Standard Deviation Of Response Research Articles

Moderate to Vigorous Intensity Locomotor Training After Stroke: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Mean Effects and Response Variability.

This meta-analysis quantified mean effects of moderate to vigorous intensity locomotor training (LT mv ) on walking outcomes in subacute and chronic stroke, and the magnitude of variability in LT mv response. Databases were searched for randomized trials comparing LT mv with no intervention, nongait intervention, or low-intensity gait training. Comfortable gait speed (CGS), fastest gait speed (FGS), 6-minute walk test (6MWT), walking activity (steps per day), and adverse effect/event (AE) data were extracted. Pooled estimates were calculated for mean changes, AE relative risks, and the standard deviation of response (SD response ) to LT mv versus control groups, stratified by study chronicity where possible. There were 19 eligible studies (total N = 1096): 14 in chronic stroke (N = 839) and 5 in subacute stroke (N = 257). Compared with control interventions, LT mv yielded significantly greater increases in CGS (chronic, +0.06 m/s [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.01-0.10]; subacute, +0.16 [0.12-0.19]; subacute vs chronic, P = 0.03), FGS (chronic, +0.07 m/s [0.02-0.13]; subacute, +0.21 [0.01, 0.41]; P = 0.04), and 6MWT (chronic, +33 m [24-42]; subacute, +51 [26-77]; P = 0.054) but not steps/day (+260 [-1159 to 1679]). There were no treatment-related serious AEs among 398 LT mv participants in 14 AE-reporting studies. SD response estimates indicated substantial response variability: CGS, 0.11 m/s [0.00-0.15]; FGS, 0.14 m/s [-0.00 to 0.20]; and 6MWT, 41 m [27-51]. LT mv improves mean walking capacity outcomes in subacute and chronic stroke and does not appear to have high risk of serious harm. Response magnitude varies within and between chronicity subgroups, and few studies have tested effects on daily walking activity or non-serious AEs.Video Abstract available for more insights from the authors (see the Video, Supplemental Digital Content 1 available at: http://links.lww.com/JNPT/A452 ).

Nonlinear dynamic characteristics of a hysteretic TMD and its application on a tall building

Hysteretic tuned mass damper (HTMD) has shown strong capacity on the vibration control for high-rise buildings. However, the dynamic effect of HTMD has not been thoroughly studied. In this paper, the nonlinear dynamic characteristics of a harmonically excited system equipped with HTMD are investigated firstly with a thorough parametric analysis. The extended incremental harmonic balance method is used to obtain the frequency responses of this nonlinear system. The Floquet theory is adopted to examine the stability of response. Poincare map and bifurcation diagram are employed to study the response regimes and bifurcations near the resonance frequency. Finally, a high-rise building equipped with HTMD is investigated under transverse wind excitation. Standard deviation of response is employed to examine the control effect of HTMD, by comparing to a linear TMD. The obtained results show that a well-designed HTMD can have superior performance in suppressing the vortex-induced vibration, and a more effective energy absorbing capacity than linear TMD.

“The team needs to feel cared for”: staff perceptions of compassionate care, aids and barriers in adolescent mental health wards

BackgroundCompassion is vital in healthcare. Current understandings of the nature of compassionate care, its aids and barriers, are more theoretically developed than grounded in staff experience. This study explores staff perceptions of compassionate care in child and adolescent mental health wards.MethodsThree focus groups were conducted with a total of 35 staff from adolescent mental health wards (10–12 people in each group), on the nature of compassionate care, aids and barriers. Transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis. A follow-up survey with 36 workers from other UK child and adolescent mental health wards was completed and means and standard deviations of responses were analysed to confirm wider resonance of themes.ResultsElements of compassionate care fell into six themes relating to individual, team and organisational factors: emotional connection, sense of being valued, attention to the whole person, understanding, good communication, and practical help/resources. Aids and barriers mirrored each other, and showed that what staff think is key to the nature of compassionate care for patients is also what they feel they need to receive to be able to show compassionate care.ConclusionsThis study suggests that staff need the same elements of compassion as those which they seek to provide. A greater emphasis needs to be placed on providing staff with individual, team and organisational level resources which help them to feel compassionately held within the interconnected systems in which they work, in order to be able to continue to provide high level compassionate care. Staff need to be nourished, valued and compassionately cared for in order to be able to care compassionately for the patients they look after.

COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake and Influence of Mass Media: A Cross-Sectional Survey on Community People of Bangladesh

This work aimed to appraise the mass media influence on getting Bangladeshi people vaccinated during the second wave of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. A cross-sectional study was performed among 1012 eligible respondents using a self-administered questionnaire to obtain data collected in March and April 2021 that assessed 1) the participant demographics, 2) perception towards beliefs and attitudes of COVID-19 vaccination via 5 items, 3) perception towards COVID-19 vaccination barriers via 5 items, 4) exposure to different media for COVID-19 vaccine news via 5 items, and 5) media's credibility in providing key information on COVID-19 vaccines via 5 items. Data were analyzed with frequency, mean and standard deviation of responses on each statement. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was carried out. About 1012 participants were analysed (mean age ± standard error = 45.9 ± 10.6 years, range above 18 years). Most of the participants had positive responses with a high mean score for the media's credibility in providing key information on COVID-19 vaccines (4.46 ± 0.57), perception towards COVID-19 vaccination beliefs and attitudes (3.82 ± 0.78) and exposure to different media for COVID-19 vaccine news (3.76 ± 0.68). Participants’ exposure to different media and media's credibility was significantly associated with high adoption of getting vaccinated (AOR = 1.3, 95% CI: 1.1–1.3, p<0.05; AOR = 3.1, 95% CI: 1.8–5.7, p<0.001, respectively). Research has shown that credible information about vaccines found in the media raised a person's level of motivation by raising awareness and contributed significantly to vaccine adoption.

A Study of Factors Associated with the Participation of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Leisure Activities

Purpose: The present research aims to identify the factors associated with the participation of children with autism spectrum disorder in leisure activities.
 Research Methodology: The study was descriptive in nature and use quantitative methods to analyze the data. Parents of children with ASD studying in private and public schools for students with autism spectrum disorder from Lahore division including its 4 districts; Lahore, Kasur, Sheikhpura and Nankana Sahib were the population of the study. A sample of 88 parents of children with autism spectrum disorder participated in this study. Researchers used self-developed and validated Likert type questionnaire. After raw data collection, the data was coded in coding scheme by using statistical package of social sciences (SPSS) and tabulated to show the mean and standard deviation of responses.
 Findings: The findings obtained in this study suggest that children with autism spectrum disorder were willing to participate in leisure activities, but their participation in leisure activities differed by activity types. It was observed that personal factors, such as age, gender, job responsibilities, family pressure, health issues, as well as the socioeconomic status of the family, affect participation in leisure activities.
 Recommendations: Schools may organize parental training sessions where parents should be guided and motivated in making and executing a game plan to show their child’s strength in leisure activities at school level.

Confidence in Mental Health Professionals and Other Interdisciplinary Involvement in Disaster Response

Increased utilization of coordinated disaster response in the United States has resulted in the integration of interdisciplinary professions, which must involve mental health professionals to maximize potential success. The lack of interdisciplinary training has been cited as problematic. An anonymous survey identifying current training and scaling effectiveness was distributed. Seventy-two responses were recorded from various industries including fire rescue, law enforcement, emergency management, mental health professionals, physicians, and health professional students. As expected, very high percentages of these professionals had received response training. However, the average response often included “neutral” within the standard deviation of responses assessing training efficacy suggesting a possible lack of comfort and confidence. Most significantly, respondents were least comfortable working with mental health professionals, suggesting a need for considerable improvement in mental health professionals' involvement in interdisciplinary disaster response training and exercises.

A dual response surface-based efficient fragility analysis approach of offshore structures under random wave load

This paper presents an efficient fragility analysis approach for offshore structures subjected to random wave load considering parameter uncertainty. Fragility analysis of structures under random dynamic load is generally accomplished by the direct Monte Carlo simulation (MCS), which requires extensive computational time. Hence, in the present study, a new cumulative distribution function matching-based fragility analysis approach is proposed in the framework of dual response surface method to reduce this computational burden. The proposed approach does not require MCS during failure probability computations once the two response surfaces of mean and standard deviation of response are obtained. Thereby, a substantial amount of computational time is saved. The proposed approach is generic in nature and can be applied to any offshore structure, with different probability distributions of system parameters and higher uncertainty levels, as well. The record-to-record variation of random wave force time-histories (that occurs even for the same set up of hazard parameters) can be easily considered by the proposed approach. The accuracy of the proposed approach is maintained by applying the moving least-squares method, in place of the conventional least-squares method, which is often reported to be a source of error. Two illustrative examples (one simple benchmark problem and another practical steel offshore platform structure) are presented to demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed fragility analysis approach. The results indicate that the present moving least-squares method yields more accurate solutions than the conventional least-squares method. Also, the computational efficiency by the proposed approach over the usual MCS-based approach can be clearly envisaged from the numerical studies.

Robust design optimization of retaining wall backfilled with shredded tire in the face of earthquake hazards

A systematic robust design optimization methodology is presented in this study for cantilever retaining wall backfilled with shredded tire in the face of earthquake hazards. Regarding the merits of application of shredded tire backfill in seismically active areas, the uncertainties in properties of this material (e.g., friction angle and cohesion) as well as uncertainties in earthquake load (e.g., peak ground acceleration) necessitate examining the robustness of design along cost efficiency in geotechnical design procedures. The wall tip deflection was treated as the response of concern for which a response surface was developed based on the design and random (uncertain) variables. Coupling with Monte Carlo simulations, the optimization in terms of cost and standard deviation of response as a measure of robustness yielded a set of preferred designs, or Pareto front, and the final optimal design was determined via selection procedures based on knee point concept.

A dynamic reliability assessment methodology of gear transmission system of wind turbine

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to present a new methodology, used for dynamic reliability analysis of a gear transmission system (GTS) of wind turbine (WT), which could be used for assembly decision-making of the parts with errors to improve the GTS’s performance.Design/methodology/approachThis paper involves the dynamic and dynamic reliability analysis of a GTS. The history curves of dynamic responses of the parts are obtained with the developed gear-bearing coupling dynamic model considering the random errors, failure dependency and random load. Then, the surrogate models of the mean and standard deviation of responses are presented by statistics, rain flow counting method and corrected-partial least squares regression response surface method. Further, a novel dynamic reliability model based on the maximum extreme theory, a theory of sequential statistics, equivalent principles and the inverse transform theory of random variable sampling, is developed to overcome the limitations of traditional methods.FindingsThe dynamic reliability of GTS considering the different impact factors are evaluated. The proposed reliability methodology not only overcomes the limitations associated with traditional approaches but also provides good guidance to assembly the parts in a GTS to its best performance.Originality/valueInstead of constant errors, this paper considers the randomness of the impact factors to develop the dynamic reliability model. Further, instead of the limitation of the normal distribution of the random parameters in the traditional method, the proposed methodology can deal with the problems with non-normal distribution parameters, which is more suitable for the real engineering problems.

Nonlinear random seismic analysis of 3D high-speed railway track-bridge system based on OpenSEES

A new nonlinear track-bridge random model was established based on OpenSEES, of which the random seismic responses is systematically studied by using probability density evolution method (PDEM). First, a three-dimensional detail nonlinear random dynamic model of the track-bridge coupled system in high-speed railway is established considering the earthquake as the random excitation. The dynamic model is composed with the rail, CRTS II slab ballastless track, the simple supported bridges, bearing, pier and the pile foundation, from which the random dynamic equation of the random model is formulated. In order to evaluate the seismic performance of track structures from a random perspective, the random seismic responses of high-speed railway bridge under random seismic excitations are investigated and analyzed by using the PDEM. Eventually, the Newmark β integration method and the double edge difference method of TVD format are adopted to obtain the random responses involving the probability functions, which can be translated to get the mean value and the standard deviation of responses. Thus, the abundant probability information of seismic responses of the high-speed railway bridge under random seismic excitations can be obtained. The PDF and CDF of the sliding layer are obtained; thus, the failure probability and reliability of different damage grades of sliding layer are obtained. Discussions and significant conclusions on the random dynamic responses are presented.

Developing a valid method to study adaptive behaviours with regard to IEQ in primary schools

Adaptive behaviour impacts the classroom's environment and the student's comfort. Therefore, a deep understanding of students' adaptive behaviour is required. This study aims to develop a valid and reliable method to realize how children in their late middle childhood (9–11) practise adaptive behaviours as a response to the classroom's Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ).A self-reported questionnaire accompanied with an observation form is designed based on children's ‘here and now’ sensations, their cognitive and linguistic competence. Validity and reliability of the questionnaire were tested by running pilot and field studies in eight primary schools from July 2017 to May 2018. Through transverse sampling, 805 children were observed, and 1390 questionnaires were collected in 31 classrooms.Questions and responses of the designed questionnaire were validated by monitoring answer-process, non-participant observations, cross-checking questions and statistical tests. Validating process improved the wording of the questions and response categories and resulted in a questionnaire with a high and valid response rate. The reliability of the questionnaire was tested by measuring the variability and standard deviations of responses under similar conditions.To conclude, the study introduces a questionnaire and an observation form that should be used together to provide a valid and reliable method for studying adaptive behaviour of primary school children.

Perception of Character Education: The Case of Lebanese School Leaders

This study explored the perception of Lebanese public school leaders pertaining to character education, and their expected role within its development and effective implementation. The sample included 153 randomly selected public school principals from all the Lebanese districts (Mouhafazat). The purpose is to provide a general overview of their understanding, expectations, their knowledge of character education prescribed in the Lebanese curriculum goals, and their opinion as to the principal’s role in addressing character development. The study was quantitative in nature and utilized a survey instrument that consisted of 39 items classified into 12 domains of character. The first domain targeted the knowledge of school principals pertaining to the character development goals within the Lebanese curriculum, besides their perception of school’s educational mission. The other eleven domains were developed based on “The Eleven Principles of Effective Character Education” constructed by the character education partnership organization (CEP, 2014). SPSS 18.0 for windows was employed to calculate the mean and the standard deviation of responses in order to determine the perceptions of the Lebanese public school leaders related to character education. Findings suggested that Lebanese public school principals were generally not fully aware of the character goals outlined in the Lebanese curriculum and the school’s educational mission concerning building students’ character. Their perception on effective character education unmatched a wide scope of the eleven principles of character education. The study recommends a reform of character education in the Lebanese public schools involving the school principals as leaders of change.

Modeling and optimization of laser cutting operations

Laser beam cutting is one important nontraditional machining process. This paper optimizes the parameters of laser beam cutting parameters of stainless steel (316L) considering the effect of input parameters such as power, oxygen pressure, frequency and cutting speed. Statistical design of experiments is carried in three different levels and process responses such as average kerf taper (Ta), surface roughness (Ra) and heat affected zones are measured accordingly. A response surface model is developed as a function of the process parameters. Responses predicted by the models (as per Taguchi’s L27OA) are employed to search for an optimal combination to achieve desired process yield. Response Surface Models (RSMs) are developed for mean responses, S/N ratio, and standard deviation of responses. Optimization models are formulated as single objective optimization problem subject to process constraints. Models are formulated based on Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and optimized using Matlab developed environment. Optimum solutions are compared with Taguchi Methodology results. As such, practicing engineers have means to model, analyze and optimize nontraditional machining processes. Validation experiments are carried to verify the developed models with success.

Developing a Conflict Management Model for the Nigerian Executive

This study is located in Nigerian formal organizations across a broad range of manufacturing and service organizations, with the aim of capturing the responses of executives working in a diversity of firms and enterprises. A questionnaire of the Likert type was administered on 424 respondents. Four research questions and four hypotheses were formulated for the study. Data for the research questions were analyzed using the mean and standard deviation of responses, while the t-test of difference between means and students’ t-distribution were used to analyze the hypotheses. The study in the end, recommended the adoption of the Creative-Contingency Model of Conflict Management as an enduring answer to conflict situations in firms.

Feedforward Origins of Response Variability Underlying Contrast Invariant Orientation Tuning in Cat Visual Cortex

Contrast invariant orientation tuning in simple cells of the visual cortex depends critically on contrast dependent trial-to-trial variability in their membrane potential responses. This observation raises the question of whether this variability originates from within the cortical circuit or the feedforward inputs from the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN). To distinguish between these two sources of variability, we first measured membrane potential responses while inactivating the surrounding cortex, and found that response variability was nearly unaffected. We then studied variability in the LGN, including contrast dependence, and the trial-to-trial correlation in responses between nearby neurons. Variability decreased significantly with contrast, whereas correlation changed little. When these experimentally measured parameters of variability were applied to a feedforward model of simple cells that included realistic mechanisms of synaptic integration, contrast-dependent, orientation independent variability emerged in the membrane potential responses. Analogous mechanisms might contribute to the stimulus dependence and propagation of variability throughout the neocortex.

Correlates of HIV Stigma in prison guards and case workers in a national prison system

HIV is over-represented in correction facilities. Health organizations have provided a framework for effective response to HIV/AIDS in prisons yet many countries lack prison-based HIV prevention and treatment. Prison workforce’s fears of HIV contagion and stigma have been identified as barriers to appropriate responses. We explore the magnitude of stigma towards HIV in correctional officers and case workers in prison system across workforce categories, sex, and HIV knowledge. A self-administered, anonymous questionnaire was completed by 95 case workers and 214 correctional officers from 26 of the 39 penal institutions in Puerto Rico (PR) selected multi stage random sample design. Stigma towards HIV was assessed with a Spanish measure of stigma towards HIV among health professionals containing 18 items measured with 6 categories agreement scale. Predictor variables include demographics, work experience in corrections, and HIV knowledge. The study was approved by the IRB. We report the scale’s reliability and the weighted mean and standard deviation of responses to the stigma measure for the total sample and by workforce category, sex, and HIV knowledge. Of the 309 respondents 58% were male and 68% report 5 or more years iof employment. Scale reliability as measured with Cronbachs alpha was 0 .81. The values of the stigma towards HIV measure ranged from 18-108, with higher scores corresponding to greater stigma. The mean of the stigma score for the total sample was 69.5 (SD 15.6). The means did not differ significantly when compared for correctional officers vs. case workers or by sex, yet an inverse relationship was found between stigma and HIV knowledge. Stigma scores fell within the second highest quartile suggesting that HIV stigma is high in this sample. The availability of a culturally sensitive instrument in Spanish contributes to work in the field and the findings underscore the need to address stigma towards HIV in the prison workforce in this and other contexts. Research should be conducted on the effect of HIV knowledge gains on stigma reduction in this population.

작전부대의 인원편성 최적화를 위한 워게임 전투실험 방법에 대한 연구

Warfighting experimentation is an important process for identifying requirements against changing military environment and for verifying proposed measures for reforming military service. The wargame simulation experiment is regarded as one of the most effective means to warfighting experimentation, and its importance is increasing than ever. On the other hand, the results of wargame experiments could be unreliable due to the uncertainty involved in the experimental procedure. To improve the reliability of the experimental results, systematic experimental procedures and analysis methods must be employed, and the design and analysis of experiments technique can be used effectively for this purpose. In this paper, AWAM, a wargame simulator, is used to optimize the organization of operational troops. The simulation model describes a warfighting situation in which the `survival rate of our force` and the `survival rate of the enemy force` are considered as responses, `the numbers of weapons in the squad` as control factors, and `the uncontrollable variables of the battlefield` as noise factors. In addition, for the purpose of effective experimentation, the product array approach in which the inner and outer orthogonal arrays are crossed is adopted. Then, the signal-to-noise-ratio for each response and the desirabilities for the means and standard deviations of responses are calculated and used to determine a compromise optimal solution. The experimental procedures and analysis methods developed in this paper can provide guidelines for designing and analyzing wargame simulation experiments for similar warfighting situations.

Statistics of visual responses in primate inferotemporal cortex to object stimuli

We have characterized selectivity and sparseness in anterior inferotemporal cortex, using a large data set. Responses were collected from 674 monkey inferotemporal cells, each stimulated by 806 object photographs. This 806 × 674 matrix was examined in two ways: columnwise, looking at responses of a single neuron to all images (single-neuron selectivity), and rowwise, looking at the responses of all neurons caused by a single image (population sparseness). Selectivity and sparseness were measured as kurtosis of probability distributions. Population sparseness exceeded single-neuron selectivity, with specific values dependent on the size of the data sample. This difference was principally caused by inclusion, within the population, of neurons with a variety of dynamic ranges (standard deviations of responses over all images). Statistics of large responses were examined by quantifying how quickly the upper tail of the probability distribution decreased (tail heaviness). This analysis demonstrated that population responses had heavier tails than single-neuron responses, consistent with the difference between sparseness and selectivity measurements. Population responses with spontaneous activity subtracted had the heaviest tails, following a power law. The very light tails of single-neuron responses indicate that the critical feature for each neuron is simple enough to have a high probability of occurring within a limited stimulus set. Heavy tails of population responses indicate that there are a large number of different critical features to which different neurons are tuned. These results are inconsistent with some structural models of object recognition that posit that objects are decomposed into a small number of standard features.

Quantification of Various Factors Influencing the Precision of Thermoluminescent Detector Calibrations for New and Used Chip Sets

Factors affecting the random and systematic error in calibrating three sets of 100 LiF:Mg,Ti thermoluminescent detector chips were investigated. The chips were held in a polymethyl methacrylate plate with 0.3 cm deep wells covered with a thin top plate, affixed to a polymethyl methacrylate phantom 150 cm from a 3.2 × 10(10) GBq 137Cs source, used to irradiate the chips to 4.52 mGy. Three sets of chips were used: one new, one heavily used, and one having relatively high degrees of visible physical damage. Variations in the exposure rate across the plate were measured with an ion chamber. Experimental drift was judged by performing successive calibrations on subsequent days, while always reading the chips in the same order. The chips were subject to manual examination to determine variations in mass and physical quality. This study indicates that more accurate calibrations can be obtained by accounting for the error caused by nonuniformity in the delivered dose, which was in this study as high as 4.4% from the center to the edges of the target. Making use of more than three calibrations only reduces the standard deviation as a percentage of the mean of a set by less than 1%. Desirable dosimeters in commercially rejected sets were identified by comparing each dosimeter's standard deviation of response across all calibrations to a commercially acceptable control set. Up to 50% variations in mass and visual quality, including opacity, fracture, and surface scratches to chips, showed little to no correlation with their response.

Uncertainty in the relationship between climate forcing and hydrological response in UK catchments

Abstract. This paper assesses the relationship between amount of climate forcing – as indexed by global mean temperature change – and hydrological response in a sample of UK catchments. It constructs climate scenarios representing different changes in global mean temperature from an ensemble of 21 climate models assessed in the IPCC AR4. The results show a considerable range in impact between the 21 climate models, with – for example – change in summer runoff at a 2 °C increase in global mean temperature varying between −40% and +20%. There is evidence of clustering in the results, particularly in projected changes in summer runoff and indicators of low flows, implying that the ensemble mean is not an appropriate generalised indicator of impact, and that the standard deviation of responses does not adequately characterise uncertainty. The uncertainty in hydrological impact is therefore best characterised by considering the shape of the distribution of responses across multiple climate scenarios. For some climate model patterns, and some catchments, there is also evidence that linear climate change forcings produce non-linear hydrological impacts. For most variables and catchments, the effects of climate change are apparent above the effects of natural multi-decadal variability with an increase in global mean temperature above 1 °C, but there are differences between catchments. Based on the scenarios represented in the ensemble, the effect of climate change in northern upland catchments will be seen soonest in indicators of high flows, but in southern catchments effects will be apparent soonest in measures of summer and low flows. The uncertainty in response between different climate model patterns is considerably greater than the range due to uncertainty in hydrological model parameterisation.