Analysis of Skylab 2 S193 scatterometer data

SKYLAB II S193 Scatterometer data for the passes of June 5, 1973, over the Gulf of Mexico and June 6, 1973, over Pacific Hurricane AVA were analyzed. The S193 scatterometer measured the radar cross section of the ocean at 13.9 GHz (Ku-band) as a function of incidence angle. The fields-of-view of the scatterometer were known. In the absence of a large body of Ku-band ocean radar data, the results of the NRL experiments at X-band (8.9 GHz) were used for comparison. The S193 data of June 5, 1973, when a practically uniform wind field was present, show reasonable agreement with the NRL empirical and theoretical models

Challenges and implications of routine depression screening for depression in chronic disease and multimorbidity: a cross sectional study

<b>Background</b> Depression screening in chronic disease is advocated but its impact on routine practice is uncertain. We examine the effects of a programme of incentivised depression screening in chronic disease within a UK primary care setting.<p></p> <b>Methods and Findings</b> Cross sectional analysis of anonymised, routinely collected data (for 2008-9) from family practices in Scotland serving a population of circa 1.8 million. Patients registered in primary care with at least one of three chronic diseases, coronary heart disease, diabetes and stroke, underwent incentivised depression screening using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Score (HADS). <p></p> 125143 patients were identified with at least one chronic disease. 10670 (8.5%) were under treatment for depression and exempt from screening. Of the remaining, HADS were recorded for 35537 (31.1%) patients. 7080 (19.9% of screened) had raised HADS (≥8); the majority had indications of mild depression with a HADS between 8 and 10. Over 6 months, 572 (8%) of those with a raised HADS (≥8) were initiated on antidepressants, while 696 (2.4%) patients with a normal HADS (<8) were also initiated on antidepressants (relative risk of antidepressant initiation with raised HADS 3.3 (CI 2.97-3.67), p value <0.0001). Of those with multimorbidity who were screened, 24.3% had a raised HADS (≥8). A raised HADS was more likely in females, socioeconomically deprived, multimorbid or younger (18-44) individuals. Females and 45-64 years old were more likely to receive antidepressants.<p></p> <b>Limitations</b> – retrospective study of routinely collected data.<p></p> <b>Conclusions </b> Despite incentivisation, only minority of patients underwent depression screening, suggesting that systematic depression screening in chronic disease can be difficult to achieve in routine practice. Targeting those at greatest risk such as the multimorbid or using simpler screening methods may be more effective. Raised HADS was associated with a higher number of new antidepressant prescriptions which has significant resource implications. The clinical benefits of such screening remain uncertain and merit investigation

Evolutionary Subnetworks in Complex Systems

Links in a practical network may have different functions, which makes the original network a combination of some functional subnetworks. Here, by a model of coupled oscillators, we investigate how such functional subnetworks are evolved and developed according to the network structure and dynamics. In particular, we study the case of evolutionary clustered networks in which the function of each link (either attractive or repulsive coupling) is updated by the local dynamics. It is found that, during the process of system evolution, the network is gradually stabilized into a particular form in which the attractive (repulsive) subnetwork consists only the intralinks (interlinks). Based on the properties of subnetwork evolution, we also propose a new algorithm for network partition which is distinguished by the convenient operation and fast computing speed.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Graphical explanation in an expert system for Space Station Freedom rack integration

The rationale and methodology used to incorporate graphics into explanations provided by an expert system for Space Station Freedom rack integration is examined. The rack integration task is typical of a class of constraint satisfaction problems for large programs where expertise from several areas is required. Graphically oriented approaches are used to explain the conclusions made by the system, the knowledge base content, and even at more abstract levels the control strategies employed by the system. The implemented architecture combines hypermedia and inference engine capabilities. The advantages of this architecture include: closer integration of user interface, explanation system, and knowledge base; the ability to embed links to deeper knowledge underlying the compiled knowledge used in the knowledge base; and allowing for more direct control of explanation depth and duration by the user. The graphical techniques employed range from simple statis presentation of schematics to dynamic creation of a series of pictures presented motion picture style. User models control the type, amount, and order of information presented

Statistical correlation analysis for comparing vibration data from test and analysis

A theory was developed to compare vibration modes obtained by NASTRAN analysis with those obtained experimentally. Because many more analytical modes can be obtained than experimental modes, the analytical set was treated as expansion functions for putting both sources in comparative form. The dimensional symmetry was developed for three general cases: nonsymmetric whole model compared with a nonsymmetric whole structural test, symmetric analytical portion compared with a symmetric experimental portion, and analytical symmetric portion with a whole experimental test. The theory was coded and a statistical correlation program was installed as a utility. The theory is established with small classical structures

Classifying ecosystem stressor interactions: Theory highlights the data limitations of the additive null model and the difficulty in revealing ecological surprises

Understanding how multiple co-occurring environmental stressors combine to affect biodiversity and ecosystem services is an on-going grand challenge for ecology. Currently, progress has been made through accumulating large numbers of smaller-scale empirical studies that are then investigated by meta-analyses to detect general patterns. There is particular interest in detecting, understanding and predicting ‘ecological surprises’ where stressors interact in a non-additive (e.g. antagonistic or synergistic) manner, but so far few general results have emerged. However, the ability of the statistical tools to recover non-additive interactions in the face of data uncertainty is unstudied, so crucially, we do not know how well the empirical results reflect the true stressor interactions. Here, we investigate the performance of the commonly implemented additive null model. A meta-analysis of a large (545 interactions) empirical dataset for the effects of pairs of stressors on freshwater communities reveals additive interactions dominate individual studies, whereas pooling the data leads to an antagonistic summary interaction class. However, analyses of simulated data from food chain models, where the underlying interactions are known, suggest both sets of results may be due to observation error within the data. Specifically, we show that the additive null model is highly sensitive to observation error, with non-additive interactions being reliably detected at only unrealistically low levels of data uncertainty. Similarly, plausible levels of observation error lead to meta-analyses reporting antagonistic summary interaction classifications even when synergies co-dominate. Therefore, while our empirical results broadly agree with those of previous freshwater meta-analyses, we conclude these patterns may be driven by statistical sampling rather than any ecological mechanisms. Further investigation of candidate null models used to define stressor-pair interactions is essential, and once any artefacts are accounted for, the so-called ‘ecological surprises’ may be more frequent than was previously assumed

'Sing Every Day': An evaluation of a VOCES8 Foundation school-based singing project in Hackney, London 2019

The paper reports on a research evaluation of a six-month specialist singing project ‘Sing Every Day’ that was undertaken with young disadvantaged inner-city 6yo children in the London Borough of Hackney. A team of professional singers from the London-based VOCES8 Foundation visited two classes in each of two Primary schools to provide focused mentoring to generalist (non-music specialist) class teachers. Children from two identically aged classes in a neighbouring school acted as controls. The mentoring embraced a specially designed programme of singing and vocal activities across two school terms. This was undertaken in each classroom with the staff and their Year 1 children numbering N=121 in total. An independent evaluation of the impact of the project included both musical and other-than-musical measures of children’s development. In particular, in addition to an assessment of participant children’s singing behaviours at the start and at end of the project, other assessments included measures of possible changes in children’s reading development and in aspects of Executive Functions. Overall, the implications from the data are that the mentored classroom-based singing activities resulted in significant improvements in children’s singing, as well as positive changes in reading and aspects of Executive Function related to inhibition and phonological working memory – the latter being closely correlated to changes in the same children’s reading scores. Although there is previous research literature reporting positive links separately between music, singing, reading and aspects of Executive Functions, this small-scale study is one of the first to explore these three aspects collectively. As such, the current data suggest that more detailed research would be useful, both in seeking possible replication of the findings with a larger group of participants and also to understand the mechanisms of such possible linkage in terms of both basic research and also its implications for music pedagogy

‘Sing Every Day’: The wider benefits of a school-based singing project with disadvantaged children

The paper reports on a research evaluation of a six-month specialist singing project ‘Sing Every Day’ that was undertaken with young disadvantaged inner-city 6yo children in the London Borough of Hackney. A team of professional singers from the London-based VOCES8 Foundation visited two classes in each of two Primary schools to provide focused mentoring to generalist (non-music specialist) class teachers. Children from two identically aged classes in a neighbouring school acted as controls. The mentoring embraced a specially designed programme of singing and vocal activities across two school terms. This was undertaken in each classroom with the staff and their Year 1 children numbering N=121 in total. An independent evaluation of the impact of the project included both musical and other-than-musical measures of children’s development. In particular, in addition to an assessment of participant children’s singing behaviours at the start and at end of the project, other assessments included measures of possible changes in children’s reading development and in aspects of Executive Functions. Overall, the implications from the data are that the mentored classroom-based singing activities resulted in significant improvements in children’s singing, as well as positive changes in reading and aspects of Executive Function related to inhibition and phonological working memory – the latter being closely correlated to changes in the same children’s reading scores. Although there is previous research literature reporting positive links separately between music, singing, reading and aspects of Executive Functions, this small-scale study is one of the first to explore these three aspects collectively. As such, the current data suggest that more detailed research would be useful, both in seeking possible replication of the findings with a larger group of participants and also to understand the mechanisms of such possible linkage in terms of both basic research and also its implications for music pedagogy

Nitrogen fixation by caucasian clover and white clover in irrigated ryegrass pastures

The N₂ fixation ability of caucasian clover was compared with that of white clover in irrigated ryegrass pastures over years 2 and 3 of a grazing experiment, using the ¹⁵N enrichment technique. ‘Endura’ caucasian clover was inoculated with the specific Rhizobium strain ICC148. The N concentration in clover herbage and the proportion of clover N derived from N₂ fixation (PN) were similar for both clovers at averages of 4.6%N and 50–60% respectively over the 2 years. The amount of N₂ fixed per hectare was directly related to the amount of clover dry matter (DM) produced by the two clover species. Caucasian clover produced four times the DM yield of white clover in year 2 (5400 cf. 1450 kg DM/ha) and four times the amount of N₂ fixed in herbage (136 cf. 36 kg N/ ha). In year 3, caucasian clover produced 50% more clover DM (3450 cf. 2370 kg DM/ha) and N₂ fixed (98 cf. 66 kg N/ha) than white clover. The increased N input from caucasian clover increased grass %N and N uptake from soil in caucasian clover pastures resulting in higher total pasture production compared with white clover pastures (15.7 cf. 14.2 t DM/ha) by year 3. In this study, caucasian clover demonstrated greater potential than white clover to meet the N demands of high-yielding perennial ryegrass in an intensive pastoral system.The authors acknowledge funding from the Struthers Trust for the development of the grazing experiment at Lincoln University and FRST funding for provision of ¹⁶N and N analyses. We thank the C. Alma Baker and Struthers Trusts for providing A.D. Black with financial support from post-graduate scholarships

Usability of a Jamming Mobile with 3-6 Year-Old Children for Enhancing Feelings of Social Inclusion and Facilitating Musical Learning

JamMo is a new musical education software. An inter-disciplinary team from 5 different EU countries developed the software as part of an EU-funded project. The software was developed to facilitate feelings of social inclusion and musical collaboration amongst children aged 3-12. A pilot study was conducted with a version of the game aimed at 3-6 years. Twenty-eight children aged eight participated in the pilot study. Five sessions were delivered with JamMo over the period of eight weeks at a primary school in London, each focussing on a different JamMo game (composition, singing or improvisation). The games were played on mobile phones and on a desktop computer. Prior and subsequent to the sessions, a questionnaire on the children's musical and IT backgrounds was administered, as well as an instrument for assessing social inclusion. Observations and video recording were conducted during the sessions. Statistical analysis was carried out. The results showed that children who were classified as socially excluded prior to the sessions felt significantly more socially included subsequent to them. Observation and video data illustrated that such children were completely immersed in the sessions and willing to collaborate with their peers. The participant children's musical ability and their attitudes towards music and IT activities had considerably improved during the sessions. Thus, JamMo 3-6 could be used by educators, parents and other professionals working with young children in order to facilitate musical learning, collaboration and feelings of social inclusion in children