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Ad Hoc Way (ad + hoc_way)
Selected AbstractsCurve skeleton skinning for human and creature charactersCOMPUTER ANIMATION AND VIRTUAL WORLDS (PREV: JNL OF VISUALISATION & COMPUTER ANIMATION), Issue 3-4 2006Xiaosong Yang Abstract The skeleton driven skinning technique is still the most popular method for animating deformable human and creature characters. Albeit an industry de facto due to its computational performance and intuitiveness, it suffers from problems like collapsing elbow and candy wrapper joint. To remedy these problems, one needs to formulate the non-linear relationship between the skeleton and the skin shape of a character properly, which however proves mathematically very challenging. Placing additional joints where the skin bends increases the sampling rate and is an ad hoc way of approximating this non-linear relationship. In this paper, we propose a method that is able to accommodate the inherent non-linear relationships between the movement of the skeleton and the skin shape. We use the so-called curve skeletons along with the joint-based skeletons to animate the skin shape. Since the deformation follows the tangent of the curve skeleton and also due to higher sampling rates received from the curve points, collapsing skin and other undesirable skin deformation problems are avoided. The curve skeleton retains the advantages of the current skeleton driven skinning. It is easy to use and allows full control over the animation process. As a further enhancement, it is also fairly simple to build realistic muscle and fat bulge effect. A practical implementation in the form of a Maya plug-in is created to demonstrate the viability of the technique. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] A literature review of principles, policies and practice in extended nursing roles relating to UK intensive care settingsJOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 20 2008Namita Srivastava Aims., To provide an overview of the literature relating to the principles, policy and practice of extended nursing roles in UK intensive care settings to date; to review and critically assess evidence of impact, outcomes and effect on practice and provide suggestions for future research. Background., It is known that career development opportunities, new technologies, patient needs, as well as the reduction in junior doctors' hours, are driving the development of new roles for nurses. Policy initiatives aim to expand nursing roles to support professional substitution. In adult, neonatal and paediatric intensive care, specialist trained nurses and designated advanced nursing practitioners are increasingly taking on extended practice of clinical tasks previously undertaken by medical staff. As yet there are no statutory regulations on the perceived scope and definition of the role of extended and advanced roles. Design., Systematic review. Methods., Search of electronic databases and selection of policy and peer-reviewed reports and reviews of extended nursing roles or advanced nursing practitioners in UK intensive care settings. Results., Chronological review shows policy development proceeding in a relatively ad hoc way. There is limited information available about how extensively or effectively extended nursing roles are being implemented in intensive care settings in the UK, particularly in adult and paediatric intensive care. To test local initiative findings for reliability and generalisability, a more robust evidence base is required. Conclusions., More data are needed on definition and outcomes of extended nursing roles in intensive care and care process measures should be developed to better inform implementation of nurse role development in the UK. Relevance to clinical practice., The review of policy and research evidence in this paper may better inform clinicians working in adult, neonatal or paediatric intensive care, as they continue to be challenged by expansion and development of their role. It may also help to form a basis and evaluation for future research into extended and advanced nursing roles in intensive care settings. [source] An exploration of mental health nursing students' experiences and attitudes towards using cigarettes to change client's behaviourJOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRIC & MENTAL HEALTH NURSING, Issue 8 2010M. J. NASH msc pclt bsc (hons) rnt rmn fhea Accessible summary ,,This study explores the experiences of mental health nursing students in using cigarettes as a means of token economy. ,,The majority of the sample experienced the use of this particular intervention in various settings but also reported that other items apart from cigarettes were also used as part of a reward system. ,,Respondents generally did not like this practice, feeling that it did not work well, led to client staff conflict, was implemented in an ad hoc way and rarely recorded in a care plan. ,,An open debate on tobacco control and the use of cigarettes in behavioural change programmes is urgently required. Abstract Using cigarettes to change client behaviour is a common, yet little studied, practice in mental health care. A questionnaire survey was used to explore mental health nursing student's experiences and attitudes to this practice. The sample was four cohorts of mental health nursing students (n= 151). Of them, 84% had experienced the practice of using cigarettes to change client behaviour in acute wards (73%), rehabilitation wards (28%) and elderly care (14%). Cigarettes were used to change client behaviour in areas such as attending to personal hygiene (57%) or engaging in the ward routine (39%). However, items such as leave (60%) or drinks (tea and coffee) (38%) were also reportedly used. Of the respondents, 54% inferred that the practice did not work well with 46% stating it was not written up in care plans; 52% felt it was an ad hoc practice, 60% inferred that at times it was used as a punishment while 55% intimated that they felt bad withholding cigarettes. There are ethical and moral dilemmas around using lifestyle risk factors as rewards or using client's nicotine addiction as a means of controlling behaviour. The question of whether this intervention should ever be used, given its associated health risk, requires more critical debate in clinical practice. [source] On the Construction of the European Economic Sentiment Indicator,OXFORD BULLETIN OF ECONOMICS & STATISTICS, Issue 1 2010Sarah Gelper Abstract Economic sentiment surveys are carried out by all European Union member states and are often seen as early indicators for future economic developments. Based on these surveys, the European Commission constructs an aggregate European Economic Sentiment Indicator (ESI). This paper compares the ESI with more sophisticated aggregation schemes based on statistical methods: dynamic factor analysis and partial least squares. The indicator based on partial least squares clearly outperforms the other two indicators in terms of comovement with economic activity. In terms of forecast ability, the ESI, constructed in a rather ad hoc way, can compete with the other indicators. [source] | ||||||||||