Semantic Shift to Pragmatic Meaning in Shared Decision Making: Situation Theory Perspective

The way humans establish communication depends on the generation and conveyance of meaning. Linguistically, meaning in information is dependent on the meaning that is ascribed to signifiers in the context of the communication. These signifiers can include items such as words, phrases, signs, and symbols. Conveyance of meaning may, however, imprecise and prone to error. The meaning of information in communication may arise from a change in the context in which a signifier is placed (intrinsic), or a change in the paradigm with which the signifier and context are perceived (extrinsic). In simple situations, where paradigms are reconcilable, semantic shift is solely intrinsic. In complex situations, where differing paradigms will generally lead to irreconcilable perspectives (paradoxes and dualities); the semantic shift will be both intrinsic and extrinsic. Decisions are based on an individual\u27s (or individuals\u27 shared) understanding and understanding is in turn contingent on perspective. Decision making will, therefore, be affected by discrepancies in meaning. It is critical to understand the nature of the discrepancies where shared awareness is necessary to enable group decisions. The theoretical construct presented recognizes that (1) a semantic shift may be required where multiple perspectives based on different paradigms come into play and (2) a semantic shift may introduce error, inefficiency, noise or redundancy. Therefore, individual limits can be recognized via shared awareness, which can be studied with situation theory. © 2015 WIT Press

Arene oxidation with malonoyl peroxides

Malonoyl peroxide 7, prepared in a single step from the commercially available diacid, is an effective reagent for the oxidation of aromatics. Reaction of an arene with peroxide 7 at room temperature leads to the corresponding protected phenol which can be unmasked by aminolysis. An ionic mechanism consistent with the experimental findings and supported by isotopic labeling, Hammett analysis, EPR investigations and reactivity profile studies is proposed

Solutions for the General, Confluent and Biconfluent Heun equations and their connection with Abel equations

In a recent paper, the canonical forms of a new multi-parameter class of Abel differential equations, so-called AIR, all of whose members can be mapped into Riccati equations, were shown to be related to the differential equations for the hypergeometric 2F1, 1F1 and 0F1 functions. In this paper, a connection between the AIR canonical forms and the Heun General (GHE), Confluent (CHE) and Biconfluent (BHE) equations is presented. This connection fixes the value of one of the Heun parameters, expresses another one in terms of those remaining, and provides closed form solutions in terms of pFq functions for the resulting GHE, CHE and BHE, respectively depending on four, three and two irreducible parameters. This connection also turns evident what is the relation between the Heun parameters such that the solutions admit Liouvillian form, and suggests a mechanism for relating linear equations with N and N-1 singularities through the canonical forms of a non-linear equation of one order less.Comment: Original version submitted to Journal of Physics A: 16 pages, related to math.GM/0002059 and math-ph/0402040. Revised version according to referee's comments: 23 pages. Sign corrected (June/17) in formula (79). Second revised version (July/25): 25 pages. See also http://lie.uwaterloo.ca/odetools.ht

Large scale analytic calculations in quantum field theories

We present a survey on the mathematical structure of zero- and single scale quantities and the associated calculation methods and function spaces in higher order perturbative calculations in relativistic renormalizable quantum field theories.Comment: 25 pages Latex, 1 style fil

The Analysis of Student Performance using Data Mining

This paper presents the study of data mining in the education industry to model the performance for students enrolled in university. Two algorithms of data mining were used. Firstly, a descriptive task based on the K-means algorithm was utilized to select several student clusters. Secondly, a classification task supported two classification techniques, known as Decision Tree and Naïve Bayes, to predict the dropout because of poor performance in a students first four semesters. The student academic data collected during the admission process of those students were used to train and test the models, which were assessed using a cross-validation technique. Experimental results show that the prediction of drop out student is improved, student performance is monitored when the data from the previous academic enrollment are added

First dose behavioral tolerance to phencyclidine on food-rewarded bar pressing behavior in the rat

The behavioral effects of single doses of phencyclidine (PCP) were examined in drug-naive adult male Holtzman rats trained to press a bar on a fixed ratio (4) schedule (FR 4 ), i.e., a reward of sugarsweetened milk was earned on every fourth bar press. Groups of rats (four to eight rats per group) received specific doses of PCP which were held constant for each group throughout the study. Dose-response curves for PCP given in doses of 1.0, 1.8, 2.4, and 3.2 mg/kg IP were first determined and then redetermined at weekly intervals. A drug-free interval of 7–8 days was maintained between injections given weekly over a period of 4 weeks. The final dose of PCP was administered after a 4-week drug-free period. Evidence was obtained for first dose behavioral tolerance as shown by the significantly shortened duration of suppression of bar pressing on subsequent injections. Although subsequent weekly effects of equal doses of PCP showed no significant differences, they all differed significantly from the first injection. The reduced response to PCP was shown to be due to learned behavioral tolerance as demonstrated when PCP (3.2 mg/kg IP) was given to drug-naive animals in their home cages and 1 week later given the second dose in the operant behavioral situation. Under these circumstances, the second dose of PCP showed a similarly protracted depression of FR 4 responding as other animals given the drug for the first time in the operant situation. Subsequent weekly injections in the operant situation produced similar behavioral tolerance.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/46412/1/213_2004_Article_BF00426513.pd

Integrating innovations:a qualitative analysis of referral non-completion among rapid diagnostic test-positive patients in Uganda's human African trypanosomiasis elimination programme

BACKGROUND: The recent development of rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) for human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) enables elimination programmes to decentralise serological screening services to frontline health facilities. However, patients must still undertake multiple onwards referral steps to either be confirmed or discounted as cases. Accurate surveillance thus relies not only on the performance of diagnostic technologies but also on referral support structures and patient decisions. This study explored why some RDT-positive suspects failed to complete the diagnostic referral process in West Nile, Uganda. METHODS: Between August 2013 and June 2015, 85% (295/346) people who screened RDT-positive were examined by microscopy at least once; 10 cases were detected. We interviewed 20 RDT-positive suspects who had not completed referral (16 who had not presented for their first microscopy examination, and 4 who had not returned for a second to dismiss them as cases after receiving discordant [RDT-positive, but microscopy-negative results]). Interviews were analysed thematically to examine experiences of each step of the referral process. RESULTS: Poor provider communication about HAT RDT results helped explain non-completion of referrals in our sample. Most patients were unaware they were tested for HAT until receiving results, and some did not know they had screened positive. While HAT testing and treatment is free, anticipated costs for transportation and ancillary health services fees deterred many. Most expected a positive RDT result would lead to HAT treatment. RDT results that failed to provide a definitive diagnosis without further testing led some to question the expertise of health workers. For the four individuals who missed their second examination, complying with repeat referral requests was less attractive when no alternative diagnostic advice or treatment was given. CONCLUSIONS: An RDT-based surveillance strategy that relies on referral through all levels of the health system is inevitably subject to its limitations. In Uganda, a key structural weakness was poor provider communication about the possibility of discordant HAT test results, which is the most common outcome for serological RDT suspects in a HAT elimination programme. Patient misunderstanding of referral rationale risks harming trust in the whole system and should be addressed in elimination programmes

Catalytic living ring-opening metathesis polymerization

In living ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP), a transition-metal–carbene complex polymerizes ring-strained olefins with very good control of the molecular weight of the resulting polymers. Because one molecule of the initiator is required for each polymer chain, however, this type of polymerization is expensive for widespread use. We have now designed a chain-transfer agent (CTA) capable of reducing the required amount of metal complex while still maintaining full control over the living polymerization process. This new method introduces a degenerative transfer process to ROMP. We demonstrate that substituted cyclohexene rings are good CTAs, and thereby preserve the ‘living’ character of the polymerization using catalytic quantities of the metal complex. The resulting polymers show characteristics of a living polymerization, namely narrow molecular-weight distribution, controlled molecular weights and block copolymer formation. This new technique provides access to well- defined polymers for industrial, biomedical and academic use at a fraction of the current costs and significantly reduced levels of residual ruthenium catalyst