Spatial evolution of short pulses under coherent population trapping

Spatial and temporal evolution is studied of two powerful short laser pulses having different wavelengths and interacting with a dense three-level Lambda-type optical medium under coherent population trapping. A general case of unequal oscillator strengths of the transitions is considered. Durations of the probe pulse and the coupling pulse $T_{1,2}$ ($T_2>T_1$) are assumed to be shorter than any of the relevant atomic relaxation times. We propose analytical and numerical solutions of a self-consistent set of coupled Schr\"{o}dinger equations and reduced wave equations in the adiabatic limit with the account of the first non-adiabatic correction. The adiabaticity criterion is also discussed with the account of the pulse propagation. The dynamics of propagation is found to be strongly dependent on the ratio of the transition oscillator strengths. It is shown that envelopes of the pulses slightly change throughout the medium length at the initial stage of propagation. This distance can be large compared to the one-photon resonant absorption length. Eventually, the probe pulse is completely reemitted into the coupling pulse during propagation. The effect of localization of the atomic coherence has been observed similar to the one predicted by Fleischhauer and Lukin (PRL, {\bf 84}, 5094 (2000).Comment: 16 pages revtex style, 7 EPS figures, accepted to Physical Review

Norms of Presentational Force

This is the author's accepted manuscript, made available with permission of the American Forensic Association.Can style or presentational devices reasonably compel us to believe, agree, act? I submit that they can, and that the normative pragmatic project explains how. After describing a normative pragmatic approach to presentational force, I analyze and evaluate presentational force in Susan B. Anthony's "Is it a Crime for a U. S. Citizen to Vote" as it apparently proceeds from logic, emotion, and style. I conclude with reflections on the compatibility of the normative pragmatic approach with the recently-developed pragma-dialectical treatment of presentational devices

Exploring the impact of animal involvement in the learning experiences of learners mainly with autism in the English West Midlands region: a qualitative study

Learners with autism are affected by different challenges during learning. There is a growing focus on education to facilitate learners to become more self-resilient by involving animals in learning spaces. This qualitative study explored the impact of animal involvement on the learning experiences of learners with autism. Twenty diaries, 32 questionnaires, and 40 guided narratives and pictorial voices were used to collect data. The study found that learners demonstrated improved communication, imagination, empathy, motivation, calculation skills, responsibility, and well-being while interacting with animals. The study concluded that involving animals in the learning spaces has significant positive impact on learners

Community peer-led falls prevention presentations: What do the experts suggest?

Falls among older adults are a major problem. Despite considerable progress in falls prevention research, older adults often show low motivation to engage in recommended preventive strategies. Peer-led falls prevention education for older adults may have potential for bridging the research evidence-practice gap, thereby promoting the uptake of falls prevention strategies. We evaluated peer educators’ presentations of falls prevention education to community-dwelling older adults in regard to established criteria that were consistent with adult learning principles, the framework of health behaviour change, falls prevention guidelines, and recommendations for providing falls prevention information. We conducted a within-stage mixed model study using purposive and snowball sampling techniques to recruit 10 experts to evaluate video recordings of the delivery of three peer-led falls prevention presentations. Each expert viewed three videos and rated them using a questionnaire containing both open-ended and closed items. There was a good level of expert agreement across the questionnaire domains. Though the experts rated some aspects of the presentations highly, they thought that the presentations were mainly didactic in delivery, not consistently personally relevant to the older adult audience, and did not encourage older adults to engage in the preventive strategies that were presented. Based on the experts’ findings, we developed five key themes and recommendations for the effective delivery of peer led falls prevention presentations. These included recommending that peer educators share falls prevention messages in a more interactive and experiential manner and that uptake of strategies should be facilitated by encouraging the older adults to develop a personalised action plan. Findings suggest that if peer-led falls prevention presentations capitalise on older adults’ capability, opportunity, and motivation, the older adults may be more receptive to take up falls prevention messages

Can peer education improve beliefs, knowledge, motivation and intention to engage in falls prevention amongst community-dwelling older adults?

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of delivering a contemporary peer-led falls prevention education presentation on community-dwelling older adults’ beliefs, knowledge, motivation and intention to engage in falls prevention strategies. A two-group quasi-experimental pre-test–post-test study using a convenience sample was conducted. A new falls prevention training package for peer educators was developed, drawing on contemporary adult learning and behaviour change principles. A 1-h presentation was delivered to community-dwelling older adults by peer educators trained with the new package (intervention group). Control group participants received an existing, 1-h falls prevention presentation by trained peer educators who had not received the adult learning and behaviour change training. Participants in both groups completed a purpose-developed questionnaire at pre-presentation, immediately post-presentation and at one-month follow-up. Participants’ levels of beliefs, knowledge, motivation and intention were compared across these three points of time. Generalised estimating equations models examined associations in the quantitative data, while deductive content analysis was used for qualitative data. Participants (control n = 99; intervention n = 133) in both groups showed significantly increased levels of beliefs and knowledge about falls prevention, and intention to engage in falls prevention strategies over time compared to baseline. The intervention group was significantly more likely to report a clear action plan to undertake falls prevention strategies compared to the control group. Peer-led falls prevention education is an effective approach for raising older adults’ beliefs, knowledge and intention to engage in falls prevention strategies

Art Fairs as a Medium for Branding Young and Emerging Artists: The Case of Frieze London

While previous researchers have attempted to explain the uncertain quality of visual arts with reference to branding theory, they have overlooked the role of art fairs. Socio-cultural approaches to branding allow us to explore the function of intermediaries in valuing contemporary arts. This article aims to analyze the role of art fairs in the process of branding young and emerging artists. In particular, a prestigious art fair, Frieze London, serves as an instrumental case study for developing a systematic understanding of art fairs in terms of valuing and branding contemporary art