Search results for "computer.programming_language"
showing 10 items of 986 documents
Accident ahead? Difficulties of drivers with and without reading impairment recognising words and pictograms in variable message signs
2017
A timely and accurate acquisition of the information provided by variable message signs (VMS) can be crucial while driving. In the current study, we assess the difficulties of adults with dyslexia acquiring the information shown in VMS and provide evidence to discuss the controversial use of pictograms as potential countermeasures. Twenty-two adults with dyslexia and 22 matched controls completed a simulated driving session. The legibility of 12 VMS was assessed, including six text messages (e.g. "ACCIDENT") and six single pictograms (e.g. the icon for "accident ahead"). On average, participants with dyslexia started reading text messages when they were closer to the VMS. In addition, while…
Semantic distance as a critical factor in icon design for in-car infotainment systems
2017
In-car infotainment systems require icons that enable fluent cognitive information processing and safe interaction while driving. An important issue is how to find an optimised set of icons for different functions in terms of semantic distance. In an optimised icon set, every icon needs to be semantically as close as possible to the function it visually represents and semantically as far as possible from the other functions represented concurrently. In three experiments (N = 21 each), semantic distances of 19 icons to four menu functions were studied with preference rankings, verbal protocols, and the primed product comparisons method. The results show that the primed product comparisons me…
Visual Search for Grouped versus Ungrouped Icons in a Computer Interface
2000
The paradigm of visual search was used to investigate how participants looked for a target file among distracter files in an icon-based computer interface. The purpose of these experiments was to study the effect of icons and spatial grouping on scanning speed. Does spatial grouping of identical icons increase the scanning speed? Do icons themselves speed up the search for a target file when compared with a condition in which the files are indicated with mere textual labels? Our results showed that both the presence of icons and their grouping had a significant positive effect on the scanning speed. Potential applications of this research include the design of graphics-based interfaces, su…
Improving Quality of Care in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Through Patients’ Eyes: IQCARO Project
2019
Abstract Background Quality improvement is a major topic in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) care, and measuring quality of care (QoC) is necessary for QoC improvement. Most QoC projects or consensus statements are designed from the health care professional point of view. Having QoC indicators designed for and fully evaluable by patients may provide a key tool for external evaluation of QoC improvement measures. The aim of the IQCARO project was to identify indicators to measure QoC from the IBD patient’s point of view. Methods An extensive review of the literature to identify indicators of QoC was performed; first the identified indicators were reviewed by a steering committee including pa…
Assessment of functional outcomes in patients with head and neck cancer according to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and …
2013
Background The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Core Set for Head and Neck Cancer (ICF-HNC) covers the typical spectrum of problems in functioning in head and neck cancer. This study is part of a multistep process to develop practical guidelines in Germany. The purpose of this study was to identify instruments for the assessment of functioning using the ICF-HNC as reference. Methods Four Delphi surveys with physicians, physiotherapists, psychologists, and social workers were performed to identify which aspects of the ICF-HNC are being treated and which assessment tools are recommended for the assessment of functioning. Results Ninety-seven percent categorie…
Effects of oxygen fraction in inspired air on force production and electromyogram activity during ergometer rowing
1997
Six male rowers rowed maximally for 2500 m in ergometer tests during normoxia (fractional concentration of oxygen in inspired air, F IO2 0.209), in hyperoxia (F IO2 0.622) and in hypoxia (F IO2 0.158) in a randomized single-blind fashion. Oxygen consumption (V˙O2), force production of strokes as well as integrated electromyographs (iEMG) and mean power frequency (MPF) from seven muscles were measured in 500-m intervals. The iEMG signals from individual muscles were summed to represent overall electrical activity of these muscles (sum-iEMG). Maximal force of a stroke (F max) decreased from the 100% pre-exercise maximal value to 67 (SD 12)%, 63 (SD 15)% and 76 (SD 13)% (P<0.05 to normoxia, AN…
Neuromuscular Differences Between Endurance-Trained, Power-Trained, and Sedentary Subjects
2003
This study tested the hypothesis that neuromuscular characteristics of plantar flexor (PF) and knee extensor (KE) muscles explain differences of both performance in vertical jump and maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVC) between endurance-trained (END, n = 9), power-trained (POW, n = 8), and sedentary subjects (SED, n = 8). Evoked twitch characteristics of PF and KE were measured. MVC, maximal voluntary activation (%VA) of KE, and performance in vertical jump were also measured. POW have higher maximal rate of twitch force development (MRFD) than SED and END for both PF (p < 0.05) and KE (p < 0.01); %VA and MVC were higher for POW and END than SED (p < 0.01). Higher performances wer…
Effect of organizational features on patient satisfaction with care in Italian multiple sclerosis centres
2017
Background and purpose Receiving clear, complete and up-to-date information and having a satisfying relationship with the health professional (HP) are of primary importance for MS patients. Healthcare organization plays a key role in promoting an effective relationship and communication between patients and HPs. The present study aims to explore which care organization and service characteristics provided by Italian MS centres best predict patients’ satisfaction with healthcare. Methods Eighty-one centres and 707 patients (502 women, mean age 40.5 years, SD 10.2; mean education 12.2 years, SD 3.6; time since diagnosis 5.9 years, SD 1.5) were included in the analysis. The care organization a…
Scratches Removal in Digitised Aerial Photos Concerning Sicilian Territory
2007
In this paper we propose a fast and effective method to detect and restore scratches in aerial photos from a photographic archive concerning Sicilian territory. Scratch removal is a typical problem for old movie films but similar defects can be seen in still images. Our solution is based on a semiautomatic detection process and an unsupervised restoration algorithm. Results are comparable with those obtained with commercial restoration tools.
Towards an Agent-Based Model for the Analysis of Macroeconomic Signals
2020
This work introduces an agent-based model for the analysis of macroeconomic signals. The Bottom-up Adaptive Model (BAM) deploys a closed Walrasian economy where three types of agents (households, firms and banks) interact in three markets (goods, labor and credit) producing some signals of interest, e.g., unemployment rate, GDP, inflation, wealth distribution, etc. Agents are bounded rational, i.e., their behavior is defined in terms of simple rules finitely searching for the best salary, the best price, and the lowest interest rate in the corresponding markets, under incomplete information. The markets define fixed protocols of interaction adopted by the agents. The observed signals are em…