Rayleigh Wave Dispersion Curve Inversion: Occam Versus the L1-Norm

We compare inversions of Rayleigh wave dispersion curves for shear wave velocity depth profiles based on the L2-norm (Occam\u27s Inversion) and L1-norm (TV Regularization). We forward model Rayleigh waves using a finite-element method instead of the conventional technique based on a recursion formula and root-finding. The forward modeling naturally leads to an inverse problem that is overparameterized in depth. Solving the inverse problem with Occam\u27s Inversion gives the smoothest subsurface model that satisfies the data. However, the subsurface need not be smooth and we therefore also solve the inverse problem with TV Regularization, a procedure that does not penalize discontinuities. The use of such a regularization scheme for such an overparameterized inverse problem means blocky subsurface models can be obtained without fixing the layer boundaries in advance. This represents an entirely new philosophy for surface wave inversion

EFFECTS OF AN E-LEARNING PROGRAMME ON OSTEOPATHS’ BACK PAIN ATTITUDES: A MIXED METHODS FEASIBILITY STUDY

i. Background Guidelines recommend the biopsychosocial (BPS) model for managing non-specific low back pain (NSLBP) but the best method for teaching this model is unclear. Printed material and face-to-face learning have limited effects on practitioners’ attitudes to back pain. An alternative way is needed and e-learning is a promising option. E-learning is becoming an important part of teaching, but little guidance is available to the osteopathic profession. ii. Purpose This study had four aims. First to assess the feasibility of running a main trial to test the effectiveness of an e-learning programme on the BPS model for NSLBP on experienced practitioners’ attitudes to back pain; secondly, to assess the acceptability of the e-learning programme and the use of the internet as a mode of CPD; thirdly to provide an effect size estimate; and finally to explore the participants’ views on the e-learning programme and its possible impact on their reported behaviour. iii. Methods First a scoping review of the BPS factors and assessment methods for NSLBP was conducted. It informed the content of an e-learning programme that was designed and developed, and informed by a behaviour change model and an e-learning developmental model. An explanatory mixed methods feasibility study was conducted: first, a pilot Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) assessed experienced osteopaths’ attitudes before and after the intervention, using the Pain Attitudes and Beliefs Scale (PABS) and the Attitudes to Back Pain Scale for musculoskeletal practitioners (ABS-mp); then semi-structured interviews explored participants’ views on the e-learning programme and its possible impact on their reported practice behaviours. iv. Results 45 osteopaths, each with at least 15 years of experience consented to, and took part in, the study. The two trial arms were: a 6-week e-learning programme (intervention group) and a waiting-list group (control group). 9 participants were interviewed for the qualitative strand. The feasibility of conducting a main trial was good, the intervention was well accepted and the adherence to the intervention was good. An effect size estimate was calculated to inform sample size for a main trial. In the qualitative strand, participants’ views on the BPS model fell in with the themes of being Not structural enough, being Part of existing practice and being Transformative. v. Conclusion(s) This study provided new knowledge that had not been reported before in several areas: - how an e-learning programme for experienced manual practitioners should be developed, - a new intervention was reported (e-learning programme), including its design and acceptability, - osteopaths’ views on using the internet as a form of CPD, - information on the challenges faced in implementing a BPS approach

Earth Occultation Imaging of the Low Energy Gamma-Ray Sky with GBM

The Earth Occultation Technique (EOT) has been applied to Fermi's Gamma-ray Burst Monitor (GBM) to perform all-sky monitoring for a predetermined catalog of hard X-ray/soft gamma-ray sources. In order to search for sources not in the catalog, thus completing the catalog and reducing a source of systematic error in EOT, an imaging method has been developed -- Imaging with a Differential filter using the Earth Occultation Method (IDEOM). IDEOM is a tomographic imaging method that takes advantage of the orbital precession of the Fermi satellite. Using IDEOM, all-sky reconstructions have been generated for ~sim 4 years of GBM data in the 12-50 keV, 50-100 keV and 100-300 keV energy bands in search of sources otherwise unmodeled by the GBM occultation analysis. IDEOM analysis resulted in the detection of 57 sources in the 12-50 keV energy band, 23 sources in the 50-100 keV energy band, and 7 sources in the 100-300 keV energy band. Seventeen sources were not present in the original GBM-EOT catalog and have now been added. We also present the first joined averaged spectra for four persistent sources detected by GBM using EOT and by the Large Area Telescope (LAT) on Fermi: NGC 1275, 3C 273, Cen A, and the Crab

The AFISS web platform for the correlation of high-energy transient events

In the multi-messenger era, facilities share their results with the scientific community through networks such as the General Coordinates Network to study transient phenomena (e.g., Gamma-ray bursts) and implement real-time analysis pipelines to detect transient events, reacting to science alerts received from other observatories. The fast analysis of transient events is crucial for detecting counterparts of gravitational waves and neutrino candidate events. In this context, collecting scientific results from different high-energy satellites observing the same transient event represents a key step in improving the statistical significance of the high-energy candidate events. This project aims to develop a system and a web platform to share information and scientific results of transient events between high-energy satellites with INAF participation (AGILE, FERMI, INTEGRAL and SWIFT). The AFISS platform implements the COMET VO- Event broker and provides a web portal where the users visualize the list of transient events detected by multi-messenger facilities and received through the GCN. The web portal could show, for each event, a summary of the scientific results shared by the real-time analysis pipelines and a list of time-correlated transient events. In addition, the platform is ready to receive results from participating facilities on sub-threshold events (STE) that cannot be shared with the community due to the low statistical significance. If the platform finds a time correlation between two or more STEs, it can promote them to science alerts. The web interface shows the list of STEs with possible time correlation with other STEs or science alerts. The platform notifies the users with an email when a new transient event is received.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, Astronomical Data Analysis Software and System XXXII (31 October-4 November 2022

Search strategies of Wikipedia readers

The quest for information is one of the most common activity of human beings. Despite the the impressive progress of search engines, not to miss the needed piece of information could be still very tough, as well as to acquire specific competences and knowledge by shaping and following the proper learning paths. Indeed, the need to find sensible paths in information networks is one of the biggest challenges of our societies and, to effectively address it, it is important to investigate the strategies adopted by human users to cope with the cognitive bottleneck of finding their way in a growing sea of information. Here we focus on the case of Wikipedia and investigate a recently released dataset about users’ click on the English Wikipedia, namely the English Wikipedia Clickstream. We perform a semantically charged analysis to uncover the general patterns followed by information seekers in the multi-dimensional space of Wikipedia topics/categories. We discover the existence of well defined strategies in which users tend to start from very general, i.e., semantically broad, pages and progressively narrow down the scope of their navigation, while keeping a growing semantic coherence. This is unlike strategies associated to tasks with predefined search goals, namely the case of the Wikispeedia game. In this case users first move from the ‘particular’ to the ‘universal’ before focusing down again to the required target. The clear picture offered here represents a very important stepping stone towards a better design of information networks and recommendation strategies, as well as the construction of radically new learning paths

Algorithms for Incorporation of Dynamic Recovery in Estimating Frequency of Critical Station Blackout

This thesis involves exploring enhancement of estimating the probability of a critical station blackout in nuclear power plant operations by the use of direct numerical evaluation of multidimensional nonrecovery integrals. This requires development of computational methods with data provided from South Texas Project Nuclear Operating Company (STPNOC). Several methods that are currently used in the industry to estimate such probabilities often overestimate the value substantially. The computational integral method developed in the thesis will reduce excess conservatism while maintaining plant safety standards. This computational integral is calculated using a MATLAB research code referred to generally as "STP-TAMIL" which is for South Texas Project --Texas A&M Improved LOOP. The code itself (along with the user manual) was developed in conjunction with this Thesis. STP-TAMIL is successful in reducing the estimated probability of critical station blackout by a significant amount (about 88.47 percent ) with the incorporation of recovery of offsite and onsite power for South Texas Project̕ s nuclear plants, and results were verified. This thesis also describes an asymptotic justification for to the non-recovery integral used. Applications to the industry, or STPNOC, which will use the "TAMIL" code are addressed. Some assumptions used throughout the problem suggest that if more dynamic rates or distributions are used then more recovery can be obtained, which will decrease the probability of critical station blackout. Methodology developed in this thesis will be used in future work to develop this STP-TAMIL research code into a model used industry wide in commercial nuclear power plants

Osteopathic Education: A Scoping Review Protocol

Abstract Objective: The objective of this scoping review is to chart and appraise the available evidence regarding osteopathic education. Introduction: The extent and quality of the evidence regarding osteopathic education is not known. The available evidence mostly consists of small trials, qualitative interviews, cross-sectional surveys and conceptual commentaries, therefore a review to chart and appraise the available evidence is warranted

INDICATION OF META-ANTHRACITE BY MAGNETOTELLURICS IN THE KŐSZEG-RECHNITZ PENNINIC WINDOW : A TEST AREA

One of the Penninic Nappes is the Kőszeg-Rechnitz (K-R) tectonic window at the Eastern end of the Eastern Alps. It has a complicated metamorphic history from the Jurassic time. The organic material of the Penninic Ocean was transformed to electrically conductive meta-anthracite. Its amount in the chalcophyllite is estimated by geochemists to 0.2 per cent. Taking this conducting structure as a test area pilot deep magnetotelluric (MT) soundings have been carried out and we determined - the structure of the conductivity anomaly due to 0.2 per cent meta anthracite in the K-R window and its surroundings - the different kinds of MT distortions as lateral (side) effect of the conductor appearing in the crust and mantle - the most probable depth of the conductive asthenosphere at the border of the Pannonian Basin (having extreme shallow asthenosphere). The obtained ~140 km depth is in correlation with value of the asthenospheric map based mainly on seismic data