Slisp: A Flexible Software Toolkit for Hybrid, Embedded and Distributed Applications

We describe Slisp (pronounced ‘Ess-Lisp’), a hybrid Lisp–C programming toolkit for the development of scriptable and distributed applications. Computationally expensive operations implemented as separate C-coded modules are selectively compiled into a small Xlisp interpreter, then called as Lisp functions in a Lisp-coded program. The resulting hybrid program may run in several modes: as a stand-alone executable, embedded in a different C program, as a networked server accessed from another Slisp client, or as a networked server accessed from a C-coded client. Five years of experience with Slisp, as well experience with other scripting languages such as Tcl and Perl, are summarized. These experiences suggest that Slisp will be most useful for mid-sized applications in which the kinds of scripting and embeddability features provided by Tcl and Perl can be extended in an efficient manner to larger applications, while maintaining a well-defined standard (Common Lisp) for these extensions. In addition, the generality of Lisp makes Lisp a good candidate for an application-level communication language in distributed environments

Promoting individual, organisational and group health through workplace team sport participation

Working age adults are at a high risk of inactivity, a modifiable behaviour associated with non-communicable illnesses, premature mortality, and diminished organisational health. Limited evidence has investigated the promotion of workplace team sport. This research utilised mixed methods to investigate the efficacy and feasibility of providing workplace team sport. Study one synthesised the evidence examining the efficacy of workplace team sport. Study two used interviews to understand the facilitators and obstacles influencing participation. In study three, a 12-week team sport intervention programme for the workplace, was implemented, using a quasi-experimental design, and evaluated for its impact on individual (e.g., fitness), social-group (e.g., relationships) and organisational (e.g., productivity) outcomes. The intervention was underpinned by self-determination theory. A RE-AIM process-evaluation (Study four) was conducted to assess delivery and impact. Workplace team sport participation is influenced by intrapersonal, interpersonal, organisational, environmental and societal factors. A participatory approach and needs-supportive environment may alleviate these challenges. Findings indicate participation in workplace team sport has benefits for individual, social group and organisational health. VO2 Max (+4.5 5.80 ml/kg/min), PA duration (+154.74 minutes) and communication (+3%) significantly improved over 12-weeks in the intervention group. Qualitative evidence indicates workplace team sport has benefits for employees and the organisation (e.g., behaviour change, wellbeing, relationships and productivity). Efficacy and implementation of the programme were highly successful. The adoption and maintenance of the programme were moderately successful. The reach of the programme was less successful. In conclusion, team sport is a mode of workplace PA, with a high degree of efficacy, and should be considered by employers and external stakeholders promoting health within the workplace. Future research should continue to examine the promotion of workplace team sport over the long-term

Visualization-Based Mapping of Language Function in the Brain

Cortical language maps, obtained through intraoperative electrical stimulation studies, provide a rich source of information for research on language organization. Previous studies have shown interesting correlations between the distribution of essential language sites and such behavioral indicators as verbal IQ and have provided suggestive evidence for regarding human language cortex as an organization of multiple distributed systems. Noninvasive studies using ECoG, PET, and functional MR lend support to this model; however, there as yet are no studies that integrate these two forms of information. In this paper we describe a method for mapping the stimulation data onto a 3-D MRI-based neuroanatomic model of the individual patient. The mapping is done by comparing an intraoperative photograph of the exposed cortical surface with a computer-based MR visualization of the surface, interactively indicating corresponding stimulation sites, and recording 3-D MR machine coordinates of the indicated sites. Repeatability studies were performed to validate the accuracy of the mapping technique. Six observers—a neurosurgeon, a radiologist, and four computer scientists, independently mapped 218 stimulation sites from 12 patients. The mean distance of a mapping from the mean location of each site was 2.07 mm, with a standard deviation of 1.5 mm, or within 5.07 mm with 95% confidence. Since the surgical sites are accurate within approximately 1 cm, these results show that the visualization-based approach is accurate within the limits of the stimulation maps. When incorporated within the kind of information system envisioned by the Human Brain Project, this anatomically based method will not only provide a key link between noninvasive and invasive approaches to understanding language organization, but will also provide the basis for studying the relationship between language function and anatomical variability

An Ontology-based Image Repository for a Biomedical Research Lab

We have developed a prototype web-based database for managing images acquired during experiments in a biomedical research lab studying the factors controlling cataract development. Based on an evolving ontology we are developing for describing the experimental data and protocols used in the lab, the image repository allows lab members to organize image data by multiple attributes. The use of an ontology for developing this and other tools will facilitate intercommunication among tools, and eventual data sharing with other researchers

Study of an automatic trajectory following control system

It is shown that the estimator part of the Modified Partitioned Adaptive Controller, (MPAC) developed for nonlinear aircraft dynamics of a small jet transport can adapt to sensor failures. In addition, an investigation is made into the potential usefulness of the configuration detection technique used in the MPAC and the failure detection filter is developed that determines how a noise plant output is associated with a line or plane characteristic of a failure. It is shown by computer simulation that the estimator part and the configuration detection part of the MPAC can readily adapt to actuator and sensor failures and that the failure detection filter technique cannot detect actuator or sensor failures accurately for this type of system because of the plant modeling errors. In addition, it is shown that the decision technique, developed for the failure detection filter, can accurately determine that the plant output is related to the characteristic line or plane in the presence of sensor noise

Civic Environmental Stewardship: Aligning Organizational and Participant Motivations

Natural area management and sustainability in cities is ever more reliant on civic environmental stewardship. Many conservation organizations sponsor stewardship programs that enlist volunteers to care for the land and restore urban ecosystems. Stewardship program success depends on alignment of individuals’ and sponsoring organizations’ goals. We conducted surveys with a sample of 165 volunteers across natural areas stewardship events in metropolitan King County (Washington, U.S.). An adapted Volunteer Functions Inventory framework was used to understand volunteers’ motivations, satisfactions, and volunteering history. Our findings confirmed the multidimensional dynamics of volunteerism, as stewardship volunteers were motivated and expressed satisfaction for practical altruism, social interactions, experiential learning and a sense of positive impact. High frequency volunteers expressed higher values across all satisfactions outcomes. People who participated in stewardship events closer to home indicated higher event-related social esteem and personal efficacy. Overall, volunteers were generally of greater education attainment, more affluent, and culturally identified as white at a higher rate than the region’s populace, suggesting the need for program innovations to improve stewardship participation diversity. Findings that differ from more general volunteer studies indicate volunteers’ concerns for other people and the environment, in the near term and as legacy for the future. Stewardship organizations’ programs are guided by goals and values. A systematic approach to knowledge building about volunteer motivations can inform more successful volunteer engagement, such as recruitment and retention

Effects of Craniofacial Structures on Mouse Palatal Closure In Vitro

Heads of Swiss-Webster mouse fetuses of four ages spanning days 12-13 of gestation, were partially dissected by removing the brain (B), tongue (T) and mandible (M) alone or in combination (BT, BM, BTM). Preparations were suspended in a gassed, circulating culture system such that palatal closure must take place against gravity. Closure occurred earlier than in vivo and required the posterior half of the mandible be intact and the tongue removed.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/68249/2/10.1177_00220345780570024401.pd

What benefits does team sport hold for the workplace? A systematic review

Physical inactivity is proven to be a risk factor for non-communicable diseases and all-cost mortality. Public health policy recommends community settings worldwide such as the workplace to promote physical activity. Despite the growing prevalence of workplace team sports, studies have not synthesised their benefits within the workplace. A systematic review was carried out to identify articles related to workplace team sports, including intervention, observational and qualitative studies. Eighteen studies met the inclusion criteria. The findings suggest team sport holds benefits not only for individual health but also for group cohesion and performance and organisational benefits such as the increased work performance. However, it is unclear how sport is most associated with these benefits as most of the studies included poorly described samples and unclear sports activities. Our review highlights the need to explore and empirically understand the benefits of workplace team sport for individual, group and organisational health outcomes. Researches carried out in this field must provide details regarding their respective samples, the sports profile and utilise objective measures (e.g., sickness absence register data, accelerometer data)

Developing Civic-Mindedness in Middle- and High-School Students Using Service-Learning

Education is not only about teaching students in academic domains, but also teaching them about the application of those domains in society as civic-minded, engaged citizens. Service learning projects can be effective at fostering a sense of civic-mindedness in students, at least in college (e.g., Weber & Weber, 2010). During the 2017-2018 school year, we conducted a case study with 73 middle school students from two rural schools in the Arkansas Delta to examine, in part, the impact of one service-learning initiative (EAST). Participating students researched authentic problems in their communities and developed projects aimed at addressing those problems. Based on data from the case study, students appeared to become more aware of problems in their communities and believed they could help to solve those problems. Using the EAST model, this proposed session will examine how service-learning projects can help secondary educators develop civic-mindedness in students

Caloric restriction, aerobic exercise training and soluble lectin-like oxidized LDL receptor-1 levels in overweight and obese post-menopausal women

Background—Elevated circulating levels of soluble lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor-1 (sLOX-1) have been observed in obese persons and are reduced by weight loss. However, it is not known if combining caloric restriction (CR) with exercise training is better in reducing sLOX-1 levels than CR alone. Objective—We examined whether the addition of aerobic exercise to a weight loss intervention differentially affects sLOX-1 levels in 61 abdominally obese postmenopausal women randomly assigned to a CR only (n=22), CR + moderate-intensity exercise (n=22), or CR + vigorous intensity exercise (n=17) intervention for 20 weeks. The caloric deficit was ~2,800 kcal/week for all groups. Results—The intervention groups were similar at baseline with respect to body weight, body composition, lipids, and blood pressure. However, plasma sLOX-1 levels were higher in the CR only group (99.90 ± 8.23 pg/ml) compared to both the CR + moderate-intensity exercise (69.39 ± 8.23 pg/ml, p=0.01) and CR + vigorous-intensity exercise (72.83 ± 9.36 pg/ml, p=0.03) groups. All three interventions significantly reduced body weight (~14%), body fat, and waist and hip circumferences to a similar degree. These changes were accompanied by a 23% reduction in sLOX-1 levels overall (−19.00 ± 30.08 pg/ml, p\u3c0.0001), which did not differ among intervention groups (p=0.13). Changes in body weight, body fat, and VO2 max were not correlated with changes in sLOX-1 levels. In multiple regression analyses in all women combined, baseline sLOX-1 levels (β = − 0.70 ± 0.06, p\u3c0.0001), age (β = 0.92 ± 0.43, p=0.03) and baseline BMI (β = 1.88 ± 0.66, p=0.006) were independent predictors of the change in sLOX-1 with weight loss. Conclusions—Weight loss interventions of equal energy deficit have similar effects on sLOX-1 levels in overweight and obese postmenopausal women, with the addition of aerobic exercise having no added benefit when performed in conjunction with CR