Measurements of Pilot Time Delay as Influenced by Controller Characteristics and Vehicles Time Delays

A study to measure and compare pilot time delay when using a space shuttle rotational hand controller and a more conventional control stick was conducted at NASA Ames Research Center's Dryden Flight Research Facility. The space shuttle controller has a palm pivot in the pitch axis. The more conventional controller used was a general-purpose engineering simulator stick that has a pivot length between that of a typical aircraft center stick and a sidestick. Measurements of the pilot's effective time delay were obtained through a first-order, closed-loop, compensatory tracking task in pitch. The tasks were implemented through a space shuttle cockpit simulator and a critical task tester device. The study consisted of 450 data runs with four test pilots and one nonpilot, and used three control stick configurations and two system delays. Results showed that the heavier conventional stick had the lowest pilot effective time delays associated with it, whereas the shuttle and light conventional sticks each had similar higher pilot time delay characteristics. It was also determined that each control stick showed an increase in pilot time delay when the total system delay was increased

A new family of maximum scattered linear sets in PG(1,q^6)

We generalize the example of linear set presented by the last two authors in "Vertex properties of maximum scattered linear sets of PG(1; qn)" (2019) to a more general family, proving that such linear sets are maximum scattered when q is odd and, apart from a special case, they are new. This solves an open problem posed in "Vertex properties of maximum scattered linear sets of PG(1; qn)" (2019). As a consequence of Sheekey's results in "A new family of linear maximum rank distance codes" (2016), this family yields to new MRD-codes with parameters (6; 6; q; 5)

Unraveling the Effect of Carbon Nanotube Oxidation on Solid-State Decomposition of Ammonia Borane/Carbon Nanotube Composites

Among the routes to perform hydrogen release from ammonia in solid state, the nanoconfinement into a carbonaceous matrix or the use of carbon-supported catalysts for the thermal degradation of ammonia borane (AB) is the most interesting one. Oxidized carbon nanotubes (CNTs) represent a suitable choice for preparing AB mixtures or for anchoring catalysts for dehydrogenation. Nevertheless, literature lacks detailed study about the influence of CNT oxidation degree on the AB degradation/hydrogen release. In this study, we first described in a comprehensive way that the thermal degradation of AB mixed with CNTs by varying the CNT oxidation degree enlightens the degradative routes mainly active in each case. Using highly oxidized CNTs, we observed a decrement of activation energy of the degradative process up to around 53% and the activation/suppression of different pathways based on the amount of oxygen functionalities present in the mixtures. Furthermore, the presence of oxidized CNTs modulated the solid-state reactivity of AB reducing the release of nitrogen/boron species together with hydrogen. These findings lead the way for the design of new hydrogen storage materials

A study of cognitive and behavioural transfer effects associated with children learning to play musical instruments for the first time over one academic year.

This is a pre-publication version of the following article: Dawn Rose, Alice Jones Bartoli, and Pamela Heaton, “A study of cognitive and behavioural transfer effects associated with children learning to play musical instruments for the first time over one academic year.”, The Psychology of Education Review, Vol. 39(2): 54-70, October 2015.Interest in studies investigating the indirect effect of music education, evaluated theoretically as ‘transfer effects’ (Barnett & Ceci, 2002) has been re-energised by the recent changes in policy that require musical provision to be justified (Branscombe, 2012). Here we take a holistic approach to musical learning, nesting neuro-psychological measures of near and far transfer within one battery of tests. The mixed design considered the multi-modal characteristics of musicality along a continuum assessing changes over time for behavioural visuo and psycho-motor skills and factors of both intelligence and memory in children in a pilot study. Participants (N=38) aged between 7-9 years were tested over a period of one UK academic year. Groups were assigned based on the amount of musical training they received. Results suggest an advantage for those participants taking music lessons over and above statutory provisions, particularly for hand/eye coordination and nonverbal reasoning.Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio

Music in our minds and bodies matters.

This is a pre-publication version of the following article: Rose, D., Jones Bartoli, A., & Heaton, P., ‘Music in our minds and bodies matters’, PsyPAG Quarterly, Issue 103, June 2017. © 2017 The British Psychological Society.This paper aims to convey an introduction to the psychology of music. At a very basic level, sound informs our model of the world, aiding survival. Musical sound and practice further offers a merging of exogenous and endogenous temporal states and templates, employing multiple complex neural mechanisms. Here we provide an overview of the literature exploring why music matters to our minds and bodies.Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio

Recensione a D. Ludden (ed.), Reading Subaltern Studies. Critical History, Contested Meaning and Globalization of South Asia, Anthem South Asian Studies, London 2002, pp. 442

Il testo curato da David Ludden costituisce uno strumento di estremo valore per comprendere il contributo interdisciplinare degli studi della subalternit\ue0. Si tratta, infatti, del primo studio diacronico realizzato da autori esterni al gruppo. Esso fornisce un quadro complessivo, critico e documentato dei subaltern studies e del dibattito mondiale da questi generato nelle varie discipline, dando risalto ai fattori di evoluzione endogeni ed esogeni, alla ricezione in ambito indiano e mondiale, nonch\ue9 ai limiti rilevati e alle contestazioni avanzate

Changes in the wellbeing of children starting to learn to play musical instruments.

This is a pre-publication version of the following article: 'Changes in the wellbeing of children starting to learn to play musical instruments', D. Rose, P. Heaton, A. Jones Bartoli, Assessment and Development Matters, Vol 7 (1): 26 - 30, Spring 2015, published by the Psychological Society. Available on line at http://shop.bps.org.uk/publications/publication-by-series/assessment-and-development-matters/assessment-development-matters-vol-7-no-1-spring-2015.htmlLearning a musical instrument can be considered a 'superskill' associated with meta-plasticity in the brain (Stewart, 2008). Evidence shows neural structural adaptation after 15 months of musical training (Hyde et al., 2009), and behavioural benefits from 15 weeks of musical training (Overy, 2003). A goal-directed pleasurable reward system appears to support the acquisition of musical skills over time, promoting motivation to continue practicing as the emerging musician learns the autotelic value (a meaning unto itself) of playing their instrument (Elliott, 1993). Peripatetic music teachers note a range of benefits, from the development of team work and social skills to self-discipline, with pupils themselves noting the enhancement of 'life skills', such as improved ability to both concentrate and relax during stressful periods (Kokotsaki & Hallam, 2007). Clift and Hancox (2001) report members of a choral society benefitting socially (87 per cent) and emotionally (75 per cent). Physically, playing piano has been shown to exercise the heart as much as a brisk walk (Parr, 1985) and singing supports the immune system by increasing salivary immunoglobulin production (Clift et al., 2008). Overall, we appear to perceive musical instrument learning (MIL) as providing benefits such as good health, improved quality of life and mental well-being (Hallam, 2010). The hypothesis of the current study is that the group spending more time learning musical instruments will benefit more in measures of emotional and behavioural well-being than those who spend less time on this activity. Methodology and measurement This study took place over one academic year with Time 1 occurring in September 2013 and Time 2 observations in June 2014 (N = 38). The mean age at T1 was 93 months (SD 5.54) with 21 female and 17 males, 22 attending state schools and 16 attending independent schools. The mean IQ was 106 (SD 13.77; Range 74 –133). Twenty participants were classed as having more than one hour of musical learning (a mixture of instruments) per week (the 'More' group), whilst 18 received less than this (the 'Less' group). Parents and teachers completed the Behavioural Assessment System for Children (BASC-II; Reynolds & Kamphaus, 2004). Additionally, parents provided information regarding the number of hours their child spent doing activities classified as musical, physical and leisure, both in and out of school. The BASC-II contains descriptors of behaviour that respondents rate on a four-point scale (Never, Sometimes, Often and Almost Always) and takes 10 to 20 minutes to complete. The clinical scales include aggression, anxiety, attention problems, atypicality, conduct problems, depression, hyperactivity, learning problems, somatisation and withdrawal. The adaptive scales include activities of daily living, adaptability, functional communication, leadership, social skills and study skills.Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio

RECENSIONE A R. Guha, G.C. Spivak, (introduzione di E.W. Said), Subaltern Studies. Modernità e (post)colonialismo, presentazione di S. Mezzadra, Ombre Corte, Verona 2002, pp. 144 (trad. parziale di R. Guha, G.C. Spivak (eds.), Selected Subaltern Studies, Oxford University Press, Delhi 1988)

I Subaltern Studies sono una corrente di studi prevalentemente storici, sorta in India nei primi anni ‘80 fa e che ha avuto una straordinaria diffusione in numerose parti del mondo. Grazie alla cura di Sandro Mezzadra, è ora possibile consultare in italiano alcuni dei saggi, ormai classici, prodotti da tale esperienza di ricerca. Come spiega Said, nella sua introduzione, i subaletrn studies muovono dalla constatazione che la storia indiana sia stata scritta da un punto di vista colonialista ed elitario, sebbene gli attori principali siano stati i ceti subalterni. Da ciò proviene la necessità di una nuova narrazione del passato che offra lo spazio e l'importanza dovuta agli esclusi dalla storia ufficiale. La relativa semplicità del punto di partenza e, in fondo, la non assoluta novità del proposito (si ricordi l'ideale storiografico manzoniano) non devono far sottovalutare né la difficoltà esecutiva di tale progetto, né le sue peculiarità