The effect of continuous, nonlinearly transformed visual feedback on rapid aiming movements

We investigated the ability to adjust to nonlinear transformations that allow people to control external systems like machines and tools. Earlier research (Verwey and Heuer 2007) showed that in the presence of just terminal feedback participants develop an internal model of such transformations that operates at a relatively early processing level (before or at amplitude specification). In this study, we investigated the level of operation of the internal model after practicing with continuous visual feedback. Participants executed rapid aiming movements, for which a nonlinear relationship existed between the target amplitude seen on the computer screen and the required movement amplitude of the hand on a digitizing tablet. Participants adjusted to the external transformation by developing an internal model. Despite continuous feedback, explicit awareness of the transformation did not develop and the internal model still operated at the same early processing level as with terminal feedback. Thus with rapid aiming movements, the type of feedback may not matter for the locus of operation of the internal model

Unidirectional light emission from high-Q modes in optical microcavities

We introduce a new scheme to design optical microcavities supporting high-Q modes with unidirectional light emission. This is achieved by coupling a low-Q mode with unidirectional emission to a high-Q mode. The coupling is due to enhanced dynamical tunneling near an avoided resonance crossing. Numerical results for a microdisk with a suitably positioned air hole demonstrate the feasibility and the potential of this concept.Comment: 4 pages, 6 figures (in reduced resolution

An efficient algorithm for constructing Bayesian optimal choice designs.

Recently, Kessels et al. (2006) developed a way to produce Bayesian G- and V-optimal designs for the multinomial logitmodel. These designs allow for precise response predictions which is the goal of conjoint choice experiments. The authors showed that the G- and V- optimality criteria outperform the D- and A-optimality criteria for prediction. However, their G- and V-optimal design algorithm is computationally intensive, which is a barrier to its use in practice. In this paper, we present an efficient algorithm for calculating Bayesian optimal designs by means of the different criteria. Particularly, the speed of computation for the V-optimality criterion has improved dramatically.The new algorithm makes it possible to use Bayesian D-, A-, G- and V-optimal designs that are tailored to individual respondents in computerized conjoint choice studies.Adaptive algorithm; Bayesian D-,A-,G- and V-optimality; Cholesky decomposition; Conjoint choice design; Coordinate-exchange; Conjoint choice experiments;

The Trouble with Poetry: Teachers’ perceptions on poetry teaching and learning in the secondary classroom

Poetry plays an important role in the subject of English in secondary schools. Not only does poetry create the opportunity to learn about playing with language, but it also allows students to familiarise themselves with the cultural heritage of the British Isles. However, in societies that are becoming increasingly multicultural and where societal and technological innovations are constantly being made, it begs the question of whether the current poetry curriculum in Key Stage 4 is still appropriate and engaging for students. One recurring problem that seems to arise is that the taught poems lack relevance for learners. Anthology poems are predominantly written by male poets from the literary canon in pre-twentieth century, which leads to an alienation of the language of poetry for learners and teachers (Dressman and Faust, 2014). Poetry has become a part of English that is focused on critical analyses, and which includes very little room for creative thought and dialogue to the point where it becomes like ‘a mathematical equation’, as argued by Xerri (2016, p. 1). Although teachers are willing to include a broader range of contemporary and multicultural poetry, they often feel limited by the pressure of the curriculum and assessment and time. However, there are possibilities for poetry to be made more enjoyable and inclusive for students and teachers. Four teacher interviews and a variety of empirical studies on poetry teaching (such as, McGuinn, 2014; Xerri, 2016; Benton, 2000; Myhill and Wilson, 2013) provide insights into how poetry can be made more appropriate for the learner of today as well as providing information on the trouble that educators have with teaching poetry

Carotenoids - Effective Radical Scavengers for Healthy and Beautiful Skin

Free radicals are involved in various diseases and skin aging. To reduce and prevent this risk, our body produces antioxidants that can neutralize free radicals. However, some antioxidants need to be taken up with food, so a balanced and varied diet is essential for human health and beauty, along with sufficient exercise. Vegetables, especially curly kale, show very good antioxidative capacity due to the presence of carotenoids. As the recommended daily intake of vegetables is usually not consumed, dietary supplements are a good possibility to ingest carotenoids in a controlled and natural way. The positive effect of carotenoid-based dietary supplements on the skin has already been shown in several studies on healthy volunteers. Innovative non-invasive measuring methods have shown that oil extracts from vegetables significantly reduce not only free radicals in the skin but also the age-related breakdown of collagen and have a positive effect on skin parameters such as wrinkle volume. Thus, a balanced mixture of different natural carotenoids contributes to maintaining health and beauty

A joint probabilistic index for objective drought identification: the case study of Haiti

Abstract. Since drought is a multifaceted phenomenon, more than one variable should be considered for a proper understanding of such an extreme event in order to implement adequate risk mitigation strategies such as weather or agricultural indices insurance programmes or disaster risk financing tools. This paper proposes a new composite drought index that accounts for both meteorological and agricultural drought conditions by combining in a probabilistic framework two consolidated drought indices: the standardized precipitation index (SPI) and the vegetation health index (VHI). The new index, called the probabilistic precipitation vegetation index (PPVI), is scalable, transferable all over the globe and can be updated in near real time. Furthermore, it is a remote-sensing product, since precipitation is retrieved from satellite data and the VHI is a remote-sensing index. In addition, a set of rules to objectively identify drought events is developed and implemented. Both the index and the set of rules have been applied to Haiti. The performance of the PPVI has been evaluated by means of a receiver operating characteristic curve and compared to that of the SPI and VHI considered separately. The new index outperformed SPI and VHI both in drought identification and characterization, thus revealing potential for an effective implementation within drought early-warning systems