Supporting arts and science communities on-line

This paper examines the use of the Web to support continuing professional development (CPD). It outlines the factors driving the adoption of CPD and highlights areas where the Web can aid in the development of successful professional communities. A survey examining the use of the Internet to support professionals working in the domains of the Arts and Science is presented. The study reviews twenty four sites for the presence and degree of adoption of several key features including: - community building, range and value of content, user friendliness and guidance, sophistication of employed Web technology

Skeletal status and soft tissue composition in astronauts. Tissue and fluid changes by radionuclide absorptiometry in vivo

A device has been constructed and tested which provides immediate readout of bone mineral content and bone width from absorptiometric scans with low energy radionuclides. The basis of this analog system is a logarithmic converter-integrator coupled with a precision linear ratemeter. The system provided accurate and reliable results on standards and ashed bone sections. Clinical measurements were made on about 100 patients with the direct readout system, and these were highly correlated with the results from digital scan data on the same patients. The direct readout system has been used successfully in field studies and surveys as well as for clinical observations

OPTIMAL CRANK ARM LENGTH AND BODY POSITION FOR ROAD SPRINT CYCLING PERFORMANCE

The purpose of the current study was to examine the effects of body position and crank arm length (CAL) on power production in road sprint cycling. Six well trained male cyclists were tested in the standing and seated positions, and with three CALs of 18, 20 and 22 % of leg length whilst out of the saddle. A modified six second Wingate test on a Velotron ergometer was used to measure power (Watts) and cadence (rpm), and a Vicon MX system was used to measure the hip and lower limb kinematics of the pedal cycle. A 4% increase in power was observed when riding out of the saddle and a CAL set at 18- 20% of leg length was superior for this task. The coordination pattern employed was consistent between postures and with different CALs

MULTIVARIATE SIMULATION OF CHANNEL IRON ORE DEPOSITS AT BUNGAROO AND YANDICOOGINA, WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Geostatistical conditional simulation has wide potential applications in the iron ore industry and is the favoured tool to assess variability and risk. Multivariate relationships are important in such simulation, for example between Fe and impurities such as Al2O3, SiO2 and P. Turning bands has been the main conditional simulation algorithm used in the Western Australian iron ore industry. In this thesis a more recent approach using minimum/maximum autocorrelation factors (MAF) and sequential Gaussian simulation (SGS) are used together and performance comparisons are made with turning bands at Yandicoogina, a channel iron ore deposit (CID) in Western Australia. MAF-SGS and turning bands algorithms both performed well in simulating Fe, SiO2, Al2O3 and P at Yandicoogina. Extensive checking of simulations showed both approaches could reasonably reproduce multivariate statistics and spatial continuity of composites including means, variances, histograms, quantile-quantile plots, scatter plots and variography in normal scores and data space, as well as in MAF space for the MAFSGS approach. MAF generated from transformed composites were largely uncorrelated and able to be considered independent for variography and simulation. Later back transformation from MAF space to normal scores space then to data space successfully reintroduced joint relationships seen in the conditioning data. While the MAF-SGS approach needs additional transformations compared with turning bands, a linear model of coregionalisation and hence the modelling of cross semivariograms is not required. If there are a high number of variables then construction of a linear model of coregionalisation becomes more difficult and the MAF approach may be preferred. In this study four variables were considered and a linear model of coregionalisation could be built. Turning bands transformations are from data space to normal scores space only, with no need to calculate or check any decorrelated factors. The two main methods currently used in the mining industry for determining optimum drillhole spacing with the use of conditional simulation were compared at the Test Pit area of the Bungaroo channel iron ore deposit, also in Western Australia. The " simulation-simulation" method generates precisions for various drillhole spacing using two stages of simulation, whereas the " simulation-estimation" approach calculates expected relative errors for different spacings via a simulation stage followed by an estimation step. Clear differences exist between the relative errors from the simulation-estimation method and the precisions calculated from the simulation-simulation method. The simulationestimation method appears more insensitive to the grid spacing with only moderate improvements in relative error as the drillhole spacing is tightened. The simulationsimulation method shows more marked improvement in precision with closer spacing and appears more realistic in this study. Al2O3 is the main variable to consider at Bungaroo when choosing a suitable drillhole spacing. SiO2 grades of composites are mainly below the SiO2 cut off grade for ore whereas the mean Al2O3 is grade is quite close to the Al2O3 cut off grade for ore. Hence although SiO2 has higher variability, it is not as critical as Al2O3 for determination of drillhole spacing. Fe and P have greater spatial continuity than Al2O3 and SiO2 and do not require such close drillhole spacing. Fifteen percent precision, based on a volume representing a quarter’s production and using the simulation-simulation method, may be regarded as acceptable for mine planning purposes. A resource evaluation drilling spacing of 150m along strike and 50m across strike appears appropriate for a precision of less than 15% for a quarterly mining volume in determining Al2O3 grade at Bungaroo

Are there spurious temperature trends in the United States Climate Division database

The United States (U.S.) Climate Division data set is commonly used in applied climatic studies in the United States. The divisional averages are calculated by including all available stations within a division at any given time. The averages are therefore vulnerable to shifts in average station location or elevation over time, which may introduce spurious trends within these data. This paper examines temperature trends within the 15 climate divisions of New England, comparing the NCDC\u27s U.S. Divisional Data to the U.S. Historical Climate Network (USHCN) data. Correlation and multiple regression revealed that shifts in latitude, longitude, and elevation have affected the quality of the NCDC divisional data with respect to the USHCN. As a result, there may be issues with regard to their use in decadal- to century-scale climate change studies

Snatch trajectory of elite level girevoy (Kettlebell) sport athletes and its implications to strength and conditioning coaching

Girevoy sport (GS) has developed only recently in the West, resulting in a paucity of English scientific literature available. The aim was to document kettlebell trajectory of GS athletes performing the kettlebell snatch. Four elite GS athletes (age = 29-47 years, body mass = 68.3-108.1 kg, height 1.72-1.89 m) completed one set of 16 repetitions with a 32.1 kg kettlebell. Trajectory was captured with the VICON motion analysis system (250 Hz) and analysed with VICON Nexus (1.7.1). The kettlebell followed a ‘C’ shape trajectory in the sagittal plane. Mean peak velocity in the upwards phase was 4.03 ± 0.20 m s –1, compared to 3.70 ± 0.30 m s–1 during the downwards phase, and mean radial error across the sagittal and frontal planes was 0.022 ± 0.006 m. Low error in the movement suggests consistent trajectory is important to reduce extraneous movement and improve efficiency. While the kettlebell snatch and swing both require large anterior-posterior motion, the snatch requires the kettlebell to be held stationary overhead. Therefore, a different coaching application is required to that of a barbell snatch

A novel computerized test for detecting and monitoring visual attentional deficits and delirium in the ICU

Objectives: Delirium in the ICU is associated with poor outcomes but is under-detected. Here we evaluated performance of a novel, graded test for objectively detecting inattention in delirium, implemented on a custom-built computerized device (Edinburgh Delirium Test Box–ICU). Design: A pilot study was conducted, followed by a prospective case-control study. Setting: Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh General ICU. Patients: A pilot study was conducted in an opportunistic sample of 20 patients. This was followed by a validation study in 30 selected patients with and without delirium (median age, 63 yr; range, 23–84) who were assessed with the Edinburgh Delirium Test Box–ICU on up to 5 separate days. Presence of delirium was assessed using the Confusion Assessment Method for the ICU. Measurements and Main Results: The Edinburgh Delirium Test Box–ICU involves a behavioral assessment and a computerized test of attention, requiring patients to count slowly presented lights. Thirty patients were assessed a total of 79 times (n = 31, 23, 15, 8, and 2 for subsequent assessments; 38% delirious). Edinburgh Delirium Test Box–ICU scores (range, 0–11) were lower for patients with delirium than those without at the first (median, 0 vs 9.5), second (median, 3.5 vs 9), and third (median, 0 vs 10.5) assessments (all p < 0.001). An Edinburgh Delirium Test Box–ICU score less than or equal to 5 was 100% sensitive and 92% specific to delirium across assessments. Longitudinally, participants’ Edinburgh Delirium Test Box–ICU performance was associated with delirium status. Conclusions: These findings suggest that the Edinburgh Delirium Test Box–ICU has diagnostic utility in detecting ICU delirium in patients with Richmond Agitation and Sedation Scale Score greater than –3. The Edinburgh Delirium Test Box–ICU has potential additional value in longitudinally tracking attentional deficits because it provides a range of scores and is sensitive to change

Proposal to Implement a Peer Mentorship Program Project

California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo’s College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Science (CAFES) needs a peer mentor program modeled after the Orfalea College of Business’ (OCOB). Younger students who have mentors do exponentially better than students who do not. Upperclassmen gain a sense of fulfillment from helping younger, less experienced underclassmen. Rodger’s research provides insight into students’ academic success when paired with a peer mentor. Those who participated in a full year of peer mentoring had considerably higher grades than the control group. A specific group of students who benefit from programs like these are students who struggle with anxiety