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Real-life Scenarios (real-life + scenario)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Medical Sciences	60%

Selected Abstracts

Experiments on robustness and deception in a coalition formation model

CONCURRENCY AND COMPUTATION: PRACTICE & EXPERIENCE, Issue 4 2006
M. V. Belmonte
Abstract In the last few years coalition formation algorithms have been proposed as a possible way of modeling autonomous agent cooperation in multi-agent systems. This work is based on a previously proposed coalition formation model founded on game theory for a class of task-oriented problems that guarantees an optimum task allocation and a stable profit division. In this paper we study two properties of the model that are very important for application in real-life scenarios: robustness and tolerance to an agent's misbehavior. First, we study the robustness of this model as regards the effect the agent's failure has on the resultant profits of the coalition formation. Secondly, we also study the coalition formation model in the presence of misbehaving agents. Agents have some kind of execution autonomy, and they can deceive or mislead each other when they reveal their information, if they believe this will give them more profits. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Comparison of cricothyroidotomy on manikin vs. simulator: a randomised cross-over study,

ANAESTHESIA, Issue 10 2007
B. John
Summary We compared the time taken to perform cricothyroidotomy on a manikin to that on a medium fidelity simulator, to assess the effect of psychological stress and time pressure on performance. Seventy anaesthetists participated in this randomised cross-over study. Fifty-four (77%) anaesthetists took longer on the simulator, with the mean (SD) time taken to perform the procedure on the manikin and simulator 34 (18) and 48 (11) s, respectively (p < 0.001). Anaesthetists with more experience performed the procedure more quickly on both manikin and simulator. We conclude that psychological stress and time pressure in real-life scenarios can affect the performance of cricothyroidotomy. [source]

Impairments on "open-ended" executive function tests in autism

AUTISM RESEARCH, Issue 3 2009
Sarah J. White
Abstract The executive function (EF) theory of autism has received much support recently from a growing number of studies. However, executive impairments have not always been easy to identify consistently and so novel "ecologically valid" tests have been designed which tap into real-life scenarios that are relevant to and representative of everyday behavior. One characteristic of many of these tasks is that they present the participant with an "ill-structured" or "open-ended" situation. Here, we investigated the possibility that tasks with greater degrees of open-endedness might prove more sensitive to detecting executive impairment in autism. Forty-five children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) were compared to 27 age- and IQ-matched control children on a range of cognitive tests of EF. Group differences were found on half of the tasks, with the greatest degree of impairment detected on the more open-ended tasks. The ASD group also performed more poorly on a simple control condition of a task. Detailed consideration of task performance suggested that the ASD group tended to create fewer spontaneous strategies and exhibit more idiosyncratic behavior, which particularly disadvantaged them on the more open-ended tasks. These kinds of behaviors have been reported in studies of neurological patients with frontal lobe involvement, prima facie suggesting a link between the scientific fields. However, we suggest that this behavior might equally result from a poor understanding of the implicit demands made by the experimenter in open-ended test situations, due to the socio-communicative difficulties of these children. [source]

Paternity testing in a PBL environment

BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY EDUCATION, Issue 1 2010
Alberto Vicario Casla
Abstract Problem Based Learning (PBL) makes use of real-life scenarios to stimulate students' prior knowledge and to provide a meaningful context that is also related to the student's future professional work. In this article, Paternity testing is presented using a PBL approach that involves a combination of classroom, laboratory, and out-of-class activities: in relation to a fictitious newborn found on the Campus, students design a PCR based protocol to determine their own genotype for two markers. Pooled class genotypes serve to calculate allelic frequencies and to assess Hardy,Weinberg equilibrium. Individual results are also evaluated for possible paternity. The goals of the activity and how each step in the process relates to learning outcomes are presented. Classroom discussions, group discussions, tutorial sessions, wiki sites, laboratory activities, and individual reports sum up the situations, in which the students' process of learning and learning outcomes can be evaluated. [source]

Simulation in a Disaster Drill: Comparison of High-fidelity Simulators versus Trained Actors

ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 11 2008
Brian Gillett MD
Abstract Objectives:, High-fidelity patient simulation provides lifelike medical scenarios with real-time stressors. Mass casualty drills must construct a realistic incident in which providers care for multiple injured patients while simultaneously coping with numerous stressors designed to tax an institution's resources. This study compared the value of high-fidelity simulated patients with live actor-patients. Methods:, A prospective cohort study was conducted during two mass casualty drills in December 2006 and March 2007. The providers' completion of critical actions was tested in live actor-patients and simulators. A posttest survey compared the participants' perception of "reality" between the simulators and live actor victims. Results:, The victims (n = 130) of the mass casualty drill all had burn-, blast-, or inhalation-related injuries. The participants consisted of physicians, residents, medical students, clerks, and paramedics. The authors compared the team's execution of the 136 critical actions (17 critical actions × 8 scenarios) between the simulators and the live actor-patients. Only one critical action was missed in the simulator group and one in the live actor group, resulting in a miss rate of 0.74% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.01% to 4.5%). All questionnaires were returned and analyzed. The vast majority of participants disagreed or strongly disagreed that the simulators were a distraction from the disaster drill. More than 96% agreed or strongly agreed that they would recommend the simulator as a training tool. The mean survey scores for all participants demonstrated agreement that the simulators closely mimicked real-life scenarios, accurately represented disease states, and heightened the realism of patient assessment and treatment options during the drill with the exception of nurse participants, who agreed slightly less strongly. Conclusions:, This study demonstrated that simulators compared to live actor-patients have equivalent results in prompting critical actions in mass casualty drills and increase the perceived reality of such exercises. [source]