531 Week Two Team Reflection Essays

LDR/531 Week Two Team Reflection Essays LDR/531 Week Two Team Reflection Essay LDR/531 Week Two Team Reflection Essay Team CSherron Hester-Bello, Mark Diaz, Jason Morrow,Hadrain Sumpter, David Wademan Week 2 Reflection This week proved to provide a strong foundation for the understanding and the fundamental development of leadership as it pertains to each of us individually. The objectives were clearly outlined and we were all able to effectively compare and contrast leadership theories as well as evaluate the characteristics of established leadership styles. This week was very informative, and an emphasis on the basic structure of leadership was established. We were all able to use real life examples to retain a strong grasp on the key concepts. Insert body and individual assessments as necessary here:This week it was very intriguing to learn about the different leadership theories and characteristics of different leadership styles. One of the styles of leadership that stood out was the charismatic leadership style. Charisma is more likely to be attributed to a leader who acts in an unconventional way to achieve a vision (Yukl, 2013). People view leaders as charismatic that achieve goals that seem unreachable. They have trust in these leaders because of the self confidence they attain, and the strong belief in the visions #they may have. Leaders are more likely to be viewed as charismatic if they make self-sacrifices for the benefit of followers, and they take personal risks to incur high costs to achieve the vision they espose (Yukl, 2013). It was very interesting to read how people view leaders, and the characteristics these leaders have to gain followers and make people believe in their visions and commit to them the way they do. We also have learned on what it takes to be a leader and have leadership qualities. Is a person born as a leader or can then become a leader with training and mentoring. Many question and theories was introduced this week. Most possess the same traits of becoming a leader. One definitions of a trait of having

Disposition Essays

Disposition Essays Disposition Essay Disposition Essay ( GBP ) 1. Disposition represents soaking up, distribution, metamorphosis, and elimination of a drug in the organic structure. Absorption is circumvented in IV Fentanyl. Plasma Fentanyl is 85 % protein-bound, adhering to acid glycoprotein chiefly because Fentanyl is basic. Merely unbound drug is transferred across membranes and eliminated. Lipophilic nature allows it to quickly administer to extremely perfused tissues, including encephalon ( readily traverse blood encephalon barrier and interacts with ? opioid receptors to give analgetic consequence ) , bosom, and lungs. Volume of distribution, 280L indicates that Fentanyl is extremely tissue-bound. Degrees in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid so decline quickly owing to redistribution of Fentanyl to ill perfused tissues like musculus and fat. [ 1 ] With drawn-out or high dose disposal, fats Acts of the Apostless as terminal and prolongs consequence by easy let go ofing Fentanyl to be redistributed to encephalon. [ 1 ] As impregnation of termin al occurs, continuance consequence of drugl approaches the length plasma half life of 4 hours. Fentanyl is extensively metabolized in liver by cytochrome P450 3A4, undergoes stage 1 metamorphosis preponderantly by oxidative N-dealkylation to bring forth inactive metabolite norfentanyl, which is more H2O soluble and readily excreted in urine, therefore merely a minor sum of Fentanyl is excreted unchanged in urine. [ 2 ] Merely a little % of Fentanyl is excreted in fecal matters though this is normally negligible. [ 3 ] 2. Different preparations are available for different curative utilizations. IV fentanyl solution circumvents soaking up and beltwaies hepatic first base on balls metamorphosis. It is extensively used for anaesthesia and analgesia in surgery due to its rapid oncoming of action. [ 4 ] Fentanyl transdermic spot is used in chronic hurting direction by let go ofing drug into upper tegument beds or fats moving as terminals, which so easy spread into blood stream over 48-72 hours, holding a long plasma half life seemingly. [ 4 ] Fentanyl lozenge is used for direction of discovery hurting in malignant neoplastic disease. [ 4 ] Drug is absorbed quickly across buccal mucous membrane due to its high lipophilicity, and by avoiding hepatic first base on balls metamorphosis it has rapid oncoming of action therefore effectual for ague hurting. 3. Approximately 50 % of Fentanyl administered in lozenge is quickly absorbed from the buccal mucous membrane and becomes systemically available due to its lipophilicity and extremely vascularised, big surface country and high permeableness of the buccal pit. [ 5 ] Staying 50 % is swallowed and absorbed from tummy, so extensively undergoes hepatic first base on balls metamorphosis which cut down drug plasma degrees, holding a low bioavailability. Hence, overall observed bioavailability of fentanyl lozenge is about 65 % of the entire dosage. [ 5 ] Whereas in transdermic path, drug is delivered to bloodstream from skin beds without debasement and first base on balls metamorphosis. [ 2 ] Therefore Fentanyl lozenges are expected to hold lower bioavailability than transdermic spot. 4. Fentanyl is extensively metabolized in liver by cytochrome P450 3A4. Ritonavir, a powerful cytochrome P450 3A4 inhibitor reduces fentanyl clearance by suppressing metamorphosis of parent drug to more H2O soluble metabolites which are to be excreted in piss. [ 6 ] Ritonavir has higher plasma protein adhering per centum than Fentanyl, it might vie and replace Fentanyl for adhering and therefore more unbound Fentanyl is available in plasma when the plasma protein gets saturated. [ 7 ] Since both drugs are weak bases, they might vie for the same conveyance system in nephritic cannular secernment for elimination and this additions and prolongs residuary fentanyl plasma degrees. [ 8 ] Thus accompaniment usage of both drugs rises fentanyl plasma degrees. 5. Fentanyl transdermic spot is designed for long-run disposal. [ 4 ] Due to its utmost lipophilicity, drug is absorbed across the tegument to blood stream. Though riddance is every bit rapid as in IV bringing, a significant sum of drug can be stored in upper tegument beds and fats during soaking up which can move as terminals to protract fentanyl plasma degrees by easy let go ofing drug to bloodsteam for a long continuance after spot remotion. [ 4 ] Therefore taking spot does non halt continued soaking up and this corresponds to the evident long Fentanyl plasma half life of about 17 hours as compared to 4 hours in IV bringing, in which upon injection Fentanyl exert a short continuance of action due to extensively being metabolized in liver and excreted in piss. [ 1 ] 6. Liver disease can impact pharmacokinetics of opioids by cut downing plasma protein binding, metabolising enzymes activity, liver blood flow, bilious elimination and nephritic clearance. [ 9 ] All these consequence in reduced first base on balls metamorphosis and longer plasma half life of drugs and therefore an abnormally high bioavailability and drug plasma degree. Hence even normal drug doses can hold unexpected terrible side effects. Accretion of opioids over safety degree in encephalon causes CNS and respiratory depression which becomes even more terrible and may precipitate coma when reaches high toxic degree. [ 10 ] Mechanism of this consequence likely involves changes in intellectual drug receptors. [ 11 ] Hence opioids should be avoided or dose reduced in patient with liver disease. Mentions 1. Barash. Clinical Anesthesia. 6th erectile dysfunction. Lippincott Williams A ; Wilkins, 2009. Print. 2. Mellar P. Davis. Opioids in Cancer Pain. 2nd erectile dysfunction. USA: Oxford UP, 2009. Print. 3. Rita B. Labroo, and Mary F. Paine. Fentanyl Metabolism by Human Hepatic and Intestinal Cytochrome P450 3A4: Deductions for Interindividual Variability in Disposition, Efficacy, and Drug Interactions. Drug Metabolism And Disposition 25.No.9 ( 1997 ) : 1072-080. ASPET JOURNALS. Web. lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //dmd.aspetjournals.org/content/25/9/1072.full gt ; . 4. Neil L. , M.D. Schechter. Pain in Infants, Children, and Adolescents. Williams A ; Wilkins, 1993. Print. 5. hypertext transfer protocol: //dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm? id=9848 6. John Mills, erectile dysfunction. Antiviral Chemotherapy 5: New Directions for Clinical Applications and Research. 1st erectile dysfunction. Springer, 1999. Print. 7. Jesse B. Hall. Principles of Critical Care. 2nd erectile dysfunction. McGraw-Hill Professional, 1998. Print. 8. Rajesh Krishna. Applications of Pharmacokinetic Principles in Drug Development. 1st erectile dysfunction. Springer, 2003. Print. 9. D. D. Breimer. Pharmacokinetics in liver disease. Pharmacy World A ; Science 9 ( 1987 ) : 79-80. Springer Netherlands. Web. lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www.springerlink.com/content/v3k70627153310tq/ gt ; . 10. Davey, P. G. Pharmacokineticss in liver disease. Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy 21 ( 1988 ) : 1-8. OXFORD JOURNALS. Web. lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //jac.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/21/1/1 gt ; . 11. Effectss of Liver Disease on Drug Metabolism: Drugs and the Liver: Merck Manual Professional. Merck A ; Co. , Inc. We believe the most of import status is the human 1. lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www.merck.com/mmpe/sec03/ch024/ch024b.html gt ; .

The Rewards For Caring for a Pet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Rewards For Caring for a Pet - Essay Example Having a dog as a pet is a big responsibility and requires that the owner give as much to the pet as they expect in return. A dog can't get to the doctor, shop for dog food, or open the door to go outside. The well cared for dog needs a human's attention on a regular basis. The rewards that are gained from a happy and healthy dog come from giving your dog the proper care and treatment that they need. The care for any new dog in the household begins when the puppy is just a few weeks old and lays a foundation for its future good health. As a puppy, the first trip outside the home will probably be to visit a veterinarian to get the preventative care that they need to stay healthy. The veterinarian will typically give the dog a series of shots that prevent the dog from acquiring such illnesses as distemper and rabies. This will usually be followed up at a later date by the second series of booster shots, including de-worming, that ensures that the dog will have a lifetime of immunity to the diseases that most commonly afflict dogs. These initial vet visits will be augmented throughout the life of the dog by ongoing treatments for other threats to a dog's health. The veterinarian gives the dog the first line of defense against the major canine ailments, but it is up to the owner to provide regular and ongoing treatment for additional problems that face the dog. The veterinarian can give the dog a pill that kills any existing worms and will need to work with the owner to maintain a regimen of ongoing treatment to eliminate the possibility of a lethal case of heartworms (Crans). In addition, a dog can be subject to fleas, mites, skin conditions, and ear infections that may require additional treatment. The owner needs to regularly observe the animal for signs of unusual scratching or behavior that might indicate a health problem. There are many products such as flea collars, pills, and drops that provide lasting prevention for fleas and ticks (Potter). In addition, the dog's ears require regular cleaning and many other conditions can be attended to with over the counter medicines or with the help of a veterinarian. A dog that is in good health will have a healthy appetite and it is essential to maintain a proper diet to make a happy dog. While many dogs enjoy people food, it can be a recipe for bad health. A steady diet of table scraps is usually not well balanced in terms of the fat and protein that fit the special needs of a dog. Improper feeding or overfeeding can cause a dog to become overweight and places undue strain on the dog's well being. The dog's diet should reflect the proper mix of protein, fat, carbohydrates, and vitamins. The dog's veterinarian, or reliable Internet information, can recommend good food or provide the nutrient requirements that are required for a healthy dog. Dog owners can usually do very well if they buy a high-quality dry dog food and add some meat broth, leftover vegetables, or lean meat scraps (Building a Balanced Diet). In addition to eating the correct food, it is important to not overfeed the dog. Some dogs may eat until the food is gone and the quantities will need to be monitored. The correct amounts are printed on all dog food packaging to make the owner's job easy. Following these simple steps will result in a dog that is fit and trim.

Test for Effectiveness of Appetite-Reducing Drug Essay

Test for Effectiveness of Appetite-Reducing Drug - Essay Example Describe the four different threats to internal validity [intact groups, extraneous variables, subject loss, and expectancies]. How do these threats apply to the following study? There are four threats to internal validity in experiments. The assignment of intact groups, rather than individuals, compromises the randomness of the sample and therefore skews the results. The presence of extraneous variables confounds the findings and renders them uninterpretable. Subject loss due to any one particular condition more than others renders some subjects unable to continue. Finally expectations held by either the subjects or experimenters, or both, tend to affect their conduct during the experiment which may affect the results. Internal validity is compromised in this experiment. The biggest threat to the experiment’s internal validity is the presence of expectations of the experimenter which may create a bias in the results obtained. In the given situation, the experimenter is not bl ind as to who among the students are given the placebo, the tested drug, and the new experimental drug. While it is mentioned that the experimenter is determined to remain unbiased, this is not enough as psychological bias may be unintended but nevertheless present in the results. External validity does not seem to be an issue here, because the sample chosen was randomly selected and therefore may be assumed to represent the relevant population of KU students. Also, since all groups are given the same examination that covers the contents of the full ten week course, and no other variable had been varied except the test variable (the experimental drug), then chance variables... The objective of the experiment to be designed should determine whether or not the experimental drug is effective in reducing the appetite of the individual ingesting it. Â   The procedure would involve administering the drug to the test group and monitoring the progress in the food consumption (proxied by the relative change in weight of the subjects) Â  of the test group against a control group. Â  In order for the control group to be blind to which group they belonged, they will be given placebos which are known to have no effects on the appetite. The experimental method to be used would be the independent group design, the alternative to the repeated measures design group. Â  Repeated measures design is not applicable to this assignment because for repeated measures, the same subjects repeatedly undergo all the procedures at intervals, and reactions to the test condition are observed when the condition is applied and when it is withdrawn. Â  This will not do because the succ essful administration of the drug would presumably include a weight loss, and repeated treatment (to reduce appetite) may reasonably cause a drop in weight. The loss in weight would be a permanent change to the subject, whether as a result of the treatment or not, and withdrawal of the treatment does not necessarily cause a reversal to pre-treatment conditions. It therefore defies the reason for the alternate application and removal of treatment. Â  Furthermore, it is ethically questionable to withdraw a treatment.

Development of Soil Nutrient Sensors

Development of Soil Nutrient Sensors The rising demand for food crops and the growing concern for environment have made it necessary to shift from traditional agricultural practices towards modern agricultural practices. Traditional agricultural practices are labor intensive, time consuming, expensive and also a cause of environment pollution. To achieve sustainable agriculture, it is necessary that the precision agriculture technologies and practices are integrated with the traditional practices, which will also help to deal with the spatial heterogeneity of the soil [1]. The biggest hurdle in the proper implementation of precision agriculture is the inability to generate information related to a particular site rapidly and at an acceptable cost using laboratory analysis and soil sampling methods. The nutrients required for the healthy growth of a crop are obtained from the soil. The quality of crop yield depends on the quality of soil in which it grows. Therefore, soil testing is an important aspect of precision agriculture. The proposed research work is an effort towards the design and development of a soil monitoring system that can be used to estimate the urea content in soil. The system makes use of Partial Least Squares Regression Technique (PLSR) for the estimation of urea. The system can be made portable, smart, low cost and user friendly through the use of embedded systems. With some modifications the system can be designed to estimate more than one soil component. The thesis is organized in the following chapters as described below. Chapter I (Introduction) â€Å"Agriculture not only gives riches to a nation, but the only riches she can call her own†[2]. The growth in the demand for food, feed and fiber globally is anticipated to grow by 70 percent. The demand for crops for industrial use and in the production of bio-energy is also expected to rise simultaneously. The increasing demand for agricultural goods will put huge pressure on the limited resources available. The increase in urban settlement areas will force agriculture to compete for land and water. Agriculture will therefore have to adapt itself to newer conditions and at the same time will have to address issues related to climate change, maintenance of biodiversity and preservation of natural habitats [3]. To meet these demands, farmers therefore need to equip themselves with new technologies so as to increase productivity with limited number of resources. Sustainable resource management is the need of the hour. Conservation of soil quality is crucial to sustainability in agriculture. This has led to a shift from the use of traditional agricultural practices to modern agricultural practices so that the available resources are utilized in a sustainable manner. The modern technique of farming known as precision farming is based on the concept of site specific crop management. This method takes into consideration variability exhibited by the soil and accordingly inputs are applied based on the local requirements within a field. Soil sensing plays an important role in precision farming. Large numbers of soil sensors are being developed all around the world to measure different soil properties. Some of which are still in the research and development stage and some of which are commercially available. Based on their principle of working these soil sensors can be classified as follows: Electrical and Electromagnetic sensors: Depending on the composition of soil under test, electrical capacitance or inductance, resistivity or conductivity of the soil is measured. The response time of these sensors is very fast, they have high durability and are of low cost. These sensors are commercially available. Optical and Radiometric sensors: These sensors, through the use of electromagnetic waves, measure the level of energy that is either absorbed or reflected by the soil particles depending on the soil composition. The properties of the soil are measured using visible and near-infrared wavelengths [4]. They can be used for the estimation of CEC, soil texture, moisture and other soil parameters with the help of appropriate data analysis techniques. Mechanical sensors: these sensors measure soil resistance with the help of a tool used in the soil. The measure of resistance offered by the soil has a relation with the compaction of the soil which is a spatially varying property of soil. Acoustic sensors and Pneumatic sensors: Though these are a class of mechanical sensors, they can be used as an alternative means for the differentiation of physical and mechanical characteristics of soil. Measurements taken using pneumatic and acoustic sensor have been used to correlate soil texture and compaction. The application of acoustic sensors in characterizing the physical state of soil is not very clear and requires more research work. Electrochemical sensors: These sensors produce an output voltage through the use of ion selective membranes, depending on the activity of ions under study such as H+, K+, NO3 −, Na+, etc. Soil pH sensors using this technique are already commercially available. The extraction of ions such as potassium in real time is still not possible even though the concept appears to be simple. There is a need to develop fast, real time and portable soil sensors which can generate soil report instantly. Thus, the problem of designing and developing a smart soil monitoring system was formulated using a reconfigurable embedded system platform. Chapter II (Literature Survey and Objectives) The conventional laboratory methods of soil testing have a number of limitations such as they are expensive, labor intensive and time consuming. As such new methods of soil testing are being developed across the globe. A number of soil nutrient sensing techniques are in the stage of development and testing. These sensors can be broadly classified into two types depending on the techniques of measurement being used. 1. Optical sensing uses reflectance spectroscopy technique wherein the light that is absorbed/reflected by soil particles is measured. Since optical sensing techniques have the advantage of being non-destructive they are more widely used as compared to electrochemical sensing techniques [5], [6]. Soil color analysis can be used for estimating soil organic matter content through the use of optical sensors [7]. The visual and near-infrared spectral reflectance in optical sensing can be used for estimating soil texture, moisture, CEC etc. [8]. 2. Electrochemical sensing is based on the measurement of current or voltage generated between the sensing electrode and the reference electrode. The amount of voltage or current measured is related to the concentration of the selected ions such as H+, K+, NO3-, etc. [8]. Ion selective electrodes made of glass or polymer membrane, or ion-selective field effect transistors are used for the measurement of soil fertility. Ion-selective membrane sensors have a huge potential in the development of on-the-go soil nutrient(s) and pH sensors [9]. Currently, the accuracy of the results using these sensors is low as compared to those using laboratory tests, but this can be taken care of by increasing the sampling density. Use of Spectroscopic techniques in the estimation of soil properties has been demonstrated since 1970’s [10]. Various methods using spectral analysis have been proposed for the measurement of the soil properties. Methods that are based on the physical and analytical characteristics of the signal and chemometric based empirical methods provide good effective predictability. Therefore, the relation between soil properties and soil absorption can be used to develop regressions using field and laboratory data for calibration. Spectroscopic techniques are found to be faster, can provide real time measurements and are of low cost, as compared to conventional methods and hence are found to be more suitable when there are more samples and analysis to be done. Also, unlike laboratory testing methods which require sample pre-processing and the use of chemical extractants, spectroscopic techniques can be used directly, thus saving on cost and time [11]. Thus, the problem of developing a soil nutrient sensor using RF spectroscopy based on the dielectric principle was formulated. The thesis emphasizes on the design and development of the sensor and the use of embedded platform to make it portable, real time and user friendly system through the use of DSP algorithms. Objectives: In order to meet the global requirements of increased crop productivity and sustainable agriculture, there is an urgent need of developing soil sensors which are fast, accurate and portable. Also, the problem was formulated keeping in mind the conditions of Indian farmers. Indian farmers are mainly small farmers who are poor, technically unfit and cannot afford modern tools. This research work is being undertaken with the main objective of developing a fast, portable, cost effective and user friendly soil monitoring system to analyze the fertility status of the soil. The objectives of the research work are the design of a dielectric cell to measure absorption loss at RF frequencies for various soil nutrients and to use this RF data to develop a FPGA based smart soil monitoring system for accurate prediction of soil content using PLSR technique. The system shall be user friendly as well as reprogrammable for changed environmental conditions. Chapter III (System Design for Soil Monitoring System) The block diagram of proposed design for Soil Monitoring System is as shown in Figure 1. The design consists of RF data obtained from Scalar Network Analyzer fed as input to Altera DE2 board with target as NIOS II FPGA. The RF data is obtained from the soil sensor connected between a tracking generator and a spectrum analyzer. A soil sensor based on the dielectric loss technique is designed and constructed to measure the RF responses of various soil nutrients. The cell is rectangular in shape with outer dimensions 13cmx2cmx2.5cm and is made up of PMMA sheets. The inside surface of the cell is lined with gold foil and the same is connected to the outer shield of the feed connectors so as to provide the necessary shielding effect. The outer surface of the cell is covered with a copper foil and is also provided with the necessary shielding effect. A wire made of gold is connected from the input feed connectors to the output feed connector at centre of the cell. The RF spectrum of a sample is measured by placing it in the cell. A tracking generator is used for injecting an RF signal into the sample through the central gold wire. Thus, a dielectric cell consisting of the central wire, the outer copper shield and the sample is formed. The signal strength starts reducing as it propagates through the central wire from the input end to the output end of the cell, due to the dielectric loss associated with the sample solution. Thus, an output signal proportional to the absorption loss of the sample solution is captured by the RF spectrum analyzer connected at the receiver end of the cell. Signal Hound USB-TG44A tracking generator and Signal Hound USB-SA44B spectrum analyzer are used with both the instruments working in the frequency range of 1Hz-4.4GHz. Figure 1: Block diagram of the Soil Monitoring System Figure 2 shows the RF spectra for urea in the range 10MHz to 4.4GHz. Figure 2: RF Spectra of urea. Figure 3: Section of urea spectra with varying concentrations Samples for obtaining the RF responses of various soil components are prepared by dissolving the required component in distilled water. The amount of the component to be added to water was calculated from the data obtained from agricultural department. This amount was taken as the normal concentration of a particular component found in the soil. Samples of varying concentrations of the soil components are prepared and denoted as 1 for normal, 0.5 for half the normal, 2 for twice and 3 for thrice. The soil components considered for the study are urea, potash, phosphate, calcium carbonate and sodium chloride. The frequency range of 10 MHz-4.4GHz is divided into smaller frequency ranges based on the unique frquencies at which the variation in the attenuation is found as per the change in the concentration of the soil component. A set of recorded spectra for various combinations of the five soil components with concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 1.5 are used in the calibration file. In order to predict the unknown concentration of urea in a sample, the detected spectra containing the urea signature along with the other components is passed through signal conditioning stage. The output from Spectrum Analyzer is stored in the computer. This data is then fed to a CYCLONE II device with Altera Nios II processor running on it. The recorded spectra are then passed through SIMPLS algorithm running on NIOS II processor. The algorithm predicts the concentration of unknown sample (Urea) and displays the result on LCD or a computer screen. The SNR of the detected spectra must be sufficiently high so a s to provide reliable urea specific information and therefore data processing is needed to identify spectral features of urea from the combination spectra originating from interfering matrix components like potash, phosphate, sodium chloride and calcium carbonate. We can extend the use of this system for the analysis of other soil components by modifying the processing algorithms required to analyze that component without changing the hardware. Chapter IV (Multivariate Data Analysis) It is a statistical analysis technique used in the case of data consisting of multiple variables. Due to the advancements in the field of information technology there is a huge amount of data being generated in various fields. Though the magnitude of data available is huge, it is still a challenge to derive useful information and knowledge from this data. Multivariate Analysis can be used to derive meaningful information for the improvement of process performance and product quality. Over the last decade, multivariate analysis is being successfully used to monitor and model chemical/biological processes [12]. Techniques using multivariate data analysis are widely used in the analysis of spectral data both quantitatively and qualitatively. Quick analysis of complex samples from their spectral signatures can be done using standard tools like Partial Least Squares (PLS), Principal Component Regression (PCR), Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Multivariate Curve Resolution (MCR) and discriminant analysis based on chemometric techniques [13]. Partial least squares (PLS) isone of the recent multivariate data analysis technique particularly useful in situations where there is a large set of independent variables (i.e., predictors). A set of dependent variables can be predicted from this set of independent variables by using PLS. Partial Least Squares (PLS) can be an effective tool for the analysis of data as it has minimum constraints on scales of measurement, size of sample, and residual distributions. It consists of methods for regression and classification, and techniques for reducing dimens ion and tools for modeling. The basic assumption on which the PLS methods work is that a small number of latent variables that are not directly observed or measured are used to drive the observed data from a process or a system. The technique of PLS for projecting the observed data to its latent structure was developed by Herman Wold and coworkers. PLS is now being used as a standard tool in the analysis of a wide spectrum of chemical data problems in chemometrics. The successful data analysis of PLS in chemometrics has led to its increase use in other scientific fields such as bioinformatics, food research, medicine, pharmacology, social sciences, physiology etc. PLS is a multivariate technique that transforms the input-output data onto a smaller latent space, by extracting a small number of principal factors having an orthogonal structure. The extraction of the factors is done in such a way that it provides maximum correlation with the dependent variable [14]. To model linear relations between multivariate measurements, PLS is used as a standard tool. Multivariate Calibration Model for Soil Monitoring System: Multivariate spectroscopic data can be analyzed using the PLSR model. PLSR is one of the techniques of multiple linear regressions and is probably the least restrictive of the various multivariate techniques used in multiple linear regression models. This feature of PLSR makes it possible to be used in situations when there are limitations on the use of other multivariate methods, for example, when the predictor variables are many as compared to number of observations.PLSR can be used as an elementary analysis tool for the selection of suitable predictor variables and in the identification of outliers. PLSR model based on SIMPLS algorithm using C language is developed and ported on NIOS II platform to estimate the urea concentration. The PLSR model is validated for the following cases: Case 1: Changing urea concentrations from below normal to above normal i.e. from 0.5 to 2 and keeping other components at their normal concentration value i.e. 1. Case 2: Changing the concentration of each of the other soil component from 0.5 to 2 and keeping urea constant in all the cases. Chapter V (Design of FPGA Soft Cores for Soil Monitoring System) DSP functions can be implemented using two different types of programming platforms: digital signal processors (DSP) and field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). Digital signal processors are microprocessors specifically designed for handling DSP tasks, while FPGAs are reconfigurable signal processors. The factors that make FPGAs more suitable, particularly for high performance computing applications are: (i) Huge potential for implementation of parallelism (ii) The control logic is embedded (iii) On-board memory in FPGA helps to overcome the limitation set by number of I/O pins on processor logics memory access bandwidth and hence results into significant performance benefits (iv) A higher capacity FPGA can be used on the same board as an older device, to support performance upgrades. DSP Implementation on Embedded system The implementation of DSP algorithms is done on Altera platform. A Nios II system is designed to measure the concentration of urea in soil. The Nios II system is the heart of the instrument which controls the various modules of the system like interacting with 12 bit ADC and performing the SIMPLS algorithms on the spectral data to estimate the concentration of urea. The whole interface and algorithms are implemented using 32-bit NIOS II soft-core ported on CYCLONE II FPGA. Chapter VI (Analysis, Results and Conclusion) The thesis covers the design and development of soil sensor based on the dielectric technique. The technique proposed the use of RF signals in the range of 10MHz-4.4GHz and analyzing the detected spectra in the soil sample for urea signature. In this thesis a novel Soil Monitoring System is developed using RF spectroscopy based on embedded technology. An Altera DE2 board based on NIOS II soft-core platform and having target as CYCLONE II (EP2C6) is used to estimate the urea content in soil in the RF range of 10MHz-4.4GHz. SIMPLS algorithm for PLSR model is developed using C language and embedded on the NIOS II platform for the estimation of urea concentration. The designed sensor was tested for its precision by recording the spectra of a particular component over a number of times. The PLSR model was validated by calculating percentage error under various conditions. It was found that the predicted urea values showed percentage error which was within the acceptable levels required fo r device development.

An Analysis of William Gibsons Idoru Essay -- Gibson Idoru Essays

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   William Gibson's Idoru is a novel thick with implications and extrapolations related to the oncoming and (present) age of electronic para-reality. Stylistically, it is far from perfect, but in theme it has a firm grasp on the concept of the simulacra as it mimics, masks and replaces reality.    Gibson's characters are rarely paintings of great depth. While I would strongly disagree with the assertion that they are archetypes cut out from a mold, I would still note that they are not particularly rich or personal. This probably derives from the author's style of writing which is the radical end of the spectrum of "showing, not telling," so that we are shown the characters' pasts, physical status, and present situations, and as readers we are to intuit the logical psychological conditions associated with those factors. Gibson has rich situations, not rich characters.    That's why I find it so strange that the New York Times Book Review wrote, "Chia is one of [Gibson's] most winning creations." I fail to understand the logic. It's as though, by making her young and in a strange situation, we're to develop an instant affinity for her. Now obviously, Gibson himself is not the one to decree that his characters are strong or weak. So it is not a flaw on the part of his writing when a reader attributes an archetype to one of his characters, but I would tend to think that, by design or simple lack of skill, Gibson writes his characters a little flat. (Which, in the context of a discussion of simulacra, makes it all the more amusingly ironic that book reviewers would attribute what they would call a "hidden" level to the quality of the writing not otherwise apparent.)    Another stylistic tool Gibson employed wa... ...and eventually defines reality? It was a simply computer, just like Idoru was simply a novel. Yet the seashells in the make of that case serve to create a fantasy as readily and importantly as the words on paper serve to create a reality (and, paradoxically, the reality in which those seashells existed.) Simply because each is not real does not disrupt the validity of their creations, for if that were true, then the seashells would never have existed in the first place, even in our minds.    Gibson understands this closely, and Idoru does an excellent job of illustrating it. While not technically perfect, it is effective, and creates an image which is useful for us to learn from.    Works Cited and Consulted:    Gibson, William. Neuromancer. (Ace Books: New York 1984)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   _____, Idoru. (Berkeley Books: New York 1996)   

Attentional Blink

INTRODUCTION The Attentional Blink Experiment aims to determine the capability of an individual to recognize both the targets given that he or she is subjected to rapidly changing stimuli. Moreover, the theory states that after the detection of the first target in a rapid stream of visual stimuli, the second target is missed (Niewenstain, Potter, & Theeuwes, 2009). Hence, the experiment means to prove whether attentional blink is present in the experiment and if the theory is correct.Furthermore, the suggested hypothesis for this experiment is that the higher separation of the two targets with each other will increase the probability of discriminating and reporting the second target with respect to the first. In addition, the experiment was conducted inside the ergonomics laboratory at the Science and Technology research building on February 5, 2013 using the Wadsworth Coglab program application. It was done at only one site to ensure the consistency of the environment. Also, each te st consisted of 100 trials. I. PROBLEM STATEMENT Attentional blink is present between targets of short separation.II. OBJECTIVES 1. Aims to confirm the presence of attention blink in the different subjects. 2. Aims to show that the percentage reported for the 2nd target increases as the separation of the two targets increases through the use of statistical analysis. 3. To identify improvements for the report of the second target in the stimulus presentation, assuming the theory is correct. III. METHODOLOGY A. Selection of Subjects The minimum required subjects was fifteen subjects which consists of the students of the present Ergcog2 laboratory class, and they were asked to answer the attention blink experiment honestly.The group decided to add additional of 10 subjects outside of DLSU with the same conditions given to the first fifteen subjects in the class. This was done for the reason that more data leads to more consistent and less biased results. There was no particular reason nor criteria used in choosing the subjects. They were chosen out of convenience. Apparently, the subjects chosen were composed of both male and female and all subjects were in between the ages of 18-22 years old. B. Experiment Proper 1. Fifteen subjects (from the class) and ten subjects (outside DLSU) were chosen to answer the experiment on attention blink.They were chosen using convenience sampling distribution. 2. There are two trials in this experiment and the group considered this factor. Trial 1: Subjects took the experiment without being distracted. Trial 2: Subjects took the experiment while being disturbed during the whole experimental period. Subjects were having simultaneous conversation during the whole experiment. 3. The software is activated. Pressing the spacebar indicates the start of the first trial where a sequence of letters appears. Each letter in the sequence is only flashed for 100 milliseconds. 4.The task of the subjects is to determine if letter J, letter K, o r both letters were flashed in each sequence. 5. The subject presses the â€Å"J† and â€Å"K† keys to indicate that the letters â€Å"J† and â€Å"K† were flashed in the sequence respectively. The subject can also press both â€Å"J† and â€Å"K† keys if he/she believes that both letters were flashed. 6. The keys that were pressed by the subjects are flashed immediately in the screen for the subjects to be able to check whether the software was able to receive the information correctly or not. 7. Space bar is pressed by the subject to proceed to the next trial. . After the 100 trials, a window appears which shows the graphical result of the test that was done by the subject. The graph shows the rate of how the subjects were able to detect the targets due to how the targets were separated. 9. The results were analysed and conclusions and recommendations were made at the end of the experiment. C. Tools Used * Computers with CogLab Software ar e used to run the trials in which data are gathered. D. Possible Causes of Error (Factors) Fatigue of the subjects is a possible cause of error in the experiment.One run is composed of 100 trials, which can be very tiring for the eyes. As a result, the subject’s ability to detect targets may deteriorate at the latter trials of the experiment. Environmental factors can also be a possible cause of error like having noise in the background or having a conversation while doing the test. This is to test whether this kind of factor has a significant effect on the ability of the subject to detect targets. The subjects not taking the attention blink test seriously may also be a possible source of error in the experiment.Some subjects may have just rushed the test. How the subjects would take the experiment is solely dependent on their level of seriousness. IV. RESULTS & DISCUSSION Table 1. Summary of the Mean and Std. Deviation Response on 1st target | Separation target| | 0| 2| 4| 6 | 8| Mean (percent)| 56| 54. 5| 58| 54. 5| 58| Std. Deviation| 11. 7| 13. 4| 17. 2| 15. 5| 19. 6| Figure 1. Percent Response Vs Target Separation for 1st target Table 1 shows that for the first target the average responses for the 5 separation target are near to each other.The results for each target separation might be varied for the subjects as seen in the deviations which are at the range of 11. 7 to 19. 6, but comparing the 5 mean would only result to a standard deviation of 1. 75. This means that the results are almost constant and has minimal deviation. Figure 1 also shows this trend that the % responses for each target separation are near each other. Looking at the results it can also be seen that the subjects can only see 54. 5% to 58% of the 1st target, since fluctuations in the graph is within these range. Table 2. Summary of the Mean and Std.Deviation Response on 2nd target | Separation target| | 0| 2| 4| 6| 8| Mean (percent)| 5. 0| 39. 0| 42. 5| 58. 5| 60. 5| Std. Deviat ion| 6. 2| 16. 6| 11. 4| 11. 6| 15. 7| Figure 2. Percent Response Vs Target Separation for 2nd target Table 2 shows that the percent mean of the responses increases as the target separation increases. Again the results for each target separation also varied for the subjects since the deviation ranges from 6. 2 to 16. 6. But the deviation for the zero separation is not that big compared to the others, since most of the respondents here cannot detect the 2nd target.The deviation for each target separation might be big but the data and Figure 2 would show a linear relationship with between the % response and the target separation of the 2nd target. This means that the respondents are able to detect the 2nd target more as the separation between the two target increases. The % response of the respondents for the 2nd target is from 5% to 60. 5%. Figure 3. Percent Response Vs Target Separation for 1st and 2nd target Figure 3 would show a clearer relationship between the 1st target and the 2nd target.The line for 1st target (blue) would show an almost straight line pattern while the line for the 2nd target (red) would show a line that increases as target separation increases. The graph also shows that for target separation 0 to 4, the 1st target has a higher % response. But when the separation became 6 and 8 the 2nd target is seen more by the respondents. We could also see that the deviation between the 1st and 2nd target decreases as the target separation increases. For the 0 target separation the difference between the two targets are 51% for the 2 sec target separation it became 15. % and the difference becomes smaller as target separation increases. The best result is seen in the 8 sec target separation since 1st target has a 58% response and the 2nd is 60% response the difference between the two is only 2%. In addition, in order to identify the targets better the subject only focuses on the letters â€Å"J† and â€Å"K† and disregards the other lett ers in the series. In fact, this selective nature of perception would lessen the overloading of information. According to Reed (2004), selectivity is defined as the focusing of aspects of attention, wherein the subject pays attention to some aspects while ignores the others.To prove that the attentional blink theory is correct in stating that the first target is unaffected by the separation of the signals. And the second target, on the other hand, shows that the longer the separation period of the first signal to the second, the higher the response (Mackewn & Goldthwaithe, 2004). Regression technique is used to see the relationship between the target separation and % response of the 1st and 2nd target. This would show how the target separation (independent) affects the detection of the target for the 1st and 2nd target (dependent). Table 3.Regression summary for 1st target. N= 50| Beta| Std. Err. of Beta| B| Std. Err. of B| t(48)| p-level| Intercept|   |   | 55. 4| 3. 75| 14. 77 | 0. 00| Separation| 0. 04| 0. 14| 0. 20| 0. 77| 0. 26| 0. 80| The regression summary would show that the separation of the target is not related with the percent response of the 1st target since the p-level of the regression is 0. 80 meaning it is not significant in identifying the value for the 1st target. Table 4. Regression summary for 2nd target. N= 50| Beta| Std. Err. of Beta| B| Std. Err. of B| t(48)| p-level| Intercept|   |   | 15| 3. 9| 4. 18| 0. 00| Separation| 0. 79| 0. 09| 6. 53| 0. 73| 8. 92| 0. 00| The regression summary shows that for the 2nd target the target separation is significant since a p-level of 0. 00 is shown. Therefore, this means that target separation affects the % response for the 2nd target. On the other hand the beta value of 6. 53 shows that as the target separation increases the % response for the 2nd target also increases. The Attentional Capacity Theory Duncan et al. have proposed that T1 occupies attentional capacity to the detriment of a trai ling T2 target.This theory suggests that the duration for which T1 continues to occupy attentional capacity is related directly to the T2 processing difficult (Rochester Institute of Technology). This explains why the 2nd target increases as the separation time increases. It is because the theory states that every person has their own attentional capacity and if separation time is bigger the information processing do not overlap and the two targets are seen by the respondent. This also why the first letter is first seen since it is the one that occupies the person’s attentional capacity first and is first processed by the person.Outside Factors In the conduction of the experiment, although the distraction may have a small effect on the signal detection of the subjects, the results as shown in the graphs make it clear that attentional blink is not affected by the amount of external distraction since it is an internal issue. As mentioned, in trial 2 the subjects were distracted by assigning someone close enough to generate a conversation with them through the whole duration of the experiment. There is no significant difference found in the detection of the targets between being distracted and not.This is because the subjects were observed to say â€Å"ha? † more often than not during the conversation. Having their attention focused on the experiment applies the theory of selective attention wherein one tries to pay attention to one input in the presence of others (Glass & Holyoak, 2004). Visual dominance is another concept that can be seen in the experiment. It can be observed that visual targets dominate over auditory targets (Glass & Holyoak, 2004). This also explains why the subject is more inclined in doing the experiment rather than chatting with the distracter. V. CONCLUSION & RECOMMENDATIONSBased on the results of the experiment, it can be concluded that the theory of attentional blink is correct. The hypothesis made at the beginning could b e verified by the results obtained. These results show that separation does not have a large effect on the probability that the first target would not be detected by the respondents, since the average percentage reported for the first target by the respondent is relatively unaffected by separation. The values were close to each other. On the other hand, average percentage reported for the second target increased as the separation increased.This shows that the hypothesis that the longer the separation between the targets, the higher the chance of getting the targets right is correct. There are less chances of an attentional blink when more letters are in between, since the second letter is delayed. This gives the user a chance to have more accurate results. Although the program was effective in proving that the Attentional Blink Theory is correct, there could still be some improvements that could be done. Since the program has a black background and white letters for the stimuli, a w ay of making the second target easier to detect is to add color or change the background color.According to (Pashler, 1999), the second target could be easier to detect when there is color discrimination. When provided, it seems to cause the blink to virtually disappear because there is a different dimension. Sizes of the letters were the same for all. Biased attention may occur when the contrast and sizes of the targets differ (Proulx & Egeth, 2006). In the research conducted by Proulx and Egeth (2006), objects with better luminance contrast are processed rapidly and precisely compared to lower contrast items. It also shows that larger objects can influence visual performance.In order for the subject to identify the second target, the size of the signals or targets can be made bigger. A sample for this is illustrated below. Based from observation, the respondents made mistakes on entering what letter they saw. The program did not allow the respondent to change his or her answer. A recommendation for the enhancement of the program could be having the function to let the respondent change his or her answer, so that the respondents’ probability of getting the correct answer would increase. This in turn can improve the respondents’ data.