11,890 research outputs found
Content analysis of a rural community’s interaction with its cultural heritage through a longitudinal display deployment
In this paper we present content analysis related to our longitudinal deployment of the Wray Photo Display within a rural village community. The situated display based system enables village residents to upload images (typically photos) relating to their community for viewing by fellow residents and visitors to the village. Residents can also provide a response to pictures via the system's commenting feature. A content analysis has revealed that the majority of images uploaded to the system relate to the cultural heritage of the village (across both 'past' and 'contemporary' categories). Furthermore, analysis of the comments relating to these images reveals a wide range of use, including: clarification (e.g. the subject of the photo or the period when it was taken), identification (e.g. identification of relatives in the photo) and narratives (e.g. "...my mum & dad rented from Mr Phillipson who lived next door...")
The Hijazi inequality on manifolds with boundary
In this paper, we prove the Hijazi inequality on compact Riemannian spin
manifolds under two boundary conditions: the condition associated with a
chirality operator and the Riemannian version of the \MIT bag condition. We
then show that the limiting-case is characterized as being a half-sphere for
the first condition whereas the equality cannot be achieved for the second.Comment: 14 page
An evaluation of enteral nutrition practices and nutritional provision in children during the entire length of stay in critical care
<b>Background</b>
Provision of optimal nutrition in children in critical care is often challenging. This study evaluated exclusive enteral nutrition (EN) provision practices and explored predictors of energy intake and delay of EN advancement in critically ill children.<p></p>
<b>Methods</b>
Data on intake and EN practices were collected on a daily basis and compared against predefined targets and dietary reference values in a paediatric intensive care unit. Factors associated with intake and advancement of EN were explored.<p></p>
<b>Results</b>
Data were collected from 130 patients and 887 nutritional support days (NSDs). Delay to initiate EN was longer in patients from both the General Surgical and congenital heart defect (CHD) Surgical groups [Median (IQR); CHD Surgical group: 20.3 (16.4) vs General Surgical group: 11.4 (53.5) vs Medical group: 6.5 (10.9) hours; p <= 0.001]. Daily fasting time per patient was significantly longer in patients from the General Surgical and CHD Surgical groups than those from the Medical group [% of 24 h, Median (IQR); CHD Surgical group: 24.0 (29.2) vs General Surgical group: 41.7 (66.7) vs Medical group: 9.4 (21.9); p <= 0.001]. A lower proportion of fluids was delivered as EN per patient (45% vs 73%) or per NSD (56% vs 73%) in those from the CHD Surgical group compared with those with medical conditions. Protein and energy requirements were achieved in 38% and 33% of the NSDs. In a substantial proportion of NSDs, minimum micronutrient recommendations were not met particularly in those patients from the CHD Surgical group. A higher delivery of fluid requirements (p < 0.05) and a greater proportion of these delivered as EN (p < 0.001) were associated with median energy intake during stay and delay of EN advancement. Fasting (31%), fluid restriction (39%) for clinical reasons, procedures requiring feed cessation and establishing EN (22%) were the most common reasons why target energy requirements were not met.<p></p>
<b>Conclusions</b>
Provision of optimal EN support remains challenging and varies during hospitalisation and among patients. Delivery of EN should be prioritized over other "non-nutritional" fluids whenever this is possible.<p></p>
Dynamics with Infinitely Many Derivatives: The Initial Value Problem
Differential equations of infinite order are an increasingly important class
of equations in theoretical physics. Such equations are ubiquitous in string
field theory and have recently attracted considerable interest also from
cosmologists. Though these equations have been studied in the classical
mathematical literature, it appears that the physics community is largely
unaware of the relevant formalism. Of particular importance is the fate of the
initial value problem. Under what circumstances do infinite order differential
equations possess a well-defined initial value problem and how many initial
data are required? In this paper we study the initial value problem for
infinite order differential equations in the mathematical framework of the
formal operator calculus, with analytic initial data. This formalism allows us
to handle simultaneously a wide array of different nonlocal equations within a
single framework and also admits a transparent physical interpretation. We show
that differential equations of infinite order do not generically admit
infinitely many initial data. Rather, each pole of the propagator contributes
two initial data to the final solution. Though it is possible to find
differential equations of infinite order which admit well-defined initial value
problem with only two initial data, neither the dynamical equations of p-adic
string theory nor string field theory seem to belong to this class. However,
both theories can be rendered ghost-free by suitable definition of the action
of the formal pseudo-differential operator. This prescription restricts the
theory to frequencies within some contour in the complex plane and hence may be
thought of as a sort of ultra-violet cut-off.Comment: 40 pages, no figures. Added comments concerning fractional operators
and the implications of restricting the contour of integration. Typos
correcte
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The influence of the atmospheric boundary layer on nocturnal layers of noctuids and other moths migrating over southern Britain
Insects migrating at high altitude over southern Britain have been continuously monitored by automatically-operating, vertical-looking radars over a period of several years. During some occasions in the summer months, the migrants were observed to form well-defined layer concentrations, typically at heights of 200-400 m, in the stable night-time atmosphere. Under these conditions, insects are likely to have control over their vertical movements and are selecting flight heights which are favourable for long-range migration. We therefore investigated the factors influencing the formation of these insect layers by comparing radar measurements of the vertical distribution of insect density with meteorological profiles generated by the UK Met. Office’s Unified Model (UM). Radar-derived measurements of mass and displacement speed, along with data from Rothamsted Insect Survey light traps provided information on the identity of the migrants. We present here three case studies where noctuid and pyralid moths contributed substantially to the observed layers. The major meteorological factors influencing the layer concentrations appeared to be: (a) the altitude of the warmest air, (b) heights corresponding to temperature preferences or thresholds for sustained migration and (c), on nights when air temperatures are relatively high, wind-speed maxima associated with the nocturnal jet. Back-trajectories indicated that layer duration may have been determined by the distance to the coast. Overall, the unique combination of meteorological data from the UM and insect data from entomological radar described here show considerable promise for systematic studies of high-altitude insect layering
A qualitative exploration of the effect of visual field loss on daily life in home-dwelling stroke survivors
Objective: To explore the effect of visual field loss on the daily life of community-dwelling stroke survivors. Design: A qualitative interview study. Participants: Adult stroke survivors with visual field loss of at least six months’ duration. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a non-purposive sample of 12 stroke survivors in their own homes. These were recorded, transcribed verbatim and analyzed with the framework method, using an inductive approach. Results: Two key analytical themes emerged. ‘Perception, experience and knowledge’ describes participant’s conflicted experience of having knowledge of their impaired vision but lacking perception of that visual field loss and operating under the assumption that they were viewing an intact visual scene when engaged in activities. Inability to recognize and deal with visual difficulties, and experiencing the consequences, contributed to their fear and loss of self-confidence. ‘Avoidance and adaptation’ were two typologies of participant response to visual field loss. Initially, all participants consciously avoided activities. Some later adapted to vision loss using self-directed head and eye scanning techniques. Conclusions: Visual field loss has a marked impact on stroke survivors. Stroke survivors lack perception of their visual loss in everyday life, resulting in fear and loss of confidence. Activity avoidance is a common response, but in some, it is replaced by self-initiated adaptive techniques
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