468 research outputs found
Weight outcomes audit for 34,271 adults referred to a primary care/commercial weight management partnership scheme
Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.Peer reviewedPublisher PD
Data dependent energy modelling for worst case energy consumption analysis
Safely meeting Worst Case Energy Consumption (WCEC) criteria requires
accurate energy modeling of software. We investigate the impact of instruction
operand values upon energy consumption in cacheless embedded processors.
Existing instruction-level energy models typically use measurements from random
input data, providing estimates unsuitable for safe WCEC analysis.
We examine probabilistic energy distributions of instructions and propose a
model for composing instruction sequences using distributions, enabling WCEC
analysis on program basic blocks. The worst case is predicted with statistical
analysis. Further, we verify that the energy of embedded benchmarks can be
characterised as a distribution, and compare our proposed technique with other
methods of estimating energy consumption
Market segmentation in behavioral perspective
A segmentation approach is presented using both traditional demographic segmentation bases (age, social class/occupation, and working status) and a segmentation by benefits sought. The benefits sought in this case are utilitarian and informational reinforcement, variables developed from the Behavioral Perspective Model (BPM). Using data from 1,847 consumers and from a total of 76,682 individual purchases, brand choice and price and reinforcement responsiveness were assessed for each segment across the UK cookie (biscuits) market. Building on previous work, the results suggest that the segmentation of brand choice using benefits sought is useful. This is especially the case alongside demographic variables. This article provides a theoretical and practical segmentation approach to both the behavioral psychology literature and the wider marketing segmentation literature
The Efficacy of the Enhanced Aussie Optimism Positive Thinking Skills Program in Improving Social and Emotional Learning in Middle Childhood
The aim of the current study was to investigate the effects of the modified and enhanced Aussie Optimism Positive Thinking Skills Program (AO-PTS) on Year 4 and 5 children’s social and emotional learning (SEL) skills. AO-PTS is a universal-school based program that is implemented by class teachers as part of regular school curricula and was developed for the prevention of depression and anxiety. The study comprised a total of 683 Year 4 and 5 students from 10 private primary schools in Western Australia. Students were assessed on two subscales of emotional attribution at school whilst parents reported on their children’s externalising and internalising problems outside of school and at home. Two analyses were conducted: seven intervention schools were assessed at pre- and post-test (Analysis 1) and three intervention schools matched with three control schools were compared and assessed respectively (Analysis 2). Results from Analysis 1 showed that the intervention children had increased in their overall emotional attribution accuracy and decreased in total difficulties and hyperactivity; Results from Analysis 2 revealed no intervention effect on emotional attribution accuracy or internalising or externalising problems. These findings suggest that the enhanced AO-PTS’s effects on SEL were not evident in short-term period after intervention. Discussion of the non-significant findings and future directions for AO-PTS research and program modification were discussed
Volcano dome dynamics at Mount St. Helens:Deformation and intermittent subsidence monitored by seismicity and camera imagery pixel offsets
The surface deformation field measured at volcanic domes provides insights into the effects of magmatic processes, gravity-and gas-driven processes, and the development and distribution of internal dome structures. Here we study short-term dome deformation associated with earthquakes at Mount St. Helens, recorded by a permanent optical camera and seismic monitoring network. We use Digital Image Correlation (DIC) to compute the displacement field between successive images and compare the results to the occurrence and characteristics of seismic events during a 6 week period of dome growth in 2006. The results reveal that dome growth at Mount St. Helens was repeatedly interrupted by short-term meter-scale downward displacements at the dome surface, which were associated in time with low-frequency, large-magnitude seismic events followed by a tremor-like signal. The tremor was only recorded by the seismic stations closest to the dome. We find a correlation between the magnitudes of the camera-derived displacements and the spectral amplitudes of the associated tremor. We use the DIC results from two cameras and a high-resolution topographic model to derive full 3-D displacement maps, which reveals internal dome structures and the effect of the seismic activity on daily surface velocities. We postulate that the tremor is recording the gravity-driven response of the upper dome due to mechanical collapse or depressurization and fault-controlled slumping. Our results highlight the different scales and structural expressions during growth and disintegration of lava domes and the relationships between seismic and deformation signals
Service evaluation of weight outcomes as a function of initial BMI in 34,271 adults referred to a primary care/commercial weight management partnership scheme
Peer reviewedPublisher PD
Omega-3 fatty acids correlate with gut microbiome diversity and production of N-carbamylglutamate in middle aged and elderly women
Omega-3 fatty acids may influence human physiological parameters in part by affecting the gut microbiome. The aim of this study was to investigate the links between omega-3 fatty acids, gut microbiome diversity and composition and faecal metabolomic profiles in middle aged and elderly women. We analysed data from 876 twins with 16S microbiome data and DHA, total omega-3, and other circulating fatty acids. Estimated food intake of omega-3 fatty acids were obtained from food frequency questionnaires. Both total omega-3and DHA serum levels were significantly correlated with microbiome alpha diversity (Shannon index) after adjusting for confounders (DHA Beta(SE) = 0.13(0.04), P = 0.0006 total omega-3: 0.13(0.04), P = 0.001). These associations remained significant after adjusting for dietary fibre intake. We found even stronger associations between DHA and 38 operational taxonomic units (OTUs), the strongest ones being with OTUs from the Lachnospiraceae family (Beta(SE) = 0.13(0.03), P = 8 × 10-7). Some of the associations with gut bacterial OTUs appear to be mediated by the abundance of the faecal metabolite N-carbamylglutamate. Our data indicate a link between omega-3 circulating levels/intake and microbiome composition independent of dietary fibre intake, particularly with bacteria of the Lachnospiraceae family. These data suggest the potential use of omega-3 supplementation to improve the microbiome composition
TOWARD IAVCEI GUIDELINES ON THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF SCIENTISTS INVOLVED IN VOLCANIC HAZARD EVALUATION, RISK MITIGATION AND CRISIS RESPONSE
The International Association for Volcanology and Chemistry
of the Earth’s Interior (IAVCEI), as the representative international
association of scientists working on volcanic hazard
evaluations and risk mitigation, promotes sustained open discussion
within the scientific community of many relevant issues,
including the following:
& how to best understand and forecast volcanic activity, the
associated hazards, and contribute to risk evaluations;
& the appropriate roles and responsibilities of scientists prior
to, during, and after crises;
& the nature of scientists’ relationships with government authorities,
populations at risk, and the media;
& the manner and extent of involvement of scientists in processes
that eventually lead authorities to make decisions,
the extent of the liability or vulnerability of scientists to
the outcomes of these decisions, and the way that scientists’
input may be perceived and judged by others;
& the role of national and local culture and perception of risk
in both mitigation policy and communication of hazard
and risk;
& the effectiveness of descriptions of forecasted volcanic
phenomena and associated hazards, and of their related
uncertainties;
& how to best increase the awareness, preparedness and empowerment
of individuals, and society as a whole, in order
to reduce the impact of volcanic phenomena on society
In particular, IAVCEI, as a modern learned society wants to
offer through its media (e.g., its website, archives, documents,
recommendation notes) informative material, which can help
members and others to fulfill these roles and responsibilities.
In particular, scientists have a role in protecting populations
and societies from harm due to volcanic phenomena, within
the context of, and being cognizant of, diverse cultural needs
and settings.
Furthermore, IAVCEI wants to develop frameworks within
which relationships and communication with local communities,
media, and authorities can be fostered and improve
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