sutin, N.; Brunschwig, B.S.; Creutz, C.; Winkler, J.R.

1988-01-01

The nuclear barrier to electron transfer arises from the need for reorganization of intramolecular and solvent internuclear distances prior to electron transfer. For reactions with relatively small driving force (''normal'' free-energy region) the nuclear factors and rates increase as intrinsic inner-shell and outer-shell barriers decrease; this is illustrated by data for transition metal complexes in their ground electronic states. By contrast, in the inverted free-energy region, rates and nuclear factors decrease with decreasing ''intrinsic'' barriers; this is illustrated by data for the decay of charge-transfer excited states. Several approaches to the evaluation of the outer-shell barrier are explored in an investigation of the distance dependence of the nuclear factor in intramolecular electron-transfer processes. 39 refs., 14 figs., 3 tabs

Alteraciones psíquicas en niños con retinosis pigmentaria Psychical disorders in retinitis pigmentosa-affected children

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Irene Quiñones Varela

1999-12-01

Full Text Available Se realizó un estudio observacional, transversal y descriptivo en niños diagnosticados con retinosis pigmentaria y atendidos en el Centro Provincial de Retinosis Pigmentaria de Camagüey, con el fin de determinar la frecuencia de alteraciones psíquicas en pacientes con retinosis pigmentaria, identificar los principales tipos de estas alteraciones y mostrar los principales síntomas que nos permiten diagnosticar cada una de las entidades. Se le aplicó una encuesta a cada paciente donde se recogieron síntomas psíquicos y se diagnosticaron entidades psicopatológicas. Se comprobó que la frecuencia de alteraciones psíquicas en los niños es de 77,77 % y que las principales entidades fueron: síntomas especiales, trastornos neuróticos y trastornos del aprendizaje.An observational, crosswise and descriptive study of children diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa and cared for at the Provincial Center of Retinitis Pigmentosa in Camagüey was under taken to determine the frequency of psychic disorders in patients with this diseases, identify the main types of such disorders and show the principal symptoms that allow the diagnosis of each of these entities. A survey was made to each patient where psychical symptoms were collected and psychopathological entities were diagnosed. It was shown that the frequency of psychic disorders in children was 77,77 % and that the main problems were special symptoms, neurotic disorders and learning disorders.

Trauma, dream, and psychic change in psychoanalyses: a dialog between psychoanalysis and the neurosciences

OpenAIRE

Fischmann, Tamara; Russ, Michael O.; Leuzinger-Bohleber, Marianne

2013-01-01

To many psychoanalysts dreams are a central source of knowledge of the unconscious-the specific research object of psychoanalysis. The dialog with the neurosciences, devoted to the testing of hypotheses on human behavior and neurophysiology with objective methods, has added to psychoanalytic conceptualizations on emotion, memory, sleep and dreams, conflict and trauma. To psychoanalysts as well as neuroscientists, the neurological basis of psychic functioning, particularly concerning trauma, i...

Materialismo histórico e definição de psíquico Historical materialism and definition of psychic

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Fernando G. Castro

2009-08-01

Full Text Available No Brasil, autores de referência no campo da Saúde Mental e trabalho vêm trabalhando no sentido de demarcar o objeto da Psicologia com base no materialismo histórico, em função de uma série de insuficiências teóricas detectadas na ciência psicológica. Este artigo analisa as fontes teóricas da definição de psíquico utilizada por Codo e colaboradores baseados no materialismo histórico em seus estudos sobre o sofrimento psíquico e trabalho, identifica suas deficiências teóricas e mostra as razões pelas quais os autores não conseguiram superar a noção de psíquico psicanalítica como se propuseram. Indica, por fim, uma hipótese teórica baseada na definição de práxis, para um avanço na compreensão das relações entre sofrimento psíquico e trabalho que não se reporte a posições metafísicas como fizeram os autores analisados.In Brazil, authors of reference in the field of Mental Health and Labour have been working to demarcate the object of Psychology based on historical materialism, according to a series of theoretical shortcomings detected in psychological science. This paper examines the theoretical functions of the definition of psychic used by Codo and collaborators, based on historical materialism in their studies about psychic suffering and work, and mean to identify its theoretical shortcomings, and show the reasons why the authors failed to overcome the notion of psychic psychotherapy as proposed. Finally, indicates a theoretical hypothesis based on the definition of praxis for a breakthrough in the understanding of the relationship between psychic suffering and work that does not carry the metaphysical positions as did the authors analyzed.

From somatic pain to psychic pain: The body in the psychoanalytic field.

Science.gov (United States)

Hartung, Thomas; Steinbrecher, Michael

2017-03-24

The integration of psyche and soma begins with a baby's earliest contact with his or her parents. With the help of maternal empathy and reverie, β-elements are transformed into α-elements. While we understand this to be the case, we would like to enquire what actually happens to those parts of the affect which have not been transformed? For the most part they may be dealt with by evacuation, but they can also remain within the body, subsequently contributing to psychosomatic symptoms. This paper describes how the body serves as an intermediate store between the psychic (inner) and outer reality. The authors focuses on the unconscious communicative process between the analyst and the analysand, and in particular on how psychosomatic symptoms can spread to the analyst's body. The latter may become sensitive to the analysand's psychosomatic symptoms in order to better understand the psychoanalytical process. Sensory processes (visual and auditory) and psychic mechanisms such as projective identification can serve as a means for this communication. One of the first analysts to deal with this topic was Wilhelm Reich. He described one kind of psychosomatic defence like a shell, the character armour, comparing the armour formed by muscle tension with another, more psychical type of armour. This concept can be linked to Winnicott's contribution of the false self and later on to Feldman's concept of compliance as a defence. The authors links further details of the clinical material with theoretical concepts from Joyce McDougall, Piera Aulagnier, and Ricardo Rodulfo and Marilia Aisenstein. With the aid of the complex concept of projective identification, as described by Heinz Weiss, the authors discusses the important question of how the analyst gets in touch with the patient's current psychosomatic state, and describes a specific communication between the body of the psychoanalyst and the body of the patient. A vignette illustrates in greater detail the relationship

A first assessment of the psychic and social effects of the Chernobyl accident

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heriard Dubreuil, G.

1994-01-01

A synthesis has been made of a series of surveys carried out in Ukraine in 1992 and 1993 on the psychic and social consequences of the Chernobyl accident, within the framework of the ''Evaluation programme of the consequences of the Chernobyl nuclear accident'' of the Commission of the European communities. The main results demonstrate the strength of the post-accident dynamics of the accident, more than 7 years later. Some 3 millions people were directly affected in their everyday life by the post-accident management which resulted in many perverse effects on the social and psychic levels. Economically, each year, financing of the post-accident management system requires nearly 1/6 of the Ukraine budget. Politically speaking, Chernobyl is still a major stake for the various actors of the institutional transition process underway since the disappearance of the soviet system. The article shows the systemic complexity of the local situation and the many explanatory factors (physical, sanitary, political, cultural, historical) at the origin of the post-accident dynamics. A systemic modelling of the interactions between these factors is presented. It makes it possible to better define the contributions of both accident and post-accident stages to the process that has led to the present situation. It shows out the close connections between the different accident stages and the need, from the very beginning of an accident, to take into account the mid-and long-term consequences arising from the accident management. (author). 11 refs., 3 figs

Postoperative radiotherapy for glioma: improved delineation of the clinical target volume using the geodesic distance calculation.

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DanFang Yan

Full Text Available OBJECTS: To introduce a new method for generating the clinical target volume (CTV from gross tumor volume (GTV using the geodesic distance calculation for glioma. METHODS: One glioblastoma patient was enrolled. The GTV and natural barriers were contoured on each slice of the computer tomography (CT simulation images. Then, a graphic processing unit based on a parallel Euclidean distance transform was used to generate the CTV considering natural barriers. Three-dimensional (3D visualization technique was applied to show the delineation results. Speed of operation and precision were compared between this new delineation method and the traditional method. RESULTS: In considering spatial barriers, the shortest distance from the point sheltered from these barriers equals the sum of the distance along the shortest path between the two points; this consists of several segments and evades the spatial barriers, rather than being the direct Euclidean distance between two points. The CTV was generated irregularly rather than as a spherical shape. The time required to generate the CTV was greatly reduced. Moreover, this new method improved inter- and intra-observer variability in defining the CTV. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with the traditional CTV delineation, this new method using geodesic distance calculation not only greatly shortens the time to modify the CTV, but also has better reproducibility.

Distance to Cure

OpenAIRE

Capachi, Casey

2013-01-01

Distance to Cure A three-part television series by Casey Capachi www.distancetocure.com   Abstract   How far would you go for health care? This three-part television series, featuring two introductory segments between each piece, focuses on the physical, cultural, and political obstacles facing rural Native American patients and the potential of health technology to break down those barriers to care.   Part one,Telemedici...

Challenges Faced by Adult Learners Enrolled in Blended Distance ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This research attempted to provide an insight into major barriers facing adult learners pursuing a diploma in adult and continuing education programme through Blended Distance Learning. Participants included the adult learners, staff from the Department of Open and Distance Learning who are also the facilitators of the ...

[Testing the significance of psychic factors in the etiology of alopecia areata. II. Examination of personality by means of Eysenck's Personality Inventory (MPI) adapted by Choynowski].

Science.gov (United States)

Wygledowska-Kania, M; Bogdanowski, T

1995-01-01

We evaluated the role of psychic factors in the etiopathogenesis of alopecia areata on the basis of Eysenck's Personality Inventory adapted by Choynowski. 55 patients were tested (28 women and 27 men). The control group consisted of 50 volunteers. The analysis of the results showed that the neurotic type of personality was predominant in the group of patients (43.64%). Neurotic personality found in such a high percentage of the patients with alopecia areata may be an additional element in the group of psychic factors that possibly have some influence on the development of the disease.

Barriers to Blended Digital Distance Vocational Learning for Non-Traditional Students

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Safford, Kimberly; Stinton, Julia

2016-01-01

This research identifies and examines the challenges of blending digital distance and vocational learning for non-traditional and low-socio-economic status students who are new to university education. A survey of students in vocational primary education and early years qualifications in a distance university is illuminated by interviews with…

Offering Remotely Triggered, Real-Time Experiments in Electrochemistry for Distance Learners

Science.gov (United States)

Saxena, Sachin; Satsangee, Soami P.

2014-01-01

Remote access to real experiments is crucial for distance learners to experience the sciences. The exploitation of technology for this purpose is advantageous in global teaching and in exchange of ideas on a single front irrespective of distance barriers. Implementation of the distance method leads to cost-effective integrated-e-learning where…

TECHNOLOGIES OF INITIATING STUDENTS INTO INDEPENDENT (SELF-GUIDED ACTIVITY IN SUPPLEMENTARY DISTANCE LEARNING

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Irina V. Abakumova

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The research in question investigates the technologies of initiating independent activity within the framework of distance learning and their psychological aspects. The authors’ classification of educational technologies of initiating students into independent cognitive activity is presented. Such technologies utilize various psychological mechanisms of exciting students’ cognitive interest, intensifying cognitive processes, developing independent activity skills, and, as a result, increase motivation for independent activity and learning on the whole. These include such types of technologies as developmental technologies, interactive technologies, technologies of information transfer, technologies of meaning-making initiation. The research of the attitude of distance learning educators to independent activity of students and the content of the academic courses were done at Moodle-based education programs. The findings show the differences in retention rate among distance learning educators whose competence in terms of initiating students into independent (self-guided activity varies. It’s emphasized that interactive lectures, videoconferences, audio-visual aids, interactive seminars, glossaries, interactive tests are considered the most efficient technologies in initiating students into independent (self-guided activity. The obtained results have made it possible to stress the developmental effect of distance learning technologies and the technologies of initiating students into independent (self-guided activity in various psychic spheres of students: cognitive, individual, emotional. We mention the changes in motivational sphere of students and their meaning-making activity. In the course of correct development of distance learning we notice the development of voluntary and nonvoluntary cognitive activity. A student starts actively participating in educational process, he becomes the creator of his own world.

Study of the dynamical potential barriers in heavy ion collisions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu, Long; Su, Jun; Xie, Wen-Jie; Zhang, Feng-Shou

2013-01-01

The nucleus–nucleus interaction potentials for the fusion reactions 16 O + 208 Pb, 64 Ni + 64 Ni, 58 Ni + 58 Ni and 16 O + 154 Sm are extracted from the improved isospin-dependent quantum molecular dynamics model. The shell correction effects are discussed. The negative shell correction energies lower potential barriers of a certain reaction. The incident energy dependence of the potential barrier is investigated for each system. A complex phenomenon of energy dependence is observed. It is also found that incident energy dependence of the barrier radius and barrier height shows opposite behaviors. The Coulomb potential shows weak energy dependence when distance of two colliding nuclei is lower than the touching distance. The isospin effects of the potential barrier are investigated. The orientation effects of the potential barrier is also discussed for the system 16 O + 154 Sm. The fusion cross sections that correspond to the equatorial orientation of 154 Sm are very low in sub-barrier region because of the high fusion barriers and the shallow potential pockets

Motivational readiness for active commuting by university students: incentives and barriers.

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Cole, Rachel; Leslie, Eva; Donald, Maria; Cerin, Ester; Neller, Anne; Owen, Neville

2008-12-01

Walking for transport can contribute significantly to health-enhancing physical activity. We examined the associations of stages of motivational readiness for active transport with perceived barriers and incentives to walking to and from university among students. Mail-back surveys were completed by 781 students in a regional university in south-east Queensland. They identified one of eight options on motivational readiness for active commuting, which were then classified as: pre-contemplation; contemplation-preparation; or, action-maintenance. Open-ended questions were used to identify relevant barriers and incentives. Logistic regressions were used to examine the barriers and incentives that distinguished between those at different stages of motivational readiness. Barriers most frequently reported were long travel distances, inconvenience and time constraints. Incentives most frequently reported were shorter travel distance, having more time, supportive infrastructure and better security. Those not considering active commuting (pre-contemplation) were significantly more likely to report shorter travel distance as an incentive compared to those in contemplation-preparation. Those in contemplation-preparation were significantly more likely to report lack of motivation, inadequate infrastructure, shorter travel distance and inconvenience as barriers; and, having more time, supportive infrastructure, social support and incentive programs as encouragement. Different barriers and incentives to walking to or from university exist for students in the different stages of motivational readiness for active commuting. Interventions targeted specifically to stage of motivational readiness may be potentially helpful in increasing activity levels, through active transport.

From Distance Education to Online Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Mason, Robin

2000-01-01

Describes the history and development of the United Kingdom's Open University from a print-based distance teaching institution to an electronic university. Discusses computer conferencing, including problems and successes with implementation; barriers to use; research and development; designing and teaching online courses; and the Open University…

Exploring Organizational and Cultural Barriers to Developing Distance Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Nadelman, Cindi A.

2014-01-01

Distance learning programs are being developed at many institutions of higher learning as a means of maintaining a competitive advantage. The problem is that college administrators have no reliable methods for predicting the likelihood of success or failure of these newly launched programs. There is a lack of information regarding attitudes and…

Learning from Distance Faculty: A Faculty Needs Assessment at the University of Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

Kvenild, Cassandra; Bowles-Terry, Melissa

2011-01-01

Distance educators have special library needs. This article discusses the results of a library needs assessment of distance instructors at the University of Wyoming. Access to resources, use of library instructional services, barriers to distance library use, and perceived gaps in service are all addressed. Follow-up actions, based on survey…

[Gender and accessibility barriers to treatment in alcohol abuse patients in the Autonomous Region of Valencia].

Science.gov (United States)

Tomás-Dols, Sofía; Valderrama-Zurián, Juan Carlos; Vidal-Infer, Antonio; Samper-Gras, Teresa; Hernández-Martínez, Ma Carmen; Torrijo-Rodrigo, Ma José

2007-01-01

This study aimed at identifying the factors that contribute to delaying the access of alcohol abuse patients to specific treatment centres in the Autonomous Region of Valencia (Spain). 563 patients from Addictive Behaviours Units (UCA) and Alcohology Units (UA) were interviewed. A survey was conducted which included items on previous requested treatment in other centres and on barriers of accessibility to treatment in specific ambulatory centres. A descriptive analysis and t-student and ANOVA with Scheffé post-hoc tests were carried out. 59.7% of respondents said they had requested previous treatment in non-specific resources due to physical or psychical trouble that they now relate to their alcohol use although they did not do so at the time, in addition to being motivated by their own alcohol abuse (42.8%). The most attended resources were Primary Care and Specialist Unit Care. Women showed a higher demand for treatment in Mental Health Services (p gender differences in barriers that delay access to treatment do exist. It is necessary to build gender-adapted intervention guidelines to be used in Primary Care and Mental Health services to reduce the accessibility barriers to treatment.

New indices for home nursing care resource disparities in rural and urban areas, based on geocoding and geographic distance barriers: a cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Shyang-Woei; Yen, Chia-Feng; Chiu, Tzu-Ying; Chi, Wen-Chou; Liou, Tsan-Hon

2015-10-08

Aging in place is the crucial object of long-term care policy worldwide. Approximately 15.6-19.4% of people aged 15 or above live with a disability, and 15.3% of them have moderate or severe disabilities. The allocation of home nursing care services is therefore an important issue. Service providers in Taiwan vary substantially across regions, and between rural and urban areas. There are no appropriate indices for describing the capacity of providers that it is due to the distances from care recipients. This study therefore aimed to describe and compare distance barriers for home nursing care providers using indices of the "profit willing distance" and the "tolerance limited distance". This cross-sectional study was conducted during 2012 and 2013 using geocoding and a geographic information system to identify the distance from the providers' locations to participants' homes in urban (Taipei City) and rural (Hualien County) areas in Taiwan. Data were collected in-person by professionals in Taiwanese hospitals using the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0. The indices were calculated using regression curves, and the first inflection points were determined as the points on the curves where the first and second derivatives equaled 0. There were 5627 participants from urban areas and 956 from rural areas. In urban areas, the profit willing distance was 550-600 m, and we were unable to identify them in rural areas. This demonstrates that providers may need to supply services even when there is little profit. The tolerance limited distance were 1600-1650 m in urban areas and 1950-2000 m in rural areas. In rural areas, 33.3% of those living inside the tolerance limited distance and there was no provider within this distance, but this figure fell to just 13.9% in urban areas. There were strong disparities between urban and rural areas in home nursing care resource allocation. Our new "profit willing distance" and the "tolerance limited distance" are

O sofrimento psíquico na perspectiva da psicopatologia fundamental Psychic suffering from the fundamental psychopathology perspective

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Paulo Ceccarelli

2005-12-01

Full Text Available Partindo da palavra PSICOPATOLOGIA, o autor mostra, de forma resumida, como cada contexto histórico tentou "decompor" o sofrimento psíquico em seus elementos de base para classificá-lo, estudá-lo e tratá-lo. Após uma breve apresentação da psicopatologia na contemporaneidade, o autor introduz os pressupostos da Psicopatologia Fundamental e suas contribuições na compreensão do sofrimento psíquico. Ainda que não seja objetivo do texto participar do debate atual sobre as diretrizes curriculares que norteiam a formação do psicólogo, o autor toma o estudo do conhecimento (logos da alma (psyché - a psicologia - como exemplo de um dos campos de aplicação da Psicopatologia Fundamental.From the word PSYCHOPATHOLOGY the author briefly shows how each historical context had its own way to decompose psychic suffering in order to classify, study and search for its cure. After a short discussion about psychopathology in contemporaneity the author introduces the theoretical bases of Fundamental Psychopathology and its contributions to understanding psychic suffering. Although this text does not claim to participate in the debate about psychology students training, the author exemplifies through the study of the soul (psyche knowledge (logos one of the applications of Fundamental Psychopathology.

Psychical research in the history and philosophy of science. An introduction and review.

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Sommer, Andreas

2014-12-01

As a prelude to articles published in this special issue, I sketch changing historiographical conventions regarding the 'occult' in recent history of science and medicine scholarship. Next, a review of standard claims regarding psychical research and parapsychology in philosophical discussions of the demarcation problem reveals that these have tended to disregard basic primary sources and instead rely heavily on problematic popular accounts, simplistic notions of scientific practice, and outdated teleological historiographies of progress. I conclude by suggesting that rigorous and sensitively contextualized case studies of past elite heterodox scientists may be potentially useful to enrich historical and philosophical scholarship by highlighting epistemologies that have fallen through the crude meshes of triumphalist and postmodernist historiographical generalizations alike. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

MOTIVATION AND BARRIERS: perception of aged that they participate of groups of Third Age of Santa Cruz do Sul do Sul

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Quélin Garske

2012-11-01

Full Text Available This study has the objective to describe the reasons that take the aged ones to practice physical activities in the Third Age Groups and the barriers that hinder them. Thirty aged citizens were subject of this research. The methodological approaching was an exploratory descriptive study, in witch was applied a questionnaire about motivation and barriers for the physical activity practice. As result, it was evidenced that the motivation of the aged ones for physical activity practice is related to: To congregate and meet with other people; to feel itself carried through; to feel themselves mentally more alert and to improve and keep the health. As for the barriers, they exist, in diverse aspects: social, physical and psychic. Although they exist, for these aged ones it did not became something that completely hindered them to go to the group and to practice physical activities. In conclusion, although the difficulties that the aged ones find day after day, the motivation and the barriers are related to the perception of each one, which can become an important and definitive factor for the assiduity or desistance of these individuals in the third age group.

A new theoretical approach to the functional meaning of sleep and dreaming in humans based on the maintenance of 'predictive psychic homeostasis'.

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Agnati, Luigi F; Barlow, Peter W; Baluška, František; Tonin, Paolo; Guescini, Michele; Leo, Giuseppina; Fuxe, Kjell

2011-11-01

Different theories have been put forward during the last decade to explain the functional meaning of sleep and dreaming in humans. In the present paper, a new theory is presented which, while taking advantage of these earlier theories, introduces the following new and original aspects:   • Circadian rhythms relevant to various organs of the body affect the reciprocal interactions which operate to maintain constancy of the internal milieu and thereby also affect the sleep/wakefulness cycle. Particular attention is given to the constancy of natraemia and osmolarity and to the permissive role that the evolution of renal function has had for the evolution of the central nervous system and its integrative actions. • The resetting of neuro-endocrine controls at the onset of wakefulness leads to the acquisition of new information and its integration within previously stored memories. This point is dealt with in relation to Moore-Ede's proposal for the existence of a 'predictive homeostasis'. • The concept of 'psychic homeostasis' is introduced and is considered as one of the most important states since it is aimed at the well-being, or eudemonia, of the human psyche. Sleep and dreaming in humans are discussed as important functions for the maintenance of a newly proposed composite state: that of 'predictive psychic homeostasis'. On the basis of these assumptions, and in accordance with the available neurobiological data, the present paper puts forward the novel hypothesis that sleep and dreaming play important functions in humans by compensating for psychic allostatic overloads. Hence, both consolatory dreams and disturbing nightmares can be part of the vis medicatrix naturae, the natural healing power, in this case, the state of eudemonia.

Distance of the image plane from metal surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, N.V.; Chen, C.T.; Weinert, M.

1989-01-01

The data base of surface-state energies on the metals Cu, Ag, Au, Ni, Pd, and Pt is assembled and, with the aid of a simple model, is used to estimate the distance of the image plane and its trends from surface to surface and metal to metal. The model combines a nearly-free-electron representation of the crystal with a Jones-Jennings-Jepsen ansatz for the saturated image barrier. The projected bulk-band gaps are taken from published determinations. Constraints are placed on the surface barrier parameters by appeal to the results of self-consistent first-principles slab calculations. The general experimental trend observed is for the image-plane distance z 0 to decrease in the sequence (111) to (001) to (110), in the same sense but not as rapidly as z J , the distance of the effective jellium edge. This trend is rationalized using a simple model of the tail of the surface charge density. Typical values for z 0 -z J fall in the range -0.2 to +0.5 a.u., with the larger values occurring for the 3d metals Cu and Ni

Delay time in a single barrier for a movable quantum shutter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hernandez, Alberto

2010-01-01

The transient solution and delay time for a δ potential scatterer with a movable quantum shutter is calculated by solving analytically the time-dependent Schroedinger equation. The delay time is analyzed as a function of the distance between the shutter and the potential barrier and also as a function of the distance between the potential barrier and the detector. In both cases, it is found that the delay time exhibits a dynamical behavior and that it tends to a saturation value Δt sat in the limit of very short distances, which represents the maximum delay produced by the potential barrier near the interaction region. The phase time τ θ , on the other hand, is not an appropriate time scale for measuring the time delay near the interaction region, except if the shutter is moved far away from the potential. The role played by the antibound state of the system on the behavior of the delay time is also discussed.

Detection and Tracking of Road Barrier Based on Radar and Vision Sensor Fusion

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Taeryun Kim

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The detection and tracking algorithms of road barrier including tunnel and guardrail are proposed to enhance performance and reliability for driver assistance systems. Although the road barrier is one of the key features to determine a safe drivable area, it may be recognized incorrectly due to performance degradation of commercial sensors such as radar and monocular camera. Two frequent cases among many challenging problems are considered with the commercial sensors. The first case is that few tracks of radar to road barrier are detected due to material type of road barrier. The second one is inaccuracy of relative lateral position by radar, thus resulting in large variance of distance between a vehicle and road barrier. To overcome the problems, the detection and estimation algorithms of tracks corresponding to road barrier are proposed. Then, the tracking algorithm based on a probabilistic data association filter (PDAF is used to reduce variation of lateral distance between vehicle and road barrier. Finally, the proposed algorithms are validated via field test data and their performance is compared with that of road barrier measured by lidar.

Using models to interpret the impact of roadside barriers on near-road air quality

Science.gov (United States)

Amini, Seyedmorteza; Ahangar, Faraz Enayati; Schulte, Nico; Venkatram, Akula

2016-08-01

The question this paper addresses is whether semi-empirical dispersion models based on data from controlled wind tunnel and tracer experiments can describe data collected downwind of a sound barrier next to a real-world urban highway. Both models are based on the mixed wake model described in Schulte et al. (2014). The first neglects the effects of stability on dispersion, and the second accounts for reduced entrainment into the wake of the barrier under unstable conditions. The models were evaluated with data collected downwind of a kilometer-long barrier next to the I-215 freeway running next to the University of California campus in Riverside. The data included measurements of 1) ultrafine particle (UFP) concentrations at several distances from the barrier, 2) micrometeorological variables upwind and downwind of the barrier, and 3) traffic flow separated by automobiles and trucks. Because the emission factor for UFP is highly uncertain, we treated it as a model parameter whose value is obtained by fitting model estimates to observations of UFP concentrations measured at distances where the barrier impact is not dominant. Both models provide adequate descriptions of both the magnitude and the spatial variation of observed concentrations. The good performance of the models reinforces the conclusion from Schulte et al. (2014) that the presence of the barrier is equivalent to shifting the line sources on the road upwind by a distance of about HU/u∗ where H is the barrier height, U is the wind velocity at half of the barrier height, and u∗ is the friction velocity. The models predict that a 4 m barrier results in a 35% reduction in average concentration within 40 m (10 times the barrier height) of the barrier, relative to the no-barrier site. This concentration reduction is 55% if the barrier height is doubled.

Fatores de risco psíquico ao desenvolvimento infantil: implicações para a fonoaudiologia Psychical risk factors to the child development: implications on speech-language and hearing therapy

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Luciele Dias Oliveira

2012-04-01

Full Text Available TEMA: fatores de risco psíquico ao desenvolvimento infantil e as implicações para a fonoaudiologia. OBJETIVOS: estudar, por meio de uma revisão teórica os riscos psíquicos ao desenvolvimento infantil, com ênfase nos riscos para aquisição da linguagem, e discutir as implicações para a atuação fonoaudiológica em idade precoce. CONCLUSÃO: a partir da literatura revisada, constatou-se que crianças que convivem com riscos biológicos e, sobretudo psíquicos, nos primeiros anos de vida, são mais propensas a desenvolver problemas que podem afetar o seu desenvolvimento. Assim, considera-se a necessidade daatuação fonoaudiológica estar vinculada a uma constante observação dos fatores de risco psíquico ao desenvolvimento infantil e aquisição da linguagem, podendo participar da detecção e estimulação precoces em uma perspectiva promocional.BACKGROUND: psychical risk factors to child development and implications on speech-language and hearing therapy. PURPOSE: to study, through a theoretical review, the psychical risks to the child development, emphasizing the risks for language acquisition, and discuss the implications on the speech-language and hearing therapy performance for precocious age. CONCLUSION: through reviewed literature, we evidenced that children who live with biological and especially psychic risks, during their first years, are more inclined to develop problems that may come to affect their development. So, we consider the need for speech-language and hearing therapy to be linked to a constant observation of the psychical risk factors to the child development and language acquisition, being this professional able to take part in the precocious detection and stimulation under a promotional perspective.

Psychical and social effects related to post-accident situations: some training of Chernobyl accident

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lochand, J.

1995-01-01

Some preliminary considerations on the psychic and societal dimensions related to post-accident situations connected to large scale and heavy land contamination are presented. This is done with the objective of exploring the role that these dimensions could play in the elaboration of new radiological protection principles and concepts in order to restore confidence among affected populations after a nuclear accident. It is important to facilitate the return to normal or, at least, acceptable living conditions, as soon as reasonably achievable, and to prevent the possible emergence of a post-accident crisis. A scheme is proposed for understanding the dynamics of the various phases after an accident, taking into account the collective response to the consequences as well as, the response to the countermeasures. (Author)

Illusion as a Basic Psychic Principle: Winnicott, Freud, Oedipus, and Trump.

Science.gov (United States)

Seligman, Stephen

2018-04-01

Illusion can be viewed as a creative engagement with the world, and as a central psychic motivation and capacity, rather than as a form of self-deception. Winnicott and other Middle Group writers have understood integrative, imaginative illusion as an essential part of healthy living and psychosocial development. As such, it emerges and presents itself in a variety of ways, in transaction with the realities that support or degrade it. In its absence, varied difficulties in living ensue. To elaborate and illustrate this conceptualization, Freud's notion that the oedipus complex is resolved is reconsidered as a creative misreading of Sophocles' Oedipus trilogy, one based on the plausible illusion of a civilizing psychosocial development that would serve as a protective bastion against his experience of the political chaos and violence of the first decades of twentieth-century European history. Finally, the place of illusion and disillusionment among those most disillusioned by the recent election of Donald Trump in the United States is considered in relation to the recent right-wing populist turn.

Universal potential-barrier penetration by initially confined wave packets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Granot, Er'el; Marchewka, Avi

2007-01-01

The dynamics of an initially sharp-boundary wave packet in the presence of an arbitrary potential barrier is investigated. It is shown that the penetration through the barrier is universal in the sense that it depends only on the values of the wave function and its derivatives at the boundary. The dependence on the derivatives vanishes at long distances from the barrier, where the dynamics is governed solely by the initial value of the wave function at the boundary

Universal potential-barrier penetration by initially confined wave packets

Science.gov (United States)

Granot, Er'El; Marchewka, Avi

2007-07-01

The dynamics of an initially sharp-boundary wave packet in the presence of an arbitrary potential barrier is investigated. It is shown that the penetration through the barrier is universal in the sense that it depends only on the values of the wave function and its derivatives at the boundary. The dependence on the derivatives vanishes at long distances from the barrier, where the dynamics is governed solely by the initial value of the wave function at the boundary.

The ability of sheep to reach for food through tombstone barriers, as ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The ability of sheep to reach for food through tombstone barriers, as affected by position of food, body weight and body dimensions. ... The barrier allowed the neck to pass through, but not the shoulders. It was hypothesised that horizontal reach forwards (F. distance from mid-point of barrier to uneaten meal) and sideways ...

Introverts, Extroverts, and Achievement in a Distance Learning Environment

Science.gov (United States)

Offir, Baruch; Bezalel, Rachel; Barth, Ingrid

2007-01-01

Although difficulties that characterize distance learning (DL) clearly have differential effects on different learners, links between barrier research and individual differences remain relatively unexplored. This study examined the relationship between cognitive style, based on Jung's (1971) theory, and achievement levels among 77 university…

Barriers associated with reduced physical activity in COPD patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Priscila Batista Amorim

2014-10-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the ability of COPD patients to perform activities of daily living (ADL; to identify barriers that prevent these individuals from performing ADL; and to correlate those barriers with dyspnea severity, six-minute walk test (6MWT, and an ADL limitation score. METHODS: In COPD patients and healthy, age-matched controls, the number of steps, the distance walked, and walking time were recorded with a triaxial accelerometer, for seven consecutive days. A questionnaire regarding perceived barriers and the London Chest Activity of Daily Living (LCADL scale were used in order to identify the factors that prevent the performance of ADL. The severity of dyspnea was assessed with two scales, whereas submaximal exercise capacity was determined on the basis of the 6MWT. RESULTS: We evaluated 40 COPD patients and 40 controls. In comparison with the control values, the mean walk time was significantly shorter for COPD patients (68.5 ± 25.8 min/day vs. 105.2 ± 49.4 min/day; p < 0.001, as was the distance walked (3.9 ± 1.9 km/day vs. 6.4 ± 3.2 km/day; p < 0.001. The COPD patients also walked fewer steps/day. The most common self-reported barriers to performing ADL were lack of infrastructure, social influences, and lack of willpower. The 6MWT distance correlated with the results obtained with the accelerometer but not with the LCADL scale results. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with COPD are less active than are healthy adults of a comparable age. Physical inactivity and the barriers to performing ADL have immediate implications for clinical practice, calling for early intervention measures.

Interlayer coupling effects on Schottky barrier in the arsenene-graphene van der Waals heterostructures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xia, Congxin, E-mail: xiacongxin@htu.edu.cn; Xue, Bin; Wang, Tianxing; Peng, Yuting [Department of Physic, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang 453007 (China); Jia, Yu [School of Physics and Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052 (China)

2015-11-09

The electronic characteristics of arsenene-graphene van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures are studied by using first-principles methods. The results show that a linear Dirac-like dispersion relation around the Fermi level can be quite well preserved in the vdW heterostructures. Moreover, the p-type Schottky barrier (0.18 eV) to n-type Schottky barrier (0.31 eV) transition occurs when the interlayer distance increases from 2.8 to 4.5 Å, which indicates that the Schottky barrier can be tuned effectively by the interlayer distance in the vdW heterostructures.

Barrier response to Holocene sea-level rise

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pejrup, Morten; Andersen, Thorbjørn Joest; Johannessen, Peter N

Normally it is believed that sea-level rise causes coastal barrier retreat. However, sea-level is only one of the parameters determining the long term coastal development of barrier coasts. Sediment supply is an equally important determinant and may overshadow the effects of sea-level rise....... Conceptually this has been known for a long time but for the first time we can show the relative effect of these two parameters. We have studied three neighboring barrier islands in the Wadden Sea, and described their 3D morphological evolution during the last 8000 years. It appears that the barrier islands...... a much stronger component of sea-level control. The distance between the islands is only 50 km, and therefore our study shows that prediction of barrier development during a period of rising sea level may be more complicated than formerly believed....

THE DISTANCE EDUCATION TO PROMOTE CONTINUOUS LEARNING OF HEALTH PROFESSIONALS: REVIEW

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lívia Lima Ferraz

2013-03-01

Full Text Available The results of many articles and researches showed thatemploymenthavean importantrolefor continuous learning. The main factors that made possible this continuous education were:the technology information advanced and distance education flexibilities.Theevolutionofon-line continuing education helps the health care professionals development manyfundamental learning skillsas self-assessment and self-criticism.Therefore, this articlesobjective is to identify howpublic policiescould promote continuous learning of healthprofessionals through distance education(DEand the contributions of this education formatfor transformationhealth activities.In conclusion, the results were that distance education(DE was an important strategy for permanent education, because(DEdevelopments goodskills of learning and breaksterritories barriers. Wherefore, distance education became aneffective learning format

Cross-Border Electronic Commerce: Distance Effects and Express Delivery in European Union Markets

OpenAIRE

Kim, Thai Young; Dekker, Rommert; Heij, Christiaan

2017-01-01

textabstractThis empirical study examines distance effects on cross-border electronic commerce and in particular the importance of express delivery in reducing the time dimension of distance. E-commerce provides suppliers with a range of opportunities to reduce distance as perceived by online buyers. They can reduce psychological barriers to cross-border demand by designing websites that simplify the search for and comparison of products and suppliers across countries. They can reduce cost ba...

Information needs and barriers to information sources by open and distance learners: A case of Mzuzu University, Malawi

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Winner D. Chawinga

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Background: The Centre for Open and Distance Learning at Mzuzu University was established in 2006 with the aim to increase and broaden access to higher education to most Malawians who despite meeting entry requirements into higher education were not selected because of shortage of space on campus and other learning and teaching resources. Although Open and Distance Learning (ODL is hyped as a practical option for making higher education available to many people as widely reported in the literature, universities need to address several issues for it to hold its ground. Objectives: The study set out to investigate information needs and barriers to information sources by ODL students by addressing three objectives, namely information needs of ODL students, information sources of ODL students and challenges that ODL students face when seeking information for their courses of study. Method: A survey questionnaire with a mix of closed-ended and open-ended questions was distributed to 350 students to find out the information sources and challenges that the ODL students face when searching for information to accomplish their academic activities. Results: According to the findings, all 258 (100% students who answered the questionnaire need information to prepare for the end-of-semester examinations. Information sources that are used most by students include lecture notes, Internet and library books with scores of 238 (92.6%, 207 (80.5% and 199 (77.4%, respectively. Conclusion: ODL students have limited access to information materials for accomplishing their academic activities and Mzuzu University can resolve this challenge by introducing satellite information centres in the three geographical regions of Malawi.

Preferences for and Barriers to Formal and Informal Athletic Training Continuing Education Activities

Science.gov (United States)

Armstrong, Kirk J.; Weidner, Thomas G.

2011-01-01

Context: Our previous research determined the frequency of participation and perceived effect of formal and informal continuing education (CE) activities. However, actual preferences for and barriers to CE must be characterized. Objective: To determine the types of formal and informal CE activities preferred by athletic trainers (ATs) and barriers to their participation in these activities. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Athletic training practice settings. Patients or Other Participants: Of a geographically stratified random sample of 1000 ATs, 427 ATs (42.7%) completed the survey. Main Outcome Measure(s): As part of a larger study, the Survey of Formal and Informal Athletic Training Continuing Education Activities (FIATCEA) was developed and administered electronically. The FIATCEA consists of demographic characteristics and Likert scale items (1 = strongly disagree, 5 = strongly agree) about preferred CE activities and barriers to these activities. Internal consistency of survey items, as determined by Cronbach α, was 0.638 for preferred CE activities and 0.860 for barriers to these activities. Descriptive statistics were computed for all items. Differences between respondent demographic characteristics and preferred CE activities and barriers to these activities were determined via analysis of variance and dependent t tests. The α level was set at .05. Results: Hands-on clinical workshops and professional networking were the preferred formal and informal CE activities, respectively. The most frequently reported barriers to formal CE were the cost of attending and travel distance, whereas the most frequently reported barriers to informal CE were personal and job-specific factors. Differences were noted between both the cost of CE and travel distance to CE and all other barriers to CE participation (F1,411 = 233.54, P formal CE activities. The same barriers (eg, cost, travel distance) to formal CE appeared to be universal to all ATs. Informal CE was

Communication Barriers in Distance Education: "Text-Based Internet-Enabled Online Courses"

Science.gov (United States)

Dabaj, Fahme; Isman, Aytekin

2004-01-01

With the rapid technological changes and the diverse people demands and conditions, traditional educational systems and institutions are forced to provide additional educational opportunities. A number of educational establishments are contributing to these conditions and demands by developing and offering distance education programs. Distance…

The Influence of Visibility Conditions in Horizontal Road Curves on the Efficiency of Noise Protection Barriers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Džambas Tamara

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Ensuring sufficient visibility on planned roads by sight distance testing is an integral part of every project, but problems with visibility can emerge when noise barriers are erected on existing roads. Namely, in order to provide sufficient noise protection, high noise barriers are often placed at minimum distance from the carriageway edge, and additional visibility testing in most cases is not carried out.

Barriers associated with reduced physical activity in COPD patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Amorim, Priscila Batista; Stelmach, Rafael; Carvalho, Celso Ricardo Fernandes; Fernandes, Frederico Leon Arrabal; Carvalho-Pinto, Regina Maria; Cukier, Alberto

2014-10-01

To evaluate the ability of COPD patients to perform activities of daily living (ADL); to identify barriers that prevent these individuals from performing ADL; and to correlate those barriers with dyspnea severity, six-minute walk test (6MWT), and an ADL limitation score. In COPD patients and healthy, age-matched controls, the number of steps, the distance walked, and walking time were recorded with a triaxial accelerometer, for seven consecutive days. A questionnaire regarding perceived barriers and the London Chest Activity of Daily Living (LCADL) scale were used in order to identify the factors that prevent the performance of ADL. The severity of dyspnea was assessed with two scales, whereas submaximal exercise capacity was determined on the basis of the 6MWT. We evaluated 40 COPD patients and 40 controls. In comparison with the control values, the mean walk time was significantly shorter for COPD patients (68.5 ± 25.8 min/day vs. 105.2 ± 49.4 min/day; p barriers to performing ADL were lack of infrastructure, social influences, and lack of willpower. The 6MWT distance correlated with the results obtained with the accelerometer but not with the LCADL scale results. Patients with COPD are less active than are healthy adults of a comparable age. Physical inactivity and the barriers to performing ADL have immediate implications for clinical practice, calling for early intervention measures.

Male and female contributions to behavioral isolation in darters as a function of genetic distance and color distance

Science.gov (United States)

Moran, Rachel L.; Zhou, Muchu; Catchen, Julian M.; Fuller, Rebecca C.

2017-01-01

Abstract Determining which reproductive isolating barriers arise first between geographically isolated lineages is critical to understanding allopatric speciation. We examined behavioral isolation among four recently diverged allopatric species in the orangethroat darter clade (Etheostoma: Ceasia). We also examined behavioral isolation between each Ceasia species and the sympatric rainbow darter Etheostoma caeruleum. We asked (1) is behavioral isolation present between allopatric Ceasia species, and how does this compare to behavioral isolation with E. caeruleum, (2) does male color distance and/or genetic distance predict behavioral isolation between species, and (3) what are the relative contributions of female choice, male choice, and male competition to behavioral isolation? We found that behavioral isolation, genetic differentiation, and male color pattern differentiation were present between allopatric Ceasia species. Males, but not females, discerned between conspecific and heterospecific mates. Males also directed more aggression toward conspecific rival males. The high levels of behavioral isolation among Ceasia species showed no obvious pattern with genetic distance or male color distance. However, when the E. caeruleum was included in the analysis, an association between male aggression and male color distance was apparent. We discuss the possibility that reinforcement between Ceasia and E. caeruleum is driving behavioral isolation among allopatric Ceasia species. PMID:28776645

Dielectric barrier discharge image processing by Photoshop

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Lifang; Li, Xuechen; Yin, Zengqian; Zhang, Qingli

2001-09-01

In this paper, the filamentary pattern of dielectric barrier discharge has been processed by using Photoshop, the coordinates of each filament can also be obtained. By using Photoshop two different ways have been used to analyze the spatial order of the pattern formation in dielectric barrier discharge. The results show that the distance of the neighbor filaments at U equals 14 kV and d equals 0.9 mm is about 1.8 mm. In the scope of the experimental error, the results from the two different methods are similar.

Occupational hazards in hospitals: accidents, radiation, exposure to noxious chemicals, drug addiction and psychic problems, and assault

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gestal, J.J.

1987-08-01

Except for infectious diseases all the main occupational hazards affecting health workers are reviewed: accidents (explosions, fires, electrical accidents, and other sources of injury); radiation (stochastic and non-stochastic effects, protective measures, and personnel most at risk); exposure to noxious chemicals, whose effects may be either local (allergic eczema) or generalised (cancer, mutations), particular attention being paid to the hazards presented by formol, ethylene oxide, cytostatics, and anaesthetic gases; drug addiction (which is more common among health workers than the general population) and psychic problems associated with promotion, shift work, and emotional stress; and assault (various types of assault suffered by health workers, its causes, and the characterisation of the most aggressive patients).

Occupational hazards in hospitals: accidents, radiation, exposure to noxious chemicals, drug addiction and psychic problems, and assault

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gestal, J.J.

1987-01-01

Except for infectious diseases all the main occupational hazards affecting health workers are reviewed: accidents (explosions, fires, electrical accidents, and other sources of injury); radiation (stochastic and non-stochastic effects, protective measures, and personnel most at risk); exposure to noxious chemicals, whose effects may be either local (allergic eczema) or generalised (cancer, mutations), particular attention being paid to the hazards presented by formol, ethylene oxide, cytostatics, and anaesthetic gases; drug addiction (which is more common among health workers than the general population) and psychic problems associated with promotion, shift work, and emotional stress; and assault (various types of assault suffered by health workers, its causes, and the characterisation of the most aggressive patients). (author)

Tunneling effect on double potential barriers GaAs and PbS

Science.gov (United States)

Prastowo, S. H. B.; Supriadi, B.; Ridlo, Z. R.; Prihandono, T.

2018-04-01

A simple model of transport phenomenon tunnelling effect through double barrier structure was developed. In this research we concentrate on the variation of electron energy which entering double potential barriers to transmission coefficient. The barriers using semiconductor materials GaAs (Galium Arsenide) with band-gap energy 1.424 eV, distance of lattice 0.565 nm, and PbS (Lead Sulphide) with band gap energy 0.41 eV distance of lattice is 18 nm. The Analysisof tunnelling effect on double potentials GaAs and PbS using Schrodinger’s equation, continuity, and matrix propagation to get transmission coefficient. The maximum energy of electron that we use is 1.0 eV, and observable from 0.0025 eV- 1.0 eV. The shows the highest transmission coefficient is0.9982 from electron energy 0.5123eV means electron can pass the barriers with probability 99.82%. Semiconductor from materials GaAs and PbS is one of selected material to design semiconductor device because of transmission coefficient directly proportional to bias the voltage of semiconductor device. Application of the theoretical analysis of resonant tunnelling effect on double barriers was used to design and develop new structure and combination of materials for semiconductor device (diode, transistor, and integrated circuit).

Representing distance, consuming distance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Gunvor Riber

Title: Representing Distance, Consuming Distance Abstract: Distance is a condition for corporeal and virtual mobilities, for desired and actual travel, but yet it has received relatively little attention as a theoretical entity in its own right. Understandings of and assumptions about distance...... are being consumed in the contemporary society, in the same way as places, media, cultures and status are being consumed (Urry 1995, Featherstone 2007). An exploration of distance and its representations through contemporary consumption theory could expose what role distance plays in forming...

Utilisation of a direct access echocardiography service by general practitioners in a remote and rural area--distance and rurality are not barriers to referral.

Science.gov (United States)

Choo, Wai K; McGeary, Katie; Farman, Colin; Greyling, Andre; Cross, Stephen J; Leslie, Stephen J

2014-01-01

This study aimed to examine whether general practitioner (GP) practice locations in remote and rural areas affected the pattern of direct access echocardiography referral and to assess any variations in echocardiographic findings. All referrals made by all GP practices in the Scottish Highlands over a 36-month period were analysed. Referral patterns were examined according to distance and rurality based on the Scottish Government's Urban-Rural Classification. Reasons for referral and cardiac abnormality detection rates were also examined. In total, 1188 referrals were made from 49 different GP practices; range of referral rates was 0.3-20.1 per 1000 population with a mean of 6.5 referrals per 1000 population. Referral rates were not significantly different between urban and rural practices after correction for population size. There was no correlation between the referral rates and the distance from the centre (r2=0.004, p=0.65). The most common reason for referral was the presence of new murmur (46%). The most common presenting symptom was breathlessness (44%). Overall, 28% of studies had significant abnormal findings requiring direct input from a cardiologist. There was no clear relationship between referral rates and cardiac abnormality detection rates (r2=0.07, p=0.37). The average cardiac abnormality detection rate was 56%, (range 52-60%), with no variation based on rurality (p=0.891). In this cohort, rurality and distance were not barriers to an equitable direct access echocardiography service. Cardiac abnormality detection rates are consistent with that of other studies.

Los trastornos severos del desarrollo y el proceso de constitución psíquica Severe developmental disorders and the process of psychic constitution

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juan José Calzetta

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Este proyecto tiene, como uno de sus objetivos, estudiar las peculiaridades en la estructuración del aparato psíquico a partir del proceso de adquisición de escritura, bajo condiciones particulares, en niños y jóvenes que carecen de lenguaje oral o poseen un lenguaje oral muy limitado, ecolálico o bizarro, inadecuado para la comunicación, y no utilizan señas ni escritura manuscrita espontánea. Se presenta, a modo de ejemplo, una síntesis de los avances en la escritura y modificaciones de las manifestaciones de estructuración psíquica producto de la misma, en un adolescente de 16 años que carecía prácticamente de lenguaje oral al comenzar el tratamiento siete años atrás. Se discute la validez de los modelos teóricos utilizados en relación con los casos abordados así como el aporte que se puede realizar al conocimiento del proceso general de constitución, los principios reguladores y la forma de funcionamiento inicial del aparato psíquico dado que en estos casos las condiciones de producción del mismo divergen considerablemente de las habituales.One of the objectives of this research is to explore the peculiarities in the structuring of the psychic apparatus, by means of the process of writing acquisition under specific conditions, in children and young people lacking or presenting a very limited oral language, echolalic or bizarre, inappropriate for communication, and do not use either signs or spontaneous handwriting. We show as an example, a summary of the progress in writing and its subsequent modification of the manifestations of psychic structuring, in an adolescent of sixteen years old lacking the oral language at the beginning of the treatment seven years ago. We discuss the validity of the theoretical models used as well as the possible contribution to understand the overall process of constitution, the regulatory principles, and the initial functioning of the psychic apparatus.

Transport phenomena in sharply contrasting media with a diffusion barrier

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dvoretskaya, O A; Kondratenko, P S

2011-01-01

Using the advection–diffusion equation, we analytically study contaminant transport in a sharply contrasting medium with a diffusion barrier due to localization of a contaminant source in a low-permeability medium. Anomalous diffusion behavior and a crossover between different transport regimes are observed. The diffusion barrier results in exponential attenuation of the source power, retardation of the contaminant plume growth and modification of the concentration distribution at large distances. (paper)

Men's experiences of sexuality after cancer: a material discursive intra-psychic approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Gilbert, Emilee; Ussher, Jane M; Perz, Janette; Wong, W K Tim; Hobbs, Kim; Mason, Catherine

2013-01-01

Men can experience significant changes to their sexuality following the onset of cancer. However, research on men's sexuality post-cancer has focused almost exclusively on those with prostate and testicular cancer, despite evidence that the diagnosis and treatment for most cancers can impact on men's sexuality. This Australian qualitative study explores the experiences of changes to sexuality for 21 men across a range of cancer types and stages, sexual orientations and relationship contexts. Semi-structured interviews were analysed with theoretical thematic analysis guided by a material discursive intra-psychic approach, recognising the materiality of sexual changes, men's intrapsychic experience of such changes within a relational context and the influence of the discursive construction of masculine sexuality. Material changes included erectile difficulty, decreased desire, and difficulty with orgasm. The use of medical aids to minimise the impact of erectile difficulties was shaped by discursive constructions of 'normal' masculine sexuality. The majority of men reported accepting the changes to their sexuality post-cancer and normalised them as part of the natural ageing process. Men's relationship status and context played a key role managing the changes to their sexuality. We conclude by discussing the implications for clinical practice.

A Bayesian Network to Predict Barrier Island Geomorphologic Characteristics

Science.gov (United States)

Gutierrez, B.; Plant, N. G.; Thieler, E. R.; Turecek, A.; Stippa, S.

2014-12-01

Understanding how barrier islands along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States respond to storms and sea-level rise is an important management concern. Although these threats are well recognized, quantifying the integrated vulnerability is challenging due to the range of time and space scalesover which these processes act. Developing datasets and methods to identify the physical vulnerabilities of coastal environments due to storms and sea-level rise thus is an important scientific focus that supports land management decision making. Here we employ a Bayesian Network (BN) to model the interactions between geomorphic variables sampled from existing datasets that capture both storm-and sea-level rise related coastal evolution. The BN provides a means of estimating probabilities of changes in specific geomorphic characteristics such as foredune crest height, beach width, beach height, given knowledge of barrier island width, maximum barrier island elevation, distance from an inlet, the presence of anthropogenic modifications, and long-term shoreline change rates, which we assume to be directly related to sea-level rise. We evaluate BN skill and explore how different constraints, such as shoreline change characteristics (eroding, stable, accreting), distance to nearby inlets and island width, affect the probability distributions of future morphological characteristics. Our work demonstrates that a skillful BN can be constructed and that factors such as distance to inlet, shoreline change rate, and the presence of human alterations have the strongest influences on network performance. For Assateague Island, Maryland/Virginia, USA, we find that different shoreline change behaviors affect the probabilities of specific geomorphic characteristics, such as dune height, which allows us to identify vulnerable locations on the barrier island where habitat or infrastructure may be vulnerable to storms and sea-level rise.

Combined acoustical and visual performance of noise barriers in mitigating the environmental impact of motorways.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Like; Kang, Jian

2016-02-01

This study investigated the overall performance of noise barriers in mitigating environmental impact of motorways, taking into consideration their effects on reducing noise and visual intrusions of moving traffic, but also potentially inducing visual impact themselves. A laboratory experiment was carried out, using computer-visualised video scenes and motorway traffic noise recordings to present experimental scenarios covering two traffic levels, two distances of receiver to road, two types of background landscape, and five barrier conditions including motorway only, motorway with tree belt, motorways with 3 m timber barrier, 5m timber barrier, and 5m transparent barrier. Responses from 30 participants of university students were gathered and perceived barrier performance analysed. The results show that noise barriers were always beneficial in mitigating environmental impact of motorways, or made no significant changes in environmental quality when the impact of motorways was low. Overall, barriers only offered similar mitigation effect as compared to tree belt, but showed some potential to be more advantageous when traffic level went high. 5m timber barrier tended to perform better than the 3m one at the distance of 300 m but not at 100 m possibly due to its negative visual effect when getting closer. The transparent barrier did not perform much differently from the timber barriers but tended to be the least effective in most scenarios. Some low positive correlations were found between aesthetic preference for barriers and environmental impact reduction by the barriers. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

USE OF DISTANCE EDUCATION BY CHRISTIAN RELIGION TO TRAIN, EDIFY AND EDUCATE ADHERENTS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. SATYANARAYANA

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Distance Education has been growing fast, in a marvelously diverse fashion. The efficiency, effectiveness, validity and utility of distance teaching-learning are on increase. All communities and religious groups are making use of distance learning methodology to upgrade their knowledge, skills and attitudes. Christina educational institutions in all the parts of the world are being benefitted by the Christian distance education programme. Christian websites make up more than 80 percent of the websites of the world’s five major religions. Globalisation is facilitating many Christian pioneers of multiple denominations to adopt distance teaching-learning beyond all frontiers and barriers. Baker’s guide to Christian Distance Education profiles upto 150 Christian degree programmes. Some of the popular programmes are indicated here. Christians who constitute 2.33 percent of Indian population are educationally benefitted by Christian distance education programmes. A major Christian distance education programme is offered by Andhra Christian Theological College. Its four distance courses attract students all over the country. How quality is important in distance teaching and learning is highlighted here.

Roles of the Students and Teachers in Distance Education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fahriye ALTINAY

2004-10-01

Full Text Available Distance Education is the new, global technology based education to facilitate easy, immediate learning and interaction for all communicators who are the teachers and students that involve the education program. Distance Education can provide wide-mass education for everyone, it leads people to learn individually and let responsibility of learning to the people. In addition to this; it is obvious to select courses and content that reflect the concerning needs and motivation of students. It provides creative and qualified ideas atmosphere and information that will be presented should be update and interesting for all different kinds of students according to their backgrounds information. For the effective distance education programs out of the communicational or any kind of barriers, there should be consciousness on the definable roles of the teachers and students in learning-teaching process.

Self-regulation of turbulence bursts and transport barriers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Floriani, E; Ciraolo, G; Ghendrih, Ph; Sarazin, Y; Lima, R

2013-01-01

The interplay between turbulent bursts and transport barriers is analyzed with a simplified model of interchange turbulence in magnetically confined plasmas. The turbulent bursts spread into the transport barriers and, depending on the competing magnitude of the burst and stopping capability of the barrier, can burn through. Simulations of two models of transport barriers are presented: a hard barrier where interchange turbulence modes are stable in a prescribed region and a soft barrier with external plasma biasing. The response of the transport barriers to the non-linear perturbations of the turbulent bursts, addressed in a predator–prey approach, indicates that the barriers monitor an amplification factor of the turbulent bursts, with amplification smaller than one for most bursts and, in some cases, amplification factors that can significantly exceed unity. The weak barriers in corrugated profiles and magnetic structures, as well as the standard barriers, are characterized by these transmission properties, which then regulate the turbulent burst transport properties. The interplays of barriers and turbulent bursts are modeled as competing stochastic processes. For different classes of the probability density function (PDF) of these processes, one can predict the heavy tail properties of the bursts downstream from the barrier, either exponential for a leaky barrier, or with power laws for a tight barrier. The intrinsic probing of the transport barriers by the turbulent bursts thus gives access to the properties of the barriers. The main stochastic variables are the barrier width and the spreading distance of the turbulent bursts within the barrier, together with their level of correlation. One finds that in the case of a barrier with volumetric losses, such as radiation or particle losses as addressed in our present simulations, the stochastic model predicts a leaky behavior with an exponential PDF of escaping turbulent bursts in agreement with the simulation

Contact- and distance-based principal component analysis of protein dynamics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ernst, Matthias; Sittel, Florian; Stock, Gerhard, E-mail: stock@physik.uni-freiburg.de [Biomolecular Dynamics, Institute of Physics, Albert Ludwigs University, 79104 Freiburg (Germany)

2015-12-28

To interpret molecular dynamics simulations of complex systems, systematic dimensionality reduction methods such as principal component analysis (PCA) represent a well-established and popular approach. Apart from Cartesian coordinates, internal coordinates, e.g., backbone dihedral angles or various kinds of distances, may be used as input data in a PCA. Adopting two well-known model problems, folding of villin headpiece and the functional dynamics of BPTI, a systematic study of PCA using distance-based measures is presented which employs distances between C{sub α}-atoms as well as distances between inter-residue contacts including side chains. While this approach seems prohibitive for larger systems due to the quadratic scaling of the number of distances with the size of the molecule, it is shown that it is sufficient (and sometimes even better) to include only relatively few selected distances in the analysis. The quality of the PCA is assessed by considering the resolution of the resulting free energy landscape (to identify metastable conformational states and barriers) and the decay behavior of the corresponding autocorrelation functions (to test the time scale separation of the PCA). By comparing results obtained with distance-based, dihedral angle, and Cartesian coordinates, the study shows that the choice of input variables may drastically influence the outcome of a PCA.

Effect of exposure on health of atomic bomb servivors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fujitomi, Yutaka; Ueno, Yasushi; Nozaki, Tomoko; Kawaguchi, Fujino; Ishida, Setsuyo

1976-01-01

The effects of exposure on vital functions of survivors 30 years after exposure were analyzed, including somatic, psychic, and social factors. Of the survivors living in Nagasaki City, a short-distance exposure group (within 1 km, above 925 rad) and a long-distance exposure group (30 km, 0.6 rad) were selected. The questionnaire included acute symptoms at the time of exposure and present subjective symptoms as indicating vital functions, and psychic factors and medical treatment of exposure as social factors. More of the short-distance exposure group complained of decreased vital functions than did those of the long-distance exposure group. Anxiety was mentioned as one of the causes of the present subjective symptoms. It was not thought that there was relationship between the acute symptoms and the present symptoms. A tendency toward decreased hemoglobin was observed in some of the subjects. (Serizawa, K.)

DISTANCES TO DARK CLOUDS: COMPARING EXTINCTION DISTANCES TO MASER PARALLAX DISTANCES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Foster, Jonathan B.; Jackson, James M.; Stead, Joseph J.; Hoare, Melvin G.; Benjamin, Robert A.

2012-01-01

We test two different methods of using near-infrared extinction to estimate distances to dark clouds in the first quadrant of the Galaxy using large near-infrared (Two Micron All Sky Survey and UKIRT Infrared Deep Sky Survey) surveys. Very long baseline interferometry parallax measurements of masers around massive young stars provide the most direct and bias-free measurement of the distance to these dark clouds. We compare the extinction distance estimates to these maser parallax distances. We also compare these distances to kinematic distances, including recent re-calibrations of the Galactic rotation curve. The extinction distance methods agree with the maser parallax distances (within the errors) between 66% and 100% of the time (depending on method and input survey) and between 85% and 100% of the time outside of the crowded Galactic center. Although the sample size is small, extinction distance methods reproduce maser parallax distances better than kinematic distances; furthermore, extinction distance methods do not suffer from the kinematic distance ambiguity. This validation gives us confidence that these extinction methods may be extended to additional dark clouds where maser parallaxes are not available.

Identifying real and perceived barriers to therapeutic education programs for individuals with inflammatory arthritis.

Science.gov (United States)

Bain, Lorna; Sangrar, Ruheena; Bornstein, Carolyn; Lukmanji, Sara; Hapuhennedige, Sandani; Thorne, Carter; Beattie, Karen A

2016-09-01

Therapeutic Education Programs (TEPs) grounded in self-management principles have been shown to improve quality of life of patients with chronic conditions and reduce patient-related healthcare costs. Though these programs are becoming more readily available, patients often experience barriers in participating. This study sought to identify barriers faced by inflammatory arthritis (IA) patients in attending a TEP and understand how patients overcame perceived barriers. A mixed-method study design was used. Questionnaires were distributed to individuals with IA who were invited to attend a TEP between 2010 and 2013. Respondents were those that chose not to attend (group A), individuals who attended ≤4 of 10 sessions (group B), individuals who attended ≥5 of 10 sessions prior to May 2013 (group C), and individuals who attended ≥5 of 10 sessions from June 2013 to November 2013 (group D). Individuals in group D were also invited to participate in focus groups to discuss how they had overcome perceived barriers. Real barriers identified by individuals in groups A and B included time, distance, and cost associated with attendance. Individuals who overcame perceived barriers (groups C and D) discussed strategies they used to do so. Aspects of the overall program experience and access to clinic and program also contributed to patients being able to overcome barriers. Time, distance, and cost are external barriers that prevented individuals from utilizing self-management education opportunities. These barriers were overcome if and when individuals had resources available to them. Readiness for behavior change also influenced commitment to participate in the program.

Distance still matters. The hard reality of global expansion.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghemawat, P

2001-09-01

Companies routinely overestimate the attractiveness of foreign markets. Dazzled by the sheer size of untapped markets, they lose sight of the difficulties of pioneering new, often very different territories. The problem is rooted in the analytic tools (the most prominent being country portfolio analysis, or CPA) that managers use to judge international investments. By focusing on national wealth, consumer income, and people's propensity to consume, CPA emphasizes potential sales, ignoring the costs and risks of doing business in a new market. Most of these costs and risks result from the barriers created by distance. "Distance," however, does not refer only to geography; its other dimensions can make foreign markets considerably more or less attractive. The CAGE framework of distance presented here considers four attributes: cultural distance (religious beliefs, race, social norms, and language that are different for the target country and the country of the company considering expansion); administrative or political distance (colony-colonizer links, common currency, and trade arrangements); geographic distance (the physical distance between the two countries, the size of the target country, access to waterways and the ocean, internal topography, and transportation and communications infrastructures); and economic distance (disparities in the two countries' wealth or consumer income and variations in the cost and quality of financial and other resources). This framework can help to identify the ways in which potential markets may be distant from existing ones. The article explores how (and by how much) various types of distance can affect different types of industries and shows how dramatically an explicit consideration of distance can change a company's picture of its strategic options.

Asian Learners’ Perception of Quality in Distance Education and Gender Differences

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Insung Jung

2012-04-01

Full Text Available There have been few efforts to investigate the concept of quality from learners’ perspectives or to incorporate their needs and perceptions in quality standards in distance education. This is rather surprising, particularly in distance education contexts where the quality of the learning is not derived only from the products and services delivered to the learner but also from the knowledge, understanding, and relationships that are codeveloped by both teachers and learners during the teaching and learning processes. This study proposes and verifies a conceptual model of the 10 dimensions of quality in distance education from the learners’ perspectives and investigates gender differences in the perception of quality in distance education with 1,665 distance learners from 11 Asian countries and one territory. The results show that all 10 dimensions across supportive, pedagogical, and environmental domains in the model are important in judging quality in distance education. Also, gender differences are found in the perceived importance of 10 quality dimensions, barriers to DE, important supporters, and types of support received. The implications of these findings are discussed and suggestions for further research and development are offered.

Scattering of strongly absorbed particles near the Coulomb barrier

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fernandez, B.

1979-01-01

The elastic scattering of strongly absorbed particles near the Coulomb barrier is sensitive to one size parameter, which is the distance at which the real nuclear potential has some fixed value, 0.2 MeV for α-particle, 1 MeV for 16 O. This size parameter can be related in a simple way to the radial distance of the target nucleus where the density takes some given value, 2x10 -3 nucleon /fm 3 for α-particle scattering and 5x10 -3 nucleon/fm 3 for 16 O scattering

Respect distances. Rationale and means of computation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Munier, Raymond [Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Co., Stockholm (Sweden); Hoekmark, Harald [Clay Technology, Lund (Sweden)

2004-12-01

Canisters with spent nuclear fuel can obviously not be located within deformation zones as this might jeopardise their long term mechanical stability and thereby constitute a potential hazard to the biosphere. Less apparent, but equally important, is the fact that earthquakes trigger reactivation, slip, of structures some distance from their hypocentres due to, among many other factors, stress redistribution. Fault slip across a deposition hole might damage the isolation capacity of the canister and thereby jeopardise the overall integrity of the barrier system. Therefore, the following question might be posed: What is the distance from a deformation zone beyond which a canister can be safely emplaced? This respect distance cannot be readily computed because, unknown future events aside, there are some complicated aspects that need to be addressed e.g. degree of conservatism, scale, our ability to model ice sheets and earthquakes, etc. In this report we discuss various aspects of the assignment of respect distances, propose a methodology for its assignment and apply the methodology to the Forsmark Site as a worked example. Our main concern, in the context discussed in this report, is the post glacial faults anticipated to occur after the next glaciations. To properly address conservativeness, analysis of risk, and its implementation in safety analysis, we provide an extensive compilation of our current knowledge on post glacial faults as an appendix.

Respect distances. Rationale and means of computation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Munier, Raymond; Hoekmark, Harald

2004-12-01

Canisters with spent nuclear fuel can obviously not be located within deformation zones as this might jeopardise their long term mechanical stability and thereby constitute a potential hazard to the biosphere. Less apparent, but equally important, is the fact that earthquakes trigger reactivation, slip, of structures some distance from their hypocentres due to, among many other factors, stress redistribution. Fault slip across a deposition hole might damage the isolation capacity of the canister and thereby jeopardise the overall integrity of the barrier system. Therefore, the following question might be posed: What is the distance from a deformation zone beyond which a canister can be safely emplaced? This respect distance cannot be readily computed because, unknown future events aside, there are some complicated aspects that need to be addressed e.g. degree of conservatism, scale, our ability to model ice sheets and earthquakes, etc. In this report we discuss various aspects of the assignment of respect distances, propose a methodology for its assignment and apply the methodology to the Forsmark Site as a worked example. Our main concern, in the context discussed in this report, is the post glacial faults anticipated to occur after the next glaciations. To properly address conservativeness, analysis of risk, and its implementation in safety analysis, we provide an extensive compilation of our current knowledge on post glacial faults as an appendix

Spray particle drift mitigation using field corn (Zea mays L.) as a drift barrier.

Science.gov (United States)

Vieira, Bruno C; Butts, Thomas R; Rodrigues, Andre O; Golus, Jeffrey A; Schroeder, Kasey; Kruger, Greg R

2018-04-24

Herbicide particle drift reduces application efficacy and can cause severe impacts on nearby vegetation depending on the herbicide mode-of-action, exposure level, and tolerance to the herbicide. A particle drift mitigation effort placing windbreaks or barriers on the field boundaries to reduce off-target movement of spray particles has been utilized in the past. The objective of this research was to evaluate the effectiveness of field corn (Zea mays L.) at different heights as a particle drift barrier. Applications with a non-air inclusion flat fan nozzle (ER11004) resulted in greater particle drift when compared to an air inclusion nozzle (TTI11004). Eight rows of corn were used as barriers (0.91, 1.22, and 1.98 m height) which reduced the particle drift for both nozzles, especially at shorter downwind distances. Applications with the ER11004 nozzle without corn barriers had 1% of the applied rate (D 99 ) predicted to deposit at 14.8 m downwind, whereas this distance was reduced (up to 7-fold) when applications were performed with corn barriers. The combination of corn drift barriers and nozzle selection (TTI11004) provided satisfactory particle drift reduction when the D 99 estimates were compared to applications with the ER11004 nozzle without corn barriers (up to 10-fold difference). The corn drift barriers were effective in reducing particle drift from applications with the ER11004 and the TTI11004 nozzles (Fine and Ultra Coarse spray classifications, respectively). The corn drift barrier had appropriate porosity and width as the airborne spray was captured within its canopy instead of deflecting up and over it. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Interaction of tide and salinity barrier: Limitation of numerical model

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Suphat Vongvisessomjai1

2008-07-01

Full Text Available Nowadays, the study of interaction of the tide and the salinity barrier in an estuarine area is usually accomplished vianumerical modeling, due to the speed and convenience of modern computers. However, numerical models provide littleinsight with respect to the fundamental physical mechanisms involved. In this study, it is found that all existing numericalmodels work satisfactorily when the barrier is located at some distance far from upstream and downstream boundary conditions.Results are considerably underestimate reality when the barrier is located near the downstream boundary, usually theriver mouth. Meanwhile, this analytical model provides satisfactory output for all scenarios. The main problem of thenumerical model is that the effects of barrier construction in creation of reflected tide are neglected when specifying thedownstream boundary conditions; the use of the boundary condition before construction of the barrier which are significantlydifferent from those after the barrier construction would result in an error outputs. Future numerical models shouldattempt to account for this deficiency; otherwise, using this analytical model is another choice.

Along the speciation continuum: Quantifying intrinsic and extrinsic isolating barriers across five million years of evolutionary divergence in California jewelflowers.

Science.gov (United States)

Christie, Kyle; Strauss, Sharon Y

2018-05-01

Understanding the relative roles of intrinsic and extrinsic reproductive barriers, and their interplay within the geographic context of diverging taxa, remains an outstanding challenge in the study of speciation. We conducted a comparative analysis of reproductive isolation in California Jewelflowers (Streptanthus, s.l., Brassicaceae) by quantifying potential barriers to gene flow at multiple life history stages in 39 species pairs spanning five million years of evolutionary divergence. We quantified nine potential pre- and postzygotic barriers and explored patterns of reproductive isolation in relation to genetic distance. Intrinsic postzygotic isolation was initially weak, increased at intermediate genetic distances, and reached a threshold characterized by complete genetic incompatibility. Climatic niche differences were strong at shallow genetic distances, and species pairs with overlapping ranges showed slight but appreciable phenological isolation, highlighting the potential for ecological barriers to contribute to speciation. Geographic analyses suggest that speciation is not regionally allopatric in the California Jewelflowers, as recently diverged taxa occur in relatively close proximity and display substantial range overlap. Young pairs are characterized by incomplete intrinsic postzygotic isolation, suggesting that extrinsic barriers or fine-scale spatial segregation are more important early in the divergence process than genetic incompatibilities. © 2018 The Author(s). Evolution © 2018 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Cumulative Effects of Barriers on the Movements of Forest Birds

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Marc Bélisle

2002-01-01

Full Text Available Although there is a consensus of opinion that habitat fragmentation has deleterious effects on animal populations, primarily by inhibiting dispersal among remaining patches, there have been few explicit demonstrations of the ways by which degraded habitats actually constrain individual movement. Two impediments are primarily responsible for this paucity: it is difficult to separate the effects of habitat fragmentation (configuration from habitat loss (composition, and conventional measures of fragmented habitats are assumed to be, but probably are not, isotropic. We addressed these limitations by standardizing differences in forest cover in a clearly anisotropic configuration of habitat fragmentation by conducting a homing experiment with three species of forest birds in the Bow Valley of Banff National Park, Canada. Birds were translocated (1.2-3.5  km either parallel or perpendicular to four/five parallel barriers that are assumed to impede the cross-valley travel of forest-dependent animals. Taken together, individuals exhibited longer return times when they were translocated across these barriers, but differences among species suggest a more complex interpretation. A long-distance migrant (Yellow-rumped Warbler, Dendroica coronata behaved as predicted, but a short-distance migrant (Golden-crowned Kinglet, Regulus satrapa was indifferent to barrier configuration. A resident (Red-breasted Nuthatch, Sitta canadensis exhibited longer return times when it was translocated parallel to the barriers. Our results suggest that an anisotropic arrangement of small, open areas in fragmented landscapes can have a cumulative barrier effect on the movement of forest animals, but that both modelers and managers will have to acknowledge potentially counterintuitive differences among species to predict the effect that these may have on individual movement and, ultimately, dispersal.

'What to do with anger?': Psychic osmosis, Sylvia Plath and Virginia Woolf

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mušović Azra A.

2013-01-01

Full Text Available According to Virginia Woolf, we think back through our mothers if we are women. It is useless to go to the great men writers for help, however much we may go to them for pleasure. Plath took Woolf as a model very early in her career. She undoubtedly considered Woolf the greatest woman writer of the century. But beyond that appeal, she identified her own life pattern with the one she saw in Woolf. This paper considers Plath's creative acts within the context of her relationship with biological mother, described as a sometimes wonderful, sometimes unwelcome sort of 'psychic osmosis', and within the context of other creative acts by women. The question of what to do with anger becomes Plath's key personal and creative question for studying the ways she lays claim to her matrilineal inheritance. This method assumes that literary influence retraces the outlines of the initial parent-child bond. And the most prominent writer who showed her what it meant to be a powerful female creator, the writer whose creative acts incorporated her life and whose death doubled her words - that literary mother was Virginia Woolf. Plath opened herself to what she believed to be a power associated with Woolf, a power intended to transform the influence of the biological mother. As a result, the texts of the two writers interact across time.

Work-related stress according to the demand-control model and minor psychic disorders in nursing workers

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Janete de Souza Urbanetto

2013-10-01

Full Text Available This was a cross-sectional study that aimed to assess the association between work-related stress according to the Demand-Control Model, and the occurrence of Minor Psychic Disorder (MPD in nursing workers. The participants were 335 professionals, out of which 245 were nursing technicians, aged predominantly between 20 and 40 years. Data were collected using the Job Stress Scale and the Self-Reporting Questionnaire-20. The analysis was performed using descriptive and analytical statistics. The prevalence of suspected MPD was 20.6%. Workers classified in the quadrants active job and high strain of the Demand-Control Model presented higher potential for developing MPD compared with those classified in the quadrant low strain. In conclusion, stress affects the mental health of workers and the aspects related to high psychological demands and high control still require further insight in order to understand their influence on the disease processes of nursing workers.

El problema del acto a partir de la metapsicología freudiana: mediación psíquica y derivación motora. // The problem of act from the freudian metapsychology perspective: psychic mediation and motor derivation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Frank Herr Rico Barbosa.

2009-12-01

Full Text Available This article was written as a result of a master research project (Rico, 2009, and it tackles the problem of the act from a wide metapsychological revision of Freud’s work. The author first analyses the bipartite model of psychic functioning found in “The Interpretation of dreams” (Freud, 1900. The text gathers together several arguments to justify a third dimension of psychic mediation operated by the motor derivation and, despite its indirect associative process exclusion, it is difficult to understand it from the elementary logic in which we find the direct psychic mediation. // En este artículo, que está inspirado en una investigación de maestría (Rico, 2009, se aborda el problema del acto a partir de una amplia revisión metapsicológica por la obra freudiana. Se inicia analizando el modelo bipartito de funcionamiento psíquico que se halla en “La interpretación de los sueños” (Freud, 1900. En el devenir del texto se reúnen argumentos para justificar una tercera modalidad de mediación psíquica que opera la derivación motora y que, aunque excluye el proceso asociativo indirecto, es difícil concebirla a partir de la lógica elemental en que se presenta la mediación psíquica directa.

In Search of a Definition of Bullying : Revisiting Psychic Damage Need for Your Configuration

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Renato de Almeida Oliveira Muçouçah

2016-06-01

Full Text Available This research aims study the mobbing phenomenon and seek to place it beyond the borders of persecution or psychological damage, as can be observed on very recent court decisions. After a brief historical introduction about the fundamentals required to recognize an employment relationship as valid, and also trying to understand relationships where there is not formal characterization, the directive power of the employer and the form of its manifestation can be constituted in facilitating elements to practice of mobbing. The next act seeks to propose a broad definition of mobbing, not just based on psychic damage, in order to cover various forms of violence in employment relationships, with the desire to give them ways to legal protection to suppress or prevent such practices. The directive power of the employer eventually can become the productive force and the pressure in the culture of companies, which may constitute the mobbing, although whether or not damages of any kind. It is necessary, therefore, a reinterpretation of the concept of mobbing, which defends them with more promptness relations considered “normal” in the workplace, but which, in fact, are violent acts of disrespect about fundamental rights of the worker.

Collisional Fragmentation Is Not a Barrier to Close-in Planet Formation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wallace, Joshua; Tremaine, Scott [Department of Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544 (United States); Chambers, John, E-mail: joshuajw@princeton.edu [Department of Terrestrial Magnetism, Carnegie Institution for Science, Washington, DC 20015 (United States)

2017-11-01

Collisional fragmentation is shown to not be a barrier to rocky planet formation at small distances from the host star. Simple analytic arguments demonstrate that rocky planet formation via collisions of homogeneous gravity-dominated bodies is possible down to distances of order the Roche radius ( r {sub Roche}). Extensive N -body simulations with initial bodies ≳1700 km that include plausible models for fragmentation and merging of gravity-dominated bodies confirm this conclusion and demonstrate that rocky planet formation is possible down to ∼1.1 r {sub Roche}. At smaller distances, tidal effects cause collisions to be too fragmenting to allow mass buildup to a final, dynamically stable planetary system. We argue that even differentiated bodies can accumulate to form planets at distances that are not much larger than r {sub Roche}.

Barrier Effects in the Cognitive Maps of Children and Adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Newcombe, Nora; Liben, Lynn S.

1982-01-01

With first-grade and college students, examines barrier effects as a function of the task used to assess subjects' cognitive maps. One group, asked to give rank-ordering judgments, had to keep an entire spatial layout in mind. The second group made direct estimates of the distance between two objects. (RH)

Dielectric barrier discharges applied for soft ionization and their mechanism

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brandt, Sebastian; Klute, Felix David; Schütz, Alexander; Franzke, Joachim, E-mail: joachim.franzke@isas.de

2017-01-25

Dielectric barrier discharges are used for analytical applications as dissociative source for optical emission spectrometry and for ambient-ionization techniques. In the range of ambient-ionization techniques it has attracted much attention in fields like food safety, biological analysis, mass spectrometry for reaction monitoring and imaging forensic identification. In this review some examples are given for the application as desorption/ionization source as well as for the sole application as ionization source with different sample introductions. It will be shown that the detection might depend on the certain distance of the plasma in reference to the sample or the kind of discharge which might be produced by different shapes of the applied high voltage. Some attempts of characterization are presented. A more detailed characterization of the dielectric barrier discharge realized with two ring electrodes, each separately covered with a dielectric layer, is described. - Highlights: • Dielectric barrier discharge applied as desorption/ionization source. • Dielectric barrier discharge applied solely as ionization source. • Different geometries in order to maintain soft ionization. • Characterization of the LTP probe. • Dielectric barrier discharges with two dielectric barriers (ring-ring shape).

Selective Distance-Based K+ Quantification on Paper-Based Microfluidics.

Science.gov (United States)

Gerold, Chase T; Bakker, Eric; Henry, Charles S

2018-04-03

In this study, paper-based microfluidic devices (μPADs) capable of K + quantification in aqueous samples, as well as in human serum, using both colorimetric and distance-based methods are described. A lipophilic phase containing potassium ionophore I (valinomycin) was utilized to achieve highly selective quantification of K + in the presence of Na + , Li + , and Mg 2+ ions. Successful addition of a suspended lipophilic phase to a wax printed paper-based device is described and offers a solution to current approaches that rely on organic solvents, which damage wax barriers. The approach provides an avenue for future alkali/alkaline quantification utilizing μPADs. Colorimetric spot tests allowed for K + quantification from 0.1-5.0 mM using only 3.00 μL of sample solution. Selective distance-based quantification required small sample volumes (6.00 μL) and gave responses sensitive enough to distinguish between 1.0 and 2.5 mM of sample K + . μPADs using distance-based methods were also capable of differentiating between 4.3 and 6.9 mM K + in human serum samples. Distance-based methods required no digital analysis, electronic hardware, or pumps; any steps required for quantification could be carried out using the naked eye.

Barriers to accessing radiation therapy in Canada: a systematic review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gillan, Caitlin; Briggs, Kaleigh; Pazos, Alejandro Goytisolo; Maurus, Melanie; Harnett, Nicole; Catton, Pamela; Wiljer, David

2012-01-01

Radiation therapy (RT) is effective treatment for curing and palliating cancer, yet concern exists that not all Canadians for whom RT is indicated receive it. Many factors may contribute to suboptimal use of RT. A review of recent Canadian literature was undertaken to identify such barriers. MEDLINE, CINAHL, and EMBase databases were used to search keywords relating to barriers to accessing or utilizing RT in Canada. Collected abstracts were reviewed independently. Barriers identified in relevant articles were categorized as relating to the health systems, patient socio-demographic, patient factors, or provider factors contexts and thematic analysis performed for each context. 535 unique abstracts were collected. 75 met inclusion criteria. 46 (61.3%) addressed multiple themes. The most cited barriers to accessing RT when indicated were patient age (n = 26, 34.7%), distance to treatment centre (n = 23, 30.7%), wait times (n = 22, 29.3%), and lack of physician understanding about the use of RT (n = 16, 21.6%). Barriers to RT are reported in many areas. The role of provider factors and the lack of attention to patient fears and mistrust as potential barriers were unexpected findings demanding further attention. Solutions should be sought to overcome identified barriers facilitating more effective cancer care for Canadians

Protection against malevolent use of vehicles at Nuclear Power Plants. Vehicle barrier system siting guidance for blast protection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nebuda, D.T.

1994-08-01

This manual provides guidance for determining the minimum safe standoff distance between vital safety related equipment and the design basis vehicle bomb threat adopted by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Vital safety related equipment should survive the design basis vehicle bomb attack when the minimum safe standoff distance is provided. Guidance is provided for exposed vital safety related equipment and for equipment housed within vital area barriers. The type of vital area barriers addressed are 12-, 18-, 24-, and 30-inch-thick reinforced concrete slabs with reinforcing ratios of 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, and 1.0 percent

Eliminating Language Barriers Online at European Prisons (ELBEP): A Case-Study

Science.gov (United States)

Barkan, M.; Toprak, E.; Kumtepe, A. T.; Kumtepe, E. Genc; Ataizi, M.; Pilanci, H.; Mutlu, M. E.; Kayabas, I.; Kayabas, B. Kip

2011-01-01

ELBEP (Eliminating Language Barriers in European Prisons Through Open and Distance Education Technology) is a multilateral project funded by the European Union (EU) Lifelong Learning, Grundtvig (Adult Education) Programme. It aims to overcome language/communication problems between prison staff and foreign inmates at European prisons via online…

The sanctuary of empathy and the invitation of engagement: psychic retreat, Kafka's "A Hunger Artist," and the psychoanalytic process.

Science.gov (United States)

Karbelnig, Alan Michael

2014-12-01

As part of a broader scholarly and political effort to unify clinical psychoanalysis, the author argues that psychoanalysts' presence, engagement, and framing constitute the three overarching features of their work. Additionally, patients' propensity to turn inward, alternatively known as psychic retreat or narcissistic withdrawal, provides a similarly unifying way to view psychoanalytic patients. Narrowing the investigation to a phenomenological one, the author tapers the exploration further by studying the psychoanalytic process as it unfolds in real time. After addressing the problems of diffusion in professional identity and psychoanalytic theory that have plagued psychoanalysis from the start, the author presents three case examples into which he integrates Kafka's short story "A Hunger Artist." These vehicles are utilized to demonstrate how such nomenclature provides the basis for a more cohesive understanding of how psychoanalysts work.

Patterns of reproductive isolation in a haplodiploid - strong post-mating, prezygotic barriers among three forms of a social spider mite.

Science.gov (United States)

Sato, Yukie; Sakamoto, Hironori; Gotoh, Tetsuo; Saito, Yutaka; Chao, Jung-Tai; Egas, Martijn; Mochizuki, Atsushi

2018-03-22

In speciation research, much attention is paid to the evolution of reproductive barriers, preventing diverging groups from hybridizing back into one gene pool. The prevalent view is that reproductive barriers evolve gradually as a by-product of genetic changes accumulated by natural selection and genetic drift in groups that are segregated spatially and/or temporally. Reproductive barriers, however, can also be reinforced by natural selection against maladaptive hybridization. These mutually compatible theories are both empirically supported by studies, analysing relationships between intensity of reproductive isolation and genetic distance in sympatric taxa and allopatric taxa. Here, we present the - to our knowledge - first comparative study in a haplodiploid organism, the social spider mite Stigmaeopsis miscanthi, by measuring premating and post-mating, pre- and post-zygotic components of reproductive isolation, using three recently diverged forms of the mite that partly overlap in home range. We carried out cross-experiments and measured genetic distances (mitochondrial DNA and nuclear DNA) among parapatric and allopatric populations of the three forms. Our results show that the three forms are reproductively isolated, despite the absence of premating barriers, and that the post-mating, prezygotic component contributes most to reproductive isolation. As expected, the strength of post-mating reproductive barriers positively correlated with genetic distance. We did not find a clear pattern of prezygotic barriers evolving faster in parapatry than in allopatry, although one form did show a trend in line with the ecological and behavioural relationships between the forms. Our study advocates the versatility of haplodiploid animals for investigating the evolution of reproductive barriers. © 2018 European Society For Evolutionary Biology. Journal of Evolutionary Biology © 2018 European Society For Evolutionary Biology.

E-Learning in a Mega Open University: Faculty Attitude, Barriers and Motivators

Science.gov (United States)

Panda, Santosh; Mishra, Sanjaya

2007-01-01

In the distance teaching institutions where e-learning initiatives are underway and where the planners and administrators grapple with effective adoption and deployment of technology-enabled education, faculty attitude and motivation assume considerable significance. Attitudinal pre-dispositions and institutional and allied barriers (including…

Entre os sonhos e a interpretação: aparelho psíquico/aparelho simbólico Between dreams and interpretation: psychic apparatus/symbolic apparatus

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João A. Frayze-Pereira

1999-01-01

Full Text Available Este texto interroga a idéia de "aparelho psíquico" nos limites da primeira tópica freudiana. Considerando que, no capítulo VII da Interpretação dos Sonhos, Freud define a realidade psicológica como uma forma especial de existência e o sonho como uma forma especial de pensamento, interroga-se que relação há entre essas formas, a forma de existir e a forma de pensar. Há equivalência entre elas? Ou há uma relação de fundamentação de uma pela outra? Tais perguntas levam o autor a analisar a questão da interpretação para chegar, com Freud, a uma compreensão do "aparelho psíquico" como "aparelho simbólico", aberto à intersubjetividade e às formações culturais como a literatura e as artes.This paper presents and discusses the idea of the "psychic apparatus" within the limits of Freudian First Topography. Considering that in chapter VII of Interpretation of Dreams, Freud defines the psychological reality as a special form of existence and the dream as a special form of thought, the relation between these forms is questioned. Then the author analyzes the question of interpretation to reach, along with Freud, a comprehension of the "psychic apparatus" as a symbolic apparatus opened to intersubjectivity and to cultural formations, such as literature and art.

The Digital Divide in Developing Countries: A Case for Distance Education

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Kenneth E. Paprock

2006-12-01

Full Text Available Although distance education is catching up in almost all countries in the world, it is still little known and less studied in many of the developing countries. Given such a lack of coverage even in the Western educational literature, the possibilities of finding in-depth exchanges concerning distance education in developing countries are very limited. This presentation presents the existing 'digital gap' in the world, and focuses on three important barriers to distance education or learning are: 1 the lack of resources 2 lack of infrastructures, and 3 lack of recurrent funding necessary to acquire or develop appropriate software and courseware on a continuous basis, and maintain, service and replace the equipment. Technologists and educators need to enter the developing world, study the market and then modify their wares according to local needs with the help of local industry and labor-force. This is one important way of building meaningful collaborations and partnerships between the developed and developing countries.

Distance learning and the internet in respiratory therapy education.

Science.gov (United States)

Varekojis, Sarah M; Sergakis, Georgianna G; Dunlevy, Crystal L; Foote, Elbie; Clutter, Jill

2011-11-01

The profession of respiratory therapy (RT) continues to grow both in number, due to population growth and an ever-increasing aging population, and scope of practice, due to both new and expanded roles and responsibilities in divergent areas of clinical practice. Instructional technology, including distance learning, will probably play a key role in training, educating, and assessing RT students to meet the increasing demand for practitioners. To assess current uses of distance learning and opinions concerning the appropriate use of distance education in RT education programs nationwide. A 13-item on-line survey was designed to collect information about the frequency of use of various types of distance education typically utilized in RT education programs. The survey was sent to directors of 343 Committee on Accreditation for Respiratory Care accredited programs of RT education that offer entry-level or advanced courses of study. The response rate was 50% (169 respondents). Fifty-two percent of the respondents indicated that their courses included some form of on-line learning component. Most directors anticipated that the distance composition of their course offerings will remain unchanged or increase in the near future. Our results indicate that, while distance education plays an important supportive role in RT education, there is still a preference for face-to-face instruction and Internet-facilitated courses among program directors. Program directors continue to view the laboratory and clinical settings as hands-on environments that require instructor supervision in order for students to demonstrate proficiency and critical thinking skills. When used appropriately, distance learning may be an efficient and effective approach to address the many barriers to education faced by the health workforce in general, including budget constraints, overloaded schedules, the need for on-the-job learning opportunities, and lack of access.

Trauma, dream and psychic change in psychoanalyses: a dialogue between psychoanalysis and the neurosciences

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tamara eFischmann

2013-12-01

Full Text Available To many psychoanalysts dreams are a central source of knowledge of the unconscious – the specific research object of psychoanalysis. The dialogue with the neurosciences, devoted to the testing of hypotheses on human behaviour and neurophysiology with objective methods, has added to psychoanalytic conceptualizations on emotion, memory, sleep and dreams, conflict and trauma. To psychoanalysts as well as neuroscientists, the neurological basis of psychic functioning, particularly concerning trauma, is of special interest. In this article, an attempt is made to bridge the gap between psychoanalytic findings and neuroscientific findings on trauma. We then attempt to merge both approaches in one experimental study devoted to the investigation of the neurophysiological changes (fMRI associated with psychoanalytic treatment in chronically depressed patients. We also report on an attempt to quantify psychoanalysis-induced transformation in the manifest content of dreams. To do so, we used two independent methods. First, dreams reported during the cure of chronic depressed analysands were assessed by the treating psychoanalyst. Second, dreams reported in an experimental context were analysed by an independent evaluator using a standardized method to quantify changes in dream content (Moser method. Single cases are presented. Preliminary results suggest that psychoanalysis-induced transformation can be assessed in an objective way.

Trauma, dream, and psychic change in psychoanalyses: a dialog between psychoanalysis and the neurosciences

Science.gov (United States)

Fischmann, Tamara; Russ, Michael O.; Leuzinger-Bohleber, Marianne

2013-01-01

To many psychoanalysts dreams are a central source of knowledge of the unconscious—the specific research object of psychoanalysis. The dialog with the neurosciences, devoted to the testing of hypotheses on human behavior and neurophysiology with objective methods, has added to psychoanalytic conceptualizations on emotion, memory, sleep and dreams, conflict and trauma. To psychoanalysts as well as neuroscientists, the neurological basis of psychic functioning, particularly concerning trauma, is of special interest. In this article, an attempt is made to bridge the gap between psychoanalytic findings and neuroscientific findings on trauma. We then attempt to merge both approaches in one experimental study devoted to the investigation of the neurophysiological changes (fMRI) associated with psychoanalytic treatment in chronically depressed patients. We also report on an attempt to quantify psychoanalysis-induced transformation in the manifest content of dreams. To do so, we used two independent methods. First, dreams reported during the cure of chronic depressed analysands were assessed by the treating psychoanalyst. Second, dreams reported in an experimental context were analyzed by an independent evaluator using a standardized method to quantify changes in dream content (Moser method). Single cases are presented. Preliminary results suggest that psychoanalysis-induced transformation can be assessed in an objective way. PMID:24381554

Trauma, dream, and psychic change in psychoanalyses: a dialog between psychoanalysis and the neurosciences.

Science.gov (United States)

Fischmann, Tamara; Russ, Michael O; Leuzinger-Bohleber, Marianne

2013-01-01

To many psychoanalysts dreams are a central source of knowledge of the unconscious-the specific research object of psychoanalysis. The dialog with the neurosciences, devoted to the testing of hypotheses on human behavior and neurophysiology with objective methods, has added to psychoanalytic conceptualizations on emotion, memory, sleep and dreams, conflict and trauma. To psychoanalysts as well as neuroscientists, the neurological basis of psychic functioning, particularly concerning trauma, is of special interest. In this article, an attempt is made to bridge the gap between psychoanalytic findings and neuroscientific findings on trauma. We then attempt to merge both approaches in one experimental study devoted to the investigation of the neurophysiological changes (fMRI) associated with psychoanalytic treatment in chronically depressed patients. We also report on an attempt to quantify psychoanalysis-induced transformation in the manifest content of dreams. To do so, we used two independent methods. First, dreams reported during the cure of chronic depressed analysands were assessed by the treating psychoanalyst. Second, dreams reported in an experimental context were analyzed by an independent evaluator using a standardized method to quantify changes in dream content (Moser method). Single cases are presented. Preliminary results suggest that psychoanalysis-induced transformation can be assessed in an objective way.

THE PHYSICAL AND/OR PSYCHIC INABILITY DISMISALL OF THE EMPLOYEE IN ROMANIAN LABOUR LAW

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Olimpia-Monica Matiaș

2013-11-01

Full Text Available On the historical and legal side, the physical and/or psychic inability of the employee to provide the corresponding post in which he was employed as a basis for the contract of employment that equated professional discordance (article 130 paragraph 1 letter e of the Labor Code of 1973, adopted by law No. 10 of 25 November 1972. Dismissal for medical reasons is one of the cases of termination of the individual contract of work from the employer, which excludes the employee's contributory negligence. The employee is unable to fulfill his/her service obligations due to the reduction of some of his/her biological, intellectual capacity. The physical condition and/or mental inability of an employee in the performance of the duties corresponding to a post service is not general, but specific workplace at the time. Owing to the nature of the objective medical lies, we appreciate the useful proposal de lege ferenda, that where the employer opts for the dismissal of the employee pursuant to art. 61(c the Labor Code, due to the fact that at the same time there is no vacancy in the unit, to opt for the cessation of the individual employment contract.

An essay on dreaming, psychical working out and working through.

Science.gov (United States)

da Rocha Barros, Elias M

2002-10-01

In this paper the author attempts to expand the idea put forward by Freud who considered dreams as a special form of unconscious thinking. It is the author's contention that the psychical working-out function performed by dreams is a form of unconscious thinking, which transforms affects into memories and mental structures. He also attempts to clarify the way in which meaning is built and transformed in mental life. In that respect the unconscious internal world is seen as a form of unconscious thinking, a private theatre where meaning is generated and transformed. He focuses on what happens to feelings in dreams in connection with the meanings as a result of and an expression of the several stages of working through. The dream world is described as the setting where the mind gives expressive pictorial representation to the emotions involved in a conflict: a first step towards thinkability. The dreamwork also constitutes a process through which meaning is apprehended, built on and transformed at an expressive non-discursive level, based on representation through figurative/pictorial images. The author draws on Meltzer's formulation to conjecture that the working-through function of dreams, mainly in response to interpretations, is performed by a process of progression in formal qualities of the representations made available by dreaming in the form he has called affective pictograms. It is through progression in formal qualities of the representation that the thinking capabilities of the affective life develop and become part of the process of what is called metaphorically the metabolisation of emotional life. This process takes place through migration of meaning across various levels of mental process. In this perspective the analyst's interpretations of dreams effect what linguists call transmutation of the symbolic basis, a process that is necessary to help the mind to improve its capacity to think. Something expressed on the evocative plane and condensed into a

HADRONS-94: Soft interactions at large distances

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Atkinson, David; Jenkovszky, Laszlo

1994-01-01

Ten years ago the Institute for Theoretical Physics (known since 1992 as the Bogolubov Institute after its founder) of the Academy of Science of the Ukraine initiated what has become a very successful series of annual meetings on strong interactions at large distances. Although sometimes overshadowed by the successes of the Standard Model isotope dilutions and the theoretical enticements of supertheories; the Hadrons series has overcome political barriers and financial chaos to bring together physicists from diverse backgrounds to discuss central physics issues. The latest workshop in the series was held from September 7-11 in Uzhgorod (Ungvar), a small university town in the westernmost reaches of the Ukraine, bordering on Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia.

Barriers to accessing urethroplasty.

Science.gov (United States)

Consolo, Michael J; Syed, Kirin K; Robison, Christopher; McFadden, Jacob; Shalowitz, David I; Brown, Gordon A; Sussman, David O; Figler, Bradley D

2016-01-01

Urethroplasty is an effective treatment for men with anterior urethral strictures, but is utilized less frequently than ineffective treatments such as internal urethrotomy. We sought to identify provider-level barriers to urethroplasty. An anonymous online survey was emailed to all Mid-Atlantic American Urological Association members. Six scenarios in which urethroplasty was the most appropriate treatment were presented. Primary outcome was recommendation for urethroplasty in ≥ three clinical scenarios. Other factors measured include practice zip code, urethroplasty training, and proximity to a urethroplasty surgeon. Multivariate logistic regression identified factors associated with increased likelihood of urethroplasty recommendation. Of 670 members emailed, 109 (16%) completed the survey. Final analysis included 88 respondents. Mean years in practice was 17.2. Most respondents received formal training in urethroplasty: 43 (49%) in residency, 5 (6%) in fellowship, and 10 (11%) in both; 48 respondents (55%) had a urethroplasty surgeon in their practice, whereas 18 (20%) had a urethroplasty surgeon within 45 minutes of his or her primary practice location. The only covariate that was associated with an increased likelihood of recommending urethroplasty in ≥ three scenarios was formal urethroplasty training. Most members (68%) reported no barriers to referring patients for urethroplasty; the most common barriers cited were long distance to urethroplasty surgeon (n 5 13, 15%) and concern about complications (n 5 8, 9%). Urethroplasty continues to be underutilized in men with anterior urethral strictures, potentially due to lack of knowledge dissemination and access to a urethroplasty surgeon. Appropriate urethroplasty utilization may increase with greater exposure to urethroplasty in training.

Long-Term Drainage from the Riprap Side Slope of a Surface Barrier

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Zhuanfang

2017-07-01

Surface barriers designed to isolate underground nuclear waste in place are expected to function for at least 1000 years. To achieve this long design life, such barriers need to be protected with side slopes against wind- and water-induced erosion and damage by natural or human activities. However, the side slopes are usually constructed with materials coarser than the barrier. Their hydrological characteristics must be understood so that any drainage from them is considered in the barrier design and will not compromise the barrier function. The Prototype Hanford Barrier, an evapotranspiration-capillary (ETC) barrier, was constructed in 1994 at the Hanford Site in southeastern Washington state, with a gravel side slope and a riprap side slope. The soil water content in the gravel side slope and drainage from both side slopes have been monitored since the completion of construction. The monitoring results show that under natural precipitation the annual drainage rates from the two types of side slopes were very similar and about 5 times the typical recharge from local soil with natural vegetation and 40 times the barrier design criterion. The higher recharge from the side slopes results in some of the drainage migrating laterally to the region beneath the ETC barrier. This edge effect of the enhanced drainage was evaluated for a period of 1000 years by numerical simulation. The edge effect was quantified by the amount of water across the barrier edges and the affecting distance of the barrier edges. These results indicate that design features can be adjusted to reduce the edge effect when necessary.

PERBANDINGAN EUCLIDEAN DISTANCE DENGAN CANBERRA DISTANCE PADA FACE RECOGNITION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sendhy Rachmat Wurdianarto

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Perkembangan ilmu pada dunia komputer sangatlah pesat. Salah satu yang menandai hal ini adalah ilmu komputer telah merambah pada dunia biometrik. Arti biometrik sendiri adalah karakter-karakter manusia yang dapat digunakan untuk membedakan antara orang yang satu dengan yang lainnya. Salah satu pemanfaatan karakter / organ tubuh pada setiap manusia yang digunakan untuk identifikasi (pengenalan adalah dengan memanfaatkan wajah. Dari permasalahan diatas dalam pengenalan lebih tentang aplikasi Matlab pada Face Recognation menggunakan metode Euclidean Distance dan Canberra Distance. Model pengembangan aplikasi yang digunakan adalah model waterfall. Model waterfall beriisi rangkaian aktivitas proses yang disajikan dalam proses analisa kebutuhan, desain menggunakan UML (Unified Modeling Language, inputan objek gambar diproses menggunakan Euclidean Distance dan Canberra Distance. Kesimpulan yang dapat ditarik adalah aplikasi face Recognation menggunakan metode euclidean Distance dan Canverra Distance terdapat kelebihan dan kekurangan masing-masing. Untuk kedepannya aplikasi tersebut dapat dikembangkan dengan menggunakan objek berupa video ataupun objek lainnya.   Kata kunci : Euclidean Distance, Face Recognition, Biometrik, Canberra Distance

Role of effective distance in the fission mechanism study by the double-energy measurement for uranium isotopes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baba, Hiroshi; Saito, Tadashi; Takahashi, Naruto [Osaka Univ., Suita (Japan)] [and others

1997-09-01

Fission product kinetic energies were measured by the double-energy method for thermal-neutron fission of {sup 235,233}U and proton-induced fission of {sup 238}U at the 15.8-MeV excitation. From the obtained energy-mass correlation data, the kinetic-energy distribution was constructed from each mass bin to evaluate the first moment of the kinetic energy for a given fragment mass. The resulting kinetic energy was then converted to the effective distance between the charge centers at the moment of scission. The effective distances deduced for the proton-induced fission was concluded to be classified into two constant values, one for asymmetric and the other for symmetric mode, irrespective of the mass though an additional component was further extracted in the asymmetric mass region. This indicates that the fission takes place via two well-defined saddles, followed by the random neck rupture. On the contrary, the effective distances obtained for thermal-neutron induced fission turned out to lie along the contour line at the same level as the equilibrium deformation in the two-dimensional potential map. This strongly suggests that it is essentially a barrier-penetrating type of fission rather than the over-barrier fission. (author). 73 refs.

Role of effective distance in the fission mechanism study by the double-energy measurement for uranium isotopes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baba, Hiroshi; Saito, Tadashi; Takahashi, Naruto

1997-01-01

Fission product kinetic energies were measured by the double-energy method for thermal-neutron fission of 235,233 U and proton-induced fission of 238 U at the 15.8-MeV excitation. From the obtained energy-mass correlation data, the kinetic-energy distribution was constructed from each mass bin to evaluate the first moment of the kinetic energy for a given fragment mass. The resulting kinetic energy was then converted to the effective distance between the charge centers at the moment of scission. The effective distances deduced for the proton-induced fission was concluded to be classified into two constant values, one for asymmetric and the other for symmetric mode, irrespective of the mass though an additional component was further extracted in the asymmetric mass region. This indicates that the fission takes place via two well-defined saddles, followed by the random neck rupture. On the contrary, the effective distances obtained for thermal-neutron induced fission turned out to lie along the contour line at the same level as the equilibrium deformation in the two-dimensional potential map. This strongly suggests that it is essentially a barrier-penetrating type of fission rather than the over-barrier fission. (author). 73 refs

Role of transfer reactions in heavy-ion collisions at the Coulomb barrier

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pollarolo Giovanni

2011-10-01

Full Text Available One and two neutron transfer reactions are discussed in the semiclassical formalism. The twoneutrons transfer cross sections are calculated in the successive approximation. Comparisons with new experimental data below the Coulomb barrier are discussed in term of transfer probabilities as a function of the distance of closest approach for Coulomb scattering.

Where to restore ecological connectivity? Detecting barriers and quantifying restoration benefits.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brad H McRae

Full Text Available Landscape connectivity is crucial for many ecological processes, including dispersal, gene flow, demographic rescue, and movement in response to climate change. As a result, governmental and non-governmental organizations are focusing efforts to map and conserve areas that facilitate movement to maintain population connectivity and promote climate adaptation. In contrast, little focus has been placed on identifying barriers-landscape features which impede movement between ecologically important areas-where restoration could most improve connectivity. Yet knowing where barriers most strongly reduce connectivity can complement traditional analyses aimed at mapping best movement routes. We introduce a novel method to detect important barriers and provide example applications. Our method uses GIS neighborhood analyses in conjunction with effective distance analyses to detect barriers that, if removed, would significantly improve connectivity. Applicable in least-cost, circuit-theoretic, and simulation modeling frameworks, the method detects both complete (impermeable barriers and those that impede but do not completely block movement. Barrier mapping complements corridor mapping by broadening the range of connectivity conservation alternatives available to practitioners. The method can help practitioners move beyond maintaining currently important areas to restoring and enhancing connectivity through active barrier removal. It can inform decisions on trade-offs between restoration and protection; for example, purchasing an intact corridor may be substantially more costly than restoring a barrier that blocks an alternative corridor. And it extends the concept of centrality to barriers, highlighting areas that most diminish connectivity across broad networks. Identifying which modeled barriers have the greatest impact can also help prioritize error checking of land cover data and collection of field data to improve connectivity maps. Barrier detection

Pharmacists' perceptions of facilitators and barriers to lifelong learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Hanson, Alan L; Bruskiewitz, Ruth H; Demuth, James E

2007-08-15

To reevaluate facilitators of and barriers to pharmacists' participation in lifelong learning previously examined in a 1990 study. A survey instrument was mailed to 274 pharmacists who volunteered to participate based on a prior random sample survey. Data based on perceptions of facilitators and barriers to lifelong learning, as well as self-perception as a lifelong learner, were analyzed and compared to a similar 1990 survey. The response rate for the survey was 88%. The top 3 facilitators and barriers to lifelong learning from the 2003 and the 1990 samples were: (1) personal desire to learn; (2) requirement to maintain professional licensure; and (3) enjoyment/relaxation provided by learning as change of pace from the "routine." The top 3 barriers were: (1) job constraints; (2) scheduling (location, distance, time) of group learning activities; and (3) family constraints (eg, spouse, children, personal). Respondents' broad self-perception as lifelong learners continued to be highly positive overall, but remained less positive relative to more specific lifelong learning skills such as the ability to identify learning objectives as well as to evaluate learning outcomes. Little has changed in the last decade relative to how pharmacists view themselves as lifelong learners, as well as what they perceive as facilitators and barriers to lifelong learning. To address factors identified as facilitators and barriers, continuing education (CE) providers should focus on pharmacists' time constraints, whether due to employment, family responsibilities, or time invested in the educational activity itself, and pharmacists' internal motivations to learn (personal desire, enjoyment), as well as external forces such as mandatory CE for relicensure.

Encyclopedia of distances

CERN Document Server

Deza, Michel Marie

2016-01-01

This 4th edition of the leading reference volume on distance metrics is characterized by updated and rewritten sections on some items suggested by experts and readers, as well a general streamlining of content and the addition of essential new topics. Though the structure remains unchanged, the new edition also explores recent advances in the use of distances and metrics for e.g. generalized distances, probability theory, graph theory, coding theory, data analysis. New topics in the purely mathematical sections include e.g. the Vitanyi multiset-metric, algebraic point-conic distance, triangular ratio metric, Rossi-Hamming metric, Taneja distance, spectral semimetric between graphs, channel metrization, and Maryland bridge distance. The multidisciplinary sections have also been supplemented with new topics, including: dynamic time wrapping distance, memory distance, allometry, atmospheric depth, elliptic orbit distance, VLBI distance measurements, the astronomical system of units, and walkability distance. Lea...

Distance Learning

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Braddock, Joseph

1997-01-01

A study reviewing the existing Army Distance Learning Plan (ADLP) and current Distance Learning practices, with a focus on the Army's training and educational challenges and the benefits of applying Distance Learning techniques...

REPRESENTATIONS OF DISTANCE: DIFFERENCES IN UNDERSTANDING DISTANCE ACCORDING TO TRAVEL METHOD

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gunvor Riber Larsen

2017-12-01

Full Text Available This paper explores how Danish tourists represent distance in relation to their holiday mobility and how these representations of distance are a result of being aero-mobile as opposed to being land-mobile. Based on interviews with Danish tourists, whose holiday mobility ranges from the European continent to global destinations, the first part of this qualitative study identifies three categories of representations of distance that show how distance is being ‘translated’ by the tourists into non-geometric forms: distance as resources, distance as accessibility, and distance as knowledge. The representations of distance articulated by the Danish tourists show that distance is often not viewed in ‘just’ kilometres. Rather, it is understood in forms that express how transcending the physical distance through holiday mobility is dependent on individual social and economic contexts, and on whether the journey was undertaken by air or land. The analysis also shows that being aeromobile is the holiday transportation mode that removes the tourists the furthest away from physical distance, resulting in the distance travelled by air being represented in ways that have the least correlation, in the tourists’ minds, with physical distance measured in kilometres.

Enticers and Barriers to E-Learning Based Distance Corporate Training: The Case of a Greek Bank

Science.gov (United States)

Seraphim, Katerina G.

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate what influences employees' acceptance and resistance to a corporate e-learning initiative provided by one of the leading Banks in Greece. The results of the research provide insight into the barriers and enticers in relation to e-learning and identify areas for improvement, with a view to developing and…

The assesment on safety distance determination of hydrogen production plant with RGTT200K reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Siti Alimah; Sriyono

2013-01-01

The one of the hydrogen production process method coupled to RGTT200K is the utilization of steam reforming with (methane) natural gas as the feedstock. The integration between RGTT200K and hydrogen plant must consider many safety aspects and one of it is separation distance between these two systems. The purpose of this assessment is to study the sources of fires/explosion and to determine the safety distance between the steam reforming hydrogen production plant and RGTT200K reactor. The used methodology was literature assessment and safety distance calculation with equation R = k.W 1/3 . In this studi, safety distance determination in integration between RGTT200K and hydrogen plant was using equation based on reference of the USNRC Regulatory Guide 1.91 and mass on the equation was mass equivalent of TNT (kg). The results of the study show the hydrogen plant produces 160.000 m 3 /day, if requires storage tanks of 400.000 m 3 (based USNRC equal to 1.859 million tons of TNT equivalent) with factor k is 8, based on the equation R = k.W 1/3 , so the requirement for safety distance is 1 km. This distance may be shortened by adding a fire proof wall barrier and requires further assessment. (author)

The cultural production of Bioterapia: psychic healing and the natural medicine movement in Slovakia.

Science.gov (United States)

Rubens, D; Gyurkovics, D; Hornacek, K

1995-11-01

Despite powerful opposition, natural medicine (NM) has achieved a toe-hold in the state-run biomedical system in the Slovak Republic. The physician-leader of the NM movement hopes to leverage his ministerial post as NM 'supreme expert' and his interlocking NM clinical and research facilities to achieve a complex, unified health care system under control of medical doctors. This health care model simultaneously reinforces biomedical hegemony and decenters classical medicine by substituting a bioenergetical paradigm. NM includes, among other diagnostic and healing modalities, acupuncture, herbal therapies, bee therapy, reflexology, iridology. However, its paradigmatic form is bioterapia, the focus of this paper. Bioterapia is a form of psychic healing or therapeutic touch. According to its practitioners, it is based on bioenergetic and information-processing principles. Conceptually, bioterapia unifies psyche, soma and energy dimensions of the human body and situates the human organism in an extended transpersonal social, physical and cosmological environment. Bioterapia is a scientized and medicalized reconstruction of a folk healing tradition whose appropriation simultaneously secularized and re-sacralized this tradition by re-locating its practice from lay healers to medical doctors, from the religious domain to the venerated scientific domain, from deviant science to normal science. The reconfiguration into bioterapia as part of the creation of an academic secular parapsychology in the former Soviet Bloc in the late 1960s, illustrates the use of the privileged discourse of science for a cultural production that seems to have both supported and subverted the regime.

The interaction between contacting barrier materials for containment of radioactive wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang, Hao-Chun; Wang, Chun-Yao; Huang, Wei-Hsing

2012-01-01

. A direct current was used for a composite specimen with cylindrical section in which an electrical potential gradient was applied. After a target cumulative electric charge, the barrier specimens were removed for analysis. The physical characteristics of bentonite are carefully examined so as to assure that the long-term contact of these 2 barriers does not cause severe degradation. The analysis includes swelling potential, concentration of calcium and sodium, X-ray diffraction analysis, and pH of the bentonite material. Results and Interpretation After a target cumulative electric charge, the results show that the swelling capacity is reduced with the increase of accelerated migration test periods for the bentonites in Fig. 2. And Fig. 3 shows the shorter the distance from the contacting interface, the more the ratio of calcium/sodium concentration increases. The longer the distance from the interface, the effect of the migration of calcium on the bentonite decreases. The pH of backfill material reduces with the increase of accelerated migration test periods and the decrease in distance from the interface. With the migration of calcium ions released from concrete, Na-type bentonite in the mixture is altered to Ca-type bentonite. This alteration effect is more pronounced for bentonite material near the contact interface with concrete. (authors)

Patterns of Congenital Malformations and Barriers to Care in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luc Malemo Kalisya

Full Text Available An increase of congenital anomalies in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC has been reported. Congenital malformations (CMs are not uncommon among newborns and, if left untreated, can contribute to increased neonate morbidity and mortality.Medical records of all individuals admitted with a diagnosed CM to HEAL Africa Teaching Hospital (Goma, DRC from 2002 to 2014 (n=1301 were reviewed. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics to summarize chart records, and inferential statistics to investigate significant barriers to earlier treatment.Since 2012, the number of patients treated each year for CMs has increased by over 200% compared to the average annual number of cases treated from 2002-2011. Though delayed presentation of patients to HEAL Hospital was very obvious, with an average age of 8.2 years. We find that patient age has been significantly decreasing (p=0.037 over time. The average distance separating patients from HEAL Hospital was 178 km, with approximately one third living 350 km or further from the treatment center. Distance is the most significant (p=3.33x10(-6 barrier to earlier treatment. When controlling for an interaction between gender and the use of mercy funds, we also find that female patients are at a significant (p=1.04x10(-3 disadvantage to undergo earlier corrective surgery. This disadvantage is further illustrated by our finding that 89% of women and girls, and over 81% of all patients, required mercy funds to cover the cost of surgery in 2014. Lastly, the mortality rate for surgery was low and averaged less than 1.0%.Despite a formal end to the war in 2009, and an overall increase in individuals undergoing corrective surgery, distance, poverty, and gender are still massive barriers to CM care at HEAL Hospital, Goma, DRC. We find that patients have been successfully treated earlier by HEAL, although the average age of CM correction in 2014 (4.9 years is still above average for Sub-Saharan Africa. Thus

ETHICAL PERSPECTIVES IN OPEN AND DISTANCE EDUATION SYSTEM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. ANITHA (Corresponding Author,

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Today, e-learning and various online education applications are used in many countries and educational institutions than ever before. Ethics deals with the principle governing ideal or good behavior, it focuses on what is right or what is wrong. Although in education, the ethical issues that they may be facing are not about of life and death issues. An ethical dilemma will take place when the educator faced with a decision that maybe incongruent with the organization’s values and policies. There are several examples of ethical issues in education. In this reason, the educator must be guided with the appropriate decision-making strategies. With the increasing use of new communication technologies, adoption of distance education by traditional educational institutes and owing to growing demand on the part of learners, it becomes more important to discuss the ethical issues. This important title provides academicians, students, and professionals with ethical insight into the world of e-learning through fascinating case studies that elucidate the issues through real-world examples. Pioneer’s experience in the field of distance education indicates that the profile of distance learners varies, cutting across barriers of gender, class and caste. The distance learner may be suffering from a sense of isolation as he/she makes a return to study after a gap of time or while working. It is there that the distance educator makes a positive, ethical and interventionist role by helping the student to learn beyond the stereotypical classroom situation and can act effectively as the friend, philosopher and guide of the learner. However, the industry of education is a serious one, requiring well defined ethics and values, well bound in visible legal outlines to regulate its exchange and distribution. Because as the industry grows, so do the issues of ethical concern such as plagiarism, electronic voyeurism, and licensing. The objective of this paper is to

Discontinuous permeable adsorptive barrier design and cost analysis: a methodological approach to optimisation.

Science.gov (United States)

Santonastaso, Giovanni Francesco; Bortone, Immacolata; Chianese, Simeone; Di Nardo, Armando; Di Natale, Michele; Erto, Alessandro; Karatza, Despina; Musmarra, Dino

2017-09-19

The following paper presents a method to optimise a discontinuous permeable adsorptive barrier (PAB-D). This method is based on the comparison of different PAB-D configurations obtained by changing some of the main PAB-D design parameters. In particular, the well diameters, the distance between two consecutive passive wells and the distance between two consecutive well lines were varied, and a cost analysis for each configuration was carried out in order to define the best performing and most cost-effective PAB-D configuration. As a case study, a benzene-contaminated aquifer located in an urban area in the north of Naples (Italy) was considered. The PAB-D configuration with a well diameter of 0.8 m resulted the best optimised layout in terms of performance and cost-effectiveness. Moreover, in order to identify the best configuration for the remediation of the aquifer studied, a comparison with a continuous permeable adsorptive barrier (PAB-C) was added. In particular, this showed a 40% reduction of the total remediation costs by using the optimised PAB-D.

Encyclopedia of distances

CERN Document Server

Deza, Michel Marie

2014-01-01

This updated and revised third edition of the leading reference volume on distance metrics includes new items from very active research areas in the use of distances and metrics such as geometry, graph theory, probability theory and analysis. Among the new topics included are, for example, polyhedral metric space, nearness matrix problems, distances between belief assignments, distance-related animal settings, diamond-cutting distances, natural units of length, Heidegger’s de-severance distance, and brain distances. The publication of this volume coincides with intensifying research efforts into metric spaces and especially distance design for applications. Accurate metrics have become a crucial goal in computational biology, image analysis, speech recognition and information retrieval. Leaving aside the practical questions that arise during the selection of a ‘good’ distance function, this work focuses on providing the research community with an invaluable comprehensive listing of the main available di...

Are the barriers for physical activity practice equal for all peripheral artery disease patients?

Science.gov (United States)

Cavalcante, Bruno R; Farah, Breno Q; dos A Barbosa, João Paulo; Cucato, Gabriel Grizzo; da Rocha Chehuen, Marcel; da Silva Santana, Fábio; Wolosker, Nelson; de Moraes Forjaz, Cláudia Lúcia; Ritti-Dias, Raphael M

2015-02-01

To investigate barriers to physical activity related to the sociodemographic comorbidities and clinical variables of patients with intermittent claudication. Cross-sectional study. Ambulatory care. The medical histories of patients (N=145) aged ≥50 years with intermittent claudication were examined. Not applicable. Sociodemographic data (sex, race, level of education, socioeconomic status, marital status), comorbidities (overweight, hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes, currently smoking, heart disease), and clinical variables (initial claudication distance, total walking distance, ankle-brachial index). Information on personal and environmental barriers was obtained by questionnaire. Low economic status was most associated with "being afraid of falling" (odd ratios [OR]=2.22; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.08-4.54). Low education level was most associated with "lack of street pedestrian crossing" (OR=3.34; 95% CI, 1.48-7.52). Diabetes was associated with lack of energy (OR=3.38; 95% CI, 1.68-6.79) and other medical conditions (eg, arthritis, angina) (OR=3.44; 95% CI, 1.65-7.16). Ankle brachial index was associated with "some difficulty in getting to a place where physical activity can be performed" (OR=2.75; 95% CI, 1.22-6.21). Walking capacity was strongly associated with barriers relating to leg pain (OR=7.39; 95% CI, 1.66-32.88). Older patients, those with a low education level, patients with diabetes, low ankle brachial index, and those with a lower walking capacity are more likely to experience barriers to physical activity. Copyright © 2015 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Barrier for cold-fusion production of superheavy elements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ichikawa, Takatoshi; Iwamoto, Akira; Moeller, Peter; Sierk, Arnold J.

2005-01-01

We estimate the fusion-barrier height B fu (two-body) for approaching ions in cold-fusion reactions in a model where the projectile deformation and quadrupole zero-point vibrational energy are taken into account. This barrier height is defined as the barrier energy at the target and projectile separation distance where an original oblate deformation of projectile and/or target caused by a repulsive Coulomb force turns into a large prolate deformation caused by the attractive nuclear force as the target and projectile come closer. The instability develops before touching because the attractive short-range nuclear force overcomes the repulsive Coulomb force and the shape-stabilizing effect of shell structure. The shell structure of the doubly magic 208 Pb target is sufficiently strong that its shape remains very close to spherical in all cases studied here. The fusion potential for approaching ions in the two-body channel is calculated in the macroscopic-microscopic model with the quadrupole vibrational zero-point energy obtained in the WKB approximation. We compare our results with data from 10 experimental cold-fusion reactions and with the Bass barriers. Differences and similarities between the Yukawa-plus-exponential model and the Bass model are discussed. We also calculate five-dimensional potential-energy surfaces for the single compound system and show that well-established fission and fusion valleys are both present. For heavy systems, B fu (two-body) becomes lower than the fission barrier just beyond the ground state of the compound system. In the vicinity of this transition, the optimum collision energy for formation of evaporation residues can be expected to depend in a delicate fashion on the interplay among B fu (two-body) , the fusion valley, the fission barrier of the compound system, and the one- and two-neutron separation energies S 1n and S 2n . We discuss these issues in detail and calculate fission-barrier heights. Except for reactions in which

The Benefits and Barriers of Using Virtual Worlds to Engage Healthcare Professionals on Distance Learning Programmes

Science.gov (United States)

Hack, Catherine Jane

2016-01-01

Using the delivery of a large postgraduate distance learning module in bioethics to health professionals as an illustrative example, the type of learning activity that could be enhanced through delivery in an immersive virtual world (IVW) was explored. Several activities were repurposed from the "traditional" virtual learning environment…

Construction of Barrier in a Fishing Game With Point Capture.

Science.gov (United States)

Zha, Wenzhong; Chen, Jie; Peng, Zhihong; Gu, Dongbing

2017-06-01

This paper addresses a particular pursuit-evasion game, called as "fishing game" where a faster evader attempts to pass the gap between two pursuers. We are concerned with the conditions under which the evader or pursuers can win the game. This is a game of kind in which an essential aspect, barrier, separates the state space into disjoint parts associated with each player's winning region. We present a method of explicit policy to construct the barrier. This method divides the fishing game into two subgames related to the included angle and the relative distances between the evader and the pursuers, respectively, and then analyzes the possibility of capture or escape for each subgame to ascertain the analytical forms of the barrier. Furthermore, we fuse the games of kind and degree by solving the optimal control strategies in the minimum time for each player when the initial state lies in their winning regions. Along with the optimal strategies, the trajectories of the players are delineated and the upper bounds of their winning times are also derived.

Psychometric Properties of “Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences”: Review and Meta-analyses

Science.gov (United States)

Mark, Winifred; Toulopoulou, Timothea

2016-01-01

The Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences (CAPE) has been used extensively as a measurement for psychosis proneness in clinical and research settings. However, no prior review and meta-analysis have comprehensively examined psychometric properties (reliability and validity) of CAPE scores across different studies. To study CAPE’s internal reliability—ie, how well scale items correlate with one another—111 studies were reviewed. Of these, 18 reported unique internal reliability coefficients using data at hand, which were aggregated in a meta-analysis. Furthermore, to confirm the number and nature of factors tapped by CAPE, 17 factor analytic studies were reviewed and subjected to meta-analysis in cases of discrepancy. Results suggested that CAPE scores were psychometrically reliable—ie, scores obtained could be attributed to true score variance. Our review of factor analytic studies supported a 3-factor model for CAPE consisting of “Positive”, “Negative”, and “Depressive” subscales; and a tripartite structure for the Negative dimension consisting of “Social withdrawal”, “Affective flattening”, and “Avolition” subdimensions. Meta-analysis of factor analytic studies of the Positive dimension revealed a tridimensional structure consisting of “Bizarre experiences”, “Delusional ideations”, and “Perceptual anomalies”. Information on reliability and validity of CAPE scores is important for ensuring accurate measurement of the psychosis proneness phenotype, which in turn facilitates early detection and intervention for psychotic disorders. Apart from enhancing the understanding of psychometric properties of CAPE scores, our review revealed questionable reporting practices possibly reflecting insufficient understanding regarding the significance of psychometric properties. We recommend increased focus on psychometrics in psychology programmes and clinical journals. PMID:26150674

Interface Simulation Distances

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Pavol Černý

2012-10-01

Full Text Available The classical (boolean notion of refinement for behavioral interfaces of system components is the alternating refinement preorder. In this paper, we define a distance for interfaces, called interface simulation distance. It makes the alternating refinement preorder quantitative by, intuitively, tolerating errors (while counting them in the alternating simulation game. We show that the interface simulation distance satisfies the triangle inequality, that the distance between two interfaces does not increase under parallel composition with a third interface, and that the distance between two interfaces can be bounded from above and below by distances between abstractions of the two interfaces. We illustrate the framework, and the properties of the distances under composition of interfaces, with two case studies.

Optimal design of wind barriers using 3D computational fluid dynamics simulations

Science.gov (United States)

Fang, H.; Wu, X.; Yang, X.

2017-12-01

Desertification is a significant global environmental and ecological problem that requires human-regulated control and management. Wind barriers are commonly used to reduce wind velocity or trap drifting sand in arid or semi-arid areas. Therefore, optimal design of wind barriers becomes critical in Aeolian engineering. In the current study, we perform 3D computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations for flow passing through wind barriers with different structural parameters. To validate the simulation results, we first inter-compare the simulated flow field results with those from both wind-tunnel experiments and field measurements. Quantitative analyses of the shelter effect are then conducted based on a series of simulations with different structural parameters (such as wind barrier porosity, row numbers, inter-row spacing and belt schemes). The results show that wind barriers with porosity of 0.35 could provide the longest shelter distance (i.e., where the wind velocity reduction is more than 50%) thus are recommended in engineering designs. To determine the optimal row number and belt scheme, we introduce a cost function that takes both wind-velocity reduction effects and economical expense into account. The calculated cost function show that a 3-row-belt scheme with inter-row spacing of 6h (h as the height of wind barriers) and inter-belt spacing of 12h is the most effective.

When access is an issue: exploring barriers to predictive testing for Huntington disease in British Columbia, Canada.

Science.gov (United States)

Hawkins, Alice K; Creighton, Susan; Hayden, Michael R

2013-02-01

Predictive testing (PT) for Huntington disease (HD) requires several in-person appointments. This requirement may be a barrier to testing so that at risk individuals do not realize the potential benefits of PT. To understand the obstacles to PT in terms of the accessibility of services, as well as exploring mechanisms by which this issue may be addressed, we conducted an interview study of individuals at risk for HD throughout British Columbia, Canada. Results reveal that the accessibility of PT can be a barrier for two major reasons: distance and the inflexibility of the testing process. Distance is a structural barrier, and relates to the time and travel required to access PT, the financial and other opportunity costs associated with taking time away from work and family to attend appointments and the stress of navigating urban centers. The inflexibility of the testing process barrier relates to the emotional and psychological accessibility of PT. The results of the interview study reveal that there are access barriers to PT that deter individuals from receiving the support, information and counseling they require. What makes accessibility of PT services important is not just that it may result in differences in quality of life and care, but because these differences may be addressed with creative and adaptable solutions in the delivery of genetic services. The study findings underscore the need for us to rethink and personalize the way we deliver such services to improve access issues to prevent inequities in the health care system.

Under-the-barrier dynamics in laser-induced relativistic tunneling.

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Klaiber, Michael; Yakaboylu, Enderalp; Bauke, Heiko; Hatsagortsyan, Karen Z; Keitel, Christoph H

2013-04-12

The tunneling dynamics in relativistic strong-field ionization is investigated with the aim to develop an intuitive picture for the relativistic tunneling regime. We demonstrate that the tunneling picture applies also in the relativistic regime by introducing position dependent energy levels. The quantum dynamics in the classically forbidden region features two time scales, the typical time that characterizes the probability density's decay of the ionizing electron under the barrier (Keldysh time) and the time interval which the electron spends inside the barrier (Eisenbud-Wigner-Smith tunneling time). In the relativistic regime, an electron momentum shift as well as a spatial shift along the laser propagation direction arise during the under-the-barrier motion which are caused by the laser magnetic field induced Lorentz force. The momentum shift is proportional to the Keldysh time, while the wave-packet's spatial drift is proportional to the Eisenbud-Wigner-Smith time. The signature of the momentum shift is shown to be present in the ionization spectrum at the detector and, therefore, observable experimentally. In contrast, the signature of the Eisenbud-Wigner-Smith time delay disappears at far distances for pure quasistatic tunneling dynamics.

Perceived barriers to pediatrician and family practitioner participation in pediatric clinical trials: Findings from the Clinical Trials Transformation Initiative

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Rachel G. Greenberg

2018-03-01

Of the 136 providers surveyed, 52/136 (38% had previously referred a pediatric patient to a trial, and only 17/136 (12% had ever been an investigator for a pediatric trial. Lack of awareness of existing pediatric trials was a major barrier to patient referral by providers, in addition to consideration of trial risks, distance to the site, and time needed to discuss trial participation with parents. Overall, providers perceived greater challenges related to parental concerns and parent or child logistical barriers than study implementation and ethics or regulatory barriers as barriers to their practice serving as a trial site. Providers who had previously been an investigator for a pediatric trial were less likely to be concerned with potential barriers than non-investigators. Understanding the barriers that limit pediatric providers from collaboration or inhibit their participation is key to designing effective interventions to optimize pediatric trial participation.

Reducing the distance in distance-caregiving by technology innovation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lazelle E Benefield

2007-07-01

Full Text Available Lazelle E Benefield1, Cornelia Beck21College of Nursing, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; 2Pat & Willard Walker Family Memory Research Center, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USAAbstract: Family caregivers are responsible for the home care of over 34 million older adults in the United States. For many, the elder family member lives more than an hour’s distance away. Distance caregiving is a growing alternative to more familiar models where: 1 the elder and the family caregiver(s may reside in the same household; or 2 the family caregiver may live nearby but not in the same household as the elder. The distance caregiving model involves elders and their family caregivers who live at some distance, defined as more than a 60-minute commute, from one another. Evidence suggests that distance caregiving is a distinct phenomenon, differs substantially from on-site family caregiving, and requires additional assistance to support the physical, social, and contextual dimensions of the caregiving process. Technology-based assists could virtually connect the caregiver and elder and provide strong support that addresses the elder’s physical, social, cognitive, and/or sensory impairments. Therefore, in today’s era of high technology, it is surprising that so few affordable innovations are being marketed for distance caregiving. This article addresses distance caregiving, proposes the use of technology innovation to support caregiving, and suggests a research agenda to better inform policy decisions related to the unique needs of this situation.Keywords: caregiving, family, distance, technology, elders

MENDING THE IN SITU MANIPULATION BARRIER

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

PETERSEN, S.W.

2006-02-06

In early 2004, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Richland and Fluor Hanford requested technical assistance from the DOE Headquarters EM-23 Technical Assistance Program to provide a team of technical experts to develop recommendations for mending the In Situ Redox Manipulation (ISRM) Barrier in the 100-D Area of the Hanford Site in Washington State. To accommodate this request, EM-23 provided support to convene a group of technical experts from industry, a national laboratory, and a DOE site to participate in a 2 1/2-day workshop with the objective of identifying and recommending options to enhance the performance of the 100-D Area reactive barrier and of a planned extension to the northeast. This report provides written documentation of the team's findings and recommendations. In 1995, a plume of dissolved hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)], which resulted from operation of the D/DR Reactors at the Hanford site, was discovered along the Columbia River shoreline and in the 100-D Area. Between 1999 and 2003, a reactive barrier using the In Situ Redox Manipulation (ISRM) technology, was installed a distance of 680 meters along the river to reduce the Cr(VI) in the groundwater. The ISRM technology creates a treatment zone within the aquifer by injection of sodium dithionite, a strong reducing agent that scavenges dissolved oxygen (DO) from the aquifer and reduces ferric iron [Fe(III)], related metals, and oxy-ions. The reduction of Fe(III) to ferrous [Fe(II)] iron provides the primary reduction capacity to reduce Cr(VI) to the +3 state, which is less mobile and less toxic. Bench-scale and field-scale treatability tests were initially conducted to demonstrate proof-of principle and to provide data for estimation of barrier longevity. These calculations estimated barrier longevity in excess of twenty years. However, several years after initial and secondary treatment, groundwater in a number of wells has been found to contain elevated chromium (Cr) concentrations

The Effects of Distance to Dentists and Dentist Supply on Children's Use of Dental Care.

Science.gov (United States)

Wehby, George L; Shane, Dan M; Joshi, Adweta; Momany, Elizabeth; Chi, Donald L; Kuthy, Raymond A; Damiano, Peter C

2017-10-01

To examine the effects of distance to dentists and dentist supply on dental services use among children with Medicaid coverage in Iowa. Iowa Medicaid claims for enrolled children between 2000 and 2009. The study sample included 41,554 children (providing 158,942 child-year observations) who were born in Iowa between 2000 and 2006 and enrolled from birth in the Iowa Medicaid program. Children were followed through 2009. We used logistic regression to simultaneously examine the effects of distance (miles to nearest dentist) and county-level dentist supply on a broad range of dental services controlling for key confounders. Additional models only used within-child variation over time to remove unobservable time-invariant confounders. Distance was related to lower utilization of comprehensive dental exams (2 percent lower odds per 1 mile increase in distance), an effect that also held in models using within-child variation only. Dentist supply was positively related to comprehensive exams and other preventive services and negatively related to major dental treatments; however, these associations became smaller and insignificant when examining within-child changes except for other preventive services. Longer distance to dentists is a barrier for use of comprehensive dental exams, conditional on dentist supply. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

Censoring distances based on labeled cortical distance maps in cortical morphometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Ceyhan, Elvan; Nishino, Tomoyuki; Alexopolous, Dimitrios; Todd, Richard D; Botteron, Kelly N; Miller, Michael I; Ratnanather, J Tilak

2013-01-01

It has been demonstrated that shape differences in cortical structures may be manifested in neuropsychiatric disorders. Such morphometric differences can be measured by labeled cortical distance mapping (LCDM) which characterizes the morphometry of the laminar cortical mantle of cortical structures. LCDM data consist of signed/labeled distances of gray matter (GM) voxels with respect to GM/white matter (WM) surface. Volumes and other summary measures for each subject and the pooled distances can help determine the morphometric differences between diagnostic groups, however they do not reveal all the morphometric information contained in LCDM distances. To extract more information from LCDM data, censoring of the pooled distances is introduced for each diagnostic group where the range of LCDM distances is partitioned at a fixed increment size; and at each censoring step, the distances not exceeding the censoring distance are kept. Censored LCDM distances inherit the advantages of the pooled distances but also provide information about the location of morphometric differences which cannot be obtained from the pooled distances. However, at each step, the censored distances aggregate, which might confound the results. The influence of data aggregation is investigated with an extensive Monte Carlo simulation analysis and it is demonstrated that this influence is negligible. As an illustrative example, GM of ventral medial prefrontal cortices (VMPFCs) of subjects with major depressive disorder (MDD), subjects at high risk (HR) of MDD, and healthy control (Ctrl) subjects are used. A significant reduction in laminar thickness of the VMPFC in MDD and HR subjects is observed compared to Ctrl subjects. Moreover, the GM LCDM distances (i.e., locations with respect to the GM/WM surface) for which these differences start to occur are determined. The methodology is also applicable to LCDM-based morphometric measures of other cortical structures affected by disease.

Censoring Distances Based on Labeled Cortical Distance Maps in Cortical Morphometry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elvan eCeyhan

2013-10-01

Full Text Available It has been demonstrated that shape differences are manifested in cortical structures due to neuropsychiatric disorders. Such morphometric differences can be measured by labeled cortical distance mapping (LCDM which characterizes the morphometry of the laminar cortical mantle of cortical structures. LCDM data consist of signed/labeled distances of gray matter (GM voxels with respect to GM/white matter (WM surface. Volumes and other summary measures for each subject and the pooled distances can help determine the morphometric differences between diagnostic groups, however they do not reveal all the morphometric information con-tained in LCDM distances. To extract more information from LCDM data, censoring of the pooled distances is introduced for each diagnostic group where the range of LCDM distances is partitioned at a fixed increment size; and at each censoring step, the distances not exceeding the censoring distance are kept. Censored LCDM distances inherit the advantages of the pooled distances but also provide information about the location of morphometric differences which cannot be obtained from the pooled distances. However, at each step, the censored distances aggregate, which might confound the results. The influence of data aggregation is investigated with an extensive Monte Carlo simulation analysis and it is demonstrated that this influence is negligible. As an illustrative example, GM of ventral medial prefrontal cortices (VMPFCs of subjects with major depressive disorder (MDD, subjects at high risk (HR of MDD, and healthy control (Ctrl subjects are used. A significant reduction in laminar thickness of the VMPFC in MDD and HR subjects is observed compared to Ctrl subjects. Moreover, the GM LCDM distances (i.e., locations with respect to the GM/WM surface for which these differences start to occur are determined. The methodology is also applicable to LCDM-based morphometric measures of other cortical structures affected by disease.

Training for Distance Teaching through Distance Learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Cadorath, Jill; Harris, Simon; Encinas, Fatima

2002-01-01

Describes a mixed-mode bachelor degree course in English language teaching at the Universidad Autonoma de Puebla (Mexico) that was designed to help practicing teachers write appropriate distance education materials by giving them the experience of being distance students. Includes a course outline and results of a course evaluation. (Author/LRW)

Tourists consuming distance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Gunvor Riber

The environmental impact of tourism mobility is linked to the distances travelled in order to reach a holiday destination, and with tourists travelling more and further than previously, an understanding of how the tourists view the distance they travel across becomes relevant. Based on interviews...... contribute to an understanding of how it is possible to change tourism travel behaviour towards becoming more sustainable. How tourists 'consume distance' is discussed, from the practical level of actually driving the car or sitting in the air plane, to the symbolic consumption of distance that occurs when...... travelling on holiday becomes part of a lifestyle and a social positioning game. Further, different types of tourist distance consumers are identified, ranging from the reluctant to the deliberate and nonchalant distance consumers, who display very differing attitudes towards the distance they all travel...

Analytic processing of distance.

Science.gov (United States)

Dopkins, Stephen; Galyer, Darin

2018-01-01

How does a human observer extract from the distance between two frontal points the component corresponding to an axis of a rectangular reference frame? To find out we had participants classify pairs of small circles, varying on the horizontal and vertical axes of a computer screen, in terms of the horizontal distance between them. A response signal controlled response time. The error rate depended on the irrelevant vertical as well as the relevant horizontal distance between the test circles with the relevant distance effect being larger than the irrelevant distance effect. The results implied that the horizontal distance between the test circles was imperfectly extracted from the overall distance between them. The results supported an account, derived from the Exemplar Based Random Walk model (Nosofsky & Palmieri, 1997), under which distance classification is based on the overall distance between the test circles, with relevant distance being extracted from overall distance to the extent that the relevant and irrelevant axes are differentially weighted so as to reduce the contribution of irrelevant distance to overall distance. The results did not support an account, derived from the General Recognition Theory (Ashby & Maddox, 1994), under which distance classification is based on the relevant distance between the test circles, with the irrelevant distance effect arising because a test circle's perceived location on the relevant axis depends on its location on the irrelevant axis, and with relevant distance being extracted from overall distance to the extent that this dependency is absent. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sprache als Barriere (Language as a Barrier)

Science.gov (United States)

Mattheier, Klaus

1974-01-01

The concept of language barrier has its derivations in the fields of dialectology, sociology and psychology. In contemporary usage however, the concept has two meanings i.e. regional-cultural barrier and socio-cultural barrier. (Text is in German.) (DS)

Distance, dams and drift: What structures populations of an endangered, benthic stream fish?

Science.gov (United States)

Roberts, James H.; Angermeier, Paul; Hallerman, Eric M.

2013-01-01

Spatial population structure plays an important role in species persistence, evolution and conservation. Benthic stream fishes are diverse and frequently imperilled, yet the determinants and spatial scaling of their population structure are understudied. We investigated the range-wide population genetic structure of Roanoke logperch (Percina rex), an endangered, benthic stream fish of the eastern United States. Fish were sampled from 35 sites and analysed at 11 microsatellite DNA loci. Clustering models were used to sort individuals into genetically cohesive groups and thereby estimate the spatial scaling of population structure. We then used Bayesian generalized linear mixed models (BGLMMs) to test alternative hypotheses about the environmental factors most responsible for generating structure, as measured by the differentiation statistic FST. Clustering models delineated seven discrete populations, whose boundaries coincided with agents of fragmentation, including hydroelectric dams and tailwaters. In the absence of hydrological barriers, gene flow was extensive throughout catchments, whereas there was no evidence for contemporary dispersal between catchments across barriers. In the best-supported BGLMM, FST was positively related to the spatial distance and degree of hydrological alteration between sites and negatively related to genetic diversity within sites. Whereas the effect of tailwaters was equivocal, dams strongly influenced differentiation: the effect of a dam on FST was comparable to that of a between-site distance of over 1200 km of unimpounded river. Overall, the effect of distance-mediated dispersal was negligible compared to the combined effects of fragmentation and genetic drift. The contemporary population structure of P. rex comprises a few geographically extensive ‘islands’ that are fragmented by hydroelectric projects. This information clarifies the importance of a catchment-scale perspective on conserving the species and

Distancing, not embracing, the Distancing-Embracing model of art reception.

Science.gov (United States)

Davies, Stephen

2017-01-01

Despite denials in the target article, the Distancing-Embracing model appeals to compensatory ideas in explaining the appeal of artworks that elicit negative affect. The model also appeals to the deflationary effects of psychological distancing. Having pointed to the famous rejection in the 1960s of the view that aesthetic experience involves psychological distancing, I suggest that "distance" functions here as a weak metaphor that cannot sustain the explanatory burden the theory demands of it.

Experimental Study on the Interaction Between Contacting Barrier Materials for Containment of Radioactive Wastes

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, W. H.; Chang, H. C.

2017-12-01

The disposal of low- and intermediate-level radioactive wastes requires use of multi-barriers for isolation of the wastes from the biosphere. Typically, the engineered barriers are composed of a concrete vault, buffer and backfill materials. Zhishin clay and Black Hill bentonite were used as raw clay material in making buffer and backfill materials in this study. These clays were compacted to make buffer material, or mixed with Taitung area argillite to produce backfill material for potential application as barriers for the disposal of low- and intermediate-level radioactive wastes. The interaction between concrete barrier and the buffer/backfill material is simulated by an accelerated migration test to investigate the effect of contacting concrete on the expected functions of buffer/backfill material. The results show buffer material close to the contact with concrete exhibits significant change in the ratio of calcium/sodium exchange capacity, due to the move of calcium ions released from the concrete. The shorter the distance from the contacting interface, the ratio of the calcium/sodium concentration in buffer/backfill materials increases. The longer the distance from the interface, the effect of the contact on alteration in clays become less significant. Also, some decreases in swelling capacity in the buffer/backfill material near the concrete-backfill interface are noted. Finally, a comparison is made between Zhisin clay and Balck Hill bentonite on the interaction between concrete and the two clays. Black Hill bentonite was found to be influenced more by the interaction, because of the higher content of montmorillonite. On the other hand, being a mixture of clay and sand, backfill material is less affected by the decalsification of concrete at the contact than buffer material.

Foundations of Distance Education. Third Edition. Routledge Studies in Distance Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Keegan, Desmond

This text gives an overview of distance education for students, administrators, and practitioners in distance education. Chapter 1 discusses the study of distance education. Chapter 2 analyzes forms of nonconventional education (open, nontraditional) that may have similarities to distance education but are not to be identified with it. Chapter 3…

modelling distances

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robert F. Love

2001-01-01

Full Text Available Distance predicting functions may be used in a variety of applications for estimating travel distances between points. To evaluate the accuracy of a distance predicting function and to determine its parameters, a goodness-of-fit criteria is employed. AD (Absolute Deviations, SD (Squared Deviations and NAD (Normalized Absolute Deviations are the three criteria that are mostly employed in practice. In the literature some assumptions have been made about the properties of each criterion. In this paper, we present statistical analyses performed to compare the three criteria from different perspectives. For this purpose, we employ the ℓkpθ-norm as the distance predicting function, and statistically compare the three criteria by using normalized absolute prediction error distributions in seventeen geographical regions. We find that there exist no significant differences between the criteria. However, since the criterion SD has desirable properties in terms of distance modelling procedures, we suggest its use in practice.

The Support System in Distance Education:Factors Affecting Achievements Among Women Learners

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Rozhan M IDRUS

2005-10-01

Full Text Available The Support System in Distance Education:Factors Affecting Achievements Among Women Learners Hanafi ATAN Zuraidah A. RAHMAN Omar MAJID Noraida A. GHANIRozhan M IDRUS School of Distance EducationUniversiti Sains Malaysia11800 Penang, MALAYSIA ABSTRACT Distance education has the potential to contribute to the enhancement of women’s development by overcoming not only temporal and spatial barriers but familial commitments as well. It brings education to their home and allows women to learn at their individual pace, seek skills for individual development and at the same time, enables them to fulfill family responsibilities. An important element of distance education is the provision of the learner support system that provides students the access to learning resources and means of communication that would facilitate the array of educational activities and exposure to various other guidance and advisories. This paper reports on the study undertaken to elucidate the dimensions of the support system provided by the School of Distance Education (SDE, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM to its women learners that would have significant impact on their achievements. The factorial analysis conducted revealed that the role of the faculty is the main contributing factor affecting these achievements, followed by the provision of the intensive course, the electronic portal, video conferencing and to a much lesser extent, the existence of the regional centres. The implications of this study are discussed with the view of improving the support system provided by the institution and the need to put into action the necessary strategies to further improve the achievement of the women learners.

Barriers for Nonparticipation and Dropout of Women in Cardiac Rehabilitation Programs: A Systematic Review.

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Resurrección, Davinia M; Motrico, Emma; Rigabert, Alina; Rubio-Valera, Maria; Conejo-Cerón, Sonia; Pastor, Luis; Moreno-Peral, Patricia

2017-08-01

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major health problem worldwide. Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) programs are effective in reducing mortality and improving the quality of life of patients with CVD. Women are under-represented in CR and have a higher dropout rate than men. We aimed to systematically review the literature on barriers perceived by women with CVD affecting their nonparticipation in and/or dropping out from CR programs. Systematic review was done using MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, Open Grey, and Cochrane Database from inception to September 2016. Search terms included (1) heart disease and other cardiac conditions, (2) CR and secondary prevention, and (3) nonparticipation in and/or dropout. Databases were searched following the "participants, interventions, comparisons, outcomes, and study design" method. A total of 24 studies (17 descriptive, 6 qualitative, and 1 randomized controlled trial) reporting several barriers were grouped into five broad categories: intrapersonal barriers (self-reported health, health beliefs, lack of time, motivation, and religious reasons); interpersonal barriers (lack of family/social support and work conflicts); logistical barriers (transport, distance, and availability of personal/community resources); CR program barriers (services offered, group format, exercise component, and CR sessions); and health system barriers (lack of referral, cost, negative experiences with the health system, and language). We found differences between the barriers related to nonparticipation in and dropout from CR programs. Women reported multilevel barriers for nonparticipation in and dropout from CR programs. Future clinical guidelines should evaluate and eliminate these barriers to improve adherence to CR programs in women. In addition, understanding the barriers for nonparticipation and dropout may be beneficial for future intervention trials.

[Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome and Personality--Association of Somatic Symptoms and Psychic Structure].

Science.gov (United States)

Albrecht, Rebecca; Löwe, Bernd; A Brünahl, Christian; Riegel, Björn

2015-11-01

Despite its high prevalence, little is known about the aetiology and maintenance of Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome (CPPS). CPPS is is considered to be a multi-causal syndrome with discomfort and pain in the pelvis. Recent literature suggests that psychosocial factors are important for understanding CPPS. For example, CPPS has been associated with deficits in mentalization and bonding experiences. Our study aims to characterize features of personality disorders according to DSM-IV and psychic structure according to OPD-2 in CPPS patients. Furthermore, we examine the association of personality aspects with urological symptoms (NIH Questionnaire) and pain perception (MPQ Questionnaire). Personality aspects were assessed in a total of 109 patients from our CPPS outpatient clinic using standardized questionnaires. To characterize CPPS patients, we compared the sample's scores with reference groups, mostly the general population. In addition, the associations between personality aspects and both the urologic symptoms and pain perception were assessed using correlations. Missing data were replaced using multiple imputation methods. Compared to reference values, we found 'experiencing emotions' and 'creating relationships' as specific deficits in CPPS patients. Furthermore, patients' self-image (more dominant, higher depressive mood) differs from the general population. A higher pain perception was correlated with deficits in most personality aspects we measured. However, this was not the case for the severity of urological symptoms. Compared to the reference values, only a few personality aspects differed in CPPS patients but there was a correlational association between different personality traits and pain perception. Despite the extend of symptoms, pain perception is associated with difficulty (emotional ability) in dealing with emotions, self-management and relationships. These personality aspects should be taken into account when planning therapy. © Georg Thieme

Apparent Barrier Height in Scanning Tunneling Microscopy Revisited

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Olesen, L.; Brandbyge, Mads; Sørensen, Mads Reinholdt

1996-01-01

The apparent barrier height phi(ap), that is, the rate of change of the logarithm of the conductance with tip-sample separation in a scanning tunneling microscope (STM), has been measured for Ni, Pt, and Au single crystal surfaces. The results show that phi(ap) is constant until point contact...... is reached rather than decreasing at small tunneling gap distances, as previously reported. The findings for phi(ap) can be accounted for theoretically by including the relaxations of the tip-surface junction in an STM due to the strong adhesive forces at close proximity. These relaxation effects are shown...

Beyond mean-field approach to heavy-ion reactions around the Coulomb barrier

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ayik Sakir

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Dissipation and fluctuations of one-body observables in heavy-ion reactions around the Coulomb barrier are investigated with a microscopic stochastic mean-field approach. By projecting the stochastic meanfield dynamics on a suitable collective path, transport coefficients associated with the relative distance between colliding nuclei and a fragment mass are extracted. Although microscopic mean-field approach is know to underestimate the variance of fragment mass distribution, the description of the variance is much improved by the stochastic mean-field method. While fluctuations are consistent with the empirical (semiclassical analysis of the experimental data, concerning mean values of macroscopic variables the semiclassical description breaks down below the Coulomb barrier.

Barrier mechanisms in the Drosophila blood-brain barrier

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Samantha Jane Hindle

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The invertebrate blood-brain barrier field is growing at a rapid pace and, in recent years, studies have shown a physiologic and molecular complexity that has begun to rival its vertebrate counterpart. Novel mechanisms of paracellular barrier maintenance through GPCR signaling were the first demonstrations of the complex adaptive mechanisms of barrier physiology. Building upon this work, the integrity of the invertebrate blood-brain barrier has recently been shown to require coordinated function of all layers of the compound barrier structure, analogous to signaling between the layers of the vertebrate neurovascular unit. These findings strengthen the notion that many blood-brain barrier mechanisms are conserved between vertebrates and invertebrates, and suggest that novel findings in invertebrate model organisms will have a significant impact on the understanding of vertebrate BBB functions. In this vein, important roles in coordinating localized and systemic signaling to dictate organism development and growth are beginning to show how the blood-brain barrier can govern whole animal physiologies. This includes novel functions of blood-brain barrier gap junctions in orchestrating synchronized neuroblast proliferation, and of blood-brain barrier secreted antagonists of insulin receptor signaling. These advancements and others are pushing the field forward in exciting new directions. In this review, we provide a synopsis of invertebrate blood-brain barrier anatomy and physiology, with a focus on insights from the past 5 years, and highlight important areas for future study.

Der er store barrierer for psykiatrisk behandling i lavindkomstlande

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Carina Winkler; Bæk, Ole; Carlsson, Jessica

2015-01-01

Huge barriers to the treatment of mental disorders in low-income countries In low-income countries 76-85% of people living with mental disorders do not receive treatment. To reduce the treatment gap many challenges need to be addressed. On a health political level this includes limited financial...... resources and ineffective health organization. Human resources are inadequate, and often drugs are not available. Individuals face long distances to psychiatric hospitals, out-of-pocket payment and stigma. There is a great need for research in how to enhance prevention and treatment of mental disorders...

Brownian distance covariance

OpenAIRE

Székely, Gábor J.; Rizzo, Maria L.

2010-01-01

Distance correlation is a new class of multivariate dependence coefficients applicable to random vectors of arbitrary and not necessarily equal dimension. Distance covariance and distance correlation are analogous to product-moment covariance and correlation, but generalize and extend these classical bivariate measures of dependence. Distance correlation characterizes independence: it is zero if and only if the random vectors are independent. The notion of covariance with...

Traversing psychological distance.

Science.gov (United States)

Liberman, Nira; Trope, Yaacov

2014-07-01

Traversing psychological distance involves going beyond direct experience, and includes planning, perspective taking, and contemplating counterfactuals. Consistent with this view, temporal, spatial, and social distances as well as hypotheticality are associated, affect each other, and are inferred from one another. Moreover, traversing all distances involves the use of abstraction, which we define as forming a belief about the substitutability for a specific purpose of subjectively distinct objects. Indeed, across many instances of both abstraction and psychological distancing, more abstract constructs are used for more distal objects. Here, we describe the implications of this relation for prediction, choice, communication, negotiation, and self-control. We ask whether traversing distance is a general mental ability and whether distance should replace expectancy in expected-utility theories. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Open and Distance Learning Today. Routledge Studies in Distance Education Series.

Science.gov (United States)

Lockwood, Fred, Ed.

This book contains the following papers on open and distance learning today: "Preface" (Daniel); "Big Bang Theory in Distance Education" (Hawkridge); "Practical Agenda for Theorists of Distance Education" (Perraton); "Trends, Directions and Needs: A View from Developing Countries" (Koul); "American…

Wave trapping by dual porous barriers near a wall in the presence of bottom undulation

Science.gov (United States)

Kaligatla, R. B.; Manisha; Sahoo, T.

2017-09-01

Trapping of oblique surface gravity waves by dual porous barriers near a wall is studied in the presence of step type varying bottom bed that is connected on both sides by water of uniform depths. The porous barriers are assumed to be fixed at a certain distance in front of a vertical rigid wall. Using linear water wave theory and Darcy's law for flow past porous structure, the physical problem is converted into a boundary value problem. Using eigenfunction expansion in the uniform bottom bed region and modified mild-slope equation in the varying bottom bed region, the mathematical problem is handled for solution. Moreover, certain jump conditions are used to account for mass conservation at slope discontinuities in the bottom bed profile. To understand the effect of dual porous barriers in creating tranquility zone and minimum load on the sea wall, reflection coefficient, wave forces acting on the barrier and the wall, and surface wave elevation are computed and analyzed for different values of depth ratio, porous-effect parameter, incident wave angle, gap between the barriers and wall and slope length of undulated bottom. The study reveals that with moderate porosity and suitable gap between barriers and sea wall, using dual barriers an effective wave trapping system can be developed which will exert less wave force on the barriers and the rigid wall. The proposed wave trapping system is likely to be of immense help for protecting various facilities/ infrastructures in coastal environment.

Wave Trapping by Dual Porous Barriers Near a Wall in the Presence of Bottom Undulation

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

R.B. Kaligatla; Manisha; T. Sahoo

2017-01-01

Trapping of oblique surface gravity waves by dual porous barriers near a wall is studied in the presence of step type varying bottom bed that is connected on both sides by water of uniform depths. The porous barriers are assumed to be fixed at a certain distance in front of a vertical rigid wall. Using linear water wave theory and Darcy's law for flow past porous structure, the physical problem is converted into a boundary value problem. Using eigenfunction expansion in the uniform bottom bed region and modified mild-slope equation in the varying bottom bed region, the mathematical problem is handled for solution. Moreover, certain jump conditions are used to account for mass conservation at slope discontinuities in the bottom bed profile. To understand the effect of dual porous barriers in creating tranquility zone and minimum load on the sea wall, reflection coefficient, wave forces acting on the barrier and the wall, and surface wave elevation are computed and analyzed for different values of depth ratio, porous-effect parameter, incident wave angle, gap between the barriers and wall and slope length of undulated bottom. The study reveals that with moderate porosity and suitable gap between barriers and sea wall, using dual barriers an effective wave trapping system can be developed which will exert less wave force on the barriers and the rigid wall. The proposed wave trapping system is likely to be of immense help for protecting various facilities/ infrastructures in coastal environment.

From a distance: implications of spontaneous self-distancing for adaptive self-reflection.

Science.gov (United States)

Ayduk, Ozlem; Kross, Ethan

2010-05-01

Although recent experimental work indicates that self-distancing facilitates adaptive self-reflection, it remains unclear (a) whether spontaneous self-distancing leads to similar adaptive outcomes, (b) how spontaneous self-distancing relates to avoidance, and (c) how this strategy impacts interpersonal behavior. Three studies examined these issues demonstrating that the more participants spontaneously self-distanced while reflecting on negative memories, the less emotional (Studies 1-3) and cardiovascular (Study 2) reactivity they displayed in the short term. Spontaneous self-distancing was also associated with lower emotional reactivity and intrusive ideation over time (Study 1). The negative association between spontaneous self-distancing and emotional reactivity was mediated by how participants construed their experience (i.e., less recounting relative to reconstruing) rather than avoidance (Studies 1-2). In addition, spontaneous self-distancing was associated with more problem-solving behavior and less reciprocation of negativity during conflicts among couples in ongoing relationships (Study 3). Although spontaneous self-distancing was empirically related to trait rumination, it explained unique variance in predicting key outcomes. 2010 APA, all rights reserved

Distance-regular graphs

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Dam, Edwin R.; Koolen, Jack H.; Tanaka, Hajime

2016-01-01

This is a survey of distance-regular graphs. We present an introduction to distance-regular graphs for the reader who is unfamiliar with the subject, and then give an overview of some developments in the area of distance-regular graphs since the monograph 'BCN'[Brouwer, A.E., Cohen, A.M., Neumaier,

The relationship between glass ceiling and power distance as a cultural variable by a new method

OpenAIRE

Naide Jahangirov; Guler Saglam Ari; Seymur Jahangirov; Nuray Guneri Tosunoglu

2015-01-01

Glass ceiling symbolizes a variety of barriers and obstacles that arise from gender inequality at business life. With this mind, culture influences gender dynamics. The purpose of this research was to examine the relationship between the glass ceiling and the power distance as a cultural variable within organizations. Gender variable is taken as a moderator variable in relationship between the concepts. In addition to conventional correlation analysis, we employed a new method to investigate ...

Hierarchical traits distances explain grassland Fabaceae species' ecological niches distances

Science.gov (United States)

Fort, Florian; Jouany, Claire; Cruz, Pablo

2015-01-01

Fabaceae species play a key role in ecosystem functioning through their capacity to fix atmospheric nitrogen via their symbiosis with Rhizobium bacteria. To increase benefits of using Fabaceae in agricultural systems, it is necessary to find ways to evaluate species or genotypes having potential adaptations to sub-optimal growth conditions. We evaluated the relevance of phylogenetic distance, absolute trait distance and hierarchical trait distance for comparing the adaptation of 13 grassland Fabaceae species to different habitats, i.e., ecological niches. We measured a wide range of functional traits (root traits, leaf traits, and whole plant traits) in these species. Species phylogenetic and ecological distances were assessed from a species-level phylogenetic tree and species' ecological indicator values, respectively. We demonstrated that differences in ecological niches between grassland Fabaceae species were related more to their hierarchical trait distances than to their phylogenetic distances. We showed that grassland Fabaceae functional traits tend to converge among species with the same ecological requirements. Species with acquisitive root strategies (thin roots, shallow root systems) are competitive species adapted to non-stressful meadows, while conservative ones (coarse roots, deep root systems) are able to tolerate stressful continental climates. In contrast, acquisitive species appeared to be able to tolerate low soil-P availability, while conservative ones need high P availability. Finally we highlight that traits converge along the ecological gradient, providing the assumption that species with similar root-trait values are better able to coexist, regardless of their phylogenetic distance. PMID:25741353

Hierarchical traits distances explain grassland Fabaceae species’ ecological niches distances

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Florian eFort

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Fabaceae species play a key role in ecosystem functioning through their capacity to fix atmospheric nitrogen via their symbiosis with Rhizobium bacteria. To increase benefits of using Fabaceae in agricultural systems, it is necessary to find ways to evaluate species or genotypes having potential adaptations to sub-optimal growth conditions. We evaluated the relevance of phylogenetic distance, absolute trait distance and hierarchical trait distance for comparing the adaptation of 13 grassland Fabaceae species to different habitats, i.e. ecological niches. We measured a wide range of functional traits (root traits, leaf traits and whole plant traits in these species. Species phylogenetic and ecological distances were assessed from a species-level phylogenetic tree and species’ ecological indicator values, respectively. We demonstrated that differences in ecological niches between grassland Fabaceae species were related more to their hierarchical trait distances than to their phylogenetic distances. We showed that grassland Fabaceae functional traits tend to converge among species with the same ecological requirements. Species with acquisitive root strategies (thin roots, shallow root systems are competitive species adapted to non-stressful meadows, while conservative ones (coarse roots, deep root systems are able to tolerate stressful continental climates. In contrast, acquisitive species appeared to be able to tolerate low soil-P availability, while conservative ones need high P availability. Finally we highlight that traits converge along the ecological gradient, providing the assumption that species with similar root-trait values are better able to coexist, regardless of their phylogenetic distance.

Numerical distance protection

CERN Document Server

Ziegler, Gerhard

2011-01-01

Distance protection provides the basis for network protection in transmission systems and meshed distribution systems. This book covers the fundamentals of distance protection and the special features of numerical technology. The emphasis is placed on the application of numerical distance relays in distribution and transmission systems.This book is aimed at students and engineers who wish to familiarise themselves with the subject of power system protection, as well as the experienced user, entering the area of numerical distance protection. Furthermore it serves as a reference guide for s

GLOBALIZATION, INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES (ICTs AND OPEN/DISTANCE LEARNING IN NIGERIA: Trends, Issues and Solution

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Akande Joshua OLUSOLA

2011-07-01

Full Text Available The main thrust of this paper is to discuss the development of open and distance education in Nigeria and the major manifestations of the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs in education in open and distance learning. This study further discusses the importance and use of ICTs in open and distance learning in making education accessible to a larger population of students. From that vantage point this paper reviews the phenomenon of ICTs in open and distance learning in developing countries such as Nigeria. The paper identifies a number of issues that impede the effective optimization of ICTs in open and distance learning in developing countries. Prominent among the issues highlighted are poverty, intermittent supply of electricity and language barrier. The paper argues that these problems are to be tackled if the objective of enhancing the potentials of ICTs in open and distance learning in developing countries were to be achieved. On that note the current paper makes some humble suggestions on how to curtail the problems. The study employed descriptive method. An intact class of students that registered for the Bachelor of Education distance learning programme of the Faculty of Education of the Obafemi Awolowo University,Ile-Ife formed the samples used for the study. This was done to collect information on the factors affecting usage of ICT. The result shows that lack of skills rank highest (46.1%, following this is non availability of ICT at home (18.8%, costs (11.3% and non familiarity with ICT (10.6%.

Results of comparative evaluations concerning the psychic process of perceiving and assessing risk-objects by the general public

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peters, H.P.; Renn, O.

1983-01-01

The perception of risk has become a mayor research field, after scientists and politicians recognized that scientific risk studies like the Rasmussen-Report on nuclear energy had no large impact on the public acceptance. With our surveys we aimed to combine two methodological approaches (object perception and attitude theory) and to develop a technique in which the psychic process of perceiving and assessing risk-objects by the general public was followed up and analyzed. Psychological experiments in the field of isolating relevant factors of qualitative risk properties as well as demographic surveys for the measurement of the belief structure were carried out. Our results indicate that in objection to the common conception by natural scientists people in general have a good estimative ability to judge the expected value of different risks. But beyond this estimation of fatalities people also use other criteria (like personal control) to order different objects in respect to their riskiness. The perceived risk is but one factor influencing attitude. A simplified model of the acceptance-building process is carried out showing that acceptance-building is not a purely individual process. Individuals are linked together by their social environment so that every individual decision is influenced by the decision of other people

Travelling for treatment; does distance and deprivation affect travel for intensity-modulated radiotherapy in the rural setting for head and neck cancer?

Science.gov (United States)

Cosway, B; Douglas, L; Armstrong, N; Robson, A

2017-06-01

NHS England has commissioned intensity-modulated radiotherapy for head and neck cancers from Newcastle hospitals for patients in North Cumbria. This study assessed whether travel distances affected the decision to travel to Newcastle (to receive intensity-modulated radiotherapy) or Carlisle (to receive conformal radiotherapy). All patients for whom the multidisciplinary team recommended intensity-modulated radiotherapy between December 2013 and January 2016 were included. Index of multiple deprivation scores and travel distances were calculated. Patients were also asked why they chose their treating centre. Sixty-nine patients were included in this study. There were no significant differences in travel distance (p = 0.53) or index of multiple deprivation scores (p = 0.47) between patients opting for treatment in Carlisle or Newcastle. However, 29 of the 33 patients gave travel distance as their main reason for not travelling for treatment. Quantitatively, travel distance and deprivation does not impact on whether patients accept intensity-modulated radiotherapy. However, patients say distance is a major barrier for access. Future research should explore how to reduce this.

The Distance Standard Deviation

OpenAIRE

Edelmann, Dominic; Richards, Donald; Vogel, Daniel

2017-01-01

The distance standard deviation, which arises in distance correlation analysis of multivariate data, is studied as a measure of spread. New representations for the distance standard deviation are obtained in terms of Gini's mean difference and in terms of the moments of spacings of order statistics. Inequalities for the distance variance are derived, proving that the distance standard deviation is bounded above by the classical standard deviation and by Gini's mean difference. Further, it is ...

Associations among Selected Motor Skills and Health-Related Fitness: Indirect Evidence for Seefeldt's Proficiency Barrier in Young Adults?

Science.gov (United States)

Stodden, David F.; True, Larissa K.; Langendorfer, Stephen J.; Gao, Zan

2013-01-01

Purpose: This exploratory study examined the notion of Seefeldt's (1980) hypothesized motor skill "proficiency barrier" related to composite levels of health-related physical fitness (HRF) in young adults. Method: A motor skill competence (MSC) index composed of maximum throwing and kicking speed and jumping distance in 187 young adults…

Distance Education in Turkey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dr. Nursel Selver RUZGAR,

2004-04-01

Full Text Available Distance Education in Turkey Assistant Professor Dr. Nursel Selver RUZGAR Technical Education Faculty Marmara University, TURKEY ABSTRACT Many countries of the world are using distance education with various ways, by internet, by post and by TV. In this work, development of distance education in Turkey has been presented from the beginning. After discussing types and applications for different levels of distance education in Turkey, the distance education was given in the cultural aspect of the view. Then, in order to create the tendencies and thoughts of graduates of Higher Education Institutions and Distance Education Institutions about being competitors in job markets, sufficiency of education level, advantages for education system, continuing education in different Institutions, a face-to-face survey was applied to 1284 graduates, 958 from Higher Education Institutions and 326 from Distance Education Institutions. The results were evaluated and discussed. In the last part of this work, suggestions to become widespread and improve the distance education in the country were made.

Smart parking barrier

KAUST Repository

Alharbi, Abdulrazaq M.

2016-05-06

Various methods and systems are provided for smart parking barriers. In one example, among others, a smart parking barrier system includes a movable parking barrier located at one end of a parking space, a barrier drive configured to control positioning of the movable parking barrier, and a parking controller configured to initiate movement of the parking barrier, via the barrier drive. The movable parking barrier can be positioned between a first position that restricts access to the parking space and a second position that allows access to the parking space. The parking controller can initiate movement of the movable parking barrier in response to a positive identification of an individual allowed to use the parking space. The parking controller can identify the individual through, e.g., a RFID tag, a mobile device (e.g., a remote control, smartphone, tablet, etc.), an access card, biometric information, or other appropriate identifier.

Haptic Discrimination of Distance

Science.gov (United States)

van Beek, Femke E.; Bergmann Tiest, Wouter M.; Kappers, Astrid M. L.

2014-01-01

While quite some research has focussed on the accuracy of haptic perception of distance, information on the precision of haptic perception of distance is still scarce, particularly regarding distances perceived by making arm movements. In this study, eight conditions were measured to answer four main questions, which are: what is the influence of reference distance, movement axis, perceptual mode (active or passive) and stimulus type on the precision of this kind of distance perception? A discrimination experiment was performed with twelve participants. The participants were presented with two distances, using either a haptic device or a real stimulus. Participants compared the distances by moving their hand from a start to an end position. They were then asked to judge which of the distances was the longer, from which the discrimination threshold was determined for each participant and condition. The precision was influenced by reference distance. No effect of movement axis was found. The precision was higher for active than for passive movements and it was a bit lower for real stimuli than for rendered stimuli, but it was not affected by adding cutaneous information. Overall, the Weber fraction for the active perception of a distance of 25 or 35 cm was about 11% for all cardinal axes. The recorded position data suggest that participants, in order to be able to judge which distance was the longer, tried to produce similar speed profiles in both movements. This knowledge could be useful in the design of haptic devices. PMID:25116638

Haptic discrimination of distance.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Femke E van Beek

Full Text Available While quite some research has focussed on the accuracy of haptic perception of distance, information on the precision of haptic perception of distance is still scarce, particularly regarding distances perceived by making arm movements. In this study, eight conditions were measured to answer four main questions, which are: what is the influence of reference distance, movement axis, perceptual mode (active or passive and stimulus type on the precision of this kind of distance perception? A discrimination experiment was performed with twelve participants. The participants were presented with two distances, using either a haptic device or a real stimulus. Participants compared the distances by moving their hand from a start to an end position. They were then asked to judge which of the distances was the longer, from which the discrimination threshold was determined for each participant and condition. The precision was influenced by reference distance. No effect of movement axis was found. The precision was higher for active than for passive movements and it was a bit lower for real stimuli than for rendered stimuli, but it was not affected by adding cutaneous information. Overall, the Weber fraction for the active perception of a distance of 25 or 35 cm was about 11% for all cardinal axes. The recorded position data suggest that participants, in order to be able to judge which distance was the longer, tried to produce similar speed profiles in both movements. This knowledge could be useful in the design of haptic devices.

Geographically weighted regression as a generalized Wombling to detect barriers to gene flow.

Science.gov (United States)

Diniz-Filho, José Alexandre Felizola; Soares, Thannya Nascimento; de Campos Telles, Mariana Pires

2016-08-01

Barriers to gene flow play an important role in structuring populations, especially in human-modified landscapes, and several methods have been proposed to detect such barriers. However, most applications of these methods require a relative large number of individuals or populations distributed in space, connected by vertices from Delaunay or Gabriel networks. Here we show, using both simulated and empirical data, a new application of geographically weighted regression (GWR) to detect such barriers, modeling the genetic variation as a "local" linear function of geographic coordinates (latitude and longitude). In the GWR, standard regression statistics, such as R(2) and slopes, are estimated for each sampling unit and thus are mapped. Peaks in these local statistics are then expected close to the barriers if genetic discontinuities exist, capturing a higher rate of population differentiation among neighboring populations. Isolation-by-Distance simulations on a longitudinally warped lattice revealed that higher local slopes from GWR coincide with the barrier detected with Monmonier algorithm. Even with a relatively small effect of the barrier, the power of local GWR in detecting the east-west barriers was higher than 95 %. We also analyzed empirical data of genetic differentiation among tree populations of Dipteryx alata and Eugenia dysenterica Brazilian Cerrado. GWR was applied to the principal coordinate of the pairwise FST matrix based on microsatellite loci. In both simulated and empirical data, the GWR results were consistent with discontinuities detected by Monmonier algorithm, as well as with previous explanations for the spatial patterns of genetic differentiation for the two species. Our analyses reveal how this new application of GWR can viewed as a generalized Wombling in a continuous space and be a useful approach to detect barriers and discontinuities to gene flow.

Chaotic correlations in barrier billiards with arbitrary barriers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Osbaldestin, A H; Adamson, L N C

2013-01-01

We study autocorrelation functions in symmetric barrier billiards for golden mean trajectories with arbitrary barriers. Renormalization analysis reveals the presence of a chaotic invariant set and thus that, for a typical barrier, there are chaotic correlations. The chaotic renormalization set is the analogue of the so-called orchid that arises in a generalized Harper equation. (paper)

Poster - 11: Radiation barrier thickness calculations for the GammaPod

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

La Russa, Daniel; Vandervoort, Eric; Wilkins, David

2016-01-01

A consortium of radiotherapy centers in North America is in the process of evaluating a novel new 60 Co teletherapy device, called the GammaPod™ (Xcision Medical Systems, Columbia Maryland), designed specifically for breast SBRT. The GammaPod consists of 36 collimated 60 Co sources with a total activity of 4320 Ci. The sources are housed in a hemispherical source carrier that rotates during treatment to produce a cylindrically symmetric cone of primary beam spanning 16° – 54° degrees from the horizontal. This unique beam geometry presents challenges when designing or evaluating room shielding for the purposes of meeting regulatory requirements, and for ensuring the safety of staff and the public in surrounding areas. Conventional methods for calculating radiation barrier thicknesses have been adapted so that barrier transmission factors for the GammaPod can be determined from a few relevant distances and characteristics of the primary beam. Simple formalisms have been determined for estimating shielding requirements for primary radiation (with a rotating and non-rotating source carrier), patient-scattered radiation, and leakage radiation. When making worst case assumptions, it was found that conventional barrier thicknesses associated with linac treatment suites are sufficient for shielding all sources of radiation from the GammaPod.

Poster - 11: Radiation barrier thickness calculations for the GammaPod

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

La Russa, Daniel; Vandervoort, Eric; Wilkins, David [Radiation Medicine Program, The Ottawa Hospital (Canada)

2016-08-15

A consortium of radiotherapy centers in North America is in the process of evaluating a novel new {sup 60}Co teletherapy device, called the GammaPod™ (Xcision Medical Systems, Columbia Maryland), designed specifically for breast SBRT. The GammaPod consists of 36 collimated {sup 60}Co sources with a total activity of 4320 Ci. The sources are housed in a hemispherical source carrier that rotates during treatment to produce a cylindrically symmetric cone of primary beam spanning 16° – 54° degrees from the horizontal. This unique beam geometry presents challenges when designing or evaluating room shielding for the purposes of meeting regulatory requirements, and for ensuring the safety of staff and the public in surrounding areas. Conventional methods for calculating radiation barrier thicknesses have been adapted so that barrier transmission factors for the GammaPod can be determined from a few relevant distances and characteristics of the primary beam. Simple formalisms have been determined for estimating shielding requirements for primary radiation (with a rotating and non-rotating source carrier), patient-scattered radiation, and leakage radiation. When making worst case assumptions, it was found that conventional barrier thicknesses associated with linac treatment suites are sufficient for shielding all sources of radiation from the GammaPod.

Phenology of a Vegetation Barrier and Resulting Impacts on Near-Highway Particle Number and Black Carbon Concentrations on a School Campus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christina H. Fuller

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Traffic-related air pollution is a persistent concern especially in urban areas where populations live in close proximity to roadways. Innovative solutions are needed to minimize human exposure and the installation of vegetative barriers shows potential as a method to reduce near-road concentrations. This study investigates the impact of an existing stand of deciduous and evergreen trees on near-road total particle number (PNC and black carbon (BC concentrations across three seasons. Measurements were taken during spring, fall and winter on the campus of a middle school in the Atlanta (GA, USA area at distances of 10 m and 50 m from a major interstate highway. We identified consistent decreases in BC concentrations, but not for PNC, with increased distance from the highway. In multivariable models, hour of day, downwind conditions, distance to highway, temperature and relative humidity significantly predicted pollutant concentrations. The magnitude of effect of these variables differed by season, however, we were not able to show a definitive impact of the vegetative barrier on near-road concentrations. More detailed studies are necessary to further examine the specific configurations and scenarios that may produce pollutant and exposure reductions.

Smart parking barrier

KAUST Repository

Alharbi, Abdulrazaq M.

2016-01-01

positioning of the movable parking barrier, and a parking controller configured to initiate movement of the parking barrier, via the barrier drive. The movable parking barrier can be positioned between a first position that restricts access to the parking

Proton emission with a screened electrostatic barrier

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Budaca, R. [Horia Hulubei National Institute of Physics and Nuclear Engineering, Bucharest-Magurele (Romania); Academy of Romanian Scientists, Bucharest (Romania); Budaca, A.I. [Horia Hulubei National Institute of Physics and Nuclear Engineering, Bucharest-Magurele (Romania)

2017-08-15

Half-lives of proton emission for Z ≥ 51 nuclei are calculated within a simple analytical model based on the WKB approximation for the barrier penetration probability which includes the centrifugal and overlapping effects besides the electrostatic repulsion. The model has a single free parameter associated to a Hulthen potential which emulates a Coulomb electrostatic interaction only at short distance. The agreement with experimental data is very good for most of the considered nuclei. Theoretical predictions are made for few cases with uncertain emitting state configuration or incomplete decay information. The model's assignment of the proton orbital momentum is in agreement with the differentiation of the experimental data by orbital momentum values realized with a newly introduced correlation formula. (orig.)

The relationship between glass ceiling and power distance as a cultural variable by a new method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Naide Jahangirov

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Glass ceiling symbolizes a variety of barriers and obstacles that arise from gender inequality at business life. With this mind, culture influences gender dynamics. The purpose of this research was to examine the relationship between the glass ceiling and the power distance as a cultural variable within organizations. Gender variable is taken as a moderator variable in relationship between the concepts. In addition to conventional correlation analysis, we employed a new method to investigate this relationship in detail. The survey data were obtained from 109 people working at a research center which operated as a part of the non-profit private university in Ankara, Turkey. The relationship between the variables was revealed by a new method which was developed as an addition to the correlation in survey. The analysis revealed that the female staff perceived the glass ceiling and the power distance more intensely than the male staff. In addition, the medium level relation was determined between the power distance and the glass ceiling perception among female staff.

Perceptions Versus National-Level Differences

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dow, Douglas; Håkanson, Lars; Ambos, Björn

2014-01-01

Purpose: This chapter bridges the gap between two distinct approaches to the concept of psychic distance – measuring it in terms of people’s perceptions of distance or in terms of exogenous national-level differences. The two approaches are reconciled in a “refined and integrative” definition......-makers, fully capture the impact of national-level differences on trade and FDI flows; however, if such measures of perceptions are not available, a simple selection of four national-level differences will still capture 80% of the same effect....

School practices to promote social distancing in K-12 schools: review of influenza pandemic policies and practices.

Science.gov (United States)

Uscher-Pines, Lori; Schwartz, Heather L; Ahmed, Faruque; Zheteyeva, Yenlik; Meza, Erika; Baker, Garrett; Uzicanin, Amra

2018-03-27

During an evolving influenza pandemic, community mitigation strategies, such as social distancing, can slow down virus transmission in schools and surrounding communities. To date, research on school practices to promote social distancing in primary and secondary schools has focused on prolonged school closure, with little attention paid to the identification and feasibility of other more sustainable interventions. To develop a list and typology of school practices that have been proposed and/or implemented in an influenza pandemic and to uncover any barriers identified, lessons learned from their use, and documented impacts. We conducted a review of the peer-reviewed and grey literature on social distancing interventions in schools other than school closure. We also collected state government guidance documents directed to local education agencies or schools to assess state policies regarding social distancing. We collected standardized information from each document using an abstraction form and generated descriptive statistics on common plan elements. The document review revealed limited literature on school practices to promote social distancing, as well as limited incorporation of school practices to promote social distancing into state government guidance documents. Among the 38 states that had guidance documents that met inclusion criteria, fewer than half (42%) mentioned a single school practice to promote social distancing, and none provided any substantive detail about the policies or practices needed to enact them. The most frequently identified school practices were cancelling or postponing after-school activities, canceling classes or activities with a high rate of mixing/contact that occur within the school day, and reducing mixing during transport. Little information is available to schools to develop policies and procedures on social distancing. Additional research and guidance are needed to assess the feasibility and effectiveness of school

Facial expression recognition and model-based regeneration for distance teaching

Science.gov (United States)

De Silva, Liyanage C.; Vinod, V. V.; Sengupta, Kuntal

1998-12-01

This paper presents a novel idea of a visual communication system, which can support distance teaching using a network of computers. Here the author's main focus is to enhance the quality of distance teaching by reducing the barrier between the teacher and the student, which is formed due to the remote connection of the networked participants. The paper presents an effective way of improving teacher-student communication link of an IT (Information Technology) based distance teaching scenario, using facial expression recognition results and face global and local motion detection results of both the teacher and the student. It presents a way of regenerating the facial images for the teacher-student down-link, which can enhance the teachers facial expressions and which also can reduce the network traffic compared to usual video broadcasting scenarios. At the same time, it presents a way of representing a large volume of facial expression data of the whole student population (in the student-teacher up-link). This up-link representation helps the teacher to receive an instant feed back of his talk, as if he was delivering a face to face lecture. In conventional video tele-conferencing type of applications, this task is nearly impossible, due to huge volume of upward network traffic. The authors utilize several of their previous publication results for most of the image processing components needs to be investigated to complete such a system. In addition, some of the remaining system components are covered by several on going work.

Distancing from experienced self: how global-versus-local perception affects estimation of psychological distance.

Science.gov (United States)

Liberman, Nira; Förster, Jens

2009-08-01

In 4 studies, the authors examined the prediction derived from construal level theory (CLT) that higher level of perceptual construal would enhance estimated egocentric psychological distance. The authors primed participants with global perception, local perception, or both (the control condition). Relative to the control condition, global processing made participants estimate larger psychological distances in time (Study 1), space (Study 2), social distance (Study 3), and hypotheticality (Study 4). Local processing had the opposite effect. Consistent with CLT, all studies show that the effect of global-versus-local processing did emerge when participants estimated egocentric distances, which are distances from the experienced self in the here and now, but did not emerge with temporal distances not from now (Study 1), spatial distances not from here (Study 2), social distances not from the self (Study 3), or hypothetical events that did not involve altering an experienced reality (Study 4).

Fast Computing for Distance Covariance

OpenAIRE

Huo, Xiaoming; Szekely, Gabor J.

2014-01-01

Distance covariance and distance correlation have been widely adopted in measuring dependence of a pair of random variables or random vectors. If the computation of distance covariance and distance correlation is implemented directly accordingly to its definition then its computational complexity is O($n^2$) which is a disadvantage compared to other faster methods. In this paper we show that the computation of distance covariance and distance correlation of real valued random variables can be...

Noite e dia e alguns monocromos psíquicos Night and day - and some psychical monochromes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Edson Luiz André de Sousa

2006-06-01

Full Text Available O artigo apresenta uma leitura do conto de Jack London "A sombra e o brilho" mostrando o funcionamento do princípio da mímesis no processo de identificação. Propõe-se a expressão monocromos psíquicos para esses espaços mentais de indiferenciação entre o eu e o Outro. Adota-se a tese de Caillois, que afirma que o eu é permeável ao espaço. Nessa perspectiva, o tema do duplo, amplamente desenvolvido por Freud, é fundamental. Partindo-se de notas sobre o trabalho do fotógrafo cego Bavcar, procura-se mostrar alguns traços da estrutura do olhar. O artigo finaliza mostrando as conexões possíveis dessas reflexões para a prática psicanalítica.The paper presents a reading of Jack London's tale "The Shadow and the brightness", showing how the principle of mimesis works in the process of the identification. We propose to call psychical monochromes the spaces of mental indifference between the self and the other. We follow the thesis of Roger Caillois: "the self is permeable in the space". In this perspective, the subject of the double, developped by Freud is essential. We try to show the dialectic of the structure of the look based in some notes about the work of the blind photographer Bavcar. The article finish with showing the possibles connections of all these points with the clinical work.

Active commuting: prevalence, barriers, and associated variables.

Science.gov (United States)

Silva, Kelly Samara; Vasques, Daniel Giordani; Martins, Caroline de Oliveira; Williams, Laura Ashley; Lopes, Adair S

2011-08-01

Research has demonstrated that adolescents who actively commute have higher levels of physical activity (PA), which have declined precipitously over the past 30 years. The purpose of this study was to describe the prevalence of active commuting to school; and to identify barriers associated with active commuting. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 1672 students (46.8% boys and 53.2% girls) from 11 to 17 years of age in Caxias do Sul/RS, Brazil. The students were asked to answer questionnaires about active transport, PA, and sedentary behaviors. They also completed a cardiovascular fitness test and body composition measurements. The study used a multivariate Poisson regression analysis. A total of 62.5% of students were observed to actively commute and the prevalence ratio (PR) of not actively commuting was associated with the type of school (Private: 2.41; 1.47, 3.95) and the time spent on commuting (>20 min: 1.93; 1.23, 3.03). The associated barriers to passive commuting were distance (3.02; 1.95, 4.71), crime/danger (2.65; 1.82, 3.85), and traffic (1.75; 1.19, 2.58). This study showed that environmental variables were strongly associated with active commuting. However, no alterations in body composition or other behavioral variables were observed after adjustment.

ORDERED WEIGHTED DISTANCE MEASURE

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Zeshui XU; Jian CHEN

2008-01-01

The aim of this paper is to develop an ordered weighted distance (OWD) measure, which is thegeneralization of some widely used distance measures, including the normalized Hamming distance, the normalized Euclidean distance, the normalized geometric distance, the max distance, the median distance and the min distance, etc. Moreover, the ordered weighted averaging operator, the generalized ordered weighted aggregation operator, the ordered weighted geometric operator, the averaging operator, the geometric mean operator, the ordered weighted square root operator, the square root operator, the max operator, the median operator and the min operator axe also the special cases of the OWD measure. Some methods depending on the input arguments are given to determine the weights associated with the OWD measure. The prominent characteristic of the OWD measure is that it can relieve (or intensify) the influence of unduly large or unduly small deviations on the aggregation results by assigning them low (or high) weights. This desirable characteristic makes the OWD measure very suitable to be used in many actual fields, including group decision making, medical diagnosis, data mining, and pattern recognition, etc. Finally, based on the OWD measure, we develop a group decision making approach, and illustrate it with a numerical example.

[Actual care and funding situation with regard to mother-child units for psychic disorders associated with pregnancy in Germany].

Science.gov (United States)

Jordan, Wolfgang; Bielau, Hendrik; Cohrs, Stefan; Hauth, Iris; Hornstein, Christiane; Marx, Alexandra; Reck, Corinna; von Einsiedel, Regina

2012-07-01

CONCERN: The current care and financial situation of mother-child units for psychic disorders associated with pregnancies in Germany should be documented in preparation for the development of the new reimbursement system for psychiatry and psychosomatics. In accordance with the last survey of 2005, a brief questionnaire was developed and a nationwide poll was conducted. The survey revealed severe (10 fold) service deficits for severely and gravely mentally ill mothers, who require an inpatient treatment with specific professional competence. Compared with the last poll, these service deficits have increased. This is due to continued insufficient funding and unresolved financing in the new reimbursement system. With the establishment of an additional code for mother-child treatment the precondition for ensuring the funding of this important care form in the new reimbursement system was created. It is to be hoped that the decision-makers of health policy will finally face up to their social responsibility and ensure adequate funding of the additional diagnostic and therapeutic expenditure of mother-child treatment. The health care providers have an obligation to implement a transparent record of services of the additional expenditure and to augment the national evaluation approaches to inpatient mother-child treatments. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Stability of barrier buckets with zero RF-barrier separations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ng, K.Y.; /Fermilab

2005-03-01

A barrier bucket with very small separation between the rf barriers (relative to the barrier widths) or even zero separation has its synchrotron tune decreasing rather slowly from a large value towards the boundary of the bucket. As a result, large area at the bucket edges can become unstable under the modulation of rf voltage and/or rf phase. In addition, chaotic regions may form near the bucket center and extend outward under increasing modulation. Application is made to those barrier buckets used in the process of momentum mining at the Fermilab Recycler Ring.

Using a Bayesian network to predict barrier island geomorphologic characteristics

Science.gov (United States)

Gutierrez, Ben; Plant, Nathaniel G.; Thieler, E. Robert; Turecek, Aaron

2015-01-01

Quantifying geomorphic variability of coastal environments is important for understanding and describing the vulnerability of coastal topography, infrastructure, and ecosystems to future storms and sea level rise. Here we use a Bayesian network (BN) to test the importance of multiple interactions between barrier island geomorphic variables. This approach models complex interactions and handles uncertainty, which is intrinsic to future sea level rise, storminess, or anthropogenic processes (e.g., beach nourishment and other forms of coastal management). The BN was developed and tested at Assateague Island, Maryland/Virginia, USA, a barrier island with sufficient geomorphic and temporal variability to evaluate our approach. We tested the ability to predict dune height, beach width, and beach height variables using inputs that included longer-term, larger-scale, or external variables (historical shoreline change rates, distances to inlets, barrier width, mean barrier elevation, and anthropogenic modification). Data sets from three different years spanning nearly a decade sampled substantial temporal variability and serve as a proxy for analysis of future conditions. We show that distinct geomorphic conditions are associated with different long-term shoreline change rates and that the most skillful predictions of dune height, beach width, and beach height depend on including multiple input variables simultaneously. The predictive relationships are robust to variations in the amount of input data and to variations in model complexity. The resulting model can be used to evaluate scenarios related to coastal management plans and/or future scenarios where shoreline change rates may differ from those observed historically.

Interplay of Socioeconomic Status and Supermarket Distance Is Associated with Excess Obesity Risk: A UK Cross-Sectional Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Burgoine, Thomas; Mackenbach, Joreintje D; Lakerveld, Jeroen; Forouhi, Nita G; Griffin, Simon J; Brage, Søren; Wareham, Nicholas J; Monsivais, Pablo

2017-10-25

U.S. policy initiatives have sought to improve health through attracting neighborhood supermarket investment. Little evidence exists to suggest that these policies will be effective, in particular where there are socioeconomic barriers to healthy eating. We measured the independent associations and combined interplay of supermarket access and socioeconomic status with obesity. Using data on 9702 UK adults, we employed adjusted regression analyses to estimate measured BMI (kg/m²), overweight (25 ≥ BMI obesity (≥30), across participants' highest educational attainment (three groups) and tertiles of street network distance (km) from home location to nearest supermarket. Jointly-classified models estimated combined associations of education and supermarket distance, and relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI). Participants farthest away from their nearest supermarket had higher odds of obesity (OR 1.33, 95% CI: 1.11, 1.58), relative to those living closest. Lower education was also associated with higher odds of obesity. Those least-educated and living farthest away had 3.39 (2.46-4.65) times the odds of being obese, compared to those highest-educated and living closest, with an excess obesity risk (RERI = 0.09); results were similar for overweight. Our results suggest that public health can be improved through planning better access to supermarkets, in combination with interventions to address socioeconomic barriers.

Biosafety capacity building: experiences and challenges from a distance learning approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Pertry, Ine; Sabbadini, Silvia; Goormachtig, Sofie; Lokko, Yvonne; Gheysen, Godelieve; Burssens, Sylvia; Mezzetti, Bruno

2014-01-25

Biotechnology is revolutionizing industrial and agricultural practice as the number of commercial biotechnology products is increasing each year. Simultaneously, several regulatory approaches are put into place to allow technological advancement while preserving public health and the environment. Developing and/or emerging countries often face major barriers to access biotechnologies and biotechnology derived products as they frequently lack the institutional capacities and professional competence in exercising regulatory oversight. To address this need, intensive biosafety capacity building is required. Different training approaches can be used to train individuals in biosafety ranging from long-term leading to a postgraduate certificate or a Masters degree, to short term courses. In this paper, we discuss the applicability of a different approach to biosafety capacity building based on a distance e-learning system, the UNIDO e-Biosafety program that has been annually organized at the Marche Polytechnic University (MPU) in Italy and Ghent University (UGent) in Belgium since 2006. Even though there are some challenges, we can conclude based on our experience that distance learning in combination with on-campus tuition is amendable for biosafety capacity building. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Constructing Quality Feedback to the Students in Distance Learning: Review of the Current Evidence with Reference to the Online Master Degree in Transplantation

Science.gov (United States)

Halawa, Ahmed; Sharma, Ajay; Bridson, Julie M.; Lyon, Sarah; Prescott, Denise; Guha, Arpan; Taylor, David

2017-01-01

Introduction: It was a challenge to design a feedback pathway for distance learning course that deals with complex and ambiguous clinical subject like organ transplantation. This course attracts mature clinicians (n = 117 spread over three modules) from 27 countries where in addition to the time and zone barriers; there are cultural, institutional…

Barriers to children walking and biking to school--United States, 1999.

Science.gov (United States)

2002-08-16

Physical activity is an important part of a healthy lifestyle; however, many children in the United States do not meet recommended levels of physical activity. Although walking and biking to school can increase physical activity among children, motor-vehicle traffic and other factors can make these activities difficult. The majority of U.S. children do not walk or bike to school, approximately one third ride a school bus, and half are driven in a private vehicle. Less than one trip in seven is made by walking or biking. To examine why the majority of children do not walk or bike to school, CDC analyzed data from the national HealthStyles Survey. This report summarizes the results of that analysis, which indicate that long distances and dangerous motor-vehicle traffic pose the most common barriers to children walking and biking to school. Public health and community-based efforts that encourage walking and biking to school should address these barriers.

Effect of travel distance and time to radiotherapy on likelihood of receiving mastectomy.

Science.gov (United States)

Goyal, Sharad; Chandwani, Sheenu; Haffty, Bruce G; Demissie, Kitaw

2015-04-01

Breast-conserving surgery (BCS) followed by adjuvant radiation therapy (RT) is the standard of care for women with early-stage breast cancer as an alternative to mastectomy. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between receipt of mastectomy and travel distance and time to RT facility in New Jersey (NJ). Data were collected from a cohort of 634 NJ women diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer. In patients receiving RT, the precise RT facility was used, whereas in patients not receiving RT, surgeons were contacted to determine the location of RT referral. Travel distance and time to RT facility from the patients' residential address were modeled separately using multiple binomial regression to examine their association with choice of surgery while adjusting for clinical and sociodemographic factors. Overall, 58.5 % patients underwent BCS with median travel distance to the radiation facility of 4.8 miles (vs. 6.6 miles for mastectomy) and median travel time of 12.0 min (vs. 15.0 min for mastectomy). Patients residing > 9.2 miles compared with ≤ 9.2 miles from radiation facility were 44 % more likely to receive mastectomy. Additionally, patients requiring > 19 min compared with ≤ 19 min of travel time were 36 % more likely to receive mastectomy. These data found that travel distance and time from RT facility act as barriers to undergoing BCS in women with early-stage breast cancer. Despite being in an urban region, a significant number of women in NJ with early-stage breast cancer did not receive BCS.

Safety- barrier diagrams

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Duijm, Nijs Jan

2008-01-01

Safety-barrier diagrams and the related so-called 'bow-tie' diagrams have become popular methods in risk analysis. This paper describes the syntax and principles for constructing consistent and valid safety-barrier diagrams. The relation of safety-barrier diagrams to other methods such as fault...... trees and Bayesian networks is discussed. A simple method for quantification of safety-barrier diagrams is proposed. It is concluded that safety-barrier diagrams provide a useful framework for an electronic data structure that integrates information from risk analysis with operational safety management....

Safety-barrier diagrams

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Duijm, Nijs Jan

2007-01-01

Safety-barrier diagrams and the related so-called "bow-tie" diagrams have become popular methods in risk analysis. This paper describes the syntax and principles for constructing consistent and valid safety-barrier diagrams. The relation with other methods such as fault trees and Bayesian networks...... are discussed. A simple method for quantification of safety-barrier diagrams is proposed, including situations where safety barriers depend on shared common elements. It is concluded that safety-barrier diagrams provide a useful framework for an electronic data structure that integrates information from risk...... analysis with operational safety management....

Effect of distance to radiation treatment facility on use of radiation therapy after mastectomy in elderly women

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Punglia, Rinaa S.; Weeks, Jane C.; Neville, Bridget A.; Earle, Craig C.

2006-01-01

Purpose: We sought to study the effect of distance to the nearest radiation treatment facility on the use of postmastectomy radiation therapy (PMRT) in elderly women. Methods and Materials: Using data from the linked Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare (SEER-Medicare) database, we analyzed 19,787 women with Stage I or II breast cancer who received mastectomy as definitive surgery during 1991 to 1999. Multivariable logistic regression was used to investigate the association of distance with receipt of PMRT after adjusting for clinical and sociodemographic factors. Results: Overall 2,075 patients (10.5%) treated with mastectomy received PMRT. In addition to cancer and patient characteristics, in our primary analysis, increasing distance to the nearest radiation treatment facility was independently associated with a decreased likelihood of receiving PMRT (OR 0.996 per additional mile, p = 0.01). Secondary analyses revealed that the decline in PMRT use appeared at distances of more than 25 miles and was statistically significant for those patients living more than 75 miles from the nearest radiation facility (odds of receiving PMRT of 0.58 [95% CI 0.34-0.99] vs. living within 25 miles of such a facility). The effect of distance on PMRT appeared to be more pronounced with increasing patient age (>75 years). Variation in the effect of distance on radiation use between regions of the country and nodal status was also identified. Conclusions: Oncologists must be cognizant of the potential barrier to quality care that is posed by travel distance, especially for elderly patients; and policy makers should consider this fact in resource allocation decisions about radiation treatment centers

THE DISTANCE TO M51

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McQuinn, Kristen B. W. [University of Texas at Austin, McDonald Observatory, 2515 Speedway, Stop C1400 Austin, TX 78712 (United States); Skillman, Evan D. [Minnesota Institute for Astrophysics, School of Physics and Astronomy, 116 Church Street, S.E., University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455 (United States); Dolphin, Andrew E. [Raytheon Company, 1151 E. Hermans Road, Tucson, AZ 85756 (United States); Berg, Danielle [Center for Gravitation, Cosmology and Astrophysics, Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, 1900 East Kenwood Boulevard, Milwaukee, WI 53211 (United States); Kennicutt, Robert, E-mail: kmcquinn@astro.as.utexas.edu [Institute for Astronomy, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0HA (United Kingdom)

2016-07-20

Great investments of observing time have been dedicated to the study of nearby spiral galaxies with diverse goals ranging from understanding the star formation process to characterizing their dark matter distributions. Accurate distances are fundamental to interpreting observations of these galaxies, yet many of the best studied nearby galaxies have distances based on methods with relatively large uncertainties. We have started a program to derive accurate distances to these galaxies. Here we measure the distance to M51—the Whirlpool galaxy—from newly obtained Hubble Space Telescope optical imaging using the tip of the red giant branch method. We measure the distance modulus to be 8.58 ± 0.10 Mpc (statistical), corresponding to a distance modulus of 29.67 ± 0.02 mag. Our distance is an improvement over previous results as we use a well-calibrated, stable distance indicator, precision photometry in a optimally selected field of view, and a Bayesian Maximum Likelihood technique that reduces measurement uncertainties.

Encyclopedia of distances

CERN Document Server

Deza, Michel Marie

2009-01-01

Distance metrics and distances have become an essential tool in many areas of pure and applied Mathematics. This title offers both independent introductions and definitions, while at the same time making cross-referencing easy through hyperlink-like boldfaced references to original definitions.

Barriers to contraceptive careseeking: the experience of Eritrean asylum-seeking women in Israel.

Science.gov (United States)

Gebreyesus, Tsega; Gottlieb, Nora; Sultan, Zebib; Ghebrezghiabher, Habtom Mehari; Tol, Wietse; Winch, Peter J; Davidovitch, Nadav; Surkan, Pamela J

2017-12-28

In recent years, there has been a mass migration of Eritreans (many seeking political asylum) into Israel after precarious irregular movement across international borders. This study qualitatively explores the structural barriers to family planning (i.e. contraceptive services) for Eritrean women in Israel that are rooted in their temporary legal status and the patchwork of family planning services. From December 2012 to September 2013, we interviewed 25 key informants (NGO workers, researchers, Eritrean community activists, International NGO representatives and Ministry of Health officials) and 12 Eritrean asylum seekers. We also conducted 8 focus groups with Eritrean asylum seekers. Data were analyzed using both inductive and deductive coding. We identified 7 main barriers to accessing family planning services: (1) distance to health facilities; (2) limited healthcare resources; (3) fragmentation of the healthcare system; (4) cost of contraceptive services; (5) low standard of care in private clinics; (6) discrimination; and (7) language barriers. The political, economic and social marginalization of Eritrean asylum-seeking women in Israel creates structural barriers to family planning services. Their marginalization complicates providers' efforts (NGO and governmental) to provide them with comprehensive healthcare, and hinders their ability to control their sexual and reproductive health. Failure to act on this evidence may perpetuate the pattern of unwanted pregnancies and social and economic disparities in this population.

Perceived barriers to utilizing maternal and neonatal health services in contracted-out versus government-managed health facilities in the rural districts of Pakistan.

Science.gov (United States)

Riaz, Atif; Zaidi, Shehla; Khowaja, Asif Raza

2015-03-06

A number of developing countries have contracted out public health facilities to the Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) in order to improve service utilization. However, there is a paucity of in-depth qualitative information on barriers to access services as a result of contracting from service users' perspective. The objective of this study was to explore perceived barriers to utilizing Maternal and Neonatal Health (MNH) services, in health facilities contracted out by government to NGO for service provision versus in those which are managed by government (non-contracted). A community-based qualitative exploratory study was conducted between April to September 2012 at two contracted-out and four matched non-contracted primary healthcare facilities in Thatta and Chitral, rural districts of Pakistan. Using semi-structured guide, the data were collected through thirty-six Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) conducted with mothers and their spouses in the catchment areas of selected facilities. Thematic analysis was performed using NVivo version 10.0 in which themes and sub-themes emerged. Key barriers reported in contracted sites included physical distance, user charges and familial influences. Whereas, poor functionality of health centres was the main barrier for non-contracted sites with other issues being comparatively less salient. Decision-making patterns for participants of both catchments were largely similar. Spouses and mother-in-laws particularly influenced the decision to utilize health facilities. Contracting out of health facility reduces supply side barriers to MNH services for the community served but distance, user charges and low awareness remain significant barriers. Contracting needs to be accompanied by measures for transportation in remote settings, oversight on user fee charges by contractor, and strong community-based behavior change strategies. © 2015 by Kerman University of Medical Sciences.

Perceived Barriers to Utilizing Maternal and Neonatal Health Services in Contracted-Out Versus Government-Managed Health Facilities in the Rural Districts of Pakistan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Atif Riaz

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Background A number of developing countries have contracted out public health facilities to the Non-Government Organizations (NGOs in order to improve service utilization. However, there is a paucity of in-depth qualitative information on barriers to access services as a result of contracting from service users’ perspective. The objective of this study was to explore perceived barriers to utilizing Maternal and Neonatal Health (MNH services, in health facilities contracted out by government to NGO for service provision versus in those which are managed by government (non-contracted. Methods A community-based qualitative exploratory study was conducted between April to September 2012 at two contracted-out and four matched non-contracted primary healthcare facilities in Thatta and Chitral, rural districts of Pakistan. Using semi-structured guide, the data were collected through thirty-six Focus Group Discussions (FGDs conducted with mothers and their spouses in the catchment areas of selected facilities. Thematic analysis was performed using NVivo version 10.0 in which themes and sub-themes emerged. Results Key barriers reported in contracted sites included physical distance, user charges and familial influences. Whereas, poor functionality of health centres was the main barrier for non-contracted sites with other issues being comparatively less salient. Decision-making patterns for participants of both catchments were largely similar. Spouses and mother-in-laws particularly influenced the decision to utilize health facilities. Conclusion Contracting out of health facility reduces supply side barriers to MNH services for the community served but distance, user charges and low awareness remain significant barriers. Contracting needs to be accompanied by measures for transportation in remote settings, oversight on user fee charges by contractor, and strong communitybased behavior change strategies.

Barriers for pregnant women living in rural, agricultural villages to accessing antenatal care in Cambodia: A community-based cross-sectional study combined with a geographic information system.

Science.gov (United States)

Yasuoka, Junko; Nanishi, Keiko; Kikuchi, Kimiyo; Suzuki, Sumihiro; Ly, Po; Thavrin, Boukheng; Omatsu, Tsutomu; Mizutani, Tetsuya

2018-01-01

Maternal morbidity and mortality is still a major public health issue in low- and middle-income countries such as Cambodia. Improving access to antenatal care (ANC) services for pregnant women has been widely recognized as one of the most effective means of reducing maternal mortality and morbidity. As such, this study examined the barriers for pregnant women living in rural, agricultural villages to accessing ANC based on data collected in the Ratanakiri province, one of the least developed provinces in Cambodia, using a combination of a community-based cross-sectional survey and a geographic information system (GIS). A community-based cross-sectional survey was conducted among 377 mothers with children under the age of two living in 62 villages in the Ratanakiri province, Cambodia, in December 2015. Face-to-face interviews were conducted to ask mothers about their ANC service use, knowledge of ANC, barriers to accessing health facilities, and complications they experienced during the most recent pregnancy. At the same time, GIS data were also collected using a Global Positioning System (GPS) to accurately measure actual travel distance of pregnant women to access health facilities and to examine geographical and environmental barriers in greater detail. Only a third of the mothers met the recommendations made by the World Health Organization (WHO) of receiving ANC four times or more (achieved ANC4+), and a quarter of the mothers had never received ANC during their most recent pregnancy. Factors positively associated with achieving ANC4+ were mother's secondary or higher education (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 5.50, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.74, 17.37), being aware that receiving ANC is recommended (AOR = 2.74, 95% CI: 1.25, 6.00), and knowledge about the recommended frequency for ANC (AOR = 2.26, 95% CI: 7.22). Actual travel distance was negatively associated with achieving ANC4+. Mothers who had to travel 10.0-14.9 km were 68% less likely (AOR = 0.32, 95

As saídas para o trabalho psíquico da adolescência Las salidas del trabajo psiquico de la adolescencia The issues of psychic work at adolescence

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michèle Emmanuelli

2011-03-01

Full Text Available O processo de adolescência coloca em questão o trabalho psíquico da elaboração do Édipo, do narcisismo e da problemática de separação. Como se desenvolvem estes processos ao longo do tempo e aonde é que eles chegam? A partir de romances propondo retratos da adolescência e de romances de juventude, de diários e de cartas da adolescência, mas também de pesquisas feitas com a metodologia projetiva junto a adolescentes e a criadores, o autor questiona o que se entende por « crescimento psíquico » e interroga o destino destas elaborações.Las salidas del trabajo psíquico de la adolescencia. El proceso de adolescencia pone en juego un trabajo psíquico de elaboración del Edipo, del narcisismo y de la problemática de separación. Cómo se despliega con el paso del tiempo este proceso y qué consigue? A partir de novelas que ofrecen retratos de adolescencia y novelas de juventud, diarios y cartas de adolescentes, pero también de investigaciones llevadas a cabo a partir de la metodología proyectiva ante adolescentes, de jóvenes adultos y de creadores, el autor plantea la pregunta de aquéllo que sostiene el “ crecimiento psíquico ”, e interroga los destinos de estas elaboraciones.The process of adolescence triggers psychic elaboration work on the Oedipus, on narcissism and the problem of separation. How is this process expressed through time and what are the results? Based on fictional work furnishing portraits of adolescents and young people, the personal diaries and letters of adolescents, but also research carried out using projective methods with random adolescents, adults and creative people, the author reflects about what underlies “ psychic growth ” and considers the various destinies of its elaboration.

Barriers to fusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berriman, A.C.; Butt, R.D.; Dasgupta, M.; Hinde, D.J.; Morton, C.R.; Newton, J.O.

1999-01-01

The fusion barrier is formed by the combination of the repulsive Coulomb and attractive nuclear forces. Recent research at the Australian National University has shown that when heavy nuclei collide, instead of a single fusion barrier, there is a set of fusion barriers. These arise due to intrinsic properties of the interacting nuclei such deformation, rotations and vibrations. Thus the range of barrier energies depends on the properties of both nuclei. The transfer of matter between nuclei, forming a neck, can also affect the fusion process. High precision data have been used to determine fusion barrier distributions for many nuclear reactions, leading to new insights into the fusion process

Extremal surface barriers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Engelhardt, Netta; Wall, Aron C.

2014-01-01

We present a generic condition for Lorentzian manifolds to have a barrier that limits the reach of boundary-anchored extremal surfaces of arbitrary dimension. We show that any surface with nonpositive extrinsic curvature is a barrier, in the sense that extremal surfaces cannot be continuously deformed past it. Furthermore, the outermost barrier surface has nonnegative extrinsic curvature. Under certain conditions, we show that the existence of trapped surfaces implies a barrier, and conversely. In the context of AdS/CFT, these barriers imply that it is impossible to reconstruct the entire bulk using extremal surfaces. We comment on the implications for the firewall controversy

Time trend in Alzheimer diagnoses and the association between distance to an Alzheimer clinic and Alzheimer diagnosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, Terese Sara Høj; Torp-Pedersen, Christian; Gislason, Gunnar H

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: Centralization of specialized health care in Denmark has caused increased geographical distance to health-care providers, which may be a barrier for Alzheimer patients to seek health care. We examined the incidence of Alzheimer diagnosis in Denmark between 2000 and 2009 and investigated...... the association between patients' distance to Alzheimer clinics and Alzheimer diagnoses. METHODS: Data of all individuals aged 65+ years were collected from Danish national registers. Incidences of Alzheimer diagnoses were analysed with joinpoint regression and hazard ratios (HRs) for Alzheimer diagnoses were...... analysed with Cox regressions. RESULTS: The annual incidence of Alzheimer diagnoses increased with 32.5% [95% confidence interval (CI): 7.1-63.8] among individuals aged 65-74 years from 2000 to 2002 and with 29.1% (95% CI: 11.0-50.2) among individuals aged 75+ years from 2000 to 2003. For both groups...

Case histories portraying different methods of installing liners for verticle barriers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burke, G.K.; Crockford, R.M.; Achhorner, F.N.

1997-01-01

The installation of liners for vertical barriers is difficult and has been a learning experience for every contractor making the attempt. Soil stratigraphy and hydrogeologic conditions can vary over short distances, creating a variety of problems. This is particularly so when working near landfills and documentation of the as-built condition is poor. Successful installation requires detailed planning and knowledge of what to expect, as well as alternate plans for potential problems. Several successful methods of panel connection will be presented as well as a variety of installation techniques. Project case histories will be reviewed, highlighting the challenges associated with specific construction techniques

Distribution of distances between dislocations in different types of dislocation substructures in deformed Cu-Al alloys

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Trishkina, L., E-mail: trishkina.53@mail.ru; Zboykova, N.; Koneva, N., E-mail: koneva@tsuab.ru; Kozlov, E. [Tomsk State University of Architecture and Building, 2 Solyanaya St., Tomsk, 634003 (Russian Federation); Cherkasova, T. [Tomsk State University of Architecture and Building, 2 Solyanaya St., Tomsk, 634003 (Russian Federation); National Research Tomsk Polytechnic University, 50 Lenin Ave., Tomsk, 634050 (Russian Federation)

2016-01-15

The aim of the investigation was the determination of the statistic description of dislocation distribution in each dislocation substructures component forming after different deformation degrees in the Cu-Al alloys. The dislocation structures were investigated by the transmission diffraction electron microscopy method. In the work the statistic description of distance distribution between the dislocations, dislocation barriers and dislocation tangles in the deformed Cu-Al alloys with different concentration of Al and test temperature at the grain size of 100 µm was carried out. It was established that the above parameters influence the dislocation distribution in different types of the dislocation substructures (DSS): dislocation chaos, dislocation networks without disorientation, nondisoriented and disoriented cells, in the walls and inside the cells. The distributions of the distances between dislocations in the investigated alloys for each DSS type formed at certain deformation degrees and various test temperatures were plotted.

Distribution of distances between dislocations in different types of dislocation substructures in deformed Cu-Al alloys

Science.gov (United States)

Trishkina, L.; Cherkasova, T.; Zboykova, N.; Koneva, N.; Kozlov, E.

2016-01-01

The aim of the investigation was the determination of the statistic description of dislocation distribution in each dislocation substructures component forming after different deformation degrees in the Cu-Al alloys. The dislocation structures were investigated by the transmission diffraction electron microscopy method. In the work the statistic description of distance distribution between the dislocations, dislocation barriers and dislocation tangles in the deformed Cu-Al alloys with different concentration of Al and test temperature at the grain size of 100 µm was carried out. It was established that the above parameters influence the dislocation distribution in different types of the dislocation substructures (DSS): dislocation chaos, dislocation networks without disorientation, nondisoriented and disoriented cells, in the walls and inside the cells. The distributions of the distances between dislocations in the investigated alloys for each DSS type formed at certain deformation degrees and various test temperatures were plotted.

Learner characteristics involved in distance learning

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cernicek, A.T.; Hahn, H.A.

1991-01-01

Distance learning represents a strategy for leveraging resources to solve educational and training needs. Although many distance learning programs have been developed, lessons learned regarding differences between distance learning and traditional education with respect to learner characteristics have not been well documented. Therefore, we conducted a survey of 20 distance learning professionals. The questionnaire was distributed to experts attending the second Distance Learning Conference sponsored by Los Alamos National Laboratory. This survey not only acquired demographic information from each of the respondents but also identified important distance learning student characteristics. Significant distance learner characteristics, which were revealed statistically and which influence the effectiveness of distance learning, include the following: reading level, student autonomy, and self-motivation. Distance learning cannot become a more useful and effective method of instruction without identifying and recognizing learner characteristics. It will be important to consider these characteristics when designing all distance learning courses. This paper will report specific survey findings and their implications for developing distance learning courses. 9 refs., 6 tabs.

Distance Magic-Type and Distance Antimagic-Type Labelings of Graphs

Science.gov (United States)

Freyberg, Bryan J.

Generally speaking, a distance magic-type labeling of a graph G of order n is a bijection l from the vertex set of the graph to the first n natural numbers or to the elements of a group of order n, with the property that the weight of each vertex is the same. The weight of a vertex x is defined as the sum (or appropriate group operation) of all the labels of vertices adjacent to x. If instead we require that all weights differ, then we refer to the labeling as a distance antimagic-type labeling. This idea can be generalized for directed graphs; the weight will take into consideration the direction of the arcs. In this manuscript, we provide new results for d-handicap labeling, a distance antimagic-type labeling, and introduce a new distance magic-type labeling called orientable Gamma-distance magic labeling. A d-handicap distance antimagic labeling (or just d-handicap labeling for short) of a graph G = ( V,E) of order n is a bijection l from V to the set {1,2,...,n} with induced weight function [special characters omitted]. such that l(xi) = i and the sequence of weights w(x 1),w(x2),...,w (xn) forms an arithmetic sequence with constant difference d at least 1. If a graph G admits a d-handicap labeling, we say G is a d-handicap graph. A d-handicap incomplete tournament, H(n,k,d ) is an incomplete tournament of n teams ranked with the first n natural numbers such that each team plays exactly k games and the strength of schedule of the ith ranked team is d more than the i + 1st ranked team. That is, strength of schedule increases arithmetically with strength of team. Constructing an H(n,k,d) is equivalent to finding a d-handicap labeling of a k-regular graph of order n.. In Chapter 2 we provide general constructions for every d for large classes of both n and k, providing breadfth and depth to the catalog of known H(n,k,d)'s. In Chapters 3 - 6, we introduce a new type of labeling called orientable Gamma-distance magic labeling. Let Gamma be an abelian group of order

Multilayer moisture barrier

Science.gov (United States)

Pankow, Joel W; Jorgensen, Gary J; Terwilliger, Kent M; Glick, Stephen H; Isomaki, Nora; Harkonen, Kari; Turkulainen, Tommy

2015-04-21

A moisture barrier, device or product having a moisture barrier or a method of fabricating a moisture barrier having at least a polymer layer, and interfacial layer, and a barrier layer. The polymer layer may be fabricated from any suitable polymer including, but not limited to, fluoropolymers such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), or ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE). The interfacial layer may be formed by atomic layer deposition (ALD). In embodiments featuring an ALD interfacial layer, the deposited interfacial substance may be, but is not limited to, Al.sub.2O.sub.3, AlSiO.sub.x, TiO.sub.2, and an Al.sub.2O.sub.3/TiO.sub.2 laminate. The barrier layer associated with the interfacial layer may be deposited by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). The barrier layer may be a SiO.sub.xN.sub.y film.

Institutional Level Identity Control Strategies in the Distance Education Environment: A Survey of Administrative Staff

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexander Amigud

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Physical separation of students and instructors creates the gap of anonymity and limited control over the remote learning environment. The ability of academic institutions to authenticate students and validate authorship of academic work at various points during a course is necessary for preserving not only perceived credibility but also public safety. With the growing scope of distance education programs that permeate critical areas such as healthcare, airspace, water management, and food solutions, universities have a moral obligation to employ secure measures to verify learning outcomes. This study examines the measures universities with large distance education programs employ to align identity of learners with the academic work they do, as well as the effectiveness of and challenges and barriers to their implementation. The research was undertaken using a multiple case approach and examined survey responses from five academic administrators at five officially accredited post secondary institutions in three countries. The cases examined in the study include: Athabasca University, Open University UK, Penn State University World Campus, University of Maryland University College, and eConcordia, Concordia University’s distance learning facility. This study is not an exhaustive attempt to examine all aspects of academic integrity, but rather to create awareness about various learner authentication strategies. This study confirms that secure learner authentication in the distance education environment is possible. However, with greater pressure to enhance security of learner authentication, the openness of open learning is challenged and may change as we know it.

A constituição do mundo psíquico na concepção winnicottiana: uma contribuição à clínica das psicoses The constitution of the psychic world in Winnicott’s conception: a contribution to the clinical treatment of psychosis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Manoel Antônio dos Santos

1999-01-01

Full Text Available A importância da obra de Winnicott para a psicanálise vem sendo reafirmada nos últimos anos, junto ao seu interesse crescente para o campo das psicoses. O propósito do presente estudo é apresentar as bases teóricas dessa que é uma das abordagens mais fecundas para a compreensão do fenômeno psíquico, não apenas em condições patológicas, como em condições normais de desenvolvimento. Trata-se de um arcabouço conceitual que nos permite pensar a problemática resultante das organizações não edipianas do aparelho psíquico, cujas incidências na clínica contemporânea são cada vez mais freqüentes. Enfoca-se, sobretudo, a gênese da organização psicótica, em suas relações com a constituição do mundo interno e o papel estruturante do objeto e da experiência ilusória no desenvolvimento psíquico.Over the last few years, the importance of Winnicott’s work for psychoanalysis has been reaffirmed together with its growing interest to the field of psychosis. The purpose of the present study was to present the theoretical basis of this approach, which is one of the most fecund for the understanding of the psychic phenomenon, not only in pathological conditions but also in normal developmental conditions. This is a conceptual framework that allows us to reflect about problems resulting from non-oedipal organization of the psychic apparatus, which incidence in contemporary clinical practice is increasingly frequent. Major emphasis is placed on the genesis of psychotic organization, on its relations to the constitution of the inner world and the structuring role played by the object, and the illusory experience in the psychic development of the human being.

Distance-transitive graphs

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Cohen, A.M.; Beineke, L.W.; Wilson, R.J.; Cameron, P.J.

2004-01-01

In this chapter we investigate the classification of distance-transitive graphs: these are graphs whose automorphism groups are transitive on each of the sets of pairs of vertices at distance i, for i = 0, 1,.... We provide an introduction into the field. By use of the classification of finite

Perceived barriers in the use of ultrasound in developing countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Shah, Sachita; Bellows, Blaise A; Adedipe, Adeyinka A; Totten, Jodie E; Backlund, Brandon H; Sajed, Dana

2015-12-01

Access to ultrasound has increased significantly in resource-limited settings, including the developing world; however, there remains a lack of sonography education and ultrasound-trained physician support in developing countries. To further investigate this potential knowledge gap, our primary objective was to assess perceived barriers to ultrasound use in resource-limited settings by surveying care providers who practice in low- and middle-income settings. A 25-question online survey was made available to health care providers who work with an ultrasound machine in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), including doctors, nurses, technicians, and clinical officers. This was a convenience sample obtained from list-serves of ultrasound and radiologic societies. The survey was analyzed, and descriptive results were obtained. One hundred and thirty-eight respondents representing 44 LMICs including countries from the continents of Africa, South America, and Asia completed the survey, with a response rate of 9.6 %. Ninety-one percent of the respondents were doctors, and 9 % were nurses or other providers. Applications for ultrasound were diverse, including obstetrics (75 %), DVT evaluation (51 %), abscess evaluation (54 %), cardiac evaluation (64 %), inferior vena cava (IVC) assessment (49 %), Focused Assessment Sonography for Trauma (FAST) exam (64 %), biliary tree assessment (54 %), and other applications. The respondents identified the following barriers to use of ultrasound: lack of training (60 %), lack of equipment (45 %), ultrasound machine malfunction (37 %), and lack of ultrasound maintenance capability (47 %). Seventy-four percent of the respondents wished to have further training in ultrasound, and 82 % were open to receiving distance learning or telesonography training. Subjects used communication tools including Skype, Dropbox, emailed photos, and picture archiving and communication system (PACS) as ways to communicate and receive feedback

Experiences and Perceptions of Barriers to Health Services for Elderly in Rural Namibia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gert Van Rooy

2015-07-01

Full Text Available We investigate barriers to accessing health facilities (e.g., transportation and cost of services and health service delivery barriers (e.g., timeliness of services scheduling of appointments, language that the literature suggest are operative. Semistructured interviews were utilized with respondents in three purposefully selected regional research sites in Namibia. All questions were translated into local languages. It is found that although many senior citizens appreciate the use of modern health care and are exempted from paying health care consultation fees, they still prefer to use traditional health medicine because of the long distance to health care facilities, which when they decide to travel translates into high transportation costs. Referrals to hospitals become very expensive. There is a need to consider the unique issues (extended family system affecting access to health care for elderly people in Namibia to achieve equitable access to health care services.

From microscopic to macroscopic dynamics in mean-field theory: effect of neutron skin on fusion barrier and dissipation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lacroix, D

2001-07-01

In this work, we introduce a method to reduce the microscopic mean-field theory to a classical macroscopic dynamics at the initial stage of fusion reaction. We show that TDHF (Time-dependent Hartree-Fock) could be a useful tool to infer information on the fusion barrier as well as on one-body dissipation effect. We apply the reduction of information to the case of head-on reaction between a {sup 16}O and {sup 16,22,24,28}O in order to quantify the effect of neutron skin on fusion. We show that the precise determination of fusion barrier requires, in addition to the relative distance between center of mass, the introduction of an additional collective coordinate that explicitly breaks the neutron-proton symmetry. With this additional collective variable, we obtain a rather precise determination of the barrier position, height and diffuseness as well as one-body friction. (author)

Interplay of Socioeconomic Status and Supermarket Distance Is Associated with Excess Obesity Risk: A UK Cross-Sectional Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thomas Burgoine

2017-10-01

Full Text Available U.S. policy initiatives have sought to improve health through attracting neighborhood supermarket investment. Little evidence exists to suggest that these policies will be effective, in particular where there are socioeconomic barriers to healthy eating. We measured the independent associations and combined interplay of supermarket access and socioeconomic status with obesity. Using data on 9702 UK adults, we employed adjusted regression analyses to estimate measured BMI (kg/m2, overweight (25 ≥ BMI < 30 and obesity (≥30, across participants’ highest educational attainment (three groups and tertiles of street network distance (km from home location to nearest supermarket. Jointly-classified models estimated combined associations of education and supermarket distance, and relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI. Participants farthest away from their nearest supermarket had higher odds of obesity (OR 1.33, 95% CI: 1.11, 1.58, relative to those living closest. Lower education was also associated with higher odds of obesity. Those least-educated and living farthest away had 3.39 (2.46–4.65 times the odds of being obese, compared to those highest-educated and living closest, with an excess obesity risk (RERI = 0.09; results were similar for overweight. Our results suggest that public health can be improved through planning better access to supermarkets, in combination with interventions to address socioeconomic barriers.

Making Distance Visible: Assembling Nearness in an Online Distance Learning Programme

Science.gov (United States)

Ross, Jen; Gallagher, Michael Sean; Macleod, Hamish

2013-01-01

Online distance learners are in a particularly complex relationship with the educational institutions they belong to (Bayne, Gallagher, & Lamb, 2012). For part-time distance students, arrivals and departures can be multiple and invisible as students take courses, take breaks, move into independent study phases of a programme, find work or…

Communication Barriers and the Clinical Recognition of Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy in a Diverse Cohort of Adults: The DISTANCE Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Adams, Alyce S; Parker, Melissa M; Moffet, Howard H; Jaffe, Marc; Schillinger, Dean; Callaghan, Brian; Piette, John; Adler, Nancy E; Bauer, Amy; Karter, Andrew J

2016-05-01

The purpose of this study was to explore communication barriers as independent predictors and potential mediators of variation in clinical recognition of diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN). In this cross-sectional analysis, we estimated the likelihood of having a DPN diagnosis among 4,436 patients with DPN symptoms. We controlled for symptom frequency, demographic and clinical characteristics, and visit frequency using a modified Poisson regression model. We then evaluated 4 communication barriers as independent predictors of clinical documentation and as possible mediators of racial/ethnic differences: difficulty speaking English, not talking to one's doctor about pain, limited health literacy, and reports of suboptimal patient-provider communication. Difficulty speaking English and not talking with one's doctor about pain were independently associated with not having a diagnosis, though limited health literacy and suboptimal patient-provider communication were not. Limited English proficiency partially attenuated, but did not fully explain, racial/ethnic differences in clinical documentation among Chinese, Latino, and Filipino patients. Providers should be encouraged to talk with their patients about DPN symptoms, and health systems should consider enhancing strategies to improve timely clinical recognition of DPN among patients who have difficult speaking English. More work is needed to understand persistent racial/ethnic differences in diagnosis.

Maximum dose angle for oblique incidence on primary beam protective barriers in the design of medical radiation therapy facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fondevila, Damian; Arbiser, Silvio; Sansogne, Rosana; Brunetto, Monica; Dosoretz, Bernardo

2008-01-01

Primary barrier determinations for the shielding of medical radiation therapy facilities are generally made assuming normal beam incidence on the barrier, since this is geometrically the most unfavorable condition for that shielding barrier whenever the occupation line is allowed to run along the barrier. However, when the occupation line (for example, the wall of an adjacent building) runs perpendicular to the barrier (especially roof barrier), then two opposing factors come in to play: increasing obliquity angle with respect to the barrier increases the attenuation, while the distance to the calculation point decreases, hence, increasing the dose. As a result, there exists an angle (α max ) for which the equivalent dose results in a maximum, constituting the most unfavorable geometric condition for that shielding barrier. Based on the usual NCRP Report No. 151 model, this article presents a simple formula for obtaining α max , which is a function of the thickness of the barrier (t E ) and the equilibrium tenth-value layer (TVL e ) of the shielding material for the nominal energy of the beam. It can be seen that α max increases for increasing TVL e (hence, beam energy) and decreases for increasing t E , with a range of variation that goes from 13 to 40 deg for concrete barriers thicknesses in the range of 50-300 cm and most commercially available teletherapy machines. This parameter has not been calculated in the existing literature for radiotherapy facilities design and has practical applications, as in calculating the required unoccupied roof shielding for the protection of a nearby building located in the plane of the primary beam rotation

Maximum dose angle for oblique incidence on primary beam protective barriers in the design of medical radiation therapy facilities.

Science.gov (United States)

Fondevila, Damián; Arbiser, Silvio; Sansogne, Rosana; Brunetto, Mónica; Dosoretz, Bernardo

2008-05-01

Primary barrier determinations for the shielding of medical radiation therapy facilities are generally made assuming normal beam incidence on the barrier, since this is geometrically the most unfavorable condition for that shielding barrier whenever the occupation line is allowed to run along the barrier. However, when the occupation line (for example, the wall of an adjacent building) runs perpendicular to the barrier (especially roof barrier), then two opposing factors come in to play: increasing obliquity angle with respect to the barrier increases the attenuation, while the distance to the calculation point decreases, hence, increasing the dose. As a result, there exists an angle (alpha(max)) for which the equivalent dose results in a maximum, constituting the most unfavorable geometric condition for that shielding barrier. Based on the usual NCRP Report No. 151 model, this article presents a simple formula for obtaining alpha(max), which is a function of the thickness of the barrier (t(E)) and the equilibrium tenth-value layer (TVL(e)) of the shielding material for the nominal energy of the beam. It can be seen that alpha(max) increases for increasing TVL(e) (hence, beam energy) and decreases for increasing t(E), with a range of variation that goes from 13 to 40 deg for concrete barriers thicknesses in the range of 50-300 cm and most commercially available teletherapy machines. This parameter has not been calculated in the existing literature for radiotherapy facilities design and has practical applications, as in calculating the required unoccupied roof shielding for the protection of a nearby building located in the plane of the primary beam rotation.

Barriers to Care and 1-Year Mortality Among Newly Diagnosed HIV-Infected People in Durban, South Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Bassett, Ingrid V; Coleman, Sharon M; Giddy, Janet; Bogart, Laura M; Chaisson, Christine E; Ross, Douglas; Flash, Moses J E; Govender, Tessa; Walensky, Rochelle P; Freedberg, Kenneth A; Losina, Elena

2017-04-01

Prompt entry into HIV care is often hindered by personal and structural barriers. Our objective was to evaluate the impact of self-perceived barriers to health care on 1-year mortality among newly diagnosed HIV-infected individuals in Durban, South Africa. Before HIV testing at 4 outpatient sites, adults (≥18 years) were surveyed regarding perceived barriers to care including (1) service delivery, (2) financial, (3) personal health perception, (4) logistical, and (5) structural. We assessed deaths via phone calls and the South African National Population Register. We used multivariable Cox proportional hazards models to determine the association between number of perceived barriers and death within 1 year. One thousand eight hundred ninety-nine HIV-infected participants enrolled. Median age was 33 years (interquartile range: 27-41 years), 49% were females, and median CD4 count was 192/μL (interquartile range: 72-346/μL). One thousand fifty-seven participants (56%) reported no, 370 (20%) reported 1-3, and 460 (24%) reported >3 barriers to care. By 1 year, 250 [13%, 95% confidence interval (CI): 12% to 15%] participants died. Adjusting for age, sex, education, baseline CD4 count, distance to clinic, and tuberculosis status, participants with 1-3 barriers (adjusted hazard ratio: 1.49, 95% CI: 1.06 to 2.08) and >3 barriers (adjusted hazard ratio: 1.81, 95% CI: 1.35 to 2.43) had higher 1-year mortality risk compared with those without barriers. HIV-infected individuals in South Africa who reported perceived barriers to medical care at diagnosis were more likely to die within 1 year. Targeted structural interventions, such as extended clinic hours, travel vouchers, and streamlined clinic operations, may improve linkage to care and antiretroviral therapy initiation for these people.

Breast cancer survivors' barriers and motives for participating in a group-based physical activity program offered in the community.

Science.gov (United States)

Wurz, Amanda; St-Aubin, Anik; Brunet, Jennifer

2015-08-01

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the barriers and motives experienced by women attending an 8-week group-based physical activity program offered in the community following treatment for breast cancer. Seven women were interviewed during the first and last week of the program. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Factors that hindered women's continued participation could be subdivided into situational barriers, which encompassed community (i.e., distance of center and traffic) and institutional factors (i.e., competing roles and responsibilities), and internal barriers, which consisted of cancer-specific limitations. Motives for initial and continued participation were situational (i.e., gaining social support, networking, and being around similar others) and internal (i.e., feeling a sense of personal fulfillment, acquiring health benefits, and recovering from cancer). The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of women's motives to engage in a group-based physical activity program after treatment for breast cancer. Further, they underscore the necessity of considering situational and internal barriers when developing group-based physical activity programs to increase regular participation, optimize adherence, and reduce drop-out.

Steiner Distance in Graphs--A Survey

OpenAIRE

Mao, Yaping

2017-01-01

For a connected graph $G$ of order at least $2$ and $S\\subseteq V(G)$, the \\emph{Steiner distance} $d_G(S)$ among the vertices of $S$ is the minimum size among all connected subgraphs whose vertex sets contain $S$. In this paper, we summarize the known results on the Steiner distance parameters, including Steiner distance, Steiner diameter, Steiner center, Steiner median, Steiner interval, Steiner distance hereditary graph, Steiner distance stable graph, average Steiner distance, and Steiner ...

Thames barrier (flood protection barriers on the Thames)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ilkovic, J.

2005-01-01

In this paper the flood protection barriers on the Thames are presented. The flood protection system on the Thames in 1984 was commissioned. During two decades this barrier was used 54 times against to the high water and 34 times against storm-sewage. There is installed buttress type hydroelectric power plant

Theoretical Principles of Distance Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Keegan, Desmond, Ed.

This book contains the following papers examining the didactic, academic, analytic, philosophical, and technological underpinnings of distance education: "Introduction"; "Quality and Access in Distance Education: Theoretical Considerations" (D. Randy Garrison); "Theory of Transactional Distance" (Michael G. Moore);…

THE DISTANCE TO M104

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McQuinn, Kristen B. W. [University of Texas at Austin, McDonald Observatory, 2515 Speedway, Stop C1400 Austin, TX 78712 (United States); Skillman, Evan D. [Minnesota Institute for Astrophysics, School of Physics and Astronomy, 116 Church Street, SE, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455 (United States); Dolphin, Andrew E. [Raytheon Company, 1151 E. Hermans Road, Tucson, AZ 85756 (United States); Berg, Danielle [Center for Gravitation, Cosmology and Astrophysics, Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, 1900 East Kenwood Boulevard, Milwaukee, WI 53211 (United States); Kennicutt, Robert, E-mail: kmcquinn@astro.as.utexas.edu [Institute for Astronomy, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0HA (United Kingdom)

2016-11-01

M104 (NGC 4594; the Sombrero galaxy) is a nearby, well-studied elliptical galaxy included in scores of surveys focused on understanding the details of galaxy evolution. Despite the importance of observations of M104, a consensus distance has not yet been established. Here, we use newly obtained Hubble Space Telescope optical imaging to measure the distance to M104 based on the tip of the red giant branch (TRGB) method. Our measurement yields the distance to M104 to be 9.55 ± 0.13 ± 0.31 Mpc equivalent to a distance modulus of 29.90 ± 0.03 ± 0.07 mag. Our distance is an improvement over previous results as we use a well-calibrated, stable distance indicator, precision photometry in a optimally selected field of view, and a Bayesian maximum likelihood technique that reduces measurement uncertainties. The most discrepant previous results are due to Tully–Fisher method distances, which are likely inappropriate for M104 given its peculiar morphology and structure. Our results are part of a larger program to measure accurate distances to a sample of well-known spiral galaxies (including M51, M74, and M63) using the TRGB method.

The Distance to M51

Science.gov (United States)

McQuinn, Kristen. B. W.; Skillman, Evan D.; Dolphin, Andrew E.; Berg, Danielle; Kennicutt, Robert

2016-07-01

Great investments of observing time have been dedicated to the study of nearby spiral galaxies with diverse goals ranging from understanding the star formation process to characterizing their dark matter distributions. Accurate distances are fundamental to interpreting observations of these galaxies, yet many of the best studied nearby galaxies have distances based on methods with relatively large uncertainties. We have started a program to derive accurate distances to these galaxies. Here we measure the distance to M51—the Whirlpool galaxy—from newly obtained Hubble Space Telescope optical imaging using the tip of the red giant branch method. We measure the distance modulus to be 8.58 ± 0.10 Mpc (statistical), corresponding to a distance modulus of 29.67 ± 0.02 mag. Our distance is an improvement over previous results as we use a well-calibrated, stable distance indicator, precision photometry in a optimally selected field of view, and a Bayesian Maximum Likelihood technique that reduces measurement uncertainties. Based on observations made with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, obtained from the Data Archive at the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under NASA contract NAS 5-26555.

Impact of noise barriers on the dispersal of solid pollutants from car emissions and their deposition in soil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wawer Małgorzata

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Despite the existence of various methods aimed at protecting the environment from the negative influence of roads, there is a lack of adequate techniques for monitoring and reducing the spread of roadside pollution into the air and soils. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of noise barriers (sound walls on the dispersal and soil deposition of solid pollutants from car emissions, based on both quantitative and qualitative analysis. Magnetic susceptibility measurements, trace elements analyses, and platinum (Pt and rhodium (Rh content determinations were performed on soil samples collected in the vicinity of various types of noise barrier. Previous investigations have shown that most traffic emissions are deposited in the close vicinity of roads (up to 10 m, with pollution levels decreasing with increasing distance from the road edge. However, the results of the present study indicate that this distribution is disturbed in areas in which noise barriers are located. Moreover, additional soil enrichment with trace elements was observed at approx. 10-15 m behind the barriers. The spatial distribution of trace elements contents in the tested soil samples corresponded to the magnetic susceptibility values. High Fe, Zn, Mn and Pb levels were observed adjacent to noise barriers composed of sawdust concrete and steel panels.

Are contemporary tourists consuming distance?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Gunvor Riber

2012. Background The background for this research, which explores how tourists represent distance and whether or not distance can be said to be consumed by contemporary tourists, is the increasing leisure mobility of people. Travelling for the purpose of visiting friends and relatives is increasing...... of understanding mobility at a conceptual level, and distance matters to people's manifest mobility: how they travel and how far they travel are central elements of their movements. Therefore leisure mobility (indeed all mobility) is the activity of relating across distance, either through actual corporeal...... metric representation. These representations are the focus for this research. Research Aim and Questions The aim of this research is thus to explore how distance is being represented within the context of leisure mobility. Further the aim is to explore how or whether distance is being consumed...

Terminology report respect distance. The Use of the term respect distance in Posiva and SKB

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lampinen, H.

2007-09-01

The term respect distance is used in some key publications of the Finnish Nuclear Waste Management Company, Posiva, and the Swedish Nuclear Waste Management Company, SKB (Svensk Kaernbrenslehantering). Posiva and SKB researchers use the same terms in their reports, and it is acknowledged that the terms used by both companies are not used in the same way, though the differences are often subtle. This report is a literature study of the term 'respect distance' and the terms immediately associated to it. Vital terms related to the respect distance and issues concerning the use of scale concepts in Posiva and SKB are gathered in the end of report. Posiva's respect distances consider the seismic, hydrological and mechanical properties of the deterministic deformation zones as important issues that constitute a risk for longterm safety. These requirements for respect distances are an interpretation of STUK's YVL 8.4 Guide. At present, Posiva's criteria regarding respect distances follow the instructions given in the Host Rock Classification system (HRC), whereas the size of a deformation zone to which respect distances are applied vary from the regional to local major and minor. This and other criteria that are given for respect distances may, however, change in the near future as Posiva's Rock Suitability Criteria (RSC) programme proceeds. SKB's considerations of respect distances acknowledge that the hydraulic and mechanical aspects of a deformation zone have an effect on the respect distance. However, the seismic risk is considered to overshadow the other effects on a regional scale. The respect distance defined for a deformation zone is coupled with the size of a fracture where secondary slip could occur. In the safety assessment it is assumed that this fracture cuts a deposition hole location. In SKB the respect distance is determined for regional and local major deformation zones. The trace length of such a zone is defined as being ≥ 3 km. For deformation zones

New Maximal Two-distance Sets

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lisonek, Petr

1996-01-01

A two-distance set in E^d is a point set X inthe d-dimensional Euclidean spacesuch that the distances between distinct points in Xassume only two different non-zero values. Based on results from classical distance geometry, we developan algorithm to classify, for a given dimension, all maximal...... (largest possible)two-distance sets in E^d.Using this algorithm we have completed the full classificationfor all dimensions less than or equal to 7, andwe have found one set in E^8 whosemaximality follows from Blokhuis' upper bound on sizes of s-distance sets.While in the dimensions less than or equal to 6...

Distance learning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katarina Pucelj

2006-12-01

Full Text Available I would like to underline the role and importance of knowledge, which is acquired by individuals as a result of a learning process and experience. I have established that a form of learning, such as distance learning definitely contributes to a higher learning quality and leads to innovative, dynamic and knowledgebased society. Knowledge and skills enable individuals to cope with and manage changes, solve problems and also create new knowledge. Traditional learning practices face new circumstances, new and modern technologies appear, which enable quick and quality-oriented knowledge implementation. The centre of learning process at distance learning is to increase the quality of life of citizens, their competitiveness on the workforce market and ensure higher economic growth. Intellectual capital is the one, which represents the biggest capital of each society and knowledge is the key factor for succes of everybody, who are fully aware of this. Flexibility, openness and willingness of people to follow new IT solutions form suitable environment for developing and deciding to take up distance learning.

Managing barriers to empathy in the clinical encounter: a qualitative interview study with GPs.

Science.gov (United States)

Derksen, Frans Awm; Olde Hartman, Tim C; Bensing, Jozien M; Lagro-Janssen, Antoine Lm

2016-12-01

Current daily general practice has become increasingly technical and somatically oriented (where attention to patients' feelings is decreased) due to an increase in protocol-based guidelines. Priorities in GP-patient communication have shifted from a focus on listening and empathy to task-oriented communication. To explore what barriers GPs experience when applying empathy in daily practice, and how these barriers are managed. Thirty Dutch GPs with sufficient heterogeneity in sex, age, type of practice, and rural or urban setting were interviewed. The consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ) were applied. The verbatim transcripts were then analysed. According to participating GPs, the current emphasis on protocol-driven care can be a significant barrier to genuineness in communication. Other potential barriers mentioned were time pressures and constraints, and dealing with patients displaying 'unruly behaviour' or those with personality disorders. GPs indicated that it can be difficult to balance emotional involvement and professional distance. Longer consulting times, smaller practice populations, and efficient practice organisation were described as practical solutions. In order to focus on a patient-as-person approach, GPs strongly suggested that deviating from guidelines should be possible when necessary as an element of good-quality care. Joining intercollegiate counselling groups was also discussed. In addition to practical solutions for barriers to behaving empathically, GPs indicated that they needed more freedom to balance working with protocols and guidelines, as well as a patient-as-person and patient-as-partner approach. This balance is necessary to remain connected with patients and to deliver care that is truly personal. © British Journal of General Practice 2016.

Electron transfer in organic glass. Distance and energy dependence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krongauz, V.V.

1992-01-01

The authors have investigated the distance and energy dependence of electron transfer in rigid organic glasses containing randomly dispersed electron donor and electron acceptor molecules. Pulsed radiolysis by an electron beam from a linear accelerator was used for ionization resulting in charge deposition on donor molecules. The disappearance kinetics of donor radical anions due to electron transfer to acceptor was monitored spectroscopically by the change in optical density at the wavelength corresponding to that of donor radical anion absorbance. It was found that the rate of the electron transfer observed experimentally was higher than that computed using the Marcus-Levich theory assuming that the electron-transfer activation barrier is equal to the binding energy of electron on the donor molecule. This discrepancy between the experimental and computed results suggests that the open-quotes inertclose quotes media in which electron-transfer reaction takes place may be participating in the process, resulting in experimentally observed higher electron-transfer rates. 32 refs., 3 figs., 2 tabs

Recalque originário, gênero e sofrimento psíquico Recalque originario, género y sufrimiento psíquico Originary repression, gender and psychic suffering

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Felippe Figueiredo Lattanzio

2012-09-01

Full Text Available São propostas, neste artigo, articulações entre o recalque originário, compreendido desde a teoria da sedução generalizada de Jean Laplanche, e o conceito de gênero. O enfoque principal será o papel da alteridade na formação do conflito psíquico em suas relações com o gênero, o sexo e a identificação. Por essas articulações, procura-se demonstrar como o conceito de gênero ocupa lugar fundamental dentro da metapsicologia psicanalítica. Em seguida, serão exploradas as vicissitudes que a identidade de gênero pode vir a assumir na masculinidade e na feminilidade, procurando entender a especificidade do sofrimento psíquico ligado a cada uma dessas categorias.Se proponen, en el presente artículo, articulaciones entre el recalque originario, comprendido a partir de la teoría de la seducción generalizada de Jean Laplanche, y el concepto de género. El enfoque principal será el rol de la alteridad en la formación del conflicto psíquico, en sus relaciones con el género, el sexo y la identificación. A partir de esas articulaciones, se buscará demostrar cómo el concepto de género ocupa un lugar fundamental en la metapsicología psicoanalítica. Posteriormente, se explorará las vicisitudes que la identificación de género puede asumir en la masculinidad y en la femineidad, buscando entender la especificidad del sufrimiento psíquico ligado a cada una de esas categorías.From Jean Laplanche's theory of general seduction, articulations between primal repression and gender are proposed in the present article. The main focus will be the role of otherness in the formation of psychic conflict, especially in its relations to gender, sex and identification. From these articulations, we will aim to demonstrate how the concept of gender occupies a fundamental place in psychoanalytical metapsychology. Next, the vicissitudes that gender identity can assume both in masculinity and femininity will be explored, bringing forth an

Fast Exact Euclidean Distance (FEED): A new class of adaptable distance transforms

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schouten, Theo E.; van den Broek, Egon

2014-01-01

A new unique class of foldable distance transforms of digital images (DT) is introduced, baptized: Fast Exact Euclidean Distance (FEED) transforms. FEED class algorithms calculate the DT starting directly from the definition or rather its inverse. The principle of FEED class algorithms is

Fast Exact Euclidean Distance (FEED) : A new class of adaptable distance transforms

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schouten, Theo E.; van den Broek, Egon L.

2014-01-01

A new unique class of foldable distance transforms of digital images (DT) is introduced, baptized: Fast Exact Euclidean Distance (FEED) transforms. FEED class algorithms calculate the DT startingdirectly from the definition or rather its inverse. The principle of FEED class algorithms is introduced,

Skin barrier function

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2016-01-01

Renowned experts present the latest knowledge Although a very fragile structure, the skin barrier is probably one of the most important organs of the body. Inward/out it is responsible for body integrity and outward/in for keeping microbes, chemicals, and allergens from penetrating the skin. Since...... the role of barrier integrity in atopic dermatitis and the relationship to filaggrin mutations was discovered a decade ago, research focus has been on the skin barrier, and numerous new publications have become available. This book is an interdisciplinary update offering a wide range of information...... on the subject. It covers new basic research on skin markers, including results on filaggrin and on methods for the assessment of the barrier function. Biological variation and aspects of skin barrier function restoration are discussed as well. Further sections are dedicated to clinical implications of skin...

Barriers to Using Nonpharmacologic Approaches and Reducing Opioid Use in Primary Care.

Science.gov (United States)

Giannitrapani, Karleen F; Ahluwalia, Sangeeta C; McCaa, Matthew; Pisciotta, Maura; Dobscha, Steven; Lorenz, Karl A

2017-10-20

Opioid prescribing for chronic pain, including the potential for over-reliance and misuse, is a public health concern. In the context of Veterans Administration (VA) primary care team-based pain management, we aimed to understand providers' perceptions of barriers to reducing opioid use and improving the use of nonpharmacologic pain management therapies (NPTs) for chronic pain. A semistructured interview elucidated provider experiences with assessing and managing pain. Emergent themes were mapped to known dimensions of VA primary care access. Informants included 60 primary care providers, registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, clerks, psychologists, and social workers at two VA Medical Centers. Nine multidisciplinary focus groups. Provider perceptions of barriers to reducing opioids and improving use of NPTs for patients with chronic pain clustered around availability and access. Barriers to NPT access included the following subthemes: geographical (patient distance from service), financial (out-of-pocket cost to patient), temporal (treatment time delays), cultural (belief that NPTs increased provider workload, perception of insufficient training on NPTs, perceptions of patient resistance to change, confrontation avoidance, and insufficient leadership support), and digital (measure used for pain assessment, older patients hesitant to use technology, providers overwhelmed by information). Decreasing reliance on opioids for chronic pain requires a commitment to local availability and provider-facing strategies that increase efficacy in prescribing NPTs. Policies and interventions for decreasing utilization of opioids and increasing use of NPTs should comprehensively consider access barriers. 2017 American Academy of Pain Medicine. This work is written by US Government employees and is in the public domain in the US.

Layout designs of surface barrier coatings for boosting the capability of oxygen/vapor obstruction utilized in flexible electronics

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Chang-Chun; Huang, Pei-Chen; He, Jing-Yan

2018-04-01

Organic light-emitting diode-based flexible and rollable displays have become a promising candidate for next-generation flexible electronics. For this reason, the design of surface multi-layered barriers should be optimized to enhance the long-term mechanical reliability of a flexible encapsulation that prevents the penetration of oxygen and vapor. In this study, finite element-based stress simulation was proposed to estimate the mechanical reliability of gas/vapor barrier design with low-k/silicon nitride (low-k/SiNx) stacking architecture. Consequently, stress-induced failure of critical thin films within the flexible display under various bending conditions must be considered. The feasibility of one pair SiO2/SiNx barrier design, which overcomes the complex lamination process, and the critical bending radius, which is decreased to 1.22 mm, were also examined. In addition, the influence of distance between neutral axes to the concerned layer surface dominated the induced-stress magnitude rather than the stress compliant mechanism provided from stacked low-k films.

Distance covariance for stochastic processes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Matsui, Muneya; Mikosch, Thomas Valentin; Samorodnitsky, Gennady

2017-01-01

The distance covariance of two random vectors is a measure of their dependence. The empirical distance covariance and correlation can be used as statistical tools for testing whether two random vectors are independent. We propose an analog of the distance covariance for two stochastic processes...

EVALUATION OF AMENDMENTS FOR MENDING THE INSITU REDOX MANIPULATION (ISRM) BARRIER

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

PETERSEN, S.W.

2006-02-07

In May of 2004, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Richland and Fluor Hanford requested technical assistance from DOE Headquarters EM-23 to provide a team of technical experts to evaluate likely chemical/biological amendments for mending the In Situ Redox Manipulation (ISRM) Barrier in the 100-D Area of the Hanford Site. This request was a follow-on to an earlier request for assistance regarding the cause of chromium (Cr) breakthrough and recommendations for mending the barrier (March 2004 workshop). This report provides written documentation of the team's findings and recommendations. In 1995, a plume of dissolved hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] was discovered along the Columbia River shoreline and in the 100-D Area. Between 1999 and 2003, a reactive barrier using the ISRM technology, was installed at a distance of 680 meters along the river to reduce the Cr(VI) in the groundwater. The ISRM technology creates a treatment zone within the aquifer by injection of sodium dithionite, a strong reducing agent that scavenges dissolved oxygen (DO) from the aquifer and reduces ferric iron [Fe(III)], related metals, and oxy-ions. Bench-scale and field-scale treatability tests were conducted to demonstrate proof-of principle and to estimate barrier longevity, calculated to be in excess of twenty years. However, several years after initial and secondary treatment, groundwater in approximately 17 wells has been found to contain elevated Cr concentrations. The March 2004 technical assistance team (TAT) identified potential causes of Cr breakthrough as likely related to physical and chemical heterogeneity within the aquifer (including loss of reductive capacity within preferential flow paths) and the presence of other oxidants (DO and nitrate) significantly affecting the reductive capacity of the treated aquifer. These aquifer characteristics may limit the ability of alternative amendments to extend the reducing capacity of the barrier. A 2001 Bechtel Hanford report and

Managing Time, Workload and Costs in Distance Education: Findings from a Literature Review of "Distances et Médiations des Savoirs" (Formerly "Distances et Savoirs")

Science.gov (United States)

Moeglin, Pierre; Vidal, Martine

2015-01-01

The purpose of this review, spanning over 12 years of publication of "Distances et Médiations des Savoirs" ("DMS"), formerly "Distance et Savoirs" ("DMS") (2003-2014), is guided by the question why and how French-speaking researchers addressed the issues of time, workload and costs in distance learning, and…

ETHICAL ISSUES IN OPEN AND DISTANCE EDUCATION WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO EXPECTATIONS AND REALITY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. N. Vikram RAJ URS

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Education is intimately connected with ethics, because holistically speaking education is more than simply passing examinations and acquiring degrees. Education is character building and life long learning. Savants and philosophers throughout the history of humankind have borne testimony to this aspect of education. Today, there is a great deal of emphasis on continuous and life long learning which implies that education is a continual learning process and not merely relegated to certification. Our experience in the field of distance education indicates that the profile of distance learners varies, cutting across barriers of gender, class and caste. The distance learner may be suffering from a sense of isolation as he/she makes a return to study after a gap of time or while working. It is there that the distance educator makes a positive, ethical and interventionist role by helping the student to learn beyond the stereotypical classroom situation and can act effectively as the friend, philosopher and guide of the learner. Thus practicing what you preach is the moto of ethics in distance. Some of the more important ethical concerns associated with open and distance learning are not those that may be faced by learners. Instead, the challenges faced by those that design ODL or use it in their teaching can be seen as increasingly important. These challenges include globalization, which has emphasized instrumental rather than social aims of education, and the use of cognitive rather than affective pedagogies. For ODL designers and teachers, this has resulted in a concentration on cognitive tasks and market-driven aspects of open and distance learning at the expense of the social harmony that might otherwise be achieved. The overarching ethical concern for ODL practitioners should be to implement an appropriate pedagogy that will satisfy both instrumental and social aims. While this can be achieved, in part, through the use of the pedagogies outlined

Critical Points in Distance Learning System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Airina Savickaitė

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Purpose – This article presents the results of distance learning system analysis, i.e. the critical elements of the distance learning system. The critical points of distance learning are a part of distance education online environment interactivity/community process model. The most important is the fact that the critical point is associated with distance learning participants. Design/methodology/approach – Comparative review of articles and analysis of distance learning module. Findings – A modern man is a lifelong learner and distance learning is a way to be a modern person. The focus on a learner and feedback is the most important thing of learning distance system. Also, attention should be paid to the lecture-appropriate knowledge and ability to convey information. Distance system adaptation is the way to improve the learner’s learning outcomes. Research limitations/implications – Different learning disciplines and learning methods may have different critical points. Practical implications – The information of analysis could be important for both lecturers and students, who studies distance education systems. There are familiar critical points which may deteriorate the quality of learning. Originality/value – The study sought to develop remote systems for applications in order to improve the quality of knowledge. Keywords: distance learning, process model, critical points. Research type: review of literature and general overview.

Perceived barriers to pediatrician and family practitioner participation in pediatric clinical trials: Findings from the Clinical Trials Transformation Initiative.

Science.gov (United States)

Greenberg, Rachel G; Corneli, Amy; Bradley, John; Farley, John; Jafri, Hasan S; Lin, Li; Nambiar, Sumathi; Noel, Gary J; Wheeler, Chris; Tiernan, Rosemary; Smith, P Brian; Roberts, Jamie; Benjamin, Daniel K

2018-03-01

Despite legislation to stimulate pediatric drug development through clinical trials, enrolling children in trials continues to be challenging. Non-investigator (those who have never served as a clinical trial investigator) providers are essential to recruitment of pediatric patients, but little is known regarding the specific barriers that limit pediatric providers from participating in and referring their patients to clinical trials. We conducted an online survey of pediatric providers from a wide variety of practice types across the United States to evaluate their attitudes and awareness of pediatric clinical trials. Using a 4-point Likert scale, providers described their perception of potential barriers to their practice serving as a site for pediatric clinical trials. Of the 136 providers surveyed, 52/136 (38%) had previously referred a pediatric patient to a trial, and only 17/136 (12%) had ever been an investigator for a pediatric trial. Lack of awareness of existing pediatric trials was a major barrier to patient referral by providers, in addition to consideration of trial risks, distance to the site, and time needed to discuss trial participation with parents. Overall, providers perceived greater challenges related to parental concerns and parent or child logistical barriers than study implementation and ethics or regulatory barriers as barriers to their practice serving as a trial site. Providers who had previously been an investigator for a pediatric trial were less likely to be concerned with potential barriers than non-investigators. Understanding the barriers that limit pediatric providers from collaboration or inhibit their participation is key to designing effective interventions to optimize pediatric trial participation.

Mechanisms of oxygen permeation through plastic films and barrier coatings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilski, Stefan; Wipperfürth, Jens; Jaritz, Montgomery; Kirchheim, Dennis; Dahlmann, Rainer; Hopmann, Christian; Mitschker, Felix; Awakowicz, Peter

2017-01-01

Oxygen and water vapour permeation through plastic films in food packaging or other applications with high demands on permeation are prevented by inorganic barrier films. Most of the permeation occurs through small defects (<3 µ m) in the barrier coating. The defects were visualized by etching with reactive oxygen in a capacitively coupled plasma and subsequent SEM imaging. In this work, defects in SiO x -coatings deposited by plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) are investigated and the mass transport through the polymer is simulated in a 3D approach. Calculations of single defects showed that there is no linear correlation between the defect area and the resulting permeability. The influence of adjacent defects in different distances was observed and led to flow reduction functions depending on the defect spacing and defect area. A critical defect spacing where no interaction between defects occurs was found and compared to other findings. According to the superposition principle, the permeability of single defects was added up and compared to experimentally determined oxygen permeation. The results showed the same trend of decreasing permeability with decreasing defect densities. (paper)

Connecting long distance: semantic distance in analogical reasoning modulates frontopolar cortex activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Green, Adam E; Kraemer, David J M; Fugelsang, Jonathan A; Gray, Jeremy R; Dunbar, Kevin N

2010-01-01

Solving problems often requires seeing new connections between concepts or events that seemed unrelated at first. Innovative solutions of this kind depend on analogical reasoning, a relational reasoning process that involves mapping similarities between concepts. Brain-based evidence has implicated the frontal pole of the brain as important for analogical mapping. Separately, cognitive research has identified semantic distance as a key characteristic of the kind of analogical mapping that can support innovation (i.e., identifying similarities across greater semantic distance reveals connections that support more innovative solutions and models). However, the neural substrates of semantically distant analogical mapping are not well understood. Here, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to measure brain activity during an analogical reasoning task, in which we parametrically varied the semantic distance between the items in the analogies. Semantic distance was derived quantitatively from latent semantic analysis. Across 23 participants, activity in an a priori region of interest (ROI) in left frontopolar cortex covaried parametrically with increasing semantic distance, even after removing effects of task difficulty. This ROI was centered on a functional peak that we previously associated with analogical mapping. To our knowledge, these data represent a first empirical characterization of how the brain mediates semantically distant analogical mapping.

Geophysical characterization of subsurface barriers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borns, D.J.

1995-08-01

An option for controlling contaminant migration from plumes and buried waste sites is to construct a subsurface barrier of a low-permeability material. The successful application of subsurface barriers requires processes to verify the emplacement and effectiveness of barrier and to monitor the performance of a barrier after emplacement. Non destructive and remote sensing techniques, such as geophysical methods, are possible technologies to address these needs. The changes in mechanical, hydrologic and chemical properties associated with the emplacement of an engineered barrier will affect geophysical properties such a seismic velocity, electrical conductivity, and dielectric constant. Also, the barrier, once emplaced and interacting with the in situ geologic system, may affect the paths along which electrical current flows in the subsurface. These changes in properties and processes facilitate the detection and monitoring of the barrier. The approaches to characterizing and monitoring engineered barriers can be divided between (1) methods that directly image the barrier using the contrasts in physical properties between the barrier and the host soil or rock and (2) methods that reflect flow processes around or through the barrier. For example, seismic methods that delineate the changes in density and stiffness associated with the barrier represents a direct imaging method. Electrical self potential methods and flow probes based on heat flow methods represent techniques that can delineate the flow path or flow processes around and through a barrier

Equivalence of massive propagator distance and mathematical distance on graphs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Filk, T.

1992-01-01

It is shown in this paper that the assignment of distance according to the massive propagator method and according to the mathematical definition (length of minimal path) on arbitrary graphs with a bound on the degree leads to equivalent large scale properties of the graph. Especially, the internal scaling dimension is the same for both definitions. This result holds for any fixed, non-vanishing mass, so that a really inequivalent definition of distance requires the limit m → 0

The impact of distance and a shifting temperature gradient on genetic connectivity across a heterogeneous landscape

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Offord Catherine A

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Inter-population distance and differences in breeding times are barriers to reproduction that can contribute to genotypic differentiation between populations. Temporal changes in environmental conditions and local selective processes can further contribute to the establishment of reproductive barriers. Telopea speciosissima (Proteaceae is an excellent subject for studying the effect of geographic, edaphic and phenological heterogeneity on genotypic differentiation because previous studies show that these factors are correlated with morphological variation. Molecular, morphological and environmental datasets were combined to characterise the relative influence of these factors on inter-population differentiation, and Bayesian analyses were used to investigate current levels of admixture between differentiated genomes. Results A landscape genetic approach involving molecular and morphological analyses identified three endpoints of differentiated population groups: coastal, upland and southern. The southern populations, isolated from the other populations by an edaphic barrier, show low migration and no evidence of admixture with other populations. Amongst the northern populations, coastal and upland populations are connected along a skewed altitudinal gradient by genetically intermediate populations. The strong association between temperature and flowering time in Telopea speciosissima was shown to maintain a temporally unstable reproductive barrier between coastal and upland populations. Conclusions Substrate-mediated allopatry appears to be responsible for long-term genetic isolation of the southern populations. However, the temperature-dependent reproductive barrier between upland and coastal populations bears the genetic signature of temporal adjustments. The extreme climatic events of the last glacial maximum are likely to have caused more complete allochronic isolation between upland and coastal populations, as well as

Language distance and tree reconstruction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petroni, Filippo; Serva, Maurizio

2008-01-01

Languages evolve over time according to a process in which reproduction, mutation and extinction are all possible. This is very similar to haploid evolution for asexual organisms and for the mitochondrial DNA of complex ones. Exploiting this similarity, it is possible, in principle, to verify hypotheses concerning the relationship among languages and to reconstruct their family tree. The key point is the definition of the distances among pairs of languages in analogy with the genetic distances among pairs of organisms. Distances can be evaluated by comparing grammar and/or vocabulary, but while it is difficult, if not impossible, to quantify grammar distance, it is possible to measure a distance from vocabulary differences. The method used by glottochronology computes distances from the percentage of shared 'cognates', which are words with a common historical origin. The weak point of this method is that subjective judgment plays a significant role. Here we define the distance of two languages by considering a renormalized edit distance among words with the same meaning and averaging over the two hundred words contained in a Swadesh list. In our approach the vocabulary of a language is the analogue of DNA for organisms. The advantage is that we avoid subjectivity and, furthermore, reproducibility of results is guaranteed. We apply our method to the Indo-European and the Austronesian groups, considering, in both cases, fifty different languages. The two trees obtained are, in many respects, similar to those found by glottochronologists, with some important differences as regards the positions of a few languages. In order to support these different results we separately analyze the structure of the distances of these languages with respect to all the others

Language distance and tree reconstruction

Science.gov (United States)

Petroni, Filippo; Serva, Maurizio

2008-08-01

Languages evolve over time according to a process in which reproduction, mutation and extinction are all possible. This is very similar to haploid evolution for asexual organisms and for the mitochondrial DNA of complex ones. Exploiting this similarity, it is possible, in principle, to verify hypotheses concerning the relationship among languages and to reconstruct their family tree. The key point is the definition of the distances among pairs of languages in analogy with the genetic distances among pairs of organisms. Distances can be evaluated by comparing grammar and/or vocabulary, but while it is difficult, if not impossible, to quantify grammar distance, it is possible to measure a distance from vocabulary differences. The method used by glottochronology computes distances from the percentage of shared 'cognates', which are words with a common historical origin. The weak point of this method is that subjective judgment plays a significant role. Here we define the distance of two languages by considering a renormalized edit distance among words with the same meaning and averaging over the two hundred words contained in a Swadesh list. In our approach the vocabulary of a language is the analogue of DNA for organisms. The advantage is that we avoid subjectivity and, furthermore, reproducibility of results is guaranteed. We apply our method to the Indo-European and the Austronesian groups, considering, in both cases, fifty different languages. The two trees obtained are, in many respects, similar to those found by glottochronologists, with some important differences as regards the positions of a few languages. In order to support these different results we separately analyze the structure of the distances of these languages with respect to all the others.

A qualitative study of doctors' and nurses' barriers to communicating with seriously ill patients about their dependent children.

Science.gov (United States)

Dencker, Annemarie; Rix, Bo Andreassen; Bøge, Per; Tjørnhøj-Thomsen, Tine

2017-12-01

Research indicates that health personnel caring for seriously ill patients with dependent children aged 0 to 18 years often avoid discussing with them the challenges of being a family with a parent in treatment. Children of seriously ill patients risk serious trauma and emotional difficulty later in life and depend on adult support to minimize these consequences. Patients suffer anxiety about supporting their children during their illness. Because of their potentially pivotal role in supporting patients in enabling parent-child communication, we examined HP's structural and emotional barriers to communicating with patients about their children. The study was based on 49 semi-structured, in-depth interviews with doctors and nurses working with haematology, gynaecological cancer, and neurointensive care. Both interviews and analysis addressed emotional and structural barriers, drawing on the theoretical framework of Maturana's domains. The study found structural barriers (eg, lack of space in the medical recording system, professional code, time pressure, and lack of training) and emotional barriers (eg, the painful nature of the situation and the perceived need of keeping professional distance). We found that emotional barriers tended to grow when structural barriers were not addressed. Our study indicates (1) the need to use templates and manual procedures to gather and process information about children in medical records; (2) the need for managerial backing for addressing children of seriously ill patients and time spent on it; and (3) the need for future HP training programmes to include how to implement procedures and how to address all barriers. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Interactive Distance Learning in Connecticut.

Science.gov (United States)

Pietras, Jesse John; Murphy, Robert J.

This paper provides an overview of distance learning activities in Connecticut and addresses the feasibility of such activities. Distance education programs have evolved from the one dimensional electronic mail systems to the use of sophisticated digital fiber networks. The Middlesex Distance Learning Consortium has developed a long-range plan to…

Motivation in Distance Leaming

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniela Brečko

1996-12-01

Full Text Available It is estimated that motivation is one of the most important psychological functions making it possible for people to leam even in conditions that do not meet their needs. In distance learning, a form of autonomous learning, motivation is of outmost importance. When adopting this method in learning an individual has to stimulate himself and take learning decisions on his or her own. These specific characteristics of distance learning should be taken into account. This all different factors maintaining the motivation of partici­pants in distance learning are to be included. Moreover, motivation in distance learning can be stimulated with specific learning materials, clear instructions and guide-lines, an efficient feed back, personal contact between tutors and parti­cipants, stimulating learning letters, telephone calls, encouraging letters and through maintaining a positive relationship between tutor and participant.

Measuring variation of indoor radon concentration using bare nuclear tracks detectors, scintillation counters and surface barrier detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishak, I.; Mahat, R.H.; Amin, Y.M.

1996-01-01

Bare LRI 15 nuclear track detectors , scintillators counter and surface barrier detectors were used to measured the indoor radon concentration in various location within two rooms. Spatial variation of the radon concentration is caused by positioning of the door, windows, furniture, cracks in the building and also distances from floor, wall and ceiling. It is found that the change in temperature are causing radon concentration to increase at certain time of the day

Machine learning enhanced optical distance sensor

Science.gov (United States)

Amin, M. Junaid; Riza, N. A.

2018-01-01

Presented for the first time is a machine learning enhanced optical distance sensor. The distance sensor is based on our previously demonstrated distance measurement technique that uses an Electronically Controlled Variable Focus Lens (ECVFL) with a laser source to illuminate a target plane with a controlled optical beam spot. This spot with varying spot sizes is viewed by an off-axis camera and the spot size data is processed to compute the distance. In particular, proposed and demonstrated in this paper is the use of a regularized polynomial regression based supervised machine learning algorithm to enhance the accuracy of the operational sensor. The algorithm uses the acquired features and corresponding labels that are the actual target distance values to train a machine learning model. The optimized training model is trained over a 1000 mm (or 1 m) experimental target distance range. Using the machine learning algorithm produces a training set and testing set distance measurement errors of learning. Applications for the proposed sensor include industrial scenario distance sensing where target material specific training models can be generated to realize low <1% measurement error distance measurements.

A Study of the Bolt Connection System for a Concrete Barrier of a Modular Bridge

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Doo-Yong Cho

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Modular technology has been recently studied to reduce the construction periods in the field of bridge construction. However, this method is restricted to the pier, girder, and deck, which are the main members of a bridge, and incidental facilities such as concrete barriers have been rarely studied. Thus, in this study, the connection system of a concrete barrier for modular bridges was developed, and a static loading experiment was performed to verify the structural capacity of the proposed system. The variables of the experiment were the vertical and horizontal bolt connections and the construction method. The barrier and plate were fabricated using match casting methods in which nuts were first inserted into the plates rather than anchor bolts using the conservative method. Moreover, a comparison with the conventional in situ barrier was also performed. The experiments were conducted according to the AASHTO LRFD standard. Consequently, the specimen using the vertical bolt connection had a structural capacity that was equal to 85% of that of the conventional specimen and exhibited similar crack patterns compared with the conventional specimen. In the case of the horizontal bolt connection, the separation in the connection area occurred with the application of the initial load and this specimen exhibited a poor performance because of the increase in the separation distance with the application of the maximum load.

Book Review ~ Supporting Students in Open and Distance Learning. Author: Ormond Simpson

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Reviewed by Ramesh C. Sharma

2002-04-01

Full Text Available The Open and Distance Learning (ODL system has come a long way, emerging as an acceptable mode of extending the outreach of educational opportunities globally, ranging from China with the world’s largest population to Tuvalu with a population of only 11,000. In terms of geographic area, Sharma (1997 reported that ODL institutions are operating in countries large and small, the largest being Russia, to Israel, one of the smallest. In terms of population, Costa Rica boasts of one of the smallest populations served by ODL, whereas China’s ODL system undoubtedly serves the largest. Owing to the diverse nature of demographic variables in terms of placement, job, socio-economic conditions, open university students often find it inconvenient to be physically present in a classroom setting for face-to-face instruction at stipulated times and places. However, to help overcome barriers of time and space, students studying using the distance mode, nonetheless require periodic guidance as well as counseling on academic and non-academic matters. In addition to print materials, students also require administrative, academic and library support services. Quite simply, effective student support helps to increase student retention (Brindley, 1985; Hara and Kling, 1999 and is clearly an indicator of success for any educational institution.

Information barriers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fuller, J.L.; Wolford, J.

2001-01-01

Full text: An information barrier (IB) consists of procedures and technology that prevent the release of sensitive information during a joint inspection of a sensitive nuclear item, and provides confidence that the measurement system into which it has been integrated functions exactly as designed and constructed. Work in the U.S. on radiation detection system information barriers dates back at least to 1990, even though the terminology is more recent. In January 1999 the Joint DoD-DOE Information Barrier Working Group was formed in the United States to help coordinate technical efforts related to information barrier R and D. This paper presents an overview of the efforts of this group, by its Chairs, as well as recommendations for further information barrier R and D. Progress on the demonstration of monitoring systems containing IBs is also provided. From the U.S. perspective, the basic, top-level functional requirements for the information barrier portion of an integrated radiation signature-information barrier inspection system are twofold: The host must be assured that his classified information is protected from disclosure to the inspecting party; and The inspecting party must be confident that the integrated inspection system measures, processes, and presents the radiation-signature-based measurement conclusion in an accurate and reproducible manner. It is the position of the United States that in the absence of any agreement to share classified nuclear weapons design information in the conduct of an inspection regime, the requirement to protect host country classified warhead design information is paramount and admits no tradeoff versus the confidence provided to the inspecting party in the accuracy and reproducibility of the measurements. The U.S. has reached an internal consensus on several critical design elements that define a general standard for radiation signature information barrier design. These criteria have stood the test of time under intense

Tritium/hydrogen barrier development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hollenberg, G.W.; Simonen, E.P.; Kalinen, G.; Terlain, A.

1994-06-01

A review of hydrogen permeation barriers that can be applied to structural metals used in fusion power plants is presented. Both implanted and chemically available hydrogen isotopes must be controlled in fusion plants. The need for permeation barriers appears strongest in Li17-Pb blanket designs, although barriers also appear necessary for other blanket and coolant systems. Barriers that provide greater than a 1000 fold reduction in the permeation of structural metals are desired. In laboratory experiments, aluminide and titanium ceramic coatings provide permeation reduction factors, PRFS, from 1000 to over 100,000 with a wide range of scatter. The rate-controlling mechanism for hydrogen permeation through these barriers may be related to the number and type of defects in the barriers. Although these barriers appear robust and resistant to liquid metal corrosion, irradiation tests which simulate blanket environments result in very low PRFs in comparison to laboratory experiments, i.e., <150. It is anticipated from fundamental research activities that the REID enhancement of hydrogen diffusion in oxides may contribute to the lower permeation reduction factors during in-reactor experiments

Barriers for realisation of energy savings in buildings; Barrierer for realisering af energibesparelser i bygninger

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jensen, O.M.

2004-07-01

Many years' efforts within the energy labelling area have shown large saving potentials in heating and use of electricity in buildings. At the same time it has been proved that these saving potentials, even when economically advantageous, only are cashed to a limited extent. The reason to this is ascribed to barriers that meet the individual building owner who wants to start saving energy. Most barriers are known and a lot of these have been sought overcome for some time. The questions are how many barriers still exist, have new barriers arisen and the character of these barriers. On this background the objective of this survey has been to concretize and study the barriers, which are blocking reasonable energy savings. Focus has especially been on barriers for realisation of heating savings, but through a general evaluation of energy savings of barriers other forms of energy saving methods have been taken into consideration. Special interest has been directed towards houses, typically one family houses, which are affected by the Energy Labelling Scheme. The concept barriers include all kinds of barriers, also barriers that not are acknowledged as barriers by the individual house owner, or that on closer inspection turn out to be something else than actual barriers. This note suggests an alternative inertia model, in order to create an idea of the inertness characteristic of the many house owners who understand the message but fail to act on it. (BA)

Systems study on engineered barriers: barrier performance analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stula, R.T.; Albert, T.E.; Kirstein, B.E.; Lester, D.H.

1980-09-01

A performance assessment model for multiple barrier packages containing unreprocessed spent fuel has been modified and applied to several package designs. The objective of the study was to develop information to be used in programmatic decision making concerning engineered barrier package design and development. The assessment model, BARIER, was developed in previous tasks of the System Study on Engineered Barriers (SSEB). The new version discussed in this report contains a refined and expanded corrosion rate data base which includes pitting, crack growth, and graphitization as well as bulk corrosion. Corrosion rates for oxic and anoxic conditions at each of the two temperature ranges are supplied. Other improvements include a rigorous treatment of radionuclide release after package failure which includes resistance of damaged barriers and backfill, refined temperature calculations that account for convection and radiation, a subroutine to calculate nuclear gamma radiation field at each barrier surface, refined stress calculations with reduced conservatism and various coding improvements to improve running time and core usage. This report also contains discussion of alternative scenarios to the assumed flooded repository as well as the impact of water exclusion backfills. The model was used to assess post repository closure performance for several designs which were all variation of basic designs from the Spent Unreprocessed Fuel (SURF) program. Many designs were found to delay the onset of leaching by at least a few hundreds of years in all geologic media. Long delay times for radionuclide release were found for packages with a few inches of sorption backfill. Release of uranium, plutonium, and americium was assessed

Systems study on engineered barriers: barrier performance analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stula, R.T.; Albert, T.E.; Kirstein, B.E.; Lester, D.H.

1980-09-01

A performance assessment model for multiple barrier packages containing unreprocessed spent fuel has been modified and applied to several package designs. The objective of the study was to develop information to be used in programmatic decision making concerning engineered barrier package design and development. The assessment model, BARIER, was developed in previous tasks of the System Study on Engineered Barriers (SSEB). The new version discussed in this report contains a refined and expanded corrosion rate data base which includes pitting, crack growth, and graphitization as well as bulk corrosion. Corrosion rates for oxic and anoxic conditions at each of the two temperature ranges are supplied. Other improvements include a rigorous treatment of radionuclide release after package failure which includes resistance of damaged barriers and backfill, refined temperature calculations that account for convection and radiation, a subroutine to calculate nuclear gamma radiation field at each barrier surface, refined stress calculations with reduced conservatism and various coding improvements to improve running time and core usage. This report also contains discussion of alternative scenarios to the assumed flooded repository as well as the impact of water exclusion backfills. The model was used to assess post repository closure performance for several designs which were all variation of basic designs from the Spent Unreprocessed Fuel (SURF) program. Many designs were found to delay the onset of leaching by at least a few hundreds of years in all geologic media. Long delay times for radionuclide release were found for packages with a few inches of sorption backfill. Release of uranium, plutonium, and americium was assessed.

Barrier penetration database

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fainberg, A.; Bieber, A.M. Jr.

1978-11-01

This document is intended to supply the NRC and nuclear power plant licensees with basic data on the times required to penetrate forcibly the types of barriers commonly found in nuclear plants. These times are necessary for design and evaluation of the physical protection system required under 10CFR73.55. Each barrier listed is described in detail. Minor variations in basic barrier construction that result in the same penetration time, are also described

Rural New Zealand health professionals' perceived barriers to greater use of the internet for learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Janes, Ron; Arroll, Bruce; Buetow, Stephen; Coster, Gregor; McCormick, Ross; Hague, Iain

2005-01-01

The purpose of this research was to investigate rural North Island (New Zealand) health professionals' attitudes and perceived barriers to using the internet for ongoing professional learning. A cross-sectional postal survey of all rural North Island GPs, practice nurses and pharmacists was conducted in mid-2003. The questionnaire contained both quantitative and qualitative questions. The transcripts from two open questions requiring written answers were analysed for emergent themes, which are reported here. The first open question asked: 'Do you have any comments on the questionnaire, learning, computers or the Internet?' The second open question asked those who had taken a distance-learning course using the internet to list positive and negative aspects of their course, and suggest improvements. Out of 735 rural North Island health professionals surveyed, 430 returned useable questionnaires (a response rate of 59%). Of these, 137 answered the question asking for comments on learning, computers and the internet. Twenty-eight individuals who had completed a distance-learning course using the internet, provided written responses to the second question. Multiple barriers to greater use of the internet were identified. They included lack of access to computers, poor availability of broadband (fast) internet access, lack of IT skills/knowledge, lack of time, concerns about IT costs and database security, difficulty finding quality information, lack of time, energy or motivation to learn new skills, competing priorities (eg family), and a preference for learning modalities which include more social interaction. Individuals also stated that rural health professionals needed to engage the technology, because it provided rapid, flexible access from home or work to a significant health information resource, and would save money and travelling time to urban-based education. In mid-2003, there were multiple barriers to rural North Island health professionals making greater

Long-distance calls in Neotropical primates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oliveira Dilmar A.G.

2004-01-01

Full Text Available Long-distance calls are widespread among primates. Several studies concentrate on such calls in just one or in few species, while few studies have treated more general trends within the order. The common features that usually characterize these vocalizations are related to long-distance propagation of sounds. The proposed functions of primate long-distance calls can be divided into extragroup and intragroup ones. Extragroup functions relate to mate defense, mate attraction or resource defense, while intragroup functions involve group coordination or alarm. Among Neotropical primates, several species perform long-distance calls that seem more related to intragroup coordination, markedly in atelines. Callitrichids present long-distance calls that are employed both in intragroup coordination and intergroup contests or spacing. Examples of extragroup directed long-distance calls are the duets of titi monkeys and the roars and barks of howler monkeys. Considerable complexity and gradation exist in the long-distance call repertoires of some Neotropical primates, and female long-distance calls are probably more important in non-duetting species than usually thought. Future research must focus on larger trends in the evolution of primate long-distance calls, including the phylogeny of calling repertoires and the relationships between form and function in these signals.

Robustness of Distance-to-Default

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jessen, Cathrine; Lando, David

2013-01-01

Distance-to-default is a remarkably robust measure for ranking firms according to their risk of default. The ranking seems to work despite the fact that the Merton model from which the measure is derived produces default probabilities that are far too small when applied to real data. We use...... simulations to investigate the robustness of the distance-to-default measure to different model specifications. Overall we find distance-to-default to be robust to a number of deviations from the simple Merton model that involve different asset value dynamics and different default triggering mechanisms....... A notable exception is a model with stochastic volatility of assets. In this case both the ranking of firms and the estimated default probabilities using distance-to-default perform significantly worse. We therefore propose a volatility adjustment of the distance-to-default measure, that significantly...

Athabasca University: Conversion from Traditional Distance Education to Online Courses, Programs and Services

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alan Davis

2001-01-01

Full Text Available In its 30 years of operation, Athabasca University has witnessed the full impact of the growth of online distance education. Its conversion from mixed media course production and telephone/ mail tutoring to a variety of electronic information and communication technologies has been heterogeneous across disciplines and programs. Undergraduate programs in business, computing, and some social science programs have largely led the conversion, and all graduate programs have, since their inception, employed various features of online delivery. The parallel conversion of student services has been equally important to the effectiveness of these processes. The implications of this approach for the quality of offerings, support systems, costing, and the primary mandate of the University (which is to remove barriers, not create them are discussed.

Flight distance of mosquitoes (Culicidae): A metadata analysis to support the management of barrier zones around rewetted and newly constructed wetlands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verdonschot, P.F.M.; Besse-Lototskaya, A.A.

2013-01-01

Society responds to changes in climate and land use via mitigation measures, including rainwater retention and storage in rewetted and newly constructed wetlands. Humans living close to these wetlands express concerns about future mosquito nuisance situations, and request the necessary distance

Distance Education in Technological Age

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R .C. SHARMA

2005-04-01

Full Text Available Distance Education in Technological AgeRomesh Verma (Editor, New Delhi: Anmol Publications, 2005, ISBN 81-261-2210-2, pp. 419 Reviewed by R C SHARMARegional DirectorIndira Gandhi National Open University-INDIA The advancements in information and communication technologies have brought significant changes in the way the open and distance learning are provided to the learners. The impact of such changes is quite visible in both developed and developing countries. Switching over to online mode, joining hands with private initiatives and making a presence in foreign waters, are some of the hallmarks of the open and distance education (ODE institutions in developing countries. The compilation of twenty six essays on themes as applicable to ODE has resulted in the book, “Distance Education in Technological Age”. These essays follow a progressive style of narration, starting from describing conceptual framework of distance education, how the distance education was emerged on the global scene and in India, and then goes on to discuss emergence of online distance education and research aspects in ODE. The initial four chapters provide a detailed account of historical development and growth of distance education in India and State Open University and National Open University Model in India . Student support services are pivot to any distance education and much of its success depends on how well the support services are provided. These are discussed from national and international perspective. The issues of collaborative learning, learning on demand, life long learning, learning-unlearning and re-learning model and strategic alliances have also given due space by the authors. An assortment of technologies like communication technology, domestic technology, information technology, mass media and entertainment technology, media technology and educational technology give an idea of how these technologies are being adopted in the open universities. The study

Design of engineered sorbent barriers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jones, E.O.; Freeman, H.D.

1988-01-01

A sorbent barrier uses sorbent material such as activated carbon or natural zeolites to prevent the migration of radionuclides from a low-level waste site to the aquifer. The sorbent barrier retards the movement of radioactive contaminants, thereby providing time for the radionuclides to decay. Sorbent barriers can be a simple, effective, and inexpensive method for reducing the migration of radionuclides to the environment. Designing a sorbent barrier consists of using soil and sorbent material properties and site conditions as input to a model which will determine the necessary sorbent barrier thickness to meet contaminant limits. The paper covers the following areas: techniques for measuring sorption properties of barrier materials and underlying soils, use of a radionuclide transport model to determine the required barrier thickness and performance under a variety of site conditions, and cost estimates for applying the barrier

Improved Iris Recognition through Fusion of Hamming Distance and Fragile Bit Distance.

Science.gov (United States)

Hollingsworth, Karen P; Bowyer, Kevin W; Flynn, Patrick J

2011-12-01

The most common iris biometric algorithm represents the texture of an iris using a binary iris code. Not all bits in an iris code are equally consistent. A bit is deemed fragile if its value changes across iris codes created from different images of the same iris. Previous research has shown that iris recognition performance can be improved by masking these fragile bits. Rather than ignoring fragile bits completely, we consider what beneficial information can be obtained from the fragile bits. We find that the locations of fragile bits tend to be consistent across different iris codes of the same eye. We present a metric, called the fragile bit distance, which quantitatively measures the coincidence of the fragile bit patterns in two iris codes. We find that score fusion of fragile bit distance and Hamming distance works better for recognition than Hamming distance alone. To our knowledge, this is the first and only work to use the coincidence of fragile bit locations to improve the accuracy of matches.

Barrier Data Base user's guide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Worrell, R.B.; Gould, D.J.; Wall, D.W.

1977-06-01

A special purpose data base for physical security barriers has been developed. In addition to barriers, the entities accommodated by the Barrier Data Base (BDB) include threats and references. A threat is established as a configuration of people and equipment which has been employed to penetrate (or attempt to penetrate) a barrier. References are used to cite publications pertinent to the barriers and threats in the data base. Utilization and maintenance of the Barrier Data Base is achieved with LIST, QUERY, ENTER, DELETE, and CHANGE commands which are used to manipulate the data base entities

Partial distance correlation with methods for dissimilarities

OpenAIRE

Székely, Gábor J.; Rizzo, Maria L.

2014-01-01

Distance covariance and distance correlation are scalar coefficients that characterize independence of random vectors in arbitrary dimension. Properties, extensions, and applications of distance correlation have been discussed in the recent literature, but the problem of defining the partial distance correlation has remained an open question of considerable interest. The problem of partial distance correlation is more complex than partial correlation partly because the squared distance covari...

"Willing but unwilling": attitudinal barriers to adoption of home-based health information technology among older adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Young, Rachel; Willis, Erin; Cameron, Glen; Geana, Mugur

2014-06-01

While much research focuses on adoption of electronic health-care records and other information technology among health-care providers, less research explores patient attitudes. This qualitative study examines barriers to adoption of home-based health information technology, particularly personal electronic health records, among older adults. We conducted in-depth interviews (30-90 min duration) with 35 American adults, aged 46-72 years, to determine their perceptions of and attitudes toward home-based health information technology. Analysis of interview data revealed that most barriers to adoption fell under four themes: technological discomfort, privacy or security concerns, lack of relative advantage, and perceived distance from the user representation. Based on our findings, systems to promote home-based health information technology should incorporate familiar computer applications, alleviate privacy and security concerns, and align with older adults' active and engaged self-image.

Making Distance Visible: Assembling Nearness in an Online Distance Learning Programme

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jen Ross

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Online distance learners are in a particularly complex relationship with the educational institutions they belong to (Bayne, Gallagher, & Lamb, 2012. For part-time distance students, arrivals and departures can be multiple and invisible as students take courses, take breaks, move into independent study phases of a programme, find work or family commitments overtaking their study time, experience personal upheaval or loss, and find alignments between their professional and academic work. These comings and goings indicate a fluid and temporary assemblage of engagement, not a permanent or stable state of either “presence” or “distance”. This paper draws from interview data from the “New Geographies of Learning” project, a research project exploring the notions of space and institution for the MSc in Digital Education at the University of Edinburgh, and from literature on distance learning and online community. The concept of nearness emerged from the data analyzing the comings and goings of students on a fully online programme. It proposes that “nearness” to a distance programme is a temporary assemblage of people, circumstances, and technologies. This state is difficult to establish and impossible to sustain in an uninterrupted way over the long period of time that many are engaged in part-time study. Interruptions and subsequent returns should therefore be seen as normal in the practice of studying as an online distance learner, and teachers and institutions should work to help students develop resilience in negotiating various states of nearness. Four strategies for increasing this resilience are proposed: recognising nearness as effortful; identifying affinities; valuing perspective shifts; and designing openings.

Design of engineered sorbent barriers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jones, E.O.; Freeman, H.D.

1988-08-01

A sorbent barrier uses sorbent material such as activated carbon or natural zeolites to prevent the migration of radionuclides from a low-level waste site to the aquifer. The sorbent barrier retards the movement of radioactive contaminants, thereby providing time for the radionuclides to decay. Sorbent barriers can be a simple, effective, and inexpensive method for reducing the migration of radionuclides to the environment. Designing a sorbent barrier consists of using soil and sorbent material properties and site conditions as input to a model which will determine the necessary sorbent barrier thickness to meet contaminant limits. The paper will cover the following areas: techniques for measuring sorption properties of barrier materials and underlying soils, use of a radionuclide transport model to determine the required barrier thickness and performance under a variety of site conditions, and cost estimates for applying the barrier. 8 refs., 6 figs., 1 tab

The Barriers to Millennials Visiting Rouge Urban National Park

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gillian Ramsay

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Intensified urbanization has led to more populated cities and less green spaces which are vital to community health, wellbeing and conservation. Rouge Urban National Park in Toronto has recently become Canada’s first urban national park. This park is ideally suited to the millennial population, offering outdoor recreation and green space that this growing market generally desires. There is, however, a lack of research into visitor motivations to urban parks and more specifically millennial motivations. Findings from 280 quantitative surveys found three main barriers to visiting the Urban National Park: distance, transportation, and awareness. The lack of public transport combined with road congestion and fewer millennials owning cars creates issues with accessibility. Poor branding and knowledge through electronic media creates low awareness within a demographic market so tied to technology.

Distance labeling schemes for trees

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Alstrup, Stephen; Gørtz, Inge Li; Bistrup Halvorsen, Esben

2016-01-01

We consider distance labeling schemes for trees: given a tree with n nodes, label the nodes with binary strings such that, given the labels of any two nodes, one can determine, by looking only at the labels, the distance in the tree between the two nodes. A lower bound by Gavoille et al. [Gavoille...... variants such as, for example, small distances in trees [Alstrup et al., SODA, 2003]. We improve the known upper and lower bounds of exact distance labeling by showing that 1/4 log2(n) bits are needed and that 1/2 log2(n) bits are sufficient. We also give (1 + ε)-stretch labeling schemes using Theta...

Risk Factors Related To The Psychic Suffering In Women In Pre And Post-Natal Accompanied By An Institution Of Philanthropic Pernambuco State

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liniker Scolfild Rodrigues da Silva

2017-07-01

Full Text Available This article aims to identify the prevalence of women who present risk for psychological distress in the pre- and postnatal period. A descriptive, exploratory study was conducted with a quantitative data approach, a study carried out at the pre and postnatal health outpatient clinic of IMIP - Instituto de Medicina Integral Prof. Fernando Figueira, Recife (PE. We used instruments such as the Sociodemographic Data Survey Questionnaire, the Puerperal Pregnancy Cycle Questionnaire Questionnaire, and the Psychiatric Morbidity Questionnaire in Adults (QMPA with 775 women, of whom 450 were pregnant and 325 were women who had given birth in the period of August / October 2014, After approval of the Ethics and Research Committee (CEP of IMIP, under the number of CAEE: 30991314.9.0000.5201. The study showed that, in prenatal care, 48% (216 of the cases presented a risk for psychological distress; And in the postnatal period, 47% (152. It was possible to identify psychic suffering in the majority of women, and they often go unnoticed by the professionals who assist them. The knowledge of the risk factors, triggers and symptoms during the pregnancy-puerperal cycle, makes the mental diagnosis more efficient, thus providing a safer and more peaceful pregnancy for mother-child-family. Keywords: Women’s Health; Mental Health; Stress Psychological; Risk Factors.

Hanford protective barriers program: Status of asphalt barrier studies - FY 1989

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Freeman, H.D.; Gee, G.W.

1989-11-01

The Hanford Protective Barrier Program is evaluating alternate barriers to provide a means of meeting stringent water infiltration requirements. One type of alternate barrier being considered is an asphalt-based layer, 1.3 to 15 cm thick. Evaluations of these barriers were initiated in FY 1988, and, based on laboratory studies, two asphalt formulations were selected for further testing in small-tube lysimeters: a hot rubberized asphalt and an admixture of cationic asphalt emulsion and concrete sand containing 24 wt% residual asphalt. Eight lysimeters containing asphalt seals were installed as part of the Small Tube Lysimeter Test Facility on the Hanford Site. Two control lysimeters containing Hanford sand with a surface gravel treatment were also installed for comparison. 5 refs., 13 figs., 1 tab

Tracking frequency laser distance gauge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Phillips, J.D.; Reasenberg, R.D.

2005-01-01

Advanced astronomical missions with greatly enhanced resolution and physics missions of unprecedented accuracy will require laser distance gauges of substantially improved performance. We describe a laser gauge, based on Pound-Drever-Hall locking, in which the optical frequency is adjusted to maintain an interferometer's null condition. This technique has been demonstrated with pm performance. Automatic fringe hopping allows it to track arbitrary distance changes. The instrument is intrinsically free of the nm-scale cyclic bias present in traditional (heterodyne) high-precision laser gauges. The output is a radio frequency, readily measured to sufficient accuracy. The laser gauge has operated in a resonant cavity, which improves precision, can suppress the effects of misalignments, and makes possible precise automatic alignment. The measurement of absolute distance requires little or no additional hardware, and has also been demonstrated. The proof-of-concept version, based on a stabilized HeNe laser and operating on a 0.5 m path, has achieved 10 pm precision with 0.1 s integration time, and 0.1 mm absolute distance accuracy. This version has also followed substantial distance changes as fast as 16 mm/s. We show that, if the precision in optical frequency is a fixed fraction of the linewidth, both incremental and absolute distance precision are independent of the distance measured. We discuss systematic error sources, and present plans for a new version of the gauge based on semiconductor lasers and fiber-coupled components

ADULT LEARNERS IN DISTANCE HIGHER EDUCATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

NORICA-FELICIA BUCUR

2012-05-01

Full Text Available This paper attempts at identifying the main features that characterize distance higher education and adult education, respectively, in order to be able to establish to what extent adult learners can fit in distance higher education programs. The historical background of distance learning education, the factors that influence adult learners, and distance learning’s key objectives, effects, issues, advantages, and disadvantages are to be briefly investigated in order to reach the purpose of this paper. Recent developments in Information Technology have led to a new approach to teaching and learning, especially as far as adult learning and distance learning are concerned. Thus, this study will also focus on the consequences of using technology for course design, delivery, and the perception of adult learners participating in distance learning.

Distance and Cable Length Measurement System

Science.gov (United States)

Hernández, Sergio Elias; Acosta, Leopoldo; Toledo, Jonay

2009-01-01

A simple, economic and successful design for distance and cable length detection is presented. The measurement system is based on the continuous repetition of a pulse that endlessly travels along the distance to be detected. There is a pulse repeater at both ends of the distance or cable to be measured. The endless repetition of the pulse generates a frequency that varies almost inversely with the distance to be measured. The resolution and distance or cable length range could be adjusted by varying the repetition time delay introduced at both ends and the measurement time. With this design a distance can be measured with centimeter resolution using electronic system with microsecond resolution, simplifying classical time of flight designs which require electronics with picosecond resolution. This design was also applied to position measurement. PMID:22303169

Distance Education in Entwicklungslandern.

Science.gov (United States)

German Foundation for International Development, Bonn (West Germany).

Seminar and conference reports and working papers on distance education of adults, which reflect the experiences of many countries, are presented. Contents include the draft report of the 1979 International Seminar on Distance Education held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, which was jointly sponsored by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa…

Distance sampling methods and applications

CERN Document Server

Buckland, S T; Marques, T A; Oedekoven, C S

2015-01-01

In this book, the authors cover the basic methods and advances within distance sampling that are most valuable to practitioners and in ecology more broadly. This is the fourth book dedicated to distance sampling. In the decade since the last book published, there have been a number of new developments. The intervening years have also shown which advances are of most use. This self-contained book covers topics from the previous publications, while also including recent developments in method, software and application. Distance sampling refers to a suite of methods, including line and point transect sampling, in which animal density or abundance is estimated from a sample of distances to detected individuals. The book illustrates these methods through case studies; data sets and computer code are supplied to readers through the book’s accompanying website.  Some of the case studies use the software Distance, while others use R code. The book is in three parts.  The first part addresses basic methods, the ...

Anxiety and Resistance in Distance Learning

OpenAIRE

Nazime Tuncay; Huseyin Uzunboylu

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate students' anxiety and resistance towards learning through distance education.Specifically, the study sought answers to the following questions: -What are the reasons of students not choosing distancelearning courses? -Which symptoms of anxiety, if any, do distance learner’s exhibit towards distance learning? Does genderhave any significant relationships with distance learners' perception of factors that affect their anxiety and resistance? A totalo...

Revised Distances to 21 Supernova Remnants

Science.gov (United States)

Ranasinghe, S.; Leahy, D. A.

2018-05-01

We carry out a comprehensive study of H I 21 cm line observations and 13CO line observations of 21 supernova remnants (SNRs). The aim of the study is to search for H I absorption features to obtain kinematic distances in a consistent manner. The 21 SNRs are in the region of sky covered by the Very Large Array Galactic Plane Survey (H I 21 cm observations) and Galactic Ring Survey (13CO line observations). We obtain revised distances for 10 SNRs based on new evidence in the H I and 13CO observations. We revise distances for the other 11 SNRs based on an updated rotation curve and new error analysis. The mean change in distance for the 21 SNRs is ≃25%, i.e., a change of 1.5 kpc compared to a mean distance for the sample of 6.4 kpc. This has a significant impact on interpretation of the physical state of these SNRs. For example, using a Sedov model, age and explosion energy scale as the square of distance, and inferred ISM density scales as distance.

A cognitively grounded measure of pronunciation distance.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martijn Wieling

Full Text Available In this study we develop pronunciation distances based on naive discriminative learning (NDL. Measures of pronunciation distance are used in several subfields of linguistics, including psycholinguistics, dialectology and typology. In contrast to the commonly used Levenshtein algorithm, NDL is grounded in cognitive theory of competitive reinforcement learning and is able to generate asymmetrical pronunciation distances. In a first study, we validated the NDL-based pronunciation distances by comparing them to a large set of native-likeness ratings given by native American English speakers when presented with accented English speech. In a second study, the NDL-based pronunciation distances were validated on the basis of perceptual dialect distances of Norwegian speakers. Results indicated that the NDL-based pronunciation distances matched perceptual distances reasonably well with correlations ranging between 0.7 and 0.8. While the correlations were comparable to those obtained using the Levenshtein distance, the NDL-based approach is more flexible as it is also able to incorporate acoustic information other than sound segments.

Barrier cell sheath formation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kesner, J.

1980-04-01

The solution for electrostatic potential within a simply modeled tandem mirror thermal barrier is seen to exhibit a sheath at each edge of the cell. The formation of the sheath requires ion collisionality and the analysis assmes that the collisional trapping rate into the barrier is considerably slower than the barrier pump rate

Fast Exact Euclidean Distance (FEED) Transformation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schouten, Theo; Kittler, J.; van den Broek, Egon; Petrou, M.; Nixon, M.

2004-01-01

Fast Exact Euclidean Distance (FEED) transformation is introduced, starting from the inverse of the distance transformation. The prohibitive computational cost of a naive implementation of traditional Euclidean Distance Transformation, is tackled by three operations: restriction of both the number

Restoring stream habitat connectivity: a proposed method for prioritizing the removal of resident fish passage barriers.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Hanley, Jesse R; Wright, Jed; Diebel, Matthew; Fedora, Mark A; Soucy, Charles L

2013-08-15

Systematic methods for prioritizing the repair and removal of fish passage barriers, while growing of late, have hitherto focused almost exclusively on meeting the needs of migratory fish species (e.g., anadromous salmonids). An important but as of yet unaddressed issue is the development of new modeling approaches which are applicable to resident fish species habitat restoration programs. In this paper, we develop a budget constrained optimization model for deciding which barriers to repair or remove in order to maximize habitat availability for stream resident fish. Habitat availability at the local stream reach is determined based on the recently proposed C metric, which accounts for the amount, quality, distance and level of connectivity to different stream habitat types. We assess the computational performance of our model using geospatial barrier and stream data collected from the Pine-Popple Watershed, located in northeast Wisconsin (USA). The optimization model is found to be an efficient and practical decision support tool. Optimal solutions, which are useful in informing basin-wide restoration planning efforts, can be generated on average in only a few minutes. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Barriers to the future

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Massey, C T

1986-09-01

Opportunities for the British coal industry seem vast yet there are still barriers to progress. Seven areas are identified and discussed: mining mobility (for example, longwall mining systems are rigid and inflexible compared with American stall and pillar working); mine structure (many mines are more suitable to pit ponies than to large pieces of equipment); financial barriers (Government requires the industry to break even in 1987/88); personnel barriers (less specialization, better use of skills); safety barriers (increased use of remote control, ergonomics and robotics to protect workers); microelectronic management (nationalization has cushioned management from the market place; there is a need for a more multidisciplinary approach to the industry); and legal barriers (most legislation in the past has been in response to accidents; legislation external to the industry but affecting it is more fundamental).

Distance : between deixis and perspectivity

OpenAIRE

Meermann, Anastasia; Sonnenhauser, Barbara

2015-01-01

Discussing exemplary applications of the notion of distance in linguistic analysis, this paper shows that very different phenomena are described in terms of this concept. It is argued that in order to overcome the problems arising from this mixup, deixis, distance and perspectivity have to be distinguished and their interrelations need to be described. Thereby, distance emerges as part of a recursive process mediating between situation-bound deixis and discourse-level perspectivity. This is i...

[Determination of electric field distribution in dielectric barrier surface glow discharge by spectroscopic method].

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xue-chen; Jia, Peng-ying; Liu, Zhi-hui; Li, Li-chun; Dong, Li-fang

2008-12-01

In the present paper, stable glow discharges were obtained in air at low pressure with a dielectric barrier surface discharge device. Light emission from the discharge was detected by photomultiplier tubes and the research results show that the light signal exhibited one discharge pulse per half cycle of the applied voltage. The light pulses were asymmetric between the positive half cycle and the negative one of the applied voltage. The images of the glow surface discharge were processed by Photoshop software and the results indicate that the emission intensity remained almost constant for different places with the same distance from the powered electrode, while the emission intensity decreased with the distance from the powered electrode increasing. In dielectric barrier discharge, net electric field is determined by the applied voltage and the wall charges accumulated on the dielectric layer during the discharge, and consequently, it is important to obtain information about the net electric field distribution. For this purpose, optical emission spectroscopy method was used. The distribution of the net electric field can be deduced from the intensity ratio of spectral line 391.4 nm emitted from the first negative system of N2+ (B 2sigma u+ -->X 2sigma g+) to 337.1 nm emitted from the second positive system of N2 (C 3IIu-B 3IIg). The research results show that the electric field near the powered electric field is higher than at the edge of the discharge. These experimental results are very important for numerical study and industrial application of the surface discharge.

Identification of zonal flows and their characteristics on transport barrier in CHS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fujisawa, A.; Shimizu, A.; Nakano, H.; Ohshima, S.; Iguchi, H.; Yoshimura, Y.; Minami, T.; Itoh, K.; Isobe, M.; Suzuki, C.; Nishimura, S.; Akiyama, T.; Nagaoka, K.; Takahashi, C.; Ida, K.; Toi, K.; Okamura, S.; Matsuoka, K.; Itoh, S.-I.; Diamond, P.H.

2005-01-01

Relation between turbulence and electric field has been one of the central issues related to the transport physics of toroidal plasmas. Recently, zonal flow, axi-symmetric band-like structure (m=n=0) with a finite radial wavelength, has just come up the third element responsible for the plasma transport. Theories and simulations have expected that the zonal flow should be a mechanism to control the saturation level of turbulence and the resultant transport. In CHS, dual heavy ion beam probes (HIBP) succeeded to prove the presence of the zonal flow and to show the dynamics and structure of the zonal flows. The experiment shows a long-distance correlation between radial electric field (or plasma flow) in low frequency range (< ∼1 kHz), together with radial structure of the zonal flow; characteristic radial length of ∼1.5 cm and life time of ∼1.5 ms. Different characteristics of the zonal flow and turbulence was found in states with and without a transport barrier; the zonal flow activity shrinks with an increase in turbulence level after the barrier breaks down. The recent HIBP experiments have just provided further insight into the system of zonal flow and turbulence. A wavelet analysis is performed on the fluctuation on the barrier position in the state with the transport barrier. The analysis reveals a causal relationship between the zonal flow evolution and turbulence level; the zonal flow is found to increase toward the mean flow direction as turbulence level decreases in the frequency range of 100-150kHz. The observation shows the presence of a nonlinear interaction between zonal flow and the turbulence, or a process of the zonal flow to affect the turbulence level. This paper presents surveys on zonal flow, particularly the recent experiments to demonstrate a causal relationship between zonal flow component and turbulence. Besides, other results obtained with a wavelet analysis are presented on the transport barrier; e.g., density and potential

Chemical barriers for controlling groundwater contamination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morrison, S.J.; Spangler, R.R.

1993-01-01

Chemical barriers are being explored as a low-cost means of controlling groundwater contamination. The barrier can intercept a contaminant plume and prevent migration by transferring contaminants from the groundwater to immobile solids. A chemical barrier can be emplaced in a landfill liner or in an aquifer cutoff wall or can be injected into a contaminant plume. Chemical barriers can be classified as either precipitation barriers or sorption barriers depending upon the dominant mode of contaminant extraction. In a precipitation barrier, contaminants are bound in the structures of newly formed phases; whereas, in a sorption barrier, contaminants attach to the surfaces of preexisting solids by adsorption or some other surface mechanism. Sorption of contaminants is pH dependent. A precipitation barrier can control the pH of the system, but alkaline groundwater may dominate the pH in a sorption barrier. A comparison is made of the characteristics of precipitation and sorption barriers. Experimental data on the extraction of uranium and molybdenum from simulated groundwater are used to demonstrate these concepts. 10 refs., 9 figs., 1 tab

THE REPRESENTATION OF “OTHER” CULTURES IN THE ROMANIAN GEOGRAPHY TEXTBOOKS PUBLISHED DURING THE FIRST HALF OF THE 20TH CENTURY

OpenAIRE

EGRESI, ISTVAN

2015-01-01

A society’s view of ‘the others’ – populations situated at closer or further cultural (psychic) distance is deeply embedded into its historical, social, cultural and political milieu. Stereotypes and generalizations are still colloquially used today although official channels refrain from using them in order to be ‘politically correct’. Cultural representations of other populations are dynamic; they change in time reflecting not only historical modifications in both populations (descript and ...

Factors influencing the movement biology of migrant songbirds confronted with an ecological barrier

Science.gov (United States)

Smolinsky, J. A.; Diehl, Robert H.; Radzio, T. A.; Delaney, D. K.; Moore, F. R

2013-01-01

Whether or not a migratory songbird embarks on a long-distance flight across an ecological barrier is likely a response to a number of endogenous and exogenous factors. During autumn 2008 and 2009, we used automated radio tracking to investigate how energetic condition, age, and weather influenced the departure timing and direction of Swainson’s thrushes (Catharus ustulatus) during migratory stopover along the northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico. Most birds left within 1 h after sunset on the evening following capture. Those birds that departed later on the first night or remained longer than 1 day were lean. Birds that carried fat loads sufficient to cross the Gulf of Mexico generally departed in a seasonally appropriate southerly direction, whereas lean birds nearly always flew inland in a northerly direction. We did not detect an effect of age or weather on departures. The decision by lean birds to reorient movement inland may reflect the suitability of the coastal stopover site for deposition of fuel stores and the motivation to seek food among more extensive forested habitat away from the barrier.

Controllable Schottky barrier in GaSe/graphene heterostructure: the role of interface dipole

Science.gov (United States)

Si, Chen; Lin, Zuzhang; Zhou, Jian; Sun, Zhimei

2017-03-01

The discoveries of graphene and other related two-dimensional crystals have recently led to a new technology: van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures based on these atomically thin materials. Such a paradigm has been proved promising for a wide range of applications from nanoelectronics to optoelectronics and spintronics. Here, using first-principles calculations, we investigate the electronic structure and interface characteristics of a newly synthesized GaSe/graphene (GaSe/g) vdW heterostructure. We show that the intrinsic electronic properties of GaSe and graphene are both well preserved in the heterostructure, with a Schottky barrier formed at the GaSe/g interface. More interestingly, the band alignment between graphene and GaSe can be effectively modulated by tuning the interfacial distance or applying an external electric filed. This makes the Schottky barrier height (SBH) controllable, which is highly desirable in the electronic and optoelectronic devices based on vdW heterostructures. In particular, the tunability of the interface dipole and potential step is further uncovered to be the underlying mechanism that ensures this controllable tuning of SBH.

Barrier mechanisms in the Drosophila blood-brain barrier.

Science.gov (United States)

Hindle, Samantha J; Bainton, Roland J

2014-01-01

The invertebrate blood-brain barrier (BBB) field is growing at a rapid pace and, in recent years, studies have shown a physiologic and molecular complexity that has begun to rival its vertebrate counterpart. Novel mechanisms of paracellular barrier maintenance through G-protein coupled receptor signaling were the first demonstrations of the complex adaptive mechanisms of barrier physiology. Building upon this work, the integrity of the invertebrate BBB has recently been shown to require coordinated function of all layers of the compound barrier structure, analogous to signaling between the layers of the vertebrate neurovascular unit. These findings strengthen the notion that many BBB mechanisms are conserved between vertebrates and invertebrates, and suggest that novel findings in invertebrate model organisms will have a significant impact on the understanding of vertebrate BBB functions. In this vein, important roles in coordinating localized and systemic signaling to dictate organism development and growth are beginning to show how the BBB can govern whole animal physiologies. This includes novel functions of BBB gap junctions in orchestrating synchronized neuroblast proliferation, and of BBB secreted antagonists of insulin receptor signaling. These advancements and others are pushing the field forward in exciting new directions. In this review, we provide a synopsis of invertebrate BBB anatomy and physiology, with a focus on insights from the past 5 years, and highlight important areas for future study.

Barriers against psychosocial communication: oncologists' perceptions.

Science.gov (United States)

Fagerlind, Hanna; Kettis, Åsa; Glimelius, Bengt; Ring, Lena

2013-10-20

To explore oncologists' psychosocial attitudes and beliefs and their perceptions regarding barriers against psychosocial communication. A questionnaire was distributed to oncologists in Sweden (n = 537). Questions covered demography, the Physician Psychosocial Beliefs Scale (PPBS), and barriers against psychosocial communication. Stepwise multiple regression was used to determine what factors contribute the most to the PPBS score and the total number of barriers and barriers affecting clinical practice, respectively. Spearman rank-order correlation was used to determine correlation between PPBS score and number of barriers. Questionnaire response rate was 64%. Mean PPBS value was 85.5 (range, 49 to 123; SD, 13.0). Most oncologists (93%) perceived one or more barriers in communicating psychosocial aspects with patients. On average, five different communication barriers were perceived, of which most were perceived to affect clinical practice. These barriers included insufficient consultation time, lack of resources for taking care of problems discovered, and lack of methods to evaluate patients' psychosocial health in clinical practice. There was a positive correlation (rs = 0.490; P barriers (ie, less psychosocially oriented oncologists perceived more barriers). Oncologists with supplementary education with a psychosocial focus perceived fewer barriers/barriers affecting clinical practice (P barriers affecting psychosocial communication in clinical practice. Interventions aiming to improve psychosocial communication must therefore be multifaceted and individualized to clinics and individual oncologists. It is important to minimize barriers to facilitate optimal care and treatment of patients with cancer.

The distances of the Galactic Novae

Science.gov (United States)

Ozdonmez, Aykut; Guver, Tolga; Cabrera-Lavers, Antonio; Ak, Tansel

2016-07-01

Using location of the RC stars on the CMDs obtained from the UKIDSS, VISTA and 2MASS photometry, we have derived the reddening-distance relations towards each Galactic nova for which at least one independent reddening measurement exists. We were able to determine the distances of 72 Galactic novae and set lower limits on the distances of 45 systems. The reddening curves of the systems are presented. These curves can be also used to estimate reddening or the distance of any source, whose location is close to the position of the nova in our sample. The distance measurement method in our study can be easily applicable to any source, especially for ones that concentrated along the Galactic plane.

ETUDE - European Trade Union Distance Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Creanor, Linda; Walker, Steve

2000-01-01

Describes transnational distance learning activities among European trade union educators carried out as part of the European Trade Union Distance Education (ETUDE) project, supported by the European Commission. Highlights include the context of international trade union distance education; tutor training course; tutors' experiences; and…

Barriers to improvements in energy efficiency

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reddy, A.K.N.

1991-10-01

To promote energy-efficiency improvements, actions may be required at one or more levels -- from the lowest level of the consumer (residential, commercial, industrial, etc.) through the highest level of the global agencies. But barriers to the implementation of energy-efficiency improvements exist or can arise at all these levels. Taking up each one of these barriers in turn, the paper discusses specific measures that can contribute to overcoming the barriers. However, a one-barrier-one-measure approach must be avoided. Single barriers may in fact involve several sub-barriers. Also, combinations of measures are much more effective in overcoming barriers. In particular, combinations of measures that simultaneously overcome several barriers are most successful. The paper discusses the typology of barriers, explores their origin and suggests measures that by themselves or in combination with other measures, will overcome these barriers. Since most of the barriers dealt with can be found in the barriers'' literature, any originality in the paper lies in its systematic organization, synoptic view and holistic treatment of this issue. This paper is intended to initiate a comprehensive treatment of barriers, their origins and the measures that contribute to overcoming them. Hopefully, such a treatment will facilitate the implementation of energy-efficiency improvements involving a wide diversity of ever-changing energy end uses and consumer preferences.

Barriers to improvements in energy efficiency

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reddy, A.K.N.

1991-10-01

To promote energy-efficiency improvements, actions may be required at one or more levels -- from the lowest level of the consumer (residential, commercial, industrial, etc.) through the highest level of the global agencies. But barriers to the implementation of energy-efficiency improvements exist or can arise at all these levels. Taking up each one of these barriers in turn, the paper discusses specific measures that can contribute to overcoming the barriers. However, a one-barrier-one-measure approach must be avoided. Single barriers may in fact involve several sub-barriers. Also, combinations of measures are much more effective in overcoming barriers. In particular, combinations of measures that simultaneously overcome several barriers are most successful. The paper discusses the typology of barriers, explores their origin and suggests measures that by themselves or in combination with other measures, will overcome these barriers. Since most of the barriers dealt with can be found in the ``barriers`` literature, any originality in the paper lies in its systematic organization, synoptic view and holistic treatment of this issue. This paper is intended to initiate a comprehensive treatment of barriers, their origins and the measures that contribute to overcoming them. Hopefully, such a treatment will facilitate the implementation of energy-efficiency improvements involving a wide diversity of ever-changing energy end uses and consumer preferences.

The blood-tendon barrier: identification and characterisation of a novel tissue barrier in tendon blood vessels

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C Lehner

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Tissue barriers function as “gate keepers” between different compartments (usually blood and tissue and are formed by specialised membrane-associated proteins, localising to the apicolateral plasma membrane domain of epithelial and endothelial cells. By sealing the paracellular space, the free diffusion of solutes and molecules across epithelia and endothelia is impeded. Thereby, tissue barriers contribute to the establishment and maintenance of a distinct internal and external environment, which is crucial during organ development and allows maintenance of an organ-specific homeostatic milieu. So far, various epithelial and endothelial tissue barriers have been described, including the blood-brain barrier, the blood-retina barrier, the blood-testis barrier, the blood-placenta barrier, and the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF-brain barrier, which are vital for physiological function and any disturbance of these barriers can result in severe organ damage or even death. Here, we describe the identification of a novel barrier, located in the vascular bed of tendons, which we term the blood-tendon barrier (BTB. By using immunohistochemistry, transmission electron microscopy, and tracer studies we demonstrate the presence of a functional endothelial barrier within tendons restricting the passage of large blood-borne molecules into the surrounding tendon tissue. We further provide in vitro evidence that the BTB potentially contributes to the creation of a distinct internal tissue environment impacting upon the proliferation and differentiation of tendon-resident cells, effects which might be fundamental for the onset of tendon pathologies.

Reducing barriers associated with delivering health care services to migratory agricultural workers.

Science.gov (United States)

Schmalzried, Hans D; Fallon, L Fleming

2012-01-01

Between one and two million migratory agricultural workers (MAWs), primarily from Mexico and Central America, leave their homes each year to plant, cultivate, harvest and pack fruits, vegetables, and nuts in the USA. While in the USA, most lack health insurance, a permanent residence, and a regular healthcare provider. Publications over the past two decades in the USA have reported that a majority of MAWs encounter barriers to receiving medical services. Migratory agricultural workers experience high rates of occupational illness and injury. Poor access to medical care continues to exacerbate health problems among members of this population related to their working environments. In most studies concerning healthcare access issues for this population, researchers collected their information from healthcare service providers; rarely have they included input from migratory agricultural workers. This study was different in that opinions about healthcare access issues were collected directly from MAWs. The primary purpose of this study was to describe issues related to barriers associated with the delivery of healthcare services to migratory agricultural workers. A secondary purpose was to suggest strategies for reducing these barriers. In this study, data from focus group sessions were used to develop a survey questionnaire. Four certified bilingual interpreters were trained to administer the questionnaire. A total of 157 usable questionnaires were returned from MAWs living in employer-provided camps in Northwest Ohio. The statistical analyses were primarily descriptive. The most significant barriers hampering access to medical services among the 157 respondents were cost (n=113; 72.0%), crop demands (n=102; 65.0%), the lack of an interpreter (n=98; 62.4%), travel distance (n=88; 56.1%) and transportation (n=82; 52.2%). Approximately half (n=82; 52.2%) said that they had access to transportation for traveling to a medical clinic. As a group, respondents were willing to

Space-efficient path-reporting approximate distance oracles

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Elkin, Michael; Neiman, Ofer; Wulff-Nilsen, Christian

2016-01-01

We consider approximate path-reporting distance oracles, distance labeling and labeled routing with extremely low space requirements, for general undirected graphs. For distance oracles, we show how to break the nlog⁡n space bound of Thorup and Zwick if approximate paths rather than distances need...

What do long-distance caregivers do? : judgment of propositions and the epistemics of long-distance family relationships

OpenAIRE

中川, 敦; Atsushi, NAKAGAWA

2015-01-01

This study clarifies what long-distance caregivers do. To this end, I conducted a conversation analysis of video data of a care conference in which a long-distance caregiver participated. When a professional caregiver proposes a care plan to a long-distance caregiver, he/she substitutes technical terms with laymen terms for easy understanding, indicating his/her orientation that a long-distance caregiver is not a professional. However, if the caregiver laughs or averts his/her eyes during the...

Phylogenetic inference with weighted codon evolutionary distances.

Science.gov (United States)

Criscuolo, Alexis; Michel, Christian J

2009-04-01

We develop a new approach to estimate a matrix of pairwise evolutionary distances from a codon-based alignment based on a codon evolutionary model. The method first computes a standard distance matrix for each of the three codon positions. Then these three distance matrices are weighted according to an estimate of the global evolutionary rate of each codon position and averaged into a unique distance matrix. Using a large set of both real and simulated codon-based alignments of nucleotide sequences, we show that this approach leads to distance matrices that have a significantly better treelikeness compared to those obtained by standard nucleotide evolutionary distances. We also propose an alternative weighting to eliminate the part of the noise often associated with some codon positions, particularly the third position, which is known to induce a fast evolutionary rate. Simulation results show that fast distance-based tree reconstruction algorithms on distance matrices based on this codon position weighting can lead to phylogenetic trees that are at least as accurate as, if not better, than those inferred by maximum likelihood. Finally, a well-known multigene dataset composed of eight yeast species and 106 codon-based alignments is reanalyzed and shows that our codon evolutionary distances allow building a phylogenetic tree which is similar to those obtained by non-distance-based methods (e.g., maximum parsimony and maximum likelihood) and also significantly improved compared to standard nucleotide evolutionary distance estimates.

Effect of the barrier properties on the surface part of the barrier discharge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sokolova, M.V.; Zhukov, S.V.

1998-01-01

The effect of barrier characteristics on the discharge processes in a barrier discharge was investigated, main attention being paid to the amount and distribution of the charge left on the barrier surface by the volume discharge in the main air gap. The measurements show that the main part of the gap charge is due to the volume part of the discharge. The measured values of the surface charge significantly increase with the voltage applied and with the length of the gas gap, while the dimensions of the charge spot and the distribution of charge density are determined by the barrier properties. (J.U.)

The contribution of distance education to health promotion in Chile.

Science.gov (United States)

Salinas, Judith; Muñoz, Carolina; Albagli, Andrea; Araya, Gloria; Vio, Fernando

2017-10-01

The objective of this paper is to present the distance education's contribution to developing health promotion in Chile, through evaluation of a postgraduate certificate program for professionals, and a training course for nurse technicians working in primary healthcare, with an 8-month follow-up after program completion. The program methodology was participatory, interactive and reflective, with mentoring support, exercises, group work and discussions as well as content pertinent to the needs of practice. The evaluation was quali-quantitative with an analysis of the student profile, the implementation process, outcomes at the end of the training and impacts on workplace changes. The results showed a high rate of student approval (87 and 76%), good academic performance and a high level of satisfaction with the methodology and knowledge delivered. The participants' final projects were adapted to local work places realities and were implemented by 62.6% of technicians and 43% of professionals, in addition to changes in work practices that favor health promotion. The level of fulfillment of participants' expectations was very high and the most frequent barriers to implementing the final project were lack of time and personnel, along with minimal support from management and low prioritization of health promotion. This study shows the effectiveness of a distance training model for professionals and technicians that can reach the most remote parts of the country, where there is no access to presencial training, with an educational program centered on work activities and current health challenges. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Study on the characteristics of barrier free surface discharge driven by repetitive nanosecond pulses at atmospheric pressure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lei, Pang; Qiaogen, Zhang [State Key Laboratory of Electrical Insulation and Power Equipment, Xi' an Jiaotong University, Xi' an 710049 (China); Kun, He [China Electric Power Research Institute, Beijing 100192 (China); Chunliang, Liu [State Key Laboratory for Physical Electronics and Devices, Xi' an Jiaotong University, Xi' an 710049 (China)

2016-05-15

Nanosecond pulsed plasma has an enormous potential in many applications. In this paper, the characteristics of barrier free nanosecond pulsed surface discharge are investigated by the use of an actuator with a strip-strip film electrode configuration, including the effect of electrode width and the gap distance on the plasma morphology and electrical characteristics at atmospheric pressure. It was found that it is relative easier to generate a quasi uniform discharge with a thinner electrode width and a smaller gap distance. The underlying physical mechanism was also discussed. Besides that, the influence of airflow on repetitive pulsed surface discharge was examined. By comparing to the discharge produced by two different pulse waveforms in airflows, we found that the discharge driven by a faster pulse behaves more stable. Finally, a model was developed to analyze the interaction of the airflow and the discharge channels.

Distance Education at Silesian University of Technology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Piotr Klosowski

2008-12-01

Full Text Available This paper presents Distance Learning Platform used by Silesian University of Technology. Distance Learning Platform is based on modular object-oriented dynamic learning environment, represents LMS (Learning Management Systems technology, a software package designed to help educators create quality online courses. Currently on Distance Learning Platform at Silesian University of Technology are available over 520 online courses created for students of twelve University's faculties. Number of Distance Learning Platform users exceeds 12000. Distance Learning Platform works as typically asynchronous e-learning service, but in the future more synchronous e-learning services will be added. Distance Learning Platform has great potential to create a successful elearning experience by providing a plethora of excellent tools that can be used to enhance conventional classroom instruction, in hybrid courses, or any distance learning arrangements.

Transport barriers in plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Caldas, I L; Szezech, J D Jr; Kroetz, T; Marcus, F A; Roberto, M; Viana, R L; Lopes, S R

2012-01-01

We discuss the creation of transport barriers in magnetically confined plasmas with non monotonic equilibrium radial profiles. These barriers reduce the transport in the shearless region (i.e., where the twist condition does not hold). For the chaotic motion of particles in an equilibrium electric field with a nonmonotonic radial profile, perturbed by electrostatic waves, we show that a nontwist transport barrier can be created in the plasma by modifying the electric field radial profile. We also show non twist barriers in chaotic magnetic field line transport in the plasma near to the tokamak wall with resonant modes due to electric currents in external coils.

Development of construction methods for high-density bentonite barriers using premixed spraying. Part 1. Laboratory tests on methods of spraying roughly crushed bentonite and investigation of mixing methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kobayashi, Ichizo; Tanaka, Toshiyuki; Nakajima, Makoto; Toida, Masaru

2006-01-01

According to the present concept of geological disposal of radioactive waste, a disposal facility should consist of a bentonite-engineered barrier, a cementitious-engineered barrier, and natural barriers. To guarantee the validity of the geological disposal concept, the bentonite-engineered barrier must have high impermeability. However, an effective construction method for high-density bentonite-engineered barriers in narrow spaces such as those in radioactive waste geological disposal sites has not been developed. Therefore, the authors have developed a spraying method that has high workability in narrow spaces as a method of constructing bentonite-engineered barriers in narrow spaces. This paper describes the production method for a spraying material and an examination through spraying tests of the spraying distance, the shapes of the spray nozzles, and the ratio of spraying material to air. The test results confirmed that a bentonite-engineered barrier of dry density 1.6 Mg/m 3 could be constructed using the spraying method developed and that the appropriate spraying conditions for the construction of high-density bentonite barriers were obtained. Moreover, the authors developed a construction quality management method using the silicon oil specific-gravity method that can clearly and promptly indicate the dry density of the sprayed bentonite. (author)

A Streaming Distance Transform Algorithm for Neighborhood-Sequence Distances

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicolas Normand

2014-09-01

Full Text Available We describe an algorithm that computes a “translated” 2D Neighborhood-Sequence Distance Transform (DT using a look up table approach. It requires a single raster scan of the input image and produces one line of output for every line of input. The neighborhood sequence is specified either by providing one period of some integer periodic sequence or by providing the rate of appearance of neighborhoods. The full algorithm optionally derives the regular (centered DT from the “translated” DT, providing the result image on-the-fly, with a minimal delay, before the input image is fully processed. Its efficiency can benefit all applications that use neighborhood- sequence distances, particularly when pipelined processing architectures are involved, or when the size of objects in the source image is limited.

Cepheids Geometrical Distances Using Space Interferometry

Science.gov (United States)

Marengo, M.; Karovska, M.; Sasselov, D. D.; Sanchez, M.

2004-05-01

A space based interferometer with a sub-milliarcsecond resolution in the UV-optical will provide a new avenue for the calibration of primary distance indicators with unprecedented accuracy, by allowing very accurate and stable measurements of Cepheids pulsation amplitudes at wavelengths not accessible from the ground. Sasselov & Karovska (1994) have shown that interferometers allow very accurate measurements of Cepheids distances by using a ``geometric'' variant of the Baade-Wesselink method. This method has been succesfully applied to derive distances and radii of nearby Cepheids using ground-based near-IR and optical interferometers, within a 15% accuracy level. Our study shows that the main source of error in these measurements is due to the perturbing effects of the Earth atmosphere, which is the limiting factor in the interferometer stability. A space interferometer will not suffer from this intrinsic limitations, and can potentially lead to improve astronomical distance measurements by an order of magnitude in precision. We discuss here the technical requirements that a space based facility will need to carry out this project, allowing distance measurements within a few percent accuracy level. We will finally discuss how a sub-milliarcsecond resolution will allow the direct distance determination for hundreds of galactic sources, and provide a substantial improvement in the zero-point of the Cepheid distance scale.

THE WEIGHTED POINCARÉ DISTANCE IN THE HALF PLANE

OpenAIRE

Byun, Jisoo; Baek, Seung Min; Cho, Hong Rae; Lee, Han-Wool

2014-01-01

In this paper we introduce the weighted Poincaré distance and the induced distance by the weighted Bloch type space. We prove that the weighted Poincaré distance is identical to the inner distance generated by the induced distance.

Measuring distances between complex networks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andrade, Roberto F.S.; Miranda, Jose G.V.; Pinho, Suani T.R.; Lobao, Thierry Petit

2008-01-01

A previously introduced concept of higher order neighborhoods in complex networks, [R.F.S. Andrade, J.G.V. Miranda, T.P. Lobao, Phys. Rev. E 73 (2006) 046101] is used to define a distance between networks with the same number of nodes. With such measure, expressed in terms of the matrix elements of the neighborhood matrices of each network, it is possible to compare, in a quantitative way, how far apart in the space of neighborhood matrices two networks are. The distance between these matrices depends on both the network topologies and the adopted node numberings. While the numbering of one network is fixed, a Monte Carlo algorithm is used to find the best numbering of the other network, in the sense that it minimizes the distance between the matrices. The minimal value found for the distance reflects differences in the neighborhood structures of the two networks that arise only from distinct topologies. This procedure ends up by providing a projection of the first network on the pattern of the second one. Examples are worked out allowing for a quantitative comparison for distances among distinct networks, as well as among distinct realizations of random networks

Computing Distances between Probabilistic Automata

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mathieu Tracol

2011-07-01

Full Text Available We present relaxed notions of simulation and bisimulation on Probabilistic Automata (PA, that allow some error epsilon. When epsilon is zero we retrieve the usual notions of bisimulation and simulation on PAs. We give logical characterisations of these notions by choosing suitable logics which differ from the elementary ones, L with negation and L without negation, by the modal operator. Using flow networks, we show how to compute the relations in PTIME. This allows the definition of an efficiently computable non-discounted distance between the states of a PA. A natural modification of this distance is introduced, to obtain a discounted distance, which weakens the influence of long term transitions. We compare our notions of distance to others previously defined and illustrate our approach on various examples. We also show that our distance is not expansive with respect to process algebra operators. Although L without negation is a suitable logic to characterise epsilon-(bisimulation on deterministic PAs, it is not for general PAs; interestingly, we prove that it does characterise weaker notions, called a priori epsilon-(bisimulation, which we prove to be NP-difficult to decide.

MO-D-213-07: RadShield: Semi- Automated Calculation of Air Kerma Rate and Barrier Thickness

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

DeLorenzo, M; Wu, D; Rutel, I; Yang, K

2015-01-01

Purpose: To develop the first Java-based semi-automated calculation program intended to aid professional radiation shielding design. Air-kerma rate and barrier thickness calculations are performed by implementing NCRP Report 147 formalism into a Graphical User Interface (GUI). The ultimate aim of this newly created software package is to reduce errors and improve radiographic and fluoroscopic room designs over manual approaches. Methods: Floor plans are first imported as images into the RadShield software program. These plans serve as templates for drawing barriers, occupied regions and x-ray tube locations. We have implemented sub-GUIs that allow the specification in regions and equipment for occupancy factors, design goals, number of patients, primary beam directions, source-to-patient distances and workload distributions. Once the user enters the above parameters, the program automatically calculates air-kerma rate at sampled points beyond all barriers. For each sample point, a corresponding minimum barrier thickness is calculated to meet the design goal. RadShield allows control over preshielding, sample point location and material types. Results: A functional GUI package was developed and tested. Examination of sample walls and source distributions yields a maximum percent difference of less than 0.1% between hand-calculated air-kerma rates and RadShield. Conclusion: The initial results demonstrated that RadShield calculates air-kerma rates and required barrier thicknesses with reliable accuracy and can be used to make radiation shielding design more efficient and accurate. This newly developed approach differs from conventional calculation methods in that it finds air-kerma rates and thickness requirements for many points outside the barriers, stores the information and selects the largest value needed to comply with NCRP Report 147 design goals. Floor plans, parameters, designs and reports can be saved and accessed later for modification and recalculation

MO-D-213-07: RadShield: Semi- Automated Calculation of Air Kerma Rate and Barrier Thickness

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

DeLorenzo, M [Oklahoma University Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK (United States); Wu, D [University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Ok (United States); Rutel, I [University of Oklahoma Health Science Center, Oklahoma City, OK (United States); Yang, K [Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA (United States)

2015-06-15

Purpose: To develop the first Java-based semi-automated calculation program intended to aid professional radiation shielding design. Air-kerma rate and barrier thickness calculations are performed by implementing NCRP Report 147 formalism into a Graphical User Interface (GUI). The ultimate aim of this newly created software package is to reduce errors and improve radiographic and fluoroscopic room designs over manual approaches. Methods: Floor plans are first imported as images into the RadShield software program. These plans serve as templates for drawing barriers, occupied regions and x-ray tube locations. We have implemented sub-GUIs that allow the specification in regions and equipment for occupancy factors, design goals, number of patients, primary beam directions, source-to-patient distances and workload distributions. Once the user enters the above parameters, the program automatically calculates air-kerma rate at sampled points beyond all barriers. For each sample point, a corresponding minimum barrier thickness is calculated to meet the design goal. RadShield allows control over preshielding, sample point location and material types. Results: A functional GUI package was developed and tested. Examination of sample walls and source distributions yields a maximum percent difference of less than 0.1% between hand-calculated air-kerma rates and RadShield. Conclusion: The initial results demonstrated that RadShield calculates air-kerma rates and required barrier thicknesses with reliable accuracy and can be used to make radiation shielding design more efficient and accurate. This newly developed approach differs from conventional calculation methods in that it finds air-kerma rates and thickness requirements for many points outside the barriers, stores the information and selects the largest value needed to comply with NCRP Report 147 design goals. Floor plans, parameters, designs and reports can be saved and accessed later for modification and recalculation

A tentative theory of large distance physics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Friedan, Daniel

2003-01-01

A theoretical mechanism is devised to determine the large distance physics of spacetime. It is a two dimensional nonlinear model, the lambda model, set to govern the string world surface in an attempt to remedy the failure of string theory, as it stands. The lambda model is formulated to cancel the infrared divergent effects of handles at short distance on the world surface. The target manifold is the manifold of background spacetimes. The coupling strength is the spacetime coupling constant. The lambda model operates at 2d distance Δ -1 , very much shorter than the 2d distance μ -1 where the world surface is seen. A large characteristic spacetime distance L is given by L 2 ln(Δ/μ). Spacetime fields of wave number up to 1=L are the local coordinates for the manifold of spacetimes. The distribution of fluctuations at 2d distances shorter than Δ -1 gives the a priori measure on the target manifold, the manifold of spacetimes. If this measure concentrates at a macroscopic spacetime, then, nearby, it is a measure on the spacetime fields. The lambda model thereby constructs a spacetime quantum field theory, cutoff at ultraviolet distance L, describing physics at distances larger than L. The lambda model also constructs an effective string theory with infrared cutoff L, describing physics at distances smaller than L. The lambda model evolves outward from zero 2d distance, Δ -1 = 0, building spacetime physics starting from L ∞ and proceeding downward in L. L can be taken smaller than any distance practical for experiments, so the lambda model, if right, gives all actually observable physics. The harmonic surfaces in the manifold of spacetimes are expected to have novel nonperturbative effects at large distances. (author)

Analysing designed experiments in distance sampling

Science.gov (United States)

Stephen T. Buckland; Robin E. Russell; Brett G. Dickson; Victoria A. Saab; Donal N. Gorman; William M. Block

2009-01-01

Distance sampling is a survey technique for estimating the abundance or density of wild animal populations. Detection probabilities of animals inherently differ by species, age class, habitats, or sex. By incorporating the change in an observer's ability to detect a particular class of animals as a function of distance, distance sampling leads to density estimates...

Permutation-invariant distance between atomic configurations

Science.gov (United States)

Ferré, Grégoire; Maillet, Jean-Bernard; Stoltz, Gabriel

2015-09-01

We present a permutation-invariant distance between atomic configurations, defined through a functional representation of atomic positions. This distance enables us to directly compare different atomic environments with an arbitrary number of particles, without going through a space of reduced dimensionality (i.e., fingerprints) as an intermediate step. Moreover, this distance is naturally invariant through permutations of atoms, avoiding the time consuming associated minimization required by other common criteria (like the root mean square distance). Finally, the invariance through global rotations is accounted for by a minimization procedure in the space of rotations solved by Monte Carlo simulated annealing. A formal framework is also introduced, showing that the distance we propose verifies the property of a metric on the space of atomic configurations. Two examples of applications are proposed. The first one consists in evaluating faithfulness of some fingerprints (or descriptors), i.e., their capacity to represent the structural information of a configuration. The second application concerns structural analysis, where our distance proves to be efficient in discriminating different local structures and even classifying their degree of similarity.

Permutation-invariant distance between atomic configurations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ferré, Grégoire; Maillet, Jean-Bernard; Stoltz, Gabriel

2015-01-01

We present a permutation-invariant distance between atomic configurations, defined through a functional representation of atomic positions. This distance enables us to directly compare different atomic environments with an arbitrary number of particles, without going through a space of reduced dimensionality (i.e., fingerprints) as an intermediate step. Moreover, this distance is naturally invariant through permutations of atoms, avoiding the time consuming associated minimization required by other common criteria (like the root mean square distance). Finally, the invariance through global rotations is accounted for by a minimization procedure in the space of rotations solved by Monte Carlo simulated annealing. A formal framework is also introduced, showing that the distance we propose verifies the property of a metric on the space of atomic configurations. Two examples of applications are proposed. The first one consists in evaluating faithfulness of some fingerprints (or descriptors), i.e., their capacity to represent the structural information of a configuration. The second application concerns structural analysis, where our distance proves to be efficient in discriminating different local structures and even classifying their degree of similarity

Devices for overcoming biological barriers: the use of physical forces to disrupt the barriers.

Science.gov (United States)

Mitragotri, Samir

2013-01-01

Overcoming biological barriers including skin, mucosal membranes, blood brain barrier as well as cell and nuclear membrane constitutes a key hurdle in the field of drug delivery. While these barriers serve the natural protective function in the body, they limit delivery of drugs into the body. A variety of methods have been developed to overcome these barriers including formulations, targeting peptides and device-based technologies. This review focuses on the use of physical methods including acoustic devices, electric devices, high-pressure devices, microneedles and optical devices for disrupting various barriers in the body including skin and other membranes. A summary of the working principles of these devices and their ability to enhance drug delivery is presented. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Distance learning: its advantages and disadvantages

OpenAIRE

KEGEYAN SVETLANA ERIHOVNA

2016-01-01

Distance learning has become popular in higher institutions because of its flexibility and availability to learners and teachers at anytime, regardless of geographic location. With so many definitions and phases of distance education, this paper only focuses on the delivery mode of distance education (the use of information technology), background, and its disadvantages and advantages for today’s learners.

Modern Geometric Methods of Distance Determination

Science.gov (United States)

Thévenin, Frédéric; Falanga, Maurizio; Kuo, Cheng Yu; Pietrzyński, Grzegorz; Yamaguchi, Masaki

2017-11-01

Building a 3D picture of the Universe at any distance is one of the major challenges in astronomy, from the nearby Solar System to distant Quasars and galaxies. This goal has forced astronomers to develop techniques to estimate or to measure the distance of point sources on the sky. While most distance estimates used since the beginning of the 20th century are based on our understanding of the physics of objects of the Universe: stars, galaxies, QSOs, the direct measures of distances are based on the geometric methods as developed in ancient Greece: the parallax, which has been applied to stars for the first time in the mid-19th century. In this review, different techniques of geometrical astrometry applied to various stellar and cosmological (Megamaser) objects are presented. They consist in parallax measurements from ground based equipment or from space missions, but also in the study of binary stars or, as we shall see, of binary systems in distant extragalactic sources using radio telescopes. The Gaia mission will be presented in the context of stellar physics and galactic structure, because this key space mission in astronomy will bring a breakthrough in our understanding of stars, galaxies and the Universe in their nature and evolution with time. Measuring the distance to a star is the starting point for an unbiased description of its physics and the estimate of its fundamental parameters like its age. Applying these studies to candles such as the Cepheids will impact our large distance studies and calibration of other candles. The text is constructed as follows: introducing the parallax concept and measurement, we shall present briefly the Gaia satellite which will be the future base catalogue of stellar astronomy in the near future. Cepheids will be discussed just after to demonstrate the state of the art in distance measurements in the Universe with these variable stars, with the objective of 1% of error in distances that could be applied to our closest

Trends and Issues in Distance Education: International Perspectives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Erhan EROGLU

2006-04-01

Full Text Available Trends and Issues in Distance Education: International Perspectives Edited by Yusra Laila Visser, Lya Visser, Michael Simonsın, & Ray Amirault, 2005, United States of America: Information Age Publishing, Inc. pp. 315. ISBN 1-59311-212-2 Reviewed by Dr. Erhan EROGLU Anadolu University Eskisehir, TURKEY In this book, the terms of “distance education” has been discussed from different perspectives. The term “distance education” conjures up in many minds the image of modern, computer-enabled technology that has blossomed in only the last twenty years. Many of the lessons learned over the last century of distance education research and practice have been implemented in a wide variety of distance education programs worldwide, from higher education online learning programs in the United States to rural, radio-based instructional programs in developing countries. Distance education is truly international discipline. While it is true that the term “distance education” has a universal definiton, local distance ducation experiences are often quite idiosyncratic. This idiosyncratic nature emerges from the need to integrate distance education within the constraints, oppurtunities, and realities of spesific cultural and geographic contexts. From these local distance education experiences, educators are developing new understandings of the broader field of distance education, including the trends and issues present in the field. ORGANIZATION OF THE SECTIONS This book has been organized by thematic content into four main sections. Each of these sections represents a unique level of analysis for trends and issues in distance education. Part I presents five distinct perspectives on the state of distance education and the trends and issues of the field. First perspective of five distinct perpectives is “a survey of progressive and conservative trends in education with implications for distance education practice.” Second perspective is �

Measuring and testing dependence by correlation of distances

OpenAIRE

Székely, Gábor J.; Rizzo, Maria L.; Bakirov, Nail K.

2007-01-01

Distance correlation is a new measure of dependence between random vectors. Distance covariance and distance correlation are analogous to product-moment covariance and correlation, but unlike the classical definition of correlation, distance correlation is zero only if the random vectors are independent. The empirical distance dependence measures are based on certain Euclidean distances between sample elements rather than sample moments, yet have a compact representation analogous to the clas...

Markets and Networks in International Trade

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Håkanson, Lars; Dow, Douglas

2012-01-01

is associated with a shift in the composition of trade towards goods requiring more extensive information exchange and personal interaction between buyers and sellers. An alternative explanation—‘the market view’—contends that improved availability of information and increasing transparency of markets have...... facilitated the matching of geographically more proximate buyers and sellers, and that the observed decline in average transportation distances is a reflection of increasingly efficient markets. This paper examines empirically the merits of these two arguments based on a longitudinal analysis of bilateral...... in support of the ‘market-view’, showing that the sensitivity of trade to psychic distance has declined dramatically for all categories of goods. The impact of geographic distance has increased markedly for homogenous goods, whereas for more differentiated goods it has decreased mildly....

Ethnical distance in Vojvodina: Research results

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lazar Žolt

2005-01-01

Full Text Available This article presents the results of the ethnical distance measuring in Vojvodina, the north Province of the Republic of Serbia. The measuring was carried out on autumn 2002, during realization of the wider project of multiculturalism research in the mentioned region. According to the results the ethnical distances in Vojvodina are quite equalized and they are grouped around the attitude "all the same". Vojvodinian Serbs are more favorable partners for the majority of social contacts, and the relatively largest distance is shown toward Roma. The ethnical distance results also discovers two very important factors for understanding the interethnic relations in Vojvodina: first, the "rational" kind of social contacts with the members of the other ethnical groups are more preferable for the majority of respondents, and second, they have very equal distances toward their own ethnical groups.

Three Generations of Distance Education Pedagogy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Terry Anderson

2011-03-01

Full Text Available This paper defines and examines three generations of distance education pedagogy. Unlike earlier classifications of distance education based on the technology used, this analysis focuses on the pedagogy that defines the learning experiences encapsulated in the learning design. The three generations of cognitive-behaviourist, social constructivist, and connectivist pedagogy are examined, using the familiar community of inquiry model (Garrison, Anderson, & Archer, 2000 with its focus on social, cognitive, and teaching presences. Although this typology of pedagogies could also be usefully applied to campus-based education, the need for and practice of openness and explicitness in distance education content and process makes the work especially relevant to distance education designers, teachers, and developers. The article concludes that high-quality distance education exploits all three generations as determined by the learning content, context, and learning expectations.

Social Distance and Intergenerational Relations

Science.gov (United States)

Kidwell, I. Jane; Booth, Alan

1977-01-01

Questionnaires were administered to a sample of adults to assess the extent of social distance between people of different ages. The findings suggest that the greater the age difference (younger or older) between people, the greater the social distance they feel. (Author)

Cognitive Styles and Distance Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yuliang; Ginther, Dean

1999-01-01

Considers how to adapt the design of distance education to students' cognitive styles. Discusses cognitive styles, including field dependence versus independence, holistic-analytic, sensory preference, hemispheric preferences, and Kolb's Learning Style Model; and the characteristics of distance education, including technology. (Contains 92…

Patient-Reported Barriers to Adherence to Antiretroviral Therapy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zara Shubber

2016-11-01

service-related barriers, including distance to clinic (adults 17.5%, 95% CI 13.0%-21.9% and stock outs (adults 16.1%, 95% CI 11.7%-20.4%, were also frequently reported. Limitations of this review relate to the fact that included studies differed in approaches to assessing adherence barriers and included variable durations of follow up. Studies that report self-reported adherence will likely underestimate the frequency of non-adherence. For children, barriers were mainly reported by caregivers, which may not correspond to the most important barriers faced by children.Patients on ART face multiple barriers to adherence, and no single intervention will be sufficient to ensure that high levels of adherence to treatment and virological suppression are sustained. For maximum efficacy, health providers should consider a more triaged approach that first identifies patients at risk of poor adherence and then seeks to establish the support that is needed to overcome the most important barriers to adherence.

Performing a local barrier operation

Science.gov (United States)

Archer, Charles J; Blocksome, Michael A; Ratterman, Joseph D; Smith, Brian E

2014-03-04

Performing a local barrier operation with parallel tasks executing on a compute node including, for each task: retrieving a present value of a counter; calculating, in dependence upon the present value of the counter and a total number of tasks performing the local barrier operation, a base value, the base value representing the counter's value prior to any task joining the local barrier; calculating, in dependence upon the base value and the total number of tasks performing the local barrier operation, a target value of the counter, the target value representing the counter's value when all tasks have joined the local barrier; joining the local barrier, including atomically incrementing the value of the counter; and repetitively, until the present value of the counter is no less than the target value of the counter: retrieving the present value of the counter and determining whether the present value equals the target value.

Delineating the psychic structure of substance abuse and addictions: should anxiety, mood and impulse-control dysregulation be included?

Science.gov (United States)

Pani, Pier Paolo; Maremmani, Icro; Trogu, Emanuela; Gessa, Gian Luigi; Ruiz, Pedro; Akiskal, Hagop Souren

2010-05-01

Current "official" nosology (e.g. DSM IV) is largely limited to physical manifestations of addiction that can be objectively observed and are suited to the maintaining of an "atheoretical" perspective. However, addicted subjects display additional psychiatric symptoms that affect their well-being and social functioning and, in accordance with DSM IV, are typically relegated to the domain of psychiatric "comorbidity." We contend that the relationship of these psychiatric symptoms with addiction is very close, as demonstrated by the high frequency of association observed. We further assert that substance use may modify pre-existing psychic structures such as temperament and related subthreshold conditions and lead to addiction as a specific mental disorder, inclusive also of symptoms pertaining to mood/anxiety, or impulse-control dimensions. The present contribution addresses the weaknesses of the current DSM-based nosology of addiction-related mental comorbidity. We highlight the overlap of the biological substrates and the neurophysiology of addictive processes and psychiatric symptoms associated with addiction, and propose the inclusion of specific mood, anxiety, and impulse-control dimensions in the psychopathology of addictive processes. We postulate that addiction reaches beyond the mere result of drug-elicited effects on the brain and cannot be peremptorily equated only with the use of drugs despite the adverse consequences produced. We infer that mood, anxiety and impulse-control dysregulation is at the very core of both the origins and clinical manifestations of addiction and should be incorporated into the nosology of the same, emphasising how addiction is a relapsing chronic condition in which psychiatric manifestations play a crucial role. To conclude, addictionology cannot be severed from its psychopathological connotations, in view of the undeniable presence of symptoms, of their manifest contribution to the way addicted patients feel and behave, and to

Rotational barriers in ammonium hexachlorometallates as studied by NMR, tunneling spectroscopy and ab initio calculations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Birczynski, A.; Lalowicz, Z.T.; Lodziana, Zbigniew

2004-01-01

Ammonium hexachlorometallates, (NH4)(2)MCl6 With M = Pd, Pt, Ir, Os, Re, Se, Sn, Te and Pb, comprise a set of compounds with systematically changing properties. The compounds may be ordered according to decreasing tunnelling frequency (TF) of ammonium ions, which is related to the increasing...... structure explain observed variation of the tunnelling frequencies for NH4+. The theory provides also M-Cl distances and barriers for C-2 and C-3 rotations of ammonium ions in respective compounds, which show good agreement with experimental values. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved....

Robustness of Distance-to-Default

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jessen, Cathrine; Lando, David

2013-01-01

. A notable exception is a model with stochastic volatility of assets. In this case both the ranking of firms and the estimated default probabilities using distance-to-default perform significantly worse. We therefore propose a volatility adjustment of the distance-to-default measure, that significantly...

A Temporal Assessment of Barrier Island Vulnerability to Extreme Wave Events, Virginia Coast Reserve

Science.gov (United States)

Oster, D. J.; Moore, L. J.; Doran, K. J.; Stockdon, H. F.

2010-12-01

last 10 years. Potentially evolving long-term trends in island vulnerability appear to be difficult to detect, likely due to the short time window of analysis and the preferential capture of short-term variations as two out of the four lidar data sets were collected immediately following a storm event. Further statistical analysis of changes in frontal dune height (DHIGH) and the distance between the dune toe (DLOW) and shoreline will provide insight into short-term responses to individual storms as well as the potential for future long-term changes in barrier island vulnerability, contributing to a better understanding of barrier island response to rising seas and severe storms.

Patterns of geographic mobility predict barriers to engagement in HIV care and antiretroviral treatment adherence.

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, Barbara S; Reyes, Emily; Levine, Elizabeth A; Khan, Shah Z; Garduño, L Sergio; Donastorg, Yeycy; Hammer, Scott M; Brudney, Karen; Hirsch, Jennifer S

2014-06-01

Migration and geographic mobility increase risk for HIV infection and may influence engagement in HIV care and adherence to antiretroviral therapy. Our goal is to use the migration-linked communities of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and New York City, New York, to determine the impact of geographic mobility on HIV care engagement and adherence to treatment. In-depth interviews were conducted with HIV+Dominicans receiving antiretroviral therapy, reporting travel or migration in the past 6 months and key informants (n=45). Mobility maps, visual representations of individual migration histories, including lifetime residence(s) and all trips over the past 2 years, were generated for all HIV+ Dominicans. Data from interviews and field observation were iteratively reviewed for themes. Mobility mapping revealed five distinct mobility patterns: travel for care, work-related travel, transnational travel (nuclear family at both sites), frequent long-stay travel, and vacation. Mobility patterns, including distance, duration, and complexity, varied by motivation for travel. There were two dominant barriers to care. First, a fear of HIV-related stigma at the destination led to delays seeking care and poor adherence. Second, longer trips led to treatment interruptions due to limited medication supply (30-day maximum dictated by programs or insurers). There was a notable discordance between what patients and providers perceived as mobility-induced barriers to care and the most common barriers found in the analysis. Interventions to improve HIV care for mobile populations should consider motivation for travel and address structural barriers to engagement in care and adherence.

Barrier island facies models and recognition criteria

Science.gov (United States)

Mulhern, J.; Johnson, C. L.

2017-12-01

Barrier island outcrops record transgressive shoreline motion at geologic timescales, providing integral clues to understanding how coastlines respond to rising sea levels. However, barrier island deposits are difficult to recognize. While significant progress has been made in understanding the modern coastal morphodynamics, this insight is not fully leveraged in existing barrier island facies models. Excellent outcrop exposures of the paralic Upper Cretaceous Straight Cliffs Formation of southern Utah provide an opportunity to revise facies models and recognition criteria for barrier island deposits. Preserved barrier islands are composed of three main architectural elements (shorefaces, tidal inlets, and tidal channels) which occur independently or in combination to create larger-scale barrier island deposits. Barrier island shorefaces record progradation, while barrier island tidal inlets record lateral migration, and barrier island tidal channels record aggradation within the tidal inlet. Four facies associations are used to describe and characterize these barrier island architectural elements. Barrier islands occur in association with backarrier fill and internally contain lower and upper shoreface, high-energy upper shoreface, and tidal channel facies. Barrier islands bound lagoons or estuaries, and are distinguished from other shoreface deposits by their internal facies and geometry, association with backbarrier facies, and position within transgressive successions. Tidal processes, in particular tidal inlet migration and reworking of the upper shoreface, also distinguish barrier island deposits. Existing barrier island models highlight the short term heterogeneous and dynamic nature of barrier island systems, yet overlook processes tied to geologic time scales, such as multi-directional motion, erosion, and reworking, and their expressions in preserved barrier island strata. This study uses characteristic outcrop expressions of barrier island successions to

Enershield : energy saving air barriers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hallihan, D. [Enershield Industries Ltd., Edmonton, AB (Canada)

2008-07-01

Enershield Industries is a leader in air barrier technology and provides solution for the Canadian climate. This presentation described the advantages of air barriers and the impact of rising energy costs. An air barrier is used to separate areas of differing environments and makes existing building systems more efficient. This presentation discussed how an air barrier works. It also identified how Enershield Industries calculates energy savings. It described air barrier applications and those who use barrier technology. These include the commercial and industrial sector as well as the personnel and retail sector. Barrier technology can be used for cold storage; vehicle and equipment washes; food processing; and environmental separation. Features and benefits such as the ability to create seal, acoustic insulation, and long term durability were also discussed. Last, the presentation addressed model selection and design criteria issues. Design criteria that were presented included a discussion of acoustic installation, articulating nozzles, scroll cased fans, and structural frame. Other design criteria presented were galvanized frames, telescopic sliders, and off the shelf parts. It was concluded that the ability to reduce energy consumption and enhance employee/client comfort is beneficial to the employer as well as to the employee. figs.

Engineered barriers: current status

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Atkinson, A.; Marsh, G.P.

1988-01-01

This report summarises the current state of research relevant to assessing the performance of engineered barriers made of steel and concrete in radioactive waste repositories. The objective of these barriers is to contain the radionuclides within them by providing both physical and chemical impediment to their release. The physical barriers are of most value for highly soluble isotopes with relatively short half-lives (eg 137 Cs), since they can provide containment until a large fraction of the activity has decayed. In addition they can facilitate retrievability for some period after disposal. The chemical barriers operate by beneficial conditioning of the near field groundwater and providing sites for sorption of radionuclides. Both of these reduce the aqueous concentration of radionuclides in the near field. (author)

Material Barriers to Diffusive Mixing

Science.gov (United States)

Haller, George; Karrasch, Daniel

2017-11-01

Transport barriers, as zero-flux surfaces, are ill-defined in purely advective mixing in which the flux of any passive scalar is zero through all material surfaces. For this reason, Lagrangian Coherent Structures (LCSs) have been argued to play the role of mixing barriers as most repelling, attracting or shearing material lines. These three kinematic concepts, however, can also be defined in different ways, both within rigorous mathematical treatments and within the realm of heuristic diagnostics. This has lead to a an ever-growing number of different LCS methods, each generally identifying different objects as transport barriers. In this talk, we examine which of these methods have actual relevance for diffusive transport barriers. The latter barriers are arguably the practically relevant inhibitors in the mixing of physically relevant tracers, such as temperature, salinity, vorticity or potential vorticity. We demonstrate the role of the most effective diffusion barriers in analytical examples and observational data. Supported in part by the DFG Priority Program on Turbulent Superstructures.

Diabetes and diet : managing dietary barriers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Friele, R.D.

1989-01-01

This thesis reports on the barriers diabetic patients experience with their diet, and the ways they cope with these barriers. A dietary barrier is a hinderance to a person's well-being, induced by being advised a diet. First inventories were made of possible dietary barriers and ways of

Distance criterion for hydrogen bond

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

First page Back Continue Last page Overview Graphics. Distance criterion for hydrogen bond. In a D-H ...A contact, the D...A distance must be less than the sum of van der Waals Radii of the D and A atoms, for it to be a hydrogen bond.

Distance Learning: Practice and Dilemmas

Science.gov (United States)

Tatkovic, Nevenka; Sehanovic, Jusuf; Ruzic, Maja

2006-01-01

In accordance with the European processes of integrated and homogeneous education, the paper presents the essential viewpoints and questions covering the establishment and development of "distance learning" (DL) in Republic of Croatia. It starts from the advantages of distance learning versus traditional education taking into account…

Long distance travel ‘today’

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Linda

2014-01-01

This paper presents an overview of the Dane’s long distance travel. It is a part of the Drivers and Limits project about long distance travel. Long distance travel is in the project defined as infrequent travel with overnight stay. Danes 15-85 years-old travel in average 5.5 long distance travel...... per year og which a third is for international destinations, a third is for domestic second homes and a third are other domestic trips. However, 87% of the kilometres are for international destinations and only 4% are for domestic second homes. Travel activity is very uneven distributed with only half...... of the population having had a journey during the last three month. At the other hand 60% have travelled internationally during the last year and only 2% have never travelled abroad. The paper presents among other things how the travel activity is distributed on travel purpose and mode and how the mode choice...

Barriers to healthcare for transgender individuals.

Science.gov (United States)

Safer, Joshua D; Coleman, Eli; Feldman, Jamie; Garofalo, Robert; Hembree, Wylie; Radix, Asa; Sevelius, Jae

2016-04-01

Transgender persons suffer significant health disparities and may require medical intervention as part of their care. The purpose of this manuscript is to briefly review the literature characterizing barriers to healthcare for transgender individuals and to propose research priorities to understand mechanisms of those barriers and interventions to overcome them. Current research emphasizes sexual minorities' self-report of barriers, rather than using direct methods. The biggest barrier to healthcare reported by transgender individuals is lack of access because of lack of providers who are sufficiently knowledgeable on the topic. Other barriers include: financial barriers, discrimination, lack of cultural competence by providers, health systems barriers, and socioeconomic barriers. National research priorities should include rigorous determination of the capacity of the US healthcare system to provide adequate care for transgender individuals. Studies should determine knowledge and biases of the medical workforce across the spectrum of medical training with regard to transgender medical care; adequacy of sufficient providers for the care required, larger social structural barriers, and status of a framework to pay for appropriate care. As well, studies should propose and validate potential solutions to address identified gaps.

Does Distance to Subsidiaries affect Headquarters Value Added?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nell, Phillip C.; Beugelsdijk, Sjoerd; Ambos, Björn

2014-01-01

How does distance between MNC headquarters and their subsidiaries affect the value added generated by headquarters? Integrating theories on spatial transaction costs with the headquarter view of the MNC, we link two types of distances, geographic distance and contextual distance, with headquarters...... value added. We test our hypotheses on an original dataset of 124 manufacturing subsidiaries in Europe. We find that the relation between distance and headquarters value added is conditional on the degree of subsidiaries’ external embeddedness. We find no direct effect of distance. The value added...... of headquarters is highest for subsidiaries that are not externally embedded in the host country and that operate at a large distance. It is lowest for locally responsive subsidiaries with high external embeddedness operating at a large distance. We discuss implications for the literature on headquarters-subsidiaries...

GLOBALIZATION, DISTANCE EDUCATION AND HEGEMONIC FUTURES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Glenn RUSSELL

2007-10-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Consideration of the place of theory in distance education suggests that existing definitions do not adequately account for economic, cultural and historical factors. The application of the notion of hegemonic valency to distance education highlights the ways in which tools, technological systems and online environments operate in predictable ways. Historically, the imperatives of market forces and social justice have displayed a tension that is continued in contemporary contexts including virtual learning environments. A characteristic of this tension can be seen in the forces and interactions associated with globalisation and technology. These forces, in association with others, have contributed to a null curriculum in which some alternatives open to distance education practitioners remain invisible. It is likely that this situation is further compounded by the difficulty of ascertaining what distance education practices are actually operating world-wide at any identifiable time. Available options for distance educators can be understood in terms of instrumental and interpersonal axes that can potentially indicate the relative consideration that can be given to these factors. This approach is suggested as one way to understand available options at a time when there has been an apparent increase in instrumental approaches to distance education at the expense of interpersonal approaches and issues of social justice. While this problem is of concern, it is more appropriate to reflect on the unintended consequences of distance education for society and identify them than it is to uncritically oppose globalisation and its adherents.

Integration of advanced technologies to enhance problem-based learning over distance: Project TOUCH.

Science.gov (United States)

Jacobs, Joshua; Caudell, Thomas; Wilks, David; Keep, Marcus F; Mitchell, Steven; Buchanan, Holly; Saland, Linda; Rosenheimer, Julie; Lozanoff, Beth K; Lozanoff, Scott; Saiki, Stanley; Alverson, Dale

2003-01-01

Distance education delivery has increased dramatically in recent years as a result of the rapid advancement of communication technology. The National Computational Science Alliance's Access Grid represents a significant advancement in communication technology with potential for distance medical education. The purpose of this study is to provide an overview of the TOUCH project (Telehealth Outreach for Unified Community Health; http://hsc.unm.edu/touch) with special emphasis on the process of problem-based learning case development for distribution over the Access Grid. The objective of the TOUCH project is to use emerging Internet-based technology to overcome geographic barriers for delivery of tutorial sessions to medical students pursuing rotations at remote sites. The TOUCH project also is aimed at developing a patient simulation engine and an immersive virtual reality environment to achieve a realistic health care scenario enhancing the learning experience. A traumatic head injury case is developed and distributed over the Access Grid as a demonstration of the TOUCH system. Project TOUCH serves as an example of a computer-based learning system for developing and implementing problem-based learning cases within the medical curriculum, but this system should be easily applied to other educational environments and disciplines involving functional and clinical anatomy. Future phases will explore PC versions of the TOUCH cases for increased distribution. Copyright 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

24 CFR 574.645 - Coastal barriers.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Coastal barriers. 574.645 Section....645 Coastal barriers. In accordance with the Coastal Barrier Resources Act, 16 U.S.C. 3501, no financial assistance under this part may be made available within the Coastal Barrier Resources System. ...

The facility location problem for hyper-rectilinear distances

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Juel, Henrik; Love, Robert F.

1985-01-01

Hyper-rectilinear distances correspond to the l p distance function for 0 travel distances between pairs of points are generally greater than rectilinear distances. In this paper we examine the single facility location problem when hyper...

Auditory/visual distance estimation: accuracy and variability

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paul Wallace Anderson

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Past research has shown that auditory distance estimation improves when listeners are given the opportunity to see all possible sound sources when compared to no visual input. It has also been established that distance estimation is more accurate in vision than in audition. The present study investigates the degree to which auditory distance estimation is improved when matched with a congruent visual stimulus. Virtual sound sources based on binaural room impulse response (BRIR measurements made from distances ranging from approximately 0.3 to 9.8 m in a concert hall were used as auditory stimuli. Visual stimuli were photographs taken from the listener’s perspective at each distance in the impulse response measurement setup presented on a large HDTV monitor. Listeners were asked to estimate egocentric distance to the sound source in each of three conditions: auditory only (A, visual only (V, and congruent auditory/visual stimuli (A+V. Each condition was presented within its own block. Sixty-two listeners were tested in order to quantify the response variability inherent in auditory distance perception. Distance estimates from both the V and A+V conditions were found to be considerably more accurate and less variable than estimates from the A condition.

Einstein at a distance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lambourne, Robert [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Open University, Milton Keynes (United Kingdom)

2005-11-01

This paper examines the challenges and rewards that can arise when the teaching of Einsteinian physics has to be accomplished by means of distance education. The discussion is mainly based on experiences gathered over the past 35 years at the UK Open University, where special and general relativity, relativistic cosmology and other aspects of Einsteinian physics, have been taught at a variety of levels, and using a range of techniques, to students studying at a distance.

Long distance quantum teleportation

Science.gov (United States)

Xia, Xiu-Xiu; Sun, Qi-Chao; Zhang, Qiang; Pan, Jian-Wei

2018-01-01

Quantum teleportation is a core protocol in quantum information science. Besides revealing the fascinating feature of quantum entanglement, quantum teleportation provides an ultimate way to distribute quantum state over extremely long distance, which is crucial for global quantum communication and future quantum networks. In this review, we focus on the long distance quantum teleportation experiments, especially those employing photonic qubits. From the viewpoint of real-world application, both the technical advantages and disadvantages of these experiments are discussed.

A comparison of freeway median crash frequency, severity, and barrier strike outcomes by median barrier type.

Science.gov (United States)

Russo, Brendan J; Savolainen, Peter T

2018-08-01

Median-crossover crashes are among the most hazardous events that can occur on freeways, often resulting in severe or fatal injuries. The primary countermeasure to reduce the occurrence of such crashes is the installation of a median barrier. When installation of a median barrier is warranted, transportation agencies are faced with the decision among various alternatives including concrete barriers, beam guardrail, or high-tension cable barriers. Each barrier type differs in terms of its deflection characteristics upon impact, the required installation and maintenance costs, and the roadway characteristics (e.g., median width) where installation would be feasible. This study involved an investigation of barrier performance through an in-depth analysis of crash frequency and severity data from freeway segments where high-tension cable, thrie-beam, and concrete median barriers were installed. A comprehensive manual review of crash reports was conducted to identify crashes in which a vehicle left the roadway and encroached into the median. This review also involved an examination of crash outcomes when a barrier strike occurred, which included vehicle containment, penetration, or re-direction onto the travel lanes. The manual review of crash reports provided critical supplementary information through narratives and diagrams not normally available through standard fields on police crash report forms. Statistical models were estimated to identify factors that affect the frequency, severity, and outcomes of median-related crashes, with particular emphases on differences between segments with varying median barrier types. Several roadway-, traffic-, and environmental-related characteristics were found to affect these metrics, with results varying across the different barrier types. The results of this study provide transportation agencies with important guidance as to the in-service performance of various types of median barrier. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights

Long distance signaling using axionlike particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stancil, Daniel D.

2007-01-01

The possible existence of axionlike particles could lead to a new type of long-distance communication. In this work, basic antenna concepts are defined and a Friis-like equation is derived to facilitate long-distance link calculations. An example calculation is presented showing that communication over distances of 1000 km or more may be possible for m a aγγ >5x10 -8 GeV -1

Cardiovascular Risks in Long Distance Runners.

Science.gov (United States)

Witham, Bethany Rolfe; Babbitt, Keven

Distance running has become increasingly popular since the 1970s. Despite the health benefits, long-distance running has been associated with an increased risk for cardiac events. Healthcare professionals should be familiar with distance running cardiac risk factors and preparticipation screening recommendations from the American Heart Association, and should screen and educate patients during healthcare encounters. Nurses are particularly well suited to educate runners on risks and symptoms of cardiac dysfunction.

Protective barrier development: Overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wing, N.R.; Gee, G.W.

1990-01-01

Protective barrier and warning marker systems are being developed to isolate wastes disposed of near the earth's surface at the Hanford Site. The barrier is designed to function in an arid to semiarid climate, to limit infiltration and percolation of water through the waste zone to near-zero, to be maintenance free, and to last up to 10,000 yr. Natural materials (e.g., fine soil, sand, gravel, riprap, clay, asphalt) have been selected to optimize barrier performance and longevity and to create an integrated structure with redundant features. These materials isolate wastes by limiting water drainage; reducing the likelihood of plant, animal, and human intrusion; controlling emission of noxious gases; and minimizing erosion. Westinghouse Hanford Company and Pacific Northwest Laboratory efforts to assess the performance of various barrier and marker designs will be discussed

Continuity Properties of Distances for Markov Processes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jaeger, Manfred; Mao, Hua; Larsen, Kim Guldstrand

2014-01-01

In this paper we investigate distance functions on finite state Markov processes that measure the behavioural similarity of non-bisimilar processes. We consider both probabilistic bisimilarity metrics, and trace-based distances derived from standard Lp and Kullback-Leibler distances. Two desirable...

Did the suicide barrier work after all? Revisiting the Bloor Viaduct natural experiment and its impact on suicide rates in Toronto.

Science.gov (United States)

Sinyor, Mark; Schaffer, Ayal; Redelmeier, Donald A; Kiss, Alex; Nishikawa, Yasunori; Cheung, Amy H; Levitt, Anthony J; Pirkis, Jane

2017-06-19

This research aims to determine the long-term impact of the Bloor Street Viaduct suicide barrier on rates of suicide in Toronto and whether media reporting had any impact on suicide rates. Natural experiment. City of Toronto, Canada; records at the chief coroner's office of Ontario 1993-2003 (11 years before the barrier) and 2004-2014 (11 years after the barrier). 5403 people who died by suicide in the city of Toronto. Changes in yearly rates of suicide by jumping at Bloor Street Viaduct, other bridges including nearest comparison bridge and walking distance bridges, and buildings, and by other means. Suicide rates at the Bloor Street Viaduct declined from 9.0 deaths/year before the barrier to 0.1 deaths/year after the barrier (incidence rate ratio (IRR) 0.005, 95% CI 0.0005 to 0.19, p=0.002). Suicide deaths from bridges in Toronto also declined significantly (IRR 0.53, 95% CI 0.40 to 0.71, psuicide at the Bloor Street Viaduct were associated with an increase in suicide-by-jumping from bridges the following year. The current study demonstrates that, over the long term, suicide-by-jumping declined in Toronto after the barrier with no associated increase in suicide by other means. That is, the barrier appears to have had its intended impact at preventing suicide despite a short-term rise in deaths at other bridges that was at least partially influenced by a media effect. Research examining barriers at other locations should interpret short-term results with caution. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Virtual Bioinformatics Distance Learning Suite

Science.gov (United States)

Tolvanen, Martti; Vihinen, Mauno

2004-01-01

Distance learning as a computer-aided concept allows students to take courses from anywhere at any time. In bioinformatics, computers are needed to collect, store, process, and analyze massive amounts of biological and biomedical data. We have applied the concept of distance learning in virtual bioinformatics to provide university course material…

Access barriers to obstetric care at health facilities in sub-Saharan Africa-a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Kyei-Nimakoh, Minerva; Carolan-Olah, Mary; McCann, Terence V

2017-06-06

Since 2000, the United Nations' Millennium Development Goals, which included a goal to improve maternal health by the end of 2015, has facilitated significant reductions in maternal morbidity and mortality worldwide. However, despite more focused efforts made especially by low- and middle-income countries, targets were largely unmet in sub-Saharan Africa, where women are plagued by many challenges in seeking obstetric care. The aim of this review was to synthesise literature on barriers to obstetric care at health institutions in sub-Saharan Africa. This review was guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) checklist. PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), and Scopus databases were electronically searched to identify studies on barriers to health facility-based obstetric care in sub-Saharan Africa, in English, and dated between 2000 and 2015. Combinations of search terms 'obstetric care', 'access', 'barriers', 'developing countries' and 'sub-Saharan Africa' were used to locate articles. Quantitative, qualitative and mixed-methods studies were considered. A narrative synthesis approach was employed to synthesise the evidence and explore relationships between included studies. One hundred and sixty articles met the inclusion criteria. Currently, obstetric care access is hindered by several demand- and supply-side barriers. The principal demand-side barriers identified were limited household resources/income, non-availability of means of transportation, indirect transport costs, a lack of information on health care services/providers, issues related to stigma and women's self-esteem/assertiveness, a lack of birth preparation, cultural beliefs/practices and ignorance about required obstetric health services. On the supply-side, the most significant barriers were cost of services, physical distance between health facilities and service users' residence, long waiting times at health

Economic alternatives for containment barriers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nicholson, P.J.; Jasperse, B.H.; Fisher, M.J.

1997-01-01

Fixation, barriers, and containment of existing landfills and other disposal areas are often performed by insitu auger type soil mixing and jet grouting. Cement or other chemical reagents are mixed with soil to form both vertical and horizontal barriers. Immobilization of contaminants can be economically achieved by mixing soil and the contaminants with reagents that solidify or stabilize the contaminated area. Developed in Japan, and relatively new to the United States, the first large scale application was for a vertical barrier at the Jackson Lake Dam project in 1986. This technology has grown in both the civil and environmental field since. The paper describes current United States practice for Deep Soil Mixing (over 12 meters in depth), and Shallow Soil Mixing for vertical barriers and stabilization/solidification, and Jet Grouting for horizontal and vertical barriers. Creating very low permeability barriers at depth with minimal surface return often makes these techniques economical when compared to slurry trenches. The paper will discuss equipment, materials, soil and strength parameters, and quality control

Quality Content in Distance Education

Science.gov (United States)

Yildiz, Ezgi Pelin; Isman, Aytekin

2016-01-01

In parallel with technological advances in today's world of education activities can be conducted without the constraints of time and space. One of the most important of these activities is distance education. The success of the distance education is possible with content quality. The proliferation of e-learning environment has brought a need for…

Converse Barrier Certificate Theorem

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wisniewski, Rafael; Sloth, Christoffer

2013-01-01

This paper presents a converse barrier certificate theorem for a generic dynamical system.We show that a barrier certificate exists for any safe dynamical system defined on a compact manifold. Other authors have developed a related result, by assuming that the dynamical system has no singular...... points in the considered subset of the state space. In this paper, we redefine the standard notion of safety to comply with generic dynamical systems with multiple singularities. Afterwards, we prove the converse barrier certificate theorem and illustrate the differences between ours and previous work...

Tunnel superpenetrability of potential barriers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zakhariev, B N.

1982-01-01

The transmission of two particles through the same barrier is considered. The limiting cases are compared when the particles are joined together in a single particle with double mass-energy and potential and when they pass the barrier independently. As an intermediate case a pair of particles bound in a quasideuteron of a finite size is considered. It is shown that long-range collective correlations of particles (of the superfluidity type and others) simplify very much for them passing through high potential barriers. This happens due to the transfer of the additional energy from the particles outside the barriers to those inside it

Barrier rf systems in synchrotrons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhat, Chandra M.

2004-01-01

Recently, many interesting applications of the barrier RF system in hadron synchrotrons have been realized. A remarkable example of this is the development of longitudinal momentum mining and implementation at the Fermilab Recycler for extraction of low emittance pbars for the Tevatron shots. At Fermilab, we have barrier RF systems in four different rings. In the case of Recycler Ring, all of the rf manipulations are carried out using a barrier RF system. Here, the author reviews various uses of barrier rf systems in particle accelerators including some new schemes for producing intense proton beam and possible new applications

Barriers to biomedical care and use of traditional medicines for treatment of cervical cancer: an exploratory qualitative study in northern Uganda.

Science.gov (United States)

Mwaka, A D; Okello, E S; Orach, C G

2015-07-01

Use of traditional medicines for treatment of cancers has increased worldwide. We used a qualitative approach to explore barriers to biomedical care and reasons for use of traditional medicines for the treatment of cervical cancer in Gulu, northern Uganda. We carried out 24 focus group discussions involving men and women aged 18-59 years. We employed content analyses technique in data analysis. Traditional medicines were used mainly due to barriers to biomedical care for cervical cancer. The barriers included health system factors, for example long distances to health facilities and unavailability of medicines; health workers' factors, for example negative attitudes towards patients and demands for bribes; individual patient's factors, for example inability to pay for medical care; and socio-cultural beliefs about superiority of traditional medicines and perceived greater privacy in accessing traditional healers. Barriers to biomedical care and community beliefs in the effectiveness of traditional medicines encourage use of traditional medicines for treatment of cervical cancer but might hinder help-seeking at biomedical facilities. There is need for targeted culturally sensitive awareness campaign to promote effectiveness of modern medicine and to encourage cautious use of traditional medicines in the treatment of cervical cancer. © 2014 The Authors. European Journal of Cancer Care published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

NOVEL TSUNAMI BARRIERS AND THEIR APPLICATIONS FOR HYDROELECTRIC ENERGY STORAGE, FISH FARMING, AND FOR LAND RECLAMATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hans J. Scheel

2014-10-01

Full Text Available The tsunami hazard can be mitigated if the destructive waves generated from earthquakes and landslides can be reflected by a stable submerged vertical barrier before striking coastal communities or important structures. Building such deep walls by conventional submarine technology is difficult. The present study describes the principle and the erection of such submarine defensive walls by a relatively simple efficient and economic technology. This technology is based on lowering high- strength steel fences with horizontal anchors, or two parallel steel fences with distance holders, into the sea and fixing them with rocks deposited from top. Dredged material like gravel or sand can be used for additional filling. This Tsunami-Flooding Barrier (TFB extends a few meters above sea level and carries on top a concrete supply and service road protected on both sides against storm waves by concrete walls. Replaceable surge stoppers (parapets, wave return walls prevent overtopping and erosion of the seaward barrier face. The TFBs protect the coastline against tsunami and the highest storm waves from hurricanes, but also can provide protection from oil spills or other contaminations from the ocean and thus protect flora, fauna, coral reefs and beaches. Channels and gates allow navigation and can be closed quickly upon a tsunami or storm warning. The construction costs can be eventually compensated by using the reservoirs between coast and barriers for hydroelectric energy storage (using pump-turbines in the barriers or for fish-farming, or alternatively the reservoir can be filled with rocks, rubble, gravel, sand and covered with soil in order to reclaim new land. Tidal energy can be generated by installing turbines within these barriers. Also, this submarine architecture may be applied to protect pillars of bridges and offshore platforms, and for erecting “roads” into the sea to connect near-shore platforms and wind-parks with the coast and

Subsurface barrier verification technologies, informal report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heiser, J.H.

1994-06-01

One of the more promising remediation options available to the DOE waste management community is subsurface barriers. Some of the uses of subsurface barriers include surrounding and/or containing buried waste, as secondary confinement of underground storage tanks, to direct or contain subsurface contaminant plumes and to restrict remediation methods, such as vacuum extraction, to a limited area. To be most effective the barriers should be continuous and depending on use, have few or no breaches. A breach may be formed through numerous pathways including: discontinuous grout application, from joints between panels and from cracking due to grout curing or wet-dry cycling. The ability to verify barrier integrity is valuable to the DOE, EPA, and commercial sector and will be required to gain full public acceptance of subsurface barriers as either primary or secondary confinement at waste sites. It is recognized that no suitable method exists for the verification of an emplaced barrier's integrity. The large size and deep placement of subsurface barriers makes detection of leaks challenging. This becomes magnified if the permissible leakage from the site is low. Detection of small cracks (fractions of an inch) at depths of 100 feet or more has not been possible using existing surface geophysical techniques. Compounding the problem of locating flaws in a barrier is the fact that no placement technology can guarantee the completeness or integrity of the emplaced barrier. This report summarizes several commonly used or promising technologies that have been or may be applied to in-situ barrier continuity verification

Fluctuations in Schottky barrier heights

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mahan, G.D.

1984-01-01

A double Schottky barrier is often formed at the grain boundary in polycrystalline semiconductors. The barrier height is shown to fluctuate in value due to the random nature of the impurity positions. The magnitude of the fluctuations is 0.1 eV, and the fluctuations cause the barrier height measured by capacitance to differ from the one measured by electrical conductivity

Distance between images

Science.gov (United States)

Gualtieri, J. A.; Le Moigne, J.; Packer, C. V.

1992-01-01

Comparing two binary images and assigning a quantitative measure to this comparison finds its purpose in such tasks as image recognition, image compression, and image browsing. This quantitative measurement may be computed by utilizing the Hausdorff distance of the images represented as two-dimensional point sets. In this paper, we review two algorithms that have been proposed to compute this distance, and we present a parallel implementation of one of them on the MasPar parallel processor. We study their complexity and the results obtained by these algorithms for two different types of images: a set of displaced pairs of images of Gaussian densities, and a comparison of a Canny edge image with several edge images from a hierarchical region growing code.

Converse Barrier Certificate Theorems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wisniewski, Rafael; Sloth, Christoffer

2016-01-01

This paper shows that a barrier certificate exists for any safe dynamical system. Specifically, we prove converse barrier certificate theorems for a class of structurally stable dynamical systems. Other authors have developed a related result by assuming that the dynamical system has neither...

Barrier inhomogeneities limited current and 1/f noise transport in GaN based nanoscale Schottky barrier diodes

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Ashutosh; Heilmann, M.; Latzel, Michael; Kapoor, Raman; Sharma, Intu; Göbelt, M.; Christiansen, Silke H.; Kumar, Vikram; Singh, Rajendra

2016-01-01

The electrical behaviour of Schottky barrier diodes realized on vertically standing individual GaN nanorods and array of nanorods is investigated. The Schottky diodes on individual nanorod show highest barrier height in comparison with large area diodes on nanorods array and epitaxial film which is in contrast with previously published work. The discrepancy between the electrical behaviour of nanoscale Schottky diodes and large area diodes is explained using cathodoluminescence measurements, surface potential analysis using Kelvin probe force microscopy and 1ow frequency noise measurements. The noise measurements on large area diodes on nanorods array and epitaxial film suggest the presence of barrier inhomogeneities at the metal/semiconductor interface which deviate the noise spectra from Lorentzian to 1/f type. These barrier inhomogeneities in large area diodes resulted in reduced barrier height whereas due to the limited role of barrier inhomogeneities in individual nanorod based Schottky diode, a higher barrier height is obtained. PMID:27282258

[The adolescent with a chronic somatic disorder].

Science.gov (United States)

Bettschart, W

1992-01-25

Adolescence, a period of psychic reorganization which allows for new adjustments in order to face future life and reorganize the experience of the past, is one of the critical phases of existence. It is described as a "new birth", a successful achievement of individuation and separation processes. For the adolescent with an infirmity or chronic illness, and for his family, there exist specific problems in addition to those encountered by a healthy adolescent. The painful realization of social, professional and relational barriers is reactivated. The feeling of failure and helplessness, the impairment of self-esteem, and anger at being the victim of the unfairness of destiny, represent a supplementary affective burden for the adolescent and his family. This results in a risk of deterioration, either towards affective and social withdrawal expressed by overadaptation and weakening of psychic functions, or towards autoaggressive acting-out or various forms of marginalization. Preventive and therapeutic action by the individual and the family are discussed in the light of the case history of an adolescent suffering from a facial malformation.

Structural details of Al/Al 2O3 junctions and their role in the formation of electron tunnel barriers

Science.gov (United States)

Koberidze, M.; Puska, M. J.; Nieminen, R. M.

2018-05-01

We present a computational study of the adhesive and structural properties of the Al/Al 2O3 interfaces as building blocks of the metal-insulator-metal (MIM) tunnel devices, where electron transport is accomplished via tunneling mechanism through the sandwiched insulating barrier. The main goal of this paper is to understand, on the atomic scale, the role of the geometrical details in the formation of the tunnel barrier profiles. Initially, we concentrate on the adhesive properties of the interfaces. To provide reliable results, we carefully assess the accuracy of the traditional methods used to examine Al/Al 2O3 systems. These are the most widely employed exchange-correlation functionals—local-density approximation and two different generalized gradient approximations; the universal binding-energy relation for predicting equilibrium interfacial distances and adhesion energies; and the ideal work of separation as a measure of junction stability. In addition, we show that the established interpretation of the computed ideal work of separation might be misleading in predicting the optimal interface structures. Finally, we perform a detailed analysis of the atomic and interplanar relaxations in each junction, and identify their contributions to the tunnel barrier parameters. Our results imply that the structural irregularities on the surface of the Al film have a significant contribution to lowering the tunnel barrier height, while atomic relaxations at the interface and interplanar relaxations in Al2O3 may considerably change the width of the barrier and, thus, distort its uniformity. Both the effects may critically influence the performance of the MIM tunnel devices.

Richards Barrier LA Reference Design Feature Evaluation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

N.E. Kramer

1999-01-01

The Richards Barrier is one of the design features of the repository to be considered for the License Application (LA), Richards was a soil scientist who first described the diversion of moisture between two materials with different hydrologic properties. In this report, a Richards Barrier is a special type of backfill with a fine-grained material (such as sand) overlaying a coarse-grained material (such as gravel). Water that enters an emplacement drift will first encounter the fine-grained material and be transported around the coarse-grained material covering the waste package, thus protecting the waste package from contact with most of the groundwater. The objective of this report is to discuss the benefits and liabilities to the repository by the inclusion of a Richards Barrier type backfill in emplacement drifts. The Richards Barrier can act as a barrier to water flow, can reduce the waste package material dissolution rate, limit mobilization of the radionuclides, and can provide structural protection for the waste package. The scope of this report is to: (1) Analyze the behavior of barrier materials following the intrusion of groundwater for influxes of 1 to 300 mm per year. The report will demonstrate diversion of groundwater intrusions into the barrier over an extended time period when seismic activity and consolidation may cause the potential for liquefaction and settlement of the Richards Barrier. (2) Review the thermal effects of the Richards Barrier on material behavior. (3) Analyze the effect of rockfall on the performance of the Richards Barrier and the depth of the barrier required to protect waste packages under the barrier. (4) Review radiological and heating conditions on placement of multiple layers of the barrier. Subsurface Nuclear Safety personnel will perform calculations to determine the radiation reduction-time relationship and shielding capacity of the barrier. (5) Evaluate the effects of ventilation on cooling of emplacement drifts and

Skin barrier composition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)