Travelling with Dexter Kozen

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Emde Boas, P.; Constable, R.L.; Silva, A.

2012-01-01

Aside from our shared interest in particular areas of Theoretical Computer Science, the experience I share with Dexter Kozen originates from the fact that we both belong to the not too large group of Theoreticiancs who during the late 1970-ies and early 1980-ies frequently crossed the Iron Curtain

Wearing ambidextrous vinyl gloves does not impair manual dexterity.

Science.gov (United States)

Drabek, Tomas; Boucek, Charles D; Buffington, Charles W

2013-01-01

Universal precautions mandate that health care workers wear gloves to prevent the unintended spread of bloodborne pathogens. Gloves may affect manual dexterity, generally delaying task completion. Our previous study showed that wearing the wrong size latex surgical glove degraded manual dexterity. The use of non-sterile and non-latex gloves may limit certain risks and be more cost-effective. However, such gloves may produce different results. We hypothesized that ambidextrous vinyl examination gloves would degrade manual dexterity compared with bare hands. We studied 20 random subjects from a medical environment. Subjects performed a standard battery of Grooved Pegboard tasks while bare-handed, wearing ambidextrous non-sterile vinyl gloves that were their preferred size, a size too small, and a size too large. The order was randomized with a Latin Square design to minimize the effects of time, boredom, and fatigue on the subjects. Subjects were also invited to comment on the fit of different size gloves. Wearing vinyl gloves of both the preferred size and a size up or down failed to affect manual dexterity vs. bare hands on time to insert pegs, and pegs dropped during insertion or removal. In contrast, the time to remove pegs was reduced by wearing preferred size vinyl gloves compared with performing the task with bare hands (Pgloves that were too small caused significant hand discomfort. Vinyl gloves surprisingly do not degrade manual dexterity even when worn in ill-fitting sizes. Wearing a preferred size vinyl glove vs. bare hands may improve dexterity in selected tasks. Choosing a comfortable, large size seems the best strategy when the preferred size is unavailable. Thinner vinyl gloves may improve grip and may not degrade touch as much as latex surgical gloves and may thus represent a reasonable choice for selected tasks.

Bio-inspired mechanical design of a tendon-driven dexterous prosthetic hand.

Science.gov (United States)

Controzzi, Marco; Cipriani, Christian; Jehenne, Beryl; Donati, Marco; Carrozza, Maria Chiara

2010-01-01

This paper presents the preliminary design of a new dexterous upper-limb prosthesis provided with a novel anthropomorphic hand, a compact wrist based on bevel gears and a modular forearm able to cover different levels of upper-limb amputations. The hand has 20 DoFs and 11 motors, with a dexterous three fingered subsystem composed by a fully actuated thumb, and an hybrid index and middle fingers to enable dexterous manipulation and enhance grasp performance.

DEXTER: Disease-Expression Relation Extraction from Text.

Science.gov (United States)

Gupta, Samir; Dingerdissen, Hayley; Ross, Karen E; Hu, Yu; Wu, Cathy H; Mazumder, Raja; Vijay-Shanker, K

2018-01-01

Gene expression levels affect biological processes and play a key role in many diseases. Characterizing expression profiles is useful for clinical research, and diagnostics and prognostics of diseases. There are currently several high-quality databases that capture gene expression information, obtained mostly from large-scale studies, such as microarray and next-generation sequencing technologies, in the context of disease. The scientific literature is another rich source of information on gene expression-disease relationships that not only have been captured from large-scale studies but have also been observed in thousands of small-scale studies. Expression information obtained from literature through manual curation can extend expression databases. While many of the existing databases include information from literature, they are limited by the time-consuming nature of manual curation and have difficulty keeping up with the explosion of publications in the biomedical field. In this work, we describe an automated text-mining tool, Disease-Expression Relation Extraction from Text (DEXTER) to extract information from literature on gene and microRNA expression in the context of disease. One of the motivations in developing DEXTER was to extend the BioXpress database, a cancer-focused gene expression database that includes data derived from large-scale experiments and manual curation of publications. The literature-based portion of BioXpress lags behind significantly compared to expression information obtained from large-scale studies and can benefit from our text-mined results. We have conducted two different evaluations to measure the accuracy of our text-mining tool and achieved average F-scores of 88.51 and 81.81% for the two evaluations, respectively. Also, to demonstrate the ability to extract rich expression information in different disease-related scenarios, we used DEXTER to extract information on differential expression information for 2024 genes in lung

Bangladesh Norms for a Gender-Specific Functional Fine Dexterity Test (FFDT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Debra K. Lindstrom-Hazel

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Background: Good psychometrics and cultural relevance are needed for evidence-based practice. Occupational therapy (OT assessment tools in Bangladesh have been developed outside of Bangladesh and have not been validated or normed for Bangladeshis. This normative and psychometric study was to provide culturally relevant norms for in Bangladesh for bilateral fine motor. Method: The Functional Fine Dexterity Test (FFDT consists of two functional/self-care gender-specific task instruments: a shirt with five buttons for males and a pinning board for females. Raters were trained in timing these tasks. Results: Intra-Class Correlation (ICC scores were > .85 for all rater teams. Participants were timed three times while they completed the task. Convergent validity was examined using a Pearson’s Product-Moment correlation to compare the average of three trials of the FFDT and three trials of the Nine Hole Peg Test (NHPT. Male and female norms were developed for the FFDT using descriptive statistics. The sample included 180 Bangladesh participants. Convergent validity, when compared to the NHPT, ranged from r = .4 to .67 for males (ages 18-29 and 40-49, p < .05; and r = .53 to .76 for females (aged 18-39, p < .05. FFDT norms were developed for gender and age categories. Conclusion: The FFDT is a valid test to use for evaluating fine motor dexterity in Bangladesh. This is the first OT instrument to be studied for culturally relevancy.

Reliability and validity of a new dexterity questionnaire (DextQ-24) in Parkinson's disease

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vanbellingen, Tim; Nyffeler, Thomas; Nef, Tobias; Kwakkel, Gert; Bohlhalter, Stephan; van Wegen, Erwin E.H.

2016-01-01

Background Patients with Parkinson's disease exhibit disturbed dexterity. Validated self-reported outcomes for dexterity in Parkinson's disease are lacking. The aim of this study was to investigate the reliability, content and construct validity of a new Dexterity Questionnaire 24. Methods One

Complex Hand Dexterity: A Review of Biomechanical Methods for Measuring Musical Performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cheryl Diane Metcalf

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Complex hand dexterity is fundamental to our interactions with the physical, social and cultural environment. Dexterity can be an expression of creativity and precision in a range of activities, including musical performance. Little is understood about complex hand dexterity or how virtuoso expertise is acquired, due to the versatility of movement combinations available to complete any given task. This has historically limited progress of the field because of difficulties in measuring movements of the hand. Recent developments in methods of motion capture and analysis mean it is now possible to explore the intricate movements of the hand and fingers. These methods allow us insights into the neurophysiological mechanisms underpinning complex hand dexterity and motor learning. They also allow investigation into the key factors that contribute to injury, recovery and functional compensation.The application of such analytical techniques within musical performance provides a multidisciplinary framework for purposeful investigation into the process of learning and skill acquisition in instrumental performance. These highly skilled manual and cognitive tasks present the ultimate achievement in complex hand dexterity. This paper will review methods of assessing instrumental performance in music, focusing specifically on biomechanical measurement and the associated technical challenges faced when measuring highly dexterous activities.

Effects of Dexterity Level and Hand Anthropometric Dimensions on Smartphone Users’ Satisfaction

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N. Firat Ozkan

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The usage of smartphones instead of simple mobile phones increases sharply in our era, especially among young people, because they do multiple tasks with single equipment. This study mainly focuses on smartphone satisfaction by combining hand measurements, smartphone users’ survey results, and hand dexterity levels of corresponding users acquired from Minnesota Manual Dexterity Test (MMDT. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM is used as a statistical tool to discover the potential direct and indirect relations among user satisfaction, hand dimensions, and dexterity scores. Results indicates that thumb length, hand length, and dexterity level of the users have notable effects on users’ satisfaction with smartphones. Based on the results, a new approach that includes both gross motor skills and physical measurements is suggested to see hidden indirect relations with satisfaction.

Sofrimento psíquico na perversão: o caso dexter El sufrimiento psíquico en la perversión: el caso dexter Psychic suffering in perversion: the dexter affair

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Fábio Roberto Rodrigues Belo

2012-09-01

Full Text Available A análise do personagem fictício Dexter permite construir hipóteses metapsicológicas sobre as origens da perversão. A posição perversa nesse caso deve-se à presença maciça de violência nas origens do sujeito psíquico. Dexter expressa o abandono sofrido pela atuação pulsional, os assassinatos em série, tentando inverter o estado de passividade no qual se encontra. Sua angústia pode ser organizada de duas formas distintas: a primeira é consciente, fornecida por seu pai, Harry, que o ensina a não deixar vestígios dos seus crimes. A segunda maneira é inconsciente, e traduz o desejo de submeter o outro à dor, fazendo com que, por meio do mecanismo de identificação projetiva, o perverso desfrute deste sofrimento que provoca, sendo remetido, então, às suas vivências originárias de submissão. Conclui-se que na perversão a angústia não apenas está presente, como também é constitutiva da escolha do sujeito de operar pela via da violência.El análisis del personaje ficticio Dexter permite la construcción de hipótesis metapsicológicas sobre los orígenes de la perversión. La posición perversa en este caso se debe a la presencia masiva de la violencia en los orígenes del sujeto psíquico. Dexter expresa el abandono sufrido a través de una actuación pulsional, los asesinatos en serie, intentando invertir el estado de pasividad en el que se encuentra. Su angustia puede ser organizada de dos maneras distintas: la primera es consciente, proporcionada por su padre, Harry, quien le enseña a no dejar rastros de sus crímenes. La segunda es inconsciente, y traduce el deseo de someter al otro al dolor, haciendo con que, a través del mecanismo de la identificación proyectiva, el perverso disfrute del sufrimiento que provoca, siendo remitido, así, a sus experiencias originarias de sumisión. Concluimos que, en la perversión, la angustia no sólo está presente, sino que es constitutiva de la elección del sujeto de operar

75 FR 10241 - Town of Dexter; Notice of Declaration of Intention and Soliciting Comments, Protests, and/or...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-03-05

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. DI10-7-000] Town of Dexter.... Date Filed: February 16, 2010. d. Applicant: Town of Dexter. e. Name of Project: Dexter Hydroelectric Project. f. Location: The proposed Dexter Hydroelectric Project will be located on the East Branch...

Cor triatriatum dexter: A rare cause of childhood cyanosis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmad Rustam bin Mohd Zainudin

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Cor triatriatum dexter is a rare congenital heart anomaly where the right atrium is divided into two chambers by a membrane. We report a boy who had persistent mild cyanosis and diagnosed to have cor triatriatum dexter with secundum atrial septal defect by transoesophageal echocardiography. Interestingly, he had persistent mild cyanosis despite insignificant obstruction to the right ventricular inflow and normal pulmonary artery pressure. The pathophysiology, approach to the diagnosis, and mode of treatment are also discussed.

MOTORIC SPEED AND MANUAL DEXTERITY OF CHILDERN WITH IMPAIRED VISION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dženana Radžo Alibegović

2017-04-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to estimate the motoric speed and manual dexterity of children with visual impairments. The research is covered by a sample size of 35 participants with visual impairment, with ages between 7 and 15 years, of which 19 participants with visual impairment were male and 16 participants with impaired vision were female. The study was conducted in 17 primary schools in the municipality of Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The results showed that the motoric speed and manual dexterity of children with visual impairment is evenly developed on the right and left hand, and also on both hands together and that there is a relationship between the motoric speed and manual dexterity of the right and left hand and both hands together.

Bulldog dwarfism in Dexter cattle is caused by mutations in ACAN.

Science.gov (United States)

Cavanagh, Julie A L; Tammen, Imke; Windsor, Peter A; Bateman, John F; Savarirayan, Ravi; Nicholas, Frank W; Raadsma, Herman W

2007-11-01

Bulldog dwarfism in Dexter cattle is one of the earliest single-locus disorders described in animals. Affected fetuses display extreme disproportionate dwarfism, reflecting abnormal cartilage development (chondrodysplasia). Typically, they die around the seventh month of gestation, precipitating a natural abortion. Heterozygotes show a milder form of dwarfism, most noticeably having shorter legs. Homozygosity mapping in candidate regions in a small Dexter pedigree suggested aggrecan (ACAN) as the most likely candidate gene. Mutation screening revealed a 4-bp insertion in exon 11 (2266_2267insGGCA) (called BD1 for diagnostic testing) and a second, rarer transition in exon 1 (-198C>T) (called BD2) that cosegregate with the disorder. In chondrocytes from cattle heterozygous for the insertion, mutant mRNA is subject to nonsense-mediated decay, showing only 8% of normal expression. Genotyping in Dexter families throughout the world shows a one-to-one correspondence between genotype and phenotype at this locus. The heterozygous and homozygous-affected Dexter cattle could prove invaluable as a model for human disorders caused by mutations in ACAN.

Hand and finger dexterity as a function of skin temperature, EMG, and ambient condition.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Wen-Lin; Shih, Yuh-Chuan; Chi, Chia-Fen

2010-06-01

This article examines the changes in skin temperature (finger, hand, forearm), manual performance (hand dexterity and strength), and forearm surface electromyograph (EMG) through 40-min, 11 degrees C water cooling followed by 15-min, 34 degrees C water rewarming; additionally, it explores the relationship between dexterity and the factors of skin temperature, EMG, and ambient condition. Hand exposure in cold conditions is unavoidable and significantly affects manual performance. Two tasks requiring gross and fine dexterity were designed, namely, nut loosening and pin insertion, respectively. The nested-factorial design includes factors of gender, participant (nested within gender), immersion duration, muscle type (for EMG), and location (for skin temperature). The responses are changes in dexterity, skin temperature, normalized amplitude of EMG, and grip strength. Finally, factor analysis and stepwise regression are used to explore factors affecting hand and finger dexterity. Dexterity, EMG, and skin temperature fell with prolonged cooling, but the EMG of the flexor digitorum superficialis remained almost unchanged during the nut loosening task. All responses but the forearm skin temperature recovered to the baseline level at the end of rewarming. The three factors extracted by factor analysis are termed skin temperature, ambient condition, and EMG. They explain approximately two thirds of the variation of the linear models for both dexterities, and the factor of skin temperature is the most influential. Sustained cooling and warming significantly decreases and increases finger, hand, and forearm skin temperature. Dexterity, strength, and EMG are positively correlated to skin temperature. Therefore, keeping the finger, hand, and forearm warm is important to maintaining hand performance. The findings could be helpful to building safety guidelines for working in cold environments.

Task specificity of finger dexterity tests

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Berger, M.A.M.; Krul, A.; Daanen, H.A.M.

2009-01-01

Finger dexterity tests are generally used to assess performance decrease due to gloves, cold and pathology. It is generally assumed that the O’Connor and Purdue Pegboard test yield similar results. In this experiment we compared these two tests for dry conditions without gloves, and for dry and wet

Task specificity of finger dexterity tests

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Berger, M.A.M.; Krul, A.J.; Daanen, H.A.M.

2009-01-01

Finger dexterity tests are generally used to assess performance decrease due to gloves, cold and pathology. It is generally assumed that the O'Connor and Purdue Pegboard test yield similar results. In this experiment we compared these two tests for dry conditions without gloves, and for dry and wet

Automation of motor dexterity assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Heyer, Patrick; Castrejon, Luis R; Orihuela-Espina, Felipe; Sucar, Luis Enrique

2017-07-01

Motor dexterity assessment is regularly performed in rehabilitation wards to establish patient status and automatization for such routinary task is sought. A system for automatizing the assessment of motor dexterity based on the Fugl-Meyer scale and with loose restrictions on sensing technologies is presented. The system consists of two main elements: 1) A data representation that abstracts the low level information obtained from a variety of sensors, into a highly separable low dimensionality encoding employing t-distributed Stochastic Neighbourhood Embedding, and, 2) central to this communication, a multi-label classifier that boosts classification rates by exploiting the fact that the classes corresponding to the individual exercises are naturally organized as a network. Depending on the targeted therapeutic movement class labels i.e. exercises scores, are highly correlated-patients who perform well in one, tends to perform well in related exercises-; and critically no node can be used as proxy of others - an exercise does not encode the information of other exercises. Over data from a cohort of 20 patients, the novel classifier outperforms classical Naive Bayes, random forest and variants of support vector machines (ANOVA: p home-based virtual rehabilitation and telerehabilitation alternatives.

A novel method for the quantification of key components of manual dexterity after stroke

OpenAIRE

T?r?metz, Maxime; Colle, Florence; Hamdoun, Sonia; Maier, Marc A.; Lindberg, P?vel G.

2015-01-01

Background A high degree of manual dexterity is a central feature of the human upper limb. A rich interplay of sensory and motor components in the hand and fingers allows for independent control of fingers in terms of timing, kinematics and force. Stroke often leads to impaired hand function and decreased manual dexterity, limiting activities of daily living and impacting quality of life. Clinically, there is a lack of quantitative multi-dimensional measures of manual dexterity. We therefore ...

Increasing The Dexterity Of Redundant Robots

Science.gov (United States)

Seraji, Homayoun

1990-01-01

Redundant coordinates used to define additional tasks. Configuration control emerging as effective way to control motions of robot having more degrees of freedom than necessary to define trajectory of end effector and/or of object to be manipulated. Extra or redundant degrees of freedom used to give robot humanlike dexterity and versatility.

Dynamic EBF1 occupancy directs sequential epigenetic and transcriptional events in B-cell programming.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Rui; Cauchy, Pierre; Ramamoorthy, Senthilkumar; Boller, Sören; Chavez, Lukas; Grosschedl, Rudolf

2018-01-15

B-cell fate determination requires the action of transcription factors that operate in a regulatory network to activate B-lineage genes and repress lineage-inappropriate genes. However, the dynamics and hierarchy of events in B-cell programming remain obscure. To uncouple the dynamics of transcription factor expression from functional consequences, we generated induction systems in developmentally arrested Ebf1 -/- pre-pro-B cells to allow precise experimental control of EBF1 expression in the genomic context of progenitor cells. Consistent with the described role of EBF1 as a pioneer transcription factor, we show in a time-resolved analysis that EBF1 occupancy coincides with EBF1 expression and precedes the formation of chromatin accessibility. We observed dynamic patterns of EBF1 target gene expression and sequential up-regulation of transcription factors that expand the regulatory network at the pro-B-cell stage. A continuous EBF1 function was found to be required for Cd79a promoter activity and for the maintenance of an accessible chromatin domain that is permissive for binding of other transcription factors. Notably, transient EBF1 occupancy was detected at lineage-inappropriate genes prior to their silencing in pro-B cells. Thus, persistent and transient functions of EBF1 allow for an ordered sequence of epigenetic and transcriptional events in B-cell programming. © 2018 Li et al.; Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

Cor triatriatum dexter: A rare cause of cyanosis during neonatal period.

Science.gov (United States)

Alghamdi, Mohammed Hussien

2016-01-01

Cor-triatriatum dexter is an extremely rare congenital heart defect in which there is complete persistence of the right valve of embryonic sinus venosus that results in partitioning of the right atrium into a smooth and trabeculated portion. The smooth portion receives venous blood from inferior vena cava, superior vena cava, and coronary sinus while the trabeculated portion contains the right atrial appendage and the opening of tricuspid valve. We report a 1-week-old child who presented with intermittent episodes of central cyanosis. Echocardiography, established, and bubble contrast study confirmed the diagnosis of an isolated cor-triatriatum dexter. The baby initially underwent an intervention by cardiac catheterization, which was unsuccessful in disrupting the membrane and re-direct the systemic venous flow to the right heart chambers. She subsequently had the cor-triatriatum dexter membrane resected via an uncomplicated open-heart surgery.

Qualitative Analysis of a Cultural Dexterity Program for Surgeons: Feasible, Impactful, and Necessary.

Science.gov (United States)

Udyavar, Rhea; Smink, Douglas S; Mullen, John T; Kent, Tara S; Green, A; Harlow, Alyssa F; Castillo-Angeles, Manuel; Columbus, Alexandra B; Haider, Adil H

2018-02-15

Ineffective cross-cultural communication contributes to adverse outcomes for minority patients. To address this, the authors developed a novel curriculum for surgical residents built on the principle of cultural dexterity, emphasizing adaptability to clinical and sociocultural circumstances to tailor care to the needs of the individual patient. This study's objective was to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and perception of this program upon conclusion of its first year. The curriculum was implemented at 3 general surgery programs. The flipped classroom model combined independent study via e-learning modules with interactive role-playing sessions. Sessions took place over 1 academic year. Four focus groups were held, each with 6 to 9 participants, to gain feedback on the curriculum. Focus groups were recorded and transcribed, and the data were analyzed using a grounded theory approach. Five major themes emerged: (1) Role modeling from senior colleagues is integral in developing communication/interpersonal skills and attitudes toward cultural dexterity. (2) Cultural dexterity is relevant to the provision of high-quality surgical care. (3) Barriers to providing culturally dexterous care exist at the system level. (4) "Buy-in" at all levels of the institution is necessary to implement the principles of cultural dexterity. (5) The shared experience of discussing the challenges and triumphs of caring for a diverse population was engaging and impactful. Early implementation of the curriculum revealed that the tension between surgical residents' desire to improve their cultural dexterity and systemic/practical obstacles can be resolved. Combining surgically relevant didactic materials with experiential learning activities can change the paradigm of cross-cultural training. Copyright © 2018 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Toward a Dexter-based model for open hypermedia: Unifying embedded references and link objects

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grønbæk, Kaj; Trigg, Randall Hagner

1996-01-01

Nominated for the Doug Engelbart best paper award. This paper discusses experiences and lessons learned from the design of an open hypermedia system, one that integrates applications and data not ''owned'' by the hypermedia. The Dexter Hypertext Reference Model was used as the basis for the design....... Though our experiences were generally positive, we found the model constraining in certain ways and underdeveloped in others. For instance, Dexter argues against dangling links, but we found several situations where permitting and supporting dangling links was advisable. In Dexter, the data objects...

Hit Dexter: A Machine-Learning Model for the Prediction of Frequent Hitters.

Science.gov (United States)

Stork, Conrad; Wagner, Johannes; Friedrich, Nils-Ole; de Bruyn Kops, Christina; Šícho, Martin; Kirchmair, Johannes

2018-03-20

False-positive assay readouts caused by badly behaving compounds-frequent hitters, pan-assay interference compounds (PAINS), aggregators, and others-continue to pose a major challenge to experimental screening. There are only a few in silico methods that allow the prediction of such problematic compounds. We report the development of Hit Dexter, two extremely randomized trees classifiers for the prediction of compounds likely to trigger positive assay readouts either by true promiscuity or by assay interference. The models were trained on a well-prepared dataset extracted from the PubChem Bioassay database, consisting of approximately 311 000 compounds tested for activity on at least 50 proteins. Hit Dexter reached MCC and AUC values of up to 0.67 and 0.96 on an independent test set, respectively. The models are expected to be of high value, in particular to medicinal chemists and biochemists who can use Hit Dexter to identify compounds for which extra caution should be exercised with positive assay readouts. Hit Dexter is available as a free web service at http://hitdexter.zbh. uni-hamburg.de. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Force and touch make video games 'serious' for dexterity rehabilitation.

Science.gov (United States)

Confalonieri, Michele; Guandalini, Giovanni; Da Lio, Mauro; De Cecco, Mariolino

2012-01-01

Computerized interfaces are able to represent 3D immersive simulations. Most of them make use of joystick, mouse, gloves, or grasp pressure transducers. Those have the drawback of 'filtering' the user interaction and/or de-locate the touch with respect to the visual stimulus. To overcome this we developed dexterity rehabilitation games on a novel touch interface that measures also force. The system allows dexterity training through 'direct' manipulation of virtual objects in 3D. Two dimensions via the touch screen, the third by the force channel. Tactile feedback is provided with a vibration device mounted on the screen back.

Deficits in Visuo-Motor Temporal Integration Impacts Manual Dexterity in Probable Developmental Coordination Disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Nobusako, Satoshi; Sakai, Ayami; Tsujimoto, Taeko; Shuto, Takashi; Nishi, Yuki; Asano, Daiki; Furukawa, Emi; Zama, Takuro; Osumi, Michihiro; Shimada, Sotaro; Morioka, Shu; Nakai, Akio

2018-01-01

The neurological basis of developmental coordination disorder (DCD) is thought to be deficits in the internal model and mirror-neuron system (MNS) in the parietal lobe and cerebellum. However, it is not clear if the visuo-motor temporal integration in the internal model and automatic-imitation function in the MNS differs between children with DCD and those with typical development (TD). The current study aimed to investigate these differences. Using the manual dexterity test of the Movement Assessment Battery for Children (second edition), the participants were either assigned to the probable DCD (pDCD) group or TD group. The former was comprised of 29 children with clumsy manual dexterity, while the latter consisted of 42 children with normal manual dexterity. Visuo-motor temporal integration ability and automatic-imitation function were measured using the delayed visual feedback detection task and motor interference task, respectively. Further, the current study investigated whether autism-spectrum disorder (ASD) traits, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) traits, and depressive symptoms differed among the two groups, since these symptoms are frequent comorbidities of DCD. In addition, correlation and multiple regression analyses were performed to extract factors affecting clumsy manual dexterity. In the results, the delay-detection threshold (DDT) and steepness of the delay-detection probability curve, which indicated visuo-motor temporal integration ability, were significantly prolonged and decreased, respectively, in children with pDCD. The interference effect, which indicated automatic-imitation function, was also significantly reduced in this group. These results highlighted that children with clumsy manual dexterity have deficits in visuo-motor temporal integration and automatic-imitation function. There was a significant correlation between manual dexterity, and measures of visuo-motor temporal integration, and ASD traits and ADHD traits and

Cor triatriatum dexter and atrial septal defect in a 43-year-old woman.

Science.gov (United States)

Vukovic, Petar M; Kosevic, Dragana; Milicic, Miroslav; Jovovic, Ljiljana; Stojanovic, Ivan; Micovic, Slobodan

2014-08-01

Cor triatriatum dexter is a rare congenital heart anomaly in which a membrane divides the right atrium into 2 chambers. We report the case of a 43-year-old woman who had cor triatriatum dexter and a large atrial septal defect. During attempted percutaneous closure, the balloon disrupted the membrane and revealed that the defect had no inferior rim, precluding secure placement of an Amplatzer Septal Occluder. Surgical treatment subsequently proved to be successful. In patients with an incomplete membrane and a septal defect with well-defined rims, percutaneous treatment can be the first choice. In patients who have cor triatriatum dexter and unfavorable anatomic features or concomitant complex heart anomalies, open-heart surgery remains the gold standard for treatment.

Cor triatriatum dexter in a dog

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brayley, K.A.; Lunney, J.; Ettinger, S.J.

1994-01-01

A six-year-old, spayed, female German shepherd dog cross was evaluated for distention of the caudal vena cava. Differential diagnoses included right heart defects and Budd-Chiari type lesions. Radiography, echocardiography, cardiac catheterization, and angiography demonstrated cor triatriatum dexter. This rare congenital anomaly of the right atrium has been described previously in veterinary patients with a right heart failure syndrome. This dog was asymptomatic, therefore, surgical correction was not undertaken

Determination of the relationship between cognitive function and hand dexterity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): a cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Soysal Tomruk, Melda; Ozalevli, Sevgi; Dizdar, Gorkem; Narin, Selnur; Kilinc, Oguz

2015-07-01

Hand dexterity is important for daily living activities and can be related to cognitive functions in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between cognitive dysfunction and hand dexterity in patients with COPD. 35 COPD patients and 36 healthy individuals were assessed. The Minnesota Hand Dexterity Test and Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) were used for assessment of cognitive function and hand dexterity. Hand dexterity test scores and cognitive function of COPD patients' were significantly lower than the healthy group (p COPD group (p COPD; however, hand dexterity did not alter according to hypoxemia severity. Hand dexterity which is important in daily living activities should be evaluated in greater detail with further studies in COPD patients.

Quantum versus classical laws for sequential decay processes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghirardi, G.C.; Omero, C.; Weber, T.

1979-05-01

The problem of the deviations of the quantum from the classical laws for the occupation numbers of the various levels in a sequential decay process is discussed in general. A factorization formula is obtained for the matrix elements of the complete Green function entering in the expression of the occupation numbers of the levels. Through this formula and using specific forms of the quantum non-decay probability for the single levels, explicit expressions for the occupation numbers of the levels are obtained and compared with the classical ones. (author)

An Instrumented Glove to Assess Manual Dexterity in Simulation-Based Neurosurgical Education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juan Diego Lemos

2017-04-01

Full Text Available The traditional neurosurgical apprenticeship scheme includes the assessment of trainee’s manual skills carried out by experienced surgeons. However, the introduction of surgical simulation technology presents a new paradigm where residents can refine surgical techniques on a simulator before putting them into practice in real patients. Unfortunately, in this new scheme, an experienced surgeon will not always be available to evaluate trainee’s performance. For this reason, it is necessary to develop automatic mechanisms to estimate metrics for assessing manual dexterity in a quantitative way. Authors have proposed some hardware-software approaches to evaluate manual dexterity on surgical simulators. This paper presents IGlove, a wearable device that uses inertial sensors embedded on an elastic glove to capture hand movements. Metrics to assess manual dexterity are estimated from sensors signals using data processing and information analysis algorithms. It has been designed to be used with a neurosurgical simulator called Daubara NS Trainer, but can be easily adapted to another benchtop- and manikin-based medical simulators. The system was tested with a sample of 14 volunteers who performed a test that was designed to simultaneously evaluate their fine motor skills and the IGlove’s functionalities. Metrics obtained by each of the participants are presented as results in this work; it is also shown how these metrics are used to automatically evaluate the level of manual dexterity of each volunteer.

Dexterity: A MATLAB-based analysis software suite for processing and visualizing data from tasks that measure arm or forelimb function.

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Butensky, Samuel D; Sloan, Andrew P; Meyers, Eric; Carmel, Jason B

2017-07-15

Hand function is critical for independence, and neurological injury often impairs dexterity. To measure hand function in people or forelimb function in animals, sensors are employed to quantify manipulation. These sensors make assessment easier and more quantitative and allow automation of these tasks. While automated tasks improve objectivity and throughput, they also produce large amounts of data that can be burdensome to analyze. We created software called Dexterity that simplifies data analysis of automated reaching tasks. Dexterity is MATLAB software that enables quick analysis of data from forelimb tasks. Through a graphical user interface, files are loaded and data are identified and analyzed. These data can be annotated or graphed directly. Analysis is saved, and the graph and corresponding data can be exported. For additional analysis, Dexterity provides access to custom scripts created by other users. To determine the utility of Dexterity, we performed a study to evaluate the effects of task difficulty on the degree of impairment after injury. Dexterity analyzed two months of data and allowed new users to annotate the experiment, visualize results, and save and export data easily. Previous analysis of tasks was performed with custom data analysis, requiring expertise with analysis software. Dexterity made the tools required to analyze, visualize and annotate data easy to use by investigators without data science experience. Dexterity increases accessibility to automated tasks that measure dexterity by making analysis of large data intuitive, robust, and efficient. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Dexterous hand gestures recognition based on low-density sEMG signals for upper-limb forearm amputees

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John Jairo Villarejo Mayor

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Introduction Intuitive prosthesis control is one of the most important challenges in order to reduce the user effort in learning how to use an artificial hand. This work presents the development of a novel method for pattern recognition of sEMG signals able to discriminate, in a very accurate way, dexterous hand and fingers movements using a reduced number of electrodes, which implies more confidence and usability for amputees. Methods The system was evaluated for ten forearm amputees and the results were compared with the performance of able-bodied subjects. Multiple sEMG features based on fractal analysis (detrended fluctuation analysis and Higuchi’s fractal dimension combined with traditional magnitude-based features were analyzed. Genetic algorithms and sequential forward selection were used to select the best set of features. Support vector machine (SVM, K-nearest neighbors (KNN and linear discriminant analysis (LDA were analyzed to classify individual finger flexion, hand gestures and different grasps using four electrodes, performing contractions in a natural way to accomplish these tasks. Statistical significance was computed for all the methods using different set of features, for both groups of subjects (able-bodied and amputees. Results The results showed average accuracy up to 99.2% for able-bodied subjects and 98.94% for amputees using SVM, followed very closely by KNN. However, KNN also produces a good performance, as it has a lower computational complexity, which implies an advantage for real-time applications. Conclusion The results show that the method proposed is promising for accurately controlling dexterous prosthetic hands, providing more functionality and better acceptance for amputees.

Cold habituation does not improve manual dexterity during rest and exercise in 5 °C

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Muller, Matthew D.; Seo, Yongsuk; Kim, Chul-Ho; Ryan, Edward J.; Pollock, Brandon S.; Burns, Keith J.; Glickman, Ellen L.

2014-04-01

When exposed to a cold environment, a barehanded person experiences pain, cold sensation, and reduced manual dexterity. Both acute (e.g. exercise) and chronic (e.g. cold acclimatization or habituation) processes might lessen these negative effects. The purpose of this experiment was to determine the effect of cold habituation on physiology, perception, and manual dexterity during rest, exercise, and recovery in 5 °C. Six cold weather athletes (CWA) and eight non habituated men (NON) volunteered to participate in a repeated measures cross-over design. The protocol was conducted in 5 °C and was 90 min of resting cold exposure, 30 min of cycle ergometry exercise (50 % VO2 peak), and 60 min of seated recovery. Core and finger skin temperature, metabolic rate, Purdue Pegboard dexterity performance, hand pain, thermal sensation, and mood were quantified. Exercise-induced finger rewarming (EIFRW) was calculated for each hand. During 90 min of resting exposure to 5 °C, the CWA had a smaller reduction in finger temperature, a lower metabolic rate, less hand pain, and less negative mood. Despite this cold habituation, dexterity performance was not different between groups. In response to cycle ergometry, EIFRW was greater in CWA (~12 versus 7 °C) and occurred at lower core temperatures (37.02 versus 37.31 °C) relative to NON but dexterity was not greater during post-exercise recovery. The current data indicate that cold habituated men (i.e., CWA) do not perform better on the Purdue Pegboard during acute cold exposure. Furthermore, despite augmented EIFRW in CWA, dexterity during post-exercise recovery was similar between groups.

Combined motor point associative stimulation (MPAS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) improves plateaued manual dexterity performance.

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Hoseini, Najmeh; Munoz-Rubke, Felipe; Wan, Hsuan-Yu; Block, Hannah J

2016-10-28

Motor point associative stimulation (MPAS) in hand muscles is known to modify motor cortex excitability and improve learning rate, but not plateau of performance, in manual dexterity tasks. Central stimulation of motor cortex, such as transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), can have similar effects if accompanied by motor practice, which can be difficult and tiring for patients. Here we asked whether adding tDCS to MPAS could improve manual dexterity in healthy individuals who are already performing at their plateau, with no motor practice during stimulation. We hypothesized that MPAS could provide enough coordinated muscle activity to make motor practice unnecessary, and that this combination of stimulation techniques could yield improvements even in subjects at or near their peak. If so, this approach could have a substantial effect on patients with impaired dexterity, who are far from their peak. MPAS was applied for 30min to two right hand muscles important for manual dexterity. tDCS was simultaneously applied over left sensorimotor cortex. The motor cortex input/output (I/O) curve was assessed with transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), and manual dexterity was assessed with the Purdue Pegboard Test. Compared to sham or cathodal tDCS combined with MPAS, anodal tDCS combined with MPAS significantly increased the plateau of manual dexterity. This result suggests that MPAS has the potential to substitute for motor practice in mediating a beneficial effect of tDCS on manual dexterity. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cor triatriatum dexter associated with atrial septal defect: Management in a complex clinical case.

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Sozzi, Fabiola B; Montanaro, Claudia; Bacà, Laura; Viani, Giacomo M; Zilocchi, Massimo; Canetta, Ciro; Meazza, Roberto; Pavone, Laura; Lombardi, Federico

2017-11-01

The coexistence of an atrial septal defect and a prominent eustachian valve is a rare congenital anomaly, rarely reported in literature. Differentiation between a giant eustachian valve and cor triatriatum dexter can be difficult. A case of a large atrial septal defect associated with cor triatriatum dexter diagnosed by echocardiography in an asymptomatic woman is reported. A watchful waiting strategy was adopted. © 2017, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Making Career Decisions--A Sequential Elimination Approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Gati, Itamar

1986-01-01

Presents a model for career decision making based on the sequential elimination of occupational alternatives, an adaptation for career decisions of Tversky's (1972) elimination-by-aspects theory of choice. The expected utility approach is reviewed as a representative compensatory model for career decisions. Advantages, disadvantages, and…

Behavioral coping and physical functioning: The effect of adjusting the level of activity on observed dexterity

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lankveld, W.G.J.M. van; Näring, G.W.B.; Pad Bosch, P. van 't; Putte, L.B.A. van de

1999-01-01

Objective. To assess the relationship between behavioral coping and dexterity in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) after controlling for disease activity, impairment of the hands, and pain. Methods. A random sample of 109 patients with RA was assessed twice within one year. Dexterity, disease activity, and

Eyeball Measurement of Dexterity: Tests as Alternatives to Interviews.

Science.gov (United States)

Guion, Robert M.; Imada, Andrew S.

1981-01-01

Reports a study conducted for litigation in a sex discrimination case dealing with misuse of an employment interview. Results show that dexterity could not be determined in an interview and a more appropriate selection technique such as a test was required. (Author/JAC)

Fetal cor triatriatum dexter: a report of two cases associated with nuchal edema in early second trimester

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Maroun, L.L.; Graem, N.; Skibsted, L.

2008-01-01

Two early-2nd-trimester fetuses were aborted as a result of nuchal edema and suspected severe heart malformation. At autopsy one fetus demonstrated nuchal edema, mild hydronephrosis, and cor triatriatum dexter associated with ventricular septal defect and tubular hypoplasia of the aortic arch....... The other fetus demonstrated severe nuchal edema, and cor triatriatum dexter was the only malformation. Cor triatriatum dexter is a rare cardiac malformation characterized by division of the right atrium into 2 compartments by a usually fenestrated membrane representing remnants of the right valve...

A motion-planning method for dexterous hand operating a tool based on bionic analysis

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Wei Bo

2017-01-01

Full Text Available In order to meet the needs of robot’s operating tools for different types and sizes, the dexterous hand is studied by many scientific research institutions. However, the large number of joints in a dexterous hand leads to the difficulty of motion planning. Aiming at this problem, this paper proposes a planning method abased on BPNN inspired by human hands. Firstly, this paper analyses the structure and function of the human hand and summarizes its typical strategy of operation. Secondly, based on the manual operation strategy, the tools are classified according to the shape and the operation mode of the dexterous hand is presented. Thirdly, the BPNN is used to train the humanoid operation, and then output the operation plan. Finally, the simulating experiments of grasping simple tools and operating complex tools are made by MATLAB and ADAMS. The simulation verifies the effectiveness of this method.

A smartphone-based system to quantify dexterity in Parkinson's disease patients

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Somayeh Aghanavesi

2017-01-01

Conclusions: Quantifying PD motor symptoms via instrumented, dexterity tests employed in a smartphone is feasible and data from such tests can also be used for measuring treatment-related changes in patients.

Comparison of the effect of using latex and nitrile gloves hand dexterity among Iranian population

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T. Allahyari

2014-02-01

.Conclusion: Considering that there was no significant difference in the score of both fine finger and gross hand dexterity while using nitrile gloves as compared to the control condition (without gloves, means that use of nitrile gloves has no adverse effect on hand dexterity therefore, using nitrile gloves is recommended as a alternative for the latex gloves, considering the additional advantage of no allergic reaction in this gloves.

Assessing the effects of manual dexterity and playing computer games on catheter-wire manipulation for inexperienced operators.

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Alsafi, Z; Hameed, Y; Amin, P; Shamsad, S; Raja, U; Alsafi, A; Hamady, M S

2017-09-01

To investigate the effect of playing computer games and manual dexterity on catheter-wire manipulation in a mechanical aortic model. Medical student volunteers filled in a preprocedure questionnaire assessing their exposure to computer games. Their manual dexterity was measured using a smartphone game. They were then shown a video clip demonstrating renal artery cannulation and were asked to reproduce this. All attempts were timed. Two-tailed Student's t-test was used to compare continuous data, while Fisher's exact test was used for categorical data. Fifty students aged 18-22 years took part in the study. Forty-six completed the task at an average of 168 seconds (range 103-301 seconds). There was no significant difference in the dexterity score or time to cannulate the renal artery between male and female students. Students who played computer games for >10 hours per week had better dexterity scores than those who did not play computer games: 9.1 versus 10.2 seconds (p=0.0237). Four of 19 students who did not play computer games failed to complete the task, while all of those who played computer games regularly completed the task (p=0.0168). Playing computer games is associated with better manual dexterity and ability to complete a basic interventional radiology task for novices. Copyright © 2017 The Royal College of Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Changes in corticospinal drive to spinal motoneurones following tablet-based practice of manual dexterity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Lisbeth Højkjær; Jensen, Thor; Christensen, Mark Schram

2016-01-01

) between EEG-EMG and EMG-EMG activity. Following motor practice performance improved significantly and a significant increase in EEG-EMGAPB and EMGAPB-EMGFDI coherence in the beta band (15-30 Hz) was observed. No changes were observed after the control session. Our results show that tablet-based motor...... practice is associated with changes in the common corticospinal drive to spinal motoneurons involved in manual dexterity. Tablet-based motor practice may be a motivating training tool for stroke patients who struggle with loss of dexterity....

Usability of Videogame-Based Dexterity Training in the Early Rehabilitation Phase of Stroke Patients: A Pilot Study.

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Vanbellingen, Tim; Filius, Suzanne J; Nyffeler, Thomas; van Wegen, Erwin E H

2017-01-01

Approximately 70-80% of stroke survivors have limited activities of daily living, mainly due to dexterous problems. Videogame-based training (VBT) along with virtual reality seems to be beneficial to train upper limb function. To evaluate the usability of VBT using the Leap Motion Controller (LMC) to train fine manual dexterity in the early rehabilitation phase of stroke patients as an add-on to conventional therapy. Additionally, this study aimed to estimate the feasibility and potential efficacy of the VBT. During 3 months, 64 stroke patients were screened for eligibility, 13 stroke patients were included (4 women and 9 men; age range: 24-91 years; mean time post stroke: 28.2 days). Nine sessions of 30 min VBT, three times per week as an add-on to conventional therapy with stroke inpatients. Primary outcome was the usability of the system measured with the System Usability Scale. Secondary outcomes concerning feasibility were the compliance rate calculated from the total time spent on the intervention (TT) compared to planned time, the opinion of participants via open-end questions, and the level of active participation measured with the Pittsburgh Rehabilitation Participation Scale. Regarding the potential efficacy secondary outcomes were: functional dexterity measured with the Nine Hole Peg Test (NHPT), subjective dexterity measured with the Dexterity Questionnaire 24, grip strength measured with the Jamar dynamometer, and motor impairment of the upper limb measured with the Fugl-Meyer Upper Extremity (FM-UE) scale. Primarily, the usability of the system was good to excellent. The patient's perception of usability remained stable over a mean period of 3 weeks of VBT. Secondly, the compliance rate was good, and the level of active participation varied between good and very good. The opinion of the participants revealed that despite individual differences, the overall impression of the therapy and device was good. Patients showed significant

Usability of Videogame-Based Dexterity Training in the Early Rehabilitation Phase of Stroke Patients: A Pilot Study

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Tim Vanbellingen

2017-12-01

Full Text Available BackgroundApproximately 70–80% of stroke survivors have limited activities of daily living, mainly due to dexterous problems. Videogame-based training (VBT along with virtual reality seems to be beneficial to train upper limb function.ObjectiveTo evaluate the usability of VBT using the Leap Motion Controller (LMC to train fine manual dexterity in the early rehabilitation phase of stroke patients as an add-on to conventional therapy. Additionally, this study aimed to estimate the feasibility and potential efficacy of the VBT.MethodsDuring 3 months, 64 stroke patients were screened for eligibility, 13 stroke patients were included (4 women and 9 men; age range: 24–91 years; mean time post stroke: 28.2 days.InterventionNine sessions of 30 min VBT, three times per week as an add-on to conventional therapy with stroke inpatients.Outcome measuresPrimary outcome was the usability of the system measured with the System Usability Scale. Secondary outcomes concerning feasibility were the compliance rate calculated from the total time spent on the intervention (TT compared to planned time, the opinion of participants via open-end questions, and the level of active participation measured with the Pittsburgh Rehabilitation Participation Scale. Regarding the potential efficacy secondary outcomes were: functional dexterity measured with the Nine Hole Peg Test (NHPT, subjective dexterity measured with the Dexterity Questionnaire 24, grip strength measured with the Jamar dynamometer, and motor impairment of the upper limb measured with the Fugl-Meyer Upper Extremity (FM-UE scale.ResultsPrimarily, the usability of the system was good to excellent. The patient’s perception of usability remained stable over a mean period of 3 weeks of VBT. Secondly, the compliance rate was good, and the level of active participation varied between good and very good. The opinion of the participants revealed that despite individual differences, the overall impression

Relationship between manual dexterity and the unified parkinson's disease rating scale-motor exam.

Science.gov (United States)

Hwang, Sujin; Song, Chiang-Soon

2016-12-01

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between manual dexterity and the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale-Motor Exam as a clinical tool for quantifying upper extremity function in persons with Parkinson's disease. [Subjects and Methods] Thirty-two persons with idiopathic Parkinson's disease participated in this study. This study measured two clinical outcomes, the box-and-block test and the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale-Motor Exam, to investigate the relationships between manual dexterity and the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale-Motor Exam. [Results] The box-and-block test on the more affected side was positive relationship with the box-and-block test on the less affected side. The Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale-motor exam score had a negative correlation with the box-and-block test results for both sides. [Conclusion] A positive association was noted between manual dexterity and motor function in patients with idiopathic Parkinson disease. The results of this study suggest that the box-and-block test and the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale-Motor Exam are good clinical measures that quantify upper extremity function and are necessary for the accurate evaluation of patients and to plan intervention strategies.

Highly dexterous 2-module soft robot for intra-organ navigation in minimally invasive surgery.

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Abidi, Haider; Gerboni, Giada; Brancadoro, Margherita; Fras, Jan; Diodato, Alessandro; Cianchetti, Matteo; Wurdemann, Helge; Althoefer, Kaspar; Menciassi, Arianna

2018-02-01

For some surgical interventions, like the Total Mesorectal Excision (TME), traditional laparoscopes lack the flexibility to safely maneuver and reach difficult surgical targets. This paper answers this need through designing, fabricating and modelling a highly dexterous 2-module soft robot for minimally invasive surgery (MIS). A soft robotic approach is proposed that uses flexible fluidic actuators (FFAs) allowing highly dexterous and inherently safe navigation. Dexterity is provided by an optimized design of fluid chambers within the robot modules. Safe physical interaction is ensured by fabricating the entire structure by soft and compliant elastomers, resulting in a squeezable 2-module robot. An inner free lumen/chamber along the central axis serves as a guide of flexible endoscopic tools. A constant curvature based inverse kinematics model is also proposed, providing insight into the robot capabilities. Experimental tests in a surgical scenario using a cadaver model are reported, demonstrating the robot advantages over standard systems in a realistic MIS environment. Simulations and experiments show the efficacy of the proposed soft robot. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Optimal grasp planning for a dexterous robotic hand using the volume of a generalized force ellipsoid during accepted flattening

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Peng Jia

2017-01-01

Full Text Available A grasp planning method based on the volume and flattening of a generalized force ellipsoid is proposed to improve the grasping ability of a dexterous robotic hand. First, according to the general solution of joint torques for a dexterous robotic hand, a grasping indicator for the dexterous hand—the maximum volume of a generalized external force ellipsoid and the minimum volume of a generalized contact internal force ellipsoid during accepted flattening—is proposed. Second, an optimal grasp planning method based on a task is established using the grasping indicator as an objective function. Finally, a simulation analysis and grasping experiment are performed. Results show that when the grasping experiment is conducted with the grasping configuration and positions of contact points optimized using the proposed grasping indicator, the root-mean-square values of the joint torques and contact internal forces of the dexterous hand are at a minimum. The effectiveness of the proposed grasping planning method is thus demonstrated.

Transthoracic ultrasound guided balloon dilation of cor triatriatum dexter in 2 Rottweiler puppies.

Science.gov (United States)

Birettoni, F; Caivano, D; Bufalari, A; Giorgi, M E; Miglio, A; Paradies, P; Porciello, F

2016-12-01

Balloon dilation was performed in two Rottweiler puppies with cor triatriatum dexter and clinical signs of ascites using transthoracic echocardiographic guidance. The dogs were positioned on a standard echocardiography table in right lateral recumbency, and guide wires and balloon catheters were imaged by echocardiographic views optimized to allow visualization of the defect. The procedures were performed successfully without complications and clinical signs were resolved completely in both cases. Guide wires and balloon catheters appeared hyperechoic on transthoracic echocardiography image and could be clearly monitored and guided in real-time. These two cases demonstrate that it is possible to perform balloon catheter dilation of cor triatriatum dexter under transthoracic guidance alone. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Exciton broadening and band renormalization due to Dexter-like intervalley coupling

Science.gov (United States)

Bernal-Villamil, Ivan; Berghäuser, Gunnar; Selig, Malte; Niehues, Iris; Schmidt, Robert; Schneider, Robert; Tonndorf, Philipp; Erhart, Paul; Michaelis de Vasconcellos, Steffen; Bratschitsch, Rudolf; Knorr, Andreas; Malic, Ermin

2018-04-01

A remarkable property of atomically thin transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) is the possibility to selectively address single valleys by circularly polarized light. In the context of technological applications, it is very important to understand possible intervalley coupling mechanisms. Here, we show how the Dexter-like intervalley coupling mixes A and B states from opposite valleys leading to a significant broadening γB_{1s} of the B1s exciton. The effect is much more pronounced in tungsten-based TMDs, where the coupling excitonic states are quasi-resonant. We calculate a ratio γB_{1s}/γA_{1s}≈ 4.0 , which is in good agreement with the experimentally measured value of 3.9+/-0.7 . In addition to the broadening effect, the Dexter-like intervalley coupling also leads to a considerable energy renormalization resulting in an increased energetic distance between A1s and B1s states.

EthoHand: A dexterous robotic hand with ball-joint thumb enables complex in-hand object manipulation

OpenAIRE

Konnaris, C; Gavriel, C; Thomik, AAC; Aldo Faisal, A

2016-01-01

Our dexterous hand is a fundmanetal human feature that distinguishes us from other animals by enabling us to go beyond grasping to support sophisticated in-hand object manipulation. Our aim was the design of a dexterous anthropomorphic robotic hand that matches the human hand's 24 degrees of freedom, under-actuated by seven motors. With the ability to replicate human hand movements in a naturalistic manner including in-hand object manipulation. Therefore, we focused on the development of a no...

Features of selection of children for occupations by artistic gymnastics in modern Kurdistan

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Abdulvahid Dlshad Nihad

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Purpose: to study the organizational and pedagogical conditions of selection of children for occupations existing in the republic Kurdistan artistic gymnastics Material and Methods: questioning of 24 trainers on artistic gymnastics and experts in physical culture of the republic Kurdistan was carried out. The general questions of selection and methodical features of selection of children for occupations by artistic gymnastics in Kurdistan were studied. Results: questioning revealed absence of the general approved tests and scientific recommendations concerning their use, dependence of quality of selection on experience of the trainer. Conclusions: experts in the field of physical culture and sport consider inefficient the existing system of selection of children for occupations artistic gymnastics in Kurdistan; gymnastics coaches consider necessary testing’s at children of a level of development of flexibility, dexterity, abilities to manifestation of dynamic force and preservation of dynamic balance

Neuropsychological dysfunction related to earlier occupational exposure to mercury vapor

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E.C. Zachi

2007-03-01

Full Text Available We assessed the neuropsychological test performances of 26 patients (mean age = 41.5 ± 6.1 years; mean years of education = 9.8 ± 1.8; 20 males diagnosed with chronic occupational mercurialism who were former workers at a fluorescent lamp factory. They had been exposed to elemental mercury for an average of 10.2 ± 3.8 years and had been away from this work for 6 ± 4.7 years. Mean urinary mercury concentrations 1 year after cessation of work were 1.8 ± 0.9 µg/g creatinine. Twenty control subjects matched for age, gender, and education (18 males were used for comparison. Neuropsychological assessment included attention, inhibitory control, verbal and visual memory, verbal fluency, manual dexterity, visual-spatial function, executive function, and semantic knowledge tests. The Beck Depression Inventory and the State and Trait Inventory were used to assess depression and anxiety symptoms, respectively. The raw score for the group exposed to mercury indicated slower information processing speed, inferior performance in psychomotor speed, verbal spontaneous recall memory, and manual dexterity of the dominant hand and non-dominant hand (P < 0.05. In addition, the patients showed increased depression and anxiety symptoms (P < 0.001. A statistically significant correlation (Pearson was demonstrable between mean urinary mercury and anxiety trait (r = 0.75, P = 0.03. The neuropsychological performances of the former workers suggest that occupational exposure to elemental mercury has long-term effects on information processing and psychomotor function, with increased depression and anxiety also possibly reflecting the psychosocial context.

Modeling Dexterity Development in 2nd-4th-grade Boys by Means of Active Games

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C. Марченко

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The objective is to optimize the mode of using game for dexterity development in the 2nd-4th-grade boys. Materials & methods: to conduct the experiment, there were eight test groups (n=48 formed in each class. The total number of such test groups was 24. The research relied on the following methods: theoretical analysis and collation of scientific and methodological literature; pedagogical testing; methods of mathematical experiment planning (complete factorial experiment 23; modeling method. Results: the research has determined that to develop dexterity, the 2nd-4th-grade boys need to participate in up to five games. The number of repetitions for the 2nd-3rd-graders is two, and for the 4th-graders – three, with 30–40-second rest intervals. The 2nd-4th-grade boys showed effective development during 40 classes, and the 3rd-grade boys – during 20 classes. After that, we recommend to use other means. The game duration varies from one to two minutes. Conclusions: the analysis of the scientific and methodological literature has revealed that the level of motor readiness, dexterity being one of its main components, largely determines the state of children’s physical and mental health. The research has found that the natural development of coordination abilities in boys aged between 7 and 10 is 22.5–80.0% (56.2% on average. Game actions play a particular role in dexterity development in junior schoolers. The 23 complete factorial experiment made it possible to study the multi-factorial structure of game load for the 2nd-4th-graders; to specify the relations between factors for their use during dexterity development in the 2nd-4th-grade boys in physical education classes. They can serve as an objective tool for the educational process optimization. The given regression equations are models that can be used to determine the optimal game means ratio in the academic process of the 2nd-4th-graders.

The Effect of Simultaneous Superficial and Proprioceptive Stimulations on Dexterity of Educable 6-7 Years Old Children with Down Syndrome

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Meisam Mohammadi

2011-04-01

Full Text Available Objectives: Down syndrome is the most common chrosomal disorder in which the fine and gross motor skills due to lack of proper sensory experience are disturbed. The role of dexterity in activity of daily living, interaction with environment and independency is quiet crucial in Down syndrome. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of simultaneous application of superficial and proprioceptive stimuli on the dexterity of 6-7 year-old educable children with Down syndrome. Methods: Thirty–three educable children with Down syndrome were assigned in three groups (i.e. superficial, proprioceptive and simultaneous application respectively and voluntarily participated in the study. In the first group, children received only exteroceptive stimulation for 30 minutes, three times a week. Children in the second group received only proprioceptive stimulation in the same way. In the third group, children received both stimulations simultaneously. Dexterity was evaluated through Purdue Pegbourd Test after 5th, 10th, 15th, 20th, 25th, and 30th sessions. Results: Dexterity changes were significantly differed in all three groups (P0.05. Discussion: The findings of current study suggest that simultaneous application of superficial and proprioceptive senses could be used for improvement the dexterity in children with Down syndrome.

Resonant electronic excitation energy transfer by Dexter mechanism in the quantum dot system

Science.gov (United States)

Samosvat, D. M.; Chikalova-Luzina, O. P.; Vyatkin, V. M.; Zegrya, G. G.

2016-11-01

In present work the energy transfer between quantum dots by the exchange (Dexter) mechanism is analysed. The interdot Coulomb interaction is taken into consideration. It is assumed that the quantum dot-donor and the quantum dot-acceptor are made from the same compound A3B5 and embedded in the matrix of other material creating potential barriers for electron and holes. The dependences of the energy transfer rate on the quantum-dot system parameters are found using the Kane model that provides the most adequate description spectra of semiconductors A3B5. Numerical calculations show that the rate of the energy transfer by Dexter mechanism is comparable to the rate of the energy transfer by electrostatic mechanism at the distances approaching to the contact ones.

A redundant, 6-DOF parallel manipulator structure with improved workspace and dexterity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stoughton, R.S.; Salerno, R.; Canfield, S.; Reinholtz, C.

1994-08-01

This paper presents a novel manipulator structure which combines two known parallel manipulator structures--a Stewart Platform (SP), and a double octahedral Variable Geometry Truss (VGT). The combined VGT + SP structure is redundant, using nine actuators to realize six-DOF motion. Combining the two structures allows the translational and orientational workspaces of the two individual structures to sum together to a much larger workspace than is generally achievable with parallel manipulator structures. In addition, the VGT portion of the structure allows the configuration of the Stewart Platform to be changed ''on the fly'' from one with a large workspace to one with high dexterity. A useful application of this structure is at the distal end of a truss-based manipulator, where it can serve as a dexterous wrist while preserving an internal passageway for cabling and/or conveyance systems

Signatures of Förster and Dexter transfer processes in coupled nanostructures for linear and two-dimensional coherent optical spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Specht, Judith F.; Richter, Marten

2015-03-01

In this manuscript, we study the impact of the two Coulomb induced resonance energy transfer processes, Förster and Dexter coupling, on the spectral signatures obtained by double quantum coherence spectroscopy. We show that the specific coupling characteristics allow us to identify the underlying excitation transfer mechanism by means of specific signatures in coherent spectroscopy. Therefore, we control the microscopic calculated coupling strength of spin preserving and spin flipping Förster transfer processes by varying the mutual orientation of the two quantum emitters. The calculated spectra reveal the optical selection rules altered by Förster and Dexter coupling between two semiconductor quantum dots. We show that Dexter coupling between bright and dark two-exciton states occurs.

A Dexterity and Tactility Evaluation of the Australian Nuclear Biological Chemical (NBC) Glove

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Scanlan, S

2004-01-01

This report details the tactility and dexterity of four different glove types, including the Australian in-service NBC butyl rubber glove and Nomex flying glove for standardized (Purdue pegboard) and operational...

the effect of heterosexual contact on libido and mating dexterity in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

stages of sexual development on adult behaviour are avail- able. Consequently. the present experiment was executed to determine the effects of total isolation as well as that of heterosexual contact during the pre· -and post-puberal phase on libido, mating dexterity and the occurrence of homosexuality in Karakul rams.

Resonant electronic excitation energy transfer by Dexter mechanism in the quantum dot system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Samosvat, D M; Chikalova-Luzina, O P; Zegrya, G G; Vyatkin, V M

2016-01-01

In present work the energy transfer between quantum dots by the exchange (Dexter) mechanism is analysed. The interdot Coulomb interaction is taken into consideration. It is assumed that the quantum dot-donor and the quantum dot-acceptor are made from the same compound A3B5 and embedded in the matrix of other material creating potential barriers for electron and holes. The dependences of the energy transfer rate on the quantum-dot system parameters are found using the Kane model that provides the most adequate description spectra of semiconductors A3B5. Numerical calculations show that the rate of the energy transfer by Dexter mechanism is comparable to the rate of the energy transfer by electrostatic mechanism at the distances approaching to the contact ones. (paper)

Dexter Time: The Space, Time, and Matterings of School Absence Registration

Science.gov (United States)

Bodén, Linnea

2016-01-01

Working with a posthumanist approach, this article explores how the computer software Dexter, used for the registration of students' absences and presences, is part of the production of different practices of time, place, space, and matter in Swedish schools. The empirical material engaged with comes from two schools, and the students involved are…

Combined long reach and dexterous manipulation for waste storage tank applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burks, B.L.; Armstrong, G.A.; Butler, P.L.; Boissiere, P.

1991-01-01

One of the highest priority environmental restoration tasks within the Department of Energy (DOE) is the remediation of single-shell waste storage tanks (WSTs), especially those suspected of, or documented as, leakers. Most currently proposed approaches for remediation of large underground WSTs require application of remotely operated long-reach (greater than 10 m), high-lift capacity (greater than 200 kg) manipulator systems. Because of the complexity of in-tank hardware, waste forms, remediation tasks, and variety of end-effector tools, these manipulator systems must also be capable of performing a diverse set of dexterous manipulations. This presentation will describe the integration of a Spar RMS 2500 manipulator system, a Schilling Titan-7F manipulator, and control systems developed at ORNL and SNL to provide a combined long reach and dexterous manipulation system. The purpose of integrating these two manipulator systems was to study and demonstrate their combined performance, evaluate design requirements for a deployed system, and provide a testbed for control and end-effector technologies that might be applicable to remediation of WSTs. 5 refs

Manual dexterity in hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy type 1a: severity of limitations and feasibility and reliability of two assessment instruments

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Videler, Annemieke J.; Beelen, Anita; van Schaik, Ivo N.; de Visser, Marianne; Nollet, Frans

2008-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence and significance of impaired manual dexterity in hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy type 1a (HMSN 1a), with the Sollerman hand function and the Functional Dexterity test, and compare the reliability and agreement of the tests. DESIGN: Descriptive

Rehab-let: touchscreen tablet for self-training impaired dexterity post stroke: study protocol for a pilot randomized controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Rand, Debbie; Zeilig, Gabi; Kizony, Rachel

2015-06-18

Impaired dexterity of the weaker upper extremity is common post stroke and it is recommended that these individuals practice many repetitions of movement to regain function. However, stroke rehabilitation methods do not achieve the required intensity to be effective. Touchscreen tablet technology may be used as a motivating tool for self-training impaired dexterity of the weaker upper extremity post stroke. Rehab-let is a self-training protocol utilizing game apps on a touchscreen for practicing movement of the weaker upper extremity. We will conduct a pilot randomized controlled trial to assess Rehab-let compared to traditional self-training to improve dexterity of the weaker hand, and to increase self-training time and satisfaction in individuals with subacute stroke. Forty individuals with stroke undergoing subacute rehabilitation will be randomly allocated to Rehab-let or a traditional self-training program using therapeutic aids such as balls, blocks and pegs. All participants will be requested to perform self-training for 60 minutes a day, 5 times a week for 4 weeks. Dexterity assessed by The Nine Hole Peg Test is the main outcome measure. Assessments will be administered pre and post the self-training intervention by assessors blind to the group allocation. The outcomes of this study will inform the design of a fully powered randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of Rehab-let. If found to be effective, Rehab-let can be used during subacute rehabilitation to increase treatment intensity and improve dexterity. Potentially, Rehab-let can also be used after discharge and might be ideal for individuals with mild stroke who are often not referred to formal rehabilitation. Current Controlled Trials NCT02136433 registered on 17 September 2014.

Electromyogram synergy control of a dexterous artificial hand to unscrew and screw objects.

Science.gov (United States)

Kent, Benjamin A; Karnati, Nareen; Engeberg, Erik D

2014-03-21

Due to their limited dexterity, it is currently not possible to use a commercially available prosthetic hand to unscrew or screw objects without using elbow and shoulder movements. For these tasks, prosthetic hands function like a wrench, which is unnatural and limits their use in tight working environments. Results from timed rotational tasks with human subjects demonstrate the clinical need for increased dexterity of prosthetic hands, and a clinically viable solution to this problem is presented for an anthropomorphic artificial hand. Initially, a human hand motion analysis was performed during a rotational task. From these data, human hand synergies were derived and mapped to an anthropomorphic artificial hand. The synergy for the artificial hand is controlled using conventional dual site electromyogram (EMG) signals. These EMG signals were mapped to the developed synergy to control four joints of the dexterous artificial hand simultaneously.Five limb absent and ten able-bodied test subjects participated in a comparison study to complete a timed rotational task as quickly as possible with their natural hands (except for one subject with a bilateral hand absence), eight commercially available prosthetic hands, and the proposed synergy controller. Each test subject used two to four different artificial hands. With the able-bodied subjects, the developed synergy controller reduced task completion time by 177% on average. The limb absent subjects completed the task faster on average than with their own prostheses by 46%. There was a statistically significant improvement in task completion time with the synergy controller for three of the four limb absent participants with integrated prostheses, and was not statistically different for the fourth. The proposed synergy controller reduced average task completion time compared to commercially available prostheses. Additionally, the synergy controller is able to function in a small workspace and requires less physical

Local vibration inhibits H-reflex but does not compromise manual dexterity and does not increase tremor.

Science.gov (United States)

Budini, Francesco; Laudani, Luca; Bernardini, Sergio; Macaluso, Andrea

2017-10-01

The present work aimed at investigating the effects of local vibration on upper limb postural and kinetic tremor, on manual dexterity and on spinal reflex excitability. Previous studies have demonstrated a decrease in spinal reflex excitability and in force fluctuations in the lower limb but an increase in force fluctuation in the upper limbs. As hand steadiness is of vital importance in many daily-based tasks, and local vibration may also be applied in movement disorders, we decided to further explore this phenomenon. Ten healthy volunteers (26±3years) were tested for H reflex, postural and kinetic tremor and manual dexterity through a Purdue test. EMG was recorded from flexor carpi radialis (FCR) and extensor digitorum communis (EDC). Measurements were repeated at baseline, after a control period during which no vibration was delivered and after vibration. Intervention consisted in holding for two minutes a vibrating handle (frequency 75Hz, displacement∼7mm), control consisted in holding for two minutes the same handle powered off. Reflex excitability decreased after vibration whilst postural tremor and manual dexterity were not affected. Peak kinetic tremor frequency increased from baseline to control measurements (P=0.002). Co-activation EDC/FCR increased from control to vibration (P=0.021). These results show that two minutes local vibration lead to a decrease in spinal excitability, did not compromise manual dexterity and did not increase tremor; however, in contrast with expectations, tremor did not decrease. It is suggested that vibration activated several mechanisms with opposite effects, which resulted in a neutral outcome on postural and kinetic tremor. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Control Framework for Dexterous Manipulation Using Dynamic Visual Servoing and Tactile Sensors’ Feedback

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carlos A. Jara

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Tactile sensors play an important role in robotics manipulation to perform dexterous and complex tasks. This paper presents a novel control framework to perform dexterous manipulation with multi-fingered robotic hands using feedback data from tactile and visual sensors. This control framework permits the definition of new visual controllers which allow the path tracking of the object motion taking into account both the dynamics model of the robot hand and the grasping force of the fingertips under a hybrid control scheme. In addition, the proposed general method employs optimal control to obtain the desired behaviour in the joint space of the fingers based on an indicated cost function which determines how the control effort is distributed over the joints of the robotic hand. Finally, authors show experimental verifications on a real robotic manipulation system for some of the controllers derived from the control framework.

Design and implementation of a dexterous anthropomorphic robotic typing (DART) hand

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thayer, Nicholas; Priya, Shashank

2011-01-01

This paper focuses on design and implementation of a biomimetic dexterous humanoid hand. Several design rules are proposed to retain human form and functionality in a robotic hand while overcoming the difficultly of actuation within a confined geometry. Size and weight have been optimized in order to achieve human-like performance with the prime objective of typing on a computer keyboard. Each finger has four joints and three degrees of freedom (DOF) while the thumb has an additional degree of freedom necessary for manipulating small objects. The hand consists of 16 servo motors dedicated to finger motion and three motors for wrist motion. A closed-loop kinematic control scheme utilizing the Denavit–Hartenberg convention for spatial joint positioning was implemented. Servo motors housed in the forearm act as an origin for wires to travel to their insertion points in the hand. The dexterity of the DART hand was measured by quantifying functionality and typing speed on a standard keyboard. The typing speed of a single DART hand was found to be 20 words min −1 . In comparison, the average human has a typing speed of 33 words min −1 with two hands

Imperforated cor triatriatum dexter in a dog with concurrent caudal vena cava wall mineralization

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dobak, Tetyda Paulina; Starrak, Gregory; Linn, Kathleen; Snead, Elisabeth Christine Roberston

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: Cor triatriatum dexter (CTD) is a rare congenital cardiac malformation with various manifestations and has been sporadically described in dogs. Clinically the dogs present with nonspecific signs of right heart failure or Budd-Chiari-like syndrome. Other associated concurrent

Compact Dexterous Robotic Hand

Science.gov (United States)

Lovchik, Christopher Scott (Inventor); Diftler, Myron A. (Inventor)

2001-01-01

A compact robotic hand includes a palm housing, a wrist section, and a forearm section. The palm housing supports a plurality of fingers and one or more movable palm members that cooperate with the fingers to grasp and/or release an object. Each flexible finger comprises a plurality of hingedly connected segments, including a proximal segment pivotally connected to the palm housing. The proximal finger segment includes at least one groove defining first and second cam surfaces for engagement with a cable. A plurality of lead screw assemblies each carried by the palm housing are supplied with power from a flexible shaft rotated by an actuator and output linear motion to a cable move a finger. The cable is secured within a respective groove and enables each finger to move between an opened and closed position. A decoupling assembly pivotally connected to a proximal finger segment enables a cable connected thereto to control movement of an intermediate and distal finger segment independent of movement of the proximal finger segment. The dexterous robotic hand closely resembles the function of a human hand yet is light weight and capable of grasping both heavy and light objects with a high degree of precision.

Dexterity test data contribute to proper glovebox over-glove use

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cournoyer, Michael E.; Lawton, Cindy M.; Castro, Armanda M.; Costigan, Stephen A.; Apel, D.M.; Neal, G.E.; Castro, J.M.; Michelotti, R.A.

2010-01-01

Programmatic operations at the Los Alamos National Laboratory Plutonium Facility (TA-55) involve working with various amounts of plutonium and other highly toxic, alpha-emitting materials. The spread of radiological contamination on surfaces, airborne contamination, and excursions of contaminants into the operator's breathing zone are prevented through the use of a variety of gloveboxes (the glovebox, coupled with an adequate negative pressure gradient, provides primary confinement). The glovebox gloves are the weakest part of this engineering control. The Glovebox Glove Integrity Program, which controls glovebox gloves from procurement to disposal at TA-55, manages this vulnerability. A key element of this program is to consider measures that lower the overall risk of glovebox operations. Proper selection of over-gloves is one of these measures. Line management owning glovebox processes have the responsibility to approve the appropriate personal protective equipment/glovebox glove/over-glove combination. As low as reasonably achievable (ALARA) considerations to prevent unplanned glovebox glove openings must be balanced with glove durability and worker dexterity, both of which affect the final overall risk to the worker. In this study, the causes of unplanned glovebox glove openings, the benefits of over-glove features, the effect of over-gloves on task performance using standard dexterity tests, the pollution prevention benefits, and the recommended over-gloves for a task are presented.

Robotic finger perturbation training improves finger postural steadiness and hand dexterity.

Science.gov (United States)

Yoshitake, Yasuhide; Ikeda, Atsutoshi; Shinohara, Minoru

2018-02-01

The purpose of the study was to understand the effect of robotic finger perturbation training on steadiness in finger posture and hand dexterity in healthy young adults. A mobile robotic finger training system was designed to have the functions of high-speed mechanical response, two degrees of freedom, and adjustable loading amplitude and direction. Healthy young adults were assigned to one of the three groups: random perturbation training (RPT), constant force training (CFT), and control. Subjects in RPT and CFT performed steady posture training with their index finger using the robot in different modes: random force in RPT and constant force in CFT. After the 2-week intervention period, fluctuations of the index finger posture decreased only in RPT during steady position-matching tasks with an inertial load. Purdue pegboard test score improved also in RPT only. The relative change in finger postural fluctuations was negatively correlated with the relative change in the number of completed pegs in the pegboard test in RPT. The results indicate that finger posture training with random mechanical perturbations of varying amplitudes and directions of force is effective in improving finger postural steadiness and hand dexterity in healthy young adults. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Compromised Motor Dexterity Confounds Processing Speed Task Outcomes in Stroke Patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Essie Low

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Most conventional measures of information processing speed require motor responses to facilitate performance. However, although not often addressed clinically, motor impairment, whether due to age or acquired brain injury, would be expected to confound the outcome measure of such tasks. The current study recruited 29 patients (20 stroke and 9 transient ischemic attack with documented reduction in dexterity of the dominant hand, and 29 controls, to investigate the extent to which 3 commonly used processing speed measures with varying motor demands (a Visuo-Motor Reaction Time task, and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-IV Symbol Search and Coding subtests may be measuring motor-related speed more so than cognitive speed. Analyses include correlations between indices of cognitive and motor speed obtained from two other tasks (Inspection Time and Pegboard task, respectively with the three speed measures, followed by hierarchical regressions to determine the relative contribution of cognitive and motor speed indices toward task performance. Results revealed that speed outcomes on tasks with relatively high motor demands, such as Coding, were largely reflecting motor speed in individuals with reduced dominant hand dexterity. Thus, findings indicate the importance of employing measures with minimal motor requirements, especially when the assessment of speed is aimed at understanding cognitive rather than physical function.

Sofrimento psíquico na perversão: o caso dexter

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fábio Roberto Rodrigues Belo

2012-09-01

Full Text Available A análise do personagem fictício Dexter permite construir hipóteses metapsicológicas sobre as origens da perversão. A posição perversa nesse caso deve-se à presença maciça de violência nas origens do sujeito psíquico. Dexter expressa o abandono sofrido pela atuação pulsional, os assassinatos em série, tentando inverter o estado de passividade no qual se encontra. Sua angústia pode ser organizada de duas formas distintas: a primeira é consciente, fornecida por seu pai, Harry, que o ensina a não deixar vestígios dos seus crimes. A segunda maneira é inconsciente, e traduz o desejo de submeter o outro à dor, fazendo com que, por meio do mecanismo de identificação projetiva, o perverso desfrute deste sofrimento que provoca, sendo remetido, então, às suas vivências originárias de submissão. Conclui-se que na perversão a angústia não apenas está presente, como também é constitutiva da escolha do sujeito de operar pela via da violência.

Two-dimensional spectroscopy: An approach to distinguish Förster and Dexter transfer processes in coupled nanostructures

Science.gov (United States)

Specht, Judith F.; Knorr, Andreas; Richter, Marten

2015-04-01

The linear and two-dimensional coherent optical spectra of Coulomb-coupled quantum emitters are discussed with respect to the underlying coupling processes. We present a theoretical analysis of the two different resonance energy transfer mechanisms between coupled nanostructures: Förster and Dexter interaction. Our investigation shows that the features visible in optical spectra of coupled quantum dots can be traced back to the nature of the underlying coupling mechanism (Förster or Dexter). Therefore, we discuss how the excitation transfer pathways can be controlled by choosing particular laser polarizations and mutual orientations of the quantum emitters in coherent two-dimensional spectroscopy. In this context, we analyze to what extent the delocalized double-excitonic states are bound to the optical selection rules of the uncoupled system.

Telepresence master glove controller for dexterous robotic end-effectors

Science.gov (United States)

Fisher, Scott S.

1987-01-01

This paper describes recent research in the Aerospace Human Factors Research Division at NASA's Ames Research Center to develop a glove-like, control and data-recording device (DataGlove) that records and transmits to a host computer in real time, and at appropriate resolution, a numeric data-record of a user's hand/finger shape and dynamics. System configuration and performance specifications are detailed, and current research is discussed investigating its applications in operator control of dexterous robotic end-effectors and for use as a human factors research tool in evaluation of operator hand function requirements and performance in other specialized task environments.

MSR Founding Narratives and Content Analysis of Best/Dexter Award Nominee Papers (2001-2015)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tackney, Charles T.; Chappell, Stacie; Sato, Toyoko

data and founder interviews. The individuals interviewed were identified through preliminary inquiry and from archival data. As a complement of and extension to this inclusive founding narrative, we conducted a content and discourse analysis of the 15 years of MSR Best Papers and Carolyn Dexter Best...

Multiobjective Optimum Design of a 3-RRR Spherical Parallel Manipulator with Kinematic and Dynamic Dexterities

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wu, Guanglei

2012-01-01

parameters of the spherical parallel manipulator. The proposed approach is illustrated with the optimum design of a special spherical parallel manipulator with unlimited rolling motion. The corresponding optimization problem aims to maximize the kinematic and dynamic dexterities over its regular shaped...

Cognitive vision system for control of dexterous prosthetic hands: Experimental evaluation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Došen Strahinja

2010-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Dexterous prosthetic hands that were developed recently, such as SmartHand and i-LIMB, are highly sophisticated; they have individually controllable fingers and the thumb that is able to abduct/adduct. This flexibility allows implementation of many different grasping strategies, but also requires new control algorithms that can exploit the many degrees of freedom available. The current study presents and tests the operation of a new control method for dexterous prosthetic hands. Methods The central component of the proposed method is an autonomous controller comprising a vision system with rule-based reasoning mounted on a dexterous hand (CyberHand. The controller, termed cognitive vision system (CVS, mimics biological control and generates commands for prehension. The CVS was integrated into a hierarchical control structure: 1 the user triggers the system and controls the orientation of the hand; 2 a high-level controller automatically selects the grasp type and size; and 3 an embedded hand controller implements the selected grasp using closed-loop position/force control. The operation of the control system was tested in 13 healthy subjects who used Cyberhand, attached to the forearm, to grasp and transport 18 objects placed at two different distances. Results The system correctly estimated grasp type and size (nine commands in total in about 84% of the trials. In an additional 6% of the trials, the grasp type and/or size were different from the optimal ones, but they were still good enough for the grasp to be successful. If the control task was simplified by decreasing the number of possible commands, the classification accuracy increased (e.g., 93% for guessing the grasp type only. Conclusions The original outcome of this research is a novel controller empowered by vision and reasoning and capable of high-level analysis (i.e., determining object properties and autonomous decision making (i.e., selecting the grasp type and

DexterNet: An Open Platform for Heterogeneous Body Sensor Networks and Its Applications

Science.gov (United States)

2008-12-19

motion, ECG PC, PDA 802.15.4 No No ALARM-NET pulse oximetry STARGATE Bluetooth No Yes [19] motion, ECG PDA, PC 802.11 (temperature, light, PIR) DexterNet...motion, ECG PDA 802.15.4 Yes Possible via SPINE EIP, GPS PC (e.g., air pollution sensor) MICAz, SHIMMER uses MICAz sensors and STARGATE to relay the

Strength and fine dexterity recovery profiles after a primary motor cortex insult and effect of a neuronal cell graft.

Science.gov (United States)

Vaysse, Laurence; Conchou, Fabrice; Demain, Boris; Davoust, Carole; Plas, Benjamin; Ruggieri, Cyrielle; Benkaddour, Mehdi; Simonetta-Moreau, Marion; Loubinoux, Isabelle

2015-08-01

The aim of this study was to set up (a) a large primary motor cortex (M1) lesion in rodent and (b) the conditions for evaluating a long-lasting motor deficit in order to propose a valid model to test neuronal replacement therapies aimed at improving motor deficit recovery. A mitochondrial toxin, malonate, was injected to induce extensive destruction of the forelimb M1 cortex. Three key motor functions that are usually evaluated following cerebral lesion in the clinic-strength, target reaching, and fine dexterity-were assessed in rats by 2 tests, a forelimb grip strength test and a skilled reaching task (staircase) for reaching and dexterity. The potential enhancement of postlesion recovery induced by a neuronal cell transplantation was then explored and confirmed by histological analyses. Both tests showed a severe functional impairment 2 days post lesion, however, reaching remained intact. Deficits in forelimb strength were long lasting (up to 3 months) but spontaneously recovered despite the extensive lesion size. This natural grip strength recovery could be enhanced by cell therapy. Histological analyses confirmed the presence of grafted cells 3 months postgraft and showed partial tissue reconstruction with some living neuronal cells in the graft. In contrast, fine dexterity never recovered in the staircase test even after grafting. These results suggest that cell replacement was only partially effective and that the forelimb M1 area may be a node of the sensorimotor network, where compensation from secondary pathways could account for strength recovery but recovery of forelimb fine dexterity requires extensive tissue reconstruction. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Molding resonant energy transfer by colloidal crystal: Dexter transfer and electroluminescence

Science.gov (United States)

González-Urbina, Luis; Kolaric, Branko; Libaers, Wim; Clays, Koen

2010-05-01

Building photonic crystals by combination of colloidal ordering and metal sputtering we were able to construct a system sensitive to an electrical field. In corresponding crystals we embedded the Dexter pair (Ir(ppy3) and BAlq) and investigated the influence of the band gap on the resonant energy transfer when the system is excited by light and by an electric field respectively. Our investigations extend applications of photonic crystals into the field of electroluminescence and LED technologies.

MoveBots - Flexible Object Handling using Dexterous Grippers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, Jimmy Alison

.This dissertation present work that focus on increasing flexibility ofrobotic grasping by using simulation tools, dexterous hands and tactile sensors.The work is centered on development of tools and methods for graspplanning, analysis and simulation.Overall the research contributes with valuable tools......Within recent years there has been an increased focus in flexible automationin industrial production. This focus is strongly related to the demandfor small product batches and individually customized products. To enablesuch flexibility large machinery is exchanged or upgraded with high degreeof...... freedom robot manipulators. These manipulators are programmable andmultipurpose and often only limited by their gripper systems. These limitationsare significant since the design and flexibility of the gripper determineswhich objects the system can handle.Current gripper systems are typically simple...

A Subcortical Oscillatory Network Contributes to Recovery of Hand Dexterity after Spinal Cord Injury

Science.gov (United States)

Nishimura, Yukio; Morichika, Yosuke; Isa, Tadashi

2009-01-01

Recent studies have shown that after partial spinal-cord lesion at the mid-cervical segment, the remaining pathways compensate for restoring finger dexterity; however, how they control hand/arm muscles has remained unclear. To elucidate the changes in dynamic properties of neural circuits connecting the motor cortex and hand/arm muscles, we…

Effects of repeated vibratory stimulation of wrist and elbow flexors on hand dexterity, strength, and sensory function in patients with chronic stroke: a pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Won-Ho

2017-04-01

[Purpose] The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of repeated vibratory stimulation to muscles related to hand functions on dexterity, strength, and sensory function in patients with chronic stroke. [Subjects and Methods] A total of 10 stroke patients with hemiplegia participated in this study. They were divided into two groups: a) Experimental and b) Control, with five randomly selected subjects for each group. The experimental group received vibratory stimulation, while the control group received the traditional physical therapy. Both interventions were performed for 30 minutes each session, three times a week for four weeks. [Results] There was a significant within-group improvement in the box and block test results in both groups for dexterity. Grip strength improved in both groups but the improvement was not statistically significant. [Conclusion] The vibratory stimulation activated the biceps brachii and flexor carpi radialis, which increased dexterity to grasp and lift the box and block from the surface. Therefore, repeated vibratory stimulation to muscles related to hand functions improved hand dexterity equality to the traditional physical therapy in patients with chronic stroke.

Synthesis of dexterity measure of mechanisms by evolution of dissipative system

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Grešl M.

2007-11-01

Full Text Available The paper deals with the new approach of solving traditional kinematical synthesis of mechanisms. The kinematical synthesis is reformulated as nonlinear dynamical problem. All searched parameters of the mechanism are in this dynamical dissipative system introduced as time-varying during motion of mechanism’s dimension iteration. The synthesis process is realized as the time evolution of such system. One of the most important objectives of the machine synthesis is the dexterity measure. The new approach is applied to optimization of this property.

Impact of distal median neuropathy on handwriting performance for patients with carpal tunnel syndrome in office and administrative support occupations.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuo, Li-Chieh; Hsu, Hsiao-Man; Wu, Po-Ting; Lin, Sheng-Che; Hsu, Hsiu-Yun; Jou, I-Ming

2014-06-01

This study investigates the handwriting performance of patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) and healthy controls in office and administrative support occupations, adopting both biomechanical and functional perspectives. This work also explores how surgical intervention altered the performance of the CTS patients. Fourteen CTS patients and 14 control subjects were recruited to complete a self-reported survey and participate in sensory tests, hand strength, dexterity and handwriting tasks using a custom force acquisition pen along with motion capture technology. Based on the results of these, the sensory measurements, along with functional and biomechanical parameters, were used to determine the differences between the groups and also reveal any improvements that occurred in the CTS group after surgical intervention. The CTS patients showed significantly poorer hand sensibility and dexterity than the controls, as well as excessive force exertion of the digits and pen tip, and less efficient force adjustment ability during handwriting. After surgery and sensory recovery, the hand dexterity and pen tip force of the CTS patients improved significantly. The force adjustment abilities of the digits also increased, but these changes were not statistically significant. This study provides the objective measurements and novel apparatus that can be used to determine impairments in the handwriting abilities of office or administrative workers with CTS. The results can also help clinicians or patients to better understand the sensory-related deficits in sensorimotor control of the hand related to CTS, and thus develop and implement more suitable training or adaptive protocols.

Independent trapping and manipulation of microparticles using dexterous acoustic tweezers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Courtney, Charles R. P.; Demore, Christine E. M.; Wu, Hongxiao; Cochran, Sandy; Grinenko, Alon; Wilcox, Paul D.; Drinkwater, Bruce W.

2014-01-01

An electronically controlled acoustic tweezer was used to demonstrate two acoustic manipulation phenomena: superposition of Bessel functions to allow independent manipulation of multiple particles and the use of higher-order Bessel functions to trap particles in larger regions than is possible with first-order traps. The acoustic tweezers consist of a circular 64-element ultrasonic array operating at 2.35 MHz which generates ultrasonic pressure fields in a millimeter-scale fluid-filled chamber. The manipulation capabilities were demonstrated experimentally with 45 and 90-μm-diameter polystyrene spheres. These capabilities bring the dexterity of acoustic tweezers substantially closer to that of optical tweezers

Sequential chromatin immunoprecipitation to detect SUMOylated MeCP2 in neurons

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tao Wu

2016-03-01

Full Text Available The small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO is a short peptide that can be covalently linked to proteins altering their function. SUMOylation is an essential post-translational modification (PTM. Because of its dynamic nature, low abundance levels, and technical limitations, the occupation of endogenous SUMOylated transcription factors at genomic loci is challenging to detect. The chromatin regulator Methyl CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2 is subjected to PTMs including SUMO. Mutations in MeCP2 lead to Rett syndrome, a severe neurodevelopmental disorder. Here, we present an efficient method to perform sequential chromatin immunoprecipitation (Seq-ChIP for detecting SUMOylated MeCP2 in neurons. This Seq-ChIP technique is a useful tool to determine the occupancy of SUMOylated transcription and chromatin factors at specific genomic regions.

Unique sail-like structure of cor triatriatum dexter in three-dimensional echocardiogram.

Science.gov (United States)

Low, Ting Ting; Uy, Celia Catherine C; Wong, Raymond Ching Chiew

2014-08-01

Cor triatriatum dexter (CTD) is an extremely rare congenital condition arising from the persistence of the right valve of the sinus venosus. It divides the right atrium (RA) into 2 separate chambers. We report a case of a 50-year-old man who had an incidental finding of CTD on transesophageal echocardiogram. An incomplete membrane of the RA was seen, and three-dimensional echocardiogram delineated the structure clearly as a triangular sail-like structure with multiple orifices and a fenestration. © 2013, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Usability of videogame-based dexterity training in the early rehabilitation phase of stroke patients : A pilot study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vanbellingen, Tim; Filius, Suzanne J.; Nyffeler, Thomas; van Wegen, Erwin E.H.

2017-01-01

Background: Approximately 70-80% of stroke survivors have limited activities of daily living, mainly due to dexterous problems. Videogame-based training (VBT) along with virtual reality seems to be beneficial to train upper limb function. Objective: To evaluate the usability of VBT using the Leap

Physical Demand but Not Dexterity Is Associated with Motor Flexibility during Rapid Reaching in Healthy Young Adults

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Greve, Christian; Hortobagyi, Tibor; Bongers, Raoul M.

2015-01-01

Healthy humans are able to place light and heavy objects in small and large target locations with remarkable accuracy. Here we examine how dexterity demand and physical demand affect flexibility in joint coordination and end-effector kinematics when healthy young adults perform an upper extremity

Cor triatriatum dexter, atrial septal defects, and pulmonary stenosis-a rare association.

Science.gov (United States)

Simsek, Ziya; Koza, Yavuzer; Tas, Hakan

2014-04-01

Cor triatriatum dexter (CTD) is an extremely rare congenital anomaly in which the right atrium is divided into 2 chambers by a membrane. The estimated incidence of cor triatriatum has been reported as 0.1% of congenital cardiac malformations. The septation of the right atrium in the setting of CTD is the result of failed resorption of the right valve of the sinus venosus. This results in anterolateral and posteromedial portions of the divided right atrium. CTD can be diagnosed at any age, especially if it is incidentally discovered. © 2014, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Complete A-V block: incidental or a part of cor triatriatum dexter.

Science.gov (United States)

Guler, Y; Akgun, T; Toprak, C; Guler, A; Esen, A M

2014-05-01

Cor triatriatum dexter (CTD) is an extremely rare cardiac anomaly in which the right atrium is divided into two distinct chambers by a membrane. The persistence of the right valve of sinus venosus results in a complete septation of the right atrium. This anomaly is frequently associated with other right-sided cardiac abnormalities. Its clinical manifestation and the need for intervention are determined by the number and the size of the fenestrations on the membrane, associated cardiac anomalies and arrhythmias. We describe a case of CTD in a patient with complete atrioventricular (A-V) block.

Cor triatriatum dexter, a very rare congenital anomaly presented in a complex pathological context – case presentation

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Gozar Liliana

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Background Cor triatriatum dexter is an extremely rare congenital anomaly, and in most cases, without hemodynamic significance. Congenital cytomegalovirus infection is the most common viral infection, the majority of infected infants being asymptomatic and only 5-15% being symptomatic in the neonatal period.

Review: Lewis A. Dexter (2006. Elite and Specialized Interviewing. With a New Introduction by Alan Ware and Martín Sánchez-Jankowski

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Beate Littig

2008-01-01

Full Text Available The European Consortium for Political Research (ECPR republished in 2006 the book of the political scientist L.A. DEXTER on "Elite and Specialized Interviewing." According to DEXTER the main characteristic of this type of interviews is non-standardized treatment. Through this the interviewee is given the chance to present his or her own relevance with regard to the topic and situation at stake. What seems to be self-evident in the context of qualitative social research today—the importance of the interviewee's definition of the situation and the topic at stake—can be regarded as an innovation in the 1970ies considering the predominance of quantitative social research. DEXTER's essay gives a broad variety of hints of how to approach and practically interview elites, which are still up-to-date. Thus the book can be labeled as a classic, despite the fact that the methodological reflections about qualitative social research, including elite interviewing or as in the German-speaking context expert interviews have become much more detailed and divers. URN: urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs080151

Mind Your Grip: Even Usual Dexterous Manipulation Requires High Level Cognition

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Erwan Guillery

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Simultaneous execution of cognitive and sensorimotor tasks is critical in daily life. Here, we examined whether dexterous manipulation, a highly habitual and seemingly automatic behavior, involves high order cognitive functions. Specifically, we explored the impact of reducing available cognitive resources on the performance of a precision grip-lift task in healthy participants of three age groups (18–30, 30–60 and 60–75 years. Participants performed a motor task in isolation (M, in combination with a low-load cognitive task (M + L, and in combination with a high-load cognitive task (M + H. The motor task consisted in grasping, lifting and holding an apparatus instrumented with force sensors to monitor motor task performance. In the cognitive task, a list of letters was shown briefly before the motor task. After completing the motor task, one letter of the list was shown, and participants reported the following letter of the list. In M + L, letters in the list followed the alphabetical order. In M + H, letters were presented in random order. Performing the high-load task thus required maintaining information in working memory. Temporal and dynamic parameters of grip and lift forces were compared across conditions. During the cognitive tasks, there was a significant alteration of movement initiation and a significant increase of grip force (GF throughout the grip-lift task. There was no interaction with “age”. Our results demonstrate that planning and the on-line control of dexterous manipulation is not an automatic behavior and, instead, that it interacts with high-level cognitive processes such as those involved in working memory.

Dexterity tests data contribute to reduction in leaded glovebox gloves use

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cournoyer, Michael E [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Lawton, Cindy M [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Castro, Amanda M [Los Alamos National Laboratory

2008-01-01

Programmatic operations at the Los Alamos National Laboratory Plutonium Facility (TA-55) involve working with various amounts of plutonium and other highly toxic, alphaemitting materials. The spread of radiological contamination on surfaces and airborne contamination and excursions of contaminants into the operator's breathing zone are prevented through the use of a variety of gloveboxes. Through an integrated approach, controls have been developed and implemented through an efficient Glovebox Glove Integrity Program (GGJP). A key element of this program is to consider measures that lower the overall risk of glovebox operations. Line management owning glovebox processes through this program make decisions on which type of glovebox gloves (the weakest component of this safety significant system) would perform in these aggressive environments. As Low As Reasonably Achievable (ALARA) considerations must be balanced with glove durability and worker dexterity, both of which affect the final overall risk of the operation. In the past, lead-loaded (leaded) glovebox gloves made from Hypalon(reg.) had been the workhorse of programmatic operations at TA-55. Replacing leaded gloves with unleaded gloves for certain operations would lower the overall risk as well as reduced the amount of mixed TRU waste. This effort contributes to Los Alamos National Laboratory Continuous Improvement Program by improving the efficiency, cost effectiveness, and formality of glovebox operations. In the following report, the pros and cons of wearing leaded glovebox gloves, the effect of leaded gloves versus unleaded gloves on task performance using standard dexterity tests, the justification for switching from leaded to unleaded gloves, and pollution prevention benefits of this dramatic change in the glovebox system are presented.

Dexterity Test Data Contribute To Reduction in Leaded Glovebox Glove Use

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cournoyer, M.E.; Lawton, C.M.; Castro, A.M.; Costigan, S.A.; Schreiber, S.

2009-01-01

Programmatic operations at the Los Alamos National Laboratory Plutonium Facility (TA-55) involve working with various amounts of plutonium and other highly toxic, alpha-emitting materials. The spread of radiological contamination on surfaces, airborne contamination, and excursions of contaminants into the operator's breathing zone are prevented through the use of a variety of gloveboxes. Using an integrated approach, controls have been developed and implemented through an efficient Glovebox Glove Integrity Program. A key element of this program is to consider measures that lower the overall risk of glovebox operations. Line management who own glovebox processes through this program make decisions on which type of glovebox gloves (hereafter referred to as gloves), the weakest component of this safety-significant system, would perform best in these aggressive environments. As Low as Reasonably Achievable considerations must be balanced with glove durability and worker dexterity, both of which affect the final overall risk of the operation. In the past, lead-loaded (leaded) gloves made from Hypalon R were the primary glove for programmatic operations at TA-55. Replacing leaded gloves with unleaded gloves for certain operations would lower the overall risk as well as reduce the amount of mixed transuranic waste. This effort contributes to the Los Alamos National Laboratory Continuous Improvement Program by improving the efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and formality of glovebox operations. In this report, the pros and cons of wearing leaded gloves, the effect of leaded gloves versus unleaded gloves on task performance using standard dexterity tests, the justification for switching from leaded to unleaded gloves, and the pollution prevention benefits of this dramatic change in the glovebox system are presented. (authors)

Stent placement for palliation of cor triatriatum dexter in a dog with suspected patent foramen ovale.

Science.gov (United States)

Barncord, Kristin; Stauthammer, Christopher; Moen, Sean L; Hanson, Melissa; Gruenstein, Daniel H

2016-03-01

An 11 month old spayed, female dog presented with exercise intolerance and cyanosis upon exertion. Echocardiography revealed an imperforate cor triatriatum dexter with mild tricuspid valve dysplasia, an underfilled right ventricle and significant right to left shunting across a presumptive patent foramen ovale. Balloon dilation of the abnormal atrial membrane was initially successful in creating a communication between the right atrial chambers, but stenosis of the original perforation and persistent clinical signs prompted a second intervention. A balloon expandable biliary stent was placed across the abnormal partition, improving caudal venous return to the right ventricle and reducing the right to left shunt. Three months after stent placement, resting oxygen saturation had normalized. Six months after stent placement, exercise tolerance had improved and exertional cyanosis had resolved. Long term follow up will be necessary to assess for remodeling of the right ventricle with improved venous return. Stent placement can be considered as a palliative treatment option for cor triatriatum dexter, especially for stenosis post-balloon dilation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Estudo anatômico das vias bilíferas em búfalos: comportamento do ductus choledocus, ductus cysticus e vesica fellea. Sistematização do ductus biliferus principalis dexter

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wilson Machado de Souza

1994-06-01

Full Text Available Os autores estudaram o comportamento do ductus choledocus, ductus cysticus e vesica fellea e a constituição do ductus biliferus principalis dexter, parte das vias bilíferas em 40 búfalas da raça Jaffarabadi, adultas. Os fígados tiveram suas vias biliares injetadas com látex Neoprene 650 e celobar, e o procedimento utilizado pelos autores para evidenciação dos componentes estudados foram a dissecação e radiografias. Nos 40 órgãos analisados constatou-se que o ductus choledocus na maioria (97,5% sem tributários, acolhe num caso isolado (2,5% afluente inominado do lobus quadratus. Este ductus apresenta-se formado pela confluência dos ductus biliferus principalis dexter e do sinister (75%, pela confluência das raízes dorsomedial e ventrolateral mais o ductus biliferus principalis sinister (22,5%, e pela junção do ductus hepaticus e ductus cysticus (2,5%. O ductus cysticus, componente constante do ductus biliferus principalis dexter, associa-se ao ductus biliferus lateralis lobi dextri (67,5%, endereçando-se nas outras glândulas (32,5% a troncos diversos. A vesica fellea em 87,5% das peças mostra-se livre de afluentes, enquanto nas demais dessecações (12,5% recebe duetos hepaticocísticos oriundos apenas do lobus quadratus (5%, simultaneamente do lobus dexter e do lobus quadratus (5%, e unicamente do território lateral do lobus dexter (5%. O ductus biliferus principalis dexter é formado pelo ductus lateralis lobi dextri e ductus cysticus (100% e pelo ductus medialis lobi dextri, ductus dorsalis lobi dextri e ductus processi caudati (92,5%.

Influence of Shift Work on Manual Dexterity and Reaction Time in Tunisian Nurses.

Science.gov (United States)

Merchaoui, Irtyah; Chaari, Neila; Bouhlel, Mohamed; Bouzgarrou, Lamia; Malchaire, Jacques; Akrout, Mohamed

2017-01-01

Major effects of shift schedule are related to sleep alertness and performance, but also to long term health outcomes. For nurses, these negative effects have consequences not only on the individual, but also on the workplace, as decreased alertness and reduced job performance could endanger human lives. The specific aim of our study is to assess the influence of shift schedule on nurses´ cognitive ability and rapidity of execution. Our survey is a cross sectional study which had been conducted for 15 months; it involved a sample of 293 participants representative of 1118 nurses working in two Tunisian university hospitals. It included an evaluation of the rapidity of execution performance through the manual dexterity test and the reaction time test. The study was completed by an assessment of the workability Index through a 7- item survey. No association was found between the groups of work schedules and the cognitive ability of execution speed. However, we found a significant decrease in cognitive performance in the nurses exceeding 10 years of job seniority for both schedules. We concluded to an impaired cognitive performance speed in the over 10-year seniority groups in both schedules. Recommendations should be focused on implementing periodic assessment of cognitive performance based on O'Connor finger dexterity test and time reaction test and on implementing effective preventive measures in hospitals after ten years of seniority at work. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

A Low-Cost Open Source 3D-Printable Dexterous Anthropomorphic Robotic Hand with a Parallel Spherical Joint Wrist for Sign Languages Reproduction

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Andrea Bulgarelli

2016-06-01

Full Text Available We present a novel open-source 3D-printable dexterous anthropomorphic robotic hand specifically designed to reproduce Sign Languages’ hand poses for deaf and deaf-blind users. We improved the InMoov hand, enhancing dexterity by adding abduction/adduction degrees of freedom of three fingers (thumb, index and middle fingers and a three-degrees-of-freedom parallel spherical joint wrist. A systematic kinematic analysis is provided. The proposed robotic hand is validated in the framework of the PARLOMA project. PARLOMA aims at developing a telecommunication system for deaf-blind people, enabling remote transmission of signs from tactile Sign Languages. Both hardware and software are provided online to promote further improvements from the community.

A piano training program to improve manual dexterity and upper extremity function in chronic stroke survivors

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Myriam eVilleneuve

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Objective: Music-supported therapy was shown to induce improvements in motor skills in stroke survivors. Whether all stroke individuals respond similarly to the intervention and whether gains can be maintained over time remain unknown. We estimated the immediate and retention effects of a piano training program on upper extremity function in persons with chronic stroke. Methods: Thirteen stroke participants engaged in a 3-week piano training comprising of supervised sessions (9 x 60min and home practice. Fine and gross manual dexterity, movement coordination and functional use of the upper extremity were assessed at baseline, pre-intervention, post-intervention and at a 3-week follow-up. Results: Significant improvements were observed for all outcomes at post-intervention and follow-up, compared to pre-intervention scores. Larger magnitudes of change in manual dexterity and functional use of the upper extremity were associated with higher initial levels of motor recovery. Conclusions: Piano training can result in sustainable improvements in upper extremity function in chronic stroke survivors. Individuals with a higher initial level of motor recovery at baseline appear to benefit the most from this intervention.

Design of a Variable Stiffness Soft Dexterous Gripper

Science.gov (United States)

Nefti-Meziani, Samia; Davis, Steve

2017-01-01

Abstract This article presents the design of a variable stiffness, soft, three-fingered dexterous gripper. The gripper uses two designs of McKibben muscles. Extensor muscles that increase in length when pressurized are used to form the fingers of the gripper. Contractor muscles that decrease in length when pressurized are then used to apply forces to the fingers through tendons, which cause flexion and extension of the fingers. The two types of muscles are arranged to act antagonistically and this means that by raising the pressure in all of the pneumatic muscles, the stiffness of the system can be increased without a resulting change in finger position. The article presents the design of the gripper, some basic kinematics to describe its function, and then experimental results demonstrating the ability to adjust the bending stiffness of the gripper's fingers. It has been demonstrated that the fingers' bending stiffness can be increased by more than 150%. The article concludes by demonstrating that the fingers can be closed loop position controlled and are able to track step and sinusoidal inputs. PMID:29062630

Cyanosis and Stroke due to Functional Cor Triatriatum Dexter in a Neonate.

Science.gov (United States)

León, Rachel L; Zaban, Nicholas B; Schamberger, Marcus S; Ho, Chang Y; Mietzsch, Ulrike

2018-01-01

Small remnants of the right valve of the sinus venosus are commonly found in adults, but the incidence and risk associated with these embryonic remnants in neonates are not well studied. The following report describes a cyanotic neonate with a large Eustachian valve remnant creating a functional cor triatriatum dexter who was initially diagnosed with persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn. The cyanosis in this infant improved over the first postnatal week with conservative management, but she suffered multifocal subcortical stroke, likely related to her intracardiac shunt. The clinical presentation and questions regarding long-term management of this rare diagnosis are explored. © 2018 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Sequential Power-Dependence Theory

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Buskens, Vincent; Rijt, Arnout van de

2008-01-01

Existing methods for predicting resource divisions in laboratory exchange networks do not take into account the sequential nature of the experimental setting. We extend network exchange theory by considering sequential exchange. We prove that Sequential Power-Dependence Theory—unlike

Shared and differentiated motor skill impairments in children with dyslexia and/or attention deficit disorder: From simple to complex sequential coordination.

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Marie-Ève Marchand-Krynski

Full Text Available Dyslexia and Attention deficit disorder (AD are prevalent neurodevelopmental conditions in children and adolescents. They have high comorbidity rates and have both been associated with motor difficulties. Little is known, however, about what is shared or differentiated in dyslexia and AD in terms of motor abilities. Even when motor skill problems are identified, few studies have used the same measurement tools, resulting in inconstant findings. The present study assessed increasingly complex gross motor skills in children and adolescents with dyslexia, AD, and with both Dyslexia and AD. Our results suggest normal performance on simple motor-speed tests, whereas all three groups share a common impairment on unimanual and bimanual sequential motor tasks. Children in these groups generally improve with practice to the same level as normal subjects, though they make more errors. In addition, children with AD are the most impaired on complex bimanual out-of-phase movements and with manual dexterity. These latter findings are examined in light of the Multiple Deficit Model.

Neuron selection based on deflection coefficient maximization for the neural decoding of dexterous finger movements.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Yong-Hee; Thakor, Nitish V; Schieber, Marc H; Kim, Hyoung-Nam

2015-05-01

Future generations of brain-machine interface (BMI) will require more dexterous motion control such as hand and finger movements. Since a population of neurons in the primary motor cortex (M1) area is correlated with finger movements, neural activities recorded in M1 area are used to reconstruct an intended finger movement. In a BMI system, decoding discrete finger movements from a large number of input neurons does not guarantee a higher decoding accuracy in spite of the increase in computational burden. Hence, we hypothesize that selecting neurons important for coding dexterous flexion/extension of finger movements would improve the BMI performance. In this paper, two metrics are presented to quantitatively measure the importance of each neuron based on Bayes risk minimization and deflection coefficient maximization in a statistical decision problem. Since motor cortical neurons are active with movements of several different fingers, the proposed method is more suitable for a discrete decoding of flexion-extension finger movements than the previous methods for decoding reaching movements. In particular, the proposed metrics yielded high decoding accuracies across all subjects and also in the case of including six combined two-finger movements. While our data acquisition and analysis was done off-line and post processing, our results point to the significance of highly coding neurons in improving BMI performance.

The relationship between walking, manual dexterity, cognition and activity/participation in persons with multiple sclerosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Kierkegaard, Marie; Einarsson, Ulrika; Gottberg, Kristina; von Koch, Lena; Holmqvist, Lotta Widén

2012-05-01

Multiple sclerosis has a vast impact on health, but the relationship between walking, manual dexterity, cognition and activity/participation is unclear. The specific aims were to explore the discriminative ability of measures of walking, manual dexterity and cognition, and to identify cut-off values in these measures, for prediction of independence in personal and instrumental activities of daily living (ADL) and activity/participation in social and lifestyle activities. Data from 164 persons with multiple sclerosis were collected during home visits with the following measures: the 2 × 5 m walk test, the Nine-hole Peg Test, the Symbol Digit Modalities Test, the Katz Personal and Instrumental ADL Indexes, and the Frenchay Activities Index (measuring frequency in social and lifestyle activities). The 2 × 5 m walk test and the Nine-hole Peg Test had high and better discriminative and predictive ability than the Symbol Digit Modalities Test. Cut-off values were identified. The accuracy of predictions was increased above all by combining the 2 × 5 m walk test and the Nine-hole Peg Test. The proposed cut-off values in the 2 × 5 m walk test and the Nine-hole Peg Test may be used as indicators of functioning and to identify persons risking activity limitations and participation restrictions. However, further studies are needed to confirm the usefulness in clinical practice.

Predictors for return to work for those with occupational respiratory disease: clinical and structural factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Zoeckler, Jeanette M; Cibula, Donald A; Morley, Christopher P; Lax, Michael B

2013-12-01

Few occupational researchers have examined "return to work" among patients with work-related respiratory diseases. In addition, prior studies have emphasized individual patient characteristics rather than a more multi-dimensional approach that includes both clinical and structural factors. A retrospective chart review identified patients with occupational respiratory diseases in the Occupational Health Clinical Center, Syracuse, NY between 1991 and 2009. We assessed predictors of work status using an exploratory, sequential mixed methods research design, multinomial (n = 188) and Cox regressions (n = 130). The findings suggest that patients with an increased number of diagnoses, non-union members, and those who took more than a year before clinical presentation had significantly poorer work status outcomes, after adjusting for age, education level, and relevant diagnoses. Efforts to prevent slow return to work after developing occupational respiratory disease should recognize the importance of timely access to occupational health services, disease severity, union membership, and smoking status. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Effects of action observation therapy on hand dexterity and EEG-based cortical activation patterns in patients with post-stroke hemiparesis.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuk, Eun-Ju; Kim, Jong-Man; Oh, Duck-Won; Hwang, Han-Jeong

2016-10-01

Previous reports have suggested that action observation training (AOT) is beneficial in enhancing the early learning of new motor tasks; however, EEG-based investigation has received little attention for AOT. The purpose of this study was to illustrate the effects of AOT on hand dexterity and cortical activation in patients with post-stroke hemiparesis. Twenty patients with post-stroke hemiparesis were randomly divided into either the experimental group (EG) or control group (CG), with 10 patients in each group. Prior to the execution of motor tasks (carrying wooden blocks from one box to another), subjects in the EG and CG observed a video clip displaying the execution of the same motor task and pictures showing landscapes, respectively. Outcome measures included the box and block test (BBT) to evaluate hand dexterity and EEG-based brain mapping to detect changes in cortical activation. The BBT scores (EG: 20.50 ± 6.62 at pre-test and 24.40 ± 5.42 at post-test; CG: 20.20 ± 6.12 at pre-test and 20.60 ± 7.17 at post-test) revealed significant main effects for the time and group and significant time-by-group interactions (p < 0.05). For the subjects in the EG, topographical representations obtained with the EEG-based brain mapping system were different in each session of the AOT and remarkable changes occurred from the 2nd session of AOT. Furthermore, the middle frontal gyrus was less active at post-test than at pre-test. These findings support that AOT may be beneficial in altering cortical activation patterns and hand dexterity.

Treatment of singultus by sexual stimulation: Who was George T Dexter, MD (c1812-?)?

Science.gov (United States)

Petroianu, Georg A

2016-05-01

This short report attempts to shed light on the interesting but controversial personality of George T Dexter (ca1812 -?), the physician who first described manipulation of the female genitalia in a hysterical impressionable girl as being associated with the termination of singultus. Although his interaction with the young female patient would not meet today's ethical standards, his medical observation was valid and contributes to our understanding of the pathophysiology of singultus. He was well ahead of his colleagues who presented hiccup therapy case reports with similar or related pathophysiology mechanisms some 150 years later. © IMechE 2014.

Predicting hand function in older adults: evaluations of grip strength, arm curl strength, and manual dexterity.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Chiung-Ju; Marie, Deana; Fredrick, Aaron; Bertram, Jessica; Utley, Kristen; Fess, Elaine Ewing

2017-08-01

Hand function is critical for independence in activities of daily living for older adults. The purpose of this study was to examine how grip strength, arm curl strength, and manual dexterous coordination contributed to time-based versus self-report assessment of hand function in community-dwelling older adults. Adults aged ≥60 years without low vision or neurological disorders were recruited. Purdue Pegboard Test, Jamar hand dynamometer, 30-second arm curl test, Jebsen-Taylor Hand Function Test, and the Late-Life Function and Disability Instrument were administered to assess manual dexterous coordination, grip strength, arm curl strength, time-based hand function, and self-report of hand function, respectively. Eighty-four adults (mean age = 72 years) completed the study. Hierarchical multiple regressions show that older adults with better arm curl strength (β = -.25, p function test. In comparison, older adults with better grip strength (β = .40, p function. The relationship between grip strength and hand function may be test-specific. Grip strength becomes a significant factor when the test requires grip strength to successfully complete the test tasks. Arm curl strength independently contributed to hand function in both time-based and self-report assessments, indicating that strength of extrinsic muscles of the hand are essential for hand function.

Modelling sequentially scored item responses

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Akkermans, W.

2000-01-01

The sequential model can be used to describe the variable resulting from a sequential scoring process. In this paper two more item response models are investigated with respect to their suitability for sequential scoring: the partial credit model and the graded response model. The investigation is

A vigilante serial killer as ethics educator? An exploration of Dexter as a tool for moral education in the professional domain

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ommen, M.E. van; Daalmans, S.; Weijers, G.W.M.; Eden, A.; Leeuw, R.N.H. de; Buijzen, M.A.

2017-01-01

This study aims to inform the discussion over the proposed merit of morally ambiguous dramas as a tool in moral education in the professional domain, by providing insight into student groups' moral evaluations of Dexter. In-depth interviews (N = 61) were conducted among a diverse sample of law and

Multi-agent sequential hypothesis testing

KAUST Repository

Kim, Kwang-Ki K.

2014-12-15

This paper considers multi-agent sequential hypothesis testing and presents a framework for strategic learning in sequential games with explicit consideration of both temporal and spatial coordination. The associated Bayes risk functions explicitly incorporate costs of taking private/public measurements, costs of time-difference and disagreement in actions of agents, and costs of false declaration/choices in the sequential hypothesis testing. The corresponding sequential decision processes have well-defined value functions with respect to (a) the belief states for the case of conditional independent private noisy measurements that are also assumed to be independent identically distributed over time, and (b) the information states for the case of correlated private noisy measurements. A sequential investment game of strategic coordination and delay is also discussed as an application of the proposed strategic learning rules.

Surrogate: A Body-Dexterous Mobile Manipulation Robot with a Tracked Base

Science.gov (United States)

Kennedy, Brett A. (Inventor); Hebert, Paul (Inventor); Ma, Jeremy C. (Inventor); Borders, James W. (Inventor); Bergh, Charles F. (Inventor); Hudson, Nicolas H. (Inventor)

2018-01-01

Robotics platforms in accordance with various embodiments of the invention can be utilized to implement highly dexterous robots capable of whole body motion. Robotics platforms in accordance with one embodiment of the invention include: a memory containing a whole body motion application; a spine, where the spine has seven degrees of freedom and comprises a spine actuator and three spine elbow joints that each include two spine joint actuators; at least one limb, where the at least one limb comprises a limb actuator and three limb elbow joints that each include two limb joint actuators; a tracked base; a connecting structure that connects the at least one limb to the spine; a second connecting structure that connects the spine to the tracked base; wherein the processor is configured by the whole body motion application to move the at least one limb and the spine to perform whole body motion.

Sequential charged particle reaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hori, Jun-ichi; Ochiai, Kentaro; Sato, Satoshi; Yamauchi, Michinori; Nishitani, Takeo

2004-01-01

The effective cross sections for producing the sequential reaction products in F82H, pure vanadium and LiF with respect to the 14.9-MeV neutron were obtained and compared with the estimation ones. Since the sequential reactions depend on the secondary charged particles behavior, the effective cross sections are corresponding to the target nuclei and the material composition. The effective cross sections were also estimated by using the EAF-libraries and compared with the experimental ones. There were large discrepancies between estimated and experimental values. Additionally, we showed the contribution of the sequential reaction on the induced activity and dose rate in the boundary region with water. From the present study, it has been clarified that the sequential reactions are of great importance to evaluate the dose rates around the surface of cooling pipe and the activated corrosion products. (author)

Physical Demand but Not Dexterity Is Associated with Motor Flexibility during Rapid Reaching in Healthy Young Adults.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christian Greve

Full Text Available Healthy humans are able to place light and heavy objects in small and large target locations with remarkable accuracy. Here we examine how dexterity demand and physical demand affect flexibility in joint coordination and end-effector kinematics when healthy young adults perform an upper extremity reaching task. We manipulated dexterity demand by changing target size and physical demand by increasing external resistance to reaching. Uncontrolled manifold analysis was used to decompose variability in joint coordination patterns into variability stabilizing the end-effector and variability de-stabilizing the end-effector during reaching. Our results demonstrate a proportional increase in stabilizing and de-stabilizing variability without a change in the ratio of the two variability components as physical demands increase. We interpret this finding in the context of previous studies showing that sensorimotor noise increases with increasing physical demands. We propose that the larger de-stabilizing variability as a function of physical demand originated from larger sensorimotor noise in the neuromuscular system. The larger stabilizing variability with larger physical demands is a strategy employed by the neuromuscular system to counter the de-stabilizing variability so that performance stability is maintained. Our findings have practical implications for improving the effectiveness of movement therapy in a wide range of patient groups, maintaining upper extremity function in old adults, and for maximizing athletic performance.

Eyewitness confidence in simultaneous and sequential lineups: a criterion shift account for sequential mistaken identification overconfidence.

Science.gov (United States)

Dobolyi, David G; Dodson, Chad S

2013-12-01

Confidence judgments for eyewitness identifications play an integral role in determining guilt during legal proceedings. Past research has shown that confidence in positive identifications is strongly associated with accuracy. Using a standard lineup recognition paradigm, we investigated accuracy using signal detection and ROC analyses, along with the tendency to choose a face with both simultaneous and sequential lineups. We replicated past findings of reduced rates of choosing with sequential as compared to simultaneous lineups, but notably found an accuracy advantage in favor of simultaneous lineups. Moreover, our analysis of the confidence-accuracy relationship revealed two key findings. First, we observed a sequential mistaken identification overconfidence effect: despite an overall reduction in false alarms, confidence for false alarms that did occur was higher with sequential lineups than with simultaneous lineups, with no differences in confidence for correct identifications. This sequential mistaken identification overconfidence effect is an expected byproduct of the use of a more conservative identification criterion with sequential than with simultaneous lineups. Second, we found a steady drop in confidence for mistaken identifications (i.e., foil identifications and false alarms) from the first to the last face in sequential lineups, whereas confidence in and accuracy of correct identifications remained relatively stable. Overall, we observed that sequential lineups are both less accurate and produce higher confidence false identifications than do simultaneous lineups. Given the increasing prominence of sequential lineups in our legal system, our data argue for increased scrutiny and possibly a wholesale reevaluation of this lineup format. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.

A Vigilante Serial Killer as Ethics Educator? An Exploration of "Dexter" as a Tool for Moral Education in the Professional Domain

Science.gov (United States)

van Ommen, Merel; Daalmans, Serena; Weijers, Addy; Eden, Allison; de Leeuw, Rebecca N. H.; Buijzen, Moniek

2017-01-01

This study aims to inform the discussion over the proposed merit of morally ambiguous dramas as a tool in moral education in the professional domain, by providing insight into student groups' moral evaluations of "Dexter." In-depth interviews (N = 61) were conducted among a diverse sample of law and (developmental) psychology students.…

Virtual airway simulation to improve dexterity among novices performing fibreoptic intubation.

Science.gov (United States)

De Oliveira, G S; Glassenberg, R; Chang, R; Fitzgerald, P; McCarthy, R J

2013-10-01

We developed a virtual reality software application (iLarynx) using built-in accelerometer properties of the iPhone(®) or iPad(®) (Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA, USA) that mimics hand movements for the performance of fibreoptic skills. Twenty novice medical students were randomly assigned to virtual airway training with the iLarynx software or no additional training. Eight out of the 10 subjects in the standard training group had at least one failed (> 120 s) attempt compared with two out of the 10 participants in the iLarynx group (p = 0.01). There were a total of 24 failed attempts in the standard training group and four in the iLarynx group (p < 0.005). Cusum analysis demonstrated continued group improvement in the iLarynx, but not in the standard training group. Virtual airway simulation using freely available software on a smartphone/tablet device improves dexterity among novices performing upper airway endoscopy. © 2013 The Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland.

V79 survival following simultaneous or sequential irradiation by 15-MeV neutrons and 60Co photons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Higgins, P.D.; DeLuca, P.M. Jr.; Pearson, D.W.; Gould, M.N.

1983-01-01

A unique tandem source irradiation facility, composed of an intense d-T neutron source and a 60 Co teletherapy unit, was used to investigate biological responses for different neutron/photon configurations. V79 Chinese hamster cells, attached as monolayers in log-phase growth, were irradiated at 37 degrees C by either 14.8-MeV neutrons, 60 Co, or a mixture of 40% neutrons and 60% photons in simultaneous or sequential application. Measurements of cell survival indicate an increased effectiveness in cell killing for simultaneously administered neutrons and photons compared to that measured or predicted for sequentially applied beam modalities. An understanding of the magnitude of these interactive effects is important both for calculating accurate effective doses for neutron radiotherapy of deep-seated tumors, for which the photon component is appreciable, and for determination of environmental hazards to people occupationally exposed to mixtures of photons and neutrons

V79 survival following simultaneous or sequential irradiation by 15-MeV neutrons and 60Co photons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Higgins, P.D.; DeLuca, P.M. Jr.; Pearson, D.W.; Gould, M.N.

1983-01-01

A unique tandem source irradiation facility, composed of an intense d-T neutron source and a 60 Co teletherapy unit, was used to investigate biological responses for different neutron/photon configurations. V79 Chinese hamster cells, attached as monolayers in log-phase growth, were irradiated at 37 0 C by either 14.8-MeV neutrons, 60 Co, or a mixture of 40% neutrons and 60% photons in simultaneous or sequential application. Measurements of cell survival indicate an increased effectiveness in cell killing for simultaneously administered neutrons and photons compared to that measured or predicted for sequentially applied beam modalities. An understanding of the magnitude of these interactive effects is important both for calculating accurate effective doses for neutron radiotherapy of deep-seated tumors, for which the photon component is appreciable, and for determination of environmental hazards to people occupationally exposed to mixtures of photons and neutrons

Preparing Occupational Therapy Students for the Complexities of Clinical Practice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lisa J. Knecht-Sabres DHS, OTR/L

2013-06-01

Full Text Available This paper examined the effect of a unique amalgam of adult learning methodologies near the end of the occupational therapy (OT students’ didactic education as a means to enhance readiness for clinical practice. Results of quantitative and qualitative data analysis indicated that the use of standardized patients, in combination with a sequential, semistructured, and progressively challenging series of client cases, in an OT adult practice (intervention course, improved the students’ self-perception of their level of comfort and skill on various foundational, yet essential, OT-related competencies.

Does Employer Monopsony Power Increase Occupational Accidents? The Case of Kentucky Coal Mines

OpenAIRE

Shulamit Kahn

1991-01-01

A popular argument for safety regulations is that workers accept dangerous jobs because they have "no choice," or, in other words, because they have few or no alternative employment opportunities. This argument is considered in a game-theoretic framework. Because simultaneous-entry models do not yield pure-strategy equilibria, this paper develops a sequential-entry model to analyze the effect of additional firms on occupational safety. Within the context of the particular functional specifica...

Remarks on sequential designs in risk assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seidenfeld, T.

1982-01-01

The special merits of sequential designs are reviewed in light of particular challenges that attend risk assessment for human population. The kinds of ''statistical inference'' are distinguished and the problem of design which is pursued is the clash between Neyman-Pearson and Bayesian programs of sequential design. The value of sequential designs is discussed and the Neyman-Pearson vs. Bayesian sequential designs are probed in particular. Finally, warnings with sequential designs are considered, especially in relation to utilitarianism

Structure of coastal community occupational in responsible environmental quality at Tanjung Burung village, Tangerang regency

Science.gov (United States)

Syahdanul, Darul; Sumabrata, Jachrizal; Darmajanti, Linda

2018-03-01

Tanjung Burung Village is an area located on the river mouth. The position makes the occupational structure of the community has a relationship with the environmental conditions of the river mouth. The occupational structure of the estuary community tends to be in the primary sector. However, at present, the environmental condition of the Cisadane River estuary has a quality degradation in terms of the intensity of river water pollution, the frequency of flooding, and the intensity of groundwater contamination. This study aims to analyze the relationship between environmental degradation and changes in occupational structure, and analysis on the quality of life of the community. In collecting and processing data, this research uses sequential exploratory strategy. This process refers to the geographical map of Tanjung Burung Village in 1996, 2006, 2016; Population data of 1995, 2000, 2005, 2011, 2016; as well as environmental quality data from 1995 to 2017. The results of this study show that within 20 years the community has strengthened occupational structure in the tertiary sector. Furthermore, the strengthening of occupational structure in the tertiary sector has not been able to improve the quality of life of Tanjung Burung villagers.

Sequential lineup laps and eyewitness accuracy.

Science.gov (United States)

Steblay, Nancy K; Dietrich, Hannah L; Ryan, Shannon L; Raczynski, Jeanette L; James, Kali A

2011-08-01

Police practice of double-blind sequential lineups prompts a question about the efficacy of repeated viewings (laps) of the sequential lineup. Two laboratory experiments confirmed the presence of a sequential lap effect: an increase in witness lineup picks from first to second lap, when the culprit was a stranger. The second lap produced more errors than correct identifications. In Experiment 2, lineup diagnosticity was significantly higher for sequential lineup procedures that employed a single versus double laps. Witnesses who elected to view a second lap made significantly more errors than witnesses who chose to stop after one lap or those who were required to view two laps. Witnesses with prior exposure to the culprit did not exhibit a sequential lap effect.

Hemispheric specialization in affective responses, cerebral dominance for language, and handedness: Lateralization of emotion, language, and dexterity.

Science.gov (United States)

Costanzo, Elsa Yolanda; Villarreal, Mirta; Drucaroff, Lucas Javier; Ortiz-Villafañe, Manuel; Castro, Mariana Nair; Goldschmidt, Micaela; Wainsztein, Agustina Edith; Ladrón-de-Guevara, María Soledad; Romero, Carlos; Brusco, Luis Ignacio; Camprodon, Joan A; Nemeroff, Charles; Guinjoan, Salvador Martín

2015-07-15

Hemispheric specialization in affective responses has received little attention in the literature. This is a fundamental variable to understand circuit dynamics of networks subserving emotion. In this study we put to test a modified "valence" hypothesis of emotion processing, considering that sadness and happiness are processed by each hemisphere in relation to dominance for language and handedness. Mood induction and language activation during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) were used in 20 right-handed and 20 nonright-handed subjects, focusing on interconnected regions known to play critical roles in affective responses: subgenual cingulate cortex, amygdala, and anterior insular cortex. We observed a consistent relationship between lateralization of affective processing, motor dexterity, and language in individuals with clear right-handedness. Sadness induces a greater activation of right-hemisphere cortical structures in right-handed, left-dominant individuals, which is not evident in nonright-handed subjects who show no consistent hemispheric dominance for language. In anterior insula, right-handed individuals displayed reciprocal activation of either hemisphere depending upon mood valence, whereas amygdala activation was predominantly left-sided regardless of mood valence. Nonright-handed individuals exhibited less consistent brain lateralization of affective processing regardless of language and motor dexterity lateralization. In contrast with traditional views on emotion processing lateralization, hemispheric specialization in affective responses is not a unitary process but is specific to the brain structure being activated. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Robustness of the Sequential Lineup Advantage

Science.gov (United States)

Gronlund, Scott D.; Carlson, Curt A.; Dailey, Sarah B.; Goodsell, Charles A.

2009-01-01

A growing movement in the United States and around the world involves promoting the advantages of conducting an eyewitness lineup in a sequential manner. We conducted a large study (N = 2,529) that included 24 comparisons of sequential versus simultaneous lineups. A liberal statistical criterion revealed only 2 significant sequential lineup…

the strategy of finger use in children's addition Relationship with short-term memory, finger dexterity, and addition skills

OpenAIRE

Asakawa, Atsushi; Sugimura, Shinichiro

2009-01-01

Previous research has shown that the children's use of the fingers in additon changes with age. In this study, a part of data on the strategy of finger use by Asakawa and Sugimura (2009) was reanalyzed to clarify the relationship between, short-term memory, finger dexterity and addition skills. A two-way ANOVA showed a significant interaction between memory span and finger use. Examination of simple main effect indicated that significant effect of memory span at the group of the children who ...

V79 survival following simultaneous or sequential irradiation by 14.8-MeV neutrons and 60Co photons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Higgins, P.D.; DeLuca, P.M. Jr.; Pearson, D.W.; Gould, M.N.

1981-01-01

A unique tandem source irradiation facility, comprised of an intense d-T neutron source and a 60 Co teletherapy unit, has been used to investigate biological response for different neutron/photon configurations. V79 Chinese hamster cells, attached as monolayers in log phase growth, were irradiated at 37 0 C by either 14.8 MeV neutrons, 60 Co or by a mixture of 40% neutrons - 60% photons in simultaneous or sequential application. Measurements of cell survival indicate an increased effectiveness in cell killing for simultaneously administered neutrons and photons than was measured or predicted for sequentially applied beam modalities. An understanding of the magnitude of these interactive effects is important both for calculating accurate effective doses for neutron radiotherapy of deep-seated tumors, for which the photon component is appreciable and for determination of environmental hazards to people occupationally exposed to low levels of photons and neutrons

Multi-agent sequential hypothesis testing

KAUST Repository

Kim, Kwang-Ki K.; Shamma, Jeff S.

2014-01-01

incorporate costs of taking private/public measurements, costs of time-difference and disagreement in actions of agents, and costs of false declaration/choices in the sequential hypothesis testing. The corresponding sequential decision processes have well

Development of system technology for radiation cancer therapy with the dexterous auto lesions tracking

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Seungho; Jeong, Kyungmin; Jung, Seungho; Lee, Namho

2013-01-01

The project objectives are to establish the fundamental core technologies for precise auto lesions tracking radiation cancer therapy and developing related system technology as well. Radiation cancer therapy apparatus should be domestically produced to reduce medical expenses, hence advanced technologies are suggested and developed to make cost down medical expenses and save expenditure for importing 10 million dollars/set from overseas. To achieve these targets, we have carried out reviewing of domestic and foreign technology trend. Based on review of state-of-the-art technology, radiation sensory system is studied. 3m high precise image processing technique and intelligent therapy planning software are developed. Also precedent study on the redundant robot for dexterous motion control system has been performed for developing of radiation cancel therapy robot system

Sequential stochastic optimization

CERN Document Server

Cairoli, Renzo

1996-01-01

Sequential Stochastic Optimization provides mathematicians and applied researchers with a well-developed framework in which stochastic optimization problems can be formulated and solved. Offering much material that is either new or has never before appeared in book form, it lucidly presents a unified theory of optimal stopping and optimal sequential control of stochastic processes. This book has been carefully organized so that little prior knowledge of the subject is assumed; its only prerequisites are a standard graduate course in probability theory and some familiarity with discrete-paramet

Exploring the sequential lineup advantage using WITNESS.

Science.gov (United States)

Goodsell, Charles A; Gronlund, Scott D; Carlson, Curt A

2010-12-01

Advocates claim that the sequential lineup is an improvement over simultaneous lineup procedures, but no formal (quantitatively specified) explanation exists for why it is better. The computational model WITNESS (Clark, Appl Cogn Psychol 17:629-654, 2003) was used to develop theoretical explanations for the sequential lineup advantage. In its current form, WITNESS produced a sequential advantage only by pairing conservative sequential choosing with liberal simultaneous choosing. However, this combination failed to approximate four extant experiments that exhibited large sequential advantages. Two of these experiments became the focus of our efforts because the data were uncontaminated by likely suspect position effects. Decision-based and memory-based modifications to WITNESS approximated the data and produced a sequential advantage. The next step is to evaluate the proposed explanations and modify public policy recommendations accordingly.

Sequential and simultaneous choices: testing the diet selection and sequential choice models.

Science.gov (United States)

Freidin, Esteban; Aw, Justine; Kacelnik, Alex

2009-03-01

We investigate simultaneous and sequential choices in starlings, using Charnov's Diet Choice Model (DCM) and Shapiro, Siller and Kacelnik's Sequential Choice Model (SCM) to integrate function and mechanism. During a training phase, starlings encountered one food-related option per trial (A, B or R) in random sequence and with equal probability. A and B delivered food rewards after programmed delays (shorter for A), while R ('rejection') moved directly to the next trial without reward. In this phase we measured latencies to respond. In a later, choice, phase, birds encountered the pairs A-B, A-R and B-R, the first implementing a simultaneous choice and the second and third sequential choices. The DCM predicts when R should be chosen to maximize intake rate, and SCM uses latencies of the training phase to predict choices between any pair of options in the choice phase. The predictions of both models coincided, and both successfully predicted the birds' preferences. The DCM does not deal with partial preferences, while the SCM does, and experimental results were strongly correlated to this model's predictions. We believe that the SCM may expose a very general mechanism of animal choice, and that its wider domain of success reflects the greater ecological significance of sequential over simultaneous choices.

Advanced dexterous manipulation for IED defeat : report on the feasibility of using the ShadowHand for remote operations.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anderson, Robert J.

2011-01-01

Improvised Explosive Device (IED) defeat (IEDD) operations can involve intricate operations that exceed the current capabilities of the grippers on board current bombsquad robots. The Shadow Dexterous Hand from the Shadow Robot Company or 'ShadowHand' for short (www.shadowrobot.com) is the first commercially available robot hand that realistically replicates the motion, degrees-of-freedom and dimensions of a human hand (Figure 1). In this study we evaluate the potential for the ShadowHand to perform potential IED defeat tasks on a mobile platform.

Sequential memory: Binding dynamics

Science.gov (United States)

Afraimovich, Valentin; Gong, Xue; Rabinovich, Mikhail

2015-10-01

Temporal order memories are critical for everyday animal and human functioning. Experiments and our own experience show that the binding or association of various features of an event together and the maintaining of multimodality events in sequential order are the key components of any sequential memories—episodic, semantic, working, etc. We study a robustness of binding sequential dynamics based on our previously introduced model in the form of generalized Lotka-Volterra equations. In the phase space of the model, there exists a multi-dimensional binding heteroclinic network consisting of saddle equilibrium points and heteroclinic trajectories joining them. We prove here the robustness of the binding sequential dynamics, i.e., the feasibility phenomenon for coupled heteroclinic networks: for each collection of successive heteroclinic trajectories inside the unified networks, there is an open set of initial points such that the trajectory going through each of them follows the prescribed collection staying in a small neighborhood of it. We show also that the symbolic complexity function of the system restricted to this neighborhood is a polynomial of degree L - 1, where L is the number of modalities.

Sequential Probability Ration Tests : Conservative and Robust

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kleijnen, J.P.C.; Shi, Wen

2017-01-01

In practice, most computers generate simulation outputs sequentially, so it is attractive to analyze these outputs through sequential statistical methods such as sequential probability ratio tests (SPRTs). We investigate several SPRTs for choosing between two hypothesized values for the mean output

Sequential lineup presentation: Patterns and policy

OpenAIRE

Lindsay, R C L; Mansour, Jamal K; Beaudry, J L; Leach, A-M; Bertrand, M I

2009-01-01

Sequential lineups were offered as an alternative to the traditional simultaneous lineup. Sequential lineups reduce incorrect lineup selections; however, the accompanying loss of correct identifications has resulted in controversy regarding adoption of the technique. We discuss the procedure and research relevant to (1) the pattern of results found using sequential versus simultaneous lineups; (2) reasons (theory) for differences in witness responses; (3) two methodological issues; and (4) im...

Sequential Product of Quantum Effects: An Overview

Science.gov (United States)

Gudder, Stan

2010-12-01

This article presents an overview for the theory of sequential products of quantum effects. We first summarize some of the highlights of this relatively recent field of investigation and then provide some new results. We begin by discussing sequential effect algebras which are effect algebras endowed with a sequential product satisfying certain basic conditions. We then consider sequential products of (discrete) quantum measurements. We next treat transition effect matrices (TEMs) and their associated sequential product. A TEM is a matrix whose entries are effects and whose rows form quantum measurements. We show that TEMs can be employed for the study of quantum Markov chains. Finally, we prove some new results concerning TEMs and vector densities.

Optimal Sequential Rules for Computer-Based Instruction.

Science.gov (United States)

Vos, Hans J.

1998-01-01

Formulates sequential rules for adapting the appropriate amount of instruction to learning needs in the context of computer-based instruction. Topics include Bayesian decision theory, threshold and linear-utility structure, psychometric model, optimal sequential number of test questions, and an empirical example of sequential instructional…

Quantum Inequalities and Sequential Measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Candelpergher, B.; Grandouz, T.; Rubinx, J.L.

2011-01-01

In this article, the peculiar context of sequential measurements is chosen in order to analyze the quantum specificity in the two most famous examples of Heisenberg and Bell inequalities: Results are found at some interesting variance with customary textbook materials, where the context of initial state re-initialization is described. A key-point of the analysis is the possibility of defining Joint Probability Distributions for sequential random variables associated to quantum operators. Within the sequential context, it is shown that Joint Probability Distributions can be defined in situations where not all of the quantum operators (corresponding to random variables) do commute two by two. (authors)

Method and System for Controlling a Dexterous Robot Execution Sequence Using State Classification

Science.gov (United States)

Sanders, Adam M. (Inventor); Platt, Robert J., Jr. (Inventor); Quillin, Nathaniel (Inventor); Permenter, Frank Noble (Inventor); Pfeiffer, Joseph (Inventor)

2014-01-01

A robotic system includes a dexterous robot and a controller. The robot includes a plurality of robotic joints, actuators for moving the joints, and sensors for measuring a characteristic of the joints, and for transmitting the characteristics as sensor signals. The controller receives the sensor signals, and is configured for executing instructions from memory, classifying the sensor signals into distinct classes via the state classification module, monitoring a system state of the robot using the classes, and controlling the robot in the execution of alternative work tasks based on the system state. A method for controlling the robot in the above system includes receiving the signals via the controller, classifying the signals using the state classification module, monitoring the present system state of the robot using the classes, and controlling the robot in the execution of alternative work tasks based on the present system state.

Willamette oxygen supplementation studies -- Scale analyses, Dexter water quality parameters, and adult recoveries: Annual progress report, September 30, 1998--September 29, 1999

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ewing, R.D.

1999-01-01

This report examines the relationship between scale characteristics of returning adults to determine the fork length at which they entered the ocean. These lengths are then related to the length frequencies of fish in the various experimental groups at the time they left the hatchery. This report summarizes the water quality parameters at Dexter Rearing Ponds and presents the complete returns for all experimental groups

Responsiveness of performance-based outcome measures for mobility, balance, muscle strength and manual dexterity in adults with myotonic dystrophy type 1.

Science.gov (United States)

Kierkegaard, Marie; Petitclerc, Émilie; Hébert, Luc J; Mathieu, Jean; Gagnon, Cynthia

2018-02-28

To assess changes and responsiveness in outcome measures of mobility, balance, muscle strength and manual dexterity in adults with myotonic dystrophy type 1. A 9-year longitudinal study conducted with 113 patients. The responsiveness of the Timed Up and Go test, Berg Balance Scale, quantitative muscle testing, grip and pinch-grip strength, and Purdue Pegboard Test was assessed using criterion and construct approaches. Patient-reported perceived changes (worse/stable) in balance, walking, lower-limb weakness, stair-climbing and hand weakness were used as criteria. Predefined hypotheses about expected area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (criterion approach) and correlations between relative changes (construct approach) were explored. The direction and magnitude of median changes in outcome measures corresponded with patient-reported changes. Median changes in the Timed Up and Go test, grip strength, pinch-grip strength and Purdue Pegboard Test did not, in general, exceed known measurement errors. Most criterion (72%) and construct (70%) approach hypotheses were supported. Promising responsiveness was found for outcome measures of mobility, balance and muscle strength. Grip strength and manual dexterity measures showed poorer responsiveness. The performance-based outcome measures captured changes over the 9-year period and responsiveness was promising. Knowledge of measurement errors is needed to interpret the meaning of these longitudinal changes.

Level of movement skills and dexterity in relation to movement activities of pre-school children in their ordinary lives

OpenAIRE

Kubátová, Šárka

2014-01-01

and keywords The level of movement skills and dexterity in relation to movement activities of pre- school children in their ordinary lives. The diploma thesis deals with the issue of movement activity of pre-school children. Movement activities are vital part of healthy life, especially for children. It should be an essential part of every activity, no matter if it is sport, game, relaxation or just a walk to school. It should be a common part of every pre-school child daily programme. The ac...

Book review: Dexter Hoyos, Mastering the West. Rome and Carthage at War, Oxford-New York, Oxford University Press, 2015, pp. XXI, 337; ISBN 9780199860104

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gabriele Demurtas

2017-11-01

Full Text Available This essay offers a critical review of the volume by Dexter Hoyos «Mastering the West. Rome and Carthage at War», published in 2015 in Oxford-New York by the Oxford University Press, focused on the conflicts that involved Rome and Carthage between 264 and 146 BC for the supremacy in the western Mediterranean.

The Effects of Sex Hormonal Fluctuations during Menstrual Cycle on Cortical Excitability and Manual Dexterity (a Pilot Study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maryam Zoghi

Full Text Available To investigate whether hormonal fluctuations during the menstrual cycle affect corticospinal excitability, intracortical inhibition (ICI or facilitation (ICF in primary motor cortex, and also whether the hormonal fluctuations have any effect on manual dexterity in neurologically intact women.Twenty volunteers (10 Female, 10 Male were included in this study. The levels of progesterone and estradiol were measured from saliva during the women's menstrual follicular, ovulation and mid-luteal phases. Motor evoked potentials were recorded from the right first dorsal interosseous muscle. Single and paired-pulse Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS were delivered in a block of 20 stimuli. With paired-pulse technique, 3ms and 10ms inter-stimulus intervals were used to assess ICI and ICF, respectively. The Grooved Pegboard Test (GPT was completed in each session before the TMS assessments. Male participants were tested at similar time intervals as female participants.Mixed design ANOVA revealed that GPT score in female participants was significantly lower at the mid-luteal phase compared to the ovulation phase (p = 0.017. However, it was not correlated with progesterone or estrogen fluctuations during the menstrual cycle. The results also showed that the effect of phase, sex and the interaction of phase by sex for resting motor threshold, ICI or ICF were not significant (p > 0.05.Manual dexterity performance fluctuates during the menstrual cycle in neurologically intact women, which might be due to the balance of the neuromodulatory effects of P4 and E2 in the motor cortex during different phases.

Sequential Generalized Transforms on Function Space

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jae Gil Choi

2013-01-01

Full Text Available We define two sequential transforms on a function space Ca,b[0,T] induced by generalized Brownian motion process. We then establish the existence of the sequential transforms for functionals in a Banach algebra of functionals on Ca,b[0,T]. We also establish that any one of these transforms acts like an inverse transform of the other transform. Finally, we give some remarks about certain relations between our sequential transforms and other well-known transforms on Ca,b[0,T].

Forced Sequence Sequential Decoding

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Ole Riis; Paaske, Erik

1998-01-01

We describe a new concatenated decoding scheme based on iterations between an inner sequentially decoded convolutional code of rate R=1/4 and memory M=23, and block interleaved outer Reed-Solomon (RS) codes with nonuniform profile. With this scheme decoding with good performance is possible as low...... as Eb/N0=0.6 dB, which is about 1.25 dB below the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) that marks the cutoff rate for the full system. Accounting for about 0.45 dB due to the outer codes, sequential decoding takes place at about 1.7 dB below the SNR cutoff rate for the convolutional code. This is possible since...... the iteration process provides the sequential decoders with side information that allows a smaller average load and minimizes the probability of computational overflow. Analytical results for the probability that the first RS word is decoded after C computations are presented. These results are supported...

Sequential probability ratio controllers for safeguards radiation monitors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fehlau, P.E.; Coop, K.L.; Nixon, K.V.

1984-01-01

Sequential hypothesis tests applied to nuclear safeguards accounting methods make the methods more sensitive to detecting diversion. The sequential tests also improve transient signal detection in safeguards radiation monitors. This paper describes three microprocessor control units with sequential probability-ratio tests for detecting transient increases in radiation intensity. The control units are designed for three specific applications: low-intensity monitoring with Poisson probability ratios, higher intensity gamma-ray monitoring where fixed counting intervals are shortened by sequential testing, and monitoring moving traffic where the sequential technique responds to variable-duration signals. The fixed-interval controller shortens a customary 50-s monitoring time to an average of 18 s, making the monitoring delay less bothersome. The controller for monitoring moving vehicles benefits from the sequential technique by maintaining more than half its sensitivity when the normal passage speed doubles

Biased lineups: sequential presentation reduces the problem.

Science.gov (United States)

Lindsay, R C; Lea, J A; Nosworthy, G J; Fulford, J A; Hector, J; LeVan, V; Seabrook, C

1991-12-01

Biased lineups have been shown to increase significantly false, but not correct, identification rates (Lindsay, Wallbridge, & Drennan, 1987; Lindsay & Wells, 1980; Malpass & Devine, 1981). Lindsay and Wells (1985) found that sequential lineup presentation reduced false identification rates, presumably by reducing reliance on relative judgment processes. Five staged-crime experiments were conducted to examine the effect of lineup biases and sequential presentation on eyewitness recognition accuracy. Sequential lineup presentation significantly reduced false identification rates from fair lineups as well as from lineups biased with regard to foil similarity, instructions, or witness attire, and from lineups biased in all of these ways. The results support recommendations that police present lineups sequentially.

Lineup composition, suspect position, and the sequential lineup advantage.

Science.gov (United States)

Carlson, Curt A; Gronlund, Scott D; Clark, Steven E

2008-06-01

N. M. Steblay, J. Dysart, S. Fulero, and R. C. L. Lindsay (2001) argued that sequential lineups reduce the likelihood of mistaken eyewitness identification. Experiment 1 replicated the design of R. C. L. Lindsay and G. L. Wells (1985), the first study to show the sequential lineup advantage. However, the innocent suspect was chosen at a lower rate in the simultaneous lineup, and no sequential lineup advantage was found. This led the authors to hypothesize that protection from a sequential lineup might emerge only when an innocent suspect stands out from the other lineup members. In Experiment 2, participants viewed a simultaneous or sequential lineup with either the guilty suspect or 1 of 3 innocent suspects. Lineup fairness was varied to influence the degree to which a suspect stood out. A sequential lineup advantage was found only for the unfair lineups. Additional analyses of suspect position in the sequential lineups showed an increase in the diagnosticity of suspect identifications as the suspect was placed later in the sequential lineup. These results suggest that the sequential lineup advantage is dependent on lineup composition and suspect position. (c) 2008 APA, all rights reserved

Critical Terrorism Studies Since 11 September 2001: What Has Been Learned? Edited by David Miller, Jessie Blackbourn, Rani Dhanda and Helen Dexter. New York, NT: Routledge, 2014.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mark Roberts

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Critical Terrorism Studies Since 11 September 2001: What Has Been Learned? Edited by David Miller, Jessie Blackbourn, Rani Dhanda and Helen Dexter. New York, NT: Routledge, 2014. ISBN 978-0-415-83852-8. Graphs. Tables. Sources cited. Index. Pp. viii, 144. $137.75.

Tradable permit allocations and sequential choice

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

MacKenzie, Ian A. [Centre for Economic Research, ETH Zuerich, Zurichbergstrasse 18, 8092 Zuerich (Switzerland)

2011-01-15

This paper investigates initial allocation choices in an international tradable pollution permit market. For two sovereign governments, we compare allocation choices that are either simultaneously or sequentially announced. We show sequential allocation announcements result in higher (lower) aggregate emissions when announcements are strategic substitutes (complements). Whether allocation announcements are strategic substitutes or complements depends on the relationship between the follower's damage function and governments' abatement costs. When the marginal damage function is relatively steep (flat), allocation announcements are strategic substitutes (complements). For quadratic abatement costs and damages, sequential announcements provide a higher level of aggregate emissions. (author)

Applying the minimax principle to sequential mastery testing

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vos, Hendrik J.

2002-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to derive optimal rules for sequential mastery tests. In a sequential mastery test, the decision is to classify a subject as a master, a nonmaster, or to continue sampling and administering another random item. The framework of minimax sequential decision theory (minimum

Classical and sequential limit analysis revisited

Science.gov (United States)

Leblond, Jean-Baptiste; Kondo, Djimédo; Morin, Léo; Remmal, Almahdi

2018-04-01

Classical limit analysis applies to ideal plastic materials, and within a linearized geometrical framework implying small displacements and strains. Sequential limit analysis was proposed as a heuristic extension to materials exhibiting strain hardening, and within a fully general geometrical framework involving large displacements and strains. The purpose of this paper is to study and clearly state the precise conditions permitting such an extension. This is done by comparing the evolution equations of the full elastic-plastic problem, the equations of classical limit analysis, and those of sequential limit analysis. The main conclusion is that, whereas classical limit analysis applies to materials exhibiting elasticity - in the absence of hardening and within a linearized geometrical framework -, sequential limit analysis, to be applicable, strictly prohibits the presence of elasticity - although it tolerates strain hardening and large displacements and strains. For a given mechanical situation, the relevance of sequential limit analysis therefore essentially depends upon the importance of the elastic-plastic coupling in the specific case considered.

Simultaneous versus sequential penetrating keratoplasty and cataract surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Hayashi, Ken; Hayashi, Hideyuki

2006-10-01

To compare the surgical outcomes of simultaneous penetrating keratoplasty and cataract surgery with those of sequential surgery. Thirty-nine eyes of 39 patients scheduled for simultaneous keratoplasty and cataract surgery and 23 eyes of 23 patients scheduled for sequential keratoplasty and secondary phacoemulsification surgery were recruited. Refractive error, regular and irregular corneal astigmatism determined by Fourier analysis, and endothelial cell loss were studied at 1 week and 3, 6, and 12 months after combined surgery in the simultaneous surgery group or after subsequent phacoemulsification surgery in the sequential surgery group. At 3 and more months after surgery, mean refractive error was significantly greater in the simultaneous surgery group than in the sequential surgery group, although no difference was seen at 1 week. The refractive error at 12 months was within 2 D of that targeted in 15 eyes (39%) in the simultaneous surgery group and within 2 D in 16 eyes (70%) in the sequential surgery group; the incidence was significantly greater in the sequential group (P = 0.0344). The regular and irregular astigmatism was not significantly different between the groups at 3 and more months after surgery. No significant difference was also found in the percentage of endothelial cell loss between the groups. Although corneal astigmatism and endothelial cell loss were not different, refractive error from target refraction was greater after simultaneous keratoplasty and cataract surgery than after sequential surgery, indicating a better outcome after sequential surgery than after simultaneous surgery.

Occupational Clusters.

Science.gov (United States)

Pottawattamie County School System, Council Bluffs, IA.

The 15 occupational clusters (transportation, fine arts and humanities, communications and media, personal service occupations, construction, hospitality and recreation, health occupations, marine science occupations, consumer and homemaking-related occupations, agribusiness and natural resources, environment, public service, business and office…

Hand-held multi-DOF robotic forceps for neurosurgery designed for dexterous manipulation in deep and narrow space.

Science.gov (United States)

Okubo, Takuro; Harada, Kanako; Fujii, Masahiro; Tanaka, Shinichi; Ishimaru, Tetsuya; Iwanaka, Tadashi; Nakatomi, Hirohumi; Sora, Sigeo; Morita, Akio; Sugita, Naohiko; Mitsuishi, Mamoru

2014-01-01

Neurosurgical procedures require precise and dexterous manipulation of a surgical suture in narrow and deep spaces in the brain. This is necessary for surgical tasks such as the anastomosis of microscopic blood vessels and dura mater suturing. A hand-held multi-degree of freedom (DOF) robotic forceps was developed to aid the performance of such difficult tasks. The diameter of the developed robotic forceps is 3.5 mm, and its tip has three DOFs, namely, bending, rotation, and grip. Experimental results showed that the robotic forceps had an average needle insertion force of 1.7 N. Therefore, an increase in the needle insertion force is necessary for practical application of the developed device.

Trial Sequential Methods for Meta-Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Kulinskaya, Elena; Wood, John

2014-01-01

Statistical methods for sequential meta-analysis have applications also for the design of new trials. Existing methods are based on group sequential methods developed for single trials and start with the calculation of a required information size. This works satisfactorily within the framework of fixed effects meta-analysis, but conceptual…

Sequentially pulsed traveling wave accelerator

Science.gov (United States)

Caporaso, George J [Livermore, CA; Nelson, Scott D [Patterson, CA; Poole, Brian R [Tracy, CA

2009-08-18

A sequentially pulsed traveling wave compact accelerator having two or more pulse forming lines each with a switch for producing a short acceleration pulse along a short length of a beam tube, and a trigger mechanism for sequentially triggering the switches so that a traveling axial electric field is produced along the beam tube in synchronism with an axially traversing pulsed beam of charged particles to serially impart energy to the particle beam.

Test re-test reliability and construct validity of the star-track test of manual dexterity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kildebro, Niels; Amirian, Ilda; Gögenur, Ismail

2015-01-01

Objectives. We wished to determine test re-test reliability and construct validity of the star-track test of manual dexterity. Design. Test re-test reliability was examined in a controlled study. Construct validity was tested in a blinded randomized crossover study. Setting. The study was performed...... at a university hospital in Denmark. Participants. A total of 11 subjects for test re-test and 20 subjects for the construct validity study were included. All subjects were healthy volunteers. Intervention. The test re-test trial had two measurements with 2 days pause in between. The interventions...... in the construct validity study included baseline measurement, intervention 1: fatigue, intervention 2: stress, and intervention 3: fatigue and stress. There was a 2 day pause between each intervention. Main outcome measure. An integrated measure of completion time and number of errors was used. Results. All...

What are the short-term and long-term effects of occupation-focused and occupation-based occupational therapy in the home on older adults' occupational performance?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Tove Lise; Petersen, Kirsten Schultz; Nielsen, Claus Vinther

2016-01-01

critically appraised 13 of 995 detected papers. Extracted data were presented and summarised descriptively. Results Eight high-quality papers showed that occupation-focused and occupation-based occupational therapy using cognitive, behavioural and environmental strategies may significantly improve......Abstract Title What are the short-term and long-term effects of occupation-focused and occupation-based occupational therapy in the home on older adults’ occupational performance? A systematic review Background There is a lack of evidence-based knowledge about the effectiveness of home......-based occupational therapy for older adults aimed at improving occupational performance by practicing activities and tasks. Aim This review synthesizes and discusses evidence for the effectiveness of occupation-focused and occupation-based occupational therapy for older adults at home. Material and methods Peer...

An Efficient System Based On Closed Sequential Patterns for Web Recommendations

OpenAIRE

Utpala Niranjan; R.B.V. Subramanyam; V-Khana

2010-01-01

Sequential pattern mining, since its introduction has received considerable attention among the researchers with broad applications. The sequential pattern algorithms generally face problems when mining long sequential patterns or while using very low support threshold. One possible solution of such problems is by mining the closed sequential patterns, which is a condensed representation of sequential patterns. Recently, several researchers have utilized the sequential pattern discovery for d...

Association of remote dexterity and remote lifting for maintenance in fuel reprocessing industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Streiff, G.; Auchapt, P.; Vertut, J.

1984-01-01

The MA23M is an articulated bilateral servomanipulator with theoretically unlimited distance between master and slave stations. The last developments being carried on enable its good utilization in the large cells that will exist in the next reprocessing plants. Recent developments concerning computer aided operations like automatic TV tracking of the effector and manipulative assistance of MA23 and transporter enable realistic application in the large cells of the future reprocessing plants. In another hand manipulator containment, transfer and maintenance, in a glove box have been demonstrated. Concerning the in-cell process equipment to be maintained, extensive testing has shown that the association with a hoist is an excellent trade off in power and dexterity enabling solution of practically all expected or unexpected operations. According to the in-cell machinery and to the difficulty of the operation, one or two dextrous arms can be associated with one hoist. Dismantling of machines or dismantling of the whole facility will be possible by developing special tooling handled by the dextrous manipulator or, if too heavy, oriented by the manipulator but suspended to the hoist

Laser-Based Slam with Efficient Occupancy Likelihood Map Learning for Dynamic Indoor Scenes

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Li; Yao, Jian; Xie, Renping; Tu, Jinge; Feng, Chen

2016-06-01

Location-Based Services (LBS) have attracted growing attention in recent years, especially in indoor environments. The fundamental technique of LBS is the map building for unknown environments, this technique also named as simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) in robotic society. In this paper, we propose a novel approach for SLAMin dynamic indoor scenes based on a 2D laser scanner mounted on a mobile Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) with the help of the grid-based occupancy likelihood map. Instead of applying scan matching in two adjacent scans, we propose to match current scan with the occupancy likelihood map learned from all previous scans in multiple scales to avoid the accumulation of matching errors. Due to that the acquisition of the points in a scan is sequential but not simultaneous, there unavoidably exists the scan distortion at different extents. To compensate the scan distortion caused by the motion of the UGV, we propose to integrate a velocity of a laser range finder (LRF) into the scan matching optimization framework. Besides, to reduce the effect of dynamic objects such as walking pedestrians often existed in indoor scenes as much as possible, we propose a new occupancy likelihood map learning strategy by increasing or decreasing the probability of each occupancy grid after each scan matching. Experimental results in several challenged indoor scenes demonstrate that our proposed approach is capable of providing high-precision SLAM results.

Discrimination between sequential and simultaneous virtual channels with electrical hearing.

Science.gov (United States)

Landsberger, David; Galvin, John J

2011-09-01

In cochlear implants (CIs), simultaneous or sequential stimulation of adjacent electrodes can produce intermediate pitch percepts between those of the component electrodes. However, it is unclear whether simultaneous and sequential virtual channels (VCs) can be discriminated. In this study, CI users were asked to discriminate simultaneous and sequential VCs; discrimination was measured for monopolar (MP) and bipolar + 1 stimulation (BP + 1), i.e., relatively broad and focused stimulation modes. For sequential VCs, the interpulse interval (IPI) varied between 0.0 and 1.8 ms. All stimuli were presented at comfortably loud, loudness-balanced levels at a 250 pulse per second per electrode (ppse) stimulation rate. On average, CI subjects were able to reliably discriminate between sequential and simultaneous VCs. While there was no significant effect of IPI or stimulation mode on VC discrimination, some subjects exhibited better VC discrimination with BP + 1 stimulation. Subjects' discrimination between sequential and simultaneous VCs was correlated with electrode discrimination, suggesting that spatial selectivity may influence perception of sequential VCs. To maintain equal loudness, sequential VC amplitudes were nearly double those of simultaneous VCs, presumably resulting in a broader spread of excitation. These results suggest that perceptual differences between simultaneous and sequential VCs might be explained by differences in the spread of excitation. © 2011 Acoustical Society of America

Sequential versus simultaneous market delineation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Haldrup, Niels; Møllgaard, Peter; Kastberg Nielsen, Claus

2005-01-01

and geographical markets. Using a unique data setfor prices of Norwegian and Scottish salmon, we propose a methodologyfor simultaneous market delineation and we demonstrate that comparedto a sequential approach conclusions will be reversed.JEL: C3, K21, L41, Q22Keywords: Relevant market, econometric delineation......Delineation of the relevant market forms a pivotal part of most antitrustcases. The standard approach is sequential. First the product marketis delineated, then the geographical market is defined. Demand andsupply substitution in both the product dimension and the geographicaldimension...

The effect of occupational meaningfulness on occupational commitment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Itai Ivtzan

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Existing research lacks a scholarly consensus on how to define and validly measure ‘meaningful work’ (e.g., Rosso, Dekas & Wrzesniewski, 2010. The following correlational study highlights the value of investigating meaningfulness in the context of occupational commitment. The study hypothesizes that occupational commitment is positively correlated with occupational meaningfulness, where meaningfulness is defined as the extent to which people’s occupations contribute to personal meaning in life. One-hundred and fifty-six full-time office based UK workers completed an online questionnaire including 18 questions measuring levels of occupational commitment (Meyer, Allen & Smith, 1993, in addition to six novel items measuring occupational meaningfulness. The results supported the hypothesis and also showed that the affective sub-type of occupational commitment had the highest correlation with occupational meaningfulness. Such results exhibit the importance of finding meaning at work, as well as the relevance of this to one’s level of commitment to his or her job. This paper argues that individuals should consider OM before choosing to take a specific role, whereas organizations ought to consider the OM of their potential candidates before recruiting them into a role. Possible directions for future research directions are also discussed.

Relations of occupational stress to occupational class in Japanese civil servants : analysis by two occupational stress models

OpenAIRE

Kawaharada, Mariko; Saijo, Yasuaki; Yoshioka, Eiji; Sato, Tetsuro; Sato, Hirokazu; Kishi, Reiko

2007-01-01

The aim of the present study was to identify relations between occupational stress and occupational class in Japanese civil servants, using two occupational stress models – the Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI) Model and the Job Demand-Control (JDC) Model. The subjects were employees of three local public organizations. We distributed self-administered questionnaires and assessed occupational stress by ERI and JDC. We used seven occupational categories based on the Standard Occupational Classific...

Group-sequential analysis may allow for early trial termination

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

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

2017-01-01

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

Occupational cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alderson, M.

1986-01-01

This book aims to review the occurrence and causes of occupational cancer and is aimed at assisting medical and safety staff, management and health and safety representatives. It is presented in the following chapters: 1) Epidemiological method 2) Agents causing occupationally induced cancer, including radiation 3) Occupations associated with risk of cancer 4) Aetiology of cancer 5) Control of occupationally induced cancer, research, prevention, legislation, national and international bodies, control of specific occupational carcinogens, including irradiation. (U.K.)

Sequential logic analysis and synthesis

CERN Document Server

Cavanagh, Joseph

2007-01-01

Until now, there was no single resource for actual digital system design. Using both basic and advanced concepts, Sequential Logic: Analysis and Synthesis offers a thorough exposition of the analysis and synthesis of both synchronous and asynchronous sequential machines. With 25 years of experience in designing computing equipment, the author stresses the practical design of state machines. He clearly delineates each step of the structured and rigorous design principles that can be applied to practical applications. The book begins by reviewing the analysis of combinatorial logic and Boolean a

Structural Consistency, Consistency, and Sequential Rationality.

OpenAIRE

Kreps, David M; Ramey, Garey

1987-01-01

Sequential equilibria comprise consistent beliefs and a sequentially ra tional strategy profile. Consistent beliefs are limits of Bayes ratio nal beliefs for sequences of strategies that approach the equilibrium strategy. Beliefs are structurally consistent if they are rationaliz ed by some single conjecture concerning opponents' strategies. Consis tent beliefs are not necessarily structurally consistent, notwithstan ding a claim by Kreps and Robert Wilson (1982). Moreover, the spirit of stru...

Pawedness Trait Test (PaTRaT—A New Paradigm to Evaluate Paw Preference and Dexterity in Rats

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana M. Cunha

2017-10-01

Full Text Available In rodents, dexterity is commonly analyzed in preference paradigms in which animals are given the chance to use either the left or the right front paws to manipulate food. However, paw preference and dexterity at population and individual levels are controversial as results are incongruent across paradigms. We have therefore developed a semi-quantitative method—the pawdeness trait test (PaTRaT—to evaluate paw preference degree in rats. The PaTRaT consists in a classification system, ranging from +4 to −4 where increasingly positive and negative values reflect the bias for left or right paw use, respectively. Sprague-Dawley male rats were confined into a metal rectangular mesh cylinder, from which they can see, smell and reach sugared rewards with their paws. Due to its size, the reward could only cross the mesh if aligned with its diagonal, imposing additional coordination. Animals were allowed to retrieve 10 rewards per session in a total of four sessions while their behavior was recorded. PaTRaT was repeated 4 and 8 weeks after the first evaluation. To exclude potential bias, rats were also tested for paw fine movement and general locomotion in other behavioral paradigms as well as impulsivity (variable delay-to-signal, VDS, memory and cognitive flexibility (water maze. At the population level 54% of the animals presented a rightward bias. Individually, all animals presented marked side-preferences, >2 and <−2 for left- and right-sided bias, respectively, and this preference was stable across the three evaluations. Inter-rater consistency was very high between two experienced raters and substantial when two additional inexperienced raters were included. Left- and right-biased animals presented no differences in the ability to perform fine movements with any of the forelimbs (staircase and general locomotor performance. Additionally, these groups performed similarly in executive function and memory tasks. In conclusion, PaTRaT is able

On the distribution of job characteristics: an analysis of the DOT data

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vijverberg, W.P.M.; Hartog, J.

2010-01-01

We analyse the information in the Dictionary of Occupational Titles to characterize the structure of labour demand. Two dimensions, an intellectual factor and a dexterity factor, capture two-thirds of the variance in job requirements; the remaining (co-)variance cannot be easily structured. Simple

Generalized infimum and sequential product of quantum effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Yuan; Sun Xiuhong; Chen Zhengli

2007-01-01

The quantum effects for a physical system can be described by the set E(H) of positive operators on a complex Hilbert space H that are bounded above by the identity operator I. For A, B(set-membership sign)E(H), the operation of sequential product A(convolution sign)B=A 1/2 BA 1/2 was proposed as a model for sequential quantum measurements. A nice investigation of properties of the sequential product has been carried over [Gudder, S. and Nagy, G., 'Sequential quantum measurements', J. Math. Phys. 42, 5212 (2001)]. In this note, we extend some results of this reference. In particular, a gap in the proof of Theorem 3.2 in this reference is overcome. In addition, some properties of generalized infimum A sqcap B are studied

Risk of injury for occupants of motor vehicle collisions from unbelted occupants.

Science.gov (United States)

MacLennan, P A; McGwin, G; Metzger, J; Moran, S G; Rue, L W

2004-12-01

Unbelted occupants may increase the risk of injury for other occupants in a motor vehicle collision (MVC). This study evaluated the association between occupant restraint use and the risk of injury (including death) to other vehicle occupants. A population based cohort study. United States. MVC occupants (n = 152 191 unweighted, n = 18 426 684 weighted) seated between a belted or unbelted occupant and the line of the principal direction of force in frontal, lateral, and rear MVCs were sampled from the 1991-2002 National Automotive Sampling System General Estimates System. Offset MVCs were not included in the study. Risk ratios and 95% confidence intervals for injury (including death) for occupants seated contiguous to unbelted occupants compared to occupants seated contiguous to belted occupants. Risk ratios were adjusted for at risk occupant's sex, age, seating position, vehicle type, collision type, travel speed, crash severity, and at risk occupants' own seat belt use. Exposure to unbelted occupants was associated with a 40% increased risk of any injury. Belted at risk occupants were at a 90% increased risk of injury but unbelted occupants were not at increased risk. Risks were similar for non-incapacitating and capacitating injuries. There was a 4.8-fold increased risk of death for exposed belted occupants but no increased risk of death for unbelted occupants. Belted occupants are at an increased risk of injury and death in the event of a MVC from unbelted occupants.

Sequential analysis in neonatal research-systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Lava, Sebastiano A G; Elie, Valéry; Ha, Phuong Thi Viet; Jacqz-Aigrain, Evelyne

2018-05-01

As more new drugs are discovered, traditional designs come at their limits. Ten years after the adoption of the European Paediatric Regulation, we performed a systematic review on the US National Library of Medicine and Excerpta Medica database of sequential trials involving newborns. Out of 326 identified scientific reports, 21 trials were included. They enrolled 2832 patients, of whom 2099 were analyzed: the median number of neonates included per trial was 48 (IQR 22-87), median gestational age was 28.7 (IQR 27.9-30.9) weeks. Eighteen trials used sequential techniques to determine sample size, while 3 used continual reassessment methods for dose-finding. In 16 studies reporting sufficient data, the sequential design allowed to non-significantly reduce the number of enrolled neonates by a median of 24 (31%) patients (IQR - 4.75 to 136.5, p = 0.0674) with respect to a traditional trial. When the number of neonates finally included in the analysis was considered, the difference became significant: 35 (57%) patients (IQR 10 to 136.5, p = 0.0033). Sequential trial designs have not been frequently used in Neonatology. They might potentially be able to reduce the number of patients in drug trials, although this is not always the case. What is known: • In evaluating rare diseases in fragile populations, traditional designs come at their limits. About 20% of pediatric trials are discontinued, mainly because of recruitment problems. What is new: • Sequential trials involving newborns were infrequently used and only a few (n = 21) are available for analysis. • The sequential design allowed to non-significantly reduce the number of enrolled neonates by a median of 24 (31%) patients (IQR - 4.75 to 136.5, p = 0.0674).

Extending Beyond Qualitative Interviewing to Illuminate the Tacit Nature of Everyday Occupation: Occupational Mapping and Participatory Occupation Methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Huot, Suzanne; Rudman, Debbie Laliberte

2015-07-01

The study of human occupation requires a variety of methods to fully elucidate its complex, multifaceted nature. Although qualitative approaches have commonly been used within occupational therapy and occupational science, we contend that such qualitative research must extend beyond the sole use of interviews. Drawing on qualitative methodological literature, we discuss the limits of interview methods and outline other methods, particularly visual methods, as productive means to enhance qualitative research. We then provide an overview of our critical ethnographic study that used narrative, visual, and observational methods to explore the occupational transitions experienced by immigrants to Canada. We describe our use of occupational mapping and participatory occupation methods and the contributions of these combined methods. We conclude that adopting a variety of methods can enable a deeper understanding of the tacit nature of everyday occupation, and is key to advancing knowledge regarding occupation and to informing occupational therapy practice.

Group-sequential analysis may allow for early trial termination

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

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

2017-01-01

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

Characterization of gel-separated glycoproteins using two-step proteolytic digestion combined with sequential microcolumns and mass spectrometry

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Martin Røssel; Højrup, Peter; Roepstorff, Peter

2005-01-01

present a new technique that allows characterization of low amounts of glycoproteins separated by gel electrophoresis. The method takes advantage of sequential specific and nonspecific enzymatic treatment followed by selective purification and characterization of the glycopeptides using graphite powder......Protein glycosylation can be vital for changing the function or physiochemical properties of a protein. Abnormal glycosylation can lead to protein malfunction, resulting in severe diseases. Therefore, it is important to develop techniques for characterization of such modifications in proteins...... at a sensitivity level comparable with state-of-the-art proteomics. Whereas techniques exist for characterization of high abundance glycoproteins, no single method is presently capable of providing information on both site occupancy and glycan structure on a single band excised from an electrophoretic gel. We...

Comparison of ablation centration after bilateral sequential versus simultaneous LASIK.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Jane-Ming; Tsai, Yi-Yu

2005-01-01

To compare ablation centration after bilateral sequential and simultaneous myopic LASIK. A retrospective randomized case series was performed of 670 eyes of 335 consecutive patients who had undergone either bilateral sequential (group 1) or simultaneous (group 2) myopic LASIK between July 2000 and July 2001 at the China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan. The ablation centrations of the first and second eyes in the two groups were compared 3 months postoperatively. Of 670 eyes, 274 eyes (137 patients) comprised the sequential group and 396 eyes (198 patients) comprised the simultaneous group. Three months post-operatively, 220 eyes of 110 patients (80%) in the sequential group and 236 eyes of 118 patients (60%) in the simultaneous group provided topographic data for centration analysis. For the first eyes, mean decentration was 0.39 +/- 0.26 mm in the sequential group and 0.41 +/- 0.19 mm in the simultaneous group (P = .30). For the second eyes, mean decentration was 0.28 +/- 0.23 mm in the sequential group and 0.30 +/- 0.21 mm in the simultaneous group (P = .36). Decentration in the second eyes significantly improved in both groups (group 1, P = .02; group 2, P sequential group and 0.32 +/- 0.18 mm in the simultaneous group (P = .33). The difference of ablation center angles between the first and second eyes was 43.2 sequential group and 45.1 +/- 50.8 degrees in the simultaneous group (P = .42). Simultaneous bilateral LASIK is comparable to sequential surgery in ablation centration.

A Survey of Multi-Objective Sequential Decision-Making

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Roijers, D.M.; Vamplew, P.; Whiteson, S.; Dazeley, R.

2013-01-01

Sequential decision-making problems with multiple objectives arise naturally in practice and pose unique challenges for research in decision-theoretic planning and learning, which has largely focused on single-objective settings. This article surveys algorithms designed for sequential

Sequential lineups: shift in criterion or decision strategy?

Science.gov (United States)

Gronlund, Scott D

2004-04-01

R. C. L. Lindsay and G. L. Wells (1985) argued that a sequential lineup enhanced discriminability because it elicited use of an absolute decision strategy. E. B. Ebbesen and H. D. Flowe (2002) argued that a sequential lineup led witnesses to adopt a more conservative response criterion, thereby affecting bias, not discriminability. Height was encoded as absolute (e.g., 6 ft [1.83 m] tall) or relative (e.g., taller than). If a sequential lineup elicited an absolute decision strategy, the principle of transfer-appropriate processing predicted that performance should be best when height was encoded absolutely. Conversely, if a simultaneous lineup elicited a relative decision strategy, performance should be best when height was encoded relatively. The predicted interaction was observed, providing direct evidence for the decision strategies explanation of what happens when witnesses view a sequential lineup.

Inference for occupancy and occupancy dynamics

Science.gov (United States)

O'Connell, Allan F.; Bailey, Larissa L.; O'Connell, Allan F.; Nichols, James D.; Karanth, K. Ullas

2011-01-01

This chapter deals with the estimation of occupancy as a state variable to assess the status of, and track changes in, species distributions when sampling with camera traps. Much of the recent interest in occupancy estimation and modeling originated from the models developed by MacKenzie et al. (2002, 2003), although similar methods were developed independently (Azuma et al. 1990; Bayley and Petersen 2001; Nichols and Karanth, 2002; Tyre et al. 2003), all of which deal with species occurrence information and imperfect detection. Less than a decade after these publications, the modeling and estimation of species occurrence and occupancy dynamics have increased significantly. Special features of scientific journals have explored innovative uses of detection–nondetection data with occupancy models (Vojta 2005), and an entire volume has synthesized the use and application of occupancy estimation methods (MacKenzie et al. 2006). Reviews of the topical concepts, philosophical considerations, and various sampling designs that can be used for occupancy estimation are now readily available for a range of audiences (MacKenzie and Royle 2005; MacKenzie et al. 2006; Bailey et al. 2007; Royle and Dorazio 2008; Conroy and Carroll 2009; Kendall and White 2009; Hines et al. 2010; Link and Barker 2010). As a result, it would be pointless here to recast all that these publications have so eloquently articulated, but that said, a review of any scientific topic requires sufficient context and relevant background information, especially when relatively new methodologies and techniques such as occupancy estimation and camera traps are involved. This is especially critical in a digital age where new information is published at warp speed, making it increasingly difficult to stay abreast of theoretical advances and research developments.

Occupation and the relevance of primatology to occupational therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Wood, W

1993-06-01

The adaptive functions of occupation during the phylogenetic history of the human species and the ontogenetic development of individual primates re examined through a review of relevant research of wild and captive nonhuman primates. This review suggests that the effectiveness of occupation as a therapeutic medium throughout life span development is fundamentally tied to humankind's phylogenetic history. It is accordingly argued that there is considerable justification to maintain occupational therapy's historical commitment to therapeutic occupation as the profession's primary treatment modality. To support this commitment, questions to guide practice and research are identified that emanate from the primate literature and that are highly germane to the therapeutic process in occupational therapy. These questions address: (a) the relationship between the press of the various environments in which occupational therapists practice and subsequent opportunities availed to patients for engagement in occupation; (b) the relationship between the extent to which patients are or are not empowered to exert real control over their use of time and their eventual development of disabling conditions; and (c) the therapeutic efficacy of occupation as compared with other treatment approaches that are not comparably holistic.

Sampling scales define occupancy and underlying occupancy-abundance relationships in animals.

Science.gov (United States)

Steenweg, Robin; Hebblewhite, Mark; Whittington, Jesse; Lukacs, Paul; McKelvey, Kevin

2018-01-01

Occupancy-abundance (OA) relationships are a foundational ecological phenomenon and field of study, and occupancy models are increasingly used to track population trends and understand ecological interactions. However, these two fields of ecological inquiry remain largely isolated, despite growing appreciation of the importance of integration. For example, using occupancy models to infer trends in abundance is predicated on positive OA relationships. Many occupancy studies collect data that violate geographical closure assumptions due to the choice of sampling scales and application to mobile organisms, which may change how occupancy and abundance are related. Little research, however, has explored how different occupancy sampling designs affect OA relationships. We develop a conceptual framework for understanding how sampling scales affect the definition of occupancy for mobile organisms, which drives OA relationships. We explore how spatial and temporal sampling scales, and the choice of sampling unit (areal vs. point sampling), affect OA relationships. We develop predictions using simulations, and test them using empirical occupancy data from remote cameras on 11 medium-large mammals. Surprisingly, our simulations demonstrate that when using point sampling, OA relationships are unaffected by spatial sampling grain (i.e., cell size). In contrast, when using areal sampling (e.g., species atlas data), OA relationships are affected by spatial grain. Furthermore, OA relationships are also affected by temporal sampling scales, where the curvature of the OA relationship increases with temporal sampling duration. Our empirical results support these predictions, showing that at any given abundance, the spatial grain of point sampling does not affect occupancy estimates, but longer surveys do increase occupancy estimates. For rare species (low occupancy), estimates of occupancy will quickly increase with longer surveys, even while abundance remains constant. Our results

How to Read the Tractatus Sequentially

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tim Kraft

2016-11-01

Full Text Available One of the unconventional features of Wittgenstein’s Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus is its use of an elaborated and detailed numbering system. Recently, Bazzocchi, Hacker und Kuusela have argued that the numbering system means that the Tractatus must be read and interpreted not as a sequentially ordered book, but as a text with a two-dimensional, tree-like structure. Apart from being able to explain how the Tractatus was composed, the tree reading allegedly solves exegetical issues both on the local (e. g. how 4.02 fits into the series of remarks surrounding it and the global level (e. g. relation between ontology and picture theory, solipsism and the eye analogy, resolute and irresolute readings. This paper defends the sequential reading against the tree reading. After presenting the challenges generated by the numbering system and the two accounts as attempts to solve them, it is argued that Wittgenstein’s own explanation of the numbering system, anaphoric references within the Tractatus and the exegetical issues mentioned above do not favour the tree reading, but a version of the sequential reading. This reading maintains that the remarks of the Tractatus form a sequential chain: The role of the numbers is to indicate how remarks on different levels are interconnected to form a concise, surveyable and unified whole.

A minimax procedure in the context of sequential mastery testing

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vos, Hendrik J.

1999-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to derive optimal rules for sequential mastery tests. In a sequential mastery test, the decision is to classify a subject as a master or a nonmaster, or to continue sampling and administering another random test item. The framework of minimax sequential decision theory

Multichannel, sequential or combined X-ray spectrometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Florestan, J.

1979-01-01

X-ray spectrometer qualities and defects are evaluated for sequential and multichannel categories. Multichannel X-ray spectrometer has time-coherency advantage and its results could be more reproducible; on the other hand some spatial incoherency limits low percentage and traces applications, specially when backgrounds are very variable. In this last case, sequential X-ray spectrometer would find again great usefulness [fr

Induction of simultaneous and sequential malolactic fermentation in durian wine.

Science.gov (United States)

Taniasuri, Fransisca; Lee, Pin-Rou; Liu, Shao-Quan

2016-08-02

This study represented for the first time the impact of malolactic fermentation (MLF) induced by Oenococcus oeni and its inoculation strategies (simultaneous vs. sequential) on the fermentation performance as well as aroma compound profile of durian wine. There was no negative impact of simultaneous inoculation of O. oeni and Saccharomyces cerevisiae on the growth and fermentation kinetics of S. cerevisiae as compared to sequential fermentation. Simultaneous MLF did not lead to an excessive increase in volatile acidity as compared to sequential MLF. The kinetic changes of organic acids (i.e. malic, lactic, succinic, acetic and α-ketoglutaric acids) varied with simultaneous and sequential MLF relative to yeast alone. MLF, regardless of inoculation mode, resulted in higher production of fermentation-derived volatiles as compared to control (alcoholic fermentation only), including esters, volatile fatty acids, and terpenes, except for higher alcohols. Most indigenous volatile sulphur compounds in durian were decreased to trace levels with little differences among the control, simultaneous and sequential MLF. Among the different wines, the wine with simultaneous MLF had higher concentrations of terpenes and acetate esters while sequential MLF had increased concentrations of medium- and long-chain ethyl esters. Relative to alcoholic fermentation only, both simultaneous and sequential MLF reduced acetaldehyde substantially with sequential MLF being more effective. These findings illustrate that MLF is an effective and novel way of modulating the volatile and aroma compound profile of durian wine. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sequential Banking.

OpenAIRE

Bizer, David S; DeMarzo, Peter M

1992-01-01

The authors study environments in which agents may borrow sequentially from more than one leader. Although debt is prioritized, additional lending imposes an externality on prior debt because, with moral hazard, the probability of repayment of prior loans decreases. Equilibrium interest rates are higher than they would be if borrowers could commit to borrow from at most one bank. Even though the loan terms are less favorable than they would be under commitment, the indebtedness of borrowers i...

Equivalence between quantum simultaneous games and quantum sequential games

OpenAIRE

Kobayashi, Naoki

2007-01-01

A framework for discussing relationships between different types of games is proposed. Within the framework, quantum simultaneous games, finite quantum simultaneous games, quantum sequential games, and finite quantum sequential games are defined. In addition, a notion of equivalence between two games is defined. Finally, the following three theorems are shown: (1) For any quantum simultaneous game G, there exists a quantum sequential game equivalent to G. (2) For any finite quantum simultaneo...

Accounting for Heterogeneous Returns in Sequential Schooling Decisions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zamarro, G.

2006-01-01

This paper presents a method for estimating returns to schooling that takes into account that returns may be heterogeneous among agents and that educational decisions are made sequentially.A sequential decision model is interesting because it explicitly considers that the level of education of each

Simultaneous Versus Sequential Ptosis and Strabismus Surgery in Children.

Science.gov (United States)

Revere, Karen E; Binenbaum, Gil; Li, Jonathan; Mills, Monte D; Katowitz, William R; Katowitz, James A

The authors sought to compare the clinical outcomes of simultaneous versus sequential ptosis and strabismus surgery in children. Retrospective, single-center cohort study of children requiring both ptosis and strabismus surgery on the same eye. Simultaneous surgeries were performed during a single anesthetic event; sequential surgeries were performed at least 7 weeks apart. Outcomes were ptosis surgery success (margin reflex distance 1 ≥ 2 mm, good eyelid contour, and good eyelid crease); strabismus surgery success (ocular alignment within 10 prism diopters of orthophoria and/or improved head position); surgical complications; and reoperations. Fifty-six children were studied, 38 had simultaneous surgery and 18 sequential. Strabismus surgery was performed first in 38/38 simultaneous and 6/18 sequential cases. Mean age at first surgery was 64 months, with mean follow up 27 months. A total of 75% of children had congenital ptosis; 64% had comitant strabismus. A majority of ptosis surgeries were frontalis sling (59%) or Fasanella-Servat (30%) procedures. There were no significant differences between simultaneous and sequential groups with regards to surgical success rates, complications, or reoperations (all p > 0.28). In the first comparative study of simultaneous versus sequential ptosis and strabismus surgery, no advantage for sequential surgery was seen. Despite a theoretical risk of postoperative eyelid malposition or complications when surgeries were performed in a combined manner, the rate of such outcomes was not increased with simultaneous surgeries. Performing ptosis and strabismus surgery together appears to be clinically effective and safe, and reduces anesthesia exposure during childhood.

Forced Sequence Sequential Decoding

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Ole Riis

In this thesis we describe a new concatenated decoding scheme based on iterations between an inner sequentially decoded convolutional code of rate R=1/4 and memory M=23, and block interleaved outer Reed-Solomon codes with non-uniform profile. With this scheme decoding with good performance...... is possible as low as Eb/No=0.6 dB, which is about 1.7 dB below the signal-to-noise ratio that marks the cut-off rate for the convolutional code. This is possible since the iteration process provides the sequential decoders with side information that allows a smaller average load and minimizes the probability...... of computational overflow. Analytical results for the probability that the first Reed-Solomon word is decoded after C computations are presented. This is supported by simulation results that are also extended to other parameters....

Reading Remediation Based on Sequential and Simultaneous Processing.

Science.gov (United States)

Gunnison, Judy; And Others

1982-01-01

The theory postulating a dichotomy between sequential and simultaneous processing is reviewed and its implications for remediating reading problems are reviewed. Research is cited on sequential-simultaneous processing for early and advanced reading. A list of remedial strategies based on the processing dichotomy addresses decoding and lexical…

The values of occupational therapy: Perceptions of occupational therapists in Quebec.

Science.gov (United States)

Drolet, Marie-Josée; Désormeaux-Moreau, Marjorie

2016-07-01

Recently, there has been increasing interest in the values of occupational therapy and the values held by occupational therapists. A wide range of values has been reported in the literature. Furthermore, despite the fact that values are an important part of professional identity, empirical studies have demonstrated that several occupational therapists possess an ambiguous professional identity. This study was undertaken to explore the values of Canadian occupational therapists, specifically French-speaking occupational therapists in Quebec. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 26 occupational therapists. Their narratives were subject to hermeneutic analysis, a method of textual analysis common in philosophical research. A total of 16 values were identified in the discourses of the occupational therapists interviewed: autonomy; human dignity; occupational participation; social justice and equity; professionalism; holism; partnership, environment, or ecological approach; quality of life; solicitude; honesty; integrity; health; creativity; professional autonomy; effectiveness; and spirituality. The results of this study are, in general, consistent with those reported in the few other empirical studies that have documented the values perceptions of occupational therapists. Finally, the explanation of the values of occupational therapists may reinforce their professional identity and favour best, or at least desirable, professional practices related to ethics and culture.

C-quence: a tool for analyzing qualitative sequential data.

Science.gov (United States)

Duncan, Starkey; Collier, Nicholson T

2002-02-01

C-quence is a software application that matches sequential patterns of qualitative data specified by the user and calculates the rate of occurrence of these patterns in a data set. Although it was designed to facilitate analyses of face-to-face interaction, it is applicable to any data set involving categorical data and sequential information. C-quence queries are constructed using a graphical user interface. The program does not limit the complexity of the sequential patterns specified by the user.

Top-down attention affects sequential regularity representation in the human visual system.

Science.gov (United States)

Kimura, Motohiro; Widmann, Andreas; Schröger, Erich

2010-08-01

Recent neuroscience studies using visual mismatch negativity (visual MMN), an event-related brain potential (ERP) index of memory-mismatch processes in the visual sensory system, have shown that although sequential regularities embedded in successive visual stimuli can be automatically represented in the visual sensory system, an existence of sequential regularity itself does not guarantee that the sequential regularity will be automatically represented. In the present study, we investigated the effects of top-down attention on sequential regularity representation in the visual sensory system. Our results showed that a sequential regularity (SSSSD) embedded in a modified oddball sequence where infrequent deviant (D) and frequent standard stimuli (S) differing in luminance were regularly presented (SSSSDSSSSDSSSSD...) was represented in the visual sensory system only when participants attended the sequential regularity in luminance, but not when participants ignored the stimuli or simply attended the dimension of luminance per se. This suggests that top-down attention affects sequential regularity representation in the visual sensory system and that top-down attention is a prerequisite for particular sequential regularities to be represented. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mining compressing sequential problems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hoang, T.L.; Mörchen, F.; Fradkin, D.; Calders, T.G.K.

2012-01-01

Compression based pattern mining has been successfully applied to many data mining tasks. We propose an approach based on the minimum description length principle to extract sequential patterns that compress a database of sequences well. We show that mining compressing patterns is NP-Hard and

Fast sequential Monte Carlo methods for counting and optimization

CERN Document Server

Rubinstein, Reuven Y; Vaisman, Radislav

2013-01-01

A comprehensive account of the theory and application of Monte Carlo methods Based on years of research in efficient Monte Carlo methods for estimation of rare-event probabilities, counting problems, and combinatorial optimization, Fast Sequential Monte Carlo Methods for Counting and Optimization is a complete illustration of fast sequential Monte Carlo techniques. The book provides an accessible overview of current work in the field of Monte Carlo methods, specifically sequential Monte Carlo techniques, for solving abstract counting and optimization problems. Written by authorities in the

Computing sequential equilibria for two-player games

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Miltersen, Peter Bro

2006-01-01

Koller, Megiddo and von Stengel showed how to efficiently compute minimax strategies for two-player extensive-form zero-sum games with imperfect information but perfect recall using linear programming and avoiding conversion to normal form. Their algorithm has been used by AI researchers...... for constructing prescriptive strategies for concrete, often fairly large games. Koller and Pfeffer pointed out that the strategies obtained by the algorithm are not necessarily sequentially rational and that this deficiency is often problematic for the practical applications. We show how to remove this deficiency...... by modifying the linear programs constructed by Koller, Megiddo and von Stengel so that pairs of strategies forming a sequential equilibrium are computed. In particular, we show that a sequential equilibrium for a two-player zero-sum game with imperfect information but perfect recall can be found in polynomial...

Computing Sequential Equilibria for Two-Player Games

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Miltersen, Peter Bro; Sørensen, Troels Bjerre

2006-01-01

Koller, Megiddo and von Stengel showed how to efficiently compute minimax strategies for two-player extensive-form zero-sum games with imperfect information but perfect recall using linear programming and avoiding conversion to normal form. Koller and Pfeffer pointed out that the strategies...... obtained by the algorithm are not necessarily sequentially rational and that this deficiency is often problematic for the practical applications. We show how to remove this deficiency by modifying the linear programs constructed by Koller, Megiddo and von Stengel so that pairs of strategies forming...... a sequential equilibrium are computed. In particular, we show that a sequential equilibrium for a two-player zero-sum game with imperfect information but perfect recall can be found in polynomial time. In addition, the equilibrium we find is normal-form perfect. Our technique generalizes to general-sum games...

Occupational rhinitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Petrick, Maria M; Slavin, Raymond G

2003-05-01

This article aims to define occupational rhinitis, classify its various causes, review the steps in its diagnosis, and describe its nonpharmacologic and pharmacologic principles of management. Occupational rhinitis frequently coexists with asthma but also occurs alone. Although it does not have the same impact as occupational asthma, occupational rhinitis causes distress, discomfort, and work inefficiency. By concentrating on the patient's workplace, the clinician has an opportunity to practice preventive medicine: to recognize substances in the patient's micro- and macroenvironment that are causing the problems and then to intervene by altering the environment or removing the patient from the environment.

An Exploration of the Role of Occupation in School-Based Occupational Therapy Practice

Science.gov (United States)

Benson, Jeryl DiSanti

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the role of occupation in school-based occupational therapy practice. The research questions were (1) How do school-based occupational therapists describe the role of occupation during intervention? (2) Which theories of occupation do school-based occupational therapists associate with their own practice?…

Occupation and multiple myeloma: an occupation and industry analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Gold, Laura S; Milliken, Kevin; Stewart, Patricia; Purdue, Mark; Severson, Richard; Seixas, Noah; Blair, Aaron; Davis, Scott; Hartge, Patricia; De Roos, Anneclaire J

2010-08-01

Multiple myeloma (MM) is an incurable plasma cell malignancy with a poorly understood etiology. The purpose of our research was to examine the relationships between lifetime occupations and MM in a relatively large case-control study. MM cases (n = 180) were identified through cancer registries in the Seattle-Puget Sound area and Detroit. Population-based controls (n = 481) were identified using random digit dialing and Medicare and Medicaid Services files. In-person interviews were conducted to ascertain occupational histories. Standard occupational classification (SOC) and standard industrial classification (SIC) codes were assigned to each job held by each participant. Unconditional logistic regression was used to generate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for associations between MM and having ever worked in each occupation/industry and according to duration of employment in an occupation/industry. The risk of MM was associated with several manufacturing occupations and industries, including machine operators and tenders, not elsewhere classified (SOC 76) (OR = 1.8, CI = 1.0-3.3); textile, apparel, and furnishing machine operators and tenders (SOC 765) (OR = 6.0, CI = 1.7-21); and machinery manufacturing, except electrical (SIC 35) (OR = 3.3, CI = 1.7-6.7). Several service occupations and industries, such as food and beverage preparation (SOC 521) (OR = 2.0, CI = 1.1-3.8), were also associated with MM. One occupation that has been associated with MM in several previous studies, painters, paperhangers, and plasterers (SOC 644) was associated with a non-significantly elevated risk (OR = 3.6, CI = 0.7-19). We found associations between the risk of MM and employment in several manufacturing and service-related occupations and industries. Copyright 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Sensitivity Analysis in Sequential Decision Models.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Qiushi; Ayer, Turgay; Chhatwal, Jagpreet

2017-02-01

Sequential decision problems are frequently encountered in medical decision making, which are commonly solved using Markov decision processes (MDPs). Modeling guidelines recommend conducting sensitivity analyses in decision-analytic models to assess the robustness of the model results against the uncertainty in model parameters. However, standard methods of conducting sensitivity analyses cannot be directly applied to sequential decision problems because this would require evaluating all possible decision sequences, typically in the order of trillions, which is not practically feasible. As a result, most MDP-based modeling studies do not examine confidence in their recommended policies. In this study, we provide an approach to estimate uncertainty and confidence in the results of sequential decision models. First, we provide a probabilistic univariate method to identify the most sensitive parameters in MDPs. Second, we present a probabilistic multivariate approach to estimate the overall confidence in the recommended optimal policy considering joint uncertainty in the model parameters. We provide a graphical representation, which we call a policy acceptability curve, to summarize the confidence in the optimal policy by incorporating stakeholders' willingness to accept the base case policy. For a cost-effectiveness analysis, we provide an approach to construct a cost-effectiveness acceptability frontier, which shows the most cost-effective policy as well as the confidence in that for a given willingness to pay threshold. We demonstrate our approach using a simple MDP case study. We developed a method to conduct sensitivity analysis in sequential decision models, which could increase the credibility of these models among stakeholders.

The sequential structure of brain activation predicts skill.

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, John R; Bothell, Daniel; Fincham, Jon M; Moon, Jungaa

2016-01-29

In an fMRI study, participants were trained to play a complex video game. They were scanned early and then again after substantial practice. While better players showed greater activation in one region (right dorsal striatum) their relative skill was better diagnosed by considering the sequential structure of whole brain activation. Using a cognitive model that played this game, we extracted a characterization of the mental states that are involved in playing a game and the statistical structure of the transitions among these states. There was a strong correspondence between this measure of sequential structure and the skill of different players. Using multi-voxel pattern analysis, it was possible to recognize, with relatively high accuracy, the cognitive states participants were in during particular scans. We used the sequential structure of these activation-recognized states to predict the skill of individual players. These findings indicate that important features about information-processing strategies can be identified from a model-based analysis of the sequential structure of brain activation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A one-sided sequential test

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Racz, A.; Lux, I. [Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest (Hungary). Atomic Energy Research Inst.

1996-04-16

The applicability of the classical sequential probability ratio testing (SPRT) for early failure detection problems is limited by the fact that there is an extra time delay between the occurrence of the failure and its first recognition. Chien and Adams developed a method to minimize this time for the case when the problem can be formulated as testing the mean value of a Gaussian signal. In our paper we propose a procedure that can be applied for both mean and variance testing and that minimizes the time delay. The method is based on a special parametrization of the classical SPRT. The one-sided sequential tests (OSST) can reproduce the results of the Chien-Adams test when applied for mean values. (author).

Towards inclusive occupational therapy: Introducing the CORE approach for inclusive and occupation-focused practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Pereira, Robert B

2017-12-01

Occupation is a human right and a social determinant of health. It is also taken for granted. Having access to, and participating in, occupation, is intricately linked to positive health and wellbeing. Despite theory and evidence to support the link between occupation, health and wellbeing, occupational therapists can struggle with applying an occupation focus in practice and knowing how to use occupational frameworks to enable occupation. The purpose of this paper is to introduce the Capabilities, Opportunities, Resources and Environments (CORE) approach for inclusive and occupation-focused practice. It provides occupational therapists with a means of operationalising occupational enablement and facilitating social inclusion. The CORE approach is introduced by linking its main ideas to Economist and Nobel Prize Laureate Amartya Sen's capabilities approach, as well as findings from the author's doctoral research into entrenched disadvantage and social inclusion. Practical questions guided by the CORE approach's acronym are given to explore how the approach can be utilised alongside other occupational models and frameworks to encourage strategies for effective enablement through occupation for social inclusion. As experts in enabling occupation, occupational therapists can use the CORE approach to design occupation-focused interventions and promote inclusive occupational therapy. © 2017 Occupational Therapy Australia.

Play and play occupation: a survey of paediatric occupational therapy practice in Ireland

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alice Moore

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Purpose - Play occupation has been identified as an essential part of children’s lives, and it subsequently features in paediatric occupational therapy. However, few studies address the current place of play and play occupation in occupational therapy practice. This study aims to address this gap in knowledge by exploring paediatric occupational therapists’ perspectives on the place of play and play occupation in occupational therapy practice in Ireland. Design/methodology/approach - A cross-sectional online survey was conducted to gather data about the current use of play in the occupational therapy for children under 12 years. Convenience sampling and snowball recruitment techniques were used to recruit paediatric occupational therapists. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and qualitative content analysis. Findings - In total, 65 therapists responded to the survey (estimated response rate, 32%. Results are organised into four sections: demographics and practice context, play assessment practices, use of play in practice and perceived barriers to play-centred practice. Respondents reported that they valued play as a childhood occupation. However, the survey findings identified that the primary focus was on play as a means to an end. Lack of education on play (research, theory and interventions and pressures in the workplace have been identified as barriers to play-centred practice. Research limitations/implications - Findings indicate that there is a mismatch between therapists valuing play as an occupation and how play is used in occupational therapy practice. Unless clarifications are made about play occupation as being different to skills acquisition in childhood, play occupation will continue to get overlooked as an authentic concern of occupation-centred practice. Thus, play as occupation deserves further attention from educators, researchers and practitioners as a means of strengthening occupation-centred practice, in

An Elective Course Exploring Occupational Justice Through Occupational Storytelling and Story Making

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Julie Bednarski

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to examine whether second-year Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT students who enroll in the elective course “Occupation in Long-Term Care (LTC” would be able to apply concepts of occupational justice in the nursing home environment through engaging residents in occupational storytelling and story making in order to facilitate resident self-advocacy for participation in a valued occupation. The occupational therapy elective course was developed and implemented with students alternating between the classroom and the nursing home environments. Outcome evaluation measurements included analysis of student reflective journaling to obtain qualitative data. The researcher found that students are able to understand the concepts and issues of occupational justice in the nursing home population and apply knowledge to facilitate the resident’s participation in meaningful occupations.

Mining Emerging Sequential Patterns for Activity Recognition in Body Sensor Networks

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gu, Tao; Wang, Liang; Chen, Hanhua

2010-01-01

Body Sensor Networks oer many applications in healthcare, well-being and entertainment. One of the emerging applications is recognizing activities of daily living. In this paper, we introduce a novel knowledge pattern named Emerging Sequential Pattern (ESP)|a sequential pattern that discovers...... signicant class dierences|to recognize both simple (i.e., sequential) and complex (i.e., interleaved and concurrent) activities. Based on ESPs, we build our complex activity models directly upon the sequential model to recognize both activity types. We conduct comprehensive empirical studies to evaluate...

Discrimination between sequential and simultaneous virtual channels with electrical hearing

OpenAIRE

Landsberger, David; Galvin, John J.

2011-01-01

In cochlear implants (CIs), simultaneous or sequential stimulation of adjacent electrodes can produce intermediate pitch percepts between those of the component electrodes. However, it is unclear whether simultaneous and sequential virtual channels (VCs) can be discriminated. In this study, CI users were asked to discriminate simultaneous and sequential VCs; discrimination was measured for monopolar (MP) and bipolar + 1 stimulation (BP + 1), i.e., relatively broad and focused stimulation mode...

The Portrayal of Occupational Therapy and Occupational Science in Canadian Newspapers: A Content Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tsing-Yee (Emily Chai

2016-05-01

Full Text Available The primary goal of occupational therapy is to enable people to participate in the activities of everyday life. The demand for occupational therapists in Canada is expected to grow sharply at an annual growth rate of 3.2%, compared to 0.7% for all occupations. At the same time, it is believed by occupational therapists in Canada that the Canadian public does not understand the role of occupational therapy. Occupational science is an emerging basic science field that supports the practice of occupational therapy. Given that newspapers are one source the public uses to obtain information and that newspapers are seen to shape public opinions, the purpose of this study is to investigate how “occupational therapy” is covered in Canadian newspapers from the term’s first appearance in 1917 until 2016 and how “occupational science” is covered from the term’s first appearance in 1989 to 2016. We interrogated the findings through the lens of three non-newspaper sources—two academic journals: Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy (CJOT and Journal of Occupational Science (JOS; and one Canadian magazine: Occupational Therapy Now (OTN. We found that medical terms were prevalent in the newspaper articles covering occupational therapy similar to the presence of medical terms in the CJOT and OTN. However, the newspapers missed contemporary shifts in occupational therapy as evident in the CJOT, OTN and JOS—such as the increased engagement with enablement, occupational justice and other occupational concepts. The newspapers also failed to portray the societal issues that occupational therapy engages with on behalf of and with their clients, and the newspapers did not cover many of the client groups of occupational therapy. Occupational science was only mentioned in n = 26 articles of the nearly 300 Canadian newspapers covered with no concrete content linked to occupational science. The scope of occupational therapy presented in Canadian

Effects of transcranial direct current stimulation on the control of finger force during dexterous manipulation in healthy older adults.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pranav J Parikh

Full Text Available The contribution of poor finger force control to age-related decline in manual dexterity is above and beyond ubiquitous behavioral slowing. Altered control of the finger forces can impart unwanted torque on the object affecting its orientation, thus impairing manual performance. Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS over primary motor cortex (M1 has been shown to improve the performance speed on manual tasks in older adults. However, the effects of anodal tDCS over M1 on the finger force control during object manipulation in older adults remain to be fully explored. Here we determined the effects of anodal tDCS over M1 on the control of grip force in older adults while they manipulated an object with an uncertain mechanical property. Eight healthy older adults were instructed to grip and lift an object whose contact surfaces were unexpectedly made more or less slippery across trials using acetate and sandpaper surfaces, respectively. Subjects performed this task before and after receiving anodal or sham tDCS over M1 on two separate sessions using a cross-over design. We found that older adults used significantly lower grip force following anodal tDCS compared to sham tDCS. Friction measured at the finger-object interface remained invariant after anodal and sham tDCS. These findings suggest that anodal tDCS over M1 improved the control of grip force during object manipulation in healthy older adults. Although the cortical networks for representing objects and manipulative actions are complex, the reduction in grip force following anodal tDCS over M1 might be due to a cortical excitation yielding improved processing of object-specific sensory information and its integration with the motor commands for production of manipulative forces. Our findings indicate that tDCS has a potential to improve the control of finger force during dexterous manipulation in older adults.

Hybrid Computerized Adaptive Testing: From Group Sequential Design to Fully Sequential Design

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Shiyu; Lin, Haiyan; Chang, Hua-Hua; Douglas, Jeff

2016-01-01

Computerized adaptive testing (CAT) and multistage testing (MST) have become two of the most popular modes in large-scale computer-based sequential testing. Though most designs of CAT and MST exhibit strength and weakness in recent large-scale implementations, there is no simple answer to the question of which design is better because different…

Sequential dependencies in magnitude scaling of loudness

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Joshi, Suyash Narendra; Jesteadt, Walt

2013-01-01

Ten normally hearing listeners used a programmable sone-potentiometer knob to adjust the level of a 1000-Hz sinusoid to match the loudness of numbers presented to them in a magnitude production task. Three different power-law exponents (0.15, 0.30, and 0.60) and a log-law with equal steps in d......B were used to program the sone-potentiometer. The knob settings systematically influenced the form of the loudness function. Time series analysis was used to assess the sequential dependencies in the data, which increased with increasing exponent and were greatest for the log-law. It would be possible......, therefore, to choose knob properties that minimized these dependencies. When the sequential dependencies were removed from the data, the slope of the loudness functions did not change, but the variability decreased. Sequential dependencies were only present when the level of the tone on the previous trial...

Visual short-term memory for sequential arrays.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Arjun; Jiang, Yuhong

2005-04-01

The capacity of visual short-term memory (VSTM) for a single visual display has been investigated in past research, but VSTM for multiple sequential arrays has been explored only recently. In this study, we investigate the capacity of VSTM across two sequential arrays separated by a variable stimulus onset asynchrony (SOA). VSTM for spatial locations (Experiment 1), colors (Experiments 2-4), orientations (Experiments 3 and 4), and conjunction of color and orientation (Experiment 4) were tested, with the SOA across the two sequential arrays varying from 100 to 1,500 msec. We find that VSTM for the trailing array is much better than VSTM for the leading array, but when averaged across the two arrays VSTM has a constant capacity independent of the SOA. We suggest that multiple displays compete for retention in VSTM and that separating information into two temporally discrete groups does not enhance the overall capacity of VSTM.

The target-to-foils shift in simultaneous and sequential lineups.

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, Steven E; Davey, Sherrie L

2005-04-01

A theoretical cornerstone in eyewitness identification research is the proposition that witnesses, in making decisions from standard simultaneous lineups, make relative judgments. The present research considers two sources of support for this proposal. An experiment by G. L. Wells (1993) showed that if the target is removed from a lineup, witnesses shift their responses to pick foils, rather than rejecting the lineups, a result we will term a target-to-foils shift. Additional empirical support is provided by results from sequential lineups which typically show higher accuracy than simultaneous lineups, presumably because of a decrease in the use of relative judgments in making identification decisions. The combination of these two lines of research suggests that the target-to-foils shift should be reduced in sequential lineups relative to simultaneous lineups. Results of two experiments showed an overall advantage for sequential lineups, but also showed a target-to-foils shift equal in size for simultaneous and sequential lineups. Additional analyses indicated that the target-to-foils shift in sequential lineups was moderated in part by an order effect and was produced with (Experiment 2) or without (Experiment 1) a shift in decision criterion. This complex pattern of results suggests that more work is needed to understand the processes which underlie decisions in simultaneous and sequential lineups.

Dynamics-based sequential memory: Winnerless competition of patterns

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seliger, Philip; Tsimring, Lev S.; Rabinovich, Mikhail I.

2003-01-01

We introduce a biologically motivated dynamical principle of sequential memory which is based on winnerless competition (WLC) of event images. This mechanism is implemented in a two-layer neural model of sequential spatial memory. We present the learning dynamics which leads to the formation of a WLC network. After learning, the system is capable of associative retrieval of prerecorded sequences of patterns

Sequential, progressive, equal-power, reflective beam-splitter arrays

Science.gov (United States)

Manhart, Paul K.

2017-11-01

The equations to calculate equal-power reflectivity of a sequential series of beam splitters is presented. Non-sequential optical design examples are offered for uniform illumination using diode lasers. Objects created using Boolean operators and Swept Surfaces can create objects capable of reflecting light into predefined elevation and azimuth angles. Analysis of the illumination patterns for the array are also presented.

Basal ganglia and cortical networks for sequential ordering and rhythm of complex movements

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jeffery G. Bednark

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Voluntary actions require the concurrent engagement and coordinated control of complex temporal (e.g. rhythm and ordinal motor processes. Using high-resolution functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI and multi-voxel pattern analysis (MVPA, we sought to determine the degree to which these complex motor processes are dissociable in basal ganglia and cortical networks. We employed three different finger-tapping tasks that differed in the demand on the sequential temporal rhythm or sequential ordering of submovements. Our results demonstrate that sequential rhythm and sequential order tasks were partially dissociable based on activation differences. The sequential rhythm task activated a widespread network centered around the SMA and basal-ganglia regions including the dorsomedial putamen and caudate nucleus, while the sequential order task preferentially activated a fronto-parietal network. There was also extensive overlap between sequential rhythm and sequential order tasks, with both tasks commonly activating bilateral premotor, supplementary motor, and superior/inferior parietal cortical regions, as well as regions of the caudate/putamen of the basal ganglia and the ventro-lateral thalamus. Importantly, within the cortical regions that were active for both complex movements, MVPA could accurately classify different patterns of activation for the sequential rhythm and sequential order tasks. In the basal ganglia, however, overlapping activation for the sequential rhythm and sequential order tasks, which was found in classic motor circuits of the putamen and ventro-lateral thalamus, could not be accurately differentiated by MVPA. Overall, our results highlight the convergent architecture of the motor system, where complex motor information that is spatially distributed in the cortex converges into a more compact representation in the basal ganglia.

The sequential price of anarchy for atomic congestion games

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Jong, Jasper; Uetz, Marc Jochen; Liu, Tie-Yan; Qi, Qi; Ye, Yinyu

2014-01-01

In situations without central coordination, the price of anarchy relates the quality of any Nash equilibrium to the quality of a global optimum. Instead of assuming that all players choose their actions simultaneously, we consider games where players choose their actions sequentially. The sequential

The Effects of Listening to Persian Music on the Hand Dexterity and Depression in a Patient with Stroke: A Case Report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Reyhaneh Maktoufi

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Nowadays the use of music therapy for neurological disorders in developed countries is widely emphasized. Despite this, there is little scientific evidence regarding the use of this method for the treatment of Iranian patients with stroke. Case report: Since Iranian patients are more familiar with Persian music, this study was performed to describe the effects of listening to the Persian music played with Daf (an Iranian music instrument in a 54-year-old man with chronic stroke. Discussion: This case report could show for the first time, the positive effect of passive listening to Persian music with Iranian Daf instrument on the hand dexterity and depression in a patient with chronic stroke.

Native Frames: Disentangling Sequential from Concerted Three-Body Fragmentation

Science.gov (United States)

Rajput, Jyoti; Severt, T.; Berry, Ben; Jochim, Bethany; Feizollah, Peyman; Kaderiya, Balram; Zohrabi, M.; Ablikim, U.; Ziaee, Farzaneh; Raju P., Kanaka; Rolles, D.; Rudenko, A.; Carnes, K. D.; Esry, B. D.; Ben-Itzhak, I.

2018-03-01

A key question concerning the three-body fragmentation of polyatomic molecules is the distinction of sequential and concerted mechanisms, i.e., the stepwise or simultaneous cleavage of bonds. Using laser-driven fragmentation of OCS into O++C++S+ and employing coincidence momentum imaging, we demonstrate a novel method that enables the clear separation of sequential and concerted breakup. The separation is accomplished by analyzing the three-body fragmentation in the native frame associated with each step and taking advantage of the rotation of the intermediate molecular fragment, CO2 + or CS2 + , before its unimolecular dissociation. This native-frame method works for any projectile (electrons, ions, or photons), provides details on each step of the sequential breakup, and enables the retrieval of the relevant spectra for sequential and concerted breakup separately. Specifically, this allows the determination of the branching ratio of all these processes in OCS3 + breakup. Moreover, we find that the first step of sequential breakup is tightly aligned along the laser polarization and identify the likely electronic states of the intermediate dication that undergo unimolecular dissociation in the second step. Finally, the separated concerted breakup spectra show clearly that the central carbon atom is preferentially ejected perpendicular to the laser field.

Campbell and moment measures for finite sequential spatial processes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

M.N.M. van Lieshout (Marie-Colette)

2006-01-01

textabstractWe define moment and Campbell measures for sequential spatial processes, prove a Campbell-Mecke theorem, and relate the results to their counterparts in the theory of point processes. In particular, we show that any finite sequential spatial process model can be derived as the vector

Deconstruyendo a Dexter. Microanálisis y reinterpretación de una serie televisiva en la web

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rafael Marfil Carmona

2011-04-01

Full Text Available El presente artículo expone, de forma resumida, un planteamiento metodológico para analizar producciones audiovisuales, aportando un ejemplo concreto de las posibilidades que ofrece la web para finalizar ese proceso a través de la expresión creativa. Se propone una metodología integradora aplicable, en el caso aportado, a un ejercicio de microanálisis de la secuencia introductoria a la serie de televisión Dexter (M. Cuesta, T. Goldwyn y R. Lieberman; Showtime television, 2006, mostrando finalmente un interesante ejemplo de reinterpretación en la web, como es el remake titulado Malviviendo (malviviendo.com, ejemplo del uso del lenguaje audiovisual y los nuevos medios de difusión (youtube e internet TV como fase final de un proceso conceptual-creativo. El recorrido analítico parte de una reflexión conceptual y crítica para finalizar en la expresión a través de los propios medios audiovisuales.

Sequential Dependencies in Driving

Science.gov (United States)

Doshi, Anup; Tran, Cuong; Wilder, Matthew H.; Mozer, Michael C.; Trivedi, Mohan M.

2012-01-01

The effect of recent experience on current behavior has been studied extensively in simple laboratory tasks. We explore the nature of sequential effects in the more naturalistic setting of automobile driving. Driving is a safety-critical task in which delayed response times may have severe consequences. Using a realistic driving simulator, we find…

Research on parallel algorithm for sequential pattern mining

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Lijuan; Qin, Bai; Wang, Yu; Hao, Zhongxiao

2008-03-01

Sequential pattern mining is the mining of frequent sequences related to time or other orders from the sequence database. Its initial motivation is to discover the laws of customer purchasing in a time section by finding the frequent sequences. In recent years, sequential pattern mining has become an important direction of data mining, and its application field has not been confined to the business database and has extended to new data sources such as Web and advanced science fields such as DNA analysis. The data of sequential pattern mining has characteristics as follows: mass data amount and distributed storage. Most existing sequential pattern mining algorithms haven't considered the above-mentioned characteristics synthetically. According to the traits mentioned above and combining the parallel theory, this paper puts forward a new distributed parallel algorithm SPP(Sequential Pattern Parallel). The algorithm abides by the principal of pattern reduction and utilizes the divide-and-conquer strategy for parallelization. The first parallel task is to construct frequent item sets applying frequent concept and search space partition theory and the second task is to structure frequent sequences using the depth-first search method at each processor. The algorithm only needs to access the database twice and doesn't generate the candidated sequences, which abates the access time and improves the mining efficiency. Based on the random data generation procedure and different information structure designed, this paper simulated the SPP algorithm in a concrete parallel environment and implemented the AprioriAll algorithm. The experiments demonstrate that compared with AprioriAll, the SPP algorithm had excellent speedup factor and efficiency.

Integrating occupations: Changing occupational sex segregation in the U.S. from 2000 to 2014

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patricia Roos

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Declining occupational sex segregation in the late 20th century helped to usher in unprecedented occupational and economic advancement for women. As the 21st century dawned, that advancement stalled. Objective: We examine how occupational integration occurred in the early decades of the 21st century by focusing on (1 the extent of occupational feminization and masculinization and (2 occupational succession. More broadly we examine how the representation of women in detailed occupational categories changed between 2000 and 2014, regardless of whether they were historically 'male' or 'female,' and how sociodemographic characteristics contributed to uneven shifts in occupational integration. Methods: We use Integrated Public Use Microdata Series data to estimate the percentage point female at the detailed occupation level, specifically the 5Š census microdata sample for 2000, and two 1Š American Community Survey (ACS samples for 2013 and 2014. Results: Despite a stall in overall integration, there was much fluctuation within detailed occupations. Moreover, occupational inroads have been uneven in the post-2000 period. Women gained entry into the same types of professional and managerial occupations they entered between 1970 and 2000, especially in the health professions. Men increased their representation in lower-level, nonprofessional occupations. Contribution: Rather than focus solely on predominantly male or female occupations, we focus more broadly on how occupations feminize and masculinize. More occupations masculinized than previously. Moreover, those in feminizing occupations are more likely to be advantaged (e.g., white, citizens, and educated, while those in masculinizing occupations are more likely to be disadvantaged (e.g., black, Hispanic, and poor English speakers.

Modeling Single Occupant Vehicle Behavior in High-Occupancy Toll (HOT) Facilities

Science.gov (United States)

2009-12-14

High-occupancy toll (HOT) lanes are in operation, under construction, and planned for in several major metropolitan areas. The premise behind HOT lanes is to allow single occupant vehicles (SOVs) to access high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes (and theo...

Occupational therapy practice in emergency care: Occupational therapists' perspectives.

Science.gov (United States)

Spang, Lisa; Holmqvist, Kajsa

2015-01-01

Emergency care takes place in a complex work environment that is characterized by critically ill patients, short hospital stays, and a wide variety of different healthcare professionals. Studies of occupational therapists' (OTs) experiences of working within emergency care have shown that they often experience difficulties in explaining the essence of occupational therapy and have to justify their approaches. Much effort has been made in Sweden to help OTs dispel the notion that occupational therapy is difficult to explain, and the aim of this study was to describe how Swedish OTs perceive their work in emergency care. A qualitative descriptive approach was taken, and 14 interviews were conducted with OTs working in emergency care. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyse the data. The overall theme that emerged was "Feeling established through deliberate occupation-based work". The underlying categories showed different strategies used by the OTs to provide occupational therapy in an emergency care context. Deliberate strategies were used to demonstrate the effectiveness of occupational therapy and its approaches to patients and other health care professionals, and this resulted in the OTs feeling both established and needed. Unlike the OTs in previous studies, the Swedish OTs experienced no difficulties in explaining occupational therapy and could make convincing arguments for their interventions. Parallel to their clinical work, the OTs worked with on-going development to find ways to improve their approaches. In summary, these Swedish OTs seem to have been provided with a professional language and the knowledge required to establish themselves in an emergency care setting.

Framework for sequential approximate optimization

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jacobs, J.H.; Etman, L.F.P.; Keulen, van F.; Rooda, J.E.

2004-01-01

An object-oriented framework for Sequential Approximate Optimization (SAO) isproposed. The framework aims to provide an open environment for thespecification and implementation of SAO strategies. The framework is based onthe Python programming language and contains a toolbox of Python

A Survey of Multi-Objective Sequential Decision-Making

OpenAIRE

Roijers, D.M.; Vamplew, P.; Whiteson, S.; Dazeley, R.

2013-01-01

Sequential decision-making problems with multiple objectives arise naturally in practice and pose unique challenges for research in decision-theoretic planning and learning, which has largely focused on single-objective settings. This article surveys algorithms designed for sequential decision-making problems with multiple objectives. Though there is a growing body of literature on this subject, little of it makes explicit under what circumstances special methods are needed to solve multi-obj...

A Sequential Multiplicative Extended Kalman Filter for Attitude Estimation Using Vector Observations

Science.gov (United States)

Qin, Fangjun; Jiang, Sai; Zha, Feng

2018-01-01

In this paper, a sequential multiplicative extended Kalman filter (SMEKF) is proposed for attitude estimation using vector observations. In the proposed SMEKF, each of the vector observations is processed sequentially to update the attitude, which can make the measurement model linearization more accurate for the next vector observation. This is the main difference to Murrell’s variation of the MEKF, which does not update the attitude estimate during the sequential procedure. Meanwhile, the covariance is updated after all the vector observations have been processed, which is used to account for the special characteristics of the reset operation necessary for the attitude update. This is the main difference to the traditional sequential EKF, which updates the state covariance at each step of the sequential procedure. The numerical simulation study demonstrates that the proposed SMEKF has more consistent and accurate performance in a wide range of initial estimate errors compared to the MEKF and its traditional sequential forms. PMID:29751538

A Sequential Multiplicative Extended Kalman Filter for Attitude Estimation Using Vector Observations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fangjun Qin

2018-05-01

Full Text Available In this paper, a sequential multiplicative extended Kalman filter (SMEKF is proposed for attitude estimation using vector observations. In the proposed SMEKF, each of the vector observations is processed sequentially to update the attitude, which can make the measurement model linearization more accurate for the next vector observation. This is the main difference to Murrell’s variation of the MEKF, which does not update the attitude estimate during the sequential procedure. Meanwhile, the covariance is updated after all the vector observations have been processed, which is used to account for the special characteristics of the reset operation necessary for the attitude update. This is the main difference to the traditional sequential EKF, which updates the state covariance at each step of the sequential procedure. The numerical simulation study demonstrates that the proposed SMEKF has more consistent and accurate performance in a wide range of initial estimate errors compared to the MEKF and its traditional sequential forms.

Asynchronous Operators of Sequential Logic Venjunction & Sequention

CERN Document Server

Vasyukevich, Vadim

2011-01-01

This book is dedicated to new mathematical instruments assigned for logical modeling of the memory of digital devices. The case in point is logic-dynamical operation named venjunction and venjunctive function as well as sequention and sequentional function. Venjunction and sequention operate within the framework of sequential logic. In a form of the corresponding equations, they organically fit analytical expressions of Boolean algebra. Thus, a sort of symbiosis is formed using elements of asynchronous sequential logic on the one hand and combinational logic on the other hand. So, asynchronous

Investigating Astromaterials Curation Applications for Dexterous Robotic Arms

Science.gov (United States)

Snead, C. J.; Jang, J. H.; Cowden, T. R.; McCubbin, F. M.

2018-01-01

a curator; other potential future returned samples may require cryogenic curation. Robot arms may be combined with high resolution cameras within a sample cabinet and controlled remotely by curator. Sophisticated robot arm and hand combination systems can be programmed to mimic the movements of a curator wearing a data glove; successful implementation of such a system may ultimately allow a curator to virtually operate in a nitrogen, cryogenic, or biologically sensitive environment with dexterity comparable to that of a curator physically handling samples in a glove box.

Quem é Dexter Morgan? A questão da identidade e da ética presentes em uma série de televisão

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rubens Francisco Torres

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Dexter é um seriado americano que mostra a vida de um serial killer que mata outros assassinos. Nessa série estão presentes muitos temas filosóficos importantes, como a busca pela identidade pessoal, o valor da ética, e quais as implicações que uma atitude pode ou não ter, de acordo com a maneira que escolhemos resolvê-la. O artigo procura destacar como esses temas estão presentes no seriado, e como são determinantes para a evolução das personagens na trama. 

Participation and occupation in occupational therapy models of practice: A discussion of possibilities and challenges.

Science.gov (United States)

Larsson-Lund, Maria; Nyman, Anneli

2017-11-01

Occupation has been the focus in occupational therapy practice to greater or lesser degrees from a historical viewpoint. This evokes a need to discuss whether concepts that are added to our field will enhance or blur our focus on occupation. To explore how the concept of participation in the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) is related to the concept of occupation by reviewing and comparing its use in three models of practice within occupational therapy. The aim was also to generate discussion on possibilities and challenges concerning the relationship of participation and occupation. The models reviewed were The Model of Human Occupation (MOHO), the Canadian Model of Occupational Performance and Engagement (CMOP-E) and the Occupational Therapy Intervention Process Model (OTIPM). The concept of participation was related to occupation in different ways in these models. Based on the review some challenges and considerations for occupational therapy were generated. Relating the concept of participation from the ICF to the concept of occupation in models of practice can be challenging. At the same time, relating the concepts can be a resource to develop occupational therapy and the understanding of occupational issues in society.

Occupational skin diseases

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mahler, V; Aalto-Korte, K; Alfonso, J H

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: Work-related skin diseases (WSD) are caused or worsened by a professional activity. Occupational skin diseases (OSD) need to fulfil additional legal criteria which differ from country to country. OSD range amongst the five most frequently notified occupational diseases (musculoskeletal...... diseases, neurologic diseases, lung diseases, diseases of the sensory organs, skin diseases) in Europe. OBJECTIVE: To retrieve information and compare the current state of national frameworks and pathways to manage patients with occupational skin disease with regard to prevention, diagnosis, treatment...... in Science and Technology (COST) Action TD 1206 (StanDerm) (www.standerm.eu). RESULTS: Besides a national health service or a statutory health insurance, most European member states implemented a second insurance scheme specifically geared at occupational diseases [insurance against occupational risks...

Human visual system automatically encodes sequential regularities of discrete events.

Science.gov (United States)

Kimura, Motohiro; Schröger, Erich; Czigler, István; Ohira, Hideki

2010-06-01

For our adaptive behavior in a dynamically changing environment, an essential task of the brain is to automatically encode sequential regularities inherent in the environment into a memory representation. Recent studies in neuroscience have suggested that sequential regularities embedded in discrete sensory events are automatically encoded into a memory representation at the level of the sensory system. This notion is largely supported by evidence from investigations using auditory mismatch negativity (auditory MMN), an event-related brain potential (ERP) correlate of an automatic memory-mismatch process in the auditory sensory system. However, it is still largely unclear whether or not this notion can be generalized to other sensory modalities. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the contribution of the visual sensory system to the automatic encoding of sequential regularities using visual mismatch negativity (visual MMN), an ERP correlate of an automatic memory-mismatch process in the visual sensory system. To this end, we conducted a sequential analysis of visual MMN in an oddball sequence consisting of infrequent deviant and frequent standard stimuli, and tested whether the underlying memory representation of visual MMN generation contains only a sensory memory trace of standard stimuli (trace-mismatch hypothesis) or whether it also contains sequential regularities extracted from the repetitive standard sequence (regularity-violation hypothesis). The results showed that visual MMN was elicited by first deviant (deviant stimuli following at least one standard stimulus), second deviant (deviant stimuli immediately following first deviant), and first standard (standard stimuli immediately following first deviant), but not by second standard (standard stimuli immediately following first standard). These results are consistent with the regularity-violation hypothesis, suggesting that the visual sensory system automatically encodes sequential

A Bayesian Theory of Sequential Causal Learning and Abstract Transfer.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Hongjing; Rojas, Randall R; Beckers, Tom; Yuille, Alan L

2016-03-01

Two key research issues in the field of causal learning are how people acquire causal knowledge when observing data that are presented sequentially, and the level of abstraction at which learning takes place. Does sequential causal learning solely involve the acquisition of specific cause-effect links, or do learners also acquire knowledge about abstract causal constraints? Recent empirical studies have revealed that experience with one set of causal cues can dramatically alter subsequent learning and performance with entirely different cues, suggesting that learning involves abstract transfer, and such transfer effects involve sequential presentation of distinct sets of causal cues. It has been demonstrated that pre-training (or even post-training) can modulate classic causal learning phenomena such as forward and backward blocking. To account for these effects, we propose a Bayesian theory of sequential causal learning. The theory assumes that humans are able to consider and use several alternative causal generative models, each instantiating a different causal integration rule. Model selection is used to decide which integration rule to use in a given learning environment in order to infer causal knowledge from sequential data. Detailed computer simulations demonstrate that humans rely on the abstract characteristics of outcome variables (e.g., binary vs. continuous) to select a causal integration rule, which in turn alters causal learning in a variety of blocking and overshadowing paradigms. When the nature of the outcome variable is ambiguous, humans select the model that yields the best fit with the recent environment, and then apply it to subsequent learning tasks. Based on sequential patterns of cue-outcome co-occurrence, the theory can account for a range of phenomena in sequential causal learning, including various blocking effects, primacy effects in some experimental conditions, and apparently abstract transfer of causal knowledge. Copyright © 2015

Relationship of occupational and non-occupational stress with smoking in automotive industry workers.

Science.gov (United States)

Hassani, Somayeh; Yazdanparast, Taraneh; Seyedmehdi, Seyed Mohammad; Ghaffari, Mostafa; Attarchi, Mirsaeed; Bahadori, Baharak

2014-01-01

Tobacco use is the second cause of death and first cause of preventable mortality worldwide. Smoking in the workplace is particularly concerning. Smoking-free workplaces decrease the risk of exposure of non-smoking personnel to cigarette smoke. Recent studies have mostly focused on the effect of daily or non-occupational stressors (in comparison with occupational stress) on prevalence of smoking. Occupational stress is often evaluated in workplaces for smoking cessation or control programs, but the role of non-occupational stressors is often disregarded in this respect. This cross-sectional study was conducted in an automobile manufacturing company. The response of automotive industry workers to parts of the validated, reliable, Farsi version of Musculoskeletal Intervention Center (MUSIC)-Norrtalje questionnaire was evaluated. A total of 3,536 factory workers participated in this study. Data were analyzed using SPSS and P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. The correlation of smoking with demographic factors, occupational stressors and life events was evaluated. The results of logistic regression analysis showed that even after adjusting for the confounding factors, cigarette smoking was significantly correlated with age, sex, level of education, job control and life events (P<0.05). The results showed that of occupational and non-occupational stressors, only job control was correlated with cigarette smoking. Non-occupational stressors had greater effect on cigarette smoking. Consideration of both non-occupational and occupational stressors can enhance the success of smoking control programs. On the other hand, a combination of smoking control and stress (occupational and non-occupational) control programs can be more effective than smoking cessation interventions alone.

Impact of Diagrams on Recalling Sequential Elements in Expository Texts.

Science.gov (United States)

Guri-Rozenblit, Sarah

1988-01-01

Examines the instructional effectiveness of abstract diagrams on recall of sequential relations in social science textbooks. Concludes that diagrams assist significantly the recall of sequential relations in a text and decrease significantly the rate of order mistakes. (RS)

Quantum Probability Zero-One Law for Sequential Terminal Events

Science.gov (United States)

Rehder, Wulf

1980-07-01

On the basis of the Jauch-Piron quantum probability calculus a zero-one law for sequential terminal events is proven, and the significance of certain crucial axioms in the quantum probability calculus is discussed. The result shows that the Jauch-Piron set of axioms is appropriate for the non-Boolean algebra of sequential events.

Information theoretic approach to tactile encoding and discrimination

OpenAIRE

Saal, Hannes

2011-01-01

The human sense of touch integrates feedback from a multitude of touch receptors, but how this information is represented in the neural responses such that it can be extracted quickly and reliably is still largely an open question. At the same time, dexterous robots equipped with touch sensors are becoming more common, necessitating better methods for representing sequentially updated information and new control strategies that aid in extracting relevant features for object man...

Estimating direct effects of parental occupation on Spaniards’ health by birth cohort

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jaime Pinilla

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Social health inequalities in adult population are partly due to socioeconomic circumstances in childhood. A better understanding of how those circumstances affect health during adulthood may improve the opportunities for reducing health disparities. The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of parental socioeconomic status, which is proxied by occupation, on adult Spaniards’ health by birth cohort. The analysis will allow checking not only the direct impact of parental occupation on their offspring’s health, but also whether inherited inequality has been reduced over time. Methods We use data from the Bank of Spain’s Survey of Household Finances on Spanish households from 2002 to 2008. Sequential models were used to estimate the influence of the father’s and mother’s occupation on their offspring’s health, trying to disentangle direct from indirect effects. With a sample of 26,832 persons we consider effects for four different cohorts by birth periods ranging from 1916 to 1981. Results The results show that parental occupation has a significant direct impact on individuals’ health (p < 0.01. The effect of father’s occupation exceeds that of mother’s. For those born before 1936, the probability of reporting a good health status ranges from 0.31 (95% confidence interval (CI 0.14–0.48, when fathers were classified as unskilled elementary workers, to 0.98 (95% CI 0.98–0.99 when they were managers or mid-level professionals. For those born during the period 1959–1975, those probabilities are 0.49 (95% CI 0.39–0.59 and 0.97 (95% CI 0.96–0.98, respectively. Therefore, health inequalities linked to parental socioeconomic status have been noticeably reduced, although discrimination against unskilled workers persists over time. Conclusions Great progress has been made in the health area during the twentieth century, so that the impact of parental socioeconomic status on individuals�

A path-level exact parallelization strategy for sequential simulation

Science.gov (United States)

Peredo, Oscar F.; Baeza, Daniel; Ortiz, Julián M.; Herrero, José R.

2018-01-01

Sequential Simulation is a well known method in geostatistical modelling. Following the Bayesian approach for simulation of conditionally dependent random events, Sequential Indicator Simulation (SIS) method draws simulated values for K categories (categorical case) or classes defined by K different thresholds (continuous case). Similarly, Sequential Gaussian Simulation (SGS) method draws simulated values from a multivariate Gaussian field. In this work, a path-level approach to parallelize SIS and SGS methods is presented. A first stage of re-arrangement of the simulation path is performed, followed by a second stage of parallel simulation for non-conflicting nodes. A key advantage of the proposed parallelization method is to generate identical realizations as with the original non-parallelized methods. Case studies are presented using two sequential simulation codes from GSLIB: SISIM and SGSIM. Execution time and speedup results are shown for large-scale domains, with many categories and maximum kriging neighbours in each case, achieving high speedup results in the best scenarios using 16 threads of execution in a single machine.

Concatenated coding system with iterated sequential inner decoding

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Ole Riis; Paaske, Erik

1995-01-01

We describe a concatenated coding system with iterated sequential inner decoding. The system uses convolutional codes of very long constraint length and operates on iterations between an inner Fano decoder and an outer Reed-Solomon decoder......We describe a concatenated coding system with iterated sequential inner decoding. The system uses convolutional codes of very long constraint length and operates on iterations between an inner Fano decoder and an outer Reed-Solomon decoder...

Occupational Experience, Mobility, and Wages

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Groes, Fane

In this paper we present how occupational tenure relates to wage growth and occupational mobility in Danish data. We show that the Danish data produces qualitatively similar results as found in U.S. data with respect to an increase in average wages when experience in an occupation increases. In a...... also is true for workers switching occupation and rm. After ve years of experience in an occupation the average probability of switching any type of occupation, including occupation and rm switches, has fallen from 25% to 12%........ In a sample of full time private employed, the first five years of experience in an occupation increases average wages with 8% to 15%, conditional on rm and industry tenure. We further show that the probability of switching occupation declines with experience in the occupation and that the declining hazard...

A Second Look at the Process of Occupational Feminization and Pay Reduction in Occupations.

Science.gov (United States)

Mandel, Hadas

2018-04-01

Using the IPUMS-USA data for the years 1960-2015, this study examines trends in the effect of occupational feminization on occupational pay in the U.S. labor market and explores some of the mechanisms underlying these trends. The findings show that the (negative) association between occupational feminization and occupational pay level has declined, becoming insignificent in 2015. This trend, however, is reversed after education is controlled for at the individual as well as the occupational level. The two opposite trends are discussed in light of the twofold effect of education: (1) the entry of women into occupations requiring high education, and (2) the growing returns to education and to occupations with higher educational requirements. These two processes have concealed the deterioration in occupational pay following feminization. The findings underscore the significance of structural forms of gender inequality in general, and occupational devaluation in particular.

Occupational cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choril, A.C.; McCracken, W.J.; Dowd, E.C.; Stewart, Charles; Burton, D.F.; Dyer, D.W.

1981-01-01

This paper reviews the experience of the Workmen's Compensation Board of Ontario in identifying cases of cancer that could be attributed to occupational hazards. Workers' claims for compensation are allowed if there is reasonable medical evidence that their cancer was caused by exposure to risk factors associated with their occupation. Details of the types of cancers associated with specific carcinogens or fields of employment are discussed. About 50% of the cases were related to exposure in particular industrial operations that functioned for relatively brief periods. The number of deaths from cancer identified as being caused by occupational factors is compared with the total for cancer from all causes in Ontario during the period 1971 through 1975. Although all workers eligible for compensation may not have been identified, the data suggest that less than 1% is presently caused by occupational factors

Occupational Mental Health, Labor Accidents and Occupational Diseases

Science.gov (United States)

Naveillan, F. Pedro

1973-01-01

The article discusses the relationship between mental health and labor accidents as it pertains to accident prevention, treatment of accident victims, and their rehabilitation. It also comments briefly on mental health and occupational diseases and the scope of the field of occupational mental health from a Chilean perspective. (AG)

Lineup Composition, Suspect Position, and the Sequential Lineup Advantage

Science.gov (United States)

Carlson, Curt A.; Gronlund, Scott D.; Clark, Steven E.

2008-01-01

N. M. Steblay, J. Dysart, S. Fulero, and R. C. L. Lindsay (2001) argued that sequential lineups reduce the likelihood of mistaken eyewitness identification. Experiment 1 replicated the design of R. C. L. Lindsay and G. L. Wells (1985), the first study to show the sequential lineup advantage. However, the innocent suspect was chosen at a lower rate…

Trial Sequential Analysis in systematic reviews with meta-analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jørn Wetterslev

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Most meta-analyses in systematic reviews, including Cochrane ones, do not have sufficient statistical power to detect or refute even large intervention effects. This is why a meta-analysis ought to be regarded as an interim analysis on its way towards a required information size. The results of the meta-analyses should relate the total number of randomised participants to the estimated required meta-analytic information size accounting for statistical diversity. When the number of participants and the corresponding number of trials in a meta-analysis are insufficient, the use of the traditional 95% confidence interval or the 5% statistical significance threshold will lead to too many false positive conclusions (type I errors and too many false negative conclusions (type II errors. Methods We developed a methodology for interpreting meta-analysis results, using generally accepted, valid evidence on how to adjust thresholds for significance in randomised clinical trials when the required sample size has not been reached. Results The Lan-DeMets trial sequential monitoring boundaries in Trial Sequential Analysis offer adjusted confidence intervals and restricted thresholds for statistical significance when the diversity-adjusted required information size and the corresponding number of required trials for the meta-analysis have not been reached. Trial Sequential Analysis provides a frequentistic approach to control both type I and type II errors. We define the required information size and the corresponding number of required trials in a meta-analysis and the diversity (D2 measure of heterogeneity. We explain the reasons for using Trial Sequential Analysis of meta-analysis when the actual information size fails to reach the required information size. We present examples drawn from traditional meta-analyses using unadjusted naïve 95% confidence intervals and 5% thresholds for statistical significance. Spurious conclusions in

Occupation embedded in a real life: interweaving occupational science and occupational therapy. 1993 Eleanor Clarke Slagle Lecture.

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, F

1993-12-01

This lecture presents an example of research in the genre of interpretive occupational science and demonstrates how occupational science can inform clinical practice. The innovative qualitative methodology used blended elements of the anthropological tradition of life history ethnography, ethnomethodology, the naturalistic methods used by Mattingly and Schön to study practice, and especially narrative analysis as described by Polkinghorne. The bulk of the paper is presented in the form of a narrative analysis that provides an account of a stroke survivor's personal struggle for recovery, a story that emerged from transcription, coding, and analysis of transcripts from approximately 20 hours of interview time. First, this narrative analysis provides an example of how the occupational science framework can evoke a particular kind of storytelling in which childhood occupation can be related to adult character. Storytelling of this kind is later shown to be therapeutic for the stroke survivor. Next, the narrative illustrates how rehabilitation can be experienced by the survivor as a rite of passage in which a person is moved to disability status and then abandoned. Finally, a picture is given of how occupational story making and occupational storytelling embedded in real life can nurture the human spirit to act and can become the core of clinical practice.

Heat accumulation during sequential cortical bone drilling.

Science.gov (United States)

Palmisano, Andrew C; Tai, Bruce L; Belmont, Barry; Irwin, Todd A; Shih, Albert; Holmes, James R

2016-03-01

Significant research exists regarding heat production during single-hole bone drilling. No published data exist regarding repetitive sequential drilling. This study elucidates the phenomenon of heat accumulation for sequential drilling with both Kirschner wires (K wires) and standard two-flute twist drills. It was hypothesized that cumulative heat would result in a higher temperature with each subsequent drill pass. Nine holes in a 3 × 3 array were drilled sequentially on moistened cadaveric tibia bone kept at body temperature (about 37 °C). Four thermocouples were placed at the center of four adjacent holes and 2 mm below the surface. A battery-driven hand drill guided by a servo-controlled motion system was used. Six samples were drilled with each tool (2.0 mm K wire and 2.0 and 2.5 mm standard drills). K wire drilling increased temperature from 5 °C at the first hole to 20 °C at holes 6 through 9. A similar trend was found in standard drills with less significant increments. The maximum temperatures of both tools increased from drill sizes was found to be insignificant (P > 0.05). In conclusion, heat accumulated during sequential drilling, with size difference being insignificant. K wire produced more heat than its twist-drill counterparts. This study has demonstrated the heat accumulation phenomenon and its significant effect on temperature. Maximizing the drilling field and reducing the number of drill passes may decrease bone injury. © 2015 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Cost-effectiveness of simultaneous versus sequential surgery in head and neck reconstruction.

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, Kevin K; Enepekides, Danny J; Higgins, Kevin M

2011-02-01

To determine whether simultaneous (ablation and reconstruction overlaps by two teams) head and neck reconstruction is cost effective compared to sequentially (ablation followed by reconstruction) performed surgery. Case-controlled study. Tertiary care hospital. Oncology patients undergoing free flap reconstruction of the head and neck. A match paired comparison study was performed with a retrospective chart review examining the total time of surgery for sequential and simultaneous surgery. Nine patients were selected for both the sequential and simultaneous groups. Sequential head and neck reconstruction patients were pair matched with patients who had undergone similar oncologic ablative or reconstructive procedures performed in a simultaneous fashion. A detailed cost analysis using the microcosting method was then undertaken looking at the direct costs of the surgeons, anesthesiologist, operating room, and nursing. On average, simultaneous surgery required 3 hours 15 minutes less operating time, leading to a cost savings of approximately $1200/case when compared to sequential surgery. This represents approximately a 15% reduction in the cost of the entire operation. Simultaneous head and neck reconstruction is more cost effective when compared to sequential surgery.

Dihydroazulene photoswitch operating in sequential tunneling regime

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Broman, Søren Lindbæk; Lara-Avila, Samuel; Thisted, Christine Lindbjerg

2012-01-01

to electrodes so that the electron transport goes by sequential tunneling. To assure weak coupling, the DHA switching kernel is modified by incorporating p-MeSC6H4 end-groups. Molecules are prepared by Suzuki cross-couplings on suitable halogenated derivatives of DHA. The synthesis presents an expansion of our......, incorporating a p-MeSC6H4 anchoring group in one end, has been placed in a silver nanogap. Conductance measurements justify that transport through both DHA (high resistivity) and VHF (low resistivity) forms goes by sequential tunneling. The switching is fairly reversible and reenterable; after more than 20 ON...

A Trust-region-based Sequential Quadratic Programming Algorithm

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Henriksen, Lars Christian; Poulsen, Niels Kjølstad

This technical note documents the trust-region-based sequential quadratic programming algorithm used in other works by the authors. The algorithm seeks to minimize a convex nonlinear cost function subject to linear inequalty constraints and nonlinear equality constraints.......This technical note documents the trust-region-based sequential quadratic programming algorithm used in other works by the authors. The algorithm seeks to minimize a convex nonlinear cost function subject to linear inequalty constraints and nonlinear equality constraints....

Sequential search leads to faster, more efficient fragment-based de novo protein structure prediction.

Science.gov (United States)

de Oliveira, Saulo H P; Law, Eleanor C; Shi, Jiye; Deane, Charlotte M

2018-04-01

Most current de novo structure prediction methods randomly sample protein conformations and thus require large amounts of computational resource. Here, we consider a sequential sampling strategy, building on ideas from recent experimental work which shows that many proteins fold cotranslationally. We have investigated whether a pseudo-greedy search approach, which begins sequentially from one of the termini, can improve the performance and accuracy of de novo protein structure prediction. We observed that our sequential approach converges when fewer than 20 000 decoys have been produced, fewer than commonly expected. Using our software, SAINT2, we also compared the run time and quality of models produced in a sequential fashion against a standard, non-sequential approach. Sequential prediction produces an individual decoy 1.5-2.5 times faster than non-sequential prediction. When considering the quality of the best model, sequential prediction led to a better model being produced for 31 out of 41 soluble protein validation cases and for 18 out of 24 transmembrane protein cases. Correct models (TM-Score > 0.5) were produced for 29 of these cases by the sequential mode and for only 22 by the non-sequential mode. Our comparison reveals that a sequential search strategy can be used to drastically reduce computational time of de novo protein structure prediction and improve accuracy. Data are available for download from: http://opig.stats.ox.ac.uk/resources. SAINT2 is available for download from: https://github.com/sauloho/SAINT2. saulo.deoliveira@dtc.ox.ac.uk. Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

Population Health and Occupational Therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Braveman, Brent

2016-01-01

Occupational therapy practitioners play an important role in improving the health of populations through the development of occupational therapy interventions at the population level and through advocacy to address occupational participation and the multiple determinants of health. This article defines and explores population health as a concept and describes the appropriateness of occupational therapy practice in population health. Support of population health practice as evidenced in the official documents of the American Occupational Therapy Association and the relevance of population health for occupational therapy as a profession are reviewed. Recommendations and directions for the future are included related to celebration of the achievements of occupational therapy practitioners in the area of population health, changes to the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework and educational accreditation standards, and the importance of supporting, recognizing, rewarding, and valuing occupational therapy practitioners who assume roles in which direct care is not their primary function. Copyright © 2016 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

A comparison of some of the characteristics of patients with occupational and non-occupational asthma.

Science.gov (United States)

Axon, E J; Beach, J R; Burge, P S

1995-04-01

Occupational asthma is the most frequently diagnosed occupational lung disease reported to the SWORD (Surveillance of Work-related and Occupational Respiratory Disease) scheme. However, diagnosing occupational asthma is not straightforward, and establishing a link with work may be difficult. This study was undertaken to determine the differences between patients with occupational asthma and those with non-occupational asthma which might help in their diagnosis. Information was collected using a self-completed questionnaire. Questionnaires were distributed to 30 subjects aged 18-65 years at each of two clinics--one for patients with occupational asthma and one for those with cryptogenic and environmental asthma. Replies were received from 26 patients with occupational asthma (87%) and 29 patients with non-occupational asthma (97%). The age of onset was significantly higher for those with occupational asthma (42.6 vs 20.7 years). Significantly more subjects with occupational asthma reported improvement on holiday, whereas no significant difference was found in the numbers reporting worsening of symptoms on work days. Those with occupational asthma were less likely to report seasonal variation in symptoms, exacerbation by allergies, pets and stress, or a family history of asthma. Subjects with occupational asthma were more likely to become unemployed (50% vs 3%). Recognition of some of these features in a patient's history may help in the difficult task of differentiating occupational from non-occupational asthma, potentially avoiding the need for exhaustive investigations in some patients. The high prevalence of holiday improvement among subjects with non-occupational asthma suggested that domestic or environmental allergies arising outside the workplace may have been making an important contribution to ongoing symptoms in these subjects.

Occupational skin cancers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gawkrodger, D.J. [Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield (United Kingdom). Dept. of Dermatology

2004-10-01

Skin cancer due to occupation is more common than is generally recognized, although it is difficult to obtain an accurate estimate of its prevalence. Over the past two centuries, occupational skin cancers have particularly been due to industrial exposure of men (it seems more so than women) to chemical carcinogens such as polycyclic hydrocarbons (e.g. from coal tar products) or to arsenic. Industrial processes have improved in most Western countries to limit this type of exposure, but those with outdoor occupations are still exposed to solar ultraviolet irradiation without this being widely recognized as an industrial hazard. Ionizing radiation such as X-rays can also cause skin cancer. Occupational skin cancers often resemble skin tumours found in non-occupational subjects, e.g. basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and malignant melanoma, but some pre-malignant lesions can be more specific and point to an occupational origin, e.g. tar keratoses or arsenical keratoses. An uncommon but well-recognized cause of occupational skin cancer is that which results from scar formation following an industrial burn. In the future it will be necessary to focus on preventative measures, e.g. for outdoor workers, the need to cover up in the sun and use sun protective creams and a campaign for earlier recognition of skin cancers, which are usually curable if treated in their early stages.

[Need for occupational and environmental allergology in occupational health - the 45th Japanese society of Occupational and Environmental Allergy Annual Meeting 2014 in Fukuoka].

Science.gov (United States)

Kishikawa, Reiko; Oshikawa, Chie

2014-12-01

The 45th Japanese Society of Occupational and Environmental Allergy (OEA) Annual Meeting 2014 was held in Fukuoka city in conjunction with a technical course for occupational health physicians to learn occupational and environmental diseases more deeply. Allergic reaction due to low concentrations of chemical and biological materials is important in toxicological diseases due to highly concentrated chemical materials in the field of occupational and environmental medicine. In this paper we describe the activities of the OEA, which was established in 1970 and has completely cured patients with severe occupational asthma, such as the regional Konjac asthma in Gunma prefecture and Sea Squirt asthma in Hiroshima prefecture. Regard for the occupational environment will prevent the onset and/or exacerbation of allergic occupational disease in individual employees with allergy. Occupational cancer of the bile duct and asbestosis are also current, serious issues that should be resolved as soon as possible. It is desirable for the occupational health physician to have a large stock of knowledge about toxicological and allergic diseases in various occupational settings to maintain the health and safety of workers.

Synthetic Aperture Sequential Beamforming

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kortbek, Jacob; Jensen, Jørgen Arendt; Gammelmark, Kim Løkke

2008-01-01

A synthetic aperture focusing (SAF) technique denoted Synthetic Aperture Sequential Beamforming (SASB) suitable for 2D and 3D imaging is presented. The technique differ from prior art of SAF in the sense that SAF is performed on pre-beamformed data contrary to channel data. The objective is to im......A synthetic aperture focusing (SAF) technique denoted Synthetic Aperture Sequential Beamforming (SASB) suitable for 2D and 3D imaging is presented. The technique differ from prior art of SAF in the sense that SAF is performed on pre-beamformed data contrary to channel data. The objective...... is to improve and obtain a more range independent lateral resolution compared to conventional dynamic receive focusing (DRF) without compromising frame rate. SASB is a two-stage procedure using two separate beamformers. First a set of Bmode image lines using a single focal point in both transmit and receive...... is stored. The second stage applies the focused image lines from the first stage as input data. The SASB method has been investigated using simulations in Field II and by off-line processing of data acquired with a commercial scanner. The performance of SASB with a static image object is compared with DRF...

Evaluation Using Sequential Trials Methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Cohen, Mark E.; Ralls, Stephen A.

1986-01-01

Although dental school faculty as well as practitioners are interested in evaluating products and procedures used in clinical practice, research design and statistical analysis can sometimes pose problems. Sequential trials methods provide an analytical structure that is both easy to use and statistically valid. (Author/MLW)

Attack Trees with Sequential Conjunction

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jhawar, Ravi; Kordy, Barbara; Mauw, Sjouke; Radomirović, Sasa; Trujillo-Rasua, Rolando

2015-01-01

We provide the first formal foundation of SAND attack trees which are a popular extension of the well-known attack trees. The SAND at- tack tree formalism increases the expressivity of attack trees by intro- ducing the sequential conjunctive operator SAND. This operator enables the modeling of

Individual and occupational factors related to fatal occupational injuries: a case-control study.

Science.gov (United States)

Villanueva, Vicent; Garcia, Ana M

2011-01-01

This study has been designed in order to identify factors increasing the risk of a fatal outcome when occupational accidents occur. The aim is to provide further evidence for the design and implementation of preventive measures in occupational settings. The Spanish Ministry of Labour registry of occupational injuries causing absence from work includes information on individual and occupational characteristics of injured workers and events. Registered fatal occupational injuries in 2001 (n=539) were compared to a sample of non-fatal injuries in the same year (n=3493). Risks for a fatal result of occupational injuries, adjusted by individual and occupational factors significantly associated, were obtained through logistic regression models. Compared to non-fatal injuries, fatal occupational injuries were mostly produced by trapping or by natural causes, mostly related to elevation and transport devices and power generators, and injured parts of body more frequently affected were head, multiple parts or internal organs. Adjusted analyses showed increased risk of fatality after an occupational injury for males (adjusted odds ratio aOR=10.92; 95%CI 4.80-24.84) and temporary workers (aOR=5.18; 95%CI 2.63-10.18), and the risk increased with age and with advancing hour of the work shift (p for trends accidents in agricultural or construction companies. These data can help to select and define priorities for programmes aimed to prevent fatal consequences of occupational injuries. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Curriculum-Level Strategies That U.S. Occupational Therapy Programs Use to Address Occupation: A Qualitative Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Hooper, Barb; Krishnagiri, Sheama; Price, Pollie; Taff, Steven D; Bilics, Andrea

This study's objective was to describe curriculum-level strategies used to convey occupation to occupational therapy students. The study used a descriptive qualitative research design. Fifteen occupational therapy and 10 occupational therapy assistant programs participated in interviews, submitted curriculum artifacts such as syllabi and assignments, and recorded teaching sessions. Data were coded both inductively and deductively and then categorized into themes. Occupational therapy programs designed strategies on two levels of the curriculum, infrastructure and implementation, to convey knowledge of occupation to students. The degree to which strategies explicitly highlighted occupation and steered instruction fluctuated depending on how differentiated occupation was from other concepts and skills. Two arguments are presented about the degree to which occupation needs to be infused in all curricular elements. To guide curriculum design, it is critical for educators to discuss beliefs about how ubiquitous occupation is in a curriculum and whether curricular elements portray occupation to the extent preferred. Copyright © 2018 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

Aggregate Exposure and Cumulative Risk Assessment--Integrating Occupational and Non-occupational Risk Factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Lentz, T J; Dotson, G S; Williams, P R D; Maier, A; Gadagbui, B; Pandalai, S P; Lamba, A; Hearl, F; Mumtaz, M

2015-01-01

Occupational exposure limits have traditionally focused on preventing morbidity and mortality arising from inhalation exposures to individual chemical stressors in the workplace. While central to occupational risk assessment, occupational exposure limits have limited application as a refined disease prevention tool because they do not account for all of the complexities of the work and non-occupational environments and are based on varying health endpoints. To be of greater utility, occupational exposure limits and other risk management tools could integrate broader consideration of risks from multiple exposure pathways and routes (aggregate risk) as well as the combined risk from exposure to both chemical and non-chemical stressors, within and beyond the workplace, including the possibility that such exposures may cause interactions or modify the toxic effects observed (cumulative risk). Although still at a rudimentary stage in many cases, a variety of methods and tools have been developed or are being used in allied risk assessment fields to incorporate such considerations in the risk assessment process. These approaches, which are collectively referred to as cumulative risk assessment, have potential to be adapted or modified for occupational scenarios and provide a tangible path forward for occupational risk assessment. Accounting for complex exposures in the workplace and the broader risks faced by the individual also requires a more complete consideration of the composite effects of occupational and non-occupational risk factors to fully assess and manage worker health problems. Barriers to integrating these different factors remain, but new and ongoing community-based and worker health-related initiatives may provide mechanisms for identifying and integrating risk from aggregate exposures and cumulative risks from all relevant sources, be they occupational or non-occupational.

The impact of eyewitness identifications from simultaneous and sequential lineups.

Science.gov (United States)

Wright, Daniel B

2007-10-01

Recent guidelines in the US allow either simultaneous or sequential lineups to be used for eyewitness identification. This paper investigates how potential jurors weight the probative value of the different outcomes from both of these types of lineups. Participants (n=340) were given a description of a case that included some exonerating and some incriminating evidence. There was either a simultaneous or a sequential lineup. Depending on the condition, an eyewitness chose the suspect, chose a filler, or made no identification. The participant had to judge the guilt of the suspect and decide whether to render a guilty verdict. For both simultaneous and sequential lineups an identification had a large effect,increasing the probability of a guilty verdict. There were no reliable effects detected between making no identification and identifying a filler. The effect sizes were similar for simultaneous and sequential lineups. These findings are important for judges and other legal professionals to know for trials involving lineup identifications.

Properties of simultaneous and sequential two-nucleon transfer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pinkston, W.T.; Satchler, G.R.

1982-01-01

Approximate forms of the first- and second-order distorted-wave Born amplitudes are used to study the overall structure, particularly the selection rules, of the amplitudes for simultaneous and sequential transfer of two nucleons. The role of the spin-state assumed for the intermediate deuterons in sequential (t, p) reactions is stressed. The similarity of one-step and two-step amplitudes for (α, d) reactions is exhibited, and the consequent absence of any obvious J-dependence in their interference is noted. (orig.)

Sequential contrast-enhanced MR imaging of the penis.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaneko, K; De Mouy, E H; Lee, B E

1994-04-01

To determine the enhancement patterns of the penis at magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Sequential contrast material-enhanced MR images of the penis in a flaccid state were obtained in 16 volunteers (12 with normal penile function and four with erectile dysfunction). Subjects with normal erectile function showed gradual and centrifugal enhancement of the corpora cavernosa, while those with erectile dysfunction showed poor enhancement with abnormal progression. Sequential contrast-enhanced MR imaging provides additional morphologic information for the evaluation of erectile dysfunction.

Occupation and mammographic density: A population-based study (DDM-Occup).

Science.gov (United States)

García-Pérez, Javier; Pollán, Marina; Pérez-Gómez, Beatriz; González-Sánchez, Mario; Cortés Barragán, Rosa Ana; Maqueda Blasco, Jerónimo; González-Galarzo, María Carmen; Alba, Miguel Ángel; van der Haar, Rudolf; Casas, Silvia; Vicente, Cándida; Medina, Pilar; Ederra, María; Santamariña, Carmen; Moreno, María Pilar; Casanova, Francisco; Pedraz-Pingarrón, Carmen; Moreo, Pilar; Ascunce, Nieves; García, Montse; Salas-Trejo, Dolores; Sánchez-Contador, Carmen; Llobet, Rafael; Lope, Virginia

2017-11-01

High mammographic density is one of the main risk factors for breast cancer. Although several occupations have been associated with breast cancer, there are no previous occupational studies exploring the association with mammographic density. Our objective was to identify occupations associated with high mammographic density in Spanish female workers. We conducted a population-based cross-sectional study of occupational determinants of high mammographic density in Spain, based on 1476 women, aged 45-68 years, recruited from seven screening centers within the Spanish Breast Cancer Screening Program network. Reproductive, family, personal, and occupational history data were collected. The latest occupation of each woman was collected and coded according to the 1994 National Classification of Occupations. Mammographic density was assessed from the cranio-caudal mammogram of the left breast using a semi-automated computer-assisted tool. Association between mammographic density and occupation was evaluated by using mixed linear regression models, using log-transformed percentage of mammographic density as dependent variable. Models were adjusted for age, body mass index, menopausal status, parity, smoking, alcohol intake, educational level, type of mammography, first-degree relative with breast cancer, and hormonal replacement therapy use. Screening center and professional reader were included as random effects terms. Mammographic density was higher, although non-statistically significant, among secondary school teachers (e β = 1.41; 95%CI = 0.98-2.03) and nurses (e β = 1.23; 95%CI = 0.96-1.59), whereas workers engaged in the care of people (e β = 0.81; 95%CI = 0.66-1.00) and housewives (e β = 0.87; 95%CI = 0.79-0.95) showed an inverse association with mammographic density. A positive trend for every 5 years working as secondary school teachers was also detected (p-value = 0.035). Nurses and secondary school teachers were the occupations with the highest

Health surveillance of persons occupationally exposed to ionizing radiation: Guidance for occupational physicians

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1998-01-01

This Safety Report is intended mainly for occupational physicians, as well as for occupational health service personnel, to assist them in routine practice by specifying the features of work under radiation conditions, the general rules of radiological protection for occupational exposure and the organization of the medical surveillance of workers occupationally exposed to radiation. The Report is consistent with the recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection presented in its Publication 60 (1990) and with the International Basic Safety Standards for Protection against Ionizing Radiation and for the Safety of Radiation Sources published by the IAEA in 1966. It supersedes Safety Series No.83 (Radiation Protection in Occupational Health: Manual for Occupational Physicians) published by the IAEA in 1987

Synthesizing genetic sequential logic circuit with clock pulse generator.

Science.gov (United States)

Chuang, Chia-Hua; Lin, Chun-Liang

2014-05-28

Rhythmic clock widely occurs in biological systems which controls several aspects of cell physiology. For the different cell types, it is supplied with various rhythmic frequencies. How to synthesize a specific clock signal is a preliminary but a necessary step to further development of a biological computer in the future. This paper presents a genetic sequential logic circuit with a clock pulse generator based on a synthesized genetic oscillator, which generates a consecutive clock signal whose frequency is an inverse integer multiple to that of the genetic oscillator. An analogous electronic waveform-shaping circuit is constructed by a series of genetic buffers to shape logic high/low levels of an oscillation input in a basic sinusoidal cycle and generate a pulse-width-modulated (PWM) output with various duty cycles. By controlling the threshold level of the genetic buffer, a genetic clock pulse signal with its frequency consistent to the genetic oscillator is synthesized. A synchronous genetic counter circuit based on the topology of the digital sequential logic circuit is triggered by the clock pulse to synthesize the clock signal with an inverse multiple frequency to the genetic oscillator. The function acts like a frequency divider in electronic circuits which plays a key role in the sequential logic circuit with specific operational frequency. A cascaded genetic logic circuit generating clock pulse signals is proposed. Based on analogous implement of digital sequential logic circuits, genetic sequential logic circuits can be constructed by the proposed approach to generate various clock signals from an oscillation signal.

Occupational balance: exploring the relationships among daily occupations and their influence on well-being.

Science.gov (United States)

Backman, Catherine L

2004-10-01

In this lecture, I have reviewed theoretical discussions and definitions of occupational balance, findings from selected studies, and highlighted some methods for measuring aspects of occupational balance. Are any of these ideas directly applicable to occupational therapy practice, education and research? Consider the hassles of everyday life, and add the complicating factors of illness, injury, disability, and limited income. Life, and the pursuit of necessary, desirable and obligatory occupations, can become overwhelming. Given that occupational therapists aim to enable individuals, regardless of ability, to successfully engage in a range of occupations, the answer to the question is yes. Furthering our understanding of occupational balance can improve our ability to serve individual clients and society. In 2001, Fearing stated in her Muriel Driver Memorial Lecture: We will not only recognize and value the skill of maintaining balance, our own and that of our clients, but we will live it. Balance will not be viewed as a set of scales that has equal parts such as work on one side and play on the other but rather the kind of balance that comes from being centred so that we act from a stable base. From that stable base, we will gain a keen sensitivity to rhythm--knowing when to move and when to let go. (Fearing, 2001 pp. 214-215) Perhaps these reflections have added a little coherence to the study of occupational balance. Occupational balance is a relative state, recognizable by a happy or pleasant integration of life activities and demands. There are indicators of imbalance, more so than tangible ways to measure it, and once recognized occupational therapists have the strategies to help restore a sense of occupational balance. Given our collective history and skill in client-centred practice, occupational therapists are capable of both advancing this line of inquiry and attaining occupational balance for ourselves and our clients.

A client-centred, occupation-based occupational therapy programme for adults with psychiatric diagnoses.

Science.gov (United States)

Schindler, Victoria P

2010-09-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a client-centred, occupation-based occupational therapy programme for individuals with psychiatric diagnoses. The study took place in a college campus. A pre-test/post-test design was used. There were 38 participants which included college students and community members who desired to attend college, work and/or address life skill goals. The Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) was used as a pre- and post-test measure. Goals were based on problems identified in the COPM, reflected academic, vocational, life skill, and leisure goals, and were systematically addressed weekly through activities developed by the participant and a graduate occupational therapy student who acted as a mentor. The Participant Overall Satisfaction Scale was completed by each participant. A case study was used to describe the programme in more depth. The results support that the client-centred, occupation-based occupational therapy programme increased client scores on satisfaction and performance of occupational performance problems identified on the COPM. Further research is recommended to explore how client-centred occupational therapy programmes can be effective in improving academic, vocational and life skill goals. Copyright 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Sequential weak continuity of null Lagrangians at the boundary

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Kalamajska, A.; Kraemer, S.; Kružík, Martin

2014-01-01

Roč. 49, 3/4 (2014), s. 1263-1278 ISSN 0944-2669 R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP201/10/0357 Institutional support: RVO:67985556 Keywords : null Lagrangians * nonhomogeneous nonlinear mappings * sequential weak/in measure continuity Subject RIV: BA - General Mathematics Impact factor: 1.518, year: 2014 http://library.utia.cas.cz/separaty/2013/MTR/kruzik-sequential weak continuity of null lagrangians at the boundary.pdf

Absence from work due to occupational and non-occupational accidents.

Science.gov (United States)

Jørgensen, Kirsten; Laursen, Bjarne

2013-02-01

The aim of the present study was to investigate absence from work in Denmark due to occupational and non-occupational accidents. Since the beginning of the last decade, political focus has been placed on the population's working capacity and the scope of absence due to illness. Absence from work is estimated at between 3% and 6% of working hours in the EU and costs are estimated at approximately 2.5% of GNP. Victims of accidents treated at two emergency departments were interviewed regarding absence for the injured, the family and others. All answers were linked to the hospital information on the injury, so that it was possible to examine the relation between absence and injury type, and cause of the accident. In total, 1,479 injured persons were interviewed. 36% of these reported absence from work by themselves or others. In mean, an injury caused 3.21 days of absence. Based on this the total absence due to injuries in Denmark was estimated to 1,822,000 workdays, corresponding to approximately 6% of the total absence from work due to all types of illness. Non-occupational injuries resulted in more absence than did occupational injuries. Absence due to accidents contributed to a considerable part of the total absence from work, and non-occupational accidents caused more absence than did occupational accidents.

Office Machine and Computer Occupations. Reprinted from the Occupational Outlook Handbook, 1978-79 Edition.

Science.gov (United States)

Bureau of Labor Statistics (DOL), Washington, DC.

Focusing on office machine and computer occupations, this document is one in a series of forty-one reprints from the Occupational Outlook Handbook providing current information and employment projections for individual occupations and industries through 1985. The specific occupations covered in this document include business machine repairers,…

Air and Water Transportation Occupations. Reprinted from the Occupational Outlook Handbook, 1978-79 Edition.

Science.gov (United States)

Bureau of Labor Statistics (DOL), Washington, DC.

Focusing on air and water transportation occupations, this document is one in a series of forty-one reprints from the Occupational Outlook Handbook providing current information and employment projections for individual occupations and industries through 1985. The specific occupations covered in this document include civil aviation workers, air…

Transitioning From Occupational Therapy Student To Practicing Occupational Therapist: First Year of Employment.

Science.gov (United States)

McCombie, Randy P; Antanavage, Meredith E

2017-04-01

This research examined the transition from occupational therapy student to practicing occupational therapist over the course of one's first year of professional employment, as recalled by a sample of occupational therapists. Surveys were mailed to 500 occupational therapists randomly selected from membership in the American Occupational Therapy Association resulting in 202 returned surveys. Median year of graduation was 1998, ranging from 1967 to 2014. In general, respondents indicated the transition was positive. Having a mentor was related to high job satisfaction and good clinical fit, while supervising an occupational therapy assistant and low self-confidence were viewed as negative impact factors. Recent graduates presented with lower ratings of a positive transition and higher ratings of likelihood of experiencing burnout and initial job stress than earlier graduates. Recommendations for improving the transition experience are presented.

Fusion of Haptic and Gesture Sensors for Rehabilitation of Bimanual Coordination and Dexterous Manipulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Ningbo; Xu, Chang; Li, Huanshuai; Wang, Kui; Wang, Liancheng; Liu, Jingtai

2016-03-18

Disabilities after neural injury, such as stroke, bring tremendous burden to patients, families and society. Besides the conventional constrained-induced training with a paretic arm, bilateral rehabilitation training involves both the ipsilateral and contralateral sides of the neural injury, fitting well with the fact that both arms are needed in common activities of daily living (ADLs), and can promote good functional recovery. In this work, the fusion of a gesture sensor and a haptic sensor with force feedback capabilities has enabled a bilateral rehabilitation training therapy. The Leap Motion gesture sensor detects the motion of the healthy hand, and the omega.7 device can detect and assist the paretic hand, according to the designed cooperative task paradigm, as much as needed, with active force feedback to accomplish the manipulation task. A virtual scenario has been built up, and the motion and force data facilitate instantaneous visual and audio feedback, as well as further analysis of the functional capabilities of the patient. This task-oriented bimanual training paradigm recruits the sensory, motor and cognitive aspects of the patient into one loop, encourages the active involvement of the patients into rehabilitation training, strengthens the cooperation of both the healthy and impaired hands, challenges the dexterous manipulation capability of the paretic hand, suits easy of use at home or centralized institutions and, thus, promises effective potentials for rehabilitation training.

Fusion of Haptic and Gesture Sensors for Rehabilitation of Bimanual Coordination and Dexterous Manipulation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ningbo Yu

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Disabilities after neural injury, such as stroke, bring tremendous burden to patients, families and society. Besides the conventional constrained-induced training with a paretic arm, bilateral rehabilitation training involves both the ipsilateral and contralateral sides of the neural injury, fitting well with the fact that both arms are needed in common activities of daily living (ADLs, and can promote good functional recovery. In this work, the fusion of a gesture sensor and a haptic sensor with force feedback capabilities has enabled a bilateral rehabilitation training therapy. The Leap Motion gesture sensor detects the motion of the healthy hand, and the omega.7 device can detect and assist the paretic hand, according to the designed cooperative task paradigm, as much as needed, with active force feedback to accomplish the manipulation task. A virtual scenario has been built up, and the motion and force data facilitate instantaneous visual and audio feedback, as well as further analysis of the functional capabilities of the patient. This task-oriented bimanual training paradigm recruits the sensory, motor and cognitive aspects of the patient into one loop, encourages the active involvement of the patients into rehabilitation training, strengthens the cooperation of both the healthy and impaired hands, challenges the dexterous manipulation capability of the paretic hand, suits easy of use at home or centralized institutions and, thus, promises effective potentials for rehabilitation training.

OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE AND COPD

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Würtz, Else Toft

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a common disease. The main risk factor is smoking although 15% of the COPD cases are expected to be preventable if the occupational exposures from vapour, gas, dust, and fume were eliminated; the population attributable fraction (PAF). The thesis...... addresses the association between occupational exposure and COPD in a population-based cohort of Danes aged 45-84-years. 4717 participants were included at baseline and 2624 at the four year follow-up. COPD was defined by spirometry and the occupational exposure was based on specialist defined jobs...... and questionnaires. The main occupational exposure was organic dust and 49% reported no lifetime occupational exposure. The results suggest occupational exposures to be associated to COPD also in never smokers and women. We found an exposure-response relation in the cross sectional analyses. The results...

Sequential and simultaneous SLAR block adjustment. [spline function analysis for mapping

Science.gov (United States)

Leberl, F.

1975-01-01

Two sequential methods of planimetric SLAR (Side Looking Airborne Radar) block adjustment, with and without splines, and three simultaneous methods based on the principles of least squares are evaluated. A limited experiment with simulated SLAR images indicates that sequential block formation with splines followed by external interpolative adjustment is superior to the simultaneous methods such as planimetric block adjustment with similarity transformations. The use of the sequential block formation is recommended, since it represents an inexpensive tool for satisfactory point determination from SLAR images.

Occupational Health in Mountainous Kyrgyzstan.

Science.gov (United States)

Dzhusupov, Kenesh O; Colosio, Claudio; Tabibi, Ramin; Sulaimanova, Cholpon T

2015-01-01

In the period of transition from a centralized economy to the market economy, occupational health services in Kyrgyzstan have survived through dramatic, detrimental changes. It is common for occupational health regulations to be ignored and for basic occupational health services across many industrial enterprises and farms to be neglected. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the present situation and challenges facing occupational health services in Kyrgyzstan. The transition from centralized to the market economy in Kyrgyzstan has led to increased layoffs of workers and unemployment. These threats are followed by increased workload, and the health and safety of workers becomes of little concern. Private employers ignore occupational health and safety; consequently, there is under-reporting of occupational diseases and accidents. The majority of enterprises, especially those of small or medium size, are unsanitary, and the health status of workers remains largely unknown. The low official rates of occupational diseases are the result of data being deliberately hidden; lack of coverage of working personnel by medical checkups; incompetent management; and the poor quality of staff, facilities, and equipment. Because Kyrgyzstan is a mountainous country, the main environmental and occupational factor of enterprises is hypoxia. Occupational health specialists have greatly contributed to the development of occupational medicine in the mountains through science and practice. The enforcement of existing strong occupational health legislation and increased financing of occupational health services are needed. The maintenance of credible health monitoring and effective health services for workers, re-establishment of medical services and sanitary-hygienic laboratories in industrial enterprises, and support for scientific investigations on occupational risk assessment will increase the role of occupational health services in improving the health of the working population

Playing Piano Can Improve Upper Extremity Function after Stroke: Case Studies

OpenAIRE

Villeneuve, Myriam; Lamontagne, Anouk

2013-01-01

Music-supported therapy (MST) is an innovative approach that was shown to improve manual dexterity in acute stroke survivors. The feasibility of such intervention in chronic stroke survivors and its longer-term benefits, however, remain unknown. The objective of this pilot study was to estimate the short- and long-term effects of a 3-week piano training program on upper extremity function in persons with chronic stroke. A multiple pre-post sequential design was used, with measurements taken a...

[Organization of occupational therapeutic service, dynamics and structure of occupational morbidity in Krasnoyarsk area].

Science.gov (United States)

Tereshchenko, Iu A; Zakharinskaia, O N

2010-01-01

The authors present organizational and functional structure of occupational therapeutic service in Krasnoyarsk area, major functional divisions of the territorial occupational therapeutic center and their activities. The article covers analysis of changes in levels and structure of occupational morbidity, defines main ways to optimize occupational therapeutic service for the territorial workers.

[Occupational health and safety management systems: scenarios and perspectives for occupational physicians].

Science.gov (United States)

Santantonio, P; Casciani, M; Bartolucci, G B

2008-01-01

This paper analyzes the role of the occupational physicians, taking into account the new Italian legislation within the frame of CSR, that puts in a new light the physicians inside the Organizations. In this context, Occupational Medicine and Workplace Health Promotion play a central role in most of the items of the Occupational Health and safety management systems, from H&S politics to training, from First Aid to audit and revision systems. From this innovative perspective, the authors try to identify the occupational physician's new challenges and opportunities.

Sequential Extraction Versus Comprehensive Characterization of Heavy Metal Species in Brownfield Soils

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dahlin, Cheryl L.; Williamson, Connie A.; Collins, W. Keith; Dahlin, David C.

2002-06-01

The applicability of sequential extraction as a means to determine species of heavy-metals was examined by a study on soil samples from two Superfund sites: the National Lead Company site in Pedricktown, NJ, and the Roebling Steel, Inc., site in Florence, NJ. Data from a standard sequential extraction procedure were compared to those from a comprehensive study that combined optical- and scanning-electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and chemical analyses. The study shows that larger particles of contaminants, encapsulated contaminants, and/or man-made materials such as slags, coke, metals, and plastics are subject to incasement, non-selectivity, and redistribution in the sequential extraction process. The results indicate that standard sequential extraction procedures that were developed for characterizing species of contaminants in river sediments may be unsuitable for stand-alone determinative evaluations of contaminant species in industrial-site materials. However, if employed as part of a comprehensive, site-specific characterization study, sequential extraction could be a very useful tool.

Imitation of the sequential structure of actions by chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes).

Science.gov (United States)

Whiten, A

1998-09-01

Imitation was studied experimentally by allowing chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) to observe alternative patterns of actions for opening a specially designed "artificial fruit." Like problematic foods primates deal with naturally, with the test fruit several defenses had to be removed to gain access to an edible core, but the sequential order and method of defense removal could be systematically varied. Each subject repeatedly observed 1 of 2 alternative techniques for removing each defense and 1 of 2 alternative sequential patterns of defense removal. Imitation of sequential organization emerged after repeated cycles of demonstration and attempts at opening the fruit. Imitation in chimpanzees may thus have some power to produce cultural convergence, counter to the supposition that individual learning processes corrupt copied actions. Imitation of sequential organization was accompanied by imitation of some aspects of the techniques that made up the sequence.

Occupational Therapy Practitioners with Occupational Musculoskeletal Injuries: Prevalence and Risk Factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Alnaser, Musaed Z

2015-12-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence and risk factors of occupational musculoskeletal injuries (OMIs) among occupational therapy practitioners over a 12-month period. A self-administered questionnaire mailed to 500 randomly selected practicing occupational therapists (OTs) and occupational therapy assistants (OTAs) living in the state of Texas. A response rate of 38 % was attained with 192 questionnaires returned. In a 12-months working period, 23 % of occupational therapy practitioners experienced musculoskeletal injuries. Muscle strain (52 %) was most reported injury and lower back (32 %) was most injured body part. Years of practicing experience (t = 2.83, p = 0.01), and age x(2)(2, N = 192) = 8.28, p = 0.02 were found as significant factors associated with injuries among OTAs. No factors were significantly associated with injuries among OTs. Patient handling was the primary factor associated with injuries. Also, minimal experience and older age were concluded as risk factors that might contribute to OMIs.

Cardiovascular conditions, hearing difficulty, and occupational noise exposure within US industries and occupations.

Science.gov (United States)

Kerns, Ellen; Masterson, Elizabeth A; Themann, Christa L; Calvert, Geoffrey M

2018-03-14

The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence of occupational noise exposure, hearing difficulty and cardiovascular conditions within US industries and occupations, and to examine any associations of these outcomes with occupational noise exposure. National Health Interview Survey data from 2014 were examined. Weighted prevalence and adjusted prevalence ratios of self-reported hearing difficulty, hypertension, elevated cholesterol, and coronary heart disease or stroke were estimated by level of occupational noise exposure, industry, and occupation. Twenty-five percent of current workers had a history of occupational noise exposure (14% exposed in the last year), 12% had hearing difficulty, 24% had hypertension, 28% had elevated cholesterol; 58%, 14%, and 9% of these cases can be attributed to occupational noise exposure, respectively. Hypertension, elevated cholesterol, and hearing difficulty are more prevalent among noise-exposed workers. Reducing workplace noise levels is critical. Workplace-based health and wellness programs should also be considered. Published 2018. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

An examination of compensation effects in accelerometer-measured occupational and non-occupational physical activity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jennifer L. Gay

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Self-report data suggests a large proportion of total physical activity (PA occurs at work. However, adults with higher levels of occupational PA may compensate by engaging in less non-occupational PA. The study aims were to 1 estimate the intensity, volume, and duration of PA in American adults that occurs at work, and 2 determine if those more active at work are less active outside of work. A cross-sectional sample of full-time employed adults (N=510 was recruited from Georgia city and county governments in 2013–2015. Participants wore an Actigraph GT3X+ accelerometer for two weeks. In 2016, for 442 participants with complete data including work schedules and self-reported job titles, accelerometer wear minutes were classified as either occupational or non-occupational, and as sedentary, LPA (light-intensity PA, or MVPA (moderate-to-vigorous intensity PA. The proportion of daily PA that occurred during work was 41.2% for total PA, 41.0% for LPA, and 39.5% for MVPA. Higher levels of occupational LPA were associated with lower levels of non-occupational LPA (r=−0.38, P<0.0001. However, higher levels of occupational MVPA were associated with higher levels of non-occupational MVPA (r=0.17, P<0.0001. These associations remained significant in a MANOVA adjusting for labor sector and other covariates. On average, employed adults get more LPA and MVPA outside of work. Adults who do more occupational MVPA do not compensate by doing less non-occupational MVPA. In contrast, adults who do more occupational LPA do compensate by doing less non-occupational LPA. Evaluations of interventions to reduce sedentary behavior should be designed to detect compensation effects. Keywords: Intensity, Work, Accelerometer

Embracing Creativity in Occupational Therapy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lydia Royeen, MOT, OTR/L

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Jen Gash, an occupational therapist and creativity coach living in the UK, provided the cover art for the winter 2015 issue of The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy. The picture is titled “Over the Exe.” Jen uses her inspiration of the Kawa River model in this painting. The painting is of her husband and daughter standing where the river meets the sea. This is a metaphoric representation of rejoining the greater collective. In addition, Jen has a passion for occupational therapists to encompass creativity. A core aspect of occupational therapy is the multi-dimensional concept of occupations; it allows for occupational therapists to incorporate creativity into daily practice. Jen’s goal is for occupational therapy to embrace its creative theoretical roots.

Sequential determination of important ecotoxic radionuclides in nuclear waste samples

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bilohuscin, J.

2016-01-01

In the dissertation thesis we focused on the development and optimization of a sequential determination method for radionuclides 93 Zr, 94 Nb, 99 Tc and 126 Sn, employing extraction chromatography sorbents TEVA (R) Resin and Anion Exchange Resin, supplied by Eichrom Industries. Prior to the attestation of sequential separation of these proposed radionuclides from radioactive waste samples, a unique sequential procedure of 90 Sr, 239 Pu, 241 Am separation from urine matrices was tried, using molecular recognition sorbents of AnaLig (R) series and extraction chromatography sorbent DGA (R) Resin. On these experiments, four various sorbents were continually used for separation, including PreFilter Resin sorbent, which removes interfering organic materials present in raw urine. After the acquisition of positive results of this sequential procedure followed experiments with a 126 Sn separation using TEVA (R) Resin and Anion Exchange Resin sorbents. Radiochemical recoveries obtained from samples of radioactive evaporate concentrates and sludge showed high efficiency of the separation, while values of 126 Sn were under the minimum detectable activities MDA. Activity of 126 Sn was determined after ingrowth of daughter nuclide 126m Sb on HPGe gamma detector, with minimal contamination of gamma interfering radionuclides with decontamination factors (D f ) higher then 1400 for 60 Co and 47000 for 137 Cs. Based on the acquired experiments and results of these separation procedures, a complex method of sequential separation of 93 Zr, 94 Nb, 99 Tc and 126 Sn was proposed, which included optimization steps similar to those used in previous parts of the dissertation work. Application of the sequential separation method for sorbents TEVA (R) Resin and Anion Exchange Resin on real samples of radioactive wastes provided satisfactory results and an economical, time sparing, efficient method. (author)

A solution for automatic parallelization of sequential assembly code

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kovačević Đorđe

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Since modern multicore processors can execute existing sequential programs only on a single core, there is a strong need for automatic parallelization of program code. Relying on existing algorithms, this paper describes one new software solution tool for parallelization of sequential assembly code. The main goal of this paper is to develop the parallelizator which reads sequential assembler code and at the output provides parallelized code for MIPS processor with multiple cores. The idea is the following: the parser translates assembler input file to program objects suitable for further processing. After that the static single assignment is done. Based on the data flow graph, the parallelization algorithm separates instructions on different cores. Once sequential code is parallelized by the parallelization algorithm, registers are allocated with the algorithm for linear allocation, and the result at the end of the program is distributed assembler code on each of the cores. In the paper we evaluate the speedup of the matrix multiplication example, which was processed by the parallelizator of assembly code. The result is almost linear speedup of code execution, which increases with the number of cores. The speed up on the two cores is 1.99, while on 16 cores the speed up is 13.88.

Occupational deprivation in an asylum centre:

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Morville, Anne-Le; Erlandsson, Lena-Karin

2013-01-01

This article presents a study of three asylum-seeking men from Iran and Afghanistan. It aimed to explore how and if they experienced occupations as occupations in a Danish asylum centre and how their life experience shaped their choice and value of current occupations. In-depth narrative interviews...... explored the participants’ occupational history and its influence on their occupations in the asylum centre. A thematic analysis showed that the participants had been subjected to occupational disruption and deprivation by politically oppressive systems even before their flight. Their occupations...... in Denmark were to a certain extent influenced by their earlier occupations and the current occupational deprivation they all experienced was due to limited possibilities in the centre. Although they tried their best to fill their days and create structure, there was a loss of valued occupations...

BURNOUT AND OCCUPATIONAL PARTICIPATION

Science.gov (United States)

Eren, Hakan; Huri, Meral; Bağış, Nilsun; Başıbüyük, Onur; Şahin, Sedef; Umaroğlu, Mutlu; Orhan, Kaan

2016-11-01

The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of burnout and occupational participation limitation among dental students in a dental school in Turkey. Four hundred fifty-eight dental students (females=153; males=305) were included in the study. The age range varied from 17-to-38 years. Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Version (MBI-SV) and Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) were used to gather data. Descriptive analyses, t-test, and Kruskall-Wallis test for independent groups were used for data analyses. The results indicated that 26% of all the students have burnout in terms of emotional exhaustion (25%), cynicism (18%), and academic efficacy (14%). The results showed that burnout is statistically significant in relation to demographics (pstudents showed considerably decreased occupational performance and satisfaction scores, which suggested occupational participation limitations. Occupational performance and satisfaction scores were inversely correlated with emotional exhaustion and cynicism, while directly correlated with reduced academic efficacy (pburnout and occupational participation limitation can be seen among dental students. Students with burnout may also have occupational participation limitation. Enriching dental education programs with different psychological strategies may be useful for education of healthy dentists and improve the quality of oral and dental health services.

Documentscape: Intertextuality, Sequentiality & Autonomy at Work

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Lars Rune; Bjørn, Pernille

2014-01-01

On the basis of an ethnographic field study, this article introduces the concept of documentscape to the analysis of document-centric work practices. The concept of documentscape refers to the entire ensemble of documents in their mutual intertextual interlocking. Providing empirical data from...... a global software development case, we show how hierarchical structures and sequentiality across the interlocked documents are critical to how actors make sense of the work of others and what to do next in a geographically distributed setting. Furthermore, we found that while each document is created...... as part of a quasi-sequential order, this characteristic does not make the document, as a single entity, into a stable object. Instead, we found that the documents were malleable and dynamic while suspended in intertextual structures. Our concept of documentscape points to how the hierarchical structure...

Human rights in occupational therapy education: A step towards a more occupationally just global society.

Science.gov (United States)

Crawford, Emma; Aplin, Tammy; Rodger, Sylvia

2017-04-01

Education on human rights will place occupational therapists in a strong position to address societal inequities that limit occupational engagement for many client groups. The imminent changes to the Minimum Standard for the Education of Occupational Therapists engender efforts towards social change and will require university-level human rights education. This education might enhance the profession's influence on disadvantaging social structures in order to effect social change. To contribute to the evidence base for social change education in occupational therapy, this research aims to understand the knowledge, skills, confidence and learning experiences of occupational therapy students who completed a human rights course. Final year occupational therapy students responded to questionnaires which included listing human rights, a human rights scale measuring knowledge and confidence for working towards human rights, and open questions. Numbers of rights listed, knowledge scores and confidence scores were calculated. Responses to the open questions were thematically analysed. After completing a human rights course, students had good knowledge and moderate confidence to work with human rights. Three themes were identified including 'learning about human rights', 'learning about structural, societal and global perspectives on occupational engagement' and 'learning how occupational therapists can work with groups, communities and populations: becoming articulate and empowered'. Human rights education fosters the development of occupational therapists who are skilled, knowledgeable, confident and empowered to address occupational injustices, according to these research findings. To develop a more occupationally just global society, education that considers iniquitous social structures and human rights is necessary. © 2016 Occupational Therapy Australia.

Occupational health in Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Bedrikow, B; Algranti, E; Buschinelli, J T; Morrone, L C

1997-01-01

Brazil is a recently industrialised country with marked contrasts in social and economic development. The availability of public/private services in its different regions also varies. Health indicators follow these trends. Occupational health is a vast new field, as in other developing countries. Occupational medicine is a required subject in graduation courses for physicians. Specialisation courses for university graduated professionals have more than 700 hours of lectures and train occupational health physicians, safety engineers and nursing staff. At the technical level, there are courses with up to 1300 hours for the training of safety inspectors. Until 1986 about 19,000 occupational health physicians, 18,000 safety engineers and 51,000 safety inspectors had been officially registered. Although in its infancy, postgraduation has attracted professionals at university level, through residence programmes as well as masters and doctors degrees, whereby at least a hundred good-quality research studies have been produced so far. Occupational health activities are controlled by law. Undertakings with higher risks and larger number of employees are required to hire specialised technical staff. In 1995 the Ministry of Labour demanded programmes of medical control of occupational health (PCMSO) for every worker as well as a programme of prevention of environmental hazards (PPRA). This was considered as a positive measure for the improvement of working conditions and health at work. Physicians specialising in occupational medicine are the professionals more often hired by the enterprises. Reference centres (CRSTs) for workers' health are connected to the State or City Health Secretariat primary health care units. They exist in more populated areas and are accepted by workers as the best way to accomplish the diagnosis of occupational diseases. There is important participation by the trade unions in the management of these reference centres. For 30 years now employers

77 FR 27776 - Safety and Occupational Health Study Section (SOHSS), National Institute for Occupational Safety...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-05-11

... Occupational Health Study Section (SOHSS), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) In... Services Office, CDC, pursuant to Public Law 92-463. Purpose: The Safety and Occupational Health Study... standard grants review and funding cycles pertaining to research issues in occupational safety and health...

76 FR 18220 - Safety and Occupational Health Study Section (SOHSS), National Institute for Occupational Safety...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-04-01

... Occupational Health Study Section (SOHSS), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) In... Services Office, CDC, pursuant to Public Law 92-463. Purpose: The Safety and Occupational Health Study... standard grants review and funding cycles pertaining to research issues in occupational safety and health...

“Putting the Occupation Back in Occupational Therapy:” A Survey of Occupational Therapy Practitioners’ Use of Gardening as an Intervention

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amy Wagenfeld

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Background. This study examines how and why occupational therapy practitioners across practice areas use gardening as an intervention. Respondents’ interpretation of the best and least desirable aspects of their facility’s garden and whether they contributed to its design was also examined. Method. A description and link to a 15-question online survey about gardening as an occupational therapy intervention was emailed to Western Michigan University Occupational Therapy alumni and posted on four OT Connections groups and the AOTA LinkedIn site. Results. Gardening as an occupational therapy intervention is meaningful and purposeful (93.66%, n = 56, motivating (80%, n = 48, fun 61.67% (n = 37, and client-centered (31.67%, n =19. Frequency of gardening as a therapeutic intervention and practitioner involvement in designing the garden was significant (p = .007, suggesting that for respondents, environmental context supports engagement and heightens the meaningfulness and purposefulness of gardening. Conclusion. Based on results of this study, a suggested next step is evidence-based translational and intervention research to validate the efficacy of gardening as an occupational therapy intervention and occupational therapy practitioners’ professional value as implementers of such intervention. Assessing the effectiveness of the role of occupational therapy practitioners in facility garden design is also important to consider.

Sequential series for nuclear reactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Izumo, Ko

1975-01-01

A new time-dependent treatment of nuclear reactions is given, in which the wave function of compound nucleus is expanded by a sequential series of the reaction processes. The wave functions of the sequential series form another complete set of compound nucleus at the limit Δt→0. It is pointed out that the wave function is characterized by the quantities: the number of degrees of freedom of motion n, the period of the motion (Poincare cycle) tsub(n), the delay time t sub(nμ) and the relaxation time tausub(n) to the equilibrium of compound nucleus, instead of the usual quantum number lambda, the energy eigenvalue Esub(lambda) and the total width GAMMAsub(lambda) of resonance levels, respectively. The transition matrix elements and the yields of nuclear reactions also become the functions of time given by the Fourier transform of the usual ones. The Poincare cycles of compound nuclei are compared with the observed correlations among resonance levels, which are about 10 -17 --10 -16 sec for medium and heavy nuclei and about 10 -20 sec for the intermediate resonances. (auth.)

Compliance & dexterity, factors to consider in home care and maintenance procedures Adherencia e destreza: factores a considerar en programas preventivos

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Victoria Criado

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Mechanical plaque control appears to be the primary means of controlling supragingival dental plaque build-up. Although daily oral hygiene practices and periodic professional care are considered the basis for any program aimed at the prevention and treatment of oral diseases, these procedures are technically demanding, time consuming and can be affected by the compliance and manual dexterity of the patient. Individual skills and acquired behavior patterns determine effectiveness of a preventive program and oral hygiene practice. Successful preventive programs and home care procedures clearly depend on the interaction and commitment between the dental professional and the patient. Identifying the capacity of the individual to comply with the professional recommendations and evaluating the dexterity of the patient to remove supragingival dental plaque will permit the implementation of an adequate preventive program and can help on the selection of adjunctive antimicrobial agents and devices needed to reach an effective oral care routine.El control de la placa dental parece ser el mecanismo primario para controlar el crecimiento de la placa dental supragingival. Aunque la práctica diaria de la higiene bucal y el cuidado profesional periódico, son considerados la base para cualquier programa dirigido a la prevención y tratamiento de las enfermedades de la cavidad bucal, estos procedimientos son técnicamente exigentes, consumen tiempo y pueden ser afectados por la aceptación y la destreza manual del paciente. Las destrezas individuales y los patrones de comportamiento adquiridos, determinan la efectividad de un programa preventivo y la práctica de la higiene bucal. El éxito de los programas preventivos y los procedimientos del cuidado bucal en el hogar dependen claramente de la interacción y compromiso entre el odontólogo y el paciente. La importancia de identificar la capacidad del individuo para cumplir con las recomendaciones y la

A node linkage approach for sequential pattern mining.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Osvaldo Navarro

Full Text Available Sequential Pattern Mining is a widely addressed problem in data mining, with applications such as analyzing Web usage, examining purchase behavior, and text mining, among others. Nevertheless, with the dramatic increase in data volume, the current approaches prove inefficient when dealing with large input datasets, a large number of different symbols and low minimum supports. In this paper, we propose a new sequential pattern mining algorithm, which follows a pattern-growth scheme to discover sequential patterns. Unlike most pattern growth algorithms, our approach does not build a data structure to represent the input dataset, but instead accesses the required sequences through pseudo-projection databases, achieving better runtime and reducing memory requirements. Our algorithm traverses the search space in a depth-first fashion and only preserves in memory a pattern node linkage and the pseudo-projections required for the branch being explored at the time. Experimental results show that our new approach, the Node Linkage Depth-First Traversal algorithm (NLDFT, has better performance and scalability in comparison with state of the art algorithms.

Sequential Change-Point Detection via Online Convex Optimization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yang Cao

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Sequential change-point detection when the distribution parameters are unknown is a fundamental problem in statistics and machine learning. When the post-change parameters are unknown, we consider a set of detection procedures based on sequential likelihood ratios with non-anticipating estimators constructed using online convex optimization algorithms such as online mirror descent, which provides a more versatile approach to tackling complex situations where recursive maximum likelihood estimators cannot be found. When the underlying distributions belong to a exponential family and the estimators satisfy the logarithm regret property, we show that this approach is nearly second-order asymptotically optimal. This means that the upper bound for the false alarm rate of the algorithm (measured by the average-run-length meets the lower bound asymptotically up to a log-log factor when the threshold tends to infinity. Our proof is achieved by making a connection between sequential change-point and online convex optimization and leveraging the logarithmic regret bound property of online mirror descent algorithm. Numerical and real data examples validate our theory.

Sequential decoders for large MIMO systems

KAUST Repository

Ali, Konpal S.; Abediseid, Walid; Alouini, Mohamed-Slim

2014-01-01

the Sequential Decoder using the Fano Algorithm for large MIMO systems. A parameter called the bias is varied to attain different performance-complexity trade-offs. Low values of the bias result in excellent performance but at the expense of high complexity

75 FR 26266 - Safety and Occupational Health Study Section (SOHSS), National Institute for Occupational Safety...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-05-11

... Occupational Health Study Section (SOHSS), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) In...) Public Law 92-463. Purpose: The Safety and Occupational Health Study Section will review, discuss, and... cycles pertaining to research issues in occupational safety and health, and allied areas. It is the...

Occupational hearing loss

Science.gov (United States)

... this page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/article/001048.htm Occupational hearing loss To use the sharing features on this page, please enable JavaScript. Occupational hearing loss is damage to the inner ear from noise ...

Epidemiology of occupational injuries by nationality in Qatar: Evidence for focused occupational safety programmes.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Thani, Hassan; El-Menyar, Ayman; Consunji, Rafael; Mekkodathil, Ahammed; Peralta, Ruben; Allen, Katharine A; Hyder, Adnan A

2015-09-01

Occupational injuries are the second leading cause of trauma admission in Qatar. Given the wide diversity of the country's migrant worker populations at risk, this study aimed to analyse and describe the epidemiology of these injuries based on the workers nationality residing in Qatar. A retrospective analysis of trauma registry data on occupational-related injuries was conducted. The analysis included all patients [aged ≥18 years] admitted to the Level I Hamad Trauma Center, from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2013. Out of 6555 trauma admissions, 2015 (30.7%) patients had occupational injury. The admitted Case Fatality Rate (CFR) was 4.3 per 100 occupational injury related trauma admissions. Overall non-fatal occupational injury rate was 37.34 per 100,000 workers, whereas fatal injury rate was 1.58 per 100,000 workers. Most of the workers experiencing occupational injuries were from Nepal (28%), India (20%) and Bangladesh (9%). Fatal occupational injuries were predominately among Indians (20%), Nepalese (19%), and Filipinos/Bangladeshis (both 8%). Filipinos had the highest admitted CFR at 8.2 deaths per 100 trauma admissions with the next highest being Indians and Indonesians (4.2 per 100 trauma admissions). During the study period, the incidence of severe occupational injuries decreased despite a simultaneous increase in the worker population within Qatar. Almost one in four occupational injuries was a major trauma (ISS≥16). Nepalese and Indian workers represented 29% and 18% of all major trauma cases. Non-fatal occupational injuries appear to follow a pattern distinct from fatal ones. High-risk worker populations as defined by those with high admitted CFRs, experiencing the most severe or fatal injuries, must be the focus of targeted risk factor analysis and occupational safety interventions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Occupational health services in PR China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liang Youxin; Xiang Quanyong

2004-01-01

In China, the origin of occupational health started in the mid 1950s soon after the founding of the People's Republic of China. However, more complete concept and practice of occupational health was defined after the early 1980s, when China started her full-scale drive for economic reform and policy of openness. The integrity intends to cover occupational health, occupational medicine, industrial toxicology, industrial hygiene, occupational ergonomics, and occupational psychology as theoretical and practical components of occupational health. As a result, occupational health in China has undergone many changes and has improved over the past decades. These changes and improvements came about, most likely due to a new scheme, where a holistic approach of the recognition, regulation, and provision of occupational health services in a wider coverage is gradually formed and brought into effect. This presentation provides the current status of occupational health and safety problems, the latest legislative to occupational health and safety, and a general scenario of the organizational structure and function of occupational health services in China. It attempts to share with participants both our experience and lessons learned towards creating a more open and effective channel of ideas and information sharing

Occupational lung diseases.

Science.gov (United States)

Furlow, Bryant

2011-01-01

Chest radiography and high-resolution computed tomography are indispensable tools in the detection, classification and characterization of occupational lung diseases that are caused by inhaling mineral particles such as asbestos, silicon-containing rock dust and other tissue-damaging antigens, nanomaterials and toxins. Radiographic evidence of occupational lung disease is interpreted with a patient's clinical signs and symptoms and a detailed occupational history in mind because of high variability in radiographic findings. This Directed Reading reviews the history, epidemiology, functional anatomy, pathobiology and medical diagnostic imaging of occupational lung diseases associated with inhalation of fine particulates in the workplace. This article is a Directed Reading. Your access to Directed Reading quizzes for continuing education credit is determined by your CE preference. For access to other quizzes, go to www.asrt.org/store.

Comment on: "Cell Therapy for Heart Disease: Trial Sequential Analyses of Two Cochrane Reviews"

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Castellini, Greta; Nielsen, Emil Eik; Gluud, Christian

2017-01-01

Trial Sequential Analysis is a frequentist method to help researchers control the risks of random errors in meta-analyses (1). Fisher and colleagues used Trial Sequential Analysis on cell therapy for heart diseases (2). The present article discusses the usefulness of Trial Sequential Analysis and...

Efficient sequential and parallel algorithms for record linkage.

Science.gov (United States)

Mamun, Abdullah-Al; Mi, Tian; Aseltine, Robert; Rajasekaran, Sanguthevar

2014-01-01

Integrating data from multiple sources is a crucial and challenging problem. Even though there exist numerous algorithms for record linkage or deduplication, they suffer from either large time needs or restrictions on the number of datasets that they can integrate. In this paper we report efficient sequential and parallel algorithms for record linkage which handle any number of datasets and outperform previous algorithms. Our algorithms employ hierarchical clustering algorithms as the basis. A key idea that we use is radix sorting on certain attributes to eliminate identical records before any further processing. Another novel idea is to form a graph that links similar records and find the connected components. Our sequential and parallel algorithms have been tested on a real dataset of 1,083,878 records and synthetic datasets ranging in size from 50,000 to 9,000,000 records. Our sequential algorithm runs at least two times faster, for any dataset, than the previous best-known algorithm, the two-phase algorithm using faster computation of the edit distance (TPA (FCED)). The speedups obtained by our parallel algorithm are almost linear. For example, we get a speedup of 7.5 with 8 cores (residing in a single node), 14.1 with 16 cores (residing in two nodes), and 26.4 with 32 cores (residing in four nodes). We have compared the performance of our sequential algorithm with TPA (FCED) and found that our algorithm outperforms the previous one. The accuracy is the same as that of this previous best-known algorithm.

Automatic synthesis of sequential control schemes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klein, I.

1993-01-01

Of all hard- and software developed for industrial control purposes, the majority is devoted to sequential, or binary valued, control and only a minor part to classical linear control. Typically, the sequential parts of the controller are invoked during startup and shut-down to bring the system into its normal operating region and into some safe standby region, respectively. Despite its importance, fairly little theoretical research has been devoted to this area, and sequential control programs are therefore still created manually without much theoretical support to obtain a systematic approach. We propose a method to create sequential control programs automatically. The main ideas is to spend some effort off-line modelling the plant, and from this model generate the control strategy, that is the plan. The plant is modelled using action structures, thereby concentrating on the actions instead of the states of the plant. In general the planning problem shows exponential complexity in the number of state variables. However, by focusing on the actions, we can identify problem classes as well as algorithms such that the planning complexity is reduced to polynomial complexity. We prove that these algorithms are sound, i.e., the generated solution will solve the stated problem, and complete, i.e., if the algorithms fail, then no solution exists. The algorithms generate a plan as a set of actions and a partial order on this set specifying the execution order. The generated plant is proven to be minimal and maximally parallel. For a larger class of problems we propose a method to split the original problem into a number of simple problems that can each be solved using one of the presented algorithms. It is also shown how a plan can be translated into a GRAFCET chart, and to illustrate these ideas we have implemented a planing tool, i.e., a system that is able to automatically create control schemes. Such a tool can of course also be used on-line if it is fast enough. This

Relationships of occupational and non-occupational physical activity to abdominal obesity.

Science.gov (United States)

Steeves, J A; Bassett, D R; Thompson, D L; Fitzhugh, E C

2012-01-01

Physically active occupations may protect against the risk of abdominal obesity. This study assessed the interaction between non-occupational physical activity (NOA) (leisure-time, transport and domestic activity) and occupational activity (OA) in relation to abdominal obesity. A total of 3539 adults over the age of 20, with no work limitations, employed in one of the 17 occupations classified as low OA (LOA) or high OA (HOA) were identified in the 1999-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Waist circumference (WC) was used to categorize individuals into either non-obese or abdominally obese (WC>88 cm in women and >102 cm in men) categories. NOA was divided into three categories based upon physical activity guidelines: (1) no NOA; (2) insufficient NOA; and (3) sufficient NOA. Logistic regression was used to examine possible associations between NOA, OA and abdominal obesity. In those who are sedentary outside of work, a high-activity occupation reduces the odds risk ratio of being categorized with abdominal obesity to 0.37 in comparison with those who work in low-activity occupations. For people working in low-activity occupations, there was a clear association with activity outside of work and the odds risk ratio of being categorized with abdominal obesity. In these adults, a reduced odds ratio was found only among those who met the physical activity guidelines through NOA (odds ratio=0.55; 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.40-0.75). HOA is associated with a reduced risk of abdominal obesity. Thus, it is important to include OA in studies seeking to understand the association between physical activity and abdominal adiposity.

Impact of occupational stress on stroke across occupational classes and genders.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsutsumi, Akizumi; Kayaba, Kazunori; Ishikawa, Shizukiyo

2011-05-01

The aims of the present study were to analyze the association between incident stroke, occupational class and stress and to examine whether the association is found in both men and women in a prospective study of Japanese male and female workers. A total of 3190 male and 3363 female Japanese community-dwelling workers aged 65 or under with no history of cardiovascular disease were followed. Occupational stress was evaluated using a demand-control questionnaire. The impact on stroke was examined in stratified analyses of occupational classes. We identified 147 incident strokes (91 in men and 56 in women) during the 11-year follow-up period. Men with high strain jobs (combination of high job demand and low job control) were nearly three times more likely to suffer from a stroke than men with low strain jobs (combination of low job demand and high job control). Among male workers in low occupational classes (blue-collar and non-managerial work), job strain was associated with a higher risk of stroke. In contrast, there was no association between job strain and incident stroke among male workers in high occupational classes (white-collar and managerial work). No statistically significant differences were found for stroke incidence among the job characteristic categories in all the female participants. However, significant, over five-fold excess risks were found among white-collar and managerial female workers exposed to high job strain, compared with their counterparts with low strain jobs. Our study of Japanese workers provided supportive evidence for vulnerability to occupational stress among lower occupational class workers in males but not in females. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fault detection in multiply-redundant measurement systems via sequential testing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ray, A.

1988-01-01

The theory and application of a sequential test procedure for fault detection and isolation. The test procedure is suited for development of intelligent instrumentation in strategic processes like aircraft and nuclear plants where redundant measurements are usually available for individual critical variables. The test procedure consists of: (1) a generic redundancy management procedure which is essentially independent of the fault detection strategy and measurement noise statistics, and (2) a modified version of sequential probability ratio test algorithm for fault detection and isolation, which functions within the framework of this redundancy management procedure. The sequential test procedure is suitable for real-time applications using commercially available microcomputers and its efficacy has been verified by online fault detection in an operating nuclear reactor. 15 references

Graphic Communications. Occupational Competency Analysis Profile.

Science.gov (United States)

Ohio State Univ., Columbus. Vocational Instructional Materials Lab.

This Occupational Competency Analysis Profile (OCAP), which is one of a series of OCAPs developed to identify the skills that Ohio employers deem necessary to entering a given occupation/occupational area, lists the occupational, academic, and employability skills required of individuals entering graphic communications occupations. The…

Occupational stress among dentists

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Moore, Rod

2011-01-01

Dentists report a high degree of occupational stress.(Cooper, Mallinger, and Kahn, 1978;Coster, Carstens, and Harris, 1987;DiMatteo, Shugars, and Hays, 1993;Hakeberg et al., 1992;Möller and Spangenberg, 1996;Moore, 2000;Myers and Myers, 2004;O'Shea, Corah, and Ayer, 1984) This chapter reviews...... the literature of studies that elaborate on the circumstances of occupational stress of dentists. These will include the frequency of occurrence of occupational stress among dentists in several countries, frequency and intensity of identified stressors specific to dentistry, as well as the consequences...... of this occupational stress. The literature on consequences includes effects on dentists' physical health, personal and occupational performance, including "burnout" phenomena, as well as topics of alcohol or substance abuse and reports of suicidal behaviour among dentists. One specific and less conventionally...

Sequential designs for sensitivity analysis of functional inputs in computer experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fruth, J.; Roustant, O.; Kuhnt, S.

2015-01-01

Computer experiments are nowadays commonly used to analyze industrial processes aiming at achieving a wanted outcome. Sensitivity analysis plays an important role in exploring the actual impact of adjustable parameters on the response variable. In this work we focus on sensitivity analysis of a scalar-valued output of a time-consuming computer code depending on scalar and functional input parameters. We investigate a sequential methodology, based on piecewise constant functions and sequential bifurcation, which is both economical and fully interpretable. The new approach is applied to a sheet metal forming problem in three sequential steps, resulting in new insights into the behavior of the forming process over time. - Highlights: • Sensitivity analysis method for functional and scalar inputs is presented. • We focus on the discovery of most influential parts of the functional domain. • We investigate economical sequential methodology based on piecewise constant functions. • Normalized sensitivity indices are introduced and investigated theoretically. • Successful application to sheet metal forming on two functional inputs

[Skin cancer as occupational disease].

Science.gov (United States)

Bauer, A

2016-11-01

The incidence of epithelial skin neoplasms, such as squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma is significantly increasing worldwide. Leisure time solar UV exposure is causative in the overwhelming majority of cases in the general population; however, occupational exposure is responsible for a certain percentage of cases. Employees with a relevant exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in soot, raw paraffin, coal tar, anthracene, pitch or similar substances, to sunlight in outdoor occupations as well as to arsenic and ionizing radiation have a significantly increased risk to develop occupational skin cancer compared to the general population. In the official occupational disease list in the appendix of the German by-law on occupational diseases, the following occupational diseases concerning skin cancer are listed: BK 5102 "skin cancer and carcinoma in situ caused by soot, raw paraffin, coal tar, anthracene, pitch or similar substances" (e.g. various solid paraffins, asphalt and mazut as well as mineral oils, grease, cylinder and drilling oils), BK 5103 "squamous cell carcinoma or multiple actinic keratosis caused by natural UV radiation", BK 1108 "diseases caused by arsenic and its compounds" and BK 2402 "diseases caused by ionizing radiation". For further occupational exposure to carcinogenic substances and potential occupationally acquired skin tumors, no official lists are currently available. These cancers might be considered under a special opt out paragraph in the German Social Law (§ 9 para 2 SGB VII). Tumors in scars after occupational skin trauma or occupational burns are compensated as consequences of work accidents. The current official list of occupational skin cancers and new developments for expert opinions are described in this article.

On the origin of reproducible sequential activity in neural circuits

Science.gov (United States)

Afraimovich, V. S.; Zhigulin, V. P.; Rabinovich, M. I.

2004-12-01

Robustness and reproducibility of sequential spatio-temporal responses is an essential feature of many neural circuits in sensory and motor systems of animals. The most common mathematical images of dynamical regimes in neural systems are fixed points, limit cycles, chaotic attractors, and continuous attractors (attractive manifolds of neutrally stable fixed points). These are not suitable for the description of reproducible transient sequential neural dynamics. In this paper we present the concept of a stable heteroclinic sequence (SHS), which is not an attractor. SHS opens the way for understanding and modeling of transient sequential activity in neural circuits. We show that this new mathematical object can be used to describe robust and reproducible sequential neural dynamics. Using the framework of a generalized high-dimensional Lotka-Volterra model, that describes the dynamics of firing rates in an inhibitory network, we present analytical results on the existence of the SHS in the phase space of the network. With the help of numerical simulations we confirm its robustness in presence of noise in spite of the transient nature of the corresponding trajectories. Finally, by referring to several recent neurobiological experiments, we discuss possible applications of this new concept to several problems in neuroscience.

Representation of occupational information across resources and validation of the occupational data for health model.

Science.gov (United States)

Rajamani, Sripriya; Chen, Elizabeth S; Lindemann, Elizabeth; Aldekhyyel, Ranyah; Wang, Yan; Melton, Genevieve B

2018-02-01

Reports by the National Academy of Medicine and leading public health organizations advocate including occupational information as part of an individual's social context. Given recent National Academy of Medicine recommendations on occupation-related data in the electronic health record, there is a critical need for improved representation. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health has developed an Occupational Data for Health (ODH) model, currently in draft format. This study aimed to validate the ODH model by mapping occupation-related elements from resources representing recommendations, standards, public health reports and surveys, and research measures, along with preliminary evaluation of associated value sets. All 247 occupation-related items across 20 resources mapped to the ODH model. Recommended value sets had high variability across the evaluated resources. This study demonstrates the ODH model's value, the multifaceted nature of occupation information, and the critical need for occupation value sets to support clinical care, population health, and research. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Sequential spatial processes for image analysis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

M.N.M. van Lieshout (Marie-Colette); V. Capasso

2009-01-01

htmlabstractWe give a brief introduction to sequential spatial processes. We discuss their definition, formulate a Markov property, and indicate why such processes are natural tools in tackling high level vision problems. We focus on the problem of tracking a variable number of moving objects

Sequential models for coarsening and missingness

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gill, R.D.; Robins, J.M.

1997-01-01

In a companion paper we described what intuitively would seem to be the most general possible way to generate Coarsening at Random mechanisms a sequential procedure called randomized monotone coarsening Counterexamples showed that CAR mechanisms exist which cannot be represented in this way Here we

Image-based occupancy sensor

Science.gov (United States)

Polese, Luigi Gentile; Brackney, Larry

2015-05-19

An image-based occupancy sensor includes a motion detection module that receives and processes an image signal to generate a motion detection signal, a people detection module that receives the image signal and processes the image signal to generate a people detection signal, a face detection module that receives the image signal and processes the image signal to generate a face detection signal, and a sensor integration module that receives the motion detection signal from the motion detection module, receives the people detection signal from the people detection module, receives the face detection signal from the face detection module, and generates an occupancy signal using the motion detection signal, the people detection signal, and the face detection signal, with the occupancy signal indicating vacancy or occupancy, with an occupancy indication specifying that one or more people are detected within the monitored volume.

Occupational medicine and toxicology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fischer Axel

2006-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract This editorial is to announce the Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology, a new Open Access, peer-reviewed, online journal published by BioMed Central. Occupational medicine and toxicology belong to the most wide ranging disciplines of all medical specialties. The field is devoted to the diagnosis, prevention, management and scientific analysis of diseases from the fields of occupational and environmental medicine and toxicology. It also covers the promotion of occupational and environmental health. The complexity of modern industrial processes has dramatically changed over the past years and today's areas include effects of atmospheric pollution, carcinogenesis, biological monitoring, ergonomics, epidemiology, product safety and health promotion. We hope that the launch of the Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology will aid in the advance of these important areas of research bringing together multi-disciplinary research findings.

Sequential bayes estimation algorithm with cubic splines on uniform meshes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hossfeld, F.; Mika, K.; Plesser-Walk, E.

1975-11-01

After outlining the principles of some recent developments in parameter estimation, a sequential numerical algorithm for generalized curve-fitting applications is presented combining results from statistical estimation concepts and spline analysis. Due to its recursive nature, the algorithm can be used most efficiently in online experimentation. Using computer-sumulated and experimental data, the efficiency and the flexibility of this sequential estimation procedure is extensively demonstrated. (orig.) [de

The sequential trauma score - a new instrument for the sequential mortality prediction in major trauma*

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Huber-Wagner S

2010-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background There are several well established scores for the assessment of the prognosis of major trauma patients that all have in common that they can be calculated at the earliest during intensive care unit stay. We intended to develop a sequential trauma score (STS that allows prognosis at several early stages based on the information that is available at a particular time. Study design In a retrospective, multicenter study using data derived from the Trauma Registry of the German Trauma Society (2002-2006, we identified the most relevant prognostic factors from the patients basic data (P, prehospital phase (A, early (B1, and late (B2 trauma room phase. Univariate and logistic regression models as well as score quality criteria and the explanatory power have been calculated. Results A total of 2,354 patients with complete data were identified. From the patients basic data (P, logistic regression showed that age was a significant predictor of survival (AUCmodel p, area under the curve = 0.63. Logistic regression of the prehospital data (A showed that blood pressure, pulse rate, Glasgow coma scale (GCS, and anisocoria were significant predictors (AUCmodel A = 0.76; AUCmodel P + A = 0.82. Logistic regression of the early trauma room phase (B1 showed that peripheral oxygen saturation, GCS, anisocoria, base excess, and thromboplastin time to be significant predictors of survival (AUCmodel B1 = 0.78; AUCmodel P +A + B1 = 0.85. Multivariate analysis of the late trauma room phase (B2 detected cardiac massage, abbreviated injury score (AIS of the head ≥ 3, the maximum AIS, the need for transfusion or massive blood transfusion, to be the most important predictors (AUCmodel B2 = 0.84; AUCfinal model P + A + B1 + B2 = 0.90. The explanatory power - a tool for the assessment of the relative impact of each segment to mortality - is 25% for P, 7% for A, 17% for B1 and 51% for B2. A spreadsheet for the easy calculation of the sequential trauma

Perspective on occupational mortality risks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cohen, B.L.

1981-01-01

Occupational risks to radiation workers are compared with other occupational risks on the basis of lost life expectancy (LLE) in a full working lifetime. Usual comparisons with National Safety Council accident death statistics for various industry categories are shown to be unfair because the latter average over a variety of particular industries and occupations within each industry. Correcting for these problems makes some common occupations in some industries 20-50 times more dangerous due to accidents alone than being a radiation worker. If more exposed subgroups of radiation workers are compared with more dangerous subgroups of other occupations, these ratios are maintained. Since radiation causes disease rather than acute injury, a wide range effort is made to estimate average loss of life expectancy from occupational disease; the final estimate for this is 500 days. The average American worker loses more than an order of magnitude more life expectancy from occupational disease than the average radiation worker loses from radiation induced cancer. (author)

Sequential Foreign Investments, Regional Technology Platforms and the Evolution of Japanese Multinationals in East Asia

OpenAIRE

Song, Jaeyong

2001-01-01

IVABSTRACTIn this paper, we investigate the firm-level mechanisms that underlie the sequential foreign direct investment (FDI) decisions of multinational corporations (MNCs). To understand inter-firm heterogeneity in the sequential FDI behaviors of MNCs, we develop a firm capability-based model of sequential FDI decisions. In the setting of Japanese electronics MNCs in East Asia, we empirically examine how prior investments in firm capabilities affect sequential investments into existingprodu...

Retrieval of sea surface velocities using sequential ocean colour monitor (OCM) data

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Prasad, J.S.; Rajawat, A.S.; Pradhan, Y.; Chauhan, O.S.; Nayak, S.R.

velocities has been developed. The method is based on matching suspended sediment dispersion patterns, in sequential two time lapsed images. The pattern matching is performed on atmospherically corrected and geo-referenced sequential pair of images by Maximum...

Study on a model for future occupational health: proposal for an occupational health service model in Japan.

Science.gov (United States)

Higashi, Toshiaki

2006-10-01

The Study Model for Future Occupational Health (funded by a research grant from the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Labor) is a joint research project involving various organizations and agencies undertaken from 2002 to 2004. Society has undergone a dramatic transformation due to technological developments and internationalization. At the same time a low birth rate and an aging population have resulted in an increase in both the percentage of workers experiencing strong anxiety and stress in relation to their jobs and the working environment and the number of suicides. As a natural consequence, occupational health services are now expected to provide EAP, consulting and other functions that were formerly considered outside the realm of occupational health. In consideration of this background, the present study propose the following issues to provide a model for future occupational health services that meet the conditions presently confronted by each worker. 1. How to provide occupational health services and occupational physicians' services: 1) a basic time of 20 minutes of occupational health services per year should be allotted to each worker and to all workers; 2) the obligatory regulations should be revised to expand the obligation from businesses each with 50 or more employees under the present laws to businesses each with 30 or more employees. 2. Providers of occupational health services and occupational physicians' services: (1) reinforcement of outside occupational health agencies; (2) fostering occupational health consultant firms; (3) development of an institute of occupational safety and health; (4) support of activities by authorized occupational physicians in the field; (5) expanding of joint selection of occupational physicians including subsidy increase and the extension of a period of subsidy to five hears; (6) licensing of new entry into occupational health undertaking. 3. Introduction of new report system: (1) establishment of the obligation to

A fast and accurate online sequential learning algorithm for feedforward networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Liang, Nan-Ying; Huang, Guang-Bin; Saratchandran, P; Sundararajan, N

2006-11-01

In this paper, we develop an online sequential learning algorithm for single hidden layer feedforward networks (SLFNs) with additive or radial basis function (RBF) hidden nodes in a unified framework. The algorithm is referred to as online sequential extreme learning machine (OS-ELM) and can learn data one-by-one or chunk-by-chunk (a block of data) with fixed or varying chunk size. The activation functions for additive nodes in OS-ELM can be any bounded nonconstant piecewise continuous functions and the activation functions for RBF nodes can be any integrable piecewise continuous functions. In OS-ELM, the parameters of hidden nodes (the input weights and biases of additive nodes or the centers and impact factors of RBF nodes) are randomly selected and the output weights are analytically determined based on the sequentially arriving data. The algorithm uses the ideas of ELM of Huang et al. developed for batch learning which has been shown to be extremely fast with generalization performance better than other batch training methods. Apart from selecting the number of hidden nodes, no other control parameters have to be manually chosen. Detailed performance comparison of OS-ELM is done with other popular sequential learning algorithms on benchmark problems drawn from the regression, classification and time series prediction areas. The results show that the OS-ELM is faster than the other sequential algorithms and produces better generalization performance.

Sequential spatial processes for image analysis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lieshout, van M.N.M.; Capasso, V.

2009-01-01

We give a brief introduction to sequential spatial processes. We discuss their definition, formulate a Markov property, and indicate why such processes are natural tools in tackling high level vision problems. We focus on the problem of tracking a variable number of moving objects through a video

Accompanied consultations in occupational health.

Science.gov (United States)

Hobson, J; Hobson, H; Sharp, R

2016-04-01

Accompanied consultations are often reported as difficult by occupational physicians but have not been studied in the occupational health setting. To collect information about accompanied consultations and the impact of the companion on the consultation. We collected data on all accompanied consultations by two occupational physicians working in a private sector occupational health service over the course of 16 months. Accompanied consultations were matched to non-accompanied consultations for comparison. We collected data on 108 accompanied consultations. Accompanied consultations were more likely to be connected with ill health retirement (P Occupational health practitioners may benefit from better understanding of accompanied consultations and guidance on their management. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

International survey of occupational health nurses' roles in multidisciplinary teamwork in occupational health services.

Science.gov (United States)

Rogers, Bonnie; Kono, Keiko; Marziale, Maria Helena Palucci; Peurala, Marjatta; Radford, Jennifer; Staun, Julie

2014-07-01

Access to occupational health services for primary prevention and control of work-related injuries and illnesses by the global workforce is limited (World Health Organization [WHO], 2013). From the WHO survey of 121 (61%) participating countries, only one-third of the responding countries provided occupational health services to more than 30% of their workers (2013). How services are provided in these countries is dependent on legal requirements and regulations, population, workforce characteristics, and culture, as well as an understanding of the impact of workplace hazards and worker health needs. Around the world, many occupational health services are provided by occupational health nurses independently or in collaboration with other disciplines' professionals. These services may be health protection, health promotion, or both, and are designed to reduce health risks, support productivity, improve workers' quality of life, and be cost-effective. Rantanen (2004) stated that basic occupational health services must increase rather than decline, especially as work becomes more complex; workforces become more dynamic and mobile, creating new models of work-places; and jobs become more precarious and temporary. To better understand occupational health services provided by occupational health nurses globally and how decisions are made to provide these services, this study examined the scope of services provided by a sample of participating occupational health nurses from various countries. Copyright 2014, SLACK Incorporated.

Polarization control of direct (non-sequential) two-photon double ionization of He

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pronin, E A; Manakov, N L; Marmo, S I; Starace, Anthony F

2007-01-01

An ab initio parametrization of the doubly-differential cross section (DDCS) for two-photon double ionization (TPDI) from an s 2 subshell of an atom in a 1 S 0 -state is presented. Analysis of the elliptic dichroism (ED) effect in the DDCS for TPDI of He and its comparison with the same effect in the concurrent process of sequential double ionization shows their qualitative and quantitative differences, thus providing a means to control and to distinguish sequential and non-sequential processes by measuring the relative ED parameter

A Bayesian sequential design using alpha spending function to control type I error.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Han; Yu, Qingzhao

2017-10-01

We propose in this article a Bayesian sequential design using alpha spending functions to control the overall type I error in phase III clinical trials. We provide algorithms to calculate critical values, power, and sample sizes for the proposed design. Sensitivity analysis is implemented to check the effects from different prior distributions, and conservative priors are recommended. We compare the power and actual sample sizes of the proposed Bayesian sequential design with different alpha spending functions through simulations. We also compare the power of the proposed method with frequentist sequential design using the same alpha spending function. Simulations show that, at the same sample size, the proposed method provides larger power than the corresponding frequentist sequential design. It also has larger power than traditional Bayesian sequential design which sets equal critical values for all interim analyses. When compared with other alpha spending functions, O'Brien-Fleming alpha spending function has the largest power and is the most conservative in terms that at the same sample size, the null hypothesis is the least likely to be rejected at early stage of clinical trials. And finally, we show that adding a step of stop for futility in the Bayesian sequential design can reduce the overall type I error and reduce the actual sample sizes.

Sequential ensemble-based optimal design for parameter estimation: SEQUENTIAL ENSEMBLE-BASED OPTIMAL DESIGN

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Man, Jun [Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Agricultural Resources and Environment, Institute of Soil and Water Resources and Environmental Science, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou China; Zhang, Jiangjiang [Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Agricultural Resources and Environment, Institute of Soil and Water Resources and Environmental Science, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou China; Li, Weixuan [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland Washington USA; Zeng, Lingzao [Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Agricultural Resources and Environment, Institute of Soil and Water Resources and Environmental Science, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou China; Wu, Laosheng [Department of Environmental Sciences, University of California, Riverside California USA

2016-10-01

The ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) has been widely used in parameter estimation for hydrological models. The focus of most previous studies was to develop more efficient analysis (estimation) algorithms. On the other hand, it is intuitively understandable that a well-designed sampling (data-collection) strategy should provide more informative measurements and subsequently improve the parameter estimation. In this work, a Sequential Ensemble-based Optimal Design (SEOD) method, coupled with EnKF, information theory and sequential optimal design, is proposed to improve the performance of parameter estimation. Based on the first-order and second-order statistics, different information metrics including the Shannon entropy difference (SD), degrees of freedom for signal (DFS) and relative entropy (RE) are used to design the optimal sampling strategy, respectively. The effectiveness of the proposed method is illustrated by synthetic one-dimensional and two-dimensional unsaturated flow case studies. It is shown that the designed sampling strategies can provide more accurate parameter estimation and state prediction compared with conventional sampling strategies. Optimal sampling designs based on various information metrics perform similarly in our cases. The effect of ensemble size on the optimal design is also investigated. Overall, larger ensemble size improves the parameter estimation and convergence of optimal sampling strategy. Although the proposed method is applied to unsaturated flow problems in this study, it can be equally applied in any other hydrological problems.

The pursuit of balance in sequential randomized trials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raymond P. Guiteras

2016-06-01

Full Text Available In many randomized trials, subjects enter the sample sequentially. Because the covariates for all units are not known in advance, standard methods of stratification do not apply. We describe and assess the method of DA-optimal sequential allocation (Atkinson, 1982 for balancing stratification covariates across treatment arms. We provide simulation evidence that the method can provide substantial improvements in precision over commonly employed alternatives. We also describe our experience implementing the method in a field trial of a clean water and handwashing intervention in Dhaka, Bangladesh, the first time the method has been used. We provide advice and software for future researchers.

Event-shape analysis: Sequential versus simultaneous multifragment emission

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cebra, D.A.; Howden, S.; Karn, J.; Nadasen, A.; Ogilvie, C.A.; Vander Molen, A.; Westfall, G.D.; Wilson, W.K.; Winfield, J.S.; Norbeck, E.

1990-01-01

The Michigan State University 4π array has been used to select central-impact-parameter events from the reaction 40 Ar+ 51 V at incident energies from 35 to 85 MeV/nucleon. The event shape in momentum space is an observable which is shown to be sensitive to the dynamics of the fragmentation process. A comparison of the experimental event-shape distribution to sequential- and simultaneous-decay predictions suggests that a transition in the breakup process may have occurred. At 35 MeV/nucleon, a sequential-decay simulation reproduces the data. For the higher energies, the experimental distributions fall between the two contrasting predictions

Sequential approach to Colombeau's theory of generalized functions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Todorov, T.D.

1987-07-01

J.F. Colombeau's generalized functions are constructed as equivalence classes of the elements of a specially chosen ultrapower of the class of the C ∞ -functions. The elements of this ultrapower are considered as sequences of C ∞ -functions, so in a sense, the sequential construction presented here refers to the original Colombeau theory just as, for example, the Mikusinski sequential approach to the distribution theory refers to the original Schwartz theory of distributions. The paper could be used as an elementary introduction to the Colombeau theory in which recently a solution was found to the problem of multiplication of Schwartz distributions. (author). Refs

Radiation protection in occupational health

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-01-01

The document is a training manual for physicians entering the field of occupational medicine for radiation workers. Part 1 contains the general principles for the practice of occupational health, namely health surveillance and the role of the occupational physician in the workplace, and Part 2 provides the essential facts necessary to understand the basic principles of radiation physics, radiobiology, dosimetry and radiation effects which form the basis for occupational radiation health

Does the Role Checklist Measure Occupational Participation?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tore Bonsaksen

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Background: Among the Model of Human Occupation (MOHO assessments, the Role Checklist is one of the most established. In spite of its widespread use, no studies have examined role examples and their association with the three embedded levels of doing, as established in the MOHO theory. Method: A cross-sectional survey of 293 respondents from the US, the UK, Japan, Switzerland, Sweden, and Norway produced 7,182 role examples. The respondents completed Part I of the Role Checklist and provided examples of each internalized role they performed. Responses were classified as occupational skill, occupational performance, or occupational participation. Results: Thirty-three percent of the examples were classified as examples of occupational participation, whereas 65% were classified as examples of occupational performance. Four roles linked mostly with occupational participation, another four roles linked mostly with occupational performance, and the two remaining roles were mixed between occupational participation and occupational performance. Discussion: The Role Checklist assesses a person’s involvement in internalized roles at the level of both occupational participation and occupational performance. There are differences among countries with regard to how roles are perceived and exemplified, and different roles relate differently to the occupational performance and occupational participation levels of doing. There are related implications for occupational therapists.

Entry-Level Doctorate for Occupational Therapists: An Assessment of Attitudes of Occupational Therapists and Occupational Therapy Assistants

Science.gov (United States)

McCombie, Randy P.

2016-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to survey occupational therapists (OTs) and occupational therapy assistants (OTAs) on their attitudes toward a possible move to the entry-level doctorate as the mandated singular point of entry into the profession for OTs. Method: The study surveyed a random sample of 600 OTs and 600 OTAs from two…

Configural and component processing in simultaneous and sequential lineup procedures

OpenAIRE

Flowe, HD; Smith, HMJ; Karoğlu, N; Onwuegbusi, TO; Rai, L

2015-01-01

Configural processing supports accurate face recognition, yet it has never been examined within the context of criminal identification lineups. We tested, using the inversion paradigm, the role of configural processing in lineups. Recent research has found that face discrimination accuracy in lineups is better in a simultaneous compared to a sequential lineup procedure. Therefore, we compared configural processing in simultaneous and sequential lineups to examine whether there are differences...

Occupation as marker of self:occupation in relation to self among people with advanced cancer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mærsk, Jesper Larsen; Johannessen, Helle; la Cour, Karen

2018-01-01

cancer. Grounded theory guided the collection and analysis of data. RESULTS: 'Occupation as marker of self' was identified as the core category. Occupations served as markers of the participants' self (1) by mirroring their abilities and positioning of their self in the illness trajectory; and (2......) as means of expressing their self. The core category provided explanations about how the participants' experiences of occupation influenced their self-perceptions, as explained in the sub-categories 'defining the self through occupation' and 'reassessing self and accepting limitations'. CONCLUSIONS......Abstract BACKGROUND: Living with advanced cancer can have a profound impact on the person's self. A person's self is influenced by various aspects of daily life, including engagement in occupation. From an occupational perspective, little research has been done to explore how the self of people...

Occupational and non-occupational allergic contact dermatitis: a follow-up study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Macan, Jelena; Rimac, Davor; Kežić, Sanja; Varnai, Veda Marija

2013-01-01

The aim of this study was to obtain insight into the clinical course and prognosis of allergic contact dermatitis (ACD), including potential effects of genetic and environmental factors. Eighty-two patients with previously defined ACD acquired occupationally (OACD) or non-occupationally (NOACD) were

Diagnostic guidlines for occupational epicondylitis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patrycja Krawczyk-Szulc

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Making final decisions on the occupational etiology of musculoskeletal diseases is often difficult and problematic at every stage of the diagnostic procedure. Taking into account the need to facilitate decision-making about the causal relationship between the diagnosed disease entity and the working conditions guidelines for the recognition of work-related musculoskeletal diseases have been developed. This paper presents the guidelines for the diagnosis of occupational etiology of humeral epicondylitis, one of the most common occupational disease of the musculoskeletal system in Poland. The developed guidelines have been based on the literature data concerning occupational risk factors of humeral epicondylitis, workload classification, including repetitive movements, awkward postures, and force. Some criteria applied in ergonomic evaluation methods were also included. The presented diagnostic guidelines define approximate benchmarks for stating (after excluding non-occupational etiology that the identified humeral epicondylitis, is related to the way of working. Crucial work factors that should be analyzed include an operating time of movements overloading tendons connecting to the epicondyle, repetition and force used to perform occupational activities. The developed guidelines are aimed to facilitate occupational physicians diagnostic and certification procedures in case of humeral epicondylitis and determination whether there is a likelihood of its occupational etiology. Med Pr 2015;66(3:443–450

Standardized method for reproducing the sequential X-rays flap

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brenes, Alejandra; Molina, Katherine; Gudino, Sylvia

2009-01-01

A method is validated to estandardize in the taking, developing and analysis of bite-wing radiographs taken in sequential way, in order to compare and evaluate detectable changes in the evolution of the interproximal lesions through time. A radiographic positioner called XCP® is modified by means of a rigid acrylic guide, to achieve proper of the X ray equipment core positioning relative to the XCP® ring and the reorientation during the sequential x-rays process. 16 subjects of 4 to 40 years old are studied for a total number of 32 registries. Two x-rays of the same block of teeth of each subject have been taken in sequential way, with a minimal difference of 30 minutes between each one, before the placement of radiographic attachment. The images have been digitized with a Super Cam® scanner and imported to a software. The measurements in X and Y-axis for both x-rays were performed to proceed to compare. The intraclass correlation index (ICI) has shown that the proposed method is statistically related to measurement (mm) obtained in the X and Y-axis for both sequential series of x-rays (p=0.01). The measures of central tendency and dispersion have shown that the usual occurrence is indifferent between the two measurements (Mode 0.000 and S = 0083 and 0.109) and that the probability of occurrence of different values is lower than expected. (author) [es

The composite sequential clustering technique for analysis of multispectral scanner data

Science.gov (United States)

Su, M. Y.

1972-01-01

The clustering technique consists of two parts: (1) a sequential statistical clustering which is essentially a sequential variance analysis, and (2) a generalized K-means clustering. In this composite clustering technique, the output of (1) is a set of initial clusters which are input to (2) for further improvement by an iterative scheme. This unsupervised composite technique was employed for automatic classification of two sets of remote multispectral earth resource observations. The classification accuracy by the unsupervised technique is found to be comparable to that by traditional supervised maximum likelihood classification techniques. The mathematical algorithms for the composite sequential clustering program and a detailed computer program description with job setup are given.

Alternatives to the sequential lineup: the importance of controlling the pictures.

Science.gov (United States)

Lindsay, R C; Bellinger, K

1999-06-01

Because sequential lineups reduce false-positive choices, their use has been recommended (R. C. L. Lindsay, 1999; R. C. L. Lindsay & G. L. Wells, 1985). Blind testing is included in the recommended procedures. Police, concerned about blind testing, devised alternative procedures, including self-administered sequential lineups, to reduce use of relative judgments (G. L. Wells, 1984) while permitting the investigating officer to conduct the procedure. Identification data from undergraduates exposed to a staged crime (N = 165) demonstrated that 4 alternative identification procedures tested were less effective than the original sequential lineup. Allowing witnesses to control the photographs resulted in higher rates of false-positive identification. Self-reports of using relative judgments were shown to be postdictive of decision accuracy.

Managerial adjustment and its limits: sequential fault in comparative perspective

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Flávio da Cunha Rezende

2008-01-01

Full Text Available This article focuses on explanations for sequential faults in administrative reform. It deals with the limits of managerial adjustment in an approach that attempts to connect theory and empirical data, articulating three levels of analysis. The first level presents comparative evidence of sequential fault within reforms in national governments through a set of indicators geared toward understanding changes in the role of the state. In light of analyses of a representative set of comparative studies on reform implementation, the second analytical level proceeds to identify four typical mechanisms that are present in explanations on managerial adjustment faults. In this way, we seek to configure an explanatory matrix for theories on sequential fault. Next we discuss the experience of management reform in the Brazilian context, conferring special attention on one of the mechanisms that creates fault: the control dilemma. The major hypotheses that guide our article are that reforms lead to sequential fault and that there are at least four causal mechanisms that produce reforms: a transactions costs involved in producing reforms; b performance legacy; c predominance of fiscal adjustment and d the control dilemma. These mechanisms act separately or in concert, and act to decrease chances for a transformation of State managerial patterns. Major evidence that is analyzed in these articles lend consistency to the general argument that reforms have failed in their attempts to reduce public expenses, alter patterns of resource allocation, reduce the labor force and change the role of the State. Our major conclusion is that reforms fail sequentially and managerial adjustment displays considerable limitations, particularly those of a political nature.

Occupational cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nelson, N.

1987-01-01

Cancer resulting from occupational exposure is now receiving major attention, focusing on identification, regulation, and control of cancer-causing agents. Such cancer can result from exposure to chemicals and ionizing and nonionizing radiation. Extended exposure (often years) and an extended latent period of perhaps decades may intervene before tumor appearance. Although the actual extent of occupational cancer is in debate, estimates have ranged from 4 to 15 per cent of all cancer

A tool to enhance occupational therapy reasoning from ICF perspective: The Hasselt Occupational Performance Profile (H-OPP).

Science.gov (United States)

Ghysels, R; Vanroye, E; Westhovens, M; Spooren, A

2017-03-01

In order to enhance occupational therapy reasoning in clinical practice, different elements such as client-centred approach, evidence-based care and interdisciplinary work should be taken into account, but is a challenge. To describe the development of the digital Hasselt Occupational Performance Profile (H-OPP © ) that enhances occupational therapy reasoning from ICF perspective. A participative qualitative design was used to create the H-OPP © in an iterative way in which occupational therapy lectures, ICF experts, students and occupational therapists in the field were involved. After linking occupational therapy terminology to the ICF, different stages of the H-OPP were identified and elaborated with main features: generating an occupational performance profile based on inventarization of problems and possibilities, formulating an occupational performance diagnosis and enabling to create an intervention plan. In all stages, both the perspectives of the client and the occupational therapist were taken into account. To increase practical use, the tool was further elaborated and digitalized. The H-OPP © is a digital coach that guides and facilitates professional reasoning in (novice) occupational therapists. It augments involvement of the client system. Furthermore, it enhances interdisciplinary communication and evidence-based care.

Exposure Estimation and Interpretation of Occupational Risk: Enhanced Information for the Occupational Risk Manager

Science.gov (United States)

Waters, Martha; McKernan, Lauralynn; Maier, Andrew; Jayjock, Michael; Schaeffer, Val; Brosseau, Lisa

2015-01-01

The fundamental goal of this article is to describe, define, and analyze the components of the risk characterization process for occupational exposures. Current methods are described for the probabilistic characterization of exposure, including newer techniques that have increasing applications for assessing data from occupational exposure scenarios. In addition, since the probability of health effects reflects variability in the exposure estimate as well as the dose-response curve—the integrated considerations of variability surrounding both components of the risk characterization provide greater information to the occupational hygienist. Probabilistic tools provide a more informed view of exposure as compared to use of discrete point estimates for these inputs to the risk characterization process. Active use of such tools for exposure and risk assessment will lead to a scientifically supported worker health protection program. Understanding the bases for an occupational risk assessment, focusing on important sources of variability and uncertainty enables characterizing occupational risk in terms of a probability, rather than a binary decision of acceptable risk or unacceptable risk. A critical review of existing methods highlights several conclusions: (1) exposure estimates and the dose-response are impacted by both variability and uncertainty and a well-developed risk characterization reflects and communicates this consideration; (2) occupational risk is probabilistic in nature and most accurately considered as a distribution, not a point estimate; and (3) occupational hygienists have a variety of tools available to incorporate concepts of risk characterization into occupational health and practice. PMID:26302336

Occupation and its relationship with health and wellbeing: the threshold concept for occupational therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Fortune, Tracy; Kennedy-Jones, Mary

2014-10-01

We introduce the educational framework of 'threshold concepts' and discuss its utility in understanding the fundamental difficulties learners have in understanding ways of thinking and practising as occupational therapists. We propose that the relationship between occupation and health is a threshold concept for occupational therapy because of students' trouble in achieving lasting conceptual change in relation to their understanding of it. The authors present and discuss key ideas drawn from educational writings on threshold concepts, review the emerging literature on threshold concepts in occupational therapy, and pose a series of questions in order to prompt consideration of the pedagogical issues requiring action by academic and fieldwork educators. Threshold concepts in occupational therapy have been considered in a primarily cross-disciplinary sense, that is, the understandings that occupational therapy learners grapple with are relevant to learners in other disciplines. In contrast, we present a more narrowly defined conception that emphasises the 'bounded-ness' of the concept to the discipline. A threshold concept that captures the essential nature of occupational therapy is likely to be (highly) troublesome in terms of a learner's acquisition of it. Rather than simplifying these learning 'jewels' educators are encouraged to sit with the discomfort that they and the learner may experience as the learner struggles to grasp them. Moreover, they should reshape their curricula to provoke such struggles if transformative learning is to be the outcome. © 2014 Occupational Therapy Australia.

A Bayesian sequential processor approach to spectroscopic portal system decisions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sale, K; Candy, J; Breitfeller, E; Guidry, B; Manatt, D; Gosnell, T; Chambers, D

2007-07-31

The development of faster more reliable techniques to detect radioactive contraband in a portal type scenario is an extremely important problem especially in this era of constant terrorist threats. Towards this goal the development of a model-based, Bayesian sequential data processor for the detection problem is discussed. In the sequential processor each datum (detector energy deposit and pulse arrival time) is used to update the posterior probability distribution over the space of model parameters. The nature of the sequential processor approach is that a detection is produced as soon as it is statistically justified by the data rather than waiting for a fixed counting interval before any analysis is performed. In this paper the Bayesian model-based approach, physics and signal processing models and decision functions are discussed along with the first results of our research.

Sequential lineup presentation promotes less-biased criterion setting but does not improve discriminability.

Science.gov (United States)

Palmer, Matthew A; Brewer, Neil

2012-06-01

When compared with simultaneous lineup presentation, sequential presentation has been shown to reduce false identifications to a greater extent than it reduces correct identifications. However, there has been much debate about whether this difference in identification performance represents improved discriminability or more conservative responding. In this research, data from 22 experiments that compared sequential and simultaneous lineups were analyzed using a compound signal-detection model, which is specifically designed to describe decision-making performance on tasks such as eyewitness identification tests. Sequential (cf. simultaneous) presentation did not influence discriminability, but produced a conservative shift in response bias that resulted in less-biased choosing for sequential than simultaneous lineups. These results inform understanding of the effects of lineup presentation mode on eyewitness identification decisions.

Estimation After a Group Sequential Trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Milanzi, Elasma; Molenberghs, Geert; Alonso, Ariel; Kenward, Michael G; Tsiatis, Anastasios A; Davidian, Marie; Verbeke, Geert

2015-10-01

Group sequential trials are one important instance of studies for which the sample size is not fixed a priori but rather takes one of a finite set of pre-specified values, dependent on the observed data. Much work has been devoted to the inferential consequences of this design feature. Molenberghs et al (2012) and Milanzi et al (2012) reviewed and extended the existing literature, focusing on a collection of seemingly disparate, but related, settings, namely completely random sample sizes, group sequential studies with deterministic and random stopping rules, incomplete data, and random cluster sizes. They showed that the ordinary sample average is a viable option for estimation following a group sequential trial, for a wide class of stopping rules and for random outcomes with a distribution in the exponential family. Their results are somewhat surprising in the sense that the sample average is not optimal, and further, there does not exist an optimal, or even, unbiased linear estimator. However, the sample average is asymptotically unbiased, both conditionally upon the observed sample size as well as marginalized over it. By exploiting ignorability they showed that the sample average is the conventional maximum likelihood estimator. They also showed that a conditional maximum likelihood estimator is finite sample unbiased, but is less efficient than the sample average and has the larger mean squared error. Asymptotically, the sample average and the conditional maximum likelihood estimator are equivalent. This previous work is restricted, however, to the situation in which the the random sample size can take only two values, N = n or N = 2 n . In this paper, we consider the more practically useful setting of sample sizes in a the finite set { n 1 , n 2 , …, n L }. It is shown that the sample average is then a justifiable estimator , in the sense that it follows from joint likelihood estimation, and it is consistent and asymptotically unbiased. We also show why

Simultaneous optimization of sequential IMRT plans

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Popple, Richard A.; Prellop, Perri B.; Spencer, Sharon A.; Santos, Jennifer F. de los; Duan, Jun; Fiveash, John B.; Brezovich, Ivan A.

2005-01-01

Radiotherapy often comprises two phases, in which irradiation of a volume at risk for microscopic disease is followed by a sequential dose escalation to a smaller volume either at a higher risk for microscopic disease or containing only gross disease. This technique is difficult to implement with intensity modulated radiotherapy, as the tolerance doses of critical structures must be respected over the sum of the two plans. Techniques that include an integrated boost have been proposed to address this problem. However, clinical experience with such techniques is limited, and many clinicians are uncomfortable prescribing nonconventional fractionation schemes. To solve this problem, we developed an optimization technique that simultaneously generates sequential initial and boost IMRT plans. We have developed an optimization tool that uses a commercial treatment planning system (TPS) and a high level programming language for technical computing. The tool uses the TPS to calculate the dose deposition coefficients (DDCs) for optimization. The DDCs were imported into external software and the treatment ports duplicated to create the boost plan. The initial, boost, and tolerance doses were specified and used to construct cost functions. The initial and boost plans were optimized simultaneously using a gradient search technique. Following optimization, the fluence maps were exported to the TPS for dose calculation. Seven patients treated using sequential techniques were selected from our clinical database. The initial and boost plans used to treat these patients were developed independently of each other by dividing the tolerance doses proportionally between the initial and boost plans and then iteratively optimizing the plans until a summation that met the treatment goals was obtained. We used the simultaneous optimization technique to generate plans that met the original planning goals. The coverage of the initial and boost target volumes in the simultaneously optimized

Optimal Sequential Resource Sharing and Exchange in Multi-Agent Systems

OpenAIRE

Xiao, Yuanzhang

2014-01-01

Central to the design of many engineering systems and social networks is to solve the underlying resource sharing and exchange problems, in which multiple decentralized agents make sequential decisions over time to optimize some long-term performance metrics. It is challenging for the decentralized agents to make optimal sequential decisions because of the complicated coupling among the agents and across time. In this dissertation, we mainly focus on three important classes of multi-agent seq...

S.M.P. SEQUENTIAL MATHEMATICS PROGRAM.

Science.gov (United States)

CICIARELLI, V; LEONARD, JOSEPH

A SEQUENTIAL MATHEMATICS PROGRAM BEGINNING WITH THE BASIC FUNDAMENTALS ON THE FOURTH GRADE LEVEL IS PRESENTED. INCLUDED ARE AN UNDERSTANDING OF OUR NUMBER SYSTEM, AND THE BASIC OPERATIONS OF WORKING WITH WHOLE NUMBERS--ADDITION, SUBTRACTION, MULTIPLICATION, AND DIVISION. COMMON FRACTIONS ARE TAUGHT IN THE FIFTH, SIXTH, AND SEVENTH GRADES. A…

Occupational health

OpenAIRE

Coosemans, R.

1997-01-01

Health at work and healthy work environments are among the most valuable assets of individuals, communities and countries. Nowadays, new broader approach is promoted, recognizing the fact that occupational health is a key, but not a unique element of workers’ health. Workers health is a public health approach to resolving the health problems of working populations including all determinants of health recognized as targets of risk management. It focuses on primary prevention of occupational an...

Context-based online policy instantiation for multiple tasks and changing environments

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Rosman, Benjamin S

2014-01-01

Full Text Available in environments with significant structural uncertainty, the mathematically optimal solution may be to adopt coarse strategies that are better adapted to a family of tasks [8]. An example within the robotics literature of a multi-task encoding that addresses some.... A. Rizzi, and D. E. Koditschek, “Sequential Compo- sition of Dynamically Dexterous Robot Behaviors,” The International Journal of Robotics Research, vol. 18, no. 6, pp. 534–555, June 1999. [10] B. S. Rosman and S. Ramamoorthy, “A Multitask...

Occupational lung diseases in Australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoy, Ryan F; Brims, Fraser

2017-11-20

Occupational exposures are an important determinant of respiratory health. International estimates note that about 15% of adult-onset asthma, 15% of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and 10-30% of lung cancer may be attributable to hazardous occupational exposures. One-quarter of working asthmatics either have had their asthma caused by work or adversely affected by workplace conditions. Recently, cases of historical occupational lung diseases have been noted to occur with new exposures, such as cases of silicosis in workers fabricating kitchen benchtops from artificial stone products. Identification of an occupational cause of a lung disease can be difficult and requires maintaining a high index of suspicion. When an occupational lung disease is identified, this may facilitate a cure and help to protect coworkers. Currently, very little information is collected regarding actual cases of occupational lung diseases in Australia. Most assumptions about many occupational lung diseases are based on extrapolation from overseas data. This lack of information is a major impediment to development of targeted interventions and timely identification of new hazardous exposures. All employers, governments and health care providers in Australia have a responsibility to ensure that the highest possible standards are in place to protect workers' respiratory health.

Sampling scales define occupancy and underlying occupancy-abundance relationships in animals

Science.gov (United States)

Robin Steenweg; Mark Hebblewhite; Jesse Whittington; Paul Lukacs; Kevin McKelvey

2018-01-01

Occupancy-abundance (OA) relationships are a foundational ecological phenomenon and field of study, and occupancy models are increasingly used to track population trends and understand ecological interactions. However, these two fields of ecological inquiry remain largely isolated, despite growing appreciation of the importance of integration. For example, using...

Sequential sputtered Co-HfO{sub 2} granular films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chadha, M.; Ng, V.

2017-03-15

A systematic study of magnetic, magneto-transport and micro-structural properties of Co-HfO{sub 2} granular films fabricated by sequential sputtering is presented. We demonstrate reduction in ferromagnetic-oxide formation by using HfO{sub 2} as the insulting matrix. Microstructure evaluation of the films showed that the film structure consisted of discrete hcp-Co grains embedded in HfO{sub 2} matrix. Films with varying compositions were prepared and their macroscopic properties were studied. We correlate the variation in these properties to the variation in film microstructure. Our study shows that Co-HfO{sub 2} films with reduced cobalt oxide and varying properties can be prepared using sequential sputtering technique. - Highlights: • Co-HfO{sub 2} granular films were prepared using sequential sputtering. • A reduction in ferromagnetic-oxide formation is observed. • Co-HfO{sub 2} films display superparamagnetism and tunnelling magneto-resistance. • Varying macroscopic properties were achieved by changing film composition. • Applications can be found in moderate MR sensors and high –frequency RF devices.

Involvement of Working Memory in College Students' Sequential Pattern Learning and Performance

Science.gov (United States)

Kundey, Shannon M. A.; De Los Reyes, Andres; Rowan, James D.; Lee, Bern; Delise, Justin; Molina, Sabrina; Cogdill, Lindsay

2013-01-01

When learning highly organized sequential patterns of information, humans and nonhuman animals learn rules regarding the hierarchical structures of these sequences. In three experiments, we explored the role of working memory in college students' sequential pattern learning and performance in a computerized task involving a sequential…

Double-blind photo lineups using actual eyewitnesses: an experimental test of a sequential versus simultaneous lineup procedure.

Science.gov (United States)

Wells, Gary L; Steblay, Nancy K; Dysart, Jennifer E

2015-02-01

Eyewitnesses (494) to actual crimes in 4 police jurisdictions were randomly assigned to view simultaneous or sequential photo lineups using laptop computers and double-blind administration. The sequential procedure used in the field experiment mimicked how it is conducted in actual practice (e.g., using a continuation rule, witness does not know how many photos are to be viewed, witnesses resolve any multiple identifications), which is not how most lab experiments have tested the sequential lineup. No significant differences emerged in rates of identifying lineup suspects (25% overall) but the sequential procedure produced a significantly lower rate (11%) of identifying known-innocent lineup fillers than did the simultaneous procedure (18%). The simultaneous/sequential pattern did not significantly interact with estimator variables and no lineup-position effects were observed for either the simultaneous or sequential procedures. Rates of nonidentification were not significantly different for simultaneous and sequential but nonidentifiers from the sequential procedure were more likely to use the "not sure" response option than were nonidentifiers from the simultaneous procedure. Among witnesses who made an identification, 36% (41% of simultaneous and 32% of sequential) identified a known-innocent filler rather than a suspect, indicating that eyewitness performance overall was very poor. The results suggest that the sequential procedure that is used in the field reduces the identification of known-innocent fillers, but the differences are relatively small.

Cortical responses following simultaneous and sequential retinal neurostimulation with different return configurations.

Science.gov (United States)

Barriga-Rivera, Alejandro; Morley, John W; Lovell, Nigel H; Suaning, Gregg J

2016-08-01

Researchers continue to develop visual prostheses towards safer and more efficacious systems. However limitations still exist in the number of stimulating channels that can be integrated. Therefore there is a need for spatial and time multiplexing techniques to provide improved performance of the current technology. In particular, bright and high-contrast visual scenes may require simultaneous activation of several electrodes. In this research, a 24-electrode array was suprachoroidally implanted in three normally-sighted cats. Multi-unit activity was recorded from the primary visual cortex. Four stimulation strategies were contrasted to provide activation of seven electrodes arranged hexagonally: simultaneous monopolar, sequential monopolar, sequential bipolar and hexapolar. Both monopolar configurations showed similar cortical activation maps. Hexapolar and sequential bipolar configurations activated a lower number of cortical channels. Overall, the return configuration played a more relevant role in cortical activation than time multiplexing and thus, rapid sequential stimulation may assist in reducing the number of channels required to activate large retinal areas.

The cost of occupational dose

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fleishman, A.B.; Clark, M.J.

1980-01-01

The optimization of radiological protection will routinely involve the balancing of public and occupational exposure, particularly within the nuclear fuel cycle. For example the reduction of public exposure from an effluent stream could lead to increases in occupational exposure from treatment, storage and disposal operations. A methodology is propased for the estimation of the cost of occupational exposure in the UK (Pound man-Sv -1 ) based on valuations of changes in risk. A variable value for the cost of the occupational man-Sv is obtained depending on per caput dose levels. The values at particular per caput dose levels are different for occupational workers and the general public, because of different demography and assumptions on risk perception and aversion. They are however approximately the same when the per caput doses are expressed as percentages of the dose limits for workers and the general public respectively. An example of the application of the derived cost of the occupational man-Sv to an optimisation problem is given. (author)

Occupational skin hazards and prevalence of occupational skin diseases in shoe manufacturing workers in Indonesia.

Science.gov (United States)

Febriana, Sri Awalia; Soebono, Hardyanto; Coenraads, Pieter-Jan

2014-02-01

Shoe manufacturing workers are exposed daily to an extensive range of potential physical and chemical occupational hazards. Shoe manufacturing in Indonesia is one of the industrial sectors that has shown sustained growth amongst the newly industrialized countries (NICs). In this study, we investigated the possible potential exposure of the workers to physical and occupational hazards and determined the prevalence of occupational skin diseases at a shoe manufacturing factory in Indonesia. A cross-sectional study on the observation of the working process and an inventory and risk assessment of exposure to the chemicals used. Classification of chemicals as potential sensitizers/irritants and qualitative assessments of these chemicals were done. Workers were examined and interviewed using the Nordic Occupational Skin Questionnaire-2002/LONG. The risk of Occupational skin diseases (OSD) at the shoe factory was mainly related to the exposure of the workers' skin to potential physical and chemical hazards in hot and humid environmental conditions. From a total of 514 workers, 8.5 % reported current OSD and 4.8 % reported a history of OSD. Occupational skin diseases were diagnosed in 29 % of the workers by dermatologists and 7.6 % had an occupational contact dermatitis (OCD). Of the 39 workers with contact dermatitis, 33 consented to being patch tested, 14 (3 %) workers showed a positive results and considered as having an occupational allergic contact dermatitis (OACD) and 25 (4.9 %) had an occupational irritant contact dermatitis (OICD). We observed a repeated and prolonged exposure of the workers to numerous physical and chemical skin hazards at this factory.

Sequential Versus Simultaneous Market Delineation: The Relevant Antitrust Market for Salmon

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Haldrup, Niels; Peter, Møllgaard

Delineation of the relevant market forms a pivotal part of most antitrust cases. The standard approach is sequential. First the product market is delineated, then the geographical market is defined. Demand andsupply substitution in both the product dimension and the geographical dimension will no...... and geographical markets. Using a unique data set for prices of Norwegian and Scottish salmon, we propose a methodology for simultaneous market delineation and we demonstrate that compared to a sequential approach conclusions will be reversed.......Delineation of the relevant market forms a pivotal part of most antitrust cases. The standard approach is sequential. First the product market is delineated, then the geographical market is defined. Demand andsupply substitution in both the product dimension and the geographical dimension...

Endogenous sequential cortical activity evoked by visual stimuli.

Science.gov (United States)

Carrillo-Reid, Luis; Miller, Jae-Eun Kang; Hamm, Jordan P; Jackson, Jesse; Yuste, Rafael

2015-06-10

Although the functional properties of individual neurons in primary visual cortex have been studied intensely, little is known about how neuronal groups could encode changing visual stimuli using temporal activity patterns. To explore this, we used in vivo two-photon calcium imaging to record the activity of neuronal populations in primary visual cortex of awake mice in the presence and absence of visual stimulation. Multidimensional analysis of the network activity allowed us to identify neuronal ensembles defined as groups of cells firing in synchrony. These synchronous groups of neurons were themselves activated in sequential temporal patterns, which repeated at much higher proportions than chance and were triggered by specific visual stimuli such as natural visual scenes. Interestingly, sequential patterns were also present in recordings of spontaneous activity without any sensory stimulation and were accompanied by precise firing sequences at the single-cell level. Moreover, intrinsic dynamics could be used to predict the occurrence of future neuronal ensembles. Our data demonstrate that visual stimuli recruit similar sequential patterns to the ones observed spontaneously, consistent with the hypothesis that already existing Hebbian cell assemblies firing in predefined temporal sequences could be the microcircuit substrate that encodes visual percepts changing in time. Copyright © 2015 Carrillo-Reid et al.

Occupancy and Occupants’ Actions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schweiker, Marcel; Carlucci, Salvatore; Andersen, Rune

2018-01-01

to study, measure, and ultimately model. The categories are physiological, individual, environmental, and spatial adjustments. Third, a list of adaptive and non-adaptive triggers together with contextual factors that could influence occupant behavior is presented. Individual elements are further grouped...... into physical environmental, physiological, psychological, and social aspects. Finally, a comprehensive table of studies related to occupant behavior and the corresponding significant and non-significant predictors, based on an extensive literature review, is shown. This table highlights areas of research where......Occupants’ presence and actions within the built environment are crucial aspects related to understanding variations in energy use. Within this chapter, first, a nomenclature for the field of research dealing with occupants in buildings is defined. This nomenclature distinguishes between occupants...

Efficacy of premixed versus sequential administration of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

sequential administration in separate syringes on block characteristics, haemodynamic parameters, side effect profile and postoperative analgesic requirement. Trial design: This was a prospective, randomised clinical study. Method: Sixty orthopaedic patients scheduled for elective lower limb surgery under spinal ...

[Sequential degradation of p-cresol by photochemical and biological methods].

Science.gov (United States)

Karetnikova, E A; Chaĭkovskaia, O N; Sokolova, I V; Nikitina, L I

2008-01-01

Sequential photo- and biodegradation of p-cresol was studied using a mercury lamp, as well as KrCl and XeCl excilamps. Preirradiation of p-cresol at a concentration of 10(-4) M did not affect the rate of its subsequent biodegradation. An increase in the concentration of p-cresol to 10(-3) M and in the duration preliminary UV irradiation inhibited subsequent biodegradation. Biodegradation of p-cresol was accompanied by the formation of a product with a fluorescence maximum at 365 nm (lambdaex 280 nm), and photodegradation yielded a compound fluorescing at 400 nm (lambdaex 330 nm). Sequential UV and biodegradation led to the appearance of bands in the fluorescence spectra that were ascribed to p-cresol and its photolysis products. It was shown that sequential use of biological and photochemical degradation results in degradation of not only the initial toxicant but also the metabolites formed during its biodegradation.

Lexical decoder for continuous speech recognition: sequential neural network approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iooss, Christine

1991-01-01

The work presented in this dissertation concerns the study of a connectionist architecture to treat sequential inputs. In this context, the model proposed by J.L. Elman, a recurrent multilayers network, is used. Its abilities and its limits are evaluated. Modifications are done in order to treat erroneous or noisy sequential inputs and to classify patterns. The application context of this study concerns the realisation of a lexical decoder for analytical multi-speakers continuous speech recognition. Lexical decoding is completed from lattices of phonemes which are obtained after an acoustic-phonetic decoding stage relying on a K Nearest Neighbors search technique. Test are done on sentences formed from a lexicon of 20 words. The results are obtained show the ability of the proposed connectionist model to take into account the sequentiality at the input level, to memorize the context and to treat noisy or erroneous inputs. (author) [fr

Optimal Energy Management of Multi-Microgrids with Sequentially Coordinated Operations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nah-Oak Song

2015-08-01

Full Text Available We propose an optimal electric energy management of a cooperative multi-microgrid community with sequentially coordinated operations. The sequentially coordinated operations are suggested to distribute computational burden and yet to make the optimal 24 energy management of multi-microgrids possible. The sequential operations are mathematically modeled to find the optimal operation conditions and illustrated with physical interpretation of how to achieve optimal energy management in the cooperative multi-microgrid community. This global electric energy optimization of the cooperative community is realized by the ancillary internal trading between the microgrids in the cooperative community which reduces the extra cost from unnecessary external trading by adjusting the electric energy production amounts of combined heat and power (CHP generators and amounts of both internal and external electric energy trading of the cooperative community. A simulation study is also conducted to validate the proposed mathematical energy management models.

Differences and similarities in therapeutic mode use between occupational therapists and occupational therapy students in Norway.

Science.gov (United States)

Carstensen, Tove; Bonsaksen, Tore

2017-11-01

The Intentional Relationship Model (IRM) is a new model of the therapeutic relationship in occupational therapy practice. Two previous studies have focused on therapist communication style, or 'mode' use, but to date no group comparisons have been reported. To explore differences between occupational therapists and occupational therapy students with regard to their therapeutic mode use. The study had a cross-sectional design, and convenience samples consisting of occupational therapists (n = 109) and of second-year occupational therapy students (n = 96) were recruited. The Self-Assessment of Modes Questionnaire was the main data collection tool. Group differences were analysed with independent t-tests. The occupational therapists responded more within the collaborative and empathizing modes than the students did. The students responded more within the advocating and instructing modes than the occupational therapists did. There may be systematic differences between occupational therapists and students concerning their therapeutic mode use. Some modes, such as the collaborating and empathizing modes, may be viewed as requiring more experience, whereas other modes, such as the advocating mode may be related to more recent rehabilitation ideologies. These factors may contribute to explaining several of the group differences observed.

Effect of sequential isoproturon pulse exposure on Scenedesmus vacuolatus.

Science.gov (United States)

Vallotton, Nathalie; Eggen, Rik Ilda Lambertus; Chèvre, Nathalie

2009-04-01

Aquatic organisms are typically exposed to fluctuating concentrations of herbicides in streams. To assess the effects on algae of repeated peak exposure to the herbicide isoproturon, we subjected the alga Scenedesmus vacuolatus to two sequential pulse exposure scenarios. Effects on growth and on the inhibition of the effective quantum yield of photosystem II (PSII) were measured. In the first scenario, algae were exposed to short, 5-h pulses at high isoproturon concentrations (400 and 1000 microg/l), each followed by a recovery period of 18 h, while the second scenario consisted of 22.5-h pulses at lower concentrations (60 and 120 microg/l), alternating with short recovery periods (1.5 h). In addition, any changes in the sensitivity of the algae to isoproturon following sequential pulses were examined by determining the growth rate-EC(50) prior to and following exposure. In both exposure scenarios, we found that algal growth and its effective quantum yield were systematically inhibited during the exposures and that these effects were reversible. Sequential pulses to isoproturon could be considered a sequence of independent events. Nevertheless, a consequence of inhibited growth during the repeated exposures is the cumulative decrease in biomass production. Furthermore, in the second scenario, when the sequence of long pulses began to approach a scenario of continuous exposure, a slight increase in the tolerance of the algae to isoproturon was observed. These findings indicated that sequential pulses do affect algae during each pulse exposure, even if algae recover between the exposures. These observations could support an improved risk assessment of fluctuating exposures to reversibly acting herbicides.

Occupational tumors of the thorax

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kraus, T.; Mueller-Lux, A.

2004-01-01

It is estimated that about 4% of cancer mortality is attributed to occupational risk factors. Due to long latency periods it is often difficult to establish causal relationships. Thoracal cancer accounts for about 88% of all compensated occupational cancers in Germany. Most important exposures and diseases are asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestos-related malignant mesothelioma and radiation induced lung cancer (by Radon and its decay products). Lung cancer caused by nickel compounds, hexavalent chromium, arsenic and its compounds, coke oven gases and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are rare. Silica-dust induced lung cancer can be compensated as occupational disease if a silicosis is present. In Germany every physician is obliged to notify a suspected occupational cancer as well as other occupational diseases. (orig.) [de

Anticipatory planning and control of grasp positions and forces for dexterous two-digit manipulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Fu, Qiushi; Zhang, Wei; Santello, Marco

2010-07-07

Dexterous object manipulation requires anticipatory control of digit positions and forces. Despite extensive studies on sensorimotor learning of digit forces, how humans learn to coordinate digit positions and forces has never been addressed. Furthermore, the functional role of anticipatory modulation of digit placement to object properties remains to be investigated. We addressed these questions by asking human subjects (12 females, 12 males) to grasp and lift an inverted T-shaped object using precision grip at constrained or self-chosen locations. The task requirement was to minimize object roll during lift. When digit position was not constrained, subjects could have implemented many equally valid digit position-force coordination patterns. However, choice of digit placement might also have resulted in large trial-to-trial variability of digit position, hence challenging the extent to which the CNS could have relied on sensorimotor memories for anticipatory control of digit forces. We hypothesized that subjects would modulate digit placement for optimal force distribution and digit forces as a function of variable digit positions. All subjects learned to minimize object roll within the first three trials, and the unconstrained device was associated with significantly smaller grip forces but larger variability of digit positions. Importantly, however, digit load force modulation compensated for position variability, thus ensuring consistent object roll minimization on each trial. This indicates that subjects learned object manipulation by integrating sensorimotor memories with sensory feedback about digit positions. These results are discussed in the context of motor equivalence and sensorimotor integration of grasp kinematics and kinetics.

Sequential-Simultaneous Analysis of Japanese Children's Performance on the Japanese McCarthy.

Science.gov (United States)

Ishikuma, Toshinori; And Others

This study explored the hypothesis that Japanese children perform significantly better on simultaneous processing than on sequential processing. The Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC) served as the criterion of the two types of mental processing. Regression equations to predict Sequential and Simultaneous processing from McCarthy…

Acquisition of Inductive Biconditional Reasoning Skills: Training of Simultaneous and Sequential Processing.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Seong-Soo

1982-01-01

Tenth-grade students (n=144) received training on one of three processing methods: coding-mapping (simultaneous), coding only, or decision tree (sequential). The induced simultaneous processing strategy worked optimally under rule learning, while the sequential strategy was difficult to induce and/or not optimal for rule-learning operations.…

Occupational syncarcinogenesis in the skin - combined effects of two carcinogens from the German occupational disease list.

Science.gov (United States)

Dickel, Heinrich; Blome, Otto; Dickel, Beate; Bruckner, Thomas; Stockfleth, Eggert; Soemantri, Silas Paras

2016-12-01

Though scientifically undisputed, cutaneous syncarcinogenesis is not reflected in German occupational disease (OD) regulations, which tend to be guided by the tenet of monocausality. Recognition of nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) and its precursor lesions as OD requires individual assessment as to whether the requirements pursuant to either OD 5103 (occupational exposure to natural UV radiation) or OD 5102 (occupational exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) are fulfilled. Retrospective analysis of 28 patients (median age 72.5 years) with NMSC and respective precursor lesions who had been occupationally exposed to natural UV radiation and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. All cases had undergone expert medical assessment between September 2012 and September 2015. According to our assessments, all 28 cases met the occupational requirements pursuant to OD 5103 and 5102. In 26 cases (93 %), we recommended recognition of skin cancer as occupational disease pursuant to both OD 5103 and OD 5102. The competent occupational insurance association (BG) followed our recommendation in four cases. In eight cases, recognition was solely based on OD 5103; in ten cases, only on OD 5102. Four cases were denied recognition. Following adequate cumulative occupational exposure to natural UV light as well as occupational exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, NMSC or its precursor lesions arising in UV-exposed areas should be reported to the competent occupational insurance association as "OD 5103 and 5102 in terms of syncarcinogenesis". Apart from the fact that the ensuing recognition proceedings will be able to more adequately reflect real-life workplace conditions, filing a report pursuant to both ODs also allows for recognition of basal cell carcinoma as occupational disease. According to current regulations, this would not be possible, if the assessment were solely based on OD 5103. © 2016 Deutsche Dermatologische Gesellschaft (DDG). Published by John Wiley & Sons

Occupational stressors in nursing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N. Nikpeyma

2009-04-01

Full Text Available Background and aimsNursing provides a wide range of potential workplace stressors as it is  a profession that requires a high level of skill, teamworking in a variety of situations and provision  of 24-hour delivery of care .Occupational stress is a major factor of Staff sickness an  absenteeism.This study investigates the main occupational stressors in nursing profession in the  hope of identification and reducing it.MethodsIn this study a questionnaire consisting of three parts:demoghraphic data,the nurses  background and questions about occupational stress from Revised index fulfilled by 140 nurses.ResultsLack of reward for work well done(48/6%, Heavy workload(46/4% ,lack of Participation in decisions (39/3% , poor Control of work place(38/4%and lack of job  development (36/4% have been the main sources of Occupational stress for nurses.chronic  diseases, Night Shift working and working hours were positively associated with occupstional  stress.Conclusion Analysis indicated that effects of work factors on occupational stress are more than demoghraphic data. The findings of this study can assist health service organisations to provide an attractive working climate in order to decrease side effects and consequences of occupational stress. Furthermore, understanding this situation can help to develop coping strategies in order to reduce work-related stress.

Mining of high utility-probability sequential patterns from uncertain databases.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Binbin Zhang

Full Text Available High-utility sequential pattern mining (HUSPM has become an important issue in the field of data mining. Several HUSPM algorithms have been designed to mine high-utility sequential patterns (HUPSPs. They have been applied in several real-life situations such as for consumer behavior analysis and event detection in sensor networks. Nonetheless, most studies on HUSPM have focused on mining HUPSPs in precise data. But in real-life, uncertainty is an important factor as data is collected using various types of sensors that are more or less accurate. Hence, data collected in a real-life database can be annotated with existing probabilities. This paper presents a novel pattern mining framework called high utility-probability sequential pattern mining (HUPSPM for mining high utility-probability sequential patterns (HUPSPs in uncertain sequence databases. A baseline algorithm with three optional pruning strategies is presented to mine HUPSPs. Moroever, to speed up the mining process, a projection mechanism is designed to create a database projection for each processed sequence, which is smaller than the original database. Thus, the number of unpromising candidates can be greatly reduced, as well as the execution time for mining HUPSPs. Substantial experiments both on real-life and synthetic datasets show that the designed algorithm performs well in terms of runtime, number of candidates, memory usage, and scalability for different minimum utility and minimum probability thresholds.

Time scale of random sequential adsorption.

Science.gov (United States)

Erban, Radek; Chapman, S Jonathan

2007-04-01

A simple multiscale approach to the diffusion-driven adsorption from a solution to a solid surface is presented. The model combines two important features of the adsorption process: (i) The kinetics of the chemical reaction between adsorbing molecules and the surface and (ii) geometrical constraints on the surface made by molecules which are already adsorbed. The process (i) is modeled in a diffusion-driven context, i.e., the conditional probability of adsorbing a molecule provided that the molecule hits the surface is related to the macroscopic surface reaction rate. The geometrical constraint (ii) is modeled using random sequential adsorption (RSA), which is the sequential addition of molecules at random positions on a surface; one attempt to attach a molecule is made per one RSA simulation time step. By coupling RSA with the diffusion of molecules in the solution above the surface the RSA simulation time step is related to the real physical time. The method is illustrated on a model of chemisorption of reactive polymers to a virus surface.

Sequential voluntary cough and aspiration or aspiration risk in Parkinson's disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Hegland, Karen Wheeler; Okun, Michael S; Troche, Michelle S

2014-08-01

Disordered swallowing, or dysphagia, is almost always present to some degree in people with Parkinson's disease (PD), either causing aspiration or greatly increasing the risk for aspiration during swallowing. This likely contributes to aspiration pneumonia, a leading cause of death in this patient population. Effective airway protection is dependent upon multiple behaviors, including cough and swallowing. Single voluntary cough function is disordered in people with PD and dysphagia. However, the appropriate response to aspirate material is more than one cough, or sequential cough. The goal of this study was to examine voluntary sequential coughing in people with PD, with and without dysphagia. Forty adults diagnosed with idiopathic PD produced two trials of sequential voluntary cough. The cough airflows were obtained using pneumotachograph and facemask and subsequently digitized and recorded. All participants received a modified barium swallow study as part of their clinical care, and the worst penetration-aspiration score observed was used to determine whether the patient had dysphagia. There were significant differences in the compression phase duration, peak expiratory flow rates, and amount of air expired of the sequential cough produced by participants with and without dysphagia. The presence of dysphagia in people with PD is associated with disordered cough function. Sequential cough, which is important in removing aspirate material from large- and smaller-diameter airways, is also impaired in people with PD and dysphagia compared with those without dysphagia. There may be common neuroanatomical substrates for cough and swallowing impairment in PD leading to the co-occurrence of these dysfunctions.

Protective gloves for use in high-risk patients: how much do they affect the dexterity of the surgeon?

Science.gov (United States)

Phillips, A. M.; Birch, N. C.; Ribbans, W. J.

1997-01-01

Twenty-five orthopaedic surgeons underwent eight motor and sensory tests while using four different glove combinations and without gloves. As well as single and double latex, surgeons wore a simple Kevlar glove with latex inside and outside and then wore a Kevlar and Medak glove with latex inside and outside, as recommended by the manufacturers. The effect of learning with each sequence was neutralised by randomising the glove order. The time taken to complete each test was recorded and, where appropriate, error rates were noted. Simple sensory tests took progressively longer to perform so that using the thickest glove combination led to the completion times being doubled. Error rates increased significantly. Tests of stereognosis also took longer and use of the thickest glove combination caused these tests to take three times as long on average. Error rates again increased significantly. However, prolongation of motor tasks was less marked. We conclude that, armed with this quantitative analysis of sensitivity and dexterity impairment, surgeons can judge the relative difficulties that may be incurred as a result of wearing the gloves against the benefits that they offer in protection. PMID:9135240

[Application of occupational hazard risk index model in occupational health risk assessment in a decorative coating manufacturing enterprises].

Science.gov (United States)

He, P L; Zhao, C X; Dong, Q Y; Hao, S B; Xu, P; Zhang, J; Li, J G

2018-01-20

Objective: To evaluate the occupational health risk of decorative coating manufacturing enterprises and to explore the applicability of occupational hazard risk index model in the health risk assessment, so as to provide basis for the health management of enterprises. Methods: A decorative coating manufacturing enterprise in Hebei Province was chosen as research object, following the types of occupational hazards and contact patterns, the occupational hazard risk index model was used to evaluate occupational health risk factors of occupational hazards in the key positions of the decorative coating manufacturing enterprise, and measured with workplace test results and occupational health examination. Results: The positions of oily painters, water-borne painters, filling workers and packers who contacted noise were moderate harm. And positions of color workers who contacted chromic acid salts, oily painters who contacted butyl acetate were mild harm. Other positions were harmless. The abnormal rate of contacting noise in physical examination results was 6.25%, and the abnormality was not checked by other risk factors. Conclusion: The occupational hazard risk index model can be used in the occupational health risk assessment of decorative coating manufacturing enterprises, and noise was the key harzard among occupational harzards in this enterprise.

Civilian law: from occupational medicine to occupational event.

Science.gov (United States)

Mpotos, N; Watelet, J B

Civilian law:from occupational medicine to occupational event. Despite the growing importance of objective measurements, the health effects of many occupational risk factors are currently not fully quantified. Occupational noise, as a widespread risk factor, is illustrative in this regard; there is a strong body of evidence linking it to an important health outcome (hearing loss), but it is less decisively associated with others (such as psychological disorders). It is also distinct from environmental noise, and therefore falls under the responsibility of employers as well as individuals. Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is, at present, incurable and irreversible. However, it is preventable, if effective and global hearing conservation programmes can be implemented. These programmes should not be isolated efforts, but should be integrated into the overall hazard prevention and control programme of the workplace. Belgian law encompasses a set of provisions for prevention and the protection of the health and safety of workers within the workplace, including aspects pertaining to the hygiene of the workplace and psychosocial aspects at work (stress, violence, bullying and sexual harassment, among others). In principle, combating environmental noise is fully addressed in this country. However, other levels of policy-making also play an important role in this regard. For example, the federal government is in charge of product standards, and therefore also of noise emission standards for products. The interpretation and enforcement of Belgian legislation on well-being at work converts European directives and international agreements on well-being at work into Belgian law.

Who wants to go to occupational therapy school? Characteristics of Norwegian occupational therapy students.

Science.gov (United States)

Bonsaksen, Tore; Kvarsnes, Hildegunn; Dahl, Mona

2016-07-01

Research on occupational therapy students has often been concerned with quite narrow topics. However, the basic characteristics of this group are yet to be examined in more depth. This study aimed to explore the sociodemographic, education-related, and work-related characteristics of occupational therapy students. A sample of 160 occupational therapy students in Norway participated. Differences between cohorts of students were examined with one-way analyses of variance (ANOVA) for continuous variables and with chi-square tests for categorical variables. The sample had a mean age of 24 years and was predominantly female (79%). More than one -third of the students had one or both parents in an occupation requiring health education, whereas two-thirds of the students had one or both parents in an occupation requiring higher education. At entry, 57% of the participants had occupational therapy as their preferred choice of education and 43% had previous higher education experience. The few significant differences between the study cohorts were negligible. In the education programmes, specific attention may be considered for students with characteristics associated with increased risk of poorer study performance or other problems. This may concern male students and students with no previous higher education experience.

Random sequential adsorption of cubes

Science.gov (United States)

Cieśla, Michał; Kubala, Piotr

2018-01-01

Random packings built of cubes are studied numerically using a random sequential adsorption algorithm. To compare the obtained results with previous reports, three different models of cube orientation sampling were used. Also, three different cube-cube intersection algorithms were tested to find the most efficient one. The study focuses on the mean saturated packing fraction as well as kinetics of packing growth. Microstructural properties of packings were analyzed using density autocorrelation function.

Occupational balance in health professionals in Sweden.

Science.gov (United States)

Wagman, Petra; Lindmark, Ulrika; Rolander, Bo; Wåhlin, Charlotte; Håkansson, Carita

2017-01-01

Health care employees are often women, a group that has high degrees of sick leave and perhaps problems attaining occupational balance. However, people think differently about their everyday activities and it is therefore important to take their perceptions into account but occupational balance has not yet been measured in health professionals. The aim was to describe occupational balance in three different samples of health professionals in Sweden. A further aim was to investigate whether occupational therapists (OTs) rate their occupational balance differently from other health professionals. Four hundred and eighty-two health professionals, employees in public dentistry, mental health care and OTs, aged 21-70 years participated. The participants' occupational balance was measured using the occupational balance questionnaire (OBQ). The ratings of occupational balance were similar to earlier studies and did not differ significantly between the samples. The OTs' occupational balance was also similar to that of the other health professionals. The similarities in occupational balance indicate the same difficulties in attaining it. The result highlights the possibility that working people face similar difficulties in achieving occupational balance. Further research is warranted about how to attain it.

Ethical Tensions Related to Systemic Constraints: Occupational Alienation in Occupational Therapy Practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Durocher, Evelyne; Kinsella, Elizabeth Anne; McCorquodale, Lisa; Phelan, Shanon

2016-09-03

Ethical tensions arise daily in health care practice and are frequently related to health care system structures or policies. Collective case study methodology was adopted to examine ethical tensions reported by occupational therapists practicing in different settings in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. Inductive analysis involving multiple layers of coding was conducted. This article focuses on tensions related to systemic constraints. Participants reported ethical tensions related to balancing client priorities with those of health care services. Four themes related to systemic constraints were identified including imposed practices, ineffective processes, resource limitations, and lack of services. Therapists' aims could be seen to align with an "ethic of care" and were seen to be in tension in light of systemic constraints. The findings raise issues related to occupational justice, particularly related to occupational alienation in occupational therapy practice, and open conversations related to neoliberalist health care agendas. © The Author(s) 2016.

Occupational health offshore

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Crosbie, A.; Davies, F.

2002-07-01

The proceedings contain the 29 papers presented at the conference plus the opening address from the chair of the Health and Safety Commission. The papers in the first session were concerned with policy, strategy and leadership and included a perspective from the offshore industry advisory committee, details of a health planning tool for occupational health assurance and lessons from occupational health management in the offshore sector. The two sessions on the second day dealt with occupational health in the offshore design process and case studies involving physical, chemical and biological agents. Topics included the need to consider occupational health when designing offshore installations, the development of a human factors engineering strategy in petrochemical engineering projects, measuring occupational exposure to hazardous chemicals, implementation of the noise at work regulations, hand arm vibration syndrome and issues with potable water maintenance. The two sessions on the third day were concerned with human factors and psychological health, and well-being and fitness for duty. Topics covered included circadian adaption to shift change in offshore shift workers, managing stress in the offshore environment, the role of employee assistance programmes in organisational stress management, health care and first aid (the revised ACOP), well-being at work, the medical and physical fitness of offshore emergency response rescue team members, the impact of health surveillance and promotion of offshore accident rates, and the implication of safety and heath of the aging of the workforce ion the Norwegian offshore industry.

Promoting Translational Research Among Movement Science, Occupational Science, and Occupational Therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Sainburg, Robert L; Liew, Sook-Lei; Frey, Scott H; Clark, Florence

2017-01-01

Integration of research in the fields of neural control of movement and biomechanics (collectively referred to as movement science) with the field of human occupation directly benefits both areas of study. Specifically, incorporating many of the quantitative scientific methods and analyses employed in movement science can help accelerate the development of rehabilitation-relevant research in occupational therapy (OT) and occupational science (OS). Reciprocally, OT and OS, which focus on the performance of everyday activities (occupations) to promote health and well-being, provide theoretical frameworks to guide research on the performance of actions in the context of social, psychological, and environmental factors. Given both fields' mutual interest in the study of movement as it relates to health and disease, the authors posit that combining OS and OT theories and principles with the theories and methods in movement science may lead to new, impactful, and clinically relevant knowledge. The first step is to ensure that individuals with OS or OT backgrounds are academically prepared to pursue advanced study in movement science. In this article, the authors propose 2 strategies to address this need.

Effects of sequential and discrete rapid naming on reading in Japanese children with reading difficulty.

Science.gov (United States)

Wakamiya, Eiji; Okumura, Tomohito; Nakanishi, Makoto; Takeshita, Takashi; Mizuta, Mekumi; Kurimoto, Naoko; Tamai, Hiroshi

2011-06-01

To clarify whether rapid naming ability itself is a main underpinning factor of rapid automatized naming tests (RAN) and how deep an influence the discrete decoding process has on reading, we performed discrete naming tasks and discrete hiragana reading tasks as well as sequential naming tasks and sequential hiragana reading tasks with 38 Japanese schoolchildren with reading difficulty. There were high correlations between both discrete and sequential hiragana reading and sentence reading, suggesting that some mechanism which automatizes hiragana reading makes sentence reading fluent. In object and color tasks, there were moderate correlations between sentence reading and sequential naming, and between sequential naming and discrete naming. But no correlation was found between reading tasks and discrete naming tasks. The influence of rapid naming ability of objects and colors upon reading seemed relatively small, and multi-item processing may work in relation to these. In contrast, in the digit naming task there was moderate correlation between sentence reading and discrete naming, while no correlation was seen between sequential naming and discrete naming. There was moderate correlation between reading tasks and sequential digit naming tasks. Digit rapid naming ability has more direct effect on reading while its effect on RAN is relatively limited. The ratio of how rapid naming ability influences RAN and reading seems to vary according to kind of the stimuli used. An assumption about components in RAN which influence reading is discussed in the context of both sequential processing and discrete naming speed. Copyright © 2010 The Japanese Society of Child Neurology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

STABILIZED SEQUENTIAL QUADRATIC PROGRAMMING: A SURVEY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Damián Fernández

2014-12-01

Full Text Available We review the motivation for, the current state-of-the-art in convergence results, and some open questions concerning the stabilized version of the sequential quadratic programming algorithm for constrained optimization. We also discuss the tools required for its local convergence analysis, globalization challenges, and extentions of the method to the more general variational problems.

Terminating Sequential Delphi Survey Data Collection

Science.gov (United States)

Kalaian, Sema A.; Kasim, Rafa M.

2012-01-01

The Delphi survey technique is an iterative mail or electronic (e-mail or web-based) survey method used to obtain agreement or consensus among a group of experts in a specific field on a particular issue through a well-designed and systematic multiple sequential rounds of survey administrations. Each of the multiple rounds of the Delphi survey…

Sequential function approximation on arbitrarily distributed point sets

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Kailiang; Xiu, Dongbin

2018-02-01

We present a randomized iterative method for approximating unknown function sequentially on arbitrary point set. The method is based on a recently developed sequential approximation (SA) method, which approximates a target function using one data point at each step and avoids matrix operations. The focus of this paper is on data sets with highly irregular distribution of the points. We present a nearest neighbor replacement (NNR) algorithm, which allows one to sample the irregular data sets in a near optimal manner. We provide mathematical justification and error estimates for the NNR algorithm. Extensive numerical examples are also presented to demonstrate that the NNR algorithm can deliver satisfactory convergence for the SA method on data sets with high irregularity in their point distributions.

Configural and component processing in simultaneous and sequential lineup procedures.

Science.gov (United States)

Flowe, Heather D; Smith, Harriet M J; Karoğlu, Nilda; Onwuegbusi, Tochukwu O; Rai, Lovedeep

2016-01-01

Configural processing supports accurate face recognition, yet it has never been examined within the context of criminal identification lineups. We tested, using the inversion paradigm, the role of configural processing in lineups. Recent research has found that face discrimination accuracy in lineups is better in a simultaneous compared to a sequential lineup procedure. Therefore, we compared configural processing in simultaneous and sequential lineups to examine whether there are differences. We had participants view a crime video, and then they attempted to identify the perpetrator from a simultaneous or sequential lineup. The test faces were presented either upright or inverted, as previous research has shown that inverting test faces disrupts configural processing. The size of the inversion effect for faces was the same across lineup procedures, indicating that configural processing underlies face recognition in both procedures. Discrimination accuracy was comparable across lineup procedures in both the upright and inversion condition. Theoretical implications of the results are discussed.

Fathers' occupation and pregnancy outcome

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McDonald, A.D.; McDonald, J.C.; Armstrong, B.; Cherry, N.M.; Nolin, A.D.; Robert, D.

1989-01-01

Findings from a survey of 56,067 women in Montreal on maternal occupation and pregnancy outcome have been reported. Paternal occupation recorded in the same survey was analysed for spontaneous abortion in 24 occupational groups retaining the six main sectors of maternal occupation and allowing, by means of logistic regression, for seven potentially confounding variables. In only one of the 24 fathers' occupational groups was there a statistically significant excess of spontaneous abortions-mechanics, repairers, and certain assemblers (O/E = 1.10, 90% CI = 1.02-1.20); subdivision of this group suggested that this excess was mainly attributable to the large group of motor vehicle mechanics (O/E = 1.17). No significant excess of known chromosomally determined defects was found in any of the 24 occupational groups. An association of developmental defects was found with food and beverage processing (18 defects observed compared with 8.02 expected; p < 0.05); however, there was no specificity in type of food, beverage, or congenital defect, and no obvious explanatory mechanism. (author)

Transformation from student to occupational therapist: Using the Delphi technique to identify the threshold concepts of occupational therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Nicola-Richmond, Kelli M; Pépin, Geneviève; Larkin, Helen

2016-04-01

Understanding and facilitating the transformation from occupational therapy student to practitioner is central to the development of competent and work-ready graduates. However, the pivotal concepts and capabilities that need to be taught and learnt in occupational therapy are not necessarily explicit. The threshold concepts theory of teaching and learning proposes that every discipline has a set of transformational concepts that students must acquire in order to progress. As students acquire the threshold concepts, they develop a transformed way of understanding content related to their course of study which contributes to their developing expertise. The aim of this study was to identify the threshold concepts of occupational therapy. The Delphi technique, a data collection method that aims to demonstrate consensus in relation to important questions, was used with three groups comprising final year occupational therapy students (n = 11), occupational therapy clinicians (n = 21) and academics teaching occupational therapy (n = 10) in Victoria, Australia. Participants reached consensus regarding 10 threshold concepts for the occupational therapy discipline. These are: understanding and applying the models and theories of occupational therapy; occupation; evidence-based practice; clinical reasoning; discipline specific skills and knowledge; practising in context; a client-centred approach; the occupational therapist role; reflective practice and; a holistic approach. The threshold concepts identified provide valuable information for the discipline. They can potentially inform the development of competencies for occupational therapy and provide guidance for teaching and learning activities to facilitate the transformation to competent practitioner. © 2015 Occupational Therapy Australia.

Investigating the experiences in a school-based occupational therapy program to inform community-based paediatric occupational therapy practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Rens, Lezahn; Joosten, Annette

2014-06-01

A collaborative approach with teachers is required when providing community-based occupational therapy to educationally at risk children. Collaborators share common goals and interact and support each other but challenges arise in providing collaborative occupational therapy in settings outside the school environment. The aim of this study was to capture experiences of teachers and occupational therapists working within a school-based occupational therapy program to determine if their experiences could inform collaborative practice. In this pilot study, participant responses to questionnaires (n = 32) about their experiences formed the basis for focus groups and individual interviews. Two focus group were conducted, one with teachers (n = 11) and one with occupational therapy participants (n = 6). Individual interviews were conducted with the supervising occupational therapist, school principal and two leading teachers. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data from closed questions, and thematic analysis using a constant comparison approach was used to analyse open ended questions, focus groups and interviews. Three main themes emerged: (i) the need for occupational therapists to spend time in the school, to explain their role, build relationships, understand classroom routines and the teacher role; (ii) occupational therapists need to not see themselves as the expert but develop equal partnerships to set collaborative goals and (iii) occupational therapists advocating for all parties to be informed throughout the occupational therapy process. The pilot study findings identified teacher and therapist experiences within the school setting that could inform improved collaborative practice with teachers and community-based occupational therapists and these findings warrant further investigation. © 2013 Occupational Therapy Australia.

Measuring site occupancy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rogowska-Wrzesinska, Adelina; Wojdyla, Katarzyna; Williamson, James

2014-01-01

occupancy of the modification site. We show that, on one hand, heavily modified cysteines are not necessarily involved in the response to oxidative stress. On the other hand residues with low modification level can be dramatically affected by mild oxidative imbalance. We make use of high resolution mass...... peptides corresponding to 90 proteins. Only 6 modified peptides changed significantly under mild oxidative stress. Quantitative information allowed us to determine relative modification site occupancy of each identified modified residue and pin point heavily modified ones. The method proved to be precise...... and sensitive enough to detect and quantify endogenous levels of oxidative stress on proteome-wide scale and brings a new perspective on the role of the modification site occupancy in cellular redox response....

[OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH RISK ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT IN WORKERS IN IMPROVEMENT OF NATIONAL POLICY IN OCCUPATIONAL HYGIENE AND SAFETY].

Science.gov (United States)

Shur, P Z; Zaĭtseva, N V; Alekseev, V B; Shliapnikov, D M

2015-01-01

In accordance with the international documents in the field of occupational safety and hygiene, the assessment and minimization of occupational risks is a key instrument for the health maintenance of workers. One of the main ways to achieve it is the minimization of occupational risks. Correspondingly, the instrument for the implementation of this method is the methodology of analysis of occupational risks. In Russian Federation there were the preconditions for the formation of the system for the assessment and management of occupational risks. As the target of the national (state) policy in the field of occupational safety in accordance with ILO Conventions it can be offered the prevention of accidents and injuries to health arising from work or related with it, minimizing the causes of hazards inherent in the working environment, as far as it is reasonably and practically feasible. Global trend ofusing the methodology of the assessment and management of occupational risks to life and health of citizens requires the improvement of national policies in the field of occupational hygiene and safety. Achieving an acceptable level of occupational risk in the formation of national policy in the field of occupational hygiene and safety can be considered as one of the main tasks.

Adrenal vein sampling in primary aldosteronism: concordance of simultaneous vs sequential sampling.

Science.gov (United States)

Almarzooqi, Mohamed-Karji; Chagnon, Miguel; Soulez, Gilles; Giroux, Marie-France; Gilbert, Patrick; Oliva, Vincent L; Perreault, Pierre; Bouchard, Louis; Bourdeau, Isabelle; Lacroix, André; Therasse, Eric

2017-02-01

Many investigators believe that basal adrenal venous sampling (AVS) should be done simultaneously, whereas others opt for sequential AVS for simplicity and reduced cost. This study aimed to evaluate the concordance of sequential and simultaneous AVS methods. Between 1989 and 2015, bilateral simultaneous sets of basal AVS were obtained twice within 5 min, in 188 consecutive patients (59 women and 129 men; mean age: 53.4 years). Selectivity was defined by adrenal-to-peripheral cortisol ratio ≥2, and lateralization was defined as an adrenal aldosterone-to-cortisol ratio ≥2, the contralateral side. Sequential AVS was simulated using right sampling at -5 min (t = -5) and left sampling at 0 min (t = 0). There was no significant difference in mean selectivity ratio (P = 0.12 and P = 0.42 for the right and left sides respectively) and in mean lateralization ratio (P = 0.93) between t = -5 and t = 0. Kappa for selectivity between 2 simultaneous AVS was 0.71 (95% CI: 0.60-0.82), whereas it was 0.84 (95% CI: 0.76-0.92) and 0.85 (95% CI: 0.77-0.93) between sequential and simultaneous AVS at respectively -5 min and at 0 min. Kappa for lateralization between 2 simultaneous AVS was 0.84 (95% CI: 0.75-0.93), whereas it was 0.86 (95% CI: 0.78-0.94) and 0.80 (95% CI: 0.71-0.90) between sequential AVS and simultaneous AVS at respectively -5 min at 0 min. Concordance between simultaneous and sequential AVS was not different than that between 2 repeated simultaneous AVS in the same patient. Therefore, a better diagnostic performance is not a good argument to select the AVS method. © 2017 European Society of Endocrinology.

Zoonoses as occupational diseases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giorgio Battelli

2008-12-01

Full Text Available Zoonoses are discussed as occupational diseases, with special reference to animal husbandry and related activities. After quoting some historical references, occupational zoonoses are examined in relation to the evolution of the concept of occupational zoonosis, the involvement of the World Health Organization in this field, their socio-economic significance, the principal working activities, zoonoses of greatest importance (with special reference to the Mediterranean region, the evaluation of damage and risks. An outline is made of the transmission of zoonoses from farm workers to animals and the biological hazards from the environment. The present situation of occupational zoonoses and related risks in industrialised and traditional farming activities are presented and the importance of some emerging and re-emerging zoonoses for the health of workers is highlighted. The author concludes by stressing that the prevention of occupational zoonoses must be implemented jointly by both veterinary and medical services through preventive measures and epidemiological surveillance of human and animal health, risk evaluation, diagnosis of infections and prompt reporting. It is hoped that the future will offer better inter-disciplinary collaboration and that legislation will be timely and better tailored to safeguard working health and safety.

Sequential motor skill: cognition, perception and action

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ruitenberg, M.F.L.

2013-01-01

Discrete movement sequences are assumed to be the building blocks of more complex sequential actions that are present in our everyday behavior. The studies presented in this dissertation address the (neuro)cognitive underpinnings of such movement sequences, in particular in relationship to the role

Zips : mining compressing sequential patterns in streams

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hoang, T.L.; Calders, T.G.K.; Yang, J.; Mörchen, F.; Fradkin, D.; Chau, D.H.; Vreeken, J.; Leeuwen, van M.; Faloutsos, C.

2013-01-01

We propose a streaming algorithm, based on the minimal description length (MDL) principle, for extracting non-redundant sequential patterns. For static databases, the MDL-based approach that selects patterns based on their capacity to compress data rather than their frequency, was shown to be

Corporate Cost of Occupational Accidents

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rikhardsson, Pall M.; Impgaard, M.

2004-01-01

method could be used in all of the companies without revisions. The evaluation of accident cost showed that 2/3 of the costs of occupational accidents are visible in the Danish corporate accounting systems reviewed while 1/3 is hidden from management view. The highest cost of occupational accidents......The systematic accident cost analysis (SACA) project was carried out during 2001 by The Aarhus School of Business and PricewaterhouseCoopers Denmark with financial support from The Danish National Working Environment Authority. Its focused on developing and testing a method for evaluating...... occupational costs of companies for use by occupational health and safety professionals. The method was tested in nine Danish companies within three different industry sectors and the costs of 27 selected occupational accidents in these companies were calculated. One of the main conclusions is that the SACA...

Improving the identification accuracy of senior witnesses: do prelineup questions and sequential testing help?

Science.gov (United States)

Memon, Amina; Gabbert, Fiona

2003-04-01

Eyewitness research has identified sequential lineup testing as a way of reducing false lineup choices while maintaining accurate identifications. The authors examined the usefulness of this procedure for reducing false choices in older adults. Young and senior witnesses viewed a crime video and were later presented with target present orabsent lineups in a simultaneous or sequential format. In addition, some participants received prelineup questions about their memory for a perpetrator's face and about their confidence in their ability to identify the culprit or to correctly reject the lineup. The sequential lineup reduced false choosing rates among young and older adults in target-absent conditions. In target-present conditions, sequential testing significantly reduced the correct identification rate in both age groups.

Simultaneous versus Sequential Intratympanic Steroid Treatment for Severe-to-Profound Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss.

Science.gov (United States)

Yoo, Myung Hoon; Lim, Won Sub; Park, Joo Hyun; Kwon, Joong Keun; Lee, Tae-Hoon; An, Yong-Hwi; Kim, Young-Jin; Kim, Jong Yang; Lim, Hyun Woo; Park, Hong Ju

2016-01-01

Severe-to-profound sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) has a poor prognosis. We aimed to compare the efficacy of simultaneous and sequential oral and intratympanic steroids for this condition. Fifty patients with severe-to-profound SSNHL (>70 dB HL) were included from 7 centers. The simultaneous group (27 patients) received oral and intratympanic steroid injections for 2 weeks. The sequential group (23 patients) was treated with oral steroids for 2 weeks and intratympanic steroids for the subsequent 2 weeks. Pure-tone averages (PTA) and word discrimination scores (WDS) were compared before treatment and 2 weeks and 1 and 2 months after treatment. Treatment outcomes according to the modified American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS) criteria were also analyzed. The improvement in PTA and WDS at the 2-week follow-up was 23 ± 21 dB HL and 20 ± 39% in the simultaneous group and 31 ± 29 dB HL and 37 ± 42% in the sequential group; this was not statistically significant. Complete or partial recovery at the 2-week follow-up was observed in 26% of the simultaneous group and 30% of the sequential group; this was also not significant. The improvement in PTA and WDS at the 2-month follow-up was 40 ± 20 dB HL and 37 ± 35% in the simultaneous group and 41 ± 25 dB HL and 48 ± 41% in the sequential group; this was not statistically significant. Complete or partial recovery at the 2-month follow-up was observed in 33% of the simultaneous group and 35% of the sequential group; this was also not significant. Seven patients in the sequential group did not need intratympanic steroid injections for sufficient improvement after oral steroids alone. Simultaneous oral/intratympanic steroid treatment yielded a recovery similar to that produced by sequential treatment. Because the addition of intratympanic steroids can be decided upon based on the improvement after an oral steroid, the sequential regimen can be recommended to avoid unnecessary

Optimal Sequential Diagnostic Strategy Generation Considering Test Placement Cost for Multimode Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shigang Zhang

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Sequential fault diagnosis is an approach that realizes fault isolation by executing the optimal test step by step. The strategy used, i.e., the sequential diagnostic strategy, has great influence on diagnostic accuracy and cost. Optimal sequential diagnostic strategy generation is an important step in the process of diagnosis system construction, which has been studied extensively in the literature. However, previous algorithms either are designed for single mode systems or do not consider test placement cost. They are not suitable to solve the sequential diagnostic strategy generation problem considering test placement cost for multimode systems. Therefore, this problem is studied in this paper. A formulation is presented. Two algorithms are proposed, one of which is realized by system transformation and the other is newly designed. Extensive simulations are carried out to test the effectiveness of the algorithms. A real-world system is also presented. All the results show that both of them have the ability to solve the diagnostic strategy generation problem, and they have different characteristics.

Optimal Sequential Diagnostic Strategy Generation Considering Test Placement Cost for Multimode Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Shigang; Song, Lijun; Zhang, Wei; Hu, Zheng; Yang, Yongmin

2015-01-01

Sequential fault diagnosis is an approach that realizes fault isolation by executing the optimal test step by step. The strategy used, i.e., the sequential diagnostic strategy, has great influence on diagnostic accuracy and cost. Optimal sequential diagnostic strategy generation is an important step in the process of diagnosis system construction, which has been studied extensively in the literature. However, previous algorithms either are designed for single mode systems or do not consider test placement cost. They are not suitable to solve the sequential diagnostic strategy generation problem considering test placement cost for multimode systems. Therefore, this problem is studied in this paper. A formulation is presented. Two algorithms are proposed, one of which is realized by system transformation and the other is newly designed. Extensive simulations are carried out to test the effectiveness of the algorithms. A real-world system is also presented. All the results show that both of them have the ability to solve the diagnostic strategy generation problem, and they have different characteristics. PMID:26457709

Inhibitory effect of sequential combined chemotherapy and radiotherapy on growth of implanted tumor in mice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Okada, Kouji

1983-01-01

Sequential chemotherapy using FT-207, adriamycin and mitomycin C followed by radiotherapy was attempted to achieve effective inhibition against implanted tumor in C57BL/6 black mice bearing YM-12 tumors. Sequential combined chemotherapy was more effective than single drug chemotherapy or combined chemotherapy of other drugs. Addition of radiotherapy to the sequential combined chemotherapy was successful for enhancing therapeutic effect. (author)

Occupants' window opening behaviour

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fabi, Valentina; Andersen, Rune Korsholm; Corgnati, Stefano

2012-01-01

Energy consumption in buildings is influenced by several factors related to the building properties and the building controls, some of them highly connected to the behaviour of their occupants.In this paper, a definition of items referring to occupant behaviour related to the building control...... systems is proposed, based on studies presented in literature and a general process leading to the effects on energy consumptions is identified.Existing studies on the topic of window opening behaviour are highlighted and a theoretical framework to deal with occupants' interactions with building controls......, aimed at improving or maintaining the preferred indoor environmental conditions, is elaborated. This approach is used to look into the drivers for the actions taken by the occupants (windows opening and closing) and to investigate the existing models in literature of these actions for both residential...

The Bacterial Sequential Markov Coalescent.

Science.gov (United States)

De Maio, Nicola; Wilson, Daniel J

2017-05-01

Bacteria can exchange and acquire new genetic material from other organisms directly and via the environment. This process, known as bacterial recombination, has a strong impact on the evolution of bacteria, for example, leading to the spread of antibiotic resistance across clades and species, and to the avoidance of clonal interference. Recombination hinders phylogenetic and transmission inference because it creates patterns of substitutions (homoplasies) inconsistent with the hypothesis of a single evolutionary tree. Bacterial recombination is typically modeled as statistically akin to gene conversion in eukaryotes, i.e. , using the coalescent with gene conversion (CGC). However, this model can be very computationally demanding as it needs to account for the correlations of evolutionary histories of even distant loci. So, with the increasing popularity of whole genome sequencing, the need has emerged for a faster approach to model and simulate bacterial genome evolution. We present a new model that approximates the coalescent with gene conversion: the bacterial sequential Markov coalescent (BSMC). Our approach is based on a similar idea to the sequential Markov coalescent (SMC)-an approximation of the coalescent with crossover recombination. However, bacterial recombination poses hurdles to a sequential Markov approximation, as it leads to strong correlations and linkage disequilibrium across very distant sites in the genome. Our BSMC overcomes these difficulties, and shows a considerable reduction in computational demand compared to the exact CGC, and very similar patterns in simulated data. We implemented our BSMC model within new simulation software FastSimBac. In addition to the decreased computational demand compared to previous bacterial genome evolution simulators, FastSimBac provides more general options for evolutionary scenarios, allowing population structure with migration, speciation, population size changes, and recombination hotspots. FastSimBac is

Structural and Functional Impacts of ER Coactivator Sequential Recruitment.

Science.gov (United States)

Yi, Ping; Wang, Zhao; Feng, Qin; Chou, Chao-Kai; Pintilie, Grigore D; Shen, Hong; Foulds, Charles E; Fan, Guizhen; Serysheva, Irina; Ludtke, Steven J; Schmid, Michael F; Hung, Mien-Chie; Chiu, Wah; O'Malley, Bert W

2017-09-07

Nuclear receptors recruit multiple coactivators sequentially to activate transcription. This "ordered" recruitment allows different coactivator activities to engage the nuclear receptor complex at different steps of transcription. Estrogen receptor (ER) recruits steroid receptor coactivator-3 (SRC-3) primary coactivator and secondary coactivators, p300/CBP and CARM1. CARM1 recruitment lags behind the binding of SRC-3 and p300 to ER. Combining cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structure analysis and biochemical approaches, we demonstrate that there is a close crosstalk between early- and late-recruited coactivators. The sequential recruitment of CARM1 not only adds a protein arginine methyltransferase activity to the ER-coactivator complex, it also alters the structural organization of the pre-existing ERE/ERα/SRC-3/p300 complex. It induces a p300 conformational change and significantly increases p300 HAT activity on histone H3K18 residues, which, in turn, promotes CARM1 methylation activity on H3R17 residues to enhance transcriptional activity. This study reveals a structural role for a coactivator sequential recruitment and biochemical process in ER-mediated transcription. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Occupation-based practices and homelessness: A scoping review.

Science.gov (United States)

Roy, Laurence; Vallée, Catherine; Kirsh, Bonnie H; Marshall, Carrie Anne; Marval, Rebecca; Low, Alissa

2017-04-01

Persons experiencing or at risk of homelessness have occupational needs that are seldom addressed in the Canadian system of care. The lack of documented evidence on occupational therapy practices in this field hinders the development of the profession. This article identifies current and potential practices that aim to enable or support the occupations of persons experiencing or at risk of homelessness. A scoping review was conducted, including evidence from both occupational therapy and non-occupational therapy sources. One hundred and seventy-eight papers were selected in the areas of occupational performance skills training, enrichment of occupational repertoire, employment/education, physical rehabilitation services, child/family services, community building, occupational transition from homeless to housed, literacy, and disaster relief. Occupational therapists can build environments and create opportunities that facilitate occupational engagement of individuals experiencing homelessness. Gaps in knowledge include the evaluation of occupational therapy practices, the Canadian context of family homelessness, and the cultural safety of occupational therapy interventions.

Occupational Mortality, Background on

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lynge, Elsebeth

2016-01-01

in England and Wales from 1851 to 1979–1983, and these studies have provided key data on social inequalities in health. Death certificate studies have been used for identification of occupational groups with high excess risks from specific diseases. Follow-up studies require linkage of individual records......The study of occupational mortality involves the systematic tabulation of mortality by occupational or socioeconomic groups. Three main methods are used to conduct these studies: cross-sectional studies, death certificate studies, and follow-up studies. Cross-sectional studies were undertaken...

Sequential decay of Reggeons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshida, Toshihiro

1981-01-01

Probabilities of meson production in the sequential decay of Reggeons, which are formed from the projectile and the target in the hadron-hadron to Reggeon-Reggeon processes, are investigated. It is assumed that pair creation of heavy quarks and simultaneous creation of two antiquark-quark pairs are negligible. The leading-order terms with respect to ratio of creation probabilities of anti s s to anti u u (anti d d) are calculated. The production cross sections in the target fragmentation region are given in terms of probabilities in the initial decay of the Reggeons and an effect of manyparticle production. (author)

[Professor GAO Yuchun's experience on "sequential acupuncture leads to smooth movement of qi"].

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yanjun; Xing, Xiao; Cui, Linhua

2016-01-01

Professor GAO Yuchun is considered as the key successor of GAO's academic school of acupuncture and moxibustion in Yanzhao region. Professor GAO's clinical experience of, "sequential acupuncture" is introduced in details in this article. In Professor GAO's opinions, appropriate acupuncture sequence is the key to satisfactory clinical effects during treatment. Based on different acupoints, sequential acupuncture can achieve the aim of qi following needles and needles leading qi; based on different symptoms, sequential acupuncture can regulate qi movement; based on different body positions, sequential acupuncture can harmonize qi-blood and reinforcing deficiency and reducing excess. In all, according to the differences of disease condition and constitution, based on the accurate acupoint selection and appropriate manipulation, it is essential to capture the nature of diseases and make the order of acupuncture, which can achieve the aim of regulating qi movement and reinforcing deficiency and reducing excess.

TELEGRAPHS TO INCANDESCENT LAMPS: A SEQUENTIAL PROCESS OF INNOVATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laurence J. Malone

2000-01-01

Full Text Available This paper outlines a sequential process of technological innovation in the emergence of the electrical industry in the United States from 1830 to 1880. Successive inventions that realize the commercial possibilities of electricity provided the foundation for an industry where technical knowledge, invention and diffusion were ultimately consolidated within the managerial structure of new firms. The genesis of the industry is traced, sequentially, through the development of the telegraph, arc light and incandescent lamp. Exploring the origins of the telegraph and incandescent lamp reveals a process where a series of inventions and firms result from successful efforts touse scientific principles to create new commodities and markets.

Results of simultaneous and sequential pediatric liver and kidney transplantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Rogers, J; Bueno, J; Shapiro, R; Scantlebury, V; Mazariegos, G; Fung, J; Reyes, J

2001-11-27

The indications for simultaneous and sequential pediatric liver (LTx) and kidney (KTx) transplantation have not been well defined. We herein report the results of our experience with these procedures in children with end-stage liver disease and/or subsequent end-stage renal disease. Between 1984 and 1995, 12 LTx recipients received 15 kidney allografts. Eight simultaneous and seven sequential LTx/KTx were performed. There were six males and six females, with a mean age of 10.9 years (1.5-23.7). One of the eight simultaneous LTx/KTx was part of a multivisceral allograft. Five KTx were performed at varied intervals after successful LTx, one KTx was performed after a previous simultaneous LTx/KTx, and one KTx was performed after previous sequential LTx/KTx. Immunosuppression was with tacrolimus or cyclosporine and steroids. Indications for LTx were oxalosis (four), congenital hepatic fibrosis (two), cystinosis (one), polycystic liver disease (one), A-1-A deficiency (one), Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN)-related (one), cryptogenic cirrhosis (one), and hepatoblastoma (one). Indications for KTx were oxalosis (four), drug-induced (four), polycystic kidney disease (three), cystinosis (one), and glomerulonephritis (1). With a mean follow-up of 58 months (0.9-130), the overall patient survival rate was 58% (7/12). One-year and 5-year actuarial patient survival rates were 66% and 58%, respectively. Patient survival rates at 1 year after KTx according to United Network of Organ Sharing (liver) status were 100% for status 3, 50% for status 2, and 0% for status 1. The overall renal allograft survival rate was 47%. Actuarial renal allograft survival rates were 53% at 1 and 5 years. The overall hepatic allograft survival rate was equivalent to the overall patient survival rate (58%). Six of seven surviving patients have normal renal allograft function, and one patient has moderate chronic allograft nephropathy. All surviving patients have normal hepatic allograft function. Six

Multi-Stage Recognition of Speech Emotion Using Sequential Forward Feature Selection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liogienė Tatjana

2016-07-01

Full Text Available The intensive research of speech emotion recognition introduced a huge collection of speech emotion features. Large feature sets complicate the speech emotion recognition task. Among various feature selection and transformation techniques for one-stage classification, multiple classifier systems were proposed. The main idea of multiple classifiers is to arrange the emotion classification process in stages. Besides parallel and serial cases, the hierarchical arrangement of multi-stage classification is most widely used for speech emotion recognition. In this paper, we present a sequential-forward-feature-selection-based multi-stage classification scheme. The Sequential Forward Selection (SFS and Sequential Floating Forward Selection (SFFS techniques were employed for every stage of the multi-stage classification scheme. Experimental testing of the proposed scheme was performed using the German and Lithuanian emotional speech datasets. Sequential-feature-selection-based multi-stage classification outperformed the single-stage scheme by 12–42 % for different emotion sets. The multi-stage scheme has shown higher robustness to the growth of emotion set. The decrease in recognition rate with the increase in emotion set for multi-stage scheme was lower by 10–20 % in comparison with the single-stage case. Differences in SFS and SFFS employment for feature selection were negligible.

[Attitudes of Polish occupational medicine physicians towards a proposal of requirements for occupational medicine training in Europe].

Science.gov (United States)

Indulski, J A; Boczkowski, A; Mikulski, M

1998-01-01

In order to determine key competences required of occupational medicine specialists, common throughout Europe, a questionnaire has been developed and distributed among several European countries. The questionnaire contained 115 subjects related to 8 fields of activities carried out by occupational medicine physicians (occupational hazards to health, assessment of disability and fitness for work, communications, research methods, management, environmental medicine, occupational health law and ethics, and health promotion). In each of these fields, competences were classified into three following categories: knowledge, experience and skills. Respondents were asked to allocate a score from 0 to 5 for each subject, where 0 = not necessary; 1 = of minimum importance, and 5 = most important or essential. In Poland the questionnaire was distributed among two groups of specialists: group I--experienced specialists in occupational medicine (leading representatives of occupational health care management), and group II--relatively younger and less experienced occupational medicine physicians, participating in the specialist training, organised by The Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine. A comprehensive analysis of the completed questionnaires was carried out in two dimensions: substantive (the importance of individual competences as perceived by Polish specialists in occupational medicine), and comparative (evaluation and interpretation of similarities and differences between two groups of respondents). A hierarchy of requirements, occupational medicine training in Poland is to satisfy, was reconstructed with two sets of competences, one recognised by respondents as needless and the other recognised as useful with different grades of importance. Some characteristic differences in opinions between two groups studies were highlighted.

Tinnitus after Simultaneous and Sequential Bilateral Cochlear Implantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Ramakers, Geerte G J; Kraaijenga, Véronique J C; Smulders, Yvette E; van Zon, Alice; Stegeman, Inge; Stokroos, Robert J; Free, Rolien H; Frijns, Johan H M; Huinck, Wendy J; Van Zanten, Gijsbert A; Grolman, Wilko

2017-01-01

There is an ongoing global discussion on whether or not bilateral cochlear implantation should be standard care for bilateral deafness. Contrary to unilateral cochlear implantation, however, little is known about the effect of bilateral cochlear implantation on tinnitus. To investigate tinnitus outcomes 1 year after bilateral cochlear implantation. Secondarily, to compare tinnitus outcomes between simultaneous and sequential bilateral cochlear implantation and to investigate long-term follow-up (3 years). This study is a secondary analysis as part of a multicenter randomized controlled trial. Thirty-eight postlingually deafened adults were included in the original trial, in which the presence of tinnitus was not an inclusion criterion. All participants received cochlear implants (CIs) because of profound hearing loss. Nineteen participants received bilateral CIs simultaneously and 19 participants received bilateral CIs sequentially with an inter-implant interval of 2 years. The prevalence and severity of tinnitus before and after simultaneous and sequential bilateral cochlear implantation were measured preoperatively and each year after implantation with the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) and Tinnitus Questionnaire (TQ). The prevalence of preoperative tinnitus was 42% (16/38). One year after bilateral implantation, there was a median difference of -8 (inter-quartile range (IQR): -28 to 4) in THI score and -9 (IQR: -17 to -9) in TQ score in the participants with preoperative tinnitus. Induction of tinnitus occurred in five participants, all in the simultaneous group, in the year after bilateral implantation. Although the preoperative and also the postoperative median THI and TQ scores were higher in the simultaneous group, the median difference scores were equal in both groups. In the simultaneous group, tinnitus scores fluctuated in the 3 years after implantation. In the sequential group, four patients had an additional benefit of the second CI: a total

Learning sequential control in a Neural Blackboard Architecture for in situ concept reasoning

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Velde, Frank; van der Velde, Frank; Besold, Tarek R.; Lamb, Luis; Serafini, Luciano; Tabor, Whitney

2016-01-01

Simulations are presented and discussed of learning sequential control in a Neural Blackboard Architecture (NBA) for in situ concept-based reasoning. Sequential control is learned in a reservoir network, consisting of columns with neural circuits. This allows the reservoir to control the dynamics of

Microstructural evolution of reduced-activation martensitic steel under single and sequential ion irradiations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Luo, Fengfeng [Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-structures of Ministry of Education, Hubei Nuclear Solid Physics Key Laboratory and School of Physics and Technology, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072 (China); Guo, Liping, E-mail: guolp@whu.edu.cn [Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-structures of Ministry of Education, Hubei Nuclear Solid Physics Key Laboratory and School of Physics and Technology, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072 (China); Jin, Shuoxue; Li, Tiecheng; Zheng, Zhongcheng [Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-structures of Ministry of Education, Hubei Nuclear Solid Physics Key Laboratory and School of Physics and Technology, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072 (China); Yang, Feng; Xiong, Xuesong; Suo, Jinping [State Key Laboratory of Mould Technology, Institute of Materials Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074 (China)

2013-07-15

Microstructural evolution of super-clean reduced-activation martensitic steels irradiated with single-beam (Fe{sup +}) and sequential-beam (Fe{sup +} plus He{sup +}) at 350 °C and 550 °C was studied. Sequential-beam irradiation induced smaller size and larger number density of precipitates compared to single-beam irradiation at 350 °C. The largest size of cavities was observed after sequential-beam irradiation at 550 °C. The segregation of Cr and W and depletion of Fe in carbides were observed, and the maximum depletion of Fe and enrichment of Cr occurred under irradiation at 350 °C.

Sequential and Simultaneous Logit: A Nested Model.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Ophem, J.C.M.; Schram, A.J.H.C.

1997-01-01

A nested model is presented which has both the sequential and the multinomial logit model as special cases. This model provides a simple test to investigate the validity of these specifications. Some theoretical properties of the model are discussed. In the analysis a distribution function is

Truly costly sequential search and oligopolistic pricing

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Janssen, Maarten C W; Moraga-González, José Luis; Wildenbeest, Matthijs R.

We modify the paper of Stahl (1989) [Stahl, D.O., 1989. Oligopolistic pricing with sequential consumer search. American Economic Review 79, 700-12] by relaxing the assumption that consumers obtain the first price quotation for free. When all price quotations are costly to obtain, the unique

Sequential Computerized Mastery Tests--Three Simulation Studies

Science.gov (United States)

Wiberg, Marie

2006-01-01

A simulation study of a sequential computerized mastery test is carried out with items modeled with the 3 parameter logistic item response theory model. The examinees' responses are either identically distributed, not identically distributed, or not identically distributed together with estimation errors in the item characteristics. The…

Occupational risk of building construction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aneziris, O.N.; Topali, E.; Papazoglou, I.A.

2012-01-01

This paper presents the quantification of occupational risk of a building construction project. Risk assessment is based on the Occupational Risk Model (ORCA) developed under the Workgroup Occupational Risk Model project (WORM), in the Netherlands, for quantifying occupational risk. This model assesses occupational risk of a worker, by taking into account his various tasks, activities and their hazards. Risk is evaluated for three types of consequences: recoverable injury, permanent injury and death. The occupational risk model is based on a set of 63 bowties, which assess risk owing to different hazards such as fall from ladder, scaffold, roofs, falling object, struck by moving vehicle, contact by moving parts, etc. ORCA calculates the risk profile of a building construction site, consisting of thirty-eight workers in different job positions, such as operators of excavators, loaders, compaction equipment, workers in excavation and framing phases, etc. All risk profiles of workers have been quantified and jobs have been ranked according to their risk. Workers installing timber formworks have the highest fatality risk (1.57×10 −3 /yr), followed by the workers installing reinforcement (1.52×10 −3 /yr).

Sequential Low Cost Interventions Double Hand Hygiene Rates ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Sequential Low Cost Interventions Double Hand Hygiene Rates Among Medical Teams in a Resource Limited Setting. Results of a Hand Hygiene Quality Improvement Project Conducted At University Teaching Hospital of Kigali (Chuk), Kigali, Rwanda.

Occupational Trends and Program Priorities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dan Rosenthal

2001-07-01

Full Text Available Institutions of higher education that respond to the economic base in their region will remain competitive and be better positioned to obtain public funds and donor support. In addition to mandated program viability standards based on measures such as graduation rate, individual institutions and state coordinating boards can use ten-year occupational trend data to assess future program viability. We used an occupational demand model to determine whether academic programs can meet projected statewide needs for high demand and high growth occupations. For example, computer engineering, the highest growth rate occupation in Alabama, is projected to have 365 annual average job openings, with 93.6% total growth over ten years. But only 46 computer engineering majors graduate annually from all Alabama institutions of higher education. We recommend using an occupational demand model as a planning tool, decision-making tool, and catalyst for collaborative initiatives.

Priority Setting for Occupational Cancer Prevention

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cheryl E. Peters

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Background: Selecting priority occupational carcinogens is important for cancer prevention efforts; however, standardized selection methods are not available. The objective of this paper was to describe the methods used by CAREX Canada in 2015 to establish priorities for preventing occupational cancer, with a focus on exposure estimation and descriptive profiles. Methods: Four criteria were used in an expert assessment process to guide carcinogen prioritization: (1 the likelihood of presence and/or use in Canadian workplaces; (2 toxicity of the substance (strength of evidence for carcinogenicity and other health effects; (3 feasibility of producing a carcinogen profile and/or an occupational estimate; and (4 special interest from the public/scientific community. Carcinogens were ranked as high, medium or low priority based on specific conditions regarding these criteria, and stakeholder input was incorporated. Priorities were set separately for the creation of new carcinogen profiles and for new occupational exposure estimates. Results: Overall, 246 agents were reviewed for inclusion in the occupational priorities list. For carcinogen profile generation, 103 were prioritized (11 high, 33 medium, and 59 low priority, and 36 carcinogens were deemed priorities for occupational exposure estimation (13 high, 17 medium, and 6 low priority. Conclusion: Prioritizing and ranking occupational carcinogens is required for a variety of purposes, including research, resource allocation at different jurisdictional levels, calculations of occupational cancer burden, and planning of CAREX-type projects in different countries. This paper outlines how this process was achieved in Canada; this may provide a model for other countries and jurisdictions as a part of occupational cancer prevention efforts. Keywords: cancer prevention, carcinogen exposure, occupational health

Sequential optimization of matrix chain multiplication relative to different cost functions

KAUST Repository

Chikalov, Igor; Hussain, Shahid; Moshkov, Mikhail

2011-01-01

In this paper, we present a methodology to optimize matrix chain multiplication sequentially relative to different cost functions such as total number of scalar multiplications, communication overhead in a multiprocessor environment, etc. For n matrices our optimization procedure requires O(n 3) arithmetic operations per one cost function. This work is done in the framework of a dynamic programming extension that allows sequential optimization relative to different criteria. © 2011 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

Building Bridges Through Meaningful Occupation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jennifer Fortuna

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Mary Block, MS, OTR/L, an occupational therapist and artist based in Illinois, provided the cover art for the Summer 2017 issue of The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy (OJOT. Generations is a sculpture made from concrete that measures 240 x100 in. (6.096 x 2.54 m. The piece was commissioned by Mary’s home town, the Village of Deerfield, IL. Mary always knew she wanted to be an artist. When competing paradigms altered Mary’s career path, the field of occupational therapy helped her to shape a new worldview. In uncertain times, meaningful occupation empowered Mary to start over again where she originally began

[News on occupational contact dermatitis].

Science.gov (United States)

Crépy, Marie-Noëlle; Bensefa-Colas, Lynda

2014-03-01

Contact dermatitis--irritant contact dermatitis, allergic contact dermatitis and protein contact dermatitis--are the most common occupational skin diseases, most often localized to the hands. Contact urticaria is rarer The main occupational irritants are wet work, detergents and disinfectants, cutting oils, and solvents. The main occupational allergens are rubber additives, metals (chromium, nickel, cobalt), plastics (epoxy resins, acrylic), biocides and plants. Diagnosis is based on clinical examination, medical history and allergy testing. For a number of irritating or sensitizing agents, irritant or allergic dermatitis can be notified as occupational diseases. The two main prevention measures are reducing skin contact with irritants and complete avoidance of skin contact with offending allergens.

Occupational Pesticide Exposures and Respiratory Health

Science.gov (United States)

Ye, Ming; Beach, Jeremy; Martin, Jonathan W.; Senthilselvan, Ambikaipakan

2013-01-01

Pesticides have been widely used to control pest and pest-related diseases in agriculture, fishery, forestry and the food industry. In this review, we identify a number of respiratory symptoms and diseases that have been associated with occupational pesticide exposures. Impaired lung function has also been observed among people occupationally exposed to pesticides. There was strong evidence for an association between occupational pesticide exposure and asthma, especially in agricultural occupations. In addition, we found suggestive evidence for a link between occupational pesticide exposure and chronic bronchitis or COPD. There was inconclusive evidence for the association between occupational pesticide exposure and lung cancer. Better control of pesticide uses and enforcement of safety behaviors, such as using personal protection equipment (PPE) in the workplace, are critical for reducing the risk of developing pesticide-related symptoms and diseases. Educational training programs focusing on basic safety precautions and proper uses of personal protection equipment (PPE) are possible interventions that could be used to control the respiratory diseases associated with pesticide exposure in occupational setting. PMID:24287863

Variation among heritage speakers: Sequential vs. simultaneous bilinguals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Teresa Lee

2013-08-01

Full Text Available This study examines the differences in the grammatical knowledge of two types of heritage speakers of Korean. Early simultaneous bilinguals are exposed to both English and the heritage language from birth, whereas early sequential bilinguals are exposed to the heritage language first and then to English upon schooling. A listening comprehension task involving relative clauses was conducted with 51 beginning-level Korean heritage speakers. The results showed that the early sequential bilinguals exhibited much more accurate knowledge than the early simultaneous bilinguals, who lacked rudimentary knowledge of Korean relative clauses. Drawing on the findings of adult and child Korean L1 data on the acquisition of relative clauses, the performance of each group is discussed with respect to attrition and incomplete acquisition of the heritage language.

Occupational skin cancer may be underreported

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Carøe, Tanja Korfitsen; Ebbehøj, Niels Erik; Wulf, Hans Christian

2013-01-01

Skin cancer may, in some cases, be caused by occupational exposures. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of and exposures leading to occupationally induced skin cancers in Denmark during a ten-year period.......Skin cancer may, in some cases, be caused by occupational exposures. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of and exposures leading to occupationally induced skin cancers in Denmark during a ten-year period....

Occupation and cancer in Britain.

Science.gov (United States)

Rushton, L; Bagga, S; Bevan, R; Brown, T P; Cherrie, J W; Holmes, P; Fortunato, L; Slack, R; Van Tongeren, M; Young, C; Hutchings, S J

2010-04-27

Prioritising control measures for occupationally related cancers should be evidence based. We estimated the current burden of cancer in Britain attributable to past occupational exposures for International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) group 1 (established) and 2A (probable) carcinogens. We calculated attributable fractions and numbers for cancer mortality and incidence using risk estimates from the literature and national data sources to estimate proportions exposed. 5.3% (8019) cancer deaths were attributable to occupation in 2005 (men, 8.2% (6362); women, 2.3% (1657)). Attributable incidence estimates are 13 679 (4.0%) cancer registrations (men, 10 063 (5.7%); women, 3616 (2.2%)). Occupational attributable fractions are over 2% for mesothelioma, sinonasal, lung, nasopharynx, breast, non-melanoma skin cancer, bladder, oesophagus, soft tissue sarcoma, larynx and stomach cancers. Asbestos, shift work, mineral oils, solar radiation, silica, diesel engine exhaust, coal tars and pitches, occupation as a painter or welder, dioxins, environmental tobacco smoke, radon, tetrachloroethylene, arsenic and strong inorganic mists each contribute 100 or more registrations. Industries and occupations with high cancer registrations include construction, metal working, personal and household services, mining, land transport, printing/publishing, retail/hotels/restaurants, public administration/defence, farming and several manufacturing sectors. 56% of cancer registrations in men are attributable to work in the construction industry (mainly mesotheliomas, lung, stomach, bladder and non-melanoma skin cancers) and 54% of cancer registrations in women are attributable to shift work (breast cancer). This project is the first to quantify in detail the burden of cancer and mortality due to occupation specifically for Britain. It highlights the impact of occupational exposures, together with the occupational circumstances and industrial areas where exposures to carcinogenic agents

Expanding beyond individualism: Engaging critical perspectives on occupation.

Science.gov (United States)

Gerlach, Alison J; Teachman, Gail; Laliberte-Rudman, Debbie; Aldrich, Rebecca M; Huot, Suzanne

2018-01-01

Perspectives that individualize occupation are poorly aligned with socially responsive and transformative occupation-focused research, education, and practice. Their predominant use in occupational therapy risks the perpetuation, rather than resolution, of occupational inequities. In this paper, we problematize taken-for-granted individualistic analyses of occupation and illustrate how critical theoretical perspectives can reveal the ways in which structural factors beyond an individual's immediate control and environment shape occupational possibilities and occupational engagement. Using a critically reflexive approach, we draw on three distinct qualitative research studies to examine the potential of critical theorizing for expanding beyond a reliance on individualistic analyses and practices. Our studies highlight the importance of addressing the socio-historical and political contexts of occupation and demonstrate the contribution of critical perspectives to socially responsive occupational therapy. In expanding beyond individualistic analyses of occupation, critical perspectives advance research and practices towards addressing socio-political mediators of occupational engagement and equity.