Subject in Tractatus according to David Pears

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M Hoseinzadeh Yazdi

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Subjectivism is viewed as one of the most fundamental underpinnings of modern philosophy. In modern philosophy, subject takes up a new position in human knowledge. The formation of the concept of subject is a decisive turn with which the modern philosophy starts. Considering the centrality of subjectivism in modern philosophy, this article attempts to explain subject in Tractatus according to David Pears. A review of Wittgenstein’s earlier teachings reveals that he considers a fundamental limitation for language. The subject serves as a point of view from which the language can be understood. The subject is the presupposition of understanding. Another way of putting this would be to say that any experience is understood from a point of view which is not represented in that experience. Regarding this, it seems that earlier Wittgenstein is somehow subjectivist. This specific form of subjectivism is different from Kantian subjectivism.

77 FR 63873 - Johnson Controls, Inc. Including On-Site Leased Workers of Valley Staffing and AZ Quality Hudson...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-10-17

... workers of Johnson Controls, Inc., including on-site leased workers from Valley Staffing, Hudson..., Wisconsin location of Johnson Controls, Inc. The Department has determined that these workers were sufficiently under the control of the subject firm to be considered leased workers. Based on these findings...

Subjective Memory Immediately Following Electroconvulsive Therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Brus, Ole; Nordanskog, Pia; Båve, Ullvi; Cao, Yang; Hammar, Åsa; Landén, Mikael; Lundberg, Johan; Nordenskjöld, Axel

2017-06-01

The aims of the present study were to describe the short-term rate of subjective memory worsening (SMW) and identify factors of importance for SMW in a large clinical sample treated for depression with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). This register-based study included 1212 patients from the Swedish National Quality Register for ECT. Subjective memory worsening was defined as a 2-point worsening on the memory item of the Comprehensive Psychopathological Rating Scale from before to within 1 week after treatment. Associations between patient characteristics and treatment factors were examined using logistic regression. Subjective memory worsening was experienced in 26%. It was more common in women than in men (31% vs 18%; P < 0.001) and more common in patients aged 18 to 39 years than in patients 65 years or older (32% vs 22%; P = 0.008). Patients with less subjective memory disturbances before ECT had a greater risk of SMW. Patients in remission after ECT had a lower risk of SMW. A brief pulse width stimulus gave higher risk of SMW compared with ultrabrief pulse (odds ratio, 1.61; 95% confidence interval, 1.05-2.47). Subjective memory worsening is reported by a minority of patients. However, young women are at risk of experiencing SMW. Ultrabrief pulse width stimulus could be considered for patients treated with unilateral electrode placement who experience SMW. Each patient should be monitored with regard to symptoms and adverse effects, and treatment should be adjusted on an individual basis to maximize the clinical effect and with efforts to minimize the cognitive adverse effects.

Double-adjustment in propensity score matching analysis: choosing a threshold for considering residual imbalance.

Science.gov (United States)

Nguyen, Tri-Long; Collins, Gary S; Spence, Jessica; Daurès, Jean-Pierre; Devereaux, P J; Landais, Paul; Le Manach, Yannick

2017-04-28

Double-adjustment can be used to remove confounding if imbalance exists after propensity score (PS) matching. However, it is not always possible to include all covariates in adjustment. We aimed to find the optimal imbalance threshold for entering covariates into regression. We conducted a series of Monte Carlo simulations on virtual populations of 5,000 subjects. We performed PS 1:1 nearest-neighbor matching on each sample. We calculated standardized mean differences across groups to detect any remaining imbalance in the matched samples. We examined 25 thresholds (from 0.01 to 0.25, stepwise 0.01) for considering residual imbalance. The treatment effect was estimated using logistic regression that contained only those covariates considered to be unbalanced by these thresholds. We showed that regression adjustment could dramatically remove residual confounding bias when it included all of the covariates with a standardized difference greater than 0.10. The additional benefit was negligible when we also adjusted for covariates with less imbalance. We found that the mean squared error of the estimates was minimized under the same conditions. If covariate balance is not achieved, we recommend reiterating PS modeling until standardized differences below 0.10 are achieved on most covariates. In case of remaining imbalance, a double adjustment might be worth considering.

The Subject in Cognitive Psychotherapy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Isabel Caro-Gabalda

2015-05-01

Full Text Available This paper discusses the various subjects embedded in cognitive psychotherapy. The cognitive model developed by Beck, considered as a rationalist and modernist model, will exemplify these subjects. Cognitive therapy should be placed in the modernist historical context and related to a subject characterized as having rationality and the ability to observe and detect cognitions, emotions and behaviors. The paper develops this background introducing three main subject types. The first is the introspective and conscious subject, who is able to observe what is within oneself, has free access, and is conscious of one's cognitive world. The second is the cognitive miser that describes the subject who enters into therapy. The final subject identified, is the trained scientist who is able to develop a more objective knowledge, changing faulty schemas and cognitive distortions. This subject is the one most looked for in cognitive therapy. We could connect these subjects to some of the main elements of cognitive therapy such as the concept of ABC, assessment procedures, cognitive techniques or the relevance of schemas. Finally, the paper suggests some issues for study that could contribute to the theoretical and clinical evolution of cognitive psychotherapy.

Development of Subjectivity in Cadets during Training

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A S Markov

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The article submits the results of the research, where such personal factors as learning motivation, aggressive reactions and the choice of behavior strategy in conflict are considered as the indicators of subjectivity development. It also shows the dynamics of the subjectivity development in cadets on these indicators.

Plasma antioxidants and brain glucose metabolism in elderly subjects with cognitive complaints

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Picco, Agnese; Ferrara, Michela; Arnaldi, Dario; Brugnolo, Andrea; Nobili, Flavio [University of Genoa and IRCCS San Martino-IST, Clinical Neurology, Department of Neuroscience (DINOGMI), Largo P. Daneo, 3, 16132, Genoa (Italy); Polidori, M.C. [University of Cologne, Institute of Geriatrics, Cologne (Germany); Cecchetti, Roberta; Baglioni, Mauro; Bastiani, Patrizia; Mecocci, Patrizia [University of Perugia, Institute of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Perugia (Italy); Morbelli, Silvia; Bossert, Irene [University of Genoa and IRCCS San Martino-IST, Nuclear Medicine, Department of Health Science (DISSAL), Genoa (Italy); Fiorucci, Giuliana; Dottorini, Massimo Eugenio [Nuclear Medicine, S. M. della Misericordia Hospital, Perugia (Italy)

2014-04-15

The role of oxidative stress is increasingly recognized in cognitive disorders of the elderly, notably Alzheimer's disease (AD). In these subjects brain{sup 18}F-FDG PET is regarded as a reliable biomarker of neurodegeneration. We hypothesized that oxidative stress could play a role in impairing brain glucose utilization in elderly subjects with increasing severity of cognitive disturbance. The study group comprised 85 subjects with cognitive disturbance of increasing degrees of severity including 23 subjects with subjective cognitive impairment (SCI), 28 patients with mild cognitive impairment and 34 patients with mild AD. In all subjects brain FDG PET was performed and plasma activities of extracellular superoxide dismutase (eSOD), catalase and glutathione peroxidase were measured. Voxel-based analysis (SPM8) was used to compare FDG PET between groups and to evaluate correlations between plasma antioxidants and glucose metabolism in the whole group of subjects, correcting for age and Mini-Mental State Examination score. Brain glucose metabolism progressively decreased in the bilateral posterior temporoparietal and cingulate cortices across the three groups, from SCI to mild AD. eSOD activity was positively correlated with glucose metabolism in a large area of the left temporal lobe including the superior, middle and inferior temporal gyri and the fusiform gyrus. These results suggest a role of oxidative stress in the impairment of glucose utilization in the left temporal lobe structures in elderly patients with cognitive abnormalities, including AD and conditions predisposing to AD. Further studies exploring the oxidative stress-energy metabolism axis are considered worthwhile in larger groups of these patients in order to identify pivotal pathophysiological mechanisms and innovative therapeutic opportunities. (orig.)

Plasma antioxidants and brain glucose metabolism in elderly subjects with cognitive complaints

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Picco, Agnese; Ferrara, Michela; Arnaldi, Dario; Brugnolo, Andrea; Nobili, Flavio; Polidori, M.C.; Cecchetti, Roberta; Baglioni, Mauro; Bastiani, Patrizia; Mecocci, Patrizia; Morbelli, Silvia; Bossert, Irene; Fiorucci, Giuliana; Dottorini, Massimo Eugenio

2014-01-01

The role of oxidative stress is increasingly recognized in cognitive disorders of the elderly, notably Alzheimer's disease (AD). In these subjects brain 18 F-FDG PET is regarded as a reliable biomarker of neurodegeneration. We hypothesized that oxidative stress could play a role in impairing brain glucose utilization in elderly subjects with increasing severity of cognitive disturbance. The study group comprised 85 subjects with cognitive disturbance of increasing degrees of severity including 23 subjects with subjective cognitive impairment (SCI), 28 patients with mild cognitive impairment and 34 patients with mild AD. In all subjects brain FDG PET was performed and plasma activities of extracellular superoxide dismutase (eSOD), catalase and glutathione peroxidase were measured. Voxel-based analysis (SPM8) was used to compare FDG PET between groups and to evaluate correlations between plasma antioxidants and glucose metabolism in the whole group of subjects, correcting for age and Mini-Mental State Examination score. Brain glucose metabolism progressively decreased in the bilateral posterior temporoparietal and cingulate cortices across the three groups, from SCI to mild AD. eSOD activity was positively correlated with glucose metabolism in a large area of the left temporal lobe including the superior, middle and inferior temporal gyri and the fusiform gyrus. These results suggest a role of oxidative stress in the impairment of glucose utilization in the left temporal lobe structures in elderly patients with cognitive abnormalities, including AD and conditions predisposing to AD. Further studies exploring the oxidative stress-energy metabolism axis are considered worthwhile in larger groups of these patients in order to identify pivotal pathophysiological mechanisms and innovative therapeutic opportunities. (orig.)

Visual perception of spatial subjects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Osterloh, K.R.S.; Ewert, U.

2007-01-01

Principally, any imaging technology consists of two consecutive, though strictly separated processes: data acquisition and subsequent processing to generate an image that can be looked at, either on a monitor screen or printed on paper. Likewise, the physiological process of viewing can be separated into vision and perception, though these processes are much more overlapping. Understanding the appearance of a subject requires the entire sequence from receiving the information carried e.g. by photons up to an appropriate processing leading to the perception of the subject shown. As a consequence, the imagination of a subject is a result of both, technological and physiological processes. Whenever an evaluation of an image is critical, also the physiological part of the processing should be considered. However, an image has two dimensions in the first place and reality is spatial, it has three dimensions. This problem has been tackled on a philosophical level at least since Platon's famous discussion on the shadow image in a dark cave. The mere practical point is which structural details can be perceived and what may remain undetected depending on the mode of presentation. This problem cannot be resolved without considering each single step of visual perception. Physiologically, there are three 'tools' available to understanding the spatial structure of a subject: binocular viewing, following the course of perspective projection and motion to collect multiple aspects. Artificially, an object may be cut in various ways to display the interior or covering parts could be made transparent within a model. Samples will be shown how certain details of a subject can be emphasised or hidden depending on the way of presentation. It needs to be discussed what might help to perceive the true spatial structure of a subject with all relevant details and what could be misleading. (authors)

Visual perception of spatial subjects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Osterloh, K.R.S.; Ewert, U. [Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM), Berlin (Germany)

2007-07-01

Principally, any imaging technology consists of two consecutive, though strictly separated processes: data acquisition and subsequent processing to generate an image that can be looked at, either on a monitor screen or printed on paper. Likewise, the physiological process of viewing can be separated into vision and perception, though these processes are much more overlapping. Understanding the appearance of a subject requires the entire sequence from receiving the information carried e.g. by photons up to an appropriate processing leading to the perception of the subject shown. As a consequence, the imagination of a subject is a result of both, technological and physiological processes. Whenever an evaluation of an image is critical, also the physiological part of the processing should be considered. However, an image has two dimensions in the first place and reality is spatial, it has three dimensions. This problem has been tackled on a philosophical level at least since Platon's famous discussion on the shadow image in a dark cave. The mere practical point is which structural details can be perceived and what may remain undetected depending on the mode of presentation. This problem cannot be resolved without considering each single step of visual perception. Physiologically, there are three 'tools' available to understanding the spatial structure of a subject: binocular viewing, following the course of perspective projection and motion to collect multiple aspects. Artificially, an object may be cut in various ways to display the interior or covering parts could be made transparent within a model. Samples will be shown how certain details of a subject can be emphasised or hidden depending on the way of presentation. It needs to be discussed what might help to perceive the true spatial structure of a subject with all relevant details and what could be misleading. (authors)

English in the nursing degree: a pending subject.

Science.gov (United States)

Camacho-Bejarano, Rafaela; Barquero-González, Ana; Mariscal-Crespo, María Isabel; Merino-Navarro, Dolores

2013-01-01

The new competence profile of nursing professionals, scientific and medical development, the free circulation of health professionals worldwide, and the increasing social and cultural diversity requires that nurses have specific abilities in spoken and written English. The objective of this research is to describe the characteristics of the English language training required for a Bachelors of Nursing in Spain. A descriptive cross-sectional observational study has been performed in forty-six Spanish universities that offer the Bachelor in nursing degree. In line with the directives of the European Higher Education Area, all universities contemplate the mandatory credit of a second language emphasizing English, although there is considerable variability in the emphasis: 39.4% do not include any English subject, and of the remaining 60.6% who do include it, 60% considered it an elective subject, 32.5% basic education, and 7.5% mandatory. The English training has different characteristics in each university, which implies a different commitment from each center for this learning. This fact questions the adequacy of the education in relation to the new competence profile required by the European Higher Education Area, which may adversely affect future professional development.

Discovering subjectivity: A subjective world of meanings in the stories of the twilight of life

OpenAIRE

Zagórska Wanda

2017-01-01

Pointing to the subjective nature of human life, theorists argue that only in a dialogue with another person does the human disclose meanings important to him or her. The interpretation and analysis of stories with regard to the included subjective meanings included in them as manifestations of human subjectivity seem to be the most effective when undertaken in the hermeneutic approach where psychology and philosophy meet. In the paper advantages of a self-narrative method based on the princi...

Subjectivity, individuality and singularity in children: a socially constituted subject

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alessandra Del Ré

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Considering the hypothesis that Bakhtin and his Circle‟s reflections can help us think about issues involving the field of Language Acquisition, in addition to the fact that there are only a few works developed within this perspective in Brazil, in this article, we intend to discuss the notions of “subject”, “subjectivity”,“individuality” and “singularity”, drawing on Bakhtin‟s theory. Thus, in order to make this discussion clearer, we bring data from the speech of young children, from 1.8 to 3 years old, who were filmed in natural contexts interacting with their parents and relatives. From these data, we could verify, among other things, that children, as individuals who constitute themselves as subjects in and throughlanguage, bring marks to their discourse, revealing their subjectivity (through lexical, morphological, syntactic or genre choices.

Who is healthy? Aspects to consider when including healthy volunteers in QST-based studies- a consensus statement by the EUROPAIN and NEUROPAIN consortia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gierthmühlen, Janne; Enax-Krumova, Elena K; Attal, Nadine

2015-01-01

studies, so that results are less likely to be false negative or false positive due to subject related factors.The EUROPAIN and NEUROPAIN consortia aimed to define factors influencing the variability in selection of healthy subjects in QST-based studies before the start of both projects and to give...

Subjective Vitality as Mediator and Moderator of the Relationship between Life Satisfaction and Subjective Happiness

Science.gov (United States)

Uysal, Recep; Satici, Seydi Ahmet; Satici, Begüm; Akin, Ahmet

2014-01-01

In this study, the mediator and moderator effects of subjective vitality on the relationship between life satisfaction and subjective happiness were investigated. The participants were 378 university students who completed a questionnaire package that included the Subjective Vitality Scale, the Satisfaction with Life Scale, and the Subjective…

The efficacy of individual treatment of subjective tinnitus with cognitive behavioural therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Canals, Pascual; Pérez Del Valle, Belén; Lopez, Francisco; Marco, Amparo

2016-01-01

It has been a long time since subjective tinnitus cases were described for the first time but they still lack a treatment with proven effectiveness. The main goal of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy in these patients. Between 2012 and 2013, 310 patients that suffered from subjective tinnitus were studied. Of these, 267 were included in treatment based on cognitive behavioural therapy. The monitoring period lasted 18 months for most cases, while it lasted 21 months for 11 patients. Considering patients that interrupted their treatment as failures, the percentage of recovery was 95.7%. Cognitive behavioural therapy should always be included in the treatment of people suffering from tinnitus. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Otorrinolaringología y Cirugía de Cabeza y Cuello. All rights reserved.

Design and Optimization of Capacitated Supply Chain Networks Including Quality Measures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Krystel K. Castillo-Villar

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents (1 a novel capacitated model for supply chain network design which considers manufacturing, distribution, and quality costs (named SCND-COQ model and (2 five combinatorial optimization methods, based on nonlinear optimization, heuristic, and metaheuristic approaches, which are used to solve realistic instances of practical size. The SCND-COQ model is a mixed-integer nonlinear problem which can be used at a strategic planning level to design a supply chain network that maximizes the total profit subject to meeting an overall quality level of the final product at minimum costs. The SCND-COQ model computes the quality-related costs for the whole supply chain network considering the interdependencies among business entities. The effectiveness of the proposed solution approaches is shown using numerical experiments. These methods allow solving more realistic (capacitated supply chain network design problems including quality-related costs (inspections, rework, opportunity costs, and others within a reasonable computational time.

Personality dimensions and subjective well-being.

Science.gov (United States)

Chico Librán, Eliseo

2006-05-01

This work examines the association between personality dimensions (extraversion and neuroticism) and subjective well-being. Subjective well-being is associated both with extraversion and neuroticism, and currently, neuroticism is generally considered the more important. A total of 368 students from the University of Rovira i Virgili completed the Extraversion and Neuroticism subscales of the revised Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (Eysenck, Eysenck, and Barrett, 1985), the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS; Diener, Emmons, Larsen, and Griffin, 1985), and the Positive and Negative Affect Scale (Watson, Clark, and Tellegen, 1988). Regression analyses revealed the personality variable of neuroticism as one of the most important correlates of subjective well-being. Regression analyses also showed that 44% of the variance of subjective well-being was accounted for by neuroticism, whereas extraversion only explained 8% of the variance.

Single-Subject Research Methodology: An Underutilized Tool in the Field of Deafness.

Science.gov (United States)

Bullis, Michael; Anderson, Glenn

1986-01-01

Single-subject research methods are simple, powerful, and very applicable to selected study of deafness. This article considers group versus single-subject designs; an example of withdrawal single-subject design; and an example of the multiple baseline single-subject design. (CB)

Manual for subject analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2002-01-01

This document is one in a series of publications known as the ETDE/INIS Joint Reference Series and also constitutes a part of the ETDE Procedures Manual. It presents the rules, guidelines and procedures to be adopted by centers submitting input to the International Nuclear Information System (INIS) or the Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDE). It is a manual for the subject analysis part of input preparation, meaning the selection, subject classification, abstracting and subject indexing of relevant publications, and is to be used in conjunction with the Thesauruses, Subject Categories documents and the documents providing guidelines for the preparation of abstracts. The concept and structure of the new manual are intended to describe in a logical and efficient sequence all the steps comprising the subject analysis of documents to be reported to INIS or ETDE. The manual includes new chapters on preparatory analysis, subject classification, abstracting and subject indexing, as well as rules, guidelines, procedures, examples and a special chapter on guidelines and examples for subject analysis in particular subject fields. (g.t.; a.n.)

Subject-3: Study on migration of radionuclides released into terrestrial and aquatic environment after nuclear accident

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amano, H.; Matsunaga, T.; Ueno, T.; Nagao, S.; Yanase, N.; Tkachenko, Yu.

2001-01-01

Subject-3 has been focused on the migration behavior of long-lived radionuclides in the terrestrial surface environment, especially in connection with their chemical and physical forms. Migration behavior of radionuclides is strongly affected with their chemical and physical forms (for example; Gunten and Benes 1995). One of the two categories in Subject-3 consists of migration from surface soils including aging effects of hot particles, plant uptake from contaminated soils, and resuspension of radionuclides. The other is run off by river system, considering the role of organic materials. (author)

Subject-3: Study on migration of radionuclides released into terrestrial and aquatic environment after nuclear accident

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Amano, H.; Matsunaga, T.; Ueno, T.; Nagao, S.; Yanase, N. [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Tokai, Ibaraki (Japan). Tokai Research Establishment; Arkhipov, A.N. [Chernobyl Scientific and Technical Center for International Research (Ukraine); Tkachenko, Yu. [The State Enterprise Regional Monitoring and Domestic Control (RADEC) (Unknown)

2001-03-01

Subject-3 has been focused on the migration behavior of long-lived radionuclides in the terrestrial surface environment, especially in connection with their chemical and physical forms. Migration behavior of radionuclides is strongly affected with their chemical and physical forms (for example; Gunten and Benes 1995). One of the two categories in Subject-3 consists of migration from surface soils including aging effects of hot particles, plant uptake from contaminated soils, and resuspension of radionuclides. The other is run off by river system, considering the role of organic materials. (author)

[Factors related to sarcopenia in community-dwelling elderly subjects in Japan].

Science.gov (United States)

Tanimoto, Yoshimi; Watanabe, Misuzu; Sugiura, Yumiko; Hayashida, Itsushi; Kusabiraki, Toshiyuki; Kono, Koichi

2013-01-01

This study aimed at determining the factors associated with sarcopenia, defined as low muscle mass and strength and low physical performance, in community-dwelling elderly subjects in Japan. The subjects included 1,074 elderly, community-dwelling Japanese people aged 65 years or older. We measured appendicular muscle mass (AMM) by bioelectrical impedance analysis, grip strength, and usual walking speed. A low muscle mass was defined by the AMM index (AMI, weight [kg]/height [m(2)] as >2 standard deviations below the mean AMI for normal young subjects. The lowest quartile for grip strength and usual walking speed were classified as low muscle strength and low physical performance, respectively. "Sarcopenia" was characterized by a low muscle mass, combined with either a low muscle strength or low physical performance. Subjects without low muscle mass or strength and low physical performance were classified as "normal." Subjects were classified as being "intermediate" if they were neither "sarcopenic" nor "normal." Items in the questionnaire included residential status, past medical history, admission during the past year, smoking and drinking habits, leisure-time physical activity, health status, depression, masticatory ability, and dietary variety score. Sarcopenia was identified in 13.7% of men and 15.5% of women. Among men, a large proportion of subjects with sarcopenia had poor masticatory ability and a low dietary variety score compared with normal or intermediate subjects. Among women, a large proportion of the subjects with sarcopenia lived alone, had poor exercise habits, considered themselves to be unhealthy, and had poor masticatory ability compared with normal or intermediate subjects. A multiple logistic regression analysis showed that age and dietary variety in men and age and masticatory ability in women were associated with sarcopenia. The present study carried out in Japan showed that sarcopenia, assessed by muscle mass, muscle strength, and physical

Evaluation of Occupational Cold Environments: Field Measurements and Subjective Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

OLIVEIRA, A. Virgílio M.; GASPAR, Adélio R.; RAIMUNDO, António M.; QUINTELA, Divo A.

2014-01-01

The present work is dedicated to the study of occupational cold environments in food distribution industrial units. Field measurements and a subjective assessment based on an individual questionnaire were considered. The survey was carried out in 5 Portuguese companies. The field measurements include 26 workplaces, while a sample of 160 responses was considered for the subjective assessment. In order to characterize the level of cold exposure, the Required Clothing Insulation Index (IREQ) was adopted. The IREQ index highlights that in the majority of the workplaces the clothing ensembles worn are inadequate, namely in the freezing chambers where the protection provided by clothing is always insufficient. The questionnaires results show that the food distribution sector is characterized by a female population (70.6%), by a young work force (60.7% are less than 35 yr old) and by a population with a medium-length professional career (80.1% in this occupation for less than 10 yr). The incidence of health effects which is higher among women, the distribution of protective clothing (50.0% of the workers indicate one garment) and the significant percentage of workers (>75%) that has more difficulties in performing the activity during the winter represent other important results of the present study. PMID:24583510

Evaluation of occupational cold environments: field measurements and subjective analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Oliveira, A Virgílio M; Gaspar, Adélio R; Raimundo, António M; Quintela, Divo A

2014-01-01

The present work is dedicated to the study of occupational cold environments in food distribution industrial units. Field measurements and a subjective assessment based on an individual questionnaire were considered. The survey was carried out in 5 Portuguese companies. The field measurements include 26 workplaces, while a sample of 160 responses was considered for the subjective assessment. In order to characterize the level of cold exposure, the Required Clothing Insulation Index (IREQ) was adopted. The IREQ index highlights that in the majority of the workplaces the clothing ensembles worn are inadequate, namely in the freezing chambers where the protection provided by clothing is always insufficient. The questionnaires results show that the food distribution sector is characterized by a female population (70.6%), by a young work force (60.7% are less than 35 yr old) and by a population with a medium-length professional career (80.1% in this occupation for less than 10 yr). The incidence of health effects which is higher among women, the distribution of protective clothing (50.0% of the workers indicate one garment) and the significant percentage of workers (>75%) that has more difficulties in performing the activity during the winter represent other important results of the present study.

40 CFR 227.21 - Uses considered.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 24 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Uses considered. 227.21 Section 227.21 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) OCEAN DUMPING CRITERIA FOR THE... living marine resources; (k) Actual or anticipated exploitation of non-living resources, including...

Rumor diffusion in heterogeneous networks by considering the individuals' subjective judgment and diverse characteristics

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Jing; Zhu, He

2018-06-01

In this study, we propose a novel rumor spreading model in consideration of the individuals' subjective judgment and diverse characteristics. To reflect the diversity of the individuals' characteristics, we introduce two probability distribution functions, which could be chosen arbitrarily or given by empirical data, to characterize individuals' mastering degree of knowledge with respect to the domain of a specific rumor and individuals' rationality degree. Different from existing models, no two persons in our model are identical, and each individual can judge the authenticity of the information, e.g., rumors, with his distinctive characteristics. In addition, by means of the mean-field method, we establish the expression of the dynamics of the rumor propagation in the complex heterogeneous networks and derive the rumor spreading threshold. Through the theoretical analysis, we find that the threshold is independent of the forms of the two introduced functions. Furthermore, we prove the stability of the rumor-free equilibrium set E0. That is if and only if R0 series of numerical simulations to verify the theoretical results and comprehensively illustrate the evolution of the model. The simulation results show that because of the diversity of individuals' characteristics, it becomes more difficult for the rumor to disseminate in the networks and the higher the mean of knowledge and the mean of rationality are, the more time it will take for the model to evolve to the steady state.

Subject/Author Index 1968-1992.

Science.gov (United States)

Kupidura, Eva, Ed.; Kupidura, Peter, Ed.

1993-01-01

This 25-year index contains annotations of feature articles by subject and by author. Representative subjects include basic education, development education, empowerment, human rights, lifelong education, peace education, popular education, rural development, social/political action, technological advancement, and transformative research. Articles…

Experimental study including subjective evaluations of mixing and displacement ventilation combined with radiant floor heating/cooling system

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Krajcik, Michal; Tomasi, Roberta; Simone, Angela

2013-01-01

Sixteen subjects evaluated the indoor environment in four experiments with different combinations of ventilation systems and radiant heating/cooling systems. In the first two tests, the simulated residential room was equipped either by a mixing ventilation system supplying warm air for space heat...

Clinical and microbiological features of refractory periodontitis subjects.

Science.gov (United States)

Colombo, A P; Haffajee, A D; Dewhirst, F E; Paster, B J; Smith, C M; Cugini, M A; Socransky, S S

1998-02-01

The purpose of this investigation was to compare the clinical parameters and the site prevalence and levels of 40 subgingival species in successfully treated and refractory periodontitis subjects. 94 subjects received scaling and root planing and if needed, periodontal surgery and systemically administered tetracycline. 28 refractory subjects showed mean full mouth attachment loss and/or > 3 sites showing attachment loss > 2.5 mm within 1 year post-therapy. 66 successfully treated subjects showed mean attachment level gain and no sites with attachment loss > 2.5 mm. Baseline subgingival plaque samples were taken from the mesial aspect of each tooth and the presence and levels of 40 subgingival taxa were determined using whole genomic DNA probes and checkerboard DNA-DNA hybridization. The mean levels and % of sites colonized by each species (prevalence) was computed for each subject and differences between groups sought using the Mann-Whitney test. Most of the 40 species tested, including Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Treponema denticola and Bacteroides forsythus, were equally or less prevalent in the refractory group. Prevotella nigrescens was significantly more prevalent in successfully treated subjects, while refractory subjects harbored a larger proportion of Streptococcus species, particularly Streptococcus constellatus. The odds of a subject being refractory was 8.6 (p or = 3.5% of the total DNA probe count. Since few microbiological differences existed between treatment outcome groups using DNA probes to known species, the predominant cultivable microbiota of 33 subgingival samples from 14 refractory subjects was examined. 85% of the 1649 isolates were identified using probes to 69 recognized subgingival species. The remaining unidentified strains were classified by analyzing 16S rRNA gene sequences. Many sequenced isolates were of taxa not considered a common part of the oral microbiota such as Acinetobacter baumanni

Formation of Human Subjectivity in Psychological Interactions with Nature

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S A Mudrak

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The article outlines the current trends in the environmental psychological research of the peculiarities of developing the subject-subjective human relationship with nature: considering human habitat environment as a set of natural objects; studying certain natural sites as psychologically attributive elements of the environment; determining the psychological meaning of the «Human Habitat Environment»; giving the analysis of the problem of the subjectivity development in human interaction with the natural objects.

Is it correct to always consider weight-bearing asymmetrically distributed in individuals with hemiparesis?

Science.gov (United States)

Martins, Emerson Fachin; de Araujo Barbosa, Paulo Henrique Ferreira; de Menezes, Lidiane Teles; de Sousa, Pedro Henrique Côrtes; Costa, Abraão Souza

2011-11-01

Injuries may cause unilateral deterioration of brain areas related to postural control resulting in lateralized motor disability with abnormal asymmetry in weight-bearing distribution. Although overloading toward the nonaffected limb has been described as the preferred posture among individuals with hemiparesis, characterization of the weight-bearing asymmetry is poorly and indirectly described. Therefore, this study aimed to describe weight-bearing distribution during upright stance, establishing criteria to consider asymmetry in hemiparesis when analyzed within the limits defined by controls matched by age and gender. Forty subjects with (n = 20) or without hemiparesis (n = 20) were included in procedures to record weight-bearing values between hemibodies, and these values were used to calculate a symmetry ratio. Control presented 95% confidence interval (CI) of the mean for symmetry ratio ranging from 0.888 to 1.072, defining limits to symmetry. Four subjects with hemiparesis (20%) had symmetry ratios inside limits defined by controls (i.e., weight-bearing symmetrically distributed), and 11 (55%) subjects without hemiparesis showed symmetry ratios outside the limits, suggesting asymmetrical weight-bearing distribution. It was concluded that asymmetry, when present in a control group, was more frequently overloading nonpredominantly used hemibody (nondominant side), differing from a hemiparesis group commonly forced to assume the nonaffected side as the predominantly used hemibody and where the overload was observed.

Brain-heart linear and nonlinear dynamics during visual emotional elicitation in healthy subjects.

Science.gov (United States)

Valenza, G; Greco, A; Gentili, C; Lanata, A; Toschi, N; Barbieri, R; Sebastiani, L; Menicucci, D; Gemignani, A; Scilingo, E P

2016-08-01

This study investigates brain-heart dynamics during visual emotional elicitation in healthy subjects through linear and nonlinear coupling measures of EEG spectrogram and instantaneous heart rate estimates. To this extent, affective pictures including different combinations of arousal and valence levels, gathered from the International Affective Picture System, were administered to twenty-two healthy subjects. Time-varying maps of cortical activation were obtained through EEG spectral analysis, whereas the associated instantaneous heartbeat dynamics was estimated using inhomogeneous point-process linear models. Brain-Heart linear and nonlinear coupling was estimated through the Maximal Information Coefficient (MIC), considering EEG time-varying spectra and point-process estimates defined in the time and frequency domains. As a proof of concept, we here show preliminary results considering EEG oscillations in the θ band (4-8 Hz). This band, indeed, is known in the literature to be involved in emotional processes. MIC highlighted significant arousal-dependent changes, mediated by the prefrontal cortex interplay especially occurring at intermediate arousing levels. Furthermore, lower and higher arousing elicitations were associated to not significant brain-heart coupling changes in response to pleasant/unpleasant elicitations.

Modifying the Sleep Treatment Education Program for Students to include technology use (STEPS-TECH): Intervention effects on objective and subjective sleep outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Barber, Larissa K; Cucalon, Maria S

2017-12-01

University students often have sleep issues that arise from poor sleep hygiene practices and technology use patterns. Yet, technology-related behaviors are often neglected in sleep hygiene education. This study examined whether the Sleep Treatment Education Program for Students-modified to include information regarding managing technology use (STEPS-TECH)-helps improve both subjective and objective sleep outcomes among university students. Results of an experimental study among 78 university students showed improvements in objective indicators of sleep quantity (total sleep time) and sleep quality (less awakenings) during the subsequent week for students in the STEPS-TECH intervention group compared to a control group. Exploratory analyses indicated that effects were driven by improvements in weekend days immediately following the intervention. There were also no intervention effects on subjective sleep quality or quantity outcomes. In terms of self-reported behavioral responses to educational content in the intervention, there were no group differences in sleep hygiene practices or technology use before bedtime. However, the intervention group reported less technology use during sleep periods than the control group. These preliminary findings suggest that STEPS-TECH may be a useful educational tool to help improve objective sleep and reduce technology use during sleep periods among university students. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Counterproliferation, Border Security and Counterterrorism Subject-Related Laws and Regulations, Including Export Control Regimes in South-Eastern European Countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bokan, S.

2007-01-01

gaps exist, much less fill them. All this suggests that, to fulfil obligations under UNSC Resolutions 1540 and 1373, States must enact harmonized criminal prohibitions and authorization for law enforcement cooperation in order to establish a seamless web of security among all nations. Failure to do so implicitly poses a threat to international peace and security. One of the main issues which deserve to be further addressed and which prompts the continuation of the Southeast Europe Counterproliferation, Borger Security and Counterterrorism (CBSC) Working Group is to harmonize national laws and regulations that deal with deterring, detecting and interdicting WMD. Inventory of relevant CBSC subject-related laws of the Southeast Europe countries, including Export Control Laws was created and prepared for further consideration and harmonization by judiciary experts, with the aim to develop m odel laws . Let me very briefly present you the main features of the SEDM CBSC subject-related laws and regulations. This paper will present that inventory which includes the membership in the international Conventions, Treaties and Arrangements and also the membership in Multilateral Export Control Regimes of Southeast Europe countries. Also, it will be presented the membership in the international legal instruments that play an integral part in the global fight against terrorism. (author)

Subjective Poverty and Its Relation to Objective Poverty Concepts in Hungary

Science.gov (United States)

Nandori, Eszter Siposne

2011-01-01

The paper analyzes subjective poverty in Hungary and compares it to the objective poverty concepts. Subjective poverty is defined by examining who people consider to be poor. Based on the Easterlin paradox, the initial hypothesis states that subjective and absolute poverty concepts are highly correlated. Taking into account that Hungary is a…

Crisis in Cataloging Revisited: The Year's Work in Subject Analysis, 1990.

Science.gov (United States)

Young, James Bradford

1991-01-01

Reviews the 1990 literature that concerns subject analysis. Issues addressed include subject cataloging, including Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH); classification, including Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC), Library of Congress Classification, and classification in online systems; subject access, including the online use of…

Thyroid profile and autoantibodies in Type 1 diabetes subjects: A perspective from Eastern India

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Debmalya Sanyal

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Context: There has been a rise in the incidence of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM in India. The prevalence of thyroid autoantibodies and thyroid dysfunction is common in T1DM. Aims: The aim of this study is to determine the incidence of thyroid dysfunction and thyroid autoantibodies in T1DM subjects, without any history of thyroid disease, and the prevalence of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD antibody, Islet antigen-2 antibody (IA2, thyroid peroxidase (TPO, and thyroglobulin autoantibodies (Tg-AB in T1DM subjects. Settings and Design: This was a cross-sectional clinical-based study. Subjects and Methods: Fifty subjects (29 males, 31 females with T1DM and without any history of thyroid dysfunction were included in the study. All subjects were tested for GAD antibody, IA2 antibody, TPO antibody, thyroglobulin antibody, free thyroxine, and thyroid-stimulating hormone. Statistical Analysis Used: A Chi-square/pooled Chi-square test was used to assess the trends in the prevalence of hypothyroidism. A two-tailed P< 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The mean age of the subjects was 23.50 years. 9.8% of subjects were below the age of 12 years, 27.45% of subjects were of age 12–18 years, 37.25% of subjects were of age 19–30 years, and 25.49% of subjects were above 30 years. 78% were positive autoantibody for GAD, 30% for IA-2, 24% for TPO, and 16% were positive for Tg-AB. A total of 6.0% of T1DM subjects had evidence of clinical hypothyroidism, but the prevalence of subclinical hyperthyroidism (SCH varied from 32% to 68.0% for we considered different definitions of SCH as advocated by different guidelines. All subjects with overt hypothyroidism had positive GAD and thyroid autoantibodies. One (2% subject had clinical hyperthyroidism with strongly positive GAD, TPO, and Tg-AB. Conclusions: We found a high prevalence of GAD, IA2, TPO, and Tg-AB in our T1DM subjects. A substantial proportion of our subjects had undiagnosed thyroid

Alternative Cancer Treatments: 10 Options to Consider

Science.gov (United States)

Alternative cancer treatments: 10 options to consider Alternative cancer treatments can't cure your cancer, but they may provide some ... that may help them, including complementary and alternative cancer treatments. If cancer makes you feel as if you ...

The changing role of the subject specialist

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael Cotta-Schønberg

2007-11-01

Full Text Available As we all know, libraries are these years rapidly undergoing change on unparalleled scale. Evidently, this applies to librarians, too, and not the least to that important category of library staff, the subject specialist. As recruiting and education of library workers differ from country to country it is difficult to give a detailed, generally valid description of the subject librarian in libraries, but I believe that you can describe an ideal model of subject librarianship as follows: Within each of the major subject disciplines covered by the library, the library should have a subject specialist preferably with a master degree or at least a bachelor degree in the particular subject discipline. The role of the subject specialist is to perform four basic functions where extensive subject knowledge is considered to be necessary: selecting and classifying books, assisting users with advanced subject inquiries, giving subject-specific courses in information retrieval, and maintaining liaison with relevant academic departments and centres. Personally, I know this system very well since I got employment in the Royal Library in Copenhagen as a subject specialist in psychology in the very month I finished my degree in psychology from the University of Copenhagen, back in 1973. The subject librarian system at the Royal Library in Copenhagen was patterned on the ideal model, as I just described it, and it was closely paralleled in the other academic libraries in Denmark, also the new university libraries which were founded in the seventies.

Subjective evaluation of HEVC in mobile devices

Science.gov (United States)

Garcia, Ray; Kalva, Hari

2013-03-01

Mobile compute environments provide a unique set of user needs and expectations that designers must consider. With increased multimedia use in mobile environments, video encoding methods within the smart phone market segment are key factors that contribute to positive user experience. Currently available display resolutions and expected cellular bandwidth are major factors the designer must consider when determining which encoding methods should be supported. The desired goal is to maximize the consumer experience, reduce cost, and reduce time to market. This paper presents a comparative evaluation of the quality of user experience when HEVC and AVC/H.264 video coding standards were used. The goal of the study was to evaluate any improvements in user experience when using HEVC. Subjective comparisons were made between H.264/AVC and HEVC encoding standards in accordance with Doublestimulus impairment scale (DSIS) as defined by ITU-R BT.500-13. Test environments are based on smart phone LCD resolutions and expected cellular bit rates, such as 200kbps and 400kbps. Subjective feedback shows both encoding methods are adequate at 400kbps constant bit rate. However, a noticeable consumer experience gap was observed for 200 kbps. Significantly less H.264 subjective quality is noticed with video sequences that have multiple objects moving and no single point of visual attraction. Video sequences with single points of visual attraction or few moving objects tended to have higher H.264 subjective quality.

What Software to Use in the Teaching of Mathematical Subjects?

Science.gov (United States)

Berežný, Štefan

2015-01-01

We can consider two basic views, when using mathematical software in the teaching of mathematical subjects. First: How to learn to use specific software for the specific tasks, e. g., software Statistica for the subjects of Applied statistics, probability and mathematical statistics, or financial mathematics. Second: How to learn to use the…

Analysis of the cranio-cervical curvatures in subjects with migraine with and without neck pain.

Science.gov (United States)

Ferracini, Gabriela Natália; Chaves, Thais Cristina; Dach, Fabíola; Bevilaqua-Grossi, Débora; Fernández-de-Las-Peñas, César; Speciali, José Geraldo

2017-12-01

To investigate the differences in head and cervical spine alignment between subjects with migraine and healthy people. A cross-sectional, observational study. Fifty subjects with migraine and 50 matched healthy controls. The presence of neck pain and neck pain-related disability was assessed. Four angles (high cervical angle, low cervical angle, atlas plane angle and cervical lordosis Cobb angle) as well as four distances (anterior translation distance, C0 to C1 distance, C2 to C7 posterior translation and hyoid triangle) were calculated using digitalised radiographs and analysed using K-Pacs ® software. Subjects with migraine reported a longer history of neck pain symptoms, and higher pain intensity and neck-pain-related disability than controls (Ppain was included in the analysis, the differences did not change. Differences in anterior translation and hyoid triangle distances were considered clinically relevant for subjects with migraine suffering from neck pain. Subjects with migraine exhibited straightening of cervical lordosis curvature. The presence of neck pain did not influence head posture in subjects with and without migraine. Copyright © 2017 Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dynamic 8-state ICSAR rumor propagation model considering official rumor refutation

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Nan; Huang, Hong; Su, Boni; Zhao, Jinlong; Zhang, Bo

2014-12-01

With the rapid development of information networks, negative impacts of rumor propagation become more serious. Nowadays, knowing the mechanisms of rumor propagation and having an efficient official rumor refutation plan play very important roles in reducing losses and ensuring social safety. In this paper we first develop the dynamic 8-state ICSAR (Ignorance, Information Carrier, Information Spreader, Information Advocate, Removal) rumor propagation model to study the mechanism of rumor propagation. Eight influencing factors including information attraction, objective identification of rumors, subjective identification of people, the degree of trust of information media, spread probability, reinforcement coefficient, block value and expert effects which are related to rumor propagation were analyzed. Next, considering these factors and mechanisms of rumor propagation and refutation, the dynamic 8-state ICSAR rumor propagation model is verified by the SIR epidemic model, computer simulation and actual data. Thirdly, through quantitative sensitivity analysis, the detailed function of each influencing factor was studied and shown in the figure directly. According to these mechanisms, we could understand how to block a rumor in a very efficient way and which methods should be chosen in different situations. The ICSAR model can divide people into 8 states and analyze rumor and anti-rumor dissemination in an accurate way. Furthermore, official rumor refutation is considered in rumor propagation. The models and the results are essential for improving the efficiency of rumor refutation and making emergency plans, which help to reduce the possibility of losses in disasters and rumor propagation.

Study on the subject system of environmental radiochemistry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qiang Yi zhong

1992-11-01

The environmental radiochemistry is a new frontier discipline. So, it is very important to study the system of this subject. A brief introduction of its development background and history are presented. The definition of the environmental radiochemistry has been studied. Main contents containing in the subject have been classified and reviewed in accordance with different modalities. Five major features of the environmental radiochemistry are suggested. Issues to be considered recently in the environmental radiochemistry are also discussed

Comparison between Subjective Sensations during First and Second Phacoemulsification Eye Surgeries in Patients with Bilateral Cataract

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ji-guo Yu

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose. To evaluate and compare the subjective sensations reported by patients during first and second cataract extractions. Methods. Consecutive patients undergoing bilateral sequential cataract extraction using phacoemulsification were recruited. Following cataract surgery, patients completed questionnaires designed to evaluate subjective sensations, including anxiety, eye bulges, pain, and light sensitivity. Changes in painful sensations experienced by patients between the two surgeries were also recorded. Comparisons were also performed for each subjective sensation between different age groups (79 years. Results. A total of 127 patients were included in the final evaluation. Statistical comparison of the results showed that there were significant differences in perception of anxiety, eye bulges, and pain scores between the first and second cataract surgeries (P0.05 for all. Conclusions. Our research confirms the common observation that patients with bilateral cataracts often report more ocular discomfort during the second surgery. There are, therefore, additional factors that should be considered upon treating patients with bilateral cataracts, and the provision of preoperative counseling could play an important role in providing adequate patient care.

The Making of the Modern Subject: A Cross-Cultural Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Guoping

2007-01-01

The postmodern critique of modernity has focused on the construction of the modern subject and the self-disciplining and self-cancellation tendencies within it. This critique, however, fails to consider what happens during the early years of children's development--the period during which the modern subject is made, and the one in which the…

Negotiating constructions of success and failure: women in mid-life and formations of subject, subjectivity and identity

OpenAIRE

McAvoy, Jean

2009-01-01

This thesis explores constructions of success and failure for women in mid-life in Britain in the early 21st century. It takes a discursive approach to social psychology, understanding language as social action constituting subjects and subjectivity. Data from 20 interviews, including 4 conducted with women in pairs, supported by loosely structured questionnaires and a collection of photographs of women including celebrities and unknown women, were used to generate talk of selves and others. ...

Changes in Dictionary Subject Matter

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Sandro

2003-01-01

The general content of the three editions of the Duden dictionary has undergone few changes. The most substantial changes are the addition of syllabification and the deletion of antonomy in respect of lemmata in the second and third editions. The concept of dictionary subject matter is questioned......, and it is argued that it is more appropriate to consider how the relationships between the classes of items interact with the function of the dictionary....

Natural control capabilities of robotic hands by hand amputated subjects.

Science.gov (United States)

Atzori, Manfredo; Gijsberts, Arjan; Caputo, Barbara; Muller, Henning

2014-01-01

People with transradial hand amputations who own a myoelectric prosthesis currently have some control capabilities via sEMG. However, the control systems are still limited and not natural. The Ninapro project is aiming at helping the scientific community to overcome these limits through the creation of publicly available electromyography data sources to develop and test machine learning algorithms. In this paper we describe the movement classification results gained from three subjects with an homogeneous level of amputation, and we compare them with the results of 40 intact subjects. The number of considered subjects can seem small at first sight, but it is not considering the literature of the field (which has to face the difficulty of recruiting trans-radial hand amputated subjects). The classification is performed with four different classifiers and the obtained balanced classification rates are up to 58.6% on 50 movements, which is an excellent result compared to the current literature. Successively, for each subject we find a subset of up to 9 highly independent movements, (defined as movements that can be distinguished with more than 90% accuracy), which is a deeply innovative step in literature. The natural control of a robotic hand in so many movements could lead to an immediate progress in robotic hand prosthetics and it could deeply change the quality of life of amputated subjects.

Students attitude towards calculus subject: Bumiputera case-study

Science.gov (United States)

Awang, Noorehan; Ilias, Mohd Rijal; Che Hussain, Wan Siti Esah; Mokhtar, Siti Fairus

2013-04-01

Mathematics has always become the most dislike subject among other subjects in school. Study showed that attitudes of students in science subjects such as mathematics were closely related to how they solve problems, accessing ideas and making a right decision. According to another study on mathematics achievement of eighth grade students in Malaysia, mathematics grades among bumiputera students was lower when compared to other races such as Chinese and Indians. The poor performance was due to their attitude and pre-conceived ideas towards the subject. Therefore, this study was designed todetermine the criteria and subcriteria that were considered important in measuring students' attitude toward mathematics among the bumiputeras. Factor analysis was carried out to identify the groups among criterion. Instrument used to measure mathematics attitude was Test of Mathematics Related Attitude (TOMRA) which measured student attitudes in four criteria: normality of mathematics, attitudes towards mathematics inquiry, adoption of mathematics attitude and enjoyment of mathematics lessons. The target population of this study was all computer science and quantitative science students who enrolled Calculus subject in UiTM Kedah. Findings shows that there are two criteria that influenced students attitude toward mathematics namely normality of mathematics with eleven subcriteria and enjoyment of mathematics with eight subcriteria. From the analysis it shows that the total percentage of variation explained is 35.071% with 0.837 Cronbach's alpha reliability test. The findings will help the lecturers, parents and society to consider what action should be taken to install interest and positive attitude of bumiputera students towards mathematics and thus improve their achievement.

Psychology or semiotics: persons or subjects?

Science.gov (United States)

Bell, Philip

2005-01-01

Cultural studies and especially semiological theory has recently sought to re-conceptualise classical problems considered in academic psychology such as perception, identity, and "subjectivity". It is argued that these theorizations are reductionist and/or theoretically incoherent without an adequate epistemology. Yet they have become for many students of the human sciences the conventional modes of analyzing such questions as personal identity.

Skin acceptability of a cosmetic moisturizer formulation in female subjects with sensitive skin

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nisbet SJ

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Stephanie J Nisbet Skin Health Medical Affairs, GSK Consumer Healthcare, Weybridge, Surrey, UK Purpose: This 3-week, open-label, noncomparative clinical study evaluated the skin acceptability of a cosmetic moisturizer in subjects with sensitive skin, by monitoring adverse events (AEs and cutaneous discomfort related to normal usage.Materials and methods: Female subjects aged between 18–60 years, with Fitzpatrick phototype classification I–IV and sensitive skin, verified by a positive reaction on the stinging test at screening, were included. Subjects applied the moisturizer to their face and body twice daily for 21±2 days at home and recorded study product usage and feelings of cutaneous discomfort (eg, dryness, prickling, stinging, and itching in a diary; any AEs were reported to the clinic. At study end, skin acceptability of the moisturizer was investigator-assessed based on the nature of AEs and subjects’ self-reported feelings of discomfort, and by clinical evaluation of skin reactions in the area of moisturizer application (appearance of erythema, formation of edema, and skin desquamation; scored according to an adapted Draize and Kligman scale. Only subjects with a treatment compliance of ≥80% were included in the final analysis.Results: In total, 35 subjects initiated and completed the study; all were compliant to the minimum study product usage. Per investigator clinical dermatological assessment at study end, none of the 35 subjects had skin reactions in the area of moisturizer application and there were no reported AEs. One subject reported sensations of mild prickling and itching immediately after applying the moisturizer (not classified as AEs, which spontaneously remitted after complete absorption of the product and were noted only in exposed areas. These events were considered by the investigator as being possibly/probably related to the use of study product; however, no clinical signs of skin reaction were observed in

Psychometric Properties of a Portuguese Version of the Subjective Happiness Scale

Science.gov (United States)

Spagnoli, Paola; Caetano, Antonio; Silva, Ana

2012-01-01

The Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS) constitutes an instrument for assessing subjective happiness. This study aims to present the validation of the SHS in a Portuguese adult population. A large representative sample (1,017 participants), from five different age groups was considered. Configurational invariance of the unidimensional structure of…

Is Subjective Status Influenced by Psychosocial Factors?

OpenAIRE

Lundberg, Johanna; Kristenson, Margareta

2008-01-01

Objective Associations between subjective status and health are still relatively unexplored. This study aimed at testing whether subjective status is uniquely confounded by psychosocial factors compared to objective status, and what factors that may predict subjective status. Design A cross-sectional analysis of a population-based, random sample of 795 middle-aged men and women from the southeast of Sweden. Questionnaires included subjective status, objective measures of socioeconomic status,...

Subject Orientation of Teaching and Academic Subjects in the Context of Different Didactic Approaches

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. M. Osmolovskaya

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The paper is devoted to the research findings concerning the didactic characteristics and means of subject-oriented teaching. The research question includes the content of the general secondary education regarded as the design object. The process of selecting and structuring materials is reviewed from the theoretical standpoint, and the attempt is made to identify the ways of selecting materials for students’ learning from the social experience reflected in culture. The author introduces the concept of subject-orientation as a tool providing pedagogic adaptation of social experience in the process of teaching content development. Subject-oriented teaching is defined in the context of traditional knowledge, as well as the competence and student-oriented didac- tic approaches; the forms and means of its realization being indicated providing the new ways for introducing and understanding the educational subject. The research results can be used by the specialists in didactic, curricula developers, authors of textbooks in various subjects. 

Extending flood damage assessment methodology to include ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Optimal and sustainable flood plain management, including flood control, can only be achieved when the impacts of flood control measures are considered for both the man-made and natural environments, and the sociological aspects are fully considered. Until now, methods/models developed to determine the influences ...

Subclinical Disease Burden as Assessed by Whole-Body MRI in Subjects With Prediabetes, Subjects With Diabetes, and Normal Control Subjects From the General Population: The KORA-MRI Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Bamberg, Fabian; Hetterich, Holger; Rospleszcz, Susanne; Lorbeer, Roberto; Auweter, Sigrid D; Schlett, Christopher L; Schafnitzel, Anina; Bayerl, Christian; Schindler, Andreas; Saam, Tobias; Müller-Peltzer, Katharina; Sommer, Wieland; Zitzelsberger, Tanja; Machann, Jürgen; Ingrisch, Michael; Selder, Sonja; Rathmann, Wolfgang; Heier, Margit; Linkohr, Birgit; Meisinger, Christa; Weber, Christian; Ertl-Wagner, Birgit; Massberg, Steffen; Reiser, Maximilian F; Peters, Annette

2017-01-01

Detailed pathophysiological manifestations of early disease in the context of prediabetes are poorly understood. This study aimed to evaluate the extent of early signs of metabolic and cardio-cerebrovascular complications affecting multiple organs in individuals with prediabetes. Subjects without a history of stroke, coronary artery disease, or peripheral artery disease were enrolled in a case-control study nested within the Cooperative Health Research in the Region of Augsburg (KORA) FF4 cohort and underwent comprehensive MRI assessment to characterize cerebral parameters (white matter lesions, microbleeds), cardiovascular parameters (carotid plaque, left ventricular function, and myocardial late gadolinium enhancement [LGE]), and metabolic parameters (hepatic proton-density fat fraction [PDFF] and subcutaneous and visceral abdominal fat). Among 400 subjects who underwent MRI, 103 subjects had prediabetes and 54 had established diabetes. Subjects with prediabetes had an increased risk for carotid plaque and adverse functional cardiac parameters, including reduced early diastolic filling rates as well as a higher prevalence of LGE compared with healthy control subjects. In addition, people with prediabetes had significantly elevated levels of PDFF and total and visceral fat. Thus, subjects with prediabetes show early signs of subclinical disease that include vascular, cardiac, and metabolic changes, as measured by whole-body MRI after adjusting for cardiometabolic risk factors. © 2017 by the American Diabetes Association.

Axiology, the Subject and the Chair

Science.gov (United States)

Melville, Wayne; Campbell, Todd; Jones, Doug

2017-08-01

This article addresses two gaps in the literature related to science department chairs: the axiological relationship between the chair and science, the subject, and the perceptions of the chair with respect to teaching and learning within their departments. In this work, axiology is used to understand how the chair's values toward the subject influenced his own perceived capacity to lead learning within his department in a reformed discourse. A narrative inquiry methodology was used to consider the chair's experiences in the development of his identify over his life span in the form of two stories: (1) the relationship between the chair and science, the subject, and (2) the perceptions of the chair with regards to teacher learning within the department. The findings revealed that the work and career of the chair in this study were authored by strong elements of personal continuity and points of stability around the valuing of science, the subject, even as this valuing evolved from being more focused on epistemic values early in his career, to being more concerned with universal values connected to his legacy and his department later in his career.

Pharmacy students' perceptions of natural science and mathematics subjects.

Science.gov (United States)

Prescott, Julie; Wilson, Sarah Ellen; Wan, Kai-Wai

2014-08-15

To determine the level of importance pharmacy students placed on science and mathematics subjects for pursuing a career in pharmacy. Two hundred fifty-four students completed a survey instrument developed to investigate students' perceptions of the relevance of science and mathematics subjects to a career in pharmacy. Pharmacy students in all 4 years of a master of pharmacy (MPharm) degree program were invited to complete the survey instrument. Students viewed chemistry-based and biology-based subjects as relevant to a pharmacy career, whereas mathematics subjects such as physics, logarithms, statistics, and algebra were not viewed important to a career in pharmacy. Students' experience in pharmacy and year of study influenced their perceptions of subjects relevant to a pharmacy career. Pharmacy educators need to consider how they can help students recognize the importance of scientific knowledge earlier in the pharmacy curriculum.

20 CFR 670.630 - Are student allowances subject to Federal Payroll Taxes?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... Payroll Taxes? 670.630 Section 670.630 Employees' Benefits EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION... student allowances subject to Federal Payroll Taxes? Yes, Job Corps student allowances are subject to Federal payroll tax withholding and social security taxes. Job Corps students are considered to be Federal...

Material resources availability, parent subject perception and school ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Students' poor performance in the Yoruba language is being considered a serious problem by researchers and education stakeholders. Despite their efforts, no appreciable improvement is noticeable for hardly are enough researches on the extent to which school material resources availability, parental subject perception ...

Design for subjective well-being in interior architecture

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Petermans, A.; Pohlmeyer, A.E.

2014-01-01

Can interior environments engage people in pleasurable and meaningful experiences and thereby have a positive influence on their happiness? This paper discusses why and how interior architects might want to consider implementing ideas in relation to ‘design for subjective well-being’. Despite of

Subject categories and scope descriptions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2002-01-01

This document is one in a series of publications known as the ETDE/INIS Joint Reference Series. It defines the subject categories and provides the scope descriptions to be used for categorization of the nuclear literature for the preparation of INIS and ETDE input by national and regional centres. Together with the other volumes of the INIS Reference Series it defines the rules, standards and practices and provides the authorities to be used in the International Nuclear Information System and ETDE. A complete list of the volumes published in the INIS Reference Series may be found on the inside front cover of this publication. This INIS/ETDE Reference Series document is intended to serve two purposes: to define the subject scope of the International Nuclear Information System (INIS) and the Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDE) and to define the subject classification scheme of INIS and ETDE. It is thus the guide to the inputting centres in determining which items of literature should be reported, and in determining where the full bibliographic entry and abstract of each item should be included in INIS or ETDE database. Each category is identified by a category code consisting of three alphanumeric characters. A scope description is given for each subject category. The scope of INIS is the sum of the scopes of all the categories. With most categories cross references are provided to other categories where appropriate. Cross references should be of assistance in finding the appropriate category; in fact, by indicating topics that are excluded from the category in question, the cross references help to clarify and define the scope of the category to which they are appended. A Subject Index is included as an aid to subject classifiers, but it is only an aid and not a means for subject classification. It facilitates the use of this document, but is no substitute for the description of the scope of the subject categories

Nurbayev D.M. Public and dispositive segments of abuse of the subjective right: interdisciplinary look.

OpenAIRE

Vladimir Azarov; Daulet Nurbayev

2017-01-01

УДК 343.12The subject. The article is devoted to the analysis of a phenomenon "abuse of the right" from a position of the public and dispositive beginnings of his manifestation.The purpose of this article is to consider public and dispositive principles of abuse of the right in the scope of legal theory to qualify this phenomenon in criminal proceedings properly.Methodology. The author use methods of theoretical analysis and interdisciplinary approach as well as legal methods, including forma...

Subjective evaluation of chosen typographical characteristics in marketing materials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Petra Talandová

2008-01-01

Full Text Available This paper concentrates on the problems of marketing materials quality evaluation and their formal aspect and also customers’ marketing materials evaluation. This area has not been concentrated on very much and nor in the literature is described. The paper presents the results of our own research which queries how the customers subjectively perceive and evaluate the marketing materials. The emphasis was put on the materials quality i.e. on what materials are considered as quality materials by the customers and which attributes mainly influence the quality. The results were aggregated on the basis of customers’ responses an also on the basis of practical examples evaluation which included intentional mistakes. The subjects of the evaluation were marketing materials quality as a general feature, the attributes influencing the quality and marketing materials quality and company quality relation. Also the exam­ples including mistakes were evaluated. According to the questioning results, the respondents’ answers vary much. It is not possible to find unambiguously right or wrong marketing materials eva­lua­tion. This area will be developed in further research which will be concentrated mainly on the typographical aspects.The aim of this paper is to delimit and to define the present situation through the research result exa­mi­na­tion, to define ‘quality’ and to describe the way how marketing materials are perceived by the customers.

Stance in TED talks: Strategic use of subjective adjectives in online popularisation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giuseppina Scotto di Carlo

2015-04-01

Full Text Available This paper analyses “stance” in TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design talks, which are popularising speeches aiming at knowledge dissemination. Based on a corpus of the TED talks presented between 2006 and 2012, this study focuses on how the speakers express judgments and take up positions through subjective adjectives. Drawing upon Kerbat-Orecchioni (1980 and Felices Lago’s (1997 adjective classifications, the quantitative and qualitative study attempts to analyse the use of axiological evaluative adjectives, which are fully subjective, as they imply a qualitative evaluation adding a judgement to the modified noun. It has been noticed that TEDsters use vivid, descriptive subjective adjectives to establish a connection with the audience, which perceives a sense of similarity with the speaker. Like traditional scientific presentations, TED talks use adjectives conveying the relevance of their findings, while they distinguish themselves for the role given to aesthetic and emotional adjectives, practicality and veracity, also including the moral, political, and economic aspects involved in science. The work suggests that maybe TEDsters’ approach to science might possibly contribute to breach the expert/non expert barrier, considering science not as something distant, but as a human experience for both laypersons and professionals.

Denoising Algorithm for CFA Image Sensors Considering Inter-Channel Correlation.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Min Seok; Park, Sang Wook; Kang, Moon Gi

2017-05-28

In this paper, a spatio-spectral-temporal filter considering an inter-channel correlation is proposed for the denoising of a color filter array (CFA) sequence acquired by CCD/CMOS image sensors. Owing to the alternating under-sampled grid of the CFA pattern, the inter-channel correlation must be considered in the direct denoising process. The proposed filter is applied in the spatial, spectral, and temporal domain, considering the spatio-tempo-spectral correlation. First, nonlocal means (NLM) spatial filtering with patch-based difference (PBD) refinement is performed by considering both the intra-channel correlation and inter-channel correlation to overcome the spatial resolution degradation occurring with the alternating under-sampled pattern. Second, a motion-compensated temporal filter that employs inter-channel correlated motion estimation and compensation is proposed to remove the noise in the temporal domain. Then, a motion adaptive detection value controls the ratio of the spatial filter and the temporal filter. The denoised CFA sequence can thus be obtained without motion artifacts. Experimental results for both simulated and real CFA sequences are presented with visual and numerical comparisons to several state-of-the-art denoising methods combined with a demosaicing method. Experimental results confirmed that the proposed frameworks outperformed the other techniques in terms of the objective criteria and subjective visual perception in CFA sequences.

A decision support system for mission-based ship routing considering multiple performance criteria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dong, You; Frangopol, Dan M.; Sabatino, Samantha

2016-01-01

It is crucial to evaluate the risk associated with marine vessels subjected to inclement weather and sea conditions when developing a decision support system for ship routing. The generalized decision making framework developed in this paper performs a variety of tasks, including, but not limited to quantifying the flexural and fatigue performance of ship structures and employing multi-attribute utility theory to evaluate ship mission performance. A structural reliability approach is utilized to compute the probability of failure considering the uncertainties in structural capacity and load effects; specifically, effects of flexural and fatigue damage are investigated. The expected repair cost, cumulative fatigue damage, total travel time, and carbon dioxide emissions associated with ship routing are considered as consequences within the risk assessment procedure adopted in this paper. Additionally, the decision maker’s risk attitude is integrated into the presented approach by employing utility theory. The presented methodology can assist decision makers in making informed decisions concerning ship routing. In order to illustrate its capabilities the approach is applied to the Joint High-speed Sealift Ship. - Highlights: • Multi-attribute utility theory is proposed for the ship routing decision making. • Spectral-based fatigue damage and repair loss are computed. • Travel time and CO_2 emissions are incorporated within the decision making process. • The attitude of the decision maker has significant effects on the utility value.

Comorbid subjective health complaints in patients with sciatica: a prospective study including comparison with the general population.

Science.gov (United States)

Grøvle, Lars; Haugen, Anne J; Ihlebaek, Camilla M; Keller, Anne; Natvig, Bård; Brox, Jens I; Grotle, Margreth

2011-06-01

Chronic nonspecific low back pain is accompanied by high rates of comorbid mental and physical conditions. The aims of this study were to investigate if patients with specific back pain, that is, sciatica caused by lumbar herniation, report higher rates of subjective health complaints (SHCs) than the general population and if there is an association between change in sciatica symptoms and change in SHCs over a 12-month period. A multicenter cohort study of 466 sciatica patients was conducted with follow-up at 3 months and 1 year. Comorbid SHCs were measured by 27 items of the SHC inventory. Odds ratios (ORs) for each SHC were calculated with comparison to a general population sample (n=928) by logistic regression. The SHC number was calculated by summing all complaints present. At baseline, the ORs for reporting SHCs for the sciatica patients were significantly elevated in 15 of the 27 items with a mean (S.D.) SHC number of 7.5 (4.4), compared to 5.2 (4.4) in the general population (Psciatica, the SHC number was reduced to normal levels. Among those with persisting or worsening sciatica, the number increased to a level almost double that of the general population. Compared to the general population, the prevalence of subjective health complaints in sciatica is increased. During follow-up, the number of health complaints increased in patients with persisting or worsening sciatica. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Subject and pain: introduction to a philosophy of medicine].

Science.gov (United States)

Pérez Marc, Gonzalo

2010-10-01

Pain cannot be explained. It may only be understood from the most unpleasant of positions: suffering it. Thus, in the attempt to account for its multiple occurrences, meanings and mechanisms, developing a philosophy of pain appears to be essential. The approach to these issues by traditional occidental medicine has not considered the particular language in their background, which contains a double subjectivity: the subjectivity it represents itself, and that which frames the relationship between the agents where this language circulates. Articulating traditional scientific medicine with social, anthropological, and artistic disciplines would allow for a satisfactory response to this double subjectiveness, resulting in a deep change in current pain therapies.

Crowdsourcing based subjective quality assessment of adaptive video streaming

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Shahid, M.; Søgaard, Jacob; Pokhrel, J.

2014-01-01

In order to cater for user’s quality of experience (QoE) re- quirements, HTTP adaptive streaming (HAS) based solutions of video services have become popular recently. User QoE feedback can be instrumental in improving the capabilities of such services. Perceptual quality experiments that involve...... humans are considered to be the most valid method of the as- sessment of QoE. Besides lab-based subjective experiments, crowdsourcing based subjective assessment of video quality is gaining popularity as an alternative method. This paper presents insights into a study that investigates perceptual pref......- erences of various adaptive video streaming scenarios through crowdsourcing based subjective quality assessment....

Integrated offering strategy for profit enhancement of distributed resources and demand response in microgrids considering system uncertainties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shayeghi, H.; Sobhani, B.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Modelling mathematical integration of the proposed central bidding strategy for microgrids. • Considering and modelling the intra-market for adjusting the energy imbalances. • Analyzing effect of uncertainty of demand response and imbalance prices in profit of MG components. - Abstract: Due to the uncertain nature and limited predictability of wind and PV generated power, these resources participating in most of electricity markets are subject to significant deviation penalties during market settlements. In order to balance the unpredicted wind and PV power variations, system operators need to schedule additional reserves. This paper presents the optimal integrated participation model of wind and PV energy including demand response, storage devices, and dispatchable distributed generations in microgrids or virtual microgrids to increase their revenues in the intra-market. This market is considered 3–7 h before the delivered time, so that the amount of the contracted energy could be updated to reduce the produced power deviation of microgrid. A stochastic programming approach is considered in the development of the proposed bidding strategies for microgrid producers and loads. The optimization model is characterized by making the analysis of several scenarios and simultaneously treating three kinds of uncertainty including wind and PV power, intra-market, and imbalance prices. In order to predict these uncertainty variables, a neuro-fuzzy based approach has been applied. Historic data are used to forecast future prices and wind and PV power production in the adjustment markets. Also, a probabilistic approach based on the error of forecasted and real historic data is considered for estimating the future IM and imbalance prices of wind and PV produced power. Further, a test case is applied to example the microgrid using the Spanish market rules during one week, month, and year period to illustrate the potential benefits of the proposed joint

Multimodal imaging of ocular surface of dry eye subjects

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Aizhong; Salahura, Gheorghe; Kottaiyan, Ranjini; Yoon, Geunyoung; Aquavella, James V.; Zavislan, James M.

2016-03-01

To study the relationship between the corneal lipid layer and the ocular surface temperature (OST), we conducted a clinical trial for 20 subjects. Subjects were clinically screened prior to the trial. Of the 20 subjects, 15 have Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), and 5 have aqueous-deficient dry eye (ADDE). A custom, circularly polarized illumination video tearscope measured the lipid layer thickness of the ocular tear film. A long-wave infrared video camera recorded the dynamic thermal properties of the ocular team film. The results of these two methods were analyzed and compared. Using principal component analysis (PCA) of the lipid layer distribution, we find that the 20 subjects could be categorized into five statistically significant groups, independent of their original clinical classification: thin (6 subjects), medium (5 subjects), medium and homogenous (3 subjects), thick (4 subjects), and very thick (2 subjects) lipids, respectively. We also conducted PCA of the OST data, and recategorized the subjects into two thermal groups by k-means clustering: one includes all ADDE subjects and some MGD subjects; the other includes the remaining MGD subjects. By comparing these two methods, we find that dry eye subjects with thin ( 40 nm), there is no strong correlation between the lipid layer thickness and heterogeneity and the OST patterns.

Nutritional strategies of physically active subjects with muscle dysmorphia.

Science.gov (United States)

Contesini, Nadir; Adami, Fernando; Blake, Márcia de-Toledo; Monteiro, Carlos Bm; Abreu, Luiz C; Valenti, Vitor E; Almeida, Fernando S; Luciano, Alexandre P; Cardoso, Marco A; Benedet, Jucemar; de Assis Guedes de Vasconcelos, Francisco; Leone, Claudio; Frainer, Deivis Elton Schlickmann

2013-05-26

The aim of this study was to identify dietary strategies for physically active individuals with muscle dysmorphia based on a systematic literature review. References were included if the study population consisted of adults over 18 years old who were physically active in fitness centers. We identified reports through an electronic search ofScielo, Lilacs and Medline using the following keywords: muscle dysmorphia, vigorexia, distorted body image, and exercise. We found eight articles in Scielo, 17 in Medline and 12 in Lilacs. Among the total number of 37 articles, only 17 were eligible for inclusion in this review. The results indicated that the feeding strategies used by physically active individuals with muscle dysmorphia did not include planning or the supervision of a nutritionist. Diet included high protein and low fat foods and the ingestion of dietary and ergogenic supplements to reduce weight. Physically active subjects with muscle dysmorphia could benefit from the help of nutritional professionals to evaluate energy estimation, guide the diet and its distribution in macronutrient and consider the principle of nutrition to functional recovery of the digestive process, promote liver detoxification, balance and guide to organic adequate intake of supplemental nutrients and other substances.

Barron's SAT subject test

CERN Document Server

Jansen, MA, Robert

2016-01-01

Includes one diagnostic test and three complete tests, all questions answered and explained, self-assessment guides, and subject reviews. Also features test strategies, QR codes to short instructional videos, and a detailed appendix with equations, physical constants, and a basic math review.

Comparison of hematocrit/hemoglobin ratios in subjects with alpha-thalassemia, with subjects having chronic kidney disease and normal subjects.

Science.gov (United States)

Insiripong, Somchai; Supattarobol, Tanarat; Jetsrisuparb, Arunee

2013-07-04

The ratio of hematocrit (Hct) to hemoglobin (Hb) in the people with normal red blood cell (RBC) morphology is generally three to one. We studied Hct/Hb ratios among patients with alpha-thalassemias (Hb H, H-CS, AEBart, AEBart-CS, EFBart and EFBart-CS diseases) diagnosed by high performance liquid chromatography, and compared them with normal subjects and with patients having anemia due to chronic kidney disease (CKD). The Hct and Hb levels were derived by automated analyzer. The means +/- SD of the Hct/Hb ratios were 3.5 +/- 0.2 (range 3.3 - 4.1), 3.0 +/- 0.1 (range 2.9 - 3.2) and 3.0 +/- 0.1 (range 2.8 - 3.2) in the alpha-thalassemia, normal and CKD groups, respectively. The mean Hct/Hb ratio in subjects with alpha-thalassemia was higher than the mean in normal subjects and in those with CKD. The Hct/Hb ratios for each genotype of the alpha-thalassemia were not different from each other. The underlying mechanisms for the higher Hct/Hb ratio among those with alpha-thalassemia are theorized to be less density and/or more hydration of a-thalassemia RBCs, more entrapment of plasma in the spun RBC, the high percent of nucleated RBC and WBC interference. A ratio of 3.5 +/- 0.2 may be helpful in cases of moderate anemia when typing only shows Hb A and E, to consider investigation for alpha-thalassemia, or in cases of alpha-thalassemia with acute blood loss, if the Hct is less than 35%, in the decision to transfuse.

Microvascular retinopathy in subjects without diabetes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Munch, Inger Christine; Kessel, Line; Borch-Johnsen, Knut

2012-01-01

Purpose:  Retinal vascular lesions such as microaneurysms and haemorrhages, while typical of diabetic retinopathy, are also seen in subjects without diabetes where they are associated with elevated cardiovascular mortality. In theory, these lesions could be a consequence of past hyperglycaemia. We...... examined the prevalence and risk factors for retinopathy, including lens fluorescence, a biomarker of cumulative life-time glycaemia in adults without diabetes. Methods:  Cross-sectional population-based study of 711 subjects without diabetes (WHO 1999 criteria) aged 30-60 years, including oral glucose...... tolerance testing, clinical and laboratory examinations, non-invasive ocular lens fluorometry and seven-field fundus photography. Results:  Retinopathy was present in 8.3% (CI(95) 6.3-10.3%) of subjects. Higher systolic blood pressure (SBP) (p = 0.032), increasing body mass index (BMI) (p = 0.014) and wider...

Absorbing Boundary Conditions in Quantum Relativistic Mechanics for Spinless Particles Subject to a Classical Electromagnetic Field

Science.gov (United States)

Sater, Julien

The theory of Artificial Boundary Conditions described by Antoine et al. [2,4-6] for the Schrodinger equation is applied to the Klein-Gordon (KG) in two-dimensions (2-D) for spinless particles subject to electromagnetic fields. We begin by providing definitions for a basic understanding of the theory of operators, differential geometry and wave front sets needed to discuss the factorization theorem thanks to Nirenberg and Hormander [14, 16]. The laser-free Klein-Gordon equation in 1-D is then discussed, followed by the case including electrodynamics potentials, concluding with the KG equation in 2-D space with electrodynamics potentials. We then consider numerical simulations of the laser-particle KG equation, which includes a brief analysis of a finite difference scheme. The conclusion integrates a discussion of the numerical results, the successful completion of the objective set forth, a declaration of the unanswered encountered questions and a suggestion of subjects for further research.

Characterization of the disposition of fostamatinib in Japanese subjects including pharmacokinetic assessment in dry blood spots: results from two phase I clinical studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, Paul; Cheung, S Y Amy; Yen, Mark; Han, David; Gillen, Michael

2016-01-01

The aims of the present study were to characterize the pharmacokinetics of fostamatinib in two phase I studies in healthy Japanese subjects after single- and multiple-dose administration, and to evaluate the utility of dried blood spot (DBS) sampling. In study A, 40 Japanese and 16 white subjects were randomized in a double-blind parallel group study consisting of seven cohorts, which received either placebo or a fostamatinib dose between 50 and 200 mg after single and multiple dosing. Pharmacokinetics of R406 (active metabolite of fostamatinib) in plasma and urine was assessed, and safety was intensively monitored. Study B was an open-label study that assessed fostamatinib 100 and 200 mg in 24 Japanese subjects. In addition to plasma and urine sampling (as for study A), pharmacokinetics was also assessed in blood. Mean maximum plasma concentration (C max) and area under total plasma concentration–time curve (AUC) increased with increasing dose in Japanese subjects. Steady state was achieved in 5–7 days for all doses. C max and AUC were both higher in Japanese subjects administered a 150-mg single dose than in white subjects. This difference was maintained for steady state exposure by day 10. Overall, R406 blood concentrations were consistent and ∼2.5-fold higher than in plasma. Minimal (blood cells, and DBS sampling was a useful method for assessing R406 pharmacokinetics.

Extended discrete-ordinate method considering full polarization state

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Box, Michael A.; Qin Yi

2006-01-01

This paper presents an extension to the standard discrete-ordinate method (DOM) to consider generalized sources including: beam sources which can be placed at any (vertical) position and illuminate in any direction, thermal emission from the atmosphere and angularly distributed sources which illuminate from a surface as continuous functions of zenith and azimuth angles. As special cases, the thermal emission from the surface and deep space can be implemented as angularly distributed sources. Analytical-particular solutions for all source types are derived using the infinite medium Green's function. Radiation field zenith angle interpolation using source function integration is developed for all source types. The development considers the full state of polarization, including the sources (as applicable) and the (BRDF) surface, but the development can be reduced easily to scalar problems and is ready to be implemented in a single set of code for both scalar and vector radiative transfer computation

Pulse Wave Velocity as Marker of Preclinical Arterial Disease: Reference Levels in a Uruguayan Population Considering Wave Detection Algorithms, Path Lengths, Aging, and Blood Pressure

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ignacio Farro

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV has emerged as the gold standard for non-invasive evaluation of aortic stiffness; absence of standardized methodologies of study and lack of normal and reference values have limited a wider clinical implementation. This work was carried out in a Uruguayan (South American population in order to characterize normal, reference, and threshold levels of PWV considering normal age-related changes in PWV and the prevailing blood pressure level during the study. A conservative approach was used, and we excluded symptomatic subjects; subjects with history of cardiovascular (CV disease, diabetes mellitus or renal failure; subjects with traditional CV risk factors (other than age and gender; asymptomatic subjects with atherosclerotic plaques in carotid arteries; patients taking anti-hypertensives or lipid-lowering medications. The included subjects (n=429 were categorized according to the age decade and the blood pressure levels (at study time. All subjects represented the “reference population”; the group of subjects with optimal/normal blood pressures levels at study time represented the “normal population.” Results. Normal and reference PWV levels were obtained. Differences in PWV levels and aging-associated changes were obtained. The obtained data could be used to define vascular aging and abnormal or disease-related arterial changes.

Sensibility and Subjectivity: Levinas’ Traumatic Subject

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rashmika Pandya

2011-02-01

Full Text Available The importance of Levinas’ notions of sensibility and subjectivity are evident in the revision of phenomenological method by current phenomenologists such as Jean-Luc Marion and Michel Henry. The criticisms of key tenants of classical phenomenology, intentionality and reduction, are of a particular note. However, there are problems with Levinas’ characterization of subjectivity as essentially sensible. In “Totality and Infinity” and “Otherwise than Being”, Levinas criticizes and recasts a traditional notion of subjectivity, particularly the notion of the subject as the first and foremost rational subject. The subject in Levinas’ works is characterized more by its sensibility and affectedness than by its capacity to reason or affect its world. Levinas ties rationality to economy and suggests an alternative notion of reason that leads to his analysis of the ethical relation as the face-to-face encounter. The ‘origin’ of the social relation is located not in our capacity to know but rather in a sensibility that is diametrically opposed to the reason understood as economy. I argue that the opposition in Levinas’ thought between reason and sensibility is problematic and essentially leads to a self-conflicted subject. In fact, it would seem that violence characterizes the subject’s self-relation and, thus, is also inscribed at the base of the social relation. Rather than overcoming a problematic tendency to dualistic thought in philosophy Levinas merely reverses traditional hierarchies of reason/emotion, subject/object and self/other. 

Distributed energy resources scheduling considering real-time resources forecast

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Silva, M.; Sousa, T.; Ramos, S.

2014-01-01

grids and considering day-ahead, hour-ahead and realtime time horizons. This method considers that energy resources are managed by a VPP which establishes contracts with their owners. The full AC power flow calculation included in the model takes into account network constraints. In this paper......, distribution function errors are used to simulate variations between time horizons, and to measure the performance of the proposed methodology. A 33-bus distribution network with large number of distributed resources is used....

48 CFR 536.213-371 - Bids that include options.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Bids that include options... Contracting for Construction 536.213-371 Bids that include options. (a) Subject to the limitations in paragraph (c) of this section, you may include options in contracts if it is in the Government's interest...

Influence diagram in evaluating the subjective judgment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hong, Y.

1997-01-01

The author developed the idea of the subjective influence diagrams to evaluate subjective judgment. The subjective judgment of a stake holder is a primary decision making proposition. It involves a basic decision process an the individual attitude of the stake holder for his decision purpose. The subjective judgment dominates the some final decisions. A complex decision process may include the subjective judgment. An influence diagram framework is a simplest tool for analyzing subjective judgment process. In the framework, the characters of influence diagrams generate the describing the analyzing, and the evaluating of the subjective judgment. The relationship between the information and the decision, such as independent character between them, is the main issue. Then utility function is the calculating tool to evaluation, the stake holder can make optimal decision. Through the analysis about the decision process and relationship, the building process of the influence diagram identically describes the subjective judgment. Some examples are given to explain the property of subjective judgment and the analysis process

Student notes as a mediating tool for learning in school subjects

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Torben Spanget

2016-01-01

-writing function as a tool for a shift in identity from school child to student?. Perceptions of note-writing by two male students and students notes from the school subject bussines economics are analysed. It is concluded that note-writing can function as a tool for learning. Writing notes often allow students...... discource language which must be considered learning subjects. It is concluded that.note writing can mediate between subject discourse language and everyday language, and thereby also function as a tool to identity shift....

Null Subjects in European and Brazilian Portuguese

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pilar Barbosa

2005-12-01

Full Text Available The goals of this paper are twofold: a to provide a structural account of the effects of the informal ‘Avoid Pronoun Principle’, proposed in Chomsky (1981: 65 for the Null Subject Languages (NSLs, and b to compare, in European and Brazilian Portuguese (EP and BP, the distribution of the third person pronouns in its full and null forms, to check whether in written corpora BP incorporates signs of the ongoing loss of the null subject, largely attested in its contemporary spoken language. The strong theoretical claim is that in the Romance non-NSLs the pre-verbal subject is sitting in Spec of IP, while in the Romance NSLs it is Clitic Left-Dislocated (or is extracted by A-bar movement if it belongs to a restricted set of non-referential quantified expressions. The paper provides quantitative evidence that BP is losing the properties associated with the Null Subject Parameter. In its qualitative analysis, it shows that the contrasts between EP and BP are easily accounted for if the two derivations are assumed and if the null subjects in the two varieties are considered to be of a different nature: a pronoun in EP and a pronominal anaphor in BP.

Extended discrete-ordinate method considering full polarization state

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Box, Michael A. [School of Physics, University of New South Wales (Australia)]. E-mail: m.box@unsw.edu.au; Qin Yi [School of Physics, University of New South Wales (Australia)]. E-mail: yi.qin@csiro.au

2006-01-15

This paper presents an extension to the standard discrete-ordinate method (DOM) to consider generalized sources including: beam sources which can be placed at any (vertical) position and illuminate in any direction, thermal emission from the atmosphere and angularly distributed sources which illuminate from a surface as continuous functions of zenith and azimuth angles. As special cases, the thermal emission from the surface and deep space can be implemented as angularly distributed sources. Analytical-particular solutions for all source types are derived using the infinite medium Green's function. Radiation field zenith angle interpolation using source function integration is developed for all source types. The development considers the full state of polarization, including the sources (as applicable) and the (BRDF) surface, but the development can be reduced easily to scalar problems and is ready to be implemented in a single set of code for both scalar and vector radiative transfer computation.

Assessment of Teacher of Nursing Subjects by Pupils and Students

OpenAIRE

Bednářová, Markéta

2006-01-01

The dissertation Assessment of a teacher of nursing subjects by pupils and students focuses on finding the opinion of pupils of secondary nursing schools and students of higher nursing schools and universities on teachers of nursing. The subject of the interest was particularly qualities and skills of the nursing teachers which pupils and students consider important and desirable. The theoretical part of the work summarizes conclusions from thematically similar studies. The empirical part of ...

Subjectivity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jesús Vega Encabo

2015-11-01

Full Text Available In this paper, I claim that subjectivity is a way of being that is constituted through a set of practices in which the self is subject to the dangers of fictionalizing and plotting her life and self-image. I examine some ways of becoming subject through narratives and through theatrical performance before others. Through these practices, a real and active subjectivity is revealed, capable of self-knowledge and self-transformation. 

Persistence of long term isokinetic strength deficits in subjects with lateral ankle sprain as measured with a protocol including maximal preloading.

Science.gov (United States)

Perron, Marc; Moffet, Hélène; Nadeau, Sylvie; Hébert, Luc J; Belzile, Sylvain

2014-12-01

The assessment of muscle function is a cornerstone in the management of subjects who have sustained a lateral ankle sprain. The ankle range of motion being relatively small, the use of preloading allows to measure maximal strength throughout the whole amplitude and therefore to better characterize ankle muscles weaknesses. This study aimed to assess muscle strength of the injured and uninjured ankles in subjects with a lateral ankle sprain, to document the timeline of strength recovery, and to determine the influence of sprain grade on strength loss. Maximal torque of the periarticular muscles of the ankle in a concentric mode using a protocol with maximal preloading was tested in 32 male soldiers at 8 weeks and 6 months post-injury. The evertor muscles of the injured ankles were weaker than the uninjured ones at 8 weeks and 6 months post-injury (Pankles at 8 weeks (P=0.0014, effect size=0.52-0.58) while at 6 months, only the subjects with a grade II sprain displayed such weaknesses (Pankle sprain in very active individuals. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Study on generation investment decision-making considering multi-agent benefit for global energy internet

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Pai; Huang, Yuehui; Jia, Yanbing; Liu, Jichun; Niu, Yi

2018-02-01

Abstract . This article has studies on the generation investment decision in the background of global energy interconnection. Generation investment decision model considering the multiagent benefit is proposed. Under the back-ground of global energy Interconnection, generation investors in different clean energy base not only compete with other investors, but also facing being chosen by the power of the central area, therefor, constructing generation investment decision model considering multiagent benefit can be close to meet the interests demands. Using game theory, the complete information game model is adopted to solve the strategies of different subjects in equilibrium state.

"Wrighting" the Self: New Technologies and Textual Subjectivities

Science.gov (United States)

Sakr, Mona

2012-01-01

The expression of the self through multimodal texts is a central theme in education. While it has been suggested that new technologies act as important mediators in the relationship between texts and subjectivity, the mechanisms underlying such mediation has been a neglected topic of research. This paper considers the theoretical assumptions upon…

Parental Perspectives on a Pediatric Human Non-Subjects Biobank.

Science.gov (United States)

Brothers, Kyle B; Clayton, Ellen Wright

2012-01-01

BACKGROUND: Genomic biorepositories will be important tools to help unravel the effect of common genetic variants on risk for common pediatric diseases. Our objective was to explore how parents would respond to the inclusion of children in an opt-out model biobank. METHODS: We conducted semi-structured interviews with parents in hospital-based pediatric clinics. Participants responded to a description of a biorepository already collecting samples from adults. Two coders independently analyzed and coded interviews using framework analysis. Opt-out forms were later piloted in a clinic area. Parental opt-out choices were recorded electronically, with opt-out rates reported here. RESULTS: Parents strongly supported medical research in general and expressed a high level of trust that Vanderbilt University would keep their child's medical information private. Parents were more likely to allow their child's sample to be included in the biorepository than to allow their child to participate in a hypothetical study that would not help or harm their child, but might help other children. Only a minority were able to volunteer a concern raised by the description of the biobank. The opt-out rate was initially high compared with the opt-out rate in the adult biorepository, but after the first week decreased to near the baseline in adult clinics. CONCLUSION: Parents in our study generally support an opt-out model biobank in children. Most would allow their own child's sample to be included. Institutions seeking to build pediatric biobanks may consider the human non-subjects model as a viable alternative to traditional human-subjects biobanks.

Studies in radioaerosol lung scanning in urban health survey subjects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Doshi, V.B.; Gregat, I.K.; Kamat, S.R.; Papewar, V.N.; Raikar, U.R.; Sharma, S.M.; Ganatra, R.D.

1984-01-01

As a part of health survey in relation to air pollution, 16 smokers(11 from 'high' and 5 from 'low' zone) were studied with extensive serial lung functions, chest radiography and radioaerosol lung scanning. The clinical diagnosis were chronic bronchitis(COPD) in 9 subjects; but others (4 'High' and 3 'Low') were considered normal. The values of FVC, FEV were normal in most of these three groups, but FEV 1 /FVC percent values were lower in subjects from 'high' zone.The functional declines were higher in normals of 'high' zone. Radioaerosol (ventilation) scans (with technetium 99 ) showed a normal picture in 2 COPD and 3 normal subjects; in 3 COPD and 1 normal subjects the abnormalities were definite. For perfusion scans, 2 COPD and 3 normal subjects showed a normal pattern while definite abnormalities were seen in 1 COPD and 1 normal subjects. Lung scans may pick up abnormalities in normal smokers at an early stage. (author)

Cardiovascular risk factors in subjects with psoriasis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Peter; Thyssen, Jacob P; Zachariae, Claus

2013-01-01

Background Epidemiological data have established an association between cardiovascular disease and psoriasis. Only one general population study has so far compared prevalences of cardiovascular risk factors among subjects with psoriasis and control subjects. We aimed to determine the prevalence...... of cardiovascular risk factors in subjects with and without psoriasis in the general population. Methods During 2006-2008, a cross-sectional study was performed in the general population in Copenhagen, Denmark. A total of 3471 subjects participated in a general health examination that included assessment of current...... between subjects with and without psoriasis with regard to traditional cardiovascular risk factors. Conclusions Our results contrast with the hitherto-reported increased prevalence of metabolic syndrome in subjects with psoriasis in the general US population. However, our results agree with those of other...

Stress transfer around a broken fiber in unidirectional fiber-reinforced composites considering matrix damage evolution and interface slipping

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Zhong; Zhang, BoMing; Zhao, Lin; Sun, XinYang

2011-02-01

A shear-lag model is applied to study the stress transfer around a broken fiber within unidirectional fiber-reinforced composites (FRC) subjected to uniaxial tensile loading along the fiber direction. The matrix damage and interfacial debonding, which are the main failure modes, are considered in the model. The maximum stress criterion with the linear damage evolution theory is used for the matrix. The slipping friction stress is considered in the interfacial debonding region using Coulomb friction theory, in which interfacial clamping stress comes from radial residual stress and mismatch of Poisson's ratios of constituents (fiber and matrix). The stress distributions in the fiber and matrix are obtained by the shear-lag theory added with boundary conditions, which includes force continuity and displacement compatibility constraints in the broken and neighboring intact fibers. The result gives axial stress distribution in fibers and shear stress in the interface and compares the theory reasonably well with the measurement by a polarized light microscope. The relation curves between damage, debonding and ineffective region lengths with external strain loading are obtained.

Features of the Subject Domain of Historical Psychology

OpenAIRE

V A Koltsova

2008-01-01

The known psychologist, the author of a number of important works on methodology of psychological science as a whole and historical psychology, in particular, considers pressing matters of the formation of historical psychology. Her attention is drawn to such matters, as the subject, structure and method of arising intersubject branch of knowledge - historical psychology.

Subjective breathing impairment in unilateral vocal fold paralysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Brunner, Elke; Friedrich, Gerhard; Kiesler, Karl; Chibidziura-Priesching, Jutta; Gugatschka, Markus

2011-01-01

Dysphonia is considered a major symptom of unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP). Besides this, many patients complain of further symptoms such as dysphagia and dyspnea, which might not be expected to such an extent. The aim of this survey was to elucidate these symptoms in a cohort of patients with UVFP. Sixty-three patients (22 men, 41 women) suffering from UVFP were interviewed. Therefore we developed a questionnaire dealing with each of the three symptom categories: voice production, swallowing and breathing. All of the surveyed patients reported voice impairment, almost 60% complained of swallowing problems after the onset of paralysis. Seventy-five percent reported a subjectively impaired breathing sensation, not just phonatory dyspnea but during everyday physical activity as well. Our study revealed a certain discrepancy between objectively assessed laryngoscopic findings and subjective symptoms. A majority of patients suffered from an impairment in each of the three laryngeal functions (dysphonia, dysphagia and dyspnea). The latter two differ from the classic approach to this condition but must be considered as well in clinical diagnostics and therapy. Copyright © 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Effect of fosamprenavir-ritonavir on the pharmacokinetics of dolutegravir in healthy subjects.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Ivy; Borland, Julie; Chen, Shuguang; Peppercorn, Amanda; Wajima, Toshihiro; Piscitelli, Stephen C

2014-11-01

Dolutegravir (DTG) is an HIV integrase inhibitor (INI) with demonstrated activity in INI-naive and INI-resistant patients. The objective of this open-label, 2-period, single-sequence study was to evaluate the effect of fosamprenavir-ritonavir (FPV-RTV) on the steady-state plasma pharmacokinetics of DTG. Twelve healthy subjects received 50 mg DTG once daily for 5 days (period 1), followed by 10 days of 50 mg DTG once daily in combination with 700/100 mg FPV-RTV every 12 h (period 2). All doses were administered in the fasting state. Serial pharmacokinetic samples for DTG and amprenavir and safety assessments were obtained throughout the study. Noncompartmental pharmacokinetic analysis was performed, and geometric least-squares mean ratios and 90% confidence intervals were generated for within-subject treatment comparison. Fosamprenavir-ritonavir decreased the DTG area under the concentration-time curve, maximum concentration in plasma, and concentration in plasma at the end of the dosing interval by 35%, 24%, and 49%, respectively. Both DTG and DTG with FPV-RTV were well tolerated; no subject withdrew because of adverse events. The most frequently reported drug-related adverse events were rash, abnormal dreams, and nasopharyngitis. The modest decrease in DTG exposure when it was coadministered with FPV-RTV is not considered clinically significant, and DTG dose adjustment is not required with coadministration of FPV-RTV in INI-naive patient populations on the basis of established "no-effect" boundaries of DTG. In the INI-resistant population, as a cautionary measure, alternative combinations that do not include FPV-RTV should be considered. (This study has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov under identifier NCT01209065.). Copyright © 2014, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

The subject of exemption: through discourses of normalization and individualization in Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hamre, Bjørn Frithiof; Fristrup, Tine; Christensen, Gerd

2016-01-01

This article examines the constructions of the deviant subject in Danish Foucauldian educational research. Following the work of Foucault, we argue that the deviant subject, on the one hand, could be considered as a subject of exemption. In this case, exemption is deduced from Foucault’s understa...... discourses of general education. Thus, this article argues that Foucauldian disability studies could benefit from taking into account Foucauldian research in the field of general education. Until recently, the two research fields have been mutually isolated....

On behaviour of fuel elements subject to combined cyclic thermomechanical loads

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hsu, T.R.

1980-01-01

This paper presents detailed finite element formulations on the kinematic hardening rule of plasticity included in an existing thermoelastoplastic stress analysis code primarily designed to predict the thermomechanical behaviour of nuclear reactor fuel elements. The kinematic hardening rule is considered to be important for structures subject to repeated (or cyclic) loads. The start-up/operation/shut-down and various power excursions in a reactor all can be classified as cyclic loadings. In addition to the shifting of material yield surfaces as usually handled by the kinematic hardening rule, the thermal effect and temperature-dependent material properties have also been included in the present work for the first time. A case study related to an in-reactor experiment on a single fuel element indicated that significantly higher cumulative sheath residual strains after two load cycles was obtained by the present scheme than those calculated by the usual isotropic hardening rule. This observation may alert fuel modellers to select proper hardening rules in their analyses. (orig.)

UK Library and Information Science Research is Having a Significant Influence on Research in Other Subject Disciplines

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mathew Lee Stone

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Objective – To quantify the value of librarianship and information science (LIS exports knowledge to other subject disciplines. Design – Bibliometric study. Setting – LIS departments in U.K. universities. Subjects – 232 LIS research articles published between 2001 and 2007. Methods – Data from the 2008 U.K. Research Assessment Exercise were checked to identify 405 research articles submitted by 10 selected university departments (out of a total of 21, which submitted research in the LIS category. The Web of Science database was then searched to see how many of these articles had been cited in other articles (n=232. If the citing article was published in a non-LIS journal it was considered a knowledge export. Journals were defined as non-LIS if they had not been assigned the subject category of Information Science & Library Science by the Journal of Citation Reports. The journal Impact Factors (IFs of citing journals were then normalized to measure the value of individual knowledge exports to their respective subject disciplines. This was done by comparing a citing journal’s IF with the median journal IF within that subject category. If the citing journal’s IF was above this median it was considered to be a valuable knowledge export. Main Results – The sample of LIS research articles produced a total of 1,061 knowledge exports in 444 unique non-LIS journals. These non-LIS journals covered 146 unique subject categories of which those related to computer science and chemistry/pharmacology cited LIS research with the greatest frequency. Just over three-quarters (n=798 of these citations were considered to be valuable knowledge exports. A sub-analysis showed that LIS articles published in non-LIS journals were significantly more valuable than the knowledge exports published in LIS journals. Conclusion – The validity of bibliometric studies can be improved by adopting the two methodological innovations presented in this study. The

Objective and subjective sleep quality

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Baandrup, Lone; Glenthøj, Birte Yding; Jennum, Poul Jørgen

2016-01-01

and subjective sleep quality during benzodiazepine discontinuation and whether sleep variables were associated with benzodiazepine withdrawal. Eligible patients included adults with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, or bipolar disorder and long-term use of benzodiazepines in combination...

Medical students as human subjects in educational research

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adina L. Kalet

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Special concerns often arise when medical students are themselves the subjects of education research. A recently completed large, multi-center randomized controlled trial of computer-assisted learning modules for surgical clerks provided the opportunity to explore the perceived level of risk of studies where medical students serve as human subjects by reporting on: 1 the response of Institutional Review Boards (IRBs at seven institutions to the same study protocol; and 2 the thoughts and feelings of students across study sites about being research subjects. Methods: From July 2009 to August 2010, all third-year medical students at seven collaborating institutions were eligible to participate. Patterns of IRB review of the same protocol were compared. Participation burden was calculated in terms of the time spent interacting with the modules. Focus groups were conducted with medical students at each site. Transcripts were coded by three independent reviewers and analyzed using Atlas.ti. Results: The IRBs at the seven participating institutions granted full (n=1, expedited (n=4, or exempt (n=2 review of the WISE Trial protocol. 995 (73% of those eligible consented to participate, and 207 (20% of these students completed all outcome measures. The average time to complete the computer modules and associated measures was 175 min. Common themes in focus groups with participant students included the desire to contribute to medical education research, the absence of coercion to consent, and the low-risk nature of the research. Discussion: Our findings demonstrate that risk assessment and the extent of review utilized for medical education research vary among IRBs. Despite variability in the perception of risk implied by differing IRB requirements, students themselves felt education research was low risk and did not consider themselves to be vulnerable. The vast majority of eligible medical students were willing to participate as research

Total Site Heat Integration Considering Pressure Drops

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kew Hong Chew

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Pressure drop is an important consideration in Total Site Heat Integration (TSHI. This is due to the typically large distances between the different plants and the flow across plant elevations and equipment, including heat exchangers. Failure to consider pressure drop during utility targeting and heat exchanger network (HEN synthesis may, at best, lead to optimistic energy targets, and at worst, an inoperable system if the pumps or compressors cannot overcome the actual pressure drop. Most studies have addressed the pressure drop factor in terms of pumping cost, forbidden matches or allowable pressure drop constraints in the optimisation of HEN. This study looks at the implication of pressure drop in the context of a Total Site. The graphical Pinch-based TSHI methodology is extended to consider the pressure drop factor during the minimum energy requirement (MER targeting stage. The improved methodology provides a more realistic estimation of the MER targets and valuable insights for the implementation of the TSHI design. In the case study, when pressure drop in the steam distribution networks is considered, the heating and cooling duties increase by 14.5% and 4.5%.

Conceptual Framework for Physical Protection Against Sabotage Considering Plant-specific Radiological Consequences

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Joung Hoon; Yu, Dong Han

2010-01-01

According to the Generation IV (Gen IV) Technology Roadmap, Gen IV nuclear energy systems (NESs) should highlight proliferation resistance and physical protection (PR and PP) as one of the four goals along with sustainability, safety and reliability, and economics. Especially, physical protection (PP) is the typical important characteristic of an NES that impedes the theft of materials suitable for nuclear explosives or radiation dispersal devices (RDD) and the sabotage of facilities and transportation by subnation entities and other non-Host State adversaries. These two subjects have been studied separately. Proliferation is commonly considered as an international concern and the past work on the PR assessments can be found. On the other hands, PP is regarded as a State security concern, much of which is classified and facility-dependent. Recently, more concern has been focused on the PP design and regulation because of rapid environment changes including radiological consequences by internal sabotage and nuclear terrorism by RDDs. The current PP Regulation has been applied intensively to the existing nuclear facilities and could be a possible guidance for the future GEN-IV NESs. This paper first reviews the IAEA guide document, INFCIRC/225, which was accepted as the standard international guideline in the physical protection area. It has been updated several times up to now, and is undergoing another revision. The paper introduces current substantial changes in the document regarding PP including the national nuclear security and sabotage in the nuclear facilities. Then, it presents a conceptual framework for physical protection against sabotage considering plant-specific radiological consequence after malicious acts within certain vital areas. The framework combines the newly developed method of vital area identification, the current PSA level 2 works, and physical protection concepts. This would help to improve a design concept of new physical protection

Conceptual Framework for Physical Protection Against Sabotage Considering Plant-specific Radiological Consequences

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Joung Hoon; Yu, Dong Han [Korea Institute of Nuclear Nonproliferation and Control, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2010-10-15

According to the Generation IV (Gen IV) Technology Roadmap, Gen IV nuclear energy systems (NESs) should highlight proliferation resistance and physical protection (PR and PP) as one of the four goals along with sustainability, safety and reliability, and economics. Especially, physical protection (PP) is the typical important characteristic of an NES that impedes the theft of materials suitable for nuclear explosives or radiation dispersal devices (RDD) and the sabotage of facilities and transportation by subnation entities and other non-Host State adversaries. These two subjects have been studied separately. Proliferation is commonly considered as an international concern and the past work on the PR assessments can be found. On the other hands, PP is regarded as a State security concern, much of which is classified and facility-dependent. Recently, more concern has been focused on the PP design and regulation because of rapid environment changes including radiological consequences by internal sabotage and nuclear terrorism by RDDs. The current PP Regulation has been applied intensively to the existing nuclear facilities and could be a possible guidance for the future GEN-IV NESs. This paper first reviews the IAEA guide document, INFCIRC/225, which was accepted as the standard international guideline in the physical protection area. It has been updated several times up to now, and is undergoing another revision. The paper introduces current substantial changes in the document regarding PP including the national nuclear security and sabotage in the nuclear facilities. Then, it presents a conceptual framework for physical protection against sabotage considering plant-specific radiological consequence after malicious acts within certain vital areas. The framework combines the newly developed method of vital area identification, the current PSA level 2 works, and physical protection concepts. This would help to improve a design concept of new physical protection

Methodic of practical study teaching on subject 'Characteristic mechanical oscillations'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tenchurina, A.R.

2006-01-01

In this article the methodic of the undertaking the practical lesson for subject 'the own mechanical vibrations' is considered and offered the algorithm of the problem decision the finding of the vibration period for the different mechanical systems. (author)

Simple model of cable-stayed bridge deck subjected to static wind loading

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Yi-Lung; Wang, Yang Cheng

1997-05-01

Cable-stayed bridges have been known since 18th century with aesthetics design. The structural system and the structural behavior are significantly different from those of continuous bridges. Compared to continuous bridge, cable- stayed bridges have more flexure bridge deck than those of continuous bridges.On the other hand, cable-stayed bridges have less stiffness to resist wind loading especially for lateral loads. The first considering of bridge engineering is safety. In 1940's, Tacoma Narrows Suspension Bridge destroyed by wind loading is a good example even though it is not a cable-stayed bridge. After the bridge was destroyed, a lot of research articles have been published regarding cable supported bridge subjected to wind loading. In recent days, high strength materials have been served. The bridge engineers use the advantages to expand the span length of cable-stayed bridges. Due to the span length increased and the use of high strength materials, cable- stayed bridges have more significant nonlinear behavior subjected to wind loading. In this paper, a slice bridge deck of cable-stayed bridge connected to internal support cables is considered. The deck has been considered to be subjected to lateral static wind loading. Since cables can not take compressive force, the deck has strongly nonlinear behavior even though the materials are linear elastic. Several primary load combinations have ben considered in this paper such as the bridge deck supposed to be moved horizontally without rotation or the bridge deck supposed to be moved horizontally with rotational deformation. The mathematical formulas and the numerical solutions are found and represented in graphical forms. The results can be provided to bridge designers and researchers for further study of this type of structure subjected to wind loading.

Usng subjective percentiles and test data for estimating fragility functions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

George, L.L.; Mensing, R.W.

1981-01-01

Fragility functions are cumulative distribution functions (cdfs) of strengths at failure. They are needed for reliability analyses of systems such as power generation and transmission systems. Subjective opinions supplement sparse test data for estimating fragility functions. Often the opinions are opinions on the percentiles of the fragility function. Subjective percentiles are likely to be less biased than opinions on parameters of cdfs. Solutions to several problems in the estimation of fragility functions are found for subjective percentiles and test data. How subjective percentiles should be used to estimate subjective fragility functions, how subjective percentiles should be combined with test data, how fragility functions for several failure modes should be combined into a composite fragility function, and how inherent randomness and uncertainty due to lack of knowledge should be represented are considered. Subjective percentiles are treated as independent estimates of percentiles. The following are derived: least-squares parameter estimators for normal and lognormal cdfs, based on subjective percentiles (the method is applicable to any invertible cdf); a composite fragility function for combining several failure modes; estimators of variation within and between groups of experts for nonidentically distributed subjective percentiles; weighted least-squares estimators when subjective percentiles have higher variation at higher percents; and weighted least-squares and Bayes parameter estimators based on combining subjective percentiles and test data. 4 figures, 2 tables

Testing thermal comfort of trekking boots: an objective and subjective evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Arezes, P M; Neves, M M; Teixeira, S F; Leão, C P; Cunha, J L

2013-07-01

The study of the thermal comfort of the feet when using a specific type of shoe is of paramount importance, in particular if the main goal of the study is to attend to the needs of users. The main aim of this study was to propose a test battery for thermal comfort analysis and to apply it to the analysis of trekking boots. Methodologically, the project involves both objective and subjective evaluations. An objective evaluation of the thermal properties of the fabrics used in the boots was developed and applied. In addition, the thermal comfort provided when using the boots was also assessed both subjective and objectively. The evaluation of the thermal comfort during use, which was simulated in a laboratory environment, included the measurement of the temperature and moisture of the feet. The subjective assessment was performed using a questionnaire. From the results obtained, it was possible to define an optimal combination of fabrics to apply to trekking boots by considering the provided thermal insulation, air permeability and wicking. The results also revealed that the subjective perception of thermal comfort appears to be more related to the increase in temperature of the feet than to the moisture retention inside the boot. Although the evaluation of knits used in the boots indicated that a particular combination of fibres was optimal for use in the inner layer, the subjective and objective evaluation of thermal comfort revealed that the evaluation provided by users did not necessarily match the technical assessment data. No correlation was observed between the general comfort and specific thermal comfort assessments. Finally, the identification of thermal discomfort by specific foot areas would be useful in the process of designing and developing boots. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

Optimal hydro scheduling and offering strategies considering price uncertainty and risk management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Catalão, J.P.S.; Pousinho, H.M.I.; Contreras, J.

2012-01-01

Hydro energy represents a priority in the energy policy of Portugal, with the aim of decreasing the dependence on fossil fuels. In this context, optimal hydro scheduling acquires added significance in moving towards a sustainable environment. A mixed-integer nonlinear programming approach is considered to enable optimal hydro scheduling for the short-term time horizon, including the effect of head on power production, start-up costs related to the units, multiple regions of operation, and constraints on discharge variation. As new contributions to the field, market uncertainty is introduced in the model via price scenarios and risk management is included using Conditional Value-at-Risk to limit profit volatility. Moreover, plant scheduling and pool offering by the hydro power producer are simultaneously considered to solve a realistic cascaded hydro system. -- Highlights: ► A mixed-integer nonlinear programming approach is considered for optimal hydro scheduling. ► Market uncertainty is introduced in the model via price scenarios. ► Risk management is included using conditional value-at-risk. ► Plant scheduling and pool offering by the hydro power producer are simultaneously considered. ► A realistic cascaded hydro system is solved.

State Confessional Relations: Problem of the Subject Structure

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexandra A. Dorskaya

2014-06-01

Full Text Available In the article various existing definitions of the concept "state and confessional relations" are analyzed, also author's definition is offered. Three levels of the state and confessional relations are revealed: conceptual, legislative and administrative-managerial. In the article it is shown that in Russia a tradition of only two subjects of the state and confessional relations – government bodies and the religious organizations allocation exists. It is revealed that at the present stage many researchers are dissatisfied with such situation. Scientific sources of the problem of the state and church relations within the psychological school of the law, which are addressed to the personality and experiences in the legal sphere are studied and revealed. Special attention is paid to scientific heritage of the M.A. Reysner, who was one of the first to begin study of this problem. In the article the question of the school of three subjects of the state and confessional relations allocation formation, what adds the faithful or faithless personality in addition to two traditional subjects is analyzed. The state and confessional relations are considered in the context of the human rights development. The question of new type of the believer possessing high education level and knowledge formation is considered. In the article it is shown that at the present stage relations of any regulation between the state and religious organizations is based on the basis of international legal standards, domestic legislation and norms of canon law.

Cascade Controller Including Back-stepping for Hydraulic-Mechanical Systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Choux, Martin; Hovland, Geir; Blanke, Mogens

2012-01-01

Development of a cascade controller structure including adaptive backstepping for a nonlinear hydraulic-mechanical system is considered in this paper where a dynamic friction (LuGre) model is included to obtain the necessary accuracy. The paper compares the performance of two variants of an adapt......Development of a cascade controller structure including adaptive backstepping for a nonlinear hydraulic-mechanical system is considered in this paper where a dynamic friction (LuGre) model is included to obtain the necessary accuracy. The paper compares the performance of two variants...... of an adaptive backstepping tracking controller with earlier results. The new control architecture is analysed and enhanced tracking performance is demonstrated when including the extended friction model. The complexity of the backstepping procedure is significantly reduced due to the cascade structure. Hence...

Relationship between Income and Subjective Economic Well-Being: Absolute or Relative?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V A Khashchenko

2012-09-01

Full Text Available The article considers the role of the absolute and relative income in determining the subjective economic well-being. It is shown that the relationship of the income to SEB is curvilinear with the increase of marginal utility for a higher income. At low income levels its effect on SEB is determined not by its absolute, but by its relative value based on the comparisons with the subjective standards of well-being.

Pulmonary epithelial permeability in normal subjects and patients with idiopathic interstitial pneumonia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anazawa, Yoshiki; Isawa, Toyoharu; Teshima, Takeo; Miki, Makoto; Motomiya, Masakichi

1991-01-01

99m Tc-DTPA is a low molecular weight substance, which is believed to pass through the pulmonary epithelium when it is inhaled as an aerosol. We performed 99m Tc-DTPA inhalation studies in 10 nonsmoking normal subjects and 10 patients with biopsy proven idiopathic interstitial pneumonia prior to therapy. 99m Tc-DTPA aerosol was inhaled for 3 min with the subject in the supine position and radioactivity was measured anteriorly with a gamma camera and recorded on computer. Measurements were performed for 3 min with the subject inhaling aerosol and for the subsequent 30 min with the subject in the same position. Time activity curves from the five regions of interest (ROIs) including the entire left lung, the entire right lung, and the upper, middle and lower third of the right lung were separately fitted to a single exponential function for the initial 7 min following cessation of inhalation, and the respective clearance half life (t1/2) in min was calculated. Lung function data, arterial blood gas tensions and blood chemistry were also obtained for comparison with the t1/2 values. The t1/2 values were significantly smaller in all ROIs in patients with idiopathic interstitial pneumonia than in normal subjects, indicating an increased pulmonary epithelial permeability in these patients. There was no relationship between t1/2 and %DL co , %DL co /V A , PaO 2 , or LDH. Although the true pathophysiologic significance of t1/2 measured using 99m Tc-DTPA aerosol is still not known, we consider that this measurement may be an important indicator of nonrespiratory lung function, in particular the degree of alveolar epithelial damage. (author)

Maintenance of weight loss or stability in subjects with obesity: a retrospective longitudinal analysis of a real-world population.

Science.gov (United States)

DerSarkissian, Maral; Bhak, Rachel H; Huang, Joanna; Buchs, Sarah; Vekeman, Francis; Smolarz, B Gabriel; Brett, Jason; Ganguly, Rahul; Duh, Mei Sheng

2017-06-01

Characterize patterns of weight change among subjects with obesity. A retrospective observational longitudinal study of subjects with obesity was conducted using the General Electric Centricity electronic medical record database. Subjects who were ≥18 years old with BMI ≥30 kg/m 2 (first defining index BMI), had no medical conditions associated with unintentional weight loss, and had ≥4 BMI measurements/year for ≥2.5 years were included and categorized into groups (stable weight: within <5% of index BMI; modest weight loss: ≥5 to <10% of index BMI lost; moderate weight loss: ≥10 to <15% of index BMI lost; and high weight loss: ≥15% of index BMI lost) based on weight change during 6 months following index. No interventions were considered. Patterns of weight change were then assessed for 2 years. A total of 177,743 subjects were included: 85.1% of subjects were in the stable weight, 9.3% in the modest, 2.3% in the moderate, and 3.3% in the high weight loss groups. The proportion of subjects who maintained or continued to lose weight decreased over the 2 year observation period; 11% of those with high weight loss continued to lose weight and 19% maintained their weight loss. This group had the lowest percentage of subjects who regained ≥50% of lost weight and the lowest proportion of subjects with weight cycling (defined as not continuously losing, gaining, or maintaining weight throughout the 2 year observation period relative to its beginning). This trend persisted in subgroups with class II-III obesity, pre-diabetes, and type 2 diabetes. Weight cycling and regain were commonly observed. Subjects losing the most weight during the initial period were more likely to continue losing weight.

Subjective social status predicts in vivo responsiveness of β-adrenergic receptors.

Science.gov (United States)

Euteneuer, Frank; Mills, Paul J; Rief, Winfried; Ziegler, Michael G; Dimsdale, Joel E

2012-07-01

Several poor health outcomes, including cardiovascular risk, have been associated with both subjective social status (SSS) and sympathetic overactivity. Because prolonged sympathetic overactivation down regulates beta adrenergic receptor (β-AR) function, reduced β-AR responsiveness is considered an indicator of sympathetic overactivity and a cardiovascular risk factor. Though prior research has focused on objective social status and β-AR function, no studies have examined the association between SSS and β-AR function. We aimed to learn whether SSS predicts the in vivo responsiveness of β-ARs. We assessed the chronotropic 25 dose (CD25), an in vivo marker of β-AR responsiveness, in 94 healthy participants. The MacArthur scales of subjective social status were used to assess SSS in the U.S.A. (SSS-USA) and in the local community (SSS-C). Objective social status was analyzed by calculating the Hollingshead two-factor index. β-AR responsiveness was reduced (as indicated by higher CD25 values) in participants with lower SSS-USA (p = .007) and lower SSS-C (p social status. Our results indicate that β-AR function may be an important component of the link between SSS and health.

Saturated and unsaturated stability analysis of slope subjected to rainfall infiltration

OpenAIRE

Gofar Nurly; Rahardjo Harianto

2017-01-01

This paper presents results of saturated and unsaturated stability analysis of typical residual slopes subjected to rainfall infiltration corresponds to 50 years rainfall return period. The slope angles considered were 45° and 70°. The saturated stability analyses were carried out for original and critical ground water level commonly considered by practicing engineer. The analyses were conducted using limit equilibrium method. Unsaturated stability analyses used combination of coupled stress–...

Energy data base: subject thesaurus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Redford, J.S.

1981-10-01

The technical staff of the DOE Technical Information Center, during its subject indexing activities, develops and structures a vocabulary that allows consistent machine storage and retrieval of information necessary to the accomplishment of the DOE mission. This thesaurus incorporates that structured vocabulary. The terminology of this thesaurus is used for the subject control of information announced in DOE Energy Research Abstracts, Energy Abstracts for Policy Analysis, and various update journals and bulletins in specialized areas. This terminology also facilitates subject searching of the DOE Energy Data Base on the DOE/RECON on-line retrieval system and on other commercial retrieval systems. The rapid expansion of the DOE's activities will result in a commitant thesaurus expansion as information relating to new activities is indexed. Only the terms used in the indexing of documents at the Technical Information Center to date are included

Subject-based feature extraction by using fisher WPD-CSP in brain-computer interfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Banghua; Li, Huarong; Wang, Qian; Zhang, Yunyuan

2016-06-01

Feature extraction of electroencephalogram (EEG) plays a vital role in brain-computer interfaces (BCIs). In recent years, common spatial pattern (CSP) has been proven to be an effective feature extraction method. However, the traditional CSP has disadvantages of requiring a lot of input channels and the lack of frequency information. In order to remedy the defects of CSP, wavelet packet decomposition (WPD) and CSP are combined to extract effective features. But WPD-CSP method considers less about extracting specific features that are fitted for the specific subject. So a subject-based feature extraction method using fisher WPD-CSP is proposed in this paper. The idea of proposed method is to adapt fisher WPD-CSP to each subject separately. It mainly includes the following six steps: (1) original EEG signals from all channels are decomposed into a series of sub-bands using WPD; (2) average power values of obtained sub-bands are computed; (3) the specified sub-bands with larger values of fisher distance according to average power are selected for that particular subject; (4) each selected sub-band is reconstructed to be regarded as a new EEG channel; (5) all new EEG channels are used as input of the CSP and a six-dimensional feature vector is obtained by the CSP. The subject-based feature extraction model is so formed; (6) the probabilistic neural network (PNN) is used as the classifier and the classification accuracy is obtained. Data from six subjects are processed by the subject-based fisher WPD-CSP, the non-subject-based fisher WPD-CSP and WPD-CSP, respectively. Compared with non-subject-based fisher WPD-CSP and WPD-CSP, the results show that the proposed method yields better performance (sensitivity: 88.7±0.9%, and specificity: 91±1%) and the classification accuracy from subject-based fisher WPD-CSP is increased by 6-12% and 14%, respectively. The proposed subject-based fisher WPD-CSP method can not only remedy disadvantages of CSP by WPD but also discriminate

Dynamics of a seismogenic fault subject to variable strain rate

OpenAIRE

M. Dragoni; A. Piombo

2011-01-01

The behaviour of seismogenic faults is generally investigated under the assumption that they are subject to a constant strain rate. We consider the effect of a slowly variable strain rate on the recurrence times of earthquakes generated by a single fault. To this aim a spring-block system is employed as a low-order analog of the fault. Two cases are considered: a sinusoidal oscillation in the driver velocity and a monotonic change from one velocity value to another. In the f...

Linguistic Means of Depersonalization and Dematerialization in the Descriptions of Subjective Perception of Time

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ella V. Nesterik

2013-01-01

Full Text Available This article analyses linguistic means of depersonalization and dematerialization in the descriptions of subjective perception of time by characters, detects functions, fulfilled by them in such contexts. Subjective perception of time is considered as a text category and is studied in terms of text linguistics

System and method for acquisition management of subject position information

Science.gov (United States)

Carrender, Curt

2005-12-13

A system and method for acquisition management of subject position information that utilizes radio frequency identification (RF ID) to store position information in position tags. Tag programmers receive position information from external positioning systems, such as the Global Positioning System (GPS), from manual inputs, such as keypads, or other tag programmers. The tag programmers program each position tag with the received position information. Both the tag programmers and the position tags can be portable or fixed. Implementations include portable tag programmers and fixed position tags for subject position guidance, and portable tag programmers for collection sample labeling. Other implementations include fixed tag programmers and portable position tags for subject route recordation. Position tags can contain other associated information such as destination address of an affixed subject for subject routing.

System and method for acquisition management of subject position information

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carrender, Curt [Morgan Hill, CA

2007-01-23

A system and method for acquisition management of subject position information that utilizes radio frequency identification (RF ID) to store position information in position tags. Tag programmers receive position information from external positioning systems, such as the Global Positioning System (GPS), from manual inputs, such as keypads, or other tag programmers. The tag programmers program each position tag with the received position information. Both the tag programmers and the position tags can be portable or fixed. Implementations include portable tag programmers and fixed position tags for subject position guidance, and portable tag programmers for collection sample labeling. Other implementations include fixed tag programmers and portable position tags for subject route recordation. Position tags can contain other associated information such as destination address of an affixed subject for subject routing.

“Counterterrorism Bookshelf” – 20 Important Books on Terrorism & Counterterrorism Related Subjects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joshua Sinai

2013-12-01

Full Text Available This review column is the first in a series of columns that will provide a selective listing of important books by leading publishers on terrorism and counterterrorism-related subjects. The listings of publishers and their books are arranged in alphabetical order by publishers’ names, with their imprints included in their particular section. Within each section, the books are listed in alphabetical order, according to the lead author’s last name. Although most of the reviewed books are current, a few were published within the last several years, but are still considered to be important. Future columns will review books by publishers such as CRC Press, Hurst, Oxford University Press, Routledge, Stanford University Press, Springer, and University of Chicago Press.

Powerful subjects of tax law enforcement

OpenAIRE

Igor Dementyev

2017-01-01

УДК 342.6The subject. Competence of government bodies and their officials in the sphere of application of the tax law is considered in the article.The purpose of research is to determine the ratio of tax enforcement and application of the tax law, as well as the relationship between the concepts “party of tax enforcement” and “participant of tax legal relations”.Main results and scope of their application. The circle of participants of tax legal relations is broader than the circle of parties...

[Factors related to subjective fatigue symptoms of adolescent girls].

Science.gov (United States)

Ikeda, Junko; Fukuda, Sayuri; Murakami, Toshio; Kawamoto, Naoki

2011-09-01

To assess changes in subjective fatigue symptoms of adolescent girls over a 15-year period and investigate factors related to these symptoms. A total of 86 items on physical health (including subjective fatigue symptoms), dietary life, and daily living were investigated and five items on physical activity were measured for approximately 100 female first-year dietetic students at a junior college each October over the 15-year period from 1994 to 2008. A total of 1,547 students (mean age, 19.2 +/- 0.3 years) were studied. Subjects were first divided into two groups using the median subjective fatigue score as the cutoff point, and annual changes in the proportion of students in the high subjective fatigue group were investigated by simple regression analysis. In addition, relationships between the two subjective fatigue groups and each item were investigated. 1) The proportion of students with many subjective fatigue symptoms showed a significantly increasing trend over the 15-year period. 2) Investigation of relationships between subjective fatigue symptoms and each factor revealed significance for many items, including dietary habits, life satisfaction, amount of sleep, and desire for a positive body image. 3) In order to determine which of the items were most strongly related to subjective fatigue symptoms, multiple logistic regression analysis was performed for the 15-year period as well as three 5-year periods into which it was divided. The results showed that the dietary habits score (an indicator of dietary habits) and life satisfaction were related to subjective fatigue symptoms during all four periods. As for other items, relationships were observed for amount of sleep in three, diet and salt intake score in two, and liking for coffee/tea, juice drinks, and oily food, bedtime snack, desire for body image, self-assessment of body type, and health consciousness in one. These findings indicate that perspectives in education for promoting the health of

Studying Irony Detection Beyond Ironic Criticism: Let's Include Ironic Praise

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Richard Bruntsch

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Studies of irony detection have commonly used ironic criticisms (i.e., mock positive evaluation of negative circumstances as stimulus materials. Another basic type of verbal irony, ironic praise (i.e., mock negative evaluation of positive circumstances is largely absent from studies on individuals' aptitude to detect verbal irony. However, it can be argued that ironic praise needs to be considered in order to investigate the detection of irony in the variety of its facets. To explore whether the detection ironic praise has a benefit beyond ironic criticism, three studies were conducted. In Study 1, an instrument (Test of Verbal Irony Detection Aptitude; TOVIDA was constructed and its factorial structure was tested using N = 311 subjects. The TOVIDA contains 26 scenario-based items and contains two scales for the detection of ironic criticism vs. ironic praise. To validate the measurement method, the two scales of the TOVIDA were experimentally evaluated with N = 154 subjects in Study 2. In Study 3, N = 183 subjects were tested to explore personality and ability correlates of the two TOVIDA scales. Results indicate that the co-variance between the ironic TOVIDA items was organized by two inter-correlated but distinct factors: one representing ironic praise detection aptitude and one representing ironic criticism detection aptitude. Experimental validation showed that the TOVIDA items truly contain irony and that item scores reflect irony detection. Trait bad mood and benevolent humor (as a facet of the sense of humor were found as joint correlates for both ironic criticism and ironic praise detection scores. In contrast, intelligence, trait cheerfulness, and corrective humor were found as unique correlates of ironic praise detection scores, even when statistically controlling for the aptitude to detect ironic criticism. Our results indicate that the aptitude to detect ironic praise can be seen as distinct from the aptitude to detect ironic

ELECTRONIC TEXTBOOK — SUBJECT INFORMATIONEDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT OF INDEPENDENT WORK OF STUDENTS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elena O. Ivanova

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of the paper is to consider the characteristics of the electronic textbook as the subject of the information-educational environment, which ensures the unity both of the procedural and substantive aspects of training.Results. The evolution of views on the electronic textbook in the course of the expansion and awareness of the didactic potential of information and communication technologies is shown. The structure of the electronic textbook is presented in the paper. It includes the following modules: information (invariant content of education and the expansion of its variability; organizational and procedural (variable-based assignments aimed at acquiring information, as well as a means of reflection and evaluation of results; personal (information and telecommunication means of organizing own knowledge; communicative (the field of information and assessment of interaction; and pedagogical (monitoring cognitive activity of students. The structure has been developed with due regard to the need of independent work of a student with the content of education in information and educational environment.Scientific novelty. The features of the independent work of the student in terms of abundance of information through information and communication technologies are analyzed. Special attention is paid to the development of independent cognitive activity of students, their subject position in education. On this bases, the key position that should be considered during the development of the electronic textbook are specified: cognitive activity is considered as an active process of constructing students’ new knowledge based on earlier formed personal experience; personal experience arises as a result of intellectual and cognitive activity of the student; cognition of something new requires an activity in the field of social communication; the efficiency of absorption of the content of education depends on the conditions of implementation of each

ELECTRONIC TEXTBOOK — SUBJECT INFORMATIONEDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT OF INDEPENDENT WORK OF STUDENTS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elena O. Ivanova

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The aim of the paper is to consider the characteristics of the electronic textbook as the subject of the information-educational environment, which ensures the unity both of the procedural and substantive aspects of training.Results. The evolution of views on the electronic textbook in the course of the expansion and awareness of the didactic potential of information and communication technologies is shown. The structure of the electronic textbook is presented in the paper. It includes the following modules: information (invariant content of education and the expansion of its variability; organizational and procedural (variable-based assignments aimed at acquiring information, as well as a means of reflection and evaluation of results; personal (information and telecommunication means of organizing own knowledge; communicative (the field of information and assessment of interaction; and pedagogical (monitoring cognitive activity of students. The structure has been developed with due regard to the need of independent work of a student with the content of education in information and educational environment.Scientific novelty. The features of the independent work of the student in terms of abundance of information through information and communication technologies are analyzed. Special attention is paid to the development of independent cognitive activity of students, their subject position in education. On this bases, the key position that should be considered during the development of the electronic textbook are specified: cognitive activity is considered as an active process of constructing students’ new knowledge based on earlier formed personal experience; personal experience arises as a result of intellectual and cognitive activity of the student; cognition of something new requires an activity in the field of social communication; the efficiency of absorption of the content of education depends on the conditions of implementation of each

Effect of the stringency of conditions on caloric test results in healthy subjects.

Science.gov (United States)

Krstulovic, Claudio; Tulsidas Mahtani, Bharti; Atrache Al Attrache, Nabil; Pérez-Garrigues, Herminio

The caloric test is widely used to assess vestibular function, but the conditions in which it is performed can vary. Caloric nystagmus obtained in 57 healthy subjects were compared: 24 subjects studied in ideal conditions and 33 subjects in non-ideal conditions. A statistically significant decrease in the slow phase velocity of the 4 irrigations performed on the subjects in non-ideal conditions was observed. This must be considered, especially in subjects with suspected bilateral involvement. Stringent conditions reduce the risk of misdiagnosis with bilateral deficit. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Otorrinolaringología y Cirugía de Cabeza y Cuello. All rights reserved.

Basic study of the plant maintenance model considering plant improvement/modification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsumaya, Akira; Inoue, Kazuya; Mochizuki, Masahito; Wakamatsu, Hidefumi; Arai, Eiji

2007-01-01

This paper proposes a maintenance activity model that considers not only routine maintenance activity but also functional maintenance including improvement/modification. Required maintenance types are categorized, and limitation of Activity Domain Integration Diagram (ADID) proposed by ISO18435 are discussed based on framework for life cycle maintenance management of manufacturing assets. Then, we proposed extension ADID model for plant maintenance activity model considering functional improvement/modification. (author)

Assessment of clinical residents' needs for ten educational subjects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mansour Razavi

2002-04-01

Full Text Available Background Fulfilling the learners' "real needs" will improve medical education. There are subjects that are necessary for any clinical residents not considering their field of specialty. Among the subjects ten seems to be the most important: research methodology and data analysis, computer-based programs, medical recording, cardiopulmonary and cerebral resuscitation, clinical teaching programs, communication skills, clinical ethics, laboratory examinations, reporting special diseases and death certification, and prescription. Purpose This cross-sectional study assessed educational needs of clinical residents for ten educational subjects. Methods A questionnaire prepared by board faculty members consisted of 10 close-ended questions, and one open­ ended question was distributed among 1307 residents from 22 clinical disciplines, who registered for preboard or promotion exam in June 2000. Results Among the subjects three were the most needed: computer-based programs 149 (60%, data collecting system 606 (49%, and clinical ethics 643 (46%. The prescription standard was the least required 177(13%. Conclusion Complementary training courses on these subjects can be an answer to the clinical residents needs. Keywords : research methodology, computer in medicine, cpr, clinical teaching methods, communication in medicine, medical ethics, laboratory ordering, disease coding system, death certificate, prescription writing

Subjective video quality comparison of HDTV monitors

Science.gov (United States)

Seo, G.; Lim, C.; Lee, S.; Lee, C.

2009-01-01

HDTV broadcasting services have become widely available. Furthermore, in the upcoming IPTV services, HDTV services are important and quality monitoring becomes an issue, particularly in IPTV services. Consequently, there have been great efforts to develop video quality measurement methods for HDTV. On the other hand, most HDTV programs will be watched on digital TV monitors which include LCD and PDP TV monitors. In general, the LCD and PDP TV monitors have different color characteristics and response times. Furthermore, most commercial TV monitors include post-processing to improve video quality. In this paper, we compare subjective video quality of some commercial HD TV monitors to investigate the impact of monitor type on perceptual video quality. We used the ACR method as a subjective testing method. Experimental results show that the correlation coefficients among the HDTV monitors are reasonable high. However, for some video sequences and impairments, some differences in subjective scores were observed.

Fleet size estimation for spreading operation considering road geometry, weather and traffic

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Steven I-Jy Chien

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Extreme weather conditions(i.e. snow storm in winter time have caused significant travel disruptions and increased delay and traffic accidents. Snow plowing and salt spreading are the most common counter-measures for making our roads safer for motorists. To assist highway maintenance authorities with better planning and allocation of winter maintenance resources, this study introduces an analytical model to estimate the required number of trucks for spreading operation subjective to pre-specified service time constraints considering road geometry, weather and traffic. The complexity of the research problem lies in dealing with heterogeneous road geometry of road sections, truck capacities, spreading patterns, and traffic speeds under different weather conditions and time periods of an event. The proposed model is applied to two maintenance yards with seven road sections in New Jersey (USA, which demonstrates itself fairly practical to be implemented, considering diverse operational conditions.

Commentary: Considering Assumptions in Associations Between Music Preferences and Empathy-Related Responding

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Susan A O'Neill

2015-09-01

Full Text Available This commentary considers some of the assumptions underpinning the study by Clark and Giacomantonio (2015. Their exploratory study examined relationships between young people's music preferences and their cognitive and affective empathy-related responses. First, the prescriptive assumption that music preferences can be measured according to how often an individual listens to a particular music genre is considered within axiology or value theory as a multidimensional construct (general, specific, and functional values. This is followed by a consideration of the causal assumption that if we increase young people's empathy through exposure to prosocial song lyrics this will increase their prosocial behavior. It is suggested that the predictive power of musical preferences on empathy-related responding might benefit from a consideration of the larger pattern of psychological and subjective wellbeing within the context of developmental regulation across ontogeny that involves mutually influential individual—context relations.

Subjective social status and health.

Science.gov (United States)

Euteneuer, Frank

2014-09-01

Subjective social status (SSS) predicts health outcomes above and beyond traditional objective measures of social status, such as education, income and occupation. This review summarizes and integrates recent findings on SSS and health. Current studies corroborate associations between low SSS and poor health indicators by extending previous findings to further populations and biological risk factors, providing meta-analytic evidence for adolescents and by demonstrating that negative affect may not confound associations between SSS and self-rated health. Recent findings also highlight the relevance of SSS changes (e.g. SSS loss in immigrants) and the need to consider cultural/ethnical differences in psychological mediators and associations between SSS and health. SSS is a comprehensive measure of one's social position that is related to several poor health outcomes and risk factors for disease. Future investigation, particularly prospective studies, should extend research on SSS and health to further countries/ethnic groups, also considering additional psychological and biological mediators and dynamic aspects of SSS. Recently developed experimental approaches to manipulate SSS may also be promising.

Predictors of subjective quality of life in schizophrenic patients living in the community. A Nordic multicentre study.

Science.gov (United States)

Hansson, L; Middelboe, T; Merinder, L; Bjarnason, O; Bengtsson-Tops, A; Nilsson, L; Sandlund, M; Sourander, A; Sørgaard, K W; Vinding, H

1999-01-01

As part of a Nordic multi-centre study investigating the life and care situation of community samples of schizophrenic patients the aim of the present part of the study was to examine the relationship between global subjective quality of life and objective life conditions, clinical characteristics including psychopathology and number of needs for care, subjective factors such as satisfaction with different life domains, social network, and self-esteem. A sample of 418 persons with schizophrenia from 10 sites was used. The results of a final multiple regression analysis, explaining 52.3% of the variance, showed that five subjective factors were significantly associated with global subjective quality of life, together with one objective indicator, to have a close friend. No clinical characteristics were associated with global subjective quality of life. The largest part of the variance was explained by satisfaction with health, 36.3% of the variance, and self-esteem, 7.3% of the variance. It is concluded that the actual relationship between objective life conditions and subjectively experienced quality of life still remains unclear. Furthermore, it seems obvious that personality related factors such as self-esteem, mastery and sense of autonomy also play a role in the appraisal of subjective quality of life, which implies that factors like these are important to consider in clinical and social interventions for patients with schizophrenia in order to improve quality of life for these persons.

Effects of strain history on structural reliability analysis of pipes subjected to reeling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ernst, Hugo A.; Bravo, Richard E. [TENARIS Group, Campana (Argentina). Center for Industrial Research; Daguerre, Federico [TENARIS Group (Mexico). TAMSA

2005-07-01

In this work a method to perform a Structural Reliability Analysis (SRA) for a tube subject to reeling is considered in detail. A fracture mechanics based methodology is reviewed and the points that need to be resolved before extending the methods to include reeling are clearly identified. The effect of the strain history on the applied and material fracture mechanics parameters were studied. A theoretical model was developed to describe the crack driving force evolution through strain cycles. A criterion was proposed and corroborated to represent material fracture resistance behavior. An experimental program was carried out. The material analyzed was a X65 grade. Monotonic and cyclic fracture mechanic tests were performed on single edge notch in tension specimens. The material fracture resistance curve was determined based on the monotonic tests. The cyclic tests were used to determine experimentally the applied fracture mechanic parameters evolution. A very good agreement between predicted and measured CTOD values was obtained for the cases analyzed. A methodology to perform a SRA for tube subjected to reeling is proposed. (author)

Case Study of Local Damage Indicators for a 2-Bay, 6-Storey RC-Frame subject to Earthquakes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Skjærbæk, P. S.; Nielsen, Søren R. K.; Kirkegaard, Poul Henning

1997-01-01

A simulation study of a 2-bay, 6storey model test RC-frame(scale 1:5) subject to earthquakes is considered in this paper. Based on measured (simulated) storey accelerations and ground surface accelerations several indices for the storey damage, including interstorey drift, flexural damage ratios......, normalized cumulative dissipated energy, Park and Ang's indicator, a low-cycle fatigue damage index and a recently proposed local softening damage index estimated from time-varying eigenfrequencies are used to evaluate the damage state of the structure after the earthquake. Storey displacements are obtained...

Case Study of Local Damage Indicators for a 2-Bay, 6-Storey RC-Frame subject to Earthquakes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Skjærbæk, P. S.; Nielsen, Søren R. K.; Kirkegaard, Poul Henning

A simulation study of a 2-bay, 6storey model test RC-frame(scale 1:5) subject to earthquakes is considered in this paper. Based on measured (simulated) storey accelerations and ground surface accelerations several indices for the storey damage, including interstorey drift, flexural damage ratios......, normalized cumulative dissipated energy, Park and Ang's indicator, a low-cycle fatigue damage index and a recently proposed local softening damage index estimated from time-varying eigenfrequencies are used to evaluate the damage state of the structure after the earthquake. Storey displacements are obtained...

The importance of subjective claims management.

Science.gov (United States)

Beger, C S

1997-01-01

This article discusses the causes and effects of "subjective disability" on today's workforce and employers. As employees feel out of control with both their careers and demands placed upon them, the number of claims characterized by self-reported symptoms are increasing. Subjective disabilities include chronic syndrome, fibromyalgia, psychiatric claims and chronic pain. The author discusses creative strategies in case studies that have helped employers contain the costs of disability claims, while empowering the employee to take control of their own situation and return to work sooner.

Determinats of Interregional Competion of Subjects of Russian Federation

Science.gov (United States)

Gaisin, R. I.; Latypov, R. A.; Gaisin, I. T.; Kubyshkina, E. N.; Hayaleeva, A. D.

2018-05-01

In the article, problems of the analysis of competitiveness of subjects of the Russian Federation at the level of the national market of the country are considered. For a research of indicators and dynamics of competitiveness of certain territorial subjects of the Russian Federation, the methodology and tools of the theory of the interregional markets of the country developed by one of authors of epy article are used. On the basis of the known theory of competitiveness of M. Porter, the main directions of an increase of the competition in the interregional market of Russia are offered. Keywords: competitiveness, competitiveness determinants, interregional competition, interregional markets of the country

Information – is it Subjective or Objective?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrzej Stanislaw Zaliwski

2011-03-01

Full Text Available The article deals first with the problems of defining information. It is concluded that it is a misunderstanding to take a term and then to look for a definition. Rather a different way ought to be taken: to find the phenomenon first and then assign a name to it. The view that information is the same thing as a structure is considered. Then the processes by which information is created are analyzed. The definition that information is detected difference is closely scrutinized and it is found that information can also be detected sameness. It is argued that information is relative to the observer and for the very reason of the way it is created it is subjective. That extends only to information acquired. The existence of subjective information, however, does not prove information cannot exist objectively.

A self-interacting partially directed walk subject to a force

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brak, R; Owczarek, A L [Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010 (Australia); Dyke, P; Lee, J; Whittington, S G [Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto M5S 3H6 (Canada); Prellberg, T [School of Mathematical Sciences, Queen Mary, University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS (United Kingdom); Rechnitzer, A [Department of Mathematics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver V6K 1ZT (Canada)

2009-02-27

We consider a directed walk model of a homopolymer (in two dimensions) which is self-interacting and can undergo a collapse transition, subject to an applied tensile force. We review and interpret all the results already in the literature concerning the case where this force is in the preferred direction of the walk. We consider the force extension curves at different temperatures as well as the critical-force temperature curve. We demonstrate that this model can be analysed rigorously for all key quantities of interest even when there may not be explicit expressions for these quantities available. We show which of the techniques available can be extended to the full model, where the force has components in the preferred direction and the direction perpendicular to this. Whilst the solution of the generating function is available, its analysis is far more complicated and not all the rigorous techniques are available. However, many results can be extracted including the location of the critical point which gives the general critical-force temperature curve. Lastly, we generalize the model to a three-dimensional analogue and show that several key properties can be analysed if the force is restricted to the plane of preferred directions.

Developing a Democratic View of Academic Subject Matters: John Dewey, William Chandler Bagley, and Boyd Henry Bode

Science.gov (United States)

Watras, Joseph

2012-01-01

In the first half of the twentieth century, the ideal of democracy influenced the conceptions people had of the academic subject matters. A common criticism was that abstract academic subjects served aristocratic societies. Although most theorists considered the academic subjects to be important, they had differing views on the conception of…

Reliability Analysis of Retaining Walls Subjected to Blast Loading by Finite Element Approach

Science.gov (United States)

GuhaRay, Anasua; Mondal, Stuti; Mohiuddin, Hisham Hasan

2018-02-01

Conventional design methods adopt factor of safety as per practice and experience, which are deterministic in nature. The limit state method, though not completely deterministic, does not take into account effect of design parameters, which are inherently variable such as cohesion, angle of internal friction, etc. for soil. Reliability analysis provides a measure to consider these variations into analysis and hence results in a more realistic design. Several studies have been carried out on reliability of reinforced concrete walls and masonry walls under explosions. Also, reliability analysis of retaining structures against various kinds of failure has been done. However, very few research works are available on reliability analysis of retaining walls subjected to blast loading. Thus, the present paper considers the effect of variation of geotechnical parameters when a retaining wall is subjected to blast loading. However, it is found that the variation of geotechnical random variables does not have a significant effect on the stability of retaining walls subjected to blast loading.

[Multimodal pain therapy - implementation of process management - an attempt to consider management approaches].

Science.gov (United States)

Dunkel, Marion; Kramp, Melanie

2012-07-01

The combination of medical and economical proceedings allows new perspectives in the illustration of medical workflows. Considering structural and developmental aspects multimodal therapy programs show similarities with typical subjects of economic process systems. By pointing out the strategic appearance of the multimodal pain therapy concept multimodal approaches can be described to some extent by using management approaches. E. g., an economic process landscape can be used to represent procedures of a multimodal pain therapy program. © Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York.

The sociological subject through the streets of Brasília

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roberta Tiburri

2013-12-01

Full Text Available This article discusses the sociological subject, as conceptualized by Stuart Hall (2006, in the modernist architecture and urbanism, using the city of Brasilia as an icon. The sociological subject is the result of modernity in transformation, with its characteristics of isolation and individualism, together with a process of decentralization and fragmentation of identities. This idea will be led through the streets of the city-symbol of our modernism, largely designed from the principles of the Athens Charter, which aimed to solve the problems caused by rapid growth of cities. We try to understand how the modernist principles of the Athens Charter, who are considered to be the most significant manifest of the International Congress of Modern Architecture (CIAM, are present in Brasilia and how both the collective and the individual interact as well as how the sociological subject can move about those spaces. To do so, we analyze the principles of the Athens Charter, applied to Brasilia’s urban design, and determine how our sociological subject in practice interacts with this “ideal city” by observing the interactions between the collective, the individual, the public and private, the center, and the periphery.  We also consider the political and economic conditions in Brasilia during the 1950s and early 1960s, under the developmental policy of President Kubitschek, combined with the precepts of the ideal modern city. Thus, our analysis focuses on the sociological subject, who is individualistic and changes modern society, interacting with the structures of the nation-state, industrialization, democracy, and modern capitalism, and is part of a modernist city, with aspirations of community and social and spatial order in a country facing the future, progress, and development.

Electronic cigarettes: abuse liability, topography and subjective effects.

Science.gov (United States)

Evans, Sarah E; Hoffman, Allison C

2014-05-01

To review the available evidence evaluating the abuse liability, topography, subjective effects, craving and withdrawal suppression associated with e-cigarette use in order to identify information gaps and provide recommendations for future research. Literature searches were conducted between October 2012 and January 2014 using five electronic databases. Studies were included in this review if they were peer-reviewed scientific journal articles evaluating clinical laboratory studies, national surveys or content analyses. A total of 15 peer-reviewed articles regarding behavioural use and effects of e-cigarettes published between 2010 and 2014 were included in this review. Abuse liability studies are limited in their generalisability. Topography (consumption behaviour) studies found that, compared with traditional cigarettes, e-cigarette average puff duration was significantly longer, and e-cigarette use required stronger suction. Data on e-cigarette subjective effects (such as anxiety, restlessness, concentration, alertness and satisfaction) and withdrawal suppression are limited and inconsistent. In general, study data should be interpreted with caution, given limitations associated with comparisons of novel and usual products, as well as the possible effects associated with subjects' previous experience/inexperience with e-cigarettes. Currently, very limited information is available on abuse liability, topography and subjective effects of e-cigarettes. Opportunities to examine extended e-cigarette use in a variety of settings with experienced e-cigarette users would help to more fully assess topography as well as behavioural and subjective outcomes. In addition, assessment of 'real-world' use, including amount and timing of use and responses to use, would clarify behavioural profiles and potential adverse health effects.

Gynecomastia in subjects with sexual dysfunction.

Science.gov (United States)

Maseroli, E; Rastrelli, G; Corona, G; Boddi, V; Amato, A M L; Mannucci, E; Forti, G; Maggi, M

2014-06-01

To analyze possible relationships between gynecomastia and clinical and biochemical parameters in a large cohort of subjects with sexual dysfunction (SD). A consecutive series of 4,023 men attending our Outpatient Clinic for SD was retrospectively studied. After excluding Klinefelter's syndrome patients, the prevalence of gynecomastia was 3.1 %. Subjects with gynecomastia had significantly lower testosterone (T) levels; the association retained statistical significance after adjusting for age and life-style. However, only 33.3 % of subjects with gynecomastia were hypogonadal. Gynecomastia was associated with delayed puberty, history of testicular or hepatic diseases, as well as cannabis abuse. Patients with gynecomastia more frequently reported sexual complaints, such as severe erectile dysfunction [odds ratio (OR) = 2.19 (1.26-3.86), p = 0.006], lower sexual desire and intercourse frequency [OR = 1.23 (1.06-1.58) and OR = 1.84 (1.22-2.78), respectively; both p Gynecomastia was also positively associated with severe obesity, lower testis volume and LH, and negatively with prostate-specific antigen levels. The further adjustment for T did not affect these results, except for obesity. After introducing body mass index as a further covariate, all the associations retained statistical significance, except for delayed ejaculation and ANDROTEST score. When considering gynecomastia severity, we found a step-wise, T-independent, decrease and increase of testis volume and LH, respectively. Gynecomastia was also associated with the use of several drugs in almost 40 % of our patients. Gynecomastia is a rare condition in subjects with SD, and could indicate a testosterone deficiency that deserves further investigation.

Energy Data Base: subject categories and scope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bost, D.E.

1985-03-01

The subject scope of the Energy Data Base (EDB) encompasses all DOE-sponsored research. Broadly defined, EDB subject scope includes all technological aspects of energy production, conversion, and efficient utilization, and the economic, social, and political aspects as well. Scope notes are provided to define the extent of interest in certain subject areas, particularly areas of basic research. Cross references between categories are provided to aid both the categorization of information and its retrieval. Citations entered into DOE's computerized bibliographic information system are assigned six-digit subject category numbers to broadly group information for storage, retrieval, and manipulation. These numbers are used in the preparation of printed documents, such as bibliographies and abstract journals, to arrange the citations and to aid searching on the DOE/RECON on-line system

Pulmonary function in subjects with psoriasis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, P. R.; Isaksen, Jonas Lynggaard; Jemec, G. B.

2018-01-01

Psoriasis is a prevalent chronic inflammatory disease associated with comorbidities, e.g. cardiometabolic diseases, inflammatory bowel disease, and depression that may share an inflammatory origin. Smoking increases the risk of psoriasis and the disease has also been linked to chronic obstructive...... pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma, with evidence of shared inflammatory cytokine-mediated mechanisms. Moreover, subjects with psoriasis display increased risk of infections, especially respiratory infections including pneumonia. However, only a small single-center study of pulmonary function in subjects...... with psoriasis is available. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved....

Time to consider sharing data extracted from trials included in systematic reviews

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luke Wolfenden

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background While the debate regarding shared clinical trial data has shifted from whether such data should be shared to how this is best achieved, the sharing of data collected as part of systematic reviews has received little attention. In this commentary, we discuss the potential benefits of coordinated efforts to share data collected as part of systematic reviews. Main body There are a number of potential benefits of systematic review data sharing. Shared information and data obtained as part of the systematic review process may reduce unnecessary duplication, reduce demand on trialist to service repeated requests from reviewers for data, and improve the quality and efficiency of future reviews. Sharing also facilitates research to improve clinical trial and systematic review methods and supports additional analyses to address secondary research questions. While concerns regarding appropriate use of data, costs, or the academic return for original review authors may impede more open access to information extracted as part of systematic reviews, many of these issues are being addressed, and infrastructure to enable greater access to such information is being developed. Conclusion Embracing systems to enable more open access to systematic review data has considerable potential to maximise the benefits of research investment in undertaking systematic reviews.

Spermicides: A Contraception Alternative to Consider

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mélany Uribe-Clavijo

2012-06-01

Full Text Available The aim of this manuscript was to show a review about historical data, uses, advantages and disadvantages of spermicidal products. Conducting a search in several biomedical databases and using some terms such as Contraception, Spermatozoa, Spermicides, Nonoxynol-9, Microbicide and Natural Products there was realized a literature review selecting different scientific articles, documents and guidelines that allowed the realization of this work. Contraception has been a worldwide interest subject since a long time ago, implicating aspects such as natality control and sexual transmitted infections. Eventually, due to the increased knowledge in contraception, some spermicidal products have been developed including the synthetic ones. However, different organizations have paid attention to the necessity for seeking new compounds with spermicidal and microbicidal activity, associated to minimal side effects; among these new molecules, the present article highlight those potential spermicides derived from natural products.

Relationship between neck circumference, insulin resistance and arterial stiffness in overweight and obese subjects.

Science.gov (United States)

Fantin, Francesco; Comellato, Gabriele; Rossi, Andrea P; Grison, Elisa; Zoico, Elena; Mazzali, Gloria; Zamboni, Mauro

2017-09-01

Background Only a few studies have investigated the relationship between neck circumference and cardiometabolic risk. The aim of this study was to assess the relationships between neck circumference, waist circumference, metabolic variables and arterial stiffness in a group of overweight and obese subjects evaluating a possible independent role of neck circumference in determining arterial stiffness. Methods and results We studied 95 subjects (53 women) with an age range of 20-77 years and body mass index range from 25.69 to 47.04 kg/m 2 . In each subject we evaluated body mass index, waist, hip and neck circumference, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, insulin, fasting glucose, cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides. Arterial stiffness was assessed by carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWVcf) and carotid-radial pulse wave velocity (PWVcr). Both PWVcf and PWVcr were higher in subjects with high values of neck circumference compared with subjects with normal values of neck circumference. Subjects with high values of neck circumference and abdominal obesity presented higher values of mean arterial pressure, PWVcr and homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) index and lower values of high-density lipoprotein than subjects with only abdominal obesity. Two models of stepwise multiple regression were performed in order to evaluate the combined effect of independent variables on arterial stiffness. In the first model PWVcf was considered a dependent variable, and age, gender, systolic blood pressure, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, waist circumference, neck circumference, HOMA index and the use of anti-hypertensive medications were considered independent variables. Age, systolic blood pressure, triglycerides and waist circumference were significant predictors of PWVcf, explaining 65% of its variance. In the second model, in which PWVcr was considered a dependent variable, neck circumference

Jaw dysfunction is associated with neck disability and muscle tenderness in subjects with and without chronic temporomandibular disorders.

Science.gov (United States)

Silveira, A; Gadotti, I C; Armijo-Olivo, S; Biasotto-Gonzalez, D A; Magee, D

2015-01-01

Tender points in the neck are common in patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMD). However, the correlation among neck disability, jaw dysfunction, and muscle tenderness in subjects with TMD still needs further investigation. This study investigated the correlation among neck disability, jaw dysfunction, and muscle tenderness in subjects with and without chronic TMD. Participants. Forty females between 19 and 49 years old were included in this study. There were 20 healthy controls and 20 subjects who had chronic TMD and neck disability. Subjects completed the neck disability index and the limitations of daily functions in TMD questionnaires. Tenderness of the masticatory and cervical muscles was measured using an algometer. The correlation between jaw disability and neck disability was significantly high (r = 0.915, P cervical muscles with jaw dysfunction and neck disability showed fair to moderate correlations (r = 0.32-0.65). High levels of muscle tenderness in upper trapezius and temporalis muscles correlated with high levels of jaw and neck dysfunction. Moreover, high levels of neck disability correlated with high levels of jaw disability. These findings emphasize the importance of considering the neck and its structures when evaluating and treating patients with TMD.

Predictors of subjective health status 10 years post-PCI

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van den Berge, Jan C.; Dulfer, Karolijn; Utens, Elisabeth M. W. J.; Hartman, Eline M. J.; Daemen, Joost; van Geuns, Robert J.; van Domburg, Ron T.

2016-01-01

Subjective health status is an increasingly important parameter to assess the effect of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in clinical practice. Aim of this study was to determine medical and psychosocial predictors of poor subjective health status over a 10 years' post-PCI period. We included

Anomalous subjective experience among first-admitted schizophrenia spectrum patients: empirical investigation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Parnas, Josef; Handest, Peter; Jansson, Lennart Bertil

2005-01-01

, the vulnerability markers to Sz--indicators that are intrinsic to this disorder and which were historically considered as constituting the phenotypic anchor of the very concept and the diagnostic validity of Sz spectrum disorders. In a more pragmatic clinical context, these indicators, considered here as symptoms......Our research group has for several years conducted philosophically informed, phenomenological-empirical studies of morbid alterations of conscious experience (subjectivity) in schizophrenia (Sz) and its spectrum of disorders. Some of these experiential alterations constitute, in our view...

Considering Intermittent Dormancy in an Advanced Life Support Systems Architecture

Science.gov (United States)

Sargusingh, Miriam J.; Perry, Jay L.

2017-01-01

Many advanced human space exploration missions being considered by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) include concepts in which in-space systems cycle between inhabited and uninhabited states. Managing the life support system (LSS) may be particularly challenged during these periods of intermittent dormancy. A study to identify LSS management challenges and considerations relating to dormancy is described. The study seeks to define concepts suitable for addressing intermittent dormancy states and to evaluate whether the reference LSS architectures being considered by the Advanced Exploration Systems (AES) Life Support Systems Project (LSSP) are sufficient to support this operational state. The primary focus of the study is the mission concept considered to be the most challenging-a crewed Mars mission with an extensive surface stay. Results from this study are presented and discussed.

Evaluation and purchase of confocal microscopes: numerous factors to consider.

Science.gov (United States)

Zucker, Robert M; Chua, Michael

2010-10-01

The purchase of a confocal microscope is a difficult decision. Many factors need to be considered, which include hardware, software, company, support, service, and price. These issues are discussed to help guide the purchasing process. © 2010 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Questionnaire on Corporate Income Tax Subjects - Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Friis Hansen, Søren; Nielsen, Jacob Graff

In terms of tax policy, tax harmonization or coordination of corporate taxation in the EU is usually considered from two complementary points of view: tax base and tax rate. These two perspectives structure the debate whether EU Member States, and more broadly States belonging to the same economic...... area, should harmonize or coordinate their policies in tax matters. However, little attention has been paid so far to a more basic question: who are corporate taxpayers? Are they defined in the same way over Europe? This may be explained by the fact that the vast majority of tax systems accept the same...... fundamental idea: while companies limited by shares and limited liability companies should be subject to corporate income tax (CIT), partnerships should be considered fully or partly transparent for tax purposes. This general statement is nevertheless an oversimplification of reality. Comparative law indeed...

Oxidative stress in hepatitis C infected end-stage renal disease subjects

OpenAIRE

Koylu Ahmet O; Aslan Mehmet; Bolukbas Filiz F; Bolukbas Cengiz; Horoz Mehmet; Selek Sahbettin; Erel Ozcan

2006-01-01

Abstract Background Both uremia and hepatitis C infection is associated with increased oxidative stress. In the present study, we aimed to find out whether hepatitis C infection has any impact on oxidative stress in hemodialysis subjects. Methods Sixteen hepatitis C (+) hemodialysis subjects, 24 hepatitis C negative hemodialysis subjects and 24 healthy subjects were included. Total antioxidant capacity, total peroxide level and oxidative stress index were determined in all subjects. Results T...

A Panel Data Model for Subjective Information on Household Income Growth

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Das, J.W.M.; van Soest, A.H.O.

1996-01-01

Subjective expectations about future income changes are analyzed, using household panel data.The models used are extensions of existing binary choice panel data models to the case of ordered response.We consider both random and fixed individual effects.The random effects model is estimated by

[Lake eutrophication modeling in considering climatic factors change: a review].

Science.gov (United States)

Su, Jie-Qiong; Wang, Xuan; Yang, Zhi-Feng

2012-11-01

Climatic factors are considered as the key factors affecting the trophic status and its process in most lakes. Under the background of global climate change, to incorporate the variations of climatic factors into lake eutrophication models could provide solid technical support for the analysis of the trophic evolution trend of lake and the decision-making of lake environment management. This paper analyzed the effects of climatic factors such as air temperature, precipitation, sunlight, and atmosphere on lake eutrophication, and summarized the research results about the lake eutrophication modeling in considering in considering climatic factors change, including the modeling based on statistical analysis, ecological dynamic analysis, system analysis, and intelligent algorithm. The prospective approaches to improve the accuracy of lake eutrophication modeling with the consideration of climatic factors change were put forward, including 1) to strengthen the analysis of the mechanisms related to the effects of climatic factors change on lake trophic status, 2) to identify the appropriate simulation models to generate several scenarios under proper temporal and spatial scales and resolutions, and 3) to integrate the climatic factors change simulation, hydrodynamic model, ecological simulation, and intelligent algorithm into a general modeling system to achieve an accurate prediction of lake eutrophication under climatic change.

Should Euthanasia Be Considered Iatrogenic?

Science.gov (United States)

Barone, Silvana; Unguru, Yoram

2017-08-01

As more countries adopt laws and regulations concerning euthanasia, pediatric euthanasia has become an important topic of discussion. Conceptions of what constitutes harm to patients are fluid and highly dependent on a myriad of factors including, but not limited to, health care ethics, family values, and cultural context. Euthanasia could be viewed as iatrogenic insofar as it results in an outcome (death) that some might consider inherently negative. However, this perspective fails to acknowledge that death, the outcome of euthanasia, is not an inadvertent or preventable complication but rather the goal of the medical intervention. Conversely, the refusal to engage in the practice of euthanasia might be conceived as iatrogenic insofar as it might inadvertently prolong patient suffering. This article will explore cultural and social factors informing families', health care professionals', and society's views on pediatric euthanasia in selected countries. © 2017 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved.

A subjective scheduler for subjective dedicated networks

Science.gov (United States)

Suherman; Fakhrizal, Said Reza; Al-Akaidi, Marwan

2017-09-01

Multiple access technique is one of important techniques within medium access layer in TCP/IP protocol stack. Each network technology implements the selected access method. Priority can be implemented in those methods to differentiate services. Some internet networks are dedicated for specific purpose. Education browsing or tutorial video accesses are preferred in a library hotspot, while entertainment and sport contents could be subjects of limitation. Current solution may use IP address filter or access list. This paper proposes subjective properties of users or applications are used for priority determination in multiple access techniques. The NS-2 simulator is employed to evaluate the method. A video surveillance network using WiMAX is chosen as the object. Subjective priority is implemented on WiMAX scheduler based on traffic properties. Three different traffic sources from monitoring video: palace, park, and market are evaluated. The proposed subjective scheduler prioritizes palace monitoring video that results better quality, xx dB than the later monitoring spots.

A Novel Design of Rescue Capsule considering the Pressure Characteristics and Thermal Dynamic Response with Thermomechanical Coupling Action Subjected to Gas Explosion Load

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaowei Zhai

2017-01-01

Full Text Available To ensure the structural safety and reliability of coal mine rescue capsule in disastrous surroundings after gas explosion, in this paper, the thermomechanical coupling effect on a certain structure subjected to gas explosion was analyzed, and then a novel rescue capsule with a combination of radius and square features was designed according to the underground surroundings and relevant regulations on mine rescue devices. Foremost, the coupling mechanism of thermal-fluid-solid interaction between gas explosion shock wave and rescue capsule and the thermal dynamic response of the capsule subjected to explosion load of gas/air mixture was investigated and revealed by employing LS-DYNA. The variation laws and characteristics of stress field, displacement field, and temperature field of the capsule were analyzed based on the simulation results. Results show that the structural safety, tightness, and reliability of the capsule meet the requirements of the national safety regulations. The design method presented in this work provides a new thought for design of coal mine rescue capsule.

Nonlinear smith-predictor based control strategy for a unicycle mobile robot subject to transport delay

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Alvarez Aguirre, A.; Velasco-Villa, M.; Del Muro Cuellar, B.

2008-01-01

This paper consider the remote control of an unicycle mobile robot subject to transport delay. The communication delay effects are considered by means of a discrete time approach that allows to solve the path tracking problem in terms of the delayed input. The causality problem involved in the

The many ways sputum flows - Dealing with high within-subject variability in cystic fibrosis sputum rheology.

Science.gov (United States)

Radtke, Thomas; Böni, Lukas; Bohnacker, Peter; Fischer, Peter; Benden, Christian; Dressel, Holger

2018-08-01

We evaluated test-retest reliability of sputum viscoelastic properties in clinically stable patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). Data from a prospective, randomized crossover study was used to determine within-subject variability of sputum viscoelasticity (G', storage modulus and G", loss modulus at 1 and 10 rad s -1 ) and solids content over three consecutive visits. Precision of sputum properties was quantified by within-subject standard deviation (SD ws ), coefficient of variation (CV) and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). Fifteen clinically stable adults with CF (FEV 1 range 24-94% predicted) were included. No differences between study visits (mean ± SD 8 ± 2 days) were observed for any sputum rheology measure. CV's for G', G" and solids content ranged between 40.3-45.3% and ICC's between 0.21-0.42 indicating poor to fair test-retest reliability. Short-term within-subject variability of sputum properties is high in clinically stable adults with CF. Investigators applying shear rheology experiments in future prospective studies should consider using multiple measurements aiming to increase precision of sputum rheological outcomes. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Information actions in science and technology: institutionalities, agencies and subjects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rodrigo Rabello

Full Text Available Considering the influence of new agency forms - intervention and interaction among subjects - in the context of information intermediation, we aim to approach information actions in Science and Technology (S&T taking into consideration the institutionalities involved. For such, we assume there is an influence of a theoretical model emerging in Information Science (IS regarding current inventive and interactive form propitiated by the Web. The text is structured in two central topics bringing: i theoretical and epistemic constructions of the "information action" concept; and ii a certain interpretation oriented by the "informational action in S&T" construct, taking as its object the actions performed by IBICT (Brazilian Institute for Information in Science and Technology, directed towards excellence in information. Finally, we discuss how limitations of the "systemic model" propitiate the construction of new study objects in the model emerging in IS from theoretical innovations and counterpoints thoughts facing the diverse forms of information action, considering, for instance, the action of subjects on what concerns the validation of information in the current scenery of institutional intermediation.

Subjectivity, Individuality and Abjection in Kate Chopin’s The Awakening

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kamelia Telebian Sedehi

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Julia Kristeva's concept of abjection deals with how the subject intends to gain his/her subjectivity by rejecting the things which are not considered part of himself/herself. In Kate Chopin’s The Awakening (1899, the protagonist, Edna Pontellier, is portrayed as a married woman but one who has romantic affairs with other men. Deemed unthinkable, Edna’s desire and search for true love is seen as an act of defiance by the society in which she lives. Edna’s life’s boundaries are blurred and confused by her ambiguous actions, a display of her attempt at abjection. By applying textual analysis as our methodology, this research aims to delve into how Edna fights for her individuality and sense of self. As a result, the analyses are divided into two parts, namely, Search for Subjectivity and Individuality and Edna Pontellier’s Awakened Individuality. Besides, the reaction of patriarchal society towards Edna's search for independent subjectivity is scrutinised as it greatly affects Edna's life. By applying Kristeva's abjection to Chopin's The Awakening, the current article intends to focus on Edna's attempt at self-realization. Keywords: Abjection, Subjectivity, Self and Other, Self-realzation

Subjective cognitive decline: The first clinical manifestation of Alzheimer's disease?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adalberto Studart Neto

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Background: Mild cognitive impairment is considered as the first clinical manifestation of Alzheimer's disease (AD, when the individual exhibits below performance on standardized neuropsychological tests. However, some subjects before having a lower performance on cognitive assessments already have a subjective memory complaint. Objective: A review about subjective cognitive decline, the association with AD biomarkers and risk of conversion to dementia. Methods: We performed a comprehensive non-systematic review on PubMed. The keywords used in the search were terms related to subjective cognitive decline. Results: Subjective cognitive decline is characterized by self-experience of deterioration in cognitive performance not detected objectively through formal neuropsychological testing. However, various terms and definitions have been used in the literature and the lack of a widely accepted concept hampers comparison of studies. Epidemiological data have shown that individuals with subjective cognitive decline are at increased risk of progression to AD dementia. In addition, there is evidence that this group has a higher prevalence of positive biomarkers for amyloidosis and neurodegeneration. However, Alzheimer's disease is not the only cause of subjective cognitive decline and various other conditions can be associated with subjective memory complaints, such as psychiatric disorders or normal aging. The features suggestive of a neurodegenerative disorder are: onset of decline within the last five years, age at onset above 60 years, associated concerns about decline and confirmation by an informant. Conclusion: These findings support the idea that subjective cognitive complaints may be an early clinical marker that precedes mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer's disease.

Concrete Hydration Heat Analysis for RCB Basemat Considering Solar Radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Seong-Cheol; Son, Yong-Ki; Choi, Seong-Cheol

2015-01-01

The NPP especially puts an emphasis on concrete durability for structural integrity. It has led to higher cementitious material contents, lower water-cementitious-material ratios, and deeper cover depth over reinforcing steel. These requirements have resulted in more concrete placements that are subject to high internal temperatures. The problem with high internal temperatures is the increase in the potential for thermal cracking that can decrease concrete's long-term durability and ultimate strength. Thermal cracking negates the benefits of less permeable concrete and deeper cover by providing a direct path for corrosion-causing agents to reach the reinforcing steel. The purpose of this study is to develop how to analyze and estimate accurately concrete hydration heat of the real-scale massive concrete with wide large plane. An analysis method considering concrete placement sequence was studied and solar radiation effects on the real-scale massive concrete with wide large plane were reviewed through the analytical method. In this study, the measured temperatures at the real scale structure and the analysis results of concrete hydration heat were compared. And thermal stress analysis was conducted. Through the analysis, it was found that concrete placement duration, sequence and solar radiation effects should be considered to get the accurate concrete peak temperature, maximum temperature differences and crack index

AP1000 Shield Building Dynamic Response for Different Water Levels of PCCWST Subjected to Seismic Loading considering FSI

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daogang Lu

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Huge water storage tank on the top of many buildings may affect the safety of the structure caused by fluid-structure interaction (FSI under the earthquake. AP1000 passive containment cooling system water storage tank (PCCWST placed at the top of shield building is a key component to ensure the safety of nuclear facilities. Under seismic loading, water will impact the wall of PCCWST, which may pose a threat to the integrity of the shield building. In the present study, an FE model of AP1000 shield building is built for the modal and transient seismic analysis considering the FSI. Six different water levels in PCCWST were discussed by comparing the modal frequency, seismic acceleration response, and von Mises stress distribution. The results show the maximum von Mises stress emerges at the joint of shield building roof and water around the air inlet. However, the maximum von Mises stress is below the yield strength of reinforced concrete. The results may provide a reference for design of the AP1000 and CAP1400 in the future.

New method for determining free core nutation parameters, considering geophysical effects

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Vondrák, Jan; Ron, Cyril

2017-01-01

Roč. 604, August (2017), A56/1-A56/7 E-ISSN 1432-0746 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA13-15943S Institutional support: RVO:67985815 Keywords : astrometry * reference systems * Earth Subject RIV: BN - Astronomy , Celestial Mechanics, Astrophysics OBOR OECD: Astronomy (including astrophysics,space science) Impact factor: 5.014, year: 2016

The Bourne Tragedy:
Lost Subjects of the Bioconvergent Age

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Debbie Epstein

2011-10-01

Full Text Available This paper examines the Bourne trilogy to explore several characteristics of what we term the bioconvergent age. First, we consider the imagined and actual interfaces of bioconvergence—of body, gadgetry, and electronic communications. We explore the ways in which the bioconvergent tendencies represented in and by Bourne reflect and cultivate a cultural unconscious deeply seduced by and imbricated in surveillant governmentality. Second, we consider the ways in which the trilogy achieves its effects through the deployment of both hyperrealism and verisimilitude. In this context, we explore the filmic interpellation of audiences into a fantasy of omnipotence and omni-science, on the one hand, and the underlying phantasy of a zero-sum world that uncouples morality from affect, on the other. Thus, we consider the ways in which Bourne articulates two interlinked phenomena—a distinctively American romance with the sociopathic/heroic subject and a paranoid, dystopic world that is and seems seductively real. Our third theme is the Bourne journey through an obsessional spiral of paranoia, action, and reaction. Here we explore the trilogy as a social description of the expulsive and retentive tendencies of the bioconvergent age, where the demand for instantaneity drives out all other considerations (morality, reason, connection and where the lost subject, in his interminable quest for himself, remains lost.

Solar Energy Education. Reader, Part II. Sun story. [Includes glossary

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1981-05-01

Magazine articles which focus on the subject of solar energy are presented. The booklet prepared is the second of a four part series of the Solar Energy Reader. Excerpts from the magazines include the history of solar energy, mythology and tales, and selected poetry on the sun. A glossary of energy related terms is included. (BCS)

Effects of a visuotemporal cue on walking ability of independent ambulatory subjects with spinal cord injury as compared with healthy subjects.

Science.gov (United States)

Pramodhyakul, N; Amatachaya, P; Sooknuan, T; Arayawichanon, P; Amatachaya, S

2014-03-01

An experimental, cross-sectional study. To investigate effects of using a visuotemporal cue on the walking ability of independent ambulatory subjects with spinal cord injury (SCI) as compared with healthy subjects. A tertiary rehabilitation center, Thailand. Forty independent ambulatory subjects with SCI and healthy subjects participated in the study (20 subjects per group). All of them were assessed for their walking speed, stride length, cadence and percents of step symmetry under two conditions, including walking at their fastest speed with and without a visuotemporal cue along a 10 m walkway. When walking with a visuotemporal cue, walking speed, stride length and cadence of the subjects were significantly increased from the uncued condition (Pwalking speed and cadence, whereas, subjects with SCI demonstrated significantly higher improvement in stride length as compared with the other group (Pbenefits of using a visuotemporal cue to improve variables relating to walking ability in subjects with intact integrative capability of the brain but with different levels of sensorimotor deterioration. The findings suggest the use of a visuotemporal cue to improve the effectiveness of programs in sport and exercise sciences, and rehabilitation treatments.

Expanding subjectivities

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lundgaard Andersen, Linda; Soldz, Stephen

2012-01-01

A major theme in recent psychoanalytic thinking concerns the use of therapist subjectivity, especially “countertransference,” in understanding patients. This thinking converges with and expands developments in qualitative research regarding the use of researcher subjectivity as a tool......-Saxon and continental traditions, this special issue provides examples of the use of researcher subjectivity, informed by psychoanalytic thinking, in expanding research understanding....

Robust Optimization Approach for Design for a Dynamic Cell Formation Considering Labor Utilization: Bi-objective Mathematical Mode

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hiwa Farughi

2016-05-01

Full Text Available In this paper, robust optimization of a bi-objective mathematical model in a dynamic cell formation problem considering labor utilization with uncertain data is carried out. The robust approach is used to reduce the effects of fluctuations of the uncertain parameters with regards to all the possible future scenarios. In this research, cost parameters of the cell formation and demand fluctuations are subject to uncertainty and a mixed-integer programming (MIP model is developed to formulate the related robust dynamic cell formation problem. Then the problem is transformed into a bi-objective linear one. The first objective function seeks to minimize relevant costs of the problem including machine procurement and relocation costs, machine variable cost, inter-cell movement and intra-cell movement costs, overtime cost and labor shifting cost between cells, machine maintenance cost, inventory, holding part cost. The second objective function seeks to minimize total man-hour deviations between cells or indeed labor utilization of the modeled.

Subjective sleep quality in sarcoidosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Bosse-Henck, Andrea; Wirtz, Hubert; Hinz, Andreas

2015-05-01

Poor sleep is common among patients with medical disorders. Sleep disturbances can be a cause of fatigue and poor quality of life for patients suffering from sarcoidosis. Studies on subjective sleep quality or prevalence of insomnia have not been reported so far. The aim of this study was to investigate the subjectively reported sleep quality and its relation to psychological and physical factors in sarcoidosis patients. 1197 patients from Germany diagnosed with sarcoidosis were examined using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the Medical Research Council (MRC) dyspnea scale, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI). 802 patients (67%) had PSQI global scores >5, indicating subjectively poor quality of sleep. The mean PSQI score was 7.79 ± 4.00. Women reported a significantly inferior individual quality of sleep than men. The subjective quality of sleep was lowered significantly with increasing dyspnea for men and women. 294 patients (25%) had PSQI global scores >10 usually found in patients with clinically relevant insomnia. In this group 86% had high values for fatigue, 69% for anxiety, and 59% for depression. The prevalence of known sleep apnea was 8.7% and 15.7% for restless legs. Poor subjective sleep quality in sarcoidosis patients is about twice as common as in the general population and is associated with fatigue, anxiety, depression and dyspnea. Questions about sleep complaints should therefore be included in the management of sarcoidosis. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Strategies to exclude subjects who conceal and fabricate information when enrolling in clinical trials.

Science.gov (United States)

Devine, Eric G; Peebles, Kristina R; Martini, Valeria

2017-03-01

Clinical trials within the US face an increasing challenge with the recruitment of quality candidates. One readily available group of subjects that have high rates of participation in clinical research are subjects who enroll in multiple trials for the purpose of generating income through study payments. Aside from issues of safety and generalizability, evidence suggests that these subjects employ methods of deception to qualify for the strict entrance criteria of some studies, including concealing information and fabricating information. Including these subjects in research poses a significant risk to the integrity of data quality and study designs. Strategies to limit enrollment of subjects whose motivation is generating income have not been systematically addressed in the literature. The present paper is intended to provide investigators with a range of strategies for developing and implementing a study protocol with protections to minimize the enrollment of subjects whose primary motivation for enrolling is to generate income. This multifaceted approach includes recommendations for advertising strategies, payment strategies, telephone screening strategies, and baseline screening strategies. The approach also includes recommendations for attending to inconsistent study data and subject motivation. Implementing these strategies may be more or less important depending upon the vulnerability of the study design to subject deception. Although these strategies may help researchers exclude subjects with a higher rate of deceptive practices, widespread adoption of subject registries would go a long way to decrease the chances of subjects enrolling in multiple studies or more than once in the same study.

Subject Reference Lists Produced by Computer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ching-chih Chen

1968-08-01

Full Text Available A system developed to produce fourteen subject reference lists by IBM 360/75 is described in detail. The computerized system has many advantages over conventional manual procedures. The feedback from students and other users is discussed, and some analysis of cost is included.

Economic Subjectivities in Higher Education: Self, Policy and Practice in the Knowledge Economy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sue Saltmarsh

2011-09-01

Full Text Available This article considers higher education in the context of global knowledge economy policies as a site for the production of economic subjectivities. Drawing insights from poststructuralist theory and feminist economics, it explores how the incorporation of economic discourse and market metaphors into education policy and practice functions as a disciplinary technique of governmentality. The article argues that while economic discourse displaces, disciplines and disrupts educational discourse, there is a need for greater acknowledgement of the productive potential of the intersection of education and economy as a means through which agency is in part accomplished. Implications for university learning and labour are considered, with a view to contributing to dialogues about new ways of undisciplining economic subjectivities, through which new ways of doing and being might enact alternative educational economies.

Some factors to consider in handling and storing spent fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bailey, W.J.

1985-11-01

This report includes information from various studies performed under the Wet Storage Task of the Behavior of Spent Fuel in Storage Project of the Commercial Spent Fuel Management (CSFM) Program at Pacific Northwest Laboratory. Wet storage experience has been summarized earlier in several other reports. This report summarizes pertinent items noted during FY 1985 concerning recent developments in the handling and storage of spent fuel and associated considerations. The subjects discussed include recent publications, findings, and developments associated with: (1) storage of water reactor spent fuel in water pools, (2) extended-burnup fuel, (3) fuel assembly reconstitution and reinsertion, (4) rod consolidation, (5) variations in the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission's definition of failed fuel, (6) detection of failed fuel rods, and (7) extended integrity of spent fuel. A list of pertinent publications is included

Moving characteristics of single file passengers considering the effect of ship trim and heeling

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Jinlu; Lu, Shouxiang; Lo, Siuming; Ma, Jian; Xie, Qimiao

2018-01-01

Ship listing and motion affects the movement pattern of passengers on board, thus pedestrian traffic and evacuation dynamics would be significantly different from those on level ground. To quantify the influence of ship listing and motion on passenger evacuation, we designed a ship corridor simulator, with which we performed single-file pedestrian movement experiments considering the effect of trim and heeling. Results indicated that density is not the only factor that affects pedestrian speed under ship trim or heeling conditions, for that both individual walking speed and group walking speed would be greatly attenuated due to the influence of the trim angles. However, heeling angles show less impact on speed when compared with trim angles. In addition, the speed correlation coefficient between the adjacent experimental subjects would be higher with larger angles and lower speed. Moreover, both female and male experimental subjects need similar distance headway for walking in different trim or heeling conditions. Furthermore, experimental subjects with lower individual walking speed need longer time headway to keep enough distance headway. This work will provide fundamental guidance to the development of evacuation models and the design of evacuation facilities on board.

Subjective randomness as statistical inference.

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Griffiths, Thomas L; Daniels, Dylan; Austerweil, Joseph L; Tenenbaum, Joshua B

2018-06-01

Some events seem more random than others. For example, when tossing a coin, a sequence of eight heads in a row does not seem very random. Where do these intuitions about randomness come from? We argue that subjective randomness can be understood as the result of a statistical inference assessing the evidence that an event provides for having been produced by a random generating process. We show how this account provides a link to previous work relating randomness to algorithmic complexity, in which random events are those that cannot be described by short computer programs. Algorithmic complexity is both incomputable and too general to capture the regularities that people can recognize, but viewing randomness as statistical inference provides two paths to addressing these problems: considering regularities generated by simpler computing machines, and restricting the set of probability distributions that characterize regularity. Building on previous work exploring these different routes to a more restricted notion of randomness, we define strong quantitative models of human randomness judgments that apply not just to binary sequences - which have been the focus of much of the previous work on subjective randomness - but also to binary matrices and spatial clustering. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Positive design : An introduction to design for subjective well-being

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Desmet, P.M.A.; Pohlmeyer, A.E.

2013-01-01

This paper addresses the question of how design can contribute to the happiness of individuals–to their subjective well-being. A framework for positive design is introduced that includes three main components of subjective well-being: pleasure, personal significance and virtue. Each component

Energy resource management under the influence of the weekend transition considering an intensive use of electric vehicles

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sousa, T.; Morais, Hugo; Pinto, T.

2015-01-01

Energy resource scheduling is becoming increasingly important, as the use of distributed resources is intensified and of massive electric vehicle is envisaged. The present paper proposes a methodology for day-ahead energy resource scheduling for smart grids considering the intensive use of distri......Energy resource scheduling is becoming increasingly important, as the use of distributed resources is intensified and of massive electric vehicle is envisaged. The present paper proposes a methodology for day-ahead energy resource scheduling for smart grids considering the intensive use...... of distributed generation and Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G). This method considers that the energy resources are managed by a Virtual Power Player (VPP) which established contracts with their owners. It takes into account these contracts, the users' requirements subjected to the VPP, and several discharge price steps...

The specifics of the Russian market of confectionery: subject-object certainty

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Tsarenko Elena

2012-12-01

Full Text Available This article describes a study of the Russian confectionery market. Determining the specificity of the market in Russia, identified and examined the components of this market with the help of subject - object orientation. As well as the actuality of considering new approaches to promote sales of confectionery products.

SUBJECTIVE RESOURCESTHE PSYCHOLOGICAL AND ACMEOLOGICAL PHENOMENON

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Marina Ivanovna Ilyushina

2017-02-01

Full Text Available The article is devoted to the moment the subject – resources of a person. Be caused, “loss” possible resources: lack of personal self-realization, the maladjustment of the individual in a social environment, obstructed line of identity, which in some cases is accompanied by incomplete personal self-actualization and self-sufficiency. The article emphasizes the importance of the subjective component in understanding, identifying, understanding, mobilization, conservation and accumulation of resources of the individual. Man is an active Converter to your reality, where he and reality are the result of the conversion and source conversion. The author proposed the concept of “subjective resource” as a necessary factor for quality of life of the individual, achievement of tops of her self-improvement and self-development, both professionally and personally. Subjective component emphasizes the role of the individual in the conservation, transformation, accumulation, the reallocation of resources. Purpose. The subject of analysis is the awareness, understanding person own resources – the subjective resourcest. The author aims to describe the subjective resourcest as psychological and acmeological phenomenon to reveal its essence and to suggest the methodology of the study of this phenomenon, showing the importance of verbalization resources through associative image without relying on the visibility and relying on her. Methodology. The basis of the study form a General theoretical methods (theoretical analysis, including psychological analysis, generalization, systematization, system description. Results. The results of the work lies in the fact that the author has defined the concept of “subjective resourcesthe” and proposed methodology of the study. The obtained results may be of interest to improve the efficiency of the work to define the resources of the individual. The results and method of determining a subjective resource

Adult Playfulness, Humor Styles, and Subjective Happiness.

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Yue, Xiao D; Leung, Chun-Lok; Hiranandani, Neelam A

2016-12-01

Playfulness has been referred to as a disposition that involves reframing a situation to amuse others and to make the situation more stimulating and enjoyable. It may serve to shift one's perspective when dealing with environmental threats. Despite all the benefits of playfulness towards psychological well-being, it remains a largely understudied subject in psychology, particularly in Chinese societies. Hence, this study examined the association between adult playfulness, humor styles, and subjective happiness among a sample of 166 university students in Hong Kong and 159 students in Guangzhou, who completed a self-administered questionnaire, including the Short Measure for Adult Playfulness, the Chinese Humor Styles Questionnaire, and the Subjective Happiness Scale. Results showed that adult playfulness was positively correlated with affiliative humor, self-enhancing humor, and subjective happiness in both Hong Kong and Guangzhou samples. By its implication, highly playful Chinese students preferred using affiliative and self-enhancing humor to amuse themselves and others. © The Author(s) 2016.

Distributed Piezoelectric Sensor System for Damage Identification in Structures Subjected to Temperature Changes

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Jaime Vitola

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Structural health monitoring (SHM is a very important area in a wide spectrum of fields and engineering applications. With an SHM system, it is possible to reduce the number of non-necessary inspection tasks, the associated risk and the maintenance cost in a wide range of structures during their lifetime. One of the problems in the detection and classification of damage are the constant changes in the operational and environmental conditions. Small changes of these conditions can be considered by the SHM system as damage even though the structure is healthy. Several applications for monitoring of structures have been developed and reported in the literature, and some of them include temperature compensation techniques. In real applications, however, digital processing technologies have proven their value by: (i offering a very interesting way to acquire information from the structures under test; (ii applying methodologies to provide a robust analysis; and (iii performing a damage identification with a practical useful accuracy. This work shows the implementation of an SHM system based on the use of piezoelectric (PZT sensors for inspecting a structure subjected to temperature changes. The methodology includes the use of multivariate analysis, sensor data fusion and machine learning approaches. The methodology is tested and evaluated with aluminum and composite structures that are subjected to temperature variations. Results show that damage can be detected and classified in all of the cases in spite of the temperature changes.

Distributed Piezoelectric Sensor System for Damage Identification in Structures Subjected to Temperature Changes.

Science.gov (United States)

Vitola, Jaime; Pozo, Francesc; Tibaduiza, Diego A; Anaya, Maribel

2017-05-31

Structural health monitoring (SHM) is a very important area in a wide spectrum of fields and engineering applications. With an SHM system, it is possible to reduce the number of non-necessary inspection tasks, the associated risk and the maintenance cost in a wide range of structures during their lifetime. One of the problems in the detection and classification of damage are the constant changes in the operational and environmental conditions. Small changes of these conditions can be considered by the SHM system as damage even though the structure is healthy. Several applications for monitoring of structures have been developed and reported in the literature, and some of them include temperature compensation techniques. In real applications, however, digital processing technologies have proven their value by: (i) offering a very interesting way to acquire information from the structures under test; (ii) applying methodologies to provide a robust analysis; and (iii) performing a damage identification with a practical useful accuracy. This work shows the implementation of an SHM system based on the use of piezoelectric (PZT) sensors for inspecting a structure subjected to temperature changes. The methodology includes the use of multivariate analysis, sensor data fusion and machine learning approaches. The methodology is tested and evaluated with aluminum and composite structures that are subjected to temperature variations. Results show that damage can be detected and classified in all of the cases in spite of the temperature changes.

Advanced One-Dimensional Entrained-Flow Gasifier Model Considering Melting Phenomenon of Ash

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Jinsu Kim

2018-04-01

Full Text Available A one-dimensional model is developed to represent the ash-melting phenomenon, which was not considered in the previous one-dimensional (1-D entrained-flow gasifier model. We include sensible heat of slag and the fusion heat of ash in the heat balance equation. To consider the melting of ash, we propose an algorithm that calculates the energy balance for three scenarios based on temperature. We also use the composition and the thermal properties of anorthite mineral to express ash. gPROMS for differential equations is used to solve this algorithm in a simulation; the results include coal conversion, gas composition, and temperature profile. Based on the Texaco pilot plant gasifier, we validate our model. Our results show good agreement with previous experimental data. We conclude that the sensible heat of slag and the fusion heat of ash must be included in the entrained flow gasifier model.

Which Social Values Are Considered in Iranian Health System?

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Rashidian, Arash; Arab, Mohammad; Vaez Mahdavi, Mohammadreza; Ashtarian, Koimars; Mostafavi, Hakimeh

2018-05-01

Health systems have a set of limited resources for meeting the needs of communities. Health priority setting based on criteria and values is inevitable in such situation. This paper aims to identify the social values that are considered in Iranian health system. This qualitative study was conducted in 3 steps including collecting national documents and literature review, interviewing key informants, and a 2 round Delphi. Interviews and documents were analyzed through thematic framework analysis. Statistical guidance was applied for determining consensus cut-off in Delphi technique. Five social values including freedom of choice, equity, solidarity, severity of disease(s), and burden of disease(s) were considered more important than other values in the health priority setting decisions. Moreover, 2 non-value based factors including conflict of interest and lobbying had a high effect on decision making. Most health policy makers decide based on Egalitarian school, but restriction of resources in the country decreases the outcome. Moreover, personal judgments and preferences sometimes affect their decisions. It seems that developing a value-based framework and making it as a national guidance could have affirmative effect on health administers decisions. © 2018 The Author(s). This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

The comparison of acoustic and psychic parameters of subjective tinnitus.

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Karatas, Erkan; Deniz, Murat

2012-02-01

We aim to assess the correlation between audiometric data, and psychotic and acoustic measures associated with subjective tinnitus (ST) and to clarify the importance of the psychological process in determining the degree of subjective annoyance and disability due to tinnitus. Fifty-four patients experiencing unilateral ST were allocated for the study. Acoustic assessment of patients including LDL (loudness discomfort levels), MML (minimum masking level) and RI (residual inhibition) was performed. Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Visual Analog Scale (VAS) tests were performed for the psychological aspects of subjective annoyance. RI was positive in 23 patients with 13 frequency-matched stimuli at 8,000 Hz. Masking treatment response was successful in 16 RI-positive patients. Mean and standard deviation (SD) of THI scores were 38.77 ± 23.63. Ten patients (%18.51) with tinnitus had ≥ 17 points score, which was significant for BDI. Mean and SD were 5.01 ± 2.31 for VAS-1 scores (severity of tinnitus), 7.98 ± 2.79 for VAS-2 (frequency and duration of tinnitus), 5.77 ± 2.72 for VAS-3 (discomfort level), 3.56 ± 3.30 for VAS-4 (attention deficit) and 3.31 ± 3.31 for VAS-5 (sleep disorders). A significant correlation was found between the tinnitus duration time, age, gender and THI scores (P 0.05). RI might be largely frequency dependent and was found as an indicator for the masking treatment response. We did not notice statistically significant correlations between audiometric data and THI and BDI. There were correlations between with VAS and LDL and with MML and RI. VAS was simpler and easier for the assessment of ST. We should consider the psychological aspects of ST and assess it as a symptom separately with acoustic and psychotic tests.

Strategies to exclude subjects who conceal and fabricate information when enrolling in clinical trials

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Eric G. Devine

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Clinical trials within the US face an increasing challenge with the recruitment of quality candidates. One readily available group of subjects that have high rates of participation in clinical research are subjects who enroll in multiple trials for the purpose of generating income through study payments. Aside from issues of safety and generalizability, evidence suggests that these subjects employ methods of deception to qualify for the strict entrance criteria of some studies, including concealing information and fabricating information. Including these subjects in research poses a significant risk to the integrity of data quality and study designs. Strategies to limit enrollment of subjects whose motivation is generating income have not been systematically addressed in the literature. The present paper is intended to provide investigators with a range of strategies for developing and implementing a study protocol with protections to minimize the enrollment of subjects whose primary motivation for enrolling is to generate income. This multifaceted approach includes recommendations for advertising strategies, payment strategies, telephone screening strategies, and baseline screening strategies. The approach also includes recommendations for attending to inconsistent study data and subject motivation. Implementing these strategies may be more or less important depending upon the vulnerability of the study design to subject deception. Although these strategies may help researchers exclude subjects with a higher rate of deceptive practices, widespread adoption of subject registries would go a long way to decrease the chances of subjects enrolling in multiple studies or more than once in the same study.

Microbiological Aspects Considering the Production of Nutraceutical Curd Containing Onion

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Anca Dumuţa

2016-10-01

Full Text Available The curd is a traditional Romanian dairy product highly appreciated by the consumers. The purpose of this study was to produce and analyze from the microbiological point of view a nutraceutical curd containing onion, as a prebiotic source. The synbiotics generate among the organoleptic benefits also health improvement due to the different actions taken by probiotics and prebiotics, working together. The curd was produced by the traditional method using buffalo milk with reduced cholesterol content due to the treatment with crosslinked β-ciclodextrin with adipic acid.The curd prepared by rennet adding and coagulation at 30°C during 30-45 minutes was subjected to the maturation at a temperature of 12-16°C. Considering the microbiological tests, the curd recorded a pozitive evolution, being characterized by a lower microbial load compared with a control curd, prepared without onion.

Validity of subjective smoking status in orthopedic patients

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Bender D

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Daniel Bender,* Patrick Haubruck,* Sonja Boxriker, Sebastian Korff, Gerhard Schmidmaier, Arash Moghaddam Trauma and Reconstructive Surgery, Center for Orthopedics, Trauma Surgery and Spinal Cord Injury, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany *These authors contributed equally to this work Purpose: In this level 1 diagnostic study, we analyzed the validity of subjective smoking status and, as secondary research question, the smoking cessation adherence in orthopedic patients during a routine hospital stay of nonunion patients by measuring serum cotinine.  Methods: We included patients undergoing revision surgery due to nonunion of long bones. Patients were interviewed about their smoking status. Blood samples were taken from all the patients prior to surgery and for an additional 6 weeks following surgery. Serum levels of cotinine were measured, and coherence between subjective smoking status and objective cotinine analysis was evaluated.  Results: Between March 2012 and August 2014, we enrolled 136 patients. Six of the 26 “previous smokers” (23% and four of the 65 “nonsmokers” (6% had serum cotinine above cutoff levels. In self-labeled smokers, serum cotinine levels averaged at 2,367.4±14,885.9 ng/mL (with a median of 100 ng/mL, whereas in previous smokers the levels averaged at 4,270±19,619.4 ng/mL (with a median of 0 ng/mL and in the nonsmokers group the levels averaged at 12±53.9 ng/mL (with a median of 0.03 ng/mL. Overall, the subjective smoking status matched serum cotinine testing in 88% of the cases. Sensitivity was 79.6% and specificity was 93.1%. Ninety-one percent of the patients with preoperative positive serum values were still positive at follow-up.  Conclusion: In this study, we could show that subjective smoking status in orthopedic patients is predominantly reliable as validated by objective cotinine measurements; however, patients who declare themselves as “previous smokers” are at elevated risk

Pen-Enabled, Real-Time Student Engagement for Teaching in STEM Subjects

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Urban, Sylvia

2017-01-01

The introduction of pen-enabling devices has been demonstrated to increase a student's ability to solve problems, communicate, and learn during note taking. For the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics subjects that are considered to be symbolic in nature, pen interfaces are better suited for visual-spatial content and also provide a…

Release Pattern of Salivary Chromogranin A in Pediatric Subjects with Obstructive Sleep Apnea

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Heung-Ku Lee

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Background and Objective Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB is associated with activation of the stress response, including the autonomic nervous system. Salivary chromogranin A (sCgA is considered a valuable indicator of sympathoadrenal activity. We examined the relationship between sCgA and polysomnography (PSG parameters. Methods In this prospective study, we enrolled 103 children who underwent a physical examination and fully attended in-lab PSG. Saliva was collected at night before PSG and in the early morning after PSG. Results The subjects (n = 103 were divided into control [n = 41, apnea-hypopnea index (AHI ≤ 1] and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS; n = 62, AHI > 1 groups. The OSAS group was subdivided into mild (1 < AHI ≤ 5, moderate (5 < AHI ≤ 10, and severe (10 < AHI groups. There was no significant difference in the sCgA parameters between the control and OSAS groups. No significant difference was observed in sCgA parameters between the control group and OSAS subgroups (mild, moderate, and severe. No circadian rhythm was detected in sCgA secretion, and no difference in sCgA concentrations was measured at the two time points. Conclusions Our findings suggest that sCgA secretion was not influenced by OSAS severity and no definitive circadian rhythm was detected in pediatric subjects. Further study is needed to establish whether there is a circadian rhythm in pediatric subjects.

Evaluating system reliability and targeted hardening strategies of power distribution systems subjected to hurricanes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salman, Abdullahi M.; Li, Yue; Stewart, Mark G.

2015-01-01

Over the years, power distribution systems have been vulnerable to extensive damage from hurricanes which can cause power outage resulting in millions of dollars of economic losses and restoration costs. Most of the outage is as a result of failure of distribution support structures. Over the years, various methods of strengthening distribution systems have been proposed and studied. Some of these methods, such as undergrounding of the system, have been shown to be unjustified from an economic point of view. A potential cost-effective strategy is targeted hardening of the system. This, however, requires a method of determining critical parts of a system that when strengthened, will have greater impact on reliability. This paper presents a framework for studying the effectiveness of targeted hardening strategies on power distribution systems subjected to hurricanes. The framework includes a methodology for evaluating system reliability that relates failure of poles and power delivery, determination of critical parts of a system, hurricane hazard analysis, and consideration of decay of distribution poles. The framework also incorporates cost analysis that considers economic losses due to power outage. A notional power distribution system is used to demonstrate the framework by evaluating and comparing the effectiveness of three hardening measures. - Highlight: • Risk assessment of power distribution systems subjected to hurricanes is carried out. • Framework for studying effectiveness of targeted hardening strategies is presented. • A system reliability method is proposed. • Targeted hardening is cost effective for existing systems. • Economic losses due to power outage should be considered for cost analysis.

Structure and Properties of Ti-19.7Nb-5.8Ta Shape Memory Alloy Subjected to Thermomechanical Processing Including Aging

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Dubinskiy, S.; Brailovski, Vladimir; Prokoshkin, S.; Pushin, V.; Inaekyan, K.; Sheremetyev, V.; Petrzhik, M.; Filonov, M.

2013-09-01

In this work, the ternary Ti-19.7Nb-5.8Ta (at.%) alloy for biomedical applications was studied. The ingot was manufactured by vacuum arc melting with a consumable electrode and then subjected to hot forging. Specimens were cut from the ingot and processed by cold rolling with e = 0.37 of logarithmic thickness reduction and post-deformation annealing (PDA) between 400 and 750 °C (1 h). Selected samples were subjected to aging at 300 °C (10 min to 3 h). The influence of the thermomechanical processing on the alloy's structure, phase composition, and mechanical and functional properties was studied. It was shown that thermomechanical processing leads to the formation of a nanosubgrained structure (polygonized with subgrains below 100 nm) in the 500-600 °C PDA range, which transforms to a recrystallized structure of β-phase when PDA temperature increases. Simultaneously, the phase composition and the β → α″ transformation kinetics vary. It was found that after conventional cold rolling and PDA, Ti-Nb-Ta alloy manifests superelastic and shape memory behaviors. During aging at 300 °C (1 h), an important quantity of randomly scattered equiaxed ω-precipitates forms, which results in improved superelastic cyclic properties. On the other hand, aging at 300 °C (3 h) changes the ω-precipitates' particle morphology from equiaxed to elongated and leads to their coarsening, which negatively affects the superelastic and shape memory functional properties of Ti-Nb-Ta alloy.

Hungry today, unhappy tomorrow? Childhood hunger and subjective wellbeing later in life.

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Bertoni, Marco

2015-03-01

I use anchoring vignettes to show that, on data for eleven European countries, exposure to episodes of hunger in childhood leads people to adopt lower subjective standards to evaluate satisfaction with life in adulthood. I also show that, as a consequence, estimates of the association between childhood starvation and late-life wellbeing that do not allow for reporting heterogeneity are biased towards finding a positive correlation. These results highlight the need to consider rescaling when drawing inference on subjective outcomes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Renovating Interior Office Space: What a Manager Needs To Consider.

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Babey, Evelyn R.

When planning an office renovation, a manager should design an office layout that is efficient and should consider the psychological aspects of office design, including sound level, color harmony, and lighting. The manager must also have a good understanding of all phases of the project plan and the timing involved. There are basically five phases…

Assessment of nasal obstruction with rhinomanometry and subjective scales and outcomes of surgical and medical treatment.

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Lara-Sánchez, Hugo; Álvarez Nuño, Candelas; Gil-Carcedo Sañudo, Elisa; Mayo Iscar, Agustín; Vallejo Valdezate, Luis Ángel

Prospective study of patients with nasal obstruction (NO) in order to measure therapeutic success by anterior active rhinomanometry (AAR), Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation (NOSE) scale and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and to establish the correlation between these tests. Patients with NO, on whom we performed an AAR, NOSE and VAS scales at baseline and after medical treatment (topical nasal steroid) or surgery (septoplasty, turbinoplasty or septoplasty and turbinoplasty). The nasal flow obtained by the AAR and the score of both subjective scales (NOSE and VAS) were compared and analyzed. A total of 102 patients were included in the study. Surgical treatment resulted in statistically significant differences with the AAR and the subjective scales. While in patients with medical treatment there was an increase in the AAR nasal flow but without statistical significance (P=.1363). The correlation between the AAR, the NOSE and VAS scales was measured finding a strong correlation between the NOSE and VAS scales only (r=.83327). The patients with NO treated surgically have better results when these are evaluated by AAR or with subjective scales. There is no significant correlation between AAR, NOSE and VAS scales, this is considered to be because the AAR and subjective scales are complementary and measure different aspects of NO. The AAR and subjective scales are useful tools to be used together for the follow up of patients with NO. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Otorrinolaringología y Cirugía de Cabeza y Cuello. All rights reserved.

On the bilateral asymmetry during running and cycling - a review considering leg preference.

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Carpes, Felipe P; Mota, Carlos B; Faria, Irvin E

2010-11-01

This review summarizes the effects of bilateral asymmetry on running and cycling performance and risk of injury in healthy subjects and the influence of leg preference. We define the term leg preference derived from lateral preference as representative of the choice for one side of the body to perform a motor action. Useful information is provided for biomechanical and physiological research and coaching with relevance to an understanding regarding the occurrence of lower limb asymmetry. To provide a synopsis of what is known about bilateral asymmetry in human running and cycling and its relationship to limb preference, especially in the context of competitive sport performance and risk of injury. Structured narrative review. The relationship between asymmetry and lower limb preference was reviewed using Medline(®), Sciencedirect(®), and Scopus(®) search engines considering studies published in English until June 2009. The environment characteristics may influence running asymmetries, which are more frequent in angular parameters. Environment characteristics are related to ground irregularities requiring compensatory movements changing the mechanical workload on joints and bones, which may influence asymmetries in biomechanical parameters between lower limbs. The relationship between asymmetry and injury risk should be assessed with caution since running speed may influence asymmetry in injured and non-injured subjects who often show similar asymmetry levels. Symmetry can be improved with increasing running speed. In addition to running speed, coaches and athletes interested in minimizing lateral difference should consider a training regime aimed at correcting asymmetry which may negatively affect running technique by influencing the compensatory movements that an athlete usually performs. During cycling, bilateral differences are frequently found and vary with the competitive situation, pedaling cadence, exercise intensity and exercise duration. Regardless of

OPACs: The User and Subject Access.

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Carson, Elizabeth

1985-01-01

This survey of the literature reveals user and professional opinions of changes in subject access features available for online public access catalogs. Highlights include expanded access to fields already incorporated into traditional MARC record, access to context of the record, and design of the user interface. Twenty-four references are cited.…

Nattokinase decreases plasma levels of fibrinogen, factor VII, and factor VIII in human subjects.

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Hsia, Chien-Hsun; Shen, Ming-Ching; Lin, Jen-Shiou; Wen, Yao-Ke; Hwang, Kai-Lin; Cham, Thau-Ming; Yang, Nae-Cherng

2009-03-01

Nattokinase, a serine proteinase from Bacillus subtilis, is considered to be one of the most active functional ingredients found in natto. In this study, we hypothesized that nattokinase could reduce certain factors of blood clotting and lipids that are associated with an increase risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Thus, an open-label, self-controlled clinical trial was conducted on subjects of the following groups: healthy volunteers (Healthy Group), patients with cardiovascular risk factors (Cardiovascular Group), and patients undergoing dialysis (Dialysis Group). All subjects ingested 2 capsules of nattokinase (2000 fibrinolysis units per capsule) daily orally for 2 months. The laboratory measurements were performed on the screening visit and, subsequently, regularly after the initiation of the study. The intent-to-treat analysis was performed on all 45 enrolled subjects. By use of mixed model analysis, a significant time effect, but not group effect, was observed in the change from baseline of fibrinogen (P = .003), factor VII (P nattokinase. No significant changes of uric acid or notable adverse events were observed in any of the subjects. In summary, this study showed that oral administration of nattokinase could be considered as a CVD nutraceutical by decreasing plasma levels of fibrinogen, factor VII, and factor VIII.

The interrelation between mindfulness and subjective well-being

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Zelikson D.I.

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The article considers the phenomenon of mindfulness and its relationship to subjective well-being. The main objective of the study was the empirical confirmation of the relationship between mindfulness and components of hedonic model of subjective well-being. To this end, we held a correlation study with the participation of 94 men and 137 women (average age totaled 27.35 years. The participants filled out a questionnaire “Scale of life satisfaction” by E. Dinera, questionnaire" Mindfulness and awareness” as well as a modified version of the questionnaire "Scale differential emotions". A positive relationship of mindfulness and positive emotions, life satisfaction and the ratio of positive and negative emotions. We detected the negative relationship of negative emotions and mindfulness with life satisfaction. The obtained results are in good agreement with earlier studies and suggest that there exists an interaction between emotional and cognitive processes.

Progressive IRP Models for Power Resources Including EPP

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Yiping Zhu

2017-01-01

Full Text Available In the view of optimizing regional power supply and demand, the paper makes effective planning scheduling of supply and demand side resources including energy efficiency power plant (EPP, to achieve the target of benefit, cost, and environmental constraints. In order to highlight the characteristics of different supply and demand resources in economic, environmental, and carbon constraints, three planning models with progressive constraints are constructed. Results of three models by the same example show that the best solutions to different models are different. The planning model including EPP has obvious advantages considering pollutant and carbon emission constraints, which confirms the advantages of low cost and emissions of EPP. The construction of progressive IRP models for power resources considering EPP has a certain reference value for guiding the planning and layout of EPP within other power resources and achieving cost and environmental objectives.

Considering Student Coaching

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Keen, James P.

2014-01-01

What does student coaching involve and what considerations make sense in deciding to engage an outside contractor to provide personal coaching? The author explores coaching in light of his own professional experience and uses this reflection as a platform from which to consider the pros and cons of student coaching when deciding whether to choose…

Associations of airway inflammation and responsiveness markers in non asthmatic subjects at start of apprenticeship

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

Background Bronchial Hyperresponsiveness (BHR) is considered a hallmark of asthma. Other methods are helpful in epidemiological respiratory health studies including Fractional Exhaled Nitric Oxide (FENO) and Eosinophils Percentage (EP) in nasal lavage fluid measuring markers for airway inflammation along with the Forced Oscillatory Technique measuring Airway resistance (AR). Can their outcomes discriminate profiles of respiratory health in healthy subjects starting apprenticeship in occupations with a risk of asthma? Methods Rhinoconjunctivitis, asthma-like symptoms, FEV1 and AR post-Methacholine Bronchial Challenge (MBC) test results, FENO measurements and EP were all investigated in apprentice bakers, pastry-makers and hairdressers not suffering from asthma. Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA) was simultaneously conducted in relation to these groups and this generated a synthetic partition (EI). Associations between groups of subjects based on BHR and EI respectively, as well as risk factors, symptoms and investigations were also assessed. Results Among the 441 apprentice subjects, 45 (10%) declared rhinoconjunctivitis-like symptoms, 18 (4%) declared asthma-like symptoms and 26 (6%) suffered from BHR. The mean increase in AR post-MBC test was 21% (sd = 20.8%). The median of FENO values was 12.6 ppb (2.6-132 range). Twenty-six subjects (6.7%) had EP exceeding 14%. BHR was associated with atopy (p < 0.01) and highest FENO values (p = 0.09). EI identified 39 subjects with eosinophilic inflammation (highest values of FENO and eosinophils), which was associated with BHR and atopy. Conclusions Are any of the identified markers predictive of increased inflammatory responsiveness or of development of symptoms caused by occupational exposures? Analysis of population follow-up will attempt to answer this question. PMID:20604945

Characterizing Psychological Dimensions in Non-Pathological Subjects through Autonomic Nervous System Dynamics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mimma eNardelli

2015-03-01

Full Text Available The objective assessment of psychological traits of healthy subjects and psychiatric patients has been growing interest in clinical and bioengineering research fields during the last decade. Several experimental evidences strongly suggest that a link between Autonomic Nervous System (ANS dynamics and specific dimensions such as anxiety, social phobia, stress and emotional regulation might exist. Nevertheless, an extensive investigation on a wide range of psycho-cognitive scales and ANS non-invasive markers gathered from standard and nonlinear analysis still needs to be addressed. In this study, we analyzed the discerning and correlation capabilities of a comprehensive set of ANS features and psycho-cognitive scales in 29 non-pathological subjects monitored during resting conditions. In particular, the state of the art of standard and nonlinear analysis was performed on Heart Rate Variability, InterBreath Interval series, and Inter-Beat Respiration series, which were considered as monovariate and multivariate measurements. Experimental results show that each ANS feature is linked to specific psychological traits. Moreover, nonlinear analysis outperforms the psychological assessment with respect to standard analysis. Considering that the current clinical practice relies only on subjective scores from interviews and questionnaires, this study provides objective tools for the assessment of psychological dimensions.

Determination of radioactivity released from fuel to be considered in accident safety analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1980-01-01

RFS or Regles Fondamentales de Surete (Basic Safety Rules) applicable to certain types of nuclear facilities lay down requirements with which compliance, for the type of facilities and within the scope of application covered by the RFS, is considered to be equivalent to compliance with technical French regulatory practice. The object of the RFS is to take advantage of standardization in the field of safety, while allowing for technical progress in that field. They are designed to enable the operating utility and contractors to know the rules pertaining to various subjects which are considered to be acceptable by the Service Central de Surete des Installations Nucleaires, or the SCSIN (Central Department for the Safety of Nuclear Facilities). These RFS should make safety analysis easier and lead to better understanding between experts and individuals concerned with the problems of nuclear safety. The SCSIN reserves the right to modify, when considered necessary, any RFS and specify, if need be, the terms under which a modification is deemed retroactive. The purpose of this RFS is to define a margin of conservatism on activity values used in the following safety analysis - determination of instrumentation ranges - definition of equipment accessibility to personnel - qualification of equipment to post-accident conditions - determination of waste release to the environment

Vibration Response Imaging: evaluation of rater agreement in healthy subjects and subjects with pneumonia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bartziokas, Konstantinos; Daenas, Christos; Preau, Sebastien; Zygoulis, Paris; Triantaris, Apostolos; Kerenidi, Theodora; Makris, Demosthenes; Gourgoulianis, Konstantinos I; Daniil, Zoe

2010-01-01

We evaluated pulmonologists variability in the interpretation of Vibration response imaging (VRI) obtained from healthy subjects and patients hospitalized for community acquired pneumonia. The present is a prospective study conducted in a tertiary university hospital. Twenty healthy subjects and twenty three pneumonia cases were included in this study. Six pulmonologists blindly analyzed images of normal subjects and pneumonia cases and evaluated different aspects of VRI images related to the quality of data aquisition, synchronization of the progression of breath sound distribution and agreement between the maximal energy frame (MEF) of VRI (which is the maximal geographical area of lung vibrations produced at maximal inspiration) and chest radiography. For qualitative assessment of VRI images, the raters' evaluations were analyzed by degree of consistency and agreement. The average value for overall identical evaluations of twelve features of the VRI image evaluation, ranged from 87% to 95% per rater (94% to 97% in control cases and from 79% to 93% per rater in pneumonia cases). Inter-rater median (IQR) agreement was 91% (82-96). The level of agreement according to VRI feature evaluated was in most cases over 80%; intra-class correlation (ICC) obtained by using a model of subject/rater for the averaged features was overall 0.86 (0.92 in normal and 0.73 in pneumonia cases). Our findings suggest good agreement in the interpretation of VRI data between different raters. In this respect, VRI might be helpful as a radiation free diagnostic tool for the management of pneumonia

Vibration Response Imaging: evaluation of rater agreement in healthy subjects and subjects with pneumonia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Makris Demosthenes

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background We evaluated pulmonologists variability in the interpretation of Vibration response imaging (VRI obtained from healthy subjects and patients hospitalized for community acquired pneumonia. Methods The present is a prospective study conducted in a tertiary university hospital. Twenty healthy subjects and twenty three pneumonia cases were included in this study. Six pulmonologists blindly analyzed images of normal subjects and pneumonia cases and evaluated different aspects of VRI images related to the quality of data aquisition, synchronization of the progression of breath sound distribution and agreement between the maximal energy frame (MEF of VRI (which is the maximal geographical area of lung vibrations produced at maximal inspiration and chest radiography. For qualitative assessment of VRI images, the raters' evaluations were analyzed by degree of consistency and agreement. Results The average value for overall identical evaluations of twelve features of the VRI image evaluation, ranged from 87% to 95% per rater (94% to 97% in control cases and from 79% to 93% per rater in pneumonia cases. Inter-rater median (IQR agreement was 91% (82-96. The level of agreement according to VRI feature evaluated was in most cases over 80%; intra-class correlation (ICC obtained by using a model of subject/rater for the averaged features was overall 0.86 (0.92 in normal and 0.73 in pneumonia cases. Conclusions Our findings suggest good agreement in the interpretation of VRI data between different raters. In this respect, VRI might be helpful as a radiation free diagnostic tool for the management of pneumonia.

Enhancement of subject description of fiction with annotations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alenka Šauperl

2007-01-01

Full Text Available In Slovenia, subject description of fiction was traditionally limited to the Universal Decimal Classification number, which was mainly assigned for shelving. Readers found their books by browsing the library shelves, while librarians had to rely on their personal familiarity with the library collection if they wanted to advise readers on the selection of books. Subject description, such as is often associated with non-literary works, would require a lot of time. Therefore, we wanted to know whether reading book reviews in newspapers could replace reading the entire literary work. We analysed a small sample of book reviews written by literary critics and published in Slovenian newspapers and compared them to the reviews, written by librarians for the same literary works (in the »Priporočamo!« project. We realized that the content is different. However, they could be used for identification of additional subject headings. The same findings resulted from a similar analysis of literary works written for children. Concepts, that seemed potentially appropriate subject headings, often actually do not appear in the Slovenian subject headings or subject headings from the Pionirska knjižnica of Ljubljana. Both subject heading lists should include a larger number of abstract concepts, which more often appear in literary than in non-literary works. Both subject heading lists should also be coordinated.

Soil structure interaction analysis of buried tank subjected to vertical excitations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wong, C.K.; Stine, M.; Wagenblast, G.; Farnworth, S.

1995-09-01

Underground High Level Waste Storage Tanks are subjected to strigent seismic requirements At some DOE sites, many existing waste storage tanks are of the double-shell tank design. In this configuration, the concrete outer structure acts as the vault and provides secondary confinement for the primary steel waste storage tank. To ensure the safety of the design and a good understanding of the seismic response of the concrete confinement structure, seismic analysis, including the effects of Soil-Structure Interaction (SSI), is generally performed with special purpose SSI computer analysis programs. Generally, the seismic SSI response due to vertical excitation is considered to be secondary to those of the horizontal excitation. In this paper, a detailed evaluation of the SSI response due to vertical excitation is presented and is shown to merit equal consideration relative to the horizontal excitation. The geometry and relative dimensions (i.e. flexibility) of the structure can have significant influence on the vertical seismic SSI response in local region(s) of the concrete structure

A randomised double-blind placebo-controlled pilot trial of a combined extract of sage, rosemary and melissa, traditional herbal medicines, on the enhancement of memory in normal healthy subjects, including influence of age.

Science.gov (United States)

Perry, N S L; Menzies, R; Hodgson, F; Wedgewood, P; Howes, M-J R; Brooker, H J; Wesnes, K A; Perry, E K

2018-01-15

To evaluate for the first time the effects of a combination of sage, rosemary and melissa (Salvia officinalis L., Rosmarinus officinalis L. and Melissa officinalis L.; SRM), traditional European medicines, on verbal recall in normal healthy subjects. To devise a suitable study design for assessing the clinical efficacy of traditional herbal medicines for memory and brain function. Forty-four normal healthy subjects (mean age 61 ± 9.26y SD; m/f 6/38) participated in this study. A double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled pilot study was performed with subjects randomised into an active and placebo group. The study consisted of a single 2-week term ethanol extract of SRM that was chemically-characterised using high resolution LC-UV-MS/MS analysis. Immediate and delayed word recall were used to assess memory after taking SRM or placebo (ethanol extract of Myrrhis odorata (L.) Scop.). In addition analysis was performed with subjects divided into younger and older subgroups (≤ 62 years mean age n = 26: SRM n = 10, Placebo n = 16; ≥ 63 years n = 19: SRM n = 13, Placebo n = 6). Overall there were no significant differences between treatment and placebo change from baseline for immediate or delayed word recall. However subgroup analysis showed significant improvements to delayed word recall in the under 63 year age group (p memory in healthy subjects under 63 years of age. Short- and long- term supplementation with SRM extract merits more robust investigation as an adjunctive treatment for patients with Alzheimer's disease and in the general ageing population. The study design proved a simple cost effective trial protocol to test the efficacy of herbal medicines on verbal episodic memory, with future studies including broader cognitive assessment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Variations of Hodge Structure Considered as an Exterior Differential System: Old and New Results

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James Carlson

2009-09-01

Full Text Available This paper is a survey of the subject of variations of Hodge structure (VHS considered as exterior differential systems (EDS. We review developments over the last twenty-six years, with an emphasis on some key examples. In the penultimate section we present some new results on the characteristic cohomology of a homogeneous Pfaffian system. In the last section we discuss how the integrability conditions of an EDS affect the expected dimension of an integral submanifold. The paper ends with some speculation on EDS and Hodge conjecture for Calabi-Yau manifolds.

Subjective quality of life and emotional pain among subjects with ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

World Health Organization Quality of Life-Bref (WHOQoL-Bref), Psychache Scale (PAS) instruments were administered on subjects that consented to the study. Results: One hundred and forty four (144) subjects of equal sex distribution were studied. The mean age was 31.7±10.2 years. The highest number of subjects, ...

Subject search study. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Todeschini, C.

1995-01-01

The study gathered information on how users search the database of the International Nuclear Information System (INIS), using indicators such as Subject categories, Controlled terms, Subject headings, Free-text words, combinations of the above. Users participated from the Australian, French, Russian and Spanish INIS Centres, that have different national languages. Participants, both intermediaries and end users, replied to a questionnaire and executed search queries. The INIS Secretariat at the IAEA also participated. A protocol of all search strategies used in actual searches in the database was kept. The thought process for Russian and Spanish users is predominantly non-English and also the actual initial search formulation is predominantly non-English among Russian and Spanish users while it tends to be more in English among French users. A total of 1002 searches were executed by the five INIS centres including the IAEA. The search protocols indicate the following search behaviour: 1) free text words represent about 40% of search points on an average query; 2) descriptors used as search keys have the widest range as percentage of search points, from a low of 25% to a high of 48%; 3) search keys consisting of free text that coincides with a descriptor account for about 15% of search points; 4) Subject Categories are not used in many searches; 5) free text words are present as search points in about 80% of all searches; 6) controlled terms (descriptors) are used very extensively and appear in about 90% of all searches; 7) Subject Headings were used in only a few percent of searches. From the results of the study one can conclude that there is a greater reluctance on the part of non-native English speakers in initiating their searches by using free text word searches. Also: Subject Categories are little used in searching the database; both free text terms and controlled terms are the predominant types of search keys used, whereby the controlled terms are used more

DYNAMIC OPTIMAL BUDGET ALLOCATION FOR INTEGRATED MARKETING CONSIDERING PERSISTENCE

OpenAIRE

SHIZHONG AI; RONG DU; QIYING HU

2010-01-01

Aiming at forming dynamic optimal integrated marketing policies, we build a budget allocation model considering both current effects and sustained ones. The model includes multiple time periods and multiple marketing tools which interact through a common resource pool as well as through delayed cross influences on each other's sales, reflecting the nature of "integrated marketing" and its dynamics. In our study, marginal analysis is used to illuminate the structure of optimal policy. We deriv...

Minarchy Considered

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Richard A Garner

2009-09-01

Full Text Available Whilst some defenders of the minimal, limited state or government hold that the state is “a necessary evil,” others would consider that this claim that the state is evil concedes too much ground to anarchists. In this article I intend to discuss the views of some who believe that government is a good thing, and their arguments for supporting this position. My main conclusions will be that, in each case, the proponents of a minimal state, or “minarchy,” fail to justify as much as what they call government, and so fail to oppose anarchism, or absences of what they call government.

Cognitive factors in subjective stabilization of the visual world.

Science.gov (United States)

Bridgeman, B

1981-08-01

If an eye movement signal is fed through a galvanic mirror, to move a projected image which a subject is inspecting, prominent objects in the image may seem to jiggle or jump with the the eye when the gain is just below the threshold for detecting a jump of the entire image (Brune and Lücking 1969). We have refined and extended this observation with both naive and practiced subjects, finding results which contradict all of the current theories about the mechanism of stabilization of the visual world and suggest that cognitive factors in perception important influences on the stabilization process. Using this method with a paired photocell system to detect horizontal eye movements, some subjects saw a prominent object in the display jump slightly while the rest of the scene remained stable. The task was done first with landscape slides, then repeated with Escher prints where two sets of alternating figures completely filled the image. Subjects could concentrate on one set of forms as the "figure" and the other as the "ground", and reverse the two at will. In a majority of practiced subjects and in smaller proportion of naive subjects, motion of part of the "figure" was seen regardless of which alternative set of forms constituted it. Reversibility of the effect controlled for influence of object size, brightness, etc. in inducing the selective jump. These and related observations show that cognitive or attentional variables are as important as image properties or gain alone in determining subjective stabilization of the visual world, though current theories (inflow, outflow, cancellation, etc.) consider image position to be simple variable. Another experiment showed that image movement on the retina during saccades cannot explain saccadic suppression of displacement.

Seeing the Wood for the Trees: Enhancing Metadata Subject Elements with Weights

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hong Zhang

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Subject indexing has been conducted in a dichotomous way in terms of what the information object is primarily about/of or not, corresponding to the presence or absence of a particular subject term, respectively. With more subject terms brought into information systems via social tagging, manual cataloging, or automated indexing, many more partially relevant results can be retrieved. Using examples from digital image collections and online library catalog systems, we explore the problem and advocate for adding a weighting mechanism to subject indexing and tagging to make web search and navigation more effective and efficient. We argue that the weighting of subject terms is more important than ever in today’s world of growing collections, more federated searching, and expansion of social tagging. Such a weighting mechanism needs to be considered and applied not only by indexers, catalogers, and taggers, but also needs to be incorporated into system functionality and metadata schemas.

Hypnosis modulates behavioural measures and subjective ratings about external and internal awareness.

Science.gov (United States)

Demertzi, Athena; Vanhaudenhuyse, Audrey; Noirhomme, Quentin; Faymonville, Marie-Elisabeth; Laureys, Steven

2015-12-01

In altered subjective states, the behavioural quantification of external and internal awareness remains challenging due to the need for reports on the subjects' behalf. With the aim to characterize the behavioural counterpart of external and internal awareness in a modified subjective condition, we used hypnosis during which subjects remain fully responsive. Eleven right-handed subjects reached a satisfactory level of hypnotisability as evidenced by subjective reports on arousal, absorption and dissociation. Compared to normal wakefulness, in hypnosis (a) participants' self-ratings for internal awareness increased and self-ratings for external awareness decreased, (b) the two awareness components tended to anticorrelate less and the switches between external and internal awareness self-ratings were less frequent, and (c) participants' reaction times were higher and lapses in key presses were more frequent. The identified imbalance between the two components of awareness is considered as of functional relevance to subjective (meta)cognition, possibly mediated by allocated attentional properties brought about by hypnosis. Our results highlight the presence of a cognitive counterpart in resting state, indicate that the modified contents of awareness are measurable behaviourally, and provide leverage for investigations of more challenging altered conscious states, such as anaesthesia, sleep and disorders of consciousness. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Importance of Considering the Middle Capillary Plexus on OCT Angiography in Diabetic Retinopathy.

Science.gov (United States)

Onishi, Alex C; Nesper, Peter L; Roberts, Philipp K; Moharram, Ganna A; Chai, Haitao; Liu, Lei; Jampol, Lee M; Fawzi, Amani A

2018-04-01

To quantify microvasculature changes in the superficial (SCP), middle (MCP), and deep capillary plexuses (DCP) in diabetic retinopathy (DR). Retrospective cross-sectional study at a tertiary academic referral center, in which 26 controls (44 eyes), 27 diabetic subjects without retinopathy (44 eyes), 32 subjects with nonproliferative retinopathy (52 eyes), and 27 subjects with proliferative retinopathy (40 eyes) were imaged with optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). Outcome measures included parafoveal vessel density (VD), percentage area of nonperfusion (PAN), and adjusted flow index (AFI) at the different plexuses. MCP VD and MCP AFI decreased with worsening DR, while PAN increased, mirroring changes within the DCP. The fitted regression line for MCP and DCP AFI were significantly different than the SCP, while DCP PAN differed from SCP PAN with disease progression. Higher SCP AFI and PAN were different in eyes with diabetes without retinopathy compared with controls. Unexpectedly, sex was found to independently influence MCP VD and AFI with worsening disease. OCTA parameters in the MCP and DCP displayed parallel changes with DR progression, different from the SCP, emphasizing the importance of physiologic considerations in the retinal capillaries. Thus, segmentation protocols that include the MCP within the SCP may be confounded. A difference in DCP PAN with worsening DR was unmasked relative to a prior study that included the MCP with SCP. We confirm that SCP AFI and PAN may serve as early indicators of microvascular changes in DR and identify an interaction between sex and the MCP deserving further study.

Relationship between the amount of rice oil ingested by patients with Yusho and their subjective symptoms

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yoshimura, T.; Hayabuchi, H.

1985-02-01

The goal of this study was to clarify the subjective symptoms closely related to Yusho by examining the relationship between the amount of PCB-contaminated rice oil ingested by patients and the subjective symptoms recorded on their questionnaires. The amount of PCB-contaminated rice oil consumed by the patients was obtained by interviewing the housewife in each Yusho family. Individual consumption of the oil was estimated by taking into account age, sex and the number of meals at home. In 1970, 46 patients were available for analysis, and in 1971, 33 patients were available. Among 12 subjective symptoms studied, numbness of the limbs, coughing, expectoration, and the sensation of elevated teeth were considered to show a dose-response relationship, which suggests that these subjective symptoms are closely related to Yusho. Consistent high rates of complaints of general fatigue and eye discharge were considered possibly to be connected with Yusho, although no dose-response relationships have been determined. Other subjective symptoms, such as fever, headache, dizziness, abdominal pain, swelling in the joints, changes in menstruation, and loss of hair failed to show consistent dose-response relationships. It should be noted, however, that for these symptoms which failed to show dose-response relationships, it is impossible to deny a causal relationship.

Want to Inspire Science Students to Consider a Research Career? Host a Scientist in Your Classroom

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patricia J. Baynham

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Most biology students have limited exposure to research since this is not a public activity and the pace of science does not lend itself to television dramatization. In contrast, medicine is the subject of numerous TV shows, and students’ experience visiting doctors may lead them to think they want to become physicians. One effective way to encourage these students to consider a research career is to invite engaging scientists to speak about their career paths and lives during class. Students are most likely to be influenced by people they consider to be like themselves. While this method is well-suited to a lecture format where the scientist can address a larger audience, the laboratory would also be appropriate.

20 CFR 266.4 - Information considered in selecting a representative payee.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

..., including the type of relationship, e.g., family or legal guardianship; degree of relationship, if the... 20 Employees' Benefits 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Information considered in selecting a representative payee. 266.4 Section 266.4 Employees' Benefits RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD REGULATIONS UNDER THE...

Comparison of Subjective Well-Being and Personality Assessments in the Clouded Leopard (Neofelis nebulosa), Snow Leopard (Panthera uncia), and African Lion (Panthera leo).

Science.gov (United States)

Gartner, Marieke Cassia; Powell, David M; Weiss, Alexander

2016-01-01

The study of subjective well-being in nonhuman animals is growing in the field of psychology, but there are still only a few published studies and the focus is on primates. To consider whether the construct of subjective well-being could be found in another mammal, this study aimed to assess subjective well-being in felids and to examine its association with personality. Personality is one of the strongest and most consistent predictors of well-being in humans. This relationship could have important implications for other species, because personality has also been shown to affect health outcomes including stress, morbidity, and mortality. As in previous studies in nonhuman animals, the study results revealed that subjective well-being was related to agreeableness/openness and neuroticism in clouded leopards, neuroticism in snow leopards, and impulsiveness and neuroticism in African lions. The implications of these results for health outcomes and the welfare of animals in captivity are discussed. More research on any direct links among personality, subjective well-being, and these outcomes is important to advancing this field and adding another tool for improving captive animals' lives.

Swedish Technology Teachers' Attitudes to Their Subject and Its Teaching

Science.gov (United States)

Nordlöf, Charlotta; Höst, Gunnar E.; Hallström, Jonas

2017-01-01

Background: From previous research among science teachers it is known that teachers' attitudes to their subjects affect important aspects of their teaching, including their confidence and the amount of time they spend teaching the subject. In contrast, less is known about technology teachers' attitudes. Purpose: Therefore, the aim of this study is…

Human subject research for engineers a practical guide

CERN Document Server

de Winter, Joost C F

2017-01-01

This Brief introduces engineers to the main principles in ethics, research design, statistics, and publishing of human subject research. In recent years, engineering has become strongly connected to disciplines such as biology, medicine, and psychology. Often, engineers (and engineering students) are expected to perform human subject research. Typical human subject research topics conducted by engineers include human-computer interaction (e.g., evaluating the usability of software), exoskeletons, virtual reality, teleoperation, modelling of human behaviour and decision making (often within the framework of ‘big data’ research), product evaluation, biometrics, behavioural tracking (e.g., of work and travel patterns, or mobile phone use), transport and planning (e.g., an analysis of flows or safety issues), etc. Thus, it can be said that knowledge on how to do human subject research is indispensable for a substantial portion of engineers. Engineers are generally well trained in calculus and mechanics, but m...

Energizing Subject Guide Service with Web 2.0

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sheau-Hwang Chang

2014-06-01

Full Text Available This article will use LibGuides as an example to illustrate how a Web 2.0 platform can energize the subject guide service and give librarians an edge in expanding their roles. Topics to be discussed will include a brief introduction to LibGuides and its capabilities to energize subject guide creation, how it has been used by academic libraries, how it is used in Maxwell Library in expanding librarian's role, and finally its implications on librarianship.

Comparative proteome analysis of metabolic proteins from seeds of durum wheat (cv. Svevo) subjected to heat stress

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Laino, Paolo; Shelton, Dale; Finnie, Christine

2010-01-01

of nonprolamin proteins were monitored to identify polypeptides affected by heat stress during grain fill. This study shows that heat stress alters significantly the durum wheat seed proteome, although the changes range is only between 1.2- and 2.2-fold. This analysis revealed 132 differentially expressed...... include proteins with metabolic activity or structural function. In order to investigate the consequences of heat stress on the accumulation of nonprolamin proteins in mature durum wheat kernels, the Italian cultivar Svevo was subjected to two thermal regimes (heat stress versus control). The 2-D patterns...... polypeptides, 47 of which were identified by MALDI-TOF and MALDI-TOF-TOF MS and included HSPs, proteins involved in the glycolysis and carbohydrate metabolism, as well as stress-related proteins. Many of the heat-induced polypeptides are considered to be allergenic for sensitive individuals....

H∞ Robust Current Control for DFIG Based Wind Turbine subject to Grid Voltage Distortions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wang, Yun; Wu, Qiuwei; Gong, Wenming

2016-01-01

This paper proposes an H∞ robust current controller for doubly fed induction generator (DFIG) based wind turbines (WTs) subject to grid voltage distortions. The controller is to mitigate the impact of the grid voltage distortions on rotor currents with DFIG parameter perturbation. The grid voltage...... distortions considered include asymmetric voltage dips and grid background harmonics. An uncertain DFIG model is developed with uncertain factors originating from distorted stator voltage, and changed generator parameters due to the flux saturation effect, the skin effect, etc. Weighting functions...... are designed to efficiently track the unbalanced current components and the 5th and 7th background harmonics. The robust stability (RS) and robust performance (RP) of the proposed controller are verified by the structured singular value µ. The performance of the H∞ robust current controller was demonstrated...

Subjective and Objective Work-Based Identity Consequences

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Botha, F.C.; Roodt, G.; van de Bunt-Kokhuis, S.G.M.; Jansen, P.G.W.; Roodt, G.

2015-01-01

The aim of this chapter is to provide a systematic literature review on the selected consequences of work-based identity (WI). The first section of the chapter includes the following subjective consequences: self-report measures on personal alienation, helping behaviour (H-OCB), burnout (consisting

75 FR 28295 - Federal-Mogul, Including On-Site Leased Workers From Kelly Services, Summerton, SC; Amended...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-05-20

... workers were sufficiently under the control of the subject firm to be considered leased workers. Based on... On-Site Leased Workers From Kelly Services, Summerton, SC; Amended Certification Regarding Eligibility To Apply for Worker Adjustment Assistance In accordance with Section 223 of the Trade Act of 1974...

A compositional look at the human gastrointestinal microbiome and immune activation parameters in HIV infected subjects.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ece A Mutlu

2014-02-01

Full Text Available HIV progression is characterized by immune activation and microbial translocation. One factor that may be contributing to HIV progression could be a dysbiotic microbiome. We therefore hypothesized that the GI mucosal microbiome is altered in HIV patients and this alteration correlates with immune activation in HIV. 121 specimens were collected from 21 HIV positive and 22 control human subjects during colonoscopy. The composition of the lower gastrointestinal tract mucosal and luminal bacterial microbiome was characterized using 16S rDNA pyrosequencing and was correlated to clinical parameters as well as immune activation and circulating bacterial products in HIV patients on ART. The composition of the HIV microbiome was significantly different than that of controls; it was less diverse in the right colon and terminal ileum, and was characterized by loss of bacterial taxa that are typically considered commensals. In HIV samples, there was a gain of some pathogenic bacterial taxa. This is the first report characterizing the terminal ileal and colonic mucosal microbiome in HIV patients with next generation sequencing. Limitations include use of HIV-infected subjects on HAART therapy.

Using virtual reality to distinguish subjects with multiple- but not single-domain amnestic mild cognitive impairment from normal elderly subjects.

Science.gov (United States)

Mohammadi, Alireza; Kargar, Mahmoud; Hesami, Ehsan

2018-03-01

Spatial disorientation is a hallmark of amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) and Alzheimer's disease. Our aim was to use virtual reality to determine the allocentric and egocentric memory deficits of subjects with single-domain aMCI (aMCIsd) and multiple-domain aMCI (aMCImd). For this purpose, we introduced an advanced virtual reality navigation task (VRNT) to distinguish these deficits in mild Alzheimer's disease (miAD), aMCIsd, and aMCImd. The VRNT performance of 110 subjects, including 20 with miAD, 30 with pure aMCIsd, 30 with pure aMCImd, and 30 cognitively normal controls was compared. Our newly developed VRNT consists of a virtual neighbourhood (allocentric memory) and virtual maze (egocentric memory). Verbal and visuospatial memory impairments were also examined with Rey Auditory-Verbal Learning Test and Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test, respectively. We found that miAD and aMCImd subjects were impaired in both allocentric and egocentric memory, but aMCIsd subjects performed similarly to the normal controls on both tasks. The miAD, aMCImd, and aMCIsd subjects performed worse on finding the target or required more time in the virtual environment than the aMCImd, aMCIsd, and normal controls, respectively. Our findings indicated the aMCImd and miAD subjects, as well as the aMCIsd subjects, were more impaired in egocentric orientation than allocentric orientation. We concluded that VRNT can distinguish aMCImd subjects, but not aMCIsd subjects, from normal elderly subjects. The VRNT, along with the Rey Auditory-Verbal Learning Test and Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test, can be used as a valid diagnostic tool for properly distinguishing different forms of aMCI. © 2018 Japanese Psychogeriatric Society.

Social existence: between subjective and objective conditions. Impact on the theoretical discussion on development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aura González Serna

2012-01-01

Full Text Available This article aims to instill reflections on the theoretical debate around the development. The premise for fixing the analysis is to consider the impact of modes of apprehending social existence, since it is demarcated between subjectivities and objective conditions. Different conceptions appear to interpret and represent the individual and collective imagination. Fragmentation between subjectivity and objectivity, constitute an impediment to understanding the generic nature of being that builds and permanently transformed the social existence.

The value of bone scintigram in elderly subjects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanno, Munehiko; Yamada, Hideo; Hayashida, Koichi; Endoh, Kazuo; Nagashima, Junichi; Yamagata, Atsushi; Nishino, Hideo; Chiba, Kazuo

1986-01-01

To evaluate increased bone uptake of radionuclides at lumbar vertebra in elderly subjects, comparative study of bone scintigram with CT findings and autopsy finding of bone were performed. Incidence of abnormal increased bone uptake were 59 % in neoplastic disease group, while 50 % in benign disease group, respectively. Bone uptake of radionuclides to thoracic and lumbar vertebrae revealed marked high incidence even in both group. 13 out of 25 cases which revealed bone uptake at lumbar vertebrae in malignant disease group showed metastatic bone lesions and the rest of these cases did not show no apparent macroscopic metastatic bone lesions. In comparative study with CT findings of 18 cases most cases revealed osteosclerotic and osteoperotic changes of bone and fracture on CT imaging at the sites where bone uptake of radionuclides were observed. Thus, these evidence support that ageing process of bone must be considered as important factors to evaluate bone scintigram imaging in elderly subjects. (author)

Tailed nuclei and dicentric chromosomes in irradiated subjects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kravtsov, V.Yu.; Fedortseva, R.F.; Starkova, Ye.V.; Yartseva, N.M.; Nikiforov, A.M.

2000-01-01

A study of peripheral blood smears from irradiated Chernobyl liquidators and other subjects has shown nuclei of some lymphocytes to have a protrusion into the cytoplasm. Such abnormal nuclei are called 'tailed' nuclei (TN). Sixteen main morphologic types, observed in human peripheral blood lymphocytes, are described. The frequency of appearance of lymphocytes with TN in a group of Chernobyl liquidators was significantly higher than in control groups (p<0.001, in all cases). A positive correlation was found between the TN frequency in lymphocytes and dicentric chromosomes in lymphocytes cultured to metaphase (p<0.001). Elevated frequencies of dicentrics, higher than 0.1%, were found in 17 out of 22 subjects in whom the frequency of lymphocytes with TN was 0.8% and more. Abnormalities of the TN type in lymphocytes are likely to result from breakdown of chromosome bridges formed by dicentrics. The TN can be considered as a possible marker of irradiation and, therefore, their detailed study is important

Estimating Subjective Probabilities

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Steffen; Fountain, John; Harrison, Glenn W.

2014-01-01

either construct elicitation mechanisms that control for risk aversion, or construct elicitation mechanisms which undertake 'calibrating adjustments' to elicited reports. We illustrate how the joint estimation of risk attitudes and subjective probabilities can provide the calibration adjustments...... that theory calls for. We illustrate this approach using data from a controlled experiment with real monetary consequences to the subjects. This allows the observer to make inferences about the latent subjective probability, under virtually any well-specified model of choice under subjective risk, while still...

Political Subjects: Decision and Subjectivity from a Post-Fundational Perspective

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martín Retamozo

2011-12-01

Full Text Available The problem of decision and of political subjects was addressed in the field of 20th century political philosophy by authors such as Carl Schmitt, Hannah Arendt, and Jacques Derrida, who related it closely to the concepts of sovereignty, freedom, and contingency. The works of Ernesto Laclau and Slavoj Žižek have currently turnedto the issue of decision in order to address the constitutive spects of the political. In a context dominated by deconstruction, post-Marxism, and post-structuralism,the article inquires into the elation between decision and political subjects in a contemporary setting, examining in depth the difference between subjectivity,subjectivization, and subject.

Oxidative stress in hepatitis C infected end-stage renal disease subjects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Koylu Ahmet O

2006-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Both uremia and hepatitis C infection is associated with increased oxidative stress. In the present study, we aimed to find out whether hepatitis C infection has any impact on oxidative stress in hemodialysis subjects. Methods Sixteen hepatitis C (+ hemodialysis subjects, 24 hepatitis C negative hemodialysis subjects and 24 healthy subjects were included. Total antioxidant capacity, total peroxide level and oxidative stress index were determined in all subjects. Results Total antioxidant capacity was significantly higher in controls than hemodialysis subjects with or without hepatitis C infection (all p 0.05/3. Conclusion Oxidative stress is increased in both hepatitis C (+ and hepatitis C (- hemodialysis subjects. However, hepatitis C infection seems to not cause any additional increase in oxidative stress in hemodialysis subjects and it may be partly due to protective effect of dialysis treatment on hepatitis C infection.

Energy information data base: subject thesaurus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1979-10-01

The technical staff of the DOE Technical Information Center, during its subject indexing activities, develops and structures a vocabulary that allows consistent machine storage and retrieval of information necessary to the accomplishment of the DOE mission. This thesaurus incorporates that structured vocabulary. The terminology of this thesaurus is used for the subject control of information announced in DOE Energy Research Abstracts, Energy Abstracts for Policy Analysis, Solar Energy Update, Geothermal Energy Update, Fossil Energy Update, Fusion Energy Update, and Energy Conservation Update. This terminology also facilitates subject searching of the DOE energy information data base, a research in progress data base, a general and practical energy information data base, power reactor docket information data base, nuclear science abstracts data base, and the federal energy information data base on the DOE on-line retrieval system, RECON. The rapid expansion of the DOE's activities will result in a concomitant thesaurus expansion as information relating to new activities is indexed. Only the terms used in the indexing of documents at the Technical Information Center to date are included

A Pharmacokinetics, Efficacy, and Safety Study of Gadoterate Meglumine in Pediatric Subjects Aged Younger Than 2 Years.

Science.gov (United States)

Scala, Mario; Koob, Meriam; de Buttet, Sophie; Bourrinet, Philippe; Felices, Mathieu; Jurkiewicz, Elzbieta

2018-02-01

The primary objective of this study was to investigate the pharmacokinetic profile of gadoterate meglumine in pediatric patients younger than 2 years; the secondary objectives were to document its efficacy and safety. This was a Phase IV open-label, prospective study conducted in 9 centers (4 countries). Forty-five patients younger than 2 years with normal estimated glomerular filtration rate and scheduled to undergo routine gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of any organ were included and received a single intravenous injection of gadoterate meglumine (0.1 mmol/kg). To perform the population pharmacokinetics analysis, 3 blood samples per subject were drawn during 3 time windows at time points allocated by randomization. Gadoterate meglumine concentrations were best fitted using a 2-compartmental model with linear elimination from central compartment. The median total clearance adjusted to body weight was estimated at 0.06 L/h per kg and increased with estimated glomerular filtration rate according to a power model. The median volume of distribution at steady state (Vss) adjusted to body weight was estimated at 0.047 L/kg. Estimated median terminal half-life (t1/2β) was 1.35 h, and the median systemic exposure (area under the curve) was 1591 μmol h/L. Efficacy was assessed by comparing precontrast +postcontrast images to precontrast images in a subset of 28 subjects who underwent an MRI examination of brain, spine, and associated tissues. A total of 28 lesions were identified and analyzed in 15 subjects with precontrast images versus 30 lesions in 16 subjects with precontrast + postcontrast images. Lesion visualization was improved with a mean (SD) increase in scores at subject level of 0.7 (1.0) for lesion border delineation, 0.9 (1.6) for internal morphology, and 3.1 (3.2) for contrast enhancement. Twenty-six adverse events occurred postinjection in 13 subjects (28.9%), including 3 serious reported in 1 subject (2.2%). One subject (2

Should clinical case definitions of influenza in hospitalized older adults include fever?

Science.gov (United States)

Falsey, Ann R; Baran, Andrea; Walsh, Edward E

2015-08-01

Influenza is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in elderly persons. Fever is included in all standard definitions of influenza-like illness (ILI), yet older patients may have diminished febrile response to infection. Therefore, we examined the utility of various thresholds to define fever for case definitions of influenza in persons ≥ 65 years of age. Data from two prospective surveillance studies for respiratory viral infection in adults hospitalized with acute cardiopulmonary illnesses with or without fever were examined. The highest temperature reported prior to admission or measured during the first 24 h after admission was recorded. The diagnosis of influenza was made by a combination of viral culture, reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction, antigen testing, and serology. A total of 2410 subjects (66% ≥ 65 years of age) were enrolled; 281 had influenza (261 influenza A, 19 influenza B, and one mixed influenza A and B). The commonly used definition of ILI (fever ≥ 37·8°C and cough) resulted in 57% sensitivity and 71% specificity in older adults. Receiver operating characteristic curves examining the various temperature thresholds combined with cough and/or sore throat showed the optimal balance between sensitivity and specificity to be 37·9°C (AUC 0·71) and 37·3°C (AUC 0·66), in younger and older persons, respectively. Clinical decision rules using the presence of cough and fever may be helpful when screening for influenza or empiric antiviral treatment when rapid influenza testing is not available; however, lower fever thresholds may be considered for elderly subjects. © 2015 The Authors. Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Philosophic-educational intelligence analysis as a subject of marketing management

OpenAIRE

N. V. Litvinenko

2014-01-01

The highest value for the philosophical problems of education should consider introducing within the philosophical foundations of marketing management methodology for systematic consideration of education as a social subject­object process, which is based on needs. Philosophy of Education in the face of marketing philosophy and management philosophy got a good theoretical and methodological framework for the synthesis of market interpretations educational development and the development of fu...

The Measurement of Relevance Amount of Documents That By Using of Google cross-language retrieval About Agriculture Subject Area are Retrieved

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fatemeh Jamshidi Ghahfarokhi

2014-02-01

Full Text Available In this study, the relevance amount of documents has been investigated by using google cross-language retrieval tools about a agriculture subject area in cross-language retrieval form, are retrieved. For this purpose, by using Persian journals articles that have had English abstracts, Persian phrases and subject terms with their English equivalent were extracted. In three class us, thirty number of phrases and subject terms of agriculture area were extracted: First class, subject phrases that only in agriculture are used; Secondary, agriculture subject terms that in other fields are used too; Third class, agriculture subject terms that out of this field are considered as public term. Then by these phrases and terms, documents were searched, and relevance amount of search results are investigated. Results of study showed that google cross-language retrieval tools for two classes of phrases and terms, in cross-language retrieval of relevance document about agriculture subject area, aren`t succeed: one class, agriculture subject terms that in other fields are used too. other class, agriculture subject terms that out of agriculture field are considered as public term. Google cross-language retrieval tools about subject phrase and terms that only in agriculture field are used, are performance rather desirable than other two class of phrase and terms

Multi-objective optimal planning of the stand-alone microgrid system based on different benefit subjects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guo, Li; Wang, Nan; Lu, Hai; Li, Xialin; Wang, Chengshan

2016-01-01

As an important means to realize the energetic complementarity and improve the efficiency of renewable resources, the stand-alone microgrid (SAMG) system gains attention increasingly, especially in islands and remote areas. In this paper, considering the interest conflict of the distribution company and the distributed generation owner, a new multi-objective optimal planning model is formulated for medium voltage SAMG. Besides, to avoid the power constraint of distributed generation (DG) once the over-limit voltage occurs, a novel two-step power dispatch control method including the voltage regulation strategy is proposed, in which the absorption of distributed power by energy storage system (ESS) and the reactive power adjustment though its power control system are used to regulate voltage. The goal of this paper is to search the Pareto-optimal front of the site and capacity of DG as well as the contract price between both parties, and thus can provide effective references for practical planning of SAMG. Considering the high cost of ESS, the investment analysis of ESS is also discussed in the paper. - Highlights: • A multi-objective planning model based on different benefit subjects is proposed. • A two-step power dispatch method including the voltage regulation is proposed. • The economical efficiency of the proposed model is analyzed. • The effective reference for the stand-alone microgrid planning is provided.

The T Cell Response to Major Grass Allergens Is Regulated and Includes IL-10 Production in Atopic but Not in Non-Atopic Subjects

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Domdey, A.; Liu, A.; Millner, A.

2010-01-01

in allergen-specific responses. The aim was to determine whether major grass allergens induce production of suppressive cytokines in allergic and healthy subjects and to examine the inhibitory effect of these cytokines on allergic responses. Methods: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated...... from healthy and grass-allergic donors and stimulated with the major grass allergens Phl p 1 or Phl p 5. The effects of endogenous IL-10 and/or TGF-beta on proliferation and cytokine production were determined by use of blocking antibodies. In addition, the number of CD4(+)CD25(+) T cells...... in PBMCs in the two groups, but fewer cells from atopic donors were CD4(+)CD25(+)CCR4(+) and more cells were CD4(+)CD25(+)CLA(+) compared to healthy donors. Conclusion: Allergen-specific responses of grass allergic patients but not in non-atopic subjects are influenced by regulatory cytokines produced...

District nursing practice for the death of patients subject to deprivation of liberty safeguards.

Science.gov (United States)

Griffith, Richard

2015-02-01

The Chief Coroner of England and Wales has issued guidance to coroners on whether the death of a person subject to a deprivation of liberty safeguard should be subject to an inquest. The guidance was issued in response to the tenfold increase in people being made subject to the safeguards since the Supreme Court's decision in Cheshire West and Chester Council v P [2014]. It is the Chief Coroner's view that all deaths where a person is subject to a deprivation of liberty safeguard or Court of Protection welfare order allowing a deprivation of liberty must be investigated by the coroner with an inquest held. This article considers the impact of the Chief Coroner's guidance on district nurse practice. It discusses whether a person subject to a deprivation of liberty safeguard is in state detention and whether an inquest is necessary in every case.

Auditors’ Assessments of Materiality Between Professional Judgment and Subjectivity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Saher Aqel

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract: Materiality has been and continues to be a topic of importance for auditors. It is considered as a significant factor in the planning of the audit procedures, performing the planned audit procedures, evaluating the results of the audit procedures and issuing an audit report. Recently, there has been a renewed interest in the concept of materiality motivated by concerns at the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, Securities and Exchange Commission and International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board issuance of proposed standards on materiality. The objective of this paper is to discuss and analyze comprehensively the concept of audit materiality including how materiality threshold is determined by auditors. Auditing standards settings bodies pointed out that auditor’s determination of materiality threshold is a matter of professional judjment. As a judgmental concept, however, materiality is susceptible to subjectivity. Furthermore, the absence of audting standards on how materiality is determined has highlighted the significance of this issue and indicated that guidance for materiality professional judgments must come from other non-authoritative sources such as empirical researches. A number of new and important areas of materiality are in need of further investigation.

Theorizing the complexities of discursive and material subjectivity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Højgaard, Lis; Søndergaard, Dorte Marie

2011-01-01

This article seeks to address the theoretical foundations of subjectivity as co-constituted by discursive and material/technological forces. Our ambition is to develop a conceptual framework that draws from Science and Technology Studies and related “new materialist” frameworks and poststructural......This article seeks to address the theoretical foundations of subjectivity as co-constituted by discursive and material/technological forces. Our ambition is to develop a conceptual framework that draws from Science and Technology Studies and related “new materialist” frameworks...... to a redefinition of the concept of subjectivity that emphasizes the multiplicity of enacting forces including human as well as non-human, material/technological actors; and that underlines the importance of a conceptualization of all actors as simultaneously enacting and enacted forces....

Personality as a Subject of Managerial Activity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tytova Kateryna V.

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Psychological science, along with many other natural and social sciences, studies a person and personality, but it allocates in them its own specific aspect. The psychological science has a big number of approaches to understanding essence of the personality. Professionally important qualities are individual qualities of a subject of activity, which influence efficiency of activity and success of its mastering. The considered concepts are efforts to put in order various sociological and psychological knowledge about the personality and unite the personality theory with the theory of professional choice. The problem of professional formation of the personality belongs to actively developed psychological problems.

Uncertainty analysis of flexible rotors considering fuzzy parameters and fuzzy-random parameters

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fabian Andres Lara-Molina

Full Text Available Abstract The components of flexible rotors are subjected to uncertainties. The main sources of uncertainties include the variation of mechanical properties. This contribution aims at analyzing the dynamics of flexible rotors under uncertain parameters modeled as fuzzy and fuzzy random variables. The uncertainty analysis encompasses the modeling of uncertain parameters and the numerical simulation of the corresponding flexible rotor model by using an approach based on fuzzy dynamic analysis. The numerical simulation is accomplished by mapping the fuzzy parameters of the deterministic flexible rotor model. Thereby, the flexible rotor is modeled by using both the Fuzzy Finite Element Method and the Fuzzy Stochastic Finite Element Method. Numerical simulations illustrate the methodology conveyed in terms of orbits and frequency response functions subject to uncertain parameters.

The prevalence of peripheral arterial disease in diabetic subjects in south-west Nigeria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bolaji O. Oyelade

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Background: Peripheral arterial disease (PAD is rarely sought for and generally underdiagnosed even in diabetics in developing countries like Nigeria. PAD is easily detected and diagnosed by the ankle-brachial index, a simple and reliable test. Objectives: To determine the prevalence of PAD in diabetic subjects aged 50–89 years and the value of ankle-brachial index measurement in the detection of PAD. Method: A cross-sectional descriptive study of 219 diabetic subjects aged 50–89 years was carried out. The participants were administered a pre-tested questionnaire and measurement of ankle-brachial index (ABI was done. The ankle-brachial index < 0.90 was considered equivalent to peripheral arterial disease. Results: The overall prevalence of PAD was 52.5%. The prevalence of symptomatic PAD was 28.7% whilst that of asymptomatic PAD was 71.3%. There were a number of associations with PAD which included, age (p < 0.05, sex (p < 0.05, and marital status (p < 0.05. The use of the ankle-brachial index in the detection of PAD was clearly more reliable than the clinical methods like history of intermittent claudication and absence or presence of pedal pulses. Conclusion: The prevalence of PAD is relatively high in diabetic subjects in the southwestern region of Nigeria. Notable is the fact that a higher proportion was asymptomatic. Also the use of ABI is of great value in the detection of PAD as evidenced by a clearly more objective assessment of PAD compared to both intermittent claudication and absent pedal pulses.

Development of advanced JGIS considering qualify management and project management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kawachi, Susumu; Ohi, Takao; Kawamura, Makoto; Ishihara, Yoshinao; Ebina, Takanori

2008-03-01

A system for managing and integrating the technical information of R and D was developed (JGIS: JAEA Geological Disposal Information Integration System). The subjects are to improve the usability as the system and the usability to record the information and the data in order to display the function of the system sufficiently and in order to enable the practical use of the system. In this study the aims are to display the function of JGIS and to enable the researchers as the users to recognize the significance of using JGIS. We built the conceptual design in order to implement the function of quality management and project management to JGIS. We considered that researchers could access the portal site of the research projects which were set as the WBS (Work Breakdown Structure) items and could confirm which WBS item the research project belonged to in the whole plan. We also considered that the research projects could be managed by using the conformity assessment sheets which were adopted for the quality management. The appendix contains the example of application of real projects to JGIS and the user's manual of JGIS (Example of a study of potential impact of natural phenomena). We demonstrated that researchers could confirm which WBS item the research project related to in JGIS and could manage the quality of the research projects by using the conformity assessment sheets in JGIS. (author)

Fasting Lipoprotein Lipase Protein Levels Can Predict a Postmeal Increment of Triglyceride Levels in Fasting Normohypertriglyceridemic Subjects.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsuzaki, Kokoro; Kotani, Kazuhiko; Yamada, Kazunori; Sakane, Naoki

2016-09-01

Although a postprandial increment in triglyceride (TG) levels is considered to be a risk factor for atherogenesis, tests (e.g., fat load) to assess postprandial changes in TG levels cannot be easily applied to clinical practice. Therefore, fasting markers that predict postprandial TG states are needed to be developed. One current candidate is lipoprotein lipase (LPL) protein, a molecule that hydrides TGs. This study investigated whether fasting LPL levels could predict postprandial TG levels. A total of 17 subjects (11 men, 6 women, mean age 52 ± 11 years) with normotriglyceridemia during fasting underwent the meal test. Several fasting parameters, including LPL, were measured for the area under the curve of postprandial TGs (AUC-TG). The subjects' mean fasting TG level was 1.30 mmol/l, and their mean LPL level was 41.6 ng/ml. The subjects' TG levels increased after loading (they peaked after two postprandial hours). Stepwise multiple regression analysis demonstrated that fasting TG levels were a predictor of the AUC-TG. In addition, fasting LPL mass levels were found to be a predictor of the AUC-TG (β = 0.65, P fasting TG levels. Fasting LPL levels may be useful to predict postprandial TG increment in this population. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Normal stress databases in myocardial perfusion scintigraphy – how many subjects do you need?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Trägårdh, Elin; Sjöstrand, Karl; Edenbrandt, Lars

2012-01-01

) for male, NC for female, attenuation‐corrected images (AC) for male and AC for female subjects. 126 male and 205 female subjects were included. The normal database was created by alternatingly computing the mean of all normal subjects and normalizing the subjects with respect to this mean, until...... convergence. Coefficients of variation (CV) were created for increasing number of included patients in the four different normal stress databases. Normal stress databases with ...Commercial normal stress databases in myocardial perfusion scintigraphy (MPS) commonly consist of 30–40 individuals. The aim of the study was to determine how many subjects are needed. Four normal stress databases were developed using patients who underwent 99mTc MPS: non‐corrected images (NC...

Subjective perception of sleep benefit in Parkinson's disease: Valid or irrelevant?

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Will; Evans, Andrew; Williams, David R

2017-09-01

The phenomenon of sleep benefit (SB) in Parkinson's disease (PD), whereby waking motor function is improved despite no dopaminergic treatment overnight, is controversial. Previous studies suggested a significant discrepancy between subjective functional and objective motor improvement. The aim of this study was to determine how well subjective reporting of SB correlates with objective measures and if true motor improvement can be predicted by a standardized questionnaire. Ninety-two patients with PD participated. A structured questionnaire was developed to assess subjective SB. Quantitative motor assessment was performed using a validated smartphone application. Objective motor SB was considered to be present when the waking motor function was similar or superior to the daytime on-state. Twenty (22%) patients showed objective motor improvement on waking compared to end-of-dose. Most patients (77%) reported subjective SB without corresponding objective motor benefit. Our structured questionnaire could not predict Motor SB. The ability to delay morning medications and a perception of indifference or paradoxical worsening following the morning levodopa dose may suggest Motor SB. Most patients experience subjective SB with no measureable motor improvement. This perceived benefit could be related to non-motor improvement that is distinctly different to objective motor benefit. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Human subjects research handbook: Protecting human research subjects. Second edition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1996-01-30

This handbook serves as a guide to understanding and implementing the Federal regulations and US DOE Orders established to protect human research subjects. Material in this handbook is directed towards new and continuing institutional review board (IRB) members, researchers, institutional administrators, DOE officials, and others who may be involved or interested in human subjects research. It offers comprehensive overview of the various requirements, procedures, and issues relating to human subject research today.

Constructing diagnostic likelihood: clinical decisions using subjective versus statistical probability.

Science.gov (United States)

Kinnear, John; Jackson, Ruth

2017-07-01

Although physicians are highly trained in the application of evidence-based medicine, and are assumed to make rational decisions, there is evidence that their decision making is prone to biases. One of the biases that has been shown to affect accuracy of judgements is that of representativeness and base-rate neglect, where the saliency of a person's features leads to overestimation of their likelihood of belonging to a group. This results in the substitution of 'subjective' probability for statistical probability. This study examines clinicians' propensity to make estimations of subjective probability when presented with clinical information that is considered typical of a medical condition. The strength of the representativeness bias is tested by presenting choices in textual and graphic form. Understanding of statistical probability is also tested by omitting all clinical information. For the questions that included clinical information, 46.7% and 45.5% of clinicians made judgements of statistical probability, respectively. Where the question omitted clinical information, 79.9% of clinicians made a judgement consistent with statistical probability. There was a statistically significant difference in responses to the questions with and without representativeness information (χ2 (1, n=254)=54.45, pprobability. One of the causes for this representativeness bias may be the way clinical medicine is taught where stereotypic presentations are emphasised in diagnostic decision making. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

CRIMINAL-POLITICAL FUTUROLOGY IN THE FIELD OF FIGHTING CRIME (CONCEPTUAL AND SUBJECT AREA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Valery Novichkov

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The article considers the subject area of the new direction of pre-vision — criminal-political futurology (forecasting in the field of combating crime, absorbing in itself the main types of legal prediction: criminological, criminal, criminal Executive, criminal procedural, operational search and other.

Subjective Experience of Episodic Memory and Metacognition: A Neurodevelopmental Approach

Science.gov (United States)

Souchay, Céline; Guillery-Girard, Bérengère; Pauly-Takacs, Katalin; Wojcik, Dominika Zofia; Eustache, Francis

2013-01-01

Episodic retrieval is characterized by the subjective experience of remembering. This experience enables the co-ordination of memory retrieval processes and can be acted on metacognitively. In successful retrieval, the feeling of remembering may be accompanied by recall of important contextual information. On the other hand, when people fail (or struggle) to retrieve information, other feelings, thoughts, and information may come to mind. In this review, we examine the subjective and metacognitive basis of episodic memory function from a neurodevelopmental perspective, looking at recollection paradigms (such as source memory, and the report of recollective experience) and metacognitive paradigms such as the feeling of knowing). We start by considering healthy development, and provide a brief review of the development of episodic memory, with a particular focus on the ability of children to report first-person experiences of remembering. We then consider neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) such as amnesia acquired in infancy, autism, Williams syndrome, Down syndrome, or 22q11.2 deletion syndrome. This review shows that different episodic processes develop at different rates, and that across a broad set of different NDDs there are various types of episodic memory impairment, each with possibly a different character. This literature is in agreement with the idea that episodic memory is a multifaceted process. PMID:24399944

Aerosol lung inhalation scintigraphy in normal subjects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sui, Osamu; Shimazu, Hideki

1985-03-01

We previously reported basic and clinical evaluation of aerosol lung inhalation scintigraphy with /sup 99m/Tc-millimicrosphere albumin (milli MISA) and concluded aerosol inhalation scintigraphy with /sup 99m/Tc-milli MISA was useful for routine examination. But central airway deposit of aerosol particles was found in not only the patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) but also normal subjects. So we performed aerosol inhalation scintigraphy in normal subjects and evaluated their scintigrams. The subjects had normal values of FEVsub(1.0)% (more than 70%) in lung function tests, no abnormal findings in chest X-ray films and no symptoms and signs. The findings of aerosol inhalation scintigrams in them were classified into 3 patterns; type I: homogeneous distribution without central airway deposit, type II: homogeneous distribution with central airway deposit, type III: inhomogeneous distribution. These patterns were compared with lung function tests. There was no significant correlation between type I and type II in lung function tests. Type III was different from type I and type II in inhomogeneous distribution. This finding showed no correlation with %VC, FEVsub(1.0)%, MMF, V radical50 and V radical50/V radical25, but good correlation with V radical25 in a maximum forced expiratory flow-volume curve. Flow-volume curve is one of the sensitive methods in early detection of COPD, so inhomogeneous distribution of type III is considered to be due to small airway dysfunction.

[Materiality Analysis of Health Plans Based on Stakeholder Engagement and the Issues Included at ISO 26000:2010].

Science.gov (United States)

Moyano Santiago, Miguel Angel; Rivera Lirio, Juana María

2017-01-18

Health plans of the Spanish autonomous communities can incorporate sustainable development criteria in its development. There have been no analysis or proposals about development and indicators. The goal is to add a contribution to help build better health plans aimed at sustainable development and help to manage economic, social and environmental impacts of health systems criteria. We used a variation of the RAND/UCLA or modified Delphi technique method. The process consisted of a bibliographical and context matters and issues related to health and social responsibility analysis based on ISO 26000: 2010. A survey by deliberately to a selection of 70 expert members of the identified stakeholders was carried out and a discussion group was held to determine the consensus on the issues addressed in the survey sample. The research was conducted in 2015. From the literature review 33 health issues included in ISO 26000:2010 were obtained. 7 survey proved relevant high consensus, 8 relevance and average consensus and 18 with less relevance and high level of dissent. The expert group excluded 4 of the 18 subjects with less consensus. 29 issues included 33 at work, divided into 7 subjects contained in the guide ISO 26000 of social responsibility, were relevant stakeholders regarding possible inclusion in health plans. Considering the direct relationship published by ISO (International Organization for Standardization) among the issues ISO 26000 and the economic, social and environmental indicators in GRI (Global Reporting Initiative) in its G4 version, a panel with monitoring indicators related to relevant issues were elaborated.

Reinforced concrete membrane elements subjected to reversed cyclic in-plane shear stress

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohmori, N.; Tsubota, H.; Inoue, N.; Watanabe, S.; Kurihara, K.

1987-01-01

The response of reinforced concrete elements subjected to reversed cyclic in-plane shear stresses can be predicted by an analytical model, which considers equilibrium, compatibility and stress-strain relationships including hysteresis loop of unloading and reloading stages all expressed in terms of average stresses and average strains. The analytical results show that the dominant hysteretic behaviours in regard to decrease of stiffness during unloading, successive slip phenomena and restoration of compressive stiffness at the reloading stages are well simulated analytically. The results agree quite well with the observed behaviours. As for the envelope curve of the hysteretic response there remain the discrepancies that the stiffness and ultimate strength are a bit larger than the observed results, especially in the case of a panel with a large reinforcement ratio. Such descrepancies are also found in the predicted results of monotonic loading and more precise studies are necessary to evaluate more accurate envelope curves under not only reversed cyclic loading but also monotonic loading. (orig./HP)

Voice, Post-Structural Representation and the Subjectivity of "Included" Students

Science.gov (United States)

Whitburn, Ben

2016-01-01

Aligned with the broader movement from structuralism to the post-structuralisms [Lather, P. 2013. "Methodology-21: What Do We Do in the Afterward?" "International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education" 26 (6): 634-645; St. Pierre, E. A. 2009. "Afterword: Decentering Voice in Qualitative Inquiry." In "Voice…

Oxidative stress in hepatitis C infected end-stage renal disease subjects.

Science.gov (United States)

Horoz, Mehmet; Bolukbas, Cengiz; Bolukbas, Filiz F; Aslan, Mehmet; Koylu, Ahmet O; Selek, Sahbettin; Erel, Ozcan

2006-07-14

Both uremia and hepatitis C infection is associated with increased oxidative stress. In the present study, we aimed to find out whether hepatitis C infection has any impact on oxidative stress in hemodialysis subjects. Sixteen hepatitis C (+) hemodialysis subjects, 24 hepatitis C negative hemodialysis subjects and 24 healthy subjects were included. Total antioxidant capacity, total peroxide level and oxidative stress index were determined in all subjects. Total antioxidant capacity was significantly higher in controls than hemodialysis subjects with or without hepatitis C infection (all p total peroxide level and oxidative stress index were significantly lower (all p total antioxidant capacity compared to hepatitis C (+) hemodialysis subjects (all p Total peroxide level and oxidative stress index was comparable between hemodialysis subjects with or without hepatitis C infection (p > 0.05/3). Oxidative stress is increased in both hepatitis C (+) and hepatitis C (-) hemodialysis subjects. However, hepatitis C infection seems to not cause any additional increase in oxidative stress in hemodialysis subjects and it may be partly due to protective effect of dialysis treatment on hepatitis C infection.

Theory of Planned Behavior including self-stigma and perceived barriers explain help-seeking behavior for sexual problems in Iranian women suffering from epilepsy.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Chung-Ying; Oveisi, Sonia; Burri, Andrea; Pakpour, Amir H

2017-03-01

To apply the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and the two additional concepts self-stigma and perceived barriers to the help-seeking behavior for sexual problems in women with epilepsy. In this 18-month follow-up study, TPB elements, including attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, and behavioral intention along with self-stigma and perceived barriers in seeking help for sexual problems were assessed in n=818 women with epilepsy (94.0% aged ≤40years). The basic TPB model (model 1) and the TPB model additionally including self-stigma and perceived barriers (Model 2) were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). Both SEM models showed satisfactory model fits. According to model, attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and intention explained 63.1% of the variance in help-seeking behavior. Variance was slightly higher (64.5%) when including self-stigma and perceived barriers (model 2). In addition, the fit indices of the models were better highlighting the importance of self-stigma and perceived barriers in help-seeking behavior for sexual problems. Theory of Planned Behavior is useful in explaining help-seeking behavior for sexual problems in women with epilepsy. Self-stigma and perceived barriers are additional factors that should be considered in future interventions aiming to adopt TPB to improve help-seeking behavior for sexual problems. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Coping and subjective burden in caregivers of older relatives: a quantitative systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Del-Pino-Casado, Rafael; Frías-Osuna, Antonio; Palomino-Moral, Pedro A; Pancorbo-Hidalgo, Pedro L

2011-11-01

This article is a report on a review of the effect of coping strategies on subjective burden in informal caregivers of older adults. Informal care has negative effects on caregivers' health, and subjective burden is one of these. It has been linked with other effects (e.g. anxiety and depression). Thus, greater prevention of subjective burden will mean increased prevention of these effects. To achieve this, identification of factors related to subjective burden is essential. Electronic databases and manual searches of scientific journals. A quantitative systematic review was conducted including: (a) original studies (b) that related caregiver subjective burden to coping strategies compatible with the classifications of Lazarus & Folkman or Moos et al. (c) in informal caregivers of older relatives. The searches ranged from the first year included in each database until January 2010. After quality appraisal, ten studies were included; these, care-recipients living at home and having cognitive impairment. Four coping categories have been related to subjective burden: problem-focused, emotion-focused, approach and avoidance. Interesting results were only found for avoidance coping (positive association). In other categories, results were heterogeneous (problem-focused and approach) or we found few valid studies (emotion-focused). We found some evidence for a positive association between avoidance coping and subjective burden in home caregivers of older relatives with cognitive impairment. It is probable that avoidance coping either mediates or moderates the relationship between subjective burden and its outcomes, or that avoidance coping precedes subjective burden, which in turn leads to the coping outcomes. In both situations, avoidance coping is an ineffective coping. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Insulin resistance and glucose levels in subjects with subclinical hypothyroidism

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kahn, S.H.; Fazal, N.; Yasir, M.; Asif, N.; Rafi, T.

2017-01-01

To compare insulin resistance and glycemic indicators among subjects with euthyroidism and subclinical hypothyroidism. Study Design: Comparative cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Pathology and Medicine, PNS Hafeez, Islamabad, in collaboration with the Department of Chemical Pathology and Endocrinology at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP), Rawalpindi, from December 2015 to September 2016. Methodology: Subjects referred for executive screening of apparently healthy population (without any known history of diabetes, hypertension, heart disease or other chronic ailments), were included. Subjects were grouped as euthyroidism and subclinical hypothyroidism. Results: Median (IQR) insulin resistance indices including fasting insulin and Homeostasis Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance in subjects with group-1 (n=176, 87%, Thyroid Stimulating Hormone: 0.5 - 3.5 mIU/L) and group-2 (n=26, 13%, Thyroid Stimulating Hormone: 3.51 - 15 mIU/L) were 7.6 (6.70) vs. 11.4 (13.72, p=0.040) and 1.77 (1.79) vs. 2.8 (3.07, p=0.071). The median differences for fasting plasma glucose were 5.0 (1.0) in group-1 vs. 5.0 (1.47) for Group-2 [p=0.618], and glycated hemoglobin was 5.60 (1.1) vs. 5.60 (1.7, p=0.824). Homeostasis Model Assessment for beta sensitivity index in paradox showed slightly higher values for group-2 [median (IQR) 86.67 (92.94)] than group-1 [111.6 (189.64, p= 0.040)]. Conclusion: Measures of insulin resistance including Homeostasis Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance and fasting insulin levels were significantly different between subjects with euthyroidism and having subclinical hypothyroidism. (author)

The Relationship Between Genetic Variations of the Cholesteryl Ester Transfer Protein Gene and Coronary Artery Disease in Turkish Subjects

Science.gov (United States)

Gundogdu, Fuat; Gurlertop, Yekta; Pirim, Ibrahim; Sevimli, Serdar; Dogan, Hasan; Arslan, Sakir; Aksoy, Hulya; Karakelloglu, Sule; Senocak, Huseyin

2009-01-01

Objective Although the relationship between cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) and cholesterol metabolism has been characterized in recent years, the effect of CETP genetic variants associated with coronary artery disease (CAD) is still unclear. Therefore, we investigated the association between CETP gene polymorphism and levels of lipid in patients with CAD. Materials and Methods We conducted a case-control study that included 194 unrelated subjects who underwent coronary angiography for suspected ischemic heart disease. This group was divided into 96 patients with angiographically documented CAD and 98 subjects (individuals matched for age and gender) without angiographically documented CAD (CAD-free subjects), all of whom were studied to examine the genotypic distribution of the CETP gene polymorphism in CAD. Genotyping was performed via polymerase chain reaction. Results Of the 96 patients with CAD, 38 (40%) were B1B1, 42 (44%) B1B2 and 16 (16%) B2B2, compared with the control subjects, of which 35 (36%) were B1B1, 44 (45%) B1B2 and 19 (19%) B2B2. There were no significant differences between patients with CAD and control subjects in the distribution of the CETP gene polymorphism. Patients with the B1B1 genotype had lower high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) and higher triglyceride (TG) levels than patients with the B2B2 genotype (p<0.05). In addition, among control subjects HDL-C levels were significantly higher in subjects with the B2B2 genotype than in subjects with the B1B1 genotype (p<0.01). Conclusion Our results suggest that genetic variations of the CTEP gene may be responsible for low HDL-C levels but may not be considered as a risk factor for CAD in the Turkish population. PMID:25610061

Joint market clearing in a stochastic framework considering power system security

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aghaei, J.; Shayanfar, H.A.; Amjady, N.

2009-01-01

This paper presents a new stochastic framework for provision of reserve requirements (spinning and non-spinning reserves) as well as energy in day-ahead simultaneous auctions by pool-based aggregated market scheme. The uncertainty of generating units in the form of system contingencies are considered in the market clearing procedure by the stochastic model. The solution methodology consists of two stages, which firstly, employs Monte-Carlo Simulation (MCS) for random scenario generation. Then, the stochastic market clearing procedure is implemented as a series of deterministic optimization problems (scenarios) including non-contingent scenario and different post-contingency states. The objective function of each of these deterministic optimization problems consists of offered cost function (including both energy and reserves offer costs), Lost Opportunity Cost (LOC) and Expected Interruption Cost (EIC). Each optimization problem is solved considering AC power flow and security constraints of the power system. The model is applied to the IEEE 24-bus Reliability Test System (IEEE 24-bus RTS) and simulation studies are carried out to examine the effectiveness of the proposed method.

New determination of period and quality factor of Chandler wobble, considering geophysical excitations

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Vondrák, Jan; Ron, Cyril; Chapanov, Y.

2017-01-01

Roč. 59, č. 5 (2017), s. 1395-1407 ISSN 0273-1177 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA13-15943S Institutional support: RVO:67985815 Keywords : polar motion * chandler wobble * geophysical excitations Subject RIV: BN - Astronomy, Celestial Mechanics, Astrophysics OBOR OECD: Astronomy (including astrophysics,space science) Impact factor: 1.401, year: 2016

Automatized spleen segmentation in non-contrast-enhanced MR volume data using subject-specific shape priors

Science.gov (United States)

Gloger, Oliver; Tönnies, Klaus; Bülow, Robin; Völzke, Henry

2017-07-01

To develop the first fully automated 3D spleen segmentation framework derived from T1-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) imaging data and to verify its performance for spleen delineation and volumetry. This approach considers the issue of low contrast between spleen and adjacent tissue in non-contrast-enhanced MR images. Native T1-weighted MR volume data was performed on a 1.5 T MR system in an epidemiological study. We analyzed random subsamples of MR examinations without pathologies to develop and verify the spleen segmentation framework. The framework is modularized to include different kinds of prior knowledge into the segmentation pipeline. Classification by support vector machines differentiates between five different shape types in computed foreground probability maps and recognizes characteristic spleen regions in axial slices of MR volume data. A spleen-shape space generated by training produces subject-specific prior shape knowledge that is then incorporated into a final 3D level set segmentation method. Individually adapted shape-driven forces as well as image-driven forces resulting from refined foreground probability maps steer the level set successfully to the segment the spleen. The framework achieves promising segmentation results with mean Dice coefficients of nearly 0.91 and low volumetric mean errors of 6.3%. The presented spleen segmentation approach can delineate spleen tissue in native MR volume data. Several kinds of prior shape knowledge including subject-specific 3D prior shape knowledge can be used to guide segmentation processes achieving promising results.

Age identity and subjective well-being: A comparison of the United States and Germany

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Westerhof, G.J.; Barrett, A.E.

2005-01-01

Objectives. This article investigates the theoretical and empirical relationship between age identity and subjective well-being (SWB) in a cross-national context. Feeling younger than one's actual age is considered a self-enhancing illusion that contributes to SWB even beyond factors predicting age

EFSA NDA Panel (EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies), 2014. Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of a health claim related to “non-digestible oligo- and polysaccharides including galactooligosaccharides, oligofructose, polyfructose and inulin” and “increase in calcium

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tetens, Inge

to deliver an opinion on the scientific substantiation of a health claim related to “non-digestible oligo- and polysaccharides including galacto-oligosaccharides, oligofructose, polyfructose and inulin” and “increase in calcium absorption”. The scope of the application was proposed to fall under a health...... claim referring to children’s development and health. The food constituents that are proposed by the applicant to be the subject of the health claim are “non-digestible oligo- and polysaccharides including galacto-oligosaccharides, oligofructose, polyfructose and inulin”. Upon requests by EFSA...... for clarification on the food constituent, the applicant did not clarify the food constituent that is the subject of the health claim. The Panel considers that the food constituents, “non-digestible oligo- and polysaccharides including galacto-oligosaccharides, oligofructose, polyfructose and inulin”, which...

Want to Inspire Science Students to Consider a Research Career? Host a Scientist in Your Classroom

OpenAIRE

Baynham, Patricia J.

2010-01-01

Most biology students have limited exposure to research since this is not a public activity and the pace of science does not lend itself to television dramatization. In contrast, medicine is the subject of numerous TV shows, and students’ experience visiting doctors may lead them to think they want to become physicians. One effective way to encourage these students to consider a research career is to invite engaging scientists to speak about their career paths and lives during class. S...

Subjective Experiences of Space and Time: Self, Sensation, and Phenomenal Time

OpenAIRE

Ram Lakhan Pandey Vimal

2008-01-01

The investigation of subjective experiences (SEs) of space and time is at the core of consciousness research. The term ‘space’ includes the subject and objects. The SE of subject, I-ness, is defined as ‘Self’. The SEs of objects, subject’s external body, and subject’s internal states such as feelings, thoughts, and so on can be investigated using the proto-experience (PE)-SE framework. The SE of time is defined as ‘phenomenal time’ (...

20-Year Subject and Author Index, Volume 1, 1997-Volume 20, 1996; Subject and Author Index, Volume 21, 1997.

Science.gov (United States)

Weiler, Robert M.; Pealer, Lisa N.

1997-01-01

This index provides readers interested in health behavior, health education, and health promotion ordered access to materials published in Health Values and the American Journal of Health Behavior, 1977-1997. The index includes 115 subject headings and 5 department headings, classifying 918 entries by 1,319 authors and coauthors. (SM)

Enterprising or altruistic selves? Making up research subjects in genetics research.

Science.gov (United States)

Tutton, Richard; Prainsack, Barbara

2011-11-01

The emergence of direct-to-consumer (DTC) personal genomics companies in 2007 was accompanied by considerable media attention and criticism from clinical geneticists and other health professionals, regulators, policy advisors, and ethicists. As well as offering genetic testing services, some firms are also engaged in building their own databases and conducting research with the data obtained from their customers. In this paper, we examine how one of these companies, 23andMe, is creating a certain kind of 'research subject' in opposition to that constituted in conventional forms of disease research. Drawing on debates about neoliberalism, contemporary health discourses and subjectivity, we consider two kinds of subjectivities produced through the discursive and material practices of 23andMe and UK Biobank, namely, 'enterprising' and 'altruistic' selves. We argue that the 23andMe model promotes the idea that curiosity about one's genome on the one hand, and participation in research on the other, are not only compatible but complementary aspects of being an entrepreneurial subject of contemporary health and medicine framed by the technologies of web 2.0. © 2011 The Authors. Sociology of Health & Illness © 2011 Foundation for the Sociology of Health & Illness/Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

The neural subjective frame: from bodily signals to perceptual consciousness.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Hyeong-Dong; Tallon-Baudry, Catherine

2014-05-05

The report 'I saw the stimulus' operationally defines visual consciousness, but where does the 'I' come from? To account for the subjective dimension of perceptual experience, we introduce the concept of the neural subjective frame. The neural subjective frame would be based on the constantly updated neural maps of the internal state of the body and constitute a neural referential from which first person experience can be created. We propose to root the neural subjective frame in the neural representation of visceral information which is transmitted through multiple anatomical pathways to a number of target sites, including posterior insula, ventral anterior cingulate cortex, amygdala and somatosensory cortex. We review existing experimental evidence showing that the processing of external stimuli can interact with visceral function. The neural subjective frame is a low-level building block of subjective experience which is not explicitly experienced by itself which is necessary but not sufficient for perceptual experience. It could also underlie other types of subjective experiences such as self-consciousness and emotional feelings. Because the neural subjective frame is tightly linked to homeostatic regulations involved in vigilance, it could also make a link between state and content consciousness.

Life cycle cost analysis of wind power considering stochastic uncertainties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Chiao-Ting; Peng, Huei; Sun, Jing

2014-01-01

This paper presents a long-term cost analysis of wind power and compares its competitiveness to non-renewable generating technologies. The analysis considers several important attributes related to wind intermittency that are sometimes ignored in traditional generation planning or LCOE (levelized cost of energy) studies, including the need for more nameplate capacity due to intermittency, hourly fluctuations in wind outputs and cost for reserves. The competitiveness of wind power is assessed by evaluating four scenarios: 1) adding natural gas generating capacity to the power grid; 2) adding coal generating capacity to the power grid; 3) adding wind capacity to the power grid; and, 4) adding wind capacity and energy storage to the power grid where an energy storage device is used to cover wind intermittency. A case study in the state of Michigan is presented to demonstrate the use of the proposed methodology, in which a time horizon from 2010 to 2040 is considered. The results show that wind energy will still be more expensive than natural gas power plants in the next three decades, but will be cheaper than coal capacities if wind intermittency is mitigated. Furthermore, if the costs of carbon emissions and environmental externalities are considered, wind generation will be a competitive option for grid capacity expansion. - Highlights: • The competitiveness of wind power is analyzed via life cycle cost analysis. • Wind intermittency and reserve costs are explicitly considered in the analysis. • Results show that wind is still more expensive than natural gas power plants. • Wind can be cheaper than coal capacities if wind intermittency is mitigated. • Wind will be competitive if costs of carbon emissions are considered

SIEDY scale 3, a new instrument to detect psychological component in subjects with erectile dysfunction.

Science.gov (United States)

Corona, Giovanni; Ricca, Valdo; Bandini, Elisa; Rastrelli, Giulia; Casale, Helen; Jannini, Emmanuele A; Sforza, Alessandra; Forti, Gianni; Mannucci, Edoardo; Maggi, Mario

2012-08-01

We previously developed and validated a structured interview (SIEDY) dealing with the organic (Scale 1), relational (Scale 2), and psychological (Scale 3) components of erectile dysfunction (ED). To identify a pathological threshold for SIEDY Scale 3 and to analyze Scale 3 score with biological and psychological correlates in subjects with sexual dysfunction. A pathological threshold of SIEDY Scale 3 score in predicting subjects with a medical history of psychopathology and using psychiatric drugs was identified through receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis in a sample of 484 patients (Sample A). Sensitivity and specificity, along with possible interactions with biological and psychological (Middlesex Hospital Questionnaire, MHQ-score) correlates were verified in a further sample of 1,275 patients (Sample B). In sample A, 39 (8%) and 60 (12.4%) subjects reported a positive medical history for psychiatric disturbances or for the use of psychotropic medication, respectively. The association with both conditions was present in 28 (5.8%) subjects. ROC curve showed that SIEDY Scale 3 score predicts psychopathology with an accuracy of 69.5 ± 5.9% (Pfloating anxiety), MHQ-S (somatized anxiety) and MHQ-D (depressive symptoms) subscales, even after adjustment for age and Σ-MHQ (a broader index of general psychopathology). In the same sample, we also confirmed that pathological Scale 3 score was related to a higher risk of psychopathology at medical history or to the use of psychotropic drugs as well as with risky lifestyle behaviors, including smoking and alcohol abuse, and elevated BMI. SIEDY represents an easy tool for the identification of patients with a relevant intra-psychic component who should be considered for psychological/psychiatric treatment. © 2012 International Society for Sexual Medicine.

Issues in protection of human subjects in internet research.

Science.gov (United States)

Im, Eun-Ok; Chee, Wonshik

2002-01-01

Despite the increasing use of the Internet among nurses, the use of the Internet in nursing research has been rarely discussed and critiqued in terms of issues in protection of human subjects. In this article, issues in protection of human subjects in Internet research are explored by analyzing an Internet study to propose directions for human protection in Internet research. Issues raised through the study include those related to (a) anonymity and confidentiality, (b) security, (c) self-determination and authenticity, (d) full disclosure, and (e) fair treatment. Based on discussion of the five issues, development of standardized guidelines, investigator triangulation, and information sharing are proposed as directions for protection of human subjects in Internet research.

Non-linear canonical correlation for joint analysis of MEG signals from two subjects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cristina eCampi

2013-06-01

Full Text Available We consider the problem of analysing magnetoencephalography (MEG data measured from two persons undergoing the same experiment, and we propose a method that searches for sources with maximally correlated energies. Our method is based on canonical correlation analysis (CCA, which provides linear transformations, one for each subject, such that the correlation between the transformed MEG signals is maximized. Here, we present a nonlinear version of CCA which measures the correlation of energies. Furthermore, we introduce a delay parameter in the modelto analyse, e.g., leader-follower changes in experiments where the two subjects are engaged in social interaction.

What makes staff consider leaving the health service in Malawi?

Science.gov (United States)

Chimwaza, Wanangwa; Chipeta, Effie; Ngwira, Andrew; Kamwendo, Francis; Taulo, Frank; Bradley, Susan; McAuliffe, Eilish

2014-03-19

Malawi faces a severe shortage of health workers, a factor that has contributed greatly to high maternal mortality in the country. Most clinical care is performed by mid-level providers (MLPs). While utilization of these cadres in providing health care is a solution to the current shortages, demotivating factors within the Malawian health system are pushing them into private, non-governmental, and other non-health related positions. This study aims to highlight these demotivating factors by exploring the critical aspects that influence MLPs' intention to leave their jobs. This descriptive qualitative study formed part of the larger Health Systems Strengthening for Equity (HSSE) study. Data presented in this paper were collected in Malawi using the Critical Incident Analysis tool. Participants were asked to narrate an incident that had happened during the past three months which had made them seriously consider leaving their job. Data were subjected to thematic analysis using NVivo 8 software. Of the 84 respondents who participated in a Critical Incident Analysis interview, 58 respondents (69%) indicated they had experienced a demotivating incident in the previous three months that had made them seriously consider leaving their job. The most commonly cited critical factors were being treated unfairly or with disrespect, lack of recognition of their efforts, delays and inconsistencies in salary payments, lack of transparent processes and criteria for upgrading or promotion, and death of patients. Staff motivation and an enabling environment are crucial factors for retaining MLPs in the Malawian health system. This study revealed key 'tipping points' that drive staff to seriously consider leaving their jobs. Many of the factors underlying these critical incidents can be addressed by improved management practices and the introduction of fair and transparent policies. Managers need to be trained and equipped with effective managerial skills and staff should have access

Mediating effect of Facebook addiction on the relationship between subjective vitality and subjective happiness.

Science.gov (United States)

Uysal, Recep; Satici, Seydi Ahmet; Akin, Ahmet

2013-12-01

This study examined the mediating effects of Facebook addiction on the relationship between subjective vitality and subjective happiness. 297 university students (157 women, 140 men; M age = 20.1 yr., SD = 1.3) were administered the Facebook Addiction Scale, the Subjective Vitality Scale, and the Subjective Happiness Scale. Hierarchical regression analysis showed that Facebook addiction partially mediated the relationship between subjective vitality and subjective happiness.

Understanding Women's Subjective Sexual Arousal Within the Laboratory: Definition, Measurement, and Manipulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Handy, Ariel B; Stanton, Amelia M; Meston, Cindy M

2018-04-01

Subjective sexual arousal (SSA) is positive, cognitive engagement in sexual activity. SSA is considered an important aspect of the sexual experience, as it has been found to facilitate sexual activity and, in situations of chronically low or absent arousal, potentially cause distress. Despite the clinical implications of SSA, a thorough review of how to manipulate SSA has yet to be conducted. To review the state of knowledge about SSA in women, including its definition, measurement, and the outcomes of studies attempting to manipulate SSA within a laboratory setting. A comprehensive search of the electronic databases of PubMed and PsycINFO was conducted. The generated list of articles was reviewed and duplicates were removed. Individual articles were assessed for inclusion and, when appropriate, relevant content was extracted. The potential effects of various manipulations of SSA in a laboratory setting was the main outcome. 44 studies were included in this review. Manipulations were grouped into 3 primary categories: pharmacological (n = 16), cognitive (n = 22), and those based on changes to the autonomic nervous system (n = 6). Results suggest that cognitive manipulation is the most effective method of increasing SSA. Altering the relative balance of the 2 branches of the autonomic nervous system (the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system) also appears to be a promising avenue for increasing SSA. This review supports the use of cognitive manipulation for increasing women's SSA in a laboratory setting. Avenues for future research and recommendations for clinicians are discussed. Handy AB, Stanton AM, Meston CM. Understanding Women's Subjective Sexual Arousal Within the Laboratory: Definition, Measurement, and Manipulation. Sex Med Rev 2018;6:201-216. Copyright © 2017 International Society for Sexual Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Subjective wellbeing and longevity: a co-twin control study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sadler, Michael E; Miller, Christopher J; Christensen, Kaare

2011-01-01

Mental health is increasingly defined not only by the absence of illness but by the presence of subjective well-being (SWB). Previous cohort studies have consistently shown that indicators of SWB predict favorable life outcomes, including better mental and somatic health, and longevity....... The favorable effects associated with SWB have prompted new research aimed at raising happiness and wellbeing through individual interventions and public health initiatives. Standard observational studies of individual-level associations, however, are subject to potential confounding of exposure and outcome...

SUBJECTIVITY UNDER CONSUMERISM: THE TOTALIZATION OF THE SUBJECT AS A COMMODITY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marlon Xavier

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract This theoretical work discusses consumerism's processes of subjectivation and their psychological consequences. Its regime is studied through its social imaginary and its totalitarian character: the discourse of advertising, as a global hegemon, absorbs all forms of discourse and signification, thereby actualizing capitalism's telos - the colonization of the Lebenswelt under a great imperative: everything must become a commodity, especially the subject. A process of totalization of subjectivity occurs under a commodification logic centered on the representation: every image must be transformed into commodity-signs. Thus the consumption imaginary appears as a totalizing ideology, functioning as archaic représentations collectives (Durkheim and simulating a religious imaginary. It mass-produces subjectivity through participation mystique (Lévy-Bruhl with its commodity-signs (and their fetish and the whole imaginary. Its subject is defined as a bricolage of consumable commodity-signs, being therefore eternally fluid, performative, and ethereal. Thus it produces an anthropological mutation, the commodity-subject: a disposable, empty, thoroughly commodified self.

Subjective Belief Distributions and the Characterization of Economic Literacy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Di Girolamo, Amalia; Harrison, Glenn W.; Lau, Morten

2015-01-01

the confidence that an individual has about their knowledge of some fact. We consider literacy across several financial and economic domains. We find considerable demographic heterogeneity in the degree of literacy. We also measure the degree of consistency within a sample about their knowledge, even when......We characterize the literacy of an individual in a domain by their elicited subjective belief distribution over the possible responses to a question posed in that domain. By eliciting the distribution, rather than just the answers to true/false or multiple choice questions, we can directly measure...

Butyryl-cholinesterase is related to muscle mass and strength. A new biomarker to identify elderly subjects at risk of sarcopenia.

Science.gov (United States)

Cacciatore, Francesco; Della-Morte, David; Basile, Claudia; Curcio, Francesco; Liguori, Ilaria; Roselli, Mario; Gargiulo, Gaetano; Galizia, Gianluigi; Bonaduce, Domenico; Abete, Pasquale

2015-01-01

To determine the relationship between Butyryl-cholinesterase (α-glycoprotein synthesized in the liver, b-CHE) and muscle mass and strength. Muscle mass by bioimpedentiometer and muscle strength by grip strength were evaluated in 337 elderly subjects (mean age: 76.2 ± 6.7 years) admitted to comprehensive geriatric assessment. b-CHE levels were lower in sarcopenic than in nonsarcopenic elderly subjects (p elderly subjects. Thus, b-CHE may be considered to be a fair biomarker for identifying elderly subjects at risk of sarcopenia.

Ultimate load analysis of prestressed concrete reactor pressure vessels considering a general material law

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schimmelpfennig, K.

1975-01-01

A method of analysis is presented, by which progressive fracture processes in axisymmetric prestressed concrete pressure vessels during increasing internal pressure can be evaulated by means of a continuum calculation considering a general material law. Formulations used in the analysis concerning material behaviour are derived on one hand from appropriate results of testing small concrete specimens, and are on the other hand gained by parametric studies in order to solve questions still existing by recalulating fracture tests on concrete bodies with more complex states of stress. Due attention is focussed on investigating the behaviour of construction members subjected to high shear forces (end slabs.). (Auth.)

The role of cardiopulmonary exercise test for individualized exercise training recommendation in young obese subjects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lucian Hoble

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Obesity is affecting a growing segment of the population and should be considered a serious health problem which will lead to medical complications and decreased life span. Lifestyle changes by adopting healthy food and increase energy consumption through physical activity is the most important treatment for obesity. Cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET is considered the gold standard for exercise capacity assessment. Purpose: This study is aiming to demonstrate that individualized exercise training programs, designed using CPET results, leads to increase of physical fitness, aerobic capacity, ventilatory and cardiac exercise performance in young obese subjects.Material and method:We performed a prospective research study of 6 months. 43 sedentary subjects without contraindications to exercise, 21.3±3.1 years old, 93% female were included in the study. Assessments were made at baseline and after six months of intervention and consists of cardiopulmonary exercise test on bicycle ergometer. After we recorded oxygen uptake at aerobic threshold (AT, anaerobic threshold (in the range of respiratory compensation point – RCP and maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max we designed the training program according to these parameters and individualized heart rate training zones of each subject. Exercise training (60 minutes/session, 3 sessions/week was performed taking in consideration the training zones and using a circuit on cardio devices. Each subject was supervised by a physiotherapist and using heart rate monitors. The number of subjects evaluated at the end of the study was 27 (dropout rate 37%.Results:After six months of intervention we noticed an improvement of maximum oxygen uptake (VO2max (from 22.7±3.69 to 27.44±5.55, aerobic threshold (VO2_AT (from 15.48±2.66 to 20.07±4.64 ml/min/kg, p<0.0001 and anaerobic threshold (VO2_RCP (from 20.3±3.66 to 25.11±5.84 ml/min/kg, p<0.0001, cardiac performance during exercise evaluated trough maximal oxygen

ETHICS IN HEALTH CARE: INDUCEMENT AND HUMAN SUBJECTS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

MUNIR HOSSAIN TALUKDER

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Currently, most health researchers or donor organizations considerinducement as a vital part in promoting research. They propose benefits, such as post research free medical treatment, food, insurance facilities, or even cash, in order to meet sufficient number of subjects. So, inducement may influence one to participate in a research. Is it ethical to offer inducement to human subjects? What are the risks in such practice? What will happen if the donor agencies use subjects by hiding possible risks from them? When an inducement can satisfy ethical criteria? The CIOMS, FDA, and other ethical guidelines hold that inducement is unethical because it involves enough risk for voluntary informed consent. Supporting this position, a group of ethicists has argued that inducement undermines voluntariness especially when subjects are poor and vulnerable, and thus, unethical. In contrast to them, others argue that inducement contributes to discover new knowledge which can improve miserable condition of the poor. In their view, an inducement maintains all ethical criteria including subject’s autonomy, and therefore, morally permissible. The paper focuses this debate and analyzes both types ofargument. It examines whether inducement invalidate informed consent.Even if inducement may not violate the basic components of informedconsent, the paper concludes, subjects may claim a prima facie right to enjoy research outcomes.

Assessment of five different guideline indication criteria for spirometry, including modified GOLD criteria, in order to detect COPD: data from 5,315 subjects in the PLATINO study.

Science.gov (United States)

Luize, Ana P; Menezes, Ana Maria B; Perez-Padilla, Rogelio; Muiño, Adriana; López, Maria Victorina; Valdivia, Gonzalo; Lisboa, Carmem; Montes de Oca, Maria; Tálamo, Carlos; Celli, Bartolomé; Nascimento, Oliver A; Gazzotti, Mariana R; Jardim, José R

2014-10-30

Spirometry is the gold standard for diagnosing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Although there are a number of different guideline criteria for deciding who should be selected for spirometric screening, to date it is not known which criteria are the best based on sensitivity and specificity. Firstly, to evaluate the proportion of subjects in the PLATINO Study that would be recommended for spirometry testing according to Global initiative for Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD)-modified, American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP), National Lung Health Education Program (NLHEP), GOLD and American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society (ATS/ERS) criteria. Secondly, we aimed to compare the sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive and negative predictive values, of these five different criteria. Data from the PLATINO study included information on respiratory symptoms, smoking and previous spirometry testing. The GOLD-modified spirometry indication criteria are based on three positive answers out of five questions: the presence of cough, phlegm in the morning, dyspnoea, age over 40 years and smoking status. Data from 5,315 subjects were reviewed. Fewer people had an indication for spirometry (41.3%) according to the GOLD-modified criteria, and more people had an indication for spirometry (80.4%) by the GOLD and ATS/ERS criteria. A low percentage had previously had spirometry performed: GOLD-modified (14.5%); ACCP (13.2%); NLHEP (12.6%); and GOLD and ATS/ERS (12.3%). The GOLD-modified criteria showed the least sensitivity (54.9) and the highest specificity (61.0) for detecting COPD, whereas GOLD and ATS/ERS criteria showed the highest sensitivity (87.9) and the least specificity (20.8). There is a considerable difference in the indication for spirometry according to the five different guideline criteria. The GOLD-modified criteria recruit less people with the greatest sum of sensitivity and specificity.

Cytogenetic investigation of subjects professionally exposed to radiofrequency radiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Maes, Annemarie; Van Gorp, Urbain; Verschaeve, Luc

2006-03-01

Nowadays, virtually everybody is exposed to radiofrequency radiation (RFR) from mobile phone base station antennas or other sources. At least according to some scientists, this exposure can have detrimental health effects. We investigated cytogenetic effects in peripheral blood lymphocytes from subjects who were professionally exposed to mobile phone electromagnetic fields in an attempt to demonstrate possible RFR-induced genetic effects. These subjects can be considered well suited for this purpose as their RFR exposure is 'normal' though rather high, and definitely higher than that of the 'general population'. The alkaline comet assay, sister chromatid exchange (SCE) and chromosome aberration tests revealed no evidence of RFR-induced genetic effects. Blood cells were also exposed to the well known chemical mutagen mitomycin C in order to investigate possible combined effects of RFR and the chemical. No cooperative action was found between the electromagnetic field exposure and the mutagen using either the comet assay or SCE test.

Subjective health complaints in relation to sickness absence

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Roelen, Corne A. M.; Koopmans, Petra C.; Groothoff, Johan W.

2010-01-01

Objective: The Dutch population is healthy in terms of living and working conditions, but the levels of subjective health complaints (SHC) and sickness absence are high in the Dutch workforce. Are SHC related to sickness absence? Participants: The study population included the personnel of four

Electric power monthly, September 1990. [Glossary included

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1990-12-17

The purpose of this report is to provide energy decision makers with accurate and timely information that may be used in forming various perspectives on electric issues. The power plants considered include coal, petroleum, natural gas, hydroelectric, and nuclear power plants. Data are presented for power generation, fuel consumption, fuel receipts and cost, sales of electricity, and unusual occurrences at power plants. Data are compared at the national, Census division, and state levels. 4 figs., 52 tabs. (CK)

Modeling of flexible reciprocating compressor considering the crosshead subsidence

Science.gov (United States)

Xue, Xiaogang; Liu, Shulin; Sun, Xin

2018-01-01

Crank-slider mechanisms are important parts of heavy duty machines, including reciprocating compressors, combustion motors. This paper targets on the dynamic response of the crosshead in a reciprocating compressor, taking into consideration the crosshead deviation from the original level. The traditional model of the compressor is usually a slider-mechanism system without considering the deflection of the crosshead, thus neglecting the influence of the piston rod, which has some flexible features. In this paper, a rigid-flexible model of slider-crank is described theoretically, using the commercial software MATLAB, where the crank, connecting rod and crosshead are treated as rigid bodies, while the piston rod connected to the crosshead is considered as a flexible body. The dynamic response of the mechanism with the crosshead subsidence is discussed detailedly in this paper. After calculated theoretically, the MATLAB simulation showed that the dynamic response of the crosshead will be greatly influenced if the crosshead subsided from the original level. Also, the influence of the crosshead subsidence was also investigated, and some extra vibration of the crosshead arises.

Object and subject of evasion of taxes and other compulsory payments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Koval L.

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The paper is devoted to such topical issue of Criminal Law as Object and Subject of Evasion of Taxes and Other Compulsory Payments. There are analyzed researched crime determination problems, which are connected with subject and object of tax and other compulsory payments evasion. In the course of the research, the author has made the conclusions that the object of the evasion of taxes and other compulsory payments group is the national economic interests. The direct object is the national economic interests in the sphere of state revenues or the national fiscal interests. While analyzing the law and regulations it is concluded that the subject of the evasion of taxes and other compulsory payments is the tax base (income, property, expenses and consumption, taxes, state and local government fees, as well as other payments determined by the State. The author has also concluded that the subject of the evasion of taxes and other compulsory payments does not include increase in the tax principal debt, fine and late charge, which are covered by the financial responsibility. The subject of the evasion of taxes and other compulsory payments may not include also income from illegal activity or proceeds resulting from criminal offences.

Energy Data Base: Subject categories and scope: A reference manual

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grissom, M.C.

1987-04-01

The subject scope of the Energy Data Base (EDB) is defined, encompassing all technological aspects of energy production, conversion, and efficient utilization, and the economic, social, and political aspects as well. Coverage also includes the basic sciences as applicable. The subject areas within the scope of EDB are defined and hierarchically numbered, and scope notes are provided to define the extent of interest in certain areas, particularly areas of basic research

SDRE control strategy applied to a nonlinear robotic including drive motor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lima, Jeferson J. de, E-mail: jefersonjl82@gmail.com, E-mail: tusset@utfpr.edu.br, E-mail: fcjanzen@utfpr.edu.br, E-mail: piccirillo@utfpr.edu.br, E-mail: claudinor@utfpr.edu.br; Tusset, Angelo M., E-mail: jefersonjl82@gmail.com, E-mail: tusset@utfpr.edu.br, E-mail: fcjanzen@utfpr.edu.br, E-mail: piccirillo@utfpr.edu.br, E-mail: claudinor@utfpr.edu.br; Janzen, Frederic C., E-mail: jefersonjl82@gmail.com, E-mail: tusset@utfpr.edu.br, E-mail: fcjanzen@utfpr.edu.br, E-mail: piccirillo@utfpr.edu.br, E-mail: claudinor@utfpr.edu.br; Piccirillo, Vinicius, E-mail: jefersonjl82@gmail.com, E-mail: tusset@utfpr.edu.br, E-mail: fcjanzen@utfpr.edu.br, E-mail: piccirillo@utfpr.edu.br, E-mail: claudinor@utfpr.edu.br; Nascimento, Claudinor B., E-mail: jefersonjl82@gmail.com, E-mail: tusset@utfpr.edu.br, E-mail: fcjanzen@utfpr.edu.br, E-mail: piccirillo@utfpr.edu.br, E-mail: claudinor@utfpr.edu.br [UTFPR-PONTA GROSSA, PR (Brazil); Balthazar, José M., E-mail: jmbaltha@rc.unesp.br [UNESP-BAURU, SP (Brazil); Brasil, Reyolando M. L. R. da Fonseca, E-mail: reyolando.brasil@ufabc.edu.br [UFABC-SANTO ANDRE, SP (Brazil)

2014-12-10

A robotic control design considering all the inherent nonlinearities of the robot-engine configuration is developed. The interactions between the robot and joint motor drive mechanism are considered. The proposed control combines two strategies, one feedforward control in order to maintain the system in the desired coordinate, and feedback control system to take the system into a desired coordinate. The feedback control is obtained using State-Dependent Riccati Equation (SDRE). For link positioning two cases are considered. Case I: For control positioning, it is only used motor voltage; Case II: For control positioning, it is used both motor voltage and torque between the links. Simulation results, including parametric uncertainties in control shows the feasibility of the proposed control for the considered system.

Ventromedial Frontal Lobe Damage Alters how Specific Attributes are Weighed in Subjective Valuation.

Science.gov (United States)

Vaidya, Avinash R; Sefranek, Marcus; Fellows, Lesley K

2017-10-23

The concept of subjective value is central to current neurobiological views of economic decision-making. Much of this work has focused on signals in the ventromedial frontal lobe (VMF) that correlate with the subjective value of a variety of stimuli (e.g., food, monetary gambles), and are thought to support decision-making. However, the neural processes involved in assessing and integrating value information from the attributes of such complex options remain to be defined. Here, we tested the necessary role of VMF in weighting attributes of naturalistic stimuli during value judgments. We asked how distinct attributes of visual artworks influenced the subjective value ratings of subjects with VMF damage, compared to healthy participants and a frontal lobe damaged control group. Subjects with VMF damage were less influenced by the energy (emotion, complexity) and color radiance (warmth, saturation) of the artwork, while they were similar to control groups in considering saliency, balance and concreteness. These dissociations argue that VMF is critical for allowing certain affective content to influence subjective value, while sparing the influence of perceptual or representational information. These distinctions are important for better defining the often-underspecified concept of subjective value and developing more detailed models of the brain mechanisms underlying decision behavior. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Predictors of subjective health status 10 years post-PCI.

Science.gov (United States)

van den Berge, Jan C; Dulfer, Karolijn; Utens, Elisabeth M W J; Hartman, Eline M J; Daemen, Joost; van Geuns, Robert J; van Domburg, Ron T

2016-06-01

Subjective health status is an increasingly important parameter to assess the effect of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in clinical practice. Aim of this study was to determine medical and psychosocial predictors of poor subjective health status over a 10 years' post-PCI period. We included a series of consecutive PCI patients (n = 573) as part of the RESEARCH registry, a Dutch single-center retrospective cohort study. These patients completed the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) at baseline and 10 years post-PCI. We found 6 predictors of poor subjective health status 10 years post-PCI: SF-36 at baseline, age, previous PCI, obesity, acute myocardial infarction as indication for PCI, and diabetes mellitus (arranged from most to least numbers of sub domains). SF-36 scores at baseline, age, and previous PCI were significant predictors of subjective health status 10 years post-PCI. Specifically, the SF-36 score at baseline was an important predictor. Thus assessment of subjective health status at baseline is useful as an indicator to predict long-term subjective health status. Subjective health status becomes better by optimal medical treatment, cardiac rehabilitation and psychosocial support. This is the first study determining predictors of subjective health status 10 years post-PCI.

Question order sensitivity of subjective well-being measures: focus on life satisfaction, self-rated health, and subjective life expectancy in survey instruments.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Sunghee; McClain, Colleen; Webster, Noah; Han, Saram

2016-10-01

This study examines the effect of question context created by order in questionnaires on three subjective well-being measures: life satisfaction, self-rated health, and subjective life expectancy. We conducted two Web survey experiments. The first experiment (n = 648) altered the order of life satisfaction and self-rated health: (1) life satisfaction asked immediately after self-rated health; (2) self-rated health immediately after life satisfaction; and (3) two items placed apart. We examined their correlation coefficient by experimental condition and further examined its interaction with objective health. The second experiment (n = 479) asked life expectancy before and after parental mortality questions. Responses to life expectancy were compared by order using ANOVA, and we examined interaction with parental mortality status using ANCOVA. Additionally, response time and probes were examined. Correlation coefficients between self-rated health and life satisfaction differed significantly by order: 0.313 (life satisfaction first), 0.508 (apart), and 0.643 (self-rated health first). Differences were larger among respondents with chronic conditions. Response times were the shortest when self-rated health was asked first. When life expectancy asked after parental mortality questions, respondents reported considering parents more for answering life expectancy; and respondents with deceased parents reported significantly lower expectancy, but not those whose parents were alive. Question context effects exist. Findings suggest placing life satisfaction and self-rated health apart to avoid artificial attenuation or inflation in their association. Asking about parental mortality prior to life expectancy appears advantageous as this leads respondents to consider parental longevity more, an important factor for true longevity.

Agriculture vs. social sciences: subject classification and sociological conceptualization of rural tourism in Scopus and Web of Science

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marjan HOČEVAR

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Agriculture and consumptive function of countryside (rural areas are connected which should be reflected in scientific research. In order to test relationships, we selected the topic of rural tourism (also agritourism, agrotourism, agricultural tourism considering sociological conceptualization (social sciences, sociology and methodological approaches of information sciences (bibliometrics, scientometrics in describing fields of science or scientific disciplines. We ascertained scatter of information in citation databases (Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar. Functionalities were evaluated, affecting search precision and recall in information retrieval. We mapped documents to Scopus subject areas as well as Web of Science (WOS research areas and subject categories, and related publications (journals. Databases do not differ substantially in mapping this topic. Social sciences (including economics or business occupy by far the most important place. The strongest concentration was found in tourism-related journals (consistent with power laws. Agriculture-related publications are rare, accounting for some 10 % of documents. Interdisciplinarity seems to be weak. Results point to poor inclusion of emerging social topics in agricultural research whereby agriculture may lose out in possible venues of future research.

Towards a definition of SUBJECT in binding domains and subject ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

be antecedents for subject-oriented anaphors (e.g. Maling 1984) ... 1985), it is unclear what actually determines this binding behaviour, or why subjects should ..... contexts can be unified by the fact that both functionally determine their complements. ...... Binding theory, control and pro. ... San Diego: Academic Press. pp. 179 ...

Subjective well-being among young people in five Eastern European countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Lim, M S C; Cappa, C; Patton, G C

2017-01-01

Subjective well-being incorporates elements of life satisfaction, happiness and optimism. It is increasingly relevant in the assessment of population health and economic development. There are strong continuities in well-being from youth into later life. Despite its significance, few global surveys capture subjective well-being. This paper describes patterns of well-being among young people in five Eastern European countries [Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia and Ukraine] and investigates association between demographic factors and well-being. Nationally representative household surveys, including large Roma population samples, were conducted as part of UNICEF's Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey programme. Young people aged 15-24 years ( N  = 11 944) indicated their satisfaction with life, happiness and expectations about the future. Multilevel logistic regressions were conducted to determine the impact of individual-level predictors while accounting for country- and cluster-level variability. Around 40% of young people considered themselves very happy or very satisfied with their life overall. Three quarters reported optimism. Yet well-being varied greatly between countries, with youth in BiH and Ukraine reporting lowest levels of well-being. Current marriage, increasing wealth, higher education, rural residence and not having children were associated with greater well-being. Patterns of well-being in youth vary substantially between countries and are only partly accounted for by standard demographic characteristics. Despite higher rates of adolescent marriage and childbearing, and lower levels of educational attainment and employment, Roma youth had similar levels of well-being to the general population.

Warranty claim analysis considering human factors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu Shaomin

2011-01-01

Warranty claims are not always due to product failures. They can also be caused by two types of human factors. On the one hand, consumers might claim warranty due to misuse and/or failures caused by various human factors. Such claims might account for more than 10% of all reported claims. On the other hand, consumers might not be bothered to claim warranty for failed items that are still under warranty, or they may claim warranty after they have experienced several intermittent failures. These two types of human factors can affect warranty claim costs. However, research in this area has received rather little attention. In this paper, we propose three models to estimate the expected warranty cost when the two types of human factors are included. We consider two types of failures: intermittent and fatal failures, which might result in different claim patterns. Consumers might report claims after a fatal failure has occurred, and upon intermittent failures they might report claims after a number of failures have occurred. Numerical examples are given to validate the results derived.

The role of physical activity in pre-service teachers’ subjective vitality

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdullah Bora Özkara

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Background: In the present study, subjective vitality considered to be one of the contributions provided by participation in physical activity is examined on a sample of pre-service teachers. When teachers who are important part of education system are healthy and fit, it will help to build future generations. Materials: The research was conducted in the city of Trabzon, located in the northeastern region of Turkey. The sample of the study is composed of 328 last grade pre-service teachers (133 women, 195 men, age: 23.14 ± 2.62 studying at Karadeniz Technical University in the academic year of 2015-2016. Data was collected through Childhood and Adolescence Physical Activity Levels Questionnaire, Subjective Vitality Scale, and a personal information form asking for information about gender, doing sports as a certified sportsman/woman and department. Results: The research results yielded a significant difference between subjective vitality levels of those who do sports as a certified sportsman/woman and those who do not, and between pre-service teachers of physical education and those of other departments (p<0,01. There was also a positive and low-level significant relationship between subjective vitality and physical activity experiences of pre-service teachers (r= .23; p<0.01. However, subjective vitality did not differ significantly by gender. Conclusions: The research results seem to support other studies that reveal social and psychological contributions provided by participation in physical activity. Therefore, participation in physical activity seems to have positive effects on the subjective vitality of pre-service teachers.

The Gut Microbiota of Healthy Chilean Subjects Reveals a High Abundance of the Phylum Verrucomicrobia

Science.gov (United States)

Fujio-Vejar, Sayaka; Vasquez, Yessenia; Morales, Pamela; Magne, Fabien; Vera-Wolf, Patricia; Ugalde, Juan A.; Navarrete, Paola; Gotteland, Martin

2017-01-01

The gut microbiota is currently recognized as an important factor regulating the homeostasis of the gastrointestinal tract and influencing the energetic metabolism of the host as well as its immune and central nervous systems. Determining the gut microbiota composition of healthy subjects is therefore necessary to establish a baseline allowing the detection of microbiota alterations in pathologic conditions. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to characterize the gut microbiota of healthy Chilean subjects using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Fecal samples were collected from 41 young, asymptomatic, normal weight volunteers (age: 25 ± 4 years; ♀:48.8%; BMI: 22.5 ± 1.6 kg/m2) with low levels of plasma (IL6 and hsCRP) and colonic (fecal calprotectin) inflammatory markers. The V3-V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene of bacterial DNA was amplified and sequenced using MiSeq Illumina system. 109,180 ± 13,148 sequences/sample were obtained, with an α-diversity of 3.86 ± 0.37. The dominant phyla were Firmicutes (43.6 ± 9.2%) and Bacteroidetes (41.6 ± 13.1%), followed by Verrucomicrobia (8.5 ± 10.4%), Proteobacteria (2.8 ± 4.8%), Actinobacteria (1.8 ± 3.9%) and Euryarchaeota (1.4 ± 2.7%). The core microbiota representing the genera present in all the subjects included Bacteroides, Prevotella, Parabacteroides (phylum Bacteroidetes), Phascolarctobacterium, Faecalibacterium, Ruminococcus, Lachnospira, Oscillospira, Blautia, Dorea, Roseburia, Coprococcus, Clostridium, Streptococcus (phylum Firmicutes), Akkermansia (phylum Verrucomicrobia), and Collinsella (phylum Actinobacteria). Butyrate-producing genera including Faecalibacterium, Roseburia, Coprococcus, and Oscillospira were detected. The family Methanobacteriaceae was reported in 83% of the subjects and Desulfovibrio, the most representative sulfate-reducing genus, in 76%. The microbiota of the Chilean individuals significantly differed from those of Papua New Guinea and the Matses ethnic group and was closer to that of

The Gut Microbiota of Healthy Chilean Subjects Reveals a High Abundance of the Phylum Verrucomicrobia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sayaka Fujio-Vejar

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The gut microbiota is currently recognized as an important factor regulating the homeostasis of the gastrointestinal tract and influencing the energetic metabolism of the host as well as its immune and central nervous systems. Determining the gut microbiota composition of healthy subjects is therefore necessary to establish a baseline allowing the detection of microbiota alterations in pathologic conditions. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to characterize the gut microbiota of healthy Chilean subjects using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Fecal samples were collected from 41 young, asymptomatic, normal weight volunteers (age: 25 ± 4 years; ♀:48.8%; BMI: 22.5 ± 1.6 kg/m2 with low levels of plasma (IL6 and hsCRP and colonic (fecal calprotectin inflammatory markers. The V3-V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene of bacterial DNA was amplified and sequenced using MiSeq Illumina system. 109,180 ± 13,148 sequences/sample were obtained, with an α-diversity of 3.86 ± 0.37. The dominant phyla were Firmicutes (43.6 ± 9.2% and Bacteroidetes (41.6 ± 13.1%, followed by Verrucomicrobia (8.5 ± 10.4%, Proteobacteria (2.8 ± 4.8%, Actinobacteria (1.8 ± 3.9% and Euryarchaeota (1.4 ± 2.7%. The core microbiota representing the genera present in all the subjects included Bacteroides, Prevotella, Parabacteroides (phylum Bacteroidetes, Phascolarctobacterium, Faecalibacterium, Ruminococcus, Lachnospira, Oscillospira, Blautia, Dorea, Roseburia, Coprococcus, Clostridium, Streptococcus (phylum Firmicutes, Akkermansia (phylum Verrucomicrobia, and Collinsella (phylum Actinobacteria. Butyrate-producing genera including Faecalibacterium, Roseburia, Coprococcus, and Oscillospira were detected. The family Methanobacteriaceae was reported in 83% of the subjects and Desulfovibrio, the most representative sulfate-reducing genus, in 76%. The microbiota of the Chilean individuals significantly differed from those of Papua New Guinea and the Matses ethnic group and was closer to

Including non-public data and studies in systematic reviews and systematic maps.

Science.gov (United States)

Haddaway, Neal R; Collins, Alexandra M; Coughlin, Deborah; Kohl, Christian

2017-02-01

Systematic reviews and maps should be based on the best available evidence, and reviewers should make all reasonable efforts to source and include potentially relevant studies. However, reviewers may not be able to consider all existing evidence, since some data and studies may not be publicly available. Including non-public studies in reviews provides a valuable opportunity to increase systematic review/map comprehensiveness, potentially mitigating negative impacts of publication bias. Studies may be non-public for many reasons: some may still be in the process of being published (publication can take a long time); some may not be published due to author/publisher restrictions; publication bias may make it difficult to publish non-significant or negative results. Here, we consider what forms these non-public studies may take and the implications of including them in systematic reviews and maps. Reviewers should carefully consider the advantages and disadvantages of including non-public studies, weighing risks of bias against benefits of increased comprehensiveness. As with all systematic reviews and maps, reviewers must be transparent about methods used to obtain data and avoid risks of bias in their synthesis. We make tentative suggestions for reviewers in situations where non-public data may be present in an evidence base. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Clinical pharmacokinetics of Icotinib, an anti-cancer drug: evaluation of dose proportionality, food effect, and tolerability in healthy subjects.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Dongyang; Jiang, Ji; Zhang, Li; Tan, Fenlai; Wang, Yingxiang; Zhang, Don; Hu, Pei

2014-04-01

Icotinib, an oral epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor, has proved effectiveness in xenografted nude mice. Purpose of the present studies was to investigate tolerability and pharmacokinetics of Icotinib in healthy subjects for the first time, including dose proportionality, food effect, and tolerability. Two studies were conducted in total of 22 healthy subjects: a randomized, two-Latin-square crossover, dose proportional study (n = 12) and a randomized two-way crossover food-effect study (n = 10). Plasma concentration of Icotinib reached peak at a median Tmax of 0.75-3.5 h after single dose and then declined with a mean t1/2β of 6.02-7.83 h. Over the dose range of 100-600 mg, AUC values were proportional to dose and Cmax showed a slight saturation when dose increases. Only 0.2 % of the dose was excreted through kidney in unchanged Icotinib. After dosing 400 mg of Icotinib with high-fat and high-calorie meal, mean Cmax and AUC were significantly increased by 59 and 79 %, respectively. Three subjects experienced four adverse events (rash, increase in AST and ALT, and external injury). Rash and increased levels of AST and ALT were considered as drug-related. No serious adverse events were reported. The current work demonstrated that Icotinib was well tolerated in healthy male subjects (n = 22) over the dose range of 100-600 mg with or without food. Icotinib exposure, expressed in AUC, was proportionally increased with dose over the above dose range. Food intake significantly increased the absorption and exposure of Icotinib in healthy subjects.

Effects of weight loss in metabolically healthy obese subjects after laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding and hypocaloric diet.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giorgio Sesti

Full Text Available Weight loss in metabolically healthy obese (MHO subjects may result in deterioration of cardio-metabolic risk profile. We analyzed the effects of weight loss induced by laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB on cardio-metabolic risk factors in MHO and insulin resistant obese (IRO individuals. This study included 190 morbidly obese non-diabetic subjects. Obese individuals were stratified on the basis of their insulin sensitivity index (ISI, estimated from an OGTT, into MHO (ISI index in the upper quartile and IRO (ISI in the three lower quartiles. Anthropometric and cardio-metabolic variables were measured at baseline and 6-months after LAGB. Six months after LAGB, anthropometric measures were significantly reduced in both MHO and IRO. Percent changes in body weight, BMI, and waist circumference did not differ between the two groups. Fasting glucose and insulin levels, triglycerides, AST, and ALT were significantly reduced, and HDL cholesterol significantly increased, in both MHO and IRO subjects with no differences in percent changes from baseline. Insulin sensitivity increased in both MHO and IRO group. Insulin secretion was significantly reduced in the IRO group only. However, the disposition index significantly increased in both MHO and IRO individuals with no differences in percent changes from baseline between the two groups. The change in insulin sensitivity correlated with the change in BMI (r = -0.43; P<0.0001. In conclusion, our findings reinforce the recommendation that weight loss in response to LAGB intervention should be considered an appropriate treatment option for morbidly obese individuals regardless of their metabolic status, i.e. MHO vs. IRO subjects.

Job satisfaction and subjective well-being among Czech nurses.

Science.gov (United States)

Gurková, Elena; Haroková, Sylvie; Džuka, Jozef; Žiaková, Katarína

2014-04-01

The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between domains of the job satisfaction and components of subjective well-being in nurses. A convenience sample of hospital nurses was recruited from six hospitals in Czech Republic. Data were collected using a set of questionnaires that included the McCloskey/Mueller Satisfaction Scale, the Positive Affect Scale, the Negative Affect Scale and the Personal Well-being Index. We confirmed low association between job satisfaction and subjective well-being of nurses. Satisfaction with extrinsic rewards, co-workers and family/work balance accounted for only a small percentage of variance in cognitive component of subjective well-being. Positive affect was predicted by interaction opportunities and scheduling. Negative affect was predicted by interaction opportunities and scheduling and intention to leave the actual workplace. Low percentage of the variance suggests that subjective well-being is not strongly influenced by job satisfaction. © 2013 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

New preemptive scheduling for OBS networks considering cascaded wavelength conversion

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Xingbo; Bassiouni, Mostafa A.; Li, Guifang

2009-05-01

In this paper we introduce a new preemptive scheduling technique for next generation optical burst-switched networks considering the impact of cascaded wavelength conversions. It has been shown that when optical bursts are transmitted all optically from source to destination, each wavelength conversion performed along the lightpath may cause certain signal-to-noise deterioration. If the distortion of the signal quality becomes significant enough, the receiver would not be able to recover the original data. Accordingly, subject to this practical impediment, we improve a recently proposed fair channel scheduling algorithm to deal with the fairness problem and aim at burst loss reduction simultaneously in optical burst switching. In our scheme, the dynamic priority associated with each burst is based on a constraint threshold and the number of already conducted wavelength conversions among other factors for this burst. When contention occurs, a new arriving superior burst may preempt another scheduled one according to their priorities. Extensive simulation results have shown that the proposed scheme further improves fairness and achieves burst loss reduction as well.

Prosocial Behavior and Subjective Insecurity in Violent Contexts: Field Experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Vélez, María Alejandra; Trujillo, Carlos Andres; Moros, Lina; Forero, Clemente

2016-01-01

Subjective insecurity is a key determinant of different forms of prosocial behavior. In Study 1, we used field experiments with farmers in Colombian villages exposed to different levels of violence to investigate how individual perceptions of insecurity affect cooperation, trust, reciprocity and altruism. To do so, we developed a cognitive-affective measure of subjective insecurity. We found that subjective insecurity has a negative effect on cooperation but influences trust and altruism positively. In Study 2, carried out three years after Study 1, we repeated the initial design with additional measures of victimization. Our goal was to relate subjective insecurity with actual victimization. The findings of Study 2 support the initial results, and are robust and consistent for cooperative behavior and trust when including victimization as a mediator. Different indicators of victimization are positively correlated with subjective insecurity and an aggregate index of victimization has a negative effect on cooperation but exerts a positive influence on trust. PMID:27472437

Prosocial Behavior and Subjective Insecurity in Violent Contexts: Field Experiments.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

María Alejandra Vélez

Full Text Available Subjective insecurity is a key determinant of different forms of prosocial behavior. In Study 1, we used field experiments with farmers in Colombian villages exposed to different levels of violence to investigate how individual perceptions of insecurity affect cooperation, trust, reciprocity and altruism. To do so, we developed a cognitive-affective measure of subjective insecurity. We found that subjective insecurity has a negative effect on cooperation but influences trust and altruism positively. In Study 2, carried out three years after Study 1, we repeated the initial design with additional measures of victimization. Our goal was to relate subjective insecurity with actual victimization. The findings of Study 2 support the initial results, and are robust and consistent for cooperative behavior and trust when including victimization as a mediator. Different indicators of victimization are positively correlated with subjective insecurity and an aggregate index of victimization has a negative effect on cooperation but exerts a positive influence on trust.

Prosocial Behavior and Subjective Insecurity in Violent Contexts: Field Experiments.

Science.gov (United States)

Vélez, María Alejandra; Trujillo, Carlos Andres; Moros, Lina; Forero, Clemente

2016-01-01

Subjective insecurity is a key determinant of different forms of prosocial behavior. In Study 1, we used field experiments with farmers in Colombian villages exposed to different levels of violence to investigate how individual perceptions of insecurity affect cooperation, trust, reciprocity and altruism. To do so, we developed a cognitive-affective measure of subjective insecurity. We found that subjective insecurity has a negative effect on cooperation but influences trust and altruism positively. In Study 2, carried out three years after Study 1, we repeated the initial design with additional measures of victimization. Our goal was to relate subjective insecurity with actual victimization. The findings of Study 2 support the initial results, and are robust and consistent for cooperative behavior and trust when including victimization as a mediator. Different indicators of victimization are positively correlated with subjective insecurity and an aggregate index of victimization has a negative effect on cooperation but exerts a positive influence on trust.

Rethinking the intensive care environment: considering nature in nursing practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Minton, Claire; Batten, Lesley

2016-01-01

With consideration of an environmental concept, this paper explores evidence related to the negative impacts of the intensive care unit environment on patient outcomes and explores the potential counteracting benefits of 'nature-based' nursing interventions as a way to improve care outcomes. The impact of the environment in which a patient is nursed has long been recognised as one determinant in patient outcomes. Whilst the contemporary intensive care unit environment contains many features that support the provision of the intensive therapies the patient requires, it can also be detrimental, especially for long-stay patients. This narrative review considers theoretical and evidence-based literature that supports the adoption of nature-based nursing interventions in intensive care units. Research and theoretical literature from a diverse range of disciplines including nursing, medicine, psychology, architecture and environmental science were considered in relation to patient outcomes and intensive care nursing practice. There are many nature-based interventions that intensive care unit nurses can implement into their nursing practice to counteract environmental stressors. These interventions can also improve the environment for patients' families and nurses. Intensive care unit nurses must actively consider and manage the environment in which nursing occurs to facilitate the best patient outcomes. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Sexual dysfunction in subjects treated with inhibitors of 5α-reductase for benign prostatic hyperplasia: a comprehensive review and meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Corona, G; Tirabassi, G; Santi, D; Maseroli, E; Gacci, M; Dicuio, M; Sforza, A; Mannucci, E; Maggi, M

2017-07-01

Despite their efficacy in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia, the popularity of inhibitors of 5α-reductase (5ARIs) is limited by their association with adverse sexual side effects. The aim of this study was to review and meta-analyze currently available randomized clinical trials evaluating the rate of sexual side effects in men treated with 5ARIs. An extensive Medline Embase and Cochrane search was performed including the following words: 'finasteride', 'dutasteride', 'benign prostatic hyperplasia'. Only placebo-controlled randomized clinical trials evaluating the effect of 5ARI in subjects with benign prostatic hyperplasia were considered. Of 383 retrieved articles, 17 were included in this study. Randomized clinical trials enrolled 24,463 in the active and 22,270 patients in the placebo arms, respectively, with a mean follow-up of 99 weeks and mean age of 64.0 years. No difference was observed between trials using finasteride or dutasteride as the active arm considering age, trial duration, prostate volume or International Prostatic Symptoms Score at enrollment. Overall, 5ARIs determined an increased risk of hypoactive sexual desire [OR = 1.54 (1.29; 1.82); p dysfunction [OR = 1.47 (1.29; 1.68); p sexual desire and erectile dysfunction was observed. Meta-regression analysis showed that the risk of hypoactive sexual desire and erectile dysfunction was higher in subjects with lower Q max at enrollment and decreased as a function of trial follow-up. Conversely, no effect of age, low urinary tract symptom or prostate volume at enrollment as well as Q max at end-point was observed. In conclusion, present data show that the use of 5ARI significantly increases the risk of erectile dysfunction and hypoactive sexual desire in subjects with benign prostatic hyperplasia. Patients should be adequately informed before 5ARIs are prescribed. © 2017 American Society of Andrology and European Academy of Andrology.

Pleural fluid cell-free DNA integrity index to identify cytologically negative malignant pleural effusions including mesotheliomas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sriram, Krishna B; Courtney, Deborah; Yang, Ian A; Bowman, Rayleen V; Fong, Kwun M; Relan, Vandana; Clarke, Belinda E; Duhig, Edwina E; Windsor, Morgan N; Matar, Kevin S; Naidoo, Rishendran; Passmore, Linda; McCaul, Elizabeth

2012-01-01

The diagnosis of malignant pleural effusions (MPE) is often clinically challenging, especially if the cytology is negative for malignancy. DNA integrity index has been reported to be a marker of malignancy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the utility of pleural fluid DNA integrity index in the diagnosis of MPE. We studied 75 pleural fluid and matched serum samples from consecutive subjects. Pleural fluid and serum ALU DNA repeats [115bp, 247bp and 247bp/115bp ratio (DNA integrity index)] were assessed by real-time quantitative PCR. Pleural fluid and serum mesothelin levels were quantified using ELISA. Based on clinico-pathological evaluation, 52 subjects had MPE (including 16 mesotheliomas) and 23 had benign effusions. Pleural fluid DNA integrity index was higher in MPE compared with benign effusions (1.2 vs. 0.8; p<0.001). Cytology had a sensitivity of 55% in diagnosing MPE. If cytology and pleural fluid DNA integrity index were considered together, they exhibited 81% sensitivity and 87% specificity in distinguishing benign and malignant effusions. In cytology-negative pleural effusions (35 MPE and 28 benign effusions), elevated pleural fluid DNA integrity index had an 81% positive predictive value in detecting MPEs. In the detection of mesothelioma, at a specificity of 90%, pleural fluid DNA integrity index had similar sensitivity to pleural fluid and serum mesothelin (75% each respectively). Pleural fluid DNA integrity index is a promising diagnostic biomarker for identification of MPEs, including mesothelioma. This biomarker may be particularly useful in cases of MPE where pleural aspirate cytology is negative, and could guide the decision to undertake more invasive definitive testing. A prospective validation study is being undertaken to validate our findings and test the clinical utility of this biomarker for altering clinical practice

Relationships Between Self-Serving Attributional Bias and Subjective Well-Being Among Danish and Spanish Women

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sanjuán, Pilar; Jensen de López, Kristine M.

2013-01-01

samples from Denmark and Spain. SSAB has been inversely associated with psychological distress. However, well-being is not merely the absence of psychological distress. Therefore, positive affect balance and life satisfaction, as components of subjective well-being (SWB), were considered with the aim...

Better Renal Resistive Index Profile in Subjects with Beta Thalassemia Minor .

Science.gov (United States)

Basut, Fahrettin; Keşkek, Şakir Özgür; Gülek, Bozkurt

2018-05-03

Beta thalassaemia minor is a common genetic disorder without any characteristic symptoms except mild anemia. It is found to be associated with some cardiovascular risk factors such as insulin resistance and diabetes mellitus. The renal resistive index (RRI) is a measure of renal arterial resistance to blood flow. The aim of this study was to evaluate the renal resistive index in subjects with beta thalassaemia minor (BTM). A total of 253 subjects were included in this cross-sectional study. The study group consisted of 148 subjects with BTM and the control group consisted of 105 healthy subjects. Beta thalassaemia minor was diagnosed by complete blood count and hemoglobin electrophoresis. Blood pressure measurement and biochemical tests were performed. Renal resistive index of all subjects was measured using renal Doppler ultrasonography. Subjects with beta thalassemia minor had lower renal resistive indices compared to healthy subjects (0.58 ± 0.04 vs. 0.60 ± 0.06, p = 0.0016). Additionally, the RRI levels of subjects with BTM were correlated with systolic blood pressure (p = 0.017, r = 0.194). In this study, lower renal resistive index was found in subjects with BTM. This may be associated with decreased vascular resistance and blood viscosity in these subjects. ©2018The Author(s). Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.

Prevalence and Associated Factors of Subjective Halitosis in Korean Adolescents

OpenAIRE

Kim, So Young; Sim, Songyong; Kim, Sung-Gyun; Park, Bumjung; Choi, Hyo Geun

2015-01-01

This study was conducted to estimate the prevalence and associated factors of subjective halitosis in adolescents. In total, 359,263 participants were selected from the Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey (KYRBWS) from 2009 through 2013. Demographic data including age, sex, obesity and residency; psychosocial factors such as subjective health, stress, and economic levels; and dietary factors such as alcohol consumption; smoking; and fruit, soda, fast food, instant noodle, confection, a...

Sonographic evaluation of the plantar fascia in asymptomatic subjects.

Science.gov (United States)

Gadalla, N; Kichouh, M; Boulet, C; Machiels, F; De Mey, J; De Maeseneer, M

2014-01-01

To evaluate the appearance of the plantar fascia in asymptomatic subjects. Thirty-one asymptomatic subjects were examined by 2 musculoskeletal radiologists. The plantar fascia was evaluated for thickness, echogenicity, vascularity on power Doppler, rupture, fluid adjacent to the fascia, andcalcifications. The study included 14 men and 17 women (age, 17-79 years; mean, 45 years). The mean thickness of the plantar fascia in men was 3.7 mm (range 2.5-7 mm), and in women 3.5 mm (range, 1.7-5.1 mm). The thickness was greater than 4 mm in 4 men (bilateral in 2). The mean thickness of fascias thicker than 4 mm in men was 5.4 mm (range, 4.3-7 mm). The thickness was greater than 4 mm in 5 women ( bilateral in 4). The mean thickness of fascias thicker than 4 mm in women was 4.7 mm (range, 4.2-5.1 mm). There was no statistically significant difference between men and women and between both heels. Hypoechogenicity was observed in 3 men (bilateral in 2), and in 5 women (bilateral in 6). Hypervascularity, rupture, fluid adjacent to the fascia, and calcifications were not observed. A thickness greater than 4 mm and hypoechogenicity, are common in the plantar fascia of asymptomatic subjects. Findings that were not seen in asymptomatic subjects include a thickness greater than 7 mm, hypervascularity on power Doppler, rupture, fluid adjacent to the fascia, and calcifications.

RUSSIAN LAW SUBJECTS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D.N. Bakhrakh

2006-03-01

Full Text Available The question about the subjects of law branches is concerning the number of most important and difficult in law science. Its right decision influences on the subject of law regulation, precise definition of addressees of law norms, the volume of their rights and duties, the limits of action of norms of Main part of the branch, its principles. Scientific investigations, dedicated to law subjects system, promote the development of recommendations for the legislative and law applying activity; they are needed for scientific work organization and student training, for preparing qualified lawyers.

Subject (of documents)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hjørland, Birger

2017-01-01

This article presents and discuss the concept “subject” or subject matter (of documents) as it has been examined in library and information science (LIS) for more than 100 years. Different theoretical positions are outlined and it is found that the most important distinction is between document......-oriented views versus request-oriented views. The document-oriented view conceive subject as something inherent in documents, whereas the request-oriented view (or the policy based view) understand subject as an attribution made to documents in order to facilitate certain uses of them. Related concepts...

Students as subjects in food advertising studies. An appraisal of appropriateness.

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Hojoon; Reid, Leonard N

2014-10-01

Considerable knowledge on food advertising has been generated by research on consumers' psychological reactions to food advertising messaging using either students or nonstudents as subjects. Building on past research, this article investigates the methodological question of whether students are appropriate surrogates for nonstudents in food advertising studies. Following exposure to print advertisements featuring healthy and unhealthy foods with two different nutrient attribute-based message appeals, student and nonstudent subjects were asked to complete five standard evaluative response measures to the food ads: claim believability, attitude-toward-the ad, attitude-toward-the-product, attitude-toward-the-brand, and purchase intention. Among the findings, students were found to react differently and more negatively to identical food advertisements than nonstudents. Overall, the message sent to health communication researchers, policy officials, and practicing professionals is - unless certain criteria are satisfied - students should be considered inadequate subjects to represent all age groups of the general population in food advertising research. Thus, conclusions drawn from student-based research about advertising processing and effects should be questioned and broad generalizations avoided. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

SU-F-207-02: Use of Postmortem Subjects for Subjective Image Quality Assessment in Abdominal CT Protocols with Iterative Reconstruction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mench, A [Salem Hospital, Salem, OR (United States); Lipnharski, I; Carranza, C; Lamoureux, R; Smajdor, L; Cormack, B; Mohammed, T; Rill, L; Arreola, M [University of Florida, Gainesville, FL (United States); Sinclair, L [Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR (United States)

2015-06-15

Purpose: New radiation dose reduction technologies are emerging constantly in the medical imaging field. The latest of these technologies, iterative reconstruction (IR) in CT, presents the ability to reduce dose significantly and hence provides great opportunity for CT protocol optimization. However, without effective analysis of image quality, the reduction in radiation exposure becomes irrelevant. This work explores the use of postmortem subjects as an image quality assessment medium for protocol optimizations in abdominal CT. Methods: Three female postmortem subjects were scanned using the Abdomen-Pelvis (AP) protocol at reduced minimum tube current and target noise index (SD) settings of 12.5, 17.5, 20.0, and 25.0. Images were reconstructed using two strengths of iterative reconstruction. Radiologists and radiology residents from several subspecialties were asked to evaluate 8 AP image sets including the current facility default scan protocol and 7 scans with the parameters varied as listed above. Images were viewed in the soft tissue window and scored on a 3-point scale as acceptable, borderline acceptable, and unacceptable for diagnosis. The facility default AP scan was identified to the reviewer while the 7 remaining AP scans were randomized and de-identified of acquisition and reconstruction details. The observers were also asked to comment on the subjective image quality criteria they used for scoring images. This included visibility of specific anatomical structures and tissue textures. Results: Radiologists scored images as acceptable or borderline acceptable for target noise index settings of up to 20. Due to the postmortem subjects’ close representation of living human anatomy, readers were able to evaluate images as they would those of actual patients. Conclusion: Postmortem subjects have already been proven useful for direct CT organ dose measurements. This work illustrates the validity of their use for the crucial evaluation of image quality

SU-F-207-02: Use of Postmortem Subjects for Subjective Image Quality Assessment in Abdominal CT Protocols with Iterative Reconstruction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mench, A; Lipnharski, I; Carranza, C; Lamoureux, R; Smajdor, L; Cormack, B; Mohammed, T; Rill, L; Arreola, M; Sinclair, L

2015-01-01

Purpose: New radiation dose reduction technologies are emerging constantly in the medical imaging field. The latest of these technologies, iterative reconstruction (IR) in CT, presents the ability to reduce dose significantly and hence provides great opportunity for CT protocol optimization. However, without effective analysis of image quality, the reduction in radiation exposure becomes irrelevant. This work explores the use of postmortem subjects as an image quality assessment medium for protocol optimizations in abdominal CT. Methods: Three female postmortem subjects were scanned using the Abdomen-Pelvis (AP) protocol at reduced minimum tube current and target noise index (SD) settings of 12.5, 17.5, 20.0, and 25.0. Images were reconstructed using two strengths of iterative reconstruction. Radiologists and radiology residents from several subspecialties were asked to evaluate 8 AP image sets including the current facility default scan protocol and 7 scans with the parameters varied as listed above. Images were viewed in the soft tissue window and scored on a 3-point scale as acceptable, borderline acceptable, and unacceptable for diagnosis. The facility default AP scan was identified to the reviewer while the 7 remaining AP scans were randomized and de-identified of acquisition and reconstruction details. The observers were also asked to comment on the subjective image quality criteria they used for scoring images. This included visibility of specific anatomical structures and tissue textures. Results: Radiologists scored images as acceptable or borderline acceptable for target noise index settings of up to 20. Due to the postmortem subjects’ close representation of living human anatomy, readers were able to evaluate images as they would those of actual patients. Conclusion: Postmortem subjects have already been proven useful for direct CT organ dose measurements. This work illustrates the validity of their use for the crucial evaluation of image quality

Cerebral atrophy in elderly with subjective memory complaints

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Palm, W.M.; Ferrarini, L.; van der Flier, W.M.; Westendorp, R.G.J.; Bollen, E.L.E.M.; Middelkoop, H.A.M.; Milles, J.R.; van der Grond, J.; van Buchem, M.A.

2013-01-01

Purpose To evaluate ventricular shape differences along the complete surface of the lateral and third ventricles of persons with subjective memory complaints (MC). Materials and Methods We included 28 controls and 21 persons with MC. FLAIR, T2, and PD-weighted brain MRI scans were acquired at 1.5

Including climate change in energy investment decisions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ybema, J.R.; Boonekamp, P.G.M.; Smit, J.T.J.

1995-08-01

To properly take climate change into account in the analysis of energy investment decisions, it is required to apply decision analysis methods that are capable of considering the specific characteristics of climate change (large uncertainties, long term horizon). Such decision analysis methods do exist. They can explicitly include evolving uncertainties, multi-stage decisions, cumulative effects and risk averse attitudes. Various methods are considered in this report and two of these methods have been selected: hedging calculations and sensitivity analysis. These methods are applied to illustrative examples, and its limitations are discussed. The examples are (1a) space heating and hot water for new houses from a private investor perspective and (1b) as example (1a) but from a government perspective, (2) electricity production with an integrated coal gasification combined cycle (ICGCC) with or without CO 2 removal, and (3) national energy strategy to hedge for climate change. 9 figs., 21 tabs., 42 refs., 1 appendix

Hybrid Processing of Measurable and Subjective Data; TOPICAL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

COOPER, J. ARLIN; ROGINSKI, ROBERT J.

2001-01-01

Conventional systems surety analysis is basically restricted to measurable or physical-model-derived data. However, most analyses, including high-consequence system surety analysis, must also utilize subjective information. In order to address this need, there has been considerable effort on analytically incorporating engineering judgment. For example, Dempster-Shafer theory establishes a framework in which frequentist probability and Bayesian incorporation of new data are subsets. Although Bayesian and Dempster-Shafer methodology both allow judgment, neither derives results that can indicate the relative amounts of subjective judgment and measurable data in the results. The methodology described in this report addresses these problems through a hybrid-mathematics-based process that allows tracking of the degree of subjective information in the output, thereby providing more informative (as well as more appropriate) results. In addition, most high consequence systems offer difficult-to-analyze situations. For example, in the Sandia National Laboratories nuclear weapons program, the probability that a weapon responds safely when exposed to an abnormal environment (e.g., lightning, crush, metal-melting temperatures) must be assured to meet a specific requirement. There are also non-probabilistic DOE and DoD requirements (e.g., for determining the adequacy of positive measures). The type of processing required for these and similar situations transcends conventional probabilistic and human factors methodology. The results described herein address these situations by efficiently utilizing subjective and objective information in a hybrid mathematical structure in order to directly apply to the surety assessment of high consequence systems. The results can also improve the quality of the information currently provided to decision-makers. To this end, objective inputs are processed in a conventional manner; while subjective inputs are derived from the combined engineering

[The level of job satisfaction and its relation to midwives' subjective quality of life].

Science.gov (United States)

Babiarczyk, Beata; Małgorzata, Frás; Ulman-Włodarz, Izabela; Jarosova, Darja

2014-01-01

According to the so called Transactional Model of Quality of Life, job satisfaction is a part of subjective well-being. The aim of this study was to explore the relationships between professional commitment, expressed as job satisfaction or dissatisfaction, consideration of leaving the profession or/and workplace, and subjective assessment of well-being among midwives working at hospitals. The study was a part of the international research project, coordinated by the University of Ostrava. The group of respondents consisted of 176 midwives working at selected hospitals in the Silesian region. The study was conducted using the method of diagnostic survey, questionnaire techniques and standardized research tools, such as McCloskey/Mueller Satisfaction Scale (MMSS), Personal Wellbeing Index-Adult (PWI-A) and Subjective Emotional Habitual Wellbeing Scale (SEHP). The overall midwives' job satisfaction was found to be at a medium level. Respondents less satisfied with various aspects of work (interaction, co-workers, professional opportunities, praise/recognition, control/responsibility) and life (standard of living and achievements in life) were significantly more often considering changing their jobs. Dissatisfaction with the extrinsic rewards (salary, vacation, benefits package) had additionally influenced the frequency of considering changing the profession. The respondents were characterized by much lower sense of present and future security than that observed in Western countries, as well as by low satisfaction with standard of living and feeling part of the society. Job satisfaction and subjective well-being remain in strong relationship, and although it is difficult to determine the direction of these relationships, they seem to have a significant impact on each other.

Energy metabolism during activity-promoting video games practice in subjects with spinal cord injury: evidences for health promotion.

Science.gov (United States)

Gaffurini, P; Bissolotti, L; Calza, S; Calabretto, C; Orizio, C; Gobbo, M

2013-02-01

Activity promoting video game (APVG) practice significantly affects energy metabolism through energy expenditure (EE) increase and has been recently included in strategies for health promotion. It is not known if the APVG practice provides similar outcomes in subjects with spinal cord injury (SCI). Aim of the study was to evaluate cardio-pulmonary and metabolic adaptations during APVG practice and to find whether EE increase above resting condition could suggest the inclusion of this exercise in a more general strategy for health promotion and body weight control in subjects with SCI. Repeated measures study. Rehabilitation Institute. Ten male subjects with SCI (lesion levels from C7 to L1) age 26 to 55 years. We recorded pulmonary ventilation (VE), oxygen consumption (VO2) for EE esteem and heart rate (HR) at rest and while playing virtual bowling, tennis and boxing games using a portable metabolimeter equipped with ECG electrodes. The standard metabolic equivalent of task (METs) was calculated offline. The metabolic and functional parameters were referred to the 10th minute of each activity. Metabolic and functional parameters increased significantly from rest to bowling, tennis and boxing. METs exceeded in average 3 during boxing. One hour of APVG can increase daily EE by about 6% (bowling), 10% (tennis) and 15% (boxing). These considerable results suggest that physical exertion during APVG practice in subjects with SCI could contribute to health promotion as well as caloric balance control, especially when boxing is considered. This can be safely achieved at home with regular activity. These findings substantiate the potential for novel exercise modalities to counteract deconditioning due to inactivity in subjects with SCI by promoting physical activity through implementation of APVG exercise programs.

Mediating Role of Mindfulness on the Associations of Friendship Quality and Subjective Vitality.

Science.gov (United States)

Akin, Umran; Akin, Ahmet; Uğur, Erol

2016-10-01

This research investigated the mediator role of mindfulness on the relationship between friendship quality and subjective vitality. Participants were 273 university students (M age = 21 years, SD = 1.1) who completed a questionnaire package that included the Friendship Quality Scale, the Cognitive and Affective Mindfulness Scale, and the Subjective Vitality Scale. Both mindfulness and subjective vitality were correlated positively with friendship quality and subjective vitality was correlated positively with mindfulness. Mindfulness mediated the relationship between friendship quality and subjective vitality. Together, the findings illuminate the importance of friendship quality in psychological and cognitive adjustment. © The Author(s) 2016.

Obtaining subjects' consent to publish identifying personal information: current practices and identifying potential issues.

Science.gov (United States)

Yoshida, Akiko; Dowa, Yuri; Murakami, Hiromi; Kosugi, Shinji

2013-11-25

In studies publishing identifying personal information, obtaining consent is regarded as necessary, as it is impossible to ensure complete anonymity. However, current journal practices around specific points to consider when obtaining consent, the contents of consent forms and how consent forms are managed have not yet been fully examined. This study was conducted to identify potential issues surrounding consent to publish identifying personal information. Content analysis was carried out on instructions for authors and consent forms developed by academic journals in four fields (as classified by Journal Citation Reports): medicine general and internal, genetics and heredity, pediatrics, and psychiatry. An online questionnaire survey of editors working for journals that require the submission of consent forms was also conducted. Instructions for authors were reviewed for 491 academic journals (132 for medicine general and internal, 147 for genetics and heredity, 100 for pediatrics, and 112 for psychiatry). Approximately 40% (203: 74 for medicine general and internal, 31 for genetics and heredity, 58 for pediatrics, and 40 for psychiatry) stated that subject consent was necessary. The submission of consent forms was required by 30% (154) of the journals studied, and 10% (50) provided their own consent forms for authors to use. Two journals mentioned that the possible effects of publication on subjects should be considered. Many journal consent forms mentioned the difficulties in ensuring complete anonymity of subjects, but few addressed the study objective, the subjects' right to refuse consent and the withdrawal of consent. The main reason for requiring the submission of consent forms was to confirm that consent had been obtained. Approximately 40% of journals required subject consent to be obtained. However, differences were observed depending on the fields. Specific considerations were not always documented. There is a need to address issues around the study

Subject-field components as integrated parts of LSP dictionaries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bergenholtz, Henning; Nielsen, Sandro

2006-01-01

The dividing line between specialised lexicography and terminography is non-existent. The focus of preparing dictionaries for a particular subject-field should be the needs of its user group in specific situations. This is catered for by the modern theory of dictionary functions and includes...... the introduction of subject-field components in dictionaries. Dictionary functions are communication-orientated or cognition-orientated, and the lexicographers must identify the relevant functions and select and present the data so that the dictionary satisfies the needs of the users. The optimal dictionary...

Religion and Subjective Well-Being: Western and Eastern Religious Groups Achieved Subjective Well-Being in Different Ways.

Science.gov (United States)

Shiah, Yung-Jong; Chang, Frances; Chiang, Shih-Kuang; Tam, Wai-Cheong Carl

2016-08-01

Culture can moderate which variables most influence subjective well-being (SWB). Because religion can be conceptualized as culture, religious differences can be considered cultural differences. However, there have been few studies comparing how different religious groups evaluate SWB at any given time. This study is among the first to investigate this issue. The present study compared Buddhists, Taoists, Christians, and atheists. In addition to demographic items, 451 Chinese adults completed Chinese version of the Socially Oriented Cultural Conception of SWB Scale. Religious belief was distributed as follows: 10 % Christian, 20 % Buddhist, 25 % Taoist, and 43 % atheists. As predicted, the socially oriented cultural conception of SWB was found to be highest among Buddhists, followed in order by Taoists, atheists, and Christians. It was concluded that the various religious groups achieved SWB in different ways.

ADRB3 Gene Trp64Arg Polymorphism and Essential Hypertension: A Meta-Analysis Including 9,555 Subjects.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yan-Yan; Lu, Xin-Zheng; Wang, Hui; Zhou, Yan-Hong; Yang, Xin-Xing; Geng, Hong-Yu; Gong, Ge; Kim, Hyun Jun

2018-01-01

Background: Presence of the β 3-Adrenergic receptor (ADRB3) gene Trp64Arg (T64A) polymorphism may be associated with an increased susceptibility for essential hypertension (EH). A clear consensus, however, has yet to be reached. Objective and methods: To further elucidate the relationship between the ADRB3 gene Trp64Arg polymorphism and EH, a meta-analysis of 9,555 subjects aggregated from 16 individual studies was performed. The combined odds ratios (ORs) and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) were evaluated using either a random or fixed effect model. Results: We found a marginally significant association between ADRB3 gene Trp64Arg polymorphism and EH in the whole population under the additive genetic model (OR: 1.200, 95% CI: 1.00-1.43, P = 0.049). Association within the Chinese subgroup, however, was significant under allelic (OR: 1.150, 95% CI: 1.002-1.320, P = 0.046), dominant (OR: 1.213, 95% CI: 1.005-1.464, P = 0.044), heterozygous (OR: 1.430, 95% CI:1.040-1.970, P = 0.03), and additive genetic models (OR: 1.280, 95% CI: 1.030-1.580, P = 0.02). A significant association was also found in the Caucasian subgroup under allelic (OR: 1.850, 95% CI: 1. 260-2.720, P = 0.002), dominant (OR: 2.004, 95% CI: 1.316-3.052, P = 0.001), heterozygous (OR: 2.220, 95% CI: 1.450-3.400, P = 0.0002), and additive genetic models (OR: 2.000, 95% CI: 1. 330-3.010, P = 0.0009). Conclusions: The presence of the ADRB3 gene Trp64Arg polymorphism is positively associated with EH, especially in the Chinese and Caucasian population. The Arg allele carriers of ADRB3 gene Trp64Arg polymorphism may be at an increased risk for developing EH.

Study of cerebral vascular diseases with radioisotopes in cerebral atherosclerotical subjects and/for subjects with sequelae of cerebral stroke, before and after use of the association piracetam-dihydroergotoxine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lara, P.F.; Ferreira, A.; Paulillo, L.F.; Cukierman, M.

1985-01-01

Twently subjects with cerebral sclerosis and/or sequelas of cerebral stroke were studied, before and after use of piracetam-dihydroergotoxine. We performed the complete hemispheric cerebral blood flow and cerebral scintigraphy, beyond clinical and neurological examination. Scintigraphies were unchanged. Cerebral circulation times, or both hemispheres, diminished. This occurred, probably, in relation with metabolic effects of both pharmaceutical drugs. The alpha sympatolytic and modulatory effects of dihydroergotoxine should be considered. (author) [pt

Subjective memory complaints and their relation with verbal fluency in active older people.

Science.gov (United States)

Bernardes, Flavia Rodrigues; Machado, Camila Kretzer; Souza, Monique Coan; Machado, Marcos José; Belaunde, Aline Megumi Arakawa

2017-05-22

To verify subjective memory complaints and their relation to verbal fluency in older people participating in community groups. An epidemiological quantitative study performed in community groups for older people in Florianópolis, state of Santa Catarina, Brazil. Data were collected by structured interview using the Memory Complaint Questionnaire (MAC-Q) and the Verbal Fluency Test (VFT) by semantic categories "animals/minute". For an inferential descriptive analysis, data with p people in question and added to the questionnaire). We found no relation between subjective memory complaints and verbal fluency of active older people. Mnemonic complaints were correlated to the negative perception of memory and to the duration of the complaint. However, subjective memory complaints were an indicator for those individuals with negative perception of memory, being one aspect that must be considered in older people's speech when investigating a possible cognitive deterioration. Such data can assist in formulating public health care policies aimed at older people in the city, which emphasizes the importance of verifying subjective memory complaints in this population.

Subjective well-being among Episcopal priests: predictors and comparisons to non-clinical norms.

Science.gov (United States)

Stewart-Sicking, Joseph A

2012-01-01

Few studies of the clergy have examined emotional well-being using normed measures. This study examined subjective well-being among 1,581 non-retired Episcopal priests. Subjective well-being was measured with the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (Watson, Clark, & Tellegen, 1988) and the Satisfaction with Life Scale (Diener, Emmons, Larsen, & Griffin, 1985). Predictors of subjective well-being were measured with the Dispositional Hope Scale (Snyder et al., 1991) and scales of personal practices, social support, congregational dynamics, fit, and economic satisfaction. Participants reported more positive affect (Hedges's g = 1.19), more negative affect (Hedges's g = 0.61) and more satisfaction with life (Hedges's g = 0.73) than nonclinical norms. Hope agency was the strongest predictor for positive affect and satisfaction with life; stress was the strongest predictor for negative affect and partially mediated the effect of congregational dynamics and fit on this outcome. Results suggest that prevention programs must focus on all aspects of subjective well-being and consider the direct effects of different levels of the ecosystem to be effective.

40 CFR 60.2065 - What should I include in my waste management plan?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... Management Plan § 60.2065 What should I include in my waste management plan? A waste management plan must... additional waste management measures and implement those measures the source considers practical and feasible, considering the effectiveness of waste management measures already in place, the costs of additional measures...

Modeling vehicle interior noise exposure dose on freeways: Considering weaving segment designs and engine operation.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Qing; Qiao, Fengxiang; Yu, Lei; Shi, Junqing

2017-07-05

Vehicle interior noise functions at the dominant frequencies of 500 Hz below and around 800 Hz, which fall into the bands that may impair hearing. Recent studies demonstrated that freeway commuters are chronically exposed to vehicle interior noise, bearing the risk of hearing impairment. The interior noise evaluation process is mostly conducted in a laboratory environment. The test results and the developed noise models may underestimate or ignore the noise effects from dynamic traffic and road conditions and configuration. However, the interior noise is highly associated with vehicle maneuvering. The vehicle maneuvering on a freeway weaving segment is more complex because of its nature of conflicting areas. This research is intended to explore the risk of the interior noise exposure on freeway weaving segments for freeway commuters and to improve the interior noise estimation by constructing a decision tree learning-based noise exposure dose (NED) model, considering weaving segment designs and engine operation. On-road driving tests were conducted on 12 subjects on State Highway 288 in Houston, Texas. On-board Diagnosis (OBD) II, a smartphone-based roughness app, and a digital sound meter were used to collect vehicle maneuvering and engine information, International Roughness Index, and interior noise levels, respectively. Eleven variables were obtainable from the driving tests, including the length and type of a weaving segment, serving as predictors. The importance of the predictors was estimated by their out-of-bag-permuted predictor delta errors. The hazardous exposure level of the interior noise on weaving segments was quantified to hazard quotient, NED, and daily noise exposure level, respectively. Results showed that the risk of hearing impairment on freeway is acceptable; the interior noise level is the most sensitive to the pavement roughness and is subject to freeway configuration and traffic conditions. The constructed NED model shows high predictive

Early effects of modern electroconvulsive therapy on subjective memory in patients with mania or depression

Science.gov (United States)

Bag, Sevda; Canbek, Ozge; Atagun, Ilhan Murat; Kutlar, Tarik Mehmet

2016-01-01

Context: Although electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is considered a very effective tool for the treatment of psychiatric diseases, memory disturbances are among the most important adverse effects. Aims: This study aimed to assess prospectively early subjective memory complaints in depressive and manic patients due to bilateral, brief-pulse ECT, at different stages of the treatment, compare the associations between psychiatric diagnosis, sociodemographic characteristics, and ECT characteristics. Settings and Design: This prospective study was done with patients undergoing ECT between November 2008 and April 2009 at a tertiary care psychiatry hospital of 2000 beds. Materials and Methods: A total of 140 patients, scheduled for ECT with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder (depressive or manic episode) or unipolar depression according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV diagnostic criteria, were included in the study and invited to complete the Squire Subjective Memory Questionnaire (SSMQ) before ECT, after the first and third sessions and end of ECT treatment. Statistical Analysis: Mean values were compared with the Kruskal–Wallis test and comparison of the longitudinal data was performed with a nonparametric longitudinal data analysis method, F1_LD_F1 design. Results: SSMQ scores of the patients before ECT were zero. SSMQ scores showed a decrease after the first and third ECT sessions and before discharge, showing a memory disturbance after ECT and were significantly less severe in patients with mania in comparison to those with depression. Conclusions: These findings suggest an increasing degree of subjective memory complaints with bilateral brief-pulse ECT parallel to the increasing number of ECT sessions. PMID:27385854

Who is the research subject in cluster randomized trials in health research?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brehaut Jamie C

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract This article is part of a series of papers examining ethical issues in cluster randomized trials (CRTs in health research. In the introductory paper in this series, we set out six areas of inquiry that must be addressed if the CRT is to be set on a firm ethical foundation. This paper addresses the first of the questions posed, namely, who is the research subject in a CRT in health research? The identification of human research subjects is logically prior to the application of protections as set out in research ethics and regulation. Aspects of CRT design, including the fact that in a single study the units of randomization, experimentation, and observation may differ, complicate the identification of human research subjects. But the proper identification of human research subjects is important if they are to be protected from harm and exploitation, and if research ethics committees are to review CRTs efficiently. We examine the research ethics literature and international regulations to identify the core features of human research subjects, and then unify these features under a single, comprehensive definition of human research subject. We define a human research subject as any person whose interests may be compromised as a result of interventions in a research study. Individuals are only human research subjects in CRTs if: (1 they are directly intervened upon by investigators; (2 they interact with investigators; (3 they are deliberately intervened upon via a manipulation of their environment that may compromise their interests; or (4 their identifiable private information is used to generate data. Individuals who are indirectly affected by CRT study interventions, including patients of healthcare providers participating in knowledge translation CRTs, are not human research subjects unless at least one of these conditions is met.

Abnormal Metabolite in Alcoholic Subjects,

Science.gov (United States)

1982-01-01

this study included alcoholic hepatitis or cirrhosis of the liver in 29. of the alcoholic subjects; diabetes mellitus in 8 and Korsakoff’s syndrome in 6...evidence of -7- Korsakoff’s syndrome and the presence or absence of 2,3-butanediol. There was, however, a suggestive correlation with independently...Gamma GT 193, SGPT 29 b 0 0.023 0.05 51a F.B. 22 M 28 0.029 0.14 b 0 ɘ.01 0.12 77 J.N.S. 52 M 0 0.027 0.11 57 JJ.S 45 m 4. 0.25 .35 Korsakoff ’s

Help-Seeking Response to Subjective Memory Complaints in Older Adults: Toward a Conceptual Model

Science.gov (United States)

Begum, Aysha; Whitley, Rob; Banerjee, Sube; Matthews, David; Stewart, Robert; Morgan, Craig

2013-01-01

Purpose: Subjective memory complaint is a term used to refer older adults who report memory problems. Extensive literature exists on its etiology and impact on long-term cognitive decline, and some physicians consider it important in the early detection of dementia. Despite the salient features reported by both patients and clinicians, few people…

Effects of background music on objective and subjective performance measures in an auditory BCI

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sijie Zhou

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Several studies have explored brain computer interface (BCI systems based on auditory stimuli, which could help patients with visual impairments. Usability and user satisfaction are important considerations in any BCI. Although background music can influence emotion and performance in other task environments, and many users may wish to listen to music while using a BCI, auditory and other BCIs are typically studied without background music. Some work has explored the possibility of using polyphonic music in auditory BCI systems. However, this approach requires users with good musical skills, and has not been explored in online experiments. Our hypothesis was that an auditory BCI with background music would be preferred by subjects over a similar BCI without background music, without any difference in BCI performance. We introduce a simple paradigm (which does not require musical skill using percussion instrument sound stimuli and background music, and evaluated it in both offline and online experiments. The result showed that subjects preferred the auditory BCI with background music. Different performance measures did not reveal any significant performance effect when comparing background music vs. no background. Since the addition of background music does not impair BCI performance but is preferred by users, auditory (and perhaps other BCIs should consider including it. Our study also indicates that auditory BCIs can be effective even if the auditory channel is simultaneously otherwise engaged.

Amount of work : studies on premature death and subjective health in a work life balance perspective

OpenAIRE

Nylén, Charlotta

2006-01-01

The aim of this thesis is to increase knowledge about the association between amount of work and health. Amount of work is measured as unemployment, excessive work, and interference between work and home. Two studies, based on the Swedish Twin Register, consider amount of work in work-related settings and focus on mortality in both sexes (n=20 632). Two studies take into account demands from both professional and domestic settings and consider their impact on subjective heal...

77 FR 62535 - Hydro Aluminum North America, Inc., Midwest Region, Including On-Site Leased Workers From...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-10-15

... Aluminum North America, Inc., Midwest Region, Including On- Site Leased Workers From Employment Group, Aerotek, and Manpower, Kalamazoo, Michigan; Hydro Aluminum North America, Inc., Midwest Region, Including... Aluminum North America, Inc., Kalamazoo, Michigan. The subject worker group includes on-site leased workers...

On confessional dialogue and collective subjects

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Olsson, Ulf; Petersson, Kenneth; Krejsler, John B.

2015-01-01

The concept of dialogue as an ideal for face-to face relationships in education has a long history in Western societies. Dialogue, however, does not only opeate in face-to-face relationships but also between collective subjects such as national states. The focus of this chapter is to discuss...... the operation of dialogue as a governmental practice in the construction of the contemporary European Higher Educational Area (EHEA) as a transnational political space. In this context the Bologna Process, as an expression of the rationalities of Open Method of Coordination, operates as a goal directed...... machinery or, as we prefer to call it, as a dialogic dispositive for the governmentalisation of Europe as a transnational political space. Dialogue operates as a means to reaching a form of unity in diversity considered inevitable if the hope for a future Europe with smart, sustainable and inclusive growth...

15 CFR 923.11 - Uses subject to management.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... management. (a)(1) The management program for each coastal state must include a definition of what shall... the natural and man-made resources of their coastal zone, and should consider potential individual and...

Beliefs about Cancer and Diet among Those Considering Genetic Testing for Colon Cancer

Science.gov (United States)

Palmquist, Aunchalee E. L.; Upton, Rachel; Lee, Seungjin; Panter, Abby T.; Hadley, Don W.; Koehly, Laura M.

2011-01-01

Objective: To assess beliefs about the role of diet in cancer prevention among individuals considering genetic testing for Lynch Syndrome. Design: Family-centered, cascade recruitment; baseline assessment of a longitudinal study. Setting: Clinical research setting. Participants: Participants were 390 persons, ages 18 and older, including persons…

THE STRESS RESISTANCE OF STUDENTS. THE PARADIGM OF SUBJECT PERSONALITY SELF- ORGANIZATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sergey I. Dyakov

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of the investigation is to consider a problem of stress resistance of students in the context of subject self-organization of the personality. Methods. The following methods of research are used: questioning; psychological and diagnostic tests «Tolerance of Uncertainty» (NTN and «Personal Factors of Decisions» (PFD by T. V. Kornilova; original experimental experiences – «Coding», a technique of a self-assessment (scaling and «A locus control». While data processing the methods of mathematical statistics (SPSS 12 package – the correlation analysis of Pearson and the factorial analysis with rotation use a component by «verimax» method are applied. Results and scientific novelty. Types of subjectivity and strategy of stress resistance are allocated. The nature and a role of the emotional and stressful mechanism having information and semantic properties in its basis are disclosed. Communication of irresponsible mechanisms of mentality with the sphere of consciousness in the context of subjectivity of the personality is shown. Mechanisms of emotional and rational self-control of system of mental self-organization of the person are presented. The statistical and qualitative data opening communications between properties of subjectivity and stress resistance of the personality are empirically obtained. Variation of the relations and also types of subjectivity and stress resistance emphasized based on the results of the presented research. Original (author’s methods of studying of subjectivity and factors of stress resistance are presented. Practical significance. The revealed factors of subject self-organization reveal the stress-producing directions of the environment and the relation of the personality to situations of changes and uncertainty: and also indicate subject properties of resistance to stress which need to be developed to increase the level of health of students, to reduce risk of deviance and delinquency of

General characteristics of the institute of bringing senior officials of the subjects of the Russian Federation to justice

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Chepus A.V.

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The theoretical and practical aspects of the problem of bringing senior officials of the RF subjects to criminal liability are analyzed. Legal immunity as the most important feature of their legal status is considered. General characteristic of the liability of such senior officials in the context of the institute of state and law enforcement is provided. The current Russian legislation and judicial practice in this area are analyzed. Special attention is paid to the history of the issue of bringing senior officials to justice, on the example of the Federation Council member status. Basing on the other authors’ researches, the author proposes his own view on the issues of senior officials’ immunity. It’s suggested that in modern legal science the problems of the liability of senior officials of the RF regions aren’t given due attention. There’s no clear understanding of what should be the grounds of such liability, its procedures and application, the legal nature of its sanctions. The author substantiates the position that it’s not necessary to include the regional leaders or heads of executive authorities of the RF subjects in the list of persons having immunity from criminal or administrative prosecution. The arguments are the federal practice – the ministers of the RF Government don’t possess the immunity, and the recent practice – dismissal as a result of loss of confidence. The need to control the activities of the senior officials of the RF subjects and other persons holding the highest positions in the authorities of the RF subjects is substantiated.

Forefoot deformity, pain, and mobility in rheumatoid and nonarthritic subjects.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Connell, P G; Lohmann Siegel, K; Kepple, T M; Stanhope, S J; Gerber, L H

1998-09-01

To evaluate how painful metatarsal arthritis affects foot and ankle mechanics and mobility. We studied 16 symptomatic forefeet in 10 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and compared them with 14 asymptomatic forefeet in 7 nonarthritic subjects. RA limbs with significant disease at other locations were excluded. We measured pain and deformity of the foot using a visual analog scale and a modified articular index. A video based 3 dimensional gait analysis system and force platform were used to collect data on subjects walking barefoot at a self-selected pace according to an established protocol. Mobility level was quantified using the Sickness Impact Profile (SIP) ambulation subscale. We observed considerable pain and deformity of the forefeet of RA subjects. During gait, motion and force measures revealed that RA subjects significantly (p SIP scores revealed that these changes in gait resulted in moderate disability in RA subjects (p=0.05). Impairments of the forefoot due to RA include pain and deformity, which produce characteristic stance phase abnormalities in foot function, a slow walking speed, and moderate disability.

The Impact of the Protection of Human Subjects on Research. Working Paper No. 70.

Science.gov (United States)

Halpern, Andrew S.

The author discusses the experimenter's responsibility for the protection of human subjects (such as the handicapped) in research and the impact of this responsibility on methods of doing research. Considered are the types of human rights that are most frequently in need of protection within a research setting (such as the right to privacy); the…

[Adolescents as research subjects and free informed consent: knowledge and opinion of researchers and adolescents].

Science.gov (United States)

Guariglia, Fabiana; Bento, Silvana Ferreira; Hardy, Ellen

2006-01-01

This article presents the results of a study that evaluated the knowledge and opinions of researchers and adolescents that served as their research subjects on the legal norms that regulate the participation of the latter as research subjects, the capacity of adolescents to make autonomous decisions regarding participation, and the adolescent experience after agreeing to take part in a study. This was a qualitative study with a convenience sample, the size of which was defined by the criteria of informational redundancy. Interviews were conducted with three researchers who had used adolescents as research subjects and nine of these subjects. This number of interviews was sufficient to reach informational redundancy. Data was collected through recorded semi-structured interviews, with open questions. All the researchers were familiar with some legal document related to the participation of adolescents as subjects of research. On the other hand, the adolescents were surprised because they were not aware of the existence of such documents. However, they considered them necessary for their own protection. In general, researchers and adolescents believe that adolescents have the capacity to decide autonomously to participate as research subjects. The adolescents affirmed that they had decided to volunteer conscientiously.

Quality of life considered as well-being: views from philosophy and palliative care practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Olthuis, Gert; Dekkers, Wim

2005-01-01

The main measure of quality of life is well-being. The aim of this article is to compare insights about well-being from contemporary philosophy with the practice-related opinions of palliative care professionals. In the first part of the paper two philosophical theories on well-being are introduced: Sumner's theory of authentic happiness and Griffin's theory of prudential perfectionism. The second part presents opinions derived from interviews with 19 professional palliative caregivers. Both the well-being of patients and the well-being of the carers themselves are considered in this empirical exploration. In the third part the attention shifts from the description of "well-being" to prescriptions for the promotion of well-being. Our interview data are analysed in light of the theories of Sumner and Griffin for clues to the promotion of "well-being." The analysis (1) underscores the subject-relativity of well-being, (2) points out that values that are considered important in every life still seem to be relevant (at least in palliative care practice), and (3) shows the importance of living a certain sort of life when aiming to enhance dying patients' well-being.

Structural analysis of the CAREM-25 nuclear power plant subjected to the design basis accident and seismic loads

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ambrosini, Daniel; Codina, Ramón H.; Curadelli, Oscar; Martínez, Carlos A.

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Structural analysis of CAREM-25 NPP is presented. • Full 3D numerical model was developed. • Transient thermal and static structural analyses were performed. • Modeling guidelines for numerical structural analysis of NPP are recommended. • Envelope condition of DBA dominates the structural behavior. - Abstract: In this paper, a numerical study about the structural response of the Argentine nuclear power plant CAREM-25 subjected to the design basis accident (DBA) and seismic loads is presented. Taking into account the hardware capabilities available, a full 3D finite element model was adopted. A significant part of the building was modeled using more than 2 M solid elements. In order to take into account the foundation flexibility, linear springs were used. The springs and the model were calibrated against a greater model used to study the soil-structure interaction. The structure was subjected to the DBA and seismic loads as combinations defined by ASME international code. First, a transient thermal analysis was performed with the conditions defined by DBA and evaluating the time history of the temperature of the model, each 1 h until 36 h. The final results of this stage were considered as initial conditions of a static structural analysis including the pressure defined by DBA. Finally, an equivalent static analysis was performed to analyze the seismic response considering the design basis spectra for the site. The different loads were combined and the abnormal/extreme environmental combination was the most unfavorable for the structure, defining the design.

Subjective sexual well-being and sexual behavior in young women with breast cancer

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kedde, H.; van de Wiel, H. B. M.; Schultz, W. C. M. Weijmar; Wijsen, C.

The aim of this study was to systematically describe the nature and context of subjective sexual well-being and sexual behavior in young women with breast cancer. Data on sexual behavior and subjective sexual well-being were collected through an internet questionnaire. Respondents were included if

A fuzzy MCDM model with objective and subjective weights for evaluating service quality in hotel industries

Science.gov (United States)

Zoraghi, Nima; Amiri, Maghsoud; Talebi, Golnaz; Zowghi, Mahdi

2013-12-01

This paper presents a fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making (FMCDM) model by integrating both subjective and objective weights for ranking and evaluating the service quality in hotels. The objective method selects weights of criteria through mathematical calculation, while the subjective method uses judgments of decision makers. In this paper, we use a combination of weights obtained by both approaches in evaluating service quality in hotel industries. A real case study that considered ranking five hotels is illustrated. Examples are shown to indicate capabilities of the proposed method.

The relationship between serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D concentration and obesity in type 2 diabetic patients and healthy subjects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Taheri Ehsaneh

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Both obesity and type 2 diabetes are associated with hypovitaminosis D. The aims of this study were to investigate the association of serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25(OH D and parathyroid hormone (PTH concentration with body mass index (BMI in type 2 diabetic patients compared to control subjects and their predicting role in obesity. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted on 200 subjects (100 type 2 diabetics and 100 healthy controls. Concentration of 25(OH D, calcium, phosphorous, parathyroid hormone (PTH, fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, serum insulin, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR was determined in the fasting samples. Anthropometric measurements including body mass index (BMI were also measured. Results Eighty-five percent of type 2 diabetics and 79% of healthy subjects were suffering from vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency. Serum concentration of 25(OH D (22.08 ± 15.20 ng/ml (r = −0.11, P = 0.04 and calcium (8.94 ± 0.59 mg/dl (r = −2.25, P = 0.04 has significant statistically with BMI in type 2 diabetic patients. Serum concentration of PTH has non-significantly associated with BMI in diabetic patients and healthy subjects. Conclusion Serum levels of vitamin D inversely and PTH positively are associated with BMI after adjusted for age, gender and serum calcium in both type 2 diabetic patients and healthy subjects. These associations were statistically significant for serum concentration of vitamin D and calcium only in diabetic patients. So the status of vitamin D is considered as an important factor in type 2 diabetic patients.

Affective evaluation of food images according to stimulus and subject characteristics.

Science.gov (United States)

Padulo, C; Carlucci, L; Marzoli, D; Manippa, V; Tommasi, L; Saggino, A; Puglisi-Allegra, S; Brancucci, A

2018-04-17

The food-rich environment in which we live makes the regulation of food choices a very complex phenomenon determined by many factors, as well as their interactions. Much evidence suggests that the sensory perception of food can be considered as a central factor affecting individual food choices. Despite this, the approaches used to study the various food aspects usually do not distinguish between different types of food. In the present study, a large and heterogeneous sample of 1149 participants aged 7-90 years was asked to judge food images that were labelled differently (i.e. Raw versus Cooked, Natural versus Transformed and Simple versus Complex) with respect to arousal, valence, typicality and familiarity. We observed that, across food dimensions (i.e., Raw versus Cooked, Natural versus Transformed and Simple versus Complex), arousal, valence and typicality judgments were principally affected by a subjective hunger level and gender (and their interaction) and, to a lesser extent, by age. As a whole, our findings suggest that the level of transformation (which includes cooking) and the complexity of a foodstuff could at least partially affect food processing, entailing that future research should also address these features. © 2018 The British Dietetic Association Ltd.

Digestive Symptoms in Healthy People and Subjects With Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Science.gov (United States)

Guyonnet, Denis; Donazzolo, Yves; Gendre, David; Tanguy, Jérôme; Guarner, Francisco

2015-01-01

Goals: The aim of this study was to validate the ability of symptom frequency questionnaire to differentiate between irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients and healthy subjects. Background: A digestive symptom frequency questionnaire (DSFQ) was previously used in a food efficacy trial in a non-IBS population with mild gastrointestinal symptoms. Study: We compared 2 well-defined populations: 100 IBS patients fulfilling Rome III criteria (mean age 32 y; range, 18 to 59 y), and 100 sex-matched and age-matched healthy subjects. Frequency of individual digestive symptoms (abdominal pain/discomfort, bloating, flatulence, borborygmi) was assessed using a 5-point Likert scale (from none to everyday of the week) and the IBS severity with the IBS-SSS questionnaire. Health-Related Quality of life (HRQoL) was assessed with the Food and Benefits Assessment (FBA) and Functional Digestive Disorders Quality of Life (FDDQL) questionnaires. The digestive (dis)comfort dimension of these questionnaires was considered as the main dimension for HRQoL. Results: The DSFQ discriminated IBS from healthy subjects with a significant difference (Pdigestive discomfort measured by FDDQL (−0.816), digestive comfort measured by FBA (−0.789), and the IBS-SSS score (0.762). Conclusions: Measurement of digestive symptom frequency by means of the DSFQ can differentiate IBS from healthy subjects, and shows a good correlation with other validated questionnaires (clinical trial #NCT01457378). PMID:25014236

The level of job satisfaction and its relation to midwives' subjective quality of life

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Beata Babiarczyk

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Background: According to the so called Transactional Model of Quality of Life, job satisfaction is a part of subjective well-being. The aim of this study was to explore the relationships between professional commitment, expressed as job satisfaction or dissatisfaction, consideration of leaving the profession or/and workplace, and subjective assessment of well-being among midwives working at hospitals. Materials and Methods: The study was a part of the international research project, coordinated by the University of Ostrava. The group of respondents consisted of 176 midwives working at selected hospitals in the Silesian region. The study was conducted using the method of diagnostic survey, questionnaire techniques and standardized research tools, such as McCloskey/Mueller Satisfaction Scale (MMSS, Personal Wellbeing Index-Adult (PWI-A and Subjective Emotional Habitual Wellbeing Scale (SEHP. Results: The overall midwives' job satisfaction was found to be at a medium level. Respondents less satisfied with various aspects of work (interaction, co-workers, professional opportunities, praise/recognition, control/responsibility and life (standard of living and achievements in life were significantly more often considering changing their jobs. Dissatisfaction with the extrinsic rewards (salary, vacation, benefits package had additionally influenced the frequency of considering changing the profession. The respondents were characterized by much lower sense of present and future security than that observed in Western countries, as well as by low satisfaction with standard of living and feeling part of the society. Conclusions: Job satisfaction and subjective well-being remain in strong relationship, and although it is difficult to determine the direction of these relationships, they seem to have a significant impact on each other. Med Pr 2014;65(1:99–108

Long-Term Outcome of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis in Korean Subjects.

Science.gov (United States)

Suh, Mi Ri; Choi, Won Ah; Choi, Young-Chul; Lee, Jang Woo; Hong, Jung Hwa; Park, Jihyun; Kang, Seong-Woong

2017-12-01

To report the latest long-term outcome of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and to analyze the predictors of prognosis. Subjects who were diagnosed with ALS between January 2005 and December 2009 at a single institute were followed up until death or up to December 2014. Data regarding age, sex, date of onset, date of diagnosis, presence of bulbar symptoms on onset, date of initiation of non-invasive ventilation (NIV), and the date of tracheostomy were collected. Survival was assessed using Kaplan-Meier curves and multivariate analyses of the risk of death were performed using the Cox proportional hazards model. Among 212 suspicious subjects, definite ALS was diagnosed in 182 subjects. The survival rate at 3 and 5 years from onset was 61.5% and 40.1%, respectively, and the survival rate at 3 and 5 years post-diagnosis was 49.5% and 24.2%, respectively. Further, 134 patients (134/182, 73.6%) were initiated on NIV, and among them, 90 patients (90/182, 49.5%) underwent tracheostomy. Male gender and onset age of ≥65 years were independent predictors of adverse survival. The analysis of long term survival in ALS showed excellent outcomes considering the overall poor prognosis of this disease.

An Experimental Study of a Midbroken 2-Bay 6-Storey Reinforced Concrete Frame subject to Earthquakes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Skjærbæk, P. S.; Taskin, B.; Kirkegaard, Poul Henning

1997-01-01

A 2-bay, 6-storey model test reinforced concrete frame (scale 1:5) subjected to sequential earthquakes of increasing magnitude is considered in this paper. The frame was designed with a weak storey, in which the columns are weakened by using thinner and weaker reinforcement bars. The aim of the w......A 2-bay, 6-storey model test reinforced concrete frame (scale 1:5) subjected to sequential earthquakes of increasing magnitude is considered in this paper. The frame was designed with a weak storey, in which the columns are weakened by using thinner and weaker reinforcement bars. The aim...... of the work is to study global response to a damaging strong motion earthquake event of such buildings. Special emphasis is put on examining to what extent damage in the weak storey can be identified from global response measurements during an earthquake where the structure survives, and what level...

Extent of, and variables associated with, blood pressure variability among older subjects.

Science.gov (United States)

Morano, Arianna; Ravera, Agnese; Agosta, Luca; Sappa, Matteo; Falcone, Yolanda; Fonte, Gianfranco; Isaia, Gianluca; Isaia, Giovanni Carlo; Bo, Mario

2018-02-23

Blood pressure variability (BPV) may have prognostic implications for cardiovascular risk and cognitive decline; however, BPV has yet to be studied in old and very old people. Aim of the present study was to evaluate the extent of BPV and to identify variables associated with BPV among older subjects. A retrospective study of patients aged ≥ 65 years who underwent 24-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) was carried out. Three different BPV indexes were calculated for systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP): standard deviation (SD), coefficient of variation (CV), and average real variability (ARV). Demographic variables and use of antihypertensive medications were considered. The study included 738 patients. Mean age was 74.8 ± 6.8 years. Mean SBP and DBP SD were 20.5 ± 4.4 and 14.6 ± 3.4 mmHg. Mean SBP and DBP CV were 16 ± 3 and 20 ± 5%. Mean SBP and DBP ARV were 15.7 ± 3.9 and 11.8 ± 3.6 mmHg. At multivariate analysis older age, female sex and uncontrolled mean blood pressure were associated with both systolic and diastolic BPV indexes. The use of calcium channel blockers and alpha-adrenergic antagonists was associated with lower systolic and diastolic BPV indexes, respectively. Among elderly subjects undergoing 24-h ABPM, we observed remarkably high indexes of BPV, which were associated with older age, female sex, and uncontrolled blood pressure values.

Subjective memory complaints and cognitive performance in a sample of healthy elderly

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paulo Caramelli

Full Text Available Abstract Memory loss is a major complaint among the elderly population. However, the clinical significance of this symptom is variable and also controversial in the scientific literature. Objective: To compare the cognitive performance of two groups of healthy elderly, one group with and the other without, subjective memory complaints (SMC. Methods: Sixty cognitively intact elderly individuals (39 females and 21 males, aged 69.9±6.3 years and with educational level of 8.5±5.5 years, were included in the study. Participants were submitted to the Mini-Mental State Examination and to the Cornell depression scale in order to rule out global cognitive impairment and depression, respectively. Moreover, they answered the MAC-Q, a questionnaire devised to evaluate subjective impression of memory function. Subsequently, they were submitted to the digit span forward and backward, the Brief Cognitive Screening Battery, and to the Frontal Assessment Battery. Results: Twenty-seven individuals had MAC-Q scores <25 and thus were classified as not having SMC, while 33 had MAC-Q scores ³25 and were considered to have SMC. No differences for age, gender, education and MMSE scores were found between the two groups. The comparison between the performance of the groups of complainers and non-complainers on the different cognitive tests yielded no significant difference, although there was a trend toward non-complainers performing better on incidental memory. Conclusions: The presence of SMC was not associated to objective memory impairment or to other cognitive deficits in this group of elderly individuals.

Considering Actionability at the Participant's Research Setting Level for Anticipatable Incidental Findings from Clinical Research.

Science.gov (United States)

Ortiz-Osorno, Alberto Betto; Ehler, Linda A; Brooks, Judith

2015-01-01

Determining what constitutes an anticipatable incidental finding (IF) from clinical research and defining whether, and when, this IF should be returned to the participant have been topics of discussion in the field of human subject protections for the last 10 years. It has been debated that implementing a comprehensive IF-approach that addresses both the responsibility of researchers to return IFs and the expectation of participants to receive them can be logistically challenging. IFs have been debated at different levels, such as the ethical reasoning for considering their disclosure or the need for planning for them during the development of the research study. Some authors have discussed the methods for re-contacting participants for disclosing IFs, as well as the relevance of considering the clinical importance of the IFs. Similarly, other authors have debated about when IFs should be disclosed to participants. However, no author has addressed how the "actionability" of the IFs should be considered, evaluated, or characterized at the participant's research setting level. This paper defines the concept of "Actionability at the Participant's Research Setting Level" (APRSL) for anticipatable IFs from clinical research, discusses some related ethical concepts to justify the APRSL concept, proposes a strategy to incorporate APRSL into the planning and management of IFs, and suggests a strategy for integrating APRSL at each local research setting. © 2015 American Society of Law, Medicine & Ethics, Inc.

The Theater goes to the cinema: position subject

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Cássia Peres Martins

2013-06-01

Full Text Available This article aims to analyze the play “The Seven Kittens” (Os Sete Gatinhos, written in 1958 by the Brazilian playwright Nelson Rodrigues and its adaptation for the cinema, homonymous, direct by Neville D’ Almeida, launched in 1980. The theoretical approach which will serve as the basis for the above analysis will be the Anlysis of the Discourse of French oriented, as well as other theories that will help, as the reflections about lacanian subject by Bruce Fink (1998 and film studies by Ismail Xavier (2008. Fruit of the basic research of bibliographical and interpretative, this paper aims to present reflections about subject positions, devoting attention to the characters from the materiality of theatrical text, noting whether these positions are displaced in the filmic materiality. It will be verified beyond this possibility of subject positions, the inclusion or withdrawals of dialogues, the senses preserved, removed or added by means of elements that compose the whole of film production such as music, scenery, costumes, constitution of the image by means of the movement of the câmera (first and second plans, focus, etc., strategies aimed at the production of meanings by following the trends of the cinema of the years 70/80. This reflection is done while considering the materiality of the film is the result of a collective productions, led by a director, with different responsible for photography, set design, editing and soundtrack, as well as intervention in the creation of characters by each actor.

On English Locative Subjects

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Gabriela Brůhová

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The paper analyses English sentences with thematic locative subjects. These subjects were detected as translation counterparts of Czech sentenceinitial locative adverbials realized by prepositional phrases with the prepositions do (into, na (on, v/ve (in, z/ze (from complemented by a noun. In the corresponding English structure, the initial scene-setting adverbial is reflected in the thematic subject, which results in the locative semantics of the subject. The sentences are analysed from syntactic, semantic and FSP aspects. From the syntactic point of view, we found five syntactic patterns of the English sentences with a locative subject (SV, SVA, SVO, SVpassA and SVCs that correspond to Czech sentences with initial locative adverbials. On the FSP level the paper studies the potential of the sentences to implement the Presentation or Quality Scale. Since it is the “semantic content of the verb that actuates the presentation semantics of the sentence” (Duškova, 2015a: 260, major attention is paid to the syntactic-semantic structure of the verb. The analysis of the semantics of the English sentences results in the identification of two semantic classes of verbs which co-occur with the English locative subject.

Sonoelastography of Plantar Fascia: Reproducibility and Pattern Description in Healthy Subjects and Symptomatic Subjects.

Science.gov (United States)

Ríos-Díaz, José; Martínez-Payá, Jacinto J; del Baño-Aledo, María Elena; de Groot-Ferrando, Ana; Botía-Castillo, Paloma; Fernández-Rodríguez, David

2015-10-01

The purpose of the work reported here was to describe the sonoelastographic appearance of the plantar fascia of healthy volunteers and patients with fasciitis. Twenty-three healthy subjects and 21 patients with plantar fasciitis were examined using B-mode and real-time sonoelastography (RTSR) scanning. B-Mode examination included fascia thickness and echotexture. Echogenicity and echovariation of the color histogram were analyzed. Fasciae were classified into type 1, blue (more elastic); type 2, blue/green (intermediate); or type 3, green (less elastic). RTSE revealed 72.7% of fasciae as type 2, with no significant association with fasciitis (χ(2) = 3.6, df = 2, p = 0.17). Quantitative analysis of the color histogram revealed a significantly greater intensity of green (mean = 77.8, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 71.9-83.6) and blue (mean = 74.2, 95% CI = 69.7-78.8) in healthy subjects. Echovariation of the color red was 33.4% higher in the fasciitis group than in the healthy group (95% CI = 16.7-50.1). Sonoelastography with quantitative analysis of echovariation can be a useful tool for evaluation of plantar fascia pathology. Copyright © 2015 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Effect of air-electric fields on driving and reaction patterns. Test subjects in the car driving simulator (author's transl)].

Science.gov (United States)

Anselm, D; Danner, M; Kirmaier, N; König, H L; Müller-Limmroth, W; Reis, A; Schauerte, W

1977-06-10

In the relevant frequency range of about 10 Hertz cars can be considered very largely as Faraday cages and consequently as screens against air-electric fields. This may have a negative influence on driving and reaction patterns as a result. In an extensive investigation 48 subjects in a driving simulator were exposed to definite artificially produced air-electric fields. The self-rating of the performance and concentration of the subjects, reaction times and driving errors were determined. While the reaction times remained practically constant, the driving behavior of the subjects improved.

The AIR's policy on research involving the irradiation of human subjects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, A.N.

1995-01-01

The policy of the Australian Institute of Radiography with regards to the human subject irradiation is outlined. It is stated that members will not irradiate another individual, nor themselves, solely for the purposes of experimentation or research without gaining the prior approval of an institutional ethics committee. Where possible, researchers should consider the use of patient equivalent or human tissue equivalent phantoms. A short list of references has been compiled to assist members in designing research protocols which comply with the stated policy

Prediction method for thermal ratcheting of a cylinder subjected to axially moving temperature distribution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wada, Hiroshi; Igari, Toshihide; Kitade, Shoji.

1989-01-01

A prediction method was proposed for plastic ratcheting of a cylinder, which was subjected to axially moving temperature distribution without primary stress. First, a mechanism of this ratcheting was proposed, which considered the movement of temperature distribution as a driving force of this phenomenon. Predictive equations of the ratcheting strain for two representative temperature distributions were proposed based on this mechanism by assuming the elastic-perfectly-plastic material behavior. Secondly, an elastic-plastic analysis was made on a cylinder subjected to the representative two temperature distributions. Analytical results coincided well with the predicted results, and the applicability of the proposed equations was confirmed. (author)

Memory and subjective workload assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Staveland, L.; Hart, S.; Yeh, Y. Y.

1986-01-01

Recent research suggested subjective introspection of workload is not based upon specific retrieval of information from long term memory, and only reflects the average workload that is imposed upon the human operator by a particular task. These findings are based upon global ratings of workload for the overall task, suggesting that subjective ratings are limited in ability to retrieve specific details of a task from long term memory. To clarify the limits memory imposes on subjective workload assessment, the difficulty of task segments was varied and the workload of specified segments was retrospectively rated. The ratings were retrospectively collected on the manipulations of three levels of segment difficulty. Subjects were assigned to one of two memory groups. In the Before group, subjects knew before performing a block of trials which segment to rate. In the After group, subjects did not know which segment to rate until after performing the block of trials. The subjective ratings, RTs (reaction times) and MTs (movement times) were compared within group, and between group differences. Performance measures and subjective evaluations of workload reflected the experimental manipulations. Subjects were sensitive to different difficulty levels, and recalled the average workload of task components. Cueing did not appear to help recall, and memory group differences possibly reflected variations in the groups of subjects, or an additional memory task.

Safety of the HyperSound® Audio System in subjects with normal hearing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ritvik P. Mehta

2015-11-01

Full Text Available The objective of the study was to assess the safety of the HyperSound® Audio System (HSS, a novel audio system using ultrasound technology, in normal hearing subjects under normal use conditions; we considered preexposure and post-exposure test design. We investigated primary and secondary outcome measures: i temporary threshold shift (TTS, defined as >10 dB shift in pure tone air conduction thresholds and/or a decrement in distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs >10 dB at two or more frequencies; ii presence of new-onset otologic symptoms after exposure. Twenty adult subjects with normal hearing underwent a pre-exposure assessment (pure tone air conduction audiometry, tympanometry, DPOAEs and otologic symptoms questionnaire followed by exposure to a 2-h movie with sound delivered through the HSS emitter followed by a post-exposure assessment. No TTS or new-onset otological symptoms were identified. HSS demonstrates excellent safety in normal hearing subjects under normal use conditions.

Safety of the HyperSound® Audio System in Subjects with Normal Hearing.

Science.gov (United States)

Mehta, Ritvik P; Mattson, Sara L; Kappus, Brian A; Seitzman, Robin L

2015-06-11

The objective of the study was to assess the safety of the HyperSound® Audio System (HSS), a novel audio system using ultrasound technology, in normal hearing subjects under normal use conditions; we considered pre-exposure and post-exposure test design. We investigated primary and secondary outcome measures: i) temporary threshold shift (TTS), defined as >10 dB shift in pure tone air conduction thresholds and/or a decrement in distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) >10 dB at two or more frequencies; ii) presence of new-onset otologic symptoms after exposure. Twenty adult subjects with normal hearing underwent a pre-exposure assessment (pure tone air conduction audiometry, tympanometry, DPOAEs and otologic symptoms questionnaire) followed by exposure to a 2-h movie with sound delivered through the HSS emitter followed by a post-exposure assessment. No TTS or new-onset otological symptoms were identified. HSS demonstrates excellent safety in normal hearing subjects under normal use conditions.

INFLUENCE OF SUBJECT AND OBJECTIVES FACTORS OF INFORMATIZATION ON THE PEDAGOGICAL DESIGN EFFICIENCY

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Tamara O. Pushkareva

2018-02-01

Full Text Available In this article, a preliminary terminological analysis of the conceptual apparatus in the direction of computer-oriented informatization of pedagogical designing of educational activity in the structure of general secondary education has been made. The influence of the subject and object factors of the informatization of the educational process on the efficiency of pedagogical design is investigated. The existence of a dual problem in the educational sphere, related both to the formatting of an effective informational and educational product, and to the technologically acceptable component of well-organized computer-oriented support for students, is established. It is carried out the analysis of priority in the perception of varieties of information by the subjects of the educational system, as well as revealed that in the perception of computer information by subjects of different status or age there are differences that are related to their individual needs, desires, inclinations. The means of informative support of educational process are considered and recommendations on their use are given.

[How our subjective coherence is built? The model of cognitive dissonance].

Science.gov (United States)

Naccache, Lionel; El Karoui, Imen; Salti, Moti; Chammat, Mariam; Maillet, Mathurin; Allali, Sébastien

2015-01-01

Our conscious, subjective discourse, demonstrates a temporal coherence that distinguishes it from the many unconscious cognitive representations explored by cognitive neuroscience. This subjective coherence, --particularly its dynamics--can be modified in certain psychiatric syndromes including a " dissociative state " (e.g. schizophrenia), or in several neuropsychiatric disorders (e.g. frontal lobe syndrome). The medical and environmental consequences of these changes are significant. However, the psychological and neural mechanisms of this fundamental property remain largely unknown. We explored the dynamics of subjective coherence in an experimental paradigm (the "free choice "paradigm) originating for the field of cognitive dissonance. Using a series of behavioral experiments, conducted in healthy volunteers, we have discovered a key role for the episodic memory in the preference change process when simply making a choice. These results highlight the importance of conscious memory in the construction of subjective consistency, of which the subjects do not yet seem to be the conscious agents.

Peculiarities of Subjectively Evaluated Giftedness of University Students with Different Statuses

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Kursov S.O.,

2015-10-01

Full Text Available The article discusses the interconnection of subjective evaluation of giftedness with status position of university students in the study group. The paper presents a theoretical analysis of approaches to the study giftedness and proves necessity of the study of giftedness subjective assessments. The empirical study included 231 full-time students of the first, third and fifth year of Moscow higher education institute. The paper confirmed the hypothesis that student’s giftedness subjectively evaluated by his (her classmates positively correlated with its position in the study group. To test the hypothesis we used sociometry, referentometry, methodological procedure to define the informal power structure in a group, as well as the author's questionnaire to identify giftedness subjective assessments. The paper analyzes the features of the giftedness subjective assessments of student by his (her groupmates studying the engineering and natural science. Giftedness estimation in the groups of students studying engineering is more associated with the status position of students than in the groups studying natural science

Macular pigment optical density spatial distribution measured in a subject with oculocutaneous albinism.

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Putnam, Christopher M; Bland, Pauline J

2014-01-01

Previous studies of macular pigment optical density (MPOD) distribution in individuals with oculocutaneous albinism (OCA) have primarily used objective measurement techniques including fundus reflectometry and autofluorescence. We report here on a subject with OCA and their corresponding MPOD distribution assessed through heterochromatic flicker photometry (HFP). A subject with a history of OCA presented with an ocular history including strabismus surgery of the LE with persistent amblyopia and mild, latent nystagmus. Best corrected visual acuity was 20/25- RE and 20/40- LE. Spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) and fundus photography were also obtained. Evaluation of MPOD spatial distribution up to 8 degrees eccentricity from the fovea was performed using HFP. SD-OCT indicated a persistence of multiple inner retinal layers within the foveal region in the RE and LE including symmetric foveal thickening consistent with foveal hypoplasia. Fundus photography showed mild retinal pigmented epithelial (RPE) hypopigmentation and a poorly demarcated macula. OriginPro 9 was used to plot MPOD spatial distribution of the subject and a 33-subject sample. The OCA subject demonstrated a foveal MPOD of 0.10 with undetectable levels at 6 degrees eccentricity. The study sample showed a mean foveal MPOD of 0.34 and mean 6 degree eccentricity values of 0.03. Consistent with previous macular pigment (MP) studies of OCA, overall MPOD is reduced in our subject. Mild phenotypic expression of OCA with high functional visual acuity may represent a Henle fiber layer amenable to additional MP deposition. Further study of MP supplementation in OCA patients is warranted. Copyright © 2014 Spanish General Council of Optometry. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Subjective Social Standing and Conflict Tactics Among Young Kenyan Men.

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Goodman, Michael L; Serag, Hani; Raimer-Goodman, Lauren; Keiser, Philip; Gitari, Stanley

2017-09-01

Efforts to reduce intimate partner violence in sub-Saharan Africa generally approach the issue through the lens of women's empowerment. These efforts include foci on women's relative power in the relationship, educational background, and earning potential. The social status of men has largely been ignored, reducing the potential to involve them in efforts to demote intimate partner violence. In this study we consider whether a man's perceived social status predicts conflict tactics, and whether these tactics are mediated by loneliness and collective self-esteem from a community-based sample in semi-rural Kenya (n = 263). We find that men who reported lower perceived social status also reported significantly more frequent violent conflicts with their intimate partners. This association was significantly, and completely, mediated by lower collective self-esteem and higher loneliness. There was no direct association between subjective social status and negotiation-based conflict tactics, although there was an indirect association. Men with higher perceived social status reported higher collective self-esteem, and men with higher collective self-esteem reported more negotiation-based conflict tactics. These findings inform efforts to reduce intimate partner violence by involving men, showing potential to reduce violence by building self-esteem among men-particularly those with lower perceived social status. © Society for Community Research and Action 2017.

The CSI Academy: Encouraging Diverse Students to Consider Science Careers and Science Teaching

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Kaye, Karen; Turner, John F.; Emigh, James

2011-01-01

The CSI academies employed a multi-layered, collaborative approach to encourage diverse students to consider STEM careers, including science teaching. The academies recruited a diverse group of high school students. This was due, in large part, to the creation of a unique selection process that identified students with unrealized potential. The…

Biases and power for groups comparison on subjective health measurements.

Science.gov (United States)

Hamel, Jean-François; Hardouin, Jean-Benoit; Le Neel, Tanguy; Kubis, Gildas; Roquelaure, Yves; Sébille, Véronique

2012-01-01

Subjective health measurements are increasingly used in clinical research, particularly for patient groups comparisons. Two main types of analytical strategies can be used for such data: so-called classical test theory (CTT), relying on observed scores and models coming from Item Response Theory (IRT) relying on a response model relating the items responses to a latent parameter, often called latent trait. Whether IRT or CTT would be the most appropriate method to compare two independent groups of patients on a patient reported outcomes measurement remains unknown and was investigated using simulations. For CTT-based analyses, groups comparison was performed using t-test on the scores. For IRT-based analyses, several methods were compared, according to whether the Rasch model was considered with random effects or with fixed effects, and the group effect was included as a covariate or not. Individual latent traits values were estimated using either a deterministic method or by stochastic approaches. Latent traits were then compared with a t-test. Finally, a two-steps method was performed to compare the latent trait distributions, and a Wald test was performed to test the group effect in the Rasch model including group covariates. The only unbiased IRT-based method was the group covariate Wald's test, performed on the random effects Rasch model. This model displayed the highest observed power, which was similar to the power using the score t-test. These results need to be extended to the case frequently encountered in practice where data are missing and possibly informative.

Biases and power for groups comparison on subjective health measurements.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jean-François Hamel

Full Text Available Subjective health measurements are increasingly used in clinical research, particularly for patient groups comparisons. Two main types of analytical strategies can be used for such data: so-called classical test theory (CTT, relying on observed scores and models coming from Item Response Theory (IRT relying on a response model relating the items responses to a latent parameter, often called latent trait. Whether IRT or CTT would be the most appropriate method to compare two independent groups of patients on a patient reported outcomes measurement remains unknown and was investigated using simulations. For CTT-based analyses, groups comparison was performed using t-test on the scores. For IRT-based analyses, several methods were compared, according to whether the Rasch model was considered with random effects or with fixed effects, and the group effect was included as a covariate or not. Individual latent traits values were estimated using either a deterministic method or by stochastic approaches. Latent traits were then compared with a t-test. Finally, a two-steps method was performed to compare the latent trait distributions, and a Wald test was performed to test the group effect in the Rasch model including group covariates. The only unbiased IRT-based method was the group covariate Wald's test, performed on the random effects Rasch model. This model displayed the highest observed power, which was similar to the power using the score t-test. These results need to be extended to the case frequently encountered in practice where data are missing and possibly informative.

Biases and Power for Groups Comparison on Subjective Health Measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Hamel, Jean-François; Hardouin, Jean-Benoit; Le Neel, Tanguy; Kubis, Gildas; Roquelaure, Yves; Sébille, Véronique

2012-01-01

Subjective health measurements are increasingly used in clinical research, particularly for patient groups comparisons. Two main types of analytical strategies can be used for such data: so-called classical test theory (CTT), relying on observed scores and models coming from Item Response Theory (IRT) relying on a response model relating the items responses to a latent parameter, often called latent trait. Whether IRT or CTT would be the most appropriate method to compare two independent groups of patients on a patient reported outcomes measurement remains unknown and was investigated using simulations. For CTT-based analyses, groups comparison was performed using t-test on the scores. For IRT-based analyses, several methods were compared, according to whether the Rasch model was considered with random effects or with fixed effects, and the group effect was included as a covariate or not. Individual latent traits values were estimated using either a deterministic method or by stochastic approaches. Latent traits were then compared with a t-test. Finally, a two-steps method was performed to compare the latent trait distributions, and a Wald test was performed to test the group effect in the Rasch model including group covariates. The only unbiased IRT-based method was the group covariate Wald’s test, performed on the random effects Rasch model. This model displayed the highest observed power, which was similar to the power using the score t-test. These results need to be extended to the case frequently encountered in practice where data are missing and possibly informative. PMID:23115620

The subjective determinants of job performance and job involvement in organizational context.

OpenAIRE

Koblicová, Leona

2016-01-01

The job performance is conditioned by range of objective factors and subjective determinants as well. This thesis dedicates to mapping of job involvement meaning engagement, enthusiasm, commitment and work motivation. Considering to that, oganization can influence future job performance of its employee through employee development, when it tries to grow up the job interest, develops requiered skills and so potencially supports one's performance. The text tries to sum up knowledge background o...

Nation, Identity, and Subjectivity in Globalizing Literature

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Yasue Arimitsu

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Since the end of the 20th century, particularly after the Cold War ended, national borderlines have been redrawn many times in the areas of the Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and a wide range of Asia, and people started crossing national borderlines to immigrate to other countries. As a result, the definition of a modern nation with one ethnicity, one language, and one culture collapsed. Under the policy of multiculturalism, Australia accepts immigrants from all over the world, and Australian literature at present is characterized as being ethnically, culturally, and linguistically hybrid. In this paper I look at Australian writers such as Brian Castro and Nam Le and compare them with other writers who are considered post-colonial writers, such as Salman Rushdie, V.S. Naipaul and Kazuo Ishiguro. I focus on how these writers attempt to present their identities along with their subjectivities. I also compare them with a Japanese writer, Haruki Murakami, whose literary works are widely read throughout the world, crossing cultural, ethnic, and language barriers, even though he writes in Japanese and has a mono-cultural background. I investigate the reason why Murakami’s works are accepted by many contemporary readers worldwide. I finally explore the meaning of national identity and subjectivity in the globalizing world, and clarify the transformation of modern literature.

Estimation of serum ferritin for normal subject living in Khartoum area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eltayeb, E.A; Khangi, F.A.; Satti, G.M.; Abu Salab, A.

2003-01-01

This study was conducted with a main objective; the estimation of serum ferritin level in normal subjects in Khartoum area.To fulfil this objective, two hundred and sixty symptoms-free subjects were included in the study, 103 males with 15 to 45 years. serum ferritin was determined by radioimmunoassay (RIA). It was found that the mean concentration of males' serum ferritin was much higher than that of the females' (p<0.001). (Author)

Precast concrete sandwich panels subjected to impact loading

Science.gov (United States)

Runge, Matthew W.

Precast concrete sandwich panels are a relatively new product in the construction industry. The design of these panels incorporates properties that allow for great resilience against temperature fluctuation as well as the very rapid and precise construction of facilities. The concrete sandwich panels investigated in this study represent the second generation of an ongoing research and development project. This second generation of panels have been engineered to construct midsized commercial buildings up to three stories in height as well as residential dwellings. The panels consist of a double-tee structural wythe, a foam core and a fascia wythe, joined by shear connectors. Structures constructed from these panels may be subjected to extreme loading including the effects of seismic and blast loading in addition to wind. The aim of this work was to investigate the behaviour of this particular sandwich panel when subjected to structural impact events. The experimental program consisted of fourteen concrete sandwich panels, five of which were considered full-sized specimens (2700 mm X 1200mm X 270 mm) and nine half-sized specimens (2700mm X 600mm X 270 mm) The panels were subjected to impact loads from a pendulum impact hammer where the total energy applied to the panels was varied by changing the mass of the hammer. The applied loads, displacements, accelerations, and strains at the mid-span of the panel as well as the reaction point forces were monitored during the impact. The behaviour of the panels was determined primarily from the experimental results. The applied loads at low energy levels that caused little to no residual deflection as well as the applied loads at high energy levels that represent catastrophic events and thus caused immediate failure were determined from an impact on the structural and the fascia wythes. Applied loads at intermediate energy levels representing extreme events were also used to determine whether or not the panels could withstand

The Effects of Objective and Subjective Socioeconomic Status on Subjective Well-Being among Rural-to-Urban Migrants in China: The Moderating Role of Subjective Social Mobility

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Silin Huang

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Although previous investigations have agreed that Chinese rural-to-urban migrants’ socioeconomic status (SES increases with their migration, the association between SES and subjective well-being is uncertain. To address this research gap, the present study proposed that the association between objective SES and subjective well-being is mediated by subjective SES. This model was tested with a sample of 432 Chinese rural-to-urban migrants. The results indicate a significant association between objective SES and subjective well-being and a partial mediating effect of subjective SES. Furthermore, subjective social mobility, which is one’s expectation about the possibility to move upward in the social hierarchy, was found to moderate both the direct path from objective SES to subjective well-being and the indirect path from subjective SES to subjective well-being. These findings suggest that Chinese rural-to-urban migrants gained in subjective well-being not only because of direct financial achievement but also because of their perceptions and beliefs about their relative social status.

Research Studies Index. Authors and Subjects. Volume 1 through Volume 43 (1929-1975).

Science.gov (United States)

Drazan, Joseph, Comp.; Scott, Paula, Comp.

This volume contains author and subject indexes for volumes 1 through 43 (1929-1975) of "Research Studies," a scholarly, multi-disciplinary quarterly published at Washington State University. Each author index entry includes the title, volume, and inclusive pagination of the article. The subject index is a keyword-out-of-context…

77 FR 61028 - Hasbro, Inc.; Hasbro Managerial Services, Inc., Including On-Site Leased Workers of Entegee East...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-10-05

... relevant period and that the subject firm had sufficient control over the leased workers for the Department to determine that there was operational control of the leased workers by the subject firm. The... Managerial Services, Inc., Including On-Site Leased Workers of Entegee East Longmeadow, MA Amended...

Subjective Quality of Life in the Psychology of Poverty

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Shapoval I.A.,

2015-02-01

Full Text Available The article presents a theoretical introduction to the discussion of the subjective quality of life for carriers of psychology of poverty. We revealed the socio-cultural determinants of subjective quality of life, systematize its psychological components and factors of its high level. We describe a set of characteristics of psychology of poverty, including the sense of displacement from normal life, hopelessness, fatalism, deprivation, social envy, metapathology of personality, lack of subjectivity, responsibility, an outsider position, survivor guilt complex, and so on. On the criterion of the relationship to own life we revealed types of carriers of psychology of poverty: a passive-contemplative, passive-aggressive, pseudocompensatory-devalued, infantile, anomic. We analyzed the specificity of reflection and benchmarking of carriers of psychology of poverty as a cognitive and affective strategies to assess the quality of own lives, focused on the maintenance of self-esteem

Data-Driven User Feedback: An Improved Neurofeedback Strategy considering the Interindividual Variability of EEG Features.

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Chang-Hee; Lim, Jeong-Hwan; Lee, Jun-Hak; Kim, Kangsan; Im, Chang-Hwan

2016-01-01

It has frequently been reported that some users of conventional neurofeedback systems can experience only a small portion of the total feedback range due to the large interindividual variability of EEG features. In this study, we proposed a data-driven neurofeedback strategy considering the individual variability of electroencephalography (EEG) features to permit users of the neurofeedback system to experience a wider range of auditory or visual feedback without a customization process. The main idea of the proposed strategy is to adjust the ranges of each feedback level using the density in the offline EEG database acquired from a group of individuals. Twenty-two healthy subjects participated in offline experiments to construct an EEG database, and five subjects participated in online experiments to validate the performance of the proposed data-driven user feedback strategy. Using the optimized bin sizes, the number of feedback levels that each individual experienced was significantly increased to 139% and 144% of the original results with uniform bin sizes in the offline and online experiments, respectively. Our results demonstrated that the use of our data-driven neurofeedback strategy could effectively increase the overall range of feedback levels that each individual experienced during neurofeedback training.

Cerebral atrophy in elderly with subjective memory complaints.

Science.gov (United States)

Palm, Walter M; Ferrarini, Luca; van der Flier, Wiesje M; Westendorp, Rudi G J; Bollen, Eduard L E M; Middelkoop, Huub A M; Milles, Julien R; van der Grond, Jeroen; van Buchem, Mark A

2013-08-01

To evaluate ventricular shape differences along the complete surface of the lateral and third ventricles of persons with subjective memory complaints (MC). We included 28 controls and 21 persons with MC. FLAIR, T2, and PD-weighted brain MRI scans were acquired at 1.5 Tesla, followed by semi-automated segmentation of the lateral and third ventricles, and local shape difference analysis based on growing and adaptive meshes. Ventricular meshes were used to highlight local areas with significant differences between controls and persons with MC, determined by permutation tests with a predefined threshold (P = 0.01). Compared with control subjects, relevant differences were found in the shape of the ventricular surface adjacent to the thalamus and corona radiata in persons with MC. Before correction for multiple comparisons, relevant differences were also found in the shape of the ventricular surface adjacent to the corpus callosum, hippocampus, and amydala. Our findings suggest the presence of localized structural brain differences in patients with subjective memory complaints in the thalamus and the corona radiata. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Thromboxane production in morbidly obese subjects.

Science.gov (United States)

Graziani, Francesca; Biasucci, Luigi M; Cialdella, Pio; Liuzzo, Giovanna; Giubilato, Simona; Della Bona, Roberta; Pulcinelli, Fabio M; Iaconelli, Amerigo; Mingrone, Geltrude; Crea, Filippo

2011-06-01

Postmortem studies have demonstrated that morbidly obese subjects, surprisingly, have less coronary atherosclerosis than obese subjects. However, the reasons for this apparent protection from atherosclerosis are not yet clear. Thromboxane A2, a marker of platelet activation, is greater in obese subjects than in lean subjects, and this might be a clue to their increased cardiovascular risk. However, data on thromboxane A2 in morbidly obese subjects are lacking; therefore, we hypothesized that lower levels of thromboxane A2 in morbidly obese subjects might play a role in their lower atherothrombotic burden. We measured the serum levels of thromboxane B2 (TxB2), a stable metabolite of thromboxane A2, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and leptin in 17 lean subjects (body mass index [BMI] 22.9 ± 1.6 kg/m(2)), 25 obese subjects (BMI 32.6 ± 2.4 kg/m(2)), and 23 morbidly obese subjects (BMI 48.6 ± 7.1 kg/m(2)), without insulin resistance, diabetes, or overt cardiovascular disease. The serum TxB2 levels were lower in the lean subjects than in the obese subjects (p = 0.046) and in the morbidly obese subjects than in the lean and obese subjects (p = 0.015 and p lean subjects (hs-CRP, p lean subjects (p lean subjects, suggesting that reduced platelet activation could play a role in the paradoxical protection of morbidly obese subjects from atherosclerosis, despite the greater levels of leptin. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of an energy-based fatigue approach considering mean stress effects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kabir, S. M. Humayun [Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology, Chittagong (Bangladesh); Yeo, Tae In [University of Ulsan, Ulsan (Korea, Republic of)

2014-04-15

In this paper, an attempt is made to extend the total strain energy approach for predicting the fatigue life subjected to mean stress under uniaxial state. The effects of means stress on the fatigue failure of a ferritic stainless steel and high pressure tube steel are studied under strain-controlled low cycle fatigue condition. Based on the fatigue results from different strain ratios, modified total strain energy density approach is proposed to account for the mean stress effects. The proposed damage parameter provides convenient means of evaluating fatigue life with mean stress effects considering the fact that the definitions used for measuring strain energies are the same as in the fully-reversed cycling (R = -1). A good agreement is observed between experimental life and predicted life using proposed approach. Two other mean stress models (Smith-Watson-Topper model and Morrow model) are also used to evaluate the low cycle fatigue data. Based on a simple statistical estimator, the proposed approach is compared with these models and is found realistic.

Evaluation of an energy-based fatigue approach considering mean stress effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kabir, S. M. Humayun; Yeo, Tae In

2014-01-01

In this paper, an attempt is made to extend the total strain energy approach for predicting the fatigue life subjected to mean stress under uniaxial state. The effects of means stress on the fatigue failure of a ferritic stainless steel and high pressure tube steel are studied under strain-controlled low cycle fatigue condition. Based on the fatigue results from different strain ratios, modified total strain energy density approach is proposed to account for the mean stress effects. The proposed damage parameter provides convenient means of evaluating fatigue life with mean stress effects considering the fact that the definitions used for measuring strain energies are the same as in the fully-reversed cycling (R = -1). A good agreement is observed between experimental life and predicted life using proposed approach. Two other mean stress models (Smith-Watson-Topper model and Morrow model) are also used to evaluate the low cycle fatigue data. Based on a simple statistical estimator, the proposed approach is compared with these models and is found realistic.

Optimization and maintenance tests considering multiple failure modes, aging and imperfect maintenance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martorell, S.; Marton, I.; Sanchez, A.; Carlos, S.

2014-01-01

The paper focuses on the optimization of the test and maintenance intervals under the criteria of unavailability or cost including the effect of the aging of the components and models of imperfect maintenance. The results obtained in the case of application, which focuses on a system of safety of a nuclear power station, show differences, mainly in the outage when you consider the aging. (Author)

Strategic bidding of generating units in competitive electricity market with considering their reliability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soleymani, S.; Ranjbar, A.M.; Shirani, A.R.

2008-01-01

In the restructured power systems, they are typically scheduled based on the offers and bids to buy and sell energy and ancillary services (AS) subject to operational and security constraints. Generally, no account is taken of unit reliability when scheduling it. Therefore generating units have no incentive to improve their reliability. This paper proposes a new method to obtain the equilibrium points for reliability and price bidding strategy of units when the unit reliability is considered in the scheduling problem. The proposed methodology employs the supply function equilibrium (SFE) for modeling a unit's bidding strategy. Units change their bidding strategies and improve their reliability until Nash equilibrium points are obtained. GAMS (general algebraic modeling system) language has been used to solve the market scheduling problem using DICOPT optimization software with mixed integer non-linear programming. (author)

Subjective evaluation of next-generation video compression algorithms: a case study

Science.gov (United States)

De Simone, Francesca; Goldmann, Lutz; Lee, Jong-Seok; Ebrahimi, Touradj; Baroncini, Vittorio

2010-08-01

This paper describes the details and the results of the subjective quality evaluation performed at EPFL, as a contribution to the effort of the Joint Collaborative Team on Video Coding (JCT-VC) for the definition of the next-generation video coding standard. The performance of 27 coding technologies have been evaluated with respect to two H.264/MPEG-4 AVC anchors, considering high definition (HD) test material. The test campaign involved a total of 494 naive observers and took place over a period of four weeks. While similar tests have been conducted as part of the standardization process of previous video coding technologies, the test campaign described in this paper is by far the most extensive in the history of video coding standardization. The obtained subjective quality scores show high consistency and support an accurate comparison of the performance of the different coding solutions.

Powerful subjects of tax law enforcement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Igor Dementyev

2017-01-01

Full Text Available УДК 342.6The subject. Competence of government bodies and their officials in the sphere of application of the tax law is considered in the article.The purpose of research is to determine the ratio of tax enforcement and application of the tax law, as well as the relationship between the concepts “party of tax enforcement” and “participant of tax legal relations”.Main results and scope of their application. The circle of participants of tax legal relations is broader than the circle of parties of tax law enforcement. The participants of tax legal relations are simultaneously the subjects of tax law, because they realize their tax status when enter into the tax relationships. The tax and customs authorities are the undoubted parties of the tax law enforcement.Although the financial authorities at all levels of government are not mentioned by article 9 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation as participants of tax relations, they are parties of tax enforcement, because they make the agreement for deferment or installment payment of regional and local taxes.Scope of application. Clarification of participants of tax legal relations and determination of their mutual responsibility is essential to effective law enforcement.Conclusion. It was concluded that the scope tax law enforcement is tax proceedings, not administrative proceedings, civil (arbitration proceedings or enforcement proceedings.The application of the tax law is carried out not only in the form of tax relations, but also in relations of other branches of law.

Linking the pharmacological content of ecstasy tablets to the subjective experiences of drug users.

Science.gov (United States)

Brunt, Tibor M; Koeter, Maarten W; Niesink, Raymond J M; van den Brink, Wim

2012-04-01

Most studies on the subjective effects of ecstasy are based on the assumption that the substance that was taken is 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). However, many tablets sold as ecstasy contain other substances and MDMA in varying doses. So far, few attempts have been made to take this into account while assessing subjective effects. This study aims to link the pharmacological content of tablets sold as ecstasy to the subjective experiences reported by ecstasy users. Self-reported effects on ecstasy tablets were available from 5,786 drug users who handed in their tablets for chemical analysis at the Drug Information and Monitoring System (DIMS) in the Netherlands. Logistic regression was employed to link the pharmacological content of ecstasy tablets to the self-reported subjective effects and compare effects with MDMA to other substances present. MDMA showed a strong association with desirable subjective effects, unparalleled by any other psychoactive substance. However, the association of MDMA was dose-dependent, with higher doses (>120 mg/tablet) likely to evoke more adverse effects. The novel psychostimulants mephedrone and p-fluoroamphetamine were considered relatively desirable, whereas meta-chlorophenylpiperazine (mCPP) and p-methoxymethamphetamine (PMMA) were strongly associated with adverse subjective effects. Also, 3,4-methylene-dioxyamphetamine (MDA) and benzylpiperazine (BZP) were not appreciated as replacement for MDMA. Linking the pharmacological content of ecstasy sold on the street to subjective experiences contributes to a better understanding of the wide range of subjective effects ascribed to ecstasy and provides a strong rationale for the prolonged endurance of MDMA as the key ingredient of the ecstasy market.

The Effects of Music on Subjects with Alzheimer and Dementia Disease in Cache Valley

OpenAIRE

Frost, Landon

2013-01-01

Music has been shown to trigger old memories and induce various levels of stress relief and relaxation. My research focused on the effects of music on subjects with Alzheimer and Dementia disease. Eleven patients were selected through an informed consent process which included permission from responsible family members. During the course of three or more visits to patients in their care centers, the subjects listened to a variety of songs. These included songs that family members thought woul...

DIDACTIC PRINCIPLES OF THE FORMATION OF STUDENTS’ SUBJECT POSITION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. M. Garanina

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction. Subject position of a personality is the phenomenon that determines self-activity, identity, sovereignty, and positive dynamics of selfdevelopment, self-education, self-training and self-realization, i.e. those qualities which are necessary for a modern expert. Therefore, the development of the concept of formation and development of a subject position of a future expert during his/her vocational training is an urgent scientific and practical task.The aim of the present research is to prove theoretically the following issues: regularities of a formation process of a subject position of a student of a higher education institution; principles reflecting features of functioning of subject space; and requirements shown to the organization of this pedagogical process.Methodology and research methods. The methods involve the analysis of philosophical and psychology and pedagogical sources on the research problem; transspective, phenomenological, psychological, comparative, system, and structure-functional types of the analysis; deductive and inductive methods; comparison, generalization, synthesis, and abstraction.Results and scientific novelty. The concept «student’s subject position» is redefined; the concept includes such features as polysystemacity, multidimensionality, and multi-functionality. The characteristics of a person with a subject position are summarized; special attention is paid to his/her personal characteristics. The regularities of formation and development of the subject position of the student caused by internal mechanisms of self-updating, self-organization, self-development and self-improvement are found out. It is testified that these regularities are shown in the system of various social relations; depend on external impact, integrity and unity of a teaching and educational process; those regularities are characterized by heterochronism, emergence, and evolving. The research enables to present an overall

Subjective executive difficulties – a study using the Dysexecutive Questionnaire

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ewa Małgorzata Szepietowska

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Subjective executive difficulties, understood as a sense of disruption of planning, control and correction of one’s own activity, is often reported by healthy as well as clinical individuals. Self-report measures such as the Dysexecutive Questionnaire (DEX-S are used to assess the severity of this feeling. The diagnostic value of this method is debated due to the numerous factors affecting the beliefs on executive deficits. Aim of the study: With reference to inconclusive data concerning the underlying factors of subjective executive deficits and the value of self-report measures the following aims of the present study were established: a determination of the demographic, clinical and cognitive characteristics of individuals with various levels of subjective executive difficulties, b finding which of these variables contribute to the risk of subjective executive difficulties increase. Material and methods: The study included 213 adult individuals. DEX-S as well as measures of cognitive assessment (Montreal Cognitive Assessment, MoCA; subtests of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised, WAIS-R and depressive mood assessment [Geriatric Depression Scale (Short Form, GDS-15] were used. Demographic variables (age, gender and educational level as well as clinical variables (lack of/presence of central nervous system disease history, including lateralised brain pathology were also taken into consideration. Based on DEX-S results a cluster analysis was performed and two groups of subjects with a different level of subjective executive difficulties were identified: low-severity group (individuals reporting no complaints regarding executive deficits and high-severity group (individuals with complaints. Group comparisons demonstrated that individuals complaining about executive deficits have a higher depressive mood index and lower scores on some subtests used to assess cognitive functions. The results of logistic regression analysis

Central Cardiovascular Responses of Quadriplegic Subjects to Arm Exercise at Varying Levels of Oxygen Uptake.

Science.gov (United States)

Figoni, Stephen F.

The purpose of this study was to assess selected central cardiovascular functions of spinal cord injured, quadriplegic subjects at varying levels of oxygen uptake (VO sub 2). Subjects included 11 untrained, male college students with C5, C6, or C7 complete quadriplegia and 11 able-bodied reference subjects. Exercise was performed on a Monark cycle…

Subjective wellbeing and income: Empirical patterns in the rural developing world

Science.gov (United States)

Reyes-García, Victoria; Babigumira, Ronnie; Pyhälä, Aili; Wunder, Sven; Zorondo-Rodríguez, Francisco; Angelsen, Arild

2016-01-01

A commonality in the economics of happiness literature is that absolute income matters more for the subjective wellbeing of people at low income levels. In this article, we use a large sample of people in rural areas of developing countries with relatively low income levels to test whether subjective wellbeing an increasing function of absolute income in our sample, and to analyze the existence of adaptation and social comparison effects on subjective wellbeing. Our sample includes 6973 rural households in 23 countries throughout Asia, Africa, and Latin America. The average total income per adult equivalent in our sample was US$1555, whereas levels of subjective wellbeing resembled levels found in previous research using cross-country data. We find that, despite low levels of absolute income, levels of subjective wellbeing of our respondents resemble levels found in previous research using cross-country data. We also find remarkable similarities in many of the determinants of subjective wellbeing previously tested. Our data show that absolute income covariates with subjective wellbeing, but -as for richer samples- the magnitude of the association is lower once we control for adaptation and social comparison. Finally, our results suggest that social comparison has a stronger effect than adaptation in explaining the subjective wellbeing of our sample. Our findings highlight the importance of adaptation and social comparison even at low levels of absolute income. PMID:27642259

Self-stimulating rats combine subjective reward magnitude and subjective reward rate multiplicatively.

Science.gov (United States)

Leon, M I; Gallistel, C R

1998-07-01

For rats that bar pressed for intracranial electrical stimulation in a 2-lever matching paradigm with concurrent variable interval schedules of reward, the authors found that the time allocation ratio is based on a multiplicative combination of the ratio of subjective reward magnitudes and the ratio of the rates of reward. Multiplicative combining was observed in a range covering approximately 2 orders of magnitude in the ratio of the rates of reward from about 1:10 to 10:1) and an order of magnitude change in the size of rewards. After determining the relation between the pulse frequency of stimulation and subjective reward magnitude, the authors were able to predict from knowledge of the subjective magnitudes of the rewards and the obtained relative rates of reward the subject's time allocation ratio over a range in which it varied by more than 3 orders of magnitude.

Ratcheting of pressurized piping subjected to seismic loading

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scavuzzo, R.J.; Lam, P.C.; Gau, J.S.

1992-01-01

The ABAQUS finite element code was used to model a pressurized pipe and subjected to cyclic bending loads to investigate ratcheting. A 1-in. schedule 40 pipe was loaded with a slow (static) cyclic load. The pipe internal pressure was varied from 0 to 6000 psi. In this paper, two types of materials were considered: an elastic perfectly plastic and a bilinear elastic-plastic material. Two types of finite elements of the ABAQUS program were compared to analytical solutions to evaluate the element accuracy in the plastic regime. Depending upon loading conditions and specified material properties, three different responses were observed from the finite element analyses: cyclic plasticity, ratcheting of the hoop strain, or shakedown. These analytical results are compared to some experimental measurements

Association between cognitive impairment and eating habits in elderly Chinese subjects over 90 years of age.

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Lingyun; Dong, Birong; Hao, Qiu Kui; Ding, Xiang

2013-08-01

Eating habits may have a key influence on cognitive function, however, the relationship between dietary intake and cognitive impairment in the elderly Chinese population has not been explored. The present study investigated the association between cognitive impairment and eating habits in elderly Chinese subjects >90 years of age. This study comprised data from subjects included in the 2005 Project of Longevity and Ageing in Dujiangyan, China. Subjects were divided into two groups: cognitive impairment group and normal group. Sociodemographic and dietary habit data were collected and cognitive function was assessed in all subjects using the Mini-Mental State Examination. Data from 763 subjects (249 men, 514 women) were included. There was no statistically significant difference in eating habits between the two groups. Education level in the cognitive impairment group was significantly lower than in the normal group. Significant between-group differences were detected in factors relating to subjects' professions. Eating habits were not related to cognitive impairment in elderly Chinese people >90 years of age.

Tolerance of Volume Control Noninvasive Ventilation in Subjects With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Martínez, Daniel; Sancho, Jesús; Servera, Emilio; Marín, Julio

2015-12-01

Noninvasive ventilation (NIV) tolerance has been identified as an independent predictor of survival in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Volume control continuous mandatory ventilation (VC-CMV) NIV has been associated with poor tolerance. The aim of this study was to determine the tolerance of subjects with ALS to VC-CMV NIV. This was a prospective study involving subjects with ALS who were treated with VC-CMV NIV. Respiratory and functional parameters were recorded when the subjects began ventilatory support. NIV tolerance was evaluated after 3 months. Eighty-seven subjects with ALS were included. After 3 months, 80 subjects (92%) remained tolerant of NIV. Tolerant subjects presented greater survival (median 22.0 months, 95% CI 14.78-29.21) than intolerant subjects (median 6.0 months, 95% CI 0.86-11.13) (P = .03). The variables that best predicted NIV tolerance were mechanically assisted cough peak flow (P = .01) and percentage of time spent with SpO2 NIV (P = .03) CONCLUSIONS: VC-CMV NIV provides high rates of NIV tolerance in subjects with ALS. Mechanically assisted cough peak flow and percentage of time spent with SpO2 NIV are the 2 factors associated with tolerance of VC-CMV NIV in subjects with ALS. Copyright © 2015 by Daedalus Enterprises.

A mathematical model for crashing projects by considering time, cost, quality and risk

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amin Mahmoudi

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Employers are looking for reducing execution time and maintaining the quality of the projects that are the main objective of the projects. In this article, we focus on crashing projects by con-sidering different factors such as cost, time, quality and risk. For the proposed integer linear model, cost of conformance and cost of non-conformance are considered as parts of the costs of quality of deliverables in projects. The cost of conformance consists of the costs of training the project team, inspection and test of deliverables. The cost of non-conformance also includes costs of rework and scrap. Project risk management is one of the important aspects of the pro-jects. The present study also considers the impact of risks, which is highly applicable in projects with a high level of uncertainty. Results are presented using integer programming approach with the aim of minimizing the costs of the project.

Working Memory Processing In Normal Subjects and Subjects with Dyslexia

Science.gov (United States)

Bowyer, S. M.; Lajiness-O'Neill, R.; Weiland, B. J.; Mason, K.; Tepley, N.

2004-10-01

Magnetoencephalography (MEG) was used to determine the neuroanatomical location of working memory (WM) processes. Differences between subjects with dyslexia (SD; n=5) and normal readers (NR; n=5) were studied during two WM tasks. A spatial WM task (SMW) consisted of blocks visually presented in one of 12 positions for 2 s each. Subjects were to determine if the current position matched the position presented 2 slides earlier (N-Back Test). The verbal task (VMW) consisted of presentation of a single letter. The location of cortical activity during SWM in NR (determined with MR-FOCUSS analysis) was in the right superior temporal gyrus (STG) and right angular gyrus (AG). Similar activation was seen in SD with a slight delay of approximately 20 ms. During VWM activity was seen in LEFT STG and LEFT AG in NR. In contrast for SD, activation was in the RIGHT STG and RIGHT AG. This study demonstrates the possibility to differentiate WM processing in subjects with and without learning disorders.

Marginal cost calculation of energy production in hydro thermoelectric systems considering the transmission system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pereira, M.V.F.; Gorenstin, B.G.; Alvarenga Filho, S.

1989-01-01

The alternatives for calculation of energy marginal cost in hydroelectric systems, considering the transmission one, was analysed, including fundamental concepts; generation/transmission systems, represented by linear power flow model; production marginal costs in hydrothermal systems and computation aspects. (C.G.C.). 11 refs, 5 figs

Ethical review of research on human subjects at Unilever: reflections on governance.

Science.gov (United States)

Sheehan, Mark; Marti, Vernon; Roberts, Tony

2014-07-01

This article considers the process of ethical review of research on human subjects at a very large multinational consumer products company. The commercial context of this research throws up unique challenges and opportunities that make the ethics of the process of oversight distinct from mainstream medical research. Reflection on the justification of governance processes sheds important, contrasting light on the ethics of governance of other forms and context of research. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Exposure to Domestic and Community Violence and Subjective Well-Being in Adolescents

OpenAIRE

Silva, Doralúcia Gil da; Dell'Aglio, Débora Dalbosco

2016-01-01

Abstract There is major exposure to domestic and community violence during adolescence, which has been negatively related to well-being. This work aimed to identify relationships between domestic and community violence and the levels of subjective well-being perceived by adolescents, considering sex and age. The participants were 426 adolescents from public schools in the south of Brazil; 62% were girls, with a mean age of 14.91 years old ( SD = 1.65), who answered one instrument about exposu...

Psychosocial Correlates of Subjects with Heart Failure in Lagos ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Heart failure (HF) is associated with high morbidity and mortality most especially in developing countries including Nigeria. In the country, most patients present late for treatment and with attendant high treatment default. Thus, the study set out to examine the psychosocial correlates of subjects with HF. It was a ...

subjective approach to subjective approach to human physiological

African Journals Online (AJOL)

eobe

the only physiological variables that influence the heat balance [4]. Yao et al [2] .... between the human responses and outdoor climate. 4.1 Subjective Response ... months seem to be influenced by cloud cover rather than the altitude.

Challenging research on human subjects: justice and uncompensated harms.

Science.gov (United States)

Napier, Stephen

2013-02-01

Ethical challenges to certain aspects of research on human subjects are not uncommon; examples include challenges to first-in-human trials (Chapman in J Clin Res Bioethics 2(4):1-8, 2011), certain placebo controlled trials (Anderson in J Med Philos 31:65-81, 2006; Anderson and Kimmelman in Kennedy Inst Ethics J 20(1):75-98, 2010) and "sham" surgery (Macklin in N Engl J Med 341:992-996, 1999). To date, however, there are few challenges to research when the subjects are competent and the research is more than minimal risk with no promise of direct benefit. The principal reason given for allowing research that is more than minimal risk without benefit is that we should respect the autonomy of competent subjects. I argue that though the moral intuitions informing respect for autonomy are sound, there is another set of intuitions regarding what we take to be just treatment of another when one agent knowingly causes or allows suffering on another agent. I argue that concerns generated by commutative justice serve as limitations on permissible research. I highlight our intuitions informing this notion of justice by appealing to work done on theodicy; what counts as a morally sufficient reason for God to allow suffering in humans is applicable also to the researcher-subject relationship. I conclude that all human subjects who are exposed to more than minimal risk research should enjoy the same actual protections (e.g., subpart D) as those given subjects who cannot consent.

Building a profile of subjective well-being for social media users.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Lushi; Gong, Tao; Kosinski, Michal; Stillwell, David; Davidson, Robert L

2017-01-01

Subjective well-being includes 'affect' and 'satisfaction with life' (SWL). This study proposes a unified approach to construct a profile of subjective well-being based on social media language in Facebook status updates. We apply sentiment analysis to generate users' affect scores, and train a random forest model to predict SWL using affect scores and other language features of the status updates. Results show that: the computer-selected features resemble the key predictors of SWL as identified in early studies; the machine-predicted SWL is moderately correlated with the self-reported SWL (r = 0.36, p subjective well-being profile can also reflect other psychological traits like depression (r = 0.24, p social media language.

Free and Open Source Options for Creating Database-Driven Subject Guides

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Edward M. Corrado

2008-03-01

Full Text Available This article reviews available cost-effective options libraries have for updating and maintaining pathfinders such as subject guides and course pages. The paper discusses many of the available options, from the standpoint of a mid-sized academic library which is evaluating alternatives to static-HTML subject guides. Static HTML guides, while useful, have proven difficult and time-consuming to maintain. The article includes a discussion of open source database-driven solutions (such as SubjectsPlus, LibData, Research Guide, and Library Course Builder, Wikis, and social tagging sites like del.icio.us. This article discusses both the functionality and the relative strengths and weaknessess of each of these options.

A Link between Subjective Perceptions of Memory and Physical Function: Implications for Subjective Cognitive Decline.

Science.gov (United States)

Cosentino, Stephanie; Devanand, Davangere; Gurland, Barry

2018-01-01

Subjective impairment in memory is a frequently defining feature of subjective cognitive decline (SCD), a state hypothesized to precede objectively apparent cognitive symptoms of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and to hold promise as a non-invasive, inexpensive, preclinical indicator of AD. However, a full model of the factors that contribute to subjective memory (SM), and therefore to SCD, has yet to be articulated. While SM impairment is widely known to be associated with negative affect, the extent to which SM functioning may also reflect other factors, particularly subjective beliefs or perceptions about one's health, is not known. To examine the extent to which SM is associated with subjective perceptions of health more broadly, the current study investigated the link between SM and subjective physical functioning (independent of depressive affect, and objective cognitive and physical function) in an ethnically diverse sample of 471 older adults enrolled in the population-based Northern Manhattan Aging Project. 199 (42%) participants endorsed no difficulty on a 5-point SM index while 272 (58%) endorsed some degree of difficulty. As hypothesized, SM correlated with both depression and subjective physical function, but not with age, education, global cognition, or objective physical function. When objective and subjective physical function were entered in two separate, adjusted linear regressions predicting SM, only subjective physical function and depressive affect independently predicted SM. Subjective perceptions of memory appear to reflect individuals' broader health perceptions in part. Articulating the various correlates of SM will improve identification of SCD specific to preclinical AD.

Calorie restriction in rodents: Caveats to consider.

Science.gov (United States)

Ingram, Donald K; de Cabo, Rafael

2017-10-01

The calorie restriction paradigm has provided one of the most widely used and most useful tools for investigating mechanisms of aging and longevity. By far, rodent models have been employed most often in these endeavors. Over decades of investigation, claims have been made that the paradigm produces the most robust demonstration that aging is malleable. In the current review of the rodent literature, we present arguments that question the robustness of the paradigm to increase lifespan and healthspan. Specifically, there are several questions to consider as follows: (1) At what age does CR no longer produce benefits? (2) Does CR attenuate cognitive decline? (3) Are there negative effects of CR, including effects on bone health, wound healing, and response to infection? (4) How important is schedule of feeding? (5) How long does CR need to be imposed to be effective? (6) How do genotype and gender influence CR? (7) What role does dietary composition play? Consideration of these questions produce many caveats that should guide future investigations to move the field forward. Published by Elsevier B.V.

The Combined Effects of Daily Stressors and Major Life Events on Daily Subjective Ages.

Science.gov (United States)

Bellingtier, Jennifer A; Neupert, Shevaun D; Kotter-Grühn, Dana

2017-07-01

Stressors may be a contributing factor in determining how old an individual feels, looks, or would like to be. Currently, little research has been devoted to understanding the relationship between stressors and subjective age in older adults. We focus on the combined impact of major life-event stressors and daily stressors on multiple indicators of subjective age: felt age, ideal age, and look age. Furthermore, we examine the process by which daily stressors relate to subjective ages by testing whether positive affect, control, and negative affect mediate this relationship. Using a daily-diary design, the current study measured older adults' (60-96 years old) stressors, subjective ages, personal control, and affect. Felt, ideal, and look ages each demonstrated a unique pattern of interactions between daily stressors and major life-event stressors. Furthermore, our findings suggest that on the daily level, the relationship between stressors and felt age is mediated by negative affect but not by control and positive affect. Findings indicate the need to consider the broader contextual picture of stressors, as well as their differential impact on multiple indicators of subjective age. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The relation between maximal voluntary force in m. palmaris longus and the temporal and spatial summation of muscle fiber recruitment in human subjects

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Claudel, Cécyl G.; Ahmed, Waqas; Elbrønd, Vibeke S.

2018-01-01

that AMG is a noninvasive method which can be readily applied to accurately describe how a subject uses a given muscle during any given movement. These findings have relevance when considering training strategies in subjects with muscle trauma or disease, in the elderly, or for both amateur and top...

Pseudotumoral form of primary progressive tuberculosis: a diagnosis to be considered

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Franco Rosana

2003-01-01

Full Text Available The diversity of clinical presentations of primary progressive tuberculosis (TB and the difficulty in establishing the diagnosis of paucibacillary forms is the subject of painstaking research, as well as a cause of delay in therapy. We report the case of a 10-year-old black child who presented with chest pain and progressive widening of the upper mediastinum. Computerized tomography of the chest revealed multiple calcifications that were not identified with X-rays. Biopsy through mediastinoscopy was compatible with a diagnosis of tuberculosis. Despite exhaustive investigation that included direct examination, culture for mycobacteria and PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction of tissue samples, the etiologic agent was not revealed. Tuberculin conversion was observed during the follow-up and resolution period of the lesion, after administration of isoniazid, rifampicin and pyrazinamide. The nodal pseudotumoral form of tuberculosis is rare in immunocompetent children and it may simulate neoplastic disease; therefore, it should be included in the list of differential diagnoses of masses located in the anterosuperior mediastinum.

Tactile Myography: An Off-Line Assessment of Able-Bodied Subjects and One Upper-Limb Amputee

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Claudio Castellini

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Human-machine interfaces to control prosthetic devices still suffer from scarce dexterity and low reliability; for this reason, the community of assistive robotics is exploring novel solutions to the problem of myocontrol. In this work, we present experimental results pointing in the direction that one such method, namely Tactile Myography (TMG, can improve the situation. In particular, we use a shape-conformable high-resolution tactile bracelet wrapped around the forearm/residual limb to discriminate several wrist and finger activations performed by able-bodied subjects and a trans-radial amputee. Several combinations of features/classifiers were tested to discriminate among the activations. The balanced accuracy obtained by the best classifier/feature combination was on average 89.15% (able-bodied subjects and 88.72% (amputated subject; when considering wrist activations only, the results were on average 98.44% for the able-bodied subjects and 98.72% for the amputee. The results obtained from the amputee were comparable to those obtained by the able-bodied subjects. This suggests that TMG is a viable technique for myoprosthetic control, either as a replacement of or as a companion to traditional surface electromyography.

Classical mechanics including an introduction to the theory of elasticity

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Hentschke, Reinhard

2017-01-01

This textbook teaches classical mechanics as one of the foundations of physics. It describes the mechanical stability and motion in physical systems ranging from the molecular to the galactic scale. Aside from the standard topics of mechanics in the physics curriculum, this book includes an introduction to the theory of elasticity and its use in selected modern engineering applications, e.g. dynamic mechanical analysis of viscoelastic materials. The text also covers many aspects of numerical mechanics, ranging from the solution of ordinary differential equations, including molecular dynamics simulation of many particle systems, to the finite element method. Attendant Mathematica programs or parts thereof are provided in conjunction with selected examples. Numerous links allow the reader to connect to related subjects and research topics. Among others this includes statistical mechanics (separate chapter), quantum mechanics, space flight, galactic dynamics, friction, and vibration spectroscopy. An introductory...

The association between objective income and subjective financial need and depressive symptoms in South Koreans aged 60 and older.

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Kim, Woorim; Kim, Tae Hyun; Lee, Tae-Hoon; Ju, Yeong Jun; Park, Eun-Cheol

2017-11-01

This study aimed to investigate the effect of the gap between objective income and subjective financial need on depressive symptoms in individuals aged 60 and older. Data from the 2011 and 2013 Korean Retirement and Income Study were used. A total of 4891 individuals aged 60 and older were included at baseline. The Generalized Estimating Equation model was used to examine the association between the gap in objective income and subjective financial need and the presence of depressive symptoms, which were measured using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale. Compared to individuals in the middle objective income-middle subjective financial need group, individuals in the low-low category (odds ratio (OR): 1.30, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.04-1.61) and the low-middle category (OR: 1.26, 95%CI: 1.09-1.45) showed a statistically significant higher likelihood of having depressive symptoms. In contrast, participants in the middle-low (OR: 0.74, 95%CI: 0.54-0.99), high-low (OR: 0.50, 95%CI: 0.34-0.73), high-middle (OR: 0.74, 95%CI: 0.63-0.87), and high-high categories (OR: 0.74, 95%CI: 0.55-0.99) were less likely to exhibit depressive symptoms. Additionally, the lower likelihood of depressive symptoms found in middle- and high-income groups with lower levels of subjective financial need was strong among individuals with chronic disease. Differences in the prevalence of depressive symptoms generally exist between individuals of the same income category depending on perceived income adequacy. Therefore, it is important to consider discrepancies in objective income and subjective financial need when assessing risk factors for depressive symptoms in older populations. © 2017 Japanese Psychogeriatric Society.

Impaired masturbation-induced erections: a new cardiovascular risk factor for male subjects with sexual dysfunction.

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Rastrelli, Giulia; Boddi, Valentina; Corona, Giovanni; Mannucci, Edoardo; Maggi, Mario

2013-04-01

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is considered an early surrogate marker of silent, or even overt, cardiovascular diseases (CVD). However, epidemiological studies take into account only sexual intercourse-related erections. Although autoeroticism is a very common practice, data on masturbation-induced erections as a possible predictor of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) are lacking. To evaluate the clinical correlates of impaired masturbation-induced erections and to verify the importance of this sexual aspect in predicting MACE. A consecutive series of 4,031 male patients attending the Outpatient Clinic for sexual dysfunction for the first time was retrospectively studied. Among these subjects, 64% reported autoeroticism during the last 3 months, and only this subset was considered in the following analyses. In the longitudinal study, 862 subjects reporting autoeroticism were enrolled. Several clinical, biochemical, and instrumental (Prostaglandin E1 [PGE1 ] test and penile color Doppler ultrasound) parameters were studied. Subjects with an impaired erection during masturbation (46% of those reporting autoeroticism) had more often a positive personal or family history of CVD, a higher risk of reduced intercourse- and sleep-related erections, hypoactive sexual desire and perceived reduced ejaculate volume, and impaired PGE1 test response. Prolactin levels were lower in those having impaired erection during masturbation. In the longitudinal study, unadjusted incidence of MACE was significantly associated with impaired masturbation-induced erections. When dividing the population according to the median age and diagnosis of diabetes, the association between impaired masturbation-induced erections and incidence of MACE was maintained only in the youngest (masturbation-induced erections, can provide further insights on forthcoming MACE in particular in "low risk" subjects. © 2013 International Society for Sexual Medicine.

31 CFR 19.705 - What does the suspending official consider in issuing a suspension?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What does the suspending official consider in issuing a suspension? 19.705 Section 19.705 Money and Finance: Treasury Office of the Secretary... may examine the basic documents, including grants, cooperative agreements, loan authorizations...

Neoliberal ideology, global capitalism, and science education: engaging the question of subjectivity

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Bazzul, Jesse