scholarly journals Efficacy of Top down audits and Community Monitoring

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Farzana Afridi ◽  
Amrita Dhillon ◽  
Arka Roy Chaudhuri ◽  
Dashleen Kaur
Keyword(s):  
Recent Literature ◽  
Top Down ◽  
Legal Punishment ◽  
Monitoring Committee ◽  
Community Monitoring ◽  
Social Audits ◽  
Fertile Area

In this paper we survey the recent literature on top down audits and community monitoring. Whilein the case of top down audits the efficacy of audits depends on the type of punishment- electoral punishmentvs legal punishment, the literature finds that electoral punishment is less effective than legalpunishment. Moreover, electoral punishment depends on whether voters are aware of audit reports.The type of service being audited - the opportunity for corruption and the clarity of rules and regulationseffect the success of audits. However, even when top down audits succeed in cutting down corruption,they may not always lead to better outcomes. Social audits are effective when collective actionproblems are less salient e.g. when groups are homogeneous, when the design is such that communityparticipants feel empowered e.g. through elections to the monitoring committee, information is notuseful by itself unless accompanied by tools to influence outcomes, and finally there is not a clear mapbetween finding corruption and improving ultimate outcomes. We suggest that a fertile area for futureresearch is the design of optimal audit schemes that take account of the opportunities for corruptionand the motivations of both the providers and the auditors.

Emotion regulation and intervention in adults with autism spectrum disorder: a synthesis of the literature

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 48-62
Author(s):  
Jan Mei Lim
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Emotion Regulation ◽  
Behavior Therapy ◽  
Recent Literature ◽  
Psychosocial Interventions ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Psychological Perspective ◽  
Top Down ◽  
Content Type

Purpose Emotion regulation is an ongoing multiprocess phenomenon and is a challenging developmental task to acquire in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who have different neurobiological profiles and emotion regulation problems. The purpose of this paper is to review recent literature to understand the neurobiological and psychological perspective of emotion regulation in ASD, while converging themes of psychosocial interventions and existing best practices on emotion regulation within this heterogeneous population are reviewed and discussed in consideration of intellectual disability (ID). Design/methodology/approach Review of recent literature and common empirically supported interventions addressing emotional regulation implemented in individuals with and without ASD, and with and without ID were included in the electronic database search through PubMed, EBSChost, Science Direct, Wiley Online Library, GALE and SAGE. Search terms used included autism, ID, cognitive control, executive function, sensory processing/intervention, emotion regulation, cognitive behavior therapy, mindfulness, social stories, positive behavior support and behavior therapy. Findings Neural systems governing emotion regulation can be divided into “top-down” and “bottom-up” processing. Prefrontal cortex, cognitive and attentional control are critical for effective emotion regulation. Individuals with ASD, and with ID show impairments in these areas have problems with emotion regulation. Targeted psychosocial intervention need to consider bottom-up and top-down processes of emotion regulation, and that standardized interventions require adaptations. Originality/value There are limited studies looking into understanding the neurobiological and psychological perspective of emotion regulation in ASD and linking them to interventions. This review highlights psychosocial interventions that are important for further research, investigation and development as treatment in this population is limited.

Neural Oscillations Orchestrate Multisensory Processing

2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (6) ◽  
pp. 609-626 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julian Keil ◽  
Daniel Senkowski
Keyword(s):  
Information Needs ◽  
Recent Literature ◽  
Multisensory Processing ◽  
Neural Mechanisms ◽  
Multisensory Perception ◽  
Neural Oscillations ◽  
Top Down ◽  
Cortical Areas ◽  
Distinct Frequency

At any given moment, we receive input through our different sensory systems, and this information needs to be processed and integrated. Multisensory processing requires the coordinated activity of distinct cortical areas. Key mechanisms implicated in these processes include local neural oscillations and functional connectivity between distant cortical areas. Evidence is now emerging that neural oscillations in distinct frequency bands reflect different mechanisms of multisensory processing. Moreover, studies suggest that aberrant neural oscillations contribute to multisensory processing deficits in clinical populations, such as schizophrenia. In this article, we review recent literature on the neural mechanisms underlying multisensory processing, focusing on neural oscillations. We derive a framework that summarizes findings on (1) stimulus-driven multisensory processing, (2) the influence of top-down information on multisensory processing, and (3) the role of predictions for the formation of multisensory perception. We propose that different frequency band oscillations subserve complementary mechanisms of multisensory processing. These processes can act in parallel and are essential for multisensory processing.

scholarly journals Community and Impact Based Early Warning System for Flood Risk Preparedness: The Experience of the Sirba River in Niger

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 1802 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vieri Tarchiani ◽  
Giovanni Massazza ◽  
Maurizio Rosso ◽  
Maurizio Tiepolo ◽  
Alessandro Pezzoli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Early Warning ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Warning System ◽  
Early Warning Systems ◽  
Warning Systems ◽  
Top Down ◽  
Community Monitoring ◽  
Operational Decision Making ◽  
Set Up

Floods have recently become a major hazard in West Africa (WA) in terms of both their magnitude and frequency. They affect livelihoods, infrastructure and production systems, hence impacting on Sustainable Development (SD). Early Warning Systems (EWS) for floods that properly address all four EWS components, while also being community and impact-based, do not yet exist in WA. Existing systems address only the main rivers, are conceived in a top-down manner and are hazard-centered. This study on the Sirba river in Niger aims to demonstrate that an operational community and impact-based EWS for floods can be set up by leveraging the existing tools, local stakeholders and knowledge. The main finding of the study is that bridging the gap between top-down and bottom-up approaches is possible by directly connecting the available technical capabilities with the local level through a participatory approach. This allows the beneficiaries to define the rules that will develop the whole system, strengthening their ability to understand the information and take action. Moreover, the integration of hydrological forecasts and observations with the community monitoring and preparedness system provides a lead time suitable for operational decision-making at national and local levels. The study points out the need for the commitment of governments to the transboundary sharing of flood information for EWS and SD.

scholarly journals How do Cl concentrations matter for simulating CH<sub>4</sub>, δ<sup>13</sup>C(CH<sub>4</sub>) and estimating CH<sub>4</sub> budget through atmospheric inversions?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joël Thanwerdas ◽  
Marielle Saunois ◽  
Isabelle Pison ◽  
Didier Hauglustaine ◽  
Antoine Berchet ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Seasonal Cycle ◽  
Recent Literature ◽  
Isotopic Signature ◽  
Atmospheric Methane ◽  
Top Down ◽  
Total Oxidation ◽  
Sources And Sinks ◽  
Cycle Amplitude ◽  
Additional Constraints ◽  
Atmospheric Inversions

Abstract. Atmospheric methane (CH4) concentrations have been rising since 2007, resulting from an imbalance between CH4 sources and sinks. The CH4 budget is generally estimated through top-down approaches using CH4 observations as constraints. The atmospheric isotopic CH4 signal, δ13C(CH4), can also provide additional constraints and helps to discriminate between emission categories. The oxidation by chlorine (Cl) likely contributes less than 5 % to the total oxidation of atmospheric CH4. However, the Cl sink is highly fractionating, and thus strongly influences δ13C(CH4). As inversion studies do not prescribe the same Cl fields to constrain CH4 budget, it can lead to discrepancies between estimates. To quantify the influence of the Cl concentrations on CH4, δ13C(CH4) and CH4 budget estimates, we perform multiple sensitivity simulations using three Cl fields with concentrations that are realistic with regard to recent literature and one Cl field with concentrations that are very likely to be overestimated. We also test removing the tropospheric and the entire Cl sink in other sensitivity simulations. We find that the realistic Cl fields tested here are responsible for between 0.3 % and 1.8 % of the total chemical CH4 sink in the troposphere and between 1.0 % and 1.2 % in the stratosphere. Prescribing these different Cl amounts in surface-based inversions can lead to differences in global CH4 source adjustments of up to 12.3 TgCH4.yr−1. We also find that the globally-averaged isotopic signature of the CH4 sources inferred by a surface-based inversion assimilating δ13C(CH4) observations would decrease by 0.53 ‰ for each additional percent of contribution from the tropospheric Cl sink to the total sink. Finally, our study shows that CH4 seasonal cycle amplitude is modified by less than 1–2 % but δ13(CH4) seasonal cycle amplitude can be modified by up to 10–20 %, depending on the latitude.

Savanna woody plant dynamics: the role of fire and herbivory, separately and synergistically

2010 ◽  
Vol 58 (1) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeremy J. Midgley ◽  
Michael J. Lawes ◽  
Simon Chamaillé-Jammes
Keyword(s):  
Woody Plants ◽  
Woody Plant ◽  
Recent Literature ◽  
Diameter Growth ◽  
Relative Importance ◽  
Bark Thickness ◽  
Plant Demography ◽  
Top Down ◽  
Plant Population Size

Although the demography of woody plants in savannas has long been shown to be due to many factors, there still is no consensus as to the relative importance of the top-down processes of fire and herbivory, nor on how fire and herbivory affect plant demography. We review the recent literature and suggest that further progress depends on the following: (i) a demographic framework with clear terminology and which focuses on recruitment, transitions and mortality, (ii) an understanding of mechanisms of how fire actually damages plants and how plants survive and out-grow this damage, mainly through height, bark thickness or diameter growth, (iii) an understanding of how losses in biomass due to herbivory may affect plant demography and, (iv) a consideration of interactions between fire and herbivory. Our synthesis suggests (i) strong recruitment limitation as well as some evidence of transition limitation by both fire and herbivory, (ii) that in some cases herbivory alone, notably by elephants and impala, can be more significant than fire alone, on woody plant population size, (iii) that fire and herbivory together are a lethal combination for woody plants and, (iv) that differences in strategies and responses of savanna plants to fire and herbivory are poorly explored.

Materials for Electron Beam Information Storage

1969 ◽  
Vol 27 ◽  
pp. 152-153 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. E. Speliotis
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Field ◽  
Electron Beam ◽  
Recent Literature ◽  
Electron Beams ◽  
Information Storage ◽  
The Subject ◽  
The Magnetic Field

The interaction of electron beams with a large variety of materials for information storage has been the subject of numerous proposals and studies in the recent literature. The materials range from photographic to thermoplastic and magnetic, and the interactions with the electron beam for writing and reading the information utilize the energy, or the current, or even the magnetic field associated with the electron beam.

Optical characteristics of the hitachi HF-2000 cold field-emission TEM

1993 ◽  
Vol 51 ◽  
pp. 1076-1077
Author(s):  
L. F. Allard ◽  
E. Völkl ◽  
T. A. Nolan
Keyword(s):  
Field Emission ◽  
Recent Literature ◽  
Electron Gun ◽  
High Brightness ◽  
Condenser Lens ◽  
Illumination System ◽  
High Resolution Images ◽  
Imaging Mode ◽  
Better Than ◽  
Illuminating System

The illumination system of the cold field emission (CFE) Hitachi HF-2000 TEM operates with a single condenser lens in normal imaging mode, and with a second condenser lens excited to give the ultra-fine 1 nm probe for microanalysis. The electron gun provides a guaranteed high brightness of better than 7×l08 A/cm2/sr, more than twice the guaranteed brightness of Schottky emission guns. There have been several articles in the recent literature (e.g. refs.) which claim that the geometry of this illumination system yields a total current which is so low that when the beam is spread at low magnifications (say 10 kX), the operator must “keep his eyes glued to the binoculars” in order to see the image. It is also claimed that this illuminating system produces an isoplanatic patch (the area over which image character does not vary significantly) at high magnification which is so small that the instrument is ineffective for recording high resolution images.

Aging and Autism

2012 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 69-75 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pamela A. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Autism Spectrum Disorders ◽  
Patient Group ◽  
Older Patients ◽  
Geriatric Patients ◽  
Recent Literature ◽  
Communication Disorders ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Need For Support ◽  
Spectrum Disorders

In this article, I will review the available recent literature about the aging population with autism, a patient group that researchers know little about and a group that is experiencing a growing need for support from communication disorders professionals. Speech-language pathologists working with geriatric patients should become familiar with this issue, as the numbers of older patients with autism spectrum disorders is likely to increase. Our profession and our health care system must prepare to meet the challenge these patients and residents will present as they age.

Top-Down Processing and Visual Reorientation Illusions in a Virtual Reality Environment

2004 ◽  
Vol 63 (3) ◽  
pp. 143-149 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fred W. Mast ◽  
Charles M. Oman
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Visual Processing ◽  
Line Length ◽  
Perceptual Cues ◽  
Virtual Reality Environment ◽  
Top Down ◽  
Test Conditions ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Processing Mechanisms

The role of top-down processing on the horizontal-vertical line length illusion was examined by means of an ambiguous room with dual visual verticals. In one of the test conditions, the subjects were cued to one of the two verticals and were instructed to cognitively reassign the apparent vertical to the cued orientation. When they have mentally adjusted their perception, two lines in a plus sign configuration appeared and the subjects had to evaluate which line was longer. The results showed that the line length appeared longer when it was aligned with the direction of the vertical currently perceived by the subject. This study provides a demonstration that top-down processing influences lower level visual processing mechanisms. In another test condition, the subjects had all perceptual cues available and the influence was even stronger.

Functional Anatomy of Intensity Aspects of Attention

2003 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 181-190 ◽  
Author(s):  
Walter Sturm
Keyword(s):  
Right Hemisphere ◽  
Functional Anatomy ◽  
Fmri Data ◽  
Functional Networks ◽  
Top Down ◽  
Stimulus Modality ◽  
Spatial Orienting ◽  
Phasic Alertness ◽  
Co Activation ◽  
Attention System

Abstract: Behavioral and PET/fMRI-data are presented to delineate the functional networks subserving alertness, sustained attention, and vigilance as different aspects of attention intensity. The data suggest that a mostly right-hemisphere frontal, parietal, thalamic, and brainstem network plays an important role in the regulation of attention intensity, irrespective of stimulus modality. Under conditions of phasic alertness there is less right frontal activation reflecting a diminished need for top-down regulation with phasic extrinsic stimulation. Furthermore, a high overlap between the functional networks for alerting and spatial orienting of attention is demonstrated. These findings support the hypothesis of a co-activation of the posterior attention system involved in spatial orienting by the anterior alerting network. Possible implications of these findings for the therapy of neglect are proposed.

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