196,066 research outputs found
Evaluation of the musical style using the semantic differential technique and a fuzzy graphic rating scale
No full textA great number of studies related to the cognitive processes
involved in listening to music have demonstrated the existence of
an identification process of salient cues: each subject could pick
up distinctive musical features during listening.
The present work is aimed to explore the ability of naïve listeners
to evaluate musical excerpts. Thirty musical sequences were
selected from the Sonatas repertoire of Mozart, Beethoven and
Clementi. Two series of fifteen sequences were presented to the
subjects in a random order. The subjects were asked to evaluate
the sequences with a battery of twelve bipolar items, using two
different methodologies: the semantic differential technique and a
fuzzy graphic rating scale. With respect to the semantic
differential technique, the subjects were invited to compile a
Likert scale choosing among 7 possible alternatives (from one
adjective to the opposed one). In the other condition, the subjects
could express their opinion using a fuzzy graphic rating scale:
they were invited to draw a cross on the line between the two
opposed adjectives; after having put the cross, the subjects were
asked to draw two little vertical lines, one on the left and the other
on the right side of the cross, in order to indicate how much their
choice could be blurred towards the ends of the line.
The results show that both the methodologies considered permit to
measure the music compositional style, but using the fuzzy
graphic rating scale, the subjects express their opinion in a more
precise way than using the semantic differential technique
Assessing the quality of information recorded on trial registries
No full textBackground: In 2004 all ICMJE member journals agreed to adopt a trial registrations policy as one solution to publication bias. The value of trial registries (TRs) has been well established and is supported by funding and government agencies. Yet there is little focus on the type and completeness of data in existing TRs.
Objective: Our objectives were to, i) determine the type of data recorded in TRs, ii) assess their quality, iii) compare structure and content of different TRs, and iv) to identify optimal data structures for them.
Design: In January 2005, a random sample of trial records was extracted from three international TRs ClinicalTrials.gov, NCI's PDQ Database and ISRCTN Register. No restrictions were placed on trial status, design or medical area, although some TRs adopted inclusion criteria. Records were assessed using a quality checklist consisting of 30 desirable items grouped into five categories, identifying information, trial details, funding, contact details and data collection forms.
Results: A pilot study assessing 45 records (15 from each register) was undertaken. The overall quality was poor (median: 16 range: 10-22 items completed per record) and varied considerably across TRs. ClinicalTrial.gov (median 17) and NCIPDQ (median 18) faired better than ISRTCN (median 13) (ClinicalTrial.gov vs. NCIPDQ p=0.79; ClinicalTrial.gov vs. ISRTCN p<0.001; NCIPDQ vs. ISRTCN p<0.001). Records fell short of providing complete data in the category of trial details (items: primary outcome; key trial dates) and contact details (items: full address; fax). A copy of the study data collection form was not included in any record. Results from the definitive study will be available for presentation.
Conclusions: Although our quality criteria were not stringent, the preliminary results show considerable variation in the data available in current TRs and an unsatisfactory quality of desirable requirements for trial protocols. The results suggest that there is room for standardization of the type of data recorded in TRs to provide better and more complete essential public information
Revisiting established medicines: An overview of systematic reviews about ibuprofen and paracetamol for treating pain in children
No full textBackground and objective: We explored how systematic reviews evaluated paracetamol and ibuprofen for treating pain in children, as these two non-opioid analgesics are well-established medicines included in most national essential medicines lists. Databases and data treatment: We carried out an overview of systematic reviews (SRs) of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of interventions (PROSPERO registration: 42016045367). We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR) and Database of Reviews of Effects (DARE) up to 23 August 2017. We used AMSTAR checklist to analyse methodological quality of included SRs. Results: We found 17 SRs with 72 unique RCTs; the majority of those trials included under 100 children. Positive conclusive evidence was found in only one SR, regarding safety of paracetamol. Conclusions of other SRs for efficacy and safety of ibuprofen and paracetamol were inconclusive, unclear, or there was no opinion. Only one SR analysed efficacy of ibuprofen and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in chronic pain and the conclusion was that there was no evidence from RCTs that NSAIDs were effective for chronic non-cancer pain in children and adolescents. Most of the SRs addressed very narrow questions, included few trials, with few children and were of low or medium methodological quality. Conclusions: Most SRs on two relevant medicines have inconsistent conclusions and doubt upon their effectiveness. Instead of focusing on very narrow questions, SRs should examine more comprehensive research topics to obtain a general sense of consistency, particularly when analysing established medicines. Significance: Evidence behind two analgesics—ibuprofen and paracetamol—that are well-established medicines for children in most countries appears limited, judging by the systematic reviews. The discrepancy between clinical use and the extensive evidence we reviewed may be a result of the selective criteria in the reviews examined. We need new, and better evidence syntheses supporting the use of these two medicines in wide indications regarding pain in children
Dr. Duane M. Jackson, Morehouse College, July 2011
No full textThis video is a conversation with Dr. Duane M. Jackson. Dr. Jackson talks about his paper, "Recall and the Serial Position Effect: The Role of Primacy and Recency on Accounting Students' Performance." Jackie Daniel, AUC Woodruff Library, is the interviewer
"Reflections on the subject of Emigration from Europe with a view to Settlement in the United States" By M. Carey.
No full text"Reflections on the subject of Emigration from Europe with a view to Settlement in the United States: containing bried sketches of the moral and political character of those states.
By M. Carey, member of the American philosophical, and of the American Antiquarian Society, and author of The Olive Branch, Cindiciae Hibernicae, essays on banking, on political economy, and on internal improvement.
To which are now added the English editor's comments on the subject; together with Important Advice to Emigrants, and Cautions Against Impositions Practiced in the Outports
Dispelling the Myths Behind First-author Citation Counts
No full textWe conducted a full-scale evaluative citation analysis study of scholars in the XML research field to explore just how different from each other author rankings resulting from different citation counting methods actually are, and to demonstrate the capability of emerging data and tools on the Web in supporting more realistic citation counting methods. Our results contest some common arguments for the continued
use of first-author citation counts in the evaluation of scholars, such as high correlations between author rankings by first-author citation counts and other citation
counting methods, and high costs of using more realistic citation counting methods that are not well-supported by the ISI databases. It is argued that increasingly available digital full text research papers make it possible for citation analysis studies to go beyond what the ISI databases have directly supported and to employ more
sophisticated methods
Dr. Glendon Swarthout
No full textHosted by Roger M. Busfield, MSU Assistant Professor of Speech and Theater, Meet the Author is designed to introduce a general audience to a contemporary author and their work through in-depth interviews. This episode features a conversation between Dr. Glendon Swarthout, prolific author and English professor at MSU, and assistant professors Sam S. Baskett and Theodore B. Strandness
Simulation of thermal plant optimization and hydraulic aspects of thermal distribution loops for large campuses
No full textFollowing an introduction, the author describes Texas A&M University and its utilities system. After that, the author presents how to construct simulation models for chilled water and heating hot water distribution systems. The simulation model was used in a $2.3 million Ross Street chilled water pipe replacement project at Texas A&M University. A second project conducted at the University of Texas at San Antonio was used as an example to demonstrate how to identify and design an optimal distribution system by using a simulation model. The author found that the minor losses of these closed loop thermal distribution systems are significantly higher than potable water distribution systems. In the second part of the report, the author presents the latest development of software called the Plant Optimization Program, which can simulate cogeneration plant operation, estimate its operation cost and provide optimized operation suggestions. The author also developed detailed simulation models for a gas turbine and heat recovery steam generator and identified significant potential savings. Finally, the author also used a steam turbine as an example to present a multi-regression method on constructing simulation models by using basic statistics and optimization algorithms. This report presents a survey of the author??s working experience at the Energy Systems Laboratory (ESL) at Texas A&M University during the period of January 2002 through March 2004. The purpose of the above work was to allow the author to become familiar with the practice of engineering. The result is that the author knows how to complete a project from start to finish and understands how both technical and nontechnical aspects of a project need to be considered in order to ensure a quality deliverable and bring a project to successful completion. This report concludes that the objectives of the internship were successfully accomplished and that the requirements for the degree of Degree of Engineering have been satisfied
Intern experience at CH���M Hill, Inc.: an internship report
No full textIncludes author's vita"Submitted to the College of Engineering of Texas A&M University in partial
fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Doctor of Engineering."Includes bibliographical referencesA review of the author's internship experience with CH���M HILL, Inc.
during the period September 1975 through May 1976 is presented. During this nine month
internship the author worked as an Engineer II in the Industrial Processes discipline of this
large consulting engineering firm... The author's prime responsibility was as one of three
lead design engineers on the design of a large wastewater treatment facility for a pulp mill
in Hoquiam, Washington owned by ITT Rayonier Inc. The work generally consisted of the design
of individual treatment units and associated piping and pumping. The purpose of the project
was to provide wastewater treatment capabilities that would satisfy the effluent limitations
(standards) imposed upon the mill by the State of Washington Department of Ecology and the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The author's assignment also entailed necessary
interaction with the project manager and other CH���M HILL design engineers and support staff
members, the client's representatives, and representatives of two other consulting engineering
firms working on the project. Thus, the internship position at CH���M HILL provided considerable
experience coordinating the author's work with the work of other engineers, guiding the design
and administrative efforts of a support staff, and interacting regularly with the client and
other consulting firms. This broad exposure to a variety of engineering and organizational
problems provided a valuable educational experience
Transition to turbulence in a qblique shock-wave/boundary-layer interaction at M=15
No full textDirect numerical simulations are carried out for different forcing techniques to trigger transition during the interaction between an oblique shock-wave and a laminar boundary-layer at M = 1.5. Three forcing methods are used: a) forcing of oblique unstable modes, whose shape and behaviour are determined by the local linear stability theory, b) broadband free-stream acoustic disturbances, and c) a cold plasma flow control device. While the oblique-mode breakdown is dominant for low-amplitude forcing, long streaky structures drive the transition process in a high-amplitude disturbance environment. LES are also performed on the experimental setup by the Institute of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics (ITAM) from Novosibirsk State University with cold plasma actuation. As well as the disturbance type, the effect of Reynolds number and forcing amplitude will be investigated
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