3,777 research outputs found
Which space? Whose space? An experience in involving students and teachers in space design
To date, learning spaces in higher education have been designed with little engagement on the part of their most important users: students and teachers. In this paper, we present the results of research carried out in a UK university. The research aimed to understand how students and teachers conceptualise learning spaces when they are given the opportunity to do so in a workshop environment. Over a number of workshops, participants were encouraged to critique a space prototype and to re-design it according to their own views and vision of learning spaces to optimise pedagogical encounters. The findings suggest that the active involvement of students and teachers in space design endows participants with the power of reflection on the pedagogical process, which can be harnessed for the actual creation and innovation of learning spaces
Exploring Cognitive States: Methods for Detecting Physiological Temporal Fingerprints
Cognitive state detection and its relationship to observable physiologically telemetry has been utilized for many human-machine and human-cybernetic applications. This paper aims at understanding and addressing if there are unique psychophysiological patterns over time, a physiological temporal fingerprint, that is associated with specific cognitive states. This preliminary work involves commercial airline pilots completing experimental benchmark task inductions of three cognitive states: 1) Channelized Attention (CA); 2) High Workload (HW); and 3) Low Workload (LW). We approach this objective by modeling these "fingerprints" through the use of Hidden Markov Models and Entropy analysis to evaluate if the transitions over time are complex or rhythmic/predictable by nature. Our results indicate that cognitive states do have unique complexity of physiological sequences that are statistically different from other cognitive states. More specifically, CA has a significantly higher temporal psychophysiological complexity than HW and LW in EEG and ECG telemetry signals. With regards to respiration telemetry, CA has a lower temporal psychophysiological complexity than HW and LW. Through our preliminary work, addressing this unique underpinning can inform whether these underlying dynamics can be utilized to understand how humans transition between cognitive states and for improved detection of cognitive states
The Distance of the Gamma-ray Binary 1FGL J1018.6-5856
The recently discovered gamma-ray binary 1FGL J1018.6-5856 has a proposed
optical/near-infrared (OIR) counterpart 2MASS 10185560-5856459. We present
Stromgren photometry of this star to investigate its photometric variability
and measure the reddening and distance to the system. We find that the
gamma-ray binary has E(B-V) = 1.34 +/- 0.04 and d = 5.4^+4.6_-2.1 kpc. While
E(B-V) is consistent with X-ray observations of the neutral hydrogen column
density, the distance is somewhat closer than some previous authors have
suggested.Comment: Accepted to PAS
Solution of the Lindblad Equation in the Kraus Representation
The so-called Lindblad equation, a typical master equation describing the
dissipative quantum dynamics, is shown to be solvable for finite-level systems
in a compact form without resort to writing it down as a set of equations among
matrix elements. The solution is then naturally given in an operator form,
known as the Kraus representation. Following a few simple examples, the general
applicability of the method is clarified.Comment: 9 page
Inverse modeling in geophysical applications
The interpretation of the potential ¯eld data is an useful tool that allows for
both investigating the subsurface structures and providing a quantitative evalu-
ation of the geophysical process preceding and accompanying period of volcanic
unrest. Potential ¯eld inversion problem are required to combine forward mod-
els with appropriate optimization algorithms and automatically ¯nd the best
set of parameters that well matches the available observations. Indeed, investi-
gations on the mathematical equations to be inverted, have revealed that these
models are ill-posed and highly non-linear. Numerical methods for modeling
potential ¯eld observations are proposed and applied on real dataset
Nonlocal properties of entangled two-photon generalized binomial states in two separate cavities
We consider entangled two-photon generalized binomial states of the
electromagnetic field in two separate cavities. The nonlocal properties of this
entangled field state are analyzed by studying the electric field correlations
between the two cavities. A Bell's inequality violation is obtained using an
appropriate dichotomic cavity operator, that is in principle measurable.Comment: 5 pages, 1 figur
Volcanomagnetic Evidence of the Magmatic Intrusion on 13th May 2008
During the onset of 2008 volcanic crisis at Mt Etna, the near-real time magnetic data provided a continuous updating of the volcano activity state on the northern flank. On the morning of 13th May 2008, significant local magnetic field changes marked the resumption of the eruptive activity characterized by the opening of a fracture field on the northern flank, and an eruptive fissure in the Valle del Bove. In agreement with the northward propagation of seismic events, magnetic signals at 5 stations in the summit area revealed a nearly NNW-SSE oriented magmatic intrusion, which started at about 9:00 GMT, propagated northward for about 2 km, and stopped at 14:00 GMT before reaching the North-East Rift. Magnetic variations, with amplitude ranging between 1.8 nT and -6.5 nT, are consistent with those calculated from piezomagnetic models, where stress-induced changes in rock magnetization are produced by the magmatic intrusion
Recommended from our members
Examination of Fluconazole-Induced Alopecia in an Animal Model and Human Cohort.
Fluconazole-induced alopecia is a significant problem for patients receiving long-term therapy. We evaluated the hair cycle changes of fluconazole in a rat model and investigated potential molecular mechanisms. Plasma and tissue levels of retinoic acid were not found to be causal. Human patients with alopecia attributed to fluconazole also underwent detailed assessment and in both our murine model and human cohort fluconazole induced telogen effluvium. Future work further examining the mechanism of fluconazole-induced alopecia should be undertaken
Evidences on overweight of regular blood donors in a center of Southern Italy
Objective: Smoking, unhealthy diet and obesity, sedentary behavior and inability to maintain adequate exercise have significant consequences for several chronic disorders. Blood centers can play a public health role in obesity surveillance and interventions. The purpose study was to evaluate the health status of the blood donors by monitoring the nutritional habits and lifestyle. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional face-to-face questionnaire was developed. It included a 41 item dietary assessment, reporting semi-quantitative food frequency, dietary behavior and questions on self-rated health status. Donors were regular repeat blood donors, eligible to donate. Results: Of the 2468 blood donors enrolled between July 2017 and January 2018, 1390 were repeat donors. Only 205 agreed to respond to the questionnaire. Data showed that donors followed mainly a Mediterranean diet and had more awareness to lifestyle, women more than men, in comparison with general population. The prevalence of overweight was found 50.7% in men and 16.9% in women. Conclusions: Overweight and obesity are common among regular blood donors and it is more frequent in men than women. The female blood donors seem to be characterized by better knowledge on the relationship between lifestyle and health, and by a better “putting into practice” of the information possessed
- …