Preserving third year medical students' empathy and enhancing self-reflection using small group "virtual hangout" technology.

Science.gov (United States)

Duke, Pamela; Grosseman, Suely; Novack, Dennis H; Rosenzweig, Steven

2015-01-01

Medical student professionalism education is challenging in scope, purpose, and delivery, particularly in the clinical years when students in large universities are dispersed across multiple clinical sites. We initiated a faculty-facilitated, peer small group course for our third year students, creating virtual classrooms using social networking and online learning management system technologies. The course emphasized narrative self-reflection, group inquiry, and peer support. We conducted this study to analyze the effects of a professionalism course on third year medical students' empathy and self-reflection (two elements of professionalism) and their perceptions about the course. Students completed the Groningen Reflection Ability Scale (GRAS) and the Jefferson Scale of Empathy (JSE) before and after the course and provided anonymous online feedback. The results of the JSE before and after the course demonstrated preservation of empathy rather than its decline. In addition, there was a statistically significant increase in GRAS scores (p < 0.001), suggesting that the sharing of personal narratives may foster reflective ability and reflective practice among third year students. This study supports previous findings showing that students benefit from peer groups and discussion in a safe environment, which may include the use of a virtual group video platform.

Leaders' smiles reflect cultural differences in ideal affect.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsai, Jeanne L; Ang, Jen Ying Zhen; Blevins, Elizabeth; Goernandt, Julia; Fung, Helene H; Jiang, Da; Elliott, Julian; Kölzer, Anna; Uchida, Yukiko; Lee, Yi-Chen; Lin, Yicheng; Zhang, Xiulan; Govindama, Yolande; Haddouk, Lise

2016-03-01

Cultures differ in the emotions they teach their members to value ("ideal affect"). We conducted 3 studies to examine whether leaders' smiles reflect these cultural differences in ideal affect. In Study 1, we compared the smiles of top-ranked American and Chinese government leaders, chief executive officers, and university presidents in their official photos. Consistent with findings that Americans value excitement and other high-arousal positive states more than Chinese, American top-ranked leaders (N = 98) showed more excited smiles than Chinese top-ranked leaders (N = 91) across occupations. In Study 2, we compared the smiles of winning versus losing political candidates and higher versus lower ranking chief executive officers and university presidents in the United States and Taiwan/China. American leaders (N = 223) showed more excited smiles than Taiwanese/Chinese leaders (N = 266), regardless of election outcome or ranking. In Study 3, we administered self-report measures of ideal affect in college student samples from 10 different nations (N = 1,267) and then 8 years later, coded the smiles that legislators from those nations showed in their official photos (N = 3,372). The more nations valued excitement and other high arousal positive states, the more their leaders showed excited smiles; similarly, the more nations valued calm and other low-arousal positive states, the more their leaders showed calm smiles. These results held after controlling for national differences in democratization, human development, and gross domestic product per capita. Together, these findings suggest that leaders' smiles reflect the affective states valued by their cultures. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Leaders’ Smiles Reflect Cultural Differences in Ideal Affect

Science.gov (United States)

Tsai, Jeanne L.; Ang, Jen Ying Zhen; Blevins, Elizabeth; Goernandt, Julia; Fung, Helene H.; Jiang, Da; Elliott, Julian; Kölzer, Anna; Uchida, Yukiko; Lee, Yi-Chen; Lin, Yicheng; Zhang, Xiulan; Govindama, Yolande; Haddouk, Lise

2015-01-01

Cultures differ in the emotions they teach their members to value (“ideal affect”). We conducted three studies to examine whether leaders’ smiles reflect these cultural differences in ideal affect. In Study 1, we compared the smiles of top ranked American and Chinese government leaders, chief-executive-officers (CEOs), and university presidents in their official photos. Consistent with findings that Americans value excitement and other high arousal positive states more than Chinese, American top ranked leaders (N = 98) showed more excited smiles than Chinese top ranked leaders (N = 91) across occupations. In Study 2, we compared the smiles of winning vs. losing political candidates and higher vs. lower ranking CEOs and university presidents in the US and Taiwan/China. American leaders (N = 223) showed more excited smiles than Taiwanese/Chinese leaders (N =266), regardless of election outcome or ranking. In Study 3, we administered self-report measures of ideal affect in college student samples from 10 different nations (N = 1,267) and then eight years later, coded the smiles that legislators from those nations showed in their official photos (N = 3,372). The more nations valued excitement and other high arousal positive states, the more their leaders showed excited smiles; similarly, the more nations valued calm and other low arousal positive states, the more their leaders showed calm smiles. These results held after controlling for national differences in GDP per capita, democratization, and human development. Together, these findings suggest that leaders’ smiles reflect the affective states valued by their cultures. PMID:26751631

Gender differences in category-specificity do not reflect innate dispositions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gerlach, Christian; Gainotti, Guido

2016-01-01

It is well established that certain categories of objects are processed more efficiently than others in specific tasks; a phenomenon known as category-specificity in perceptual and conceptual processing. In the last two decades there have also been several reports of gender differences in categor...... of this discrepancy is that previous reports of gender differences may have reflected differences in familiarity originating from socially-based gender roles....

Multiple attenuation to reflection seismic data using Radon filter and Wave Equation Multiple Rejection (WEMR) method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Erlangga, Mokhammad Puput [Geophysical Engineering, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Ganesha Street no.10 Basic Science B Buliding fl.2-3 Bandung, 40132, West Java Indonesia puput.erlangga@gmail.com (Indonesia)

2015-04-16

Separation between signal and noise, incoherent or coherent, is important in seismic data processing. Although we have processed the seismic data, the coherent noise is still mixing with the primary signal. Multiple reflections are a kind of coherent noise. In this research, we processed seismic data to attenuate multiple reflections in the both synthetic and real seismic data of Mentawai. There are several methods to attenuate multiple reflection, one of them is Radon filter method that discriminates between primary reflection and multiple reflection in the τ-p domain based on move out difference between primary reflection and multiple reflection. However, in case where the move out difference is too small, the Radon filter method is not enough to attenuate the multiple reflections. The Radon filter also produces the artifacts on the gathers data. Except the Radon filter method, we also use the Wave Equation Multiple Elimination (WEMR) method to attenuate the long period multiple reflection. The WEMR method can attenuate the long period multiple reflection based on wave equation inversion. Refer to the inversion of wave equation and the magnitude of the seismic wave amplitude that observed on the free surface, we get the water bottom reflectivity which is used to eliminate the multiple reflections. The WEMR method does not depend on the move out difference to attenuate the long period multiple reflection. Therefore, the WEMR method can be applied to the seismic data which has small move out difference as the Mentawai seismic data. The small move out difference on the Mentawai seismic data is caused by the restrictiveness of far offset, which is only 705 meter. We compared the real free multiple stacking data after processing with Radon filter and WEMR process. The conclusion is the WEMR method can more attenuate the long period multiple reflection than the Radon filter method on the real (Mentawai) seismic data.

Differences of Organizational Culture between Small and Large Enterprises

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ovidiu-Iliuta Dobre

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This research paper analyses the organizational culture of small enterprises and largeenterprises, and highlights the common elements and the main differences. The results of the studyshow significant differences in terms of organizational culture between the two types oforganizations. Employees working in small size enterprises are oriented towards innovation,whereas the ones working in large enterprises are more aware of social responsibility. In addition,small organizations are perceived to have a more supportive organizational culture than largeenterprises. Furthermore, the study reveals differences in management and leadership styles whenanalyzing the small and large enterprises. Considering the flatter organizational structure of smallenterprises, the managers have a personal relationship with the employees and they motivate thembetter and align their goals with the ones of the enterprise. In large organizations, the managersneed to have a tighter control, as more procedures have to be followed.

The impact of different reference panels on spectral reflectance coefficients of some biological water pollutants

Science.gov (United States)

Jenerowicz, Agnieszka; Walczykowski, Piotr

2015-10-01

Monitoring of water environment and ecosystem, detecting water contaminants and understanding water quality parameters are most important tasks in water management and protection of whole aquatic environment. Detection of biological contaminants play a very important role in preserving human health and water management. To obtain accurate and precise results of determination of the level of biological contamination and to distinguish its type it is necessary to determine precisely spectral reflectance coefficients of several water biological pollutants with inter alia spectroradiometer. This paper presents a methodology and preliminary results of acquisition of spectral reflectance coefficients with different reference panels (e.g. with 5%, 20%, 50%, 80% and 96% of reflectivity) of several biological pollutants. The authors' main task was to measure spectral reflectance coefficients of different biological water pollutants with several reference panels and to select optimal reference standard, which would allow for distinguish different types of several biological contaminants. Moreover it was necessary to indicate the spectral range in which it is possible to discriminate investigated samples of biological contaminants. By conducting many series of measurements of several samples of different types of biological pollutants, authors had concluded how the reflectivity of reference panel influences the accuracy of acquisition of spectral reflectance coefficients. This research was crucial in order to be able to distinguish several types of biological pollutants and to determine the useful spectral range for detection of different kinds of biological contaminants with multispectral and hyperspectral imagery.

Wave reflections from breakwaters

OpenAIRE

Dickson, William S.

1994-01-01

A new method is presented for estimating the reflection of a random, multi-directional sea from a coastal structure. The technique is applicable to an array of wave gauges of arbitrary geometry deployed seaward of the reflector. An expansion for small oblique wave incidence angles is used to derive an approximate relationship between measured array cross-spectra and a small number of parameters that describe the incident wave properties and the reflectivity of the structure. Model tests with ...

Tertiary and quaternary structural differences between two genetic variants of bovine casein by small-angle X-ray scattering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pessen, H.; Kumosinski, T.F.; Farrell, H.M. Jr.; Brumberger, H.

1991-01-01

The casein complexes of bovine milk consist of four major protein fractions, alpha s1, alpha s2, beta, and kappa. Colloidal particles of casein (termed micelles) contain inorganic calcium and phosphate; they are very roughly spherical with an average radius of 650 A. Removal of Ca2+ leads to the formation of smaller protein aggregates with an average radius of 94 A. Two genetic variants, A and B, of the predominant fraction, alpha s1-casein, result in milks with markedly different physical properties, such as solubility and heat stability. To investigate the molecular basis for these differences, small-angle X-ray scattering was performed on the respective colloidal micelles and submicelles. Scattering curves for submicelles of both variants showed multiple Gaussian character; data for the B variant were previously interpreted in terms of two concentric regions of different electron density, i.e., a compact core and a relatively loose shell. For the submicelle of A, there was a third Gaussian, reflecting a negative contribution due to interparticle interference. Molecular parameters for submicelles of both A and B are in agreement with hydrodynamic data in the literature. Data for the micelles, for which scattering yields cross-sectional information, were fitted by a sum of three Gaussians for both variants; for these, the corresponding two lower radii of gyration represent the two concentric regions of the submicelles, while the third reflects the average packing of submicelles within the micellar cross section. Most of the molecular parameters obtained showed small but consistent differences between A and B, but for submicelles within the micelle several differences were particularly notable: A has a greater molecular weight for the compact region of the constituent submicelle (82,000 vs 60,000) and a much greater submicellar packing number

Audible reflection density for different late reflection criteria in rooms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Krueger, Donata; Jeong, Cheol-Ho; Brunskog, Jonas

2012-01-01

For reasonably accurate but practical auralizations, some simplifications and approximations are needed. The main issue in the present investigation is that the reflection density of a room impulse response, in theory, increases so fast as a quadratic function of the elapsed time, even assuming...

Cultural differences in emotion regulation during self-reflection on negative personal experiences.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsai, William; Lau, Anna S

2013-01-01

Reflecting on negative personal experiences has implications for mood that may vary as a function of specific domains (e.g., achievement vs. interpersonal) and cultural orientation (e.g., interdependence vs. independence). This study investigated cultural differences in the social-cognitive and affective processes undertaken as Easterners and Westerners reflected on negative interpersonal and performance experiences. One hundred Asian Americans and 92 European-American college students were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: interpersonal rejection, achievement failure, or a control condition. Results revealed that Asian Americans experienced greater distress than European Americans after self-reflecting over a failed interpersonal experience, suggesting cultural sensitivity in the relational domain. Consistent with theoretical predictions, analysis of the social cognitive and affective processes that participants engaged in during self-reflection provided some evidence that self-enhancement may buffer distress for European Americans, while emotion suppression may be adaptive for Asian Americans.

Fabrication of small mock-ups reflecting the design features of the ITER semi-prototype

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jung, Yang-Il; Choi, Byoung-Kwon; Park, Jeong-Yong; Kim, Suk-Kwon; Lee, Dong Won; Kim, Byoung Yoon

2012-01-01

The ITER semi-prototype was designed to qualify the manufacturing technology for the ITER blanket first wall. However, its fabrication is expected to face great difficulty due to a design complexity. Even though joining technology for different materials such as beryllium, CuCrZr, and stainless steel (SS) was developed during the first stage of qualification, the joining is still a key issue for the fabrication of the semi-prototype. In this study, small mock-ups (SMU) were fabricated to realize and verify the manufacturing of the semi-prototype reflecting the described design features. The joining of multiple beryllium tiles on the angled CuCrZr surface was confirmed with SMU no. 1. Six beryllium tiles were joined using hot isostatic pressing (HIP), and slitting was then performed to form multiple tiles. In SMU no. 2, HIP was performed two times in order to facilitate the cooling channels at the CuCrZr/SS interface, and to join the beryllium tiles on CuCrZr/SS. The method used to form a pressure boundary for the complex cooling channels was also developed by fabricating the SMU no. 3. The SMUs confirmed the applicability of the HIP for the manufacturing of the semi-prototype.

"small problems, Big Trouble": An Art and Science Collaborative Exhibition Reflecting Seemingly small problems Leading to Big Threats

Science.gov (United States)

Waller, J. L.; Brey, J. A.

2014-12-01

"small problems, Big Trouble" (spBT) is an exhibition of artist Judith Waller's paintings accompanied by text panels written by Earth scientist Dr. James A. Brey and several science researchers and educators. The text panels' message is as much the focus of the show as the art--true interdisciplinarity! Waller and Brey's history of art and earth science collaborations include the successful exhibition "Layers: Places in Peril". New in spBT is extended collaboration with other scientists in order to create awareness of geoscience and other subjects (i.e. soil, parasites, dust, pollutants, invasive species, carbon, ground water contaminants, solar wind) small in scale which pose significant threats. The paintings are the size of a mirror, a symbol suggesting the problems depicted are those we increasingly need to face, noting our collective reflections of shared current and future reality. Naturalistic rendering and abstract form in the art helps reach a broad audience including those familiar with art and those familiar with science. The goal is that gallery visitors gain greater appreciation and understanding of both—and of the sober content of the show as a whole. "small problems, Big Trouble" premiers in Wisconsin April, 2015. As in previous collaborations, Waller and Brey actively utilize art and science (specifically geoscience) as an educational vehicle for active student learning. Planned are interdisciplinary university and area high school activities linked through spBT. The exhibition in a public gallery offers a means to enhance community awareness of and action on scientific issues through art's power to engage people on an emotional level. This AGU presentation includes a description of past Waller and Brey activities: incorporating art and earth science in lab and studio classrooms, producing gallery and museum exhibitions and delivering workshops and other presentations. They also describe how walking the paths of several past earth science

Reflection of ion acoustic waves by the plasma sheath

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ibrahim, I.; Kuehl, H.H.

1984-01-01

The reflection coefficient R for linear monochromatic ion acoustic waves incident on the transonic layer and sheath from the plasma interior is calculated. The treatment differs from previous analyses in that (1) the exact zero-order ion density and velocity profiles for a planar, bounded plasma are used, and the zero-order charge separation is not neglected, and (2) the first-order quantities near the transonic layer are considered in detail, including first-order charge separation, whereby it is found that no coupling to the beam modes exists, and that the functional form of the first-order solution is completely determined. It is shown that the upper bound for Vertical BarRVertical Bar is (1)/(3) . The largest reflection occurs for frequencies which are small compared with the ionization frequency, and generally decreases with increasing frequency. By Fourier superposition, the reflection of a pulse is computed. For a narrow incident pulse, the reflected pulse is greatly distorted and is small compared with the incident pulse. For a broad pulse, the reflected pulse is similar in shape to the incident pulse, and has a magnitude which is approximately (1)/(3) of the incident pulse

How a Small Family Run Business Adopted Critical Reflection Action Learning Using Hand Drawn Images to Initiate Organisational Change

Science.gov (United States)

Shepherd, Gary

2016-01-01

In this account of practice I would like to share my experiences of facilitating a Critical Reflection Action Learning (CRAL) set with a small family run business, struggling to make change and expand their services due to the problems they encountered in separating their business lives from their family lives. The account I present here is based…

Different shades of green on small islands

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Teresa Tiago

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Many small islands exist as tourism destinations worldwide. In the 1990s, the growth of environmental consciousness led some small islands to question their mass tourism offers and to refocus on more sustainable propositions. However, it remains unclear whether hospitality firms see these sustainability related efforts as drivers of success and whether tourists value this dimension when choosing or recommending a destination. This study chose a small island destination to address these questions using data covering firm and tourism perceptions of green products. The results show that tourists tend to value green efforts with different intensities, corresponding to three segments: Light Green, Green, and Super Green. These findings should help hotels adjust their communication strategies and develop new services. Further, destination marketing organizations can devise a consistent destination strategy, integrating all stakeholders by including their most valued concepts.

The Bragg Reflection Polarimeter On the Gravity and Extreme Magnetism Small Explorer Mission

Science.gov (United States)

Allured, Ryan; Griffiths, S.; Daly, R.; Prieskorn, Z.; Marlowe, H.; Kaaret, P.; GEMS Team

2011-09-01

The strong gravity associated with black holes warps the spacetime outside of the event horizon, and it is predicted that this will leave characteristic signatures on the polarization of X-ray emission originating in the accretion disk. The Gravity and Extreme Magnetism Small Explorer (GEMS) mission will be the first observatory with the capability to make polarization measurements with enough sensitivity to quantitatively test this prediction. Students at the University of Iowa are currently working on the development of the Bragg Reflection Polarimeter (BRP), a soft X-ray polarimeter sensitive at 500 eV, that is the student experiment on GEMS. The BRP will complement the main experiment by making a polarization measurement from accreting black holes below the main energy band (2-10 keV). This measurement will constrain the inclination of the accretion disk and tighten measurements of black hole spin.

75 FR 61604 - Small Business Size Standards; Accommodation and Food Services Industries

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-06

... business assistance programs, SBA establishes small business size definitions (referred to as size... Administrator the responsibility for establishing small business definitions. The Act also requires that small business definitions vary to reflect industry differences. The supplementary information section of this...

The Academic Life: Small Worlds, Different Worlds

Science.gov (United States)

Locke, William

2010-01-01

"The Academic Life: Small Worlds, Different Worlds" represented an impressive investigation of the largest and most complex national academic community in the world, which seriously attempted a detailed representation of the variations in its form. Its ethnographic orientation to understanding the internal academic life through exploratory…

Very small beam-size measurement by a reflective synchrotron radiation interferometer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T. Naito

2006-12-01

Full Text Available A synchrotron radiation (SR interferometer with Herschelian reflective optics has been developed for the measurement of beams of several μm in size. In a conventional refractive SR interferometer, the dispersion effect of the objective lens limits the instrument to a smaller range of beam-size measurements. To avoid this problem, we designed a Herschelian arrangement of reflective optics for the interferometer. The effectiveness of the reflective SR interferometer was confirmed at the KEK Accelerator Test Facility (ATF damping ring. The measured vertical beam size obtained using the reflective SR interferometer was 4.7   μm and the estimated vertical emittance was 0.97×10^{-11}   m.

Micro reflectance difference techniques: Optical probes for surface exploration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lastras-Martinez, L.F.; Del Pozo-Zamudio, O.; Herrera-Jasso, R.; Ulloa-Castillo, N.A.; Balderas-Navarro, R.E.; Ortega-Gallegos, J.; Lastras-Martinez, A. [Instituto de Investigacion en Comunicacion Optica, Universidad Autonoma de San Luis Potosi, Alvaro Obregon 64, 78000 San Luis Potosi, S.L.P. (Mexico)

2012-06-15

Micro reflectance difference spectroscopy ({mu}-RDS) is a promising tool for the in-situ and ex-situ characterization of semiconductors surfaces and interfaces. We discuss and compare two different approaches used to measure {mu}-RD spectra. One is based on a charge-coupled device (CCD) camera, while the other uses a laser and a XY translation stage. To show the performance of these systems, we have measured surface optical anisotropies of GaSb(001) sample on which anisotropic strains have been generated by preferential mechanical polishing along [110] and [1 anti 10] directions. The spectrometers are complementary and the selection of one of them depends on the sample to be investigated and on experimental conditions. (Copyright copyright 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Angular distribution of diffuse reflectance from incoherent multiple scattering in turbid media.

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, M; Huang, X; Yang, P; Kattawar, G W

2013-08-20

The angular distribution of diffuse reflection is elucidated with greater understanding by studying a homogeneous turbid medium. We modeled the medium as an infinite slab and studied the reflection dependence on the following three parameters: the incident direction, optical depth, and asymmetry factor. The diffuse reflection is produced by incoherent multiple scattering and is solved through radiative transfer theory. At large optical depths, the angular distribution of the diffuse reflection with small incident angles is similar to that of a Lambertian surface, but, with incident angles larger than 60°, the angular distributions have a prominent reflection peak around the specular reflection angle. These reflection peaks are found originating from the scattering within one transport mean free path in the top layer of the medium. The maximum reflection angles for different incident angles are analyzed and can characterize the structure of angular distributions for different asymmetry factors and optical depths. The properties of the angular distribution can be applied to more complex systems for a better understanding of diffuse reflection.

Morphological differences in the response of mouse small intestine to radiobiologically equivalent doses of X and neutron irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carr, K.E.; Hamlet, R.; Nias, A.H.; Watt, C.

1984-01-01

A scale has been developed to describe the effects of radiation on small intestinal villi. The scale has been used to compare the damage done to the villi in the period 0-5 days after irradiation by X-irradiation or neutron irradiation, using 10 Gy X-rays and 5 Gy neutrons, doses which are radiobiologically equivalent when assessed by the microcolony assay method. Use of the scale indicates that the damage done to the villi by neutrons is greater than that produced by X-rays. This has implications for the interpretation of radiobiological equivalent doses (R.B.E.). Resin light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy (T.E.M.) have also been used to examine small intestinal damage after 10 Gy X-irradiation and 5 Gy neutron irradiation. Differences include variations in crypt shape, mitotic activity and the proportion of crypts which are heavily parasitised. As well as the differences in villous shape which have been reflected in the different values on the scoring system, there are also variations in the response of the constituent cells of the epithelial compartment of the villi. In general, the effect of the neutron irradiation is more severe than that of the X-rays, particularly as would be suggested by a simple quantitation of crypt regeneration

Mindfulness Plus Reflection Training: Effects on Executive Function in Early Childhood

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Philip David Zelazo

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Executive function (EF skills are essential for academic achievement, and poverty-related stress interferes with their development. This pre-test, post-test, follow-up randomized-control trial assessed the impact of an intervention targeting reflection and stress reduction on children's EF skills. Preschool children (N = 218 from schools serving low-income families in two U.S. cities were randomly assigned to one of three options delivered in 30 small-group sessions over 6 weeks: Mindfulness + Reflection training; Literacy training; or Business as Usual (BAU. Sessions were conducted by local teachers trained in a literacy curriculum or Mindfulness + Reflection intervention, which involved calming activities and games that provided opportunities to practice reflection in the context of goal-directed problem solving. EF improved in all groups, but planned contrasts indicated that the Mindfulness + Reflection group significantly outperformed the BAU group at Follow-up (4 weeks post-test. No differences in EF were observed between the BAU and Literacy training groups. Results suggest that a brief, small-group, school-based intervention teaching mindfulness and reflection did not improve EF skills more than literacy training but is promising compared to BAU for improving EF in low-income preschool children several weeks following the intervention.

78 FR 37397 - Small Business Size Standards: Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting

Science.gov (United States)

2013-06-20

... responsibility for establishing small business size definitions (15 U.S.C. 632(a)). The Act also requires that small business size definitions vary to reflect industry differences. The Jobs Act requires the... definition, after consultation with the Office of Advocacy of the U.S. Small Business Administration (5 U.S.C...

Oblique-incidence reflectivity difference application for morphology detection.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhan, Honglei; Zhao, Kun; Lü, Huibin; Jin, Kuijuan; Yang, Guozhen; Chen, Xiaohong

2017-10-20

Analogous with scanning electron microscopy, we use an oblique-incidence reflectivity difference (OIRD) approach for morphology detection. By scanning the active carbon clusters in a one-dimensional way and the reservoir rocks in a two-dimensional way, the morphology of the samples' surface can be revealed in OIRD signal images. High OIRD signals of active carbon samples refer to the centralized distribution areas of carbon, and the fluctuations are caused by the uneven distribution of carbon pellets. OIRD intensity is proportional to the thickness of materials. In terms of rocks, the trough areas with smaller values refer to the low-lying fields. The areas with relatively large OIRD intensities correspond to the protuberance areas of rocks. Consequently, OIRD is a sensitive yet rapid measure of surface detection in material and petrogeology science.

Berlin Reflectance Spectral Library (BRSL)

Science.gov (United States)

Henckel, D.; Arnold, G.; Kappel, D.; Moroz, L. V.; Markus, K.

2017-09-01

The Berlin Reflectance Spectral Library (BRSL) provides a collection of reflectance spectra between 0.3 and 17 µm. It was originally dedicated to support space missions to small solar system bodies. Meanwhile the library includes selections of biconical reflectance spectra for spectral data analysis of other planetary bodies as well. The library provides reference spectra of well-characterized terrestrial analogue materials and meteorites for interpretation of remote sensing reflectance spectra of planetary surfaces. We introduce the BRSL, summarize the data available, and access to use them for further relevant applications.

Reflections on Supervision and Culture: What Difference Does Difference Make?

Science.gov (United States)

Acker, Sandra

2011-01-01

For this commentary, the author went back and read most of her own writings on graduate education. Having only just retired but still working with supervisees and doing research, she reflects on supervision and culture. She has four questions for authors and readers: (1) What is supervision?; (2) What are the implications of "sameness" and…

A simple and efficient method for isolating small RNAs from different plant species

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

de Folter Stefan

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Small RNAs emerged over the last decade as key regulators in diverse biological processes in eukaryotic organisms. To identify and study small RNAs, good and efficient protocols are necessary to isolate them, which sometimes may be challenging due to the composition of specific tissues of certain plant species. Here we describe a simple and efficient method to isolate small RNAs from different plant species. Results We developed a simple and efficient method to isolate small RNAs from different plant species by first comparing different total RNA extraction protocols, followed by streamlining the best one, finally resulting in a small RNA extraction method that has no need of first total RNA extraction and is not based on the commercially available TRIzol® Reagent or columns. This small RNA extraction method not only works well for plant tissues with high polysaccharide content, like cactus, agave, banana, and tomato, but also for plant species like Arabidopsis or tobacco. Furthermore, the obtained small RNA samples were successfully used in northern blot assays. Conclusion Here we provide a simple and efficient method to isolate small RNAs from different plant species, such as cactus, agave, banana, tomato, Arabidopsis, and tobacco, and the small RNAs from this simplified and low cost method is suitable for downstream handling like northern blot assays.

Calculation of Reflectance and Transmittance of Coating With Optically Rough Surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El-Depsy, A.; Shawky, A.M.

2011-01-01

For ideal surfaces, components of the reflected beam are related to the components of the incident beam by Fresnel reflection equation. The surfaces encountered in engineering applications deviate from ideal as a result of roughness, oxidization and contamination; hence the Radiative properties of these real surfaces differ greatly from those predicted by electromagnetic theory. In regard to problems of radiative heat transfer; the roughness of surfaces may be divided into two categories: (1) small surface irregularities such that the incident radiation cannot undergo more than a single reflection, (2) deep cavities in which the incident radiation undergoes multi-reflection. The normally incident radiation from rough surface having small irregularities is reflected partly specularly and partly diffusely [1]. Kubelka-Munk theory (K-M) [2] describes optical characteristics (e.g. reflectance, transmittance and absorbance) by a variety of light scattering media including paints, textiles and papers, and It is widely used in various industrial applications. Moder developments in radiative transfer theory (RTT) enable the derivation of (K-M) parameters from first principles [3]. Kubelka and Munk proposed a theory based on a model of two light fluxes travelling in the forward and backward directions. Subsequently a number of authors refined the theory and compared it with experimental data [4]. Several authors attempted to relate the Kubelka- Munk coefficients to the transport coefficients [5,6

Effect of reflective practice education on self-reflection, insight, and reflective thinking among experienced nurses: a pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Asselin, Marilyn E; Fain, James A

2013-01-01

A mixed-method study was conducted to determine whether nurses' participation in a reflective practice continuing education program using a structured reflection model makes a difference in nurses' self-reflection, insight, and reflective thinking about clinical practice situations. Findings suggested that use of structured reflection using question cues, written narratives, and peer-facilitated reflection increased nurses' engagement in self-reflection and enhanced reflective thinking in practice. Including reflective practice education in novice orientation and preceptor training may be beneficial.

Individual Differences in Temporal Selective Attention as Reflected in Pupil Dilation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Charlotte Willems

Full Text Available Attention is restricted for the second of two targets when it is presented within 200-500 ms of the first target. This attentional blink (AB phenomenon allows one to study the dynamics of temporal selective attention by varying the interval between the two targets (T1 and T2. Whereas the AB has long been considered as a robust and universal cognitive limitation, several studies have demonstrated that AB task performance greatly differs between individuals, with some individuals showing no AB whatsoever.Here, we studied these individual differences in AB task performance in relation to differences in attentional timing. Furthermore, we investigated whether AB magnitude is predictive for the amount of attention allocated to T1. For both these purposes pupil dilation was measured, and analyzed with our recently developed deconvolution method. We found that the dynamics of temporal attention in small versus large blinkers differ in a number of ways. Individuals with a relatively small AB magnitude seem better able to preserve temporal order information. In addition, they are quicker to allocate attention to both T1 and T2 than large blinkers. Although a popular explanation of the AB is that it is caused by an unnecessary overinvestment of attention allocated to T1, a more complex picture emerged from our data, suggesting that this may depend on whether one is a small or a large blinker.The use of pupil dilation deconvolution seems to be a powerful approach to study the temporal dynamics of attention, bringing us a step closer to understanding the elusive nature of the AB. We conclude that the timing of attention to targets may be more important than the amount of allocated attention in accounting for individual differences.

Individual Differences in Temporal Selective Attention as Reflected in Pupil Dilation.

Science.gov (United States)

Willems, Charlotte; Herdzin, Johannes; Martens, Sander

2015-01-01

Attention is restricted for the second of two targets when it is presented within 200-500 ms of the first target. This attentional blink (AB) phenomenon allows one to study the dynamics of temporal selective attention by varying the interval between the two targets (T1 and T2). Whereas the AB has long been considered as a robust and universal cognitive limitation, several studies have demonstrated that AB task performance greatly differs between individuals, with some individuals showing no AB whatsoever. Here, we studied these individual differences in AB task performance in relation to differences in attentional timing. Furthermore, we investigated whether AB magnitude is predictive for the amount of attention allocated to T1. For both these purposes pupil dilation was measured, and analyzed with our recently developed deconvolution method. We found that the dynamics of temporal attention in small versus large blinkers differ in a number of ways. Individuals with a relatively small AB magnitude seem better able to preserve temporal order information. In addition, they are quicker to allocate attention to both T1 and T2 than large blinkers. Although a popular explanation of the AB is that it is caused by an unnecessary overinvestment of attention allocated to T1, a more complex picture emerged from our data, suggesting that this may depend on whether one is a small or a large blinker. The use of pupil dilation deconvolution seems to be a powerful approach to study the temporal dynamics of attention, bringing us a step closer to understanding the elusive nature of the AB. We conclude that the timing of attention to targets may be more important than the amount of allocated attention in accounting for individual differences.

Different size biomolecules anchoring on porous silicon surface: fluorescence and reflectivity pores infiltration comparative studies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Giovannozzi, Andrea M.; Rossi, Andrea M. [National Institute for Metrological Research, Thermodynamic Division, Strada delle Cacce 91, 10135 Torino (Italy); Renacco, Chiara; Farano, Alessandro [Ribes Ricecrhe Srl, Via Lavoratori Vittime del Col du Mont 24, 11100 Aosta (Italy); Derosas, Manuela [Biodiversity Srl, Via Corfu 71, 25124 Brescia (Italy); Enrico, Emanuele [National Institute for Metrological Research, Electromagnetism Division, Strada delle Cacce 91, 10135 Torino (Italy)

2011-06-15

The performance of porous silicon optical based biosensors strongly depends on material nanomorphology, on biomolecules distribution inside the pores and on the ability to link sensing species to the pore walls. In this paper we studied the immobilization of biomolecules with different size, such as antibody anti aflatoxin (anti Aflatox Ab, {proportional_to}150 KDa), malate dehydrogenase (MDH, {proportional_to}36KDa) and metallothionein (MT, {proportional_to}6KDa) at different concentrations on mesoporous silicon samples ({proportional_to}15 nm pores diameter). Fluorescence measurements using FITC- labeled biomolecules and refractive index analysis based on reflectivity spectra have been employed together to detect the amount of proteins bound to the surface and to evaluate their diffusion inside the pores. Here we suggest that these two techniques should be used together to have a better understanding of what happens at the porous silicon surface. In fact, when pores dimensions are not perfectly tuned to the protein size a higher fluorescence signal doesn't often correspond to a higher biomolecules distribution inside the pores. When a too much higher concentration of biomolecule is anchored on the surface, steric crowd effects and repulsive interactions probably take over and hinder pores infiltration, inducing a small or absent shift in the fringe pattern even if a higher fluorescence signal is registered. (copyright 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

Directional statistics-based reflectance model for isotropic bidirectional reflectance distribution functions.

Science.gov (United States)

Nishino, Ko; Lombardi, Stephen

2011-01-01

We introduce a novel parametric bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) model that can accurately encode a wide variety of real-world isotropic BRDFs with a small number of parameters. The key observation we make is that a BRDF may be viewed as a statistical distribution on a unit hemisphere. We derive a novel directional statistics distribution, which we refer to as the hemispherical exponential power distribution, and model real-world isotropic BRDFs as mixtures of it. We derive a canonical probabilistic method for estimating the parameters, including the number of components, of this novel directional statistics BRDF model. We show that the model captures the full spectrum of real-world isotropic BRDFs with high accuracy, but a small footprint. We also demonstrate the advantages of the novel BRDF model by showing its use for reflection component separation and for exploring the space of isotropic BRDFs.

Chlorophyll fluorescence, photochemical reflective index and normalized difference vegetative index during plant senescence.

Science.gov (United States)

Cordon, Gabriela; Lagorio, M Gabriela; Paruelo, José M

2016-07-20

The relationship between the Photochemical Reflectance Index (PRI), Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and chlorophyll fluorescence along senescence was investigated in this work. Reflectance and radiance measurements were performed at canopy level in grass species presenting different photosynthetic metabolism: Avena sativa (C3) and Setaria italica (C4), at different stages of the natural senescence process. Sun induced-chlorophyll fluorescence at 760nm (SIF 760 ) and the apparent fluorescence yield (SIF 760 /a, with a=irradiance at time of measurement) were extracted from the radiance spectra of canopies using the Fraunhofer Line Discrimination-method. The photosynthetic parameters derived from Kautsky kinetics and pigment content were also calculated at leaf level. Whilst stand level NDVI patterns were related to changes in the structure of canopies and not in pigment content, stand level PRI patterns suggested changes both in terms of canopy and of pigment content in leaves. Both SIF 760 /a and Φ PSII decreased progressively along senescence in both species. A strong increment in NPQ was evident in A. sativa while in S. italica NPQ values were lower. Our most important finding was that two chlorophyll fluorescence signals, Φ PSII and SIF 760 /a, correlated with the canopy PRI values in the two grasses assessed, even when tissues at different ontogenic stages were present. Even though significant changes occurred in the Total Chlr/Car ratio along senescence in both studied species, significant correlations between PRI and chlorophyll fluorescence signals might indicate the usefulness of this reflectance index as a proxy of photosynthetic RUE, at least under the conditions of this study. The relationships between stand level PRI and the fluorescence estimators (Φ PSII and SIF 760 /a) were positive in both cases. Therefore, an increase in PRI values as in the fluorescence parameters would indicate higher RUE. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All

Effects of irradiation conditions and environment on the reflectivity of different steel mirrors for ITER diagnostics systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hernandez, Teresa; Martin, Piedad; Fernandez, Pilar; Hodgson, Eric R.

2009-01-01

In this work possible degradation of the reflectivity for mirrors made from various steels subjected to ionizing radiation, at moderate temperature and in different environments (vacuum, air, or nitrogen) up to a total dose of 9 MGy, has been examined. Mirrors were prepared from conventional austenitic stainless steel (316L) and also reduced activation ferritic/martensitic (RAFM) steels (Eurofer, ODS-Eurofer, F82H), and the reflectivity studied from ultraviolet to near infrared, before and after different treatments. Under all conditions the austenitic steel mirrors only degrade slightly (<10%), however for the reduced activation steels important reflectivity degradation for wavelengths below 1000 nm are observed for the different conditions. Surface morphology and microstructure has been also investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The production of near surface nitrides is considered to be the possible cause of the optical degradation.

Personality-dependent differences in problem-solving performance in a social context reflect foraging strategies.

Science.gov (United States)

Zandberg, Lies; Quinn, John L; Naguib, Marc; van Oers, Kees

2017-01-01

Individuals develop innovative behaviours to solve foraging challenges in the face of changing environmental conditions. Little is known about how individuals differ in their tendency to solve problems and in their subsequent use of this solving behaviour in social contexts. Here we investigated whether individual variation in problem-solving performance could be explained by differences in the likelihood of solving the task, or if they reflect differences in foraging strategy. We tested this by studying the use of a novel foraging skill in groups of great tits (Parus major), consisting of three naive individuals with different personality, and one knowledgeable tutor. We presented them with multiple, identical foraging devices over eight trials. Though birds of different personality type did not differ in solving latency; fast and slow explorers showed a steeper increase over time in their solving rate, compared to intermediate explorers. Despite equal solving potential, personality influenced the subsequent use of the skill, as well as the pay-off received from solving. Thus, variation in the tendency to solve the task reflected differences in foraging strategy among individuals linked to their personality. These results emphasize the importance of considering the social context to fully understand the implications of learning novel skills. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Two-phase exchangers with small temperature differences

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moracchioli, R.; Marie, G.; Lallee, J. de.

1976-01-01

The possibility in using heat available at low temperature level is shown (industrial wastes, solar energy, geothermal energy, heat power from seas). Special emphasis is put on the importance of heat exchangers that commonly should be evaporators and condensors working with small temperature differences (20 to 100 deg C). The expansion of the so-called ''new'' energies or recovery processes will depend on the physical performance of exchangers (Rankine two-phase cycles) and cost of the elementary exchange interfaces and assembling technics [fr

Primary and Reflected Compaction Waves in a Foam Rod Due to an Axial Impact by a Small Mass

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. Karagiozova

Full Text Available AbstractThe propagation of compaction waves in a stationary foam block subjected to an impact by a small mass is studied in order to examine the mechanism of compaction within the primary and reflected stress waves. The analysis is focused on aluminium strain rate insensitive foam that exhibits strain hardening under quasistatic compression. A theoretical approach is applied using a uniaxial model of compaction in which the compacted strains, being functions of the velocity variation, are not predefined but are obtained as a part of the solution. The present approach allows one to obtain the strain histories and strain distributions within the primary compaction wave as well as within the reflected wave, which propagates in a media with non-uniform density increasing monotonically in the direction of loading. FE simulations considering aluminium based foam Cymat with density 411.5 kg/m3 are carried out in order to verify the proposed theoretical model. A comparison between the impact velocity attenuation predicted by the present model and classical Rigid Perfectly-Plastic Locking material model for cellular materials is discussed.

Evaluation of retro-reflective coating performance by reflectance and perceived relative brightness measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luse, Kaiva; Pausus, Anete; Karitans, Varis; Ozolins, Maris; Tukisa, Madara

2011-01-01

Retro-reflective properties of six types and five different colors or retro-reflective materials were discussed in this paper. Reflectance optical indicatrix of samples was determined and compared to obtained psychophyisical data of perceived brightness of human observer. Microscopic structure of the retro-reflective active regions of RR's was studied. Statistically significant differences in reflectivity and brightness of various types and colors of RR's were found.

Why are small software organisations different?

OpenAIRE

Richardson, Ita; Gresse von Wangenheim, Christiane

2007-01-01

peer-reviewed Small software organizations independently financed and organized companies with fewer than 50 employees are fundamental to many national economies' growth. In the US, Brazil, Canada, China, India, Finland, Ireland, Hungary, and many other countries, small companies represent up to 85 percent of all software organizations. However, to persist and grow, small software companies need efficient, effective software engineering solutions.

Evaluation of retro-reflective coating performance by reflectance and perceived relative brightness measurements

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Luse, Kaiva; Pausus, Anete; Karitans, Varis; Ozolins, Maris; Tukisa, Madara, E-mail: kaiva.luse@gmail.com [University of Latvia, Optometry and Vision Science Department, Kengaraga street 8, Riga LV-1063 (Latvia)

2011-06-23

Retro-reflective properties of six types and five different colors or retro-reflective materials were discussed in this paper. Reflectance optical indicatrix of samples was determined and compared to obtained psychophyisical data of perceived brightness of human observer. Microscopic structure of the retro-reflective active regions of RR's was studied. Statistically significant differences in reflectivity and brightness of various types and colors of RR's were found.

Robust reflective ghost imaging against different partially polarized thermal light

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Hong-Guo; Wang, Yan; Zhang, Rui-Xue; Zhang, De-Jian; Liu, Hong-Chao; Li, Zong-Guo; Xiong, Jun

2018-03-01

We theoretically study the influence of degree of polarization (DOP) of thermal light on the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) of the reflective ghost imaging (RGI), which is a novel and indirect imaging modality. An expression for the CNR of RGI with partially polarized thermal light is carefully derived, which suggests a weak dependence of CNR on the DOP, especially when the ratio of the object size to the speckle size of thermal light has a large value. Different from conventional imaging approaches, our work reveals that RGI is much more robust against the DOP of the light source, which thereby has advantages in practical applications, such as remote sensing.

Individual differences in personality traits reflect structural variance in specific brain regions.

Science.gov (United States)

Gardini, Simona; Cloninger, C Robert; Venneri, Annalena

2009-06-30

Personality dimensions such as novelty seeking (NS), harm avoidance (HA), reward dependence (RD) and persistence (PER) are said to be heritable, stable across time and dependent on genetic and neurobiological factors. Recently a better understanding of the relationship between personality traits and brain structures/systems has become possible due to advances in neuroimaging techniques. This Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) study investigated if individual differences in these personality traits reflected structural variance in specific brain regions. A large sample of eighty five young adult participants completed the Three-dimensional Personality Questionnaire (TPQ) and had their brain imaged with MRI. A voxel-based correlation analysis was carried out between individuals' personality trait scores and grey matter volume values extracted from 3D brain scans. NS correlated positively with grey matter volume in frontal and posterior cingulate regions. HA showed a negative correlation with grey matter volume in orbito-frontal, occipital and parietal structures. RD was negatively correlated with grey matter volume in the caudate nucleus and in the rectal frontal gyrus. PER showed a positive correlation with grey matter volume in the precuneus, paracentral lobule and parahippocampal gyrus. These results indicate that individual differences in the main personality dimensions of NS, HA, RD and PER, may reflect structural variance in specific brain areas.

Comparison of Landsat-8 and Sentinel-2A reflectance and normalized difference vegetation index

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, H.; Roy, D. P.; Yan, L.; Li, Z.; Huang, H.

2017-12-01

The moderate spatial resolution satellite data from the polar-orbiting Landsat-8 (launched 2013) and Sentinel-2A (launched 2015) sensors provide 10 m to 30 m multi-spectral global coverage with a better than 5-day revisit. Although a national laboratory traceable cross-calibration comparison of the Landsat-8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) and the Sentinel-2A MultiSpectral Instrument (MSI) was undertaken pre-launch, there are a number of other sensor differences, notably due to spectral, spatial and angular differences. To examine these in a comprehensive way, Landsat-8 and Sentinel-2A data for approximately 20° × 10° of southern Africa acquired in the summer (January to March) and winter (July to September) of 2016 were compared. Only Landsat-8 and Sentinel-2A observations acquired within one-day apart were considered. The sensor data were registered and then each orbit projected into 30 m fixed global Web Enabled Landsat Data (GWELD) tiles defined in the MODIS sinusoidal equal area projection. Only corresponding sensor observations of each 30 m tile pixel that were flagged as cloud and snow-free, unsaturated, and that had no significant change in their one day separation, were compared. Both the Landsat-8 and Sentinel-2A data were atmospherically corrected using the Landsat Surface Reflectance Code (LaSRC) and were also corrected to nadir BRDF adjusted reflectance (NBAR). Top of atmosphere and surface reflectance for the spectrally corresponding visible, near infrared and shortwave infrared OLI and MSI bands, and derived normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), were compared and their differences quantified using regression analyses. The resulting statistical transformations may be used to improve the consistency between the Landsat-8 OLI and Sentinel-2A MSI data. The importance and sensitivity of the results to correct filtering, atmospheric correction and adjustment to NBAR is demonstrated.

Reflective writing: the student nurse's perspective on reflective writing and poetry writing.

Science.gov (United States)

Coleman, Dawn; Willis, Diane S

2015-07-01

Reflective writing is a mandatory part of nurse education but how students develop their skills and use reflection as part of their experiential learning remains relatively unknown. Understanding reflective writing in all forms from the perspective of a student nurse is therefore important. To explore the use of reflective writing and the use of poetry in pre-registered nursing students. A qualitative design was employed to explore reflective writing in pre-registered nursing students. A small university in Scotland. BSc (Hons) Adult and Mental Health Pre-registration Student Nurses. Two focus groups were conducted with 10 student nurses during March 2012. Data was analysed thematically using the framework of McCarthy (1999). Students found the process of reflective writing daunting but valued it over time. Current educational methods, such as assessing reflective accounts, often lead to the 'narrative' being watered down and the student feeling judged. Despite this, reflection made students feel responsible for their own learning and research on the topic. Some students felt the use of models of reflection constricting, whilst poetry freed up their expression allowing them to demonstrate the compassion for their patient under their care. Poetry writing gives students the opportunity for freedom of expression, personal satisfaction and a closer connection with their patients, which the more formal approach to reflective writing did not offer. There is a need for students to have a safe and supportive forum in which to express and have their experiences acknowledged without the fear of being judged. Crown Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nonlinear reflection of shock shear waves in soft elastic media.

Science.gov (United States)

Pinton, Gianmarco; Coulouvrat, François; Gennisson, Jean-Luc; Tanter, Mickaël

2010-02-01

For fluids, the theoretical investigation of shock wave reflection has a good agreement with experiments when the incident shock Mach number is large. But when it is small, theory predicts that Mach reflections are physically unrealistic, which contradicts experimental evidence. This von Neumann paradox is investigated for shear shock waves in soft elastic solids with theory and simulations. The nonlinear elastic wave equation is approximated by a paraxial wave equation with a cubic nonlinear term. This equation is solved numerically with finite differences and the Godunov scheme. Three reflection regimes are observed. Theory is developed for shock propagation by applying the Rankine-Hugoniot relations and entropic constraints. A characteristic parameter relating diffraction and non-linearity is introduced and its theoretical values are shown to match numerical observations. The numerical solution is then applied to von Neumann reflection, where curved reflected and Mach shocks are observed. Finally, the case of weak von Neumann reflection, where there is no reflected shock, is examined. The smooth but non-monotonic transition between these three reflection regimes, from linear Snell-Descartes to perfect grazing case, provides a solution to the acoustical von Neumann paradox for the shear wave equation. This transition is similar to the quadratic non-linearity in fluids.

The role of random nanostructures for the omnidirectional anti-reflection properties of the glasswing butterfly

Science.gov (United States)

Siddique, Radwanul Hasan; Gomard, Guillaume; Hölscher, Hendrik

2015-04-01

The glasswing butterfly (Greta oto) has, as its name suggests, transparent wings with remarkable low haze and reflectance over the whole visible spectral range even for large view angles of 80°. This omnidirectional anti-reflection behaviour is caused by small nanopillars covering the transparent regions of its wings. In difference to other anti-reflection coatings found in nature, these pillars are irregularly arranged and feature a random height and width distribution. Here we simulate the optical properties with the effective medium theory and transfer matrix method and show that the random height distribution of pillars significantly reduces the reflection not only for normal incidence but also for high view angles.

Analysis of x-ray reflectivity data from low-contrast polymer bilayer systems using a Fourier method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seeck, O. H.; Kaendler, I. D.; Tolan, M.; Shin, K.; Rafailovich, M. H.; Sokolov, J.; Kolb, R.

2000-01-01

X-ray reflectivity data of polymer bilayer systems have been analyzed using a Fourier method which takes into account different limits of integration in q-space. It is demonstrated that the interfacial parameters can be determined with high accuracy although the difference in the electron density (the contrast) of the two polymers is extremely small. This method is not restricted to soft-matter thin films. It can be applied to any reflectivity data from low-contrast layer systems. (c) 2000 American Institute of Physics

Arterial stiffness and wave reflection: sex differences and relationship with left ventricular diastolic function.

Science.gov (United States)

Russo, Cesare; Jin, Zhezhen; Palmieri, Vittorio; Homma, Shunichi; Rundek, Tatjana; Elkind, Mitchell S V; Sacco, Ralph L; Di Tullio, Marco R

2012-08-01

Increased arterial stiffness and wave reflection have been reported in heart failure with normal ejection fraction (HFNEF) and in asymptomatic left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction, a precursor of HFNEF. It is unclear whether women, who have higher frequency of HFNEF, are more vulnerable than men to the deleterious effects of arterial stiffness on LV diastolic function. We investigated, in a large community-based cohort, whether sex differences exist in the relationship among arterial stiffness, wave reflection, and LV diastolic function. Arterial stiffness and wave reflection were assessed in 983 participants from the Cardiovascular Abnormalities and Brain Lesions study using applanation tonometry. The central pulse pressure/stroke volume index, total arterial compliance, pulse pressure amplification, and augmentation index were used as parameters of arterial stiffness and wave reflection. LV diastolic function was evaluated by 2-dimensional echocardiography and tissue-Doppler imaging. Arterial stiffness and wave reflection were greater in women compared with men, independent of body size and heart rate (all Pfunction in both sexes. Further adjustment for cardiovascular risk factors attenuated these relationships; however, a higher central pulse pressure/stroke volume index predicted LV diastolic dysfunction in women (odds ratio, 1.54; 95% confidence intervals, 1.03 to 2.30) and men (odds ratio, 2.09; 95% confidence interval, 1.30 to 3.39), independent of other risk factors. In conclusion, in our community-based cohort study, higher arterial stiffness was associated with worse LV diastolic function in men and women. Women's higher arterial stiffness, independent of body size, may contribute to their greater susceptibility to develop HFNEF.

Metacognitive ability of male students: difference impulsive-reflective cognitive style

Science.gov (United States)

Muhtarom; Sugiyanti; Utami, R. E.; Indriana, K.

2018-03-01

This study revealed the metacognitive activity of male students in impulsive cognitive and reflective cognitive style in solving mathematical problems, especially in the material of plane. One student of impulsive cognitive style and one student of reflective cognitive-style were selected to be the subjects of the study. Data were collected by giving written test of problem solving and interview. Data analysis was done through data reduction, data presentation, data interpretation and conclusion. The results showed that male student of reflective cognitive style was meticulous and careful in solving the problem so as to obtain correct answers, while the impulsive cognitive style student had the characteristics of using a short time in solving the problem, but less careful so that the answers tended to be wrong

Reflectance-difference spectroscopy as an optical probe for in situ determination of doping levels in GaAs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lastras-Martinez, A.; Lara-Velazquez, I.; Balderas-Navarro, R.E.; Ortega-Gallegos, J.; Guel-Sandoval, S.; Lastras-Martinez, L.F. [Instituto de Investigacion en Comunicacion Optica, Universidad Autonoma de San Luis Potosi, Alvaro Obregon 64, San Luis Potosi, SLP 78000 (Mexico)

2008-07-01

We report on in situ Reflectance Difference Spectroscopy measurements carried out on GaAs(001). Measurements were performed at temperatures of 580 C and 430 C, in both n and p-type doped films and for both (2 x 4) and c(4 x 4) reconstructions. Samples employed were grown by Molecular Beam Epitaxy with doping levels in the range from 10{sup 16}-10{sup 19} cm{sup -3}. We demonstrate the potential of Reflectance Difference Spectroscopy for impurity level determinations under growth conditions. (copyright 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

Gender Differences in Performance Predictions: Evidence from the Cognitive Reflection Test.

Science.gov (United States)

Ring, Patrick; Neyse, Levent; David-Barett, Tamas; Schmidt, Ulrich

2016-01-01

This paper studies performance predictions in the 7-item Cognitive Reflection Test (CRT) and whether they differ by gender. After participants completed the CRT, they predicted their own (i), the other participants' (ii), men's (iii), and women's (iv) number of correct answers. In keeping with existing literature, men scored higher on the CRT than women and both men and women were too optimistic about their own performance. When we compare gender-specific predictions, we observe that men think they perform significantly better than other men and do so significantly more than women. The equality between women's predictions about their own performance and their female peers cannot be rejected. Our findings contribute to the growing literature on the underpinnings of behavior in economics and in psychology by uncovering gender differences in confidence about one's ability relative to same and opposite sex peers.

Sparkling feather reflections of a bird-of-paradise explained by finite-difference time-domain modeling.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilts, Bodo D; Michielsen, Kristel; De Raedt, Hans; Stavenga, Doekele G

2014-03-25

Birds-of-paradise are nature's prime examples of the evolution of color by sexual selection. Their brilliant, structurally colored feathers play a principal role in mating displays. The structural coloration of both the occipital and breast feathers of the bird-of-paradise Lawes' parotia is produced by melanin rodlets arranged in layers, together acting as interference reflectors. Light reflection by the silvery colored occipital feathers is unidirectional as in a classical multilayer, but the reflection by the richly colored breast feathers is three-directional and extraordinarily complex. Here we show that the reflection properties of both feather types can be quantitatively explained by finite-difference time-domain modeling using realistic feather anatomies and experimentally determined refractive index dispersion values of keratin and melanin. The results elucidate the interplay between avian coloration and vision and indicate tuning of the mating displays to the spectral properties of the avian visual system.

Small area estimation of proportions with different levels of auxiliary data.

Science.gov (United States)

Chandra, Hukum; Kumar, Sushil; Aditya, Kaustav

2018-03-01

Binary data are often of interest in many small areas of applications. The use of standard small area estimation methods based on linear mixed models becomes problematic for such data. An empirical plug-in predictor (EPP) under a unit-level generalized linear mixed model with logit link function is often used for the estimation of a small area proportion. However, this EPP requires the availability of unit-level population information for auxiliary data that may not be always accessible. As a consequence, in many practical situations, this EPP approach cannot be applied. Based on the level of auxiliary information available, different small area predictors for estimation of proportions are proposed. Analytic and bootstrap approaches to estimating the mean squared error of the proposed small area predictors are also developed. Monte Carlo simulations based on both simulated and real data show that the proposed small area predictors work well for generating the small area estimates of proportions and represent a practical alternative to the above approach. The developed predictor is applied to generate estimates of the proportions of indebted farm households at district-level using debt investment survey data from India. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Individual Differences in EEG Spectral Power Reflect Genetic Variance in Gray and White Matter Volumes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Smit, D.J.A.; Boomsma, D.I.; Schnack, H.G.; Hulshoff Pol, H.E.; de Geus, E.J.C.

2012-01-01

The human electroencephalogram (EEG) consists of oscillations that reflect the summation of postsynaptic potentials at the dendritic tree of cortical neurons. The strength of the oscillations (EEG power) is a highly genetic trait that has been related to individual differences in many phenotypes,

Comparison of blogged and written reflections in two medicine clerkships.

Science.gov (United States)

Fischer, Melissa A; Haley, Heather-Lyn; Saarinen, Carrie L; Chretien, Katherine C

2011-02-01

academic medical centres may adopt new learning technologies with little data on their effectiveness or on how they compare with traditional methodologies. We conducted a comparative study of student reflective writings produced using either an electronic (blog) format or a traditional written (essay) format to assess differences in content, depth of reflection and student preference. students in internal medicine clerkships at two US medical schools during the 2008-2009 academic year were quasi-randomly assigned to one of two study arms according to which they were asked to either write a traditional reflective essay and subsequently join in faculty-moderated, small-group discussion (n = 45), or post two writings to a faculty-moderated group blog and provide at least one comment on a peer's posts (n = 50). Examples from a pilot block were used to refine coding methods and determine inter-rater reliability. Writings were coded for theme and level of reflection by two blinded authors; these coding processes reached inter-rater reliabilities of 91% and 80%, respectively. Anonymous pre- and post-clerkship surveys assessed student perceptions and preferences. student writing addressed seven main themes: (i) being humanistic; (ii) professional behaviour; (iii) understanding caregiving relationships; (iv) being a student; (v) clinical learning; (vi) dealing with death and dying, and (vii) the health care system, quality, safety and public health. The distribution of themes was similar across institutions and study arms. The level of reflection did not differ between study arms. Post-clerkship surveys showed that student preferences for blogging or essay writing were predicted by experience, with the majority favouring the method they had used. our study suggests there is no significant difference in themes addressed or levels of reflection achieved when students complete a similar assignment via online blogging or traditional essay writing. Given this, faculty staff

Gender Differences in Performance Predictions: Evidence from the Cognitive Reflection Test

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patrick Ring

2016-11-01

Full Text Available This paper studies performance predictions in the 7-item Cognitive Reflection Test (CRT and whether they differ by gender. After participants completed the CRT, they predicted their own (i, the other participants’ (ii, men’s (iii, and women’s (iv number of correct answers. In keeping with existing literature, men scored higher on the CRT than women and both men and women were too optimistic about their own performance. When we compare gender-specific predictions, we observe that men think they perform significantly better than other men and do so significantly more than women. The equality between women’s predictions about their own performance and their female peers cannot be rejected. Our findings contribute to the growing literature on the underpinnings of behavior in economics and in psychology by uncovering gender differences in confidence about one’s ability relative to same and opposite sex peers.

Refractive index dependence of Papilio Ulysses butterfly wings reflectance spectra

Science.gov (United States)

Isnaeni, Muslimin, Ahmad Novi; Birowosuto, Muhammad Danang

2016-02-01

We have observed and utilized butterfly wings of Papilio Ulysses for refractive index sensor. We noticed this butterfly wings have photonic crystal structure, which causes blue color appearance on the wings. The photonic crystal structure, which consists of cuticle and air void, is approximated as one dimensional photonic crystal structure. This photonic crystal structure opens potential to several optical devices application, such as refractive index sensor. We have utilized small piece of Papilio Ulysses butterfly wings to characterize refractive index of several liquid base on reflectance spectrum of butterfly wings in the presence of sample liquid. For comparison, we simulated reflectance spectrum of one dimensional photonic crystal structure having material parameter based on real structure of butterfly wings. We found that reflectance spectrum peaks shifted as refractive index of sample changes. Although there is a slight difference in reflectance spectrum peaks between measured spectrum and calculated spectrum, the trend of reflectance spectrum peaks as function of sample's refractive index is the similar. We assume that during the measurement, the air void that filled by sample liquid is expanded due to liquid pressure. This change of void shape causes non-similarity between measured spectrum and calculated spectrum.

Occurrence and Magnitude of High Reflectance Materials on the Moon

Science.gov (United States)

Nuno, R. G.; Boyd, A. K.; Robinson, M. S.

2013-12-01

We utilize a Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) Wide Angle Camera (WAC) 643 nm photometrically normalized (30°, 0°, 30°; i, e, g) reflectance map to investigate the occurrence and origin of high reflectance materials on the Moon. Compositional differences (mainly iron and titanium content) and maturity state (e.g. Copernican crater rays and swirls) are the predominant factors affecting reflectance variations observed on the Moon. Therefore, comparing reflectance values of different regions yields insight into the composition and relative exposure age of lunar materials. But an accurate comparison requires precise reflectance values normalized across every region being investigated. The WAC [1] obtains monthly near-global ground coverage, each month's observations acquired with different lighting conditions. Boyd et al. [2] utilized a geologically homogeneous subset [0°N to 90°N, 146°E to 148°E] of the WAC observations to determine an equation that describes how viewing and lighting angles affect reflectance values. A normalized global reflectance map was generated by applying the local empirical solution globally, with photometric angles derived from the WAC Global Lunar Digital Terrain Model (DTM)(GLD100) [3]. The GLD100 enables accurate correction of reflectance differences caused by local topographic undulations at the scale of 300 meters. We compare reflectance values across the Moon within 80°S to 80°N latitude. The features with the highest reflectance are steep crater walls within Copernican aged craters, such as the walls of Giordano Bruno, which have normalized reflectance values up to 0.35. Near-impact ejecta of some craters have high reflectance values, such as Virtanen (0.22). There are also broad relatively flat features with high reflectance, such as the 900-km Thales-Compton region (0.24) and the 600-km extent of Anaxagoras (Copernican age) ejecta (0.20). Since the interior of Anaxagoras contains occurrences of pure anorthosite [4], the high

The Reflection Effect on the Eclipsing Binary by the Wilson and Devinney's Model and Russell and Merrill's Model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Seong Hee Choea

1992-06-01

Full Text Available The reflection effect on three types of eclipsing binaries has been analyzed Wilson and Devinney's model and Russell and Merrill's model. The reflection effect was displayed on the theoretical light curves for the various conditions using the Wilson and Devinney's light curve program. Two models were compared after the rectifing the theoretical light curves including the reflection effect with the Russell and Merrill's method. The result shows that two models have an agreement on the reflection effect just in cases of the small difference in temperature and albedo between two stars in the system.

Reflection as Self-Assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Pappas, Marjorie L.

2010-01-01

In this article, the author discusses how reflection can be used as self-assessment. Reflection involves not only thinking about a learning experience, but also questioning parts of the experience. Reflection is thinking about what one knows from the learning experience, what one might do differently the next time. Reflection is wondering about…

A workflow for sub-/seismic structure and deformation quantification of 3-D reflection seismic data sets across different scales

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Krawczyk, C.M.; Lohr, T.; Oncken, O. [GFZ Potsdam (Germany); Tanner, D.C. [Goettingen Univ. (Germany). GZG; Endres, H. [RWTH Aachen (Germany)]|[TEEC, Isernhagen (Germany); Trappe, H.; Kukla, P. [TEEC, Isernhagen (Germany)

2007-09-13

The evolution of a sedimentary basin is mostly affected by deformation. Large-scale, subsurface deformation is typically identified by seismic data, sub-seismic small-scale fractures by well data. Between these two methods, we lack a deeper understanding of how deformation scales. We analysed a 3-D reflection seismic data set in the North German Basin, in order to determine the magnitude and distribution of deformation and its accumulation in space and time. A five-step approach is introduced for quantitative deformation and fracture prediction. An increased resolution of subtle tectonic lineaments is achieved by coherency processing, allowing to unravel the kinematics in the North German Basin from structural interpretation. Extensional events during basin initiation and later inversion are evident. 3-D retrodeformation shows major-strain magnitudes between 0-20% up to 1.3 km away from a fault trace, and variable deviations of associated extensional fractures. Good correlation of FMI data, strain distribution from retro-deformation and from geostatistic tools (see also Trappe et al., this volume) allows the validation of the results and makes the prediction of small-scale faults/fractures possible. The temporal component will be gained in the future by analogue models. The suggested workflow is applicable to reflection seismic surveys and yields in great detail both the tectonic history of a region as well as predictions for hydrocarbon plays or deep groundwater or geothermal reservoirs. (orig.)

Real-time reflectance-difference spectroscopy of GaAs molecular beam epitaxy homoepitaxial growth

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lastras-Martínez, A., E-mail: alm@cactus.iico.uaslp.mx, E-mail: alastras@gmail.com; Ortega-Gallegos, J.; Guevara-Macías, L. E.; Nuñez-Olvera, O.; Balderas-Navarro, R. E.; Lastras-Martínez, L. F. [Instituto de Investigación en Comunicación Optica, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, Alvaro Obregón 64, San Luis Potosí, SLP 78000 (Mexico); Lastras-Montaño, L. A. [IBM T. J. Watson Research Center, Yorktown Heights, New York 10598 (United States); Lastras-Montaño, M. A. [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106 (United States)

2014-03-01

We report on real time-resolved Reflectance-difference (RD) spectroscopy of GaAs(001) grown by molecular beam epitaxy, with a time-resolution of 500 ms per spectrum within the 2.3–4.0 eV photon energy range. Through the analysis of transient RD spectra we demonstrated that RD line shapes are comprised of two components with different physical origins and determined their evolution during growth. Such components were ascribed to the subsurface strain induced by surface reconstruction and to surface stoichiometry. Results reported in this paper render RD spectroscopy as a powerful tool for the study of fundamental processes during the epitaxial growth of zincblende semiconductors.

Insular Activity during Passive Viewing of Aversive Stimuli Reflects Individual Differences in State Negative Affect

Science.gov (United States)

Meriau, Katja; Wartenburger, Isabell; Kazzer, Philipp; Prehn, Kristin; Villringer, Arno; van der Meer, Elke; Heekeren, Hauke R.

2009-01-01

People differ with regard to how they perceive, experience, and express negative affect. While trait negative affect reflects a stable, sustained personality trait, state negative affect represents a stimulus limited and temporally acute emotion. So far, little is known about the neural systems mediating the relationship between negative affect…

Multiple wall-reflection effect in adaptive-array differential-phase reflectometry on QUEST

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Idei, H.; Fujisawa, A.; Nagashima, Y.; Onchi, T.; Hanada, K.; Zushi, H.; Mishra, K.; Hamasaki, M.; Hayashi, Y.; Yamamoto, M.K.

2016-01-01

A phased array antenna and Software-Defined Radio (SDR) heterodyne-detection systems have been developed for adaptive array approaches in reflectometry on the QUEST. In the QUEST device considered as a large oversized cavity, standing wave (multiple wall-reflection) effect was significantly observed with distorted amplitude and phase evolution even if the adaptive array analyses were applied. The distorted fields were analyzed by Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) in wavenumber domain to treat separately the components with and without wall reflections. The differential phase evolution was properly obtained from the distorted field evolution by the FFT procedures. A frequency derivative method has been proposed to overcome the multiple-wall reflection effect, and SDR super-heterodyned components with small frequency difference for the derivative method were correctly obtained using the FFT analysis

Reflective coatings for interior and exterior of buildings and improving thermal performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Joudi, Ali; Svedung, Harald; Cehlin, Mathias; Rönnelid, Mats

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► Increase building energy efficiency by optimizing surface optical properties. ► Study different scenarios with both interior and exterior reflective coatings. ► Combined thermal effect of both interior and exterior reflective coatings. -- Abstract: The importance of reducing building energy usage and thriving for more energy efficient architectures, has nurtured creative solutions and smart choices of materials in the last few decades. Among those are optimizing surface optical properties for both interior and exterior claddings of the building. Development in the coil-coating steel industries has now made it possible to allocate correct optical properties for steel clad buildings with improved thermal performance. Although the importance of the exterior coating and solar gain are thoroughly studied in many literatures, the effect of interior cladding are less tackled, especially when considering a combination of both interior and exterior reflective coatings. This paper contemplates the thermal behavior of small cabins with reflective coatings on both interior and exterior cladding, under different conditions and climates with the aim to clarify and point out to the potential energy saving by smart choices of clad coatings.

Application of the total reflection X-ray fluorescence method to the elemental analysis of brain tumors of different types and grades of malignancy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lankosz, M.W.; Grzelak, M.; Ostachowicz, B.; Wandzilak, A.; Szczerbowska-Boruchowska, M.; Wrobel, P.; Radwanska, E.; Adamek, D.

2014-01-01

The process of carcinogenesis may influence normal biochemical reactions leading to alterations in the elemental composition of the tissue. Total reflection X-ray fluorescence analysis (TXRF) was applied to the elemental analysis of different brain tumors. The following elements were present in all the neoplastic tissues analyzed: K, Ca, Fe, Cu, Zn and Rb. The results of the analysis showed that the elemental composition of a relatively small fragment of tissue represents satisfactorily the biochemical “signature” of a cancer. On the basis of the element concentrations determined, it was possible to differentiate between some types of brain tumors. - Highlights: • Elemental composition represents the biochemical signature of brain cancer. • The element levels differentiate some types of brain tumors. • TXRF spectrometry is a useful tool for elemental trace analysis of brain cancer

Reflectance spectroscopy of organic compounds: 1. Alkanes

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, R.N.; Curchin, J.M.; Hoefen, T.M.; Swayze, G.A.

2009-01-01

Reflectance spectra of the organic compounds comprising the alkane series are presented from the ultraviolet to midinfrared, 0.35 to 15.5 /??m. Alkanes are hydrocarbon molecules containing only single carbon-carbon bonds, and are found naturally on the Earth and in the atmospheres of the giant planets and Saturn's moon, Titan. This paper presents the spectral properties of the alkanes as the first in a series of papers to build a spectral database of organic compounds for use in remote sensing studies. Applications range from mapping the environment on the Earth, to the search for organic molecules and life in the solar system and throughout the. universe. We show that the spectral reflectance properties of organic compounds are rich, with major diagnostic spectral features throughout the spectral range studied. Little to no spectral change was observed as a function of temperature and only small shifts and changes in the width of absorption bands were observed between liquids and solids, making remote detection of spectral properties throughout the solar system simpler. Some high molecular weight organic compounds contain single-bonded carbon chains and have spectra similar to alkanes even ' when they fall into other families. Small spectral differences are often present allowing discrimination among some compounds, further illustrating the need to catalog spectral properties for accurate remote sensing identification with spectroscopy.

Partial reflection data collection and processing using a small computer

Science.gov (United States)

Birley, M. H.; Sechrist, C. F., Jr.

1971-01-01

Online data collection of the amplitudes of circularly polarized radio waves, partially reflected from the D region of the earth's ionosphere, has enabled the calculation of an electron-density profile in the height region 60-90 km. A PDP 15/30 digital computer with an analog to digital converter and magnetic tape as an intermediary storage device are used. The computer configuration, the software developed, and the preliminary results are described.

Small chromosomes among Danish Candida glabrata isolates originated through different mechanisms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ahmad, Khadija Mohamed; Ishchuk, Olena P.; Hellborg, Linda

2013-01-01

chromosomes, which were smaller than 0.5 Mb. Regarding the year, patient and hospital, these C. glabrata strains had independent origin and the analyzed small chromosomes were structurally not related to each other (i.e. they contained different sets of genes). We suggest that at least two mechanisms could...... exhibited mitotic instability, while the second type, which contained the corresponding genes in only one copy in the genome, was mitotically stable. Apparently, in patients C. glabrata chromosomes are frequently reshuffled resulting in new genetic configurations, including appearance of small chromosomes...

Real-time reflectance-difference spectroscopy of GaAs molecular beam epitaxy homoepitaxial growth

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Lastras-Martínez

2014-03-01

Full Text Available We report on real time-resolved Reflectance-difference (RD spectroscopy of GaAs(001 grown by molecular beam epitaxy, with a time-resolution of 500 ms per spectrum within the 2.3–4.0 eV photon energy range. Through the analysis of transient RD spectra we demonstrated that RD line shapes are comprised of two components with different physical origins and determined their evolution during growth. Such components were ascribed to the subsurface strain induced by surface reconstruction and to surface stoichiometry. Results reported in this paper render RD spectroscopy as a powerful tool for the study of fundamental processes during the epitaxial growth of zincblende semiconductors.

Improving Inquiry Teaching through Reflection on Practice

Science.gov (United States)

Lotter, Christine R.; Miller, Cory

2017-08-01

In this paper, we explore middle school science teachers' learning of inquiry-based instructional strategies through reflection on practice teaching sessions during a summer enrichment program with middle level students. The reflection sessions were part of a larger year-long inquiry professional development program in which teachers learned science content and inquiry pedagogy. The program included a 2-week summer institute in which teachers participated in science content sessions, practice teaching to middle level students, and small group-facilitated reflection sessions on their teaching. For this study, data collection focused on teachers' recorded dialogue during the facilitator - run reflection sessions, the teachers' daily written reflections, a final written reflection, and a written reflection on a videotaped teaching session. We investigated the teachers' reflection levels and the themes teachers focused on during their reflection sessions. Teachers were found to reflect at various reflection levels, from simple description to a more sophisticated focus on how to improve student learning. Recurrent themes point to the importance of providing situated learning environments, such as the practice teaching with immediate reflection for teachers to have time to practice new instructional strategies and gain insight from peers and science educators on how to handle student learning issues.

Media for Reflection

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Knudsen, Morten

2016-01-01

This article develops the concept media for reflection in the interest of conceptualizing the interpretative frames that enable and limit reflection in management and leadership education. The concept ‘media for reflection’ allows us to conceptualize the social and cultural mediation of reflection...... without reducing reflection to an effect of the social structures and cultural norms in which it is embedded. Based on the developed theoretical framework, this article analyses how a renaissance ‘mirror for princes’ and contemporary research-based management education mediate reflection. The content...... of the mediations is analysed as well as the societal and organizational background. Furthermore, the means by which the two media enable and limit reflection in different ways is compared. Finally, the article discusses possible implications of the analysis in terms of management and leadership education....

Real-Time, Label-Free Detection of Biomolecular Interactions in Sandwich Assays by the Oblique-Incidence Reflectivity Difference Technique

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yung-Shin Sun

2014-12-01

Full Text Available One of the most important goals in proteomics is to detect the real-time kinetics of diverse biomolecular interactions. Fluorescence, which requires extrinsic tags, is a commonly and widely used method because of its high convenience and sensitivity. However, in order to maintain the conformational and functional integrality of biomolecules, label-free detection methods are highly under demand. We have developed the oblique-incidence reflectivity difference (OI-RD technique for label-free, kinetic measurements of protein-biomolecule interactions. Incorporating the total internal refection geometry into the OI-RD technique, we are able to detect as low as 0.1% of a protein monolayer, and this sensitivity is comparable with other label-free techniques such as surface plasmon resonance (SPR. The unique advantage of OI-RD over SPR is no need for dielectric layers. Moreover, using a photodiode array as the detector enables multi-channel detection and also eliminates the over-time signal drift. In this paper, we demonstrate the applicability and feasibility of the OI-RD technique by measuring the kinetics of protein-protein and protein-small molecule interactions in sandwich assays.

Impulse Oscillometry and Spirometry Small-Airway Parameters in Mild to Moderate Bronchiectasis.

Science.gov (United States)

Guan, Wei-Jie; Yuan, Jing-Jing; Gao, Yong-Hua; Li, Hui-Min; Zheng, Jin-Ping; Chen, Rong-Chang; Zhong, Nan-Shan

2016-11-01

Both impulse oscillometry and spirometry can reflect small-airway disorders. The objective of this work was to investigate the diagnostic value of impulse oscillometry and spirometry small-airway parameters and their correlation with radiology, disease severity, and sputum bacteriology in mild to moderate bronchiectasis (bronchiectasis severity index spirometry, and sputum culture were performed. Correlation between small-airway parameters and clinical indices was determined, adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, and smoking history. Sensitivity analyses were repeated when excluding subjects with bronchiectasis severity index ≥9 or HRCT score ≥13. Impulse oscillometry and spirometry small-airway parameters could discriminate mild to moderate bronchiectasis from healthy subjects and correlated significantly with HRCT score and the number of bronchiectatic lobes and the bronchiectasis severity index (all P Spirometry, but not impulse oscillometry, small-airway parameters differed statistically between subjects with isolated peripheral-airway bronchiectasis and those with peripheral plus central-airway bronchiectasis (all P spirometry small-airway parameters have similar diagnostic value in reflecting peripheral-airway disorders and correlate with the HRCT scores, the bronchiectasis severity index, and the number of bronchiectatic lobes in mild to moderate bronchiectasis. Assessment of small-airway parameters should be incorporated in future lung function investigations in bronchiectasis. Copyright © 2016 by Daedalus Enterprises.

Diversity in action: exchange of perspectives and reflections on taxonomies of individual differences.

Science.gov (United States)

Uher, Jana; Trofimova, Irina; Sulis, William; Netter, Petra; Pessoa, Luiz; Posner, Michael I; Rothbart, Mary K; Rusalov, Vladimir; Peterson, Isaac T; Schmidt, Louis A

2018-04-19

Throughout the last 2500 years, the classification of individual differences in healthy people and their extreme expressions in mental disorders has remained one of the most difficult challenges in science that affects our ability to explore individuals' functioning, underlying psychobiological processes and pathways of development. To facilitate analyses of the principles required for studying individual differences, this theme issue brought together prominent scholars from diverse backgrounds of which many bring unique combinations of cross-disciplinary experiences and perspectives that help establish connections and promote exchange across disciplines. This final paper presents brief commentaries of some of our authors and further scholars exchanging perspectives and reflecting on the contributions of this theme issue.This article is part of the theme issue 'Diverse perspectives on diversity: multi-disciplinary approaches to taxonomies of individual differences'. © 2018 The Author(s).

Bi-directional Reflectance of Icy Surface Analogs: A Dual Approach

Science.gov (United States)

Quinones, Juan Manuel; Vides, Christina; Nelson, Robert M.; Boryta, Mark; Mannat, Ken s.

2018-01-01

Bi-directional reflectance measurements of analogs for planetary regolith have provided insight into the surface properties of planetary satellites and small bodies. Because Aluminum Oxide (Al2O3) and water ice share a similar hexagonal crystalline structure, the former has been used in laboratory experiments to simulate the regolith of both icy and dusty planetary bodies. By measuring various sizes of well sorted size fractions of Al2O3, the reflectance phase curve and porosity of a planetary regolith can be determined. We have designed an experiment to test the laboratory measurements produced by Nelson et al. (2000). Additionally, we made reflectance measurements for other alkali-halide compounds that could be used for applications beyond astronomy and planetary science.In order to provide an independent check on the Nelson et al. data, we designed an instrument with a different configuration. While both instruments take bidirectional reflectance measurements, our instrument, the Rigid Photometric Goniometer (RPG), is fixed at a phase angle of 5° and detects the scattered light with a photomultiplier tube (PMT). The PMT current is then measured with an electrometer. Following the example of Nelson et al., we measured the bidirectional reflectance of Al2O3 particulate size fractions between 0.1sizes from 20size that provided optimal, or maximum, reflectance for each compound. Our conclusions bring confirmation and clarity to photometric sciences.

Individual differences in competent consumer choice: the role of cognitive reflection and numeracy skills.

Science.gov (United States)

Graffeo, Michele; Polonio, Luca; Bonini, Nicolao

2015-01-01

In this paper, we investigate whether cognitive reflection and numeracy skills affect the quality of the consumers' decision-making process in a purchase decision context. In a first (field) experiment, an identical product was on sale in two shops with different initial prices and discounts. One of the two deals was better than the other and the consumers were asked to choose the best one and to describe which arithmetic operations they used to solve the problem; then they were asked to complete the numeracy scale (Lipkus et al., 2001). The choice procedures used by the consumers were classified as "complete decision approach" when all the arithmetic operations needed to solve the problem were computed, and as "partial decision approach" when only some operations were computed. A mediation model shows that higher numeracy is associated with use of the complete decision approach. In turn, this approach is positively associated with the quality of the purchase decision. Given that these findings highlight the importance of the decision processes, in a second (laboratory) experiment we used a supplementary method to study the type of information search used by the participants: eye-tracking. In this experiment the participants were presented with decision problems similar to those used in Experiment 1 and they completed the Lipkus numeracy scale and the Cognitive Reflection Test (CRT; Frederick, 2005). Participants with a high CRT score chose the best deal more frequently, and showed a more profound and detailed information search pattern compared to participants with a low CRT score. Overall, results indicate that higher levels of cognitive reflection and numeracy skills predict the use of a more thorough decision process (measured with two different techniques: retrospective verbal reports and eye movements). In both experiments the decision process is a crucial factor which greatly affects the quality of the purchase decision.

Individual differences in competent consumer choice: the role of Cognitive Reflection and Numeracy skills

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michele eGraffeo

2015-06-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we investigate whether cognitive reflection and numeracy skills affect the quality of the consumers’ decision-making process in a purchase decision context. In a first (field experiment, an identical product was on sale in two shops with different initial prices and discounts. One of the two deals was better than the other and the consumers were asked to choose the best one and to describe which arithmetic operations they used to solve the problem; then they were asked to complete the numeracy scale (Lipkus et al., 2001. The choice procedures used by the consumers were classified as complete decision approach when all the arithmetic operations needed to solve the problem were computed, and as partial decision approach when only some operations were computed. A mediation model shows that higher numeracy is associated with use of the complete decision approach. In turn, this approach is positively associated with the quality of the purchase decision. Given that these findings highlight the importance of the decision processes, in a second (laboratory experiment we used a supplementary method to study the type of information search used by the participants: eye-tracking. In this experiment the participants were presented with decision problems similar to those used in experiment 1 and they completed the Lipkus numeracy scale and the Cognitive Reflection Test (CRT, (Frederick, 2005. Participants with a high CRT score chose the best deal more frequently, and showed a more profound and detailed information search pattern compared to participants with a low CRT score. Overall, results indicate that higher levels of cognitive reflection and numeracy skills predict the use of a more thorough decision process (measured with two different techniques: retrospective verbal reports and eye movements. In both experiments the decision process is a crucial factor which greatly affects the quality of the purchase decision.

Quadratic soliton self-reflection at a quadratically nonlinear interface

Science.gov (United States)

Jankovic, Ladislav; Kim, Hongki; Stegeman, George; Carrasco, Silvia; Torner, Lluis; Katz, Mordechai

2003-11-01

The reflection of bulk quadratic solutions incident onto a quadratically nonlinear interface in periodically poled potassium titanyl phosphate was observed. The interface consisted of the boundary between two quasi-phase-matched regions displaced from each other by a half-period. At high intensities and small angles of incidence the soliton is reflected.

Reflection: A Socratic approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Van Seggelen-Damen, Inge C M; Van Hezewijk, René; Helsdingen, Anne S; Wopereis, Iwan G J H

2017-12-01

Reflection is a fuzzy concept. In this article we reveal the paradoxes involved in studying the nature of reflection. Whereas some scholars emphasize its discursive nature, we go further and underline its resemblance to the self-biased dialogue Socrates had with the slave in Plato's Meno . The individual and internal nature of the reflection process creates difficulty for studying it validly and reliably. We focus on methodological issues and use Hans Linschoten's view of coupled systems to identify, analyze, and interpret empirical research on reflection. We argue that researchers and research participants can take on roles in several possible system couplings. Depending on who controls the manipulation of the stimulus, who controls the measuring instrument, who interprets the measurement and the response, different types of research questions can be answered. We conclude that reflection may be validly studied by combining different couplings of experimenter, manipulation, stimulus, participant, measurement, and response.

Peritoneal fluid transport in CAPD patients with different transport rates of small solutes.

Science.gov (United States)

Sobiecka, Danuta; Waniewski, Jacek; Weryński, Andrzej; Lindholm, Bengt

2004-01-01

Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients with high peritoneal solute transport rate often have inadequate peritoneal fluid transport. It is not known whether this inadequate fluid transport is due solely to a too rapid fall of osmotic pressure, or if the decreased effectiveness of fluid transport is also a contributing factor. To analyze fluid transport parameters and the effectiveness of dialysis fluid osmotic pressure in the induction of fluid flow in CAPD patients with different small solute transport rates. 44 CAPD patients were placed in low (n = 6), low-average (n = 13), high-average (n = 19), and high (n = 6) transport groups according to a modified peritoneal equilibration test (PET). The study involved a 6-hour peritoneal dialysis dwell with 2 L 3.86% glucose dialysis fluid for each patient. Radioisotopically labeled serum albumin was added as a volume marker.The fluid transport parameters (osmotic conductance and fluid absorption rate) were estimated using three mathematical models of fluid transport: (1) Pyle model (model P), which describes ultrafiltration rate as an exponential function of time; (2) model OS, which is based on the linear relationship of ultrafiltration rate and overall osmolality gradient between dialysis fluid and blood; and (3) model G, which is based on the linear relationship between ultrafiltration rate and glucose concentration gradient between dialysis fluid and blood. Diffusive mass transport coefficients (K(BD)) for glucose, urea, creatinine, potassium, and sodium were estimated using the modified Babb-Randerson-Farrell model. The high transport group had significantly lower dialysate volume and glucose and osmolality gradients between dialysate and blood, but significantly higher K(BD) for small solutes compared with the other transport groups. Osmotic conductance, fluid absorption rate, and initial ultrafiltration rate did not differ among the transport groups for model OS and model P. Model G yielded

Polarization contrast linear spectroscopies for cubic semiconductors under stress: macro- and micro-reflectance difference spectroscopies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lastras-Martinez, L.F.; Balderas-Navarro, R.E.; Castro-Garcia, R.; Herrera-Jasso, R.; Lastras-Martinez, A. [Instituto de Investigacion en Comunicacion Optica, Universidad Autonoma de San Luis Potosi, Alvaro Obregon 64, 78000 San Luis Potosi, S.L.P. (Mexico); Chavira-Rodriguez, M. [Departamento de Fisico Matematicas, Universidad Autonoma de San Luis Potosi, Alvaro Obregon 64, 78000 San Luis Potosi, S.L.P. (Mexico)

2011-01-15

The technique to measure optical anisotropies (OA) in cubic semiconductors is termed either reflectance difference spectroscopy (RDS) or reflectance anisotropy spectroscopy (RAS). In this paper we report on the application of RDS/RAS to a number of cubic semiconductors. We discuss RD spectra of GaAs, Si, CdTe, GaP, InP and GaSb (001) surfaces, induced by an uniaxial stress applied along [110] crystal directions. We show that all RD spectra can be explained in terms of a phenomenological model based on a perturbative Hamiltonian. We further report on measurements of spatial-resolved RDS measurements of GaAs employing a newly developed micro-RD spectrometer with a spatial resolution of 5 {mu}m. (Copyright copyright 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Polarizer reflectivity variations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ozarski, R.G.; Prior, J.

1980-01-01

On Shiva the beam energy along the chain is monitored using available reflections and/or transmission through beam steering, splitting, and polarizing optics without the intrusion of any additional glass for diagnostics. On the preamp table the diagnostic signal is obtained from the signal transmitted through turning mirrors. At the input of each chain the signal is obtained from the transmission through one of the mirrors used for the chain input alignment sensor (CHIP). At the chain output the transmission through the final turning mirror is used. These diagnostics have proved stable and reliable. However, one of the prime diagnostic locations is at the output of the beta rod. The energy at this location is measured by collecting small reflections from the last polarizer surface of the beta Pockels cell polarizer package. Unfortunately, calibration of this diagnostic has varied randomly, seldom remaining stable for a week or more. The cause of this fluctuation has been investigated for the past year and'it has been discovered that polarizer reflectivity varies with humidity. This report will deal with the possible causes that were investigated, the evidence that humidity is causing the variation, and the associated mechanism

Portable, Fiber-Based, Diffuse Reflection Spectroscopy (DRS) Systems for Estimating Tissue Optical Properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Vishwanath, Karthik; Chang, Kevin; Klein, Daniel; Deng, Yu Feng; Chang, Vivide; Phelps, Janelle E; Ramanujam, Nimmi

2011-02-01

Steady-state diffuse reflection spectroscopy is a well-studied optical technique that can provide a noninvasive and quantitative method for characterizing the absorption and scattering properties of biological tissues. Here, we compare three fiber-based diffuse reflection spectroscopy systems that were assembled to create a light-weight, portable, and robust optical spectrometer that could be easily translated for repeated and reliable use in mobile settings. The three systems were built using a broadband light source and a compact, commercially available spectrograph. We tested two different light sources and two spectrographs (manufactured by two different vendors). The assembled systems were characterized by their signal-to-noise ratios, the source-intensity drifts, and detector linearity. We quantified the performance of these instruments in extracting optical properties from diffuse reflectance spectra in tissue-mimicking liquid phantoms with well-controlled optical absorption and scattering coefficients. We show that all assembled systems were able to extract the optical absorption and scattering properties with errors less than 10%, while providing greater than ten-fold decrease in footprint and cost (relative to a previously well-characterized and widely used commercial system). Finally, we demonstrate the use of these small systems to measure optical biomarkers in vivo in a small-animal model cancer therapy study. We show that optical measurements from the simple portable system provide estimates of tumor oxygen saturation similar to those detected using the commercial system in murine tumor models of head and neck cancer.

How small is a small cloud?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. Koren

2008-07-01

Full Text Available The interplay between clouds and aerosols and their contribution to the radiation budget is one of the largest uncertainties of climate change. Most work to date has separated cloudy and cloud-free areas in order to evaluate the individual radiative forcing of aerosols, clouds, and aerosol effects on clouds.

Here we examine the size distribution and the optical properties of small, sparse cumulus clouds and the associated optical properties of what is considered a cloud-free atmosphere within the cloud field. We show that any separation between clouds and cloud free atmosphere will incur errors in the calculated radiative forcing.

The nature of small cumulus cloud size distributions suggests that at any resolution, a significant fraction of the clouds are missed, and their optical properties are relegated to the apparent cloud-free optical properties. At the same time, the cloudy portion incorporates significant contribution from non-cloudy pixels.

We show that the largest contribution to the total cloud reflectance comes from the smallest clouds and that the spatial resolution changes the apparent energy flux of a broken cloudy scene. When changing the resolution from 30 m to 1 km (Landsat to MODIS the average "cloud-free" reflectance at 1.65 μm increases from 0.0095 to 0.0115 (>20%, the cloud reflectance decreases from 0.13 to 0.066 (~50%, and the cloud coverage doubles, resulting in an important impact on climate forcing estimations. The apparent aerosol forcing is on the order of 0.5 to 1 Wm⁻² per cloud field.

Stress measurements by multi-reflection grazing-incidence X-ray diffraction method (MGIXD) using different radiation wavelengths and different incident angles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marciszko, Marianna; Baczmański, Andrzej; Braham, Chedly; Wróbel, Mirosław; Wroński, Sebastian; Cios, Grzegorz

2017-01-01

The presented study introduces the development of the multi-reflection grazing-incidence X-ray diffraction method (MGIXD) for residual stress determination. The proposed new methodology is aimed at obtaining more reliable experimental data and increasing the depth of non-destructive stress determination below the sample surface. To verify proposed method measurements were performed on a classical X-ray diffractometer (Cu Kα radiation) and using synchrotron radiation (three different wavelengths: λ = 1.2527 Å, λ = 1.5419 Å and λ = 1.7512 Å). The Al2017 alloy subjected to three different surface treatments was investigated in this study. The obtained results showed that the proposed development of MGIXD method, in which not only different incident angles but also different wavelengths of X-ray are used, can be successfully applied for residual stress determination, especially when stress gradients are present in the sample.

Near zero reflection by nanostructured anti-reflection coating design for Si substrates

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Fandi, Mohamed; Makableh, Yahia F.; Khasawneh, Mohammad; Rabady, Rabi

2018-05-01

The nanostructure design of near zero reflection coating for Si substrates by using ZnO Nanoneedles (ZnONN) is performed and optimized for the visible spectral range. The design investigates the ZnONN tip to body ratio effect on the anti-reflection coating properties. Different tip to body ratios are used on Si substrates. Around zero reflection is achieved by the Nanoneedles structure design presented in this work, leading to minimal reflection losses from the Si surface. The current design evolves a solution to optical losses and surface contamination effects associated with Si solar cells.

Reflections on a Disco Ball

Science.gov (United States)

Ribeiro, Jair Lúcio Prados

2016-01-01

A disco ball is a spherical object covered with small plane mirrors. When light reflects on these mirrors, it is scattered in many directions, producing a novel effect. The mirror globe is usually set to rotate, creating a profusion of moving spots (Fig. 1). In this article, we present a geometrical description of the movement of these spots and…

SMALL ENTERPRENEURSHIP IN HOSPITALITY: CROATIAN EXPERIENCES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Slobodan Ivanovic

2013-03-01

Full Text Available After introductory explanations regarding the selection problems of small enterprises in the Croatian hotel industry, the author provides a number of key indicators of their role in improving the competitiveness of the Croatian hotel industry in the global tourism market. In developed tourism countries, small enterprises have a dominant share in the structure of the hotel industry, and their importance is growing even in the former socialist countries of Europe. Small hotels in Italy accounted for more than 50%, and in Austria with more than 70% of lodging facilities and represent a generator of hotel business in a large number of European tourism countries, and great attention is given to the small enterpreneurs stimulating their growth with different measures of tourist and general economy politics. The author reflects on the Croatian experience of the small businesses in the hospitality through research of development of small family hotels and their importance for the improvement of the supply of the Croatian hotel industry which future is built on personal approach to guests and present trends in the tourism market. States that the role of the National Association of family and small hotels, which represents the specific interests of small hoteliers and enables the continuous improvement of the quality of their offerings, as well as measures to encourage small business development at the macro level. Based on the made analysis the measures of increasing the efficiency of small businesses in the Croatian hospitality are given.

Monitoring the reflection from an artificial defect in rail track using guided wave ultrasound

Science.gov (United States)

Loveday, Philip W.; Taylor, Rebecca M. C.; Long, Craig S.; Ramatlo, Dineo A.

2018-04-01

Guided wave ultrasound has the potential to detect relatively large defects in continuously welded rail track at long range. As monitoring can be performed in near real time it would be acceptable to only detect fairly large cracks provided this is achieved prior to complete rail breakage. Heavy haul rail lines are inspected periodically by conventional ultrasound and sections with even relatively small cracks are removed; therefore, no sizable defects are available to demonstrate monitoring in the presence of realistic environmental operating conditions. Instead, we glued a small mass to the rail to simulate reflection from a crack and monitored the guided wave signals as the glue joint deteriorated over time. Data was collected over a two week period on an operational heavy haul line. A piezoelectric transducer mounted under the head of the rail was used in pulse-echo mode to transmit and receive a mode of propagation with energy confined mainly in the head of the rail. The small mass was attached under the head of the rail, at a distance of 375m from the transducer, using a cyanoacrylate glue, which was not expected to remain intact for long. Pre-processing of the collected signals involved rejection of signals containing train noise, averaging, filtering and dispersion compensation. Reflections from aluminothermic welds were used to stretch and scale the signals to reduce the influence of temperature variations. Singular value decomposition and independent component analysis were then applied to the signals with the aim of separating the reflection caused by the artificial defect from the background signal. The performance of these techniques was compared for different time spans. The reflection from the artificial defect showed unanticipated fluctuations.

Bistable enhanced total reflection in Kretschmann configuration containing a saturable gain medium.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Haichun; Guo, Jie; Xu, Kun; Li, Zhe; Tang, Junqi; Man, Shiqing

2018-03-05

The reflection of a TM-polarized light beam from a Kretschmann configuration with a saturable gain medium is investigated theoretically. Here, the dielectric constant of the gain medium is described by a classical Lorentzian oscillator model. When surface plasmon polaritons are effectively excited in this structure, it is demonstrated that the curves of enhanced total reflection (ETR) show different shaped hysteresis loops associated with optical bistability owing to gain saturation effect. The effects of the angle of incidence, the thickness of metal film, and the value of small-signal gain on bistable ETR are discussed in detail in a homogeneously broadened (HB) gain medium at line center. Analogous results can also be obtained in an inhomogeneously broadened (inHB) gain medium, while the two switch thresholds and the width of optical bistability hysteresis in an inHB gain medium are significantly different from those in a HB gain medium.

Differences in seed rain composition in small and large fragments in the northeast Brazilian Atlantic Forest.

Science.gov (United States)

Knörr, U C; Gottsberger, G

2012-09-01

Tropical forests are seriously threatened by fragmentation and habitat loss. The impact of fragment size and forest configuration on the composition of seed rain is insufficiently studied. For the present study, seed rain composition of small and large forest fragments (8-388 ha) was assessed in order to identify variations in seed abundance, species richness, seed size and dispersal mode. Seed rain was documented during a 1-year period in three large and four small Atlantic Forest fragments that are isolated by a sugarcane matrix. Total seed rain included 20,518 seeds of 149 species of trees, shrubs, palms, lianas and herbs. Most species and seeds were animal-dispersed. A significant difference in the proportion of seeds and species within different categories of seed size was found between small and large fragments. Small fragments received significantly more very small-sized seeds (1.5 cm) that were generally very rare, with only one species in small and eight in large fragments. We found a negative correlation between the inflow of small-sized seeds and the percentage of forest cover. Species richness was lower in small than in large fragments, but the difference was not very pronounced. Given our results, we propose changing plant species pools through logging, tree mortality and a high inflow of pioneer species and lianas, especially in small forest fragments and areas with low forest cover. Connecting forest fragments through corridors and reforestation with local large-seeded tree species may facilitate the maintenance of species diversity. © 2012 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

'Combined reflectance stratigraphy' - subdivision of loess successions by diffuse reflectance spectrometry (DRS)

Science.gov (United States)

Szeberényi, Jozsef; Bradak-Hayashi, Balázs; Kiss, Klaudia; Kovács, József; Varga, György; Balázs, Réka; Szalai, Zoltán; Viczián, István

2016-04-01

The different varieties of loess (and intercalated paleosol layers) together constitute one of the most widespread terrestrial sediments, which was deposited, altered, and redeposited in the course of the changing climatic conditions of the Pleistocene. To reveal more information about Pleistocene climate cycles and/or environments the detailed lithostratigraphical subdivision and classification of the loess variations and paleosols are necessary. Beside the numerous method such as various field measurements, semi-quantitative tests and laboratory investigations, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) is one of the well applied method on loess/paleosol sequences. Generally, DRS has been used to separate the detrital and pedogenic mineral component of the loess sections by the hematite/goethite ratio. DRS also has been applied as a joint method of various environmental magnetic investigations such as magnetic susceptibility- and isothermal remanent magnetization measurements. In our study the so-called "combined reflectance stratigraphy method" were developed. At First, complex mathematical method was applied to compare the results of the spectral reflectance measurements. One of the most preferred multivariate methods is cluster analysis. Its scope is to group and compare the loess variations and paleosol based on the similarity and common properties of their reflectance curves. In the Second, beside the basic subdivision of the profiles by the different reflectance curves of the layers, the most characteristic wavelength section of the reflectance curve was determined. This sections played the most important role during the classification of the different materials of the section. The reflectance value of individual samples, belonged to the characteristic wavelength were depicted in the function of depth and well correlated with other proxies like grain size distribution and magnetic susceptibility data. The results of the correlation showed the significance of

Bioenergetics during calvarial osteoblast differentiation reflect strain differences in bone mass.

Science.gov (United States)

Guntur, Anyonya R; Le, Phuong T; Farber, Charles R; Rosen, Clifford J

2014-05-01

Osteoblastogenesis is the process by which mesenchymal stem cells differentiate into osteoblasts that synthesize collagen and mineralize matrix. The pace and magnitude of this process are determined by multiple genetic and environmental factors. Two inbred strains of mice, C3H/HeJ and C57BL/6J, exhibit differences in peak bone mass and bone formation. Although all the heritable factors that differ between these strains have not been elucidated, a recent F1 hybrid expression panel (C3H × B6) revealed major genotypic differences in osteoblastic genes related to cellular respiration and oxidative phosphorylation. Thus, we hypothesized that the metabolic rate of energy utilization by osteoblasts differed by strain and would ultimately contribute to differences in bone formation. In order to study the bioenergetic profile of osteoblasts, we measured oxygen consumption rates (OCR) and extracellular acidification rates (ECAR) first in a preosteoblastic cell line MC3T3-E1C4 and subsequently in primary calvarial osteoblasts from C3H and B6 mice at days 7, 14, and 21 of differentiation. During osteoblast differentiation in media containing ascorbic acid and β-glycerophosphate, all 3 cell types increased their oxygen consumption and extracellular acidification rates compared with the same cells grown in regular media. These increases are sustained throughout differentiation. Importantly, C3H calvarial osteoblasts had greater oxygen consumption rates than B6 consistent with their in vivo phenotype of higher bone formation. Interestingly, osteoblasts utilized both oxidative phosphorylation and glycolysis during the differentiation process although mature osteoblasts were more dependent on glycolysis at the 21-day time point than oxidative phosphorylation. Thus, determinants of oxygen consumption reflect strain differences in bone mass and provide the first evidence that during collagen synthesis osteoblasts use both glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation to synthesize and

Concept for phase-to-intensity conversion in SOAs by facet reflections

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Blaaberg, Søren; Mørk, Jesper

2010-01-01

All-optical conversion from phase-modulated signals to intensity-modulated signals is theoretically demonstrated in semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs). Large-signal and small-signal calculations show significant conversion responses appearing as a result of even minute reflections at the end...... mirrors of the SOA. It is discussed how reflected phase-modulated signals can lead to interference resulting in intensity fluctuations that are amplified by the gain in a SOA. The effect can be utilized for deliberate conversion between optical modulation formats.......All-optical conversion from phase-modulated signals to intensity-modulated signals is theoretically demonstrated in semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs). Large-signal and small-signal calculations show significant conversion responses appearing as a result of even minute reflections at the end...

Developing Students’ Reflections about the Function and Status of Mathematical Modeling in Different Scientific Practices

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kjeldsen, Tinne Hoff; Blomhøj, Morten

2013-01-01

position held by the modeler(s) and the practitioners in the extra-mathematical domain. For students to experience the significance of different scientific practices and cultures for the function and status of mathematical modeling in other sciences, students need to be placed in didactical situations......Mathematical models and mathematical modeling play different roles in the different areas and problems in which they are used. The function and status of mathematical modeling and models in the different areas depend on the scientific practice as well as the underlying philosophical and theoretical...... where such differences are exposed and made into explicit objects of their reflections. It can be difficult to create such situations in the teaching of contemporary science in which modeling is part of the culture. In this paper we show how history can serve as a means for students to be engaged...

Reflecting reflection in supervision

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lystbæk, Christian Tang

associated with reflection and an exploration of alternative conceptions that view reflection within the context of settings which have a more group- and team-based orientation. Drawing on an action research project on health care supervision, the paper questions whether we should reject earlier views...... of reflection, rehabilitate them in order to capture broader connotations or move to new ways of regarding reflection that are more in keeping with not only reflective but also emotive, normative and formative views on supervision. The paper presents a critical perspective on supervision that challenge...... the current reflective paradigm I supervision and relate this to emotive, normative and formative views supervision. The paper is relevant for Nordic educational research into the supervision and guidance...

Polarization properties and microfacet-based modelling of white, grey and coloured matte diffuse reflection standards

Science.gov (United States)

Quast, T.; Schirmacher, A.; Hauer, K.-O.; Koo, A.

2018-02-01

To elucidate the influence of polarization in diffuse reflectometry, we performed a series of measurements in several bidirectional geometries and determined the Stokes parameters of the diffusely reflected radiation. Different types of matte reflection standards were used, including several common white standards and ceramic colour standards. The dependence of the polarization on the sample type, wavelength and geometry have been studied systematically, the main influence factors have been identified: The effect is largest at large angles of incidence or detection and at wavelengths where the magnitude of the reflectance is small. The results for the colour standards have been modelled using a microfacet-based reflection theory which is derived from the well-known model of Torrance and Sparrow. Although the theory is very simple and only has three free parameters, the agreement with the measured data is very good, all essential features of the data can be reproduced by the model.

Guided and Unguided Student Reflections

OpenAIRE

Matheson, Amanda; Wood, Laura; Franklin, Scott V.

2017-01-01

Self-reflection is important metacognitive skill, enabling students to build coherence into their learning and embed content in a broader context. While various pedagogical techniques exist to encourage student reflection, little research has examined the differences between formally guided, partially guided and unguided reflections. This study focuses on student responses to online Guided Reflection Forms (GRFs) from students in a first-semester non-physics class and, separately, a sophomore...

Using mid-Infrared External Reflectance Spectroscopy to Distinguish Between Different Commercially Produced Poly[Methyl MethAcrylate] (PMMA) Samples - A Null Result

Science.gov (United States)

Fajardo, Mario; Neel, Christopher; Lacina, David

2017-06-01

We report (null) results of experiments testing the hypothesis that mid-infrared (mid-IR) spectroscopy can be used to distinguish samples of poly[methyl methacrylate] (PMMA) obtained from different commercial suppliers. This work was motivated by the desire for a simple non-destructive and non-invasive test for pre-sorting PMMA samples prior to use in shock and high-strain-rate experiments, where PMMA is commonly used as a standard material. We discuss: our choice of mid-IR external reflectance spectroscopy, our approach to recording reflectance spectra at near-normal (θ = 0 + / - 5 degree) incidence and for extracting the wavelength-weighted absorption spectrum from the raw reflectance data via a Kramers-Krönig analysis. We employ extensive signal, which necessitates adopting a special experimental protocol to mitigate the effects of instrumental drift. Finally, we report spectra of three PMMA samples with different commercial pedigrees, and show that they are virtually identical (+ / - 1 % error, 95% confidence); obviating the use of mid-IR reflectance spectroscopy to tell the samples apart.

Detection of the specific binding on protein microarrays by oblique-incidence reflectivity difference method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu, Heng; Wen, Juan; Wang, Xu; Yuan, Kun; Lu, Huibin; Zhou, Yueliang; Jin, Kuijuan; Yang, Guozhen; Li, Wei; Ruan, Kangcheng

2010-01-01

The specific binding between Cy5-labeled goat anti-mouse Immunoglobulin G (IgG) and mouse IgG with a concentration range from 625 to 10 4 µg ml −1 has been detected successfully by the oblique-incidence reflectivity difference (OI-RD) method in each procedure of microarray fabrication. The experimental data prove that the OI-RD method can be employed not only to distinguish the different concentrations in label-free fashion but also to detect the antibody–antigen capture. In addition, the differential treatment of the OI-RD signals can decrease the negative influences of glass slide as the microarray upholder. Therefore the OI-RD technique has promising applications for the label-free and high-throughput detection of protein microarrays

Universal empirical relation for the variation of ksub(eff) with core dimensions of bare and reflected small fast systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kumar, A; Srinivasan, M; Basu, T K; Subba Rao, K [Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Bombay (India). Neutron Physics Section

1977-01-01

A number of 26-group, S/sub 4/, transport theory calculations in spherical geometry were carried out to study the variation of ksub(eff) with core radius of bare and reflected small hard spectrum fast assemblies. For each system ksub(eff) was calculated for various core radii keeping reflector thickness and density constant. A plot of ksub(eff) vs. R/Rsub(c) gave an almost universal curve independent of core material, density and reflector properties. An empirical relation of the form ksub(eff) = k infinitely* (1 - exp(-Theta R/Rsub(c))) could be fitted to the ksub(eff) vs. R/Rsub(c) plot where Rsub(c) is the critical radius, and the constants k infinitely* and Theta are related through Theta = ln(k infinitely*/(k infinitely* - 1)). Thus the ksub(eff) vs. R/Rsub(c) relation is found to be governed by a single constant k infinitely*, valid for both bare and reflected systems. The agreement between DTF-IV calculated ksub(eff) values and that given by the empirical relation is better than 3% except in the highly subcritical domain where the discrepancy is a bit higher. The best fit value of k infinitely* for Pu 239 systems is found to be 2.88 and for U 235 systems 2.224. The paper discusses the physical interpretation of the form of the relation, its region of validity and makes an attempt to extend it to non-spherical geometries also.

Implementation of inquiry-based science education in different countries: some reflections

Science.gov (United States)

Rundgren, Carl-Johan

2017-03-01

In this forum article, I reflect on issues related to the implementation of inquiry-based science education (IBSE) in different countries. Regarding education within the European Union (EU), the Bologna system has in later years provided extended coordination and comparability at an organizational level. However, the possibility of the EU to influence the member countries regarding the actual teaching and learning in the classrooms is more limited. In later years, several EU-projects focusing on IBSE have been funded in order to make science education in Europe better, and more motivating for students. Highlighting what Heinz and her colleagues call the policy of `soft governance' of the EU regarding how to improve science education in Europe, I discuss the focus on IBSE in the seventh framework projects, and how it is possible to maintain more long-lasting results in schools through well-designed teacher professional development programs. Another aspect highlighted by Heinz and her colleagues is how global pressures on convergence in education interact with educational structures and traditions in the individual countries. The rise of science and science education as a global culture, encompassing contributions from all around the world, is a phenomenon of great potential and value to humankind. However, it is important to bear in mind that if science and science education is going to become a truly global culture, local variation and differences regarding foci and applications of science in different cultures must be acknowledged.

Comparative study of probabilistic methodologies for small signal stability assessment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rueda, J.L.; Colome, D.G. [Universidad Nacional de San Juan (IEE-UNSJ), San Juan (Argentina). Inst. de Energia Electrica], Emails: joseluisrt@iee.unsj.edu.ar, colome@iee.unsj.edu.ar

2009-07-01

Traditional deterministic approaches for small signal stability assessment (SSSA) are unable to properly reflect the existing uncertainties in real power systems. Hence, the probabilistic analysis of small signal stability (SSS) is attracting more attention by power system engineers. This paper discusses and compares two probabilistic methodologies for SSSA, which are based on the two point estimation method and the so-called Monte Carlo method, respectively. The comparisons are based on the results obtained for several power systems of different sizes and with different SSS performance. It is demonstrated that although with an analytical approach the amount of computation of probabilistic SSSA can be reduced, the different degrees of approximations that are adopted, lead to deceptive results. Conversely, Monte Carlo based probabilistic SSSA can be carried out with reasonable computational effort while holding satisfactory estimation precision. (author)

Small airway function changes and its clinical significance of asthma patients in different clinical phases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yan-Hui Zhou

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Objective: To observe the small airways function changes of asthmatic patients in different clinical phases and to discuss its clinical significance. Methods: A total of 127 patients diagnosed as asthma were selected randomly and pulmonary function (PF of them was determined by conventional method. Then they were divided into A, B and C group based on PF results. All 34 patients in A group suffered from acute asthma attack for the first time. All 93 patients in B group had been diagnosed as asthma but in remission phase. C Group was regarded as Control group with 20 healthy volunteers. Then FEV1, FEF50%, FEF75% levels of patients in each group were analyzed, and ΔFEV1, ΔFEF75% and ΔFEF50% levels of patients in each group were compared after bronchial dilation test. Results: It was found that most patients in group A and B had abnormal small airways function, and their small airways function was significantly different compared with that of group C (P<0.01. In addition, except for group C, ΔFEF75%,ΔFEF50% levels in A and B group were improved more significantly than ΔFEV1 levels (P<0.01. Conclusions: Asthma patients in acute phase all have abnormal small airways function. Most asthma patients in remission phase also have abnormal small airways function. After bronchial dilation test, whether patients in acute phase or in remission phase, major and small airways function of them are improved, but improvement of small airways function is weaker than that of major airways. This indicates that asthma respiratory tract symptoms in different phases exists all the time and so therapeutic process is needed to perform step by step.

A universal empirical relation for the variation of Ksub(eff) with core dimensions of bare and reflected small fast systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kumar, A.; Srinivasan, M.; Basu, T.K.; Subba Rao, K.

1978-01-01

A number of 26 group Ssub(4) transport theory calculations in spherical geometry were carried out to study the variation of Ksub(eff) with core radius of bars and reflected small fast systems. For each system Ksub(eff) was calculated for various core radii keeping reflector thickness and density constant. A plot of Ksub(eff) vs R/Rsub(e) gave an almost universal curve independent of core material, density and reflector properties. An empirical relation of the form Ksub(eff)=Ksub(infinity)sup(*)[1-esup(-(THETA R/Rsub(c))] could be fitted to the Ksub(eff) vs R/Rsub(c) plot where Rsub(c) is the critical radius, and the constants Ksub(infinity) and THETA are related through THETA =ln(Ksub(infinity)sup(*)/Ksub(infinity)sup(*)-1). Thus the Ksub(eff) vs R/Rsub(c) relation is found to be governed by a single constant Ksub(infinity(sup(*)), valid for both bare and reflected systems. The agreement between DTF-IV calculated Ksub(eff) values and that given by the empirical relation is better than 3% except in the highly subcritical domain where the discrepency is a bit higher. The physical interpretation of the form of the relation, its regions of validity are discussed. An attempt is made to extend it to non-spherical geometries also. (author)

A METHOD USING GNSS LH-REFLECTED SIGNALS FOR SOIL ROUGHNESS ESTIMATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Y. Jia

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Global Navigation Satellite System Reflectometry (GNSS-R is based on the concept of receiving GPS signals reflected by the ground using a passive receiver. The receiver can be on the ground or installed on a small aircraft or UAV and collects the electromagnetic field scattered from the surface of the Earth. The received signals are then analyzed to determine the characteristics of the surface. Many research has been reported showing the capability of the GNSS-R technique. However, the roughness of the surface impacts the phase and amplitude of the received signals, which is still a worthwhile study. This paper presented a method can be used by GNSS-R to estimate the surface roughness. First, the data was calculated in the specular reflection with the assumption of a flat surface with different permittivity. Since the power reflectivity can be evaluated as the ratio of left-hand (LH reflected signal to the direct right-hand (RH signal. Then a semi-empirical roughness model was applied to the data for testing. The results showed the method can distinguish the water and the soil surface. The sensitivity of the parameters was also analyzed. It indicates this method for soil roughness estimation can be used by GNSS-R LH reflected signals. In the next step, several experiments need to be done for improving the model and exploring the way of the estimation.

a Method Using Gnss Lh-Reflected Signals for Soil Roughness Estimation

Science.gov (United States)

Jia, Y.; Li, W.; Chen, Y.; Lv, H.; Pei, Y.

2018-04-01

Global Navigation Satellite System Reflectometry (GNSS-R) is based on the concept of receiving GPS signals reflected by the ground using a passive receiver. The receiver can be on the ground or installed on a small aircraft or UAV and collects the electromagnetic field scattered from the surface of the Earth. The received signals are then analyzed to determine the characteristics of the surface. Many research has been reported showing the capability of the GNSS-R technique. However, the roughness of the surface impacts the phase and amplitude of the received signals, which is still a worthwhile study. This paper presented a method can be used by GNSS-R to estimate the surface roughness. First, the data was calculated in the specular reflection with the assumption of a flat surface with different permittivity. Since the power reflectivity can be evaluated as the ratio of left-hand (LH) reflected signal to the direct right-hand (RH) signal. Then a semi-empirical roughness model was applied to the data for testing. The results showed the method can distinguish the water and the soil surface. The sensitivity of the parameters was also analyzed. It indicates this method for soil roughness estimation can be used by GNSS-R LH reflected signals. In the next step, several experiments need to be done for improving the model and exploring the way of the estimation.

Dosimetry in CBCT with different protocols: emphasis on small FOVs including exams for TMJ

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nascimento, Helena Aguiar Ribeiro; Nascimento, Eduarda Helena Leandro; Freitas, Deborah Queiroz, E-mail: eduarda.hln@gmail.com [Universidade de Campinas (UNICAMP), Piracicaba, SP (Brazil). Departmento de Diagnose Oral; Andrade, Marcos Ely Almeida [Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Recife, PE (Brazil). Departmento de Energia Nuclear; Frazão, Marco Antonio Gomes [Faculdade de Odontologia de Recife (FOR), Recife, PE (Brazil). Divisao de Radiologia Oral; Ramos-Perez, Flavia Maria Moraes [Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Recife, PE (Brazil). Departmento de Clinica e Odontologica Preventiva

2017-07-15

This study aimed to estimate the absorbed dose in cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) exams according to different exposure parameters and size and position of the field of view (FOV). In addition was compared the absorbed dose of two smaller FOV scans with that of a larger FOV scan for evaluation of temporomandibular joint (TMJ), as it is a bilateral structure. CBCT scans were obtained on OP300 Maxio unit varying scanning mode (standard, high and endo) as well as size (5 x 5, 6 x 8 and 8 x 15 cm) and positioning of FOV. With a small FOV, different areas were scanned (maxilla or mandible, anterior or posterior and TMJ). Absorbed doses were determined using thermoluminescent dosimeters on the skin surface of sensitive organs of an anthropomorphic phantom. Endo mode showed the highest dose, followed by the high and standard modes in all FOV positions. With small FOV, doses were higher in the posterior region, especially in the mandible. Dose reduction occurred when small FOVs were used, but it was not proportional to FOV size reduction. For TMJ, the dose in a single acquisition with large FOV was greater than two acquisitions with small FOV, but lower than two acquisitions with medium FOV (6x8 cm). In conclusion, scanning mode, size and FOV position have great influence on the absorbed dose. Small FOV decreases the dose, but there is no linear relation between FOV size and dose. For bilateral exams of TMJ, double acquisition with small FOVs produces decrease in absorbed dose relative to a large FOV. (author)

Insight and psychosis: Functional and anatomical brain connectivity and self-reflection in Schizophrenia.

Science.gov (United States)

Ćurčić-Blake, Branislava; van der Meer, Lisette; Pijnenborg, Gerdina H M; David, Anthony S; Aleman, André

2015-12-01

Impaired insight into illness, associated with worse treatment outcome, is common in schizophrenia. Insight has been related to the self-reflective processing, centred on the medial frontal cortex. We hypothesized that anatomical and functional routes to and from the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) would differ in patients according to their degree of impaired insight. Forty-five schizophrenia patients and 19 healthy subjects performed a self-reflection task during fMRI, and underwent diffusion tensor imaging. Using dynamic causal modelling we observed increased effective connectivity from the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), inferior parietal lobule (IPL), and dorsal mPFC (dmPFC) towards the vmPFC with poorer insight and decrease from vmPFC to the IPL. Stronger connectivity from the PCC to vmPFC during judgment of traits related to self was associated with poorer insight. We found small-scale significant changes in white matter integrity associated with clinical insight. Self-reflection may be influenced by synaptic changes that lead to the observed alterations in functional connectivity accompanied by the small-scale but measurable alterations in anatomical connections. Our findings may point to a neural compensatory response to an impairment of connectivity between self-processing regions. Similarly, the observed hyper-connectivity might be a primary deficit linked to inefficiency in the component cognitive processes that lead to impaired insight. We suggest that the stronger cognitive demands placed on patients with poor insight is reflected in increased effective connectivity during the task in this study. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Independent introduction of two lactase-persistence alleles into human populations reflects different history of adaptation to milk culture

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Enattah, Nabil Sabri; Jensen, Tine G K; Boyd, Mette

2008-01-01

the same history, probably related to the same cattle domestication event. In contrast, the compound Arab allele shows a different, highly divergent ancestral haplotype, suggesting that these two major global LP alleles have arisen independently, the latter perhaps in response to camel milk consumption....... These results support the convergent evolution of the LP in diverse populations, most probably reflecting different histories of adaptation to milk culture....

Survey of coherent ion reflection at the quasi-parallel bow shock

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Onsager, T.G.; Thomsen, M.F.; Gosling, J.T.; Bame, S.J.; Russell, C.T.

1990-01-01

Ions coherently reflected off the Earth's bow shock have previously been observed both when the upstream geometry is quasi-perpendicular and when it is quasi-parallel. In the case of quasiperpendicular geometry, the ions are reflected in a nearly specular manner and are quickly carried back into the shock by the convecting magnetic field. In the quasi-parallel geometry, however, near-specularly reflected ions' guiding center velocities would on the average be directed away from the shock, allowing the ions to escape into the upstream region. The conditions under which coherent reflection occurs and the subsequent coupling of the reflected ions to the incoming solar wind plasma are important factors when assessing the contribution of the reflected ions to the downstream temperature increase and the shock structure. The survey presented in this paper, along with previously reported observations, suggests that near-specularly reflected ions are indeed an important aspect of energy dissipation at the Earth's quasi-parallel bow shock. The authors find that (1) cool, coherent, near-specularly reflected ion beams are detected over nearly the full range of upstream plasma paraameters commonly found at the Earth's bow shock; (2) the beams are typically observed only near the shock ramp or some shock-like feature; and (3) the observed beam velocities are almost always consistent with what one would expect for near-specularly reflected ions after only a small fraction of a gyroperiod following reflection. The second and third points indicate that the beams spread very quickly in velocity space. This spread in velocities could be due either to interactions between the beam and incoming solar wind ions or to some initially small velocity spread in the beam

Quantitative Determination of Pole Figures with a Texture Goniometer by the Reflection Method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moeller, Manfred

1962-03-15

For different slit systems of a modern texture goniometer (type Siemens) the X-ray intensity reflected from textureless plane samples has been measured as function of the tilt angle {phi} and Bragg angle {theta}. The intensity curves obtained generally enable quantitative and almost complete pole figure determinations to be made with only one reflection recording, even for materials with high line density. Investigations on rolled uranium sheet with CuK{sub {alpha}} radiation showed that for reliable chart records up to {phi} {approx} 70 deg on reflections with an angular separation of only {delta}(2{theta}) = 0.7 deg, the vertical receiving slit must be limited to at least 1 mm when using a horizontal main slit of 0.5 mm, Though in this case the intensity drop off resulting from defocusing from the flat sample surface is considerable even at small tilt angles, a correction of intensity is possible also at large angles within an accuracy of {+-} 5 %. Moreover, different pole figures for one material can be compared quantitatively, without constant slit settings and recording conditions being necessary, if the intensity values of the contour lines are always referred to the background radiation.

Self-reflection, gender and science achievement

Science.gov (United States)

Shoop, Kathleen A.

Drawing on socio-cognitive learning theory, this study compared achievement scores of 134 male and female high school biology students randomly assigned to groups which either used self-reflection, used self-reflection and received feedback, or did not self-reflect. Following a pretest, the teacher provided self-reflection strategy instruction to students in the two intervention groups and then subsequently provided in-class self-reflection time for these groups. The posttest concluded the unit; the retention measure was five weeks later. A quasi-experimental 3 x 3 x 2 (time x intervention x gender) factorial repeated-measures control group design was used for this study; a repeated measures ANOVA and several one-way ANOVA's were used to answer the research questions. Results from the repeated-measures ANOVA revealed significant results for Time and Time x Intervention, with the reflection group demonstrating significantly lower gains from pretest to posttest than the other two groups. The ANOVA examining differences between those who reflected and those who reflected and received feedback provided significant results with similar results for the difference between the control group and the reflection group. For teachers and students this study provides several areas of practical significance. Primarily, teachers may find lower student achievement if students regularly self-reflect but do not receive feedback for their reflection.

Measuring solar reflectance - Part II: Review of practical methods

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Levinson, Ronnen; Akbari, Hashem; Berdahl, Paul [Heat Island Group, Environmental Energy Technologies Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States)

2010-09-15

A companion article explored how solar reflectance varies with surface orientation and solar position, and found that clear sky air mass 1 global horizontal (AM1GH) solar reflectance is a preferred quantity for estimating solar heat gain. In this study we show that AM1GH solar reflectance R{sub g,0} can be accurately measured with a pyranometer, a solar spectrophotometer, or an updated edition of the Solar Spectrum Reflectometer (version 6). Of primary concern are errors that result from variations in the spectral and angular distributions of incident sunlight. Neglecting shadow, background and instrument errors, the conventional pyranometer technique can measure R{sub g,0} to within 0.01 for surface slopes up to 5:12 [23 ], and to within 0.02 for surface slopes up to 12:12 [45 ]. An alternative pyranometer method minimizes shadow errors and can be used to measure R{sub g,0} of a surface as small as 1 m in diameter. The accuracy with which it can measure R{sub g,0} is otherwise comparable to that of the conventional pyranometer technique. A solar spectrophotometer can be used to determine R{sub g,0}{sup *}, a solar reflectance computed by averaging solar spectral reflectance weighted with AM1GH solar spectral irradiance. Neglecting instrument errors, R{sub g,0}{sup *} matches R{sub g,0} to within 0.006. The air mass 1.5 solar reflectance measured with version 5 of the Solar Spectrum Reflectometer can differ from R{sub g,0}{sup *} by as much as 0.08, but the AM1GH output of version 6 of this instrument matches R{sub g,0}{sup *} to within about 0.01. (author)

Race and sex differences in small-molecule metabolites and metabolic hormones in overweight and obese adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Patel, Mahesh J; Batch, Bryan C; Svetkey, Laura P; Bain, James R; Turer, Christy Boling; Haynes, Carol; Muehlbauer, Michael J; Stevens, Robert D; Newgard, Christopher B; Shah, Svati H

2013-12-01

In overweight/obese individuals, cardiometabolic risk factors differ by race and sex categories. Small-molecule metabolites and metabolic hormone levels might also differ across these categories and contribute to risk factor heterogeneity. To explore this possibility, we performed a cross-sectional analysis of fasting plasma levels of 69 small-molecule metabolites and 13 metabolic hormones in 500 overweight/obese adults who participated in the Weight Loss Maintenance trial. Principal-components analysis (PCA) was used for reduction of metabolite data. Race and sex-stratified comparisons of metabolite factors and metabolic hormones were performed. African Americans represented 37.4% of the study participants, and females 63.0%. Of thirteen metabolite factors identified, three differed by race and sex: levels of factor 3 (branched-chain amino acids and related metabolites, phormones regulating body weight homeostasis. Among overweight/obese adults, there are significant race and sex differences in small-molecule metabolites and metabolic hormones; these differences may contribute to risk factor heterogeneity across race and sex subgroups and should be considered in future investigations with circulating metabolites and metabolic hormones.

An Investigation of the Differences and Similarities between Generated Small-World Networks for Right- and Left-Hand Motor Imageries.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Jiang; Li, Yuyao; Chen, Huafu; Ding, Jurong; Yuan, Zhen

2016-11-04

In this study, small-world network analysis was performed to identify the similarities and differences between functional brain networks for right- and left-hand motor imageries (MIs). First, Pearson correlation coefficients among the nodes within the functional brain networks from healthy subjects were calculated. Then, small-world network indicators, including the clustering coefficient, the average path length, the global efficiency, the local efficiency, the average node degree, and the small-world index, were generated for the functional brain networks during both right- and left-hand MIs. We identified large differences in the small-world network indicators between the functional networks during MI and in the random networks. More importantly, the functional brain networks underlying the right- and left-hand MIs exhibited similar small-world properties in terms of the clustering coefficient, the average path length, the global efficiency, and the local efficiency. By contrast, the right- and left-hand MI brain networks showed differences in small-world characteristics, including indicators such as the average node degree and the small-world index. Interestingly, our findings also suggested that the differences in the activity intensity and range, the average node degree, and the small-world index of brain networks between the right- and left-hand MIs were associated with the asymmetry of brain functions.

High-accuracy measurements of the normal specular reflectance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Voarino, Philippe; Piombini, Herve; Sabary, Frederic; Marteau, Daniel; Dubard, Jimmy; Hameury, Jacques; Filtz, Jean Remy

2008-01-01

The French Laser Megajoule (LMJ) is designed and constructed by the French Commissariata l'Energie Atomique (CEA). Its amplifying section needs highly reflective multilayer mirrors for the flash lamps. To monitor and improve the coating process, the reflectors have to be characterized to high accuracy. The described spectrophotometer is designed to measure normal specular reflectance with high repeatability by using a small spot size of 100 μm. Results are compared with ellipsometric measurements. The instrument can also perform spatial characterization to detect coating nonuniformity

Cine Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Small Bowel: Comparison of Different Oral Contrast Media

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Asbach, P.; Breitwieser, C.; Diederichs, G.; Eisele, S.; Kivelitz, D.; Taupitz, M.; Zeitz, M.; Hamm, B.; Klessen, C.

2006-01-01

Purpose: To evaluate several substances regarding small bowel distension and contrast on balanced steady-state free precession (bSSFP) cine magnetic resonance (MR) images. Material and Methods: Luminal contrast was evaluated in 24 volunteers after oral application of two different contrast agent groups leading to either bright lumen (pineapple, blueberry juice) or dark lumen (tap water, orange juice) on T1-weighted images. Bowel distension was evaluated in 30 patients ingesting either methylcellulose or mannitol solution for limiting intestinal absorption. Fifteen patients with duodeno-jejunal intubation served as the control. Quantitative evaluation included measurement of luminal signal intensities and diameters of four bowel segments, qualitative evaluation assessed luminal contrast and distension on a five-point scale. Results: Quantitative and qualitative evaluation of the four contrast agents revealed no significant differences regarding luminal contrast on bSSFP images. Quantitative evaluation revealed significantly lower (P<0.05) small bowel distension for three out of four segments (qualitative evaluation: two out of four segments) for methylcellulose in comparison to the control. Mannitol was found to be equal to the control. Conclusion: Oral ingestion of tap water or orange juice in combination with mannitol is recommended for cine MR imaging of the small bowel regarding luminal contrast and small bowel distension on bSSFP sequences

Cine Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Small Bowel: Comparison of Different Oral Contrast Media

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Asbach, P.; Breitwieser, C.; Diederichs, G.; Eisele, S.; Kivelitz, D.; Taupitz, M.; Zeitz, M.; Hamm, B.; Klessen, C. [Charite - Universitatsmedizin Berlin, Charite Campus Mitte, Berlin (Germany). Dept. of Radiology

2006-11-15

Purpose: To evaluate several substances regarding small bowel distension and contrast on balanced steady-state free precession (bSSFP) cine magnetic resonance (MR) images. Material and Methods: Luminal contrast was evaluated in 24 volunteers after oral application of two different contrast agent groups leading to either bright lumen (pineapple, blueberry juice) or dark lumen (tap water, orange juice) on T1-weighted images. Bowel distension was evaluated in 30 patients ingesting either methylcellulose or mannitol solution for limiting intestinal absorption. Fifteen patients with duodeno-jejunal intubation served as the control. Quantitative evaluation included measurement of luminal signal intensities and diameters of four bowel segments, qualitative evaluation assessed luminal contrast and distension on a five-point scale. Results: Quantitative and qualitative evaluation of the four contrast agents revealed no significant differences regarding luminal contrast on bSSFP images. Quantitative evaluation revealed significantly lower (P<0.05) small bowel distension for three out of four segments (qualitative evaluation: two out of four segments) for methylcellulose in comparison to the control. Mannitol was found to be equal to the control. Conclusion: Oral ingestion of tap water or orange juice in combination with mannitol is recommended for cine MR imaging of the small bowel regarding luminal contrast and small bowel distension on bSSFP sequences.

Sequential fitting-and-separating reflectance components for analytical bidirectional reflectance distribution function estimation.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Yu; Yu, Chanki; Lee, Sang Wook

2018-01-10

We present a sequential fitting-and-separating algorithm for surface reflectance components that separates individual dominant reflectance components and simultaneously estimates the corresponding bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) parameters from the separated reflectance values. We tackle the estimation of a Lafortune BRDF model, which combines a nonLambertian diffuse reflection and multiple specular reflectance components with a different specular lobe. Our proposed method infers the appropriate number of BRDF lobes and their parameters by separating and estimating each of the reflectance components using an interval analysis-based branch-and-bound method in conjunction with iterative K-ordered scale estimation. The focus of this paper is the estimation of the Lafortune BRDF model. Nevertheless, our proposed method can be applied to other analytical BRDF models such as the Cook-Torrance and Ward models. Experiments were carried out to validate the proposed method using isotropic materials from the Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories-Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MERL-MIT) BRDF database, and the results show that our method is superior to a conventional minimization algorithm.

Reflective and refractive objects for mixed reality.

Science.gov (United States)

Knecht, Martin; Traxler, Christoph; Winklhofer, Christoph; Wimmer, Michael

2013-04-01

In this paper, we present a novel rendering method which integrates reflective or refractive objects into a differential instant radiosity (DIR) framework usable for mixed-reality (MR) applications. This kind of objects are very special from the light interaction point of view, as they reflect and refract incident rays. Therefore they may cause high-frequency lighting effects known as caustics. Using instant-radiosity (IR) methods to approximate these high-frequency lighting effects would require a large amount of virtual point lights (VPLs) and is therefore not desirable due to real-time constraints. Instead, our approach combines differential instant radiosity with three other methods. One method handles more accurate reflections compared to simple cubemaps by using impostors. Another method is able to calculate two refractions in real-time, and the third method uses small quads to create caustic effects. Our proposed method replaces parts in light paths that belong to reflective or refractive objects using these three methods and thus tightly integrates into DIR. In contrast to previous methods which introduce reflective or refractive objects into MR scenarios, our method produces caustics that also emit additional indirect light. The method runs at real-time frame rates, and the results show that reflective and refractive objects with caustics improve the overall impression for MR scenarios.

The Influence of Collaborative Reflection and Think-Aloud Protocols on Pre-Service Teachers' Reflection: A Mixed Methods Approach

Science.gov (United States)

Epler, Cory M.; Drape, Tiffany A.; Broyles, Thomas W.; Rudd, Rick D.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to determine if there are differences in pre-service teachers' depth of reflection when using a written self-reflection form, a written self-reflection form and a think-aloud protocol, and collaborative reflection. Twenty-six pre-service teachers were randomly assigned to fourteen teaching teams. The…

Model for the ultrasound reflection from micro-beads and cells distributed in layers on a uniform surface

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Couture, O; Cherin, E; Foster, F S [Imaging Research, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre/University of Toronto, Toronto (Canada)

2007-07-21

A model predicting the reflection of ultrasound from multiple layers of small scattering spheres is developed. Predictions of the reflection coefficient, which takes into account the interferences between the different sphere layers, are compared to measurements performed in the 10-80 MHz and 15-35 MHz frequency range with layers of glass beads and spherical acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells, respectively. For both types of scatterers, the reflection coefficient increases as a function of their density on the surface for less than three superimposed layers, at which point it saturates at 0.38 for glass beads and 0.02 for AML cells. Above three layers, oscillations of the reflection coefficient due to constructive or destructive interference between layers are observed experimentally and are accurately predicted by the model. The use of such a model could lead to a better understanding of the structures observed in layered tissue images.

Minimum Colour Differences Required To Recognise Small Objects On A Colour CRT

Science.gov (United States)

Phillips, Peter L.

1985-05-01

Data is required to assist in the assessment, evaluation and optimisation of colour and other displays for both military and general use. A general aim is to develop a mathematical technique to aid optimisation and reduce the amount of expensive hardware development and trials necessary when introducing new displays. The present standards and methods available for evaluating colour differences are known not to apply to the perception of typical objects on a display. Data is required for irregular objects viewed at small angular subtense ((1°) and relating the recognition of form rather than colour matching. Therefore laboratory experiments have been carried out using a computer controlled CRT to measure the threshold colour difference that an observer requires between object and background so that he can discriminate a variety of similar objects. Measurements are included for a variety of background and object colourings. The results are presented in the CIE colorimetric system similar to current standards used by the display engineer. Apart from the characteristic small field tritanopia, the results show that larger colour differences are required for object recognition than those assumed from conventional colour discrimination data. A simple relationship to account for object size and background colour is suggested to aid visual performance assessments and modelling.

[Specific features of nesting bird populations in forest-meadow-field landscapes of Meshchovsk Opolye reflect the diversity of their biotope connections].

Science.gov (United States)

Kut'in, S D; Konstantinov, V M

2008-01-01

Studies on specific features of nesting bird populations in patchy landscapes were performed in Meshchovsk Opolye, Kaluga Region, from 1981 to 1990. Indices of similarity between the avifaunas of agricultural fields, lowland bogs, and small-leaved forests markedly differed from parameters of their population density in rank and value. In the series of biotopes differing in the relative amount of woodland, from central areas of small-leaved forests to forest margins and then to forest islands gradually decreasing in size, the birds segregated into two distinct groups, one characteristic of forest margins and large forest islands and the other characteristic of small and very small forest islands. Specific features of bird density distribution in forest-meadow-field landscapes of Meshchovsk Opolye reflected heterogeneity of their populations manifested in diverse connections with nesting biotopes.

Optofluidic refractive index sensor based on partial reflection

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Lei; Zhang, Zhang; Wang, Yichuan; Ye, Meiying; Fang, Wei; Tong, Limin

2017-06-01

We demonstrate a novel optofluidic refractive index (RI) sensor with high sensitivity and wide dynamic range based on partial reflection. Benefited from the divergent incident light and the output fibers with different tilting angles, we have achieved highly sensitive RI sensing in a wide range from 1.33 to 1.37. To investigate the effectiveness of this sensor, we perform a measurement of RI with a resolution of ca. 5.0×10-5 refractive index unit (RIU) for ethylene glycol solutions. Also, we have measured a series of liquid solutions by using different output fibers, achieving a resolution of ca. 0.52 mg/mL for cane surge. The optofluidic RI sensor takes advantage of the high sensitivity, wide dynamic range, small footprint, and low sample consumption, as well as the efficient fluidic sample delivery, making it useful for applications in the food industry.

The study of measuring small gap made from different in closed body with industrial CT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang Wan; Ye Yunchang; Deng Jun; Chen Fa

2011-01-01

It studies the measurement of small gap between spherical samples made from different material. It can gain the picture of sample by industrial CT scan. Then it can draw the border of measured sphere and find the coordinate of center and diameter of sphere and get surface integral region of measured gap. And it measure small gap by writing special measuring software. (authors)

Financing patterns around the world: Are small firms different?.

OpenAIRE

Beck, T.H.L.; Demirgüc-Kunt, A.; Maksimovic, V.

2008-01-01

Using a firm-level survey database covering 48 countries, we investigate how financial and institutional development affects financing of large and small firms. Our database is not limited to large firms but includes small and medium-size firms and data on a broad spectrum of financing sources, including leasing, supplier, development, and informal finance. Small firms and firms in countries with poor institutions use less external finance, especially bank finance. Protection of property righ...

Categories of difference in science and policy: Reflections on academic practices, conceptualizations and knowledge production

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martin Bak Jørgensen

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Categories of difference have a crucial position in academic research as well as policy-making. They serve to distinguish and differentiate between groups in society. They can appear in the shape of crude dichotomies or in complex and sophisticated forms resting on constructivist and intersectionalist perspectives. Nevertheless, using categories of difference also creates something into existence and there may be implications through the particular application of specific categories. This article reflects on how categories of difference are constructed and employed in research, legislation and policy discourse. By looking at different approaches used by qualitative and quantitative researchers, as well as at how specific concepts enter policy-making and legislation, I want to address a number of questions about how we as researchers understand and work with categories of differences. The article will mainly consist of a theoretical discussion, but will use two main empirical examples of race and religion. The article aims to provide tentative answers about what the consequences of particular uses of categories and concepts could be.

Analysis of Different Blade Architectures on small VAWT Performance

Science.gov (United States)

Battisti, L.; Brighenti, A.; Benini, E.; Raciti Castelli, M.

2016-09-01

The present paper aims at describing and comparing different small Vertical Axis Wind Turbine (VAWT) architectures, in terms of performance and loads. These characteristics can be highlighted by resorting to the Blade Element-Momentum (BE-M) model, commonly adopted for rotor pre-design and controller assessment. After validating the model with experimental data, the paper focuses on the analysis of VAWT loads depending on some relevant rotor features: blade number (2 and 3), airfoil camber line (comparing symmetrical and asymmetrical profiles) and blade inclination (straight versus helical blade). The effect of such characteristics on both power and thrusts (in the streamwise direction and in the crosswise one) as a function of both the blades azimuthal position and their Tip Speed Ratio (TSR) are presented and widely discussed.

Fostering students' reflection about bias in healthcare: cognitive dissonance and the role of personal and normative standards.

Science.gov (United States)

Hernandez, Rachael A; Haidet, Paul; Gill, Anne C; Teal, Cayla R

2013-04-01

To reduce cognitive dissonance about one's beliefs or behavior, individuals may compare their behavior to personal and/or normative standards. The details of this reflection process are unclear. We examined how medical students compare their behavior or beliefs to standards in discussions about implicit bias, and explored if and how different reflective pathways (preserving vs. reconciling) are associated with each standard. Third-year students engaged in a small-group discussion about bias. Some students and group facilitators also participated in a debriefing about the experience. Using qualitative methods, the transcripts from these 11 sessions were analyzed for evidence of student comparison to a standard and of reflection pathways. Of 557 text units, 75.8% could be coded with a standard and/or a path of reflection. Students referenced personal and normative standards about equally, and preserved or reconciled existing beliefs about equally. Uses of normative standards were associated with preservation-type reflection, and uses of personal standards with reconciliation-type reflection. Normative expectations of physicians are sometimes used to provoke students' consideration of implicit biases about patients. To encourage critical reflection and reconciliation of biased beliefs or behavior, educators should frame reflective activities as a personal exercise rather than as a requirement.

Ultrasonic Detection of Small Crack in Studs[Bolts] by Time Difference of Thread Signals(TDTS)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suh, D. M.; Park, D. Y.; Kim, C. K.

1990-01-01

It is difficult to detect such flaws as stress - corrosion cracking or corrosion wastage(loss of bolt diameter) in the threads. In many cases the critical size of a flaw is very small(1-2 mm order). This paper describes how it is possible to discriminate small flaw indications in threads using the time difference or thread signals(TDTS) by a signal-conditioning technique

High Throughput, Label-free Screening Small Molecule Compound Libraries for Protein-Ligands using Combination of Small Molecule Microarrays and a Special Ellipsometry-based Optical Scanner.

Science.gov (United States)

Landry, James P; Fei, Yiyan; Zhu, X D

2011-12-01

Small-molecule compounds remain the major source of therapeutic and preventative drugs. Developing new drugs against a protein target often requires screening large collections of compounds with diverse structures for ligands or ligand fragments that exhibit sufficiently affinity and desirable inhibition effect on the target before further optimization and development. Since the number of small molecule compounds is large, high-throughput screening (HTS) methods are needed. Small-molecule microarrays (SMM) on a solid support in combination with a suitable binding assay form a viable HTS platform. We demonstrate that by combining an oblique-incidence reflectivity difference optical scanner with SMM we can screen 10,000 small-molecule compounds on a single glass slide for protein ligands without fluorescence labeling. Furthermore using such a label-free assay platform we can simultaneously acquire binding curves of a solution-phase protein to over 10,000 immobilized compounds, thus enabling full characterization of protein-ligand interactions over a wide range of affinity constants.

The Reflective Learning Continuum: Reflecting on Reflection

Science.gov (United States)

Peltier, James W.; Hay, Amanda; Drago, William

2005-01-01

The importance of reflection to marketing educators is increasingly recognized. However, there is a lack of empirical research that considers reflection within the context of both the marketing and general business education literature. This article describes the use of an instrument that can be used to measure four identified levels of a…

Clinical observation and discussion of different surgical treatment on small-diopter intermittent exotropia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

En-Hui Yi

2017-03-01

Full Text Available AIM:To discuss the clinical features and operation methods on small-diopter intermittent exotropia. METHODS:Totally 206 in-patients with small-diopter intermittent exotropia(IXTin different operation groups, from September 2013 to September 2014,were observed for the eyesight, refraction, dominant eye, exotropia degree, synoptophore and near stereopsis before and after operation. Three types were divided in 206 cases. One hundred and thirty-two cases of basic IXT were the first type, in which 52 cases underwent nondominant eye unilateral recess-resection(nondominant eye unilateral recess-resection, ndR& R, 40 cases underwent dominant eye unilateral recess-resection(dominant eye unilateral recess-resection, dR& R, 40 cases underwent bilateral lateral rectus recession(bilateral lateral rectus recession, BLR-rec. Sixty-one cases of convergence insufficiency IXT were the second type, in which 40 cases underwent ndR& R, 21 cases underwent bilateral medial rectus amputation. Thirteen cases of divergence excess IXT were the third type, in which 7 cases underwent ndR& R, 6 cases underwent BLR-rec. The rates of the orthophoria, undercorrection, overcorrection and the recovery of synoptophore and near stereopsis after surgery in 1, 6, 12, 24mo were compared in 3 types. RESULTS: The clinical features of 206 cases with small-diopter IXT were: in the most cases, between 5 and 12 years old; nondominant eye was left eye; the eyesight of nondominant eye was lower than another eye; refraction status were myopia, astigmatism and anisometropia; basic IXT was the most common type; exotropia degree was between 40△ and 60△; some cases owned binocular function and near stereopsis. Comparison of operation methods in 3 groups: orthophoria comparisons in basic IXT among ndR& R group, d R& R group and BLR-rec group were significant difference(PP>0.05after operation. The operation of divergence excess IXT was effective. Orthophoria comparison in ndR& R group between

Analysis of Small ruminant market system in different agro-climatic zones of Southern India

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D Ramesh

2012-10-01

Full Text Available This study examines the marketing system of small ruminants in three different agro-climatic zones of Karnataka in India. Multistage random sampling technique was used to select 60 small ruminant farmers from three viz. Bijapur (Arid zone, Gulbarga (Semi-arid zone and Udupi (Coastal zone district of Karnataka state. A structured questionnaire which had earlier been subject to face validity and has a reliability coefficient of 0.87 was used to collect data from the samples respondents. Data was analysed using statistical package for social science (SPSS.The results of the study revealed that marketing of small ruminants is haphazard in the study areas. Majority of the respondents (85% sold their animal when they needed cash for home consumption followed by to pay off loan (28.3% was the main reason to sell their animals. Important marketing channels were relatives and friends, local markets and village collectors. Farmers gave different reasons for selling their animals through different channels. Majority of the farmers used relatives and friends as one of the marketing channels. Most of farmers also felt that there was a difference in the price offered by village collectors and the price they were getting in the livestock markets. And a few of them were of the opinion that village collectors were not reliable in marketing. Price of the animals was establishing based on the body confirmation of the animal. Study also revealed that injured animals fetch less value than the healthy animals. [Vet. World 2012; 5(5.000: 288-293

Small scale green infrastructure design to meet different urban hydrological criteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Jia, Z; Tang, S; Luo, W; Li, S; Zhou, M

2016-04-15

As small scale green infrastructures, rain gardens have been widely advocated for urban stormwater management in the contemporary low impact development (LID) era. This paper presents a simple method that consists of hydrological models and the matching plots of nomographs to provide an informative and practical tool for rain garden sizing and hydrological evaluation. The proposed method considers design storms, infiltration rates and the runoff contribution area ratio of the rain garden, allowing users to size a rain garden for a specific site with hydrological reference and predict overflow of the rain garden under different storms. The nomographs provide a visual presentation on the sensitivity of different design parameters. Subsequent application of the proposed method to a case study conducted in a sub-humid region in China showed that, the method accurately predicted the design storms for the existing rain garden, the predicted overflows under large storm events were within 13-50% of the measured volumes. The results suggest that the nomographs approach is a practical tool for quick selection or assessment of design options that incorporate key hydrological parameters of rain gardens or other infiltration type green infrastructure. The graphic approach as displayed by the nomographs allow urban planners to demonstrate the hydrological effect of small scale green infrastructure and gain more support for promoting low impact development. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

More Differences or More Similarities Regarding Education in Big, Middle-sized and Small Companies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marjana Merkač

2001-12-01

Full Text Available The article presents the results of research of education and qualifying of employees in small, middle-sized and big Slovenian companies. The research shows some differences regarding the attitude to the development of employees as a part of a company's business strategy, some obstacles for developing their abilities, and connections between job satisfaction and motivation for learning. It also shows how important it is for the subjects concerning education and qualifying if an individual works for a big, middle-sized, or small company.

Comparison of Sentinel-2A and Landsat-8 Nadir BRDF Adjusted Reflectance (NBAR) over Southern Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Li, J.; Roy, D. P.; Zhang, H.

2016-12-01

The Landsat satellites have been providing moderate resolution imagery of the Earth's surface for over 40 years with continuity provided by the Landsat 8 and planned Landsat 9 missions. The European Space Agency Sentinel-2 satellite was successfully launched into a polar sun-synchronous orbit in 2015 and carries the Multi Spectral Instrument (MSI) that has Landsat-like bands and acquisition coverage. These new sensors acquire images at view angles ± 7.5° (Landsat) and ± 10.3° (Sentinel-2) from nadir that result in small directional effects in the surface reflectance. When data from adjoining paths, or from long time series are used, a model of the surface anisotropy is required to adjust observations to a uniform nadir view (primarily for visual consistency, vegetation monitoring, or detection of subtle surface changes). Recently a generalized approach was published that provides consistent Landsat view angle corrections to provide nadir BRDF-adjusted reflectance (NBAR). Because the BRDF shapes of different terrestrial surfaces are sufficiently similar over the narrow 15° Landsat field of view, a fixed global set of MODIS BRDF spectral model parameters was shown to be adequate for Landsat NBAR derivation with little sensitivity to the land cover type, condition, or surface disturbance. This poster demonstrates the application of this methodology to Sentinel-2 data over a west-east transect across southern Africa. The reflectance differences between adjacent overlapping paths in the forward and backward scatter directions are quantified for both before and after BRDF correction. Sentinel-2 and Landsat-8 reflectance and NBAR inter-comparison results considering different stages of cloud and saturation filtering, and filtering to reduce surface state differences caused by acquisition time differences, demonstrate the utility of the approach. The relevance and limitations of the corrections for providing consistent moderate resolution reflectance are discussed.

Spectral reflectance is a reliable water-quality estimator for small, highly turbid wetlands

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Vinciková, H.; Hanuš, Jan; Pechar, L.

2015-01-01

Roč. 23, č. 5 (2015), s. 933-946 ISSN 0923-4861 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) LM2010007; GA MŠk 2B06068 Institutional support: RVO:67179843 Keywords : remote sensing * water quality * hyperspectral reflectance * turbid inland waters * chlorophyll * TSS Subject RIV: DA - Hydrology ; Limnology Impact factor: 1.407, year: 2015

Development of a student rating scale to evaluate teachers' competencies for facilitating reflective learning

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schaub-de Jong, Mirabelle A.; Schonrock-Adema, Johanna; Dekker, Hanke; Verkerk, Marian; Cohen-Schotanus, Janke

Context Teaching students in reflection calls for specific teacher competencies. We developed and validated a rating scale focusing on Student perceptions of their Teachers' competencies to Encourage Reflective Learning in small Groups (STERLinG). Methods We applied an iterative procedure to reduce

Sex-specific differences of craniofacial traits in Croatia: the impact of environment in a small geographic area.

Science.gov (United States)

Buretic-Tomljanovic, Alena; Giacometti, Jasminka; Ostojic, Sasa; Kapovic, Miljenko

2007-01-01

Craniometric variation in humans reflects different genetic and environmental influences. Long-term climatic adaptation is less likely to show an impact on size and shape variation in a small local area than at the global level. The aim of this work was to assess the contribution of the particular environmental factors to body height and craniofacial variability in a small geographic area of Croatia. A total of 632 subjects, aged 18-21, participated in the survey. Body height, head length, head breadth, head height, head circumference, cephalic index, morphological face height, face breadth, and facial index were analysed regarding geographic, climatic and dietary conditions in different regions of the country, and correlated with the specific climatic variables (cumulative multiyear sunshine duration, cumulative multiyear average precipitation, multiyear average air temperatures) and calcium concentrations in drinking water. Significant differences between groups classified according to geographic, climatic or dietary affiliation, and the impact of the environmental predictors on the variation in the investigated traits were assessed using multiple forward stepwise regression analyses. Higher body height measures in both sexes were significantly correlated with Mediterranean diet type. Mediterranean diet type also contributed to higher head length and head circumference measures in females. Cephalic index values correlated to geographic regions in both sexes, showing an increase from southern to eastern Croatia. In the same direction, head length significantly decreased in males and head breadth increased in females. Mediterranean climate was associated with higher and narrower faces in females. The analysis of the particular climatic variables did not reveal a significant influence on body height in either sex. Concurrently, climatic features influenced all craniofacial traits in females and only head length and facial index in males. Mediterranean climate

Superconvergent sum rules for the normal reflectivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Furuya, K.; Zimerman, A.H.; Villani, A.

1976-05-01

Families of superconvergent relations for the normal reflectivity function are written. Sum rules connecting the difference of phases of the reflectivities of two materials are also considered. Finally superconvergence relations and sum rules for magneto-reflectivity in the Faraday and Voigt regimes are also studied

Unmanned aerial system nadir reflectance and MODIS nadir BRDF-adjusted surface reflectances intercompared over Greenland

Science.gov (United States)

Faulkner Burkhart, John; Kylling, Arve; Schaaf, Crystal B.; Wang, Zhuosen; Bogren, Wiley; Storvold, Rune; Solbø, Stian; Pedersen, Christina A.; Gerland, Sebastian

2017-07-01

Albedo is a fundamental parameter in earth sciences, and many analyses utilize the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF)/albedo (MCD43) algorithms. While derivative albedo products have been evaluated over Greenland, we present a novel, direct comparison with nadir surface reflectance collected from an unmanned aerial system (UAS). The UAS was flown from Summit, Greenland, on 210 km transects coincident with the MODIS sensor overpass on board the Aqua and Terra satellites on 5 and 6 August 2010. Clear-sky acquisitions were available from the overpasses within 2 h of the UAS flights. The UAS was equipped with upward- and downward-looking spectrometers (300-920 nm) with a spectral resolution of 10 nm, allowing for direct integration into the MODIS bands 1, 3, and 4. The data provide a unique opportunity to directly compare UAS nadir reflectance with the MODIS nadir BRDF-adjusted surface reflectance (NBAR) products. The data show UAS measurements are slightly higher than the MODIS NBARs for all bands but agree within their stated uncertainties. Differences in variability are observed as expected due to different footprints of the platforms. The UAS data demonstrate potentially large sub-pixel variability of MODIS reflectance products and the potential to explore this variability using the UAS as a platform. It is also found that, even at the low elevations flown typically by a UAS, reflectance measurements may be influenced by haze if present at and/or below the flight altitude of the UAS. This impact could explain some differences between data from the two platforms and should be considered in any use of airborne platforms.

Case report 331: Small cell osteosarcoma of the tibia with diffuse metastatic disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roessner, A.; Miebs, T.; Grundmann, E.; Immenkamp, M.; Hiddemann, W.; Althoff, J.

1985-01-01

In summary, the case is presented of a 29-year-old woman who developed a sclerosing small-cell osteosarcoma in the upper end of the tibia. The unique features in this case are reflected both in its morphology and protracted clinical course, while its histological pattern resembles in some features a small cell variant of the highly malignant osteosarcoma described by Sim and Martin. In addition to the unusual clinical course, the failure in response to chemotherapy underscores that this tumor differed in its biological behavior from other highly malignant types of osteosarcoma. The importance of DNA analysis is stressed. (orig./WU)

The Impacts of Different Expansion Modes on Performance of Small Solar Energy Firms: Perspectives of Absorptive Capacity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hsing Hung Chen

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The characteristics of firm’s expansion by differentiated products and diversified products are quite different. However, the study employing absorptive capacity to examine the impacts of different modes of expansion on performance of small solar energy firms has never been discussed before. Then, a conceptual model to analyze the tension between strategies and corporate performance is proposed to filling the vacancy. After practical investigation, the results show that stronger organizational institutions help small solar energy firms expanded by differentiated products increase consistency between strategies and corporate performance; oppositely, stronger working attitudes with weak management controls help small solar energy firms expanded by diversified products reduce variance between strategies and corporate performance.

Difference structures from time-resolved small-angle and wide-angle x-ray scattering

Science.gov (United States)

Nepal, Prakash; Saldin, D. K.

2018-05-01

Time-resolved small-angle x-ray scattering/wide-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS/WAXS) is capable of recovering difference structures directly from difference SAXS/WAXS curves. It does so by means of the theory described here because the structural changes in pump-probe detection in a typical time-resolved experiment are generally small enough to be confined to a single residue or group in close proximity which is identified by a method akin to the difference Fourier method of time-resolved crystallography. If it is assumed, as is usual with time-resolved structures, that the moved atoms lie within the residue, the 100-fold reduction in the search space (assuming a typical protein has about 100 residues) allows the exaction of the structure by a simulated annealing algorithm with a huge reduction in computing time and leads to a greater resolution by varying the positions of atoms only within that residue. This reduction in the number of potential moved atoms allows us to identify the actual motions of the individual atoms. In the case of a crystal, time-resolved calculations are normally performed using the difference Fourier method, which is, of course, not directly applicable to SAXS/WAXS. The method developed in this paper may be thought of as a substitute for that method which allows SAXS/WAXS (and hence disordered molecules) to also be used for time-resolved structural work.

Financing patterns around the world : Are small firms different?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Beck, T.H.L.; Demirgüc-Kunt, A.; Maksimovic, V.

2008-01-01

Using a firm-level survey database covering 48 countries, we investigate how financial and institutional development affects financing of large and small firms. Our database is not limited to large firms, but includes small and medium firms and data on a broad spectrum of financing sources,

Learning in and beyond Small Business Advisory Programmes

Science.gov (United States)

Parker, Rachel Louise; Hine, Damian

2012-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to analyse how participants learn in small business advisory programmes and to explore the impact of these learning programmes on the development of reflective learning dispositions in participants. The research involves two case studies of small business advisory programmes in Queensland, a state of Australia. One…

Measuring third year undergraduate nursing students' reflective thinking skills and critical reflection self-efficacy following high fidelity simulation: A pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Tutticci, Naomi; Lewis, Peter A; Coyer, Fiona

2016-05-01

Critical reflection underpins critical thinking, a highly desirable generic nursing graduate capability. To improve the likelihood of critical thinking transferring to clinical practice, reflective thinking needs to be measured within the learning space of simulation. This study was divided into two phases to address the reliability and validity measures of previously untested surveys. Phase One data was collected from individuals (n = 6) using a 'think aloud' approach and an expert panel to review content validity, and verbatim comment analysis was undertaken. The Reflective Thinking Instrument and Critical Reflection Self-Efficacy Visual Analogue Scale items were contextualised to simulation. The expert review confirmed these instruments exhibited content validity. Phase Two data was collected through an online survey (n = 58). Cronbach's alpha measured internal consistency and was demonstrated by all subscales and the Instrument as a whole (.849). There was a small to medium positive correlation between critical reflection self-efficacy and general self-efficacy (r = .324, n = 56, p = .048). Participant responses were positive regarding the simulation experience. The research findings demonstrated that the Reflective Thinking and Simulation Satisfaction survey is reliable. Further development of this survey to establish validity is recommended to make it viable. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Laboratory Goniometer System for Measuring Reflectance and Emittance Anisotropy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arjan de Jong

2012-12-01

Full Text Available In this paper, a laboratory goniometer system for performing multi-angular measurements under controlled illumination conditions is described. A commercially available robotic arm enables the acquisition of a large number of measurements over the full hemisphere within a short time span making it much faster than other goniometers. In addition, the presented set-up enables assessment of anisotropic reflectance and emittance behaviour of soils, leaves and small canopies. Mounting a spectrometer enables acquisition of either hemispherical measurements or measurements in the horizontal plane. Mounting a thermal camera allows directional observations of the thermal emittance. This paper also presents three showcases of these different measurement set-ups in order to illustrate its possibilities. Finally, suggestions for applying this instrument and for future research directions are given, including linking the measured reflectance anisotropy with physically-based anisotropy models on the one hand and combining them with field goniometry measurements for joint analysis with remote sensing data on the other hand. The speed and flexibility of the system offer a large added value to the existing pool of laboratory goniometers.

Using anonymized reflection to teach ethics: a pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Kyle, Gaye

2008-01-01

Anonymized reflection was employed as an innovative way of teaching ethics in order to enhance students' ability in ethical decision making during a Care of the Dying Patient and Family' module. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected from the first two student cohorts who experienced anonymized reflection ( n = 24). The themes identified were the richness and relevance of scenarios, small-group work and a team approach to teaching. Students indicated that they preferred this style of teaching. This finding was verified by a postal questionnaire conducted four months later. The conclusions drawn from this study suggest that using anonymized reflection is an effective method for teaching ethics to nurses and indicates that learning about ethical issues in this way reduces uncertainties.

A new setup to measure bidirectional reflectance distribution functions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Roosjen, P.P.J.; Clevers, J.G.P.W.; Bartholomeus, H.

2012-01-01

The Plant Facility, a new laboratory goniometer system, built by the Wageningen University has been tested in order to take bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) measurements. An ASD FieldSpec 3 spectroradiometer mounted on an industrial robot arm is able to measure small targets

"Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference": reflection techniques for addiction psychiatry training.

Science.gov (United States)

Ballon, Bruce C; Skinner, Wayne

2008-01-01

The authors aim to incorporate educational reflection techniques in an addiction psychiatry postgraduate core rotation in order to increase critical self-awareness of attitudes, values, and beliefs related to working with people with substance use and other addictive disorders. Reflection discussion times, reflection journaling, and mandatory end-of-rotation reflection papers were embedded into a core addiction psychiatry postgraduate training block. Qualitative analysis of 28 reflection papers was performed to determine key factors and constructs that impacted on the development of attitudes and professionalism. A number of constructs emerged that demonstrated the attitudes, beliefs, stereotypes, and stigmas students have regarding addictive disorders. Some constructs also highlighted that students felt much more comfortable dealing with addictive disorders after the training and would treat individuals with these conditions in a more effective manner. Reflection techniques were endorsed as extremely valuable by students, especially in the development of professional attitudes that will help clinicians effectively engage and provide appropriate care for individuals suffering from addictive disorders. The authors suggest that reflective practices be used more extensively in psychiatric training in order to build and establish reflexive self-awareness as a core professional competence essential to work effectively in clinical practice, especially in the most demanding contexts.

Challenging Narcissus, or Reflecting on Reflecting.

Science.gov (United States)

Achilles, C. M.

The concept of reflective practice and teaching people to be reflective practitioners is examined. The document begins with a look at professional knowledge according to three prominent professionals in the educational administration field: Schon, Schein, and Achilles. "Reflective" strategies that could be incorporated into courses and…

The evolution of the small business and entrepreneurship field: A bibliometric investigation of articles published in the International Small Business Journal

OpenAIRE

Volery, Thierry; Mazzarol, Tim

2015-01-01

Abstract This article analyses the evolution of the small business management and entrepreneurship fields as reflected in articles published in its premier journal, the International Small Business Journal. It investigates the evolution of the fields through bibliometric examination of all 660 articles published between 1982 and 2012. While small business management has remained the main focus of the journal, there has been a significant growth in the number of articles focusing specif...

Total internal reflection effect on gyrotropic interface

Science.gov (United States)

Glushchenko, Alexander G.; Glushchenko, Eugene P.; Zhukov, Sergey V.

2018-02-01

This article considers the physical features of total internal reflection at gyrotropic and isotropic interfaces for two cases: electrical gyrotropy (plasma) and magnetic gyrotropy (ferrite). It is shown that the plasma magnetization may lead to the formation of the total internal reflection effect, which does not occur in isotropic plasma. The threshold values of the magnetic field, which are necessary for the total internal reflection effect, are determined. The total internal reflection effect on a ferrite-dielectric interface for waves emanating from different angles is observed in various frequency ranges and magnetization fields. The study points out the possibility of changing the total internal reflection angle value in large limits due to a change in the external magnetic field magnitude. The calculation results of the total internal reflection angle dependence on the external magnetic field magnitude are presented. The formulas are elaborated for calculating the total internal reflection angles of different interfaces for gyrotropic and isotropic media. The generalized formulas are defined for calculating the Doppler effect in the gyrotropic media. The study demonstrates how the velocity of the media interface affects the limiting angle of total internal refection.

Reflectance and transmittance of light scattering scales stacked on the wings of pierid butterflies

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Stavenga, DG; Giraldo, MA; Hoenders, BJ

2006-01-01

The colors of butterfly wings are determined by the structural as well as pigmentary properties of the wing scales. Reflectance spectra of the wings of a number of pierid butterfly species, specifically the small white, Pieris rapae, show that the long-wavelength reflectance of the scales in situ,

Screening small-molecule compound microarrays for protein ligands without fluorescence labeling with a high-throughput scanning microscope

OpenAIRE

Fei, Yiyan; Landry, James P.; Sun, Yungshin; Zhu, Xiangdong; Wang, Xiaobing; Luo, Juntao; Wu, Chun-Yi; Lam, Kit S.

2010-01-01

We describe a high-throughput scanning optical microscope for detecting small-molecule compound microarrays on functionalized glass slides. It is based on measurements of oblique-incidence reflectivity difference and employs a combination of a y-scan galvometer mirror and an x-scan translation stage with an effective field of view of 2 cm×4 cm. Such a field of view can accommodate a printed small-molecule compound microarray with as many as 10,000 to 20,000 targets. The scanning microscope is...

Letter-Sound Knowledge: Exploring Gender Differences in Children When They Start School Regarding Knowledge of Large Letters, Small Letters, Sound Large Letters, and Sound Small Letters

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hermundur Sigmundsson

2017-09-01

Full Text Available This study explored whether there is a gender difference in letter-sound knowledge when children start at school. 485 children aged 5–6 years completed assessment of letter-sound knowledge, i.e., large letters; sound of large letters; small letters; sound of small letters. The findings indicate a significant difference between girls and boys in all four factors tested in this study in favor of the girls. There are still no clear explanations to the basis of a presumed gender difference in letter-sound knowledge. That the findings have origin in neuro-biological factors cannot be excluded, however, the fact that girls probably have been exposed to more language experience/stimulation compared to boys, lends support to explanations derived from environmental aspects.

Positive Stress and Reflective Practice Among Entrepreneurs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kati Tikkamäki

2016-01-01

Full Text Available While heavy stress loads seem an unavoidable aspect of entrepreneurship, the positive side of stress (often referred to as ‘eustress’ remains a neglected area of research. This paper contributes to entrepreneurship research by linking the research streams of eustress and reflective practice. As a tool for analysing and developing thoughts and actions, reflective practice plays an important role in the interpretative work essential to positive stress experiences. Following an overview of approaches to stress at work, eustress and reflective practice, the paper explores how entrepreneurs experience the role of positive stress and reflective practice in their work and describes the reflective tools utilized by entrepreneurs in promoting eustress. The research process was designed to support reflective dialogue among the 21 Finnish entrepreneurs from different fields who participated in the study, with results based mainly on qualitative interviews. Nine of the interviewed entrepreneurs also kept a positive stress diary, including a three-day physiological measurement analysing their heartbeat variability. The findings suggest that positive stress and reflective practice are intertwined in the experiences of entrepreneurs and illustrate the role of reflective practice as a crucial toolset for promoting positive stress, comprising six reflective tools: studying oneself, changing one’s point of view, putting things into perspective, harnessing a feeling of trust, regulating resources and engaging in dialogue. Individual reflective capabilities vary, and a theory-driven division of reflective practice into individual, social and contextual dimensions is considered useful in understanding those differences. The research offers a starting point for exploring how eustress and reflective practice affect the well-being of entrepreneurs

Characteristics of reflected and diffuse ions upstream from the earth's bow shock

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paschmann, G.; Sckopke, N.; Papamastorakis, I.; Asbridge, J.R.; Bame, S.J.; Gosling, J.T.

1981-01-01

The distinction between two types of upstream ion populations has been made on the basis of pronounced differences in their distribution functions. The 'reflected' ions represent a fast beam with temperatures typically 1 to 5 times 10 6 K and speeds up to five times the solar wind speed. An important feature of the reflected ion distributions in their strong temperature anisotropy, with T/sub perpendicular/ exceeding T/sub parallel/ by a factor of two to three. In contrast, the 'diffuse' ions occupy a much larger region of phase space, both in energy and angle; their distribution function generally has the form roughly of a circular ridge in 2 dimensions and a spherical shell in 3 dimensions. Accordingly, their temperature is much larger (> or approx. =10 7 K), and their bulk speed typically is smaller than the solar wind speed. Both ion populations have densities of the order of 0.1 cm -3 . At times transitions between the two extremes, represented by the reflected and diffuse ion populations, are observed. These 'intermediate' distributions are cresent shaped, with the center of curvature near the solar wind velocity. This property suggests that the intermediate distributions result from pitch angle scattering of the reflected beams in the solar wind frame and supports the idea that the reflected ions are the origin of the diffuse ions. At times the diffuse ion distributions exhibit considerable structure and rapid temporal variations. Reflected and diffuse ions can also be distinguished by their occurrence as a function of the angle theta between the local shock normal and the interplanetary magnetic field. Whereas the diffuse ions occur predominantly for small theta, the reflected ions are observed most frequently for theta> or approx. =45 0

Evaluating Multispectral Snowpack Reflectivity With Changing Snow Correlation Lengths

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Do Hyuk; Barros, Ana P.; Kim, Edward J.

2016-01-01

This study investigates the sensitivity of multispectral reflectivity to changing snow correlation lengths. Matzler's ice-lamellae radiative transfer model was implemented and tested to evaluate the reflectivity of snow correlation lengths at multiple frequencies from the ultraviolet (UV) to the microwave bands. The model reveals that, in the UV to infrared (IR) frequency range, the reflectivity and correlation length are inversely related, whereas reflectivity increases with snow correlation length in the microwave frequency range. The model further shows that the reflectivity behavior can be mainly attributed to scattering rather than absorption for shallow snowpacks. The largest scattering coefficients and reflectivity occur at very small correlation lengths (approximately 10(exp -5 m) for frequencies higher than the IR band. In the microwave range, the largest scattering coefficients are found at millimeter wavelengths. For validation purposes, the ice-lamella model is coupled with a multilayer snow physics model to characterize the reflectivity response of realistic snow hydrological processes. The evolution of the coupled model simulated reflectivities in both the visible and the microwave bands is consistent with satellite-based reflectivity observations in the same frequencies. The model results are also compared with colocated in situ snow correlation length measurements (Cold Land Processes Field Experiment 2002-2003). The analysis and evaluation of model results indicate that the coupled multifrequency radiative transfer and snow hydrology modeling system can be used as a forward operator in a data-assimilation framework to predict the status of snow physical properties, including snow correlation length.

Enhancing nature of science understanding, reflective judgment, and argumentation through socioscientific issues

Science.gov (United States)

Callahan, Brendan E.

There is a distinct divide between theory and practice in American science education. Research indicates that a constructivist philosophy, in which students construct their own knowledge, is conductive to learning, while in many cases teachers continue to present science in a more traditional manner. This study sought to explore possible relationships between a socioscientific issues based curriculum and three outcome variables: nature of science understanding, reflective judgment, and argumentation skill. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used to examine both whole class differences as well as individual differences between the beginning and end of a semester of high school Biology I. Results indicated that the socioscientific issues based curriculum did not produce statistically significant changes over the course of one semester. However, the treatment group scored better on all three instruments than the comparison group. The small sample size may have contributed to the inability to find statistical significance in this study. The qualitative interviews did indicate that some students provided more sophisticated views on nature of science and reflective judgment, and were able to provide slightly more complex argumentation structures. Theoretical implications regarding the use of explicit use of socioscientific issues in the classroom are presented.

Bidirectional reflectance distribution function of Spectralon white reflectance standard illuminated by incoherent unpolarized and plane-polarized light.

Science.gov (United States)

Bhandari, Anak; Hamre, Børge; Frette, Øvynd; Zhao, Lu; Stamnes, Jakob J; Kildemo, Morten

2011-06-01

A Lambert surface would appear equally bright from all observation directions regardless of the illumination direction. However, the reflection from a randomly scattering object generally has directional variation, which can be described in terms of the bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF). We measured the BRDF of a Spectralon white reflectance standard for incoherent illumination at 405 and 680 nm with unpolarized and plane-polarized light from different directions of incidence. Our measurements show deviations of the BRDF for the Spectralon white reflectance standard from that of a Lambertian reflector that depend both on the angle of incidence and the polarization states of the incident light and detected light. The non-Lambertian reflection characteristics were found to increase more toward the direction of specular reflection as the angle of incidence gets larger.

Relative differences in strength and power from slow to fast isokinetic velocities may reflect dynapenia.

Science.gov (United States)

Jenkins, Nathaniel D M; Housh, Terry J; Palmer, Ty B; Cochrane, Kristen C; Bergstrom, Haley C; Johnson, Glen O; Schmidt, Richard J; Cramer, Joel T

2015-07-01

We compared absolute and normalized values for peak torque (PT), mean power (MP), rate of velocity development, and electromyography (EMG) amplitude during maximal isometric and concentric isokinetic leg extension muscle actions, as well as the %decrease in PT and %increase in MP from 1.05 to 3.14 rad·s(-1) in younger versus older men. Measurements were performed twice for reliability. Isokinetic measurements were normalized to the isometric muscle actions. Absolute isometric PT, isokinetic PT and MP, and EMG amplitudes at 1.05 and 3.14 rad·s(-1) were greater in the younger men, although normalizing to isometric PT eliminated the age differences. The older men exhibited greater %decrease in PT (37.2% vs. 31.3%) and lower %increase in MP (87.6% vs. 126.4%) regardless of normalization. Normalization eliminated absolute differences in isokinetic strength and power, but the relative differences from slow to fast velocities may reflect dynapenia characterized by age-related decreases in fast-twitch fiber function. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The contribution of audio recording using portable digital voice recorders to the development of reflective practice with trainee teachers in a Further Education setting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Knill, Marta

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Developing reflective skills and habits during initial teacher education and progressing to deeper and more critical reflection are challenges for trainee teachers. This small-scale action research study investigates how two structured tasks using Digital Voice Recorders (DVRs initiated, sustained and improved reflection and reflective practice. Trainee teachers reported benefits in increased understanding of reflection, development of reflective skills, deepening of reflection and improvements in practice through joint reflection with Teacher Educators on specific aspects of teaching and learning. The structuring of the tasks with prompts and dialogue clearly contributed to the positive outcomes. The study suggests that use of the small, convenient and relatively low cost DVR technology has a place in learning to reflect.

Evaluation of Different Normalization and Analysis Procedures for Illumina Gene Expression Microarray Data Involving Small Changes

Science.gov (United States)

Johnstone, Daniel M.; Riveros, Carlos; Heidari, Moones; Graham, Ross M.; Trinder, Debbie; Berretta, Regina; Olynyk, John K.; Scott, Rodney J.; Moscato, Pablo; Milward, Elizabeth A.

2013-01-01

While Illumina microarrays can be used successfully for detecting small gene expression changes due to their high degree of technical replicability, there is little information on how different normalization and differential expression analysis strategies affect outcomes. To evaluate this, we assessed concordance across gene lists generated by applying different combinations of normalization strategy and analytical approach to two Illumina datasets with modest expression changes. In addition to using traditional statistical approaches, we also tested an approach based on combinatorial optimization. We found that the choice of both normalization strategy and analytical approach considerably affected outcomes, in some cases leading to substantial differences in gene lists and subsequent pathway analysis results. Our findings suggest that important biological phenomena may be overlooked when there is a routine practice of using only one approach to investigate all microarray datasets. Analytical artefacts of this kind are likely to be especially relevant for datasets involving small fold changes, where inherent technical variation—if not adequately minimized by effective normalization—may overshadow true biological variation. This report provides some basic guidelines for optimizing outcomes when working with Illumina datasets involving small expression changes. PMID:27605185

Small Systems and Limitations on the Use of Chemical Thermodynamics

Science.gov (United States)

Tovbin, Yu. K.

2018-01-01

Limitations on using chemical thermodynamics to describe small systems are formulated. These limitations follow from statistical mechanics for equilibrium and nonequilibrium processes and reflect (1) differences between characteristic relaxation times in momentum, energy, and mass transfer in different aggregate states of investigated systems; (2) achievements of statistical mechanics that allow us to determine criteria for the size of smallest region in which thermodynamics can be applied and the scale of the emergence of a new phase, along with criteria for the conditions of violating a local equilibrium. Based on this analysis, the main thermodynamic results are clarified: the phase rule for distorted interfaces, the sense and area of applicability of Gibbs's concept of passive forces, and the artificiality of Kelvin's equation as a result of limitations on the thermodynamic approach to considering small bodies. The wrongness of introducing molecular parameters into thermodynamic derivations, and the activity coefficient for an activated complex into the expression for a reaction rate constant, is demonstrated.

Disturbances in small bowel motility.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Quigley, E M

2012-02-03

Recently, the small intestine has become the focus of investigation as a potential site of dysmotility in the irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). A number of motor abnormalities have been defined in some studies, and include \\'clustered\\' contractions, exaggerated post-prandial motor response and disturbances in intestinal transit. The significance of these findings remains unclear. The interpretation of available studies is complicated by differences in subject selection, the direct influence of certain symptoms, such as diarrhoea and constipation, and the interference of compounding factors, such as stress and psychopathology. Dysmotility could also reflect autonomic dysfunction, disturbed CNS control and the response to heightened visceral sensation or central perception. While motor abnormalities may not explain all symptoms in IBS, sensorimotor interactions may be important in symptom pathogenesis and deserve further study.

Optical characterization of extremely small volumes of liquid in sub-micro-holes by simultaneous reflectivity, ellipsometry and spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Holgado, M; Casquel, R; Sánchez, B; Molpeceres, C; Morales, M; Ocaña, J L

2007-10-01

We have fabricated and characterized a lattice of submicron cone-shaped holes on a SiO(2)/Si wafer. Reflectivity profiles as a function of angle of incidence and polarization, phase shift and spectrometry are obtained for several fluids with different refractive indexes filling the holes. The optical setup allows measuring in the center of a single hole and collecting all data simultaneously, which can be applied for measuring extremely low volumes of fluid (in the order of 0.1 femtolitres) and label-free immunoassays, as it works as a refractive index sensor. A three layer film stack model is defined to perform theoretical calculations.

78 FR 37404 - Small Business Size Standards: Support Activities for Mining

Science.gov (United States)

2013-06-20

... assistance programs, SBA establishes small business size definitions (referred to as size standards) for... million should be the limit of a small business definition and anything larger than that, such as that SBA... Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632(a)) (Act) requires that small business size definitions vary to reflect...

Reflecting on 80 years of excellence

Science.gov (United States)

Savla, Ushma

2004-01-01

A small group of members of the American Society for Clinical Investigation began chatting in 1916 about the possibility of launching a new biomedical research journal. By October 1924, they managed to make the idea a reality with the publication of the first issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation. Our 80th birthday seems an appropriate time to reflect on the history of biomedical science as it has been played out on our pages. PMID:15489943

Reflective practice as a tool to teach digital professionalism.

Science.gov (United States)

Kung, Justin W; Eisenberg, Ronald L; Slanetz, Priscilla J

2012-11-01

Digital professionalism is increasingly being integrated into postgraduate medical education. We developed a small-group, reflective practice-based session incorporating radiology-specific cases to heighten residents' awareness about digital professionalism. Case-based, radiology-specific scenarios were created for a small-group, reflective practice-based session on digital professionalism. Anonymous pre- and postsession surveys evaluating residents' use of social media and their thoughts about the session were administered to the radiology residents. Twenty-five of 38 (66%) residents responded to the presession survey with 40% (10/25) reporting daily social media use; 50% (12/24) witnessing an unprofessional posting on Facebook; and 8% (2/25) posting something unprofessional themselves. Of the 21 residents who attended the session, 13 (62%) responded to the postsession survey. Residents reported that the session added to their understanding of professionalism 3.92, 95% CI (3.57-4.27). As a result of the session, residents stated that they were more aware of protecting patient privacy and confidentiality on social media sites 3.92, 95% CI (3.47-4.37), and would take a more active role in ensuring professional use of social media as it relates to patient care 4.00, 95% CI (3.66-4.34). Residents favorably viewed the reflective case-based session on digital professionalism as a means to be more aware of ways to avoid unprofessional interactions on the internet. Our results suggest that such reflective sessions are an effective method to educate residents on key concepts regarding digital professionalism. Copyright © 2012 AUR. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Bragg reflection transmission filters for variable resolution monochromators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chapman, D.

1989-01-01

There are various methods for improving the angular and spectral resolution of monochromator and analyzer systems. The novel system described here, though limited to higher x-ray energies (>20keV), is based on a dynamical effect occurring on the transmitted beam with a thin perfect crystal plate set in the Bragg reflection case. In the case of Bragg reflection from a perfect crystal, the incident beam is rapidly attenuated as it penetrates the crystal in the range of reflection. This extinction length is of the order of microns. The attenuation length, which determines the amount of normal transmission through the plate is generally much longer. Thus, in the range of the Bragg reflection the attenuation of the transmitted beam can change by several orders of magnitude with a small change in energy or angle. This thin crystal plate cuts a notch in the transmitted beam with a width equal to its Darwin width, thus acting as a transmission filter. When used in a non-dispersive mode with other monochromator crystals, the filter when set at the Bragg angle will reflect the entire Darwin width of the incident beam and transmit the wings of the incident beam distribution. When the element is offset in angle by some fraction of the Darwin width, the filter becomes useful in adjusting the angular width of the transmitted beam and removing a wing. Used in pairs with a symmetric offset, the filters can be used to continuously adjust the intrinsic angular divergence of the beam with good wing reduction. Instances where such filters may be useful are in improving the angular resolution of a small angle scattering camera. These filters may be added to a Bonse-Hart camera with one pair on the incident beam to reduce the intrinsic beam divergence and a second pair on the analyzer arm to improve the analyzer resolution. 2 refs., 3 Figs

Effects of icotinib on advanced non-small cell lung cancer with different EGFR phenotypes.

Science.gov (United States)

Pan, Huiyun; Liu, Rong; Li, Shengjie; Fang, Hui; Wang, Ziwei; Huang, Sheng; Zhou, Jianying

2014-09-01

Icotinib is the first oral epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase receptor inhibitor, which has been proven to exert significant inhibitory effects on non-small cell lung cancer in vitro. Clinical evidence has showed that the efficacy of Icotinib on retreating advanced non-small cell lung cancer is comparable to Gefitinib. However, different phenotypes of EGFR can affect the therapeutic outcomes of EGFR tyrosine kinase receptor inhibitor. Therefore, our study focused on efficacy and safety of Icotinib in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer of different EGPR phenotypes. Clinical data of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer who received Icotinib treatment from August, 2011 to May, 2013 were retrospectively analyzed. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used for survival analysis and comparison. 18 wild-type EGFR and 51 mutant type were found in a total of 69 patients. Objective response rate of patients with mutant type EGFR was 54.9 % and disease control rate was 86.3 %. Objective response rate of wild-type patients was 11.1 % (P = 0.0013 vs mutant type), disease control rate was 50.0 % (P = 0.0017). Median progression-free survival (PFS) of mutant type and wild-type patients were 9.7 and 2.6 months, respectively (P Icotinib included rash, diarrhea, itching skin with occurrence rates of 24.6 % (17/69), 13.0 % (9/69), and 11.6 % (8/69), respectively. Most adverse reactions were grade I-II. Icotinib has great efficacy in EGFR mutated patients, making it an optimal regimen to treat EGFR mutated patients. Furthermore, most of adverse reactions associated with Icotinib treatment were tolerable.

Actin and microtubule networks contribute differently to cell response for small and large strains

Science.gov (United States)

Kubitschke, H.; Schnauss, J.; Nnetu, K. D.; Warmt, E.; Stange, R.; Kaes, J.

2017-09-01

Cytoskeletal filaments provide cells with mechanical stability and organization. The main key players are actin filaments and microtubules governing a cell’s response to mechanical stimuli. We investigated the specific influences of these crucial components by deforming MCF-7 epithelial cells at small (≤5% deformation) and large strains (>5% deformation). To understand specific contributions of actin filaments and microtubules, we systematically studied cellular responses after treatment with cytoskeleton influencing drugs. Quantification with the microfluidic optical stretcher allowed capturing the relative deformation and relaxation of cells under different conditions. We separated distinctive deformational and relaxational contributions to cell mechanics for actin and microtubule networks for two orders of magnitude of drug dosages. Disrupting actin filaments via latrunculin A, for instance, revealed a strain-independent softening. Stabilizing these filaments by treatment with jasplakinolide yielded cell softening for small strains but showed no significant change at large strains. In contrast, cells treated with nocodazole to disrupt microtubules displayed a softening at large strains but remained unchanged at small strains. Stabilizing microtubules within the cells via paclitaxel revealed no significant changes for deformations at small strains, but concentration-dependent impact at large strains. This suggests that for suspended cells, the actin cortex is probed at small strains, while at larger strains; the whole cell is probed with a significant contribution from the microtubules.

Doing Feminist Difference Differently: Intersectional Pedagogical Practices in the Context of the Neoliberal Diversity Regime

Science.gov (United States)

Smele, Sandra; Siew-Sarju, Rehanna; Chou, Elena; Breton, Patricia; Bernhardt, Nicole

2017-01-01

At present there is a small, albeit growing, body of literature on pedagogical strategies and reflections which addresses the ways educators attempt to challenge the effects of neoliberalism on higher education. In this article, we reflect upon our pedagogical practices in higher education in this moment of neoliberal transformation wherein, as…

Josephson effect in superfluid helium 3 during flow through small hole

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kopnin, N.B.

1986-01-01

The Josephson current flowing in helium 3 through a small hole near the critical temperature is calculated. In diffusion particle reflection from vessel walls the critical current is proportional to (T c -T) 2 , and in mirror reflection it is proportional to (T c -T)

Cultural inter-population differences do not reflect biological distances: an example of interdisciplinary analysis of populations from Eastern Adriatic coast.

Science.gov (United States)

Bašić, Željana; Fox, Ayano R; Anterić, Ivana; Jerković, Ivan; Polašek, Ozren; Anđelinović, Šimun; Holland, Mitchell M; Primorac, Dragan

2015-06-01

To compare the population group from the Šopot graveyard with population groups from traditional Croatian medieval graveyards by using anthropological, craniometrics, and mitochondrial (mtDNA) analysis and to examine if the cultural differences between population groups reflect biological differences. We determined sex, age at death, pathological, and traumatic changes of skeletal remains from the Šopot graveyard and compared them with a cumulative medieval sample from the same region. We also performed principal component analysis to compare skeletal remains from Šopot with those from Ostrovica and other Central European samples according to 8 cranial measurements. Finally, we compared 46 skeletons from Šopot with medieval (Ostrovica) and contemporary populations using mDNA haplogroup profiling. The remains from Šopot were similar to the cumulative sample in lifestyle and quality of life markers. Principal component analysis showed that they were closely related to Eastern Adriatic coast sites (including Ostrovica and Šopot) in terms of cranial morphology, indicating similar biological makeup. According to mDNA testing, Šopot population showed no significant differences in the haplogroup prevalence from either medieval or contemporary populations. This study shows that the Šopot population does not significantly differ from other medieval populations from this area. Besides similar quality of life markers, these populations also had similar biological markers. Substantial archeological differences can therefore be attributed to apparent cultural influences, which in this case do not reflect biological differences.

Different roles of eukaryotic MutS and MutL complexes in repair of small insertion and deletion loops in yeast.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nina V Romanova

2013-10-01

Full Text Available DNA mismatch repair greatly increases genome fidelity by recognizing and removing replication errors. In order to understand how this fidelity is maintained, it is important to uncover the relative specificities of the different components of mismatch repair. There are two major mispair recognition complexes in eukaryotes that are homologues of bacterial MutS proteins, MutSα and MutSβ, with MutSα recognizing base-base mismatches and small loop mispairs and MutSβ recognizing larger loop mispairs. Upon recognition of a mispair, the MutS complexes then interact with homologues of the bacterial MutL protein. Loops formed on the primer strand during replication lead to insertion mutations, whereas loops on the template strand lead to deletions. We show here in yeast, using oligonucleotide transformation, that MutSα has a strong bias toward repair of insertion loops, while MutSβ has an even stronger bias toward repair of deletion loops. Our results suggest that this bias in repair is due to the different interactions of the MutS complexes with the MutL complexes. Two mutants of MutLα, pms1-G882E and pms1-H888R, repair deletion mispairs but not insertion mispairs. Moreover, we find that a different MutL complex, MutLγ, is extremely important, but not sufficient, for deletion repair in the presence of either MutLα mutation. MutSβ is present in many eukaryotic organisms, but not in prokaryotes. We suggest that the biased repair of deletion mispairs may reflect a critical eukaryotic function of MutSβ in mismatch repair.

Particle reflection along the magnetic field in nonlinear magnetosonic pulses

Science.gov (United States)

Ohsawa, Yukiharu

2017-11-01

Reflection of electrons and positrons in oblique, nonlinear magnetosonic pulses is theoretically analyzed. With the use of the parallel pseudo potential F, which is the integral of the parallel electric field along the magnetic field, a simple equation for reflection conditions is derived, which shows that reflection along the magnetic field is caused by two forces: one arising from the parallel pseudo potential multiplied by the particle charge and the other from the magnetic mirror effect. The two forces push electrons in the opposite directions. In compressive solitons, in which the magnetic field is intensified, electrons with large magnetic moments can be reflected by the magnetic mirror effect, whereas in rarefactive solitons, in which the magnetic field is weaker than outside, electrons with small magnetic moments can be reflected by the parallel pseudo potential. Although F is basically positive and large in shock waves, it occasionally becomes negative in some regions behind the shock front in nonstationary wave evolution. These negative spikes of F can reflect electrons. In contrast to the case of electrons, the two forces push positrons in the same direction. For this reason, compressive solitons in an electron-positron-ion plasma reflect a large fraction of positrons compared with electrons, whereas rarefactive solitons will reflect no positrons. A shock wave can reflect a majority of positrons with its large F. However, in a pure electron-positron plasma, in which F becomes zero, positron reflection will rarely occur.

To reflect or not to reflect: Prior team performance as a boundary condition of the effects of reflexivity on learning and final team performance.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schippers, M.; Homan, A.C.; van Knippenberg, D.

2013-01-01

A small but growing body of literature adds to our understanding of the role of team reflexivity (i.e., reflecting upon team functioning) in predicting team performance. Although many studies conclude that reflexivity is an asset for teams, the contingencies of team reflexivity have received far

Experimental and rendering-based investigation of laser radar cross sections of small unmanned aerial vehicles

Science.gov (United States)

Laurenzis, Martin; Bacher, Emmanuel; Christnacher, Frank

2017-12-01

Laser imaging systems are prominent candidates for detection and tracking of small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in current and future security scenarios. Laser reflection characteristics for laser imaging (e.g., laser gated viewing) of small UAVs are investigated to determine their laser radar cross section (LRCS) by analyzing the intensity distribution of laser reflection in high resolution images. For the first time, LRCSs are determined in a combined experimental and computational approaches by high resolution laser gated viewing and three-dimensional rendering. An optimized simple surface model is calculated taking into account diffuse and specular reflectance properties based on the Oren-Nayar and the Cook-Torrance reflectance models, respectively.

Harnessing Multiple Internal Reflections to Design Highly Absorptive Acoustic Metasurfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Chen; Cummer, Steven A.

2018-05-01

The rapid development of metasurfaces has enabled numerous intriguing applications with acoustically thin sheets. Here we report the theory and experimental realization of a nonresonant sound-absorbing strategy using metasurfaces by harnessing multiple internal reflections. We theoretically and numerically show that the higher-order diffraction of thin gradient-index metasurfaces is tied to multiple internal reflections inside the unit cells. Highly absorbing acoustic metasurfaces can be realized by enforcing multiple internal reflections together with a small amount of loss. A reflective gradient-index acoustic metasurface is designed based on the theory, and we further experimentally verify the performance using a three-dimensional printed prototype. Measurements show over 99% energy absorption at the peak frequency and a 95% energy absorption bandwidth of around 600 Hz. The proposed mechanism provides an alternative route for sound absorption without the necessity of high absorption of the individual unit cells.

Teachers’ way of reflecting

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lund, Lea

2016-01-01

This paper contributes to insights on teachers’ thinking and practice by building partly on the large amount of prior research in the field of continuing professional development (in line with ISATT), and partly on examples from an empirical small-scale study executed in Denmark. The purpose of t......’ reflections on practice. Based on this model, the paper provides a proposal regarding how to work with teachers’ professional development and learning processes. Educational implications and future research directions are discussed.......This paper contributes to insights on teachers’ thinking and practice by building partly on the large amount of prior research in the field of continuing professional development (in line with ISATT), and partly on examples from an empirical small-scale study executed in Denmark. The purpose...... of the Danish study was to investigate and understand teachers’ classroom experiences using Fenstermacher’s approach to develop a practical argument, as these classroom experiences are regarded as a potential source of learning for teachers. A three-level scale model from the study describes the teach-ers...

When perception reflects reality: Non-native grass invasion alters small mammal risk landscapes and survival

Science.gov (United States)

Ceradnini, Joseph P.; Chalfoun, Anna

2017-01-01

Modification of habitat structure due to invasive plants can alter the risk landscape for wildlife by, for example, changing the quality or availability of refuge habitat. Whether perceived risk corresponds with actual fitness outcomes, however, remains an important open question. We simultaneously measured how habitat changes due to a common invasive grass (cheatgrass, Bromus tectorum) affected the perceived risk, habitat selection, and apparent survival of a small mammal, enabling us to assess how well perceived risk influenced important behaviors and reflected actual risk. We measured perceived risk by nocturnal rodents using a giving-up density foraging experiment with paired shrub (safe) and open (risky) foraging trays in cheatgrass and native habitats. We also evaluated microhabitat selection across a cheatgrass gradient as an additional assay of perceived risk and behavioral responses for deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) at two spatial scales of habitat availability. Finally, we used mark-recapture analysis to quantify deer mouse apparent survival across a cheatgrass gradient while accounting for detection probability and other habitat features. In the foraging experiment, shrubs were more important as protective cover in cheatgrass-dominated habitats, suggesting that cheatgrass increased perceived predation risk. Additionally, deer mice avoided cheatgrass and selected shrubs, and marginally avoided native grass, at two spatial scales. Deer mouse apparent survival varied with a cheatgrass–shrub interaction, corresponding with our foraging experiment results, and providing a rare example of a native plant mediating the effects of an invasive plant on wildlife. By synthesizing the results of three individual lines of evidence (foraging behavior, habitat selection, and apparent survival), we provide a rare example of linkage between behavioral responses of animals indicative of perceived predation risk and actual fitness outcomes. Moreover, our results

Resting-state low-frequency fluctuations reflect individual differences in spoken language learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Deng, Zhizhou; Chandrasekaran, Bharath; Wang, Suiping; Wong, Patrick C M

2016-03-01

A major challenge in language learning studies is to identify objective, pre-training predictors of success. Variation in the low-frequency fluctuations (LFFs) of spontaneous brain activity measured by resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (RS-fMRI) has been found to reflect individual differences in cognitive measures. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the extent to which initial spontaneous brain activity is related to individual differences in spoken language learning. We acquired RS-fMRI data and subsequently trained participants on a sound-to-word learning paradigm in which they learned to use foreign pitch patterns (from Mandarin Chinese) to signal word meaning. We performed amplitude of spontaneous low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) analysis, graph theory-based analysis, and independent component analysis (ICA) to identify functional components of the LFFs in the resting-state. First, we examined the ALFF as a regional measure and showed that regional ALFFs in the left superior temporal gyrus were positively correlated with learning performance, whereas ALFFs in the default mode network (DMN) regions were negatively correlated with learning performance. Furthermore, the graph theory-based analysis indicated that the degree and local efficiency of the left superior temporal gyrus were positively correlated with learning performance. Finally, the default mode network and several task-positive resting-state networks (RSNs) were identified via the ICA. The "competition" (i.e., negative correlation) between the DMN and the dorsal attention network was negatively correlated with learning performance. Our results demonstrate that a) spontaneous brain activity can predict future language learning outcome without prior hypotheses (e.g., selection of regions of interest--ROIs) and b) both regional dynamics and network-level interactions in the resting brain can account for individual differences in future spoken language learning success

Resting-state low-frequency fluctuations reflect individual differences in spoken language learning

Science.gov (United States)

Deng, Zhizhou; Chandrasekaran, Bharath; Wang, Suiping; Wong, Patrick C.M.

2016-01-01

A major challenge in language learning studies is to identify objective, pre-training predictors of success. Variation in the low-frequency fluctuations (LFFs) of spontaneous brain activity measured by resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (RS-fMRI) has been found to reflect individual differences in cognitive measures. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the extent to which initial spontaneous brain activity is related to individual differences in spoken language learning. We acquired RS-fMRI data and subsequently trained participants on a sound-to-word learning paradigm in which they learned to use foreign pitch patterns (from Mandarin Chinese) to signal word meaning. We performed amplitude of spontaneous low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) analysis, graph theory-based analysis, and independent component analysis (ICA) to identify functional components of the LFFs in the resting-state. First, we examined the ALFF as a regional measure and showed that regional ALFFs in the left superior temporal gyrus were positively correlated with learning performance, whereas ALFFs in the default mode network (DMN) regions were negatively correlated with learning performance. Furthermore, the graph theory-based analysis indicated that the degree and local efficiency of the left superior temporal gyrus were positively correlated with learning performance. Finally, the default mode network and several task-positive resting-state networks (RSNs) were identified via the ICA. The “competition” (i.e., negative correlation) between the DMN and the dorsal attention network was negatively correlated with learning performance. Our results demonstrate that a) spontaneous brain activity can predict future language learning outcome without prior hypotheses (e.g., selection of regions of interest – ROIs) and b) both regional dynamics and network-level interactions in the resting brain can account for individual differences in future spoken language learning success

Seismic reflection imaging, accounting for primary and multiple reflections

Science.gov (United States)

Wapenaar, Kees; van der Neut, Joost; Thorbecke, Jan; Broggini, Filippo; Slob, Evert; Snieder, Roel

2015-04-01

Imaging of seismic reflection data is usually based on the assumption that the seismic response consists of primary reflections only. Multiple reflections, i.e. waves that have reflected more than once, are treated as primaries and are imaged at wrong positions. There are two classes of multiple reflections, which we will call surface-related multiples and internal multiples. Surface-related multiples are those multiples that contain at least one reflection at the earth's surface, whereas internal multiples consist of waves that have reflected only at subsurface interfaces. Surface-related multiples are the strongest, but also relatively easy to deal with because the reflecting boundary (the earth's surface) is known. Internal multiples constitute a much more difficult problem for seismic imaging, because the positions and properties of the reflecting interfaces are not known. We are developing reflection imaging methodology which deals with internal multiples. Starting with the Marchenko equation for 1D inverse scattering problems, we derived 3D Marchenko-type equations, which relate reflection data at the surface to Green's functions between virtual sources anywhere in the subsurface and receivers at the surface. Based on these equations, we derived an iterative scheme by which these Green's functions can be retrieved from the reflection data at the surface. This iterative scheme requires an estimate of the direct wave of the Green's functions in a background medium. Note that this is precisely the same information that is also required by standard reflection imaging schemes. However, unlike in standard imaging, our iterative Marchenko scheme retrieves the multiple reflections of the Green's functions from the reflection data at the surface. For this, no knowledge of the positions and properties of the reflecting interfaces is required. Once the full Green's functions are retrieved, reflection imaging can be carried out by which the primaries and multiples are

Analytic Reflected Lightcurves for Exoplanets

Science.gov (United States)

Haggard, Hal M.; Cowan, Nicolas B.

2018-04-01

The disk-integrated reflected brightness of an exoplanet changes as a function of time due to orbital and rotational motion coupled with an inhomogeneous albedo map. We have previously derived analytic reflected lightcurves for spherical harmonic albedo maps in the special case of a synchronously-rotating planet on an edge-on orbit (Cowan, Fuentes & Haggard 2013). In this letter, we present analytic reflected lightcurves for the general case of a planet on an inclined orbit, with arbitrary spin period and non-zero obliquity. We do so for two different albedo basis maps: bright points (δ-maps), and spherical harmonics (Y_l^m-maps). In particular, we use Wigner D-matrices to express an harmonic lightcurve for an arbitrary viewing geometry as a non-linear combination of harmonic lightcurves for the simpler edge-on, synchronously rotating geometry. These solutions will enable future exploration of the degeneracies and information content of reflected lightcurves, as well as fast calculation of lightcurves for mapping exoplanets based on time-resolved photometry. To these ends we make available Exoplanet Analytic Reflected Lightcurves (EARL), a simple open-source code that allows rapid computation of reflected lightcurves.

Total reflection x-ray fluorescence (TXRF) - a tool to obtain information about different air masses and air pollution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schmeling, M.

2000-01-01

Aerosols are solid particles dissolved in the atmosphere and have strong influence in the earth climate. Their solid surfaces are the only atmospheric medium for condensation of water leading to cloud formation and ultimately to precipitation. Besides their role in cloud formation, the elemental composition of aerosols reveals useful information about air masses and their transport patterns as well as air pollution. The elemental composition can be considered like a fingerprint of an air mass telling the story about its origin and fate. The presence of Al, Ti and Fe for instance indicates a source located in a highly exposed soil or often desert region, whereas Ni, V and Pb can be traced back to anthropogenic activities like fuel combustion or industrial processes. Other important source regions are the oceans, which emit the main aerosol constituents Na, Cl, and S. The concentrations of these elements in the atmosphere are extremely low and long sampling times are necessary to gain reliable results with most of the common analysis techniques. In contrast to this total reflection x-ray fluorescence (TXRF), as a technique capable to cope with tiny sample amounts, offers the unique possibility to reduce collection times to a minimum of minutes to hours. Such short sampling times in turn render it possible to monitor different air masses either passing through a ground based station or -in the ideal case- flown into by a small research aircraft. Different aerosol samples were taken by aircraft during the second aerosol characterization experiment (ACE-2) with sampling times ranging from 15 minutes up to one hour. These filter samples were analyzed by TXRF for trace elements subsequently. Together with background information about back trajectories and size distribution covering the time of sampling the presence of different air masses could be detected. In another project, short-term samples in the Chicago/Lake Michigan area are collected to study the air mass

Optical reflection spectroscopy of thick corrosion layers on 304 stainless steel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Castelli, R.A.; Persans, P.D.; Strohmayer, W.; Parkinson, V.

2007-01-01

Corrosion resistant structural materials of both iron and nickel based alloys are used in the electric power industry for the construction of the coolant loops of both conventional and nuclear power generating stations. These materials, in the presence of high temperature (e.g. 287 o C), high pH (e.g. 10.0 at 20 o C) water with dissolved hydrogen will oxidize and form corrosion films that are double metal oxides (or spinels) of the form AB 2 O 4 . This work describes optical reflectivity techniques that have been developed to study the growth of these films in situ. The optical technique uses a dual-beam specular reflection spectrometer to measure the spectrum of reflected light in small angle (i.e. o ) scatter. The reflection spectra are then calibrated using a set of corrosion coupons with corrosion films that are well known. Results are compared with models based on multilayer reflection and Mie scattering from a particle size distribution. Surface roughness is found to be the dominant cause of reduced reflection as the films grow

Influence of the large-small split effect on strategy choice in complex subtraction.

Science.gov (United States)

Xiang, Yan Hui; Wu, Hao; Shang, Rui Hong; Chao, Xiaomei; Ren, Ting Ting; Zheng, Li Ling; Mo, Lei

2018-04-01

Two main theories have been used to explain the arithmetic split effect: decision-making process theory and strategy choice theory. Using the inequality paradigm, previous studies have confirmed that individuals tend to adopt a plausibility-checking strategy and a whole-calculation strategy to solve large and small split problems in complex addition arithmetic, respectively. This supports strategy choice theory, but it is unknown whether this theory also explains performance in solving different split problems in complex subtraction arithmetic. This study used small, intermediate and large split sizes, with each split condition being further divided into problems requiring and not requiring borrowing. The reaction times (RTs) for large and intermediate splits were significantly shorter than those for small splits, while accuracy was significantly higher for large and middle splits than for small splits, reflecting no speed-accuracy trade-off. Further, RTs and accuracy differed significantly between the borrow and no-borrow conditions only for small splits. This study indicates that strategy choice theory is suitable to explain the split effect in complex subtraction arithmetic. That is, individuals tend to choose the plausibility-checking strategy or the whole-calculation strategy according to the split size. © 2016 International Union of Psychological Science.

Preliminary study of diagnostic workstation with different matrix size for detection of small pulmonary nodules

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu Jie; Wang Xuejian; Wang Bo; Tong Juan; Wei Yuqing; Shen Guiquan; Wang Limei; Cao Jun; Sui He

2004-01-01

Objective: To assess the influence in detecting small pulmonary nodules (SPNs) on soft-copy images displayed with different matrix sizes. Methods: Seventy-six chest compute radiographs were selected for the study. Of the 76 test images, 36 pulmonary nodules smaller than 20 mm in diameter were proven by CT, which were further divided into two groups: 1.0-2.0 cm and Z values and standard error of three kinds of view system for individual observers. Results: For 1.0-2.0 cm group, the mean A Z values were 0.7936 for DRCS with 2-fold magnification and window technique, 0.8225 for 1 K monitor with 2-fold magnification and window technique, and 0.8367 for 2 K monitor without magnification; for Z values increased slightly as the display matrix size improved, but there were no significant differences among the three sets in the detection of SPNs in the ROC analyses. Conclusion: It is acceptable to detect small pulmonary nodules of 1.0-2.0 cm in diameter on 1 K monitor and DRCS with magnification. High resolution diagnostic workstation is recommended for detecting small pulmonary nodules <1.0 cm in diameter. Reasonable equipment for the detection of subtle abnormality may result in better cost-efficacy and diagnostic accuracy

On Reflection

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Blasco, Maribel

2012-01-01

produces: that the self is accessible and transcendable, that reflexivity is universal across space and time, and that the self can act as its own remedial change agent or ‘inner consultant.’ I argue that because reflexivity is understood in many different ways, attention to definition is crucial, both...... on the concepts of selfhood that prevail and how notions of difference are constructed. First, I discuss how the dominant usages of reflexivity in intercultural education reflect and reproduce a Cartesian view of the self that shapes how ICC is conceptualized and taught. I discuss three assumptions that this view...

Reflection and Non-Reflection of Particle Wavepackets

Science.gov (United States)

Cox, Timothy; Lekner, John

2008-01-01

Exact closed-form solutions of the time-dependent Schrodinger equation are obtained, describing the propagation of wavepackets in the neighbourhood of a potential. Examples given include zero reflection, total reflection and partial reflection of the wavepacket, for the sech[superscript 2]x/a, 1/x[superscript 2] and delta(x) potentials,…

Reflectance Measures from Infant Ears With Normal Hearing and Transient Conductive Hearing Loss.

Science.gov (United States)

Voss, Susan E; Herrmann, Barbara S; Horton, Nicholas J; Amadei, Elizabeth A; Kujawa, Sharon G

2016-01-01

greater than power reflectance on newborn ears that passed the newborn hearing screening across all frequencies (500 to 6000 Hz). Changes in power reflectance in normal ears from newborn to 1 month appear in approximately the 2000 to 5000 Hz range but are not present at other frequencies. The power reflectance at age 1 month does not depend significantly on the ear's state near birth (refer or pass hearing screening) for frequencies above 700 Hz; there might be small differences at lower frequencies. Power reflectance measurements are significantly different for ears that pass newborn hearing screening and ears that refer with middle-ear transient conditions. At age 1 month, about 90% of ears that referred at birth passed an auditory brainstem response hearing evaluation; within these ears the power reflectance at 1 month did not differ between the ear that initially referred at birth and the ear that passed the hearing screening at birth for frequencies above 700 Hz. This study also proposes a preliminary set of criteria for determining when reflectance measures on young babies are corrupted by acoustic leaks, probes against the ear canal, or other measurement problems. Specifically proposed are "data selection criteria" that depend on the power reflectance, impedance magnitude, and impedance angle. Additional data collected in the future are needed to improve and test these proposed criteria.

Do differences in visuospatial ability between senile dementias of the Alzheimer and Lewy body types reflect differences solely in mnemonic function?

Science.gov (United States)

Sahgal, A; McKeith, I G; Galloway, P H; Tasker, N; Steckler, T

1995-02-01

Visuospatial memory was investigated in two groups of patients suffering from senile dementias of the Alzheimer (SDAT) or Lewy body (SDLT) types; a, third, age-matched, healthy control group was also included. The two patient groups were mildly demented and could not be distinguished from each other by traditional tests of cognitive function. A different pattern of performance emerged in the two groups on a computerised test of spatial working memory, which is a self-ordered pointing task requiring the subject to search for hidden tokens. An analysis of the pattern of errors revealed that the SDLT group made more of both possible types of error ("Within Search" and "Between Search") than the SDAT group. Neither patient groups' performance differed from each other when assessed on a computerised Corsi spatial span task. A measure of planning ability was obtained by examining search strategies. Although an index previously developed to measure the subject's use of a particular strategy in the spatial working memory task failed to detect any differences between the three groups, a novel index was calculated which focuses on performance within a search, and this revealed deficits in both demented groups. Since the two patient groups differed from each other in the spatial working memory, but not the Corsi spatial span, task, it is suggested that the differences between the two demented groups are not due to a specific mnemonic impairment, but reflect dysfunctions in non-mnemonic processes mediated by fronto-subcortical circuits, which are more severely damaged in SDLT.

Closed-form solution for the Wigner phase-space distribution function for diffuse reflection and small-angle scattering in a random medium.

Science.gov (United States)

Yura, H T; Thrane, L; Andersen, P E

2000-12-01

Within the paraxial approximation, a closed-form solution for the Wigner phase-space distribution function is derived for diffuse reflection and small-angle scattering in a random medium. This solution is based on the extended Huygens-Fresnel principle for the optical field, which is widely used in studies of wave propagation through random media. The results are general in that they apply to both an arbitrary small-angle volume scattering function, and arbitrary (real) ABCD optical systems. Furthermore, they are valid in both the single- and multiple-scattering regimes. Some general features of the Wigner phase-space distribution function are discussed, and analytic results are obtained for various types of scattering functions in the asymptotic limit s > 1, where s is the optical depth. In particular, explicit results are presented for optical coherence tomography (OCT) systems. On this basis, a novel way of creating OCT images based on measurements of the momentum width of the Wigner phase-space distribution is suggested, and the advantage over conventional OCT images is discussed. Because all previous published studies regarding the Wigner function are carried out in the transmission geometry, it is important to note that the extended Huygens-Fresnel principle and the ABCD matrix formalism may be used successfully to describe this geometry (within the paraxial approximation). Therefore for completeness we present in an appendix the general closed-form solution for the Wigner phase-space distribution function in ABCD paraxial optical systems for direct propagation through random media, and in a second appendix absorption effects are included.

See, reflect, learn more: qualitative analysis of breaking bad news reflective narratives.

Science.gov (United States)

Karnieli-Miller, Orit; Palombo, Michal; Meitar, Dafna

2018-05-01

Breaking bad news (BBN) is a challenge that requires multiple professional competencies. BBN teaching often includes didactic and group role-playing sessions. Both are useful and important, but exclude another critical component of students' learning: day-to-day role-model observation in the clinics. Given the importance of observation and the potential benefit of reflective writing in teaching, we have incorporated reflective writing into our BBN course. The aim of this study was to enhance our understanding of the learning potential in reflective writing about BBN encounters and the ability to identify components that inhibit this learning. This was a systematic qualitative immersion/crystallization analysis of 166 randomly selected BBN narratives written by 83 senior medical students. We analysed the narratives in an iterative consensus-building process to identify the issues discussed, the lessons learned and the enhanced understanding of BBN. Having previously been unaware of, not invited to or having avoided BBN encounters, the mandatory assignment led students to search for or ask their mentors to join them in BBN encounters. Observation and reflective writing enhanced students' awareness that 'bad news' is relative and subjective, while shedding light on patients', families', physicians' and their own experiences and needs, revealing the importance of the different components of the BBN protocol. We identified diversity among the narratives and the extent of students' learning. Narrative writing provided students with an opportunity for a deliberative learning process. This led to deeper understanding of BBN encounters, of how to apply the newly taught protocol, or of the need for it. This process connected the formal and informal or hidden curricula. To maximise learning through reflective writing, students should be encouraged to write in detail about a recent observed encounter, analyse it according to the protocol, address different participants

Unmanned aerial system nadir reflectance and MODIS nadir BRDF-adjusted surface reflectances intercompared over Greenland

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. F. Burkhart

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Albedo is a fundamental parameter in earth sciences, and many analyses utilize the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF/albedo (MCD43 algorithms. While derivative albedo products have been evaluated over Greenland, we present a novel, direct comparison with nadir surface reflectance collected from an unmanned aerial system (UAS. The UAS was flown from Summit, Greenland, on 210 km transects coincident with the MODIS sensor overpass on board the Aqua and Terra satellites on 5 and 6 August 2010. Clear-sky acquisitions were available from the overpasses within 2 h of the UAS flights. The UAS was equipped with upward- and downward-looking spectrometers (300–920 nm with a spectral resolution of 10 nm, allowing for direct integration into the MODIS bands 1, 3, and 4. The data provide a unique opportunity to directly compare UAS nadir reflectance with the MODIS nadir BRDF-adjusted surface reflectance (NBAR products. The data show UAS measurements are slightly higher than the MODIS NBARs for all bands but agree within their stated uncertainties. Differences in variability are observed as expected due to different footprints of the platforms. The UAS data demonstrate potentially large sub-pixel variability of MODIS reflectance products and the potential to explore this variability using the UAS as a platform. It is also found that, even at the low elevations flown typically by a UAS, reflectance measurements may be influenced by haze if present at and/or below the flight altitude of the UAS. This impact could explain some differences between data from the two platforms and should be considered in any use of airborne platforms.

N2O emission hotspots at different spatial scales and governing factors for small scale hotspots

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heuvel, R.N. van den; Hefting, M.M.; Tan, N.C.G.; Jetten, M.S.M.; Verhoeven, J.T.A.

2009-01-01

Chronically nitrate-loaded riparian buffer zones show high N 2 O emissions. Often, a large part of the N 2 O is emitted from small surface areas, resulting in high spatial variability in these buffer zones. These small surface areas with high N 2 O emissions (hotspots) need to be investigated to generate knowledge on the factors governing N 2 O emissions. In this study the N 2 O emission variability was investigated at different spatial scales. Therefore N 2 O emissions from three 32 m 2 grids were determined in summer and winter. Spatial variation and total emission were determined on three different scales (0.3 m 2 , 0.018 m 2 and 0.0013 m 2 ) at plots with different levels of N 2 O emissions. Spatial variation was high at all scales determined and highest at the smallest scale. To test possible factors inducing small scale hotspots, soil samples were collected for slurry incubation to determine responses to increased electron donor/acceptor availability. Acetate addition did increase N 2 O production, but nitrate addition failed to increase total denitrification or net N 2 O production. N 2 O production was similar in all soil slurries, independent of their origin from high or low emission soils, indicating that environmental conditions (including physical factors like gas diffusion) rather than microbial community composition governed N 2 O emission rates

Reflections on Freirean Pedagogy in a Jazz Combo Lab

Science.gov (United States)

Shevock, Daniel J.

2015-01-01

Paulo Freire was an important figure in adult education whose pedagogy has been used in music education. In this act of praxis (reflection and action upon the world in order to transform it), I share an autoethnography of my teaching of a university-level small ensemble jazz class. The purpose of this autoethnography was to examine my teaching…

Global Burned Area and Biomass Burning Emissions from Small Fires

Science.gov (United States)

Randerson, J. T.; Chen, Y.; vanderWerf, G. R.; Rogers, B. M.; Morton, D. C.

2012-01-01

In several biomes, including croplands, wooded savannas, and tropical forests, many small fires occur each year that are well below the detection limit of the current generation of global burned area products derived from moderate resolution surface reflectance imagery. Although these fires often generate thermal anomalies that can be detected by satellites, their contributions to burned area and carbon fluxes have not been systematically quantified across different regions and continents. Here we developed a preliminary method for combining 1-km thermal anomalies (active fires) and 500 m burned area observations from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) to estimate the influence of these fires. In our approach, we calculated the number of active fires inside and outside of 500 m burn scars derived from reflectance data. We estimated small fire burned area by computing the difference normalized burn ratio (dNBR) for these two sets of active fires and then combining these observations with other information. In a final step, we used the Global Fire Emissions Database version 3 (GFED3) biogeochemical model to estimate the impact of these fires on biomass burning emissions. We found that the spatial distribution of active fires and 500 m burned areas were in close agreement in ecosystems that experience large fires, including savannas across southern Africa and Australia and boreal forests in North America and Eurasia. In other areas, however, we observed many active fires outside of burned area perimeters. Fire radiative power was lower for this class of active fires. Small fires substantially increased burned area in several continental-scale regions, including Equatorial Asia (157%), Central America (143%), and Southeast Asia (90%) during 2001-2010. Globally, accounting for small fires increased total burned area by approximately by 35%, from 345 Mha/yr to 464 Mha/yr. A formal quantification of uncertainties was not possible, but sensitivity

Abnormal diffusion-weighted MRI in medulloblastoma: does it reflect small cell histology?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kotsenas, A.L.; Roth, T.C.; Manness, W.K.; Faerber, E.N.

1999-01-01

A 12-year-old boy presented with the classic CT and MRI findings of medulloblastoma and the unusual finding of increased signal on diffusion MRI. The small-cell histology of medulloblastoma may account for the increased signal seen on diffusion MRI. Diffusion MRI with echoplanar technique may be useful in evaluation of these tumors and metastatic disease. (orig.)

On the limits of Kagan's impulsive reflective distinction.

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, B; McIntyre, L

1976-05-01

A logical analysis is made of the Matching Familiar Figures (MFF) Test on the basis of which children have been classified as "impulsive" or "reflective." The reflective strategy is implicitly preferred to the impulsive because the reflective child makes fewer errors though generally taking longer to make his first response. We show that the test allows the choice of a number of "game plans" and speed-accuracy tradeoffs which in practice may not be very different. Error rates may not indicate perceptual sensitivity, in any case, since sensitivity and response factors may be confounded in the error rate. Using a visual running-memory-span task to avoid the inherent difficulties of the MFF test, we found that children previously classified on the basis of that test as impulsive or reflective did not differ in recognition accuracy but did differ in response bias and response latency. Accuracy and bias are estimated by way of Luce's choice theory (Luce, 1963), and the results are discussed in those terms.

Determination of electromagnetic absorption parameters by reflection measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vittitoe, C.N.

1975-09-01

The method described is for determining the electromagnetic absorption parameters of a material by measuring the optical reflection from a thick sample. With linearly polarized incident light (both perpendicular to and parallel to the plane of incidence), the ratio of the reflected intensities at three or more angles of incidence offers promise for determining the complex index of refraction of a material for a broad range of parameter values. The method may be applicable to molten materials, such as UO 2 , where high temperatures cause corrosion and containment difficulties. A method is given for extending the data to neighboring frequencies. Use of the method was successful for all portions of the complex index of refraction plane except for small values of the extinction coefficient

Majority Teachers' Perceptions of Urban Adolescents and Their Abilities: Probes from Self-Reflection and Teacher Autobiographies

Science.gov (United States)

Harushimana, Immaculee

2010-01-01

This article presents a small scale, qualitative study of nine majority alternate-route teachers and the perceptions they hold about themselves as urban educators and their urban students' academic abilities. Data for this study was collected through self-reflective, written interviews and meta-reflective responses to two published teacher…

Small Business Innovations

Science.gov (United States)

1995-01-01

The PER-Force Handcontroller was originally developed for the International Space Station under a Johnson Space Center Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract. Produced by Cybernet Systems Corporation, the unit is a force-reflecting system that manipulates robots or objects by "feel." The Handcontroller moves in six degrees of freedom, with real and virtual reality forces simulated by a 3-D molecular modeling software package. It is used in molecular modeling in metallurgy applications, satellite docking research, and in research on military unmanned ground vehicles.

An assimilation test of Doppler radar reflectivity and radial velocity from different height layers in improving the WRF rainfall forecasts

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, Jiyang; Liu, Jia; Yan, Denghua; Li, Chuanzhe; Chu, Zhigang; Yu, Fuliang

2017-12-01

Hydrological forecasts require high-resolution and accurate rainfall information, which is one of the most difficult variables to be captured by the mesoscale Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) systems. Radar data assimilation is an effective method for improving rainfall forecasts by correcting the initial and lateral boundary conditions of the NWP system. The aim of this study is to explore an efficient way of utilizing the Doppler radar observations for data assimilation, which is implemented by exploring the effect of assimilating radar data from different height layers on the improvement of the NWP rainfall accuracy. The Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model is used for numerical rainfall forecast in the Zijingguan catchment located in the ;Jing-Jin-Ji; (Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei) Region of Northern China, and the three-dimensional variational data assimilation (3-DVar) technique is adopted to assimilate the radar data. Radar reflectivity and radial velocity are assimilated separately and jointly. Each type of radar data is divided into seven data sets according to the height layers: (1) 2000 m, and (7) all layers. The results show that radar reflectivity assimilation leads to better results than radial velocity assimilation. The accuracy of the forecasted rainfall deteriorates with the rise of the height of the assimilated radar reflectivity. The same results can be found when assimilating radar reflectivity and radial velocity at the same time. The conclusions of this study provide a reference for efficient assimilation of the radar data in improving the NWP rainfall products.

Inference With Difference-in-Differences With a Small Number of Groups: A Review, Simulation Study, and Empirical Application Using SHARE Data.

Science.gov (United States)

Rokicki, Slawa; Cohen, Jessica; Fink, Günther; Salomon, Joshua A; Landrum, Mary Beth

2018-01-01

Difference-in-differences (DID) estimation has become increasingly popular as an approach to evaluate the effect of a group-level policy on individual-level outcomes. Several statistical methodologies have been proposed to correct for the within-group correlation of model errors resulting from the clustering of data. Little is known about how well these corrections perform with the often small number of groups observed in health research using longitudinal data. First, we review the most commonly used modeling solutions in DID estimation for panel data, including generalized estimating equations (GEE), permutation tests, clustered standard errors (CSE), wild cluster bootstrapping, and aggregation. Second, we compare the empirical coverage rates and power of these methods using a Monte Carlo simulation study in scenarios in which we vary the degree of error correlation, the group size balance, and the proportion of treated groups. Third, we provide an empirical example using the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe. When the number of groups is small, CSE are systematically biased downwards in scenarios when data are unbalanced or when there is a low proportion of treated groups. This can result in over-rejection of the null even when data are composed of up to 50 groups. Aggregation, permutation tests, bias-adjusted GEE, and wild cluster bootstrap produce coverage rates close to the nominal rate for almost all scenarios, though GEE may suffer from low power. In DID estimation with a small number of groups, analysis using aggregation, permutation tests, wild cluster bootstrap, or bias-adjusted GEE is recommended.

Far-ultraviolet Bidirectional Photometry of Apollo Soil 10084: New Results from The Southwest Ultraviolet Reflectance Chamber (SwURC).

Science.gov (United States)

Raut, U.

2017-12-01

We report new measurements of the far-ultraviolet (115-180 nm) bidirectional reflectance of Apollo soil 10084 in the Southwest Ultraviolet Reflectance Chamber (SwURC). We find the bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) to be featureless in this wavelength region, though with a small blue slope. The angular distribution of the BRDF at Ly-α and 160 nm shows that this mature mare soil, containing nanophase Fe and enriched in Ti, anisotropically scatters light in the forward direction. The phase angle dependence of the BRDF is fitted with Hapke's photometric model with an additional diffuse-directional term. Future plans include measurements of mare and highland soils of differing maturity index (Is/FeO), water ice frost and lunar soil-ice aggregates. Such measurements will help constrain the abundance and distribution of the water ice on the illuminated lunar surface and dark permanently shadowed regions of the moon, as reported by LRO-LAMP.

Conservation Through Different Lenses: Reflection, Responsibility, and the Politics of Participation in Conservation Advocacy

Science.gov (United States)

Abrash Walton, Abigail

2010-01-01

This essay considers the arenas of advocacy, politics, and self-reflection in strengthening conservation and resource management initiatives. It frames key questions that reflective conservation practitioners may address in seeking to enhance the results of conservation projects, including equity and more inclusive participation by nonprivileged groups. The essay touches on the importance of understanding conservation work within particular political and historic dynamics, including the need to understand non-Western and/or indigenous or traditional perspectives on conservation. The author makes the case that Western or privileged conservation practitioners are uniquely situated to advocate effectively for change.

Andreev bound states. Some quasiclassical reflections

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lin, Y.; Leggett, A. J.

2014-01-01

We discuss a very simple and essentially exactly solvable model problem which illustrates some nice features of Andreev bound states, namely, the trapping of a single Bogoliubov quasiparticle in a neutral s-wave BCS superfluid by a wide and shallow Zeeman trap. In the quasiclassical limit, the ground state is a doublet with a splitting which is proportional to the exponentially small amplitude for “normal” reflection by the edges of the trap. We comment briefly on a prima facie paradox concerning the continuity equation and conjecture a resolution to it

Andreev bound states. Some quasiclassical reflections

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lin, Y., E-mail: yiriolin@illinois.edu; Leggett, A. J. [University of Illinois at Urhana-Champaign, Dept. of Physics (United States)

2014-12-15

We discuss a very simple and essentially exactly solvable model problem which illustrates some nice features of Andreev bound states, namely, the trapping of a single Bogoliubov quasiparticle in a neutral s-wave BCS superfluid by a wide and shallow Zeeman trap. In the quasiclassical limit, the ground state is a doublet with a splitting which is proportional to the exponentially small amplitude for “normal” reflection by the edges of the trap. We comment briefly on a prima facie paradox concerning the continuity equation and conjecture a resolution to it.

Structural evolution of regenerated silk fibroin under shear: Combined wide- and small-angle x-ray scattering experiments using synchrotron radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rossle, Manfred; Panine, Pierre; Urban, Volker S.; Riekel, Christine

2004-01-01

The structural evolution of regenerated Bombyx mori silk fibroin during shearing with a Couette cell has been studied in situ by synchrotron radiation small- and wide-angle x-ray scattering techniques. An elongation of fibroin molecules was observed with increasing shear rate, followed by an aggregation phase. The aggregates were found to be amorphous with β-conformation according to infrared spectroscopy. Scanning x-ray microdiffraction with a 5 (micro)m beam on aggregated material, which had solidified in air, showed silk II reflections and a material with equatorial reflections close to the silk I structure reflections, but with strong differences in reflection intensities. This silk I type material shows up to two low-angle peaks suggesting the presence of water molecules that might be intercalated between hydrogen-bonded sheets.

Structural evolution of regenerated silk fibroin under shear: Combined wide- and small-angle x-ray scattering experiments using synchrotron radiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rossle, Manfred [European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), France; Panine, Pierre [European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF); Urban, Volker S [ORNL; Riekel, Christine [European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF)

2004-04-01

The structural evolution of regenerated Bombyx mori silk fibroin during shearing with a Couette cell has been studied in situ by synchrotron radiation small- and wide-angle x-ray scattering techniques. An elongation of fibroin molecules was observed with increasing shear rate, followed by an aggregation phase. The aggregates were found to be amorphous with {beta}-conformation according to infrared spectroscopy. Scanning x-ray microdiffraction with a 5 {micro}m beam on aggregated material, which had solidified in air, showed silk II reflections and a material with equatorial reflections close to the silk I structure reflections, but with strong differences in reflection intensities. This silk I type material shows up to two low-angle peaks suggesting the presence of water molecules that might be intercalated between hydrogen-bonded sheets.

Being a reflective teacher——reflection on group management

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Pan; Lehui

2015-01-01

<正>Introduction According to Pollard and Triggs(1997),reflective teaching is a process through which the capacity to make such professional judgments can be developed and maintained.Then what is a reflective teacher?Reflective teacher is someone who reflects systematically on her practice in a constant attempt to improve

Protecting who? Small state roles in large-scale military interventions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rodt, Annemarie Peen; Wivel, Anders

of the ‘Responsibility to Protect’ (R2P). The aim of this paper is to explore how policy-makers of one small European state, Denmark, have navigated competing and sometimes conflicting protection agendas and calls for action. We argue that Danish military polices since 2001 have been formulated at the intersection...... of external demands in the form of socialization to the unipolar world order and domestic demands reflecting Danish strategic culture. We explore how different ‘logics of protection’ have served to legitimize Danish military participation in large-scale US-led interventions. Based on this analysis, we discuss...

Researching critical reflection in management education

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Elkjaer, Bente; Nickelsen, Niels Christian Mossfeldt

2016-01-01

Critical reflection for professionals involves the ability to learn directly from their practice experience, so that they can improve their own work in an ongoing and flexible way. By examining the fundamental bases of what they do systematically, critical reflection can also function as a form...... to deal with change and critical reflection provides one method for being able to incorporate changes in a way which allows individuals to preserve a sense of what is fundamentally important to them as professionals. Since many different professionals work together in most organisations, research...... of education, management, health and social work....

X-ray specular reflection and fluorescence study of nano-films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zheludeva, S.; Novikova, N.

2001-01-01

The techniques that combine the advantages of high-resolution structure sensitive x-ray methods with spectroscopic selectivity of data obtained are shown to be extremely promising for characterization of organic and inorganic nano films and nano structures. Fluorescence yield angular dependences exited by complicated evanescent wave / x-ray standing wave pattern at total reflection and glancing incidence can be used to detect structure position of different ions in organic systems and alien interfacial layers in inorganic multilayers;, to get information about interdiffusion at the interfaces of Langmuir- Blodgett (L-B) films and artificial inorganic - x-ray mirrors; to study ion permeation through L-B nano structures - models of biomembrans; to obtain nano - film thickness and density; to get precisely the parameters of small d-space multilayer mirrors, ets

Listening to Other Voices: A Description of Teacher Reflection in the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Valli, Linda

1997-01-01

Examines reflective teaching, discussing the meaning of reflection; the origins of reflection; the popularity and importance of reflective teaching; different types of reflective teaching (technical reflection, deliberative reflection, personalistic reflection, critical reflection, and reflection-in and on-action); and how teacher educators can…

Alfven Wave Reflection Model of Field-Aligned Currents at Mercury

Science.gov (United States)

Lyatsky, Wladislaw; Khazanov, George V.; Slavin, James

2010-01-01

An Alfven Wave Reflection (AWR) model is proposed that provides closure for strong field-aligned currents (FACs) driven by the magnetopause reconnection in the magnetospheres of planets having no significant ionospheric and surface electrical conductance. The model is based on properties of the Alfven waves, generated at high altitudes and reflected from the low-conductivity surface of the planet. When magnetospheric convection is very slow, the incident and reflected Alfven waves propagate along approximately the same path. In this case, the net field-aligned currents will be small. However, as the convection speed increases. the reflected wave is displaced relatively to the incident wave so that the incident and reflected waves no longer compensate each other. In this case, the net field-aligned current may be large despite the lack of significant ionospheric and surface conductivity. Our estimate shows that for typical solar wind conditions at Mercury, the magnitude of Region 1-type FACs in Mercury's magnetosphere may reach hundreds of kilo-Amperes. This AWR model of field-aligned currents may provide a solution to the long-standing problem of the closure of FACs in the Mercury's magnetosphere. c2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Development of a theory of the spectral reflectance of minerals, part 3

Science.gov (United States)

Aronson, J. R.; Emslie, A. G.; Roach, L. H.; Smith, E. M.; Vonthuena, P. C.

1972-01-01

Significant refinements were made in the theory of the diffuse reflectance of particulate media. The theory predicts the opposite trends of reflectance with particle size in regions of the spectrum in which the particles are semi-transparent and those in which they are opaque. Enhanced absorption caused by wave-optical effects of small surface asperities and edges was used to improve the theory. The same mechanism remedies the theory to account for the data in spectral regions of anomalous dispersion.

Junior high school students’ reflective thinking on fraction problem solving: In case of gender differences

Science.gov (United States)

Rasyid, M. A.; Budiarto, M. T.; Lukito, A.

2018-01-01

This study aims to describe reflective thinking of junior high school students on solving the fractions problem in terms of gender differences. This research is a qualitative approach involving one male student and one female student in seventh grade. The data were collected through the assignment of fractional problem solving and interview, then the data were triangulated and analyzed by three stages, namely data condensation, data display and conclusion. The results showed that the subjects of male and female were reacting, elaborating and contemplating at each stage of solving the fractions problem. But at the stage of devising the plan, the female subject was contemplating, relying more on their beliefs, did not consider their experience, in addition, the female subject didn’t use experience of the steps she planned to solve the problem of fractions.

Malé zamyšlení nad velkým tématem // Small reflection on great topic

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zdeněk Beneš

2017-11-01

Full Text Available The text is an initial reflection on a question addressed in this issue of the magazine History — Questions — Problems (Historie — Otázky — Problémy. In our country, the topic of historical, and therefore historian’s judgement, especially on the ethical plane, is not often frequented on the reflected, theoretical or methodological level. But it is, and necessarily so, permanently present implicitly, that is, in one way or another, a judgement passed about a historical event or another historical judgement. This paper is but a reflection and does not pass categorical judgements. It only attempts to characterise selected aspects of the problem that are related to the other texts published in this issue of HOP, which in themselves are of similar nature

Perturbative evolution: a different approach at small x

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Donnachie, A. [University of Manchester, School of Physics and Astromony, Manchester (United Kingdom); Landshoff, P.V. [DAMTP, Cambridge University, Cambridge (United Kingdom)

2017-08-15

We propose an approach to DGLAP evolution at small x that circumvents the usual problem that a perturbation expansion is not valid there. The data for the charm structure function are important to motivate the method, and it describes them much more successfully than the conventional approach. (orig.)

Land Surface Reflectance Retrieval from Hyperspectral Data Collected by an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle over the Baotou Test Site

Science.gov (United States)

Duan, Si-Bo; Li, Zhao-Liang; Tang, Bo-Hui; Wu, Hua; Ma, Lingling; Zhao, Enyu; Li, Chuanrong

2013-01-01

To evaluate the in-flight performance of a new hyperspectral sensor onboard an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV-HYPER), a comprehensive field campaign was conducted over the Baotou test site in China on 3 September 2011. Several portable reference reflectance targets were deployed across the test site. The radiometric performance of the UAV-HYPER sensor was assessed in terms of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and the calibration accuracy. The SNR of the different bands of the UAV-HYPER sensor was estimated to be between approximately 5 and 120 over the homogeneous targets, and the linear response of the apparent reflectance ranged from approximately 0.05 to 0.45. The uniform and non-uniform Lambertian land surface reflectance was retrieved and validated using in situ measurements, with root mean square error (RMSE) of approximately 0.01–0.07 and relative RMSE of approximately 5%–12%. There were small discrepancies between the retrieved uniform and non-uniform Lambertian land surface reflectance over the homogeneous targets and under low aerosol optical depth (AOD) conditions (AOD = 0.18). However, these discrepancies must be taken into account when adjacent pixels had large land surface reflectance contrast and under high AOD conditions (e.g. AOD = 1.0). PMID:23785513

Reflecting on a Daughter's Bilingualism and disAbility Narratively

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Hyun Uk

2017-01-01

This paper explores societal perceptions of a child's disability and bilingualism through the author's observations and reflections. Drawing from the observations of the child in different public schools in the United States, the author shares how the child has been viewed differently and similarly by school personnel. By reflecting on different…

STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS OF THEIR REFLECTIVE ESSAY WRITING EXPERIENCE AND TEACHER FEEDBACK COMMENTS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Asiah Mohd Sharif

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Reflection which encompasses critical and analytical capabilities is a critical 21st century skill for students to develop. To ensure students are equipped with this skill, reflective writing has been identified as a possible tool. Teacher feedback on students’ written output therefore plays a role in developing students’ reflective skills. This study asks two questions: How do students perceive their experience writing reflective essays? What is the nature of the teacher’s feedback comments on students’ reflective essays and how do students perceive them? To answer these questions, nineteen ESL students in an entry-level Medical programme completed a questionnaire concerning their experiences writing reflective essays and perceptions of teacher feedback on these essays. Interviews were conducted with two students to follow-up on questionnaire responses. The content analysis showed that the students believed reflective writing played a small contribution to their language learning. Further investigation into the students’ perspectives of their teachers’ feedback comments suggests that even though the teachers’ feedback was positive, the students also referred to the comments as inadequate and ineffective. Pedagogical implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Effects of Small Oscillations on the Effective Area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cotroneo, V.; Conconi, P.; Pareschi, G.; Spiga, D.; Tagliaferri, G.; Cusumano, G.

2009-01-01

We analyze the effective area of the Simbol-X mirrors as a function of the off-axis angle for small oscillations. A reduction is expected due to: 1) geometrical effects, because some of the photons miss the secondary mirror surface; 2) reflectivity effects, caused by the variation of the coating reflectivity with the incidence angle. The former are related to the length of the two mirror surfaces, and can be reduced by making the secondary mirror longer. The second ones are energy-dependent, and strongly related to the characteristics of the reflecting coating. These effects are analyzed by means of ray-tracing simulations in order to optimize the mirror and coating design, aiming to improve the effective area stability.

Effects of Small Oscillations on the Effective Area

Science.gov (United States)

Cotroneo, V.; Conconi, P.; Cusumano, G.; Pareschi, G.; Spiga, D.; Tagliaferri, G.

2009-05-01

We analyze the effective area of the Simbol-X mirrors as a function of the off-axis angle for small oscillations. A reduction is expected due to: 1) geometrical effects, because some of the photons miss the secondary mirror surface; 2) reflectivity effects, caused by the variation of the coating reflectivity with the incidence angle. The former are related to the length of the two mirror surfaces, and can be reduced by making the secondary mirror longer. The second ones are energy-dependent, and strongly related to the characteristics of the reflecting coating. These effects are analyzed by means of ray-tracing simulations in order to optimize the mirror and coating design, aiming to improve the effective area stability.

Using digital images to measure and discriminate small particles in cotton

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, Robert A.; Godbey, Luther C.

1991-02-01

Inages from conventional video systems are being digitized in coraputers for the analysis of small trash particles in cotton. The method has been developed to automate particle counting and area measurements for bales of cotton prepared for market. Because the video output is linearly proportional to the amount of light reflected the best spectral band for optimum particle discrimination should be centered at the wavelength of maximum difference between particles and their surroundings. However due to the spectral distribution of the illumination energy and the detector sensitivity peak image performance bands were altered. Reflectance from seven mechanically cleaned cotton lint samples and trash removed were examined for spectral contrast in the wavelength range of camera sensitivity. Pixel intensity histograms from the video systent are reported for simulated trashmeter area reference samples (painted dots on panels) and for cotton containing trash to demonstrate the particle discrimination mechanism. 2.

Reflectance spectroscopy of pigmented cutaneous benign and malignant lesions

Science.gov (United States)

Borisova, E.; Jeliazkova, Al.; Pavlova, E.; Troyanova, P.; Kundurdjiev, T.; Pavlova, P.; Avramov, L.

2014-10-01

For the DRS measurements of skin benign, dysplastic and malignant lesions in vivo we applied halogen lamp (LS-1, OceanOptics Inc, Dunedin, Fl, USA) as a continuous light source in the region of 400-900 nm, optical probe (6+1 fibers) for the delivery of illumination and diffuse reflected light from the skin investigated and microspectrometer USB4000 (OceanOptics Inc., Dunedin, Fl, USA) for a storage and display of the spectra detected. As a diffuse reflectance standard Spectralon® plate was used to calibrate the spectrometer. The reflectance spectra obtained from normal skin in identical anatomic sites of different patients have similar spectral shape features, slightly differ by the reflectance intensity at different wavelengths, depending on the particular patient' skin phototype. One could find diagnostically important spectral features, related to specific intensity changes for a given wavelength due to specific pigments appearance, slope changes by value and sign for the reflectance spectra curves in a specific spectral range, disappearance or manifestation of minima, related to hemoglobin absorption at 410-420 nm, 543, 575 nm. Based on the observed peculiarities multispectral analysis of the reflectance spectra of the different lesions was used and diagnostically specific features are found. Discrimination using the DRS data obtained between benign compound and dermal nevi (45 cases), dysplastic nevi (17 cases) and pigmented malignant melanoma (41 cases) lesions is achieved with a diagnostic accuracy of 96 % for the benign nevi vs. MM, and 90 % for the dysplastic nevi vs. MM.

Portable reflection for C++ with the Mirror library

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matus Chochlik

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Reflection and reflective programming can be used for a wide range of tasks such as implementationof serialization-like operations, remote procedure calls, scripting, automated GUIgeneration,implementation of several software design patterns, etc. C++ as one of the mostprevalent programming languages however, for various reasons, lacks a standardized reflectionfacility. In this paper we present Mirror - a portable library adding reflection to C++ with acommand-line utility automating its usage. This library supports functional style static compiletimereflection and metaprogramming and also provides two different object-oriented run-timepolymorphic layers for dynamic reflection.

Analysis of calibrated sea clutter and boat reflectivity data at C- and X-band in South African coastal waters

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Herselman, PLR

2007-10-01

Full Text Available datasets of sea clutter returns at different frequencies, range resolutions, grazing angles, look angles and environmental conditions to validate the state-of-the-art sea clutter models on South African coastal seawaters. Secondly, the aim was to record... boat reflectivity datasets for a number of small boats to investigate its detectability with state-of-the-art detectors. This will lead to the development of improved detection algorithms for radar systems employing adaptive dwell times. Figure 1...

Polarized neutron reflectivity and scattering studies of magnetic heterostructures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zabel, H; Theis-Broehl, K

2003-01-01

The current interest in the magnetism of ultrathin films and multilayers is driven by their manifold applications in the magneto-and spin-electronic areas, for instance as magnetic field sensors or as information storage devices. In this regard, there is a large interest in exploring spin structures and spin disorder at the interface of magnetic heterostructures, to investigate magnetic domains in thin films and superlattices, and to understand remagnetization processes of various laterally shaped magnetic nanostructures. Traditionally neutron scattering has played a dominant role in the determination of spin structures, phase transitions and magnetic excitations in bulk materials. Today, its potential for the investigation of thin magnetic films has to be redefined. Polarized neutron reflectivity (PNR) at small wavevectors can provide precise information on the magnetic field distribution parallel to the film plane and on layer resolved magnetization vectors. In addition, PNR is not only sensitive to structural interface roughness but also to the magnetic roughness. Furthermore, magnetic hysteresis measurements from polarized small angle Bragg reflections allows us to filter out correlation effects during magnetization reversals of magnetic stripes and islands. An overview is provided on most recent PNR investigations of magnetic heterostructures

Analysis of contaminants on electronic components by reflectance FTIR spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Griffith, G.W.

1982-09-01

The analysis of electronic component contaminants by infrared spectroscopy is often a difficult process. Most of the contaminants are very small, which necessitates the use of microsampling techniques. Beam condensers will provide the required sensitivity but most require that the sample be removed from the substrate before analysis. Since it can be difficult and time consuming, it is usually an undesirable approach. Micro ATR work can also be exasperating, due to the difficulty of positioning the sample at the correct place under the ATR plate in order to record a spectrum. This paper describes a modified reflection beam condensor which has been adapted to a Nicolet 7199 FTIR. The sample beam is directed onto the sample surface and reflected from the substrate back to the detector. A micropositioning XYZ stage and a close-focusing telescope are used to position the contaminant directly under the infrared beam. It is possible to analyze contaminants on 1 mm wide leads surrounded by an epoxy matrix using this device. Typical spectra of contaminants found on small circuit boards are included

Tumor cell heterogeneity in Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC: phenotypical and functional differences associated with Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT and DNA methylation changes.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexander Krohn

Full Text Available Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC is a specific subtype of lung cancer presenting as highly metastatic disease with extremely poor prognosis. Despite responding initially well to chemo- or radiotherapy, SCLC almost invariably relapses and develops resistance to chemotherapy. This is suspected to be related to tumor cell subpopulations with different characteristics resembling stem cells. Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT is known to play a key role in metastatic processes and in developing drug resistance. This is also true for NSCLC, but there is very little information on EMT processes in SCLC so far. SCLC, in contrast to NSCLC cell lines, grow mainly in floating cell clusters and a minor part as adherent cells. We compared these morphologically different subpopulations of SCLC cell lines for EMT and epigenetic features, detecting significant differences in the adherent subpopulations with high levels of mesenchymal markers such as Vimentin and Fibronectin and very low levels of epithelial markers like E-cadherin and Zona Occludens 1. In addition, expression of EMT-related transcription factors such as Snail/Snai1, Slug/Snai2, and Zeb1, DNA methylation patterns of the EMT hallmark genes, functional responses like migration, invasion, matrix metalloproteases secretion, and resistance to chemotherapeutic drug treatment all differed significantly between the sublines. This phenotypic variability might reflect tumor cell heterogeneity and EMT during metastasis in vivo, accompanied by the development of refractory disease in relapse. We propose that epigenetic regulation plays a key role during phenotypical and functional changes in tumor cells and might therefore provide new treatment options for SCLC patients.

Reflective photovoltaics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lentine, Anthony L.; Nielson, Gregory N.; Cruz-Campa, Jose Luis; Okandan, Murat; Goeke, Ronald S.

2018-03-06

A photovoltaic module includes colorized reflective photovoltaic cells that act as pixels. The colorized reflective photovoltaic cells are arranged so that reflections from the photovoltaic cells or pixels visually combine into an image on the photovoltaic module. The colorized photovoltaic cell or pixel is composed of a set of 100 to 256 base color sub-pixel reflective segments or sub-pixels. The color of each pixel is determined by the combination of base color sub-pixels forming the pixel. As a result, each pixel can have a wide variety of colors using a set of base colors, which are created, from sub-pixel reflective segments having standard film thicknesses.

Reflection on Political Representation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kusche, Isabel

2017-01-01

This article compares how Members of Parliament in the United Kingdom and Ireland reflect on constituency service as an aspect of political representation. It differs from existing research on the constituency role of MPs in two regards. First, it approaches the question from a sociological viewp...

Streamflow response of a small forested catchment on different timescales

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Zabaleta

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The hydrological response of a catchment to rainfall on different timescales is result of a complex system involving a range of physical processes which may operate simultaneously and have different spatial and temporal influences. This paper presents the analysis of streamflow response of a small humid-temperate catchment (Aixola, 4.8 km² in the Basque Country on different timescales and discusses the role of the controlling factors. Firstly, daily time series analysis was used to establish a hypothesis on the general functioning of the catchment through the relationship between precipitation and discharge on an annual and multiannual scale (2003–2008. Second, rainfall-runoff relationships and relationships among several hydrological variables, including catchment antecedent conditions, were explored at the event scale (222 events to check and improve the hypothesis. Finally, the evolution of electrical conductivity (EC during some of the monitored storm events (28 events was examined to identify the time origin of waters. Quick response of the catchment to almost all the rainfall events as well as a considerable regulation capacity was deduced from the correlation and spectral analyses. These results agree with runoff event scale data analysis; however, the event analysis revealed the non-linearity of the system, as antecedent conditions play a significant role in this catchment. Further, analysis at the event scale made possible to clarify factors controlling (precipitation, precipitation intensity and initial discharge the different aspects of the runoff response (runoff coefficient and discharge increase for this catchment. Finally, the evolution of EC of the waters enabled the time origin (event or pre-event waters of the quickflow to be established; specifically, the conductivity showed that pre-event waters usually represent a high percentage of the total discharge during runoff peaks. The importance of soil waters in the

Large and Small Dendritic Spines Serve Different Interacting Functions in Hippocampal Synaptic Plasticity and Homeostasis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joshua J. W. Paulin

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The laying down of memory requires strong stimulation resulting in specific changes in synaptic strength and corresponding changes in size of dendritic spines. Strong stimuli can also be pathological, causing a homeostatic response, depressing and shrinking the synapse to prevent damage from too much Ca2+ influx. But do all types of dendritic spines serve both of these apparently opposite functions? Using confocal microscopy in organotypic slices from mice expressing green fluorescent protein in hippocampal neurones, the size of individual spines along sections of dendrite has been tracked in response to application of tetraethylammonium. This strong stimulus would be expected to cause both a protective homeostatic response and long-term potentiation. We report separation of these functions, with spines of different sizes reacting differently to the same strong stimulus. The immediate shrinkage of large spines suggests a homeostatic protective response during the period of potential danger. In CA1, long-lasting growth of small spines subsequently occurs consolidating long-term potentiation but only after the large spines return to their original size. In contrast, small spines do not change in dentate gyrus where potentiation does not occur. The separation in time of these changes allows clear functional differentiation of spines of different sizes.

The contribution of audio recording using portable digital voice recorders to the development of reflective practice with trainee teachers in a Further Education setting

OpenAIRE

Knill, Marta; Samuels, Mary

2011-01-01

Developing reflective skills and habits during initial teacher education and progressing to deeper and more critical reflection are challenges for trainee teachers. This small-scale action research study investigates how two structured tasks using Digital Voice Recorders (DVRs) initiated, sustained and improved reflection and reflective practice. Trainee teachers reported benefits in increased understanding of reflection, development of reflective skills, deepening of reflection and improveme...

One feature of the activated southern Ordos block: the Ziwuling small earthquake cluster

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Li Yuhang

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Small earthquakes (Ms > 2.0 have been recorded from 1970 to the present day and reveal a significant difference in seismicity between the stable Ordos block and its active surrounding area. The southern Ordos block is a conspicuous small earthquake belt clustered and isolated along the NNW direction and extends to the inner stable Ordos block; no active fault can match this small earthquake cluster. In this paper, we analyze the dynamic mechanism of this small earthquake cluster based on the GPS velocity field (from 1999 to 2007, which are mainly from Crustal Movement Observation Network of China (CMONOC with respect to the north and south China blocks. The principal direction of strain rate field, the expansion ratefield, the maximum shear strain rate, and the rotation rate were constrained using the GPS velocity field. The results show that the velocity field, which is bounded by the small earthquake cluster from Tongchuan to Weinan, differs from the strain rate field, and the crustal deformation is left-lateral shear. This left-lateral shear belt not only spatially coincides with the Neo-tectonic belt in the Weihe Basin but also with the NNW small earthquake cluster (the Ziwuling small earthquake cluster. Based on these studies, we speculate that the NNW small earthquake cluster is caused by left-lateral shear slip, which is prone to strain accumulation. When the strain releases along the weak zone of structure, small earthquakes diffuse within its upper crust. The maximum principal compression strees direction changed from NE-SW to NEE-SWW, and the former reverse faults in the southwestern margin of the Ordos block became a left-lateral strike slip due to readjustment of the tectonic strees field after the middle Pleistocene. The NNW Neo-tectonic belt in the Weihe Basin, the different movement character of the inner Weihe Basin (which was demonstrated through GPS measurements and the small earthquake cluster belt reflect the activated

Screening small-molecule compound microarrays for protein ligands without fluorescence labeling with a high-throughput scanning microscope.

Science.gov (United States)

Fei, Yiyan; Landry, James P; Sun, Yungshin; Zhu, Xiangdong; Wang, Xiaobing; Luo, Juntao; Wu, Chun-Yi; Lam, Kit S

2010-01-01

We describe a high-throughput scanning optical microscope for detecting small-molecule compound microarrays on functionalized glass slides. It is based on measurements of oblique-incidence reflectivity difference and employs a combination of a y-scan galvometer mirror and an x-scan translation stage with an effective field of view of 2 cm x 4 cm. Such a field of view can accommodate a printed small-molecule compound microarray with as many as 10,000 to 20,000 targets. The scanning microscope is capable of measuring kinetics as well as endpoints of protein-ligand reactions simultaneously. We present the experimental results on solution-phase protein reactions with small-molecule compound microarrays synthesized from one-bead, one-compound combinatorial chemistry and immobilized on a streptavidin-functionalized glass slide.

XP in a Small Software Development Business

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Babb, Jeffry; Hoda, Rashina; Nørbjerg, Jacob

2014-01-01

While small software development shops have trended towards the adoption of Agile methods, local conditions and high iteration pressure typically cause adaptations and appropriations of Agile methods. This paper shares evidence from a study concerning how a small software development company adopts...... and adapts, XP to suit their business. Based on a Dialogical Action Research project, the study reflects on the conditions leading to Agile process adaptation, and why ad hoc and “a la carte” approaches may be problematic. Limitations and drawbacks to aspects of XP are also discussed. The Agile practices...

Analysing and Correcting the Differences between Multi-Source and Multi-Scale Spatial Remote Sensing Observations

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Yingying; Luo, Ruisen; Feng, Haikuan; Wang, Jihua; Zhao, Jinling; Zhu, Yining; Yang, Guijun

2014-01-01

Differences exist among analysis results of agriculture monitoring and crop production based on remote sensing observations, which are obtained at different spatial scales from multiple remote sensors in same time period, and processed by same algorithms, models or methods. These differences can be mainly quantitatively described from three aspects, i.e. multiple remote sensing observations, crop parameters estimation models, and spatial scale effects of surface parameters. Our research proposed a new method to analyse and correct the differences between multi-source and multi-scale spatial remote sensing surface reflectance datasets, aiming to provide references for further studies in agricultural application with multiple remotely sensed observations from different sources. The new method was constructed on the basis of physical and mathematical properties of multi-source and multi-scale reflectance datasets. Theories of statistics were involved to extract statistical characteristics of multiple surface reflectance datasets, and further quantitatively analyse spatial variations of these characteristics at multiple spatial scales. Then, taking the surface reflectance at small spatial scale as the baseline data, theories of Gaussian distribution were selected for multiple surface reflectance datasets correction based on the above obtained physical characteristics and mathematical distribution properties, and their spatial variations. This proposed method was verified by two sets of multiple satellite images, which were obtained in two experimental fields located in Inner Mongolia and Beijing, China with different degrees of homogeneity of underlying surfaces. Experimental results indicate that differences of surface reflectance datasets at multiple spatial scales could be effectively corrected over non-homogeneous underlying surfaces, which provide database for further multi-source and multi-scale crop growth monitoring and yield prediction, and their corresponding

Individual Differences in Numeracy and Cognitive Reflection, with Implications for Biases and Fallacies in Probability Judgment.

Science.gov (United States)

Liberali, Jordana M; Reyna, Valerie F; Furlan, Sarah; Stein, Lilian M; Pardo, Seth T

2012-10-01

Despite evidence that individual differences in numeracy affect judgment and decision making, the precise mechanisms underlying how such differences produce biases and fallacies remain unclear. Numeracy scales have been developed without sufficient theoretical grounding, and their relation to other cognitive tasks that assess numerical reasoning, such as the Cognitive Reflection Test (CRT), has been debated. In studies conducted in Brazil and in the USA, we administered an objective Numeracy Scale (NS), Subjective Numeracy Scale (SNS), and the CRT to assess whether they measured similar constructs. The Rational-Experiential Inventory, inhibition (go/no-go task), and intelligence were also investigated. By examining factor solutions along with frequent errors for questions that loaded on each factor, we characterized different types of processing captured by different items on these scales. We also tested the predictive power of these factors to account for biases and fallacies in probability judgments. In the first study, 259 Brazilian undergraduates were tested on the conjunction and disjunction fallacies. In the second study, 190 American undergraduates responded to a ratio-bias task. Across the different samples, the results were remarkably similar. The results indicated that the CRT is not just another numeracy scale, that objective and subjective numeracy scales do not measure an identical construct, and that different aspects of numeracy predict different biases and fallacies. Dimensions of numeracy included computational skills such as multiplying, proportional reasoning, mindless or verbatim matching, metacognitive monitoring, and understanding the gist of relative magnitude, consistent with dual-process theories such as fuzzy-trace theory.

Individual Differences in Numeracy and Cognitive Reflection, with Implications for Biases and Fallacies in Probability Judgment

Science.gov (United States)

LIBERALI, JORDANA M.; REYNA, VALERIE F.; FURLAN, SARAH; STEIN, LILIAN M.; PARDO, SETH T.

2013-01-01

Despite evidence that individual differences in numeracy affect judgment and decision making, the precise mechanisms underlying how such differences produce biases and fallacies remain unclear. Numeracy scales have been developed without sufficient theoretical grounding, and their relation to other cognitive tasks that assess numerical reasoning, such as the Cognitive Reflection Test (CRT), has been debated. In studies conducted in Brazil and in the USA, we administered an objective Numeracy Scale (NS), Subjective Numeracy Scale (SNS), and the CRT to assess whether they measured similar constructs. The Rational–Experiential Inventory, inhibition (go/no-go task), and intelligence were also investigated. By examining factor solutions along with frequent errors for questions that loaded on each factor, we characterized different types of processing captured by different items on these scales. We also tested the predictive power of these factors to account for biases and fallacies in probability judgments. In the first study, 259 Brazilian undergraduates were tested on the conjunction and disjunction fallacies. In the second study, 190 American undergraduates responded to a ratio-bias task. Across the different samples, the results were remarkably similar. The results indicated that the CRT is not just another numeracy scale, that objective and subjective numeracy scales do not measure an identical construct, and that different aspects of numeracy predict different biases and fallacies. Dimensions of numeracy included computational skills such as multiplying, proportional reasoning, mindless or verbatim matching, metacognitive monitoring, and understanding the gist of relative magnitude, consistent with dual-process theories such as fuzzy-trace theory. PMID:23878413

Small subchondral drill holes improve marrow stimulation of articular cartilage defects.

Science.gov (United States)

Eldracher, Mona; Orth, Patrick; Cucchiarini, Magali; Pape, Dietrich; Madry, Henning

2014-11-01

Subchondral drilling is an established marrow stimulation technique. Osteochondral repair is improved when the subchondral bone is perforated with small drill holes, reflecting the physiological subchondral trabecular distance. Controlled laboratory study. A rectangular full-thickness chondral defect was created in the trochlea of adult sheep (n = 13) and treated with 6 subchondral drillings of either 1.0 mm (reflective of the trabecular distance) or 1.8 mm in diameter. Osteochondral repair was assessed after 6 months in vivo by macroscopic, histological, and immunohistochemical analyses and by micro-computed tomography. The application of 1.0-mm subchondral drill holes led to significantly improved histological matrix staining, cellular morphological characteristics, subchondral bone reconstitution, and average total histological score as well as significantly higher immunoreactivity to type II collagen and reduced immunoreactivity to type I collagen in the repair tissue compared with 1.8-mm drill holes. Analysis of osteoarthritic changes in the cartilage adjacent to the defects revealed no significant differences between treatment groups. Restoration of the microstructure of the subchondral bone plate below the chondral defects was significantly improved after 1.0-mm compared to 1.8-mm drilling, as shown by higher bone volume and reduced thickening of the subchondral bone plate. Likewise, the microarchitecture of the drilled subarticular spongiosa was better restored after 1.0-mm drilling, indicated by significantly higher bone volume and more and thinner trabeculae. Moreover, the bone mineral density of the subchondral bone in 1.0-mm drill holes was similar to the adjacent subchondral bone, whereas it was significantly reduced in 1.8-mm drill holes. No significant correlations existed between cartilage and subchondral bone repair. Small subchondral drill holes that reflect the physiological trabecular distance improve osteochondral repair in a translational

Flowering and fruiting intensity of small - sized tomato, due to the regulation of the quantity of light reaching the plant top

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Renata Dobromilska

2012-12-01

Full Text Available The experiments were carried out in 2001-2003 in a high unheated plastic tunnel. The influence of reduction of leaves and application of reflection matter on flowering and fruiting of small-sized tomato was studied. The experiment focused on the following factors: methods of increasing the amount of light in plant tops (reflection matter, cutting leaves, reflection matter + cutting leaves and cultivars of small sized tomato ('Conchita F1', 'Picolino F1'. The cutting of leaves and reflection matter mulching resulted in the increase of the intensity of radiation reaching plant tops and the reflected radiation. The above measures increasing the light access to plant tops significantly increased the number of flowers, germs and fruits. The reflection matter mulching along with cutting leaves resulted in the substantial growth of early yield of small-sized tomato. The 'Conchita F1' cultivar set a relatively greater number of flowers and fruits on a plant and in cluster than 'Picolino F1'.

Worldwide distribution of Total Reflection X-ray Fluorescence instrumentation and its different fields of application: A survey

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Klockenkämper, Reinhold, E-mail: reinhold.klockenkaemper@isas.de; Bohlen, Alex von

2014-09-01

A survey was carried out with users and manufacturers of Total Reflection X-ray Fluorescence instrumentation in order to demonstrate the worldwide distribution of TXRF equipment and the different fields of applications. In general, TXRF users come from universities and scientific institutes, from working places at synchrotron beam-lines, or laboratories in semiconductor fabs. TXRF instrumentation is distributed in more than 50 countries on six continents and is applied at about 200 institutes and laboratories. The number of running desktop instruments amounts to nearly 300 units. About 60 beamlines run working places dedicated to TXRF. About 300 floor-mounted instruments are estimated to be used in about 150 fabs of the semiconductor industry. In total, 13 different fields of applications could be registered statistically from three different aspects. - Highlights: • According to the survey world maps show the distribution of TXRF equipment. • Nearly 700 individual units are running actually in 57 countries of 6 continents. • Users work at 200 universities, 60 synchrotron-beamlines, and 150 semiconductor fabs. • 13 fields of applications (e.g. environmental, chemical) are evaluated statistically. • Manufacturers, conference members and authors lead to 3 different pie-charts.

Identifying diffraction effects in measured reflectances

OpenAIRE

Holzschuch , Nicolas; Pacanowski , Romain

2015-01-01

International audience; There are two different physical models connecting the micro-geometry of a surface and its physical reflectance properties (BRDF). The first, Cook-Torrance, assumes geometrical optics: light is reflected and masked by the micro-facets. In this model, the BRDF depends on the probability distribution of micro-facets normals. The second, Church-Takacs, assumes diffraction by the micro-geometry. In this model, the BRDF depends on the power spectral distribution of the surf...

Symmetry breaking in small rotating clouds of trapped ultracold Bose atoms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dagnino, D.; Barberan, N.; Riera, A.; Osterloh, K.; Lewenstein, M.

2007-01-01

We study the signatures of rotational and phase symmetry breaking in small rotating clouds of trapped ultracold Bose atoms by looking at rigorously defined condensate wave function. Rotational symmetry breaking occurs in narrow frequency windows, where energy degeneracy between the lowest energy states of different total angular momentum takes place. This leads to a complex condensate wave function that exhibits vortices clearly seen as holes in the density, as well as characteristic local phase patterns, reflecting the appearance of vorticities. Phase symmetry (or gauge symmetry) breaking, on the other hand, is clearly manifested in the interference of two independent rotating clouds

Comparison of different training models for laparoscopic surgery in neonates and small infants.

Science.gov (United States)

Heinrich, M; Tillo, N; Kirlum, H-J; Till, H

2006-04-01

Minimally invasive surgery in small children and infants requires special skills and training. This experimental study compares the efficiency of an in vitro pelvic trainer (PT) and an a in vivo animal model (AM). For this study, 12 residents were prospectively randomized into two groups. Initially, all had to pass a basic skill assessment (3 tasks). Then endoscopic small bowel biopsy was performed (8 times) either with the in vitro PT (group A) or the in vivo AM (group B). Finally, all had to demonstrate this procedure in the in vivo AM and repeat the basic skill assessment. A quality index (complications, suture, biopsy) was evaluated. Initially, there was no difference between the two groups. Interestingly, the mean regression gradient of the index for the in vitro PT (group A) was significantly better than for the in vivo AM (group B). In the final in vivo operation, however, the mean index for the in vitro PT (group A) worsened significantly, whereas it increased for the in vivo AM (group B) (p = 0.037). Adequate training for an isolated mechanical task such as gut biopsy can be supplied using a pelvic trainer or animal model with similar effects. However in vivo performance of the same task requires secondary surgical skills, which are conveyed during live training with greater success. Consequently, stepwise teaching with both modules seems reasonable before these procedures are approached in neonates or small children.

Reflective Practice in Physiotherapy Education: A Critical Conversation.

Science.gov (United States)

Clouder, Lynn

2000-01-01

Describes how reflective practice is conceptualized and interpreted by practicing physiotherapists and undergraduate physiotherapy students. Analysis of qualitative interviews and workshops highlights both contextual and practical differences in modes of reflection by practitioners. Discussion notes the context of the task-oriented culture of the…

Reflectance spectroscopy of indoor settled dust in Tel Aviv, Israel: comparison between the spring and the summer seasons

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. A. Chudnovsky

2007-07-01

Full Text Available The influence of mineral and anthropogenic dust components on the VIS-NIR-SWIR spectral reflectance of artificial laboratory dust mixtures was evaluated and used in combination with Partial Least Squares (PLS regression to construct a model that correlates the dust content with its reflectance. Small amounts of dust (0.018–0.33 mg/cm² were collected using glass traps placed in different indoor environments in Tel Aviv, Israel during the spring and summer of 2005. The constructed model was applied to reflectance spectroscopy measurements derived from the field dust samples to assess their mineral content. Additionally, field samples were examined using Principal Component Analysis (PCA to identify the most representative spectral pattern for each season. Across the visible range of spectra two main spectral shapes were observed, convex and concave, though spectra exhibiting hybrid shapes were also seen. Spectra derived from spring season dust samples were characterized mostly by a convex shape, which indicates a high mineral content. In contrast, the spectra generated from summer samples were characterized generally by a concave shape, which indicates a high organic matter content. In addition to this seasonal variation in spectral patterns, spectral differences were observed associated with the dwelling position in the city. Samples collected in the city center showed higher organic content, whereas samples taken from locations at the city margins, near the sea and next to open areas, exhibited higher mineral content. We conclude that mineral components originating in the outdoor environment influence indoor dust loads, even when considering relatively small amounts of indoor settled dust. The sensitive spectral-based method developed here has potentially many applications for environmental researchers and policy makers concerned with dust pollution.

Critical Reflection of an Iranian EFL Classroom: Effective Ploys in Narrative Paragraph Writing Development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fatemeh Mohammad Jafari

2015-08-01

Full Text Available This article describes a qualitative study that investigated critical reflection in the hope that effective learning is objectified. It is the fruit of rumination on how critical reflection approach would affect learners’ performance in narrative writing. The idea for this paper arose when the researchers consistently utilized ploys effective for five EFL students’ learning of narrative writing in critical reflection process in an institute. Later, these ploys were categorized in three themes under three categories in teaching narrative writing. Data were gathered via students’ reflective writings. Gathered data were interpreted in the real setting by small scale grounded theory analysis. The final upshot demonstrated the criticality of students’ thoughts in their paper. The findings reveal the significance of optimal rapport and intimacy in which participants move ahead from mechanical learning to more cooperative approach in language learning with thorough reflection in their narrations for effective learning to take place. Keywords: Critical Reflection, Narrative Paragraph Writing, Effective Learning, Ploys, Improvisation, Reverse Position, Social Camaraderie

Improvement of air transport data and wall transmission/reflection data in the SKYSHINE code. 2. Calculation of gamma-ray wall transmission and reflection data

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hayashida, Yoshihisa [Toshiba Corp., Kawasaki, Kanagawa (Japan); Ishikawa, Satoshi; Harima, Yoshiko [CRC Research Institute Inc., Tokyo (Japan); Hayashi, Katsumi; Tayama, Ryuichi [Hitachi Engineering Co. Ltd., Ibaraki (Japan); Hirayama, Hideo [High Energy Accelerator Research Organization, Tsukuba, Ibaraki (Japan); Sakamoto, Yukio [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Tokai, Ibaraki (Japan). Tokai Research Establishment; Nemoto, Makoto [Visible Information Center, Tokai, Ibaraki (Japan); Sato, Osamu [Mitsubishi Research Inst., Inc., Tokyo (Japan)

2000-03-01

Transmission and reflection data of concrete and steel for 6.2 MeV gamma-ray in the SKYSHINE code have been generated using up-to-date data and method with a view to improving an accuracy of results. The transmission and reflection data depend on energy and angle. The invariant embedding method, which has merits of producing no negative angular flux and of taking small computer time, is suitable and adopted to the present purpose. Transmission data were calculated for concrete of 12 {approx} 160 cm thick and steel of 4 {approx} 39 cm thick based on the PHOTX library. Reflection data were calculated for semi-infinite slabs of concrete and steel. Consequently, smooth and consistent differential data over whole angle and energy were obtained compared with the original data calculated by discrete ordinates Sn code and Monte Carlo code. In order to use these data in the SKYSHINE code, further verification is needed using various calculation method or experimental data. (author)

Fine Resolution Air Quality Monitoring from a Small Satellite: CHRIS/PROBA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Man Sing Wong

2008-11-01

Full Text Available Current remote sensing techniques fail to address the task of air quality monitoring over complex regions where multiple pollution sources produce high spatial variability. This is due to a lack of suitable satellite-sensor combinations and appropriate aerosol optical thickness (AOT retrieval algorithms. The new generation of small satellites, with their lower costs and greater flexibility has the potential to address this problem, with customised platform-sensor combinations dedicated to monitoring single complex regions or mega-cities. This paper demonstrates the ability of the European Space Agency’s small satellite sensor CHRIS/PROBA to provide reliable AOT estimates at a spatially detailed level over Hong Kong, using a modified version of the dense dark vegetation (DDV algorithm devised for MODIS. Since CHRIS has no middle-IR band such as the MODIS 2,100 nm band which is transparent to fine aerosols, the longest waveband of CHRIS, the 1,019 nm band was used to approximate surface reflectance, by the subtraction of an offset derived from synchronous field reflectance spectra. Aerosol reflectance in the blue and red bands was then obtained from the strong empirical relationship observed between the CHRIS 1,019 nm, and the blue and red bands respectively. AOT retrievals for three different dates were shown to be reliable, when compared with AERONET and Microtops II sunphotometers, and a Lidar, as well as air quality data at ground stations. The AOT images exhibited considerable spatial variability over the 11 x 11km image area and were able to indicate both local and long distance sources.

Perceptions of the use of reflective learning journals in online graduate nursing education.

Science.gov (United States)

Langley, Malinda E; Brown, Sylvia T

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of graduate nursing students and a small sample of faculty regarding learning outcomes associated with reflective learning journals (RLJ) in online education. Reflective journaling is used extensively in nursing curricula, yet few studies have explored perceptions of learning outcomes with online students, specifically those preparing to become nurse educators.An electronic survey was developed utilizing items associated with four learning outcomes of reflective journaling: professional development, personal growth, empowerment, and facilitation of the learning process. Positive outcomes such as the connection between theory and practice, recognition of strengths and weaknesses, and integration of new ideas and concepts were identified. Obstacles included the amount of time needed for reflection and grading, and the development of trust between students and faculty. The results of this study indicate that graduate students and faculty perceive positive learning outcomes with the use of reflective journals in online education.

Effect of FEL induced ionization on X-ray reflectivity of multilayers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ksenzov, Dmitriy; Grigorian, Souren; Pietsch, Ullrich [University of Siegen (Germany)

2009-07-01

The VUV-FEL in Hamburg (FLASH) emits short-pulse radiation with wavelengths from 6 to 30 nm and a pulse length of 10-50 fs. The FLASH wavelength allows x-ray diffraction experiments at periodical multilayer's structures acting as 1D crystal. The probe of depth selective interaction of the high-intense x-ray short pulse with these objects can be used to obtain information about possible electronic excitation and various recombination processes inside multilayers. As known from recent experiments at FLASH, the later ones are most likely using highly intense FEL radiation. The ML reflectivity is analyzed for case of that the optical parameters are changing as function of the depth of the penetrating incident pulse into the multilayer. The response is studied for the model system La/B{sub 4}C using two experimental conditions both at fixed incidence angle: 1) the energy of the incident pulses, E, coincides with the energy of the 1st order multilayer Bragg peak, E{sub B}, of the reflection curve, and 2) the energy of incident pulse differs by a small dE from E{sub B}. The ML response to a given sub-pulse differs for both conditions. However, there is a clear fingerprint of ionization for both conditions for the case that E is close to the K-absorption edge of B-atoms. Our results support respective efforts to measure the optical parameters of solids under high-intense FEL radiation.

[Nitrogen Losses Under the Action of Different Land Use Types of Small Catchment in Three Gorges Region].

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Cheng-long; Gao, Ming; Ni, Jiu-pai; Xie, De-ti; Deng, Hua

2016-05-15

As an independent water-collecting area, small catchment is the source of non-point source pollution in Three Gorges Region. Choosing 3 kinds of the most representative land-use types and using them to lay monitoring points of overland runoff within the small catchment of Wangjiagou in Fuling of Three Gorges Region, the author used the samples of surface runoff collected through the twelve natural rainfalls from May to December to analyze the feature of spatial-temporal change of Nitrogen's losses concentrations under the influence of different land use types and the hillslopes and small catchments composed by those land use types, revealing the relation between different land-use types and Nitrogen's losses of small catchments in Three Gorges Region. The result showed: the average losses concentration of TN showed the biggest difference for different land use types during the period of spring crops, and the average value of dry land was 1. 61 times and 6.73 times of the values of interplanting field of mulberry and paddy field, respectively; the change of the losses concentration of TN was most conspicuous in the 3 periods of paddy field. The main element was NO₃⁻-N, and the relation between TN and NO₃⁻-N showed a significant linear correlation. TN's and NO₃⁻-N's losses concentrations were significantly and positively correlated with the area ratio of corn and mustard, but got a significant negative correlation with the area ratio of paddy and mulberry; NH₄⁺-N's losses concentrations got a significant positive correlation with the area ratio of mustard. Among all the hillslopes composed by different land use types, TN's average losses concentration of surface runoff of the hillslope composed by interplantating field of mulberry and paddy land during the three periods was the lowest, and the values were 2.55, 11.52, 8.58 mg · L⁻¹, respectively; the hillslope of rotation plough land of corn and mustard had the maximum value, and the values were

Does reflection have an effect upon case-solving abilities of undergraduate medical students?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Koole Sebastiaan

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Reflection on professional experience is increasingly accepted as a critical attribute for health care practice; however, evidence that it has a positive impact on performance remains scarce. This study investigated whether, after allowing for the effects of knowledge and consultation skills, reflection had an independent effect on students’ ability to solve problem cases. Methods Data was collected from 362 undergraduate medical students at Ghent University solving video cases and reflected on the experience of doing so. For knowledge and consultation skills results on a progress test and a course teaching consultation skills were used respectively. Stepwise multiple linear regression analysis was used to test the relationship between the quality of case-solving (dependent variable and reflection skills, knowledge, and consultation skills (dependent variables. Results Only students with data on all variables available (n = 270 were included for analysis. The model was significant (Anova F(3,269 = 11.00, p  Conclusion Medical students’ reflection had a small but significant effect on case-solving, which supports reflection as an attribute for performance. These findings suggest that it would be worthwhile testing the effect of reflection skills training on clinical competence.

Quantifying Reflection

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Alcock, Gordon Lindsay

2013-01-01

´ These are all based on Blooms taxonomy and levels of competence and form a major part of individual student and group learning portfolios. Key Words :Project-Based learning, Reflective Portfolios, Self assessment, Defining learning gains, Developing learning strategies , Reflections on and for learning....... It contrasts the students’ self-assessment in a range of ‘product’ skills such as Revit, Structural Design, Mathematics of construction, Technical Installations; as well as ‘process’ competencies such as ‘Working in a team’, Sharing knowledge, Maintaining a portfolio and Reflecting ON learning and FOR learning......This paper documents 1st semester student reflections on “learning to learn” in a team-based PBL environment with quantitative and qualitative student reflective feedback on the learning gains of 60 Architectural Technology and Construction Management students at VIA University College, Denmark...

Temperature-reflection I

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

McGady, David A.

2017-01-01

-temperature path integrals for quantum field theories (QFTs) should be T-reflection invariant. Because multi-particle partition functions are equal to Euclidean path integrals for QFTs, we expect them to be T-reflection invariant. Single-particle partition functions though are often not invariant under T......In this paper, we revisit the claim that many partition functions are invariant under reflecting temperatures to negative values (T-reflection). The goal of this paper is to demarcate which partition functions should be invariant under T-reflection, and why. Our main claim is that finite...... that T-reflection is unrelated to time-reversal. Finally, we study the interplay between T-reflection and perturbation theory in the anharmonic harmonic oscillator in quantum mechanics and in Yang-Mills in four-dimensions. This is the first in a series of papers on temperature-reflections....

Quantum coherence in the reflection of above barrier wavepackets

Science.gov (United States)

Petersen, Jakob; Pollak, Eli

2018-02-01

The quantum phenomenon of above barrier reflection is investigated from a time-dependent perspective using Gaussian wavepackets. The transition path time distribution, which in principle is experimentally measurable, is used to study the mean flight times ⟨t⟩R and ⟨t⟩T associated with the reflection and the transmission over the barrier paying special attention to their dependence on the width of the barrier. Both flight times, and their difference Δt, exhibit two distinct regimes depending on the ratio of the spatial width of the incident wavepacket and the length of the barrier. When the ratio is larger than unity, the reflection and transmission dynamics are coherent and dominated by the resonances above the barrier. The flight times ⟨t⟩R/T and the flight time difference Δt oscillate as a function of the barrier width (almost in phase with the transmission probability). These oscillations reflect a momentum filtering effect related to the coherent superposition of the reflected and transmitted waves. For a ratio less than unity, the barrier reflection and transmission dynamics are incoherent and the oscillations are absent. The barrier width which separates the coherent and incoherent regimes is identified analytically. The oscillatory structure of the time difference Δt as a function of the barrier width in the coherent regime is absent when considered in terms of the Wigner phase time delays for reflection and transmission. We conclude that the Wigner phase time does not correctly describe the temporal properties of above barrier reflection. We also find that the structure of the reflected and transmitted wavepackets depends on the coherence of the process. In the coherent regime, the wavepackets can have an overlapping peak structure, but the peaks are not fully resolved. In the incoherent regime, the wavepackets split in time into distinct separated Gaussian like waves, each one reflecting the number of times the wavepacket crosses the barrier

Differences in practice patterns and costs between small cell and non-small cell lung cancer patients in Japan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuwabara, Kazuaki; Matsuda, Shinya; Fushimi, Kiyohide; Anan, Makoto; Ishikawa, Koichi B.; Horiguchi, Hiromasa; Hayashida, Kenshi; Fujimori, Kenji

2009-01-01

Many reports exist regarding the economic evaluation of evolving chemotherapeutic regimens or diagnostic images for lung cancer (LC) patients. However, it is not clear whether clinical information, such as pathological diagnosis or cancer stage, should be considered as a risk adjustment in lung cancer. This study compared the cost and practice patterns between small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) and non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) patients. 6,060 LC patients treated at 58 academic hospitals and 14,507 at 257 community hospitals were analyzed. Study variables included demographic variables, comorbid status, cancer stage, use of imaging and surgical procedures, type of adjuvant therapy (chemotherapy, radiation or chemoradiation), use of ten chemotherapeutic agents, length of stay (LOS), and total charges (TC; US$1=100 yen) in SCLC and NSCLC patients. The impact of pathological diagnosis on LOS and TC was investigated using multivariate analysis. We identified 3,571 SCLC and 16,996 NSCLC patients. The proportion of demographic and practice-process variables differed significantly between SCLC and NSCLC patients, including diagnostic imaging, adjuvant therapy and surgical procedures. Median LOS and TC were 20 days and US$6,015 for SCLC and 18 days and US$6,993 for NSCLC patients, respectively (p<0.001 for each variable). Regression analysis revealed that pathological diagnosis was not correlated with TC. Physicians should acknowledge that pathological diagnosis dose not accounts for any variation in cost of LC patients but that should remain as an indicator of appropriate care like selection of chemotherapeutic agents. (author)

Reflections on the different sides of idleness in contemporary times

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patrícia Zaczuk Bassinello

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Over the last century, idleness experienced a modernization and democratization process especially with the crisis of a society focused on work – the post-Industrial Revolution - and the emergence of new ideas that put the free time, the leisure and recreation in the role of structural elements of the new social context and like tools for the new ways of life. In this work, we we seek to focus on the significant aspects of reality and function of leisure in our time, clarifying their relationship with the processes of personal, social and economic innovation by establishing a balance of our acts in thinking the leisure and work and leisure and life from different angles of approach. In order to analyze this phenomenon, we were based on scientific sources which are representative in the context, and then we elaborated a general overview of the subject from the contributions of the bakhtinian perspectives. We observed that the increase in leisure options in the last decades of the twentieth century, along with the growth of the studies of the idleness phenomenon and its possibilities, allowed an evolution of its concepts, from activities or practices associated to the consumption and to digital entertainment, to its understanding as an experience whose key of the discussion is the subject living these experiences. We believe that this reflection about idleness may open possibilities of a better comprehension of its insertion in the social and human sciences field and, especially, in its contribution to a new attitude of the relational production, centered on the subject, which stimulates a society that creates and innovates goods and services and who deepens the studies of leisure from the dynamic experiential horizon to the right to the otherness and to its time – the own one and the others’ – such as "the right to unfunctionality", from listening to the other word.

Virtual reflections in electronic acoustic architecture

Science.gov (United States)

van Munster, Bjorn

2005-09-01

In the era of the ancient Greeks and Byzantines, the first attempts for increasing reverberation time are noted. In the 1950s, the Ambiophonic system accomplished this by means of an electronic device, for the first time. The early systems only increased the reverberation time by delaying the picked-up reverberation. With the introduction of multichannel feedback-based systems, the reverberation level also could be increased. Later, it was understood that it was important to also fill in the missing reflections, address reflection density, frequency dependence, etc. This resulted in the development of the SIAP concept. Current DSP technology led to the development of a processor whereby density, length, level, and the frequency content can be controlled for different areas in the same room or different rooms, leading to the concept of the acoustic server. electronic acoustic architecture has become the current state-of-the-art approach for solving acoustic deficiencies in, among others, rehearsal rooms, theaters, churches, and multipurpose venues. Incorporation of complementary passive acoustic solutions provides an optimum solution for all room problems. This paper discusses the utilization of virtual reflections in the new approach of electronic acoustic architecture for different environments. Measurements performed in the Sejong Performing Arts Centre, Seoul, South Korea, show the power of this approach.

Theory of reflection reflection and transmission of electromagnetic, particle and acoustic waves

CERN Document Server

Lekner, John

2016-01-01

This book deals with the reflection of electromagnetic and particle waves by interfaces. The interfaces can be sharp or diffuse. The topics of the book contain absorption, inverse problems, anisotropy, pulses and finite beams, rough surfaces, matrix methods, numerical methods,  reflection of particle waves and neutron reflection. Exact general results are presented, followed by long wave reflection, variational theory, reflection amplitude equations of the Riccati type, and reflection of short waves. The Second Edition of the Theory of Reflection is an updated and much enlarged revision of the 1987 monograph. There are new chapters on periodically stratified media, ellipsometry, chiral media, neutron reflection and reflection of acoustic waves. The chapter on anisotropy is much extended, with a complete treatment of the reflection and transmission properties of arbitrarily oriented uniaxial crystals. The book gives a systematic and unified treatment reflection and transmission of electromagnetic and particle...

Reflection of 32--2000 eV deuterium from carbon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Braun, M.; Thomas, E.W.

1982-01-01

Reflection of deuterium from carbon is measured by a technique based on the rise of partial pressure caused by the reflected particles. Data are presented for 32--2000 eV per deuteron incident energies and as a function of angle of incidence. The data are consistent with previous determinations at energies above 1000 eV. A systematic difference in energy dependence is found when the measurements for reflection of deuterium are compared on a reduced energy scale with MARLOWE computer simulations of hydrogen reflection

Cultivating Reflective Practitioners in Technology Preparation: Constructing TPACK through Reflection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liangyue Lu

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Teaching is a complex profession, which is further complicated by the integration of technology into classrooms. Reflection can help teachers unpack the complexity in their practice. Reflection can be an effective instructional strategy in helping preservice teachers develop technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK, the complex and dynamic knowledge necessary for effective technology integration into instruction. In this study, reflective activities were integrated into a Learning By Design (LBD environment, which was created to help preservice teachers develop TPACK. This paper investigated the participants’ TPACK development and examined how reflection helped them construct TPACK. Through content analysis of the participants’ reflective journals, the researcher found that the preservice teachers developed initial TPACK awareness. However, their reflection in technology knowledge and the content aspects of TPACK were limited and superficial. Interviews with the participants showed reflection helped the preservice teachers remember what they learned by describing and elaborating on their in-class experiences, pushed them to think about how to apply what they learned in their future classrooms, and helped them become more reflective and open-minded about using technology in classrooms. Finally, the researcher discussed this study’s implications for teacher educators and researchers.

The reflection component in NS LMXBs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D’Aí A.

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Thanks to the good spectral resolution and large effective area of the EPIC/PN instrument on board of XMM-Newton, we have at hand a large number of observations of accreting low-mass X-ray binaries, that allow for the fist time a comprehensive view on the characteristics of the reflection component at different accretion regimes and to probe the effects of a magnetosphere on its formation. We focus here on a comparative analysis of the reflection component from a series of spectroscopic studies on selected sources: 4U 1705-44, observed both in the soft and hard state, the pulsating ms pulsars SAX J1808.4-3658 and IGR J17511-3057, and the intermittent pulsar HETE J1900-2455. Although the sources can present very similar accretion rates and continuum shapes, the reflection parameters do not generally result the same, moreover the effect of a magnetosphere on the formation of the reflection component appears elusive.

Radar reflection off extensive air showers

CERN Document Server

Stasielak, J; Bertaina, M; Blümer, J; Chiavassa, A; Engel, R; Haungs, A; Huege, T; Kampert, K -H; Klages, H; Kleifges, M; Krömer, O; Ludwig, M; Mathys, S; Neunteufel, P; Pekala, J; Rautenberg, J; Riegel, M; Roth, M; Salamida, F; Schieler, H; Šmída, R; Unger, M; Weber, M; Werner, F; Wilczyński, H; Wochele, J

2012-01-01

We investigate the possibility of detecting extensive air showers by the radar technique. Considering a bistatic radar system and different shower geometries, we simulate reflection of radio waves off the static plasma produced by the shower in the air. Using the Thomson cross-section for radio wave reflection, we obtain the time evolution of the signal received by the antennas. The frequency upshift of the radar echo and the power received are studied to verify the feasibility of the radar detection technique.

Electro-optic polymeric reflection modulator based on plasmonic metamaterial

Science.gov (United States)

Abbas, A.; Swillam, M.

2018-02-01

A novel low power design for polymeric Electro-Optic reflection modulator is proposed based on the Extraordinary Reflection of light from multilayer structure consisting of a plasmonic metasurface with a periodic structure of sub wavelength circular apertures in a gold film above a thin layer of EO polymer and above another thin gold layer. The interference of the different reflected beams from different layer construct the modulated beam, The applied input driving voltage change the polymer refractive index which in turn determine whether the interference is constructive or destructive, so both phase and intensity modulation could be achieved. The resonant wavelength is tuned to the standard telecommunication wavelength 1.55μm, at this wavelength the reflection is minimum, while the absorption is maximum due to plasmonic resonance (PR) and the coupling between the incident light and the plasmonic metasurface.

Reflecting on reflection in interprofessional education: implications for theory and practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, Phillip G

2009-05-01

Interprofessional education (IPE) involves learning, and learning requires reflection. Educators need to "reflect more on reflection" if they are to be effective teachers in ensuring the learning outcomes essential for teamwork and interprofessional practice (IPP), including incorporating both theory and practice into the development of educational interventions. First, this discussion surveys the IPE-relevant literature on reflection, and then defines and refines the multidimensional concept of reflection as it relates to IPE in developing and implementing teamwork learning programs and experiences. Second, specific methods to promote reflection are presented and explored, including self-assessments, journaling, and written papers. Actual samples from student journals and assignments provide examples of the impacts of using these methods on participant reflection and learning. Finally, implications for an expanded understanding and application of reflection for IPE will be discussed, and recommendations made for educational practice and research in this area.

Relationships between pigment composition variation and reflectance for plant species from a coastal savannah in California

Science.gov (United States)

Ustin, Susan L.; Sanderson, Eric W.; Grossman, Yaffa; Hart, Quinn J.

1993-01-01

Advances in imaging spectroscopy have indicated that remotely sensed reflectance measurements of the plant canopy may be used to identify and qualify some classes of canopy biochemicals; however, the manner in which differences in biochemical compositions translate into differences is not well understood. Most frequently, multiple linear regression routines have been used to correlate narrow band reflectance values with measured biochemical concentrations. Although some success has been achieved with such methods for given data sets, the bands selected by multiple regression are not consistent between data sets, nor is it always clear what physical or biological basis underlies the correlation. To examine the relationship between biochemical concentration and leaf reflectance signal we chose to focus on the visible spectrum where the primary biochemical absorbances are due to photosynthetic pigments. Pigments provide a range of absorbance features, occur over a range of concentrations in natural samples, and are ecophysiologically important. Concentrations of chlorophyll, for example, have been strongly correlated to foliar nitrogen levels within a species and to photosynthetic capacity across many species. In addition pigments effectively absorb most of the photosynthetically active radiation between 400-700 nm, a spectral region for which silicon detectors have good signal/noise characteristics. Our strategy has been to sample a variety of naturally occurring species to measure leaf reflectance and pigment compositions. We hope to extend our understanding of pigment reflectance effects to interpret small overlapping absorbances of other biochemicals in the infrared region. For this reason, selected samples were also tested to determine total nitrogen, crude protein, cellulose, and lignin levels. Leaf reflectance spectra measured with AVIRIS bandwidths and wavelengths were compared between species and within species and for differences between seasons, for changes

NON-INVASIVE DETERMINATION OF THE LOCATION AND DISTRBUTION OF FREE-PHASE DENSE NONAQUEOUS PHASE LIQUIDS (DNAPL) BY SEISMIC REFLECTION TECHNIQUES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Waddell, Michael G.; Domoracki, William J.; Eyer, Jerome

2003-01-01

associated with the presence of high concentrations of CCl 4 . Based on the modeling results three different methods of AVO analysis were preformed on the seismic data: enhanced amplitude stacks, offset range limited stacks, and gradient stacks. Seismic models indicate that the reflection from the contact between the Hanford Fine and the Plio/Pleistocene should exhibit amplitude variations where there are high concentrations of CCl 4 . A series of different scenarios were modeled. The first scenario is the Hanford Fine pores are 100% saturated with CCl 4 and the underlying Plio/Pleistocene pores are saturated with air. In this scenario the reflection coefficients are slightly negative at the small angles of incidence and become increasing more negative at the larger angles of incidence (dim-out). The second scenario is the Hanford Fine pores are saturated with air and Plio/Pleistocene pores are saturated with CCl 4 . In this scenario the reflection coefficients are slightly positive at the small angles of incidence and become negative at the large angles of incidence (polarity reversal). Finally the third scenario is both the Hanford Fine and the Plio/Pleistocene pores are saturated CCl 4 . In this scenario the reflection coefficients at the small angles of incidence are slightly positive, but much less than background response, and with increasing angle of incidence the reflection coefficients become slightly more positive. On the field data areas where extraction wells have high concentrations of CCl 4 a corresponding dim-out and/or a polarity reversal is noted

NON-INVASIVE DETERMINATION OF THE LOCATION AND DISTRBUTION OF FREE-PHASE DENSE NONAQUEOUS PHASE LIQUIDS (DNAPL) BY SEISMIC REFLECTION TECHNIQUES

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Michael G. Waddell; William J. Domoracki; Jerome Eyer

2003-01-01

associated with the presence of high concentrations of CCl{sub 4}. Based on the modeling results three different methods of AVO analysis were preformed on the seismic data: enhanced amplitude stacks, offset range limited stacks, and gradient stacks. Seismic models indicate that the reflection from the contact between the Hanford Fine and the Plio/Pleistocene should exhibit amplitude variations where there are high concentrations of CCl{sub 4}. A series of different scenarios were modeled. The first scenario is the Hanford Fine pores are 100% saturated with CCl{sub 4} and the underlying Plio/Pleistocene pores are saturated with air. In this scenario the reflection coefficients are slightly negative at the small angles of incidence and become increasing more negative at the larger angles of incidence (dim-out). The second scenario is the Hanford Fine pores are saturated with air and Plio/Pleistocene pores are saturated with CCl{sub 4}. In this scenario the reflection coefficients are slightly positive at the small angles of incidence and become negative at the large angles of incidence (polarity reversal). Finally the third scenario is both the Hanford Fine and the Plio/Pleistocene pores are saturated CCl{sub 4}. In this scenario the reflection coefficients at the small angles of incidence are slightly positive, but much less than background response, and with increasing angle of incidence the reflection coefficients become slightly more positive. On the field data areas where extraction wells have high concentrations of CCl{sub 4} a corresponding dim-out and/or a polarity reversal is noted.

Trace elemental analysis of leaching solutions of hijiki seaweeds by a portable total reflection X-ray fluorescence spectrometer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Ying; Imashuku, Susumu; Kawai, Jun

2014-01-01

A portable total reflection X-ray fluorescence spectrometer (TXRF) was used to analyze leaching solutions of hijiki seaweeds. S, Cl, K, Ca, Ti, Fe, Ni, As and Br were detected in the solutions. Arsenic quantification results were compared to those from ICP-AES. The TXRF quantification results of arsenic were not significantly different from those of ICP-AES, as two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) method was applied to the significance test. This kind of small and high sensitive TXRF spectrometer can be used in food quality and environmental pollution investigation. (author)

PECULIAR FEATURES OF CRITERIA PERTAINING TO SMALL AND MEDIUM BUSINESS AND THEIR DIFFERENCE IN BELARUS, RUSSIA AND POLAND

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. P. Kozel

2009-01-01

Full Text Available There are definite criteria that help to classify individual entrepreneurs and organizations as small and medium business categories. Definition of an economic management subject as a small enterprise and an individual entrepreneur provides possibilities to obtain tax privileges and other preferences in some countries.The paper considers peculiar features of criteria that allow to define an economic management subject as a small and medium business in Belarus, Russia and Poland. Comparison has been carried out according to such criteria as average manpower, type of economic activity, annual turnover, purpose of the activity and founder staff.The comparative analysis has made it possible to reveal similar features and significant differences between criteria used for definition of small entrepreneurship in the above-mentioned countries. Corresponding conclusions in respect of Belarus are made in the paper. The paper also contains evaluation of application of some criteria in our country.

Study of the reflective behaviour of carbon fibres reinforced polymer composite up to 450°C

Science.gov (United States)

Le Louët, Violaine; Rousseau, Benoit; Le Corre, Steven; Boyard, Nicolas; Tardif, Xavier; Delmas, Jérôme; Delaunay, Didier

2017-10-01

This study aims at characterizing the radiative properties of a carbon/PEEK composite, a material known to be opaque for usual thicknesses and to scatter thermal radiation in the infrared spectral range. The scattering behaviour is probed here at room temperature with a variable angle reflectivity unit linked to a Fourier Transform InfraRed Spectrometer (0.6-25 µm), for different fibre orientations and various angles of incidence. Moreover, in order to study the influence of temperature, particularly of the polymer matrix melting, a compact cell, based on a customized resistive heater, is adapted to the sample compartment of the spectrometer to measure the thermal dependency of the normal reflectivity. The new sample holder can be used at a temperature ranging between 20 and 450°C and with a temperature stability lower than 0.1 K. For the carbon/PEEK composite, the effects of the polymer phase change are observed to be small, confirming the predominant role of carbon on those composites optical properties.

REFLECTIVE APPROACH IN TEACHING PRE-DEGREE CHEMISTRY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B. Venkateswara RAO

2009-04-01

Full Text Available The study is a component of a larger investigation that focuses on exemplary practice in chemistry education. This case study involves an investigation of a chemistry teacher in two years intermediate education in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, India. The study utilized an interpretive methodology in which the questions emerged from intensive observations of chemistry lessons in classes taught by a teacher. The principal finding was that a teacher focused on teaching for understanding. Once teacher tended to emphasize whole-class activities while the other times he utilized more small-group and individualized activities. The teacher was successful in his goal of teaching for understanding because he was effective classroom manager and he had strong science content knowledge that enabled him to focus on instructional strategies that facilitated student understanding. He asked appropriate questions, responded to student questions, and used effective cognitive monitoring strategies. The teacher was able to teach effectively because he had adequate content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge. Researcher adopted the method of action research to class room teaching where a classroom event triggers the process of reflection followed by critical analysis of the event which leads to change and subsequent reflection to observe that change and so on. He has taken two different texts to teach students. Out of two texts, one is explaining the metallurgy of Magnesium. In that case, he was successful as a teacher when he adopted comparative method of teaching metallurgy of Magnesium rather than the traditional method of teaching. The other one is explaining the properties of Hydrogen peroxide. In this case he was successful as a teacher by adopting discussion, interaction and discussion method.

Assessment of biases in MODIS surface reflectance due to Lambertian approximation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cook, Robert B [ORNL; SanthanaVannan, Suresh K [ORNL

2010-08-01

Using MODIS data and the AERONET-based Surface Reflectance Validation Network (ASRVN), this work studies errors of MODIS atmospheric correction caused by the Lambertian approximation. On one hand, this approximation greatly simplifies the radiative transfer model, reduces the size of the look-up tables, and makes operational algorithm faster. On the other hand, uncompensated atmospheric scattering caused by Lambertian model systematically biases the results. For example, for a typical bowl-shaped bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF), the derived reflectance is underestimated at high solar or view zenith angles, where BRDF is high, and is overestimated at low zenith angles where BRDF is low. The magnitude of biases grows with the amount of scattering in the atmosphere, i.e., at shorter wavelengths and at higher aerosol concentration. The slope of regression of Lambertian surface reflectance vs. ASRVN bidirectional reflectance factor (BRF) is about 0.85 in the red and 0.6 in the green bands. This error propagates into the MODIS BRDF/albedo algorithm, slightly reducing the magnitude of overall reflectance and anisotropy of BRDF. This results in a small negative bias of spectral surface albedo. An assessment for the GSFC (Greenbelt, USA) validation site shows the albedo reduction by 0.004 in the near infrared, 0.005 in the red, and 0.008 in the green MODIS bands.

The Difference Between Countermovement and Squat Jump Performances: A Review of Underlying Mechanisms With Practical Applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Van Hooren, Bas; Zolotarjova, Julia

2017-07-01

Van Hooren, B and Zolotarjova, J. The difference between countermovement and squat jump performances: a review of underlying mechanisms with practical applications. J Strength Cond Res 31(7): 2011-2020, 2017-Two movements that are widely used to monitor athletic performance are the countermovement jump (CMJ) and squat jump (SJ). Countermovement jump performance is almost always better than SJ performance, and the difference in performance is thought to reflect an effective utilization of the stretch-shortening cycle. However, the mechanisms responsible for the performance-enhancing effect of the stretch-shortening cycle are frequently undefined. Uncovering and understanding these mechanisms is essential to make an inference regarding the difference between the jumps. Therefore, we will review the potential mechanisms that explain the better performance in a CMJ as compared with a SJ. It is concluded that the difference in performance may primarily be related to the greater uptake of muscle slack and the buildup of stimulation during the countermovement in a CMJ. Elastic energy may also have a small contribution to an enhanced CMJ performance. Therefore, a larger difference between the jumps is not necessarily a better indicator of high-intensity sports performance. Although a larger difference may reflect the utilization of elastic energy in a small-amplitude CMJ as a result of a well-developed capability to co-activate muscles and quickly build up stimulation, a larger difference may also reflect a poor capability to reduce the degree of muscle slack and build up stimulation in the SJ. Because the capability to reduce the degree of muscle slack and quickly build up stimulation in the SJ may be especially important to high-intensity sports performance, training protocols might concentrate on attaining a smaller difference between the jumps.

IRAS surface brightness maps of visible reflection nebulae: evidence for non-equilibrium infrared emission

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Castelaz, M.W.; Werner, M.W.; Sellgren, K.

1986-01-01

Surface brightness maps at 12, 25, 60, and 100 microns of 16 visible reflection nebulae were extracted from the Infrared Astronomy Satellite (IRAS) database. The maps were produced by coadding IRAS survey scans over areas centered on the illuminating stars, and have spatial resolutions of 0.9' x 4' at 12 and 25 microns, 1.8' x 4.5' at 60 microns, and 3.6' x 5' at 100 microns. Extended emission in the four IRAS bandpasses was detected in fourteen of the reflection nebulae. The IRAS data were used to measure the flux of the infrared emission associated with each source. The energy distributions show that the 12 micron flux is greater than the 25 micron flux in 11 of the nebulae, and the peak flux occurs in the 60 or 100 micron bandpass in all 16 nebular. The 60 and 100 micron flux can be approximated by blackbodies with temperatures between 30 and 50 K, consistent with temperatures expected from extrapolation of greybody fits to the 60 and 100 micron data. The excess 12 and 25 micron emission is attributed to a nonequilibrium process such as emission from thermal fluctuations of very small grains excited by single ultraviolet photons, or emission from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) excited by ultraviolet radiation. The common features of the energy distributions of the 16 reflection nebulae, also seen in the reflection nebulae associated with the Pleiades, suggest that PAHs or very small grains may be found in most reflection nebulae

Shack-Hartmann reflective micro profilometer

Science.gov (United States)

Gong, Hai; Soloviev, Oleg; Verhaegen, Michel; Vdovin, Gleb

2018-01-01

We present a quantitative phase imaging microscope based on a Shack-Hartmann sensor, that directly reconstructs the optical path difference (OPD) in reflective mode. Comparing with the holographic or interferometric methods, the SH technique needs no reference beam in the setup, which simplifies the system. With a preregistered reference, the OPD image can be reconstructed from a single shot. Also, the method has a rather relaxed requirement on the illumination coherence, thus a cheap light source such as a LED is feasible in the setup. In our previous research, we have successfully verified that a conventional transmissive microscope can be transformed into an optical path difference microscope by using a Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor under incoherent illumination. The key condition is that the numerical aperture of illumination should be smaller than the numerical aperture of imaging lens. This approach is also applicable to characterization of reflective and slightly scattering surfaces.

Microanalysis of old violin varnishes by total-reflection X-ray fluorescence

Science.gov (United States)

von Bohlen, Alex; Meyer, Friedrich

1997-07-01

Total reflection X-ray fluorescence was used to characterize elements (with Z>13) contained in varnishes applied by prominent violin makers during the last five centuries. Direct analyses of small flakes with masses varnish. Higher amounts of Fe, As and Pb were found in old products, Mn, Co, Cu, Zn and Pb were used in more recent varnishes.

Direct Reflectance Measurements from Drones: Sensor Absolute Radiometric Calibration and System Tests for Forest Reflectance Characterization

Science.gov (United States)

Hakala, Teemu; Scott, Barry; Theocharous, Theo; Näsi, Roope; Suomalainen, Juha; Greenwell, Claire; Fox, Nigel

2018-01-01

Drone-based remote sensing has evolved rapidly in recent years. Miniaturized hyperspectral imaging sensors are becoming more common as they provide more abundant information of the object compared to traditional cameras. Reflectance is a physically defined object property and therefore often preferred output of the remote sensing data capture to be used in the further processes. Absolute calibration of the sensor provides a possibility for physical modelling of the imaging process and enables efficient procedures for reflectance correction. Our objective is to develop a method for direct reflectance measurements for drone-based remote sensing. It is based on an imaging spectrometer and irradiance spectrometer. This approach is highly attractive for many practical applications as it does not require in situ reflectance panels for converting the sensor radiance to ground reflectance factors. We performed SI-traceable spectral and radiance calibration of a tuneable Fabry-Pérot Interferometer -based (FPI) hyperspectral camera at the National Physical Laboratory NPL (Teddington, UK). The camera represents novel technology by collecting 2D format hyperspectral image cubes using time sequential spectral scanning principle. The radiance accuracy of different channels varied between ±4% when evaluated using independent test data, and linearity of the camera response was on average 0.9994. The spectral response calibration showed side peaks on several channels that were due to the multiple orders of interference of the FPI. The drone-based direct reflectance measurement system showed promising results with imagery collected over Wytham Forest (Oxford, UK). PMID:29751560

Direct Reflectance Measurements from Drones: Sensor Absolute Radiometric Calibration and System Tests for Forest Reflectance Characterization.

Science.gov (United States)

Hakala, Teemu; Markelin, Lauri; Honkavaara, Eija; Scott, Barry; Theocharous, Theo; Nevalainen, Olli; Näsi, Roope; Suomalainen, Juha; Viljanen, Niko; Greenwell, Claire; Fox, Nigel

2018-05-03

Drone-based remote sensing has evolved rapidly in recent years. Miniaturized hyperspectral imaging sensors are becoming more common as they provide more abundant information of the object compared to traditional cameras. Reflectance is a physically defined object property and therefore often preferred output of the remote sensing data capture to be used in the further processes. Absolute calibration of the sensor provides a possibility for physical modelling of the imaging process and enables efficient procedures for reflectance correction. Our objective is to develop a method for direct reflectance measurements for drone-based remote sensing. It is based on an imaging spectrometer and irradiance spectrometer. This approach is highly attractive for many practical applications as it does not require in situ reflectance panels for converting the sensor radiance to ground reflectance factors. We performed SI-traceable spectral and radiance calibration of a tuneable Fabry-Pérot Interferometer -based (FPI) hyperspectral camera at the National Physical Laboratory NPL (Teddington, UK). The camera represents novel technology by collecting 2D format hyperspectral image cubes using time sequential spectral scanning principle. The radiance accuracy of different channels varied between ±4% when evaluated using independent test data, and linearity of the camera response was on average 0.9994. The spectral response calibration showed side peaks on several channels that were due to the multiple orders of interference of the FPI. The drone-based direct reflectance measurement system showed promising results with imagery collected over Wytham Forest (Oxford, UK).

Spin analysis and new effects in reflectivity measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fermon, C.

1996-01-01

We present two new effects in polarized neutron reflectivity. We show that we have a non symmetric spin-flip signal in reflectivity measurements on magnetic films when the external field is not negligible. This phenomenon is due to different Larmor precessions for the two spin states and has to be taken into account in some experiments. The second effect is still not understood but we present results indicating that the specular reflection on a non magnetic surface can induce a neutron beam depolarization or rotation. (authors)

Monoenergetic particle transport in a semi-infinite medium with reflection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ganapol, B.D.

1993-01-01

Next to neutron or photon transport in infinite geometry, particle transport in semi-infinite geometry is probably the most investigated transport problem. When the mean free path for particle interaction is small compared to the physical dimension of the scattering medium, the infinite or semi-infinite geometry assumption is reasonable for a variety of applications. These include nondestructive testing, photon transport in plant canopies, and inverse problems associated with well logging. Another important application of the transport solution in a semi-infinite medium is as a benchmark to which other more approximate methods can be compared. In this paper, the transport solution in a semi-infinite medium with both diffuse and specular reflection at the free surface is solved analytically and numerically evaluated. The approach is based on a little-known solution obtained by Sobelev for the problem with specular reflection, which itself originates from the classical albedo problem solution without reflection. Using Sobelev's solution as a partial Green's function, the exiting flux for diffuse reflection can be obtained. In this way, the exiting flux for a half-space with both constant diffuse and specular reflection coefficients is obtained for the first time. This expression can then be extended to the complex plane to obtain the interior flux as an inverse Laplace transform, which is numerically evaluated

Memory: Enduring Traces of Perceptual and Reflective Attention

Science.gov (United States)

Chun, Marvin M.; Johnson, Marcia K.

2011-01-01

Attention and memory are typically studied as separate topics, but they are highly intertwined. Here we discuss the relation between memory and two fundamental types of attention: perceptual and reflective. Memory is the persisting consequence of cognitive activities initiated by and/or focused on external information from the environment (perceptual attention) and initiated by and/or focused on internal mental representations (reflective attention). We consider three key questions for advancing a cognitive neuroscience of attention and memory: To what extent do perception and reflection share representational areas? To what extent are the control processes that select, maintain, and manipulate perceptual and reflective information subserved by common areas and networks? During perception and reflection, to what extent are common areas responsible for binding features together to create complex, episodic memories and for reviving them later? Considering similarities and differences in perceptual and reflective attention helps integrate a broad range of findings and raises important unresolved issues. PMID:22099456

Memory: enduring traces of perceptual and reflective attention.

Science.gov (United States)

Chun, Marvin M; Johnson, Marcia K

2011-11-17

Attention and memory are typically studied as separate topics, but they are highly intertwined. Here we discuss the relation between memory and two fundamental types of attention: perceptual and reflective. Memory is the persisting consequence of cognitive activities initiated by and/or focused on external information from the environment (perceptual attention) and initiated by and/or focused on internal mental representations (reflective attention). We consider three key questions for advancing a cognitive neuroscience of attention and memory: to what extent do perception and reflection share representational areas? To what extent are the control processes that select, maintain, and manipulate perceptual and reflective information subserved by common areas and networks? During perception and reflection, to what extent are common areas responsible for binding features together to create complex, episodic memories and for reviving them later? Considering similarities and differences in perceptual and reflective attention helps integrate a broad range of findings and raises important unresolved issues. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Expression of acyl-CoA synthetase 5 reflects the state of villus architecture in human small intestine

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gassler, Nikolaus; Kopitz, Jürgen; Tehrani, Arman

2004-01-01

Several disorders of the small intestine are associated with disturbances in villus architecture. Thus, an understanding of the molecular mechanisms associated with the differentiation of villi represents an important step in the improvement of the understanding of small intestinal pathology......-CoA synthetase 5 pattern correlate with conversion of intestinal epithelial cells to a gastric phenotype. These results suggest that deranged acyl-CoA synthetase 5 expression, synthesis, and activity are closely related to the state of villus architecture and epithelial homeostasis in human small intestine....

Thoughts on Reflection (Editorial

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Denise Koufogiannakis

2010-06-01

Evidence in Practice section uses a standardized format enabling practitioners to share their experience of integrating research evidence into their practice. The final section of these brief articles asks the writers to reflect on their experience. Although it is not research, the individual reflection allies with what Schön (1983 called “reflection on action” and such reflections over time form a practical, tacit knowledge that we use to inform our work. Within this section of the journal, we hope readers will become more aware of how different types of evidence can be integrated into real‐world decision making. Not everything requires a full blown research study, and this section allows readers to see what other practitioners are doing, and in turn it should enable them to reflect upon what they are doing in their own practice. Being aware of situations where things may or may not have worked, and reflecting on the reasons why, brings together our sense of critical thought and practical experience that go a long way in filling the “librarian observed” and “professional judgements” parts of the EBLIP definition (Booth and Brice 2004. Acquiring professional knowledge does not end when we complete a graduate program, or have a certain number of years experience under our belts. It needs to be continually and consciously cultivated via reflection on our practice, our research, and simply what works and why. Research knowledge only takes us so far. People often ask me, “What do I do when there is no evidence? Or when the research evidence is weak?” Does this stop us from moving ahead? No. A decision still needs to be made. Evidence based practice is not only about acting when there is good evidence. Enhancing our professional judgments via a career built on analytical reflection, will provide knowledge that goes a long way towards making difficult decisions a little bit easier; even (or perhaps, especially in the cases when there is already a large body of

Reflection and absorption of ordinary waves in an inhomogeneous plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Croci, R.

1990-11-01

This study treats the system of Vlasov and Maxwell equations for the Fourier transform in space and time of a plasma referred to Cartesian coordinates with the coordinate z parallel to the uniform equilibrium magnetic field with the equilibrium plasma density dependent on ηx, where η is a parameter. The k y component of the wave vector is taken equal to zero, whereas k z is different from zero. When the interaction of ordinary and extraordinary waves is neglected, the Fourier transform of the electric field of the ordinary waves obeys a homogeneous integral equation with principal part integrals, which is solved in the case of weak absorption and sufficiently small η (essentially smaller than vacuum wave vector), but without limitations on the ratio of the wavelength to the Larmor radius (the usual approximation being limited to wavelengths much smaller than the Larmor radius). The reflection and transmission coefficients and the total energy absorption are given in this approximation, whereas the energy conservation theorem for the reflection and transmission coefficients in an absorption-free plasma are derived for every value of η without explicit knowledge of the solutions. Finally, a general and compact equation for the eigenvalues which does not require complex analysis and knowledge of all solutions of the dispersion relation is given. (orig.)

Matter reflects Antimatter

CERN Document Server

Bianconi, A.; Cristiano, A.; Leali, M.; Lodi Rizzini, E.; Venturelli, L.; Zurlo, N.

2008-01-01

It is common belief that the interaction between antimatter and ordinary solid matter is dominated by annihilation. However, non-destructive processes may play a relevant role too. One century ago E. Rutherford wrote about the "diffuse reflection" of alpha and beta particles by thin layers of different metals: "The observations ... of Geiger and Marsden on the scattering of alpha rays indicate that some of the alpha particles must suffer a deflexion of more than a right angle at a single encounter.... It will be shown that the main deductions from the theory are independent of whether the central charge is supposed to be positive or negative". Although the theory of electromagnetic scattering is in first approximation independent of the relative sign of the colliding particles, in the case where projectile antiprotons are shot against a wall of solid matter the Rutherford diffuse reflection mechanism competes with the annihilation process. So it is not obvious at all that a relevant part of an antiproton beam...

Radar reflection off extensive air showers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Werner F.

2013-06-01

Full Text Available We investigate the possibility of detecting extensive air showers by the radar technique. Considering a bistatic radar system and different shower geometries, we simulate reflection of radio waves off the static plasma produced by the shower in the air. Using the Thomson cross-section for radio wave reflection, we obtain the time evolution of the signal received by the antennas. The frequency upshift of the radar echo and the power received are studied to verify the feasibility of the radar detection technique.

Size matters: pitch dimensions constrain inter-team distances and surface area difference in small-sided soccer games

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Frencken, Wouter; van der Plaats, Jorrit; Visscher, Chris; Lemmink, Koen

2013-01-01

Pitch size varies in official soccer matches and differently sized pitches are adopted for tactical purposes in small-sided training games. Since interactive team behaviour emerges under con- straints, the authors evaluate the effect of pitch size (task) manipulations on interactive team behaviour

Euclidean mirrors: enhanced vacuum decay from reflected instantons

Science.gov (United States)

Akal, Ibrahim; Moortgat-Pick, Gudrid

2018-05-01

We study the tunnelling of virtual matter–antimatter pairs from the quantum vacuum in the presence of a spatially uniform, time-dependent electric background composed of a strong, slow field superimposed with a weak, rapid field. After analytic continuation to Euclidean spacetime, we obtain from the instanton equations two critical points. While one of them is the closing point of the instanton path, the other serves as an Euclidean mirror which reflects and squeezes the instanton. It is this reflection and shrinking which is responsible for an enormous enhancement of the vacuum pair production rate. We discuss how important features of two different mechanisms can be analysed and understood via such a rotation in the complex plane. (a) Consistent with previous studies, we first discuss the standard assisted mechanism with a static strong field and certain weak fields with a distinct pole structure in order to show that the reflection takes place exactly at the poles. We also discuss the effect of possible sub-cycle structures. We extend this reflection picture then to weak fields which have no poles present and illustrate the effective reflections with explicit examples. An additional field strength dependence for the rate occurs in such cases. We analytically compute the characteristic threshold for the assisted mechanism given by the critical combined Keldysh parameter. We discuss significant differences between these two types of fields. For various backgrounds, we present the contributing instantons and perform analytical computations for the corresponding rates treating both fields nonperturbatively. (b) In addition, we also study the case with a nonstatic strong field which gives rise to the assisted dynamical mechanism. For different strong field profiles we investigate the impact on the critical combined Keldysh parameter. As an explicit example, we analytically compute the rate by employing the exact reflection points. The validity of the predictions

Reflection as a Learning Tool in Graduate Medical Education: A Systematic Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Winkel, Abigail Ford; Yingling, Sandra; Jones, Aubrie-Ann; Nicholson, Joey

2017-08-01

Graduate medical education programs employ reflection to advance a range of outcomes for physicians in training. However, the most effective applications of this tool have not been fully explored. A systematic review of the literature examined interventions reporting the use of reflection in graduate medical education. The authors searched Medline/PubMed, Embase, Cochrane CENTRAL, and ERIC for studies of reflection as a teaching tool to develop medical trainees' capacities. Key words and subject headings included reflection , narrative , residents/GME , and education / teaching / learning . No language or date limits were applied. The search yielded 1308 citations between inception for each database and June 15, 2015. A total of 16 studies, encompassing 477 residents and fellows, met eligibility criteria. Study quality was assessed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme Qualitative Checklist. The authors conducted a thematic analysis of the 16 articles. Outcomes studied encompassed the impact of reflection on empathy, comfort with learning in complex situations, and engagement in the learning process. Reflection increased learning of complex subjects and deepened professional values. It appears to be an effective tool for improving attitudes and comfort when exploring difficult material. Limitations include that most studies had small samples, used volunteers, and did not measure behavioral outcomes. Critical reflection is a tool that can amplify learning in residents and fellows. Added research is needed to understand how reflection can influence growth in professional capacities and patient-level outcomes in ways that can be measured.

A novel reflectance-based aptasensor using gold nanoparticles for the detection of oxytetracycline.

Science.gov (United States)

Seo, Ho Bin; Kwon, Young Seop; Lee, Ji-eun; Cullen, David; Noh, Hongseok Moses; Gu, Man Bock

2015-10-07

We present a novel reflectance-based colorimetric aptasensor using gold nanoparticles for the detection of oxytetracycline for the first time. It was found that the reflectance-based measurement at two wavelengths (650 and 520 nm) can generate more stable and sensitive signals than absorbance-based sensors to determine the aggregation of AuNPs, even at high AuNP concentrations. One of the most common antibacterial agents, oxytetracycline (OTC), was detected at concentrations as low as 1 nM in both buffer solution and tap water, which was 25-fold more sensitive, compared to the previous absorbance-based colorimetric aptasensors. This reflectance-based colorimetric aptasensor using gold nanoparticles is considered to be a better platform for portable sensing of small molecules using aptamers.

Enhancement of phase-conjugate reflectivity using Zeeman coherence in highly degenerate molecular systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mukherjee, Nandini

2010-01-01

A comprehensive theoretical analysis is developed for the vectorial phase conjugation using resonant four-wave mixing (FWM) in a highly degenerate rotational vibrational molecular system. The dynamic Stark shifts, saturation, and Doppler broadening are included for a realistic analysis. It is shown that the electromagnetically induced multilevel coherence controls the nonlinear wave mixing yielding interesting results for the phase conjugate (PC) reflectivity. It turns out that the efficiency of the PC reflectivity is decided by the relative phase of the Zeeman coherence and the population grating. When these two contributions are aligned in phase by a small detuning of the pump frequency, a large PC reflectivity (∼20%) is obtained with moderate pump intensity (∼500 mW/cm 2 ).

Republic of technology: reflections on our future community

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Boorstin, D.J.

1978-01-01

In this book, Mr. Boorstin illuminates our everyday concerns with the author's reflections on the new meaning of technology for America and of America for technology. He gives us a bold new view of the two kinds of revolution - the political and technological - and shows us how and why they are different, and why technological revolutions are irreversible. We are a center from which radiate forces that converge human experience everywhere. Though people around the world may not love one another any more than they did, yet their ways of life tend to become more and more alike. These same overwhelming forces of technology that homogenize the culture of the human race have disrupted the international community of nations; large and small nations become equal, but each day the word nation grows more meaningless. Ideology, tribalism, nationalism, the crusading spirit in religion, bigotry, censorship, racism, persecution, immigration and emigration restriction, tariffs, and chauvinism do interpose barriers and these are explored in this controversial book. These barriers will only be temporary. The converging powers of technology will eventually triumph.

[Relationship between simulated acid rain stress and leaf reflectance].

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Xiao-dong; Jiang, Hong; Yu, Shu-quan; Zhou, Guo-mo; Jiang, Zi-shan

2010-01-01

Acid rain is a worldwide environmental problem. Serious acid rain pollution in subtropical China has constituted a potential threat to the health of the local forest. In the present paper, the changing properties of the chlorophyll concentration and spectral reflectance at the visible wavelengths for the six subtropical broad-leaved tree species leaves under simulated acid rain (SAR) treatment with different pH levels were studied. With the increasing strength of the SAR, the chlorophyll concentrations of the experimental species under pH 2.5 and pH 4.0 treatment were higher than that under pH 5.6; the spectral reflectance at the visible wavelengths for pH 2.5 and pH 4.0 were lower than that for pH 5.6 in general; while there weren't significant differences between pH 2.5 and pH 4.0. After the treatment with different levels of SAR, the differences in spectral reflectance at the visible wavelengths mainly focused around the green peak and red edge on the reflectance curve. The subtropical broad-leaved tree species studied were relatively not sensitive to acid rain stresses; some stronger acid rain may accelerate the growth of the tree species used here to some extent.

Floods on small streams in North Carolina, probable magnitude and frequency

Science.gov (United States)

Hinson, Herbert G.

1965-01-01

The magnitude and frequency of floods are defined regionally for small streams (drainage area, 1 to 150 sq mi) in North Carolina. Composite frequency curves for each of two regions relate the magnitude of the annual flood, in ratio to the mean annual flood, to recurrence intervals of 1.1 to 50 years. In North Carolina, the mean annual flood (Q2.33) is related to drainage area (A) by the following equation: Q2. 33 = GA0.66, where G, the geographic factor, is the product of a statewide coefficient (US) times a correction which reflects differences in basin characteristics. Isograms of the G factor covering the State are presented.

Sex differences in emotion recognition: Evidence for a small overall female superiority on facial disgust.

Science.gov (United States)

Connolly, Hannah L; Lefevre, Carmen E; Young, Andrew W; Lewis, Gary J

2018-05-21

Although it is widely believed that females outperform males in the ability to recognize other people's emotions, this conclusion is not well supported by the extant literature. The current study sought to provide a strong test of the female superiority hypothesis by investigating sex differences in emotion recognition for five basic emotions using stimuli well-calibrated for individual differences assessment, across two expressive domains (face and body), and in a large sample (N = 1,022: Study 1). We also assessed the stability and generalizability of our findings with two independent replication samples (N = 303: Study 2, N = 634: Study 3). In Study 1, we observed that females were superior to males in recognizing facial disgust and sadness. In contrast, males were superior to females in recognizing bodily happiness. The female superiority for recognition of facial disgust was replicated in Studies 2 and 3, and this observation also extended to an independent stimulus set in Study 2. No other sex differences were stable across studies. These findings provide evidence for the presence of sex differences in emotion recognition ability, but show that these differences are modest in magnitude and appear to be limited to facial disgust. We discuss whether this sex difference may reflect human evolutionary imperatives concerning reproductive fitness and child care. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Properties of light reflected from road signs in active imaging for driving safety

Science.gov (United States)

Halstuch, Aviran; Yitzhaky, Yitzhak

2007-10-01

Night-vision systems in vehicles are a new emerging technology. A crucial problem in active (illumination-based) systems is distortion of images by saturation and blooming, due to strong retro-reflections from road signs. In this work we quantified this phenomenon. We measured the Mueller matrices and the polarization state of the reflected light from three different types of road signs commonly used. Measurements of the reflected intensity were taken also with respect to the angle of reflection. We found that different types of signs have different reflection properties. It is concluded from our measurements that the optimal solution for attenuating the retro-reflected intensity is using a linear horizontal polarized light source and a linear vertical polarizer. Unfortunately, while the performance of this solution is good for two types of road signs, it is less efficient for the third sign type.

Reflective learning in community-based dental education.

Science.gov (United States)

Deogade, Suryakant C; Naitam, Dinesh

2016-01-01

Community-based dental education (CBDE) is the implementation of dental education in a specific social context, which shifts a substantial part of dental clinical education from dental teaching institutional clinics to mainly public health settings. Dental students gain additional value from CBDE when they are guided through a reflective process of learning. We propose some key elements to the existing CBDE program that support meaningful personal learning experiences. Dental rotations of 'externships' in community-based clinical settings (CBCS) are year-long community-based placements and have proven to be strong learning environments where students develop good communication skills and better clinical reasoning and management skills. We look at the characteristics of CBDE and how the social and personal context provided in communities enhances dental education. Meaningfulness is created by the authentic context, which develops over a period of time. Structured reflection assignments and methods are suggested as key elements in the existing CBDE program. Strategies to enrich community-based learning experiences for dental students include: Photographic documentation; written narratives; critical incident reports; and mentored post-experiential small group discussions. A directed process of reflection is suggested as a way to increase the impact of the community learning experiences. We suggest key elements to the existing CBDE module so that the context-rich environment of CBDE allows for meaningful relations and experiences for dental students and enhanced learning.

DIRECTIONS OF THE SMALL-SCALE ENTERPRISES FINANCIAL STABILITY GROTH IN THE REGION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A.Y. Makarova

2008-12-01

Full Text Available Directions of the small-scale business financial stability increase, focused on its economic power strengthening, are offered. They are connected with development of the external factors of financial stability and the internal factors including orientation of the small enterprises in strategic management on the company's value growth. Applicability of a balanced scorecard which fully reflects interrelation of small enterprises’ both financial and non-financial indicators of work to maintenance those small enterprises’ growth of cost and their embedding into the system of the economic power of state and large business is proved.

Modeling Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function of One-dimensional Random Rough Surfaces with the Finite Difference Time Domain Method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Min-Jhong Gu

2014-08-01

Full Text Available This article describes the development of a suite of programs that is capable of simulating the radiation properties of a random rough surface (RRS. The fundamental approach involves the generation, by fast Fourier transform (FFT built with rigorous finite difference time domain (FDTD, as the theoretical basis for the simulation of a bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF of the RRS. The results are compared with the measurements and modeling of existing work to verify the feasibility of customized programming. It was found that the results of this study were a better match to the measurement data than those achieved in other modeling work.

Preliminary Studies on the Reflectance Characteristics of graphene/SiO2 under Different Applied Voltages for Optical Modulation Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Beh, K. P.; Yam, F. K.; Abdalrheem, Raed; Ng, Y. Z.; Suhaimi, F. H. A.; Lim, H. S.; Mat Jafri, M. Z.

2018-04-01

A preliminary study on the interband transition of graphene was done via reflectance spectra of graphene/SiO2 sample at various applied potential. Prior to that, Raman spectroscopy and four-point probe measurement was done on graphene/SiO2 sample. It was found that the sample consisted of monolayer graphene with sheet resistance around 402.32 Ω/□. Post-processing of the reflectance data lead to the plot of ratio of change in reflectance towards reflectance at 0 V (ΔR/R) against applied potential. From there, the ratio increases along with applied potential, indicative of higher absorption due to interband transition.

PRELIMINARY STUDY ON RETRO-REFLECTIVE COATED PAPER BASED ON MICRO-GLASS BEADS

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Yulong Wang; Chuanshan Zhao; Tao Zhang

2004-01-01

High-reflectivity micro-glass bead, as a kind of retro-reflective material, is widely used in reflective fabric or film and other reflective coatings. But it is rarely used in coated paper. The retro-reflective theory of micro-bead is described. Also the effect of size of micro-bead, dosage of binder and different color layers on reflective properties of coated paper are discussed in this article. The results show that its retro-reflective efficiency is good, equally to reflective fabric or film when the micro-glass bead is used in coated paper.

Taking the learning beyond the individual: how reflection informs change in practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Muir, Fiona; Scott, Mairi; McConville, Kevin; Watson, Kenneth; Behbehani, Kazem; Sukkar, Faten

2014-02-08

The purpose of this research was to explore the value of reflection and its application to practice through the implementation of educational modules within a new Diabetes Care and Education Master Degree Programme in Kuwait, and to realise how this teaching intervention informs changes in practice. A small exploratory case study was conducted within the Dasman Diabetes Institute, Kuwait. A qualitative approach using focus group interviews was carried out with seventeen participants all of whom are studying on the Diabetes Care and Education Master Degree Programme in Kuwait. An inductive approach to thematic analysis, which focused on examining themes within data, was performed. The results indicate that participants value the opportunity to study through organised, structured and assessed reflection. The learning provides useful information and support to the participant by highlighting the role which reflection plays to enhance personal and professional development, the value of educational theory, continuing professional development, collaboration and enhancing patient education and practice. The significance of reflection is often seen in the literature as an important aspect of professional competence. This research has highlighted the value of reflection as a key component within a new educational programme.

Maternal reflective functioning among mothers with childhood maltreatment histories: links to sensitive parenting and infant attachment security.

Science.gov (United States)

Stacks, Ann M; Muzik, Maria; Wong, Kristyn; Beeghly, Marjorie; Huth-Bocks, Alissa; Irwin, Jessica L; Rosenblum, Katherine L

2014-01-01

This study examined relationships among maternal reflective functioning, parenting, infant attachment, and demographic risk in a relatively large (N = 83) socioeconomically diverse sample of women with and without a history of childhood maltreatment and their infants. Most prior research on parental reflective functioning has utilized small homogenous samples. Reflective functioning was assessed with the Parent Development Interview, parenting was coded from videotaped mother-child interactions, and infant attachment was evaluated in Ainsworth's Strange Situation by independent teams of reliable coders masked to maternal history. Reflective functioning was associated with parenting sensitivity and secure attachment, and inversely associated with demographic risk and parenting negativity; however, it was not associated with maternal maltreatment history or PTSD. Parenting sensitivity mediated the relationship between reflective functioning and infant attachment, controlling for demographic risk. Findings are discussed in the context of prior research on reflective functioning and the importance of targeting reflective functioning in interventions.

Prospects of technology adoption in small pump schemes in the River Nile State, Sudan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahmed, A. T.; Hashim, A. A.

2010-01-01

Linear programming was used to simulate the farming systems of small pump schemes in Shendi Area, River Nile State, Sudan, to assess the prospect for technology use in cool-season food legumes and wheat. Different production activities, with respect to target crops, were identified to reflect different technology levels. The model constraints were the pump capacity, the scheme size and family labour. Alternative versions of the model were developed to examine possible production options that exist and to examine the effects of alternative resource levels and policy options, which are likely to affects adoption. The model results revealed that while farmers traditional practices were not economically feasible options, tendency is for adoption of medium rather than the recommended high technology levels. This reflects actual farmers behaviour, particularly for irrigation water, and indicates that water is the main resource constraint. The results also showed that the technology is not well supported by the traditional institutions of production relation, which create conflicting perception between resource owner to wards technology use.(Author)

Chat It Up: Backchanneling to Promote Reflective Practice among In-Service Teachers

Science.gov (United States)

Kassner, Laura D.; Cassada, Kate M.

2017-01-01

In a graduate education course geared toward developing reflective teaching practice in in-service teachers, backchannels, in the form of chat rooms, were employed in small groups to facilitate peer feedback during viewings of video recorded instruction. This study examined the nature and quality of peer feedback exchanged in the digital medium…

Water Pollution Detection by Reflectance Measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Goolsby, A. D.

1971-01-01

Measurement of the intensity of light reflected from various planar liquid surfaces has been performed. The results of this brief study show that the presence of a film of foreign material floating on a reference substrate is easily detected by reflectance measurement if the two liquids possess significantly different refractive indices, for example, oil (n = 1.40) and water (n = 1.33). Additional study of various optical configurations, and the building and testing of a prototype monitoring device revealed that the method is sufficiently practical for application to continuous water quality monitoring.

Peer group reflection helps clinical teachers to critically reflect on their teaching.

Science.gov (United States)

Boerboom, Tobias B B; Jaarsma, Debbie; Dolmans, Diana H J M; Scherpbier, Albert J J A; Mastenbroek, Nicole J J M; Van Beukelen, Peter

2011-01-01

Student evaluations can help clinical teachers to reflect on their teaching skills and find ways to improve their teaching. Studies have shown that the mere presentation of student evaluations is not a sufficient incentive for teachers to critically reflect on their teaching. We evaluated and compared the effectiveness of two feedback facilitation strategies that were identical except for a peer reflection meeting. In this study, 54 clinical teachers were randomly assigned to two feedback strategies. In one strategy, a peer reflection was added as an additional step. All teachers completed a questionnaire evaluating the strategy that they had experienced. We analysed the reflection reports and the evaluation questionnaire. Both strategies stimulated teachers to reflect on feedback and formulate alternative actions for their teaching practice. The teachers who had participated in the peer reflection meeting showed deeper critical reflection and more concrete plans to change their teaching. All feedback strategies were considered effective by the majority of the teachers. Strategies with student feedback and self-assessment stimulated reflection on teaching and helped clinical teachers to formulate plans for improvement. A peer reflection meeting seemed to enhance reflection quality. Further research should establish whether it can have lasting effects on teaching quality.

Fiber optics reflectance spectroscopy (45°x: 45°) for color analysis of dental composite.

Science.gov (United States)

Gargano, Marco; Ludwig, Nicola; Federighi, Veronica; Sykes, Ros; Lodi, Giovanni; Sardella, Andrea; Carrassi, Antonio; Varoni, Elena M

2016-08-01

To evaluate the application of a fiber optic reflectance spectroscopy (FORS) prototype probe for 45°x: 45° FORS for determining color of dental materials. A portable spectrophotometer with a highly manageable fiber optics co-axial probe was used to apply 45°x: 45° FORS for color matching in restorative dentistry. The color coordinates in CIELAB space of two dental shade guides and of the corresponding photopolymerized composites were collected and compared. The 45°x: 45° FORS with the co-axial probe (test system), the integrating sphere spectroscopy (reference system) and a commercial dental colorimeter (comparator system) were used to collect data and calculate color differences (ΔE and ΔE00). FORS system displayed high repeatability, reproducibility and accuracy. ΔE and ΔE00 values between the shade-guide, each other, and the corresponding composites resulted above the clinically acceptable limit. The 45°x: 45° FORS test system demonstrated suitable in vitro performance for dental composite color evaluation. 45°x: 45° fiber optic reflectance spectroscopy allows reliable color analysis of small surfaces of dental composites, favoring the color matching of material with the closely surrounding dental tissue, and confirming significant color differences between shade guide tabs and photo-polymerized composites.

Using reflectance spectroscopy to predict beef tenderness.

Science.gov (United States)

Bowling, M B; Vote, D J; Belk, K E; Scanga, J A; Tatum, J D; Smith, G C

2009-05-01

A study was conducted to determine if reflectance measurements made in the near-infrared region of the spectrum were additive to reflectance measurements made in the visible region of the spectrum for predicting Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF) values. Eighty seven strip loins were collected following fabrication over 3d at a commercial beef processing facility from heifer carcasses with Slight or Traces marbling scores. Spectroscopic measurements were made at approximately 50h postmortem using a Hunter-Lab UltraScan. Subsequently, all strip loins were aged for 14d, cooked to an internal temperature of 70°C, and sheared to obtain WBSF values. Reflectance measurements obtained in the near-infrared region of the spectrum were correlated with WBSF values, however, these measurements were not additive to the predictive ability of reflectance measurements (R(2) values did not differ) made in the visible portion of the spectrum when the use of broad-band wavelength filters were simulated. It was therefore determined, that both the visible and near-infrared spectra measure reflectance and that both methods are acceptable methods of tenderness prediction.

Light incoupling in small molecule organic solar cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Allinger, Nikola; Meiss, Jan; Riede, Moritz; Leo, Karl [Institut fuer Angewandte Photophysik, Technische Universitaet Dresden, 01069 Dresden (Germany); Gnehr, Wolf-Michael [Heliatek GmbH, Liebigstrasse 26, 01187 Dresden (Germany)

2008-07-01

Light incoupling is an essential topic for optimization of organic solar cells. In our group, we examine light incoupling of different kinds of transparent contacting materials as well as external dielectric coatings, using optical simulation of thin film systems and experimental methods. Thin films of small molecules are prepared by thermal evaporation in a multi-chamber UHV system. Complex refraction indices of various materials are calculated from reflection and transmission measurements of monolayers. For modelling of optical properties of thin film systems, we developed a numerical simulation program based on the transfer matrix method. The cell structures investigated consist of nanolayers of small molecules, using ZnPc/C60 as an acceptor-donor heterojunction. As contact materials, we compare the expensive standard material indium tin oxide (ITO) with more cost-efficient alternatives like thin Ag layers or spin-coated layers of the polymer PEDOT:PSS, and discuss the resulting cell properties. Additional dielectric layers of varying materials, like tris(8-hydroxy-quinolinate)-aluminum (Alq3) or N,N'-tetrakis(4-methoxyphenyl)-benzidine (MeO-TPD), are deposited on top of the stack and their influence on cell efficiencies is investigated.

Generalized laws of reflection and refraction from transformation optics

OpenAIRE

Xu, Yadong; Yao, Kan; Chen, Huanyang

2012-01-01

Based on transformation optics, we introduce another set of generalized laws of reflection and refraction (differs from that of [Science 334, 333 (2011)]), through which a transformation media slab is derived as a meta-surface, producing anomalous reflection and refraction for all polarizations of incident light.

Medial prefrontal cortex subserves diverse forms of self-reflection.

Science.gov (United States)

Jenkins, Adrianna C; Mitchell, Jason P

2011-01-01

The ability to think about oneself--to self--reflect--is one of the defining features of the human mind. Recent research has suggested that this ability may be subserved by a particular brain region: the medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC). However, although humans can contemplate a variety of different aspects of themselves, including their stable personality traits, current feelings, and physical attributes, no research has directly examined the extent to which these different forms of self-reflection are subserved by common mechanisms. To address this question, participants were scanned using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) while making judgments about their own personality traits, current mental states, and physical attributes as well as those of another person. Whereas some brain regions responded preferentially during only one form of self-reflection, a robust region of MPFC was engaged preferentially during self-reflection across all three types of judgment. These results suggest that--although dissociable--diverse forms of self-referential thought draw on a shared cognitive process subserved by MPFC.

Beyond the Margins: Reflective Writing and Development of Reflective Capacity in Medical Education

Science.gov (United States)

Reis, Shmuel P.

2010-01-01

Reflective capacity has been described as an essential characteristic of professionally competent clinical practice, core to ACGME competencies. Reflection has been recently linked to promoting effective use of feedback in medical education and associated with improved diagnostic accuracy, suggesting promising outcomes. There has been a proliferation of reflective writing pedagogy within medical education to foster development of reflective capacity, extend empathy with deepened understanding of patients’ experience of illness, and promote practitioner well-being. At Alpert Med, “interactive” reflective writing with guided individualized feedback from interdisciplinary faculty to students’ reflective writing has been implemented in a Doctoring course and Family Medicine clerkship as an educational method to achieve these aims. Such initiatives, however, raise fundamental questions of reflection definition, program design, efficacy of methods, and outcomes assessment. Within this article, we consider opportunities and challenges associated with implementation of reflective writing curricula for promotion of reflective capacity within medical education. We reflect upon reflection. PMID:20407840

In situ differential reflectance spectroscopy of thin crystalline films of PTCDA on different substrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Proehl, Holger; Nitsche, Robert; Dienel, Thomas; Leo, Karl; Fritz, Torsten

2005-01-01

We report an investigation of the excitonic properties of thin crystalline films of the archetypal organic semiconductor PTCDA (3,4,9,10-perylenetetracarboxylic dianhydride) grown on poly- and single crystalline surfaces. A sensitive setup capable of measuring the optical properties of ultrathin organic molecular crystals via differential reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) is presented. This tool allows to carry out measurements in situ, i.e., during the actual film growth, and over a wide spectral range, even on single crystalline surfaces with high symmetry or metallic surfaces, where widely used techniques like reflection anisotropy spectroscopy (RAS) or fluorescence excitation spectroscopy fail. The spectra obtained by DRS resemble mainly the absorption of the films if transparent substrates are used, which simplifies the analysis. In the case of mono- to multilayer films of PTCDA on single crystalline muscovite mica(0001) and Au(111) substrates, the formation of the solid state absorption from monomer to dimer and further to crystal-like absorption spectra can be monitored

Views of Nursing Students about Reflection: A Qualitative Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marrzieh Moattari

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Background and purpose: The phenomenon of knowledge explosion has led teachers to feel the necessity of training students so that they become reflective thinkers. This issue is particularly important for nursing students who are responsible for providing care for patients. The purpose ofthis study is exploration of nursing students’ views on reflection on practice.Methods: Twenty senior nursing students participated in this study. They were asked to reflect on their clinical experiences for 10 weeks of their final clinical course. They were also asked to write their reflection in their weekly journals. The journals were studied by the researcher and appropriatefeedback was given to the student regarding their reflective writing. At the end of the clinical course, they were divided into 2 groups to participate in 2 separate focus group session and to discuss the issues regarding 9 proposed open – ended questions. The students’ responses were tape – recorded and a transcript was made and analyzed qualitatively. The data were coded and categorized. Then each category was named to elicit the related constructs.Results: Qualitative data analysis showed that refection as a learning strategy has impact on 5 different elements of teaching learning process: caring, thinking, theory practice integration, selfregulatory mechanisms and motivation.Conclusion: Nursing students evaluated their experience on reflection on practice as an effective and valuable strategy. They believe that reflection through 5 different but related elements make them to consolidate their learning and plan their future experiences. Four out of the five emergedconstructs in this study are very similar to elements of cyclic learning proposed by Kolb (1984 and are capable of being integrated into experiential learning cycle. Motivation can be integrated into this cycle. Based on the result of this study reflection is suggested to be integrated in Iranian nursing curriculum

Simultaneous in vivo imaging of diffuse optical reflectance, optoacoustic pressure and ultrasonic scattering (Conference Presentation)

Science.gov (United States)

Subochev, Pavel V.; Orlova, Anna G.; Turchin, Ilya V.

2017-03-01

We will present reflection-mode bioimaging system providing complementary optical, photoacsoutic and acoustic measurements by acoustic detector after each laser pulse with 2kHz repetition rate. The photons absorbed within the biological tissue provide optoacoustic (OA) signals, the photons absorbed by the external electrode of a detector provide the measurable diffuse reflectance (DR) from the sample and the probing ultrasonic (US) pulse. To demonstrate the in vivo capabilities of the system we performed complementary DR/OA/US imaging of small laboratory animals and human palm with 3.5mm/50μm/35μm lateral resolution at up to 3 mm diagnostic depth. Functional OA and DR imaging demonstrated the levels of tissue vascularization and blood supply. Structural US imaging was essential for understanding the position of vessels and zones with different perfusion. Before BiOS-2017 we plan to accomplish more in vivo experiments validating the developed triple-modality system as diagnostic tool to detect vascularization as well as mechanisms of vascular changes when monitoring response to therapy.

The spatial distribution of infrared radiation from visible reflection nebulae

Science.gov (United States)

Luan, Ling; Werner, Michael W.; Dwek, Eli; Sellgren, Kris

1989-01-01

The emission at IRAS 12 and 25 micron bands of reflection nebulae is far in excess of that expected from the longer wavelength equilibrium thermal emission. The excess emission in the IRAS 12 micron band is a general phenomenon, seen in various components of interstellar medium such as IR cirrus clouds, H II regions, atomic and molecular clouds, and also normal spiral galaxies. This excess emission has been attributed to UV excited fluorescence in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) molecules or to the effect of temperature fluctuations in very small grains. Results are presented of studies of IRAS data on reflection nebulae selected from the van den Bergh reflection nebulae sample. Detailed scans of flux ratio and color temperature across the nebulae were obtained in order to study the spatial distribution of IR emission. A model was used to predict the spatial distribution of IR emission from dust grains illuminated by a B type star. The model was also used to explore the excitation of the IRAS 12 micron band emission as a function of stellar temperature. The model predictions are in good agreement with the analysis of reflection nebulae, illuminated by stars with stellar temperature ranging from 21,000 down to 3,000 K.

Seismic reflection imaging with conventional and unconventional sources

Science.gov (United States)

Quiros Ugalde, Diego Alonso

This manuscript reports the results of research using both conventional and unconventional energy sources as well as conventional and unconventional analysis to image crustal structure using reflected seismic waves. The work presented here includes the use of explosions to investigate the Taiwanese lithosphere, the use of 'noise' from railroads to investigate the shallow subsurface of the Rio Grande rift, and the use of microearthquakes to image subsurface structure near an active fault zone within the Appalachian mountains. Chapter 1 uses recordings from the land refraction and wide-angle reflection component of the Taiwan Integrated Geodynamic Research (TAIGER) project. The most prominent reflection feature imaged by these surveys is an anomalously strong reflector found in northeastern Taiwan. The goal of this chapter is to analyze the TAIGER recordings and to place the reflector into a geologic framework that fits with the modern tectonic kinematics of the region. Chapter 2 uses railroad traffic as a source for reflection profiling within the Rio Grande rift. Here the railroad recordings are treated in an analogous way to Vibroseis recordings. These results suggest that railroad noise in general can be a valuable new tool in imaging and characterizing the shallow subsurface in environmental and geotechnical studies. In chapters 3 and 4, earthquakes serve as the seismic imaging source. In these studies the methodology of Vertical Seismic Profiling (VSP) is borrowed from the oil and gas industry to develop reflection images. In chapter 3, a single earthquake is used to probe a small area beneath Waterboro, Maine. In chapter 4, the same method is applied to multiple earthquakes to take advantage of the increased redundancy that results from multiple events illuminating the same structure. The latter study demonstrates how dense arrays can be a powerful new tool for delineating, and monitoring temporal changes of deep structure in areas characterized by significant

Reflection Patterns Generated by Condensed-Phase Oblique Detonation Interaction with a Rigid Wall

Science.gov (United States)

Short, Mark; Chiquete, Carlos; Bdzil, John; Meyer, Chad

2017-11-01

We examine numerically the wave reflection patterns generated by a detonation in a condensed phase explosive inclined obliquely but traveling parallel to a rigid wall as a function of incident angle. The problem is motivated by the characterization of detonation-material confiner interactions. We compare the reflection patterns for two detonation models, one where the reaction zone is spatially distributed, and the other where the reaction is instantaneous (a Chapman-Jouguet detonation). For the Chapman-Jouguet model, we compare the results of the computations with an asymptotic study recently conducted by Bdzil and Short for small detonation incident angles. We show that the ability of a spatially distributed reaction energy release to turn flow streamlines has a significant impact on the nature of the observed reflection patterns. The computational approach uses a shock-fit methodology.

Computer-aided design of broad band reflection type amplifiers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hammershaimb, Edgar; Jeppesen, Palle; Schjær-Jacobsen, Hans

1974-01-01

Microwave negative resistance reflection type amplifiers using stable transferred electron devices (TED's) are optimized by numerical optimization techniques programmed for an interactive graphic datascreen. The small signal impedance of packaged TED's is measured on an automatic network analyzer....... At the same time the impedance of unpackaged devices are obtained by on-line correction for the package parasitics. The microwave circuit chosen is a multiple slug coaxial cavity, that is modelled by sections of lossy transmission lines including step susceptances. The measured small signal impedance...... of the packaged TED's and the cavity model are used in a direct optimization procedure, in which the calculated minimum gain in the prescribed frequency range is progressively maximized by adjusting the lengths, characteristic impedances and positions of the slugs. The computed results are displayed...

The Dynamic Distribution of Small-Tail Han Sheep Microbiota across Different Intestinal Segments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hao Zhang

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The sheep intestinal tract is characterized by a diverse microbial ecosystem that is vital for the host to digest diet material. The importance of gut microbiota (GM of animals has also been widely acknowledged because of its pivotal roles in the health and well-being of animals. However, there are no relevant studies on GM of small-tail Han sheep, a superior mutton variety domestic in China. In this study, the structure and distribution of gut microflora were studied by high-throughput sequencing technology. Results showed a significant difference between jejunum and cecum, jejunum, and rectum. Meanwhile, the cecum and rectum not only display higher species richness but also exhibit higher similarity of the bacterial diversity than that of the jejunum based on the results of abundance-based coverage estimator (ACE, Chao1, and Shannon indexes. Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes were the predominant phyla in cecum and rectum, while higher relative abundances of Firmicutes and Cyanobacteria were observed in jejunum. At the genus level, Bacteroidetes, Ruminococcus, Lactobacillus, Flavonifractor, and Clostridium were the dominant genera in the cecum and rectum. An obvious dynamic distribution of Lactobacillus is continuously decreasing from the jejunum to the cecum, then to the rectum, whereas the result of Bacteroides is completely inverse. In addition, this study also found many kinds of bacteria associated with the production of volatile fatty acids (VFA colonized in the large intestine. This study is the first to investigate the distribution of intestinal flora in small-tail Han sheep. The findings provide an important indication for diagnosis and treatment of intestinal diseases in small-tail Han sheep, as well as offer a direction for the development of intestinal microecological preparations.

Adult age-differences in subjective impression of emotional faces are reflected in emotion-related attention and memory tasks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joakim eSvard

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Although younger and older adults appear to attend to and remember emotional faces differently, less is known about age-related differences in the subjective emotional impression (arousal, potency, and valence of emotional faces and how these differences, in turn, are reflected in age differences in various emotional tasks. In the current study, we used the same facial emotional stimuli (angry and happy faces in four tasks: emotional rating, attention, categorical perception, and visual short-term memory (VSTM. The aim of this study was to investigate effects of age on the subjective emotional impression of angry and happy faces and to examine whether any age differences were mirrored in measures of emotional behavior (attention, categorical perception, and memory.In addition, regression analyses were used to further study impression-behavior associations. Forty younger adults (range 20-30 years and thirty-nine older adults (range 65-75 years participated in the experiment. The emotional rating task showed that older adults perceived less arousal, potency, and valence than younger adults and that the difference was more pronounced for angry than happy faces. Similarly, the results of the attention and memory tasks demonstrated interaction effects between emotion and age, and age differences on these measures were larger for angry than for happy faces. Regression analyses confirmed that in both age groups, higher potency ratings predicted both visual search and visual short-term memory efficiency. Future studies should consider the possibility that age differences in the subjective emotional impression of facial emotional stimuli may explain age differences in attention to and memory of such stimuli.

Global burned area and biomass burning emissions from small fires

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Randerson, J.T; Chen, Y.; van der Werf, G.R.; Rogers, B.M.; Morton, D.C.

2012-01-01

In several biomes, including croplands, wooded savannas, and tropical forests, many small fires occur each year that are well below the detection limit of the current generation of global burned area products derived from moderate resolution surface reflectance imagery. Although these fires often

Diffraction Efficiency Testing of Sinusoidal and Blazed Off-Plane Reflection Gratings

Science.gov (United States)

Tutt, James H.; McEntaffer, Randall L.; Marlowe, Hannah; Miles, Drew M.; Peterson, Thomas J.; Deroo, Casey T.; Scholze, Frank; Laubis, Christian

2016-09-01

Reflection gratings in the off-plane mount have the potential to enhance the performance of future high resolution soft X-ray spectrometers. Diffraction efficiency can be optimized through the use of blazed grating facets, achieving high-throughput on one side of zero-order. This paper presents the results from a comparison between a grating with a sinusoidally grooved profile and two gratings that have been blazed. The results show that the blaze does increase throughput to one side of zero-order; however, the total throughput of the sinusoidal gratings is greater than the blazed gratings, suggesting the method of manufacturing the blazed gratings does not produce precise facets. The blazed gratings were also tested in their Littrow and anti-Littrow configurations to quantify diffraction efficiency sensitivity to rotations about the grating normal. Only a small difference in the energy at which efficiency is maximized between the Littrow and anti-Littrow configurations is seen with a small shift in peak efficiency towards higher energies in the anti-Littrow case. This is due to a decrease in the effective blaze angle in the anti-Littrow mounting. This is supported by PCGrate-SX V6.1 modeling carried out for each blazed grating which predicts similar response trends in the Littrow and anti-Littrow orientations.

[Reflectance of sea ice in Liaodong Bay].

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Zhan-tang; Yang, Yue-zhong; Wang, Gui-fen; Cao, Wen-xi; Kong, Xiang-peng

2010-07-01

In the present study, the relationships between sea ice albedo and the bidirectional reflectance distribution in Liaodong Bay were investigated. The results indicate that: (1) sea ice albedo alpha(lambda) is closely related to the components of sea ice, the higher the particulate concentration in sea ice surface is, the lower the sea ice albedo alpha(lambda) is. On the contrary, the higher the bubble concentration in sea ice is, the higher sea ice albedo alpha(lambda) is. (2) Sea ice albedo alpha(lambda) is similar to the bidirectional reflectance factor R(f) when the probe locates at nadir. The R(f) would increase with the increase in detector zenith theta, and the correlation between R(f) and the detector azimuth would gradually increase. When the theta is located at solar zenith 63 degrees, the R(f) would reach the maximum, and the strongest correlation is also shown between the R(f) and the detector azimuth. (3) Different types of sea ice would have the different anisotropic reflectance factors.

Marketing policy of different forms of small business in agriculture

OpenAIRE

JAVORSKA T.I.

2011-01-01

Essence and features of the agricultural marketing is considered. The conducted description of elements of marketing and instruments of marketing policy is in activity of subjects of small business in agriculture.

Assessment of MODIS BRDF/Albedo Model Parameters (MCD43A1 Collection 6) for directional reflectance retrieval

Science.gov (United States)

Che, X.; Feng, M.; Sexton, J. O.; Channan, S.; Yang, Y.; Song, J.

2017-12-01

Reflection of solar radiation from Earth's surface is the basis for retrieving many higher-level terrestrial attributes such as vegetation indices and albedo. However, reflectance varies with the illumination and viewing geometry of observation (Bi-directional Reflectance Distribution Function (BRDF)) even with constant surface properties, and correcting for these artifacts increases precision of comparisons of images and time series acquired from satellites with different illumination and observation geometries. The operational MODIS processing inverts MODIS BRDF/Albedo Model Parameters (MCD43A1) to retrieve directional reflectance at any solar and view angles, and recently the MCD43A1 (Collection 6) was updated and distributed. We quantified the ability of MCD43A1 Collection 6 for retrieving directional reflectance compared to Collection 5 and tested whether changes in the land surface change over a 16-day composite period affect time series of directional reflectance. Correcting the Terra MODIS daily Surface Reflectance (MOD09GA) to the illumination and view geometries of coincidental Aqua MODIS daily Surface Reflectance (MYD09GA), MCD43A4 Collection 6 and Landsat-5 TM imagery show that the BRDF-corrected results using MCD43A1 Collection 6 hold a higher consistency with higher R2 (0.63 0.955), the slopes close to unity (0.718 0.955) and the lower RMSD (0.422 3.142) and MAE (0.282 1.735) reduced by about 10% than Collection 5. A simple parameter calibration to evaluate the variability of the roughness (R) and the volumetric (V) BRDF parameters for MCD43A1 Collection 6 shows that the assumption of stable land surface characteristic over 16-days composite period, used for BRDF parameters inversion, is plausible in spite of small improvement of directional reflectance and BRDF parameters time series. The larger fluctuations for the MCD43A1 Collection 6 do not have a discernable impact on the reflectance time series. All of these results shows that MCD43A1 Collection

Expanding the Caring Lens: Nursing and Medical Students Reflecting on Images of Older People.

Science.gov (United States)

Brand, Gabrielle; Miller, Karen; Saunders, Rosemary; Dugmore, Helen; Etherton-Beer, Christopher

2016-01-01

In changing higher education environments, health profession's educators have been increasingly challenged to prepare future health professionals to care for aging populations. This article reports on an exploratory, mixed-method research study that used an innovative photo-elicitation technique and interprofessional small-group work in the classroom to enhance the reflective learning experience of medical and nursing students. Data were collected from pre- and postquestionnaires and focus groups to explore shifts in perceptions toward older persons following the reflective learning session. The qualitative data revealed how using visual images of older persons provides a valuable learning space for reflection. Students found meaning in their own learning by creating shared storylines that challenged their perceptions of older people and themselves as future health professionals. These data support the use of visual methodologies to enhance engagement, reflection, and challenge students to explore and deepen their understanding in gerontology.

[Application of health questionnaires for health management in small- and medium-sized enterprises].

Science.gov (United States)

Kishida, K; Saito, M; Hasegawa, T; Aoki, S; Suzuki, S

1986-01-01

Two kinds of health questionnaires, the Todai Health Index (THI) and Cumulative Fatigue Index (CFI), were applied as a screening device for health management of workers belonging to small-medium sized enterprises. A total of 495 workers composed of 452 male workers of a glass-bottle manufacturing factory and 43 male workers of a soft-drink bottling factory were the subjects of the present study. It was found that the two kinds of health questionnaires were different from each other and have their own characteristics. Twelve scales of THI were grouped into two, the first consisting of ten scales (SUSY, RESP, EYSK, MOUT, DIGE, IMPU, MENT, DEPR, NERV, and LIFE) and the second consisting of two scales (AGGR and LISC). Nine categories of CFI were grouped into one by using principal factor analysis. It was confirmed that the twelve scale scores of THI obtained at small-medium sized factories differed from those scale scores of a reference group investigated at a large-sized enterprise. It is on the basis of the scales of aggressiveness and lies and also of the scale of mental unstability which characterizes workers, locality, job (clerical or field work), and size of industry (large or small sized) that the difference could be evaluated. Urban life characterized by a life style of staying up late at night and waking up late in the morning has been reflected on the scale of life irregularity. Irregularity of life induced by transformation of working schedule, such as two or three shifts of work and overtime, was also reflected on this scale. Two scales of THI test, i.e., many subjective symptoms and digestive organ complaints, seemed to be the representative scales indicating a close relation between work load and health level. The discriminant score for diagnosis of psychosomatic diseases is considered to be one of the most useful assessments of the individual's health condition. As mentioned above, THI is recommended as a convenient assessment method for health

Terahertz time-domain transmission and reflection spectroscopy of niobium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hong, Tae Yoon; Choi, Kyu Jin; Park, Byoung Cheol; Ha, Tae Woo; Sim, Kyung Ik; Kim, Jea Hoon; Ha, Dong Gwang; Chang, Yonuk

2013-01-01

We have developed a terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) system for transmission and reflection measurements of metallic thin films. Using our THz-TDS system, we studied the conventional superconductor niobium (Nb) in the normal state in the spectral range from 5 to 50 cm -1 . Both the real and imaginary parts of the conductivity are acquired without Kramers-Kronig analysis. Nb exhibits a nearly frequency independent real conductivity spectrum in the terahertz range, with a very small imaginary part.

Landscapes with different biodiversity influence distribution of small mammals and their ectoparasitic chigger mites: A comparative study from southwest China.

Science.gov (United States)

Peng, Pei-Ying; Guo, Xian-Guo; Jin, Dao-Chao; Dong, Wen-Ge; Qian, Ti-Jun; Qin, Feng; Yang, Zhi-Hua; Fan, Rong

2018-01-01

From a previous field investigation in Yunnan, southwest China between 2001 and 2015, we selected two types of landscapes to make a retrospectively comparative study on the distribution of small mammals and their ectoparasitic chigger mites. One landscape is "mountainous uncultivated land (MUL)" with higher biodiversity, which is located in a famous "World Nature Heritage Site", the Three-Parallel-Rivers Region in the northwest of Yunnan. The other is "cultivated flatland landscape (CFL)" with lower biodiversity, which is located in the south of Yunnan. The landscapes with different biodiversity apparently influenced the distribution of small mammals and their ectoparasitic chigger mites. Much more species of small mammals and mites were found in MUL than in CFL. A total of 3,177 small mammals captured from MUL were identified as 55 species, 30 genera and 10 families in five orders. From these small mammal hosts, 5,882 chigger mites were collected and identified as 127 species, 15 genera and 3 subfamilies in two families. A total of 1,112 small mammals captured from CFL were identified as 19 species, 12 genera and 5 families in three orders. From these hosts, 17,742 chiggers were collected and identified as 86 species, 12 genera and 3 subfamilies in two families. Both the species diversity (S = 55) and community diversity (H = 2.673) of small mammals in MUL were much higher than those in CFL (S = 19; H = 0.926). There were also higher values of β diversity in MUL than in CFL. Different main reservoir rodent hosts of zoonoses (including tsutsugamushi disease) were found in two types of landscapes. Rattus tanezumi (one main reservoir host) was most abundant in CFL, which accounted for 80.22% of all the small mammals. Another two main reservoir hosts, Eothenomys miletus and Apodemus chevrieri were the dominant species in MUL, but they were not as abundant as R. tanezumi in CFL. Different vector species of chigger mites also existed in MUL and CFL. Leptotrombidium

Reflection groups

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eggermont, G.

2006-01-01

In 2005, PISA organised proactive meetings of reflection groups on involvement in decision making, expert culture and ethical aspects of radiation protection.All reflection group meetings address particular targeted audiences while the output publication in book form is put forward

Numerical simulation of white double-layer coating with different submicron particles on the spectral reflectance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chai, Jiale; Cheng, Qiang; Si, Mengting; Su, Yang; Zhou, Yifan; Song, Jinlin

2017-01-01

The spectral selective coating is becoming more and more popular against solar irradiation not only in keeping the coated objects stay cool but also retain the appearance of the objects by reducing the glare of reflected sunlight. In this work a numerical study is investigated to design the double-layer coating with different submicron particles to achieve better performance both in thermal and aesthetic aspects. By comparison, the performance of double-layer coating with TiO_2 and ZnO particles is better than that with single particles. What's more, the particle diameter, volume fraction of particle as well as substrate condition is also investigated. The results show that an optimized double-layer coating with particles should be the one with an appropriate particle diameter, volume fraction and the black substrate. - Highlights: • The double-layer coating has a great influence on both thermal and aesthetic aspects. • The double-layer coating performs better than the uniform one with single particles. • The volume fraction, particle diameter and substrate conditions are optimized.

Small Hydropower - The comeback of small hydropower stations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Niederhaeusern, A.

2008-01-01

This issue of the 'Erneuerbare Energien' (renewable energies) magazine published by the Swiss Solar Energy Society takes a look at small hydropower projects in Switzerland. In a number of interviews and articles, various topics concerning small hydropower are dealt with. First of all, an interview with Bruno Guggisberg, previously responsible for small hydro at the Swiss Federal Office of Energy, examines the potential of small hydro and the various political, technical and economic influences on such projects. Further articles provide an overview of the various types of small hydro schemes, including power generation using height differences in drinking-water and wastewater installations. As far as the components of small hydro schemes are concerned, various types of turbines and further system components that are needed are examined. A further article takes a look at the small hydro market and the market players involved. Ecological aspects and research activities are discussed in further articles. In a second interview with Martin Boelli, presently responsible for small hydropower at the Swiss Federal Office of Energy, the unused potential for the use of hydropower in Switzerland is discussed. Examples of small-scale hydro schemes are examined and the support offered by the Small Hydropower Program is discussed. Finally the question is asked, if the small hydro market in Switzerland is overheated as a result of promotion schemes such as cost-covering remuneration for electricity from renewable energy sources.

Monitoring leaf photosynthesis with canopy spectral reflectance in rice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tian, Y.; Zhu, Y.; Cao, W.

2005-01-01

We determined the quantitative relationships between leaf photosynthetic characteristics (LPC) and canopy spectral reflectance under different water supply and nitrogen application rates in rice plants. The responses of reflectance at red radiation (680 nm) to different water contents and N rates were parallel to those of leaf net photosynthetic rate (PN). The relationships of reflectance at 680 nm and ratio index of R(810,680) (near infrared/red) to PN of different leaf positions and layers indicated that the top two full leaves were the best positions for quantitative monitoring of PN with remote sensing technique, and the index R(810,680) was the best ratio index for evaluating LPC. Testing of the models with independent data sets indicated that R(810,680) could well estimate PN of the top two leaves and canopy leaf photosynthetic potential. Hence R(810,680) can be used to monitor LPC in rice under diverse growing conditions

Metasurface-based anti-reflection coatings at optical frequencies

Science.gov (United States)

Monti, Alessio; Alù, Andrea; Toscano, Alessandro; Bilotti, Filiberto

2018-05-01

In this manuscript, we propose a metasurface approach for the reduction of electromagnetic reflection from an arbitrary air‑dielectric interface. The proposed technique exploits the exotic optical response of plasmonic nanoparticles to achieve complete cancellation of the field reflected by a dielectric substrate by means of destructive interference. Differently from other, earlier anti-reflection approaches based on nanoparticles, our design scheme is supported by a simple transmission-line formulation that allows a closed-form characterization of the anti-reflection performance of a nanoparticle array. Furthermore, since the working principle of the proposed devices relies on an average effect that does not critically depend on the array geometry, our approach enables low-cost production and easy scalability to large sizes. Our theoretical considerations are supported by full-wave simulations confirming the effectiveness of this design principle.

Atmospheric Correction Performance of Hyperspectral Airborne Imagery over a Small Eutrophic Lake under Changing Cloud Cover

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lauri Markelin

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Atmospheric correction of remotely sensed imagery of inland water bodies is essential to interpret water-leaving radiance signals and for the accurate retrieval of water quality variables. Atmospheric correction is particularly challenging over inhomogeneous water bodies surrounded by comparatively bright land surface. We present results of AisaFENIX airborne hyperspectral imagery collected over a small inland water body under changing cloud cover, presenting challenging but common conditions for atmospheric correction. This is the first evaluation of the performance of the FENIX sensor over water bodies. ATCOR4, which is not specifically designed for atmospheric correction over water and does not make any assumptions on water type, was used to obtain atmospherically corrected reflectance values, which were compared to in situ water-leaving reflectance collected at six stations. Three different atmospheric correction strategies in ATCOR4 was tested. The strategy using fully image-derived and spatially varying atmospheric parameters produced a reflectance accuracy of ±0.002, i.e., a difference of less than 15% compared to the in situ reference reflectance. Amplitude and shape of the remotely sensed reflectance spectra were in general accordance with the in situ data. The spectral angle was better than 4.1° for the best cases, in the spectral range of 450–750 nm. The retrieval of chlorophyll-a (Chl-a concentration using a popular semi-analytical band ratio algorithm for turbid inland waters gave an accuracy of ~16% or 4.4 mg/m3 compared to retrieval of Chl-a from reflectance measured in situ. Using fixed ATCOR4 processing parameters for whole images improved Chl-a retrieval results from ~6 mg/m3 difference to reference to approximately 2 mg/m3. We conclude that the AisaFENIX sensor, in combination with ATCOR4 in image-driven parametrization, can be successfully used for inland water quality observations. This implies that the need for in situ

The impact of culture on adaptive versus maladaptive self-reflection.

Science.gov (United States)

Grossmann, Igor; Kross, Ethan

2010-08-01

Although recent findings indicate that people can reflect either adaptively or maladaptively over negative experiences, extant research has not examined how culture influences this process. We compared the self-reflective practices of Russians (members of an interdependent culture characterized by a tendency to brood) and Americans (members of an independent culture in which self-reflection has been studied extensively). We predicted that self-reflection would be associated with less-detrimental outcomes among Russians because they self-distance more when analyzing their feelings than Americans do. Findings from two studies supported these predictions. In Study 1, self-reflection was associated with fewer depressive symptoms among Russians than among Americans. In Study 2, Russians displayed less distress and a more adaptive pattern of construals than Americans after reflecting over a recent negative event. In addition, they self-distanced more than Americans while analyzing their feelings, and self-distancing mediated the cultural differences in self-reflection. These findings demonstrate how culture shapes the way people reflect over negative experiences.

Small-worldness and gender differences of large scale brain metabolic covariance networks in young adults: a FDG PET study of 400 subjects.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Yuxiao; Xu, Qiang; Shen, Junkang; Li, Kai; Zhu, Hong; Zhang, Zhiqiang; Lu, Guangming

2015-02-01

Many studies have demonstrated the small-worldness of the human brain, and have revealed a sexual dimorphism in brain network properties. However, little is known about the gender effects on the topological organization of the brain metabolic covariance networks. To investigate the small-worldness and the gender differences in the topological architectures of human brain metabolic networks. FDG-PET data of 400 healthy right-handed subjects (200 women and 200 age-matched men) were involved in the present study. Metabolic networks of each gender were constructed by calculating the covariance of regional cerebral glucose metabolism (rCMglc) across subjects on the basis of AAL parcellation. Gender differences of network and nodal properties were investigated by using the graph theoretical approaches. Moreover, the gender-related difference of rCMglc in each brain region was tested for investigating the relationships between the hub regions and the brain regions showing significant gender-related differences in rCMglc. We found prominent small-world properties in the domain of metabolic networks in each gender. No significant gender difference in the global characteristics was found. Gender differences of nodal characteristic were observed in a few brain regions. We also found bilateral and lateralized distributions of network hubs in the females and males. Furthermore, we first reported that some hubs of a gender located in the brain regions showing weaker rCMglc in this gender than the other gender. The present study demonstrated that small-worldness was existed in metabolic networks, and revealed gender differences of organizational patterns in metabolic network. These results maybe provided insights into the understanding of the metabolic substrates underlying individual differences in cognition and behaviors. © The Foundation Acta Radiologica 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

A study on hydrogen bond in coal macerals with in situ diffuse reflectance FTIR by using a new experimental method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, D.T.; Li, W.; Sun, Q.L.; Li, B.Q. [Chinese Academy of Science, Taiyuan (China). Inst. for Coal Chemistry

2003-04-01

A new method using the small porcelain as the reactor combined with increasing the flow rate of carrier gas was proposed, which has the advantage of excluding the condensation of volatile produced by heated solid samples on the windows during in situ diffuse reflectance FTIR experiment. Moreover, the feasibility of this method was also discussed. Using this method, the distribution and thermal stability of hydrogen bonds in coal macerals obtained from two coals were studied. The results show that the differences between the distribution of hydrogen bonds formed by hydroxyl group in the macerals of two coals were very similar. For the vitrinites the thermal stability of SH-N, carboxylic acid dimmers and self-associated OH is higher than those in inertinites but for OH-N and hydroxyl tetramers and OH-OR{sub 2} there are no obvious laws. For OH-{pi}, its content increased with increasing temperature to 350-380{sup o}C, and then decreased with further heating. The variation of hydrogen bonds in macerals reflects the difference in their structure.

Liberating Moral Reflection

Science.gov (United States)

Horell, Harold D.

2013-01-01

The author argues that if we are to foster life-giving and liberating moral reflection, we must first liberate moral reflection from distortions; specifically, from the distorting effects of moral insensitivity, destructive moral relativism, and confusions resulting from a failure to understand the dynamics of moral reflection. The author proposes…

A novel ion cooling trap for multi-reflection time-of-flight mass spectrograph

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ito, Y., E-mail: yito@riken.jp [SLOWRI Team, Nishina Accelerator-Based Research Center, RIKEN, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198 (Japan); University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8577 (Japan); Schury, P. [SLOWRI Team, Nishina Accelerator-Based Research Center, RIKEN, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198 (Japan); University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8577 (Japan); New Mexico State University, Department Chemistry and Biochemistry, Las Cruces, NM 88003 (United States); Wada, M.; Naimi, S. [SLOWRI Team, Nishina Accelerator-Based Research Center, RIKEN, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198 (Japan); Smorra, C. [SLOWRI Team, Nishina Accelerator-Based Research Center, RIKEN, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198 (Japan); Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik, Saupfercheckweg 1, D-69117 Heidelberg (Germany); Sonoda, T. [SLOWRI Team, Nishina Accelerator-Based Research Center, RIKEN, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198 (Japan); Mita, H. [SLOWRI Team, Nishina Accelerator-Based Research Center, RIKEN, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198 (Japan); University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8577 (Japan); Takamine, A. [SLOWRI Team, Nishina Accelerator-Based Research Center, RIKEN, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198 (Japan); Aoyama Gakuin University, 4-4-25 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-8366 (Japan); Okada, K. [SLOWRI Team, Nishina Accelerator-Based Research Center, RIKEN, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198 (Japan); Sophia University, 7-1 Kioi-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-8554 (Japan); Ozawa, A. [University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8577 (Japan); Wollnik, H. [SLOWRI Team, Nishina Accelerator-Based Research Center, RIKEN, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198 (Japan); New Mexico State University, Department Chemistry and Biochemistry, Las Cruces, NM 88003 (United States)

2013-12-15

Highlights: • Fast cooling time: 2 ms. • High efficiency: ≈27% for {sup 23}Na{sup +} and ≈5.1% for {sup 7}Li{sup +}. • 100% Duty cycle with double trap system. -- Abstract: A radiofrequency quadrupole ion trap system for use with a multi-reflection time-of-flight mass spectrograph (MRTOF) for short-lived nuclei has been developed. The trap system consists of two different parts, an asymmetric taper trap and a flat trap. The ions are cooled to a sufficient small bunch for precise mass measurement with MRTOF in only 2 ms cooling time in the flat trap, then orthogonally ejected to the MRTOF for mass analysis. A trapping efficiency of ≈27% for {sup 23}Na{sup +} and ≈5.1% for {sup 7}Li{sup +} has been achieved.

Reliability of reflectance measures in passive filters

Science.gov (United States)

Saldiva de André, Carmen Diva; Afonso de André, Paulo; Rocha, Francisco Marcelo; Saldiva, Paulo Hilário Nascimento; Carvalho de Oliveira, Regiani; Singer, Julio M.

2014-08-01

Measurements of optical reflectance in passive filters impregnated with a reactive chemical solution may be transformed to ozone concentrations via a calibration curve and constitute a low cost alternative for environmental monitoring, mainly to estimate human exposure. Given the possibility of errors caused by exposure bias, it is common to consider sets of m filters exposed during a certain period to estimate the latent reflectance on n different sample occasions at a certain location. Mixed models with sample occasions as random effects are useful to analyze data obtained under such setups. The intra-class correlation coefficient of the mean of the m measurements is an indicator of the reliability of the latent reflectance estimates. Our objective is to determine m in order to obtain a pre-specified reliability of the estimates, taking possible outliers into account. To illustrate the procedure, we consider an experiment conducted at the Laboratory of Experimental Air Pollution, University of São Paulo, Brazil (LPAE/FMUSP), where sets of m = 3 filters were exposed during 7 days on n = 9 different occasions at a certain location. The results show that the reliability of the latent reflectance estimates for each occasion obtained under homoskedasticity is km = 0.74. A residual analysis suggests that the within-occasion variance for two of the occasions should be different from the others. A refined model with two within-occasion variance components was considered, yielding km = 0.56 for these occasions and km = 0.87 for the remaining ones. To guarantee that all estimates have a reliability of at least 80% we require measurements on m = 10 filters on each occasion.

The effective reflection of a pulse sequence from a four-wave mirror with thermal nonlinearity under parametric feedback

Science.gov (United States)

Barashkov, M. S.; Bel'Diugin, I. M.; Zolotarev, M. V.; Kruzhilin, Iu. I.; Krymskii, M. I.

1989-04-01

A four-wave mirror with thermal nonlinearity has been experimentally realized with the interaction of corunning waves under parametric feedback with a nonreciprocal element. The effective reflection of a sequence of pulses with duration of about 300 ns from a neodymium-glass laser with maximal reflection coefficients greater than 30 has been demonstrated. The quality of the radiation reflected from the mirror is studied. A significant reduction in the steady-state lasing threshold has been shown with thermal nonlinearity at small angles of the interacting beam convergence, compared to the case of counterrunning convergence.

First derivative versus absolute spectral reflectance of citrus varieties

Science.gov (United States)

Blazquez, Carlos H.; Nigg, H. N.; Hedley, Lou E.; Ramos, L. E.; Sorrell, R. W.; Simpson, S. E.

1996-06-01

Spectral reflectance measurements from 400 to 800 nm were taken from immature and mature leaves of grapefruit ('McCarty' and 'Rio Red'), 'Minneola' tangelo, 'Satsuma' mandarin, 'Dancy' tangerine, 'Nagami' oval kumquat, and 'Valencia' sweet orange, at the Florida Citrus Arboretum, Division of Plant Industry, Winter Haven, Florida. Immature and mature leaves of 'Minneola' tangelo had greater percent reflectance in the 400 to 800 nm range than the other varieties and leaf ages measured. The slope of the citrus spectral curves in the 800 nm range was not as sharp as conventional spectrometers, but had a much higher reflectance value than those obtained with a DK-2 spectrometer. Statistical analyses of absolute spectral data yielded significant differences between mature and immature leaves and between varieties. First derivative data analyses did not yield significant differences between varieties.

Dry etching technologies for reflective multilayer

Science.gov (United States)

Iino, Yoshinori; Karyu, Makoto; Ita, Hirotsugu; Kase, Yoshihisa; Yoshimori, Tomoaki; Muto, Makoto; Nonaka, Mikio; Iwami, Munenori

2012-11-01

We have developed a highly integrated methodology for patterning Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) mask, which has been highlighted for the lithography technique at the 14nm half-pitch generation and beyond. The EUV mask is characterized as a reflective-type mask which is completely different compared with conventional transparent-type of photo mask. And it requires not only patterning of absorber layer without damaging the underlying multi reflective layers (40 Si/Mo layers) but also etching multi reflective layers. In this case, the dry etch process has generally faced technical challenges such as the difficulties in CD control, etch damage to quartz substrate and low selectivity to the mask resist. Shibaura Mechatronics ARESTM mask etch system and its optimized etch process has already achieved the maximal etch performance at patterning two-layered absorber. And in this study, our process technologies of multi reflective layers will be evaluated by means of optimal combination of process gases and our optimized plasma produced by certain source power and bias power. When our ARES™ is used for multilayer etching, the user can choose to etch the absorber layer at the same time or etch only the multilayer.

Reflection ciphers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Boura, Christina; Canteaut, Anne; Knudsen, Lars Ramkilde

2017-01-01

study the necessary properties for this coupling permutation. Special care has to be taken of some related-key distinguishers since, in the context of reflection ciphers, they may provide attacks in the single-key setting.We then derive some criteria for constructing secure reflection ciphers...

Sunlight reflection off the spacecraft with a solar sail on the surface of mars

Science.gov (United States)

Starinova, O. L.; Rozhkov, M. A.; Gorbunova, I. V.

2018-05-01

Modern technologies make it possible to fulfill many projects in the field of space exploration. One such project is the colonization of Mars and providing favorable conditions for living on it. Authors propose principles of functioning of the spacecraft with a solar sail, intended to create a thermal and light spot in a predetermined area of the Martian surface. This additional illumination can maintain and support certain climatic conditions on a small area where a Mars base could be located. This paper investigate the possibility of the spacecraft continuously reflect the sunlight off the solar sail on the small area of the Mars surface. The mathematical motion model in such condition of the solar sail's orientation is considered and used for motion simulation session. Moreover, the analysis of this motion is performed. Thus, were obtained parameters of the synchronic non-Keplerian orbit and spacecraft construction. In addition, were given recommendations for further applying satellites to reflect the sunlight on a planet's surface.

Shock-wave propagation and reflection in semicrystalline polyethylene: A molecular-level investigation

Science.gov (United States)

Elder, Robert M.; O'Connor, Thomas C.; Chantawansri, Tanya L.; Sliozberg, Yelena R.; Sirk, Timothy W.; Yeh, In-Chul; Robbins, Mark O.; Andzelm, Jan W.

2017-09-01

Semicrystalline polyethylene (PE) is attractive for a variety of mechanically demanding applications, where shock compression can occur. Although often highly crystalline, PE invariably contains nanoscale amorphous domains that influence shock propagation. Our objective in this work is to study the effects of such domains. To this end, we adopt a novel approach wherein we parametrize a simple continuum-level theory based on the shock impedance from molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Using this theory, we predict how crystalline/amorphous interfaces attenuate shocks via energy reflection due to the impedance mismatch between the phases. The theory predicts that these interfaces attenuate weak shocks more effectively than strong shocks. We compare the theory to explicit nonequilibrium MD simulations of compressive shocks in semicrystalline PE containing nanometer-scale amorphous regions of varying size, where we analyze the pressure response and reflection of energy. The theory and simulations show good agreement for strong shocks (≥1.0 km /s ), but for weak shocks (shock front. However, the simulations show that when amorphous domains are narrow—with widths comparable to the shock front—reflection is reduced compared to the predictions. We identify several nanoscale mechanisms that reduce the impedance mismatch, and thus reduce reflection, at thin amorphous domains. First, the two-wave elastic-plastic structure of shocks in crystalline PE allows the faster-moving elastic precursor wave to compress small amorphous domains before the plastic wave arrives. Second, confinement between stiff, ordered crystalline domains increases the stiffness and chain ordering in small amorphous regions. Moreover, in terms of stiffness the interfaces are similar in width to the shock front, which may contribute to the underprediction of the theory for weak shocks, where the shock front is widest. We conclude by discussing the significance of these results, namely, how they can

Application of a neural network for reflectance spectrum classification

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Gefei; Gartley, Michael

2017-05-01

Traditional reflectance spectrum classification algorithms are based on comparing spectrum across the electromagnetic spectrum anywhere from the ultra-violet to the thermal infrared regions. These methods analyze reflectance on a pixel by pixel basis. Inspired by high performance that Convolution Neural Networks (CNN) have demonstrated in image classification, we applied a neural network to analyze directional reflectance pattern images. By using the bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) data, we can reformulate the 4-dimensional into 2 dimensions, namely incident direction × reflected direction × channels. Meanwhile, RIT's micro-DIRSIG model is utilized to simulate additional training samples for improving the robustness of the neural networks training. Unlike traditional classification by using hand-designed feature extraction with a trainable classifier, neural networks create several layers to learn a feature hierarchy from pixels to classifier and all layers are trained jointly. Hence, the our approach of utilizing the angular features are different to traditional methods utilizing spatial features. Although training processing typically has a large computational cost, simple classifiers work well when subsequently using neural network generated features. Currently, most popular neural networks such as VGG, GoogLeNet and AlexNet are trained based on RGB spatial image data. Our approach aims to build a directional reflectance spectrum based neural network to help us to understand from another perspective. At the end of this paper, we compare the difference among several classifiers and analyze the trade-off among neural networks parameters.

Research advances in reflectance spectra of plant leafs

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Taotao; Yang, Ting; Guo, Yanxin; Xu, Jingqi; Chang, Wandong; Fang, Siyi; Zhu, Kangkang; Xu, Tingyan

2018-02-01

Leaves are an important factor when we study plants because their water content, pigment content and nutrient content of leaves can reflect the current growth status of the whole plant. The methods of spectral diagnosis technology or image technology mainly are the pre-detection technique which can be used to invert the color, texture and spectral reflectance of the leaves. From this we can obtain the changes of the internal components and the external morphological characteristics of the plant leaves in different states changes. In this paper, the reflection spectral response mechanism of plant water content, pigment and nutrient elements at domestic and overseas are reviewed and compared.

[Study on predicting sugar content and valid acidity of apples by near infrared diffuse reflectance technique].

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yan-de; Ying, Yi-bin; Fu, Xia-ping

2005-11-01

The nondestructive method for quantifying sugar content (SC) and available acid (VA) of intact apples using diffuse near infrared reflectance and optical fiber sensing techniques were explored in the present research. The standard sample sets and prediction models were established by partial least squares analysis (PLS). A total of 120 Shandong Fuji apples were tested in the wave number of 12,500 - 4000 cm(-1) using Fourier transform near infrared spectroscopy. The results of the research indicated that the nondestructive quantification of SC and VA, gave a high correlation coefficient 0.970 and 0.906, a low root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) 0.272 and 0.056 2, a low root mean square error of calibration (RMSEC) 0.261 and 0.0677, and a small difference between RMSEP and RMSEC 0.011 a nd 0.0115. It was suggested that the diffuse nearinfrared reflectance technique be feasible for nondestructive determination of apple sugar content in the wave number range of 10,341 - 5461 cm(-1) and for available acid in the wave number range of 10,341 - 3818 cm(-1).

How Small Businesses Market Their Products during the Different Phases of the Product Life Cycle: The Case of Swedish Ice Cream Manufacturers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Annika Hallberg

2014-05-01

Full Text Available The Swedish ice cream market of today is dominated by a few major market leaders, which makes it a challenge for small firms to make themselves visible and survive on a long-term basis. The aim of this article is to investigate and understand how small firms in the ice cream business market their products, based on the marketing mix and the portfolio matrix, during the different phases of the product life cycle. The combination of the two models for strategic planning enables the marketing manager to conduct a more complete analysis of existing products and their place on the market and in the product life cycle. Eight CEOs of small-scale ice cream companies were interviewed. This study found that the marketing activities and strategies of large companies cannot be transferred to and implemented in small-scale businesses. Different marketing theories are developed for big businesses that have many employees and expert knowledge, which small companies do not possess. They also have less resources and knowledge to invest in expensive marketing activities in the marketing mix, and therefore the marketing mix models need to incorporate more of inexpensive marketing.

A fiberoptic reflection oximeter.

Science.gov (United States)

Landsman, M L; Knop, N; Kwant, G; Mook, G A; Zijlstra, W G

1978-03-20

A catheter tip oximeter is described consisting of a cardiac catheter containing optical fibers, and incandescent light source, a light detection unit and a processing unit. Half of the optical fibers guide the light to the blood at the tip of the catheter, the other half the backscattered (reflected) light to the detection unit. The detection unit contains a dichroic mirror, transmitting most of the light with lambda less than 800 nm and reflecting most of the light with lambda greater than 900 nm, thus splitting the light into two beams. These pass through interference filters with nominal wavelengths of 640 and 920 nm respectively, and are focused on silicium barrier layer photocells. The photocell signals are amplified and fed into a divider giving the ratio of measuring (R640) and compensating (R920) photocell output. The relationship between log R640/R920 and oxygen saturation is represented by a slightly curved line. The relation may be linearized by subtracting a constant voltage from the divided output before taking the logarithm. The slope of the calibration line is dependent on the total haemoglobin concentration. Nonetheless an average calibration line can be used between 70 and 100% oxygen saturation. For 78 measurements of pig blood samples in this range (haemoglobin concentration between 96 and 161 g.1(-1)), the standard deviation of the difference between the fiberoptic oximeter and a Radiometer OSM1 oxygen saturation meter was 1.9% saturation, for 152 samples over the entire saturation range the standard deviation of the difference was 3.1% saturation. The influence of the flow velocity of blood on the light reflection depends on wavelength as well as on oxygen saturation. Therefore, complete compensation for the flow effect is not possible by simple means.

Background velocity inversion by phase along reflection wave paths

KAUST Repository

Yu, Han; Guo, Bowen; Schuster, Gerard T.

2014-01-01

A background velocity model containing the correct lowwavenumber information is desired for both the quality of the migration image and the success of waveform inversion. We propose to invert for the low-wavenumber part of the velocity model by minimizing the phase difference between predicted and observed reflections. The velocity update is exclusively along the reflection wavepaths and, unlike conventional FWI, not along the reflection ellipses. This allows for reconstructing the smoothly varying parts of the background velocity model. Tests with synthetic data show both the benefits and limitations of this method.

Background velocity inversion by phase along reflection wave paths

KAUST Repository

Yu, Han

2014-08-05

A background velocity model containing the correct lowwavenumber information is desired for both the quality of the migration image and the success of waveform inversion. We propose to invert for the low-wavenumber part of the velocity model by minimizing the phase difference between predicted and observed reflections. The velocity update is exclusively along the reflection wavepaths and, unlike conventional FWI, not along the reflection ellipses. This allows for reconstructing the smoothly varying parts of the background velocity model. Tests with synthetic data show both the benefits and limitations of this method.

Temporal reflectance changes in vegetables

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dissing, Bjørn Skovlund; Clemmensen, Line Katrine Harder; Ersbøll, Bjarne Kjær

2009-01-01

Quality control in the food industry is often performed by measuring various chemical compounds of the food involved. We propose an imaging concept for acquiring high quality multispectral images to evaluate changes of carrots and celeriac over a period of 14 days. Properties originating...... in the surface chemistry of vegetables may be captured in an integrating sphere illumination which enables the creation of detailed surface chemistry maps with a good combination of spectral and spatial resolutions. Prior to multispectral image recording, the vegetables were prefried and frozen at -30Â......°C for four months. During the 14 days of image recording, the vegetables were kept at +5°C in refrigeration. In this period, surface changes and thereby reflectance properties were very subtle. To describe this small variation we employed advanced statistical techniques to search a large featurespace...

'It's everywhere!' young Swedish people's thoughts and reflections about pornography.

Science.gov (United States)

Häggström-Nordin, Elisabet; Sandberg, Jonas; Hanson, Ulf; Tydén, Tanja

2006-12-01

Pornography is one of the most sought-after topics on the Internet, and is easily available for anyone, including children and adolescents. At youth centres, nurse-midwives have noticed that young people have different kinds of questions about sexual practices compared with a few years ago. The aim of this study was to gain an understanding of thoughts and reflections about pornography consumption, and its possible influence on sexual practices, among young women and men. The staff at a youth centre in a city in central Sweden asked the visitors if they had seen pornography and if they wanted to be interviewed about their experiences. Ten young women and eight men, aged 16-23 years, participated. In-depth interviews were performed and open-ended questions about pornography and sexuality were posed. The interviews were tape-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data were analysed according to grounded theory. The core category 'Living with the current sexual norm' depicted how pornography created sexual expectations and demands, for instance, to perform certain sexual acts. The informants expressed contradictory feelings towards pornography and felt that sexuality was separated from intimacy. A moral attitude was described and examples of stereotypic gender roles were given. To deal with the current sexual norm, informants had different individual handling strategies and attitudes to pornography, namely liberal, normalization, distance, feminist or conservative. Limitations of this study were the small sample size and that results from a qualitative research study cannot be generalized. The results contribute to an understanding of how pornographic material can influence young peoples' thoughts, reflections and sexual behaviour. This indicates the importance, for personnel at youth centres and schools, to discuss sexual behaviour and how sexuality is portrayed in pornographic material with young people.

Reflective Peer Mentoring: Evolution of a Professional Development Program for Academic Librarians

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Janet L. Goosney

2014-06-01

Full Text Available For librarians engaged in teaching and learning, reflection has the potential to create opportunities to examine one’s instructional practice, identify and address challenges, and find new instructional pathways. It can also lead to a deeper understanding of one’s teaching. As valuable as it is, it can be challenging for librarians to find time to deeply contemplate instruction experiences. In the fast-paced environment of academic libraries, reflection is too often passed over as we rush from one teaching experience to the next. Recognizing the value of reflective practice, a team of academic librarians at Memorial University created a peer mentoring program for librarians involved in information literacy and other forms of teaching. The goal was to create an inviting and collaborative environment for exploring and developing instructional self-awareness by working with librarian colleagues. The resulting Reflective Peer Mentoring (RPM program requires minimal librarian time yet offers satisfying opportunities for brainstorming, problem solving, and reflection by bringing colleagues together into small co-mentored learning communities. This paper explores the successful evolution of this peer-based, collegial approach to reflection. It describes the inspiration and experimentation that led to the eventual creation of the RPM model, including Reflective Teaching & Observation (RTO, an earlier program founded on peer observation and collaborative exploration. It also describes the foundational principles that form the basis for the RPM program as well as the three-step framework on which it is structured. Finally, the article examines the information gathered and lessons learned from assessment of the program during the first year of implementation.

Principals Reflecting on Their Leadership Learning with an Heuristic: A Pilot Study

Science.gov (United States)

Dempster, Neil; Fluckiger, Bev; Lovett, Susan

2012-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to report on a small pilot study in which an heuristic was used to enable principals to reflect on the confidence they have in their existing leadership knowledge and how they might add to that knowledge in the future. The motivation for the study arose from a literature review of strategies for leadership development…

Evaluation of the algorithms for recovering reflectance from virtual digital camera response

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana Gebejes

2012-10-01

Full Text Available In the recent years many new methods for quality control in graphic industry are proposed. All of these methodshave one in common – using digital camera as a capturing device and appropriate image processing method/algorithmto obtain desired information. With the development of new, more accurate sensors, digital cameras becameeven more dominant and the use of cameras as measuring device became more emphasized. The idea of using cameraas spectrophotometer is interesting because this kind of measurement would be more economical, faster, widelyavailable and it would provide a possibility of multiple colour capture with a single shot. This can be very usefulfor capturing colour targets for characterization of different properties of a print device. A lot of effort is put into enablingcommercial colour CCD cameras (3 acquisition channels to obtain enough of the information for reflectancerecovery. Unfortunately, RGB camera was not made with the idea of performing colour measurements but ratherfor producing an image that is visually pleasant for the observer. This somewhat complicates the task and seeks fora development of different algorithms that will estimate the reflectance information from the available RGB cameraresponses with minimal possible error. In this paper three different reflectance estimation algorithms are evaluated(Orthogonal projection,Wiener and optimized Wiener estimation, together with the method for reflectance approximationbased on principal component analysis (PCA. The aim was to perform reflectance estimation pixelwise and analyze the performance of some reflectance estimation algorithms locally, at some specific pixels in theimage, and globally, on the whole image. Performances of each algorithm were evaluated visually and numericallyby obtaining pixel wise colour difference and pixel wise difference of estimated reflectance to the original values. Itwas concluded that Wiener method gives the best reflectance estimation

Brain metabolite differences in one-year-old infants born small at term and association with neurodevelopmental outcome.

Science.gov (United States)

Simões, Rui V; Cruz-Lemini, Mónica; Bargalló, Núria; Gratacós, Eduard; Sanz-Cortés, Magdalena

2015-08-01

We assessed brain metabolite levels by magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) in 1-year-old infants born small at term, as compared with infants born appropriate for gestational age (AGA), and their association with neurodevelopment at 2 years of age. A total of 40 infants born small (birthweight growth restriction or as small for gestational age, based on the presence or absence of prenatal Doppler and birthweight predictors of an adverse perinatal outcome, respectively. Single-voxel proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H-MRS) data were acquired from the frontal lobe at short echo time. Neurodevelopment was evaluated at 2 years of age using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition, assessing cognitive, language, motor, social-emotional, and adaptive behavior scales. As compared with AGA controls, infants born small showed significantly higher levels of glutamate and total N-acetylaspartate (NAAt) to creatine (Cr) ratio at age 1 year, and lower Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition scores at 2 years. The subgroup with late intrauterine growth restriction further showed lower estimated glutathione levels at age 1 year. Significant correlations were observed for estimated glutathione levels with adaptive scores, and for myo-inositol with language scores. Significant associations were also noticed for NAA/Cr with cognitive scores, and for glutamate/Cr with motor scores. Infants born small show brain metabolite differences at 1 year of age, which are correlated with later neurodevelopment. These results support further research on MRS to develop imaging biomarkers of abnormal neurodevelopment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Fragments on teachers' reflective practicum

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Živković Predrag Ž.

2013-01-01

contained in intelligent actions that are difficult to explicate verbally, and theory of action, an attempt to describe the tacit knowledge based on observation and reflection (reflection. While knowledge is a dynamic action, the theories of action (descriptions of the operation and the strategies they use, rules, values and assumptions which we hold are always a static structure. They are practical checks that are back in action. These checks are nothing but an evaluation of our theory and action based on the action, and self-evaluation practitioners. It is believed that only in an ironic sense and not as a pedeutological truism active and dynamic teaching situation can be treated as a non-susceptible reflective thinking of teachers. Advocates of this view argue that this is so because the teacher is in the midst of an activity, and cannot make a ' 'step back' ' nor the first rationalization of the various alternative courses of action in the immediate moment, but he then reflects on the consequences of the different alternatives. And even though he thinks very carefully about how to act in each moment and the situation that continues, he eventually has to admit to himself that he must determine on something that he does or does not do. Thus, a teacher who works is in a way still a dogmatist who can think of a rich range of possible actions and activities, while it may seem that he can do only one thing at a time. Proponents of this concept of critical reflexivity used to broad explanations of his criticism that are often based on a single act of the court action, which may not always be the argument of generalization. Notwithstanding the aforementioned arguments, finding that the teacher is an active teaching situation that is too busy to think reflectively, it does not mean that the teaching sentenced to life is a blind impulsivity and a conduct routine. Teachers feel that they can continue to operate keenly and dedicatedly. When you are in the classroom, good teachers

Investigating murals with terahertz reflective tomography

Science.gov (United States)

Yuan, Minjie; Sun, Wenfeng; Wang, Xinke; Wang, Sen; Zhang, Qunxi; Ye, Jiasheng; Zhang, Yan

2015-08-01

Terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) imaging technology has been proposed to be used in the non-invasive detection of murals. THz-TDS images provide structural data of the sample that cannot be obtained with other complementary techniques. In this paper, two types of defects hidden in the plaster used to simulate the cases of defects in the murals, have been investigated by the terahertz reflected time domain spectroscopy imaging system. These preset defects include a leaf slice and a slit built in the plaster. With the terahertz reflective tomography, information about defects has been determined involving the thickness from the surface of sample to the built-in defect, the profile and distribution of the defect. With this THz tomography, different defects with the changes of optical thickness and their relative refractive index have been identified. The application of reflective pulsed terahertz imaging has been extended to the defect detection of the murals.

Selective colors reflection from stratified aragonite calcium carbonate plates of mollusk shells.

Science.gov (United States)

Lertvachirapaiboon, Chutiparn; Parnklang, Tewarak; Pienpinijtham, Prompong; Wongravee, Kanet; Thammacharoen, Chuchaat; Ekgasit, Sanong

2015-08-01

An interaction between the incident light and the structural architecture within the shell of Asian green mussel (Perna viridis) induces observable pearlescent colors. In this paper, we investigate the influence of the structural architecture on the expressed colors. After a removal of the organic binder, small flakes from crushed shells show vivid rainbow reflection under an optical microscope. An individual flake expresses vivid color under a bright-field illumination while become transparent under a dark-field illumination. The expressed colors of the aragonite flakes are directly associated with its structural architecture. The flakes with aragonite thickness of 256, 310, and 353 nm, respectively, appear blue, green, and red under an optical microscope. The spectral simulation corroborates the experimentally observed optical effects as the flakes with thicker aragonite layers selectively reflected color with longer wavelengths. Flakes with multiple aragonite thicknesses expressed multi-color as the upper aragonite layers allow reflected colors from the lower layers to be observed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Biophysical information in asymmetric and symmetric diurnal bidirectional canopy reflectance

Science.gov (United States)

Vanderbilt, Vern C.; Caldwell, William F.; Pettigrew, Rita E.; Ustin, Susan L.; Martens, Scott N.; Rousseau, Robert A.; Berger, Kevin M.; Ganapol, B. D.; Kasischke, Eric S.; Clark, Jenny A.

1991-01-01

The authors present a theory for partitioning the information content in diurnal bidirectional reflectance measurements in order to detect differences potentially related to biophysical variables. The theory, which divides the canopy reflectance into asymmetric and symmetric functions of solar azimuth angle, attributes asymmetric variation to diurnal changes in the canopy biphysical properties. The symmetric function is attributed to the effects of sunlight interacting with a hypothetical average canopy which would display the average diurnal properties of the actual canopy. The authors analyzed radiometer data collected diurnally in the Thematic Mapper wavelength bands from two walnut canopies that received differing irrigation treatments. The reflectance of the canopies varied with sun and view angles and across seven bands in the visible, near-infrared, and middle infrared wavelength regions. Although one of the canopies was permanently water stressed and the other was stressed in mid-afternoon each day, no water stress signature was unambiguously evident in the reflectance data.

Diffuse reflectance startigraphy - a new method in the study of loess (?)

Science.gov (United States)

József, Szeberényi; Balázs, Bradák; Klaudia, Kiss; József, Kovács; György, Varga; Réka, Balázs; Viczián, István

2017-04-01

The different varieties of loess (and intercalated paleosol layers) together constitute one of the most widespread terrestrial sediments, which was deposited, altered, and redeposited in the course of the changing climatic conditions of the Pleistocene. To reveal more information about Pleistocene climate cycles and/or environments the detailed lithostratigraphical subdivision and classification of the loess variations and paleosols are necessary. Beside the numerous method such as various field measurements, semi-quantitative tests and laboratory investigations, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) is one of the well applied method on loess/paleosol sequences. Generally, DRS has been used to separate the detrital and pedogenic mineral component of the loess sections by the hematite/goethite ratio. DRS also has been applied as a joint method of various environmental magnetic investigations such as magnetic susceptibility- and isothermal remanent magnetization measurements. In our study the so-called "diffuse reflectance stratigraphy method" were developed. At First, complex mathematical method was applied to compare the results of the spectral reflectance measurements. One of the most preferred multivariate methods is cluster analysis. Its scope is to group and compare the loess variations and paleosol based on the similarity and common properties of their reflectance curves. In the Second, beside the basic subdivision of the profiles by the different reflectance curves of the layers, the most characteristic wavelength section of the reflectance curve was determined. This sections played the most important role during the classification of the different materials of the section. The reflectance value of individual samples, belonged to the characteristic wavelength were depicted in the function of depth and well correlated with other proxies like grain size distribution and magnetic susceptibility data. The results of the correlation showed the significance of the

Sun-view angle effects on reflectance factors of corn canopies

Science.gov (United States)

Ranson, K. J.; Daughtry, C. S. T.; Biehl, L. L.; Bauer, M. E.

1985-01-01

The effects of sun and view angles on reflectance factors of corn (Zea mays L.) canopies ranging from the six leaf stage to harvest maturity were studied on the Purdue University Agronomy Farm by a multiband radiometer. The two methods of acquiring spectral data, the truck system and the tower systrem, are described. The analysis of the spectral data is presented in three parts: solar angle effects on reflectance factors viewed at nadir; solar angle effects on reflectance factors viewed at a fixed sun angle; and both sun and view angles effect on reflectance factors. The analysis revealed that for nadir-viewed reflectance factors there is a strong solar angle dependence in all spectral bands for canopies with low leaf area index. Reflectance factors observed from the sun angle at different view azimuth angles showed that the position of the sensor relative to the sun is important in determining angular reflectance characteristics. For both sun and view angles, reflectance factors are maximized when the sensor view direction is towards the sun.

Helping students learn effective problem solving strategies by reflecting with peers

Science.gov (United States)

Mason, Andrew; Singh, Chandralekha

2010-07-01

We study how introductory physics students engage in reflection with peers about problem solving. The recitations for an introductory physics course with 200 students were broken into a "peer reflection" (PR) group and a traditional group. Each week in recitation, small teams of students in the PR group reflected on selected problems from the homework and discussed why the solutions of some students employed better problem solving strategies than others. The graduate and undergraduate teaching assistants in the PR recitations provided guidance and coaching to help students learn effective problem solving heuristics. In the traditional group recitations students could ask the graduate TA questions about the homework before they took a weekly quiz. The traditional group recitation quiz questions were similar to the homework questions selected for peer reflection in the PR group recitations. As one measure of the impact of this intervention, we investigated how likely students were to draw diagrams to help with problem solving on the final exam with only multiple-choice questions. We found that the PR group drew diagrams on more problems than the traditional group even when there was no explicit reward for doing so. Also, students who drew more diagrams for the multiple-choice questions outperformed those who did not, regardless of which group they were a member.

Scattering of acoustic and electromagnetic waves by small impedance bodies of arbitrary shapes applications to creating new engineered materials

CERN Document Server

Ramm, Alexander G

2013-01-01

The behavior of acoustic or electromagnetic waves reflecting off, and scattering from, intercepted bodies of any size and kind can make determinations about the materials of those bodies and help in better understanding how to manipulate such materials for desired characteristics. This book offers analytical formulas which allow you to calculate acoustic and electromagnetic waves, scattered by one and many small bodies of an arbitrary shape under various boundary conditions. Equations for the effective (self-consistent) field in media consisting of many small bodies are derived. These results and formulas are new and not available in the works of other authors. In particular, the theory developed in this book is different from the classical work of Rayleigh on scattering by small bodies: not only analytical formulas are derived for the waves scattered by small bodies of an arbitrary shape, but the amplitude of the scattered waves is much larger, of the order O(a 2-k), than in Rayleigh scattering, where the or...

Wing Scale Orientation Alters Reflection Directions in the Green Hairstreak Chrysozephyrus smaragdinus (Lycaenidae; Lepidoptera).

Science.gov (United States)

Imafuku, Michio; Ogihara, Naomichi

2016-12-01

There have been only a few reports on the directional reflection of light by butterfly wings. Here, we systematically investigated this phenomenon in a lycaenid butterfly, Chrysozephyrus smaragdinus,in which males have bright green wings based on structural coloration. We used a device that measures intensities of light in hemispherical space by vertical shifting of a sensor and horizontal rotation of the stage carrying the wing, which is illuminated from the top, to determine the direction of light reflected by the fore- and hindwings. The orientation and curvature of wing scales were also examined microscopically. The forewing of this species reflected light shone from the top largely forward, whereas the hindwing reflected it slightly forward. This difference was attributed to the tilt angles of the wing scales. Light reflection by the forewing was relatively weak, and widely scattered, whereas that by the hindwing was rather concentrated, resulting in higher reflectance. This difference was attributed to difference in the curvature of the wing scales on the two wings.

Inhibition of amyloid oligomerization into different supramolecular architectures by small molecules: mechanistic insights and design rules.

Science.gov (United States)

Brahmachari, Sayanti; Paul, Ashim; Segal, Daniel; Gazit, Ehud

2017-05-01

Protein misfolding and aggregation have been associated with several human disorders, including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and Huntington's diseases, as well as senile systemic amyloidosis and Type II diabetes. However, there is no current disease-modifying therapy available for the treatment of these disorders. In spite of extensive academic, pharmaceutical, medicinal and clinical research, a complete mechanistic model for this family of diseases is still lacking. In this review, we primarily discuss the different types of small molecular entities which have been used for the inhibition of the aggregation process of different amyloidogenic proteins under diseased conditions. These include small peptides, polyphenols, inositols, quinones and their derivatives, and metal chelator molecules. In recent years, these groups of molecules have been extensively studied using in vitro, in vivo and computational models to understand their mechanism of action and common structural features underlying the process of inhibition. A salient feature found to be instrumental in the process of inhibition is the balance between the aromatic unit that functions as the amyloid recognition unit and the hydrophilic amyloid breaker unit. The establishment of structure-function relationship for amyloid-modifying therapies by the various functional entities should serve as an important step toward the development of efficient therapeutics.

Alteration of the UV-visible reflectance spectra of H2O ice by ion bombardment

Science.gov (United States)

Sack, N. J.; Boring, J. W.; Johnson, R. E.; Baragiola, R. A.; Shi, M.

1991-01-01

Satellite in the Jovian and Saturnian system exhibit differences in reflectivity between their 'leading' and 'trailing' surfaces which can affect the local vapor pressure. Since these differences are thought to be due to differences in the flux of bombarding magnetospheric ions, the influence of ion impact on the UV-visible reflectance of water ice surfaces (20-90 K) by keV ion bombardment was studied. An observed decrease in reflectance in the UV is attributed to rearrangement processes that affect the physical microstructure and surface 'roughness'. The ratio in reflectance of bombarded to freshly deposited films is compared to the ratio of the reflectance of the leading and trailing hemispheres for Europa and Ganymede.

Nonlinear self-reflection of intense ultra-wideband femtosecond pulses in optical fiber

Science.gov (United States)

Konev, Leonid S.; Shpolyanskiy, Yuri A.

2013-05-01

We simulated propagation of few-cycle femtosecond pulses in fused silica fiber based on the set of first-order equations for forward and backward waves that generalizes widely used equation of unidirectional approximation. Appearance of a weak reflected field in conditions default to the unidirectional approach is observed numerically. It arises from nonmatched initial field distribution with the nonlinear medium response. Besides additional field propagating forward along with the input pulse is revealed. The analytical solution of a simplified set of equations valid over distances of a few wavelengths confirms generation of reflected and forward-propagating parts of the backward wave. It allowed us to find matched conditions when the reflected field is eliminated and estimate the amplitude of backward wave via medium properties. The amplitude has the order of the nonlinear contribution to the refractive index divided by the linear refractive index. It is small for the fused silica so the conclusions obtained in the unidirectional approach are valid. The backward wave should be proportionally higher in media with stronger nonlinear response. We did not observe in simulations additional self-reflection not related to non-matched boundary conditions.

Designing a Reflective Teacher Education Course and Its Contribution to ELT Teachers' Reflectivity

Science.gov (United States)

Tajik, Leila; Pakzad, Kazem

2016-01-01

Researchers in the present study planned a reflective teacher education course and documented the contribution of such a course to improving teachers' reflectivity. Five English teachers took part in the reflective teacher education course designed by the researchers. To record how the course could help improve reflective teaching, researchers…

A Mindfulness Experiential Small Group to Help Students Tolerate Ambiguity

Science.gov (United States)

Bohecker, Lynn; Vereen, Linwood G.; Wells, Pamela C.; Wathen, Cristen C.

2016-01-01

This study explored the lived experiences of 20 counselors-in-training (CITs) in a mindfulness experiential small group. Using grounded theory, the authors described a 5-dimensional model for navigating ambiguity. Findings suggest mindfulness training provides CITs self-reflection skills and a greater ability to manage cognitive complexity.

Silent, indirect strategic processes in small and medium sized enterprises

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Mette Vinther; Madsen, Charlotte Øland; Rasmussen, Jørgen Gulddahl

Based on empirical data we in this paper explore day-to-day strategising with an emphasis on phronesis. This way we shed some light on the nearly silent, quiet, indirect strategic change processes as they are practiced and reflected upon by leaders in small companies in their daily practice...

Visible and near-infrared spectroscopic analysis of raw milk for cow health monitoring: reflectance or transmittance?

Science.gov (United States)

Aernouts, B; Polshin, E; Lammertyn, J; Saeys, W

2011-11-01

The composition of produced milk has great value for the dairy farmer. It determines the economic value of the milk and provides valuable information about the metabolism of the corresponding cow. Therefore, online measurement of milk components during milking 2 or more times per day would provide knowledge about the current health and nutritional status of each cow individually. This information provides a solid basis for optimizing cow management. The potential of visible and near-infrared (Vis/NIR) spectroscopy for predicting the fat, crude protein, lactose, and urea content of raw milk online during milking was, therefore, investigated in this study. Two measurement modes (reflectance and transmittance) and different wavelength ranges for Vis/NIR spectroscopy were evaluated and their ability to measure the milk composition online was compared. The Vis/NIR reflectance measurements allowed for very accurate monitoring of the fat and crude protein content in raw milk (R(2)>0.95), but resulted in poor lactose predictions (R(2)milk samples gave accurate fat and crude protein predictions (R(2)>0.90) and useful lactose predictions (R(2)=0.88). Neither Vis/NIR reflectance nor transmittance spectroscopy lead to an acceptable prediction of the milk urea content. Transmittance spectroscopy can thus be used to predict the 3 major milk components, but with lower accuracy for fat and crude protein than the reflectance mode. Moreover, the small sample thickness (1mm) required for NIR transmittance measurement considerably complicates its online use. Copyright © 2011 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

On automatic visual inspection of reflective surfaces

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kulmann, Lionel

1995-01-01

surfaces, providing new and exciting applications subject to automated visual inspection. Several contextual features have been surveyed along with introduction of novel methods to perform data-dependent enhancement of local surface appearance . Morphological methods have been described and utilized......This thesis descrbes different methods to perform automatic visual inspection of reflective manufactured products, with the aim of increasing productivity, reduce cost and improve the quality level of the production. We investigate two different systems performing automatic visual inspection....... The first is the inspection of highly reflective aluminum sheets, used by the Danish company Bang & Olufsen, as a part of the exterior design and general appearance of their audio and video products. The second is the inspection of IBM hard disk read/write heads for defects during manufacturing. We have...

Self-Reflection

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fausing, Bent

2016-01-01

will take a look at the establishing of the modern self and possibilities of self-reflection, too. My examples will be from the so-called dark-selfies and from a new selfie form, which merge the present with the previous progressing into the future. I will discuss the media reflections as loos and/or gain...

Personal Reflections

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Home; Journals; Resonance – Journal of Science Education. Personal Reflections. Articles in Resonance – Journal of Science Education. Volume 6 Issue 3 March 2001 pp 90-93 Personal Reflections. Why did I opt for Career in Science? Jayant V Narlikar · More Details Fulltext PDF. Volume 9 Issue 8 August 2004 pp 89-89 ...

Coordination of the Tromsoe Partial Reflection Experiment (PRE) and EISCAT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haug, A.

1977-01-01

A redesigned partial reflection experiment has been installed and put in operation at Ramfjord, Tromsoe. In this paper the theory for the experiment is briefly outlined and it is shown that the partial reflection experiment is suitable for a number of different studies of the lower ionosphere. An antenna array of 10 5 m 2 has been erected at the same site where the European Incoherent Scatter Facility (EISCAT) will be installed. In the redesigned experiment system control and fast data analysis are performed by a computer with the necessary peripherals. It is shown that the resolution, accuracy and height range of the different partial reflection sub-experiments provides for a number of coordinated investigations with the European Incoherent Scatter facility. (Auth.)

Job Stress in the United Kingdom: Are Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises and Large Enterprises Different?

Science.gov (United States)

Lai, Yanqing; Saridakis, George; Blackburn, Robert

2015-08-01

This paper examines the relationships between firm size and employees' experience of work stress. We used a matched employer-employee dataset (Workplace Employment Relations Survey 2011) that comprises of 7182 employees from 1210 private organizations in the United Kingdom. Initially, we find that employees in small and medium-sized enterprises experience lower level of overall job stress than those in large enterprises, although the effect disappears when we control for individual and organizational characteristics in the model. We also find that quantitative work overload, job insecurity and poor promotion opportunities, good work relationships and poor communication are strongly associated with job stress in the small and medium-sized enterprises, whereas qualitative work overload, poor job autonomy and employee engagements are more related with larger enterprises. Hence, our estimates show that the association and magnitude of estimated effects differ significantly by enterprise size. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Building Bridges: The Use of Reflective Oral Diaries as a Qualitative Research Tool

Science.gov (United States)

Hewitt, Elizabeth

2017-01-01

The article is a reflection on the use of an oral diary as a qualitative research tool, the role that it played during fieldwork and the methodological issues that emerged. It draws on a small-scale empirical study into primary school teachers' use of group discussion, during which oral diaries were used to explore and document teacher reflective…

Reflectance variability of surface coatings reveals characteristic eigenvalue spectra

Science.gov (United States)

Medina, José M.; Díaz, José A.; Barros, Rui

2012-10-01

We have examined the trial-to-trial variability of the reflectance spectra of surface coatings containing effect pigments. Principal component analysis of reflectances was done at each detection angle separately. A method for classification of principal components is applied based on the eigenvalue spectra. It was found that the eigenvalue spectra follow characteristic power laws and depend on the detection angle. Three different subsets of principal components were examined to separate the relevant spectral features related to the pigments from other noise sources. Reconstruction of the reflectance spectra by taking only the first subset indicated that reflectance variability was higher at near-specular reflection, suggesting a correlation with the trial-to-trial deposition of effect pigments. Reconstruction by using the second subset indicates that variability was higher at short wavelengths. Finally, reconstruction by using only the third subset indicates that reflectance variability was not totally random as a function of the wavelength. The methods employed can be useful in the evaluation of color variability in industrial paint application processes.

Euclidean mirrors. Enhanced vacuum decay from reflected instantons

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Akal, Ibrahim [Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), Hamburg (Germany). Theory Group; Moortgat-Pick, Gudrid [Hamburg Univ. (Germany). 2. Inst. fuer Theoretische Physik

2017-06-15

We study the tunneling of virtual matter-antimatter pairs from the quantum vacuum in the presence of a spatially uniform temporal electric background composed of of a strong slow field superimposed with a weak rapid field. After analytic continuation to Euclidean spacetime we obtain from the instanton equations two critical points. While one of them is the closing point of the instanton path, the other serves as an Euclidean mirror which reflects and squeezes the instanton. It is this reflection and shrinking which is responsible for an enormous enhancement of the vacuum pair production rate. We discuss how important features of this mechanism can be analysed and understood via such a rotation in the complex plane. Consistent with previous studies, we consider certain examples where we apply weak fields with a distinct pole structure in order to show that the reflection takes place exactly at the poles. We also discuss the effect of possible sub-cycle structures. We extend this reflection picture to fields which have no poles present and illustrate the effective reflections with explicit examples. An additional field strength dependence for the rate occurs in such cases. We analytically compute the characteristic threshold for this mechanism given by the critical combined Keldysh parameter. We discuss significant differences between these two types of fields. For various backgrounds, we present the contributing instantons and perform analytical computations for the corresponding rates treating both fields nonperturbatively. The validity of the results is confirmed by numerical computations. Considering different profiles for the strong field, we also discuss its impact on the critical combined Keldysh parameter.

Radiative Transfer Equation for Anisotropic Spherical Medium with Specular Reflective Index

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elghazaly, A.

2009-01-01

Radiative transfer problem for anisotropic scattering in a spherical homogeneous, turbid medium with diffuse and angular dependent (specular) reflecting boundaries is solved using the Pomraning-Eddington approximation method. The angular dependent specular reflectivity of the boundary is considered as Fresnel's reflection probability function. The partial heat flux is calculated with anisotropic scattering through a homogeneous solid sphere. The calculations are carried out for spherical media of radii 0.1, 1.0, and 10 mfp and for different scattering albedo. Two different weight functions are used to verify the boundary conditions. Our results are compared with the available data and give an excellent agreement for thick and highly scattering media

Comparing charcoal and zeolite reflection filters for volatile anaesthetics: A laboratory evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Sturesson, Louise W; Frennström, Jan O; Ilardi, Marcella; Reinstrup, Peter

2015-08-01

A modified heat-moisture exchanger that incorporates a reflecting filter for use with partial rebreathing of exhaled volatile anaesthetics has been commercially available since the 1990 s. The main advantages of the device are efficient delivery of inhaled sedation to intensive care patients and reduced anaesthetic consumption during anaesthesia. However, elevated arterial CO2 values have been observed with an anaesthetic conserving device compared with a conventional heat and moisture exchanger, despite compensation for larger apparatus dead space. The objective of this study is to thoroughly explore the properties of two reflecting materials (charcoal and zeolites). A controlled, prospective, observational laboratory study. Lund University Hospital, Sweden, from December 2011 to December 2012. None. Three filters, with identical volumes, were compared using different volatile anaesthetics at different conditions of temperature and moisture. The filtering materials were charcoal or zeolite. Glass spheres were used as an inert control. Consumption of volatile anaesthetics using different reflecting materials in filters at different conditions regarding temperature and moisture. CO2 reflection by the filtering materials: glass spheres, charcoal or zeolite. Isoflurane consumption in an open system was 60.8 g h(-1). The isoflurane consumption in dry, warm air was 39.8 g h(-1) with glass spheres. Changing to charcoal and zeolite had a profound effect on isoflurane consumption, 11.8 and 10.7 g h(-1), respectively. Heating and humidifying the air as well as the addition of N2O created only minor changes in consumption. The percentage of isoflurane conserved by the charcoal filter was independent of the isoflurane concentration (0.5 to 4.5%). Reflection of sevoflurane, desflurane and halothane by the charcoal filter was similar to reflection of isoflurane. Both charcoal and zeolite filters had CO2 reflecting properties and end-tidal CO2 increased by 3 to 3.7% compared

Effects of a work-based critical reflection program for novice nurses.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Yeon Hee; Min, Ja; Kim, Soon Hee; Shin, Sujin

2018-02-27

Critical reflection is effective in improving students' communication abilities and confidence. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a work-based critical reflection program to enhance novice nurses' clinical critical-thinking abilities, communication competency, and job performance. The present study used a quasi-experimental design. From October 2014 to August 2015, we collected data from 44 novice nurses working in an advanced general hospital in S city in Korea. Nurses in the experimental group participated in a critical reflection program for six months. Outcome variables were clinical critical-thinking skills, communication abilities, and job performance. A non-parametric Mann-Whitney U-test and a Wilcoxon rank sum test were selected to evaluate differences in mean ranks and to assess the null hypothesis that the medians were equal across the groups. The results showed that the clinical critical-thinking skills of those in the experimental group improved significantly (p = 0.003). The differences in mean ranks of communication ability between two groups was significantly statistically different (p = 0.028). Job performance improved significantly in both the experimental group and the control group, so there was no statistical difference (p = 0.294). We therefore suggest that a critical reflection program be considered an essential tool for improving critical thinking and communication abilities among novice nurses who need to adapt to the clinical environment as quickly as possible. Further, we suggest conducting research into critical reflection programs among larger and more diverse samples.

Learning Through Reflective Writing: A Teaching Strategy. A Review of: Sen, B. A. (2010. Reflective writing: A management skill. Library Management, 31(1/2, 79-93.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kristen L. Young

2010-12-01

the art of reflective practice and analytical reflective writing. Qualitatively, when the students’ reflections were assessed, ten different themes emerged: (1 Nature of reflection(2 Reflection seen as useful in providing support for a career and professional development(3 Reflective writing – benefits (4 Reflective writing – potential in future employment and workplace(5 Encouraging others to use reflective practice(6 Reflecting positively(7 Reflection applicable to both individuals and groups(8 Reflection in support of personal awareness(9 Exploration of different methods of reflection(10Difficulties in focusing enough to be able to reflect deeplyConclusion – Reflection is a skill that can be practised and developed. Initially, not all students enrolled in the class and participating in the study knew what reflective writing was or what it entailed. Students were given support to educate them in this area. Support included academic reading, lectures, reflective writing workshops and an overall opportunity to develop their skills further.Reflective writing was demonstrated to have a very positive relationship with several key outcomes. The areas impacted include academic learning, self-development, and critical review, with key outcomes including an increased awareness of personal mental function and increased support for decision making, as well as empowerment and emancipation. The clearest benefit was represented when students wrote about their analytical reflections.

Effects of temporal distribution of specular and diffuse reflections on perceived music quality

Science.gov (United States)

Smitthakorn, Pattra

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of the temporal distribution of diffuse and specular reflections on the perceived acoustic qualities of music performance. Sets of impulse responses were designed with different temporal distributions of early acoustic energy (specular and diffuse reflections). Then, three types of anechoic sound sources---orchestral music, trumpet, and piano---were convolved with the designed impulse responses. The results from the listening tests revealed that different room environments were needed to acoustically support different source characteristics. The results show the following: (1) specular reflections arriving within 40 msec of the direct sound improved perceived "clarity" and "intimacy"; (2) specular reflections arriving between 40-80 msec after the direct sound improved perceived "clarity" for orchestral music; (3) specular reflections arriving later than 80 msec after the direct sound are not desirable; (4) large numbers of diffuse reflections arriving within 40 and 80 msec of the direct sound improved perceived "intimacy", "texture", and "overall impression" for all sound sources, heightened perceived "clarity" for trumpet and piano, and reduced perceived "glare" for trumpet; and (5) diffuse reflections arriving between 80-160 msec of the direct sound preserved perceived "reverberance" and reduced perceived "echoes" as opposed to specular reflections arriving in the same time period. The results of this study indicate that music performance halls should be designed to include diffuse reflections from surfaces within the 80 msec time period to achieve preferred texture, intimacy, clarity and overall impression and in the 160 msec time period to reduce echoes; specular reflections arriving within the 40 msec time period should be provided to enhance perceived clarity.

Effect of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) phase transition at 19°C on the use of Spectralon as a reference standard for reflectance.

Science.gov (United States)

Ball, Christopher P; Levick, Andrew P; Woolliams, Emma R; Green, Paul D; Dury, Martin R; Winkler, Rainer; Deadman, Andrew J; Fox, Nigel P; King, Martin D

2013-07-10

Sintered polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is highly reflective and is widely used as a reference standard in remote sensing, radiometry, and spectroscopy. The relative change in output flux from a PTFE integrating sphere over the room temperature phase transition at 19°C has been measured at a monochromatic wavelength of 633 nm as 1.82±0.21%. The change in output flux was attributed to a small change of 0.09±0.02% in the total hemispherical reflectance of PTFE, caused by a change in its material density as a result of the phase transition. For the majority of users, this small change measured in total hemispherical reflectance is unlikely to impact significantly the accuracy of PTFE flat panel reflectors used as reference standards. However, owing to the multiple reflections that occur inside an integrating sphere cavity, the effect is multiplied and remedial action should be applied, either via a mathematical correction or through temperature stabilization of the integrating sphere when high accuracy (PTFE-based integrating spheres at temperatures close to the phase transition at 19°C.

Total-reflection X-ray fluorescence analysis of Austrian wine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gruber, X.; Kregsamer, P.; Wobrauschek, P.; Streli, C.

2006-01-01

The concentration of major, minor and trace elements in Austrian wine was determined by total-reflection X-ray fluorescence using gallium as internal standard. A multi-elemental analysis was possible by pipetting 6 μl of wine directly on the reflector and drying. Total-reflection X-ray fluorescence analysis was performed with Atomika EXTRA II A (Cameca) X-rays from a Mo tube with a high-energy cut-off at 20 keV in total-reflection geometry. The results showed that it was possible to identify only by the elemental analysis as fingerprint the vineyards and year of vintage among 11 different wines

Total-reflection X-ray fluorescence analysis of Austrian wine

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gruber, X. [Atominstitut der Osterreichischen Universitaeten, 1020 Vienna (Austria); Kregsamer, P. [Atominstitut der Osterreichischen Universitaeten, 1020 Vienna (Austria); Wobrauschek, P. [Atominstitut der Osterreichischen Universitaeten, 1020 Vienna (Austria); Streli, C. [Atominstitut der Osterreichischen Universitaeten, 1020 Vienna (Austria)]. E-mail: streli@ati.ac.at

2006-11-15

The concentration of major, minor and trace elements in Austrian wine was determined by total-reflection X-ray fluorescence using gallium as internal standard. A multi-elemental analysis was possible by pipetting 6 {mu}l of wine directly on the reflector and drying. Total-reflection X-ray fluorescence analysis was performed with Atomika EXTRA II A (Cameca) X-rays from a Mo tube with a high-energy cut-off at 20 keV in total-reflection geometry. The results showed that it was possible to identify only by the elemental analysis as fingerprint the vineyards and year of vintage among 11 different wines.

Market size structure and small business lending : Are crisis times different from normal times?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Berger, Allen N.; Cerqueiro, G.M.; Penas, Maria

2015-01-01

Conventional wisdom holds that small banks have comparative advantages vis-à-vis large banks in serving small firms, while recent literature suggests this may not be the case. Using a panel of recent US start-ups, we investigate how small bank presence affects these firms in normal times (2004–06)

PRACTICAL MODEL OF STRATEGIC MARKETING PLAN FOR MICRO AND SMALL TRANSFORMATION COMPANIES IN LAGOS DE MORENO, JALISCO

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Edith Ariadna Lozano-González

2017-07-01

Full Text Available A plan is designed to increase reaction capacity and leads the manager to a more in-depth knowledge of the company's own reality. The strategic marketing plan has as its fundamental purpose to express clearly and systematically the variables chosen by the company, these variants must be translated into decisions and programs of actions. The designed model is pragmatic, simple and adaptable for micro and small transformation companies that initiate in the strategic marketing planning, with the purpose of habituating them in planning and to increase the reaction capacity that favors their commercial life. This model is based on a documentary research that collects and analyzes the different processes of strategic marketing planning by different authors, developing a methodology for the micro and small entrepreneur. The model is a sheet that describes the points on which a micro and small transformation company identifies opportunity areas based on information feedback generated from the internal microenvironment and external macroenvironment. The sheet is a design inspired by the CANVAS business model that covers six areas that reflects the logic of a strategic planning process based on the marketing mix.

Polarization sensitivity testing of off-plane reflection gratings

Science.gov (United States)

Marlowe, Hannah; McEntaffer, Randal L.; DeRoo, Casey T.; Miles, Drew M.; Tutt, James H.; Laubis, Christian; Soltwisch, Victor

2015-09-01

Off-Plane reflection gratings were previously predicted to have different efficiencies when the incident light is polarized in the transverse-magnetic (TM) versus transverse-electric (TE) orientations with respect to the grating grooves. However, more recent theoretical calculations which rigorously account for finitely conducting, rather than perfectly conducting, grating materials no longer predict significant polarization sensitivity. We present the first empirical results for radially ruled, laminar groove profile gratings in the off-plane mount which demonstrate no difference in TM versus TE efficiency across our entire 300-1500 eV bandpass. These measurements together with the recent theoretical results confirm that grazing incidence off-plane reflection gratings using real, not perfectly conducting, materials are not polarization sensitive.

Do writing and storytelling skill influence assessment of reflective ability in medical students' written reflections?

Science.gov (United States)

Aronson, Louise; Niehaus, Brian; DeVries, Charlie D; Siegel, Jennifer R; O'Sullivan, Patricia S

2010-10-01

Increasingly, students are asked to write reflections as part of their medical education, but some question the influence of other factors on the evaluation of these reflections. In this pilot study, the investigators determined whether scores from a validated rubric to measure reflective ability were affected by irrelevant variance resulting from writing or storytelling ability. Students in clerkships wrote reflections on professionalism. All were given identical prompts, with half receiving additional structured guidelines on reflection. Sixty reflections, 30 from each group, were randomly chosen and scored for reflection, writing, and storytelling by trained raters using validated rubrics. There was no correlation between reflection and either writing (r = 0.049, P = .35) or storytelling (r = 0.14, P = .13). The guidelines increased reflection, but not writing or storytelling scores. Reflection is a distinct construct unaffected by learners' writing or storytelling skills. These findings support reflective ability as a distinct skill.

Hollow-core revolver fibre with a double-capillary reflective cladding

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kosolapov, A F; Alagashev, G K; Kolyadin, A N; Pryamikov, A D; Dianov, E M [Fiber Optics Research Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow (Russian Federation); Biryukov, A S; Bufetov, I A [Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (State University), Dolgoprudnyi, Moscow Region (Russian Federation)

2016-03-31

We report the fabrication of the first hollow-core revolver fibre with a core diameter as small as 25 μm and an optical loss no higher than 75 dB km{sup -1} at a wavelength of 1850 nm. The decrease in core diameter, with no significant increase in optical loss, is due to the use of double nested capillaries in the reflective cladding design. A number of technical problems pertaining to the fabrication of such fibres are resolved. (fiber optics)

How to succeed with ethics reflection groups in community healthcare? Professionals' perceptions.

Science.gov (United States)

Karlsen, Heidi; Lillemoen, Lillian; Magelssen, Morten; Førde, Reidun; Pedersen, Reidar; Gjerberg, Elisabeth

2018-01-01

Healthcare personnel in the municipal healthcare systems experience many ethical challenges in their everyday work. In Norway, 243 municipalities participated in a national ethics project, aimed to increase ethical competence in municipal healthcare services. In this study, we wanted to map out what participants in ethics reflection groups experienced as promoters or as barriers to successful reflection. To examine what the staff experience as promoters or as barriers to successful ethics reflection. The study has a qualitative design, where 56 participants in municipal healthcare participated in 10 different focus-group interviews. Ethical considerations: The data collection was based on the participants' informed consent and approved by the Data Protection Official of the Norwegian Centre for Research Data. The informants had different experiences from ethics reflection group. Nevertheless, we found that there were several factors that were consistently mentioned: competence, facilitator's role, ethics reflection groups organizing, and organizational support were all experienced as promoters and as a significant effect on ethics reflection groups. The absence of such factors would constitute important barriers to successful ethics reflection. The results are coincident with other studies, and indicate some conditions that may increase the possibility to succeed with ethics reflection groups. A systematic approach seems to be important, the systematics of the actual reflections, but also in the organization of ethics reflection group at the workplace. Community healthcare is characterized by organizational instabilities as many vacancies, high workloads, and lack of predictability. This can be a hinder for ethics reflection group. Both internal and external factors seem to influence the organization of ethics reflection group. The municipalities' instabilities challenging this work, and perceived as a clear inhibitor for the development. The participants

Diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier-Transform spectra of selected organic compounds

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Harmon, S.H.; Caton, J.E.