Visual Attention to Radar Displays

A model is described which predicts the allocation of attention to the features of a radar display. It uses the growth of uncertainty and the probability of near collision to call the eye to a feature of the display. The main source of uncertainty is forgetting following a fixation, which is modelled as a two dimensional diffusion process. The model was used to predict information overload in intercept controllers, and preliminary validation obtained by recording eye movements of intercept controllers in simulated and live (practice) interception

Validity of electron beam computed tomography for coronary artery disease: asystematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Electron beam computed tomography (EBCT) is a method for measuring coronary calcification and has been promoted as a possible non-invasive screening/diagnostic tool for coronary artery disease (CAD). Our objective was to carry out a systematic review and meta-analysis of EBCT for the screening of asymptomatic patients and the diagnosis of symptomatic patients for CAD. Methods: Studies were identified from the PUBMED, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Current Contents, INAHTA and Cochrane Collaboration databases. We identified studies published in English evaluating EBCT using: (1) a prospective design among asymptomatic patients where CAD was measured in terms of clinical outcomes (e.g. myocardial infarction, death, revascularization); and (2)a cross-sectional design among symptomatic patients where CAD was measured by coronary angiography. We compared the risk of CAD in EBCT score categories defined as low (0-10), moderate (11-400) and high (>400). A hierarchical meta-analysis was used to pool risk ratios comparing categories across studies. Results: We identified 9 studies of asymptomatic patients and 10 studies of symptomatic patients. In both types of studies, we found variability in EBCT category distribution and risk of CAD within categories. For studies of asymptomatic patients we estimated the following risk ratios (95% credible intervals): moderate versus low 3.5 (2.4, 5.1) and high versus low 9.9 (5.3, 17.6). Similar results were obtained for studies of symptomatic patients. Ratios comparing the risk of no CAD among symptomatic patients were as follows: moderate versus low 0.5 (0.3, 0.8) and high versus low 0.12 (0.05, 0.2). Conclusion: Increasing EBCT scores indicate higher risk for CAD in both asymptomatic and symptomatic patients. In general, asymptomatic patients with EBCT scores in the high category can perhaps be considered for preventive medical therapy and risk factor modification. Symptomatic patients with EBCT scores in the low category can perhaps, at least temporarily, avoid invasive coronary angiography. However, the non-uniform quality of studies and the lack of availability of individual-level data preclude the extension of our results to individual patients. © 2007 Dendukuri et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd

Placement of Students with Extensive Support Needs in California School Districts: The State of Inclusion and Exclusion

Access to general education settings for students with disabilities varies greatly among and within states across the United States and worldwide. The variability in placement and lack of access to general education for students with disabilities, particularly students with extensive support needs, are reasons to identify factors associated with placement and then address the role of current policy. Explored in this study were the placement of students with extensive support needs in 938 school districts across the State of California in the United States and the relationship between placement and economic and demographic factors. Results suggest alarmingly low access to general education classrooms for students with extensive support needs, significant variability in placement, and relationships between placement and factors, such as total enrollment, race, and expenditure

The benefits and challenges of embedding specialist palliative care teams within homeless hostels to enhance support and learning: Perspectives from palliative care teams and hostel staff.

BACKGROUND: People residing in UK homeless hostels experience extremely high rates of multi-morbidity, frailty and age-related conditions at a young age. However, they seldom receive palliative care with the burden of support falling to hostel staff. AIM: To evaluate a model embedding palliative specialists, trained as 'homelessness champions', into hostels for two half-days a month to provide support to staff and residents and facilitate a multidisciplinary approach to care. DESIGN: An exploratory qualitative design. SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: Four homeless hostels in London, UK, including nine hostel managers/support staff and seven palliative care specialists (five nurses and two social workers). RESULTS: Benefits to introducing the model included: developing partnership working between hostel staff and palliative care specialists, developing a holistic palliative ethos within the hostels and improving how hostel staff seek support and connect with local external services. Challenges to implementation included limited time and resources, and barriers related to primary care. CONCLUSION: This is the first evaluation of embedding palliative care specialists within homeless hostels. Inequity in health and social care access was highlighted with evidence of benefit of this additional support for both hostel staff and residents. Considering COVID-19, future research should explore remote ways of working including providing in-reach support to homelessness services from a range of services and organisations

Microsatellite analysis of albacore tuna (Thunnus alalunga): population genetic structure in the Nord-East Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean sea

Stock heterogeneity was investigated in albacore tuna (Thunnus alalunga, Bonnaterre 1788), a commercially important species in the North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. Twelve polymorphic microsatellite loci were examined in 581 albacore tuna from nine locations, four in the north-east Atlantic Ocean (NEA), three in the Mediterranean Sea (MED) and two in the south-western Pacific Ocean (SWP). Maximum numbers of alleles per locus ranged from 9 to 38 (sample mean, 5.2-22.6 per locus; overall mean, 14.2 +/- 0.47 SE), and observed heterozygosities per locus ranged from 0.44 to 1.00 (overall mean: 0.79 +/- 0.19 SE). Significant deficits of heterozygotes were observed in 20% of tests. Multilocus F-ST values were observed ranging from 0.00 to Theta = 0.036 and Theta' = 0.253, with a mean of Theta = 0.013 and Theta' = 0.079. Pairwise F-ST values showed that the SWP, NEA and MED stocks were significantly distinct from one another, thus corroborating findings in previous studies based on mitochondrial DNA, nuclear DNA (other than microsatellites) and allozyme analyses. Heterogeneity was observed for the first time between samples within the Mediterranean Sea. GENELAND indicated the potential presence of three populations across the NEA and two separate populations in the Mediterranean Sea. Observed genetic structure may be related to migration patterns and timing of movements of subpopulations to the feeding grounds in either summer or autumn. We suggest that a more intensive survey be conducted throughout the entire fishing season to ratify or refute the currently accepted genetic homogeneity within the NEA albacore stock

Supported Decision-Making: The Expectations Held by People With Experience of Mental Illness

Supported decision-making (SDM) is a principle guiding mental health service provision, which aims to improve people’s ability to make informed decisions about their care. Understanding diverse individual needs is vital to its success. Based on 29 narrative interviews with people diagnosed with mental illness in Australia, we examine how participants reflected on their own experiences of SDM. We find that participants’ conceptualization of mental health expertise, their own lived experiences and sense of agency, and their varying needs for dependence and independence influenced their relations with mental health practitioners. These factors in turn shaped their expectations about SDM. Four narrative positions emerged: the ‘Inward Expert’, the ‘Outward Entrustor’, the ‘Self-Aware Observer’ and the ‘Social Integrator’. These positionings influenced the type or style of support that participants expected and considered most useful. Our findings are relevant to developing effective approaches to SDM that take into account service users’ needs and preferences

Drp2 and Periaxin Form Cajal Bands with Dystroglycan But Have Distinct Roles in Schwann Cell Growth

Cajal bands are cytoplasmic channels flanked by appositions where the abaxonal surface of Schwann cell myelin apposes and adheres to the overlying plasma membrane. These appositions contain a dystroglycan complex that includes periaxin and dystrophin-related protein 2 (Drp2). Loss of periaxin disrupts appositions and Cajal bands in Schwann cells and causes a severe demyelinating neuropathy in mouse and man. Here we have investigated the role of mouse Drp2 in apposition assembly and Cajal band function and compared it to periaxin. We show that Periaxin and Drp2 are not only both required to form appositions, but they must also interact. Periaxin-Drp2 interaction is also required for Drp2 phosphorylation but phosphorylation is not required for the assembly of appositions. Drp2 loss causes corresponding increases in Dystrophin family members, utrophin and dystrophin Dp116 though dystroglycan remains unchanged. We also show that all dystroglycan complexes in Schwann cells utilise the uncleaved form of β-dystroglycan. Drp2-null Schwann cells have disrupted appositions and Cajal bands, and they undergoe focal hypermyelination and concomitant demyelination. Nevertheless, they do not have the short internodal lengths and associated reduced nerve conduction velocity seen in the absence of periaxin, showing that periaxin regulates Schwann cell elongation independent of its role in the dystroglycan complex. We conclude that the primary role of the dystroglycan complex in appositions is to stabilize and limit the radial growth of myelin