Active Learning Techniques to Improve Emotional Intelligence Among Student Registered Nurse Anesthetists

Students enrolled in nurse anesthesia programs are challenged to meet rigorous and lengthy clinical and didactic requirements throughout doctoral-level curriculums. Historically, admission into nurse anesthesia programs has been based on categories such as academic performance, intensive care nursing experience, and the curriculum vitae. However, emerging research has exhibited emotional intelligence as an essential skill for varying situations that may be encountered. Additionally, training can be utilized to increase emotional intelligence levels (Lolaty et al., 2012). The goal of this doctoral project was to provide emotional intelligence training for first-year student registered nurse anesthetists (SRNAs) at a mid-size University in the Midwestern United States. Project implementation involved a presentation given by an expert in the field of emotional intelligence, followed by two active learning sessions directed by a second-year SRNA, to reiterate concepts from the presentation. Pre- and post-emotional intelligence evaluation scores were obtained via the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT) along with subjective data about the training program via a post-implementation survey. Overall, total post- MSCEIT scores showed improvement compared to pre-scores, and survey results revealed positive student feedback. Keywords: emotional intelligence, training, active learning, nurse anesthesia, graduate student

Scattering of Gravitational Waves by the Weak Gravitational Fields of Lens Objects

We consider the scattering of the gravitational waves by the weak gravitational fields of lens objects. We obtain the scattered gravitational waveform by treating the gravitational potential of the lens to first order, i.e. using the Born approximation. We find that the effect of scattering on the waveform is roughly given by the Schwarzschild radius of the lens divided by the wavelength of gravitational wave for a compact lens object. If the lenses are smoothly distributed, the effect of scattering is of the order of the convergence field $\kappa$ along the line of sight to the source. In the short wavelength limit, the amplitude is magnified by $1+\kappa$, which is consistent with the result in weak gravitational lensing.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, A&A Letters, in press, minor changes, references adde

Quasi-geometrical Optics Approximation in Gravitational Lensing

The gravitational lensing of gravitational waves should be treated in the wave optics instead of the geometrical optics when the wave length $\lambda$ of the gravitational waves is larger than the Schwarzschild radius of the lens mass $M$. The wave optics is based on the diffraction integral which represents the amplification of the wave amplitude by lensing. We study the asymptotic expansion of the diffraction integral in the powers of the wave length $\lambda$. The first term, arising from the short wavelength limit $\lambda \to 0$, corresponds to the geometrical optics limit. The second term, being of the order of $\lambda/M$, is the leading correction term arising from the diffraction effect. By analyzing this correction term, we find that (1) the lensing magnification $\mu$ is modified to $\mu ~(1+\delta)$, where $\delta$ is of the order of $(\lambda/M)^2$, and (2) if the lens has cuspy (or singular) density profile at the center $\rho(r) \propto r^{-\alpha}$ ($0 < \alpha \leq 2$), the diffracted image is formed at the lens center with the magnification $\mu \sim (\lambda/M)^{3-\alpha}$.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures. Revised version accepted for publication in A&

Scattering of gravitational radiation: second order moments of the wave amplitude

Gravitational radiation that propagates through an inhomogeneous mass distribution is subject to random gravitational lensing, or scattering, causing variations in the wave amplitude and temporal smearing of the signal. A statistical theory is constructed to treat these effects. The statistical properties of the wave amplitude variations are a direct probe of the power spectrum of the mass distribution through which the waves propagate. Scattering temporally smears any intensity variations intrinsic to a source emitting gravitational radiation, rendering variability on time scales shorter than the temporal smearing time scale unobservable, and potentially making the radiation much harder to detect. Gravitational radiation must propagate out through the mass distribution of its host galaxy before it can be detected at the Earth. Plausible models for the distribution of matter in an $L_*$ host galaxy suggest that the temporal smearing time scale is at least several milliseconds due to the gas content alone, and may be as large as a second if dark matter also scatters the radiation. The smearing time due to scattering by any galaxy interposed along the line of sight is a factor $\sim 10^5$ times larger. Gravitational scattering is an excellent probe of matter on parsec and sub-parsec scales, and has the potential to elucidate the nature of dark matter.Comment: A&A accepted, 19 pages, 4 fig

Gravitational microlensing as a test of stellar model atmospheres

We present calculations illustrating the potential of gravitational microlensing to discriminate between classical models of stellar surface brightness profiles and the recently computed ``Next Generation'' models of Hauschildt et al. These spherically-symmetric models include a much improved treatment of molecular lines in the outer atmospheres of cool giants -- stars which are very typical sources in Galactic bulge microlensing events. We show that the microlensing signatures of intensively monitored point and fold caustic crossing events are readily able to distinguish between NextGen and the classical models, provided a photometric accuracy of 0.01 magnitudes is reached. This accuracy is now routinely achieved by alert networks, and hence current observations can discriminate between such model atmospheres, providing a unique insight on stellar photospheres.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, Astronomy & Astrophysics (Letters), vol. 388, L1 (2002

Observing gravitational wave bursts in pulsar timing measurements

We propose a novel method for observing the gravitational wave signature of super-massive black hole (SMBH) mergers. This method is based on detection of a specific type of gravitational waves, namely gravitational wave burst with memory (BWM), using pulsar timing. We study the unique signature produced by BWM in anomalous pulsar timing residuals. We show that the present day pulsar timing precision allows one to detect BWM due to SMBH mergers from distances up to 1 Gpc (for case of equal mass 10^8 Msun SMBH). Improvements in precision of pulsar timing together with the increase in number of observed pulsars should eventually lead to detection of a BWM signal due to SMBH merger, thereby making the proposed technique complementary to the capabilities of the planned LISA mission.Comment: 9 pages, 1 figure, generally matches the MNRAS versio

On the possible sources of gravitational wave bursts detectable today

We discuss the possibility that galactic gravitational wave sources might give burst signals at a rate of several events per year, detectable by state-of-the-art detectors. We are stimulated by the results of the data collected by the EXPLORER and NAUTILUS bar detectors in the 2001 run, which suggest an excess of coincidences between the two detectors, when the resonant bars are orthogonal to the galactic plane. Signals due to the coalescence of galactic compact binaries fulfill the energy requirements but are problematic for lack of known candidates with the necessary merging rate. We examine the limits imposed by galactic dynamics on the mass loss of the Galaxy due to GW emission, and we use them to put constraints also on the GW radiation from exotic objects, like binaries made of primordial black holes. We discuss the possibility that the events are due to GW bursts coming repeatedly from a single or a few compact sources. We examine different possible realizations of this idea, such as accreting neutron stars, strange quark stars, and the highly magnetized neutron stars (``magnetars'') introduced to explain Soft Gamma Repeaters. Various possibilities are excluded or appear very unlikely, while others at present cannot be excluded.Comment: 24 pages, 20 figure

Exact Wave Propagation in a Spacetime with a Cosmic String

We present exact solutions of the massless Klein-Gordon equation in a spacetime in which an infinite straight cosmic string resides. The first solution represents a plane wave entering perpendicular to the string direction. We also present and analyze a solution with a static point-like source. In the short wavelength limit these solutions approach the results obtained by using the geometrical optics approximation: magnification occurs if the observer lies in front of the string within a strip of angular width $8\pi G\mu$, where $\mu$ is the string tension. We find that when the distance from the observer to the string is less than $10^{-3} {(G \mu)}^{-2}\lambda \sim 150 {\rm Mpc} (\lambda/{\rm AU}) (G\mu/10^{-8})^{-2}$, where $\lambda$ is the wave length, the magnification is significantly reduced compared with the estimate based on the geometrical optics due to the diffraction effect. For gravitational waves from neutron star(NS)-NS mergers the several lensing events per year may be detected by DECIGO/BBO.Comment: 15 pages, 8 figures, reference adde

Cosmological Black Holes

In this paper we propose a model for the formation of the cosmological voids. We show that cosmological voids can form directly after the collapse of extremely large wavelength perturbations into low-density black holes or cosmological black holes (CBH). Consequently the voids are formed by the comoving expansion of the matter that surrounds the collapsed perturbation. It follows that the universe evolves, in first approximation, according to the Einstein-Straus cosmological model. We discuss finally the possibility to detect the presence of these black holes through their weak and strong lensing effects and their influence on the cosmic background radiation.Comment: 14 pages, new completely revised version, to appear on GR