The Power of Person-Centered Planning

The purpose of this article is to awaken the reader to the possibilities which exist when working on Person-Centered Planning and the individual with intellectual disabilities, specifically, Down syndrome. Although Person-Centered Planning has been in existence for more than two decades, it is viewed in a new way through the experiences documented in this article by individuals, and the use of a new format which includes photography, the computer, and a guide for what questions to ask and how to ask them. The central question of what caregivers can do once the Person-Centered Plan is enacted is posed as well. The Person-Centered Plan is seen as not disability-specific, but a capacity building process in which the personnel involved are key to linking the individual to the community in order for dreams and personal goals to be realized

Weighted Birkhoff Averages and the Parameterization Method

This work provides a systematic recipe for computing accurate high order Fourier expansions of quasiperiodic invariant circles in area preserving maps. The recipe requires only a finite data set sampled from the quasiperiodic circle. Our approach, being based on the parameterization method, uses a Newton scheme to iteratively solve a conjugacy equation describing the invariant circle. A critical step in properly formulating the conjugacy equation is to determine the rotation number of the quasiperiodic subsystem. For this we exploit a the weighted Birkhoff averaging method. This approach facilities accurate computation of the rotation number given nothing but the already mentioned orbit data. The weighted Birkhoff averages also facilitate the computation of other integral observables like Fourier coefficients of the parameterization of the invariant circle. Since the parameterization method is based on a Newton scheme, we only need to approximate a small number of Fourier coefficients with low accuracy to find a good enough initial approximation so that Newton converges. Moreover, the Fourier coefficients may be computed independently, so we can sample the higher modes to guess the decay rate of the Fourier coefficients. This allows us to choose, a-priori, an appropriate number of modes in the truncation. We illustrate the utility of the approach for explicit example systems including the area preserving Henon map and the standard map. We present example computations for invariant circles with period as low as 1 and up to more than 100. We also employ a numerical continuation scheme to compute large numbers of quasiperiodic circles in these systems. During the continuation we monitor the Sobolev norm of the Parameterization to automatically detect the breakdown of the family.Comment: 38 pages, 15 figure

Accurate Judgment by Dementia Patients of Neutral Faces with Respect to Trustworthiness and Valence

The present study investigates whether dementia patients can make accurate social and affective judgments of face stimuli. We used verbal material as a control condition to see whether dementia patients are capable of using the rating scales the same way as controls. We compared the trustworthiness, valence, and arousal ratings of dementia patients with those from a healthy control group. Participants rated pictures of young and old, female and male neutral faces and two fictitious biographies. The results indicate that dementia patients make accurate judgments of unfamiliar faces with respect to trustworthiness and valence. Results concerning arousal ratings suggest that the corresponding scale might be difficult to use for dementia patients and possibly for older participants as well

Depth encoded input polarisation independent swept source cross-polarised optical coherence tomography probe

Within the last decades, several studies have been published that prove the benefit of polarisation sensitive optical coherence (psOCT) tomography for the field of biomedical diagnostics. However, polarisation sensitive imaging typically requires careful control of the polarisation state of the input illumination, which leads to bulky and delicate systems. While psOCT provides quantitative information, it is mostly sufficient to analyse the images qualitatively in the field of biomedical diagnostics. Therefore, a reduced form of this technique, cross-polarised optical coherence tomography (cpOCT), moves into the focus of interest that serves to visualise the birefringence properties of a sample. Despite the low requirements for the illumination's polarisation, most of the proposed systems still include complex illumination control mechanisms. Here, we propose a common path probe based endoscopic system with an lateral resolution of 30 µm and a sensitivity of 103 dB comprising a commercially available swept-source OCT system and a free-space module which does not require any polarisation controlling elements. A Faraday mirror substitutes the complex polarisation control apparatus. We demonstrate the independence of the approach from the polarisation state of the light source by monitoring the illumination power in the orthogonal channels while varying the source polarisation. Furthermore, we validate the ability of the system to reveal the birefringence properties of different samples, starting from a quarter-wave plate, since its properties are fully characterised. Additionally, we present imaging results from several tissues to demonstrate its feasibility for the field of biomedical diagnostics

New Urban History in den Vereinigten Staaten

Die New Urban History entwickelte sich, obwohl die Bedeutung der Stadt für die amerikanische Geschichte schon früh erkannt wurde, in den letzten Jahrzehnten eher langsam. Der Verfasser geht auf die wichtigsten Arbeiten ein, die sich als maßgeblich für die aufkommende Spezialisierung erwiesen haben. Diese Arbeiten kündigten das Entstehen von bedeutenden Forschungsarbeiten an, die an drei Leitlinien orientiert waren: der Entwicklung neuer theoretischer Ansätze zur städtischen Entwicklung, der Erforschung des allgemeinen Stellenwerts der Städte in der amerikanischen Geschichte und der Untersuchung der Städte von innen her. 1969 wurde der Begriff New Urban History zum ersten Mal verwendet, um die Arbeit einer Gruppe von Historikern zu beschreiben, die ein Jahr vorher an der Universität von Yale zusammengekommen waren, um ihre Forschungen über die Stadt zu diskutieren. Nach dem Treffen von Yale entwickelte sich dieses Gebiet rasch weiter. Der Verfasser zeigt die Richtung dieser Entwicklung auf. Mit einer Erweiterung im Bereich der Quellen ging die Anwendung ausgefeilterer quantitativer Techniken einher. Es werden die Bezeichnung New Urban History zur Beschreibung der gegenwärtigen Forschung und die Merkmale, die bei Historikern und Nicht-Historikern über die Zugehörigkeit zu diesem Bereich entscheiden, erläutert. Ein Überblick über die allgemeinen Ergebnisse der New Urban History bezieht sich auf Bevölkerungsstrukturen, soziale Mobilität, ökologische Studien des städtischen Raums, städtisches Wachstum und ökonomische Entwicklung, städtische Sozialstruktur sowie städtisches Gemeindebewußtsein. (SD

In vivo antimalarial effect of Ananas comosus (L) Merr (Bromeliaceae) fruit peel, and gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy profiling: A possible role for polyunsaturated fatty acid

Purpose: To evaluate the antimalarial effect of Ananas comosus extract and fractions and also to identify the likely bioactive compounds.Method: The fruit peel of the plant was extracted with methanol, and the extract successively fractionated with n-hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, methanol and water. The n-hexane fraction was further subjected to vacuum liquid chromatography to afford four sub-fractions, one of which was also analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS). Plasmodium berghei-infected mice were treated orally with three doses (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg) of the plant extract and a single dose (200 mg/kg) of each of the fractions and sub-fractions in a curative antimalarial model using artemisinin combination therapy (ACT) as the reference drug.Results: The extract exhibited significant (p < 0.001) non-dose dependent parasitemia inhibitory activity in the range of 44.84 to 76.09 %. All fractions displayed inhibitory effect (p < 0.001) in the range of 46.44 to 87.58 % with the dichloromethane fraction displaying the highest effect (87.58 %). The subfractions exhibited significant inhibitory effect (p < 0.001) in the range of 84.14 to 92.54 %. The ACT produced significant (p < 0.001) inhibitory effect of 83.92 %. GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of 17 bioactive compounds, the most abundant of which were linoleic acid and palmitic acid.Conclusion: A. comosus displays strong antimalarial activity which supports the folkloric use of the plant for malarial treatment. A polyunsaturated fatty acid (linoleic acid) was the most abundant phytoconstituent identified. Keywords: Ananas comosus, Antimalarial, Malaria, Pineapple, Plasmodium beighe

Investigating the Availability and Use of ICT Among Secondary School Students Learning During Covid-19 Pandemic Outbreak in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria

The study investigated the availability and use of ICT among secondary school students learning during Covid-19 pandemic Outbreak in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria. One of the specific purposes was to find out the availability and use of ICT among secondary school students learning during Covid-19 Pandemic outbreak. A descriptive survey research design was employed for the study. The sample was 100 which comprised 28 male and 72 female senior secondary school students (SS1-SS3). A five-point Likert scale questionnaire was structured and used as the instruments for data collection. The instruments were designed for the study, for both male and female secondary school students. The reliability coefficient was 0.75 Cronbach alpha respectively. In all, three research questions were answered using mean and Standard Deviations. The analysis also revealed that most secondary school students in Nigeria don’t often utilized online teaching and learning process method, thus, they occasionally utilized online teaching and learning process such as WhatsApp, SMS message, radio, television, e-mails, internet as medium of learning. Finally, the availability and use of ICT e-learning for secondary school students in developing countries, especially Nigeria is rated very poor method of assessment and is ineffective, but also observed that other assessment methods are not effectively utilized for the teaching and learning processes. Keyword: Covid-19 pandemic, ICT, e-learning methods, secondary school students, online teaching and learning process. DOI: 10.7176/JEP/11-16-10 Publication date:June 30th 202

Ultralight Stainless Steel Urban Bus Concept

While stainless steel buses are certainly not new, this study reveals opportunities for substantial improvements in structural performance.The objective of this project was to investigate the mass saving potential of ultra-high strength stainless steel as applied to the structure of a full size urban transit bus.The resulting design for a low floor,hybrid bus has an empty weight less than half that of a conventional transit bus.The reduced curb weight allows for a greater payload,without exceeding legal axle limits. A combination of finite element modeling and dynamic testing of scale models was used to predict structural performance

Dimerizable Cationic Detergents with a Low cmc Condense Plasmid DNA into Nanometric Particles and Transfect Cells in Culture

The size of condensed DNA particles is a key determinant for in vivo diffusion and gene delivery to cells. Gene molecules can be individually compacted by cationic thiol detergents into nanometric particles that are stabilized by oxidative conversion of the detergent into a gemini lipid. To reach the other goal, gene delivery, a series of cationic thiol detergents with various chain lengths (C12−C16) and headgroups (ornithine or spermine) was prepared, using a versatile polymer-supported synthetic strategy. Critical micelle concentrations and thiol oxidation rates of the detergents were measured. The formation and stability of complexes formed with plasmid DNA, as well as the size, ξ-potential, morphology, and transfection efficiency of the particles were investigated. Using the tetradecane/ornithine detergent, a solution of 5.5 Kpb plasmid DNA molecules was converted into a homogeneous population of 35 nm particles. The same detergent, once oxidized, exhibited a typical lipid phase internal structure and was capable of effective cell transfection. The particle size did not increase with time. Surprisingly, the gel electrophoretic mobility of the DNA complexes was found to be higher than that of plasmid DNA itself. Favorable in vivo diffusion and intracellular trafficking properties may thus be expected for these complexes

A Knowledge Discovery Framework for Learning Task Models from User Interactions in Intelligent Tutoring Systems

Domain experts should provide relevant domain knowledge to an Intelligent Tutoring System (ITS) so that it can guide a learner during problemsolving learning activities. However, for many ill-defined domains, the domain knowledge is hard to define explicitly. In previous works, we showed how sequential pattern mining can be used to extract a partial problem space from logged user interactions, and how it can support tutoring services during problem-solving exercises. This article describes an extension of this approach to extract a problem space that is richer and more adapted for supporting tutoring services. We combined sequential pattern mining with (1) dimensional pattern mining (2) time intervals, (3) the automatic clustering of valued actions and (4) closed sequences mining. Some tutoring services have been implemented and an experiment has been conducted in a tutoring system.Comment: Proceedings of the 7th Mexican International Conference on Artificial Intelligence (MICAI 2008), Springer, pp. 765-77