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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

The European space exploration programme: current status of ESA's plans for Moon and Mars exploration.

After a large consultation with the scientific and industrial communities in Europe, the Aurora Space Exploration Programme was unanimously approved at the European Space Agency (ESA) Council at ministerial level in Edinburgh in 2001. This marked the start of the programme's preparation phase that was due to finish by the end of 2004. Aurora features technology development robotic and crewed rehearsal missions aimed at preparing a human mission to Mars by 2033. Due to the evolving context, both international and European, ESA has undertaken a review of the goals and approach of its exploration programme. While maintaining the main robotic missions that had been conceived during Aurora, the European Space Exploration Programme that is currently being proposed to the Aurora participating states and other ESA Member States has a reviewed approach and will feature a greater synergy with other ESA programmes. The paper will present the process that led to the revision of ESA's plans in the field of exploration and will give the current status of the programme.

Astronauts↗

Impact of guided exploration and enactive exploration on self-regulatory mechanisms and information acquisition through electronic search.

Following instruction in basic skills for electronic search, participants who practiced in a guided exploration mode developed stronger self-efficacy and greater satisfaction than those who practiced in a self-guided exploratory mode. Intrinsic motivation was not affected by exploration mode. On 2 post-training tasks, guided exploration participants produced more effective search strategies. expended less effort, made fewer errors, rejected fewer lines of search, and achieved higher performance. Relative lack of support for self-regulatory factors as mediators of exploration mode impacts was attributed to the uninformative feedback from electronic search, which causes most people to remain at a novice level and to require external guidance for development of self-efficacy and skills. Self-guided learning will be more effective on structured tasks with more informative feedback and for individuals with greater expertise on dynamic tasks.

Databases as Topic↗

CIM explorer--intelligent tool for exploring the ICD Romanian version.

The CIM Explorer software provides us with an intelligent interface for exploring the Romanian version of the International Classification of Diseases (in Romanian Clasificarea Internationala a Maladiilor-CIM). The ICD was transposed from its initial appearance as a printed document into a database. The classification can be accessed in two modes: "Navigation" and "Code" and queried in the "Key words" mode. In the last mode CIM Explorer program searches for the right content of the ICD records starting from naturally written expressions which it "understands". As a results it returns all the records containing the key words regardless their grammatical form. This program implements the specificity of the Romanian language where the words are made up from a root and a flexional termination.

Artificial Intelligence↗

The effect of drugs acting on CCK receptors and rat free exploration in the exploration box.

The effects of cholecystokinin (CCK) CCKA receptor antagonist devazepide (10 micrograms/kg and 1.0 mg/kg), CCKB receptor antagonist L 365260 (1.0 mg/kg), and CCKB receptor agonist CCK tetrapeptide (CCK-4, 75 micrograms/kg), and their concomitant administration with antidepressants desipramine (10 mg/kg) and citalopram (10 mg/kg) on rat exploratory behaviour were studied in the recently developed exploration box test. In addition, the effects of repeated administration of despiramine (10 mg/kg) and citalopram (10 mg/kg) were studied. After acute administration, CCK-4 decreased significantly the number of line crossings, rears, investigative approaches, and the time spent exploring. The time of latency and the number of entries into large arena were unchanged. Desipramine reduced all observed criterions of rat behaviour, but citalopram was ineffective. Devazepide (1.0 mg/kg) and L 365260 (1.0 mg/kg) had no effect on rat behaviour after acute or repeated administration. L 365260 (1.0 mg/kg) blocked the antiexploratory effect of CCK-4, whereas devazepide (10 micrograms/kg) did not. No interaction of CCK-4, devazepide, or L 365260 treatment with antidepressant treatment was found. Our results suggest that the administration of a CCKB agonist diminishes rat exploratory behaviour, but neither CCKA nor CCKB receptor blockade induces changes on rat exploratory behaviour in the free exploration paradigm.

Adrenergic Uptake Inhibitors↗

Dose response explorer: an integrated open-source tool for exploring and modelling radiotherapy dose-volume outcome relationships.

Radiotherapy treatment outcome models are a complicated function of treatment, clinical and biological factors. Our objective is to provide clinicians and scientists with an accurate, flexible and user-friendly software tool to explore radiotherapy outcomes data and build statistical tumour control or normal tissue complications models. The software tool, called the dose response explorer system (DREES), is based on Matlab, and uses a named-field structure array data type. DREES/Matlab in combination with another open-source tool (CERR) provides an environment for analysing treatment outcomes. DREES provides many radiotherapy outcome modelling features, including (1) fitting of analytical normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) and tumour control probability (TCP) models, (2) combined modelling of multiple dose-volume variables (e.g., mean dose, max dose, etc) and clinical factors (age, gender, stage, etc) using multi-term regression modelling, (3) manual or automated selection of logistic or actuarial model variables using bootstrap statistical resampling, (4) estimation of uncertainty in model parameters, (5) performance assessment of univariate and multivariate analyses using Spearman's rank correlation and chi-square statistics, boxplots, nomograms, Kaplan-Meier survival plots, and receiver operating characteristics curves, and (6) graphical capabilities to visualize NTCP or TCP prediction versus selected variable models using various plots. DREES provides clinical researchers with a tool customized for radiotherapy outcome modelling. DREES is freely distributed. We expect to continue developing DREES based on user feedback.

Computer Simulation↗

PEDE (Pig EST Data Explorer) has been expanded into Pig Expression Data Explorer, including 10 147 porcine full-length cDNA sequences.

We formerly released the porcine expressed sequence tag (EST) database Pig EST Data Explorer (PEDE; http://pede.dna.affrc.go.jp/), which comprised 68,076 high-quality ESTs obtained by using full-length-enriched cDNA libraries derived from seven tissues. We have added eight tissues and cell types to the EST analysis and have integrated 94,555 additional high-quality ESTs into the database. We also fully sequenced the inserts of 10,147 of the cDNA clones that had undergone EST analysis; the sequences and annotation of the cDNA clones were stored in the database. Further, we constructed an interface that can be used to perform various searches in the database. The PEDE database is the primary resource of expressed pig genes that are supported by full-length cDNA sequences. This resource not only enables us to pick cDNA clones of interest for a particular analysis, but it also confirms and thus contributes to the sequencing integrity of the pig genome, which is now being compiled by an international consortium (http://www.piggenome.org/). PEDE has therefore evolved into what we now call 'Pig Expression Data Explorer'.

Animals↗

Should a dental explorer be used to probe suspected carious lesions? Yes--an explorer is a time-tested tool for caries detection.

The caries rate is dropping worldwide, a fact that appears to have no relationship to whether dentists in the affected countries use an explorer to probe suspected carious lesions. Questions have been raised about this procedure on the basis of the purported inaccuracy of its contribution to caries diagnosis, its possible spread of infective plaque from other teeth in the mouth or the damage it can cause to pits and fissures. Longterm randomized clinical trials are necessary in these areas of question, trials that use endpoints that are clear and meaningful to clinical dentists. Until the time comes that facts emerge from acceptable long-term clinical trials, dentists should feel comfortable using the dental explorer to probe suspected carious lesions.

Dental Caries↗

The topography of three-dimensional exploration: a new quantification of vertical and horizontal exploration, postural support, and exploratory bouts in the cylinder test.

The study of exploratory behavior in confined spaces can provide insights into both the spatial and the motor behavior of animals. In the present study, the behavior of rats placed inside of a cylinder (the cylinder test) for 5 min was examined to uncover: (1) the overall organization of exploratory behavior, (2) pattern of movement on the horizontal surface, (3) pattern of movement on the vertical surface, and (4) supporting and stepping movements. The results show that exploratory behavior is organized into a number of bouts of lateral and vertical scans with each bout ending by movement arrest and face washing. Within bouts, activity consists of alternating horizontal and vertical progressions that vary systematically over the course of a bout. Horizontal progressions consist of head scans, turning, and stepping, and decrease in amplitude across a bout. Vertical progressions consist of rears, head scans, and descent with an amplitude expressed by an inverted-U across bouts. Each horizontal and vertical progression is directed toward a different portion of the cylinder and the direction of lateral movements alternate within progressions and between progressions. For each rat, bouts tended to end in the same location suggesting the establishment of a home base. Eshkol-Wachmann movement analysis indicates that during progressions, the forepaws are mainly used for postural support and follow forequarter movements, while upward, downward, and sideward shifts in body weight are generated from the hind limbs. These findings illustrate that in even brief exploratory tests the three-dimensional exploratory behavior of rats is organized. The results are discussed in relation to the use of the cylinder test for analyzing a number of behaviors including exploration, locomotion, and supporting reactions.

Animals↗

Exploring HIV prevention needs for nongay-identified black and African American men who have sex with men: a qualitative exploration.

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to describe ways in which black men who have sex with men (MSM) identify their sexual identities, explore their views of HIV prevention interventions, and assess barriers to recruiting men for future study participation. STUDY DESIGN: Focus groups were conducted with 25 black MSM who have sex with women. Thematic analyses were conducted. RESULTS: Factors influencing HIV/AIDS prevention perceptions included men's responses and reactions to homosexual labels and vies, sexual behaviors, contextual factors, and self-worth. Men also expressed a need to discuss ambivalent feelings about same-sex sexual encounters. CONCLUSION: The qualitative study provided insights into the significance of sexual identity and sexual labeling for black MSMs' HIV prevention needs.

Adult↗