Sample records for accessing human knowledge

  1. Multiple-choice tests stabilize access to marginal knowledge.

    PubMed

    Cantor, Allison D; Eslick, Andrea N; Marsh, Elizabeth J; Bjork, Robert A; Bjork, Elizabeth Ligon

    2015-02-01

    Marginal knowledge refers to knowledge that is stored in memory, but is not accessible at a given moment. For example, one might struggle to remember who wrote The Call of the Wild, even if that knowledge is stored in memory. Knowing how best to stabilize access to marginal knowledge is important, given that new learning often requires accessing and building on prior knowledge. While even a single opportunity to restudy marginal knowledge boosts its later accessibility (Berger, Hall, & Bahrick, 1999), in many situations explicit relearning opportunities are not available. Our question is whether multiple-choice tests (which by definition expose the learner to the correct answers) can also serve this function and, if so, how testing compares to restudying given that tests can be particularly powerful learning devices (Roediger & Karpicke, 2006). In four experiments, we found that multiple-choice testing had the power to stabilize access to marginal knowledge, and to do so for at least up to a week. Importantly, such tests did not need to be paired with feedback, although testing was no more powerful than studying. Overall, the results support the idea that one's knowledge base is unstable, with individual pieces of information coming in and out of reach. The present findings have implications for a key educational challenge: ensuring that students have continuing access to information they have learned.

  2. Comparing Strategic Knowledge Gaps for Human Mars Settlement vs. Exploration

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mackenzie, B. A.

    2012-06-01

    We list knowledge needed to establish a permanent Mars base, compared that for round-trip human exploration missions. Topics include: site selection, reliable access to water, long term effects of contaminations, and in-situ materials production.

  3. A Theory of the Measurement of Knowledge Content, Access, and Learning.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pirolli, Peter; Wilson, Mark

    1998-01-01

    An approach to the measurement of knowledge content, knowledge access, and knowledge learning is developed. First a theoretical view of cognition is described, and then a class of measurement models, based on Rasch modeling, is presented. Knowledge access and content are viewed as determining the observable actions selected by an agent to achieve…

  4. What Remains on Your Mind After You Are Done?: Flexible Regulation of Knowledge Accessibility

    PubMed Central

    Hedberg, Per H.; Higgins, E. Tory

    2011-01-01

    The accessibility of stored knowledge has been found to decline over time after activation without further stimulation. A special case is goal pursuit; goal-related knowledge remains accessible until goal completion, and then its accessibility declines rapidly. We hypothesized that after goal completion the decline in accessibility of goal-related knowledge would be especially rapid for strong promotion-focused individuals because their motivation to eagerly advance beyond the status quo would make accessibility of this knowledge an irrelevant detriment. We hypothesized an opposite effect for strongly prevention-predominant individuals because their motivation to vigilantly maintain a satisfactory state would make accessibility of this knowledge continually relevant. The results of two studies supported both these predicted moderators of accessibility change. Indeed, we found that for strongly prevention-predominant participants, knowledge accessibility actually increased over time after goal completion. We discuss how even basic cognitive mechanisms, like changes in accessibility, can be affected by general motivational concerns. PMID:21765541

  5. Workplace Learning: The Roles of Knowledge Accessibility and Management

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Li, Jessica; Brake, Gary; Champion, Angeline; Fuller, Tony; Gabel, Sandy; Hatcher-Busch, Lori

    2009-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine how knowledge management systems have been used by the studied organizations to improve knowledge accessibility and knowledge sharing in order to increase workplace learning. Design/methodology/approach: The study relies on a qualitative multisite case study method. Data were obtained from five…

  6. Electronic access to scientific nursing knowledge: the Virginia Henderson International Nursing Library.

    PubMed

    Graves, J R

    2001-02-01

    To inform oncology nurses about the electronic knowledge resources offered by the Sigma Theta Tau International Virginia Henderson International Nursing Library. Published articles and research studies. Clinical nursing research dissemination has been seriously affected by publication bias. The Virginia Henderson International Nursing Library has introduced both a new publishing paradigm for research and a new knowledge indexing strategy for improving electronic access to research knowledge (findings). The ability of oncology nursing to evolve, as an evidence-based practice, is largely dependent on access to research findings.

  7. On Access to Knowledge in the Social Sciences and Humanities, From the Viewpoint of Cybernetics and Information Science.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Heilprin, Laurence B.

    The literature of knowledge is a very large system in the cybernetic sense of intractibility to control. Improving access to it needs some simplifying theory. A step in this direction is a hypothesis constructed from basic concepts. These include cybernetic concepts of variety and requisite variety; a version of the mathematical concept of…

  8. Disabled persons' knowledge of HIV prevention and access to health care prevention services in South Africa.

    PubMed

    Eide, Arne Henning; Schür, Clare; Ranchod, Chitra; Rohleder, Poul; Swartz, Leslie; Schneider, Marguerite

    2011-12-01

    The main research question in this article is how access to information about HIV/AIDS and level of HIV/AIDS prevention related knowledge are distributed among disabled people, and whether level of knowledge predicts access to HIV/AIDS related services. A survey was carried out among a sample of 285 disabled people from three provinces in South Africa. Analyses of the data revealed that gender and level of education, together with geographical differences, are key predictors for access to information and knowledge about HIV/AIDS among disabled people. For male respondents number of information sources predicts access to voluntary counselling and testing services and HIV testing, while knowledge about prevention predicts access to Voluntary Counselling and Testing centres. Significant gender differences with regards to information, knowledge and access to services highlight the need for gender specific prevention strategies among disabled people.

  9. Does technology help doctors to access, use and share knowledge?

    PubMed

    Bullock, Alison

    2014-01-01

    Given the power and pervasiveness of technology, this paper considers whether it can help doctors to access, use and share knowledge and thus contribute to their ability to uphold the part of the Hippocratic Oath concerned with respecting 'the hard-won scientific gains of those physicians in whose steps I walk' and sharing 'such knowledge as is mine with those who are to follow'. How technology supports connections between doctors and knowledge is considered by focusing on the use of mobile technology in the workplace and Web 2.0 tools. Sfard's 'acquisition' and 'participation' models are employed to help develop an understanding of what these uses of technology mean for learning and knowledge sharing. The employment of technology is not neutral in its effects. Issues relate to knowledge ownership, information overload, quality control and interpretations attached to the use of mobile devices in the workplace. These issues raise deeper questions about the nature of knowledge and social theory and socio-material research questions about the effect of technology on workplace learning. Although the empirical and theoretical evidence presented shows how technology has clear potential to contribute both to accessing evidence and sharing knowledge, there is need for further research that applies theoretical frameworks to the analysis of the impact of technology on workplace learning. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  10. Human Disease Insight: An integrated knowledge-based platform for disease-gene-drug information.

    PubMed

    Tasleem, Munazzah; Ishrat, Romana; Islam, Asimul; Ahmad, Faizan; Hassan, Md Imtaiyaz

    2016-01-01

    The scope of the Human Disease Insight (HDI) database is not limited to researchers or physicians as it also provides basic information to non-professionals and creates disease awareness, thereby reducing the chances of patient suffering due to ignorance. HDI is a knowledge-based resource providing information on human diseases to both scientists and the general public. Here, our mission is to provide a comprehensive human disease database containing most of the available useful information, with extensive cross-referencing. HDI is a knowledge management system that acts as a central hub to access information about human diseases and associated drugs and genes. In addition, HDI contains well-classified bioinformatics tools with helpful descriptions. These integrated bioinformatics tools enable researchers to annotate disease-specific genes and perform protein analysis, search for biomarkers and identify potential vaccine candidates. Eventually, these tools will facilitate the analysis of disease-associated data. The HDI provides two types of search capabilities and includes provisions for downloading, uploading and searching disease/gene/drug-related information. The logistical design of the HDI allows for regular updating. The database is designed to work best with Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome and is freely accessible at http://humandiseaseinsight.com. Copyright © 2015 King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Origins and early development of human body knowledge.

    PubMed

    Slaughter, Virginia; Heron, Michelle

    2004-01-01

    As a knowable object, the human body is highly complex. Evidence from several converging lines of research, including psychological studies, neuroimaging and clinical neuropsychology, indicates that human body knowledge is widely distributed in the adult brain, and is instantiated in at least three partially independent levels of representation. Sensorimotor body knowledge is responsible for on-line control and movement of one's own body and may also contribute to the perception of others' moving bodies; visuo-spatial body knowledge specifies detailed structural descriptions of the spatial attributes of the human body; and lexical-semantic body knowledge contains language-based knowledge about the human body. In the first chapter of this Monograph, we outline the evidence for these three hypothesized levels of human body knowledge, then review relevant literature on infants' and young children's human body knowledge in terms of the three-level framework. In Chapters II and III, we report two complimentary series of studies that specifically investigate the emergence of visuo-spatial body knowledge in infancy. Our technique is to compare infants'responses to typical and scrambled human bodies, in order to evaluate when and how infants acquire knowledge about the canonical spatial layout of the human body. Data from a series of visual habituation studies indicate that infants first discriminate scrambled from typical human body picture sat 15 to 18 months of age. Data from object examination studies similarly indicate that infants are sensitive to violations of three-dimensional human body stimuli starting at 15-18 months of age. The overall pattern of data supports several conclusions about the early development of human body knowledge: (a) detailed visuo-spatial knowledge about the human body is first evident in the second year of life, (b) visuo-spatial knowledge of human faces and human bodies are at least partially independent in infancy and (c) infants' initial

  12. Assessing Evidence-Based Practice Knowledge, Attitudes, Access and Confidence Among Dental Hygiene Educators.

    PubMed

    Stanley, Jennifer L; Hanson, Carrie L; Van Ness, Christopher J; Holt, Lorie

    2015-10-01

    To assess U.S. dental hygiene educators' evidence-based practice (EBP) knowledge, attitude, access and confidence and determine whether a correlation exists between assessment scores and level of education, length teaching and teaching setting (didactic, clinical or both). A cross-sectional survey was conducted with a sample of dental hygiene faculty from all 334 U.S. dental hygiene schools. ANOVA and Pearson correlation coefficient statistical analysis were utilized to investigate relationships between demographic variables and application of evidence-based principles of patient care. This study involved a non-probability sample (n=124), since the total faculty among all U.S. dental hygiene schools was not determined. Analysis demonstrated a positive correlation between EBP knowledge, access and confidence scores indicating that as knowledge scores increased, so did confidence and access scores (r=0.313, p<0.01 and r=0.189, p<0.05, respectively). Study findings also revealed that faculty who held advanced educational degrees scored significantly higher in EBP knowledge (F3,120=2.81, p<0.04) and confidence (F3,120=7.26, p<0.00). This study suggests the level of EBP knowledge, attitude, access and confidence increases with additional education. Therefore, more EBP training may be necessary for faculty who do not possess advanced education. Results of the study indicate that further incorporation of EBP into dental hygiene curricula may occur as dental hygiene educators' knowledge of EBP increases, which in turn could enhance students' acquisition of EBP skills and their application of EBP principles toward patient care. Copyright © 2015 The American Dental Hygienists’ Association.

  13. Access to Knowledge: An Agenda for Our Nation's Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Goodlad, John I., Ed.; Keating, Pamela, Ed.

    This collection of 15 papers reconceptualizes the problem of failure in schools and describe the interlocking structural arrangements, curricular and instructional practices, and other school conditions that constitute barriers blocking all students' access to knowledge. A new agenda is offered for the national reform movement, an agenda that…

  14. Knowledge-based load leveling and task allocation in human-machine systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Chignell, M. H.; Hancock, P. A.

    1986-01-01

    Conventional human-machine systems use task allocation policies which are based on the premise of a flexible human operator. This individual is most often required to compensate for and augment the capabilities of the machine. The development of artificial intelligence and improved technologies have allowed for a wider range of task allocation strategies. In response to these issues a Knowledge Based Adaptive Mechanism (KBAM) is proposed for assigning tasks to human and machine in real time, using a load leveling policy. This mechanism employs an online workload assessment and compensation system which is responsive to variations in load through an intelligent interface. This interface consists of a loading strategy reasoner which has access to information about the current status of the human-machine system as well as a database of admissible human/machine loading strategies. Difficulties standing in the way of successful implementation of the load leveling strategy are examined.

  15. Integrating across Episodes: Investigating the Long-term Accessibility of Self-derived Knowledge in 4-Year-Old Children

    PubMed Central

    Varga, Nicole L.; Stewart, Rebekah A.; Bauer, Patricia J.

    2016-01-01

    Semantic memory, defined as our store of knowledge about the world, provides representational support for all of our higher order cognitive functions. As such, it is crucial that the contents of semantic memory remain accessible over time. Although memory for knowledge learned through direct observation has been previously investigated, we know very little about the retention of knowledge derived through integration of information acquired across separate learning episodes. The present research investigated cross-episode integration in 4-year-old children. Participants were presented with novel facts via distinct story episodes and tested for knowledge extension through cross-episode integration, as well as for retention of the information over a 1-week delay. In Experiment 1, children retained the self-derived knowledge over the delay, though performance was primarily evidenced in a forced-choice format. In Experiment 2, we sought to facilitate the accessibility and robustness of self-derived knowledge by providing a verbal reminder after the delay. The accessibility of self-derived knowledge increased, irrespective of whether participants successfully demonstrated knowledge of the integration facts during the first visit. The results suggest knowledge extended through integration remains accessible after delays, even in a population in which this learning process is less robust. The findings also demonstrate the facilitative effect of reminders on the accessibility and further extension of knowledge over extended time periods. PMID:26774259

  16. Toward an interim standard for patient-centered knowledge-access.

    PubMed Central

    Tuttle, M. S.; Sherertz, D. D.; Fagan, L. M.; Carlson, R. W.; Cole, W. G.; Schipma, P. B.; Nelson, S. J.

    1993-01-01

    Most care-giver "knowledge" needs arise at the point of care and are "patient-centered." Many of these knowledge needs can be met using existing on-line knowledge sources, but the process is too time-consuming, currently, for even the computer-proficient. We are developing a set of public domain standards aimed at bringing potentially relevant knowledge to the point of care in a straight-forward and timely fashion. The standards will a) make use of selected items from a Computer-based Patient Record (CPR), e.g., a diagnosis and measure of severity, b) anticipate certain care-giver knowledge needs, e.g., "therapy," "protocols," "complications," and c) try to satisfy those needs from available knowledge sources, e.g., knowledge-bases, citation databases, practice guidelines, and on-line textbooks. The standards will use templates, i.e., fill-in-the-blank structures, to anticipate knowledge needs and UMLS Metathesaurus enhancements to represent the content of knowledge sources. Together, the standards will form the specification for a "Knowledge-Server" (KS) designed to be accessed from any CPR system. Plans are in place to test an interim version of this specification in the context of medical oncology. We are accumulating anecdotal evidence that a KS operating in conjunction with a CPR is much more compelling to users than either a CPR or a KS operating alone. PMID:8130537

  17. Accessible Near-Earth Objects (NEOs)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Barbee, Brent W.

    2015-01-01

    Near Earth Objects (NEOs) are asteroids and comets whose orbits are in close proximity to Earth's orbit; specifically, they have perihelia less than 1.3 astronomical units. NEOs particularly near Earth asteroids (NEAs) are identified as potential destinations for future human exploration missions. In this presentation I provide an overview of the current state of knowledge regarding the astrodynamical accessibility of NEAs according to NASA's Near Earth Object Human Space Flight Accessible Targets Study (NHATS). I also investigate the extremes of NEA accessibility using case studies and illuminate the fact that a space-based survey for NEOs is essential to expanding the set of known accessible NEAs for future human exploration missions.

  18. Access to justice: evaluating law, health and human rights programmes in Kenya.

    PubMed

    Gruskin, Sofia; Safreed-Harmon, Kelly; Ezer, Tamar; Gathumbi, Anne; Cohen, Jonathan; Kameri-Mbote, Patricia

    2013-11-13

    In Kenya, human rights violations have a marked impact on the health of people living with HIV. Integrating legal literacy and legal services into healthcare appears to be an effective strategy to empower vulnerable groups and address underlying determinants of health. We carried out an evaluation to collect evidence about the impact of legal empowerment programmes on health and human rights. The evaluation focused on Open Society Foundation-supported legal integration activities at four sites: the Academic Model of Providing Access to Healthcare (AMPATH) facility, where the Legal Aid Centre of Eldoret (LACE) operates, in Eldoret; Kenyatta National Hospital's Gender-based Violence Recovery Centre, which hosts the COVAW legal integration program; and Christian Health Association of Kenya (CHAK) facilities in Mombasa and Naivasha. In consultation with the organizations implementing the programs, we designed a conceptual logic model grounded in human rights principles, identified relevant indicators and then coded structure, process and outcome indicators for the rights-related principles they reflect. The evaluation included a resource assessment questionnaire, a review of program records and routine data, and semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions with clients and service providers. Data were collected in May-August 2010 and April-June 2011. Clients showed a notable increase in practical knowledge and awareness about how to access legal aid and claim their rights, as well as an enhanced ability to communicate with healthcare providers and to improve their access to healthcare and justice. In turn, providers became more adept at identifying human rights violations and other legal difficulties, which enabled them to give clients basic information about their rights, refer them to legal aid and assist them in accessing needed support. Methodological challenges in evaluating such activities point to the need to strengthen rights-oriented evaluation

  19. Knowledge and attitudes toward human cloning in Israel.

    PubMed

    Barnoy, Sivia; Ehrenfeld, Malka; Sharon, Rina; Tabak, Nili

    2006-04-01

    The success of mammal cloning in 1997 has brought the issue of human cloning into public discussion. Human cloning has several aspects and potential applications for use in both reproductive and non-reproductive matters. The aim of this study was to evaluate the knowledge and attitudes toward human cloning in Israel. Data from 120 respondents (68 health professionals and 52 non-health professionals), all Jewish, Hebrew speaking with at least 15 years of education each, were collected using two questionnaires that dealt with knowledge and attitudes toward human cloning. Results showed that although health professionals had significantly more knowledge that non-health professionals, all respondents had poor knowledge about cloning. No difference in attitudes was found between the groups. Most respondents opposed human cloning, but more positive attitudes toward non-reproductive cloning were found. The results are discussed in the context of the deficit model. The findings indicate a need to provide information about human cloning to allow people to form their attitudes based on factual knowledge.

  20. BioSYNTHESIS: access to a knowledge network of health sciences databases.

    PubMed

    Broering, N C; Hylton, J S; Guttmann, R; Eskridge, D

    1991-04-01

    Users of the IAIMS Knowledge Network at the Georgetown University Medical Center have access to multiple in-house and external databases from a single point of entry through BioSYNTHESIS. The IAIMS project has developed a rich environment of biomedical information resources that represent a medical decision support system for campus physicians and students. The BioSYNTHESIS system is an information navigator that provides transparent access to a Knowledge Network of over a dozen databases. These multiple health sciences databases consist of bibliographic, informational, diagnostic, and research systems which reside on diverse computers such as DEC VAXs, SUN 490, AT&T 3B2s, Macintoshes, IBM PC/PS2s and the AT&T ISN and SYTEK network systems. Ethernet and TCP/IP protocols are used in the network architecture. BioSYNTHESIS also provides network links to the other campus libraries and to external institutions. As additional knowledge resources and technological advances have become available. BioSYNTHESIS has evolved from a two phase to a three phase program. Major components of the system including recent achievements and future plans are described.

  1. Knowledge of Concussion and Reporting Behaviors in High School Athletes With or Without Access to an Athletic Trainer

    PubMed Central

    Wallace, Jessica; Covassin, Tracey; Nogle, Sally; Gould, Daniel; Kovan, Jeffrey

    2017-01-01

    Context: Increased sport participation and sport-related concussion incidence has led to an emphasis on having an appropriate medical professional available to high school athletes. The medical professional best suited to provide medical care to high school athletes is a certified athletic trainer (AT). Access to an AT may influence the reporting of sport-related concussion in the high school athletic population; however, little is known about how the presence of an AT affects concussion knowledge, prevention, and recognition. Objective: To evaluate knowledge of concussion and reporting behaviors in high school athletes who did or did not have access to an AT. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Survey. Patients or Other Participants: A total of 438 athletes with access to an AT and 277 without access to an AT. Intervention(s): A validated knowledge-of-concussion survey consisting of 83 items addressing concussion history, concussion knowledge, scenario questions, signs and symptoms of a concussion, and reasons why an athlete would not report a concussion. The independent variable was access to an AT. Main Outcome Measure(s): We examined the proportion of athletes who correctly identified knowledge of concussion, signs and symptoms of concussion, and reasons why high school student-athletes would not disclose a potential concussive injury by access to an AT. Frequency statistics, χ2 tests, independent t tests, and linear regression were conducted to analyze the data. Results: The underreporting of concussion among high school athletes was 55%. Athletes with access to an AT had more knowledge of concussion than did athletes without such access (P ≤ .001). Chi-square tests did not demonstrate a significant relationship between AT access and a higher percentage reporting concussions. Conclusions: High school athletes with access to an AT had more concussion knowledge, but they did not report suspected concussions to an authority figure more frequently than

  2. Dementia and the Deaf community: knowledge and service access.

    PubMed

    Ferguson-Coleman, Emma; Keady, John; Young, Alys

    2014-01-01

    This study concerns culturally Deaf people in the United Kingdom who use British Sign Language (BSL). Its objective was to explore how Deaf people's knowledge about dementia and access to services is mediated by their minoritised cultural-linguistic status. Twenty-six members of the Deaf community participated in one of three Deaf-led focus groups in BSL corresponding with the sample of: Deaf people over the age of 60 without dementia; Deaf people aged 18-60 working professional roles unconnected with dementia services; ordinary members of the Deaf community aged 18-60. Data were subjected to a thematic content analysis. Participants' concerns about their poor levels of knowledge and understanding of dementia were augmented by their awareness that without sustained social contact in BSL opportunities for earlier recognition of dementia would be lost. Although primary care services were identified as the first port of call for dementia-related concerns, there was widespread mistrust of their effectiveness because of failures in communication and cultural competence. Confirmed diagnosis of dementia was not viewed as a gateway to services and support because Deaf organisations, dementia-related organisations and mainstream adult services were perceived to be ill-equipped to respond to the needs of Deaf people with dementia. Locating problems of late diagnosis within the Deaf community's poor awareness and knowledge of dementia fails to recognise the structural barriers Deaf people face in timely access to services and accurate recognition of dementia-related changes.

  3. Impact of Gender Binarism on Hijras' Life Course and Their Access to Fundamental Human Rights in Pakistan.

    PubMed

    Alizai, Aurangzaib; Doneys, Philippe; Doane, Donna L

    2017-01-01

    This study adds to the growing body of knowledge on gender nonconformity aspects of heteronormativity by examining its impact on the life course of hijras and their access to fundamental human rights in Pakistan. Drawing on 50 semistructured interviews conducted in two sites, the findings suggest that the participants' lived experiences associated with gender nonconformity significantly influenced the direction of their life course and their ability to have access to human rights. These experiences spanned from childhood to elderhood across a wide range of settings, such as family, school, guru dera (residence headed by a hijra guru), workplace, and interactions with authorities. The participants' human rights were not recognized, resulting in abuse, social stigma, discrimination against them, and their exclusion from mainstream society. Finally, implications are drawn for public policy and future research on third gender concerns in Pakistan and elsewhere.

  4. Making information accessible and useful to practicing clinicians. Problem-knowledge coupling.

    PubMed

    Zimny, N J

    1992-01-01

    Assessments of health care technology will lead to improvements in patient services only if this information is actually used by clinicians. Traditional methods of planning treatment that rely solely on memory limit the clinician's access to and use of the full available body of knowledge in the field. An alternative approach using a computer-assisted methodology is presented as a way to overcome traditional limitations and promote the development and diffusion of knowledge.

  5. Co-op students' access to shared knowledge in science-rich workplaces

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Munby, Hugh; Taylor, Jennifer; Chin, Peter; Hutchinson, Nancy L.

    2007-01-01

    Wenger's (1998) concepts community of practice, brokering, and transfer explain the challenges co-operative (co-op) education students face in relating the knowledge learned in school with what they learn while participating as members of a workplace. The research for this paper is set within the contexts of the knowledge economy and increased collaboration in the workplace. The paper draws on several qualitative studies of work-based education to examine the similarities and differences between learning in the workplace and learning in school, with a focus on science education and science-rich workplaces. Barriers to connecting school knowledge and workplace knowledge include the nature of science (its purpose, accountability, and substance), the structure of knowledge in each setting, the form content knowledge takes, the sequence that the curriculum is presented in, and the gatekeeping that occurs when knowledge is accessed. The paper addresses implications for interventions in school and the workplace, with attention to the transition from school to work, and concludes by pointing to profound obstacles to connecting school knowledge with workplace knowledge.

  6. Access to justice: evaluating law, health and human rights programmes in Kenya

    PubMed Central

    Gruskin, Sofia; Safreed-Harmon, Kelly; Ezer, Tamar; Gathumbi, Anne; Cohen, Jonathan; Kameri-Mbote, Patricia

    2013-01-01

    Introduction In Kenya, human rights violations have a marked impact on the health of people living with HIV. Integrating legal literacy and legal services into healthcare appears to be an effective strategy to empower vulnerable groups and address underlying determinants of health. Methods We carried out an evaluation to collect evidence about the impact of legal empowerment programmes on health and human rights. The evaluation focused on Open Society Foundation-supported legal integration activities at four sites: the Academic Model of Providing Access to Healthcare (AMPATH) facility, where the Legal Aid Centre of Eldoret (LACE) operates, in Eldoret; Kenyatta National Hospital's Gender-based Violence Recovery Centre, which hosts the COVAW legal integration program; and Christian Health Association of Kenya (CHAK) facilities in Mombasa and Naivasha. In consultation with the organizations implementing the programs, we designed a conceptual logic model grounded in human rights principles, identified relevant indicators and then coded structure, process and outcome indicators for the rights-related principles they reflect. The evaluation included a resource assessment questionnaire, a review of program records and routine data, and semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions with clients and service providers. Data were collected in May–August 2010 and April–June 2011. Results Clients showed a notable increase in practical knowledge and awareness about how to access legal aid and claim their rights, as well as an enhanced ability to communicate with healthcare providers and to improve their access to healthcare and justice. In turn, providers became more adept at identifying human rights violations and other legal difficulties, which enabled them to give clients basic information about their rights, refer them to legal aid and assist them in accessing needed support. Methodological challenges in evaluating such activities point to the need to strengthen

  7. The Human Side of Knowledge Management: An Annotated Bibliography.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mayer, Pamela S.

    This annotated bibliography lists books and articles that have direct application to managing the human side of knowledge acquisition, transfer, and application. What is meant by the human dimension of knowledge is how motivation and learning affect the acquisition and transfer of knowledge and how group dynamics mediate the role of knowledge in…

  8. Inequitable Access to the Knowledge Market in Nigeria: The Case of University Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Akinyemi, Samuel; Potokri, Onoride Collins

    2016-01-01

    In a knowledge market, the knowledge, skills and expertise needed for the economic and sociopolitical transformation of a nation and its citizens are transacted at different prices. Inequitable access to this market poses a serious threat to the economic welfare of the country and its citizens. The authors assess the extent of this threat with…

  9. Pharmaceutical knowledge governance: a human rights perspective.

    PubMed

    Lemmens, Trudo

    2013-01-01

    Industry control over the production and distribution of pharmaceutical safety and efficacy data has become a serious public health and health care funding concern. Various recent scandals, several involving the use of flawed representations of scientific data in the most influential medical journals, highlight the urgency of enhancing pharmaceutical knowledge governance. This paper analyzes why this is a human rights concern and what difference a human rights analysis can make. The paper first identifies the challenges associated with the current knowledge deficit. It then discusses, based on an analysis of case law, how various human rights associated interests can be invoked to support the claim that states have an obligation to actively contribute to independent knowledge governance, for example through ensuring clinical trials transparency. The paper further discusses a conceptual use of human rights, as a methodology which requires a comprehensive analysis of the different interwoven historical, economic, cultural, and social factors that contribute to the problem. Such an analysis reveals that historically grown drug regulations have, in fact, contributed directly to industry control over pharmaceutical knowledge production. This type of finding should inform needed reforms of drug regulation. The paper ends with a recommendation for a comprehensive global response to the problem of pharmaceutical knowledge governance. © 2013 American Society of Law, Medicine & Ethics, Inc.

  10. Deficits in Young Men's Knowledge about Accessing Sexual and Reproductive Health Services

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bersamin, Melina; Fisher, Deborah A.; Marcell, Arik V.; Finan, Laura J.

    2017-01-01

    Objective: The current study aimed to examine (1) gender differences in college students' knowledge of sexual and reproductive health care (K-SRHC) service access points, and (2) the relationship between demographic and psychosocial factors and college students' overall K-SRHC service access points. Methods and Participants: Self-report online…

  11. A Matter of Discipline: Open Access, the Humanities, and Art History

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tomlin, Patrick

    2009-01-01

    Recent events suggest that open access has gained new momentum in the humanities, but the slow and uneven development of open-access initiatives in humanist fields continues to hinder the consolidation of efforts across the university. Although various studies have traced the general origins of the humanities' reticence to embrace open access, few…

  12. Cancer's Margins: Trans* and Gender Nonconforming People's Access to Knowledge, Experiences of Cancer Health, and Decision-Making

    PubMed Central

    Bryson, Mary K.

    2016-01-01

    Abstract Purpose: Research in Canada and the United States indicates that minority gender and sexuality status are consistently associated with health disparities and poor health outcomes, including cancer health. This article investigates experiences of cancer health and care, and access to knowledge for trans* and gender nonconforming people diagnosed with and treated for breast and/or gynecologic cancer. Our study contributes new understandings about gender minority populations that will advance knowledge concerning the provision of culturally appropriate care. This is the first study we are aware of that focuses on trans* and gender nonconforming peoples' experiences of cancer care and treatment, support networks, and access to and mobilization of knowledge. Methods: This article analyzes trans* and gender nonconforming patient interviews from the Cancer's Margins project (www.lgbtcancer.ca): Canada's first nationally-funded project that investigates the complex intersections of sexual and/or gender marginality, cancer knowledge, treatment experiences, and modes of the organization of support networks. Results: Our analysis documents how different bodies of knowledge relative to cancer treatment and gendered embodiment are understood, accessed, and mobilized by trans* and gender nonconforming patients. Findings reported here suggest that one's knowledge of a felt sense of gender is closely interwoven with knowledge concerning cancer treatment practices; a dynamic which organizes knowledge mobilities in cancer treatment. Conclusions: The findings support the assertion that cisgender models concerning changes to the body that occur as a result of biomedical treatment for breast and/or gynecologic cancer are wholly inadequate in order to account for trans* and gender nonconforming peoples' experiences of cancer treatments, and access to and mobilization of related knowledge. PMID:26789402

  13. Human rights responsibilities of pharmaceutical companies in relation to access to medicines.

    PubMed

    Lee, Joo-Young; Hunt, Paul

    2012-01-01

    Although access to medicines is a vital feature of the right to the highest attainable standard of health ("right to health"), almost two billion people lack access to essential medicines, leading to immense avoidable suffering. While the human rights responsibility to provide access to medicines lies mainly with States, pharmaceutical companies also have human rights responsibilities in relation to access to medicines. This article provides an introduction to these responsibilities. It briefly outlines the new UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and places the human rights responsibilities of pharmaceutical companies in this context. The authors draw from the work of the first UN Special Rapporteur on the right to the highest attainable standard of health, in particular the Human Rights Guidelines for Pharmaceutical Companies in Relation to Access to Medicines that he presented to the UN General Assembly in 2008, and his UN report on GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). While the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights are general human rights standards applicable to all business entities, the Human Rights Guidelines for Pharmaceutical Companies consider the specific human rights responsibilities of one sector (pharmaceutical companies) in relation to one area of activity (access to medicines). The article signals the human rights responsibilities of all pharmaceutical companies, with particular attention to patent-holding pharmaceutical companies. Adopting a right-to-health "lens," the article discusses GSK and accountability. The authors argue that human rights should shape pharmaceutical companies' policies, and provide standards in relation to which pharmaceutical companies could, and should, be held accountable. They conclude that it is now crucial to devise independent, accessible, transparent, and effective mechanisms to monitor pharmaceutical companies and hold them publicly accountable for their human rights responsibilities. © 2012 American

  14. Conceptualising Knowledge for Access in the Sciences: Academic Development from a Social Realist Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ellery, Karen

    2017-01-01

    Whilst arguing from a social realist perspective that knowledge matters in academic development (AD) curricula, this paper addresses the question of what knowledge types and practices are necessary for enabling epistemological access. It presents a single, in-depth, qualitative case study in which the curriculum of a science AD course is…

  15. Liberal Education Reconsidered: Cultivating Humanity in the Knowledge Society

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hong, Eunsook

    2014-01-01

    In the knowledge society, there is a conflict between "education for profit" and "education for humanity." Education for profit is needed for students' economic survival and success in the knowledge economy. Education for humanity is needed for their existential lives worthy of human beings. This paper deals with the…

  16. Knowledge management: implications for human service organizations.

    PubMed

    Austin, Michael J; Claassen, Jennette; Vu, Catherine M; Mizrahi, Paola

    2008-01-01

    Knowledge management has recently taken a more prominent role in the management of organizations as worker knowledge and intellectual capital are recognized as critical to organizational success. This analysis explores the literature of knowledge management including the individual level of tacit and explicit knowledge, the networks and social interactions utilized by workers to create and share new knowledge, and the multiple organizational and managerial factors associated with effective knowledge management systems. Based on the role of organizational culture, structure, leadership, and reward systems, six strategies are identified to assist human service organizations with implementing new knowledge management systems.

  17. Human white matter and knowledge representation.

    PubMed

    Pestilli, Franco

    2018-04-01

    Understanding how knowledge is represented in the human brain is a fundamental challenge in neuroscience. To date, most of the work on this topic has focused on knowledge representation in cortical areas and debated whether knowledge is represented in a distributed or localized fashion. Fang and colleagues provide evidence that brain connections and the white matter supporting such connections might play a significant role. The work opens new avenues of investigation, breaking through disciplinary boundaries across network neuroscience, computational neuroscience, cognitive science, and classical lesion studies.

  18. Human white matter and knowledge representation

    PubMed Central

    2018-01-01

    Understanding how knowledge is represented in the human brain is a fundamental challenge in neuroscience. To date, most of the work on this topic has focused on knowledge representation in cortical areas and debated whether knowledge is represented in a distributed or localized fashion. Fang and colleagues provide evidence that brain connections and the white matter supporting such connections might play a significant role. The work opens new avenues of investigation, breaking through disciplinary boundaries across network neuroscience, computational neuroscience, cognitive science, and classical lesion studies. PMID:29698391

  19. Preface - Access to Knowledge Revisited

    PubMed Central

    Humphreys, Betsy L.

    2016-01-01

    Summary Objective To review and update the Preface to the 1998 Yearbook of Medical Informatics, which had as its Special Topic “Health Informatics and the Internet”. Method Assessment of the accuracy of predictions made in 1998 and consideration of key developments in informatics since that time. Results Predictions made in 1998 were generally accurate regarding reduced dependence on keyboards, expansion of multimedia, medical data privacy policy development, impact of molecular biology on knowledge and treatment of neoplasms, and use of imaging and informatics to advance understanding of brain structure and function. Key developments since 1998 include the huge increase in publicly available electronic information; acknowledgement by leaders in government and science of the importance of biomedical informatics to societal goals for health, health care, and scientific discovery; the influence of the public in promoting clinical research transparency and free access to government-funded research results; the long-awaited arrival of electronic health records; and the “Cloud” as a 21st century reformulation of contracting out the computer center. Conclusions There are many challenging and important problems that deserve the attention of the informatics community. Informatics researchers will be best served by embracing a very broad definition of medical informatics and by promoting public understanding of the field. PMID:27199193

  20. Access to finance from different finance provider types: Farmer knowledge of the requirements.

    PubMed

    Wulandari, Eliana; Meuwissen, Miranda P M; Karmana, Maman H; Oude Lansink, Alfons G J M

    2017-01-01

    Analysing farmer knowledge of the requirements of finance providers can provide valuable insights to policy makers about ways to improve farmers' access to finance. This study compares farmer knowledge of the requirements to obtain finance with the actual requirements set by different finance provider types, and investigates the relation between demographic and socioeconomic factors and farmer knowledge of finance requirements. We use a structured questionnaire to collect data from a sample of finance providers and farmers in Java Island, Indonesia. We find that the most important requirements to acquire finance vary among different finance provider types. We also find that farmers generally have little knowledge of the requirements, which are important to each type of finance provider. Awareness campaigns are needed to increase farmer knowledge of the diversity of requirements among the finance provider types.

  1. Accessibility and socio-economic development of human settlements.

    PubMed

    Hasan, Samiul; Wang, Xiaoming; Khoo, Yong Bing; Foliente, Greg

    2017-01-01

    Access to facilities, services and socio-economic opportunities plays a critical role in the growth and decline of cities and human settlements. Previous attempts to explain changes in socio-economic indicators by differences in accessibility have not been convincing as countries with highly developed transport infrastructure have only seen marginal benefits of infrastructure improvements. Australia offers an ideal case for investigating the effects of accessibility on development since it is seen as home to some of the most liveable cities in the world while, at the same time, it also has some of the most isolated settlements. We investigate herein the connectivity and accessibility of all 1814 human settlements (population centers exceeding 200 persons) in Australia, and how they relate to the socio-economic characteristics of, and opportunities in, each population center. Assuming population as a proxy indicator of available opportunities, we present a simple ranking metric for a settlement using the number of population and the distance required to access all other settlements (and the corresponding opportunities therein). We find a strikingly unequal distribution of access to opportunities in Australia, with a marked prominence of opportunities in capital cities in four of the eight states. The two largest cities of Sydney and Melbourne have a dominant position across all socio-economic indicators, compared to all the other cities. In general, we observe across all the settlements that a decrease in access to opportunities is associated with relatively greater socio-economic disadvantage including increased median age and unemployment rate and decreased median household income. Our methodology can be used to better understand the potential benefits of improved accessibility based on infrastructure development, especially for remote areas and for cities and towns with many socio-economically disadvantaged population.

  2. Accessibility and socio-economic development of human settlements

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Xiaoming; Khoo, Yong Bing; Foliente, Greg

    2017-01-01

    Access to facilities, services and socio-economic opportunities plays a critical role in the growth and decline of cities and human settlements. Previous attempts to explain changes in socio-economic indicators by differences in accessibility have not been convincing as countries with highly developed transport infrastructure have only seen marginal benefits of infrastructure improvements. Australia offers an ideal case for investigating the effects of accessibility on development since it is seen as home to some of the most liveable cities in the world while, at the same time, it also has some of the most isolated settlements. We investigate herein the connectivity and accessibility of all 1814 human settlements (population centers exceeding 200 persons) in Australia, and how they relate to the socio-economic characteristics of, and opportunities in, each population center. Assuming population as a proxy indicator of available opportunities, we present a simple ranking metric for a settlement using the number of population and the distance required to access all other settlements (and the corresponding opportunities therein). We find a strikingly unequal distribution of access to opportunities in Australia, with a marked prominence of opportunities in capital cities in four of the eight states. The two largest cities of Sydney and Melbourne have a dominant position across all socio-economic indicators, compared to all the other cities. In general, we observe across all the settlements that a decrease in access to opportunities is associated with relatively greater socio-economic disadvantage including increased median age and unemployment rate and decreased median household income. Our methodology can be used to better understand the potential benefits of improved accessibility based on infrastructure development, especially for remote areas and for cities and towns with many socio-economically disadvantaged population. PMID:28636630

  3. A workplace intervention program and the increase in HIV knowledge, perceived accessibility and use of condoms among young factory workers in Thailand.

    PubMed

    Chamratrithirong, Aphichat; Ford, Kathleen; Punpuing, Sureeporn; Prasartkul, Pramote

    2017-12-01

    Vulnerability to Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection among factory workers is a global problem. This study investigated the effectiveness of an intervention to increase AIDS knowledge, perceived accessibility to condoms and condom use among young factory workers in Thailand. The intervention was a workplace program designed to engage the private sector in HIV prevention. A cross-sectional survey conducted in 2008 to measure program outcomes in factories in Thailand was used in this study. The workplace intervention included the development of policies for management of HIV-positive employees, training sessions for managers and workers, and distribution of educational materials and condoms. A multi-level analysis was used to investigate the effect of HIV/AIDS prevention program components at the workplace on HIV/AIDS knowledge, perceived accessibility to condoms and condom use with regular sexual partners among 699 young factory workers (aged 18-24 years), controlling for their individual socio-demographic characteristics. Interventions related to the management and services component including workplace AIDS policy formulation, condom services programs and behavioral change campaigns were found to be significantly related to increased AIDS knowledge, perceived accessibility to condoms and condom use with regular partners. The effect of the HIV/AIDS training for managers, peer leaders and workers was positive but not statistically significant. With some revision of program components, scaling up of workplace interventions and the engagement of the private sector in HIV prevention should be seriously considered.

  4. The association between insured male expatriates' knowledge of health insurance benefits and lack of access to health care in Saudi Arabia.

    PubMed

    Alkhamis, Abdulwahab A

    2018-03-15

    Insufficient knowledge of health insurance benefits could be associated with lack of access to health care, particularly for minority populations. This study aims to assess the association between expatriates' knowledge of health insurance benefits and lack of access to health care. A cross-sectional study design was conducted from March 2015 to February 2016 among 3398 insured male expatriates in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The dependent variable was binary and expresses access or lack of access to health care. Independent variables included perceived and validated knowledge of health insurance benefits and other variables. Data were summarized by computing frequencies and percentage of all quantities of variables. To evaluate variations in knowledge, personal and job characteristics with lack of access to health care, the Chi square test was used. Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were recorded for each independent variable. Multiple logistic regression and stepwise logistic regression were performed and adjusted ORs were extracted. Descriptive analysis showed that 15% of participants lacked access to health care. The majority of these were unskilled laborers, usually with no education (17.5%), who had been working for less than 3 years (28.1%) in Saudi Arabia. A total of 23.3% worked for companies with less than 50 employees and 16.5% earned less than 4500 Saudi Riyals monthly ($1200). Many (20.3%) were young (< 30 years old) or older (17.9% ≥ 56 years old) and had no formal education (24.7%). Nearly half had fair or poor health status (49.5%), were uncomfortable conversing in Arabic (29.7%) or English (16.7%) and lacked previous knowledge of health insurance (18%). For perceived knowledge of health insurance, 55.2% scored 1 or 0 from total of 3. For validated knowledge, 16.9% scored 1 or 0 from total score of 4. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that only perceived knowledge of health insurance had significant associations with lack

  5. Employing human rights frameworks to realize access to an HIV cure.

    PubMed

    Meier, Benjamin Mason; Gelpi, Adriane; Kavanagh, Matthew M; Forman, Lisa; Amon, Joseph J

    2015-01-01

    The scale of the HIV pandemic - and the stigma, discrimination and violence that surrounded its sudden emergence - catalyzed a public health response that expanded human rights in principle and practice. In the absence of effective treatment, human rights activists initially sought to protect individuals at high risk of HIV infection. With advances in antiretroviral therapy, activists expanded their efforts under international law, advocating under the human right to health for individual access to treatment. As a clinical cure comes within reach, human rights obligations will continue to play a key role in political and programmatic decision-making. Building upon the evolving development and implementation of the human right to health in the global response to HIV, we outline a human rights research agenda to prepare for HIV cure access, investigating the role of human rights law in framing 1) resource allocation, 2) international obligations, 3) intellectual property and 4) freedom from coercion. The right to health is widely recognized as central to governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental responses to the pandemic and critical both to addressing vulnerability to infection and to ensuring universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support. While the advent of an HIV cure will raise new obligations for policymakers in implementing the right to health, the resolution of past debates surrounding HIV prevention and treatment may inform claims for universal access.

  6. Early Intervention With Transplantation Recipients to Improve Access to and Knowledge of Palliative Care.

    PubMed

    Harden, Karen L

    2016-08-01

    The literature continues to support that patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) receive early consultation with palliative care specialists. Nurses can be leaders in this initiative. This quality improvement project was conducted to determine whether patients undergoing HSCT, who were provided an early consultation with palliative care, would report increased knowledge and increased ability to access palliative services. Patients completed a postintervention questionnaire in which the majority of patients reported that they had increased knowledge about palliative care and learned how to access their services. Patient comments were positive about the successful intervention of early palliative care. The palliative care team, however, revealed a different view of the situation, showing that patients were often overwhelmed, anxious, and sometimes did not remember the content of their meetings.

  7. Knowledge-based personalized search engine for the Web-based Human Musculoskeletal System Resources (HMSR) in biomechanics.

    PubMed

    Dao, Tien Tuan; Hoang, Tuan Nha; Ta, Xuan Hien; Tho, Marie Christine Ho Ba

    2013-02-01

    Human musculoskeletal system resources of the human body are valuable for the learning and medical purposes. Internet-based information from conventional search engines such as Google or Yahoo cannot response to the need of useful, accurate, reliable and good-quality human musculoskeletal resources related to medical processes, pathological knowledge and practical expertise. In this present work, an advanced knowledge-based personalized search engine was developed. Our search engine was based on a client-server multi-layer multi-agent architecture and the principle of semantic web services to acquire dynamically accurate and reliable HMSR information by a semantic processing and visualization approach. A security-enhanced mechanism was applied to protect the medical information. A multi-agent crawler was implemented to develop a content-based database of HMSR information. A new semantic-based PageRank score with related mathematical formulas were also defined and implemented. As the results, semantic web service descriptions were presented in OWL, WSDL and OWL-S formats. Operational scenarios with related web-based interfaces for personal computers and mobile devices were presented and analyzed. Functional comparison between our knowledge-based search engine, a conventional search engine and a semantic search engine showed the originality and the robustness of our knowledge-based personalized search engine. In fact, our knowledge-based personalized search engine allows different users such as orthopedic patient and experts or healthcare system managers or medical students to access remotely into useful, accurate, reliable and good-quality HMSR information for their learning and medical purposes. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Access to human, animal, and environmental journals is still limited for the One Health community*

    PubMed Central

    Vreeland, Carol E.; Alpi, Kristine M.; Pike, Caitlin A.; Whitman, Elisabeth E.; Kennedy-Stoskopf, Suzanne

    2016-01-01

    Objective “One Health” is an interdisciplinary approach to evaluating and managing the health and well-being of humans, animals, and the environments they share that relies on knowledge from the domains of human health, animal health, and the environmental sciences. The authors' objective was to evaluate the extent of open access (OA) to journal articles in a sample of literature from these domains. We hypothesized that OA to articles in human health or environmental journals was greater than access to animal health literature. Methods A One Health seminar series provided fifteen topics. One librarian translated each topic into a search strategy and searched four databases for articles from 2011 to 2012. Two independent investigators assigned each article to human health, the environment, animal health, all, other, or combined categories. Article and journal-level OA were determined. Each journal was also assigned a subject category and its indexing evaluated. Results Searches retrieved 2,651 unique articles from 1,138 journals; 1,919 (72%) articles came from 406 journals that contributed more than 1 article. Seventy-seven (7%) journals dealt with all 3 One Health domains; the remaining journals represented human health 487 (43%), environment 172 (15%), animal health 141 (12%), and other/combined categories 261 (23%). The proportion of OA journals in animal health (40%) differed significantly from journals categorized as human (28%), environment (28%), and more than 1 category (29%). The proportion of OA for articles by subject categories ranged from 25%–34%; only the difference between human (34%) and environment (25%) was significant. Conclusions OA to human health literature is more comparable to animal health than hypothesized. Environmental journals had less OA than anticipated. PMID:27076796

  9. Access to human, animal, and environmental journals is still limited for the One Health community.

    PubMed

    Vreeland, Carol E; Alpi, Kristine M; Pike, Caitlin A; Whitman, Elisabeth E; Kennedy-Stoskopf, Suzanne

    2016-04-01

    "One Health" is an interdisciplinary approach to evaluating and managing the health and well-being of humans, animals, and the environments they share that relies on knowledge from the domains of human health, animal health, and the environmental sciences. The authors' objective was to evaluate the extent of open access (OA) to journal articles in a sample of literature from these domains. We hypothesized that OA to articles in human health or environmental journals was greater than access to animal health literature. A One Health seminar series provided fifteen topics. One librarian translated each topic into a search strategy and searched four databases for articles from 2011 to 2012. Two independent investigators assigned each article to human health, the environment, animal health, all, other, or combined categories. Article and journal-level OA were determined. Each journal was also assigned a subject category and its indexing evaluated. Searches retrieved 2,651 unique articles from 1,138 journals; 1,919 (72%) articles came from 406 journals that contributed more than 1 article. Seventy-seven (7%) journals dealt with all 3 One Health domains; the remaining journals represented human health 487 (43%), environment 172 (15%), animal health 141 (12%), and other/combined categories 261 (23%). The proportion of OA journals in animal health (40%) differed significantly from journals categorized as human (28%), environment (28%), and more than 1 category (29%). The proportion of OA for articles by subject categories ranged from 25%-34%; only the difference between human (34%) and environment (25%) was significant. OA to human health literature is more comparable to animal health than hypothesized. Environmental journals had less OA than anticipated.

  10. Considerations on private human access to space from an institutional point of view

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hufenbach, Bernhard

    2013-12-01

    Private human access to space as discussed in this article addresses two market segments: suborbital flight and crew flights to Low Earth Orbit. The role of entrepreneurs, the technical complexity, the customers, the market conditions as well as the time to market in these two segments differ significantly. Space agencies take currently a very different approach towards private human access to space in both segments. Analysing the outcome of broader inter-agency deliberations on the future of human spaceflight and exploration, performed e.g. in the framework of the International Space Exploration Coordination Group, enables to derive some common general views on this topic. Various documents developed by inter-agency working groups recognise the general strategic importance for enabling private human access to space for ensuring a sustainable future of human spaceflight, although the specific definition of private human access and approaches vary. ESA has performed some reflections on this subject throughout the last 5 years. While it gained through these reflections a good understanding on the opportunities and implications resulting from the development of capabilities and markets for Private Human Access, limited concrete activities have been initiated in relation to this topic as of today.

  11. Access to finance from different finance provider types: Farmer knowledge of the requirements

    PubMed Central

    Meuwissen, Miranda P. M.; Karmana, Maman H.; Oude Lansink, Alfons G. J. M.

    2017-01-01

    Analysing farmer knowledge of the requirements of finance providers can provide valuable insights to policy makers about ways to improve farmers’ access to finance. This study compares farmer knowledge of the requirements to obtain finance with the actual requirements set by different finance provider types, and investigates the relation between demographic and socioeconomic factors and farmer knowledge of finance requirements. We use a structured questionnaire to collect data from a sample of finance providers and farmers in Java Island, Indonesia. We find that the most important requirements to acquire finance vary among different finance provider types. We also find that farmers generally have little knowledge of the requirements, which are important to each type of finance provider. Awareness campaigns are needed to increase farmer knowledge of the diversity of requirements among the finance provider types. PMID:28877174

  12. Producing More Actionable Science Isn't the Problem; It's Providing Decision-Makers with Access to Right Actionable Knowledge

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Trexler, M.

    2017-12-01

    Policy-makers today have almost infinite climate-relevant scientific and other information available to them. The problem for climate change decision-making isn't missing science or inadequate knowledge of climate risks; the problem is that the "right" climate change actionable knowledge isn't getting to the right decision-maker, or is getting there too early or too late to effectively influence her decision-making. Actionable knowledge is not one-size-fit-all, and for a given decision-maker might involve scientific, economic, or risk-based information. Simply producing more and more information as we are today is not the solution, and actually makes it harder for individual decision-makers to access "their" actionable knowledge. The Climatographers began building the Climate Web five years ago to test the hypothesis that a knowledge management system could help navigate the gap between infinite information and individual actionable knowledge. Today the Climate Web's more than 1,500 index terms allow instant access to almost any climate change topic. It is a curated public-access knowledgebase of more than 1,000 books, 2,000 videos, 15,000 reports and articles, 25,000 news stories, and 3,000 websites. But it is also much more, linking together tens of thousands of individually extracted ideas and graphics, and providing Deep Dives into more than 100 key topics from changing probability distributions of extreme events to climate communications best practices to cognitive dissonance in climate change decision-making. The public-access Climate Web is uniquely able to support cross-silo learning, collaboration, and actionable knowledge dissemination. The presentation will use the Climate Web to demonstrate why knowledge management should be seen as a critical component of science and policy-making collaborations.

  13. Snag density varies with intensity of timber harvest and human access

    Treesearch

    Michael J. Wisdom; Lisa J. Bate

    2008-01-01

    Many species of vertebrates depend on snags (standing dead trees) for persistence, and limited research suggests that snag density is lower in areas of intensive timber harvest and increased human access. While intensive timber harvest is one source of potential snag loss, ease of human access to forest stands may also facilitate loss via firewood cutting of snags....

  14. The effect of an educational program for vascular access care on nurses' knowledge at dialysis centers in Khartoum State, Sudan.

    PubMed

    Yousif, Kalthoum Ibrahim; Abu-Aisha, Hasan; Abboud, Omar Ibrahim

    2017-01-01

    End-stage renal disease is a worldwide problem that requires highly skilled nursing care. Hemodialysis (HD) is a corner-stone procedure in the management of most patients who require renal replacement therapy. Adequate vascular access is essential for the successful use of HD. Appropriate knowledge in taking care of vascular access is essential for minimizing complications and accurately recognizing vascular access-related problems. This study was to evaluate the effect of an educational program for vascular access care on nurses' knowledge at nine dialysis centers in Khartoum State. This was a Quasi experimental study (pre-and post-test for the same group). Sixty-one nurses working in these HD centers were chosen by simple random sampling method. A structured face-to-face interview questionnaire based on the Kidney Dialysis Outcome Quality Initiative (K/DOQI) clinical practice guidelines for vascular access care was used. Instrument validity was determined through content validity by a panel of experts. Reliability of the instrument was tested by a pilot study to test the knowledge scores for 15 nurses. The Pearson correlation coefficient obtained was (r = 0.82). Data collection was taken before and after the educational intervention. A follow-up test was performed three month later, using the same data collection tools. Twenty-two individual variables assessing the knowledge levels in aspects related to the six K/DOQI guidelines showed improvement in all scores of the nurses' knowledge after the educational intervention; and the differences from the preeducational scores were statistically significant (P < 0.001). The study showed that a structured educational program based on the K/DOQI clinical practice guidelines had a significant impact on the dialysis nurses knowledge in caring for vascular access in HD patients. The knowledge level attained was maintained for at least three months after the educational intervention.

  15. Long-Term Surveillance and Maintenance Records: Maintaining Access to the Knowledge - 13122

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Montgomery, John; Gueretta, Jeanie; McKinney, Ruth

    The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Legacy Management (LM) is an integral part of DOE's strategy to ensure that legacy liabilities of former nuclear weapons production sites are properly managed following the completion of environmental cleanup activities. In the area of environmental legacy management, records management is crucial to the protection of health, environmental, and legal interests of the Department and the public. LM is responsible for maintaining long-term surveillance and maintenance (LTS and M) records in performance of its mission. Maintaining access to the knowledge contained in these record collections is one of LM's primary responsibilities. Tomore » fulfill this responsibility, LM established a consolidated records management facility, the LM Business Center (LMBC), to house physical media records and electronic records. A new electronic record keeping system (ERKS) was needed to replace an obsolete system while helping to ensure LM is able to meet ongoing responsibilities to maintain access to knowledge and control the life cycle management of records. (authors)« less

  16. Employing human rights frameworks to realize access to an HIV cure

    PubMed Central

    Meier, Benjamin Mason; Gelpi, Adriane; Kavanagh, Matthew M; Forman, Lisa; Amon, Joseph J

    2015-01-01

    Introduction The scale of the HIV pandemic – and the stigma, discrimination and violence that surrounded its sudden emergence – catalyzed a public health response that expanded human rights in principle and practice. In the absence of effective treatment, human rights activists initially sought to protect individuals at high risk of HIV infection. With advances in antiretroviral therapy, activists expanded their efforts under international law, advocating under the human right to health for individual access to treatment. Discussion As a clinical cure comes within reach, human rights obligations will continue to play a key role in political and programmatic decision-making. Building upon the evolving development and implementation of the human right to health in the global response to HIV, we outline a human rights research agenda to prepare for HIV cure access, investigating the role of human rights law in framing 1) resource allocation, 2) international obligations, 3) intellectual property and 4) freedom from coercion. Conclusions The right to health is widely recognized as central to governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental responses to the pandemic and critical both to addressing vulnerability to infection and to ensuring universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support. While the advent of an HIV cure will raise new obligations for policymakers in implementing the right to health, the resolution of past debates surrounding HIV prevention and treatment may inform claims for universal access. PMID:26568056

  17. Accessing world knowledge: evidence from N400 and reaction time priming.

    PubMed

    Chwilla, Dorothee J; Kolk, Herman H J

    2005-12-01

    How fast are we in accessing world knowledge? In two experiments, we tested for priming for word triplets that described a conceptual script (e.g., DIRECTOR-BRIBE-DISMISSAL) but were not associatively related and did not share a category relationship. Event-related brain potentials were used to track the time course at which script information becomes available. In Experiment 1, in which participants made lexical decisions, we found a facilitation for script-related relative to unrelated triplets, as indicated by (i) a decrease in both reaction time and errors, and (ii) an N400-like priming effect. In Experiment 2, we further explored the locus of script priming by increasing the contribution of meaning integration processes. The participants' task was to indicate whether the three words presented a plausible scenario. Again, an N400 script priming effect was obtained. Directing attention to script relations was effective in enhancing the N400 effect. The time course of the N400 effect was similar to that of the standard N400 effect to semantic relations. The present results show that script priming can be obtained in the visual modality, and that script information is immediately accessed and integrated with context. This supports the view that script information forms a central aspect of word meaning. The RT and N400 script priming effects reported in this article are problematic for most current semantic priming models, like spreading activation models, expectancy models, and task-specific semantic matching/integration models. They support a view in which there is no clear cutoff point between semantic knowledge and world knowledge.

  18. Open access publishing and author-pays business models: a survey of authors' knowledge and perceptions

    PubMed Central

    Schroter, Sara; Tite, Leanne

    2006-01-01

    Objectives: We aimed to assess journal authors' current knowledge and perceptions of open access and author-pays publishing. Design: An electronic survey. Setting: Authors of research papers submitted to BMJ, Archives of Disease in Childhood, and Journal of Medical Genetics in 2004. Main outcome measures: Familiarity with and perceptions of open access and author-pays publishing. Results: 468/1113 (42%) responded. Prior to definitions being provided, 47% (222/468) and 38% (176/468) reported they were familiar with the terms `open access' and `author-pays' publishing, respectively. Some who did not at first recognize the terms, did claim to recognize them when they were defined. Only 10% (49/468) had submitted to an author-pays journal. Compared with non-open access subscription-based journals, 35% agreed that open access author-pays journals have a greater capacity to publish more content making it easier to get published, 27% thought they had lower impact factors, 31% thought they had faster and more timely publicaitons, and 46% agreed that people will think anyone can pay to get published. 55% (256/468) thought they would not continue to submit to their respective journal if it became open access and charged, largely because of the reputaiton of the journals. Half (54%, 255/468) said open access has `no impact' or was `low priority' in their submission decisions. Two-thirds (66%, 308/468) said they would prefer to submit to a non-open access subscription-based journal than an open access author-pays journal. Over half thought they would have to make a contribution or pay the full cost of an author charge (56%, 262/468). Conclusions: The survey yielded useful information about respondents' knowledge and perceptions of these publishing models. Authors have limited familiarity with the concept of open-access publishing and surrounding issues. Currently, open access policies have little impact on authors' decision of where to submit papers. PMID:16508053

  19. Parametric Grid Information in the DOE Knowledge Base: Data Preparation, Storage, and Access

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    HIPP,JAMES R.; MOORE,SUSAN G.; MYERS,STEPHEN C.

    The parametric grid capability of the Knowledge Base provides an efficient, robust way to store and access interpolatable information which is needed to monitor the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. To meet both the accuracy and performance requirements of operational monitoring systems, we use a new approach which combines the error estimation of kriging with the speed and robustness of Natural Neighbor Interpolation (NNI). The method involves three basic steps: data preparation (DP), data storage (DS), and data access (DA). The goal of data preparation is to process a set of raw data points to produce a sufficient basis formore » accurate NNI of value and error estimates in the Data Access step. This basis includes a set of nodes and their connectedness, collectively known as a tessellation, and the corresponding values and errors that map to each node, which we call surfaces. In many cases, the raw data point distribution is not sufficiently dense to guarantee accurate error estimates from the NNI, so the original data set must be densified using a newly developed interpolation technique known as Modified Bayesian Kriging. Once appropriate kriging parameters have been determined by variogram analysis, the optimum basis for NNI is determined in a process they call mesh refinement, which involves iterative kriging, new node insertion, and Delauny triangle smoothing. The process terminates when an NNI basis has been calculated which will fir the kriged values within a specified tolerance. In the data storage step, the tessellations and surfaces are stored in the Knowledge Base, currently in a binary flatfile format but perhaps in the future in a spatially-indexed database. Finally, in the data access step, a client application makes a request for an interpolated value, which triggers a data fetch from the Knowledge Base through the libKBI interface, a walking triangle search for the containing triangle, and finally the NNI interpolation.« less

  20. Why Atens Enjoy Enhanced Accessibility for Human Space Flight

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Barbee, Brent W.; Adamo, Daniel R.

    2011-01-01

    Near-Earth objects can be grouped into multiple orbit classifications, among them being the Aten group, whose members have orbits crossing Earth's with semi-major axes less than 1 astronomical unit. Atens comprise well under 10% of known near-Earth objects. This is in dramatic contrast to results from recent human space flight near-Earth object accessibility studies, where the most favorable known destinations are typically almost 50% Atens. Geocentric dynamics explain this enhanced Aten accessibility and lead to an understanding of where the most accessible near-Earth objects reside. Without a comprehensive space-based survey, however, highly accessible Atens will remain largely unknown.

  1. Knowledge Management, Human Resource Management, and Higher Education: A Theoretical Model

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brewer, Peggy D.; Brewer, Kristen L.

    2010-01-01

    Much has been written on the importance of knowledge management, the challenges facing organizations, and the important human resource management activities involved in assuring the acquisition and transfer of knowledge. Higher business education plays an important role in preparing students to assume the knowledge management and human resource…

  2. MyPyramid.gov knowledge and access among rural southwest Mississippi African American adolescents

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    This study used a qualitative approach to identify knowledge of food recommendations found on MyPyramid.gov and access to MyPyramid.gov among limited-income African American youth. We conducted 5 single-sex focus groups with 9 boys and 30 girls (grades 5th and 6th). Data processing and analysis incl...

  3. Effects of Dimensions of Word Knowledge and Their Accessibility on Different Levels of Reading Comprehension in Adolescent EFL Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Choi, Yunjeong

    2017-01-01

    Researchers have investigated that different dimensions of word knowledge (breadth versus depth) may play distinct roles in second language (L2) reading comprehension. Yet, little research has addressed how learners' efficiency of accessing those dimensions of knowledge functions in their comprehension (i.e., the issue of knowledge availability…

  4. GENOME-WIDE GENETIC INTERACTION ANALYSIS OF GLAUCOMA USING EXPERT KNOWLEDGE DERIVED FROM HUMAN PHENOTYPE NETWORKS

    PubMed Central

    HU, TING; DARABOS, CHRISTIAN; CRICCO, MARIA E.; KONG, EMILY; MOORE, JASON H.

    2014-01-01

    The large volume of GWAS data poses great computational challenges for analyzing genetic interactions associated with common human diseases. We propose a computational framework for characterizing epistatic interactions among large sets of genetic attributes in GWAS data. We build the human phenotype network (HPN) and focus around a disease of interest. In this study, we use the GLAUGEN glaucoma GWAS dataset and apply the HPN as a biological knowledge-based filter to prioritize genetic variants. Then, we use the statistical epistasis network (SEN) to identify a significant connected network of pairwise epistatic interactions among the prioritized SNPs. These clearly highlight the complex genetic basis of glaucoma. Furthermore, we identify key SNPs by quantifying structural network characteristics. Through functional annotation of these key SNPs using Biofilter, a software accessing multiple publicly available human genetic data sources, we find supporting biomedical evidences linking glaucoma to an array of genetic diseases, proving our concept. We conclude by suggesting hypotheses for a better understanding of the disease. PMID:25592582

  5. Bringing the Humanities to the Countryside: Improving Access to the Humanities in Western Minnesota.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Groen, Gerrit, Ed.; Pichaske, David, Ed.

    The use of new technologies to deliver courses in humanities to adult, off-campus students in rural western Minnesota is described in nine essays. A 4-year project was funded to improve access to the humanities, resulting in the redesign of 40 courses since 1981. In addition discussing the background of the project, evaluative mechanisms, and…

  6. The Role of Accessibility of Semantic Word Knowledge in Monolingual and Bilingual Fifth-Grade Reading

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cremer, M.; Schoonen, R.

    2013-01-01

    The influences of word decoding, availability, and accessibility of semantic word knowledge on reading comprehension were investigated for monolingual "("n = 65) and bilingual children ("n" = 70). Despite equal decoding abilities, monolingual children outperformed bilingual children with regard to reading comprehension and…

  7. Human access and landscape structure effects on Andean forest bird richness

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aubad, Jorge; Aragón, Pedro; Rodríguez, Miguel Á.

    2010-07-01

    We analyzed the influence of human access and landscape structure on forest bird species richness in a fragmented landscape of the Colombian Andes. In Latin America, habitat loss and fragmentation are considered as the greatest threats to biodiversity because a large number of countryside villagers complement their food and incomes with the extraction of forest resources. Anthropogenic actions may also affect forest species by bird hunting or indirectly through modifying the structure of forest habitats. We surveyed 14 secondary cloud forest remnants to generate bird species richness data for each of them. We also quantified six landscape structure descriptors of forest patch size (patch area and core area), shape (perimeter of each fragment and the Patton's shape index) and isolation (nearest neighbor distance and edge contrast), and generated (using principal components analysis) a synthetic human influence variable based on the distance of each fragment to roads and villages, as well as the total slope of the fragments. Species richness was related to these variables using generalized linear models (GLMs) complemented with model selection techniques based on information theory and partial regression analysis. We found that forest patch size and accessibility were key drivers of bird richness, which increased toward largest patches, but decreased in those more accessible to humans and their potential disturbances. Both patch area and human access effects on forest bird species richness were complementary and similar in magnitude. Our results provide a basis for biodiversity conservation plans and initiatives of Andean forest diversity.

  8. Phylotastic! Making tree-of-life knowledge accessible, reusable and convenient

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background Scientists rarely reuse expert knowledge of phylogeny, in spite of years of effort to assemble a great “Tree of Life” (ToL). A notable exception involves the use of Phylomatic, which provides tools to generate custom phylogenies from a large, pre-computed, expert phylogeny of plant taxa. This suggests great potential for a more generalized system that, starting with a query consisting of a list of any known species, would rectify non-standard names, identify expert phylogenies containing the implicated taxa, prune away unneeded parts, and supply branch lengths and annotations, resulting in a custom phylogeny suited to the user’s needs. Such a system could become a sustainable community resource if implemented as a distributed system of loosely coupled parts that interact through clearly defined interfaces. Results With the aim of building such a “phylotastic” system, the NESCent Hackathons, Interoperability, Phylogenies (HIP) working group recruited 2 dozen scientist-programmers to a weeklong programming hackathon in June 2012. During the hackathon (and a three-month follow-up period), 5 teams produced designs, implementations, documentation, presentations, and tests including: (1) a generalized scheme for integrating components; (2) proof-of-concept pruners and controllers; (3) a meta-API for taxonomic name resolution services; (4) a system for storing, finding, and retrieving phylogenies using semantic web technologies for data exchange, storage, and querying; (5) an innovative new service, DateLife.org, which synthesizes pre-computed, time-calibrated phylogenies to assign ages to nodes; and (6) demonstration projects. These outcomes are accessible via a public code repository (GitHub.com), a website (http://www.phylotastic.org), and a server image. Conclusions Approximately 9 person-months of effort (centered on a software development hackathon) resulted in the design and implementation of proof-of-concept software for 4 core phylotastic

  9. Phylotastic! Making tree-of-life knowledge accessible, reusable and convenient.

    PubMed

    Stoltzfus, Arlin; Lapp, Hilmar; Matasci, Naim; Deus, Helena; Sidlauskas, Brian; Zmasek, Christian M; Vaidya, Gaurav; Pontelli, Enrico; Cranston, Karen; Vos, Rutger; Webb, Campbell O; Harmon, Luke J; Pirrung, Megan; O'Meara, Brian; Pennell, Matthew W; Mirarab, Siavash; Rosenberg, Michael S; Balhoff, James P; Bik, Holly M; Heath, Tracy A; Midford, Peter E; Brown, Joseph W; McTavish, Emily Jane; Sukumaran, Jeet; Westneat, Mark; Alfaro, Michael E; Steele, Aaron; Jordan, Greg

    2013-05-13

    Scientists rarely reuse expert knowledge of phylogeny, in spite of years of effort to assemble a great "Tree of Life" (ToL). A notable exception involves the use of Phylomatic, which provides tools to generate custom phylogenies from a large, pre-computed, expert phylogeny of plant taxa. This suggests great potential for a more generalized system that, starting with a query consisting of a list of any known species, would rectify non-standard names, identify expert phylogenies containing the implicated taxa, prune away unneeded parts, and supply branch lengths and annotations, resulting in a custom phylogeny suited to the user's needs. Such a system could become a sustainable community resource if implemented as a distributed system of loosely coupled parts that interact through clearly defined interfaces. With the aim of building such a "phylotastic" system, the NESCent Hackathons, Interoperability, Phylogenies (HIP) working group recruited 2 dozen scientist-programmers to a weeklong programming hackathon in June 2012. During the hackathon (and a three-month follow-up period), 5 teams produced designs, implementations, documentation, presentations, and tests including: (1) a generalized scheme for integrating components; (2) proof-of-concept pruners and controllers; (3) a meta-API for taxonomic name resolution services; (4) a system for storing, finding, and retrieving phylogenies using semantic web technologies for data exchange, storage, and querying; (5) an innovative new service, DateLife.org, which synthesizes pre-computed, time-calibrated phylogenies to assign ages to nodes; and (6) demonstration projects. These outcomes are accessible via a public code repository (GitHub.com), a website (http://www.phylotastic.org), and a server image. Approximately 9 person-months of effort (centered on a software development hackathon) resulted in the design and implementation of proof-of-concept software for 4 core phylotastic components, 3 controllers, and 3 end

  10. Assessing Student Knowledge of and Attitudes toward the Humanities.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dallinger, Judith M.; Mann, Karen B.

    2000-01-01

    Reports on the development and use at Western Illinois University of a survey to examine students' (n=787) knowledge of and attitudes toward the humanities. Students generally did not understand the reasoning behind the humanities requirement, could not explain differences between the humanities and social studies, and saw little relevance of the…

  11. Semi-automated knowledge discovery: identifying and profiling human trafficking

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Poelmans, Jonas; Elzinga, Paul; Ignatov, Dmitry I.; Kuznetsov, Sergei O.

    2012-11-01

    We propose an iterative and human-centred knowledge discovery methodology based on formal concept analysis. The proposed approach recognizes the important role of the domain expert in mining real-world enterprise applications and makes use of specific domain knowledge, including human intelligence and domain-specific constraints. Our approach was empirically validated at the Amsterdam-Amstelland police to identify suspects and victims of human trafficking in 266,157 suspicious activity reports. Based on guidelines of the Attorney Generals of the Netherlands, we first defined multiple early warning indicators that were used to index the police reports. Using concept lattices, we revealed numerous unknown human trafficking and loverboy suspects. In-depth investigation by the police resulted in a confirmation of their involvement in illegal activities resulting in actual arrestments been made. Our human-centred approach was embedded into operational policing practice and is now successfully used on a daily basis to cope with the vastly growing amount of unstructured information.

  12. Validation of an instrument to assess evidence-based practice knowledge, attitudes, access, and confidence in the dental environment.

    PubMed

    Hendricson, William D; Rugh, John D; Hatch, John P; Stark, Debra L; Deahl, Thomas; Wallmann, Elizabeth R

    2011-02-01

    This article reports the validation of an assessment instrument designed to measure the outcomes of training in evidence-based practice (EBP) in the context of dentistry. Four EBP dimensions are measured by this instrument: 1) understanding of EBP concepts, 2) attitudes about EBP, 3) evidence-accessing methods, and 4) confidence in critical appraisal. The instrument-the Knowledge, Attitudes, Access, and Confidence Evaluation (KACE)-has four scales, with a total of thirty-five items: EBP knowledge (ten items), EBP attitudes (ten), accessing evidence (nine), and confidence (six). Four elements of validity were assessed: consistency of items within the KACE scales (extent to which items within a scale measure the same dimension), discrimination (capacity to detect differences between individuals with different training or experience), responsiveness (capacity to detect the effects of education on trainees), and test-retest reliability. Internal consistency of scales was assessed by analyzing responses of second-year dental students, dental residents, and dental faculty members using Cronbach coefficient alpha, a statistical measure of reliability. Discriminative validity was assessed by comparing KACE scores for the three groups. Responsiveness was assessed by comparing pre- and post-training responses for dental students and residents. To measure test-retest reliability, the full KACE was completed twice by a class of freshman dental students seventeen days apart, and the knowledge scale was completed twice by sixteen faculty members fourteen days apart. Item-to-scale consistency ranged from 0.21 to 0.78 for knowledge, 0.57 to 0.83 for attitude, 0.70 to 0.84 for accessing evidence, and 0.87 to 0.94 for confidence. For discrimination, ANOVA and post hoc testing by the Tukey-Kramer method revealed significant score differences among students, residents, and faculty members consistent with education and experience levels. For responsiveness to training, dental students

  13. Deconstructing Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Knowledge: Objective and Perceived Knowledge in Males' Intentions to Receive the HPV Vaccine

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Krawczyk, Andrea; Stephenson, Ellen; Perez, Samara; Lau, Elsa; Rosberger, Zeev

    2013-01-01

    Background: The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine was recently approved for men. To effectively tailor HPV education efforts toward men, it is important to understand what men know about HPV and how this knowledge relates to their decision to receive the vaccine. This study examines how objective HPV knowledge, objective HPV vaccine knowledge,…

  14. Access to Education with Online Learning and Open Educational Resources: Can They Close the Gap?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Geith, Christine; Vignare, Karen

    2008-01-01

    One of the key concepts in the right to education is access: access to the means to fully develop as human beings as well as access to the means to gain skills, knowledge and credentials. This is an important perspective through which to examine the solutions to access enabled by Open Educational Resources (OER) and online learning. The authors…

  15. HEDS - EPA DATABASE SYSTEM FOR PUBLIC ACCESS TO HUMAN EXPOSURE DATA

    EPA Science Inventory

    Human Exposure Database System (HEDS) is an Internet-based system developed to provide public access to human-exposure-related data from studies conducted by EPA's National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL). HEDS was designed to work with the EPA Office of Research and Devel...

  16. Potential Knowledge Management Contributions to Human Performance Technology Research and Practice.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schwen, Thomas M.; Kalman, Howard K.; Hara, Noriko; Kisling, Eric L.

    1998-01-01

    Considers aspects of knowledge management that have the potential to enhance human-performance-technology research and practice. Topics include intellectual capital; learning organization versus organizational learning; the importance of epistemology; the relationship of knowledge, learning, and performance; knowledge creation; socio-technical…

  17. Correspondence: World Wide Web access to the British Universities Human Embryo Database

    PubMed Central

    AITON, JAMES F.; MCDONOUGH, ARIANA; MCLACHLAN, JOHN C.; SMART, STEVEN D.; WHITEN, SUSAN C.

    1997-01-01

    The British Universities Human Embryo Database has been created by merging information from the Walmsley Collection of Human Embryos at the School of Biological and Medical Sciences, University of St Andrews and from the Boyd Collection of Human Embryos at the Department of Anatomy, University of Cambridge. The database has been made available electronically on the Internet and World Wide Web browsers can be used to implement interactive access to the information stored in the British Universities Human Embryo Database. The database can, therefore, be accessed and searched from remote sites and specific embryos can be identified in terms of their location, age, developmental stage, plane of section, staining technique, and other parameters. It is intended to add information from other similar collections in the UK as it becomes available. PMID:9034891

  18. Accessing naïve human pluripotency

    PubMed Central

    De Los Angeles, Alejandro; Loh, Yuin-Han; Tesar, Paul J; Daley, George Q

    2014-01-01

    Pluripotency manifests during mammalian development through formation of the epiblast, founder tissue of the embryo proper. Rodent pluripotent stem cells can be considered as two distinct states: naïve and primed. Naïve pluripotent stem cell lines are distinguished from primed cells by self-renewal in response to LIF signaling and MEK/GSK3 inhibition (LIF/2i conditions) and two active X chromosomes in female cells. In rodent cells, the naïve pluripotent state may be accessed through at least three routes: explantation of the inner cell mass, somatic cell reprogramming by ectopic Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, and C-myc, and direct reversion of primed post-implantation-associated epiblast stem cells (EpiSCs). In contrast to their rodent counterparts, human embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells more closely resemble rodent primed EpiSCs. A critical question is whether naïve human pluripotent stem cells with bona fide features of both a pluripotent state and naïve-specific features can be obtained. In this review, we outline current understanding of the differences between these pluripotent states in mice, new perspectives on the origins of naïve pluripotency in rodents, and recent attempts to apply the rodent paradigm to capture naïve pluripotency in human cells. Unraveling how to stably induce naïve pluripotency in human cells will influence the full realization of human pluripotent stem cell biology and medicine. PMID:22463982

  19. Applying human rights to improve access to reproductive health services.

    PubMed

    Shaw, Dorothy; Cook, Rebecca J

    2012-10-01

    Universal access to reproductive health is a target of Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 5B, and along with MDG 5A to reduce maternal mortality by three-quarters, progress is currently too slow for most countries to achieve these targets by 2015. Critical to success are increased and sustainable numbers of skilled healthcare workers and financing of essential medicines by governments, who have made political commitments in United Nations forums to renew their efforts to reduce maternal mortality. National essential medicine lists are not reflective of medicines available free or at cost in facilities or in the community. The WHO Essential Medicines List indicates medicines required for maternal and newborn health including the full range of contraceptives and emergency contraception, but there is no consistent monitoring of implementation of national lists through procurement and supply even for basic essential drugs. Health advocates are using human rights mechanisms to ensure governments honor their legal commitments to ensure access to services essential for reproductive health. Maternal mortality is recognized as a human rights violation by the United Nations and constitutional and human rights are being used, and could be used more effectively, to improve maternity services and to ensure access to drugs essential for reproductive health. Copyright © 2012 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Evaluation of Florida physicians' knowledge and attitudes toward accessing the state prescription drug monitoring program as a prescribing tool.

    PubMed

    Gershman, Jennifer A; Gershman, Jason A; Fass, Andrea D; Popovici, Ioana

    2014-12-01

    The purpose of this study is to assess Florida physicians' attitudes and knowledge toward accessing the state's prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP). Five thousand medical doctors and osteopathic physicians licensed in Florida were randomly selected for a voluntary and anonymous 15-question self-administered survey approved by the Institutional Review Board. Surveys were distributed through U.S. postal service mail. Likert-scale questions were used to assess prior knowledge (1 = none to 5 = excellent) and attitudes toward accessing the PDMP (1 = strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree). The study yielded a response rate of 7.8%, 71.5% of whom agreed or strongly agreed that the PDMP is a useful tool. Among participants that have access and answered the PDMP usefulness question, 94.8% agree or strongly agree that it is a useful tool. There were 63 out of 64 physicians (98.4%) who conducted 25 or more searches who agreed or strongly agreed that the PDMP is a useful tool for monitoring patients' controlled substance histories. There were 72.5% of participants with access that answered the "doctor shopping" question who agreed that "doctor shopping" will decrease. Among the 64 most frequent PDMP users, 69.4% agreed or strongly agreed that they have prescribed fewer controlled substances after accessing the PDMP. The study revealed that a majority of participants believe that the PDMP is a useful tool for monitoring patients' controlled substance histories. More continuing education programs should be provided to Florida physicians to enhance their knowledge regarding PDMPs. Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  1. Planetary Protection Knowledge Gaps for Human Extraterrestrial Missions: Workshop Report

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Race, Margaret S. (Editor); Johnson, James E. (Editor); Spry, James A. (Editor); Siegel, Bette; Conley, Catharine A.

    2015-01-01

    This report on Planetary Protection Knowledge Gaps for Human Extraterrestrial Missions summarizes the presentations, deliberations and findings of a workshop at NASA Ames Research Center, March 24-26, 2015, which was attended by more than 100 participants representing a diverse mix of science, engineering, technology, and policy areas. The main objective of the three-day workshop was to identify specific knowledge gaps that need to be addressed to make incremental progress towards the development of NASA Procedural Requirements (NPRs) for Planetary Protection during human missions to Mars.

  2. The shaping of social perception by stimulus and knowledge cues to human animacy

    PubMed Central

    Ramsey, Richard; Liepelt, Roman; Prinz, Wolfgang; Hamilton, Antonia F. de C.

    2016-01-01

    Although robots are becoming an ever-growing presence in society, we do not hold the same expectations for robots as we do for humans, nor do we treat them the same. As such, the ability to recognize cues to human animacy is fundamental for guiding social interactions. We review literature that demonstrates cortical networks associated with person perception, action observation and mentalizing are sensitive to human animacy information. In addition, we show that most prior research has explored stimulus properties of artificial agents (humanness of appearance or motion), with less investigation into knowledge cues (whether an agent is believed to have human or artificial origins). Therefore, currently little is known about the relationship between stimulus and knowledge cues to human animacy in terms of cognitive and brain mechanisms. Using fMRI, an elaborate belief manipulation, and human and robot avatars, we found that knowledge cues to human animacy modulate engagement of person perception and mentalizing networks, while stimulus cues to human animacy had less impact on social brain networks. These findings demonstrate that self–other similarities are not only grounded in physical features but are also shaped by prior knowledge. More broadly, as artificial agents fulfil increasingly social roles, a challenge for roboticists will be to manage the impact of pre-conceived beliefs while optimizing human-like design. PMID:26644594

  3. The shaping of social perception by stimulus and knowledge cues to human animacy.

    PubMed

    Cross, Emily S; Ramsey, Richard; Liepelt, Roman; Prinz, Wolfgang; de C Hamilton, Antonia F

    2016-01-19

    Although robots are becoming an ever-growing presence in society, we do not hold the same expectations for robots as we do for humans, nor do we treat them the same. As such, the ability to recognize cues to human animacy is fundamental for guiding social interactions. We review literature that demonstrates cortical networks associated with person perception, action observation and mentalizing are sensitive to human animacy information. In addition, we show that most prior research has explored stimulus properties of artificial agents (humanness of appearance or motion), with less investigation into knowledge cues (whether an agent is believed to have human or artificial origins). Therefore, currently little is known about the relationship between stimulus and knowledge cues to human animacy in terms of cognitive and brain mechanisms. Using fMRI, an elaborate belief manipulation, and human and robot avatars, we found that knowledge cues to human animacy modulate engagement of person perception and mentalizing networks, while stimulus cues to human animacy had less impact on social brain networks. These findings demonstrate that self-other similarities are not only grounded in physical features but are also shaped by prior knowledge. More broadly, as artificial agents fulfil increasingly social roles, a challenge for roboticists will be to manage the impact of pre-conceived beliefs while optimizing human-like design. © 2015 The Authors.

  4. Knowledge environments representing molecular entities for the virtual physiological human.

    PubMed

    Hofmann-Apitius, Martin; Fluck, Juliane; Furlong, Laura; Fornes, Oriol; Kolárik, Corinna; Hanser, Susanne; Boeker, Martin; Schulz, Stefan; Sanz, Ferran; Klinger, Roman; Mevissen, Theo; Gattermayer, Tobias; Oliva, Baldo; Friedrich, Christoph M

    2008-09-13

    In essence, the virtual physiological human (VPH) is a multiscale representation of human physiology spanning from the molecular level via cellular processes and multicellular organization of tissues to complex organ function. The different scales of the VPH deal with different entities, relationships and processes, and in consequence the models used to describe and simulate biological functions vary significantly. Here, we describe methods and strategies to generate knowledge environments representing molecular entities that can be used for modelling the molecular scale of the VPH. Our strategy to generate knowledge environments representing molecular entities is based on the combination of information extraction from scientific text and the integration of information from biomolecular databases. We introduce @neuLink, a first prototype of an automatically generated, disease-specific knowledge environment combining biomolecular, chemical, genetic and medical information. Finally, we provide a perspective for the future implementation and use of knowledge environments representing molecular entities for the VPH.

  5. Psychology of knowledge representation.

    PubMed

    Grimm, Lisa R

    2014-05-01

    Every cognitive enterprise involves some form of knowledge representation. Humans represent information about the external world and internal mental states, like beliefs and desires, and use this information to meet goals (e.g., classification or problem solving). Unfortunately, researchers do not have direct access to mental representations. Instead, cognitive scientists design experiments and implement computational models to develop theories about the mental representations present during task performance. There are several main types of mental representation and corresponding processes that have been posited: spatial, feature, network, and structured. Each type has a particular structure and a set of processes that are capable of accessing and manipulating information within the representation. The structure and processes determine what information can be used during task performance and what information has not been represented at all. As such, the different types of representation are likely used to solve different kinds of tasks. For example, structured representations are more complex and computationally demanding, but are good at representing relational information. Researchers interested in human psychology would benefit from considering how knowledge is represented in their domain of inquiry. For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website. The author has declared no conflicts of interest for this article. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  6. Cyberscience and the Knowledge-Based Economy. Open Access and Trade Publishing: From Contradiction to Compatibility with Non-Exclusive Copyright Licensing

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Armbruster, Chris

    2008-01-01

    Open source, open content and open access are set to fundamentally alter the conditions of knowledge production and distribution. Open source, open content and open access are also the most tangible result of the shift towards e-science and digital networking. Yet, widespread misperceptions exist about the impact of this shift on knowledge…

  7. Excluding the poor from accessing biomedical literature: a rights violation that impedes global health.

    PubMed

    Yamey, Gavin

    2008-01-01

    Most biomedical journals charge readers a hefty access toll to read the full text version of a published research article. These tolls bring enormous profits to the traditional corporate publishing industry, but they make it impossible for most people worldwide--particularly in low and middle income countries--to access the biomedical literature. Traditional publishers also insist on owning the copyright on these articles, making it illegal for readers to freely distribute and photocopy papers, translate them, or create derivative educational works. This article argues that excluding the poor from accessing and freely using the biomedical research literature is harming global public health. Health care workers, for example, are prevented from accessing the information they need to practice effective medicine, while policymakers are prevented from accessing the essential knowledge they require to build better health care systems. The author proposes that the biomedical literature should be considered a global public good, basing his arguments upon longstanding and recent international declarations that enshrine access to scientific and medical knowledge as a human right. He presents an emerging alternative publishing model, called open access, and argues that this model is a more socially responsive and equitable approach to knowledge dissemination.

  8. Mothers' knowledge of and attitudes toward human milk banking in South Australia: a qualitative study.

    PubMed

    Mackenzie, Catherine; Javanparast, Sara; Newman, Lareen

    2013-05-01

    The beneficial effects of breastfeeding for mothers and babies are well recognized. When maternal breast milk is not available in sufficient quantity, donor breast milk is recommended as an alternate source of nutrition, particularly in preterm and other high-risk infants. Australia lags behind the rest of the developed world in establishing and promoting human milk banks; there is no human milk bank in South Australia and little is known concerning mothers' perceptions of using human milk banks in that state. This study explored mothers' knowledge of and attitudes toward human milk banks, to inform the development of human milk banking policies and guidelines in South Australia should a milk bank be established. In-depth semistructured interviews were conducted with 12 mothers who were breastfeeding and/or had preterm or sick babies. In addition, 2 focus groups were conducted-1 with breastfeeding mothers as potential donors (n = 5) and the other with mothers of preterm or high-risk infants (n = 4)-to answer questions raised by early analysis of the individual interview data. Breastfeeding mothers, as potential donors, unanimously supported donating their breast milk to a human milk bank, provided it would be easy (especially if required to drop off milk) and not overly time consuming. Mothers of preterm or sick infants would use a human milk bank if they were assured the milk was safe and appropriate for their babies. Study participants would welcome having access to a human milk bank for both donating and receiving milk in South Australia.

  9. Multiple Intimate Partner Violence Experiences: Knowledge, Access, Utilization and Barriers to Utilization of Resources by Women of the African Diaspora.

    PubMed

    Sabri, Bushra; Huerta, Julia; Alexander, Kamila A; St Vil, Noelle M; Campbell, Jacquelyn C; Callwood, Gloria B

    2015-11-01

    This study examined knowledge, access, utilization, and barriers to use of resources among Black women exposed to multiple types of intimate partner violence in Baltimore, Maryland and the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI). We analyzed quantitative survey data collected by 163 women recruited from primary care, prenatal or family planning clinics in Baltimore and the USVI. In addition we analyzed qualitative data from in-depth interviews with 11 women. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis. A substantial proportion of Black women with multiple types of violence experiences lacked knowledge of, did not have access to, and did not use resources. Barriers to resource use were identified at the individual, relationship, and community levels. There is need for programs to develop awareness, promote access and utilization of resources, and eliminate barriers to resource use among abused Black women.

  10. Access to pain treatment as a human right

    PubMed Central

    2010-01-01

    Background Almost five decades ago, governments around the world adopted the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs which, in addition to addressing the control of illicit narcotics, obligated countries to work towards universal access to the narcotic drugs necessary to alleviate pain and suffering. Yet, despite the existence of inexpensive and effective pain relief medicines, tens of millions of people around the world continue to suffer from moderate to severe pain each year without treatment. Discussion Significant barriers to effective pain treatment include: the failure of many governments to put in place functioning drug supply systems; the failure to enact policies on pain treatment and palliative care; poor training of healthcare workers; the existence of unnecessarily restrictive drug control regulations and practices; fear among healthcare workers of legal sanctions for legitimate medical practice; and the inflated cost of pain treatment. These barriers can be understood not only as a failure to provide essential medicines and relieve suffering but also as human rights abuses. Summary According to international human rights law, countries have to provide pain treatment medications as part of their core obligations under the right to health; failure to take reasonable steps to ensure that people who suffer pain have access to adequate pain treatment may result in the violation of the obligation to protect against cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment. PMID:20089155

  11. Access to pain treatment as a human right.

    PubMed

    Lohman, Diederik; Schleifer, Rebecca; Amon, Joseph J

    2010-01-20

    Almost five decades ago, governments around the world adopted the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs which, in addition to addressing the control of illicit narcotics, obligated countries to work towards universal access to the narcotic drugs necessary to alleviate pain and suffering. Yet, despite the existence of inexpensive and effective pain relief medicines, tens of millions of people around the world continue to suffer from moderate to severe pain each year without treatment. Significant barriers to effective pain treatment include: the failure of many governments to put in place functioning drug supply systems; the failure to enact policies on pain treatment and palliative care; poor training of healthcare workers; the existence of unnecessarily restrictive drug control regulations and practices; fear among healthcare workers of legal sanctions for legitimate medical practice; and the inflated cost of pain treatment. These barriers can be understood not only as a failure to provide essential medicines and relieve suffering but also as human rights abuses. According to international human rights law, countries have to provide pain treatment medications as part of their core obligations under the right to health; failure to take reasonable steps to ensure that people who suffer pain have access to adequate pain treatment may result in the violation of the obligation to protect against cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment.

  12. Developing accessible cyberinfrastructure-enabled knowledge communities in the national disability community: theory, practice, and policy.

    PubMed

    Myhill, William N; Cogburn, Derrick L; Samant, Deepti; Addom, Benjamin Kwasi; Blanck, Peter

    2008-01-01

    Since publication of the Atkins Commission report in 2003, the national scientific community has placed significant emphasis on developing cyberinfrastructure-enabled knowledge communities, which are designed to facilitate enhanced efficiency and collaboration in geographically distributed networks of researchers. This article suggests that the new cyberinfrastructure movement may not fully benefit those participants with disabilities, unless closer attention is paid to legal mandates and universal design principles. Many technology-enhanced learning communities provide geographically distributed collaboration opportunities that expand the inclusion of diverse peoples and help close the digital divide. However, to date, most collaboratory efforts have not emphasized the need for access among people with disabilities nor meeting minimum standards for technological accessibility. To address these concerns, this article reports on two pilot collaboratory studies that explore the role advanced information, communication, and collaboration technologies play in enhancing geographically distributed collaboration among specific research and applied networks within the national disability community. Universal design principles inform the design of the collaboratory and its use and our efforts to ensure access for all. Data for this article come from Web-based surveys, interviews, observations, computer logs, and detailed, mixed-methods accessibility testing. Emerging results suggest that with deliberate and systematic efforts, cyberinfrastructure can be more accessible and generate benefits among persons with disabilities. The authors provide lessons learned and recommendations for future research, policy, law, and practice.

  13. Multiple Intimate Partner Violence Experiences: Knowledge, Access, Utilization and Barriers to Utilization of Resources by Women of the African Diaspora

    PubMed Central

    Sabri, Bushra; Huerta, Julia; Alexander, Kamila A.; St.Vil, Noelle M.; Campbell, Jacquelyn C.; Callwood, Gloria B.

    2016-01-01

    Objective This study examined knowledge, access, utilization, and barriers to use of resources among Black women exposed to multiple types of intimate partner violence in Baltimore, Maryland and the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI). Methods We analyzed quantitative survey data collected by 163 women recruited from primary care, prenatal or family planning clinics in Baltimore and the USVI. In addition we analyzed qualitative data from in-depth interviews with 11 women. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results A substantial proportion of Black women with multiple types of violence experiences lacked knowledge of, did not have access to, and did not use resources. Barriers to resource use were identified at the individual, relationship, and community levels. Conclusion There is need for programs to develop awareness, promote access and utilization of resources, and eliminate barriers to resource use among abused Black women. PMID:26548679

  14. Knowledge of HIV-related disabilities and challenges in accessing care: Qualitative research from Zimbabwe

    PubMed Central

    Zuurmond, Maria; Ferrand, Rashida; Kuper, Hannah

    2017-01-01

    Introduction While the rapid expansion in antiretroviral therapy access in low and middle income countries has resulted in dramatic declines in mortality rates, many people living with HIV face new or worsening experiences of disability. As nearly 1 in 20 adults are living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa–many of whom are likely to develop disabling sequelae from long-term infection, co-morbidities and side effects of their treatment–understanding the availability and accessibility of services to address HIV-related disabilities is of vital importance. The aim of this study thus is to explore knowledge of HIV-related disabilities amongst stakeholders working in the fields of HIV and disability and factors impacting uptake and provision of interventions for preventing, treating or managing HIV-related disabilities. Methods In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten stakeholders based in Harare, Zimbabwe, who were working in the fields of either disability or HIV. Stakeholders were identified through a priori stakeholder analysis. Thematic Analysis, complemented by constant comparison as described in Grounded Theory, was used to analyse findings. Results All key informants reported some level of knowledge of HIV-related disability, mostly from observations made in their line of work. However, they reported no interventions or policies were in place specifically to address HIV-related disability. While referrals between HIV and rehabilitation providers were not uncommon, no formal mechanisms had been established for collaborating on prevention, identification and management. Additional barriers to accessing and providing services to address HIV-related disabilities included: the availability of resources, including trained professionals, supplies and equipment in both the HIV and rehabilitation sectors; lack of disability-inclusive adaptations, particularly in HIV services; heavy centralization of available services in urban areas, without

  15. Variability of cholesterol accessibility in human red blood cells measured using a bacterial cholesterol-binding toxin

    PubMed Central

    Chakrabarti, Rima S; Ingham, Sally A; Kozlitina, Julia; Gay, Austin; Cohen, Jonathan C; Radhakrishnan, Arun; Hobbs, Helen H

    2017-01-01

    Cholesterol partitions into accessible and sequestered pools in cell membranes. Here, we describe a new assay using fluorescently-tagged anthrolysin O, a cholesterol-binding bacterial toxin, to measure accessible cholesterol in human red blood cells (RBCs). Accessible cholesterol levels were stable within individuals, but varied >10 fold among individuals. Significant variation was observed among ethnic groups (Blacks>Hispanics>Whites). Variation in accessibility of RBC cholesterol was unrelated to the cholesterol content of RBCs or plasma, but was associated with the phospholipid composition of the RBC membranes and with plasma triglyceride levels. Pronase treatment of RBCs only modestly altered cholesterol accessibility. Individuals on hemodialysis, who have an unexplained increase in atherosclerotic risk, had significantly higher RBC cholesterol accessibility. Our data indicate that RBC accessible cholesterol is a stable phenotype with significant inter-individual variability. Factors both intrinsic and extrinsic to the RBC contribute to variation in its accessibility. This assay provides a new tool to assess cholesterol homeostasis among tissues in humans. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.23355.001 PMID:28169829

  16. Access 5 - Step 1: Human Systems Integration Program Plan (HSIPP)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2005-01-01

    This report describes the Human System Interface (HSI) analysis, design and test activities that will be performed to support the development of requirements and design guidelines to facilitate the incorporation of High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) Remotely Operated Aircraft (ROA) at or above FL400 in the National Airspace System (NAS). These activities are required to support the design and development of safe, effective and reliable ROA operator and ATC interfaces. This plan focuses on the activities to be completed for Step 1 of the ACCESS 5 program. Updates to this document will be made for each of the four ACCESS 5 program steps.

  17. Assessing the Unseen: Using Music and Literature to Access and Develop First Graders' Knowledge of Sound Waves

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McCourt, Susan; Kelley, Sybil S.

    2016-01-01

    Most young children love a good song and dance, an enticing story, and gorgeous illustrations. How could this staple of the early childhood classroom--music and literature--access children's ideas about physical science? How can young children communicate their knowledge of unseen science concepts that are not easily represented in pictures? These…

  18. Ontological modelling of knowledge management for human-machine integrated design of ultra-precision grinding machine

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hong, Haibo; Yin, Yuehong; Chen, Xing

    2016-11-01

    Despite the rapid development of computer science and information technology, an efficient human-machine integrated enterprise information system for designing complex mechatronic products is still not fully accomplished, partly because of the inharmonious communication among collaborators. Therefore, one challenge in human-machine integration is how to establish an appropriate knowledge management (KM) model to support integration and sharing of heterogeneous product knowledge. Aiming at the diversity of design knowledge, this article proposes an ontology-based model to reach an unambiguous and normative representation of knowledge. First, an ontology-based human-machine integrated design framework is described, then corresponding ontologies and sub-ontologies are established according to different purposes and scopes. Second, a similarity calculation-based ontology integration method composed of ontology mapping and ontology merging is introduced. The ontology searching-based knowledge sharing method is then developed. Finally, a case of human-machine integrated design of a large ultra-precision grinding machine is used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the method.

  19. Classifying a Person's Degree of Accessibility From Natural Body Language During Social Human-Robot Interactions.

    PubMed

    McColl, Derek; Jiang, Chuan; Nejat, Goldie

    2017-02-01

    For social robots to be successfully integrated and accepted within society, they need to be able to interpret human social cues that are displayed through natural modes of communication. In particular, a key challenge in the design of social robots is developing the robot's ability to recognize a person's affective states (emotions, moods, and attitudes) in order to respond appropriately during social human-robot interactions (HRIs). In this paper, we present and discuss social HRI experiments we have conducted to investigate the development of an accessibility-aware social robot able to autonomously determine a person's degree of accessibility (rapport, openness) toward the robot based on the person's natural static body language. In particular, we present two one-on-one HRI experiments to: 1) determine the performance of our automated system in being able to recognize and classify a person's accessibility levels and 2) investigate how people interact with an accessibility-aware robot which determines its own behaviors based on a person's speech and accessibility levels.

  20. "Core Knowledges": A Dissociation between Spatiotemporal Knowledge and Contact-Mechanics in a Non-Human Primate?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Santos, Laurie R.

    2004-01-01

    Human toddlers demonstrate striking failures when searching for hidden objects that interact with other objects, yet successfully locate hidden objects that do not undergo mechanical interactions. This pattern hints at a developmental dissociation between contact-mechanical and spatiotemporal knowledge. Recent studies suggest that adult non-human…

  1. Ontologies, Knowledge Bases and Knowledge Management

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2002-07-01

    AFRL-IF-RS-TR-2002-163 Final Technical Report July 2002 ONTOLOGIES, KNOWLEDGE BASES AND KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT USC Information ...and layer additional information necessary to make specific uses of the knowledge in this core. Finally, while we were able to find adequate solutions... knowledge base and inference engine. Figure 3.2: SDA Editor Interface 46 Although the SDA has access to information about the situation, we wanted the user

  2. Emergency Contraception Pill Awareness and Knowledge in Uninsured Adolescents: High Rates of Misconceptions Concerning Indications for Use, Side Effects, and Access.

    PubMed

    Yen, Sophia; Parmar, Deepika D; Lin, Emily L; Ammerman, Seth

    2015-10-01

    To determine the awareness of, access to, and knowledge of the proper use of emergency contraception pills (ECPs) among uninsured adolescents. Anonymous surveys were used to assess awareness of, knowledge of, and access to ECPs. From 2010 to 2012 at mobile primary care clinic in the San Francisco Bay Area. Patients were uninsured adolescents aged 13 to 25; 40% of the participants were currently or had been homeless in the past year. Ethnicity was 50% Asian, 22% Hispanic, 17% Pacific Islanders, 5.5% white, and 5.5% other/mixed ethnicity. Post survey completion, patients received one-on-one 15-minute dedicated ECP education. Awareness of, knowledge of, and access to ECPs. Of the study population of 439, 30% of the participants were 13-16 years old and 70% were 17-25 years old (mean age 17.8 years); 66% were women. Young women (86%) reported higher rates of "hearing about emergency contraception" than did young men (70%) (P < .0001). Many incorrectly identified or were uncertain if ECPs were an abortion pill (40%) or could be used as regular birth control (40%) or to prevent sexually transmitted infections (19%). Only 40% of women and 43% of men aged 17 and older correctly answered that they could obtain EC over the counter; 72% did not know that males could receive EC for use by their partner; 12% incorrectly selected that infertility was a side effect; 44% were under the false impression that EC had to be taken within 1 day of unprotected sex. Uninsured adolescents have high rates of ECP awareness but low ECP knowledge. These adolescents need more ECP education to alleviate misconceptions and increase practical knowledge, specifically, education about male access, side effects, over-the-counter availability for young men and women, and the 120-hour window of use. Copyright © 2015 North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. The Human Genome Project: Information access, management, and regulation. Final report

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    McInerney, J.D.; Micikas, L.B.

    The Human Genome Project is a large, internationally coordinated effort in biological research directed at creating a detailed map of human DNA. This report describes the access of information, management, and regulation of the project. The project led to the development of an instructional module titled The Human Genome Project: Biology, Computers, and Privacy, designed for use in high school biology classes. The module consists of print materials and both Macintosh and Windows versions of related computer software-Appendix A contains a copy of the print materials and discs containing the two versions of the software.

  4. Human Lymphoid Translocation Fragile Zones Are Hypomethylated and Have Accessible Chromatin

    PubMed Central

    Lu, Zhengfei; Tsai, Albert G.; Pardo, Carolina E.; Müschen, Markus; Kladde, Michael P.

    2015-01-01

    Chromosomal translocations are a hallmark of hematopoietic malignancies. CG motifs within translocation fragile zones (typically 20 to 600 bp in size) are prone to chromosomal translocation in lymphomas. Here we demonstrate that the CG motifs in human translocation fragile zones are hypomethylated relative to the adjacent DNA. Using a methyltransferase footprinting assay on isolated nuclei (in vitro), we find that the chromatin at these fragile zones is accessible. We also examined in vivo accessibility using cellular expression of a prokaryotic methylase. Based on this assay, which measures accessibility over a much longer time interval than is possible with in vitro methods, these fragile zones were found to be more accessible than the adjacent DNA. Because DNA within the fragile zones can be methylated by both cellular and exogenous methyltransferases, the fragile zones are predominantly in a duplex DNA conformation. These observations permit more-refined models for why these zones are 100- to 1,000-fold more prone to undergo chromosomal translocation than the adjacent regions. PMID:25624348

  5. Evidence-Based Practice Knowledge, Attitude, Access and Confidence: A comparison of dental hygiene and dental students.

    PubMed

    Santiago, Victoria; Cardenas, Melissa; Charles, Anne Laure; Hernandez, Estefany; Oyoyo, Udochukwu; Kwon, So Ran

    2018-04-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether current educational strategies at a dental institution in the United States made a difference in dental hygiene (DNHY) and dental students' (D3) learning outcomes in the four domains of evidence-based practice (EBP), knowledge, attitude, accessing evidence, and confidence (KACE), following a 12-week research design course. Methods: All participants DNHY (n=19) and D3 (n=96) enrolled in the research design course at Loma Linda University completed a paper KACE survey distributed on the first day of class. Students completed the KACE survey once more at the end of the 12-week course. Pre- and post-survey results were compared both within and between the DNHY and D3 student groups to identify the learning outcomes in the four domains of EBP; knowledge, attitude, accessing evidence, and confidence in EBP. Descriptive statistics were conducted to profile all variables in the study; the level of significance was set at α=0.05. Results: All DNHY students (n=19) completed the pre and post KACE surveys; of the D3 (n=96) students enrolled in the course 82% (n=79) competed the post-survey. Comparison of the survey results showed that both DNHY and D3 students demonstrated statistically significant increases in their level of knowledge and attitude (p < 0.05) towards EBP. In the attitude domain, DNHY students indicated more positive attitudes towards EBP (p < 0.001) than their D3 student cohorts. Neither group demonstrated significant changes in confidence in applying EBP (p > 0.05). Conclusion: DNHY and D3 students increased their knowledge and developed more positive attitudes towards EBP following a 12-week research design course. Study results identify improvement areas for EBP knowledge acquisition including determining levels of evidence, analysis of study results, and evaluating the appropriateness of research study designs through the use of validated EBP survey instrument. Copyright © 2018 The American

  6. Internationalizing the Right to Know: Conceptualizations of Access to Information in Human Rights Law

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bishop, Cheryl Ann

    2009-01-01

    Currently there exists a global movement promoting institutional transparency and freedom of information legislation. Conceptualizing access to government-held information as a human right is one of the latest developments in this global trend promoting access to information. The purpose of this dissertation is to identify and analyze the various…

  7. Knowledge about Human Papillomavirus and Cervical Cancer: Predictors of HPV Vaccination among Dental Students

    PubMed

    Rajiah, Kingston; Maharajan, Mari Kannan; Fang Num, Kelly Sze; How Koh, Raymond Chee

    2017-06-25

    Background: The objective of this study is to determine the influence of dental students’ knowledge and attitude regarding human papillomavirus infection of cervical cancer on willingness to pay for vaccination. Basic research design: A convenience sampling method was used. The minimal sample size of 136 was calculated using the Raosoft calculator with a 5 % margin of error and 95% confidence level. Participants: The study population were all final year dental students from the School of Dentistry. Methods: A self-administered questionnaire was used to measure knowledge levels and attitudes regarding human papillomavirus vaccination. Contingent valuation was conducted for willingness to pay for vaccination. Main outcome measures: The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has stated that human papillomavirus are associated with oropharynx cancer and the American Dental Association insist on expanding public awareness of the oncogenic potential of some HPV infections. Thus, as future dental practitioners, dental students should be aware of human papillomavirus and their links with cancer and the benefits of vaccination. Results: Knowledge on HPV and cervical cancer did not impact on attitudes towards vaccines. However, significant correlation existed between knowledge and willingness to pay for vaccination. Conclusions: Dental students’ knowledge on HPV and cervical cancer has no influence on their attitude towards HPV vaccines. However, their willingness to pay for HPV vaccination is influenced by their knowledge of cervical cancer and HPV vaccination. Creative Commons Attribution License

  8. Knowledge Acquisition, Knowledge Programming, and Knowledge Refinement.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hayes-Roth, Frederick; And Others

    This report describes the principal findings and recommendations of a 2-year Rand research project on machine-aided knowledge acquisition and discusses the transfer of expertise from humans to machines, as well as the functions of planning, debugging, knowledge refinement, and autonomous machine learning. The relative advantages of humans and…

  9. German medical students' interest in and knowledge about human sexuality in 1972 and 2012.

    PubMed

    Turner, Daniel; Jopt, Konstantin; Nieder, Timo O; Briken, Peer

    2014-08-01

    During the 1970s, a growing number of medical schools began to recognize the importance of medical education concerning human sexuality. Currently, most medical schools provide at least some instruction in human sexuality. In light of this development, the present study aimed to compare the interest in and knowledge about human sexuality of medical students from two different time periods. The answers to a self-constructed questionnaire of 236 students in 1972 were compared with those of 259 students in 2012. Students were asked whether they were interested in education regarding human sexuality and which specific topics they felt should be included in the medical curriculum. The students' knowledge in the following domains was assessed: sexual development, sexual behavior, sexual physiology and psychology, and sexual medicine. The two cohorts were compared with regard to those specific sexuality-related topics in which the students were most and least interested in. Furthermore, the number of correct responses to the knowledge questions was compared. While in 1972, 99.2% of the students were interested in medical education about human sexuality, in 2012, 80.3% showed an interest. The connection of disorders from different medical disciplines with sexuality was rated as most interesting by both the students from 1972 and 2012. Medical students from 2012 gave 50.3% correct answers to the knowledge questions, whereas students from 1972 correctly answered 46.3% of the questions. Although interest in education concerning human sexuality has decreased, the majority of students view it as an important topic. Nevertheless, medical students still lack knowledge about important aspects of human sexuality (e.g., psychosexual development and relative safety of different contraceptives). Therefore, more time should be dedicated to education concerning human sexuality and its cultural, societal, and health aspects in particular. © 2014 International Society for Sexual Medicine.

  10. SHERLOCK: Simple Human Experiments Regarding Locally Observed Collective Knowledge

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-12-01

    ARL-RP-0560 ● DEC 2015 US Army Research Laboratory SHERLOCK: Simple Human Experiments Regarding Locally Observed Collective...report when it is no longer needed. Do not return it to the originator. ARL-RP-0560 ● DEC 2015 US Army Research Laboratory SHERLOCK... Research and Engineering Directorate, ARL Reprinted from the International Technology Alliance Collaboration System [accessed 2015 Dec 2]. https

  11. Access to health care as a human right in international policy: critical reflections and contemporary challenges.

    PubMed

    Castillo, Camilo Hernán Manchola; Garrafa, Volnei; Cunha, Thiago; Hellmann, Fernando

    2017-07-01

    Using the United Nations (UN) and its subordinate body, the World Health Organization (WHO), as a frame of reference, this article explores access to healthcare as a human right in international intergovernmental policies. First, we look at how the theme of health is treated within the UN, focusing on the concept of global health. We then discuss the concept of global health from a human rights perspective and go on to outline the debate surrounding universal coverage versus universal access as a human right, addressing some important ethical questions. Thereafter, we discuss universal coverage versus universal access using the critical and constructivist theories of international relations as a frame of reference. Finally, it is concluded that, faced with the persistence of huge global health inequalities, the WHO began to reshape itself, leaving behind the notion of health as a human right and imposing the challenge of reducing the wide gap that separates international intergovernmental laws from reality.

  12. Knowledge Management: Usefulness of Knowledge to Organizational Managers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Klein, Roy L.

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine the level of knowledge-usefulness to organizational managers. The determination of the level of usefulness provided organizational managers with a reliable measure of their decision-making. Organizational workers' perceptions of knowledge accessibility, quality of knowledge content, timeliness, and user…

  13. Encapsulation of anthocyanins from bilberries - Effects on bioavailability and intestinal accessibility in humans.

    PubMed

    Mueller, Dolores; Jung, Kathrin; Winter, Manuel; Rogoll, Dorothee; Melcher, Ralph; Kulozik, Ulrich; Schwarz, Karin; Richling, Elke

    2018-05-15

    Anthocyanins are flavonoids that have been suggested to provide beneficial health effects. The biological activity of anthocyanins is influenced by their pharmacokinetic properties, but anthocyanins are associated with limited bioavailability in humans. In the presented study, we investigated how the encapsulation of bilberry extract (BE), a source of anthocyanins, with either whey protein or citrus pectin influences the bioavailability and intestinal accessibility of anthocyanins in humans. We performed an intervention study that analyzed anthocyanins and their degradation products in the urine, plasma, and ileal effluent of healthy volunteers and ileostomists (subjects without an intact colon). We were able to show, that whey protein encapsulation modulated short-term bioavailability and that citrus pectin encapsulation increased intestinal accessibility during passage through the small intestine and modulated the formation of the degradation product phloroglucinol aldehyde (PGAL) in human plasma. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  14. Knowledge and Intention to Participate in Cervical Cancer Screening after the Human Papillomavirus Vaccine

    PubMed Central

    Price, Rebecca Anhang; Koshiol, Jill; Kobrin, Sarah; Tiro, Jasmin A.

    2011-01-01

    Background If women who receive the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine are unduly reassured about the cancer prevention benefits of vaccination, they may choose not to participate in screening, thereby increasing their risk for cervical cancer. This study assesses adult women’s knowledge of the need to continue cervical cancer screening after HPV vaccination, describes Pap test intentions of vaccinated young adult women, and evaluates whether knowledge and intentions differ across groups at greatest risk for cervical cancer. Methods Data were from the 2008 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) and the 2008 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), which initiated data collection approximately 18 months after the first FDA approval of an HPV vaccine. We calculated associations between independent variables and the outcomes using chi-square tests. Results Of 1,586 female HINTS respondents ages 18 through 74, 95.6% knew that HPV-vaccinated women should continue to receive Pap tests. This knowledge did not vary significantly by race/ethnicity, education, income, or healthcare access. Among 1,101 female NHIS respondents ages 18 to 26 who had ever received a Pap test, the proportion (12.7%; n = 139) who reported receipt of the HPV vaccine were more likely than those not vaccinated to plan to receive a Pap test within three years (98.1% vs. 92.5%, p<0.001). Conclusions US adult women possess high knowledge and intention to participate in Pap testing after HPV vaccination. The vast majority of young adult women who received the HPV vaccine within its first two years on the market intend to participate in cervical cancer screening in the near future. Future studies are needed to examine whether those vaccinated in adolescence will become aware of, and adhere to, screening guidelines as they become eligible. PMID:21473953

  15. Knowledge retrieval as one type of knowledge-based decision support in medicine: results of an evaluation study.

    PubMed

    Haux, R; Grothe, W; Runkel, M; Schackert, H K; Windeler, H J; Winter, A; Wirtz, R; Herfarth, C; Kunze, S

    1996-04-01

    We report on a prospective, prolective observational study, supplying information on how physicians and other health care professionals retrieve medical knowledge on-line within the Heidelberg University Hospital information system. Within this hospital information system, on-line access to medical knowledge has been realised by installing a medical knowledge server in the range of about 24 GB and by providing access to it by health care professional workstations in wards, physicians' rooms, etc. During the study, we observed about 96 accesses per working day. The main group of health care professionals retrieving medical knowledge were physicians and medical students. Primary reasons for its utilisation were identified as support for the users' scientific work (50%), own clinical cases (19%), general medical problems (14%) and current clinical problems (13%). Health care professionals had accesses to medical knowledge bases such as MEDLINE (79%), drug bases ('Rote Liste', 6%), and to electronic text books and knowledge base systems as well. Sixty-five percent of accesses to medical knowledge were judged to be successful. In our opinion, medical knowledge retrieval can serve as a first step towards knowledge processing in medicine. We point out the consequences for the management of hospital information systems in order to provide the prerequisites for such a type of knowledge retrieval.

  16. Knowledge of the human body: a distinct semantic domain.

    PubMed

    Coslett, H Branch; Saffran, Eleanor M; Schwoebel, John

    2002-08-13

    Patients with selective deficits in the naming and comprehension of animals, plants, and artifacts have been reported. These descriptions of specific semantic category deficits have contributed substantially to the understanding of the architecture of semantic representations. This study sought to further understanding of the organization of the semantic system by demonstrating that another semantic category, knowledge of the human body, may be selectively preserved. The performance of a patient with semantic dementia was compared with the performance of healthy controls on a variety of tasks assessing distinct types of body representations, including the body schema, body image, and body structural description. Despite substantial deficits on tasks involving language and knowledge of the world generally, the patient performed normally on all tests of body knowledge except body part naming; even in this naming task, however, her performance with body parts was significantly better than on artifacts. The demonstration that body knowledge may be preserved despite substantial semantic deficits involving other types of semantic information argues that body knowledge is a distinct and dissociable semantic category. These data are interpreted as support for a model of semantics that proposes that knowledge is distributed across different cortical regions reflecting the manner in which the information was acquired.

  17. Predictors of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Knowledge among Jordanian Youths

    PubMed Central

    Al-Khasawneh, Esra M.; Ismayilova, Leyla; Seshan, Vidya; Hmoud, Olimat; El-Bassel, Nabila

    2013-01-01

    Objectives: Understanding factors associated with the level of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) knowledge acquisition is crucial to inform preventative programmes for young people. This study examines predictors of HIV knowledge among Jordanian youths. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 8,129 youths aged between 14 and 25 years randomly selected from schools representing each of the 12 governorates of Jordan. A total of 50% of respondents were female and, on average, 17 years old. Participants completed a self-administered questionnaire covering sociodemographic characteristics, HIV knowledge, gender awareness, exposure to and favourable attitudes toward risky behaviours. Results: On a 13-item HIV knowledge test, participants answered an average of 7 questions correctly (mean = 7.21; standard deviation = 2.63). Female respondents from rural areas demonstrated significantly lower levels of HIV knowledge, while college and university students demonstrated higher levels. HIV knowledge differed significantly by sources of information, with peer-acquired information associated with more accuracy, while HIV information from parents or health centres was associated with a lower score. Youths with more egalitarian gender views also demonstrated higher knowledge levels, whereas youths approving of drug use showed lower levels of HIV knowledge. Conclusion: HIV education programmes in Jordan should focus on females and youths living in rural areas. Educational institutions have been shown to be effective in providing accurate information to students, while parents and health professionals should also be included in HIV prevention programmes in order to reduce misconceptions and raise the level of HIV knowledge among Jordanian youths. PMID:23862028

  18. [The global and national context regarding the challenges involved in ensuring adequate access to water for human consumption].

    PubMed

    Augusto, Lia Giraldo da Silva; Gurgel, Idê Gomes Dantas; Câmara Neto, Henrique Fernandes; de Melo, Carlos Henrique; Costa, André Monteiro

    2012-06-01

    The scope of this article is to analyze the challenges involved in ensuring access to water for human consumption taking the international and national context into consideration. Based on the UN declaration that access to safe and clean drinking water is a fundamental human right, vulnerabilities are identified that can consist in restrictions to access to adequate supplies. The distribution of water and the population across the planet, pollution, inadequate policies and management lead to environmental injustice. The iniquity of access to water constitutes the contemporary water crisis. From the 1980s onwards, the transnational water market emerged for private control that occurs at three main levels: surface and underground water sources; bottled water; and public water supply services. The conflicts of the multiple uses of water resources, the market and environmental problems have contributed to rendering the health of the population and ecosystems vulnerable. Adequate public policies are essential to ensure the basic human right to access to safe and clean drinking water.

  19. [Adolescents' knowledge and behavior on sexuality, infectious transmitted diseases, and human papillomavirus vaccination: results of a survey in a French high school].

    PubMed

    Grondin, C; Duron, S; Robin, F; Verret, C; Imbert, P

    2013-08-01

    Teenager sexuality is a public health issue. In teenagers attending a high school, we assessed their knowledge and behavior on sexuality, infectious transmitted diseases, human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination, and cervical cancer. Then in girls, we estimated the anti-HPV vaccination coverage and focused on factors associated with poor knowledge of these topics. This was a knowledge, attitudes, and practices cross-sectional study conducted at the beginning of the 2010-2011 school year in the Saint-Cyr military high school, using an anonymous self-administered questionnaire. Among 669 adolescents (M/F sex-ratio, 2.3; mean age, 17 years [IC 95%, 15-20]), 40% had already had sex and 92% had used contraception. Boys and girls had a poor level of knowledge on infectious transmitted diseases. Regarding knowledge on HPV and cervical cancer, a better level was significantly associated with female gender (P=10(-4)). In multivariate analysis, male gender, age under 18 years, lack of dialogue with parents on these subjects, low socioeconomic status of parents, and absence of health education were significantly associated with poor knowledge on these topics. These data should help healthcare providers better target access and content of sexual health education training. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  20. Why Atens Enjoy Enhanced Accessibility For Human Space Flight

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Barbee, Brent; Adamo, Daniel

    2011-01-01

    In the context of human space flight (HSF), the concept of near-Earth object (NEO) accessibility is highly subjective. Whether or not a particular NEO is accessible critically depends on mass, performance, and reliability of interplanetary HSF systems yet to be designed. Such systems would certainly include propulsion and crew life support with adequate shielding from both solar flares and galactic cosmic radiation. Equally critical architecture options are relevant to NEO accessibility. These options are also far from being determined and include the number of launches supporting an HSF mission, together with whether or not consumables are to be pre-emplaced at the destination. Until the unknowns of HSF to NEOs come into clearer focus, the notion of relative accessibility is of great utility. Imagine a group of NEOs, each with nearly equal HSF merit determined from their individual characteristics relating to crew safety, scientific return, resource utilization, and planetary defense. The more accessible members of this group are more likely to be explored first. A highly accessible NEO could conceivably be deferred in favor of a less accessible HSF destination because the latter is more accessible during a programmatically desirable launch compliant mission trajectory solutions detected in association with a specific NEO. The known NEO population is then surveyed to illustrate in which regions of heliocentric semi-major axis, eccentricity, and inclination (a, e, i) space NEOs with large n values are mapped. The (a, e, i) mapping is also formatted such that membership in each of four NEO orbit classifications, as defined below, is evident. Amors have orbits everywhere superior to (outside of) Earth's. An Amor is therefore defined to have perihelion between 1.017 astronomical units (AU) and the maximum NEO value of 1.3 AU. As of 0 hrs Universal Time on 1 January 2011 (UT epoch 2011.0), Amors numbered 2855 in the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) Small-Body Database

  1. Knowledge, access and usage pattern of HINARI by researchers and clinicians in tertiary health institutions in south-west Nigeria.

    PubMed

    Ajuwon, G A; Olorunsaye, J O

    2013-03-01

    The digital divide is a global challenge. The Health Internetwork Access to Research Initiative (HINARI) is one of the most successful efforts aimed at bridging the digital divide in access to health information in developing countries. There is a dearth of empirical studies on usage pattern of this resource in Nigeria. The aim of this study was to assess knowledge and usage pattern of HINARI by clinicians and researchers in tertiary health institutions in Southwestern Nigeria. A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted among 1150 clinicians and researchers in the 12 tertiary health institutions that had access to HINARI. A standardized, self-completed, 31-item questionnaire was used for data collection. It elicited information on demographic profile, pattern of usage and constraints to use of HINARI. The majority (72.0%) were aware of HINARI however, only 35.1% have had a formal training on how to use it. Sixty-eight percent (68.0%) had ever used HINARI resources and 62.4% of these did so during the month preceding the study. The most frequently used HINARI resources were MEDLINE/PubMed (53.2%), full text journal articles (55.0%), and reference materials (28.5%). Previous users (50.0%) encountered problems in accessing HINARI; with lack of password being the main challenge for access. Knowledge and use of HINARI resources are high. However, clinicians and researchers are not deriving full benefits from HINARI because few had received training on how to use it. A learner-centered training and wide distribution of the HINARI User Name and Password within the institutions is recommended to address this problem.

  2. Men's Perceptions and Knowledge of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Infection and Cervical Cancer

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McPartland, Tara S.; Weaver, Bethany A.; Lee, Shu-Kuang; Koutsky, Laura A.

    2005-01-01

    The authors assessed young men's knowledge and perceptions of genital human papillomavirus (HPV) infection to identify factors that predict intention to make positive behavioral changes. Male university students aged 18 to 25 years completed a self-report instrument to assess knowledge and perceptions of genital HPV infection. If diagnosed with…

  3. HPVdb: a data mining system for knowledge discovery in human papillomavirus with applications in T cell immunology and vaccinology

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Guang Lan; Riemer, Angelika B.; Keskin, Derin B.; Chitkushev, Lou; Reinherz, Ellis L.; Brusic, Vladimir

    2014-01-01

    High-risk human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are the causes of many cancers, including cervical, anal, vulvar, vaginal, penile and oropharyngeal. To facilitate diagnosis, prognosis and characterization of these cancers, it is necessary to make full use of the immunological data on HPV available through publications, technical reports and databases. These data vary in granularity, quality and complexity. The extraction of knowledge from the vast amount of immunological data using data mining techniques remains a challenging task. To support integration of data and knowledge in virology and vaccinology, we developed a framework called KB-builder to streamline the development and deployment of web-accessible immunological knowledge systems. The framework consists of seven major functional modules, each facilitating a specific aspect of the knowledgebase construction process. Using KB-builder, we constructed the Human Papillomavirus T cell Antigen Database (HPVdb). It contains 2781 curated antigen entries of antigenic proteins derived from 18 genotypes of high-risk HPV and 18 genotypes of low-risk HPV. The HPVdb also catalogs 191 verified T cell epitopes and 45 verified human leukocyte antigen (HLA) ligands. Primary amino acid sequences of HPV antigens were collected and annotated from the UniProtKB. T cell epitopes and HLA ligands were collected from data mining of scientific literature and databases. The data were subject to extensive quality control (redundancy elimination, error detection and vocabulary consolidation). A set of computational tools for an in-depth analysis, such as sequence comparison using BLAST search, multiple alignments of antigens, classification of HPV types based on cancer risk, T cell epitope/HLA ligand visualization, T cell epitope/HLA ligand conservation analysis and sequence variability analysis, has been integrated within the HPVdb. Predicted Class I and Class II HLA binding peptides for 15 common HLA alleles are included in this database as

  4. HPVdb: a data mining system for knowledge discovery in human papillomavirus with applications in T cell immunology and vaccinology.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Guang Lan; Riemer, Angelika B; Keskin, Derin B; Chitkushev, Lou; Reinherz, Ellis L; Brusic, Vladimir

    2014-01-01

    High-risk human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are the causes of many cancers, including cervical, anal, vulvar, vaginal, penile and oropharyngeal. To facilitate diagnosis, prognosis and characterization of these cancers, it is necessary to make full use of the immunological data on HPV available through publications, technical reports and databases. These data vary in granularity, quality and complexity. The extraction of knowledge from the vast amount of immunological data using data mining techniques remains a challenging task. To support integration of data and knowledge in virology and vaccinology, we developed a framework called KB-builder to streamline the development and deployment of web-accessible immunological knowledge systems. The framework consists of seven major functional modules, each facilitating a specific aspect of the knowledgebase construction process. Using KB-builder, we constructed the Human Papillomavirus T cell Antigen Database (HPVdb). It contains 2781 curated antigen entries of antigenic proteins derived from 18 genotypes of high-risk HPV and 18 genotypes of low-risk HPV. The HPVdb also catalogs 191 verified T cell epitopes and 45 verified human leukocyte antigen (HLA) ligands. Primary amino acid sequences of HPV antigens were collected and annotated from the UniProtKB. T cell epitopes and HLA ligands were collected from data mining of scientific literature and databases. The data were subject to extensive quality control (redundancy elimination, error detection and vocabulary consolidation). A set of computational tools for an in-depth analysis, such as sequence comparison using BLAST search, multiple alignments of antigens, classification of HPV types based on cancer risk, T cell epitope/HLA ligand visualization, T cell epitope/HLA ligand conservation analysis and sequence variability analysis, has been integrated within the HPVdb. Predicted Class I and Class II HLA binding peptides for 15 common HLA alleles are included in this database as

  5. Creation of an NCI comparative brain tumor consortium: informing the translation of new knowledge from canine to human brain tumor patients

    PubMed Central

    Mazcko, Christina; Brown, Diane E.; Koehler, Jennifer W.; Miller, Andrew D.; Miller, C. Ryan; Bentley, R. Timothy; Packer, Rebecca A.; Breen, Matthew; Boudreau, C. Elizabeth; Levine, Jonathan M.; Simpson, R. Mark; Halsey, Charles; Kisseberth, William; Rossmeisl, John H.; Dickinson, Peter J.; Fan, Timothy M.; Corps, Kara; Aldape, Kenneth; Puduvalli, Vinay; Pluhar, G. Elizabeth; Gilbert, Mark R.

    2016-01-01

    On September 14–15, 2015, a meeting of clinicians and investigators in the fields of veterinary and human neuro-oncology, clinical trials, neuropathology, and drug development was convened at the National Institutes of Health campus in Bethesda, Maryland. This meeting served as the inaugural event launching a new consortium focused on improving the knowledge, development of, and access to naturally occurring canine brain cancer, specifically glioma, as a model for human disease. Within the meeting, a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) assessment was undertaken to critically evaluate the role that naturally occurring canine brain tumors could have in advancing this aspect of comparative oncology aimed at improving outcomes for dogs and human beings. A summary of this meeting and subsequent discussion are provided to inform the scientific and clinical community of the potential for this initiative. Canine and human comparisons represent an unprecedented opportunity to complement conventional brain tumor research paradigms, addressing a devastating disease for which innovative diagnostic and treatment strategies are clearly needed. PMID:27179361

  6. Snag distributions in relation to human access in ponderosa pine forests

    Treesearch

    Jeff P. Hollenbeck; Lisa J. Bate; Victoria A. Saab; John F. Lehmkuhl

    2013-01-01

    Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) forests in western North America provide habitat for numerous cavity-using wildlife species that often select large-diameter snags for nesting and roosting. Yet large snags are often removed for their commercial and firewood values. Consequently we evaluated effects of human access on snag densities and diameter-class distributions at...

  7. The Academic Ethics of Open Access to Research and Scholarship

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Willinsky, John; Alperin, Juan Pablo

    2011-01-01

    In this article, we present the case for regarding the principles by which scholarly publications are disseminated and shared as a matter of academic ethics. The ethics of access have to do with recognizing people's right to know what is known, as well as the value to humanity of having one of its best forms of arriving at knowledge as widely…

  8. Advanced software development workstation project ACCESS user's guide

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1990-01-01

    ACCESS is a knowledge based software information system designed to assist the user in modifying retrieved software to satisfy user specifications. A user's guide is presented for the knowledge engineer who wishes to create for ACCESS a knowledge base consisting of representations of objects in some software system. This knowledge is accessible to an end user who wishes to use the catalogued software objects to create a new application program or an input stream for an existing system. The application specific portion of an ACCESS knowledge base consists of a taxonomy of object classes, as well as instances of these classes. All objects in the knowledge base are stored in an associative memory. ACCESS provides a standard interface for the end user to browse and modify objects. In addition, the interface can be customized by the addition of application specific data entry forms and by specification of display order for the taxonomy and object attributes. These customization options are described.

  9. Featured Article: Genotation: Actionable knowledge for the scientific reader

    PubMed Central

    Willis, Ethan; Sakauye, Mark; Jose, Rony; Chen, Hao; Davis, Robert L

    2016-01-01

    We present an article viewer application that allows a scientific reader to easily discover and share knowledge by linking genomics-related concepts to knowledge of disparate biomedical databases. High-throughput data streams generated by technical advancements have contributed to scientific knowledge discovery at an unprecedented rate. Biomedical Informaticists have created a diverse set of databases to store and retrieve the discovered knowledge. The diversity and abundance of such resources present biomedical researchers a challenge with knowledge discovery. These challenges highlight a need for a better informatics solution. We use a text mining algorithm, Genomine, to identify gene symbols from the text of a journal article. The identified symbols are supplemented with information from the GenoDB knowledgebase. Self-updating GenoDB contains information from NCBI Gene, Clinvar, Medgen, dbSNP, KEGG, PharmGKB, Uniprot, and Hugo Gene databases. The journal viewer is a web application accessible via a web browser. The features described herein are accessible on www.genotation.org. The Genomine algorithm identifies gene symbols with an accuracy shown by .65 F-Score. GenoDB currently contains information regarding 59,905 gene symbols, 5633 drug–gene relationships, 5981 gene–disease relationships, and 713 pathways. This application provides scientific readers with actionable knowledge related to concepts of a manuscript. The reader will be able to save and share supplements to be visualized in a graphical manner. This provides convenient access to details of complex biological phenomena, enabling biomedical researchers to generate novel hypothesis to further our knowledge in human health. This manuscript presents a novel application that integrates genomic, proteomic, and pharmacogenomic information to supplement content of a biomedical manuscript and enable readers to automatically discover actionable knowledge. PMID:26900164

  10. Featured Article: Genotation: Actionable knowledge for the scientific reader.

    PubMed

    Nagahawatte, Panduka; Willis, Ethan; Sakauye, Mark; Jose, Rony; Chen, Hao; Davis, Robert L

    2016-06-01

    We present an article viewer application that allows a scientific reader to easily discover and share knowledge by linking genomics-related concepts to knowledge of disparate biomedical databases. High-throughput data streams generated by technical advancements have contributed to scientific knowledge discovery at an unprecedented rate. Biomedical Informaticists have created a diverse set of databases to store and retrieve the discovered knowledge. The diversity and abundance of such resources present biomedical researchers a challenge with knowledge discovery. These challenges highlight a need for a better informatics solution. We use a text mining algorithm, Genomine, to identify gene symbols from the text of a journal article. The identified symbols are supplemented with information from the GenoDB knowledgebase. Self-updating GenoDB contains information from NCBI Gene, Clinvar, Medgen, dbSNP, KEGG, PharmGKB, Uniprot, and Hugo Gene databases. The journal viewer is a web application accessible via a web browser. The features described herein are accessible on www.genotation.org The Genomine algorithm identifies gene symbols with an accuracy shown by .65 F-Score. GenoDB currently contains information regarding 59,905 gene symbols, 5633 drug-gene relationships, 5981 gene-disease relationships, and 713 pathways. This application provides scientific readers with actionable knowledge related to concepts of a manuscript. The reader will be able to save and share supplements to be visualized in a graphical manner. This provides convenient access to details of complex biological phenomena, enabling biomedical researchers to generate novel hypothesis to further our knowledge in human health. This manuscript presents a novel application that integrates genomic, proteomic, and pharmacogenomic information to supplement content of a biomedical manuscript and enable readers to automatically discover actionable knowledge. © 2016 by the Society for Experimental Biology and

  11. Access to Awareness for Faces during Continuous Flash Suppression Is Not Modulated by Affective Knowledge

    PubMed Central

    Rabovsky, Milena; Stein, Timo; Abdel Rahman, Rasha

    2016-01-01

    It is a controversially debated topic whether stimuli can be analyzed up to the semantic level when they are suppressed from visual awareness during continuous flash suppression (CFS). Here, we investigated whether affective knowledge, i.e., affective biographical information about faces, influences the time it takes for initially invisible faces with neutral expressions to overcome suppression and break into consciousness. To test this, we used negative, positive, and neutral famous faces as well as initially unfamiliar faces, which were associated with negative, positive or neutral biographical information. Affective knowledge influenced ratings of facial expressions, corroborating recent evidence and indicating the success of our affective learning paradigm. Furthermore, we replicated shorter suppression durations for upright than for inverted faces, demonstrating the suitability of our CFS paradigm. However, affective biographical information did not modulate suppression durations for newly learned faces, and even though suppression durations for famous faces were influenced by affective knowledge, these effects did not differ between upright and inverted faces, indicating that they might have been due to low-level visual differences. Thus, we did not obtain unequivocal evidence for genuine influences of affective biographical information on access to visual awareness for faces during CFS. PMID:27119743

  12. Public knowledge and attitudes towards Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccination

    PubMed Central

    Walsh, Charlotte Devereaux; Gera, Aradhana; Shah, Meeraj; Sharma, Amit; Powell, Judy E; Wilson, Sue

    2008-01-01

    Background Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine has undergone successful trials and has recently been approved for use for the primary prevention of cervical cancer. The aim of this study was to determine knowledge and attitudes towards HPV vaccination. Methods Semi-structured interview and questionnaire delivered in a street survey. Standardised HPV-related statements used to measure HPV knowledge and attitudes to vaccination. The setting was three different areas of Birmingham, to target a mix of social class and ethnicity. The sample population was composed of 16–54 year olds. Results A total of 420 participants were recruited. Poor knowledge of HPV and its links with cervical cancer were observed. 81% had a knowledge score of zero. Knowledge about HPV was associated with different ethnic group and socio-economic group. The majority (88%) of participants were in favour of vaccination, with 83.6% indicating that they would allow a child under their care to be vaccinated. Conclusion Initial responses to the proposed HPV vaccination within the UK public are favourable. However, knowledge levels are poor and media and health professional promotion are required to raise awareness. PMID:18947430

  13. Knowledge sharing in global health research - the impact, uptake and cost of open access to scholarly literature.

    PubMed

    Smith, Elise; Haustein, Stefanie; Mongeon, Philippe; Shu, Fei; Ridde, Valéry; Larivière, Vincent

    2017-08-29

    In 1982, the Annals of Virology published a paper showing how Liberia has a highly endemic potential of Ebola warning health authorities of the risk for potential outbreaks; this journal is only available by subscription. Limiting the accessibility of such knowledge may have reduced information propagation toward public health actors who were indeed surprised by and unprepared for the 2014 epidemic. Open access (OA) publication can allow for increased access to global health research (GHR). Our study aims to assess the use, cost and impact of OA diffusion in the context of GHR. A total of 3366 research articles indexed under the Medical Heading Subject Heading "Global Health" published between 2010 and 2014 were retrieved using PubMed to (1) quantify the uptake of various types of OA, (2) estimate the article processing charges (APCs) of OA, and (3) analyse the relationship between different types of OA, their scholarly impact and gross national income per capita of citing countries. Most GHR publications are not available directly on the journal's website (69%). Further, 60.8% of researchers do not self-archive their work even when it is free and in keeping with journal policy. The total amount paid for APCs was estimated at US$1.7 million for 627 papers, with authors paying on average US$2732 per publication; 94% of APCs were paid to journals owned by the ten most prominent publication houses from high-income countries. Researchers from low- and middle-income countries are generally citing less expensive types of OA, while researchers in high-income countries are citing the most expensive OA. Although OA may help in building global research capacity in GHR, the majority of publications remain subscription only. It is logical and cost-efficient for institutions and researchers to promote OA by self-archiving publications of restricted access, as it not only allows research to be cited by a broader audience, it also augments citation rates. Although OA does not

  14. When being a girl matters less: accessibility of gender-related self-knowledge in single-sex and coeducational classes and its impact on students' physics-related self-concept of ability.

    PubMed

    Kessels, Ursula; Hannover, Bettina

    2008-06-01

    Establishing or preserving single-sex schooling has been widely discussed as a way of bringing more girls into the natural sciences. We test the assumption that the beneficial effects of single-sex education on girls' self-concept of ability in masculine subjects such as physics are due to the lower accessibility of gender-related self-knowledge in single-sex classes. N=401 eighth-graders (mean age 14.0 years) from coeducational comprehensive schools. Random assignment of students to single-sex vs. coeducational physics classes throughout the eighth grade. At the end of the year, students' physics-related self-concept of ability was measured using a questionnaire. In a subsample of N=134 students, the accessibility of gender-related self-knowledge during physics classes was assessed by measuring latencies and endorsement of sex-typed trait adjectives. Girls from single-sex physics classes reported a better physics-related self-concept of ability than girls from coeducational classes, while boys' self-concept of ability did not vary according to class composition. For both boys and girls, gender-related self-knowledge was less accessible in single-sex classes than in mixed-sex classes. To the extent that girls' feminine self-knowledge was relatively less accessible than their masculine self-knowledge, their physics-related self-concept of ability improved at the end of the school year. By revealing the importance of the differential accessibility of gender-related self-knowledge in single- and mixed-sex settings, our study clarifies why single-sex schooling helps adolescents to gain a better self-concept of ability in school subjects that are considered inappropriate for their own sex.

  15. Digital Scholarship and Open Access

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Losoff, Barbara; Pence, Harry E.

    2010-01-01

    Open access publications provide scholars with unrestricted access to the "conversation" that is the basis for the advancement of knowledge. The large number of open access journals, archives, and depositories already in existence demonstrates the technical and economic viability of providing unrestricted access to the literature that is the…

  16. An exploratory study into the effect of time-restricted internet access on face-validity, construct validity and reliability of postgraduate knowledge progress testing

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background Yearly formative knowledge testing (also known as progress testing) was shown to have a limited construct-validity and reliability in postgraduate medical education. One way to improve construct-validity and reliability is to improve the authenticity of a test. As easily accessible internet has become inseparably linked to daily clinical practice, we hypothesized that allowing internet access for a limited amount of time during the progress test would improve the perception of authenticity (face-validity) of the test, which would in turn improve the construct-validity and reliability of postgraduate progress testing. Methods Postgraduate trainees taking the yearly knowledge progress test were asked to participate in a study where they could access the internet for 30 minutes at the end of a traditional pen and paper test. Before and after the test they were asked to complete a short questionnaire regarding the face-validity of the test. Results Mean test scores increased significantly for all training years. Trainees indicated that the face-validity of the test improved with internet access and that they would like to continue to have internet access during future testing. Internet access did not improve the construct-validity or reliability of the test. Conclusion Improving the face-validity of postgraduate progress testing, by adding the possibility to search the internet for a limited amount of time, positively influences test performance and face-validity. However, it did not change the reliability or the construct-validity of the test. PMID:24195696

  17. Knowledge Value Creation Characteristics of Virtual Teams: A Case Study in the Construction Sector

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vorakulpipat, Chalee; Rezgui, Yacine

    Any knowledge environment aimed at virtual teams should promote identification, access, capture and retrieval of relevant knowledge anytime / anywhere, while nurturing the social activities that underpin the knowledge sharing and creation process. In fact, socio-cultural issues play a critical role in the successful implementation of Knowledge Management (KM), and constitute a milestone towards value creation. The findings indicate that Knowledge Management Systems (KMS) promote value creation when they embed and nurture the social conditions that bind and bond team members together. Furthermore, technology assets, human networks, social capital, intellectual capital, and change management are identified as essential ingredients that have the potential to ensure effective knowledge value creation.

  18. Human nicotine conditioning requires explicit contingency knowledge: is addictive behaviour cognitively mediated?

    PubMed

    Hogarth, Lee; Duka, Theodora

    2006-03-01

    Two seemingly contrary theories describe the learning mechanisms that mediate human addictive behaviour. According to the classical incentive theories of addiction, addictive behaviour is motivated by a Pavlovian conditioned appetitive emotional response elicited by drug-paired stimuli. Expectancy theory, on the other hand, argues that addictive behaviour is mediated by an expectancy of the drug imparted by cognitive knowledge of the Pavlovian (predictive) contingency between stimuli (S+) and the drug and of the instrumental (causal) contingency between instrumental behaviour and the drug. The present paper reviewed human-nicotine-conditioning studies to assess the role of appetitive emotional conditioning and explicit contingency knowledge in mediating addictive behaviour. The studies reviewed here provided evidence for both the emotional conditioning and the expectancy accounts. The first source of evidence is that nicotine-paired S+ elicit an appetitive emotional conditioned response (CR), albeit only in participants who expect nicotine. Furthermore, the magnitude of this emotional state is modulated by nicotine deprivation/satiation. However, the causal status of the emotional response in driving other forms of conditioned behaviour remains undemonstrated. The second source of evidence is that other nicotine CRs, including physiological responses, self-administration, attentional bias and subjective craving, are also dependent on participants possessing explicit knowledge of the Pavlovian contingencies arranged in the experiment. In addition, several of the nicotine CRs can be brought about or modified by instructed contingency knowledge, demonstrating the causal status of this knowledge. Collectively, these data suggest that human nicotine conditioned effects are mediated by an explicit expectancy of the drug coupled with an appetitive emotional response that reflects the positive biological value of the drug. The implication of this conclusion is that

  19. TissueWikiMobile: an Integrative Protein Expression Image Browser for Pathological Knowledge Sharing and Annotation on a Mobile Device

    PubMed Central

    Cheng, Chihwen; Stokes, Todd H.; Hang, Sovandy; Wang, May D.

    2016-01-01

    Doctors need fast and convenient access to medical data. This motivates the use of mobile devices for knowledge retrieval and sharing. We have developed TissueWikiMobile on the Apple iPhone and iPad to seamlessly access TissueWiki, an enormous repository of medical histology images. TissueWiki is a three terabyte database of antibody information and histology images from the Human Protein Atlas (HPA). Using TissueWikiMobile, users are capable of extracting knowledge from protein expression, adding annotations to highlight regions of interest on images, and sharing their professional insight. By providing an intuitive human computer interface, users can efficiently operate TissueWikiMobile to access important biomedical data without losing mobility. TissueWikiMobile furnishes the health community a ubiquitous way to collaborate and share their expert opinions not only on the performance of various antibodies stains but also on histology image annotation. PMID:27532057

  20. Scotland's Knowledge Network: translating knowledge into action to improve quality of care.

    PubMed

    Wales, A; Graham, S; Rooney, K; Crawford, A

    2012-11-01

    The Knowledge Network (www.knowledge.scot.nhs.uk) is Scotland's online knowledge service for health and social care. It is designed to support practitioners to apply knowledge in frontline delivery of care, helping to translate knowledge into better health-care outcomes through safe, effective, person-centred care. The Knowledge Network helps to combine the worlds of evidence-based practice and quality improvement by providing access to knowledge about the effectiveness of clinical interventions ('know-what') and knowledge about how to implement this knowledge to support individual patients in working health-care environments ('know-how'). An 'evidence and guidance' search enables clinicians to quickly access quality-assured evidence and best practice, while point of care and mobile solutions provide knowledge in actionable formats to embed in clinical workflow. This research-based knowledge is complemented by social networking services and improvement tools which support the capture and exchange of knowledge from experience, facilitating practice change and systems improvement. In these cases, the Knowledge Network supports key components of the knowledge-to-action cycle--acquiring, creating, sharing and disseminating knowledge to improve performance and innovate. It provides a vehicle for implementing the recommendations of the national Knowledge into Action review, which outlines a new national approach to embedding knowledge in frontline practice and systems improvement.

  1. Co-Producing Accessible Climate Knowledge: Case Study of a Scientific Challenge

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bourqui, M.; Charriere, M. K. M.; Bolduc, C.

    2016-12-01

    This talk presents the process of and the lessons learned from a scientific challenge where climate scientists re-framed their research for the general public in interaction with members of the general public. This challenge was organized by Climanosco in the context of its launch in the fall 2015 and is due to end in September 2016. It led to the publication of 11 articles from scientific authors spanning 7 countries and engaged the participation of 24 members of the general public. The process of interaction between scientists and members of the general public took place along an extended peer-review process which included on-line community discussions and non-scientific review reports. Details of this interaction, as perceived by the participants and evaluated by a survey, will be discussed in this talk. On the longer term this co-production of accessible climate knowledge, which represents the main goal of the non-profit association Climanosco, is meant to serve as a reliable, research-based source, the decision makers but also the journalists, teachers and communities around the world.

  2. Racial disparities in human papillomavirus vaccination: does access matter?

    PubMed

    Gelman, Amanda; Miller, Elizabeth; Schwarz, Eleanor Bimla; Akers, Aletha Y; Jeong, Kwonho; Borrero, Sonya

    2013-12-01

    To examine the association between race/ethnicity and human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine initiation and to determine how access to health care influences this relationship. We used nationally representative data from the National Survey of Family Growth to assess HPV vaccine initiation in 2,168 females aged 15-24 years. A series of regression analyses were performed to determine the independent effect of race/ethnicity on HPV vaccine initiation after controlling for sociodemographic variables and health care access measures. Age-stratified regression analyses were also performed to assess whether the relationship between race/ethnicity and HPV vaccine initiation differed among females aged 15-18 and 19-24 years. There were significant racial/ethnic disparities in HPV vaccination; United States (US)-born Hispanics, foreign-born Hispanics, and African-Americans were less likely to have initiated vaccination than were whites (p < .001). Adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics attenuated the disparity for both US-born and foreign-born Hispanics (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], .76; 95% confidence interval [CI], .50-1.16; and AOR, .67; 95% CI, .37-1.19) but not for African-Americans (AOR, .47, 95% CI, .33-.66). Adding health care access measures further attenuated the disparity for US-born and foreign-born Hispanics (AOR, .85, 95% CI, .54-1.34; and AOR, .84, 95% CI, .45-1.55). However, African-Americans remained less likely than whites to have initiated vaccination (AOR, .49, 95% CI, .36-.68). These racial/ethnic trends were similar for females aged 15-18 and 19-24 years. Lower rates of HPV vaccination among African-American females do not appear to be explained by differential access to health care. More research is necessary to elucidate factors contributing to HPV vaccination in this population. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  3. Towards an Earth System Knowledge Environment Designed to Promote More Usable Science

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Killeen, T. L.

    2006-12-01

    It is abundantly clear that fundamental decisions about how to manage future human society will need to be informed by quantitative scientific analyses of processes, options, impacts, and responses. In fact, one could argue that the human experience into the foreseeable future will increasingly be tied to the integrating of information, understanding, and experiences to create knowledge and with it solutions to emerging problems as well as opportunities for further progress. This is particularly true for the Geosciences. Our scientific field, and by extension our Union, has a special responsibility for informing policy makers and the public about how the earth system functions and about the relationship between environmental stressors and human activities. In this regard, a greatly improved working interface between natural and social scientists is needed. In this talk, I argue that something like an "Earth System Knowledge Environment" or "Earth System Collaboratory" should be developed using modern information technologies to encapsulate and make accessible existing and emerging interdisciplinary knowledge of particular use to decision makers. Such a "work place" should be open to all and could provide access to observations, models and theories in ways that more easily allow for credible scientific understanding to be translated into policy options at all levels. Examples of fledgling efforts along these lines will be cited in areas such as severe weather impacts and climate change. The challenges involved in creating more usable scientific knowledge are, of course, quite significant and include major issues such as: institutional impediments to interdisciplinary research, the role of proprietary interests, the difficulties involved in working across the natural/social science boundary, and the challenge of developing the kind of human capital needed to effectively close the gap between good science and public policy.

  4. Knowledge Repository for Fmea Related Knowledge

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cândea, Gabriela Simona; Kifor, Claudiu Vasile; Cândea, Ciprian

    2014-11-01

    This paper presents innovative usage of knowledge system into Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) process using the ontology to represent the knowledge. Knowledge system is built to serve multi-projects work that nowadays are in place in any manufacturing or services provider, and knowledge must be retained and reused at the company level and not only at project level. The system is following the FMEA methodology and the validation of the concept is compliant with the automotive industry standards published by Automotive Industry Action Group, and not only. Collaboration is assured trough web-based GUI that supports multiple users access at any time

  5. Synthetic biology between technoscience and thing knowledge.

    PubMed

    Gelfert, Axel

    2013-06-01

    Synthetic biology presents a challenge to traditional accounts of biology: Whereas traditional biology emphasizes the evolvability, variability, and heterogeneity of living organisms, synthetic biology envisions a future of homogeneous, humanly engineered biological systems that may be combined in modular fashion. The present paper approaches this challenge from the perspective of the epistemology of technoscience. In particular, it is argued that synthetic-biological artifacts lend themselves to an analysis in terms of what has been called 'thing knowledge'. As such, they should neither be regarded as the simple outcome of applying theoretical knowledge and engineering principles to specific technological problems, nor should they be treated as mere sources of new evidence in the general pursuit of scientific understanding. Instead, synthetic-biological artifacts should be viewed as partly autonomous research objects which, qua their material-biological constitution, embody knowledge about the natural world-knowledge that, in turn, can be accessed via continuous experimental interrogation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Age differences in suggestibility to contradictions of demonstrated knowledge: the influence of prior knowledge.

    PubMed

    Umanath, Sharda

    2016-11-01

    People maintain intact general knowledge into very old age and use it to support remembering. Interestingly, when older and younger adults encounter errors that contradict general knowledge, older adults suffer fewer memorial consequences: Older adults use fewer recently-encountered errors as answers for later knowledge questions. Why do older adults show this reduced suggestibility, and what role does their intact knowledge play? In three experiments, I examined suggestibility following exposure to errors in fictional stories that contradict general knowledge. Older adults consistently demonstrated more prior knowledge than younger adults but also gained access to even more across time. Additionally, they did not show a reduction in new learning from the stories, indicating lesser involvement of episodic memory failures. Critically, when knowledge was stably accessible, older adults relied more heavily on that knowledge compared to younger adults, resulting in reduced suggestibility. Implications for the broader role of knowledge in aging are discussed.

  7. Health, healthcare access, and use of traditional versus modern medicine in remote Peruvian Amazon communities: a descriptive study of knowledge, attitudes, and practices.

    PubMed

    Williamson, Jonathan; Ramirez, Ronald; Wingfield, Tom

    2015-04-01

    There is an urgent need for healthcare research, funding, and infrastructure in the Peruvian Amazon. We performed a descriptive study of health, health knowledge and practice, and healthcare access of 13 remote communities of the Manatí and Amazon Rivers in northeastern Peru. Eighty-five adults attending a medical boat service were interviewed to collect data on socioeconomic position, health, diagnosed illnesses, pain, healthcare access, and traditional versus modern medicine use. In this setting, poverty and gender inequality were prevalent, and healthcare access was limited by long distances to the health post and long waiting times. There was a high burden of reported pain (mainly head and musculoskeletal) and chronic non-communicable diseases, such as hypertension (19%). Nearly all participants felt that they did not completely understand their diagnosed illnesses and wanted to know more. Participants preferred modern over traditional medicine, predominantly because of mistrust or lack of belief in traditional medicine. Our findings provide novel evidence concerning transitional health beliefs, hidden pain, and chronic non-communicable disease prevalence in marginalized communities of the Peruvian Amazon. Healthcare provision was limited by a breach between health education, knowledge, and access. Additional participatory research with similar rural populations is required to inform regional healthcare policy and decision-making. © The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

  8. Knowledge, Attitudes, and Informational Behaviors of College Students in Regard to the Human Papillomavirus

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sandfort, Jessica R.; Pleasant, Andrew

    2009-01-01

    Objective: To assess students' human papillomavirus (HPV) knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. Participants/ Methods: Students (N = 1,282) at a large, public university in the Northeast United States completed a questionnaire during February 2008 assessing HPV knowledge, prevalence, transmission, cervical cancer risk and stigma; sexual behavior,…

  9. University Students' Knowledge and Attitudes Regarding Cervical Cancer, Human Papillomavirus, and Human Papillomavirus Vaccines in Turkey

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Koç, Zeliha

    2015-01-01

    Objectives: The current descriptive study aimed to determine university students' knowledge and attitudes regarding cervical cancer, human papillomavirus (HPV), and HPV vaccines in Turkey. Participants: A total of 800 students participated. Methods: This study was carried out between September 1, 2012, and October 30, 2012, in 8 female…

  10. Testing the importance of family solidarity, community structure, information access, and social capital in predicting nutrition health knowledge and food choices in the Philippines.

    PubMed

    Moxley, Robert L; Jicha, Karl A; Thompson, Gretchen H

    2011-01-01

    This study investigates the influence of family solidarity, community structure, information access, social capital, and socioeconomic status on the extent of nutrition and health knowledge (NHK) among primary household meal planners. In turn, we pose the question: does this knowledge influence dietary decision making? Data are taken from a survey determining socioeconomic impacts of vitamin A fortified peanut butter on Philippine households. Questions on the relationships of nutrition to health were selected to construct a knowledge index on which household respondents could be ranked. We then tested hypotheses regarding what types of individual, family-level, and community structural characteristics would predict performance on this index. The results indicate that the strongest predictors of NHK come from sociological theory related to family solidarity and community centrality, in addition to information accessibility and household income. Our findings also indicate that NHK influences dietary choices with regard to the purchase of a vitamin fortified staple food product, which is essential when addressing nutritional deficiency problems in developing countries.

  11. Low human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine knowledge among Latino parents in Utah.

    PubMed

    Kepka, Deanna; Warner, Echo L; Kinney, Anita Y; Spigarelli, Michael G; Mooney, Kathi

    2015-02-01

    Latinas have the highest incidence of cervical cancer, yet Latino parents/guardians' knowledge about and willingness to have their children receive the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine is unknown. Latino parents/guardians (N = 67) of children aged 11-17 were recruited from two community organizations to complete a survey, including HPV vaccine knowledge, child's uptake, demographic characteristics, and acculturation. Descriptive statistics and correlates of parents' HPV knowledge and uptake were calculated using Chi square tests and multivariable logistic regression. Receipt of at least one dose of the HPV vaccine was moderate for daughters (49.1%) and low for sons (23.4%). Parents/guardians reported limited knowledge as the main barrier to vaccine receipt. Among parents/guardians with vaccinated daughters, 92.6% did not know the vaccine requires three doses. Adjusting for income, low-acculturated parents were more likely than high-acculturated parents to report inadequate information (OR 8.59, 95% CI 2.11-34.92). Interventions addressing low knowledge and children's uptake of the HPV vaccine are needed among Latino parents/guardians.

  12. Representing Human Expertise by the OWL Web Ontology Language to Support Knowledge Engineering in Decision Support Systems.

    PubMed

    Ramzan, Asia; Wang, Hai; Buckingham, Christopher

    2014-01-01

    Clinical decision support systems (CDSSs) often base their knowledge and advice on human expertise. Knowledge representation needs to be in a format that can be easily understood by human users as well as supporting ongoing knowledge engineering, including evolution and consistency of knowledge. This paper reports on the development of an ontology specification for managing knowledge engineering in a CDSS for assessing and managing risks associated with mental-health problems. The Galatean Risk and Safety Tool, GRiST, represents mental-health expertise in the form of a psychological model of classification. The hierarchical structure was directly represented in the machine using an XML document. Functionality of the model and knowledge management were controlled using attributes in the XML nodes, with an accompanying paper manual for specifying how end-user tools should behave when interfacing with the XML. This paper explains the advantages of using the web-ontology language, OWL, as the specification, details some of the issues and problems encountered in translating the psychological model to OWL, and shows how OWL benefits knowledge engineering. The conclusions are that OWL can have an important role in managing complex knowledge domains for systems based on human expertise without impeding the end-users' understanding of the knowledge base. The generic classification model underpinning GRiST makes it applicable to many decision domains and the accompanying OWL specification facilitates its implementation.

  13. Identifying the public's knowledge and intention to use human cloning in Greek urban areas.

    PubMed

    Tzamalouka, Georgia; Soultatou, Pelagia; Papadakaki, Maria; Chatzifotiou, Sevasti; Tarlatzis, Basil; El Chliaoutakis, Joannes

    2005-02-01

    The understanding of the public's knowledge on human cloning (HC) and its acceptability are considered important for the development of evidence-based policy making. The aim of this research study was to investigate the demographic and socioeconomic variables that affect the public's knowledge and intention to use HC in urban areas of Greece. Additionally, the possible association of religiousness with the knowledge and the intention to use HC were also investigated. Individual interviews were conducted with 1020 men and women of urban areas in Greece. Stratified random sampling was performed to select the respondents. Several scientists, experts in HC, evaluated the content of the instrument initially developed. The final questionnaire was consequently the result of a pilot study. Almost half of the respondents (51.5%) believed that "HC is a sort of in vitro fertilization" and 42.9% that "it has already been applied to human being." They were not aware that "the cloned fetus grows in the woman's uterus" (41.5%) and that "HC could regenerate human organs" (41.7%). The acceptability of human cloning for the cure of terminal diseases and transplantation need is very high (70.7% and 58.6%, respectively). The public's intention to have recourse to cloning on the grounds of "bringing" back to life a loved person or because of reproductive disorders was reported as desire by 35% and 32.5%, respectively. The occupational category (scientists, self-employed, and artists), the Intention to use HC, and the number of children are highly significant predictors of valid knowledge about HC. Low rates of church attendance appeared to relate with high reported Intention to use HC, and increasing scores of valid knowledge about HC increased the public's Intention to use HC. A number of specific demographic and socioeconomic characteristics and high scores of knowledge provide a persuasive justification in demonstrating intention toward HC. The current study suggests that these

  14. Development of Korean Rare Disease Knowledge Base

    PubMed Central

    Seo, Heewon; Kim, Dokyoon; Chae, Jong-Hee; Kang, Hee Gyung; Lim, Byung Chan; Cheong, Hae Il

    2012-01-01

    Objectives Rare disease research requires a broad range of disease-related information for the discovery of causes of genetic disorders that are maladies caused by abnormalities in genes or chromosomes. A rarity in cases makes it difficult for researchers to elucidate definite inception. This knowledge base will be a major resource not only for clinicians, but also for the general public, who are unable to find consistent information on rare diseases in a single location. Methods We design a compact database schema for faster querying; its structure is optimized to store heterogeneous data sources. Then, clinicians at Seoul National University Hospital (SNUH) review and revise those resources. Additionally, we integrated other sources to capture genomic resources and clinical trials in detail on the Korean Rare Disease Knowledge base (KRDK). Results As a result, we have developed a Web-based knowledge base, KRDK, suitable for study of Mendelian diseases that commonly occur among Koreans. This knowledge base is comprised of disease summary and review, causal gene list, laboratory and clinic directory, patient registry, and so on. Furthermore, database for analyzing and giving access to human biological information and the clinical trial management system are integrated on KRDK. Conclusions We expect that KRDK, the first rare disease knowledge base in Korea, may contribute to collaborative research and be a reliable reference for application to clinical trials. Additionally, this knowledge base is ready for querying of drug information so that visitors can search a list of rare diseases that is relative to specific drugs. Visitors can have access to KRDK via http://www.snubi.org/software/raredisease/. PMID:23346478

  15. Knowledge-Based Object Detection in Laser Scanning Point Clouds

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Boochs, F.; Karmacharya, A.; Marbs, A.

    2012-07-01

    Object identification and object processing in 3D point clouds have always posed challenges in terms of effectiveness and efficiency. In practice, this process is highly dependent on human interpretation of the scene represented by the point cloud data, as well as the set of modeling tools available for use. Such modeling algorithms are data-driven and concentrate on specific features of the objects, being accessible to numerical models. We present an approach that brings the human expert knowledge about the scene, the objects inside, and their representation by the data and the behavior of algorithms to the machine. This "understanding" enables the machine to assist human interpretation of the scene inside the point cloud. Furthermore, it allows the machine to understand possibilities and limitations of algorithms and to take this into account within the processing chain. This not only assists the researchers in defining optimal processing steps, but also provides suggestions when certain changes or new details emerge from the point cloud. Our approach benefits from the advancement in knowledge technologies within the Semantic Web framework. This advancement has provided a strong base for applications based on knowledge management. In the article we will present and describe the knowledge technologies used for our approach such as Web Ontology Language (OWL), used for formulating the knowledge base and the Semantic Web Rule Language (SWRL) with 3D processing and topologic built-ins, aiming to combine geometrical analysis of 3D point clouds, and specialists' knowledge of the scene and algorithmic processing.

  16. Knowledge of Acute Human Immnuodeficiency Virus Infection among Gay and Bisexual Male College Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Grin, Benjamin; Chan, Philip A.; Operario, Don

    2013-01-01

    Objective: To examine human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors in at-risk college men who have sex with men (MSM), focusing on knowledge about acute HIV infection (AHI). Participants and Methods: A one-time anonymous survey was administered to college students attending a lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender,…

  17. Looking Through a Social Lens: Conceptualising Social Aspects of Knowledge Management for Global Health Practitioners.

    PubMed

    Limaye, Rupali J; Sullivan, Tara M; Dalessandro, Scott; Jenkins, Ann Hendrix

    2017-04-13

    Knowledge management plays a critical role in global health. Global health practitioners require knowledge in every aspect of their jobs, and in resource-scarce contexts, practitioners must be able to rely on a knowledge management system to access the latest research and practice to ensure the highest quality of care. However, we suggest that there is a gap in the way knowledge management is primarily utilized in global health, namely, the systematic incorporation of human and social factors. In this paper, we briefly outline the evolution of knowledge management and then propose a conceptualization of knowledge management that incorporates human and social factors for use within a global health context. Our conceptualization of social knowledge management recognizes the importance of social capital, social learning, social software and platforms, and social networks , all within the context of a larger social system and driven by social benefit . We then outline the limitations and discuss future directions of our conceptualization, and suggest how this new conceptualization is essential for any global health practitioner in the business of managing knowledge.

  18. Accessing and integrating data and knowledge for biomedical research.

    PubMed

    Burgun, A; Bodenreider, O

    2008-01-01

    To review the issues that have arisen with the advent of translational research in terms of integration of data and knowledge, and survey current efforts to address these issues. Using examples form the biomedical literature, we identified new trends in biomedical research and their impact on bioinformatics. We analyzed the requirements for effective knowledge repositories and studied issues in the integration of biomedical knowledge. New diagnostic and therapeutic approaches based on gene expression patterns have brought about new issues in the statistical analysis of data, and new workflows are needed are needed to support translational research. Interoperable data repositories based on standard annotations, infrastructures and services are needed to support the pooling and meta-analysis of data, as well as their comparison to earlier experiments. High-quality, integrated ontologies and knowledge bases serve as a source of prior knowledge used in combination with traditional data mining techniques and contribute to the development of more effective data analysis strategies. As biomedical research evolves from traditional clinical and biological investigations towards omics sciences and translational research, specific needs have emerged, including integrating data collected in research studies with patient clinical data, linking omics knowledge with medical knowledge, modeling the molecular basis of diseases, and developing tools that support in-depth analysis of research data. As such, translational research illustrates the need to bridge the gap between bioinformatics and medical informatics, and opens new avenues for biomedical informatics research.

  19. Accessing and Integrating Data and Knowledge for Biomedical Research

    PubMed Central

    Burgun, A.; Bodenreider, O.

    2008-01-01

    Summary Objectives To review the issues that have arisen with the advent of translational research in terms of integration of data and knowledge, and survey current efforts to address these issues. Methods Using examples form the biomedical literature, we identified new trends in biomedical research and their impact on bioinformatics. We analyzed the requirements for effective knowledge repositories and studied issues in the integration of biomedical knowledge. Results New diagnostic and therapeutic approaches based on gene expression patterns have brought about new issues in the statistical analysis of data, and new workflows are needed are needed to support translational research. Interoperable data repositories based on standard annotations, infrastructures and services are needed to support the pooling and meta-analysis of data, as well as their comparison to earlier experiments. High-quality, integrated ontologies and knowledge bases serve as a source of prior knowledge used in combination with traditional data mining techniques and contribute to the development of more effective data analysis strategies. Conclusion As biomedical research evolves from traditional clinical and biological investigations towards omics sciences and translational research, specific needs have emerged, including integrating data collected in research studies with patient clinical data, linking omics knowledge with medical knowledge, modeling the molecular basis of diseases, and developing tools that support in-depth analysis of research data. As such, translational research illustrates the need to bridge the gap between bioinformatics and medical informatics, and opens new avenues for biomedical informatics research. PMID:18660883

  20. Beliefs and Knowledge about the Human Papillomavirus Vaccine among Undergraduate Men

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hunter, Theresa; Weinstein, Melissa

    2016-01-01

    Objective: The objective of this study was to assess male undergraduate students' human papillomavirus (HPV) knowledge and intentions to receive the HPV vaccination. Design: Cross-sectional survey. Method: A sample of 116 male undergraduate students from a university in the Midwestern USA completed a survey questionnaire assessing various aspects…

  1. Human rights and access to healthcare services for indigenous peoples in Africa.

    PubMed

    Durojaye, Ebenezer

    2017-09-20

    In September 2015, the United Nations adopted the sustainable development goals (SDGs) to address among others poverty and inequality within and among countries of the world. In particular, the SDGs aim at ameliorating the position of disadvantaged and vulnerable groups in societies. One of the over-arching goals of the SDGs is to ensure that no one is left behind in the realisation of their access to health care. African governments are obligated under international and regional human rights law to ensure access to healthcare services for everyone, including indigenous populations, on a non-discriminatory basis. This requires the governments to adopt appropriate measures that will remove barriers to healthcare services for disadvantaged and marginalised groups such as indigenous peoples.

  2. Survey of knowledge and perception on the access to evidence-based practice and clinical practice change among maternal and infant health practitioners in South East Asia.

    PubMed

    Martis, Ruth; Ho, Jacqueline J; Crowther, Caroline A

    2008-08-05

    Evidence-based practice (EBP) can provide appropriate care for women and their babies; however implementation of EBP requires health professionals to have access to knowledge, the ability to interpret health care information and then strategies to apply care. The aim of this survey was to assess current knowledge of evidence-based practice, information seeking practices, perceptions and potential enablers and barriers to clinical practice change among maternal and infant health practitioners in South East Asia. Questionnaires about IT access for health information and evidence-based practice were administered during August to December 2005 to health care professionals working at the nine hospitals participating in the South East Asia Optimising Reproductive and Child Health in Developing countries (SEA-ORCHID) project in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and The Philippines. The survey was completed by 660 staff from six health professional groups. Overall, easy IT access for health care information was available to 46% of participants. However, over a fifth reported no IT access was available and over half of nurses and midwives never used IT health information. Evidence-based practice had been heard of by 58% but the majority did not understand the concept. The most frequent sites accessed were Google and PubMed. The Cochrane Library had been heard of by 47% of whom 51% had access although the majority did not use it or used it less than monthly. Only 27% had heard of the WHO Reproductive Health Library and 35% had been involved in a clinical practice change and were able to identify enablers and barriers to change. Only a third of participants had been actively involved in practice change with wide variation between the countries. Willingness to participate in professional development workshops on evidence-based practice was high. This survey has identified the need to improve IT access to health care information and health professionals' knowledge of evidence

  3. Survey of knowledge and perception on the access to evidence-based practice and clinical practice change among maternal and infant health practitioners in South East Asia

    PubMed Central

    Martis, Ruth; Ho, Jacqueline J; Crowther, Caroline A

    2008-01-01

    Background Evidence-based practice (EBP) can provide appropriate care for women and their babies; however implementation of EBP requires health professionals to have access to knowledge, the ability to interpret health care information and then strategies to apply care. The aim of this survey was to assess current knowledge of evidence-based practice, information seeking practices, perceptions and potential enablers and barriers to clinical practice change among maternal and infant health practitioners in South East Asia. Methods Questionnaires about IT access for health information and evidence-based practice were administered during August to December 2005 to health care professionals working at the nine hospitals participating in the South East Asia Optimising Reproductive and Child Health in Developing countries (SEA-ORCHID) project in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and The Philippines. Results The survey was completed by 660 staff from six health professional groups. Overall, easy IT access for health care information was available to 46% of participants. However, over a fifth reported no IT access was available and over half of nurses and midwives never used IT health information. Evidence-based practice had been heard of by 58% but the majority did not understand the concept. The most frequent sites accessed were Google and PubMed. The Cochrane Library had been heard of by 47% of whom 51% had access although the majority did not use it or used it less than monthly. Only 27% had heard of the WHO Reproductive Health Library and 35% had been involved in a clinical practice change and were able to identify enablers and barriers to change. Only a third of participants had been actively involved in practice change with wide variation between the countries. Willingness to participate in professional development workshops on evidence-based practice was high. Conclusion This survey has identified the need to improve IT access to health care information and health

  4. Mastering the game of Go without human knowledge.

    PubMed

    Silver, David; Schrittwieser, Julian; Simonyan, Karen; Antonoglou, Ioannis; Huang, Aja; Guez, Arthur; Hubert, Thomas; Baker, Lucas; Lai, Matthew; Bolton, Adrian; Chen, Yutian; Lillicrap, Timothy; Hui, Fan; Sifre, Laurent; van den Driessche, George; Graepel, Thore; Hassabis, Demis

    2017-10-18

    A long-standing goal of artificial intelligence is an algorithm that learns, tabula rasa, superhuman proficiency in challenging domains. Recently, AlphaGo became the first program to defeat a world champion in the game of Go. The tree search in AlphaGo evaluated positions and selected moves using deep neural networks. These neural networks were trained by supervised learning from human expert moves, and by reinforcement learning from self-play. Here we introduce an algorithm based solely on reinforcement learning, without human data, guidance or domain knowledge beyond game rules. AlphaGo becomes its own teacher: a neural network is trained to predict AlphaGo's own move selections and also the winner of AlphaGo's games. This neural network improves the strength of the tree search, resulting in higher quality move selection and stronger self-play in the next iteration. Starting tabula rasa, our new program AlphaGo Zero achieved superhuman performance, winning 100-0 against the previously published, champion-defeating AlphaGo.

  5. Mastering the game of Go without human knowledge

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Silver, David; Schrittwieser, Julian; Simonyan, Karen; Antonoglou, Ioannis; Huang, Aja; Guez, Arthur; Hubert, Thomas; Baker, Lucas; Lai, Matthew; Bolton, Adrian; Chen, Yutian; Lillicrap, Timothy; Hui, Fan; Sifre, Laurent; van den Driessche, George; Graepel, Thore; Hassabis, Demis

    2017-10-01

    A long-standing goal of artificial intelligence is an algorithm that learns, tabula rasa, superhuman proficiency in challenging domains. Recently, AlphaGo became the first program to defeat a world champion in the game of Go. The tree search in AlphaGo evaluated positions and selected moves using deep neural networks. These neural networks were trained by supervised learning from human expert moves, and by reinforcement learning from self-play. Here we introduce an algorithm based solely on reinforcement learning, without human data, guidance or domain knowledge beyond game rules. AlphaGo becomes its own teacher: a neural network is trained to predict AlphaGo’s own move selections and also the winner of AlphaGo’s games. This neural network improves the strength of the tree search, resulting in higher quality move selection and stronger self-play in the next iteration. Starting tabula rasa, our new program AlphaGo Zero achieved superhuman performance, winning 100-0 against the previously published, champion-defeating AlphaGo.

  6. Lynx: a database and knowledge extraction engine for integrative medicine.

    PubMed

    Sulakhe, Dinanath; Balasubramanian, Sandhya; Xie, Bingqing; Feng, Bo; Taylor, Andrew; Wang, Sheng; Berrocal, Eduardo; Dave, Utpal; Xu, Jinbo; Börnigen, Daniela; Gilliam, T Conrad; Maltsev, Natalia

    2014-01-01

    We have developed Lynx (http://lynx.ci.uchicago.edu)--a web-based database and a knowledge extraction engine, supporting annotation and analysis of experimental data and generation of weighted hypotheses on molecular mechanisms contributing to human phenotypes and disorders of interest. Its underlying knowledge base (LynxKB) integrates various classes of information from >35 public databases and private collections, as well as manually curated data from our group and collaborators. Lynx provides advanced search capabilities and a variety of algorithms for enrichment analysis and network-based gene prioritization to assist the user in extracting meaningful knowledge from LynxKB and experimental data, whereas its service-oriented architecture provides public access to LynxKB and its analytical tools via user-friendly web services and interfaces.

  7. Lynx: a database and knowledge extraction engine for integrative medicine

    PubMed Central

    Sulakhe, Dinanath; Balasubramanian, Sandhya; Xie, Bingqing; Feng, Bo; Taylor, Andrew; Wang, Sheng; Berrocal, Eduardo; Dave, Utpal; Xu, Jinbo; Börnigen, Daniela; Gilliam, T. Conrad; Maltsev, Natalia

    2014-01-01

    We have developed Lynx (http://lynx.ci.uchicago.edu)—a web-based database and a knowledge extraction engine, supporting annotation and analysis of experimental data and generation of weighted hypotheses on molecular mechanisms contributing to human phenotypes and disorders of interest. Its underlying knowledge base (LynxKB) integrates various classes of information from >35 public databases and private collections, as well as manually curated data from our group and collaborators. Lynx provides advanced search capabilities and a variety of algorithms for enrichment analysis and network-based gene prioritization to assist the user in extracting meaningful knowledge from LynxKB and experimental data, whereas its service-oriented architecture provides public access to LynxKB and its analytical tools via user-friendly web services and interfaces. PMID:24270788

  8. From knowledge presentation to knowledge representation to knowledge construction: Future directions for hypermedia

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Palumbo, David B.

    1990-01-01

    Relationships between human memory systems and hypermedia systems are discussed with particular emphasis on the underlying importance of associational memory. The distinctions between knowledge presentation, knowledge representation, and knowledge constructions are addressed. Issues involved in actually developing individualizable hypermedia based knowledge construction tools are presented.

  9. Post-exposure Prophylaxis Awareness, Knowledge, Access and Use Among Three Populations in New York City, 2016-17.

    PubMed

    Koblin, Beryl A; Usher, DaShawn; Nandi, Vijay; Tieu, Hong-Van; Bravo, Eddie; Lucy, Debbie; Miles, London; Ortiz, Geneva; Kindlon, Marcia J; Parisi, Donna M; Frye, Victoria

    2018-06-01

    Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is a cost-effective, but underused HIV prevention strategy. PEP awareness, knowledge, access, and usage was assessed among young men of color who have sex with men (YMSMOC; n = 177), transgender women (TW; n = 182), and cisgender women of color (CWOC; n = 170) in New York City. 59% were aware of PEP: 80% among YMSMOC, 63% among TW and 34% among CWOC (p < 0.001). 13% had ever used PEP. PEP awareness was higher among YMSMOC with a recent HIV test and lower among those with ≥ 4 partners. PEP awareness was lower among TW who anticipated stigma and reported barriers to taking PEP, and higher among TW who exchanged sex for resources. Among CWOC, more barriers to taking PEP reduced the odds of PEP awareness. PEP education and outreach needs to be deliberate about population-specific campaigns, with a need to focus on reducing PEP stigma and other barriers which impede PEP access.

  10. Analysis of Potential Alternatives to Reduce NASA's Cost of Human Access to Space

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1998-01-01

    The purpose of this report is to analyze NASA's potential options for significantly reducing the cost of human access to space. The opinions expressed in this report are based on Hawthorne, Krauss & Associates' ("HKA") interaction with NASA and several of its key contractors over the past nine months. This report is not intended to be an exhaustive quantitative analysis of the various options available to NASA. Instead, its purpose is to outline key decision-related issues that the agency should consider prior to making a decision as to which option to pursue. This report attempts to bring a private-sector perspective to bear on the issue of reducing the cost of human access to space. HKA believes that the key to the NASA's success in reducing those costs over the long-term is the involvement of the private-sector incentives and disciplines--which is achieved only through the assumption of risk by the private sector, not through a traditional contractor relationship--is essential to achieve significant long-term cost reductions.

  11. Investigating the Knowledge Management Culture

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stylianou, Vasso; Savva, Andreas

    2016-01-01

    Knowledge Management (KM) efforts aim at leveraging an organization into a knowledge organization thereby presenting knowledge employees with a very powerful tool; organized valuable knowledge accessible when and where needed in flexible, technologically-enhanced modes. The attainment of this aim, i.e., the transformation into a knowledge…

  12. The association of human papillomavirus vaccination with sexual behaviours and human papillomavirus knowledge: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Coles, Victoria A H; Patel, Ajay S; Allen, Felicity L; Keeping, Sam T; Carroll, Stuart M

    2015-10-01

    Since the 2008 introduction of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programme for adolescent girls in the UK, parents and other groups have expressed fears that immunisation condones sexual activity, promotes promiscuity and encourages risky sexual behaviour. This study aimed to explore whether HPV vaccination programmes have increased knowledge surrounding HPV and associated disease and whether uptake has influenced sexual behaviour. MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library and PsycINFO electronic databases were interrogated. Studies of behaviour, attitudes and knowledge associated with HPV vaccination (or vaccination intent) in subjects of any age and gender in programmes reflective of UK practice were included in the review (n = 58). The evidence regarding the association of HPV vaccination with high-risk sexual behaviour was varied, primarily due to the heterogeneous nature of the included studies. Young females typically exhibited better knowledge than males, and vaccinated respondents (or those with vaccination intent) had higher levels of knowledge than the unvaccinated. However, knowledge surrounding HPV and genital warts was generally poor. This review highlights the need to provide effective education regarding the HPV vaccine and HPV-associated disease to adolescents of vaccination age, nurses, teachers, parents and guardians to ultimately allow informed decisions to be made regarding receipt of the HPV vaccine. © The Author(s) 2015.

  13. An Empirical Research on the Correlation between Human Capital and Career Success of Knowledge Workers in Enterprise

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Guo, Wenchen; Xiao, Hongjun; Yang, Xi

    Human capital plays an important part in employability of knowledge workers, also it is the important intangible assets of company. This paper explores the correlation between human capital and career success of knowledge workers. Based on literature retrieval, we identified measuring tool of career success and modified further; measuring human capital with self-developed scale of high reliability and validity. After exploratory factor analysis, we suggest that human capital contents four dimensions, including education, work experience, learning ability and training; career success contents three dimensions, including perceived internal competitiveness of organization, perceived external competitiveness of organization and career satisfaction. The result of empirical analysis indicates that there is a positive correlation between human capital and career success, and human capital is an excellent predictor of career success beyond demographics variables.

  14. Unleashing the power of human genetic variation knowledge: New Zealand stakeholder perspectives.

    PubMed

    Gu, Yulong; Warren, James Roy; Day, Karen Jean

    2011-01-01

    This study aimed to characterize the challenges in using genetic information in health care and to identify opportunities for improvement. Taking a grounded theory approach, semistructured interviews were conducted with 48 participants to collect multiple stakeholder perspectives on genetic services in New Zealand. Three themes emerged from the data: (1) four service delivery models were identified in operation, including both those expected models involving genetic counselors and variations that do not route through the formal genetic service program; (2) multiple barriers to sharing and using genetic information were perceived, including technological, organizational, institutional, legal, ethical, and social issues; and (3) impediments to wider use of genetic testing technology, including variable understanding of genetic test utilities among clinicians and the limited capacity of clinical genetic services. Targeting these problems, information technologies and knowledge management tools have the potential to support key tasks in genetic services delivery, improve knowledge processes, and enhance knowledge networks. Because of the effect of issues in genetic information and knowledge management, the potential of human genetic variation knowledge to enhance health care delivery has been put on a "leash."

  15. Review of Cold war social science: Knowledge production, liberal democracy, and human nature, and Working knowledge: Making the human sciences from Parsons to Kuhn.

    PubMed

    Erickson, Paul

    2013-11-01

    Reviews the books, Cold War Social Science: Knowledge Production, Liberal Democracy, and Human Nature by Mark Solovey and Hamilton Cravens (2012) and Working Knowledge: Making the Human Sciences From Parsons to Kuhn by Joel Isaac (see record 2012-13212-000). Taken together, these two important books make intriguing statements about the way to write the histories of fields like psychology, sociology, anthropology, and economics in the Anglo American world during the 20th century. To date, histories of these fields have drawn on a number of fairly well-established punctuation marks to assist in periodization: the shift from interwar institutionalism in economics to postwar neoclassicism, with its physics-like emphasis on mathematical theory-building; the transition from the regnant prewar behaviorism through a postwar "cognitive revolution" in American psychology; and the move in fields like sociology and anthropology away from positivism and the pursuit of what has sometimes been called "grand theory" in the early postwar era toward a period defined by intellectual and political fragmentation, the reemergence of interpretive approaches and a reaction to the scientistic pretensions of the earlier period. These books, by contrast, provide perspectives orthogonal to such existing narrative frameworks by adopting cross-cutting lenses like the "Cold War" and the working practices of researchers in the social and behavioral sciences. As a result, they do much to indicate the value of casting a historiographical net beyond individual disciplines, or even beyond the "social sciences" or the "human sciences" sensu stricto, in the search for deeper patterns of historical development in these fields. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved).

  16. Knowledge of skull base anatomy and surgical implications of human sacrifice among pre-Columbian Mesoamerican cultures.

    PubMed

    Lopez-Serna, Raul; Gomez-Amador, Juan Luis; Barges-Coll, Juan; Arriada-Mendicoa, Nicasio; Romero-Vargas, Samuel; Ramos-Peek, Miguel; Celis-Lopez, Miguel Angel; Revuelta-Gutierrez, Rogelio; Portocarrero-Ortiz, Lesly

    2012-08-01

    Human sacrifice became a common cultural trait during the advanced phases of Mesoamerican civilizations. This phenomenon, influenced by complex religious beliefs, included several practices such as decapitation, cranial deformation, and the use of human cranial bones for skull mask manufacturing. Archaeological evidence suggests that all of these practices required specialized knowledge of skull base and upper cervical anatomy. The authors conducted a systematic search for information on skull base anatomical and surgical knowledge among Mesoamerican civilizations. A detailed exposition of these results is presented, along with some interesting information extracted from historical documents and pictorial codices to provide a better understanding of skull base surgical practices among these cultures. Paleoforensic evidence from the Great Temple of Tenochtitlan indicates that Aztec priests used a specialized decapitation technique, based on a deep anatomical knowledge. Trophy skulls were submitted through a stepwise technique for skull mask fabrication, based on skull base anatomical landmarks. Understanding pre-Columbian Mesoamerican religions can only be realized by considering them in their own time and according to their own perspective. Several contributions to medical practice might have arisen from anatomical knowledge emerging from human sacrifice and decapitation techniques.

  17. neXtProt: organizing protein knowledge in the context of human proteome projects.

    PubMed

    Gaudet, Pascale; Argoud-Puy, Ghislaine; Cusin, Isabelle; Duek, Paula; Evalet, Olivier; Gateau, Alain; Gleizes, Anne; Pereira, Mario; Zahn-Zabal, Monique; Zwahlen, Catherine; Bairoch, Amos; Lane, Lydie

    2013-01-04

    About 5000 (25%) of the ~20400 human protein-coding genes currently lack any experimental evidence at the protein level. For many others, there is only little information relative to their abundance, distribution, subcellular localization, interactions, or cellular functions. The aim of the HUPO Human Proteome Project (HPP, www.thehpp.org ) is to collect this information for every human protein. HPP is based on three major pillars: mass spectrometry (MS), antibody/affinity capture reagents (Ab), and bioinformatics-driven knowledge base (KB). To meet this objective, the Chromosome-Centric Human Proteome Project (C-HPP) proposes to build this catalog chromosome-by-chromosome ( www.c-hpp.org ) by focusing primarily on proteins that currently lack MS evidence or Ab detection. These are termed "missing proteins" by the HPP consortium. The lack of observation of a protein can be due to various factors including incorrect and incomplete gene annotation, low or restricted expression, or instability. neXtProt ( www.nextprot.org ) is a new web-based knowledge platform specific for human proteins that aims to complement UniProtKB/Swiss-Prot ( www.uniprot.org ) with detailed information obtained from carefully selected high-throughput experiments on genomic variation, post-translational modifications, as well as protein expression in tissues and cells. This article describes how neXtProt contributes to prioritize C-HPP efforts and integrates C-HPP results with other research efforts to create a complete human proteome catalog.

  18. Knowledge, access and utilization of bed-nets among stable and seasonal migrants in an artemisinin resistance containment area of Myanmar.

    PubMed

    Phyo Than, Wint; Oo, Tin; Wai, Khin Thet; Thi, Aung; Owiti, Philip; Kumar, Binay; Deepak Shewade, Hemant; Zachariah, Rony

    2017-09-14

    Myanmar lies in the Greater Mekong sub-region of South-East Asia faced with the challenge of emerging resistance to artemisinin combination therapies (ACT). Migrant populations are more likely than others to spread ACT resistance. A vital intervention to reduce malaria transmission, resistance spread and eliminate malaria is the use of bed nets. Among seasonal and stable migrants in an artemisinin resistance containment region of Myanmar, we compared a) their household characteristics, b) contact with health workers and information material, and c) household knowledge, access and utilization of bed nets. Secondary data from community-based surveys on 2484 migrant workers (2013 and 2014, Bago Region) were analyzed of which 37% were seasonal migrants. Bed net access and utilization were assessed using a) availability of at least one bed net per household, and b) one bed net per two persons, and c) proportion of household members who slept under abed net during the previous night (Indicator targets = 100%). Over 70% of all migrants were from unstable work settings with short transitory stays. Average household size was five (range 1-25) and almost half of all households had children under-five years. Roughly 10 % of migrants were night-time workers. Less than 40% of households had contact with health workers and less than 30% had exposure to information education and communication (IEC) materials, the latter being significantly lower among seasonal migrants. About 70% of households were aware of the importance of insecticide-treated bed-nets/long-lasting insecticidal nets (ITNs/LLINs), but knowledge on insecticide impregnation and retreatment of ITNs was poor (< 10%). Although over 95% of households had access to at least one bed net, the number with one bed net per two persons was grossly inadequate (13% for stable migrants and 9% for seasonal migrants, P = 0.001). About half of all household members slept under a bed net during the previous night. This study

  19. Assessment method of accessibility conditions: how to make public buildings accessible?

    PubMed

    Andrade, Isabela Fernandes; Ely, e Vera Helena Moro Bins

    2012-01-01

    The enforcement of accessibility today has faced several difficulties, such as intervention in historic buildings that now house public services and cultural activities, such as town halls, museums and theaters and should allow access, on equal terms to all people. The paper presents the application of a method for evaluating the spatial accessibility conditions and their results. For this, we sought to support the theoretical foundation about the main issue involved and legislation. From the method used--guided walks--it was possible to identify the main barriers to accessibility in historic buildings. From the identified barriers, possible solutions are presented according to the four components of accessibility: spatial orientation, displacement, use and communication. It is hoped also that the knowledge gained in this research contributes to an improvement of accessibility legislation in relation to the listed items.

  20. Respecting the right to access to medicines: Implications of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights for the pharmaceutical industry.

    PubMed

    Moon, Suerie

    2013-06-14

    What are the human rights responsibilities of pharmaceutical companies with regard to access to medicines? The state-based international human rights framework has long struggled with the issue of the human rights obligations of non-state actors, a question sharpened by economic globalization and the concomitant growing power of private for-profit actors ("business"). In 2011, after a six-year development process, the UN Human Rights Council unanimously endorsed the Guiding Principles advanced by the UN Secretary General's Special Representative on Business and Human Rights, John Ruggie. The Ruggie Principles sought to clarify and differentiate the responsibilities of states and non-state actors-in this case, "business" -with respect to human rights. The framework centered on "three core principles: the state duty to protect against human rights abuses by third parties, including business; the corporate responsibility to respect human rights; and the need for more effective access to remedies." The "Protect, Respect, and Remedy" Framework emerged from a review of many industrial sectors operating from local to global scales, in many regions of the world, and involving multiple stakeholder consultations. However, their implications for the pharmaceutical industry regarding access to medicines remain unclear. This article analyzes the 2008 Human Rights Guidelines for Pharmaceutical Companies in relation to Access to Medicines advanced by then-UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Health, Paul Hunt, in light of the Ruggie Principles. It concludes that some guidelines relate directly to the industry's responsibility to respect the right to access to medicines, and form a normative baseline to which firms should be held accountable. It also finds that responsibility for other guidelines may better be ascribed to states than to private actors, based on conceptual and practical considerations. While not discouraging the pharmaceutical industry from making additional

  1. Web Accessibility Knowledge and Skills for Non-Web Library Staff

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McHale, Nina

    2012-01-01

    Why do librarians and library staff other than Web librarians and developers need to know about accessibility? Web services staff do not--or should not--operate in isolation from the rest of the library staff. It is important to consider what areas of online accessibility are applicable to other areas of library work and to colleagues' regular job…

  2. Human Processing of Knowledge from Texts: Acquisition, Integration, and Reasoning

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1979-06-01

    comprehension. Norwood, N.J.: Ablex, 1977. Craik , F.I.M., and Lockhart , R. S. Levels of processing : for memory research. Journal of Verbal Learning A...Table 5.9 presents summary data regarding the performance levels and memory and search processes of individual subjects. The first row in Table 5.9...R-2256-ARP A June 1979 ARPA Order No.: 189-1 9020 Cybernetics Technology Human Processing of Knowledge from Texts: Acquisition, Integration, and

  3. Awareness and knowledge of human immunodeficiency virus post exposure prophylaxis among Nigerian Family Physicians.

    PubMed

    Agaba, Patricia A; Agaba, Emmanuel I; Ocheke, Amaka N; Daniyam, Comfort A; Akanbi, Maxwell O; Okeke, Edith N

    2012-07-01

    To determine the level of awareness and knowledge of HIV postexposure prophylaxis (HIV PEP) and determinants of adequate knowledge among Family Physicians in Nigeria. This was a cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey conducted among 175 Family Physicians at two national conferences. Majority (97.7%) of the respondents was aware of the concept of HIV PEP and 99.4% believed it was effective in preventing HIV transmission. Over two third of our respondents had been exposed to NSI; however, less than 25% of those exposed received PEP. There was high level of knowledge of the various high-risk body fluids as well as types of high-risk exposures. 93.9% of our respondents knew that HIV PEP should commence within 1 h of exposure, 83.3% knew the correct duration of HIV PEP, but only 57.0% knew the ideal PEP regimen for high-risk exposures. The total mean score for our respondents was 17.8±2.9 with 79.4% having an adequate score. Being a junior doctor and male sex were associated with adequate knowledge. This study shows that despite high levels of awareness and knowledge of HIV PEP, access to its use among family physicians in Nigeria is still sub-optimal.

  4. Venous Access Devices: Clinical Rounds

    PubMed Central

    Matey, Laurl; Camp-Sorrell, Dawn

    2016-01-01

    Nursing management of venous access devices (VADs) requires knowledge of current evidence, as well as knowledge of when evidence is limited. Do you know which practices we do based on evidence and those that we do based on institutional history or preference? This article will present complex VAD infection and occlusion complications and some of the controversies associated with them. Important strategies for identifying these complications, troubleshooting, and evaluating the evidence related to lack of blood return, malposition, infection, access and maintenance protocols, and scope of practice issues are presented. PMID:28083553

  5. Feasibility of Human Skin Grafts on an Isolated But Accessible Vascular Supply on Athymic Rats as a System to Study Percutaneous Penetration and Cutaneous Injury.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1986-04-01

    Ai87 466 FEASIBILITY OF HUMAN SKIN GRAFTS ON AN ISOLATED BUT / ACCESSIBLE VASCULAR 5 (U) UTAH UNIV SALT LAKE CITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE 6 G KRUEGER APR...GOVT ACCESSION NO . RrCIPIcNTrS CATALOG NUMIER Feasibility of Human Skin Grafts on an Isolated 9 but Accessible Vascular Supply on Athymic Rats as...of the Skin Sandwich Flap....... . . . . . . . 35 Figure 15. Photograph of Hair Growth in a Human Split-Thickness Skin Graft on a Nude Rat

  6. KAM (Knowledge Acquisition Module): A tool to simplify the knowledge acquisition process

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gettig, Gary A.

    1988-01-01

    Analysts, knowledge engineers and information specialists are faced with increasing volumes of time-sensitive data in text form, either as free text or highly structured text records. Rapid access to the relevant data in these sources is essential. However, due to the volume and organization of the contents, and limitations of human memory and association, frequently: (1) important information is not located in time; (2) reams of irrelevant data are searched; and (3) interesting or critical associations are missed due to physical or temporal gaps involved in working with large files. The Knowledge Acquisition Module (KAM) is a microcomputer-based expert system designed to assist knowledge engineers, analysts, and other specialists in extracting useful knowledge from large volumes of digitized text and text-based files. KAM formulates non-explicit, ambiguous, or vague relations, rules, and facts into a manageable and consistent formal code. A library of system rules or heuristics is maintained to control the extraction of rules, relations, assertions, and other patterns from the text. These heuristics can be added, deleted or customized by the user. The user can further control the extraction process with optional topic specifications. This allows the user to cluster extracts based on specific topics. Because KAM formalizes diverse knowledge, it can be used by a variety of expert systems and automated reasoning applications. KAM can also perform important roles in computer-assisted training and skill development. Current research efforts include the applicability of neural networks to aid in the extraction process and the conversion of these extracts into standard formats.

  7. International Researcher Mobility and Knowledge Transfer in the Social Sciences and Humanities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Coey, Chris

    2018-01-01

    This article explores knowledge outcomes of international researcher mobility in the social sciences and humanities. Looking in particular at international experiences of longer durations in the careers of European PhD graduates, it proposes a threefold analytical typology for understanding the links between the modes, durations, and outcomes of…

  8. Knowledge, perception and attitude towards human papillomavirus among pre-university students in Malaysia.

    PubMed

    Kwang, Ng Beng; Yee, Choy Mun; Shan, Lim Pei; Teik, Chew Kah; Chandralega, Kampan Nirmala; Abdul Kadir, Abdul Karim

    2014-01-01

    To evaluate the knowledge, perception and attitudes towards human papilloma virus (HPV) among pre-university students in Malaysia. In this cross sectional study, between November 2013 to March 2014, in a public university, a convenient sampling method was used. A total of 716 respondents were recruited and interviewed with a set of standard questionnaires for assessment of knowledge, perception and attitudes towards HPV and predictor variables associated with level of knowledge. Almost half (48.9%) of the respondents scored less than 5 and were categorised as having poor knowledge. Three hundred and twelve (43.6%) respondents had moderate knowledge and only 54 (7.5%) respondents exhibited good knowledge with the score of 11 and above. Only 142 (20%) students perceived themselves to be vulnerable to HPV infection though 560 (78.2%) students thought that HPV infection is a serious disease. Perceived benefits and desire to be vaccinated were significantly associated with gender (p=0.000) and knowledge of HPV vaccine and cervical cancer (p=0.000). The level of knowledge regarding HPV among the pre-university students was low. However, student intention for vaccination increased with increasing level of knowledge. Thus, efforts to improve knowledge and awareness should be prioritised to increase uptake of the HPV vaccination programme and hence reduce morbidity and mortality from consequences of HPV infection, including cervical carcinoma.

  9. Human Papillomavirus Vaccine Sources of Information and Adolescents’ Knowledge and Perceptions

    PubMed Central

    Rosen, Brittany L.; Shew, Marcia L.; Zimet, Gregory D.; Ding, Lili; Mullins, Tanya L. K.; Kahn, Jessica A.

    2017-01-01

    Understanding where adolescents obtain information about human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines may be helpful in designing public health interventions promoting HPV vaccination. This study assessed the following: (1) exposure to specific sources of information about HPV vaccines, (2) self-reported helpfulness of these sources of information, and (3) whether the specific source of information was associated with knowledge and perceptions about HPV vaccines among adolescent girls. There were 339 adolescent girls (mean age = 16.8 years) recruited into the study. Television advertisements, the Internet, doctors/nurses, and mothers were the most frequently reported sources of vaccine information; more than 90% of participants who received information from these sources reported they were helpful. Adolescents who received information about HPV vaccines from television advertisements, the Internet, clinicians, and mothers had higher knowledge about HPV vaccines and more positive perceptions. Assuring the accuracy of messages from these sources will be essential, given their importance in influencing adolescents’ knowledge and perceptions about HPV vaccines. PMID:29204462

  10. Relationship between human resource ability and market access capacity on business performance. (case study of wood craft micro- and small-scale industries in Gianyar Regency, Bali)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sukartini, N. W.; Sudarmini, N. M.; Lasmini, N. K.

    2018-01-01

    The aims of this research are to: (1) analyze the influence of Human Resource Ability on market access capacity in Wood Craft Micro and Small Industry; (2) to analyze the effect of market access capacity on business performance; (3) analyze the influence of Human Resources ability on business performance. Data were collected using questionnaires, interviews, observations, and literature studies. The resulting data were analyzed using Struture Equation Modeling (SEM). The results of the analysis show that (1) there is a positive and significant influence of the ability of Human Resources on market access capacity in Wood Craft Micro-and Small-Scale Industries in Gianyar; (2) there is a positive and significant influence of market access capacity on business performance; and (3) there is a positive and significant influence of Human Resource ability on business performance. To improve the ability to access the market and business performance, it is recommended that human resource ability need to be improved through training; government and higher education institutions are expected to play a role in improving the ability of human resources (craftsmen) through provision of training programs

  11. Access to essential maternal health interventions and human rights violations among vulnerable communities in eastern Burma.

    PubMed

    Mullany, Luke C; Lee, Catherine I; Yone, Lin; Paw, Palae; Oo, Eh Kalu Shwe; Maung, Cynthia; Lee, Thomas J; Beyrer, Chris

    2008-12-23

    Health indicators are poor and human rights violations are widespread in eastern Burma. Reproductive and maternal health indicators have not been measured in this setting but are necessary as part of an evaluation of a multi-ethnic pilot project exploring strategies to increase access to essential maternal health interventions. The goal of this study is to estimate coverage of maternal health services prior to this project and associations between exposure to human rights violations and access to such services. Selected communities in the Shan, Mon, Karen, and Karenni regions of eastern Burma that were accessible to community-based organizations operating from Thailand were surveyed to estimate coverage of reproductive, maternal, and family planning services, and to assess exposure to household-level human rights violations within the pilot-project target population. Two-stage cluster sampling surveys among ever-married women of reproductive age (15-45 y) documented access to essential antenatal care interventions, skilled attendance at birth, postnatal care, and family planning services. Mid-upper arm circumference, hemoglobin by color scale, and Plasmodium falciparum parasitemia by rapid diagnostic dipstick were measured. Exposure to human rights violations in the prior 12 mo was recorded. Between September 2006 and January 2007, 2,914 surveys were conducted. Eighty-eight percent of women reported a home delivery for their last pregnancy (within previous 5 y). Skilled attendance at birth (5.1%), any (39.3%) or > or = 4 (16.7%) antenatal visits, use of an insecticide-treated bed net (21.6%), and receipt of iron supplements (11.8%) were low. At the time of the survey, more than 60% of women had hemoglobin level estimates < or = 11.0 g/dl and 7.2% were Pf positive. Unmet need for contraceptives exceeded 60%. Violations of rights were widely reported: 32.1% of Karenni households reported forced labor and 10% of Karen households had been forced to move. Among Karen

  12. Access To Essential Maternal Health Interventions and Human Rights Violations among Vulnerable Communities in Eastern Burma

    PubMed Central

    Mullany, Luke C; Lee, Catherine I; Yone, Lin; Paw, Palae; Oo, Eh Kalu Shwe; Maung, Cynthia; Lee, Thomas J; Beyrer, Chris

    2008-01-01

    Background Health indicators are poor and human rights violations are widespread in eastern Burma. Reproductive and maternal health indicators have not been measured in this setting but are necessary as part of an evaluation of a multi-ethnic pilot project exploring strategies to increase access to essential maternal health interventions. The goal of this study is to estimate coverage of maternal health services prior to this project and associations between exposure to human rights violations and access to such services. Methods and Findings Selected communities in the Shan, Mon, Karen, and Karenni regions of eastern Burma that were accessible to community-based organizations operating from Thailand were surveyed to estimate coverage of reproductive, maternal, and family planning services, and to assess exposure to household-level human rights violations within the pilot-project target population. Two-stage cluster sampling surveys among ever-married women of reproductive age (15–45 y) documented access to essential antenatal care interventions, skilled attendance at birth, postnatal care, and family planning services. Mid-upper arm circumference, hemoglobin by color scale, and Plasmodium falciparum parasitemia by rapid diagnostic dipstick were measured. Exposure to human rights violations in the prior 12 mo was recorded. Between September 2006 and January 2007, 2,914 surveys were conducted. Eighty-eight percent of women reported a home delivery for their last pregnancy (within previous 5 y). Skilled attendance at birth (5.1%), any (39.3%) or ≥ 4 (16.7%) antenatal visits, use of an insecticide-treated bed net (21.6%), and receipt of iron supplements (11.8%) were low. At the time of the survey, more than 60% of women had hemoglobin level estimates ≤ 11.0 g/dl and 7.2% were Pf positive. Unmet need for contraceptives exceeded 60%. Violations of rights were widely reported: 32.1% of Karenni households reported forced labor and 10% of Karen households had been

  13. Methodology and Results of the Near-Earth Object (NEO) Human Space Flight (HSF) Accessible Targets Study (NHATS)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Barbee, Brent W.; Mink, Ronald G.; Adamo, Daniel R.; Alberding, Cassandra M.

    2011-01-01

    Near-Earth Asteroids (NEAs) have been identified by the Administration as potential destinations for human explorers during the mid-2020s. Planning such ambitious missions requires selecting potentially accessible targets from the growing known population of 8,008 NEAs. NASA is therefore conducting the Near-Earth Object (NEO) Human Space Flight (HSF) Accessible Targets Study (NHATS), in which the trajectory opportunities to all known NEAs are being systematically evaluated with respect to a set of defined constraints. While the NHATS algorithms have identified hundreds of NEAs which satisfy purposely inclusive trajectory constraints, only a handful of them offer truly attractive mission opportunities in the time frame of greatest interest. In this paper we will describe the structure of the NHATS algorithms and the constraints utilized in the study, present current study results, and discuss various mission design considerations for future human space flight missions to NEAs.

  14. Awareness and knowledge about human papillomavirus among high school students in China.

    PubMed

    Tang, Shuang-yang; Liu, Zhi-hua; Li, Le; Cai, Heng-ling; Wan, Yan-ping

    2014-01-01

    To investigate awareness and knowledge of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection among high school students and to provide a basis for health education on HPV infection for high school students in China. A questionnaire on HPV awareness and knowledge was administered to 900 high school students in Xiangtan City of Hunan Province in China by layer cluster sampling. A total of 848 anonymous valid questionnaires were received from volunteers who completed the questionnaire correctly. Only 10.1% had heard of HPV, and of those only 18.6% knew that HPV could lead to cervical cancer. Single factor analysis indicated that home address, age, grade, academic achievement, sex history, gender, father's education level and mother's education level were impact factors for HPV knowledge of high school students. Multiple regression analysis showed 4 independent risk factors associated with HPV knowledge: academic achievement, sex history, gender, and mother's education level. The limited knowledge came primarily from television and radio broadcasts (59.3%), the Internet (57.0%), parents (25.6%), medical workers (20.9%), and teachers (18.6%). High school students lack HPV knowledge, which is affected by multiple factors. Targeted health education of all sorts must be provided. Both schools and families are responsible for reinforcing HPV education provided to high school students.

  15. The Near-Earth Object Human Space Flight Accessible Targets Study (NHATS) List of Near-Earth Asteroids: Identifying Potential Targets for Future Exploration

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Abell, Paul; Barbee, B. W.; Mink, R. G.; Adamo, D. R.; Alberding, C. M.; Mazanek, D. D.; Johnson, L. N.; Yeomans, D. K.; Chodas, P. W.; Chamberlin, A. B.; Benner, L. A. M.; Drake, B. G.; Friedensen, V. P.

    2012-10-01

    Introduction: Much attention has recently been focused on human exploration of near-Earth asteroids (NEAs). Detailed planning for deep space exploration and identification of potential NEA targets for human space flight requires selecting objects from the growing list of known NEAs. NASA therefore initiated the Near-Earth Object Human Space Flight Accessible Target Study (NHATS), which uses dynamical trajectory performance constraints to identify potentially accessible NEAs. Accessibility Criteria: Future NASA human space flight capability is being defined while the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle and Space Launch System are under development. Velocity change and mission duration are two of the most critical factors in any human spaceflight endeavor, so the most accessible NEAs tend to be those with orbits similar to Earth’s. To be classified as NHATS-compliant, a NEA must offer at least one round-trip trajectory solution satisfying purposely inclusive constraints, including total mission change in velocity ≤ 12 km/s, mission duration ≤ 450 days (with at least 8 days at the NEA), Earth departure between Jan 1, 2015 and Dec 31, 2040, Earth departure C3 ≤ 60 km2/s2, and Earth return atmospheric entry speed ≤ 12 km/s. Monitoring and Updates: The NHATS list of potentially accessible targets is continuously updated as NEAs are discovered and orbit solutions for known NEAs are improved. The current list of accessible NEAs identified as potentially viable for future human exploration under the NHATS criteria is available to the international community via a website maintained by NASA’s NEO Program Office (http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/nhats/). This website also lists predicted optical and radar observing opportunities for each NHATS-compliant NEA to facilitate acquisition of follow-up observations. Conclusions: This list of NEAs will be useful for analyzing robotic mission opportunities, identifying optimal round trip human space flight trajectories, and

  16. Newer knowledge in comparative virology--its contribution to human health research.

    PubMed

    Cabasso, J J

    1975-06-28

    Like other comparative sciences, and despite its recent beginning comparative virology has already contributed useful applications and observations to human health research. Teachings derived from the study of Marek's disease found application in that of Burkitt's lymphoma, and may lead to a possible vaccine against the human disease. Equally useful information came from the study of canine distemper in the development of a chorio-allantoic membrane attenuated measles vaccine, and in our knowledge of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) of humans; from the study of reovirus-like agents of infant mice and neonatal calves in that of an acute nonbacterial gastro-enteritis of infants and young children; and from that of the cancer-producing viruses of chickens, cats, and dogs to a better understanding of some human neoplasias. Finally, Aleutian mink disease may be an excellent natural model for the study of the collagen diseases of man, and scrapie of sheep one for that of a human chronic degenerative disease of the central nervous system of humans such as Kuru. Comparative virology has proved quite productive in a relatively short period, and is unlikely to be neglected in the future.

  17. Gene Wiki Reviews-Raising the quality and accessibility of information about the human genome.

    PubMed

    Tsueng, Ginger; Good, Benjamin M; Ping, Peipei; Golemis, Erica; Hanukoglu, Israel; van Wijnen, Andre J; Su, Andrew I

    2016-11-05

    Wikipedia and other openly available resources are increasingly becoming commonly used sources of information not just among the lay public but even in academic circles including undergraduate students and postgraduate trainees. To enhance the quality of the Wikipedia articles, in 2013, we initiated the Gene Wiki Reviews on genes and proteins as a series of invited reviews that stipulated editing the corresponding Wikipedia article(s) that would be also subject to peer-review. Thus, while the review article serves as an authoritative snapshot of the field, the "living article" can continue to evolve with the crowdsourcing model of Wikipedia. After publication of over 50 articles, we surveyed the authors to assess the impact of the project. The author survey results revealed that the Gene Wiki project is achieving its major objectives to increase the involvement of scientists in authoring Wikipedia articles and to enhance the quantity and quality of the information about genes and their protein products. Thus, the dual publication model introduced in the Gene Wiki Reviews series represents a valuable innovation in scientific publishing and biomedical knowledge management. We invite experts on specific genes to contact the editors to take part in this project to enhance the quality and accessibility of information about the human genome. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Automated knowledge generation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Myler, Harley R.; Gonzalez, Avelino J.

    1988-01-01

    The general objectives of the NASA/UCF Automated Knowledge Generation Project were the development of an intelligent software system that could access CAD design data bases, interpret them, and generate a diagnostic knowledge base in the form of a system model. The initial area of concentration is in the diagnosis of the process control system using the Knowledge-based Autonomous Test Engineer (KATE) diagnostic system. A secondary objective was the study of general problems of automated knowledge generation. A prototype was developed, based on object-oriented language (Flavors).

  19. Challenges in Measuring Teachers' Knowledge

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fauskanger, Janne

    2015-01-01

    Mathematical knowledge for teaching (MKT) measures have been widely adopted by researchers. Critics have debated the value of such measures and questioned the type of knowledge that these access. This article reports on a study where the challenges in measuring teachers' knowledge were illuminated through investigating relationships between the…

  20. Sustaining Knowledge Exchange and Research Impact in the Social Sciences and Humanities: Investing in Knowledge Broker Roles in UK Universities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lightowler, Claire; Knight, Christine

    2013-01-01

    Over the last decade, higher education policy in the United Kingdom (UK) has increasingly focused on the impact of academic research. This has resulted in the emergence of specialist knowledge brokers within UK universities in the social sciences and humanities. Our empirical research identified a tension between the research impact agenda and the…

  1. Open Geosciences Knowledge: foster Information Preparedness in a Disaster Resilience Perspective

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rapisardi, Elena; Di Franco, Sabina

    2014-05-01

    Information in science communication is the ability and the capacity to transfer scientific knowledge to enable the understanding of communication content. Particularly, as stated in many documents and programs (e.g. UNISDR, a clear and correct information on hazards and emergency matters is crucial,either for practitioners or population,to cope with disaster and to allow collaboration to take the best decision. The Open Knowledge is defined as a set of criteria and conditions related to production, use and distribution, that include principles for better access to knowledge. However,knowledge is a pillar to understand the world in itself and to guide human actions and interactions with the environment. A free and open access to knowledge in a wider perspective includes also an ethical topic that is strictly connected to the acting in terms of interactions and responsibilities, in other words with the purpose of knowledge. Focusing on "data" as a technical issue, could displace ethics and responsibility as external issues, enhancing the technical value of data. In this perspective "opening" to an open knowledge perspective could not only solve problems related to the téchne, such as functionalities and efficiency, but it should foster sharing and collaboration expressed through ethics (praxis). The web era frees the information, hence the internet "information deluge" brings to the idea of "encyclopedia" (and of Wikipedia) as a tool to "organize, control and filter" knowledge, to allow communication, knowledge transfer, education, and sense-making. Social media and crowdsourcing have considerable promise for supporting collaborative and innovative ways that reshape the information production and distribution. However, the debate is now facing an important concern related to true/false issues, focusing on validation, and liability. Without any doubt the massive use of Social Media during recent major and minor disasters highlighted a huge need of clear, correct

  2. Agent based simulation on the process of human flesh search-From perspective of knowledge and emotion

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhu, Hou; Hu, Bin

    2017-03-01

    Human flesh search as a new net crowed behavior, on the one hand can help us to find some special information, on the other hand may lead to privacy leaking and offending human right. In order to study the mechanism of human flesh search, this paper proposes a simulation model based on agent-based model and complex networks. The computational experiments show some useful results. Discovered information quantity and involved personal ratio are highly correlated, and most of net citizens will take part in the human flesh search or will not take part in the human flesh search. Knowledge quantity does not influence involved personal ratio, but influences whether HFS can find out the target human. When the knowledge concentrates on hub nodes, the discovered information quantity is either perfect or almost zero. Emotion of net citizens influences both discovered information quantity and involved personal ratio. Concretely, when net citizens are calm to face the search topic, it will be hardly to find out the target; But when net citizens are agitated, the target will be found out easily.

  3. Free Access to Running Wheels Abolishes Hyperphagia in Human Growth Hormone Transgenic Rats

    PubMed Central

    KOMATSUDA, Mugiko; YAMANOUCHI, Keitaro; MATSUWAKI, Takashi; NISHIHARA, Masugi

    2014-01-01

    ABSTRACT Obesity is a major health problem, and increased food intake and decreased physical activity are considered as two major factors causing obesity. Previous studies show that voluntary exercise in a running wheel decreases not only body weight but also food intake of rats. We previously produced human growth hormone transgenic (TG) rats, which are characterized by severe hyperphagia and obesity. To gain more insight into the effects on physical activity to food consumption and obesity, we examined whether voluntary running wheel exercise causes inhibition of hyperphagia and alteration of body composition in TG rats. Free access to running wheels completely abolished hyperphagia in TG rats, and this effect persisted for many weeks as far as the running wheel is accessible. Unexpectedly, though the running distances of TG rats were significantly less than those of wild type rats, it was sufficient to normalize their food consumption. This raises the possibility that rearing environment, which enables them to access to a running wheel freely, rather than the amounts of physical exercises is more important for the maintenance of proper food intake. PMID:24717416

  4. Free access to running wheels abolishes hyperphagia in human growth hormone transgenic rats.

    PubMed

    Komatsuda, Mugiko; Yamanouchi, Keitaro; Matsuwaki, Takashi; Nishihara, Masugi

    2014-07-01

    Obesity is a major health problem, and increased food intake and decreased physical activity are considered as two major factors causing obesity. Previous studies show that voluntary exercise in a running wheel decreases not only body weight but also food intake of rats. We previously produced human growth hormone transgenic (TG) rats, which are characterized by severe hyperphagia and obesity. To gain more insight into the effects on physical activity to food consumption and obesity, we examined whether voluntary running wheel exercise causes inhibition of hyperphagia and alteration of body composition in TG rats. Free access to running wheels completely abolished hyperphagia in TG rats, and this effect persisted for many weeks as far as the running wheel is accessible. Unexpectedly, though the running distances of TG rats were significantly less than those of wild type rats, it was sufficient to normalize their food consumption. This raises the possibility that rearing environment, which enables them to access to a running wheel freely, rather than the amounts of physical exercises is more important for the maintenance of proper food intake.

  5. Information about Human Sexuality: Sources, Satisfaction, and Perceived Knowledge among College Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rutledge, Scott Edward; Siebert, Darcy Clay; Chonody, Jill; Killian, Michael

    2011-01-01

    This study explored how 333 undergraduate and graduate students attending a large university in the southeastern USA learned about sex, their satisfaction with how they learned about sex, and their self-perceived knowledge before and after taking a human sexuality course. An anonymous, voluntary survey was administered to students in the first and…

  6. KnowEnG: a knowledge engine for genomics.

    PubMed

    Sinha, Saurabh; Song, Jun; Weinshilboum, Richard; Jongeneel, Victor; Han, Jiawei

    2015-11-01

    We describe here the vision, motivations, and research plans of the National Institutes of Health Center for Excellence in Big Data Computing at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. The Center is organized around the construction of "Knowledge Engine for Genomics" (KnowEnG), an E-science framework for genomics where biomedical scientists will have access to powerful methods of data mining, network mining, and machine learning to extract knowledge out of genomics data. The scientist will come to KnowEnG with their own data sets in the form of spreadsheets and ask KnowEnG to analyze those data sets in the light of a massive knowledge base of community data sets called the "Knowledge Network" that will be at the heart of the system. The Center is undertaking discovery projects aimed at testing the utility of KnowEnG for transforming big data to knowledge. These projects span a broad range of biological enquiry, from pharmacogenomics (in collaboration with Mayo Clinic) to transcriptomics of human behavior. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  7. Building organizational supports for knowledge sharing in county human service organizations: a cross-case analysis of works-in-progress.

    PubMed

    Lee, Chris; Austin, Michael J

    2012-01-01

    Building on the literature related to evidence-based practice, knowledge management, and learning organizations, this cross-case analysis presents twelve works-in-progress in ten local public human service organizations seeking to develop their own knowledge sharing systems. The data for this cross-case analysis can be found in the various contributions to this Special Issue. The findings feature the developmental aspects of building a learning organization that include knowledge sharing systems featuring transparency, self-assessment, and dissemination and utilization. Implications for practice focus on the structure and processes involved in building knowledge sharing teams inside public human service organizations. Copyright © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC

  8. College sorority members' knowledge and behaviors regarding human papillomavirus and cervical cancer.

    PubMed

    Aleshire, Mollie E; Lock, Sharon E; Jensen, Lynne A

    2013-06-01

    The incidence of human papillomavirus (HPV) is higher in college students than in many other populations. HPV puts young women at risk for developing cervical cancer. The relationship between HPV and risky sexual behaviors has been well established. This study describes female college students' knowledge regarding HPV and cervical cancer, identifies sexual risk behaviors in this group, and assesses whether there is any relationship between knowledge of HPV and cervical cancer and the sexual risk behaviors in this population. Health care providers need to be aware of this health issue and actively promote appropriate prevention strategies. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Science of Human Measures Workshop: Summary and Conclusions

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-10-01

    to human aptitudes, attitudes, knowledge, and skills, but not to mental or physical health. The Army uses human measures to support multiple...activity, and physical health, only 28% of young adults (ages 17–24) are eligible to enlist. When the Armed Forces Qualification Test (AFQT) criteria are...incentives would be effective. In closing, if the Army is going to find ways to access, attract , and retain individuals who are currently ineligible to

  10. Web Accessibility and Usability of the Homepages from Academy of Human Resource Development Members' Institutions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zeng, Xiaoming; Sligar, Steven R.

    2008-01-01

    Human resource development programs in various institutions communicate with their constituencies including persons with disabilities through websites. Web sites need to be accessible for legal, economic and ethical reasons. We used an automated web usability evaluation tool, aDesigner, to evaluate 205 home pages from the organizations of AHRD…

  11. The Challenges of Developing Disciplinary Knowledge and Making Links across the Disciplines in Early Years and Primary Humanities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Swift, Diane

    2017-01-01

    This article argues that an understanding of disciplinary knowledge production helps to underpin a conceptual structure for the humanities curriculum. This is important as a conceptual curriculum more overtly supports knowledge production for both pupils and teachers than one that is solely focused on propositional knowledge. It can mean the…

  12. A randomized trial comparing two intraosseous access devices in intrahospital healthcare providers with a focus on retention of knowledge, skill, and self-efficacy.

    PubMed

    Derikx, H J G M; Gerritse, B M; Gans, R; van der Meer, N J M

    2014-10-01

    Intraosseous access is recommended in vitally compromised patients if an intravenous access cannot be easily obtained. Intraosseous infusion can be initiated by various healthcare providers. Currently, there are two mechanical intraosseous devices approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in adults and children. A comparison is made in this study of the theoretical and practical performance by anesthesiologists and registered nurses of anesthesia (RNAs) in the use of the battery-powered device (device A) versus the spring-loaded needle device (device B). This study entailed a 12-month follow-up of knowledge, skill retention, and self-efficacy measured by standardized testing. A prospective randomized trial was performed, initially comparing 15 anesthesiologists and 15 RNAs, both on using the two types of intraosseous devices. A structured lecture and skill station was given with the educational aids provided by the respective manufacturers. Individual knowledge and practical skills were tested at 0, 3, and 12 months after the initial course. There was no statistical significant difference in the retention of theoretical knowledge between RNAs and anesthesiologists on all testing occasions. However, the self-efficacy of the anesthesiologists is significantly higher (p < 0.01) than the self-efficacy of the RNAs for both devices, on any testing occasion. Insufficient skills were local disinfection (both groups, both devices) and attachment of the needle to the intravenous line (RNAs with both devices). In 33 % of all device B handlings, unsafe practice occurred. The use of device A is safer in handling in comparison to device B at 12 months follow-up. The hypothesis that doctors are more qualified in obtaining intraosseous access has been disproven, as anesthesiologists were as successful as RNAs. However, the low self-efficacy of RNAs in the use of intraosseous devices could diminish the chance of them actually using one.

  13. Fluorescence quenching of human orosomucoid. Accessibility to drugs and small quenching agents.

    PubMed Central

    Friedman, M L; Schlueter, K T; Kirley, T L; Halsall, H B

    1985-01-01

    The fluorescence behaviour of human orosomucoid was investigated. The intrinsic fluorescence was more accessible to acrylamide than to the slightly larger succinimide, indicating limited accessibility to part of the tryptophan population. Although I- showed almost no quenching, that of Cs+ was enhanced, and suggested a region of negative charge proximal to an emitting tryptophan residue. Removal of more than 90% of sialic acid from the glycan chains led to no change in the Cs+, I-, succinimide or acrylamide quenching, indicating that the negatively charged region originates with the protein core. Quenching as a function of pH and temperature supported this view. The binding of chlorpromazine monitored by fluorescence quenching, in the presence and in the absence of the small quenching probes (above), led to a model of its binding domain on orosomucoid that includes two tryptophan residues relatively shielded from the bulk solvent, with the third tryptophan residue being on the periphery of the domain, or affected allotopically and near the negatively charged field. PMID:4091825

  14. Controlled human malaria infection trials: How tandems of trust and control construct scientific knowledge.

    PubMed

    Bijker, Else M; Sauerwein, Robert W; Bijker, Wiebe E

    2016-02-01

    Controlled human malaria infections are clinical trials in which healthy volunteers are deliberately infected with malaria under controlled conditions. Controlled human malaria infections are complex clinical trials: many different groups and institutions are involved, and several complex technologies are required to function together. This functioning together of technologies, people, and institutions is under special pressure because of potential risks to the volunteers. In this article, the authors use controlled human malaria infections as a strategic research site to study the use of control, the role of trust, and the interactions between trust and control in the construction of scientific knowledge. The authors argue that tandems of trust and control play a central role in the successful execution of clinical trials and the construction of scientific knowledge. More specifically, two aspects of tandems of trust and control will be highlighted: tandems are sites where trust and control coproduce each other, and tandems link the personal, the technical, and the institutional domains. Understanding tandems of trust and control results in setting some agendas for both clinical trial research and science and technology studies.

  15. Fast hierarchical knowledge-based approach for human face detection in color images

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jiang, Jun; Gong, Jie; Zhang, Guilin; Hu, Ruolan

    2001-09-01

    This paper presents a fast hierarchical knowledge-based approach for automatically detecting multi-scale upright faces in still color images. The approach consists of three levels. At the highest level, skin-like regions are determinated by skin model, which is based on the color attributes hue and saturation in HSV color space, as well color attributes red and green in normalized color space. In level 2, a new eye model is devised to select human face candidates in segmented skin-like regions. An important feature of the eye model is that it is independent of the scale of human face. So it is possible for finding human faces in different scale with scanning image only once, and it leads to reduction the computation time of face detection greatly. In level 3, a human face mosaic image model, which is consistent with physical structure features of human face well, is applied to judge whether there are face detects in human face candidate regions. This model includes edge and gray rules. Experiment results show that the approach has high robustness and fast speed. It has wide application perspective at human-computer interactions and visual telephone etc.

  16. Outcomes-focused knowledge translation: a framework for knowledge translation and patient outcomes improvement.

    PubMed

    Doran, Diane M; Sidani, Souraya

    2007-01-01

    Regularly accessing information that is current and reliable continues to be a challenge for front-line staff nurses. Reconceptualizing how nurses access information and designing appropriate decision support systems to facilitate timely access to information may be important for increasing research utilization. An outcomes-focused knowledge translation framework was developed to guide the continuous improvement of patient care through the uptake of research evidence and feedback data about patient outcomes. The framework operationalizes the three elements of the PARIHS framework at the point of care. Outcomes-focused knowledge translation involves four components: (a) patient outcomes measurement and real-time feedback about outcomes achievement; (b) best-practice guidelines, embedded in decision support tools that deliver key messages in response to patient assessment data; (c) clarification of patients' preferences for care; and (d) facilitation by advanced practice nurses and practice leaders. In this paper the framework is described and evidence is provided to support theorized relationships among the concepts in the framework. The framework guided the design of a knowledge translation intervention aimed at continuous improvement of patient care and evidence-based practice, which are fostered through real-time feedback data about patient outcomes, electronic access to evidence-based resources at the point of care, and facilitation by advanced practice nurses. The propositions in the framework need to be empirically tested through future research.

  17. How Bioethics is Complementing Human Rights in Realizing Health Access for Clinical Trial Participants: The Case of Formative PrEP Access in South Africa.

    PubMed

    Singh, Jerome

    2015-06-11

    Following the demise of apartheid, human rights in South Africa are now constitutionally enshrined.The right to health in South Africa's Constitution has been credited with transforming the lives of millions of people by triggering programmatic reforms in HIV treatment and the prevention of mother to child transmission (MTCT) of HIV.However, a constitutionally enshrined right to health offers no guarantee that clinical trial participants will enjoy post-trial access to beneficial interventions. Using access to HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in South Africa as an example, this paper argues that adherence to bioethics norms could realize the right to health for trial participants following the end of a clinical trial. Copyright 2015 Singh. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/), which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

  18. Learning style impact on knowledge gains in human patient simulation.

    PubMed

    Shinnick, Mary Ann; Woo, Mary A

    2015-01-01

    Human patient simulation (HPS) is a widely used method of teaching in nursing education. While it is believed that a student's learning style impacts knowledge gains in HPS, there is little evidence to support this. This study sought to determine the impact of learning style on knowledge gains after a heart failure (HF) simulation experience in pre-licensure nursing students. A convenience sample of four cohorts of prelicensure nursing students (n=161) were recruited from three Baccalaureate Schools of Nursing at the same point in their curriculum (age 25.7±6.6 years; gender=85.5% female) and participated in HPS using a HF simulation on a high-fidelity manikin. Learning style was assessed by the Kolb Learning Style Inventory (LSI) and pre- and post-HPS knowledge measured by parallel, validated, knowledge tests. The LSI identifies 4 learning styles, (Assimilating Diverging, Accommodating, and Converging). In some cases, learners present a balanced learning profile-an emphasis of all four equally. Statistical analysis consisted of t-tests and ANOVA. HF knowledge scores post-HPS compared to pre-HPS scores revealed a mean improvement of 7 points (p<0.001) showing evidence of learning. Within group score increases between the pre-test and post-test were seen for the Assimilating (66.68±20.87 to 83.35±12.59; p=0.07), Diverging (61.95±11.08 to 69.86±12.33; p<0.01) and balanced profiles (64.4±12.45 to 71.8±10.14; p<0.01), but not for Converging or Accommodating profiles (73% of sample). Post-hoc paired t-tests revealed a large effect size for the Assimilators (0.91) and moderate effect sizes for both the Divergers and balanced profiles (0.67 and 0.65, respectively). These findings confirm that knowledge gains occur with HPS and provide evidence that HPS is an effective teaching methodology for nursing students identifying with most types of learning styles. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. A map of abstract relational knowledge in the human hippocampal-entorhinal cortex.

    PubMed

    Garvert, Mona M; Dolan, Raymond J; Behrens, Timothy Ej

    2017-04-27

    The hippocampal-entorhinal system encodes a map of space that guides spatial navigation. Goal-directed behaviour outside of spatial navigation similarly requires a representation of abstract forms of relational knowledge. This information relies on the same neural system, but it is not known whether the organisational principles governing continuous maps may extend to the implicit encoding of discrete, non-spatial graphs. Here, we show that the human hippocampal-entorhinal system can represent relationships between objects using a metric that depends on associative strength. We reconstruct a map-like knowledge structure directly from a hippocampal-entorhinal functional magnetic resonance imaging adaptation signal in a situation where relationships are non-spatial rather than spatial, discrete rather than continuous, and unavailable to conscious awareness. Notably, the measure that best predicted a behavioural signature of implicit knowledge and blood oxygen level-dependent adaptation was a weighted sum of future states, akin to the successor representation that has been proposed to account for place and grid-cell firing patterns.

  20. Employees and Creativity: Social Ties and Access to Heterogeneous Knowledge

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Huang, Chiung-En; Liu, Chih-Hsing Sam

    2015-01-01

    This study dealt with employee social ties, knowledge heterogeneity contacts, and the generation of creativity. Although prior studies demonstrated a relationship between network position and creativity, inadequate attention has been paid to network ties and heterogeneity knowledge contacts. This study considered the social interaction processes…

  1. CmapTools: A Software Environment for Knowledge Modeling and Sharing

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Canas, Alberto J.

    2004-01-01

    In an ongoing collaborative effort between a group of NASA Ames scientists and researchers at the Institute for Human and Machine Cognition (IHMC) of the University of West Florida, a new version of CmapTools has been developed that enable scientists to construct knowledge models of their domain of expertise, share them with other scientists, make them available to anybody on the Internet with access to a Web browser, and peer-review other scientists models. These software tools have been successfully used at NASA to build a large-scale multimedia on Mars and in knowledge model on Habitability Assessment. The new version of the software places emphasis on greater usability for experts constructing their own knowledge models, and support for the creation of large knowledge models with large number of supporting resources in the forms of images, videos, web pages, and other media. Additionally, the software currently allows scientists to cooperate with each other in the construction, sharing and criticizing of knowledge models. Scientists collaborating from remote distances, for example researchers at the Astrobiology Institute, can concurrently manipulate the knowledge models they are viewing without having to do this at a special videoconferencing facility.

  2. Dichotomous Identification Keys: A Ladder to Higher Order Knowledge about the Human Body

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sorgo, Andrej

    2006-01-01

    We tried to enrich teaching human anatomy in high school biology lessons. Students construct dichotomous identification keys to the cells, tissues, organs, or body parts. By doing this, students have achieved higher-order cognitive levels of knowledge because construction of such keys is based on analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. Students found…

  3. Access to electronic health knowledge in five countries in Africa: a descriptive study.

    PubMed

    Smith, Helen; Bukirwa, Hasifa; Mukasa, Oscar; Snell, Paul; Adeh-Nsoh, Sylvester; Mbuyita, Selemani; Honorati, Masanja; Orji, Bright; Garner, Paul

    2007-05-17

    Access to medical literature in developing countries is helped by open access publishing and initiatives to allow free access to subscription only journals. The effectiveness of these initiatives in Africa has not been assessed. This study describes awareness, reported use and factors influencing use of on-line medical literature via free access initiatives. Descriptive study in four teaching hospitals in Cameroon, Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda plus one externally funded research institution in The Gambia. Survey with postgraduate doctors and research scientists to determine Internet access patterns, reported awareness of on-line medical information and free access initiatives; semi structured interviews with a sub-sample of survey participants to explore factors influencing use. In the four African teaching hospitals, 70% of the 305 postgraduate doctors reported textbooks as their main source of information; 66% had used the Internet for health information in the last week. In two hospitals, Internet cafés were the main Internet access point. For researchers at the externally-funded research institution, electronic resources were their main source, and almost all had used the Internet in the last week. Across all 333 respondents, 90% had heard of PubMed, 78% of BMJ on line, 49% the Cochrane Library, 47% HINARI, and 19% BioMedCentral. HINARI use correlates with accessing the Internet on computers located in institutions. Qualitative data suggested there are difficulties logging into HINARI and that sometimes it is librarians that limit access to passwords. Text books remain an important resource for postgraduate doctors in training. Internet use is common, but awareness of free-access initiatives is limited. HINARI and other initiatives could be more effective with strong institutional endorsement and management to promote and ensure access.

  4. The impact of Body Worlds on adult visitors' knowledge on human anatomy: A preliminary study.

    PubMed

    Fonseca, Guilherme R B C; Finn, Gabrielle M

    2016-05-01

    Body Worlds is an anatomical exhibition that shows human remains to the public. It has been considered controversial since it raises ethical tensions and issues. However, organizers and supporters of Body Worlds have claimed the exhibition is intended to promote visitors' understanding over the human body. Despite these claims, no studies were found that support or refute the hypothesis that a visit to Body Worlds increases the public's objective knowledge on human anatomy. Consequently, the objective of this study was to determine the impact of Body Worlds on anatomical knowledge. We constructed and delivered a questionnaire to both a previsit random sample and a postvisit random sample of visitors of Body Worlds' event Facets of Life, in Berlin. The questionnaire was available in both English and German languages and contained (a) basic sociodemographic questions and (b) a valid and reliable anatomy quiz. The quiz consisted of 16 multiple-choice questions that assessed the ability to identify the location of major anatomical structures on the human body. Average scores achieved on the quiz by the postvisit sample (X¯= 9.08, s = 2.48, n = 164) were significantly higher (unpaired t = 3.3957, P = 0.0008) than those achieved by the previsit sample (X¯= 8.11, s = 2.69, n = 167). Our results suggest that a visit to Body Worlds' event Facets of Life may have a beneficial effect in anatomical knowledge. However, further studies with better empirical designs and fewer limitations are needed to confirm our results. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  5. Recent study, but not retrieval, of knowledge protects against learning errors.

    PubMed

    Mullet, Hillary G; Umanath, Sharda; Marsh, Elizabeth J

    2014-11-01

    Surprisingly, people incorporate errors into their knowledge bases even when they have the correct knowledge stored in memory (e.g., Fazio, Barber, Rajaram, Ornstein, & Marsh, 2013). We examined whether heightening the accessibility of correct knowledge would protect people from later reproducing misleading information that they encountered in fictional stories. In Experiment 1, participants studied a series of target general knowledge questions and their correct answers either a few minutes (high accessibility of knowledge) or 1 week (low accessibility of knowledge) before exposure to misleading story references. In Experiments 2a and 2b, participants instead retrieved the answers to the target general knowledge questions either a few minutes or 1 week before the rest of the experiment. Reading the relevant knowledge directly before the story-reading phase protected against reproduction of the misleading story answers on a later general knowledge test, but retrieving that same correct information did not. Retrieving stored knowledge from memory might actually enhance the encoding of relevant misinformation.

  6. Linking human capital and enterprise sustainability in Indonesian medium-sized food manufacturing enterprises: the role of informal knowledge sharing practice

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sunardi, O.

    2017-12-01

    Medium-sized food manufacturing enterprises in Indonesia are significant in a number of contexts, in terms of their part to the national production (GDP) and their establishment to the employment. In term of their role to national production, manufacturing sector contributes the highest GDP by 85%. In this sector, food manufacturing subsector contributes the highest GDP. Nevertheless, they faced the same common problems: quality of human capital and sustainability issues. Previous government supplementary programs have been established to expand the human capital capability amongst medium enterprises. Adequate amount of fund has been apportioned to develop human capital, though, the medium enterprises sustainability is still in question. This study proposes and examines the human capital role from informal knowledge sharing perspective. By conducting qualitative approach through interviews to four informants in Indonesian medium-sized food manufacturing enterprises, a set of hypotheses is derived from this study for future quantitative study. This study indicates that human capital traits (diverse education background, employee skills, and employee experience) could leverage the practice of informal knowledge sharing. Constructs such as mutual trust and reciprocal intention could play as mediating variables, and cultural interpretation perspective could act as moderating factor to informal knowledge sharing effectiveness. In final, informal knowledge sharing is indicated to play as moderating variable for human capital policy and practice to support enterprise sustainability.

  7. Domestic horses send signals to humans when they face with an unsolvable task.

    PubMed

    Ringhofer, Monamie; Yamamoto, Shinya

    2017-05-01

    Some domestic animals are thought to be skilled at social communication with humans due to the process of domestication. Horses, being in close relationship with humans, similar to dogs, might be skilled at communication with humans. Previous studies have indicated that they are sensitive to bodily signals and the attentional state of humans; however, there are few studies that investigate communication with humans and responses to the knowledge state of humans. Our first question was whether and how horses send signals to their potentially helpful but ignorant caretakers in a problem-solving situation where a food item was hidden in a bucket that was accessible only to the caretakers. We then examined whether horses alter their behaviours on the basis of the caretakers' knowledge of where the food was hidden. We found that horses communicated to their caretakers using visual and tactile signals. The signalling behaviour of the horses significantly increased in conditions where the caretakers had not seen the hiding of the food. These results suggest that horses alter their communicative behaviour towards humans in accordance with humans' knowledge state.

  8. Costing Human Rights and Community Support Interventions as a Part of Universal Access to HIV Treatment and Care in a Southern African Setting

    PubMed Central

    Jones, Louisa; Akugizibwe, Paula; Clayton, Michaela; Amon, Joseph J; Sabin, Miriam Lewis; Bennett, Rod; Stegling, Christine; Baggaley, Rachel; Kahn, James G; Holmes, Charles B; Garg, Navneet; Obermeyer, Carla Makhlouf; Mack, Christina DeFilippo; Williams, Phoebe; Smyth, Caoimhe; Vitoria, Marco; Crowley, Siobhan; Williams, Brian; McClure, Craig; Granich, Reuben; Hirnschall, Gottfried

    2011-01-01

    Expanding access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) has both individual health benefits and potential to decrease HIV incidence. Ensuring access to HIV services is a significant human rights issue and successful programmes require adequate human rights protections and community support. However, the cost of specific human rights and community support interventions for equitable, sustainable and non-discriminatory access to ART are not well described. Human rights and community support interventions were identified using the literature and through consultations with experts. Specific costs were then determined for these health sector interventions. Population and epidemic data were provided through the Statistics South Africa 2009 national mid-year estimates. Costs of scale up of HIV prevention and treatment were taken from recently published estimates. Interventions addressed access to services, minimising stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV, confidentiality, informed consent and counselling quality. Integrated HIV programme interventions included training for counsellors, ‘Know Your Rights’ information desks, outreach campaigns for most at risk populations, and adherence support. Complementary measures included post-service interviews, human rights abuse monitoring, transportation costs, legal assistance, and funding for human rights and community support organisations. Other essential non-health sector interventions were identified but not included in the costing framework. The annual costs for the human rights and community support interventions are United States (US) $63.8 million (US $1.22 per capita), representing 1.5% of total health sector HIV programme costs. Respect for human rights and community engagement can be understood both as an obligation of expanded ART programmes and as a critically important factor in their success. Basic rights-based and community support interventions constitute only a small percentage of overall

  9. Costing human rights and community support interventions as a part of universal access to HIV treatment and care in a Southern African setting.

    PubMed

    Jones, Louisa; Akugizibwe, Paula; Clayton, Michaela; Amon, Joseph J; Sabin, Miriam Lewis; Bennett, Rod; Stegling, Christine; Baggaley, Rachel; Kahn, James G; Holmes, Charles B; Garg, Navneet; Obermeyer, Carla Makhlouf; Mack, Christina DeFilippo; Williams, Phoebe; Smyth, Caoimhe; Vitoria, Marco; Crowley, Siobhan; Williams, Brian; McClure, Craig; Granich, Reuben; Hirnschall, Gottfried

    2011-09-01

    Expanding access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) has both individual health benefits and potential to decrease HIV incidence. Ensuring access to HIV services is a significant human rights issue and successful programmes require adequate human rights protections and community support. However, the cost of specific human rights and community support interventions for equitable, sustainable and non-discriminatory access to ART are not well described. Human rights and community support interventions were identified using the literature and through consultations with experts. Specific costs were then determined for these health sector interventions. Population and epidemic data were provided through the Statistics South Africa 2009 national mid-year estimates. Costs of scale up of HIV prevention and treatment were taken from recently published estimates. Interventions addressed access to services, minimising stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV, confidentiality, informed consent and counselling quality. Integrated HIV programme interventions included training for counsellors, 'Know Your Rights' information desks, outreach campaigns for most at risk populations, and adherence support. Complementary measures included post-service interviews, human rights abuse monitoring, transportation costs, legal assistance, and funding for human rights and community support organisations. Other essential non-health sector interventions were identified but not included in the costing framework. The annual costs for the human rights and community support interventions are United States (US) $63.8 million (US $1.22 per capita), representing 1.5% of total health sector HIV programme costs. Respect for human rights and community engagement can be understood both as an obligation of expanded ART programmes and as a critically important factor in their success. Basic rights-based and community support interventions constitute only a small percentage of overall programmes

  10. Knowledge of Human Papillomavirus Infection, Cervical Cancer and Willingness to pay for Cervical Cancer Vaccination among Ethnically Diverse Medical Students in Malaysia.

    PubMed

    Maharajan, Mari Kannan; Rajiah, Kingston; Num, Kelly Sze Fang; Yong, Ng Jin

    2015-01-01

    The primary objective of this study was to assess the knowledge of medical students and determine variation between different cultural groups. A secondary aim was to find out the willingness to pay for cervical cancer vaccination and the relationships between knowledge and attitudes towards Human Papillomavirus vaccination. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in a private medical university between June 2014 and November 2014 using a convenient sampling method. A total of 305 respondents were recruited and interviewed with standard questionnaires for assessment of knowledge, attitudes and practice towards human papilloma virus and their willingness to pay for HPV vaccination. Knowledge regarding human papilloma virus, human papilloma virus vaccination, cervical cancer screening and cervical cancer risk factors was good. Across the sample, a majority (90%) of the pupils demonstrated a high degree of knowledge about cervical cancer and its vaccination. There were no significant differences between ethnicity and the participants' overall knowledge of HPV infection, Pap smear and cervical cancer vaccination. Some 88% of participants answered that HPV vaccine can prevent cervical cancer, while 81.5% of medical students said they would recommend HPV vaccination to the public although fewer expressed an intention to receive vaccination for themselves.

  11. Knowledge.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Online-Offline, 1999

    1999-01-01

    This theme issue on knowledge includes annotated listings of Web sites, CD-ROMs and computer software, videos, books, and additional resources that deal with knowledge and differences between how animals and humans learn. Sidebars discuss animal intelligence, learning proper behavior, and getting news from the Internet. (LRW)

  12. Reproductive health information for young women in Kazakhstan: disparities in access by channel.

    PubMed

    Buckley, Cynthia; Barrett, Jennifer; Adkins, Kristen

    2008-01-01

    This study explores young women's reliance on reproductive and sexual health information channels, examining the relationship between information sources and reproductive health knowledge. Utilizing 1995 and 1999 Kazakhstan Demographic and Health Surveys, we investigate access to reproductive health knowledge among young women (ages 15-24) during a key period in the development of wide-scale reproductive health programs in Kazakhstan. Despite reproductive health campaigns throughout the 1990s, we find consistently high proportions of young women without family planning information access. Among young women with access to information, few received information from channels most strongly linked to knowledge and behavioral changes (family and medical professionals). Mass media sources and peer information networks remained the most often utilized channels. Urban residence, non-Kazakh ethnicity, older age (20-24), and higher education significantly increased the odds of accessing family planning information among young Kazakhstani women, and these same factors were especially important in terms of the relative odds of accessing medical and parental channels. While overall contraceptive knowledge and prevalence rose in Kazakhstan during the 1990s, we find knowledge varied by the information channel accessed. Findings also indicate that young women, regardless of marital status, possessed consistently low levels of reproductive health knowledge at the decade's end.

  13. An operational data access infrastructure for accessing integrated environmental and socio-economic data from the Dutch Wadden Sea

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    De Bruin, T.

    2012-12-01

    The Wadden Sea, an UNESCO World Heritage Site along the Northern coasts of The Netherlands, Germany and Denmark, is a very valuable, yet also highly vulnerable tidal flats area. Knowledge is key to the sustainable management of the Wadden Sea. This knowledge should be reliable, founded on promptly accessible information and sufficiently broad to integrate both ecological and economic analyses. The knowledge is gained from extensive monotoring of both ecological and socio-economic parameters. Even though many organisations, research institutes, government agencies and NGOs carry out monitoring, there is no central overview of monitoring activities, nor easy access to the resulting data. The 'Wadden Sea Long-Term Ecosystem Research' (WaLTER) project (2011-2015) aims to set-up an integrated monitoring plan for the main environmental and management issues relevant to the Wadden Sea, such as sea-level rise, fisheries management, recreation and industry activities. The WaLTER data access infrastructure will be a distributed system of data providers, with a centralized data access portal. It is based on and makes use of the existing data access infrastructure of the Netherlands National Oceanographic Data Committee (NL-NODC), which has been operational since early 2009. The NL-NODC system is identical to and in fact developed by the European SeaDataNet project, furthering standardisation on a pan-European scale. The presentation will focus on the use of a distributed data access infrastructure to address the needs of different user groups such as policy makers, scientists and the general public.

  14. Speech recognition: Acoustic-phonetic knowledge acquisition and representation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zue, Victor W.

    1988-09-01

    The long-term research goal is to develop and implement speaker-independent continuous speech recognition systems. It is believed that the proper utilization of speech-specific knowledge is essential for such advanced systems. This research is thus directed toward the acquisition, quantification, and representation, of acoustic-phonetic and lexical knowledge, and the application of this knowledge to speech recognition algorithms. In addition, we are exploring new speech recognition alternatives based on artificial intelligence and connectionist techniques. We developed a statistical model for predicting the acoustic realization of stop consonants in various positions in the syllable template. A unification-based grammatical formalism was developed for incorporating this model into the lexical access algorithm. We provided an information-theoretic justification for the hierarchical structure of the syllable template. We analyzed segmented duration for vowels and fricatives in continuous speech. Based on contextual information, we developed durational models for vowels and fricatives that account for over 70 percent of the variance, using data from multiple, unknown speakers. We rigorously evaluated the ability of human spectrogram readers to identify stop consonants spoken by many talkers and in a variety of phonetic contexts. Incorporating the declarative knowledge used by the readers, we developed a knowledge-based system for stop identification. We achieved comparable system performance to that to the readers.

  15. The Knowledge Trap: Human Capital and Development Reconsidered. NBER Working Paper No. 14138

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jones, Benjamin F.

    2008-01-01

    This paper presents a model where human capital differences--rather than technology differences--can explain several central phenomena in the world economy. The results follow from the educational choices of workers, who decide not just how long to train, but also how broadly. A "knowledge trap" occurs in economies where skilled workers favor…

  16. The Bridge of Knowledge

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dong, Yu Ren

    2014-01-01

    Although many English language learners (ELLs) in the United States have knowledge gaps that make it hard for them to master high-level content and skills, ELLs also often have background knowledge relevant to school learning that teachers neglect to access, this author argues. In the Common Core era, with ELLs being the fastest growing population…

  17. Utah pharmacists' knowledge, attitudes, and barriers regarding human papillomavirus vaccine recommendation.

    PubMed

    Tolentino, Victoria; Unni, Elizabeth; Montuoro, Jaime; Bezzant-Ogborn, Diane; Kepka, Deanna

    2018-05-05

    To evaluate Utah community pharmacists' knowledge and attitudes toward recommendation of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, to determine whether the knowledge and attitude of pharmacists regarding the HPV vaccine influence their recommendation behaviors, and to capture any self-identified barriers to recommending the HPV vaccine. A cross-sectional anonymous 73-item survey was developed and administered to community, outpatient, and ambulatory care pharmacists. Utah. Utah community pharmacists. Recommendation of the HPV vaccine by the pharmacist, knowledge and attitude of pharmacists regarding HPV vaccine, and barriers to vaccine receipt. The mean HPV vaccine knowledge score was 7.45 ± 2.15 (out of 13), and scores were higher when pharmacists had 4 to 6 technicians per day in the pharmacy and when they were residency trained. The mean attitude score was 24.26 ± 3.16 (out of 30). Positive attitudes were found if they had more than 1 pharmacist and 4 to 6 pharmacy technicians working at any given time in the pharmacy. Those who identified with "other Christianity" had a more positive attitude than Latter Day Saints. Although positive attitude toward the HPV vaccine was a predictor for recommending the vaccine to both boys and girls, higher knowledge was a significant predictor only in recommending the HPV vaccine for boys. Female pharmacists were more likely to recommend the HPV vaccine. The top 3 reported barriers included lack of parental knowledge, parental concerns and opposition, and lack of educational materials to provide parents. Although the majority of respondents perceived HPV vaccination as useful for preventing certain types of cancer, and more than one-half of respondents reported being comfortable in recommending the vaccine, only one-third actually recommended the vaccine for girls and for boys. The results indicate the need for improving knowledge about the HPV vaccine for pharmacists, patients, and parents. Copyright © 2018 American Pharmacists

  18. Arsenic bio-accessibility and bioaccumulation in aged pesticide contaminated soils: A multiline investigation to understand environmental risk.

    PubMed

    Rahman, M S; Reichelt-Brushet, A J; Clark, M W; Farzana, T; Yee, L H

    2017-03-01

    Bio-accessibility and bioavailability of arsenic (As) in historically As-contaminated soils (cattle tick pesticide), and pristine soils were assessed using 3 different approaches. These approaches included human bio-accessibility using an extraction test replicating gastric conditions (in vitro physiologically-based extraction test); an operationally defined bioaccessibility extraction test - 1.0M HCl extraction; and a live organism bioaccumulation test using earthworms. A sequential extraction procedure revealed the soil As-pool that controls bio-accessibility and bioaccumulation of As. Findings show that As is strongly bound to historically contaminated soil with a lower degree of As bio-accessibility (<15%) and bioaccumulation (<9%) compared with freshly contaminated soil. Key to these lower degrees of bio-accessibility and bioaccumulation is the greater fraction of As associated with crystalline Fe/Al oxy-hydroxide and residual phases. The high bio-accessibility and bioaccumulation of freshly sorbed As in pristine soils were from the exchangeable and specifically sorbed As fractions. Arsenic bioaccumulation in earthworms correlates strongly with both the human bio-accessible, and the operationally defined bioavailable fractions. Hence, results suggest that indirect As bioavailability measures, such as accumulation by earthworm, can be used as complementary lines of evidence to reinforce site-wide trends in the bio-accessibility using in vitro physiologically-based extractions and/or operationally defined extraction test. Such detailed knowledge is useful for successful reclamation and management of the As contaminated soils. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Knowledge Democracy and the Implications to Information Access

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Raza, Ahmad; Murad, Hasan Sohaib

    2008-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the concept of "knowledge democracy," deploying a pluralistic, and cross disciplinary and humanistic critique. Design/methodology/approach: This is a culturally pluralistic and humanistic interpretation of globally emergent form of learning pedagogy, particularly manifested in e-learning.…

  20. Visualizing Access: Knowledge Development in University-Community Partnerships

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Strier, Roni; Shechter, Dorit

    2016-01-01

    This article tackles the need to democratize processes of knowledge production in the context of university-community partnerships. These partnerships, which are a rich source of academic research, allow universities to create more reciprocal relationships with communities, especially those affected by social inequalities. Through their social…

  1. Using More of Your Existing Knowledge to Make Better Strategic Decisions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brockmann, Erich N.

    2008-01-01

    We contend that managers make better decisions when they are better able to tap into their vast storehouses of knowledge than their peers can. More specifically, we contend that accessing their tacit knowledge has the most noticeable and positive impact on their decision quality. Furthermore, techniques for better accessing knowledge can be…

  2. [Practices, knowledge and attitudes about human hydatidosis in Peru].

    PubMed

    Moro, Pedro L; Cavero, Carlos A; Tambini, Moisés; Briceño, Yuri; Jiménez, Rosario; Cabrera, Lilia

    2008-01-01

    Between July 2005 and June 2006, a case-control study was carried out to identify risk factors for hydatidosis in Lima, Peru. As a result, 32 cases were matched according to age, sex and birthplace in 64 controls. The participants were interviewed using a questionnaire designed to evaluate environmental and behavior factors associated to hydatidosis. By using Multiple Conditional Logistic Regression, it was determined that the owners of >or=10 dogs in a rural area (aOR=8.7; 95% Cl=1.3-57.5) and those raising sheep (aOR=5.9; 95% Cl=1.2-28.1) were independently related to a higher risk of hydatidosis. The belief that food may transmit hydatidosis (aOR=0.1; 95% Cl=0.01-0.7) and the activity of raising goats (aOR=0.02; 95% Cl=0.001-0.6) were inversely associated to hydatidosis. Preventive measures to reduce the transmission of hydatidosis to human beings in endemic areas in Peru require: limiting the number of dogs kept in each household, regularly controlling parasites and preventing access of dogs to human food and drinking water; all of this in addition to educational campaigns to change the practices that lead to the transmission of hydatidosis.

  3. A System for Open-Access 3He Human Lung Imaging at Very Low Field

    PubMed Central

    RUSET, I.C.; TSAI, L.L.; MAIR, R.W.; PATZ, S.; HROVAT, M.I.; ROSEN, M.S.; MURADIAN, I.; NG, J.; TOPULOS, G.P.; BUTLER, J.P.; WALSWORTH, R.L.; HERSMAN, F.W.

    2010-01-01

    We describe a prototype system built to allow open-access very-low-field MRI of human lungs using laser-polarized 3He gas. The system employs an open four-coil electromagnet with an operational B0 field of 4 mT, and planar gradient coils that generate gradient fields up to 0.18 G/cm in the x and y direction and 0.41 G/cm in the z direction. This system was used to obtain 1H and 3He phantom images and supine and upright 3He images of human lungs. We include discussion on challenges unique to imaging at 50 –200 kHz, including noise filtering and compensation for narrow-bandwidth coils. PMID:20354575

  4. A knowledge based approach to matching human neurodegenerative disease and animal models

    PubMed Central

    Maynard, Sarah M.; Mungall, Christopher J.; Lewis, Suzanna E.; Imam, Fahim T.; Martone, Maryann E.

    2013-01-01

    Neurodegenerative diseases present a wide and complex range of biological and clinical features. Animal models are key to translational research, yet typically only exhibit a subset of disease features rather than being precise replicas of the disease. Consequently, connecting animal to human conditions using direct data-mining strategies has proven challenging, particularly for diseases of the nervous system, with its complicated anatomy and physiology. To address this challenge we have explored the use of ontologies to create formal descriptions of structural phenotypes across scales that are machine processable and amenable to logical inference. As proof of concept, we built a Neurodegenerative Disease Phenotype Ontology (NDPO) and an associated Phenotype Knowledge Base (PKB) using an entity-quality model that incorporates descriptions for both human disease phenotypes and those of animal models. Entities are drawn from community ontologies made available through the Neuroscience Information Framework (NIF) and qualities are drawn from the Phenotype and Trait Ontology (PATO). We generated ~1200 structured phenotype statements describing structural alterations at the subcellular, cellular and gross anatomical levels observed in 11 human neurodegenerative conditions and associated animal models. PhenoSim, an open source tool for comparing phenotypes, was used to issue a series of competency questions to compare individual phenotypes among organisms and to determine which animal models recapitulate phenotypic aspects of the human disease in aggregate. Overall, the system was able to use relationships within the ontology to bridge phenotypes across scales, returning non-trivial matches based on common subsumers that were meaningful to a neuroscientist with an advanced knowledge of neuroanatomy. The system can be used both to compare individual phenotypes and also phenotypes in aggregate. This proof of concept suggests that expressing complex phenotypes using formal

  5. An evidential approach to problem solving when a large number of knowledge systems is available

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Dekorvin, Andre

    1989-01-01

    Some recent problems are no longer formulated in terms of imprecise facts, missing data or inadequate measuring devices. Instead, questions pertaining to knowledge and information itself arise and can be phrased independently of any particular area of knowledge. The problem considered in the present work is how to model a problem solver that is trying to find the answer to some query. The problem solver has access to a large number of knowledge systems that specialize in diverse features. In this context, feature means an indicator of what the possibilities for the answer are. The knowledge systems should not be accessed more than once, in order to have truly independent sources of information. Moreover, these systems are allowed to run in parallel. Since access might be expensive, it is necessary to construct a management policy for accessing these knowledge systems. To help in the access policy, some control knowledge systems are available. Control knowledge systems have knowledge about the performance parameters status of the knowledge systems. In order to carry out the double goal of estimating what units to access and to answer the given query, diverse pieces of evidence must be fused. The Dempster-Shafer Theory of Evidence is used to pool the knowledge bases.

  6. Accessible maps for the color vision deficient observers: past and present knowledge and future possibilities

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kvitle, Anne Kristin

    2018-05-01

    Color is part of the visual variables in map, serving an aesthetic part and as a guide of attention. Impaired color vision affects the ability to distinguish colors, which makes the task of decoding the map colors difficult. Map reading is reported as a challenging task for these observers, especially when the size of stimuli is small. The aim of this study is to review existing methods for map design for color vision deficient users. A systematic review of research literature and case studies of map design for CVD observers has been conducted in order to give an overview of current knowledge and future research challenges. In addition, relevant research on simulations of CVD and color image enhancement for these observers from other fields of industry is included. The study identified two main approaches: pre-processing by using accessible colors and post-processing by using enhancement methods. Some of the methods may be applied for maps, but requires tailoring of test images according to map types.

  7. A map of abstract relational knowledge in the human hippocampal–entorhinal cortex

    PubMed Central

    Garvert, Mona M; Dolan, Raymond J; Behrens, Timothy EJ

    2017-01-01

    The hippocampal–entorhinal system encodes a map of space that guides spatial navigation. Goal-directed behaviour outside of spatial navigation similarly requires a representation of abstract forms of relational knowledge. This information relies on the same neural system, but it is not known whether the organisational principles governing continuous maps may extend to the implicit encoding of discrete, non-spatial graphs. Here, we show that the human hippocampal–entorhinal system can represent relationships between objects using a metric that depends on associative strength. We reconstruct a map-like knowledge structure directly from a hippocampal–entorhinal functional magnetic resonance imaging adaptation signal in a situation where relationships are non-spatial rather than spatial, discrete rather than continuous, and unavailable to conscious awareness. Notably, the measure that best predicted a behavioural signature of implicit knowledge and blood oxygen level-dependent adaptation was a weighted sum of future states, akin to the successor representation that has been proposed to account for place and grid-cell firing patterns. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.17086.001 PMID:28448253

  8. Health Care Access Among Deaf People.

    PubMed

    Kuenburg, Alexa; Fellinger, Paul; Fellinger, Johannes

    2016-01-01

    Access to health care without barriers is a clearly defined right of people with disabilities as stated by the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities. The present study reviews literature from 2000 to 2015 on access to health care for deaf people and reveals significant challenges in communication with health providers and gaps in global health knowledge for deaf people including those with even higher risk of marginalization. Examples of approaches to improve access to health care, such as providing powerful and visually accessible communication through the use of sign language, the implementation of important communication technologies, and cultural awareness trainings for health professionals are discussed. Programs that raise health knowledge in Deaf communities and models of primary health care centers for deaf people are also presented. Published documents can empower deaf people to realize their right to enjoy the highest attainable standard of health. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  9. Multicenter study of human papillomavirus and the human papillomavirus vaccine: knowledge and attitudes among people of African descent.

    PubMed

    Blackman, Elizabeth; Thurman, Natalie; Halliday, Darron; Butler, Raleigh; Francis, Dorita; Joseph, Madeline; Thompson, Jahzreel; Akers, Aletha; Andraos-Selim, Cecile; Bondzi, Cornelius; Taioli, Emanuela; Hagan, Kourtney L; Jones, Erin A; Jones, Jade; Moss, Cierra M; Smith, Ar'Lena C; Ashing, Kimlin Tam; Ragin, Camille C

    2013-01-01

    To compare knowledge and attitudes of human papillomavirus (HPV) and the vaccine between different cultures of African descent. A cross-sectional survey of 555 African-Americans and Afro-Caribbeans residing in the US and the Bahamas (BHM) was conducted. General knowledge about HPV and the HPV vaccine differed between the two countries significantly. Bahamian respondents were less likely to have higher numbers of correct knowledge answers when compared to Americans (Adjusted Odds Ratio [Adj. OR] 0.47, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] 0.30-0.75). Older age, regardless of location, was also associated with answering fewer questions correctly (Adj. OR 0.61, 95% CI 0.40-0.92). Attitudes related to HPV vaccination were similar between the US and BHM, but nearly 80% of BHM respondents felt that children should not be able to receive the vaccine without parental consent compared to 57% of American respondents. Grave lack of knowledge, safety and cost concerns, and influence of parental restrictions may negatively impact vaccine uptake among African-American and Afro-Caribbean persons. Interventions to increase the vaccine uptake in the Caribbean must include medical provider and parental involvement. Effective strategies for education and increasing vaccine uptake in BHM are crucial for decreasing cervical cancer burden in the Caribbean.

  10. Knowledge, attitudes, and perception towards human papillomavirus among university students in Pakistan.

    PubMed

    Khan, Tahir Mehmood; Buksh, Malik Allah; Rehman, Inayat Ur; Saleem, Ahsan

    2016-12-01

    This cross-sectional study comprises a questionnaire-based survey regarding knowledge about human papillomavirus and its vaccine among students in different educational fields at public and private universities in the city of Lahore in Pakistan. A 26-item questionnaire was used to attain the objective of this study. The reliability of this tool was assessed using Cronbach's alpha (0.79) and the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin value was 0.827. The response rate to the survey was 78.0%, of whom the majority (74.9%) were females and 308 (79%) were single (median age=23 years). While assessing the respondents' knowledge about HPV, 223(57%) students reported that they had already heard of HPV (human papillomavirus) and nearly 215 (55%) reported that HPV causes cervical cancer and can infect both men and women. Gender and field of study were two main factors found influencing the respondents' knowledge about HPV. Moreover, students' understanding about the mode of transmission of HPV was cursory: 40.51% said they did not know how HPV is transmitted, 133 (34.10%) stated that HPV spreads through the exchange of bodily fluids, and 22 (5.64%) selected cough/sneezing. In terms of prevention, 175 (44.87%) students stated that HPV can be prevented by vaccination, 30.0% reported sexual abstinence, 21.54% using condoms, and nearly 5.38% disclosed use of antibiotics. Addressing the knowledge of students regarding HPV vaccine, nearly 53% stated there is no vaccine against HPV and almost 64% rejected the statement that HPV vaccine prevents cervical cancer. In addition, students reported that they will be more than willing to get vaccinated for HPV if their physician recommend them (RII=0.74) followed by parents (RII=0.69). The results of this study revealed a poor understanding among respondents about the health problems associated with HPV, its prevention, modes of transmission and arability of HPV vaccine in Pakistan. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  11. Improving access to emergent spinal care through knowledge translation: an ethnographic study.

    PubMed

    Webster, Fiona; Fehlings, Michael G; Rice, Kathleen; Malempati, Harsha; Fawaz, Khaled; Nicholls, Fred; Baldeo, Navindra; Reeves, Scott; Singh, Anoushka; Ahn, Henry; Ginsberg, Howard; Yee, Albert J

    2014-04-14

    For patients and family members, access to timely specialty medical care for emergent spinal conditions is a significant stressor to an already serious condition. Timing to surgical care for emergent spinal conditions such as spinal trauma is an important predictor of outcome. However, few studies have explored ethnographically the views of surgeons and other key stakeholders on issues related to patient access and care for emergent spine conditions. The primary study objective was to determine the challenges to the provision of timely care as well as to identify areas of opportunities to enhance care delivery. An ethnographic study of key administrative and clinical care providers involved in the triage and care of patients referred through CritiCall Ontario was undertaken utilizing standard methods of qualitative inquiry. This comprised 21 interviews with people involved in varying capacities with the provision of emergent spinal care, as well as qualitative observations on an orthopaedic/neurosurgical ward, in operating theatres, and at CritiCall Ontario's call centre. Several themes were identified and organized into categories that range from inter-professional collaboration through to issues of hospital-level resources and the role of relationships between hospitals and external organizations at the provincial level. Underlying many of these issues is the nature of the medically complex emergent spine patient and the scientific evidentiary base upon which best practice care is delivered. Through the implementation of knowledge translation strategies facilitated from this research, a reduction of patient transfers out of province was observed in the one-year period following program implementation. Our findings suggest that competing priorities at both the hospital and provincial level create challenges in the delivery of spinal care. Key stakeholders recognized spinal care as aligning with multiple priorities such as emergent/critical care, medical through

  12. The Mission Accessibility of Near-Earth Asteroids

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Barbee, Brent W.; Abell, P. A.; Adamo, D. R.; Mazanek, D. D.; Johnson, L. N.; Yeomans, D. K.; Chodas, P. W.; Chamberlin, A. B.; Benner, L. A. M.; Taylor, P.; hide

    2015-01-01

    The population of near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) that may be accessible for human space flight missions is defined by the Near-Earth Object Human Space Flight Accessible Targets Study (NHATS). The NHATS is an automated system designed to monitor the accessibility of, and particular mission opportunities offered by, the NEA population. This is analogous to systems that automatically monitor the impact risk posed to Earth by the NEA population. The NHATS system identifies NEAs that are potentially accessible for future round-trip human space flight missions and provides rapid notification to asteroid observers so that crucial follow-up observations can be obtained following discovery of accessible NEAs. The NHATS was developed in 2010 and was automated by early 2012. NHATS data are provided via an interactive web-site, and daily NHATS notification emails are transmitted to a mailing list; both resources are available to the public.

  13. Knowledge Discovery in our World Information Society: Opportunities for the International Polar Year 2007-08

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Berkman, P. A.

    2005-12-01

    The World Data Center system emerged in 1957-58 with the International Geophysical Year (which was renamed from the 3rd International Polar Year) to preserve and provide access to scientific data collected from observational programs throughout the Earth system. Fast forward a half century ... access to diverse digital information has become effectively infinite and instantaneous with nearly 20,000 petabytes of information produced and stored on print, optical and magnetic media each year; microprocessor speeds that have increased 5 orders of magnitude since 1972; existence of the Internet; increasing global capacity to collect and transmit information via satellites; availability of powerful search engines; and proliferation of data warehouses like the World Data Centers. The problem is that we already have reached the threshold in our world information society when accessing more information does not equate with generating more knowledge. In 2007-08, the International Council of Science and World Meteorological Organization will convene the next International Polar Year to accelerate our understanding of how the polar regions respond to, amplify and drive changes elsewhere in the Earth system (http://www.ipy.org). Beyond Earth system science, strategies and tools for integrating digital information to discover meaningful relationships among the disparate data would have societal benefits from boardrooms to classrooms. In the same sense that human-launched satellites became a strategic focus that justified national investments in the International Geophysical Year, developing the next generation of knowledge discovery tools is an opportunity for the International Polar Year 2007-08 and its affiliated programs to contribute in an area that is critical to the future of our global community. Knowledge is the common wealth of humanity. H.E. Mr. Adama Samassekou President, World Summit on the Information Society

  14. Combining factual and heuristic knowledge in knowledge acquisition

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gomez, Fernando; Hull, Richard; Karr, Clark; Hosken, Bruce; Verhagen, William

    1992-01-01

    A knowledge acquisition technique that combines heuristic and factual knowledge represented as two hierarchies is described. These ideas were applied to the construction of a knowledge acquisition interface to the Expert System Analyst (OPERA). The goal of OPERA is to improve the operations support of the computer network in the space shuttle launch processing system. The knowledge acquisition bottleneck lies in gathering knowledge from human experts and transferring it to OPERA. OPERA's knowledge acquisition problem is approached as a classification problem-solving task, combining this approach with the use of factual knowledge about the domain. The interface was implemented in a Symbolics workstation making heavy use of windows, pull-down menus, and other user-friendly devices.

  15. Accessible microscopy workstation for students and scientists with mobility impairments.

    PubMed

    Duerstock, Bradley S

    2006-01-01

    An integrated accessible microscopy workstation was designed and developed to allow persons with mobility impairments to control all aspects of light microscopy with minimal human assistance. This system, named AccessScope, is capable of performing brightfield and fluorescence microscopy, image analysis, and tissue morphometry requisite for undergraduate science courses to graduate-level research. An accessible microscope is necessary for students and scientists with mobility impairments to be able to use a microscope independently to better understand microscopical imaging concepts and cell biology. This knowledge is not always apparent by simply viewing a catalog of histological images. The ability to operate a microscope independently eliminates the need to hire an assistant or rely on a classmate and permits one to take practical laboratory examinations by oneself. Independent microscope handling is also crucial for graduate students and scientists with disabilities to perform scientific research. By making a personal computer as the user interface for controlling AccessScope functions, different upper limb mobility impairments could be accommodated by using various computer input devices and assistive technology software. Participants with a range of upper limb mobility impairments evaluated the prototype microscopy workstation. They were able to control all microscopy functions including loading different slides without assistance.

  16. A Cognitive Agent for Spectrum Monitoring and Informed Spectrum Access

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-06-01

    electromagnetic environments (EMEs) to understand what spectrum bands are accessed, when those bands are accessed, and how much energy is...recall. The cognitive agent in this report uses the second approach. The knowledge domain of the cognitive agent is the electromagnetic spectrum. The...Knowledge DTV digital television EME electromagnetic environments FM frequency modulated RF radio frequency VHF very high frequency

  17. Access to Archived Astronaut Data for Human Research Program Researchers: Update on Progress and Process Improvements

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lee, L. R.; Montague, K. A.; Charvat, J. M.; Wear, M. L.; Thomas, D. M.; Van Baalen, M.

    2016-01-01

    Since the 2010 NASA directive to make the Life Sciences Data Archive (LSDA) and Lifetime Surveillance of Astronaut Health (LSAH) data archives more accessible by the research and operational communities, demand for astronaut medical data has increased greatly. LSAH and LSDA personnel are working with Human Research Program on many fronts to improve data access and decrease lead time for release of data. Some examples include the following: Feasibility reviews for NASA Research Announcement (NRA) data mining proposals; Improved communication, support for researchers, and process improvements for retrospective Institutional Review Board (IRB) protocols; Supplemental data sharing for flight investigators versus purely retrospective studies; Work with the Multilateral Human Research Panel for Exploration (MHRPE) to develop acceptable data sharing and crew consent processes and to organize inter-agency data coordinators to facilitate requests for international crewmember data. Current metrics on data requests crew consenting will be presented, along with limitations on contacting crew to obtain consent. Categories of medical monitoring data available for request will be presented as well as flow diagrams detailing data request processing and approval steps.

  18. Experiences with an Augmented Human Intellect System: A Revolution in Communication.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bair, James H.

    The Augmented Human Intellect System (AHI) has been designed to facilitate communication among knowledge workers who may accomplish their entire job utilizing this advanced technology. The system is capable of sending information to geographically distributed users. It permits access to and modification of stored information by a number of persons…

  19. Macroscopic characterisations of Web accessibility

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lopes, Rui; Carriço, Luis

    2010-12-01

    The Web Science framework poses fundamental questions on the analysis of the Web, by focusing on how microscopic properties (e.g. at the level of a Web page or Web site) emerge into macroscopic properties and phenomena. One research topic on the analysis of the Web is Web accessibility evaluation, which centres on understanding how accessible a Web page is for people with disabilities. However, when framing Web accessibility evaluation on Web Science, we have found that existing research stays at the microscopic level. This article presents an experimental study on framing Web accessibility evaluation into Web Science's goals. This study resulted in novel accessibility properties of the Web not found at microscopic levels, as well as of Web accessibility evaluation processes themselves. We observed at large scale some of the empirical knowledge on how accessibility is perceived by designers and developers, such as the disparity of interpretations of accessibility evaluation tools warnings. We also found a direct relation between accessibility quality and Web page complexity. We provide a set of guidelines for designing Web pages, education on Web accessibility, as well as on the computational limits of large-scale Web accessibility evaluations.

  20. Near-Earth Asteroids: Destinations for Human Exploration

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Barbee, Brent W.

    2014-01-01

    The Near-Earth Object Human Space Flight Accessible Targets Study (NHATS) is a system that monitors the near-Earth asteroid (NEA) population to identify NEAs whose orbital characteristics may make them potential destinations for future round-trip human space flight missions. To accomplish this monitoring, Brent Barbee (GSFC) developed and automated a system that applies specialized trajectory processing to the orbits of newly discovered NEAs, and those for which we have updated orbit knowledge, obtained from the JPL Small Bodies Database (SBDB). This automated process executes daily and the results are distributed to the general public and the astronomy community. This aids in prioritizing telescope radar time allocations for obtaining crucial follow-up observations of highly accessible NEAs during the critical, because it is often fleeting, time period surrounding the time at which the NEAs are initially discovered.

  1. Bioengineered human acellular vessels for dialysis access in patients with end-stage renal disease: two phase 2 single-arm trials

    PubMed Central

    Lawson, Jeffrey H; Glickman, Marc H; Ilzecki, Marek; Jakimowicz, Tomasz; Jaroszynski, Andrzej; Peden, Eric K; Pilgrim, Alison J; Prichard, Heather L; Guziewicz, Malgorzata; Przywara, Stanisław; Szmidt, Jacek; Turek, Jakub; Witkiewicz, Wojciech; Zapotoczny, Norbert; Zubilewicz, Tomasz; Niklason, Laura E

    2016-01-01

    Summary Background For patients with end-stage renal disease who are not candidates for fistula, dialysis access grafts are the best option for chronic haemodialysis. However, polytetrafluoroethylene arteriovenous grafts are prone to thrombosis, infection, and intimal hyperplasia at the venous anastomosis. We developed and tested a bioengineered human acellular vessel as a potential solution to these limitations in dialysis access. Methods We did two single-arm phase 2 trials at six centres in the USA and Poland. We enrolled adults with end-stage renal disease. A novel bioengineered human acellular vessel was implanted into the arms of patients for haemodialysis access. Primary endpoints were safety (freedom from immune response or infection, aneurysm, or mechanical failure, and incidence of adverse events), and efficacy as assessed by primary, primary assisted, and secondary patencies at 6 months. All patients were followed up for at least 1 year, or had a censoring event. These trials are registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01744418 and NCT01840956. Findings Human acellular vessels were implanted into 60 patients. Mean follow-up was 16 months (SD 7·6). One vessel became infected during 82 patient-years of follow-up. The vessels had no dilatation and rarely had post-cannulation bleeding. At 6 months, 63% (95% CI 47–72) of patients had primary patency, 73% (57–81) had primary assisted patency, and 97% (85–98) had secondary patency, with most loss of primary patency because of thrombosis. At 12 months, 28% (17–40) had primary patency, 38% (26–51) had primary assisted patency, and 89% (74–93) had secondary patency. Interpretation Bioengineered human acellular vessels seem to provide safe and functional haemodialysis access, and warrant further study in randomised controlled trials. Funding Humacyte and US National Institutes of Health. PMID:27203778

  2. Knowledge Acquisition: Utilizing the Internet To Access Educational Data.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Slowinski, Joseph

    The information rich environment of the World Wide Web provides a wealth of opportunities for international and comparative scholars of education to access a variety of electronic resources. These resources come in the form of reports, papers, policy positions, and others, many of which are available full-text if one knows where and how to locate…

  3. Equity in human papilloma virus vaccination uptake?: sexual behaviour, knowledge and demographics in a cross-sectional study in (un)vaccinated girls in the Netherlands

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background In the Netherlands, human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination is part of a national program equally accessible for all girls invited for vaccination. To assess possible inequalities in vaccine uptake, we investigated differences between vaccinated and unvaccinated girls with regard to various characteristics, including education and ethnicity, (both associated with non-attendance to the national cervical screening program), sexual behaviour and knowledge of HPV. Methods In 2010, 19,939 nationwide randomly-selected 16–17 year-old girls (2009 vaccination campaign) were invited to fill out an online questionnaire. A knowledge scale score and multivariable analyses identified variables associated with vaccination status. Results 2989 (15%) of the selected girls participated (65% vaccinated, 35% unvaccinated). The participants were comparable with regard to education, ethnicity, most sexual risk behaviour and had similar knowledge scores on HPV transmission and vaccination. However, unvaccinated girls lived in more urbanised areas and were more likely to have a religious background. Irrespective of vaccination status, 81% of the girls were aware of the causal relationship between HPV and cervical cancer, but the awareness of the necessity of cervical screening despite being vaccinated was limited. Conclusions HPV vaccine uptake was not associated with knowledge of HPV and with factors that are known to be associated with non-attendance to the cervical cancer screening program in the Netherlands. Furthermore, most sexual behaviour was not related to vaccination status meaning that teenage unvaccinated girls were not at a disproportionally higher risk of being exposed to HPV. Routine HPV vaccination may reduce the social inequity of prevention of cervical cancer. PMID:24679163

  4. U.S. Spacesuit Knowledge Capture Accomplishments in Fiscal Year 2015

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Chullen, Cinda; Oliva, Vladenka R.

    2016-01-01

    The NASA U.S. Spacesuit Knowledge Capture (SKC) Program continues to capture, share, and archive significant spacesuit-related knowledge with engineers and other technical staff and invested entities. Since its 2007 inception, the SKC Program has hosted and recorded more than 75 events. By the end of Fiscal Year (FY) 2015, 40 of these were processed and uploaded to a publically accessible NASA Web site where viewers can expand their knowledge about the spacesuit's evolution, known capabilities and limitations, and lessons learned. Sharing this knowledge with entities beyond NASA can increase not only more people's understanding of the technical effort and importance involved in designing a spacesuit, it can also expand the interest and support in this valuable program that ensures significant knowledge is retained and accessible. This paper discusses the FY 2015 SKC events, the release and accessibility of the approved events, and the program's future plans.

  5. U.S. Spacesuit Knowledge Capture Accomplishments in Fiscal Year 2015

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Chullen, Cinda; Oliva, Vladenka R.

    2016-01-01

    The NASA U.S. Spacesuit Knowledge Capture (SKC) Program continues to capture, share, and archive significant spacesuit-related knowledge with engineers and other technical staff and invested entities. Since its 2007 inception, the SKC Program has hosted and recorded more than 65 events. By the end of Fiscal Year (FY) 2015, 40 of these were processed and uploaded to a publically accessible NASA Web site where viewers can expand their knowledge about the spacesuit's evolution, known capability and limitations, and lessons learned. Sharing this knowledge with entities beyond NASA can increase not only more people's understanding of the technical effort and importance involved in designing a spacesuit, it can also expand the interest and support in this valuable program that ensures significant knowledge is retained and accessible. This paper discusses the FY 2015 SKC events, the release and accessibility of the approved events, and the program's future plans.

  6. The transfer of category knowledge by macaques (Macaca mulatta) and humans (Homo sapiens).

    PubMed

    Zakrzewski, Alexandria C; Church, Barbara A; Smith, J David

    2018-02-01

    Cognitive psychologists distinguish implicit, procedural category learning (stimulus-response associations learned outside declarative cognition) from explicit-declarative category learning (conscious category rules). These systems are dissociated by category learning tasks with either a multidimensional, information-integration (II) solution or a unidimensional, rule-based (RB) solution. In the present experiments, humans and two monkeys learned II and RB category tasks fostering implicit and explicit learning, respectively. Then they received occasional transfer trials-never directly reinforced-drawn from untrained regions of the stimulus space. We hypothesized that implicit-procedural category learning-allied to associative learning-would transfer weakly because it is yoked to the training stimuli. This result was confirmed for humans and monkeys. We hypothesized that explicit category learning-allied to abstract category rules-would transfer robustly. This result was confirmed only for humans. That is, humans displayed explicit category knowledge that transferred flawlessly. Monkeys did not. This result illuminates the distinctive abstractness, stimulus independence, and representational portability of humans' explicit category rules. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

  7. Online system for knowledge assessment enhances students' results on school knowledge test.

    PubMed

    Kralj, Benjamin; Glazar, Sasa Aleksej

    2013-01-01

    Variety of online tools were built to help assessing students' performance in school. Many teachers changed their methods of assessment from paper-and-pencil (P&P) to online systems. In this study we analyse the influence that using an online system for knowledge assessment has on students' knowledge. Based on both a literature study and our own research we designed and built an online system for knowledge assessment. The system is evaluated using two groups of primary school teachers and students (N = 686) in Slovenia: an experimental and a control group. Students solved P&P exams on several occasions. The experimental group was allowed to access the system either at school or at home for a limited period during the presentation of a selected school topic. Students in the experimental group were able to solve tasks and compare their own achievements with those of their coevals. A comparison of the P&P school exams results achieved by both groups revealed a positive effect on subject topic comprehension for those with access to the online self-assessment system.

  8. Knowledge information management toolkit and method

    DOEpatents

    Hempstead, Antoinette R.; Brown, Kenneth L.

    2006-08-15

    A system is provided for managing user entry and/or modification of knowledge information into a knowledge base file having an integrator support component and a data source access support component. The system includes processing circuitry, memory, a user interface, and a knowledge base toolkit. The memory communicates with the processing circuitry and is configured to store at least one knowledge base. The user interface communicates with the processing circuitry and is configured for user entry and/or modification of knowledge pieces within a knowledge base. The knowledge base toolkit is configured for converting knowledge in at least one knowledge base from a first knowledge base form into a second knowledge base form. A method is also provided.

  9. Universal Access to HIV prevention, treatment and care: assessing the inclusion of human rights in international and national strategic plans

    PubMed Central

    Gruskin, Sofia; Tarantola, Daniel

    2012-01-01

    Rhetorical acknowledgment of the value of human rights for the AIDS response continues, yet practical application of human rights principles to national efforts appears to be increasingly deficient. We assess the ways in which international and national strategic plans and other core documents take into account the commitments made by countries to uphold human rights in their efforts towards achieving Universal Access. Key documents from the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS), the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Bank, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria (GFATM) and the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) were reviewed along with 14 national HIV strategic plans chosen for their illustration of the diversity of HIV epidemic patterns, levels of income and geographical location. Whereas human rights concepts overwhelmingly appeared in both international and national strategic documents, their translation into actionable terms or monitoring frameworks was weak, unspecific or absent. Future work should analyse strategic plans, plans of operation, budgets and actual implementation so that full advantage can be taken, not only of the moral and legal value of human rights, but also their instrumental value for achieving Universal Access. PMID:18641464

  10. Facilitation of Function and Manipulation Knowledge of Tools Using Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS).

    PubMed

    Ishibashi, Ryo; Mima, Tatsuya; Fukuyama, Hidenao; Pobric, Gorana

    2017-01-01

    Using a variety of tools is a common and essential component of modern human life. Patients with brain damage or neurological disorders frequently have cognitive deficits in their recognition and manipulation of tools. In this study, we focused on improving tool-related cognition using transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). Converging evidence from neuropsychology, neuroimaging and non- invasive brain stimulation has identified the anterior temporal lobe (ATL) and inferior parietal lobule (IPL) as brain regions supporting action semantics. We observed enhanced performance in tool cognition with anodal tDCS over ATL and IPL in two cognitive tasks that require rapid access to semantic knowledge about the function or manipulation of common tools. ATL stimulation improved access to both function and manipulation knowledge of tools. The effect of IPL stimulation showed a trend toward better manipulation judgments. Our findings support previous studies of tool semantics and provide a novel approach for manipulation of underlying circuits.

  11. Innovations in workplace accessibility and accommodation for persons with hearing loss: using social networking and community of practice theory to promote knowledge exchange and change.

    PubMed

    Shaw, Lynn; Jennings, Mary Beth; Poost-Foroosh, Laya; Hodgins, Heather; Kuchar, Ashley

    2013-01-01

    Despite widespread availability of assistive technology and the role of occupational therapists and audiologists in workplace health, little is known about how these groups influence the health of workers with hearing loss. Based on a previously conducted study, this paper explores the need for networking and community of practice theory to promote knowledge sharing and use between occupational therapists, audiologists, educators, regulators, workers, and employers. Five occupational therapists and five audiologists participated in in-depth interviews. Grounded theory was used to investigate the processes that hinder or support these professionals in addressing the accommodation needs of and workplace accessibility for workers with hearing loss. Constraints to addressing the needs of workers with hearing loss included: lack of knowledge about professional practice processes, lack of networking, lack of knowledge on current research, and lack of knowledge on the realm of expertise of audiologists by occupational therapists and of occupational therapists by audiologists. Innovations in workplace practice in hearing loss require engagement of occupational therapists, audiologists, and employers in knowledge transfer, networking, and learning. This column introduces two theories that may guide the use and development of evidence, knowledge, and expertise toward innovations in hearing work practice.

  12. Evaluation of the Effect of a Promotora-led Educational Intervention on Cervical Cancer and Human Papillomavirus Knowledge Among Predominantly Hispanic Primary Care Patients on the US-Mexico Border.

    PubMed

    Molokwu, Jennifer; Penaranda, Eribeth; Flores, Silvia; Shokar, Navkiran K

    2016-12-01

    Despite declining cervical cancer rates, ethnic minorities continue to bear an unequal burden in morbidity and mortality. While access to screening is a major barrier, low levels of knowledge and cultural influences have been found to play a part in underutilization of preventive services. The aim of our study was to evaluate the effect of a promontora-led educational intervention on cervical cancer and human papillomavirus knowledge in mainly Hispanic females attending a primary care clinic. One hundred ten females were recruited from the waiting room of a busy primary care clinic and invited to attend individual or small group educational sessions. Participants completed knowledge surveys pre- and post-intervention. An overall evaluation of the educational session was also completed. Following the educational intervention, participants showed an improvement in knowledge scores from a mean score of 10.8 (SD 3.43) out of a possible score of 18 to a mean score of 16.0 (SD1.51) (p < 0.001). 94.5 % of participants rated as excellent, the presentation of information in a way that was easy to understand, most reported that it was a good use of their time and that it lowered their anxiety about testing for early detection of cervical cancer. An educational intervention delivered by well-trained Promotora/Lay health care worker significantly improves patient's cervical cancer and HPV knowledge and can be a useful tool in patient education in the clinical setting especially with high risk populations.

  13. Is Accessibility an Issue in the Knowledge Society? Modern Web Applications in the Light of Accessibility

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bártek, Luděk; Ošlejšek, Radek; Pitner, Tomáš

    Recent development in Web shows a significant trend towards more user participation, massive use of new devices including portables, and high interactivity. The user participation goes hand in hand with inclusion of all potential user groups - also with special needs. However, we claim that albeit all the effort towards accessibility, it has not yet found an appopriate reflection among stakeholders of the "Top Web Applications" nor their users. This leads to undesired causes - the business-driven Web without all user participation is not a really democratic medium and, actually, does not comply with the original characteristics of Web 2.0. The paper tries to identify perspectives of further development including standardization processes and technical obstacles behind. It also shows ways and techniques to cope with the challenge based on our own research and development in accessible graphics and dialog-based systems.

  14. A Conceptual Framework of Mapping Access to Health Care across EU Countries: The Patient Access Initiative.

    PubMed

    Souliotis, Kyriakos; Hasardzhiev, Stanimir; Agapidaki, Eirini

    Research evidence suggests that access to health care is the key influential factor for improved population health outcomes and health care system sustainability. Although the importance of addressing barriers in access to health care across European countries is well documented, little has been done to improve the situation. This is due to different definitions, approaches and policies, and partly due to persisting disparities in access within and between European countries. To bridge this gap, the Patient Access Partnership (PACT) developed (a) the '5As' definition of access, which details the five critical elements (adequacy, accessibility, affordability, appropriateness, and availability) of access to health care, (b) a multi-stakeholders' approach for mapping access, and (c) a 13-item questionnaire based on the 5As definition in an effort to address these obstacles and to identify best practices. These tools are expected to contribute effectively to addressing access barriers in practice, by suggesting a common framework and facilitating the exchange of knowledge and expertise, in order to improve access to health care between and within European countries. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  15. Knowledge Network Architecture in Support of International Science

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hugo, Wim

    2015-04-01

    ICSU (The International Council for Science) created the World Data System (WDS) as an interdisciplinary body at its General Assembly in Maputo in 2008, and since then the membership of the WDS has grown to include 86 members, of whom 56 are institutions or data centres focused on providing quality-assured data and services to the scientific community. In addition to its objective of providing universal and equitable access to such data and services, WDS is also active in promoting stewardship, standards and conventions, and improved access to products derived from data and services. Whereas WDS is in process of aggregating and harmonizing the meta-data collections of its membership, it is clear that additional benefits can be obtained by supplementing such traditional meta-data sources with information about members, authors, and the coverages of the data, as well as metrics such as citation indices, quality indicators, and usability. Moreover, the relationships between the actors and systems that populate this meta-data landscape can be seen as a knowledge network that describes a sub-set of global scientific endeavor. Such a knowledge network is useful in many ways, supporting both machine-based and human requests for contextual information related to a specific data set, institution, author, topic, or other entities in the network. Specific use cases that can be realised include decision and policy support for funding agencies, identification of collaborators, ranking of data sources, availability of data for specific coverages, and many more. The paper defines the scope of and conceptual background to such a knowledge network, discusses some initial work done by WDS to establish the network, and proposes an implementation model for rapid operationalisation. In this model, established interests such as DataCITE, ORCID, and CrossRef have well-defined roles, and the standards, services, and registries required to build a community-maintained, scalable knowledge

  16. Knowledge, as the Result of the Processed Information by Human's Sub-particles (substrings)/Mind in our Brain

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gholibeigian, Hassan

    In my vision, there are four animated sub-particles (mater, plant, animal and human sub-particles) as the origin of the life and creator of momentum in each fundamental particle (string). They communicate with dimension of information which is nested with space-time for getting a package of information in each Planck time. They are link-point between dimension of information and space-time. Sub-particle which identifies its fundamental particle, processes the package of information for finding its next step. Processed information carry always by fundamental particles as the history of the universe and enhance its entropy. My proposed formula for calculating number of packages is I =tP- 1 . τ , Planck time tP, and τ is fundamental particle's lifetime. For example a photon needs processes 1 . 8 ×1043 packages of information for finding its path in a second. Duration of each process is faster than light speed. In our bodies, human's sub-particles (substrings) communicate with dimension of information and get packages of information including standard ethics for process and finding their next step. The processed information transforms to knowledge in our mind. This knowledge is always carried by us. Knowledge, as the Result of the Processed Information by Human's Sub-particles (sub-strings)/Mind in our Brain.

  17. Environmental Sensing of Expert Knowledge in a Computational Evolution System for Complex Problem Solving in Human Genetics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Greene, Casey S.; Hill, Douglas P.; Moore, Jason H.

    The relationship between interindividual variation in our genomes and variation in our susceptibility to common diseases is expected to be complex with multiple interacting genetic factors. A central goal of human genetics is to identify which DNA sequence variations predict disease risk in human populations. Our success in this endeavour will depend critically on the development and implementation of computational intelligence methods that are able to embrace, rather than ignore, the complexity of the genotype to phenotype relationship. To this end, we have developed a computational evolution system (CES) to discover genetic models of disease susceptibility involving complex relationships between DNA sequence variations. The CES approach is hierarchically organized and is capable of evolving operators of any arbitrary complexity. The ability to evolve operators distinguishes this approach from artificial evolution approaches using fixed operators such as mutation and recombination. Our previous studies have shown that a CES that can utilize expert knowledge about the problem in evolved operators significantly outperforms a CES unable to use this knowledge. This environmental sensing of external sources of biological or statistical knowledge is important when the search space is both rugged and large as in the genetic analysis of complex diseases. We show here that the CES is also capable of evolving operators which exploit one of several sources of expert knowledge to solve the problem. This is important for both the discovery of highly fit genetic models and because the particular source of expert knowledge used by evolved operators may provide additional information about the problem itself. This study brings us a step closer to a CES that can solve complex problems in human genetics in addition to discovering genetic models of disease.

  18. Comparing humans and nonhuman great apes in the broken cloth problem: Is their knowledge causal or perceptual?

    PubMed

    Albiach-Serrano, Anna; Sebastián-Enesco, Carla; Seed, Amanda; Colmenares, Fernando; Call, Josep

    2015-11-01

    When presented with the broken cloth problem, both human children and nonhuman great apes prefer to pull a continuous cloth over a discontinuous cloth in order to obtain a desired object resting on top. This has been interpreted as evidence that they preferentially attend to the functionally relevant cues of the task (e.g., presence or absence of a gap along the cloth). However, there is controversy regarding whether great apes' behavior is underpinned by causal knowledge, involving abstract concepts (e.g., support, connection), or by perceptual knowledge, based on percepts (e.g., contact, continuity). We presented chimpanzees, orangutans, and 2-, 3-, and 4-year-old children with two versions of the broken cloth problem. The Real condition, made with paper strips, could be solved based on either perceptual cues or causal knowledge. The Painted condition, which looked very similar, could be solved only by attending to perceptual cues. All groups mastered the Real condition, in line with previous results. Older children (3- and 4-year-olds) performed significantly better in this condition than all other groups, but the performance of apes and children did not differ sharply, with 2-year-olds and apes obtaining similar results. In contrast, only 4-year-olds solved the Painted condition. We propose causal knowledge to explain the general good performance of apes and humans in the Real condition compared with the Painted condition. In addition, we suggest that symbolic knowledge might account for 4-year-olds' performance in the Painted condition. Our findings add to the growing literature supporting the idea that learning from arbitrary cues is not a good explanation for the performance of apes and humans on some kinds of physical task. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Issues of Access in the New Information Age.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bergen, Dan

    This paper suggests that library and information systems provide access to claims to knowledge rather than to knowledge or information and that such claims to knowledge are in fact claims to truth. The stated purpose of the paper is to explain why the library and information community should adhere to at least soft, if not hard, skepticism with…

  20. Knowledge Management Assessment Trends

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-01-01

    Recommendations for strategies and approaches to close the gaps An action plan with practical and operational solutions, along with a pilot and evaluation...access to a continuity book or a formal program to orient them to the organization. The BCKS assessment team has helped organizations close these gaps ...managers, and employees in the organization. The Knowledge Assessment identifies: • Knowledge and performance gaps • The causes or factors

  1. Access to healthcare and alternative health-seeking strategies among undocumented migrants in Denmark

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background As in many European countries, undocumented migrants in Denmark have restricted access to healthcare. The aim of this study is to describe and analyse undocumented migrants' experiences of access to healthcare, use of alternative health-seeking strategies; and ER nurses' experiences in encounters with undocumented migrants. Methods Qualitative design using semi-structured interviews and observations. The participants included ten undocumented South Asian migrants and eight ER nurses. Results Undocumented migrants reported difficulties accessing healthcare. The barriers to healthcare were: limited medical rights, arbitrariness in healthcare professionals' attitudes, fear of being reported to the police, poor language skills, lack of network with Danish citizens, lack of knowledge about the healthcare system and lack of knowledge about informal networks of healthcare professionals. These barriers induced alternative health-seeking strategies, such as self-medication, contacting doctors in home countries and borrowing health insurance cards from Danish citizens. ER nurses expressed willingness to treat all patients regardless of their migratory status, but also reported challenges in the encounters with undocumented migrants. The challenges for ER nurses were: language barriers, issues of false identification, insecurities about the correct standard procedures and not always being able to provide appropriate care. Conclusions Undocumented migrants face formal and informal barriers to the Danish healthcare system, which lead to alternative health-seeking strategies that may have adverse effects on their health. This study shows the need for policies and guidelines, which in accordance with international human rights law, ensure access to healthcare for undocumented migrants and give clarity to healthcare professionals. PMID:21752296

  2. Useful Knowledge? Concepts, Values, and Access in American Education, 1776-1840.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Watkinson, James D.

    1990-01-01

    Traces changing concepts of what constituted useful knowledge, especially as revealed in journals, in the United States from 1776 to 1840. Identifies a widening knowledge gap--corresponding with industrialization--between increasingly elitist, specialized learned societies and mechanics/farmers. Argues that as science grew more professionalized,…

  3. Prior Knowledge about Objects Determines Neural Color Representation in Human Visual Cortex.

    PubMed

    Vandenbroucke, A R E; Fahrenfort, J J; Meuwese, J D I; Scholte, H S; Lamme, V A F

    2016-04-01

    To create subjective experience, our brain must translate physical stimulus input by incorporating prior knowledge and expectations. For example, we perceive color and not wavelength information, and this in part depends on our past experience with colored objects ( Hansen et al. 2006; Mitterer and de Ruiter 2008). Here, we investigated the influence of object knowledge on the neural substrates underlying subjective color vision. In a functional magnetic resonance imaging experiment, human subjects viewed a color that lay midway between red and green (ambiguous with respect to its distance from red and green) presented on either typical red (e.g., tomato), typical green (e.g., clover), or semantically meaningless (nonsense) objects. Using decoding techniques, we could predict whether subjects viewed the ambiguous color on typical red or typical green objects based on the neural response of veridical red and green. This shift of neural response for the ambiguous color did not occur for nonsense objects. The modulation of neural responses was observed in visual areas (V3, V4, VO1, lateral occipital complex) involved in color and object processing, as well as frontal areas. This demonstrates that object memory influences wavelength information relatively early in the human visual system to produce subjective color vision. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  4. The Ares I Crew Launch Vehicle: Human Space Access for the Moon and Beyond

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Cook, Stephen A.

    2008-01-01

    The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)'s Constellation Program is depending on the Ares Projects to deliver the crew launch capabilities needed to send human explorers to the Moon and beyond. The Ares Projects continue to make progress toward design, component testing, and early flight testing of the Ares I crew launch vehicle (Figure 1), the United States first new human-rated launch vehicle in over 25 years. Ares I will provide the core space launch capabilities the United States needs to continue providing crew and cargo access to the International Space Station (ISS), maintaining the U.S. pioneering tradition as a spacefaring nation, and enabling cooperative international ventures to the Moon and beyond. This paper will discuss programmatic, design, fabrication, and testing progress toward building this new launch vehicle.

  5. Construct Validity of Fresh Frozen Human Cadaver as a Training Model in Minimal Access Surgery

    PubMed Central

    Macafee, David; Pranesh, Nagarajan; Horgan, Alan F.

    2012-01-01

    Background: The construct validity of fresh human cadaver as a training tool has not been established previously. The aims of this study were to investigate the construct validity of fresh frozen human cadaver as a method of training in minimal access surgery and determine if novices can be rapidly trained using this model to a safe level of performance. Methods: Junior surgical trainees, novices (<3 laparoscopic procedure performed) in laparoscopic surgery, performed 10 repetitions of a set of structured laparoscopic tasks on fresh frozen cadavers. Expert laparoscopists (>100 laparoscopic procedures) performed 3 repetitions of identical tasks. Performances were scored using a validated, objective Global Operative Assessment of Laparoscopic Skills scale. Scores for 3 consecutive repetitions were compared between experts and novices to determine construct validity. Furthermore, to determine if the novices reached a safe level, a trimmed mean of the experts score was used to define a benchmark. Mann-Whitney U test was used for construct validity analysis and 1-sample t test to compare performances of the novice group with the benchmark safe score. Results: Ten novices and 2 experts were recruited. Four out of 5 tasks (nondominant to dominant hand transfer; simulated appendicectomy; intracorporeal and extracorporeal knot tying) showed construct validity. Novices’ scores became comparable to benchmark scores between the eighth and tenth repetition. Conclusion: Minimal access surgical training using fresh frozen human cadavers appears to have construct validity. The laparoscopic skills of novices can be accelerated through to a safe level within 8 to 10 repetitions. PMID:23318058

  6. Understanding Human Papillomavirus: An Internet Survey of Knowledge, Risk, and Experience among Female and Male College Students in Hawaii

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bertram, Cathy C.; Niederhauser, Victoria P.

    2008-01-01

    Background: Persistent Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is an etiologic agent in the development of cervical cancer. Despite the increasingly high prevalence of HPV, people at risk of exposure lack knowledge about the virus, its relationship to cervical cancer, and a realistic perspective regarding HPV consequences. Purpose: To describe knowledge about…

  7. Design knowledge capture for the space station

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Crouse, K. R.; Wechsler, D. B.

    1987-01-01

    The benefits of design knowledge availability are identifiable and pervasive. The implementation of design knowledge capture and storage using current technology increases the probability for success, while providing for a degree of access compatibility with future applications. The space station design definition should be expanded to include design knowledge. Design knowledge should be captured. A critical timing relationship exists between the space station development program, and the implementation of this project.

  8. Accessible medical equipment for patients with disabilities in primary care clinics: why is it lacking?

    PubMed

    Pharr, Jennifer

    2013-04-01

    Previous research has identified inaccessible medical equipment as a barrier to health care services encountered by people with disabilities. However, no research has been conducted to understand why medical practices lack accessible equipment. The purpose of this study was to examine practice administrators' knowledge of accessible medical equipment and cost of accessible medical equipment to understand why medical practices lack such equipment. Hypotheses were: 1) Practice administrators lacked knowledge about accessible medical equipment and 2) The cost of accessible medical equipment was too great compared to standard equipment for the clinic. This study was a mixed methods survey of primary care practice administrators. The sixty-three participates were members of a medical management organization. Data were collected between December 20, 2011 and January 17, 2012. Proportions, Guttman scalogram, and Spearman's Rho correlation analyses were utilized. For this sample, less than half of the administrators knew that accessible equipment existed and a fourth knew what accessible equipment existed. There was a significant (p < 0.01), positive correlation between knowledge of accessible equipment and pieces of accessible equipment in the clinics. Because less than half of the administrators had ever considered purchasing accessible equipment, it was inconclusive if cost of accessible equipment was too great. Practice administrators' lack of knowledge of accessible medical equipment emphasizes the need not only for more education about the availability of accessible equipment but also about the importance of accessible equipment for their patients with disabilities and for physicians who provide them care. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Cyberspace, Distance Learning, and Higher Education in Developing Countries: Old and Emergent Issues of Access, Pedagogy, and Knowledge Production. International Studies in Sociology and Social Anthropology, 94

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Assie-Lumumba, N'Dri T., Ed.

    2004-01-01

    Amidst the euphoria about the new frontiers of technology sometimes perceived as a panacea for expansion of higher education in developing countries, there is a need to analyze persistent and new grounds of unequal opportunity for access, learning, and the production of knowledge. This volume addresses fundamental questions about the educational…

  10. Knowledge Assessment of the Dental Community in Texas on the Role of Human Papilloma Virus in Oropharyngeal Cancer.

    PubMed

    Rowan, Stephanie D; Hu, Shirley L; Brotzman, Jacob S; Redding, Spencer W; Rankin, K Vendrell; Vigneswaran, Nadarajah

    2015-08-01

    The epidemiology of oral cancer is changing. From 1988 to 2004, there has been a dramatic increase in Human Papilloma virus (HPV) positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPC) in the U.S. At the same time there have been decreasing rates of OPC associated with the traditional risk factors of smoking and alcohol consumption. The epidemiology of oral cancer is changing. As the epidemiology changes, it is important that the dental community recognize these factors. The goal of this study was to assess the baseline level of knowledge about HPV and OPC within the Texas dental community. Practicing dentists and dental hygienists from Texas dental professional networks and dental students from the three Texas schools of dentistry were recruited to participate in the study. Participants were requested to access and complete a 7-item online survey. To ensure anonymity, a third party practice facilitator or department administrator disseminated the survey link to participants. Of the 457 surveys completed, 100% of respondents reported conducting oral soft tissue examinations at least annually. However, only 73% included the oropharynx in their exam. Less than 50% of dental professionals selected the correct location of the greatest increase in oral cancer incidence during the last 10 years. Less than 30% of each of the groups answered correctly in indicating the age group with the most rapidly increasing incidence of oral cancer. Approximately 40% of all groups indicated that a biopsy from the posterior oropharynx should be tested for HPV. Survey results across Texas dentists, dental hygienists, and Texas dental students demonstrated a lack of knowledge of the changing profile of oral cancer regarding HPV-associated OPC. This aim of this initial phase was to determine the baseline level of knowledge surrounding the risks associated with oropharyngeal cancer in the survey population. Our goal is to utilize these findings to develop educational interventions that will

  11. Digital Accessible Knowledge and well-inventoried sites for birds in Mexico: baseline sites for measuring faunistic change

    PubMed Central

    Navarro-Sigüenza, Adolfo G.; Martínez-Meyer, Enrique

    2016-01-01

    Background Faunal change is a basic and fundamental element in ecology, biogeography, and conservation biology, yet vanishingly few detailed studies have documented such changes rigorously over decadal time scales. This study responds to that gap in knowledge, providing a detailed analysis of Digital Accessible Knowledge of the birds of Mexico, designed to marshal DAK to identify sites that were sampled and inventoried rigorously prior to the beginning of major global climate change (1980). Methods We accumulated DAK records for Mexican birds from all relevant online biodiversity data portals. After extensive cleaning steps, we calculated completeness indices for each 0.05° pixel across the country; we also detected ‘hotspots’ of sampling, and calculated completeness indices for these broader areas as well. Sites were designated as well-sampled if they had completeness indices above 80% and >200 associated DAK records. Results We identified 100 individual pixels and 20 broader ‘hotspots’ of sampling that were demonstrably well-inventoried prior to 1980. These sites are catalogued and documented to promote and enable resurvey efforts that can document events of avifaunal change (and non-change) across the country on decadal time scales. Conclusions Development of repeated surveys for many sites across Mexico, and particularly for sites for which historical surveys document their avifaunas prior to major climate change processes, would pay rich rewards in information about distributional dynamics of Mexican birds. PMID:27651986

  12. Digital Accessible Knowledge and well-inventoried sites for birds in Mexico: baseline sites for measuring faunistic change.

    PubMed

    Peterson, A Townsend; Navarro-Sigüenza, Adolfo G; Martínez-Meyer, Enrique

    2016-01-01

    Faunal change is a basic and fundamental element in ecology, biogeography, and conservation biology, yet vanishingly few detailed studies have documented such changes rigorously over decadal time scales. This study responds to that gap in knowledge, providing a detailed analysis of Digital Accessible Knowledge of the birds of Mexico, designed to marshal DAK to identify sites that were sampled and inventoried rigorously prior to the beginning of major global climate change (1980). We accumulated DAK records for Mexican birds from all relevant online biodiversity data portals. After extensive cleaning steps, we calculated completeness indices for each 0.05° pixel across the country; we also detected 'hotspots' of sampling, and calculated completeness indices for these broader areas as well. Sites were designated as well-sampled if they had completeness indices above 80% and >200 associated DAK records. We identified 100 individual pixels and 20 broader 'hotspots' of sampling that were demonstrably well-inventoried prior to 1980. These sites are catalogued and documented to promote and enable resurvey efforts that can document events of avifaunal change (and non-change) across the country on decadal time scales. Development of repeated surveys for many sites across Mexico, and particularly for sites for which historical surveys document their avifaunas prior to major climate change processes, would pay rich rewards in information about distributional dynamics of Mexican birds.

  13. Knowledge about human papillomavirus and prevention of cervical cancer among women of Arkhangelsk, Northwest Russia.

    PubMed

    Roik, Elena E; Sharashova, Ekaterina E; Nieboer, Evert; Kharkova, Olga A; Postoev, Vitaly A; Odland, Jon Ø

    2017-01-01

    Knowledge about cervical cancer (CC) risk factors and benefits of CC prevention motivates women to participate in its screening. However, several studies show that there is a significant knowledge deficit worldwide about human papillomavirus (HPV). The current study explores the level of knowledge about HPV and CC prevention in the context of sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics of women who visited an antenatal clinic in Arkhangelsk, Russia. This cross-sectional study was conducted in the city of Arkhangelsk, which seats the administrative center of Arkhangelsk County, Northwest Russia. It included women who consulted a gynecologist for any reason between January 1, 2015 and April 30, 2015, were residents of Arkhangelsk, 25 to 65 years of age and sexually active (N = 300). Student's t-test for continuous variables and Pearson's χ2 test for categorical variables were used in the comparisons of women grouped as having either poor or sufficient knowledge. Linear regression analysis was also employed. The level of knowledge about HPV and CC prevention was associated with education, parity, age of initiating of intercourse, and sources of information. After adjustment, women with university education were more likely to have higher knowledge about HPV and CC prevention compared to those with lower education. We observed that most participants had a sufficient level of knowledge. Educational gaps were identified that potentially could be used to tailor interventions in CC prevention.

  14. Knowledge on the subject of human physiology among Polish high school students--a cross-sectional study.

    PubMed

    Zwinczewska, Helena; Rozwadowska, Joanna; Traczyk, Anna; Majda, Szymon; Wysocki, Michał; Grabowski, Kamil; Kopeć, Sylwia; Głowacki, Roman; Węgrzyn, Katarzyna; Tomaszewski, Krzysztof A; Walocha, Jerzy A

    2014-01-01

    In most cases the only knowledge an individual will receive with regards to their own body and its proper functioning is during their high school education. The aim of this study was to evaluate high school students' knowledge about basic physiology. The research was carried out in five, randomly chosen high schools in Krakow, Poland. Young people in the age of 17-19 years were asked to fill in the questionnaire designed by the authors. The first part of the survey included personal data. The second part contained 20 close-ended questions assessing students' knowledge about the basics of human physiology. Question difficulty varied from easy through average, and up to difficult. The maximum number of points to achieve was 20. One-thousand-and eighty-three (out of 1179 invited--91.86%) Polish high school students (63.25% female) filled in a 20-item questionnaire constructed by the authors regarding basic human physiology. The mean age of the group was 17.66 ± 0.80 years. The mean score among the surveyed was 10.15 ± 3.48 (range 0-20). Only 26.04% of students achieved a grade of 60% or more, and only one person obtained the highest possible score. Females achieved significantly better scores than males (10.49 ± 3.38 vs. 9.56 ± 3.56; p < 0.0001). Pupils in their second year who were in the process of studying physiology, obtained better results than those in their third year who had already finished the biology course (10.70 ± 3.27 vs. 9.81 ± 3.74 respectively; p < 0.0001) and those in their first year who did not yet study human physiology (10.70 ± 3.27 vs. 9.63 ± 2.74 respectively; p = 0.003). Over 23% of students did not know that mature red blood cells do not have cell nuclei and a similar number of them answered that humans have 500,000 erythrocytes in 1 mm3 of blood. Over 32% believed that plasma does not participate in the transport of respiratory gases, and 31% believed that endocrine glands secrete hormones within their immediate vicinity and into the

  15. School Nurses' Knowledge, Attitudes, Perceptions of Role as Opinion Leader, and Professional Practice Regarding Human Papillomavirus Vaccine for Youth

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rosen, Brittany L.; Goodson, Patricia; Thompson, Bruce; Wilson, Kelly L.

    2015-01-01

    Background: Because human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine rates remain low, we evaluated US school nurses' knowledge, attitudes, perceptions of their role as opinion leaders, and professional practice regarding HPV vaccine, and assessed whether knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of being an opinion leader influenced their professional…

  16. Knowledge, Beliefs, and Behaviors: Examining Human Papillomavirus-Related Gender Differences among African American College Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bynum, Shalanda A.; Brandt, Heather M.; Friedman, Daniela B.; Annang, Lucy; Tanner, Andrea

    2011-01-01

    Objective: Given recent approval for administration of a human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to men, it is important to assess the HPV-related perspectives of men and women. The purpose of this study was to examine gender differences in HPV knowledge, beliefs, and vaccine acceptance among college students attending 3 historically black…

  17. Impact of a Human Sexuality Program on Sex Related Knowledge, Attitudes, Behavior and Guilt of College Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bernard, Harold S.; Schwartz, Allan J.

    1977-01-01

    This study attempts to assess whether a human sexuality course, which combines lecture and small group discussion formats, results in changes in sex related knowledge, attitudes, behavior, and three dimensions of guilt. (Author)

  18. Brazil and Access to HIV/AIDS Drugs: A Question of Human Rights and Public Health

    PubMed Central

    Galvão, Jane

    2005-01-01

    I explore the relationship between public health and human rights by examining the Brazilian government’s policy of free and universal access to anti-retroviral medicines for people with HIV/AIDS. The Brazilian government’s management of the HIV/AIDS epidemic arose from initiatives in both civil society and the governmental sector following the democratization of the country. The dismantling of authoritarian rule in Brazil was accompanied by a strong orientation toward human rights, which formed the sociopolitical framework of Brazil’s response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Even if the Brazilian experience cannot be easily transferred to other countries, the model of the Brazilian government’s response may nonetheless serve as inspiration for finding appropriate and lifesaving solutions in other national contexts. PMID:15933238

  19. Features and selection of vascular access devices.

    PubMed

    Sansivero, Gail Egan

    2010-05-01

    To review venous anatomy and physiology, discuss assessment parameters before vascular access device (VAD) placement, and review VAD options. Journal articles, personal experience. A number of VAD options are available in clinical practice. Access planning should include comprehensive assessment, with attention to patient participation in the planning and selection process. Careful consideration should be given to long-term access needs and preservation of access sites. Oncology nurses are uniquely suited to perform a key role in VAD planning and placement. With knowledge of infusion therapy, anatomy and physiology, device options, and community resources, nurses can be key leaders in preserving vascular access and improving the safety and comfort of infusion therapy. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome/human immunodeficiency virus knowledge, attitudes, and practices, and use of healthcare services among rural migrants: a cross-sectional study in China

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background Today’s rapid growth of migrant populations has been a major contributor to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic. However, relatively few studies have focused on HIV/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-related knowledge, attitudes, and practice among rural-to-urban migrants in China. This cross-sectional study was to assess HIV/AIDS-related knowledge and perceptions, including knowledge about reducing high-risk sex. Methods Two-phase stratified cluster sampling was applied and 2,753 rural migrants participated in this study. An anonymous self-administered questionnaire was conducted in Guangdong and Sichuan provinces in 2007. Descriptive analysis was used to present the essential characteristics of the respondents. Chi-square test and multiple logistic regression models were performed to examine the associations between identified demographic factors and high-risk sex, sexually transmitted disease (STD) symptoms, and access to HIV screening services among the seven types of workers. Results 58.6% of participants were knowledgeable about HIV/AIDS transmission, but approximately 90% had a negative attitude towards the AIDS patients, and that 6.2% had engaged in high-risk sex in the past 12 months. Logistic regression analysis revealed sex, marital status, income, migration and work experience to be associated with high-risk sex. Among the 13.9% of workers who reported having STD symptoms, risk factors that were identified included female gender, high monthly income, being married, daily laborer or entertainment worker, frequent migration, and length of work experience. Only 3% of migrant workers received voluntary free HIV screening, which was positively associated with monthly income and workplace. Conclusions HIV/AIDS knowledge, attitudes, and practices among rural migrants in China remain a thorny health issue, and use of healthcare services needs to be improved. Low levels of education and knowledge regarding HIV/AIDS among

  1. Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome/human immunodeficiency virus knowledge, attitudes, and practices, and use of healthcare services among rural migrants: a cross-sectional study in China.

    PubMed

    Wang, Ying; Cochran, Christopher; Xu, Peng; Shen, Jay J; Zeng, Gang; Xu, Yanjun; Sun, Mei; Li, Chengyue; Li, Xiaohong; Chang, Fengshui; Lu, Jun; Hao, Mo; Lu, Fan

    2014-02-13

    Today's rapid growth of migrant populations has been a major contributor to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic. However, relatively few studies have focused on HIV/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-related knowledge, attitudes, and practice among rural-to-urban migrants in China. This cross-sectional study was to assess HIV/AIDS-related knowledge and perceptions, including knowledge about reducing high-risk sex. Two-phase stratified cluster sampling was applied and 2,753 rural migrants participated in this study. An anonymous self-administered questionnaire was conducted in Guangdong and Sichuan provinces in 2007. Descriptive analysis was used to present the essential characteristics of the respondents. Chi-square test and multiple logistic regression models were performed to examine the associations between identified demographic factors and high-risk sex, sexually transmitted disease (STD) symptoms, and access to HIV screening services among the seven types of workers. 58.6% of participants were knowledgeable about HIV/AIDS transmission, but approximately 90% had a negative attitude towards the AIDS patients, and that 6.2% had engaged in high-risk sex in the past 12 months. Logistic regression analysis revealed sex, marital status, income, migration and work experience to be associated with high-risk sex. Among the 13.9% of workers who reported having STD symptoms, risk factors that were identified included female gender, high monthly income, being married, daily laborer or entertainment worker, frequent migration, and length of work experience. Only 3% of migrant workers received voluntary free HIV screening, which was positively associated with monthly income and workplace. HIV/AIDS knowledge, attitudes, and practices among rural migrants in China remain a thorny health issue, and use of healthcare services needs to be improved. Low levels of education and knowledge regarding HIV/AIDS among housekeepers and migrant day laborers result in

  2. Achieving human and machine accessibility of cited data in scholarly publications

    PubMed Central

    Starr, Joan; Castro, Eleni; Crosas, Mercè; Dumontier, Michel; Downs, Robert R.; Duerr, Ruth; Haak, Laurel L.; Haendel, Melissa; Herman, Ivan; Hodson, Simon; Hourclé, Joe; Kratz, John Ernest; Lin, Jennifer; Nielsen, Lars Holm; Nurnberger, Amy; Proell, Stefan; Rauber, Andreas; Sacchi, Simone; Smith, Arthur; Taylor, Mike; Clark, Tim

    2015-01-01

    Reproducibility and reusability of research results is an important concern in scientific communication and science policy. A foundational element of reproducibility and reusability is the open and persistently available presentation of research data. However, many common approaches for primary data publication in use today do not achieve sufficient long-term robustness, openness, accessibility or uniformity. Nor do they permit comprehensive exploitation by modern Web technologies. This has led to several authoritative studies recommending uniform direct citation of data archived in persistent repositories. Data are to be considered as first-class scholarly objects, and treated similarly in many ways to cited and archived scientific and scholarly literature. Here we briefly review the most current and widely agreed set of principle-based recommendations for scholarly data citation, the Joint Declaration of Data Citation Principles (JDDCP). We then present a framework for operationalizing the JDDCP; and a set of initial recommendations on identifier schemes, identifier resolution behavior, required metadata elements, and best practices for realizing programmatic machine actionability of cited data. The main target audience for the common implementation guidelines in this article consists of publishers, scholarly organizations, and persistent data repositories, including technical staff members in these organizations. But ordinary researchers can also benefit from these recommendations. The guidance provided here is intended to help achieve widespread, uniform human and machine accessibility of deposited data, in support of significantly improved verification, validation, reproducibility and re-use of scholarly/scientific data. PMID:26167542

  3. Achieving human and machine accessibility of cited data in scholarly publications.

    PubMed

    Starr, Joan; Castro, Eleni; Crosas, Mercè; Dumontier, Michel; Downs, Robert R; Duerr, Ruth; Haak, Laurel L; Haendel, Melissa; Herman, Ivan; Hodson, Simon; Hourclé, Joe; Kratz, John Ernest; Lin, Jennifer; Nielsen, Lars Holm; Nurnberger, Amy; Proell, Stefan; Rauber, Andreas; Sacchi, Simone; Smith, Arthur; Taylor, Mike; Clark, Tim

    Reproducibility and reusability of research results is an important concern in scientific communication and science policy. A foundational element of reproducibility and reusability is the open and persistently available presentation of research data. However, many common approaches for primary data publication in use today do not achieve sufficient long-term robustness, openness, accessibility or uniformity. Nor do they permit comprehensive exploitation by modern Web technologies. This has led to several authoritative studies recommending uniform direct citation of data archived in persistent repositories. Data are to be considered as first-class scholarly objects, and treated similarly in many ways to cited and archived scientific and scholarly literature. Here we briefly review the most current and widely agreed set of principle-based recommendations for scholarly data citation, the Joint Declaration of Data Citation Principles (JDDCP). We then present a framework for operationalizing the JDDCP; and a set of initial recommendations on identifier schemes, identifier resolution behavior, required metadata elements, and best practices for realizing programmatic machine actionability of cited data. The main target audience for the common implementation guidelines in this article consists of publishers, scholarly organizations, and persistent data repositories, including technical staff members in these organizations. But ordinary researchers can also benefit from these recommendations. The guidance provided here is intended to help achieve widespread, uniform human and machine accessibility of deposited data, in support of significantly improved verification, validation, reproducibility and re-use of scholarly/scientific data.

  4. The Relationship between Feelings-of-Knowing and Partial Knowledge for General Knowledge Questions

    PubMed Central

    Norman, Elisabeth; Blakstad, Oskar; Johnsen, Øivind; Martinsen, Stig K.; Price, Mark C.

    2016-01-01

    Feelings of knowing (FoK) are introspective self-report ratings of the felt likelihood that one will be able to recognize a currently unrecallable memory target. Previous studies have shown that FoKs are influenced by retrieved fragment knowledge related to the target, which is compatible with the accessibility hypothesis that FoK is partly based on currently activated partial knowledge about the memory target. However, previous results have been inconsistent as to whether or not FoKs are influenced by the accuracy of such information. In our study (N = 26), we used a recall-judge-recognize procedure where stimuli were general knowledge questions. The measure of partial knowledge was wider than those applied previously, and FoK was measured before rather than after partial knowledge. The accuracy of reported partial knowledge was positively related to subsequent recognition accuracy, and FoK only predicted recognition on trials where there was correct partial knowledge. Importantly, FoK was positively related to the amount of correct partial knowledge, but did not show a similar incremental relation with incorrect knowledge. PMID:27445950

  5. Maglev Launch: Ultra-low Cost, Ultra-high Volume Access to Space for Cargo and Humans

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Powell, James; Maise, George; Rather, John

    2010-01-01

    Despite decades of efforts to reduce rocket launch costs, improvements are marginal. Launch cost to LEO for cargo is ~$10,000 per kg of payload, and to higher orbit and beyond much greater. Human access to the ISS costs $20 million for a single passenger. Unless launch costs are greatly reduced, large scale commercial use and human exploration of the solar system will not occur. A new approach for ultra low cost access to space-Maglev Launch-magnetically accelerates levitated spacecraft to orbital speeds, 8 km/sec or more, in evacuated tunnels on the surface, using Maglev technology like that operating in Japan for high speed passenger transport. The cost of electric energy to reach orbital speed is less than $1 per kilogram of payload. Two Maglev launch systems are described, the Gen-1System for unmanned cargo craft to orbit and Gen-2, for large-scale access of human to space. Magnetically levitated and propelled Gen-1 cargo craft accelerate in a 100 kilometer long evacuated tunnel, entering the atmosphere at the tunnel exit, which is located in high altitude terrain (~5000 meters) through an electrically powered ``MHD Window'' that prevents outside air from flowing into the tunnel. The Gen-1 cargo craft then coasts upwards to space where a small rocket burn, ~0.5 km/sec establishes, the final orbit. The Gen-1 reference design launches a 40 ton, 2 meter diameter spacecraft with 35 tons of payload. At 12 launches per day, a single Gen-1 facility could launch 150,000 tons annually. Using present costs for tunneling, superconductors, cryogenic equipment, materials, etc., the projected construction cost for the Gen-1 facility is 20 billion dollars. Amortization cost, plus Spacecraft and O&M costs, total $43 per kg of payload. For polar orbit launches, sites exist in Alaska, Russia, and China. For equatorial orbit launches, sites exist in the Andes and Africa. With funding, the Gen-1 system could operate by 2020 AD. The Gen-2 system requires more advanced technology

  6. Reconceptualising Access in Education Policy: Method and Mindset

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vongalis-Macrow, Athena

    2010-01-01

    Enhancing access to education and knowledge is a long-held principle enshrined in education policy. Access to education offers leverage for educational attainment and achievement, at the individual and social levels. In policy, the term equates with concepts of inclusion, social justice and equity. Over the last decades, as education policy has…

  7. Access Services Are Human Services: Collaborating to Provide Textbook Access to Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McElroy, Kelly; Moore, Dan; Hilterbrand, Lori; Hindes, Nicole

    2017-01-01

    Despite the clear negative impact of high textbook costs on students, limits--including space, funding, and policies--prevent many academic libraries from fully supporting textbook collections. Partnering with other campus units on textbook lending requires creative thinking but can provide students access to other services in addition to the…

  8. 50 CFR 260.58 - Accessibility for sampling.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 7 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Accessibility for sampling. 260.58 Section... Fishery Products for Human Consumption Sampling § 260.58 Accessibility for sampling. Each applicant shall cause the processed products for which inspection is requested to be made accessible for proper sampling...

  9. 50 CFR 260.58 - Accessibility for sampling.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 9 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Accessibility for sampling. 260.58 Section... Fishery Products for Human Consumption Sampling § 260.58 Accessibility for sampling. Each applicant shall cause the processed products for which inspection is requested to be made accessible for proper sampling...

  10. Setting health research priorities using the CHNRI method: V. Quantitative properties of human collective knowledge.

    PubMed

    Rudan, Igor; Yoshida, Sachiyo; Wazny, Kerri; Chan, Kit Yee; Cousens, Simon

    2016-06-01

    The CHNRI method for setting health research priorities has crowdsourcing as the major component. It uses the collective opinion of a group of experts to generate, assess and prioritize between many competing health research ideas. It is difficult to compare the accuracy of human individual and collective opinions in predicting uncertain future outcomes before the outcomes are known. However, this limitation does not apply to existing knowledge, which is an important component underlying opinion. In this paper, we report several experiments to explore the quantitative properties of human collective knowledge and discuss their relevance to the CHNRI method. We conducted a series of experiments in groups of about 160 (range: 122-175) undergraduate Year 2 medical students to compare their collective knowledge to their individual knowledge. We asked them to answer 10 questions on each of the following: (i) an area in which they have a degree of expertise (undergraduate Year 1 medical curriculum); (ii) an area in which they likely have some knowledge (general knowledge); and (iii) an area in which they are not expected to have any knowledge (astronomy). We also presented them with 20 pairs of well-known celebrities and asked them to identify the older person of the pair. In all these experiments our goal was to examine how the collective answer compares to the distribution of students' individual answers. When answering the questions in their own area of expertise, the collective answer (the median) was in the top 20.83% of the most accurate individual responses; in general knowledge, it was in the top 11.93%; and in an area with no expertise, the group answer was in the top 7.02%. However, the collective answer based on mean values fared much worse, ranging from top 75.60% to top 95.91%. Also, when confronted with guessing the older of the two celebrities, the collective response was correct in 18/20 cases (90%), while the 8 most successful individuals among the

  11. Setting health research priorities using the CHNRI method: V. Quantitative properties of human collective knowledge

    PubMed Central

    Rudan, Igor; Yoshida, Sachiyo; Wazny, Kerri; Chan, Kit Yee; Cousens, Simon

    2016-01-01

    Introduction The CHNRI method for setting health research priorities has crowdsourcing as the major component. It uses the collective opinion of a group of experts to generate, assess and prioritize between many competing health research ideas. It is difficult to compare the accuracy of human individual and collective opinions in predicting uncertain future outcomes before the outcomes are known. However, this limitation does not apply to existing knowledge, which is an important component underlying opinion. In this paper, we report several experiments to explore the quantitative properties of human collective knowledge and discuss their relevance to the CHNRI method. Methods We conducted a series of experiments in groups of about 160 (range: 122–175) undergraduate Year 2 medical students to compare their collective knowledge to their individual knowledge. We asked them to answer 10 questions on each of the following: (i) an area in which they have a degree of expertise (undergraduate Year 1 medical curriculum); (ii) an area in which they likely have some knowledge (general knowledge); and (iii) an area in which they are not expected to have any knowledge (astronomy). We also presented them with 20 pairs of well–known celebrities and asked them to identify the older person of the pair. In all these experiments our goal was to examine how the collective answer compares to the distribution of students’ individual answers. Results When answering the questions in their own area of expertise, the collective answer (the median) was in the top 20.83% of the most accurate individual responses; in general knowledge, it was in the top 11.93%; and in an area with no expertise, the group answer was in the top 7.02%. However, the collective answer based on mean values fared much worse, ranging from top 75.60% to top 95.91%. Also, when confronted with guessing the older of the two celebrities, the collective response was correct in 18/20 cases (90%), while the 8 most

  12. Knowledge, attitude, and uptake related to human papillomavirus vaccination among young women in Germany recruited via a social media site.

    PubMed

    Remschmidt, Cornelius; Walter, Dietmar; Schmich, Patrick; Wetzstein, Matthias; Deleré, Yvonne; Wichmann, Ole

    2014-01-01

    Many industrialized countries have introduced human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination of young women, but vaccine uptake often remains suboptimal. This study aimed to investigate whether a social media site like Facebook is an appropriate tool to assess knowledge, attitude and uptake related to HPV vaccination in young women in Germany. Between December 2012 and January 2013 two different targeting strategies were implemented on Facebook, providing a link to an online questionnaire. Advertisements were displayed to female Facebook users aged 18-25 years living in Germany. During the simple targeting strategy, advertisements comprised health-related images along with various short titles and text messages. During the focused strategy, advertisements were targeted to users who in addition had certain fashion brands or pop stars listed on their profiles. The targeting strategies were compared with respect to participant characteristics. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify factors associated with HPV vaccine uptake. A total of 1161 women participated. The two targeting strategies resulted in significant differences regarding educational status and migrant background. Overall, awareness of HPV was high, but only 53% received at least one vaccine dose. In multivariate analysis, HPV vaccine uptake was independently associated with a physician's recommendation and trust in vaccine effectiveness. Concerns of adverse effects were negatively associated with vaccine uptake. Social network recruitment permits fast and convenient access to young people. Sample characteristics can be manipulated by adjusting targeting strategies. There is further need for promoting knowledge of HPV vaccination among young women. Physicians have a major role in the vaccination decision-making process of young women.

  13. Microbial Vertical Transmission during Human Pregnancy.

    PubMed

    Arora, Nitin; Sadovsky, Yoel; Dermody, Terence S; Coyne, Carolyn B

    2017-05-10

    Congenital infections with pathogens such as Zika virus, Toxoplasma gondii, Listeria monocytogenes, Treponema pallidium, parvovirus, HIV, varicella zoster virus, Rubella, Cytomegalovirus, and Herpesviruses are a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Despite the devastating impact of microbial infections on the developing fetus, relatively little is known about how pathogens associated with congenital disease breach the placental barrier to transit vertically during human pregnancy. In this Review, we focus on transplacental transmission of pathogens during human gestation. We introduce the structure of the human placenta and describe the innate mechanisms by which the placenta restricts microbial access to the intrauterine compartment. Based on current knowledge, we also discuss the potential pathways employed by microorganisms to overcome the placental barrier and prospects for the future. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Relationship between Fidelity and Dose of Human Patient Simulation, Critical Thinking Skills, and Knowledge in an Associate Degree Nursing Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Beebe, Rosella I.

    2012-01-01

    This study examined the relationship between human patient simulation (HPS), critical thinking skills, and knowledge acquisition after HPS was integrated across the curriculum of an associate degree nursing program to determine if differences existed in critical thinking and knowledge of students based on the fidelity of HPS used and amount of…

  15. High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS): Pilot Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2005-01-01

    This report summarizes the initial work accomplished by the ACCESS 5 Human System Integration (HSI) team to identify Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Pilot Knowledge, Skill and Ability (KSA), Training and Medical requirements. To derive this information the following tasks were accomplished: a) Mission and Function analyses were performed; b) Applicable FARs and FAA Advisory Circulars (ACs) were reviewed; c) Meetings were conducted with NASA and FAA Human Factors personnel; d) Surveys were completed by ACCESS 5 HSI Working group UA Pilots; e) Coordination meetings were conducted with the ACCESS 5 Policy IPT. The results of these efforts were used to develop a summary of the current qualifications. for an individual to function as a Pilot In Command (PIC) for UAs currently flown by UNITE companies, to develop preliminary Pilot KSAs for each phase of flight, and to delineate preliminary Pilot Training and Medical requirements. These results are to be provided to the Policy IPT to support their development of recommendations for UA Pilot Rating Criteria, training and medical qualifications. It is expected that the initially an instrument rated pilot will be required to serve as the PIC. However, as operational experience is gained, and automation is applied to accomplish various system functions, it is expected that pilot rating criteria could be lessened.

  16. Universal Design for Learning: Guidelines for Accessible Online Instruction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rogers-Shaw, Carol; Carr-Chellman, Davin J.; Choi, Jinhee

    2018-01-01

    Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework for the teaching-learning transaction that conceptualizes knowledge through learner-centered foci emphasizing accessibility, collaboration, and community. Given the importance of access to achieving social justice, UDL is a promising approach to meeting all learners' needs more effectively. In…

  17. How can knowledge exchange portals assist in knowledge management for evidence-informed decision making in public health?

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background Knowledge exchange portals are emerging as web tools that can help facilitate knowledge management in public health. We conducted a review to better understand the nature of these portals and their contribution to knowledge management in public health, with the aim of informing future development of portals in this field. Methods A systematic literature search was conducted of the peer-reviewed and grey literature to identify articles that described the design, development or evaluation of Knowledge Exchange Portals KEPs in the public health field. The content of the articles was analysed, interpreted and synthesised in light of the objectives of the review. Results The systematic search yielded 2223 articles, of which fifteen were deemed eligible for review, including eight case studies, six evaluation studies and one commentary article. Knowledge exchange portals mainly included design features to support knowledge access and creation, but formative evaluation studies examining user needs suggested collaborative features supporting knowledge exchange would also be useful. Overall web usage statistics revealed increasing use of some of these portals over time; however difficulties remain in retaining users. There is some evidence to suggest that the use of a knowledge exchange portal in combination with tailored and targeted messaging can increase the use of evidence in policy and program decision making at the organisational level. Conclusions Knowledge exchange portals can be a platform for providing integrated access to relevant content and resources in one location, for sharing and distributing information and for bringing people together for knowledge exchange. However more performance evaluation studies are needed to determine how they can best support evidence-informed decision making in public health. PMID:24884530

  18. How can knowledge exchange portals assist in knowledge management for evidence-informed decision making in public health?

    PubMed

    Quinn, Emma; Huckel-Schneider, Carmen; Campbell, Danielle; Seale, Holly; Milat, Andrew J

    2014-05-12

    Knowledge exchange portals are emerging as web tools that can help facilitate knowledge management in public health. We conducted a review to better understand the nature of these portals and their contribution to knowledge management in public health, with the aim of informing future development of portals in this field. A systematic literature search was conducted of the peer-reviewed and grey literature to identify articles that described the design, development or evaluation of Knowledge Exchange Portals KEPs in the public health field. The content of the articles was analysed, interpreted and synthesised in light of the objectives of the review. The systematic search yielded 2223 articles, of which fifteen were deemed eligible for review, including eight case studies, six evaluation studies and one commentary article. Knowledge exchange portals mainly included design features to support knowledge access and creation, but formative evaluation studies examining user needs suggested collaborative features supporting knowledge exchange would also be useful. Overall web usage statistics revealed increasing use of some of these portals over time; however difficulties remain in retaining users. There is some evidence to suggest that the use of a knowledge exchange portal in combination with tailored and targeted messaging can increase the use of evidence in policy and program decision making at the organisational level. Knowledge exchange portals can be a platform for providing integrated access to relevant content and resources in one location, for sharing and distributing information and for bringing people together for knowledge exchange. However more performance evaluation studies are needed to determine how they can best support evidence-informed decision making in public health.

  19. Assessing the Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviors of Human and Animal Health Students towards Antibiotic Use and Resistance: A Pilot Cross-Sectional Study in the UK

    PubMed Central

    Hills, Holly; Seitz, Lara-Turiya; Perry, Alex

    2018-01-01

    The Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance highlights the importance of training all healthcare professionals. No study has assessed patterns of students’ knowledge, attitudes and practices concerning antibiotic use simultaneously across different healthcare course types. We conducted a cross-sectional multi-center survey among UK students. The survey was advertised through local survey coordinators at 25 universities. The online survey was accessible from 10th October to 17th November 2016 (before European Antibiotic Awareness Day). A total of 255 students from 25 universities participated, including students on medicine, pharmacy, nursing, physician associate, dentistry and veterinary medicine courses. Antibiotic resistance was considered to be a more important global challenge than climate change, obesity or food security (p < 0.001). Most students (95%) believed that antibiotic resistance will be a problem for their future practice, but fewer (69%) thought that the antibiotics they will prescribe, administer or dispense will contribute to the problem. A fifth of students felt they had sufficient knowledge of antibiotic use for their future work. Our exploratory study suggests that UK human and animal healthcare students are aware of the importance of antibiotic resistance, but many still have certain misconceptions. Campaigns and improved educational efforts applying behavioral insights methodology could address these. PMID:29385687

  20. Assessing the Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviors of Human and Animal Health Students towards Antibiotic Use and Resistance: A Pilot Cross-Sectional Study in the UK.

    PubMed

    Dyar, Oliver James; Hills, Holly; Seitz, Lara-Turiya; Perry, Alex; Ashiru-Oredope, Diane

    2018-01-30

    The Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance highlights the importance of training all healthcare professionals. No study has assessed patterns of students' knowledge, attitudes and practices concerning antibiotic use simultaneously across different healthcare course types. We conducted a cross-sectional multi-center survey among UK students. The survey was advertised through local survey coordinators at 25 universities. The online survey was accessible from 10th October to 17th November 2016 (before European Antibiotic Awareness Day). A total of 255 students from 25 universities participated, including students on medicine, pharmacy, nursing, physician associate, dentistry and veterinary medicine courses. Antibiotic resistance was considered to be a more important global challenge than climate change, obesity or food security ( p < 0.001). Most students (95%) believed that antibiotic resistance will be a problem for their future practice, but fewer (69%) thought that the antibiotics they will prescribe, administer or dispense will contribute to the problem. A fifth of students felt they had sufficient knowledge of antibiotic use for their future work. Our exploratory study suggests that UK human and animal healthcare students are aware of the importance of antibiotic resistance, but many still have certain misconceptions. Campaigns and improved educational efforts applying behavioral insights methodology could address these.

  1. Development and Validation of an Instrument to Assess Social Work Students' Perceptions, Knowledge, and Attitudes about Human Trafficking Questionnaire (PKA-HTQ): An Exploratory Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nsonwu, Maura Busch; Welch-Brewer, Chiquitia; Heffron, Laurie Cook; Lemke, Melinda A.; Busch-Armendariz, Noel; Sulley, Caitlin; Cook, Sharon Warren; Lewis, Mary; Watson, Elizabeth; Moore, Wayne; Li, Jilan

    2017-01-01

    Objective: This study sought to develop and evaluate the psychometric properties of a tool designed to assess social work students' knowledge of and perceptions and attitudes toward human trafficking. To achieve this aim, the Perceptions, Knowledge, and Attitudes toward Human Trafficking Questionnaire (PKA-HTQ) was developed and its psychometric…

  2. AccessScope project: Accessible light microscope for users with upper limb mobility or visual impairments.

    PubMed

    Mansoor, Awais; Ahmed, Wamiq M; Samarapungavan, Ala; Cirillo, John; Schwarte, David; Robinson, J Paul; Duerstock, Bradley S

    2010-01-01

    A web-based application was developed to remotely view slide specimens and control all functions of a research-level light microscopy workstation, called AccessScope. Students and scientists with upper limb mobility and visual impairments are often unable to use a light microscope by themselves and must depend on others in its operation. Users with upper limb mobility impairments and low vision were recruited to assist in the design process of the AccessScope personal computer (PC) user interface. Participants with these disabilities were evaluated in their ability to use AccessScope to perform microscopical tasks. AccessScope usage was compared with inspecting prescanned slide images by grading participants' identification and understanding of histological features and knowledge of microscope operation. With AccessScope subjects were able to independently perform common light microscopy functions through an Internet browser by employing different PC pointing devices or accessibility software according to individual abilities. Subjects answered more histology and microscope usage questions correctly after first participating in an AccessScope test session. AccessScope allowed users with upper limb or visual impairments to successfully perform light microscopy without assistance. This unprecedented capability is crucial for students and scientists with disabilities to perform laboratory coursework or microscope-based research and pursue science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields.

  3. Stroke Knowledge in Spanish-speaking populations

    PubMed Central

    Hawkes, Maximiliano A; Ameriso, Sebastián F; Willey, Joshua Z

    2015-01-01

    Background Spanish is the second most spoken language in the world. Spanish-speaking populations (SSP) have heterogeneous cultural backgrounds, racial and ethnical origins, economic status, and access to health care systems. There are no published reviews about stroke knowledge in SSP. We reviewed the existing literature addressing stroke knowledge among SSP and propose future directions for research. Summary We identified 18 suitable studies by searching PubMed, Lilacs, Scopus, Embase, Cochrane and Scielo databases, and looking at reference lists of eligible articles. We also included 2 conference abstracts. Data related to stroke knowledge from studies of Spanish-speakers was analyzed. Key messages Little is known about stroke knowledge in SSP, especially in Latin America. Information is poor even among subjects at risk, stroke patients, stroke survivors, and health care providers. “Ictus”, the word used for stroke in Spanish, is largely unrecognized among subjects at risk. Furthermore, access to medical care and presence of neurologists are suboptimal in many regions. There are several potential issues to solve regarding stroke knowledge and stroke care in SSP. Programs to educate the general population and non-neurologists medical providers in stroke and telemedicine may be suitable options to improve the present situation. PMID:25871697

  4. Knowledge, attitude, and beliefs of young, college student blood donors about Human immunodeficiency virus.

    PubMed

    Dubey, Anju; Sonker, Atul; Chaudhary, Rajendra K

    2014-01-01

    Young people, who tend to be healthy, idealistic, and motivated, are an excellent pool of potential voluntary unpaid blood donors. Recruiting and retaining young blood donors improves the long term safety and sufficiency of a country's blood supply. Knowledge, attitude, and beliefs about Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) should play an important role in prevention of disease transmission. This study was a questionnaire based survey, conducted to explore the levels of knowledge, attitude, and beliefs about HIV in young college student blood donors. The results showed that the proportion of participants with comprehensive knowledge of HIV prevention and transmission was lesser than expected. Increase in education level and male gender was found to be significantly associated with high HIV-related knowledge. The responses on the different aspects of HIV-related attitude were also varied and there is still stigma associated with Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) even in the educated groups. There was a spectrum of myths and misperceptions emphasizing the need of education that recognizes the social context of attitude towards HIV. Results from this study may contribute to the development of appropriate educational and training material for this group of donors which in turn, may assist in achieving the elusive goal of safe blood supply in future.

  5. Knowledge, attitude, and beliefs of young, college student blood donors about Human immunodeficiency virus

    PubMed Central

    Dubey, Anju; Sonker, Atul; Chaudhary, Rajendra K.

    2014-01-01

    Introduction: Young people, who tend to be healthy, idealistic, and motivated, are an excellent pool of potential voluntary unpaid blood donors. Recruiting and retaining young blood donors improves the long term safety and sufficiency of a country's blood supply. Knowledge, attitude, and beliefs about Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) should play an important role in prevention of disease transmission. Materials and Methods: This study was a questionnaire based survey, conducted to explore the levels of knowledge, attitude, and beliefs about HIV in young college student blood donors. Results: The results showed that the proportion of participants with comprehensive knowledge of HIV prevention and transmission was lesser than expected. Increase in education level and male gender was found to be significantly associated with high HIV-related knowledge. The responses on the different aspects of HIV-related attitude were also varied and there is still stigma associated with Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) even in the educated groups. Discussion: There was a spectrum of myths and misperceptions emphasizing the need of education that recognizes the social context of attitude towards HIV. Results from this study may contribute to the development of appropriate educational and training material for this group of donors which in turn, may assist in achieving the elusive goal of safe blood supply in future. PMID:24678173

  6. Knowledge about tuberculosis transmission among ever-married women in Bangladesh.

    PubMed

    Khandoker, A; Khan, M M H; Krämer, A; Mori, M

    2011-03-01

    To identify the level of knowledge about TB transmission among ever-married women aged 15-49 years (n = 10 996) in Bangladesh, one of the highest tuberculosis (TB) burden countries. We analysed data from the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey conducted in 2007. Covariate factors included age, district, urban/rural residence, marital status, education, husband's education and access to the media (television, radio, newspaper/magazine). Bivariate and multinomial logistic regression analyses were performed to find the correlates of correct knowledge of TB transmission. Knowledge about TB transmission was correctly reported by approximately 7.0% of women, and was significantly associated with education, district and access to media using multinomial logistic regression. The likelihood of correct knowledge was 3.5 times (OR 3.5, 95%CI 2.5-4.9) higher among women with ≥11 years of education than among women with no/primary education. A significantly higher OR for correct knowledge of TB transmission (OR 1.5, 95%CI 1.2-1.9) was found among women who watched television almost every day compared to women who watched less than once a week. Correct knowledge about TB transmission was very low among married women in Bangladesh. Factors such as education and access to media, especially television, could play an important role in improving knowledge about TB transmission among women in Bangladesh.

  7. Putting program evaluation to work: a framework for creating actionable knowledge for suicide prevention practice.

    PubMed

    Wilkins, Natalie; Thigpen, Sally; Lockman, Jennifer; Mackin, Juliette; Madden, Mary; Perkins, Tamara; Schut, James; Van Regenmorter, Christina; Williams, Lygia; Donovan, John

    2013-06-01

    The economic and human cost of suicidal behavior to individuals, families, communities, and society makes suicide a serious public health concern, both in the US and around the world. As research and evaluation continue to identify strategies that have the potential to reduce or ultimately prevent suicidal behavior, the need for translating these findings into practice grows. The development of actionable knowledge is an emerging process for translating important research and evaluation findings into action to benefit practice settings. In an effort to apply evaluation findings to strengthen suicide prevention practice, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) supported the development of three actionable knowledge products that make key findings and lessons learned from youth suicide prevention program evaluations accessible and useable for action. This paper describes the actionable knowledge framework (adapted from the knowledge transfer literature), the three products that resulted, and recommendations for further research into this emerging method for translating research and evaluation findings and bridging the knowledge-action gap.

  8. Barcelona 2002: law, ethics, and human rights. Using the law to improve access to treatments.

    PubMed

    Elliott, Richard; Parmar, Sharan; Divan, Vivek; Berger, Jonathan

    2002-12-01

    The XIII International AIDS Conference in Durban, South Africa in July 2000 focused worldwide attention on the problem of accessing treatments in developing countries. In the interim, thanks to the work of activists - from demonstrations to court cases, and from acts of public courage by people living with HIV/AIDS to ongoing lobbying of politicians and trade negotiators - some very significant developments have occurred. But the reality is that the vast majority of people living with HIV/AIDS still lack access to affordable, quality medicines. This article, a summary of a paper presented at "Putting Third First: Vaccines, Access to Treatments and the Law," a satellite meeting held at Barcelona on 5 July 2002 and organized by the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network, the AIDS Law Project, South Africa, and the Lawyers Collective HIV/AIDS Unit, India, explores three approaches for improving access. In the first part, Richard Elliott provides an overview of the state of the right to health as embodied in international human rights law; comments on the experience to date in litigating claims to the right to health; and identifies potential strategies activists can adopt to advance recognition of the right to health. In the second part, Sharan Parmar and Vivek Divan describe price-control and drug-financing mechanisms used by industrialized countries to increase the affordability of medicines; and discuss how some of these mechanisms could be adapted for use in developing countries. Finally, Jonathan Berger describes the use of litigation in the courts by the Treatment Action Campaign in South Africa.

  9. 45 CFR 98.31 - Parental access.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... Welfare DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES GENERAL ADMINISTRATION CHILD CARE AND DEVELOPMENT FUND Program Operations (Child Care Services)-Parental Rights and Responsibilities § 98.31 Parental access. The... assistance is provided afford parents unlimited access to their children, and to the providers caring for...

  10. 45 CFR 98.31 - Parental access.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... Welfare Department of Health and Human Services GENERAL ADMINISTRATION CHILD CARE AND DEVELOPMENT FUND Program Operations (Child Care Services)-Parental Rights and Responsibilities § 98.31 Parental access. The... assistance is provided afford parents unlimited access to their children, and to the providers caring for...

  11. 45 CFR 98.31 - Parental access.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... Welfare DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES GENERAL ADMINISTRATION CHILD CARE AND DEVELOPMENT FUND Program Operations (Child Care Services)-Parental Rights and Responsibilities § 98.31 Parental access. The... assistance is provided afford parents unlimited access to their children, and to the providers caring for...

  12. 45 CFR 98.31 - Parental access.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... Welfare DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES GENERAL ADMINISTRATION CHILD CARE AND DEVELOPMENT FUND Program Operations (Child Care Services)-Parental Rights and Responsibilities § 98.31 Parental access. The... assistance is provided afford parents unlimited access to their children, and to the providers caring for...

  13. 45 CFR 98.31 - Parental access.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... Welfare DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES GENERAL ADMINISTRATION CHILD CARE AND DEVELOPMENT FUND Program Operations (Child Care Services)-Parental Rights and Responsibilities § 98.31 Parental access. The... assistance is provided afford parents unlimited access to their children, and to the providers caring for...

  14. A novel method for intraoral access to the superior head of the human lateral pterygoid muscle.

    PubMed

    Oliveira, Aleli Tôrres; Camilo, Anderson Aparecido; Bahia, Paulo Roberto Valle; Carvalho, Antonio Carlos Pires; DosSantos, Marcos Fabio; da Silva, Jorge Vicente Lopes; Monteiro, André Antonio

    2014-01-01

    The uncoordinated activity of the superior and inferior parts of the lateral pterygoid muscle (LPM) has been suggested to be one of the causes of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disc displacement. A therapy for this muscle disorder is the injection of botulinum toxin (BTX), of the LPM. However, there is a potential risk of side effects with the injection guide methods currently available. In addition, they do not permit appropriate differentiation between the two bellies of the muscle. Herein, a novel method is presented to provide intraoral access to the superior head of the human LPM with maximal control and minimal hazards. Computational tomography along with digital imaging software programs and rapid prototyping techniques were used to create a rapid prototyped guide to orient BTX injections in the superior LPM. The method proved to be feasible and reliable. Furthermore, when tested in one volunteer it allowed precise access to the upper head of LPM, without producing side effects. The prototyped guide presented in this paper is a novel tool that provides intraoral access to the superior head of the LPM. Further studies will be necessary to test the efficacy and validate this method in a larger cohort of subjects.

  15. No Special Equipment Required: The Accessibility Features Built into the Windows and Macintosh Operating Systems make Computers Accessible for Students with Special Needs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kimball,Walter H.; Cohen,Libby G.; Dimmick,Deb; Mills,Rick

    2003-01-01

    The proliferation of computers and other electronic learning devices has made knowledge and communication accessible to people with a wide range of abilities. Both Windows and Macintosh computers have accessibility options to help with many different special needs. This documents discusses solutions for: (1) visual impairments; (2) hearing…

  16. The Role of Social Media Tools: Accessible Tourism for Disabled Citizens

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Altinay, Zehra; Saner, Tulen; Bahçelerli, Nesrin M.; Altinay, Fahriye

    2016-01-01

    Knowledge sharing becomes important to accomplish digital citizenship. Social media tools become popular to share and diffuse the knowledge in the digitalization. This social media learning and knowledge sharing platforms provides accessibility to the services within societies especially for disabled citizens. This research study aims to evaluate…

  17. Human-Computer Interaction with Medical Decisions Support Systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Adolf, Jurine A.; Holden, Kritina L.

    1994-01-01

    Decision Support Systems (DSSs) have been available to medical diagnosticians for some time, yet their acceptance and use have not increased with advances in technology and availability of DSS tools. Medical DSSs will be necessary on future long duration space missions, because access to medical resources and personnel will be limited. Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) experts at NASA's Human Factors and Ergonomics Laboratory (HFEL) have been working toward understanding how humans use DSSs, with the goal of being able to identify and solve the problems associated with these systems. Work to date consists of identification of HCI research areas, development of a decision making model, and completion of two experiments dealing with 'anchoring'. Anchoring is a phenomenon in which the decision maker latches on to a starting point and does not make sufficient adjustments when new data are presented. HFEL personnel have replicated a well-known anchoring experiment and have investigated the effects of user level of knowledge. Future work includes further experimentation on level of knowledge, confidence in the source of information and sequential decision making.

  18. Demonopolizing medical knowledge.

    PubMed

    Arora, Sanjeev; Thornton, Karla; Komaromy, Miriam; Kalishman, Summers; Katzman, Joanna; Duhigg, Daniel

    2014-01-01

    In the past 100 years, there has been an explosion of medical knowledge-and in the next 50 years, more medical knowledge will be available than ever before. Regrettably, current medical practice has been unable to keep pace with this explosion of medical knowledge. Specialized medical knowledge has been confined largely to academic medical centers (i.e., teaching hospitals) and to specialists in major cities; it has been disconnected from primary care clinicians on the front lines of patient care. To bridge this disconnect, medical knowledge must be demonopolized, and a platform for collaborative practice amongst all clinicians needs to be created. A new model of health care and education delivery called Project ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes), developed by the first author, does just this. Using videoconferencing technology and case-based learning, ECHO's medical specialists provide training and mentoring to primary care clinicians working in rural and urban underserved areas so that the latter can deliver the best evidence-based care to patients with complex health conditions in their own communities. The ECHO model increases access to care in rural and underserved areas, and it demonopolizes specialized medical knowledge and expertise.

  19. [Stents in dialysis vascular access--do they promise improved high quality prolonged access use].

    PubMed

    Klein, Osnat; Plotkin, Eleonora; Gritun, Igal; Verner, Myriam; Lehmann, J M; Rathaus, Mauro; Bernheim, Jacques

    2008-02-01

    The life expectancy of dialysis patients depends, to a large extent, on blood access which provides uninterrupted and efficient treatment. Dialysis access created by a direct anastomosis between artery and vein usually allows normal dialysis for many years. Blood access by a bridge graft between artery and vein functions for a much shorter time and occludes chiefly because of endothelial hyperplasia at the graft vein anastomosis. This type of fistula is created when the veins of the patient are small. During the last few years the dialysis population is increasingly composed of adult and elderly patients suffering from diabetes mellitus, hypertension, dyslipidemias and atheromatous vascular disease so that a relatively large proportion of dialysis accesses are created using a bridge graft. Since we currently do not have the knowledge of how to arrest or delay the processes which lead to access occlusion, attempts are made to implement prophylactic strategies, find stenoses and dilate them before the access fails. Up to date, controlled trials have not succeeded in proving that this method prolongs access use. These trials did not describe the use of stents following dilatation. Between July 2002 and May 2005, 238 angiographies were performed on blood accesses including 179 angioplasties of stenoses. In sixteen patients a stent was deployed during the angioplasty. In ten patients dialysis was performed using the same access up to the end of the study period, an average of 43 months from the creation of the access. Three patients died with a functioning access and in three the access occluded during the period of followup. This study shows that the use of stents following angioplasty of dialysis access stenoses can improve the duration of use of accesses created through grafts.

  20. Intrusion Detection Systems with Live Knowledge System

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-05-31

    Ripple -down Rule (RDR) to maintain the knowledge from human experts with knowledge base generated by the Induct RDR, which is a machine-learning based RDR...propose novel approach that uses Ripple -down Rule (RDR) to maintain the knowledge from human experts with knowledge base generated by the Induct RDR...detection model by applying Induct RDR approach. The proposed induct RDR ( Ripple Down Rules) approach allows to acquire the phishing detection

  1. A Lessons Learned Knowledge Warehouse to Support the Army Knowledge Management Command-Centric

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2004-03-01

    Warehouse to Support the Army Knowledge Management Command-Centric increase the quality and availability of information in context ( knowledge ) to the... information , geographical information , knowledge base, Intelligence data (HUMINT, SIGINT, etc.); and • • Human Computer Interaction (HCI): allows...the Data Fusion Process from the HCI point of view? Can the LL Knowledge Base provide any valuable information to achieve better estimates of the

  2. On the trails of markers and proxies: the socio-cognitive technologies of human movement, knowledge assemblage, and their relevance to the etiology of nasopharyngeal carcinoma

    PubMed Central

    Turnbull, David

    2011-01-01

    Bacteria, pigs, rats, pots, plants, words, bones, stones, earrings, diseases, and genetic indicators of all varieties are markers and proxies for the complexity of interweaving trails and stories integral to understanding human movement and knowledge assemblage in Southeast Asia and around the world. Understanding human movement and knowledge assemblage is central to comprehending the genetic basis of disease, especially of a cancer like nasopharyngeal carcinoma. The problem is that the markers and trails, taken in isolation, do not all tell the same story. Human movement and knowledge assemblage are in constant interaction in an adaptive process of co-production with genes, terrain, climate, sea level changes, kinship relations, diet, materials, food and transport technologies, social and cognitive technologies, and knowledge strategies and transmission. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is the outcome of an adaptive process involving physical, social, and genetic components. PMID:21272440

  3. Exploratory survey of Florida pharmacists' experience, knowledge, and perception of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis.

    PubMed

    Shaeer, Kristy M; Sherman, Elizabeth M; Shafiq, Sami; Hardigan, Patrick

    2014-01-01

    To assess Florida pharmacists' experience, knowledge, and perception of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and to identify areas for pharmacist training. Cross-sectional survey. Florida in March through July 2013. Florida pharmacists. In-person and online anonymous survey. Florida pharmacists' experience, knowledge, and perceptions of PrEP. 225 completed surveys were analyzed. Survey respondents were predominantly community pharmacists with mean age of 45.7 years and less than 20 years of experience. Only 22% of respondents reported dispensing PrEP to patients. Although 75% had completed HIV-related continuing education in the last 2 years, 63% were unaware of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention PrEP guidelines and 71% answered that they did not have sufficient knowledge to counsel patients with PrEP prescriptions. Importantly, 47% of respondents answered they were uncomfortable counseling patients about PrEP. By self-report, most pharmacists agreed PrEP leads to risky behavior (68%) and increased rates of sexually transmitted infections (65%), and is too costly to promote patient access (92%). Surveyed Florida pharmacists reported limited understanding of PrEP. As a widely accessible health care counseling resource, pharmacists are positioned to improve patient understanding, promote medication adherence, and enhance PrEP efficacy. Especially during PrEP implementation, when patients may receive PrEP prescriptions from non-HIV specialist prescribers, improving pharmacists' PrEP education presents a salient opportunity.

  4. Evaluating a Human Rights-Based Advocacy Approach to Expanding Access to Pain Medicines and Palliative Care: Global Advocacy and Case Studies from India, Kenya, and Ukraine.

    PubMed

    Lohman, Diederik; Amon, Joseph J

    2015-12-10

    Palliative care has been defined as care that is person-centered and attentive to physical symptoms and psychological, social, and existential distress in patients with severe or life-threatening illness. The identification of access to palliative care and pain treatment as a human rights issue first emerged among palliative care advocates, physicians, and lawyers in the 1990s, with a basis in the right to health and the right to be free from cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment. Using a case study approach, we evaluate the results of a human rights-based advocacy approach on access to pain medicine and palliative care in India, Kenya, and Ukraine. In each country, human rights advocacy helped raise awareness of the issue, identify structural barriers to care, define government obligations, and contribute to the reform of laws, policies, and practices impeding the availability of palliative care services. In addition, advocacy efforts stimulated civil society engagement and high-level political leadership that fostered the implementation of human rights-based palliative care programs. Globally, access to palliative care was increasingly recognized by human rights bodies and within global health and drug policy organizations as a government obligation central to the right to health. Copyright © 2015 Lohman, Amon. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/), which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

  5. Accessing key steps of human tumor progression in vivo by using an avian embryo model

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hagedorn, Martin; Javerzat, Sophie; Gilges, Delphine; Meyre, Aurélie; de Lafarge, Benjamin; Eichmann, Anne; Bikfalvi, Andreas

    2005-02-01

    Experimental in vivo tumor models are essential for comprehending the dynamic process of human cancer progression, identifying therapeutic targets, and evaluating antitumor drugs. However, current rodent models are limited by high costs, long experimental duration, variability, restricted accessibility to the tumor, and major ethical concerns. To avoid these shortcomings, we investigated whether tumor growth on the chick chorio-allantoic membrane after human glioblastoma cell grafting would replicate characteristics of the human disease. Avascular tumors consistently formed within 2 days, then progressed through vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2-dependent angiogenesis, associated with hemorrhage, necrosis, and peritumoral edema. Blocking of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 and platelet-derived growth factor receptor signaling pathways by using small-molecule receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors abrogated tumor development. Gene regulation during the angiogenic switch was analyzed by oligonucleotide microarrays. Defined sample selection for gene profiling permitted identification of regulated genes whose functions are associated mainly with tumor vascularization and growth. Furthermore, expression of known tumor progression genes identified in the screen (IL-6 and cysteine-rich angiogenic inducer 61) as well as potential regulators (lumican and F-box-only 6) follow similar patterns in patient glioma. The model reliably simulates key features of human glioma growth in a few days and thus could considerably increase the speed and efficacy of research on human tumor progression and preclinical drug screening. angiogenesis | animal model alternatives | glioblastoma

  6. Passive Infrared (PIR)-Based Indoor Position Tracking for Smart Homes Using Accessibility Maps and A-Star Algorithm.

    PubMed

    Yang, Dan; Xu, Bin; Rao, Kaiyou; Sheng, Weihua

    2018-01-24

    Indoor occupants' positions are significant for smart home service systems, which usually consist of robot service(s), appliance control and other intelligent applications. In this paper, an innovative localization method is proposed for tracking humans' position in indoor environments based on passive infrared (PIR) sensors using an accessibility map and an A-star algorithm, aiming at providing intelligent services. First the accessibility map reflecting the visiting habits of the occupants is established through the integral training with indoor environments and other prior knowledge. Then the PIR sensors, which placement depends on the training results in the accessibility map, get the rough location information. For more precise positioning, the A-start algorithm is used to refine the localization, fused with the accessibility map and the PIR sensor data. Experiments were conducted in a mock apartment testbed. The ground truth data was obtained from an Opti-track system. The results demonstrate that the proposed method is able to track persons in a smart home environment and provide a solution for home robot localization.

  7. Fulfilment of knowledge expectations among family members of patients undergoing arthroplasty: a European perspective.

    PubMed

    Sigurdardottir, Arun K; Leino-Kilpi, Helena; Charalambous, Andreas; Katajisto, Jouko; Stark, Åsa Johansson; Sourtzi, Panayota; Zabalegui, Adelaida; Valkeapää, Kirsi

    2015-12-01

    In the recovery process of arthroplasty patients, their family members play an important role due to short hospital stay and increased age of patients. Family members need to have knowledge to be able to support the patient. The aim of this study was to explore expected and received knowledge in family members of arthroplasty patients and describe the relationships between the differences in received and expected knowledge and background factors, country, information and control preferences and access to knowledge. The study was conducted in six European countries (Cyprus, Greece, Finland, Iceland, Spain and Sweden). The study design was cross-cultural, prospective and comparative with two measurement points: pre-operative and at discharge from hospital. Knowledge Expectations of significant other-scale and Krantz Health Opinion Survey were used before surgery and Received Knowledge of significant other-scale and Access to Knowledge at discharge. Patients undergoing elective hip or knee arthroplasty in seventeen hospitals were asked to identify one family member. The sample size was decided by power calculation. A total of 615 participants answered the questionnaires at both measurements. Family members perceived to receive less knowledge than they expected to have, most unfulfilled knowledge expectations were in the financial, social and experiential dimensions of knowledge. Seventy-four per cent of participants had unfulfilled knowledge expectations. Increased access to information from healthcare providers decreased the difference between received and expected knowledge. Compared to family members in southern Europe, those in the Nordic countries had more unfulfilled knowledge expectations and less access to information from healthcare providers. The evidence from this study highlights the need to involve the family members in the educational approach. © 2015 Nordic College of Caring Science.

  8. Collaborative Indoor Access Point Localization Using Autonomous Mobile Robot Swarm

    PubMed Central

    Awad, Fahed; Naserllah, Muhammad; Omar, Ammar; Abu-Hantash, Alaa; Al-Taj, Abrar

    2018-01-01

    Localization of access points has become an important research problem due to the wide range of applications it addresses such as dismantling critical security threats caused by rogue access points or optimizing wireless coverage of access points within a service area. Existing proposed solutions have mostly relied on theoretical hypotheses or computer simulation to demonstrate the efficiency of their methods. The techniques that rely on estimating the distance using samples of the received signal strength usually assume prior knowledge of the signal propagation characteristics of the indoor environment in hand and tend to take a relatively large number of uniformly distributed random samples. This paper presents an efficient and practical collaborative approach to detect the location of an access point in an indoor environment without any prior knowledge of the environment. The proposed approach comprises a swarm of wirelessly connected mobile robots that collaboratively and autonomously collect a relatively small number of non-uniformly distributed random samples of the access point’s received signal strength. These samples are used to efficiently and accurately estimate the location of the access point. The experimental testing verified that the proposed approach can identify the location of the access point in an accurate and efficient manner. PMID:29385042

  9. Enhancing access to health information in Africa: a librarian's perspective.

    PubMed

    Gathoni, Nasra

    2012-01-01

    In recent years, tremendous progress has been made toward providing health information in Africa, in part because of technological advancements. Nevertheless, ensuring that information is accessible, comprehensible, and usable remains problematic, and there remain needs in many settings to address issues such as computer skills, literacy, and the infrastructure to access information. To determine how librarians might play a more strategic role in meeting information needs of health professionals in Africa, the author reviewed key components of information systems pertinent to knowledge management for the health sector, including access to global online resources, capacity to use computer technology for information retrieval, information literacy, and the potential for professional networks to play a role in improving access to and use of information. The author concluded that, in regions that lack adequate information systems, librarians could apply their knowledge and skills to facilitate access and use by information seekers. Ensuring access to and use of health information can also be achieved by engaging organizations and associations working to enhance access to health information, such as the Association for Health Information and Libraries in Africa. These groups can provide assistance through training, dissemination, information repackaging, and other approaches known to improve information literacy.

  10. Collaborative Indoor Access Point Localization Using Autonomous Mobile Robot Swarm.

    PubMed

    Awad, Fahed; Naserllah, Muhammad; Omar, Ammar; Abu-Hantash, Alaa; Al-Taj, Abrar

    2018-01-31

    Localization of access points has become an important research problem due to the wide range of applications it addresses such as dismantling critical security threats caused by rogue access points or optimizing wireless coverage of access points within a service area. Existing proposed solutions have mostly relied on theoretical hypotheses or computer simulation to demonstrate the efficiency of their methods. The techniques that rely on estimating the distance using samples of the received signal strength usually assume prior knowledge of the signal propagation characteristics of the indoor environment in hand and tend to take a relatively large number of uniformly distributed random samples. This paper presents an efficient and practical collaborative approach to detect the location of an access point in an indoor environment without any prior knowledge of the environment. The proposed approach comprises a swarm of wirelessly connected mobile robots that collaboratively and autonomously collect a relatively small number of non-uniformly distributed random samples of the access point's received signal strength. These samples are used to efficiently and accurately estimate the location of the access point. The experimental testing verified that the proposed approach can identify the location of the access point in an accurate and efficient manner.

  11. Access control and privilege management in electronic health record: a systematic literature review.

    PubMed

    Jayabalan, Manoj; O'Daniel, Thomas

    2016-12-01

    This study presents a systematic literature review of access control for electronic health record systems to protect patient's privacy. Articles from 2006 to 2016 were extracted from the ACM Digital Library, IEEE Xplore Digital Library, Science Direct, MEDLINE, and MetaPress using broad eligibility criteria, and chosen for inclusion based on analysis of ISO22600. Cryptographic standards and methods were left outside the scope of this review. Three broad classes of models are being actively investigated and developed: access control for electronic health records, access control for interoperability, and access control for risk analysis. Traditional role-based access control models are extended with spatial, temporal, probabilistic, dynamic, and semantic aspects to capture contextual information and provide granular access control. Maintenance of audit trails and facilities for overriding normal roles to allow full access in emergency cases are common features. Access privilege frameworks utilizing ontology-based knowledge representation for defining the rules have attracted considerable interest, due to the higher level of abstraction that makes it possible to model domain knowledge and validate access requests efficiently.

  12. Access and use of human tissues from the developing world: ethical challenges and a way forward using a tissue trust

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background Scientists engaged in global health research are increasingly faced with barriers to access and use of human tissues from the developing world communities where much of their research is targeted. In part, the problem can be traced to distrust of researchers from affluent countries, given the history of 'scientific-imperialism' and 'biocolonialism' reflected in past well publicized cases of exploitation of research participants from low to middle income countries. Discussion To a considerable extent, the failure to adequately engage host communities, the opacity of informed consent, and the lack of fair benefit-sharing have played a significant role in eroding trust. These ethical considerations are central to biomedical research in low to middle income countries and failure to attend to them can inadvertently contribute to exploitation and erode trust. A 'tissue trust' may be a plausible means for enabling access to human tissues for research in a manner that is responsive to the ethical challenges considered. Summary Preventing exploitation and restoring trust while simultaneously promoting global health research calls for innovative approaches to human tissues research. A tissue trust can reduce the risk of exploitation and promote host capacity as a key benefit. PMID:21266076

  13. Universal Access to E-Mail: Feasibility and Societal Implications.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Anderson, Robert H.; And Others

    E-mail has swept the communications and information world, providing instantaneous global information and data exchange. However, an information elite still exists, made up of those with access to and knowledge about computers and e-mail. The diverging trends in access based on income and education are placing significant groups of current and…

  14. Accessibility Principles for Reading Assessments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thurlow, Martha L.; Laitusis, Cara Cahalan; Dillon, Deborah R.; Cook, Linda L.; Moen, Ross E.; Abedi, Jamal; O'Brien, David G.

    2009-01-01

    Within the context of standards-based educational systems, states are using large scale reading assessments to help ensure that all children have the opportunity to learn essential knowledge and skills. The challenge for developers of accessible reading assessments is to develop assessments that measure only those student characteristics that are…

  15. Accessibility Standards, Illustrated.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jones, Michael A.

    The book sets forth Illinois environmental accessibility standards for disabled persons based on observation and interview data. Photographs, drawings, and detailed floor plans are included in sections dealing with human data (including space requirements for maneuvering wheelchairs, color blindness, incontinence, and severe auditory or visual…

  16. Association of Cervical Cancer Screening with Knowledge of Risk Factors, Access to Health Related Information, Health Profiles, and Health Competence Beliefs among Community-Dwelling Women in Japan

    PubMed Central

    Oba, Shino; Toyoshima, Masato; Ogata, Hiromitsu

    2017-01-01

    Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the past attendance for cervical cancer screening with knowledge of risk factors, access to health-related information, health profiles and health competence beliefs among Japanese women. Methods: Women ages 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, and 60 were contacted cross-sectionally as part of a project for the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare in Nikaho, Akita prefecture Japan between June 2010 and March 2011, and 249 women were analyzed for the current study. The questionnaire asked about past cervical cancer screening. Knowledge of each cervical cancer risk factor was determined on a four-point scale. A barriers to information access scale was utilized to assess the degree of difficulty in accessing health-related information. Health profiles were measured using the EuroQOL EQ-5D. Perceived health competence was measured using a scale (PHCS). The association was evaluated with odds ratios with 95% confidence interval were calculated from a logistic regression analysis after adjustment for age and potential confounders. The trend across the level was also assessed. Results: Women who knew that sexual intercourse at young age was a risk factor were significantly more likely to have participated in cervical cancer screening sometime in their lives (p for trend =0.02). Women who had pain/discomfort and those who had anxiety/depression were significantly more likely to have participated in cervical screening within the past two years (odds ratio [OR]: 2.02, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.04–3.94; OR: 2.32, 95% CI: 1.05–5.16, respectively). Women with higher PHCS were significantly more likely to have attended for cervical screened at some point in their lives (p=0.04). Conclusion: This study observed that specific knowledge of cervical cancer risk factors, health profiles and PHCS were associated with the past attendance for cervical cancer screening among women in a community. Further researches are

  17. Binary Coded Web Access Pattern Tree in Education Domain

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gomathi, C.; Moorthi, M.; Duraiswamy, K.

    2008-01-01

    Web Access Pattern (WAP), which is the sequence of accesses pursued by users frequently, is a kind of interesting and useful knowledge in practice. Sequential Pattern mining is the process of applying data mining techniques to a sequential database for the purposes of discovering the correlation relationships that exist among an ordered list of…

  18. Double-edged sword of interdisciplinary knowledge flow from hard sciences to humanities and social sciences: Evidence from China.

    PubMed

    Liu, Meijun; Shi, Dongbo; Li, Jiang

    2017-01-01

    Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS) increasingly absorb knowledge from Hard Sciences, i.e., Science, Technology, Agriculture and Medicine (STAM), as testified by a growing number of citations. However, whether citing more Hard Sciences brings more citations to HSS remains to be investigated. Based on China's HSS articles indexed by the Web of Science during 1998-2014, this paper estimated two-way fixed effects negative binomial models, with journal effects and year effects. Findings include: (1) An inverse U-shaped curve was observed between the percentage of STAM references to the HSS articles and the number of citations they received; (2) STAM contributed increasing knowledge to China's HSS, while Science and Technology knowledge contributed more citations to HSS articles. It is recommended that research policy should be adjusted to encourage HSS researchers to adequately integrate STAM knowledge when conducting interdisciplinary research, as over-cited STAM knowledge may jeopardize the readability of HSS articles.

  19. Double-edged sword of interdisciplinary knowledge flow from hard sciences to humanities and social sciences: Evidence from China

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Meijun; Shi, Dongbo

    2017-01-01

    Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS) increasingly absorb knowledge from Hard Sciences, i.e., Science, Technology, Agriculture and Medicine (STAM), as testified by a growing number of citations. However, whether citing more Hard Sciences brings more citations to HSS remains to be investigated. Based on China’s HSS articles indexed by the Web of Science during 1998–2014, this paper estimated two-way fixed effects negative binomial models, with journal effects and year effects. Findings include: (1) An inverse U-shaped curve was observed between the percentage of STAM references to the HSS articles and the number of citations they received; (2) STAM contributed increasing knowledge to China’s HSS, while Science and Technology knowledge contributed more citations to HSS articles. It is recommended that research policy should be adjusted to encourage HSS researchers to adequately integrate STAM knowledge when conducting interdisciplinary research, as over-cited STAM knowledge may jeopardize the readability of HSS articles. PMID:28934277

  20. Looking Through a Social Lens: Conceptualising Social Aspects of Knowledge Management for Global Health Practitioners

    PubMed Central

    Limaye, Rupali J.; Sullivan, Tara M.; Dalessandro, Scott; Jenkins, Ann Hendrix

    2017-01-01

    Knowledge management plays a critical role in global health. Global health practitioners require knowledge in every aspect of their jobs, and in resource-scarce contexts, practitioners must be able to rely on a knowledge management system to access the latest research and practice to ensure the highest quality of care. However, we suggest that there is a gap in the way knowledge management is primarily utilized in global health, namely, the systematic incorporation of human and social factors. In this paper, we briefly outline the evolution of knowledge management and then propose a conceptualization of knowledge management that incorporates human and social factors for use within a global health context. Our conceptualization of social knowledge management recognizes the importance of social capital, social learning, social software and platforms, and social networks, all within the context of a larger social system and driven by social benefit. We then outline the limitations and discuss future directions of our conceptualization, and suggest how this new conceptualization is essential for any global health practitioner in the business of managing knowledge. Significance for public health Managing knowledge is essential for improving population health outcomes. Global health practitioners at all levels of the health system are bombarded with information related to best practices and guideline changes, among other relevant information to provide the best quality of care. Knowledge management, or the act of effectively using knowledge, has yet to capitalize on the power of social connections within the context of global health. While social elements have been incorporated into knowledge management activities, we suggest that systematically integrating key concepts that leverage social connections, such as social systems, social capital, social learning, and social software, will yield greater benefit with regard to health outcomes. As such, we outline a new

  1. Turkish Women's Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors on Wet-Nursing, Milk Sharing and Human Milk Banking.

    PubMed

    Ergin, Ahmet; Uzun, S Utku

    2018-04-01

    Purpose The aim of this study was to determine Turkish women's knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors on wet-nursing, milk sharing, and human milk banking in a primary care setting located in a semi-rural area. Description Donated human milk is a feasible option for feeding infants and children. Currently, there is a debate on the topic starts with the preparations to launch a human milk bank in a large city in Turkey. Several previous papers reported women's opinions in large hospital based studies. Little is known about women's views and practice on donated human milk in the rural areas of Turkey. Assessment The study sample was recruited among married women aged 15-49 years who had given birth within the past 5 years and who were in a family health center for any reason in Honaz, Denizli, Turkey. A total of 240 women were included in the study. The data were collected by questionnaire created by the researchers and consisting of two parts: sociodemographic characteristics, and women's knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors on wet-nursing, milk sharing and human milk banking. Results Thirty women (12.5%) had had a wet-nurse; 20 women (8.7%) wet-nursed babies before; and 17 (7.2%) of the women's children had a wet-nurse. If necessary, 80.9 and 78.3% were willing to accept to do wet-nursing and milk sharing, respectively. 150 (62.5%) heard of human milk banks; 55 (22.9%) approved of the establishment of milk banks. However, only 46 women (19.1%) were willing to donate to the bank. Possibility of marriages between milk siblings (76.8%) was the main reason for not considering the donation. Women's education was another factor affecting their opinion on breast milk sharing and donation to human milk banks. Less educated women were sympathetic to milk sharing (p = 0.02), however, more educated mothers had a propensity to donate to milk banks (p = 0.02). Conclusion Wet-nursing decreased over the years in Turkey, but still an ongoing small child feeding method

  2. The Longitudinal Study of Aging in Human Young Adults: Knowledge Gaps and Research Agenda.

    PubMed

    Moffitt, Terrie E; Belsky, Daniel W; Danese, Andrea; Poulton, Richie; Caspi, Avshalom

    2017-02-01

    To prevent onset of age-related diseases and physical and cognitive decline, interventions to slow human aging and extend health span must eventually be applied to people while they are still young and healthy. Yet most human aging research examines older adults, many with chronic disease, and little is known about aging in healthy young humans. This article explains how this knowledge gap is a barrier to extending health span and puts forward the case that geroscience should invest in researching the pace of aging in young adults. As one illustrative example, we describe an initial effort to study the pace of aging in a young-adult birth cohort by using repeated waves of biomarkers collected across the third and fourth decades to quantify the pace of coordinated physiological deterioration across multiple organ systems (eg, pulmonary, periodontal, cardiovascular, renal, hepatic, metabolic, and immune function). Findings provided proof of principle that it is possible to quantify individual variation in the pace of aging in young adults still free of age-related diseases. This article articulates research needs to improve longitudinal measurement of the pace of aging in young people, to pinpoint factors that slow or speed the pace of aging, to compare pace of aging against genomic clocks, to explain slow-aging young adults, and to apply pace of aging in preventive clinical trials of antiaging therapies. This article puts forward a research agenda to fill the knowledge gap concerning lifelong causes of aging. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  3. Knowledge, attitude, and uptake related to human papillomavirus vaccination among young women in Germany recruited via a social media site

    PubMed Central

    Remschmidt, Cornelius; Walter, Dietmar; Schmich, Patrick; Wetzstein, Matthias; Deleré, Yvonne; Wichmann, Ole

    2014-01-01

    Background: Many industrialized countries have introduced human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination of young women, but vaccine uptake often remains suboptimal. This study aimed to investigate whether a social media site like Facebook is an appropriate tool to assess knowledge, attitude and uptake related to HPV vaccination in young women in Germany. Methods: Between December 2012 and January 2013 two different targeting strategies were implemented on Facebook, providing a link to an online questionnaire. Advertisements were displayed to female Facebook users aged 18–25 years living in Germany. During the simple targeting strategy, advertisements comprised health-related images along with various short titles and text messages. During the focused strategy, advertisements were targeted to users who in addition had certain fashion brands or pop stars listed on their profiles. The targeting strategies were compared with respect to participant characteristics. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify factors associated with HPV vaccine uptake. Results: A total of 1161 women participated. The two targeting strategies resulted in significant differences regarding educational status and migrant background. Overall, awareness of HPV was high, but only 53% received at least one vaccine dose. In multivariate analysis, HPV vaccine uptake was independently associated with a physician's recommendation and trust in vaccine effectiveness. Concerns of adverse effects were negatively associated with vaccine uptake. Discussion: Social network recruitment permits fast and convenient access to young people. Sample characteristics can be manipulated by adjusting targeting strategies. There is further need for promoting knowledge of HPV vaccination among young women. Physicians have a major role in the vaccination decision-making process of young women. PMID:25483492

  4. Trust-based Access Control in Virtual Learning Community

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Shujuan; Liu, Qingtang

    The virtual learning community is an important application pattern of E-Learning. It emphasizes the cooperation of the members in the community, the members would like to share their learning resources, to exchange their experience and complete the study task together. This instructional mode has already been proved as an effective way to improve the quality and efficiency of instruction. At the present time, the virtual learning communities are mostly designed using static access control policy by which the access permission rights are authorized by the super administrator, the super administrator assigns different rights to different roles, but the virtual and social characteristics of virtual learning community make information sharing and collaboration a complex problem, the community realizes its instructional goal only if the members in it believe that others will offer the knowledge they owned and believe the knowledge others offered is well-meaning and worthy. This paper tries to constitute an effective trust mechanism, which could promise favorable interaction and lasting knowledge sharing.

  5. Human vs. Computer Diagnosis of Students' Natural Selection Knowledge: Testing the Efficacy of Text Analytic Software

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nehm, Ross H.; Haertig, Hendrik

    2012-02-01

    Our study examines the efficacy of Computer Assisted Scoring (CAS) of open-response text relative to expert human scoring within the complex domain of evolutionary biology. Specifically, we explored whether CAS can diagnose the explanatory elements (or Key Concepts) that comprise undergraduate students' explanatory models of natural selection with equal fidelity as expert human scorers in a sample of >1,000 essays. We used SPSS Text Analysis 3.0 to perform our CAS and measure Kappa values (inter-rater reliability) of KC detection (i.e., computer-human rating correspondence). Our first analysis indicated that the text analysis functions (or extraction rules) developed and deployed in SPSSTA to extract individual Key Concepts (KCs) from three different items differing in several surface features (e.g., taxon, trait, type of evolutionary change) produced "substantial" (Kappa 0.61-0.80) or "almost perfect" (0.81-1.00) agreement. The second analysis explored the measurement of human-computer correspondence for KC diversity (the number of different accurate knowledge elements) in the combined sample of all 827 essays. Here we found outstanding correspondence; extraction rules generated using one prompt type are broadly applicable to other evolutionary scenarios (e.g., bacterial resistance, cheetah running speed, etc.). This result is encouraging, as it suggests that the development of new item sets may not necessitate the development of new text analysis rules. Overall, our findings suggest that CAS tools such as SPSS Text Analysis may compensate for some of the intrinsic limitations of currently used multiple-choice Concept Inventories designed to measure student knowledge of natural selection.

  6. Removing financial barriers to access reproductive, maternal and newborn health services: the challenges and policy implications for human resources for health

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background The last decade has seen widespread retreat from user fees with the intention to reduce financial constraints to users in accessing health care and in particular improving access to reproductive, maternal and newborn health services. This has had important benefits in reducing financial barriers to access in a number of settings. If the policies work as intended, service utilization rates increase. However this increases workloads for health staff and at the same time, the loss of user fee revenues can imply that health workers lose bonuses or allowances, or that it becomes more difficult to ensure uninterrupted supplies of health care inputs. This research aimed to assess how policies reducing demand-side barriers to access to health care have affected service delivery with a particular focus on human resources for health. Methods We undertook case studies in five countries (Ghana, Nepal, Sierra Leone, Zambia and Zimbabwe). In each we reviewed financing and HRH policies, considered the impact financing policy change had made on health service utilization rates, analysed the distribution of health staff and their actual and potential workloads, and compared remuneration terms in the public sectors. Results We question a number of common assumptions about the financing and human resource inter-relationships. The impact of fee removal on utilization levels is mostly not sustained or supported by all the evidence. Shortages of human resources for health at the national level are not universal; maldistribution within countries is the greater problem. Low salaries are not universal; most of the countries pay health workers well by national benchmarks. Conclusions The interconnectedness between user fee policy and HRH situations proves difficult to assess. Many policies have been changing over the relevant period, some clearly and others possibly in response to problems identified associated with financing policy change. Other relevant variables have also

  7. Removing financial barriers to access reproductive, maternal and newborn health services: the challenges and policy implications for human resources for health.

    PubMed

    McPake, Barbara; Witter, Sophie; Ensor, Tim; Fustukian, Suzanne; Newlands, David; Martineau, Tim; Chirwa, Yotamu

    2013-09-22

    The last decade has seen widespread retreat from user fees with the intention to reduce financial constraints to users in accessing health care and in particular improving access to reproductive, maternal and newborn health services. This has had important benefits in reducing financial barriers to access in a number of settings. If the policies work as intended, service utilization rates increase. However this increases workloads for health staff and at the same time, the loss of user fee revenues can imply that health workers lose bonuses or allowances, or that it becomes more difficult to ensure uninterrupted supplies of health care inputs.This research aimed to assess how policies reducing demand-side barriers to access to health care have affected service delivery with a particular focus on human resources for health. We undertook case studies in five countries (Ghana, Nepal, Sierra Leone, Zambia and Zimbabwe). In each we reviewed financing and HRH policies, considered the impact financing policy change had made on health service utilization rates, analysed the distribution of health staff and their actual and potential workloads, and compared remuneration terms in the public sectors. We question a number of common assumptions about the financing and human resource inter-relationships. The impact of fee removal on utilization levels is mostly not sustained or supported by all the evidence. Shortages of human resources for health at the national level are not universal; maldistribution within countries is the greater problem. Low salaries are not universal; most of the countries pay health workers well by national benchmarks. The interconnectedness between user fee policy and HRH situations proves difficult to assess. Many policies have been changing over the relevant period, some clearly and others possibly in response to problems identified associated with financing policy change. Other relevant variables have also changed.However, as is now well

  8. A Novel Method for Intraoral Access to the Superior Head of the Human Lateral Pterygoid Muscle

    PubMed Central

    Oliveira, Aleli Tôrres; Camilo, Anderson Aparecido; Bahia, Paulo Roberto Valle; Carvalho, Antonio Carlos Pires; DosSantos, Marcos Fabio; da Silva, Jorge Vicente Lopes; Monteiro, André Antonio

    2014-01-01

    Background. The uncoordinated activity of the superior and inferior parts of the lateral pterygoid muscle (LPM) has been suggested to be one of the causes of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disc displacement. A therapy for this muscle disorder is the injection of botulinum toxin (BTX), of the LPM. However, there is a potential risk of side effects with the injection guide methods currently available. In addition, they do not permit appropriate differentiation between the two bellies of the muscle. Herein, a novel method is presented to provide intraoral access to the superior head of the human LPM with maximal control and minimal hazards. Methods. Computational tomography along with digital imaging software programs and rapid prototyping techniques were used to create a rapid prototyped guide to orient BTX injections in the superior LPM. Results. The method proved to be feasible and reliable. Furthermore, when tested in one volunteer it allowed precise access to the upper head of LPM, without producing side effects. Conclusions. The prototyped guide presented in this paper is a novel tool that provides intraoral access to the superior head of the LPM. Further studies will be necessary to test the efficacy and validate this method in a larger cohort of subjects. PMID:24963484

  9. Why Knowledge Matters in Curriculum: A Social Realist Argument. New Studies in Critical Realism and Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wheelahan, Leesa

    2012-01-01

    What should we teach in our schools and vocational education and higher education institutions? Is theoretical knowledge still important? This book argues that providing students with access to knowledge should be the raison d'etre of education. Its premise is that access to knowledge is an issue of social justice because society uses it to…

  10. Feasibility of Human Skin Grafts on an Isolated but Accessible Vascular Supply on Athymic Rats as a System to Study Percutaneous Penetration and Cutaneous Injury.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1983-11-01

    HUMAN SKIN GRAFTS ON AN ISOLATED BUT ACCESSIBLE VASCULAR SUPPLY ON ATHYMIC RATS AS A SYSTEM TO STUDY PERCUTANEOUS PENETRATION AND CUTANEOUS INJURY...RECIPIENT’S CATALOG NUMBER 4. TITLE (aend Subtitle) S. TYPE OF REPORT & PERIOD COVERED Feasibility of Human Skin Grafts on an Isolated Annual report...Human skin graft on athymic rat Human skin model to study percutaneous penetration and cutaneous injury 20. ABSTRACT (Contiue an reverse *ftb it

  11. The utility of human sciences in nursing inquiry.

    PubMed

    Pratt, Maria

    2012-01-01

    This paper targets novice nurse researchers to highlight how the perspectives of human sciences are useful in understanding people's experiences. There is a need to address the utility of human sciences or the humanistic philosophy that values the understanding of subjective experiences in nursing, given that the mainstream development of nursing knowledge is still influenced by the positivist and post-positivist research paradigms. Discussion papers on Heideggerian hermeneutic phenomenology, human sciences, and qualitative research were accessed through the databases Cinahl and Medline over the past 30 years. Seminal works on phenomenology were addressed in this paper. Using Heideggerian hermeneutic phenomenology as a commonly referenced human philosophy and methodology, this paper discusses how Heidegger's (1962) perspective may be used in nursing practice and research. Van Manen's (1990) descriptions of phenomenological science are discussed to address the perspective's value in nursing inquiry and to reveal the biases associated with this humanistic approach. The limitations of human sciences should not deter nurse researchers from using this type of nursing inquiry as it can provide an important framework in nursing research, practice and knowledge development. The author's perspective as a graduate student highlights the importance of human sciences in exploring the experiences of people vital in the delivery of nursing practice. However, researchers wishing to undertake humanistic inquiry should learn the philosophical and methodological underpinnings of their chosen humanistic approach.

  12. Local health practices and the knowledge of medicinal plants in a Brazilian semi-arid region: environmental benefits to human health.

    PubMed

    Zank, Sofia; Peroni, Nivaldo; de Araújo, Elcida Lima; Hanazaki, Natalia

    2015-02-23

    The concept of eco-cultural health considers the dynamic interaction between humans and ecosystems, emphasizing the implications of the health of the ecosystem for the health and well-being of human populations. Ethnobotanical studies focusing on folk medicine and medicinal plants can contribute to the field of eco-cultural health if they incorporate the perspective and local knowledge of communities. We investigated the local health practices in three rural communities living within the vicinity of a protected area of sustainable use in a semi-arid region of Brazil. We analyzed the opinions of local health experts on the elements that influence human health and on how the environment contributes to this influence. We also analyzed and compared the local knowledge of medicinal plants, as knowledge of this type is an important factor when considering the interaction between environmental and human health. We performed structured interviews and free-listings with 66 local health experts. We used content analysis to systematize the elements of the influences on human health. We compared the richness of the plants cited among communities and analyzed the differences among the three communities regarding the ways in which the plants were obtained and the environments in which plants were collected. The local experts identified several influences of the environment on human health. These influences can be associated with ecosystem services, such as climatic conditions, water and air quality, recreation and medicinal and food resources. We identified 192 medicinal plant species, most of which were gathered from wild ecosystems. The most important environments for the three communities were the plateau mountain and backyards. The informants had a broad and integrated view of health, perceiving the importance of conserving the environment within the National Forest of Araripe for the health and well-being of the local populations.

  13. WDS Knowledge Network Architecture in Support of International Science

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mokrane, M.; Minster, J. B. H.; Hugo, W.

    2014-12-01

    ICSU (International Council for Science) created the World Data System (WDS) as an interdisciplinary body at its General Assembly in Maputo in 2008, and since then the membership of the WDS has grown to include 86 members, of whom 56 are institutions or data centers focused on providing quality-assured data and services to the scientific community, and 10 more are entire networks of such data facilities and services. In addition to its objective of providing universal and equitable access to scientific data and services, WDS is also active in promoting stewardship, standards and conventions, and improved access to products derived from data and services. Whereas WDS is in process of aggregating and harmonizing the metadata collections of its membership, it is clear that additional benefits can be obtained by supplementing such traditional metadata sources with information about members, authors, and the coverages of the data, as well as metrics such as citation indices, quality indicators, and usability. Moreover, the relationships between the actors and systems that populate this metadata landscape can be seen as a knowledge network that describes a subset of global scientific endeavor. Such a knowledge network is useful in many ways, supporting both machine-based and human requests for contextual information related to a specific data set, institution, author, topic, or other entities in the network. Specific use cases that can be realized include decision and policy support for funding agencies, identification of collaborators, ranking of data sources, availability of data for specific coverages, and many more. The paper defines the scope of and conceptual background to such a knowledge network, discusses some initial work done by WDS to establish the network, and proposes an implementation model for rapid operationalization. In this model, established interests such as DataCite, ORCID, and CrossRef have well-defined roles, and the standards, services, and

  14. The Visible Heart® project and free-access website 'Atlas of Human Cardiac Anatomy'.

    PubMed

    Iaizzo, Paul A

    2016-12-01

    Pre- and post-evaluations of implantable cardiac devices require innovative and critical testing in all phases of the design process. The Visible Heart ® Project was successfully launched in 1997 and 3 years later the Atlas of Human Cardiac Anatomy website was online. The Visible Heart ® methodologies and Atlas website can be used to better understand human cardiac anatomy, disease states and/or to improve cardiac device design throughout the development process. To date, Visible ® Heart methodologies have been used to reanimate 75 human hearts, all considered non-viable for transplantation. The Atlas is a unique free-access website featuring novel images of functional and fixed human cardiac anatomies from >400 human heart specimens. Furthermore, this website includes education tutorials on anatomy, physiology, congenital heart disease and various imaging modalities. For instance, the Device Tutorial provides examples of commonly deployed devices that were present at the time of in vitro reanimation or were subsequently delivered, including: leads, catheters, valves, annuloplasty rings, leadless pacemakers and stents. Another section of the website displays 3D models of vasculature, blood volumes, and/or tissue volumes reconstructed from computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance images (MRI) of various heart specimens. A new section allows the user to interact with various heart models. Visible Heart ® methodologies have enabled our laboratory to reanimate 75 human hearts and visualize functional cardiac anatomies and device/tissue interfaces. The website freely shares all images, video clips and CT/MRI DICOM files in honour of the generous gifts received from donors and their families. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2016. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  15. Information Architecture and the Comic Arts: Knowledge Structure and Access

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Farmer, Lesley S. J.

    2015-01-01

    This article explains information architecture, focusing on comic arts' features for representing and structuring knowledge. Then it details information design theory and information behaviors relative to this format, also noting visual literacy. Next , applications of comic arts in education are listed. With this background, several research…

  16. Public Access for Teaching Genomics, Proteomics, and Bioinformatics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Campbell, A. Malcolm

    2003-01-01

    When the human genome project was conceived, its leaders wanted all researchers to have equal access to the data and associated research tools. Their vision of equal access provides an unprecedented teaching opportunity. Teachers and students have free access to the same databases that researchers are using. Furthermore, the recent movement to…

  17. Personalized medicine and access to genetic technologies.

    PubMed

    den Exter, André

    2010-01-01

    Personalized medicine started after the Human Genome Project and is a relatively new concept that will dramatically change clinical practice. It offers clear clinical advantages by applying genetic diagnostic tests and then treating the patient with targeted medicines based on his or her genetic make-up. Its potential seems promising but there are quite a few legal concerns. One of these questions deals with the right to health care and access to genetic technologies. In this paper, the author explains the meaning of such a right to health care under international human rights law, its relevance for making genetic services eligible for public funding, how to cope with quality concerns of commercial testing, and finally, the patentability controversy and clinical access to genetic information. Apart from more traditional human rights concerns (consent, privacy, confidentiality) and genetics, States should be aware of the meaning of the equal access concept under international law and its consequences when introducing new technologies such genetic testing and services.

  18. Harnessing the Risk-Related Data Supply Chain: An Information Architecture Approach to Enriching Human System Research and Operations Knowledge

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Buquo, Lynn E.; Johnson-Throop, Kathy A.

    2011-01-01

    An Information Architecture facilitates the understanding and, hence, harnessing of the human system risk-related data supply chain which enhances the ability to securely collect, integrate, and share data assets that improve human system research and operations. By mapping the risk-related data flow from raw data to useable information and knowledge (think of it as a data supply chain), the Human Research Program (HRP) and Space Life Science Directorate (SLSD) are building an information architecture plan to leverage their existing, and often shared, IT infrastructure.

  19. OER and the Value of Openness: Implications for the Knowledge Economy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bernstein, Samantha

    2015-01-01

    The knowledge economy is marked by recent trends in technological advancement, globalisation and increasing knowledge intensity. Through new technologies like Open Educational Resources (OER), knowledge can be freely accessed by individuals around the world, blurring traditional notions of ownership and prompting a social transformation manifested…

  20. Multi-Disciplinary Knowledge Synthesis for Human Health Assessment on Earth and in Space

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Christakos, G.

    We discuss methodological developments in multi-disciplinary knowledge synthesis (KS) of human health assessment. A theoretical KS framework can provide the rational means for the assimilation of various information bases (general, site-specific etc.) that are relevant to the life system of interest. KS-based techniques produce a realistic representation of the system, provide a rigorous assessment of the uncertainty sources, and generate informative health state predictions across space-time. The underlying epistemic cognition methodology is based on teleologic criteria and stochastic logic principles. The mathematics of KS involves a powerful and versatile spatiotemporal random field model that accounts rigorously for the uncertainty features of the life system and imposes no restriction on the shape of the probability distributions or the form of the predictors. KS theory is instrumental in understanding natural heterogeneities, assessing crucial human exposure correlations and laws of physical change, and explaining toxicokinetic mechanisms and dependencies in a spatiotemporal life system domain. It is hoped that a better understanding of KS fundamentals would generate multi-disciplinary models that are useful for the maintenance of human health on Earth and in Space.

  1. Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices Regarding Risk to Human Infection due to Mycobacterium bovis among Cattle Farming Communities in Western Uganda.

    PubMed

    Kazoora, H B; Majalija, S; Kiwanuka, N; Kaneene, J B

    2016-12-01

    A cross-sectional study involving multistage cluster sampling was undertaken in Kashari county, Mbarara district, western Uganda, in which quantitative and qualitative approaches were utilized to determine the knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding risk of human infection with zoonotic tuberculosis due to Mycobacterium bovis among cattle farmers. Of 496 respondents, 50% were farm owners and 50% herdsmen. Males were 70.9% of all the study participants. Among these, 37.5% had good knowledge, 41.4% had positive attitudes and 75.2% good practices regarding zoonotic tuberculosis. In the multivariable model, good knowledge was associated with having ever received health education, spending more than 5 years keeping cattle, having heard of cattle condemned at the abattoir due to tuberculosis and marital status. Positive attitudes were associated with having ever received health education, having heard of cattle condemned at the abattoir due to tuberculosis and being a farm owner versus being a herdsman. Good practices were associated with health education and good knowledge of the disease. Overall, knowledge and attitudes towards zoonotic tuberculosis due to M. bovis in humans was found to be low. While the majority of the respondents reported good practices, there were some still consuming raw milk and its products, which may predispose them to infection and indicates the need for greater outreach for zoonotic tuberculosis education. © 2016 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

  2. The role of human rights litigation in improving access to reproductive health care and achieving reductions in maternal mortality.

    PubMed

    Dunn, Jennifer Templeton; Lesyna, Katherine; Zaret, Anna

    2017-11-08

    Improving maternal health, reducing global maternal mortality, and working toward universal access to reproductive health care are global priorities for United Nations agencies, national governments, and civil society organizations. Human rights lawyers have joined this global movement, using international law and domestic constitutions to hold nations accountable for preventable maternal death and for failing to provide access to reproductive health care services. This article discusses three decisions in which international treaty bodies find the nations of Brazil and Peru responsible for violations of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and also two domestic decisions alleging constitutional violations in India and Uganda. The authors analyze the impact of these decisions on access to maternal and other reproductive health services in Brazil, Peru, India, and Uganda and conclude that litigation is most effective when aligned with ongoing efforts by the public health community and civil society organizations. In filing these complaints and cases on behalf of individual women and their families, legal advocates highlight health system failures and challenge the historical structures and hierarchies that discriminate against and devalue women. These international and domestic decisions empower women and their communities and inspire nations and other stakeholders to commit to broader social, economic, and political change. Human rights litigation brings attention to existing public health campaigns and supports the development of local and global movements and coalitions to improve women's health.

  3. [Open access to academic scholarship as a public policy resource: a study of the Capes database on Brazilian theses and dissertations].

    PubMed

    da Silva Rosa, Teresa; Carneiro, Maria José

    2010-12-01

    Access to scientific knowledge is a valuable resource than can inform and validate positions taken in formulating public policy. But access to this knowledge can be challenging, given the diversity and breadth of available scholarship. Communication between the fields of science and of politics requires the dissemination of scholarship and access to it. We conducted a study using an open-access search tool in order to map existent knowledge on a specific topic: agricultural contributions to the preservation of biodiversity. The present article offers a critical view of access to the information available through the Capes database on Brazilian theses and dissertations.

  4. Voice-enabled Knowledge Engine using Flood Ontology and Natural Language Processing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sermet, M. Y.; Demir, I.; Krajewski, W. F.

    2015-12-01

    The Iowa Flood Information System (IFIS) is a web-based platform developed by the Iowa Flood Center (IFC) to provide access to flood inundation maps, real-time flood conditions, flood forecasts, flood-related data, information and interactive visualizations for communities in Iowa. The IFIS is designed for use by general public, often people with no domain knowledge and limited general science background. To improve effective communication with such audience, we have introduced a voice-enabled knowledge engine on flood related issues in IFIS. Instead of navigating within many features and interfaces of the information system and web-based sources, the system provides dynamic computations based on a collection of built-in data, analysis, and methods. The IFIS Knowledge Engine connects to real-time stream gauges, in-house data sources, analysis and visualization tools to answer natural language questions. Our goal is the systematization of data and modeling results on flood related issues in Iowa, and to provide an interface for definitive answers to factual queries. The goal of the knowledge engine is to make all flood related knowledge in Iowa easily accessible to everyone, and support voice-enabled natural language input. We aim to integrate and curate all flood related data, implement analytical and visualization tools, and make it possible to compute answers from questions. The IFIS explicitly implements analytical methods and models, as algorithms, and curates all flood related data and resources so that all these resources are computable. The IFIS Knowledge Engine computes the answer by deriving it from its computational knowledge base. The knowledge engine processes the statement, access data warehouse, run complex database queries on the server-side and return outputs in various formats. This presentation provides an overview of IFIS Knowledge Engine, its unique information interface and functionality as an educational tool, and discusses the future plans

  5. A comparison of clinicians' access to online knowledge resources using two types of information retrieval applications in an academic hospital setting.

    PubMed

    Hunt, Sevgin; Cimino, James J; Koziol, Deloris E

    2013-01-01

    The research studied whether a clinician's preference for online health knowledge resources varied with the use of two applications that were designed for information retrieval in an academic hospital setting. The researchers analyzed a year's worth of computer log files to study differences in the ways that four clinician groups (attending physicians, housestaff physicians, nurse practitioners, and nurses) sought information using two types of information retrieval applications (health resource links or Infobutton icons) across nine resources while they reviewed patients' laboratory results. From a set of 14,979 observations, the authors found statistically significant differences among the 4 clinician groups for accessing resources using the health resources application (P<0.001) but not for the Infobuttons application (P = 0.31). For the health resources application, the preferences of the 4 clinical groups varied according to the specific resources examined (all P≤0.02). The information-seeking behavior of clinicians may vary in relation to their role and the way in which the information is presented. Studying these behaviors can provide valuable insights to those tasked with maintaining information retrieval systems' links to appropriate online knowledge resources.

  6. A comparison of clinicians' access to online knowledge resources using two types of information retrieval applications in an academic hospital setting

    PubMed Central

    Hunt, Sevgin; Cimino, James J.; Koziol, Deloris E.

    2013-01-01

    Objective: The research studied whether a clinician's preference for online health knowledge resources varied with the use of two applications that were designed for information retrieval in an academic hospital setting. Methods: The researchers analyzed a year's worth of computer log files to study differences in the ways that four clinician groups (attending physicians, housestaff physicians, nurse practitioners, and nurses) sought information using two types of information retrieval applications (health resource links or Infobutton icons) across nine resources while they reviewed patients' laboratory results. Results: From a set of 14,979 observations, the authors found statistically significant differences among the 4 clinician groups for accessing resources using the health resources application (P<0.001) but not for the Infobuttons application (P = 0.31). For the health resources application, the preferences of the 4 clinical groups varied according to the specific resources examined (all P≤0.02). Conclusion: The information-seeking behavior of clinicians may vary in relation to their role and the way in which the information is presented. Studying these behaviors can provide valuable insights to those tasked with maintaining information retrieval systems' links to appropriate online knowledge resources. PMID:23405044

  7. Access to Knowledge: Removing School Barriers to Learning. Youth at Risk.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Keating, Pamela; Oakes, Jeannie

    School barriers to equal access need to be removed by fundamentally new policy initiatives at the state and district levels in order to assure educational opportunities for at-risk students. Gender, race, poverty and individual disabilities continue to generate barriers for at-risk students despite broad legal efforts at reform. The following…

  8. Trouble on My Mind: Toward a Framework of Humanizing Critical Sociocultural Knowledge for Teaching and Teacher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brown, Keffrelyn D.

    2013-01-01

    Drawing from the work of philosophers Sylvia Wynter and Ian Hacking, in this conceptual article I argue why a humanizing critical approach to sociocultural knowledge is needed for teacher education, particularly in preparing teachers to work effectively with black students. In light of enduring concerns in teacher education with improving the…

  9. Memory availability and referential access

    PubMed Central

    Johns, Clinton L.; Gordon, Peter C.; Long, Debra L.; Swaab, Tamara Y.

    2013-01-01

    Most theories of coreference specify linguistic factors that modulate antecedent accessibility in memory; however, whether non-linguistic factors also affect coreferential access is unknown. Here we examined the impact of a non-linguistic generation task (letter transposition) on the repeated-name penalty, a processing difficulty observed when coreferential repeated names refer to syntactically prominent (and thus more accessible) antecedents. In Experiment 1, generation improved online (event-related potentials) and offline (recognition memory) accessibility of names in word lists. In Experiment 2, we manipulated generation and syntactic prominence of antecedent names in sentences; both improved online and offline accessibility, but only syntactic prominence elicited a repeated-name penalty. Our results have three important implications: first, the form of a referential expression interacts with an antecedent’s status in the discourse model during coreference; second, availability in memory and referential accessibility are separable; and finally, theories of coreference must better integrate known properties of the human memory system. PMID:24443621

  10. Knowledge Gaps in Rodent Pancreas Biology: Taking Human Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Pancreatic Beta Cells into Our Own Hands

    PubMed Central

    Santosa, Munirah Mohamad; Low, Blaise Su Jun; Pek, Nicole Min Qian; Teo, Adrian Kee Keong

    2016-01-01

    In the field of stem cell biology and diabetes, we and others seek to derive mature and functional human pancreatic β cells for disease modeling and cell replacement therapy. Traditionally, knowledge gathered from rodents is extended to human pancreas developmental biology research involving human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs). While much has been learnt from rodent pancreas biology in the early steps toward Pdx1+ pancreatic progenitors, much less is known about the transition toward Ngn3+ pancreatic endocrine progenitors. Essentially, the later steps of pancreatic β cell development and maturation remain elusive to date. As a result, the most recent advances in the stem cell and diabetes field have relied upon combinatorial testing of numerous growth factors and chemical compounds in an arbitrary trial-and-error fashion to derive mature and functional human pancreatic β cells from hPSCs. Although this hit-or-miss approach appears to have made some headway in maturing human pancreatic β cells in vitro, its underlying biology is vaguely understood. Therefore, in this mini-review, we discuss some of these late-stage signaling pathways that are involved in human pancreatic β cell differentiation and highlight our current understanding of their relevance in rodent pancreas biology. Our efforts here unravel several novel signaling pathways that can be further studied to shed light on unexplored aspects of rodent pancreas biology. New investigations into these signaling pathways are expected to advance our knowledge in human pancreas developmental biology and to aid in the translation of stem cell biology in the context of diabetes treatments. PMID:26834702

  11. Knowledge Gaps in Rodent Pancreas Biology: Taking Human Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Pancreatic Beta Cells into Our Own Hands.

    PubMed

    Santosa, Munirah Mohamad; Low, Blaise Su Jun; Pek, Nicole Min Qian; Teo, Adrian Kee Keong

    2015-01-01

    In the field of stem cell biology and diabetes, we and others seek to derive mature and functional human pancreatic β cells for disease modeling and cell replacement therapy. Traditionally, knowledge gathered from rodents is extended to human pancreas developmental biology research involving human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs). While much has been learnt from rodent pancreas biology in the early steps toward Pdx1(+) pancreatic progenitors, much less is known about the transition toward Ngn3(+) pancreatic endocrine progenitors. Essentially, the later steps of pancreatic β cell development and maturation remain elusive to date. As a result, the most recent advances in the stem cell and diabetes field have relied upon combinatorial testing of numerous growth factors and chemical compounds in an arbitrary trial-and-error fashion to derive mature and functional human pancreatic β cells from hPSCs. Although this hit-or-miss approach appears to have made some headway in maturing human pancreatic β cells in vitro, its underlying biology is vaguely understood. Therefore, in this mini-review, we discuss some of these late-stage signaling pathways that are involved in human pancreatic β cell differentiation and highlight our current understanding of their relevance in rodent pancreas biology. Our efforts here unravel several novel signaling pathways that can be further studied to shed light on unexplored aspects of rodent pancreas biology. New investigations into these signaling pathways are expected to advance our knowledge in human pancreas developmental biology and to aid in the translation of stem cell biology in the context of diabetes treatments.

  12. recount workflow: Accessing over 70,000 human RNA-seq samples with Bioconductor

    PubMed Central

    Collado-Torres, Leonardo; Nellore, Abhinav; Jaffe, Andrew E.

    2017-01-01

    The recount2 resource is composed of over 70,000 uniformly processed human RNA-seq samples spanning TCGA and SRA, including GTEx. The processed data can be accessed via the recount2 website and the recountBioconductor package. This workflow explains in detail how to use the recountpackage and how to integrate it with other Bioconductor packages for several analyses that can be carried out with the recount2 resource. In particular, we describe how the coverage count matrices were computed in recount2 as well as different ways of obtaining public metadata, which can facilitate downstream analyses. Step-by-step directions show how to do a gene-level differential expression analysis, visualize base-level genome coverage data, and perform an analyses at multiple feature levels. This workflow thus provides further information to understand the data in recount2 and a compendium of R code to use the data. PMID:29043067

  13. Cognitive Support: Extending Human Knowledge and Processing Capacities.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Neerincx, Mark A.; de Greef, H. Paul

    1998-01-01

    This study of 40 undergraduates examined whether aiding as cognitive support (i.e., offering computer users knowledge they are missing) can supplement lack of knowledge and capacity under tasks with high mental loading, such as dealing with irregularities in process control. Users of a railway traffic control simulator dealt better and faster with…

  14. Teaching Programming in Secondary School: A Pedagogical Content Knowledge Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Saeli, Mara; Perrenet, Jacob; Jochems, Wim M. G.; Zwaneveld, Bert

    2011-01-01

    The goal of this literature study is to give some preliminary answers to the questions that aim to uncover the Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) of Informatics Education, with focus on Programming. PCK has been defined as the knowledge that allows teachers to transform their knowledge of the subject into something accessible for their students.…

  15. Accessible Earth: An accessible study abroad capstone for the geoscience curriculum

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bennett, R. A.; Lamb, D. A.

    2017-12-01

    International capstone field courses offer geoscience-students opportunities to reflect upon their knowledge, develop intercultural competence, appreciate diversity, and recognize themselves as geoscientists on a global scale. Such experiences are often described as pivotal to a geoscientist's education, a right of passage. However, field-based experiences present insurmountable barriers to many students, undermining the goal of inclusive excellence. Nevertheless, there remains a widespread belief that successful geoscientists are those able to traverse inaccessible terrain. One path forward from this apparent dilemma is emerging as we take steps to address a parallel challenge: as we move into the 21st century the geoscience workforce will require an ever increasing range of skills, including analysis, modeling, communication, and computational proficiency. Computer programing, laboratory experimentation, numerical simulation, etc, are inherently more accessible than fieldwork, yet equally valuable. Students interested in pursuing such avenues may be better served by capstone experiences that align more closely with their career goals. Moreover, many of the desirable learning outcomes attributed to field-based education are not unique to immersion in remote inaccessible locations. Affective and cognitive gains may also result from social bonding through extended time with peers and mentors, creative synthesis of knowledge, project-based learning, and intercultural experience. Developing an inclusive course for the geoscience curriculum requires considering all learners, including different genders, ages, physical abilities, familial dynamics, and a multitude of other attributes. The Accessible Earth Study Abroad Program endeavors to provide geoscience students an inclusive capstone experience focusing on modern geophysical observation systems (satellite based observations and permanent networks of ground-based instruments), computational thinking and methods of

  16. Access to abortion services: the impact of the European convention on human rights in Ireland.

    PubMed

    Daly, Brenda

    2011-06-01

    Abortion is unlawful in Ireland except where it is necessary to save the life of the mother. The right to life of the unborn child is safeguarded under Article 40.3.3 degrees of Bunreacht na hEireann (the Irish Constitution). In 2003 the European Convention on Human Rights was incorporated into Irish domestic legislation, subject to the provisions of the Irish Constitution. The aim of this paper is to consider the potential impact of the ECHR on access to abortion services within the State. This paper commences with discussion of the statutory prohibition on abortion and the Constitutional provisions concerning the protection afforded to the unborn child. It will then be necessary to examine the implications for Ireland of recent European Court of Human Rights' decisions, in particular the recent judgment in A, B & C v Ireland, regarding the right to legal abortions given the unique nature of the legal status of the ECHR and its relationship with the Irish Constitution.

  17. Gendered medicinal plant knowledge contributions to adaptive capacity and health sovereignty in Amazonia.

    PubMed

    Díaz-Reviriego, Isabel; Fernández-Llamazares, Álvaro; Salpeteur, Matthieu; Howard, Patricia L; Reyes-García, Victoria

    2016-12-01

    Local medical systems are key elements of social-ecological systems as they provide culturally appropriate and locally accessible health care options, especially for populations with scarce access to biomedicine. The adaptive capacity of local medical systems generally rests on two pillars: species diversity and a robust local knowledge system, both threatened by local and global environmental change. We first present a conceptual framework to guide the assessment of knowledge diversity and redundancy in local medicinal knowledge systems through a gender lens. Then, we apply this conceptual framework to our research on the local medicinal plant knowledge of the Tsimane' Amerindians. Our results suggest that Tsimane' medicinal plant knowledge is gendered and that the frequency of reported ailments and the redundancy of knowledge used to treat them are positively associated. We discuss the implications of knowledge diversity and redundancy for local knowledge systems' adaptive capacity, resilience, and health sovereignty.

  18. Knowledge of Human Papillomavirus and Perceived Barriers to Vaccination in a Sample of US Female College Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dillard, James Price; Spear, Margaret E.

    2010-01-01

    Objective: To assess knowledge of human papillomavirus (HPV) and perceived barriers to being vaccinated against the virus. Participants: Three hundred ninety-six undergraduate women enrolled at Penn State University in Fall 2008. Methods: A random sample of students were invited to participate in a Web-based survey. Results: Awareness of HPV and…

  19. General Orientation to New Knowledge Utilization Fields of Informatics, Knowledge Management, and Information Technology.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Southwest Educational Development Lab., Austin, TX.

    One of a series of booklets on disability research, this paper explores two major developments in the application of information technology: health care informatics and knowledge management. Both of these concepts focus on maximizing the value of, and access to, information resources. Both use technology to create interactive systems through which…

  20. "The Human Condition" as social ontology: Hannah Arendt on society, action and knowledge.

    PubMed

    Walsh, Philip

    2011-01-01

    Hannah Arendt is widely regarded as a political theorist who sought to rescue politics from "society," and political theory from the social sciences. This conventional view has had the effect of distracting attention from many of Arendt's most important insights concerning the constitution of "society" and the significance of the social sciences. In this article, I argue that Hannah Arendt's distinctions between labor, work, and action, as these are discussed in "The Human Condition" and elsewhere, are best understood as a set of claims about the fundamental structures of human societies. Understanding Arendt in this way introduces interesting parallels between Arendt's work and both classical and contemporary sociology. From this I draw a number of conclusions concerning Arendt's conception of "society," and extend these insights into two contemporary debates within contemporary theoretical sociology: the need for a differentiated ontology of the social world, and the changing role that novel forms of knowledge play in contemporary society as major sources of social change and order.

  1. Is open access sufficient? A review of the quality of open-access nursing journals.

    PubMed

    Crowe, Marie; Carlyle, Dave

    2015-02-01

    The present study aims to review the quality of open-access nursing journals listed in the Directory of Open Access Journals that published papers in 2013 with a nursing focus, written in English, and were freely accessible. Each journal was reviewed in relation to their publisher, year of commencement, number of papers published in 2013, fee for publication, indexing, impact factor, and evidence of requirements for ethics and disclosure statements. The quality of the journals was assessed by impact factors and the requirements for indexing in PubMed. A total of 552 were published in 2013 in the 19 open-access nursing journals that met the inclusion criteria. No journals had impact factors listed in Web of Knowledge, but three had low Scopus impact factors. Only five journals were indexed with PubMed. The quality of the 19 journals included in the review was evaluated as inferior to most subscription-fee journals. Mental health nursing has some responsibility to the general public, and in particular, consumers of mental health services and their families, for the quality of papers published in open-access journals. The way forward might involve dual-platform publication or a process that enables assessment of how research has improved clinical outcomes. © 2014 Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Inc.

  2. Preparing for Humans at Mars, MPPG Updates to Strategic Knowledge Gaps and Collaboration with Science Missions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Baker, John; Wargo, Michael J.; Beaty, David

    2013-01-01

    The Mars Program Planning Group (MPPG) was an agency wide effort, chartered in March 2012 by the NASA Associate Administrator for Science, in collaboration with NASA's Associate Administrator for Human Exploration and Operations, the Chief Scientist, and the Chief Technologist. NASA tasked the MPPG to develop foundations for a program-level architecture for robotic exploration of Mars that is consistent with the President's challenge of sending humans to the Mars system in the decade of the 2030s and responsive to the primary scientific goals of the 2011 NRC Decadal Survey for Planetary Science. The Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group (MEPAG) also sponsored a Precursor measurement Strategy Analysis Group (P-SAG) to revisit prior assessments of required precursor measurements for the human exploration of Mars. This paper will discuss the key results of the MPPG and P-SAG efforts to update and refine our understanding of the Strategic Knowledge Gaps (SKGs) required to successfully conduct human Mars missions.

  3. Access to pain relief: an essential human right. A report for World Hospice and Palliative Care Day 2007. Help the hospices for the Worldwide Palliative Care Alliance.

    PubMed

    Adams, Vanessa

    2008-01-01

    In observance of World Hospice and Palliative Care Day, October 6, 2007, the Worldwide Palliative Care Alliance developed a comprehensive publication advocating access to pain relief as a basic human right. The British Charity help the Hospices distributed this publication, which describes the current state of pain relief in advanced disease throughout the world, availability and lack of access to opioid analgesics, clinical case examples of how pain can be managed, governmental and private initiatives and barriers to pain relief, and statistics to support the position that pain relief is a basic human right.

  4. Assessing Undergraduate University Students' Level of Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviour Towards Biodiversity: A case study in Cyprus

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nisiforou, Olympia; Charalambides, Alexandros George

    2012-05-01

    Biodiversity is a key resource as it provides both goods and services to society. However, humans value these resources differently, especially when biodiversity is exploited for its economic potential; a destruction on a scale rarely seen before. In order to decrease the threats that biodiversity is facing due to human activity, globally (climate change) and locally (economic development), individuals must have fundamental knowledge and exhibit appropriate behaviour towards biodiversity and its values. Nevertheless, the effect of human's knowledge, policies and attitudes towards biodiversity's protection are often limited by insufficient education and public support. A balance between the use of resources and technology, reconciling economic development and the need to maintain biodiversity is a challenge. The current paper looks into the knowledge level, attitudes and behaviour of university students of the Department of Environmental Science and Technology at the Cyprus University of Technology towards biodiversity. The investigation was carried out using a closed format questionnaire on a sample of first- and second-year university students (n = 44), in order to access their perceptions and attitudes towards environmental issues regarding biodiversity. The questionnaire was derived from relevant literature. The test results showed that there are significant differences with regard to the level of knowledge about biodiversity between the two groups. However, no significant differences were found on attitudes and behaviour towards biodiversity. The results have also shown that all students have a positive attitude towards biodiversity, while on the other hand, they find themselves, most of the time, unwilling to engage in environmental behaviour.

  5. The Knowledge Society: Refounding the Socius

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    de Beer, Carel S.

    The theme 'knowledge society' can have many meanings depending on who defines it. But can knowledge really define society since there are many other qualifying adjectives for society as well. What one should be preferred? Is knowledge a better qualifying term than risk, information, technology, or any other one? These questions need answers. There are many dreams and counter dreams regarding the ideal society. Some dreams, like Unesco's dream, focus on the self-evident issues in the knowledge society, or what people consider to be self-evident, or what is taken for granted, as if no exploration is required: issues like access to knowledge, knowledge management, knowledge sharing, etc. These dreams contain a threat despite promises of a future that cannot be achieved. Other dreams, like those of Ars Industrialis, dig deeper and look for founding possibilities, take nothing for granted, search for the original, the defining principles. These dreams bring hope and light, a future to live for.

  6. Knowledge Gateways: The Building Blocks.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hawkins, Donald T.; And Others

    1988-01-01

    Discusses the need for knowledge gateway systems to provide access to scattered information and the use of technologies in gateway building, including artificial intelligence and expert systems, networking, online retrieval systems, optical storage, and natural language processing. The status of four existing gateways is described. (20 references)…

  7. Knowledge Management and the Academy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cain, Timothy J.; Branin, Joseph J.; Sherman, W. Michael

    2008-01-01

    Universities and colleges generate extraordinary quantities of knowledge and innovation, but in many ways the academy struggles to keep pace with the digital revolution. Growing pressures are reshaping how universities must do business--students expecting enhanced access and support, administrators eager to make data-driven strategic decisions,…

  8. Towards Knowledge Management for Smart Manufacturing.

    PubMed

    Feng, Shaw C; Bernstein, William Z; Hedberg, Thomas; Feeney, Allison Barnard

    2017-09-01

    The need for capturing knowledge in the digital form in design, process planning, production, and inspection has increasingly become an issue in manufacturing industries as the variety and complexity of product lifecycle applications increase. Both knowledge and data need to be well managed for quality assurance, lifecycle-impact assessment, and design improvement. Some technical barriers exist today that inhibit industry from fully utilizing design, planning, processing, and inspection knowledge. The primary barrier is a lack of a well-accepted mechanism that enables users to integrate data and knowledge. This paper prescribes knowledge management to address a lack of mechanisms for integrating, sharing, and updating domain-specific knowledge in smart manufacturing. Aspects of the knowledge constructs include conceptual design, detailed design, process planning, material property, production, and inspection. The main contribution of this paper is to provide a methodology on what knowledge manufacturing organizations access, update, and archive in the context of smart manufacturing. The case study in this paper provides some example knowledge objects to enable smart manufacturing.

  9. Near-instant automatic access to visually presented words in the human neocortex: neuromagnetic evidence.

    PubMed

    Shtyrov, Yury; MacGregor, Lucy J

    2016-05-24

    Rapid and efficient processing of external information by the brain is vital to survival in a highly dynamic environment. The key channel humans use to exchange information is language, but the neural underpinnings of its processing are still not fully understood. We investigated the spatio-temporal dynamics of neural access to word representations in the brain by scrutinising the brain's activity elicited in response to psycholinguistically, visually and phonologically matched groups of familiar words and meaningless pseudowords. Stimuli were briefly presented on the visual-field periphery to experimental participants whose attention was occupied with a non-linguistic visual feature-detection task. The neural activation elicited by these unattended orthographic stimuli was recorded using multi-channel whole-head magnetoencephalography, and the timecourse of lexically-specific neuromagnetic responses was assessed in sensor space as well as at the level of cortical sources, estimated using individual MR-based distributed source reconstruction. Our results demonstrate a neocortical signature of automatic near-instant access to word representations in the brain: activity in the perisylvian language network characterised by specific activation enhancement for familiar words, starting as early as ~70 ms after the onset of unattended word stimuli and underpinned by temporal and inferior-frontal cortices.

  10. Unrestricted access to methamphetamine or cocaine in the past is associated with increased current use

    PubMed Central

    Culbertson, C.; De La Garza, R.; Costello, M.; Newton, T. F.

    2009-01-01

    Laboratory animals allowed to self-administer stimulants for extended periods of time escalate drug intake compared to animals that self-administer under temporally limited conditions. To our knowledge, this phenomenon has not been systematically investigated in humans. We interviewed 106 (77 male, 29 female) methamphetamine (Meth) and 96 (81 male, 15 female) cocaine (Coc) users to determine if they had experienced discrete period(s) of unrestricted access to unlimited quantities of Meth or Coc in the past. Fifty-eight Meth users and 53 Coc users reported having a discrete period of unrestricted access in the past, but not in the present. Meth-using participants with a prior history of unrestricted access reported significantly more current Meth use, compared to Meth users with no prior history of unrestricted access. Specifically, these participants reported more days used in the past 30 d, more days of use per week, greater use per day and greater total use per week (p<0.05 for each). Coc-using participants with a prior history of unrestricted access also reported significantly more current Coc use, compared to Coc users with no prior history of unrestricted access. This was true across all measures of current use for these participants, including more days used in the past 30 d, more days of use per week, greater use per day, and higher total use per week (p<0.02 for each). Taken together, these results suggest that a history of unrestricted access to stimulants is associated with long-lasting increases in stimulant use. PMID:19220922

  11. Open versus Controlled-Access Data | Office of Cancer Genomics

    Cancer.gov

    OCG employs stringent human subjects’ protection and data access policies to protect the privacy and confidentiality of the research participants. Depending on the risk of patient identification, OCG programs data are available to the scientific community in two tiers: open or controlled access. Both types of data can be accessed through its corresponding OCG program-specific data matrix or portal. Open-access Data

  12. Mediated learning in the workplace: student perspectives on knowledge resources.

    PubMed

    Shanahan, Madeleine

    2015-01-01

    In contemporary clinical practice, student radiographers can use many types of knowledge resources to support their learning. These include workplace experts, digital and nondigital information sources (eg, journals, textbooks, and the Internet), and electronic communication tools such as e-mail and social media. Despite the range of knowledge tools available, there is little available data about radiography students' use of these resources during clinical placement. A 68-item questionnaire was distributed to 62 students enrolled in an Australian university undergraduate radiography program after they completed a clinical placement. Researchers used descriptive statistics to analyze student access to workplace experts and their use of digital and nondigital information sources and electronic communication tools. A 5-point Likert scale (1 = very important; 5 = not important) was used to assess the present importance and perceived future value of knowledge tools for workplace learning. Of the 53 students who completed and returned the questionnaire anonymously, most rely on the knowledge of practicing technologists and on print and electronic information sources to support their learning; some students also use electronic communication tools. Students perceive that these knowledge resources also will be important tools for their future learning as qualified health professionals. The findings from this study present baseline data regarding the value students attribute to multiple knowledge tools and regarding student access to and use of these tools during clinical placement. In addition, most students have access to multiple knowledge tools in the workplace and incorporate these tools simultaneously into their overall learning practice during clinical placement. Although a range of knowledge tools is used in the workplace to support learning among student radiographers, the quality of each tool should be critically analyzed before it is adopted in practice

  13. CRESST Human Performance Knowledge Mapping System

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2002-12-01

    link subcategories. Semantica Evaluation copy unavailable Visual Mind M H No Cannot add relation labels. Smart Ideas H H No Easy to use. Linking in...Screen Users can access all top-level functions from the main screen shown in Figure 4. The design of the Web favored breadth over depth, which allows...based on whether their propositions match propositions in the expert map. LifeMap PC on the Web /Mac 0 http:/ /www2.ucsc.edu/-mlrg/mlrgtools.html This

  14. A decade of human genome project conclusion: Scientific diffusion about our genome knowledge.

    PubMed

    Moraes, Fernanda; Góes, Andréa

    2016-05-06

    The Human Genome Project (HGP) was initiated in 1990 and completed in 2003. It aimed to sequence the whole human genome. Although it represented an advance in understanding the human genome and its complexity, many questions remained unanswered. Other projects were launched in order to unravel the mysteries of our genome, including the ENCyclopedia of DNA Elements (ENCODE). This review aims to analyze the evolution of scientific knowledge related to both the HGP and ENCODE projects. Data were retrieved from scientific articles published in 1990-2014, a period comprising the development and the 10 years following the HGP completion. The fact that only 20,000 genes are protein and RNA-coding is one of the most striking HGP results. A new concept about the organization of genome arose. The ENCODE project was initiated in 2003 and targeted to map the functional elements of the human genome. This project revealed that the human genome is pervasively transcribed. Therefore, it was determined that a large part of the non-protein coding regions are functional. Finally, a more sophisticated view of chromatin structure emerged. The mechanistic functioning of the genome has been redrafted, revealing a much more complex picture. Besides, a gene-centric conception of the organism has to be reviewed. A number of criticisms have emerged against the ENCODE project approaches, raising the question of whether non-conserved but biochemically active regions are truly functional. Thus, HGP and ENCODE projects accomplished a great map of the human genome, but the data generated still requires further in depth analysis. © 2016 by The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 44:215-223, 2016. © 2016 The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

  15. Deaf women: experiences and perceptions of healthcare system access.

    PubMed

    Steinberg, Annie G; Wiggins, Erin A; Barmada, Carlin Henry; Sullivan, Vicki Joy

    2002-10-01

    The authors investigated the knowledge, attitudes, and healthcare experiences of Deaf women. Interviews with 45 deaf women who participated in focus groups in American Sign Language were translated, transcribed, and analyzed. Deaf women's understanding of women's health issues, knowledge of health vocabulary in both English and American Sign Language, common health concerns among Deaf women, and issues of access to information, including pathways and barriers, were examined. As a qualitative study, the results of this investigation are limited and should be viewed as exploratory. A lack of health knowledge was evident, including little understanding of the meaning or value of cancer screening, mammography, or Pap smears; purposes of prescribed medications, such as hormone replacement therapy (HRT); or necessity for other medical or surgical interventions. Negative experiences and avoidance or nonuse of health services were reported, largely due to the lack of a common language with healthcare providers. Insensitive behaviors were also described. Positive experiences and increased access to health information were reported with practitioners who used qualified interpreters. Providers who demonstrated minimal signing skills, a willingness to use paper and pen, and sensitivity to improving communication were appreciated. Deaf women have unique cultural and linguistic issues that affect healthcare experiences. Improved access to health information may be achieved with specialized resource materials, improved prevention and targeted intervention strategies, and self-advocacy skills development. Healthcare providers must be trained to become more effective communicators with Deaf patients and to use qualified interpreters to assure access to healthcare for Deaf women.

  16. Open Access to Scientific Literature: An Assessment of Awareness Support and Usage among Academic Librarians at Historically Black Colleges and Universities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Evans, Marsha Ann Johnson

    2012-01-01

    Open Access (OA) to scholarly communications is a critical component in providing equitable admission to scholarly information and a key vehicle toward the achievement of global access to research in the knowledge building process. A standard and universally accepted process for guaranteeing OA permits complimentary access to knowledge, research…

  17. Open-Access Textbooks and Financial Sustainability: A Case Study on Flat World Knowledge

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hilton, John, III; Wiley, David

    2011-01-01

    Many college students and their families are concerned about the high costs of textbooks. A company called Flat World Knowledge both gives away and sells open-source textbooks in a way it believes to be financially sustainable. This article reports on the financial sustainability of the Flat World Knowledge open-source textbook model after one…

  18. Understanding the value of local ecological knowledge and practices for habitat restoration in human-altered floodplain systems: a case from Bangladesh.

    PubMed

    Mamun, Abdullah-Al

    2010-05-01

    Worldwide there is a declining trend in natural fish catch (FAO, The state of world fisheries and aquaculture. http://www.fao.org/documents/show_cdr.asp?url_file=/docrep/007/y5600e/y5600e00.htm , 2002) and Bangladesh is no exception. The vast inland fisheries of Bangladesh have been declining over the years, largely a result of human alteration of the aquatic habitats arising from human interventions in the floodplain systems such as the establishment of water control structures which favor agricultural production but reduce fish habitats. It can be assumed that conventional management measures are not adequate to conserve natural fisheries and exploring alternative knowledge systems to complement existing management is warranted. This paper focuses on local ecological knowledge and several other local practices held by fishers engaging directly with floodplain ecosystems. These knowledge systems and practices may be valuable tools for understanding ecosystems processes and related changes and developing local level responses to avert negative consequences of such changes. This may help in devising alternatives to ecosystem management and the conservation of floodplain fish habitats of Bangladesh and elsewhere in the world. This study was conducted in a natural depression (locally called beel) and its surrounding floodplain system located in north central Bangladesh which has become highly degraded. The results of the study indicate that the fishers and local users of the floodplain ecosystems are rich in local ecological knowledge concerning the hydrology of the floodplains and small lakes, the habitat preferences of fish, the role of agricultural crops on fish habitats, and the impact of habitat human interventions in aquatic ecosystems. Given the apparent inadequacy of the present management regime, this article argues for an inclusion of local knowledge and practices into habitat management as a more holistic approach to floodplain habitat restoration and

  19. Open Science as a Knowledge Transfer strategy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Grigorov, Ivo; Dalmeier-Thiessen, Suenje

    2015-04-01

    Beyond providing basic understanding of how our Blue Planet functions, flows and breathes, the collection of Earth & Marine Research disciplines are of major service to most of today's Societal Challenges: from Food Security and Sustainable Resource Management, to Renewable Energies, Climate Mitigation & Ecosystem Services and Hazards. Natural Resources are a key commodity in the long-term strategy of the EU Innovation Union(1), and better understanding of the natural process governing them, as well as science-based management are seen as a key area for stimulating future economic growth. Such potential places responsibility on research project managers to devise innovative methods to ensure effective transfer of new research to public and private sector users, and society at large. Open Science is about removing all barriers to full sphere basic research knowledge and outputs, not just the publishable part of research but also the data, the software code, and failed experiments. The concept is central to EU's Responsible Research and Innovation philosophy(2), and removing barriers to basic research measurably contributes to the EU's Blue Growth Agenda(3). Despite the potential of the internet age to deliver on that promise, only 50% of today's basic research is freely available(4). The talk will demonstrate how and why Open Science can be a first, passive but effective strategy for any research project to transfer knowledge to society by allowing access and dicoverability to the full sphere of new knowledge, not just the published outputs. Apart from contributing to economic growth, Open Science can also optimize collaboration, within academia, assist with better engagement of citizen scientists into the research process and co-creation of solutions to societal challenges, as well as providing a solid ground for more sophisticated communication strategies and Ocean/Earth Literacy initiatives targeting policy makers and the public at large. (1)EC Digital Agenda

  20. Factors associated with health care access and outcome.

    PubMed

    Paek, Min-So; Lim, Jung-Won

    2012-01-01

    This study aims to (1) assess ethnic differences in health care access and health outcome between Asian Americans and whites and between Asian American subgroups, (2) examine effects of cultural factors, and (3) investigate moderating effects of health risk behaviors between cultural characteristics and health care access and outcome. Data were derived from the 2007 California Health Interview Survey. Asian Americans (n = 4,462) and whites (n = 4,470) were included. There were significant ethnic differences in health care access and health perception between Asian Americans and Whites and across Asian American subgroups. Health risk behaviors moderated relationships between cultural factors and health care access and outcome. Findings reveal that ethnicity affects an individual's health care access and health perception, and their health behaviors are an important factor that may improve or worsen outcomes. This study may increase our knowledge base of research and interventions to enhance ethnic minority populations' health care accessibility and perceptions.

  1. The Motivation-Facilitation Theory of Prenatal Care Access.

    PubMed

    Phillippi, Julia C; Roman, Marian W

    2013-01-01

    Despite the availability of services, accessing health care remains a problem in the United States and other developed countries. Prenatal care has the potential to improve perinatal outcomes and decrease health disparities, yet many women struggle with access to care. Current theories addressing access to prenatal care focus on barriers, although such knowledge is minimally useful for clinicians. We propose a middle-range theory, the motivation-facilitation theory of prenatal care access, which condenses the prenatal care access process into 2 interacting components: motivation and facilitation. Maternal motivation is the mother's desire to begin and maintain care. Facilitation represents the goal of the clinic to create easy, open access to person-centered beneficial care. This simple model directs the focus of research and change to the interface of the woman and the clinic and encourages practice-level interventions that facilitate women entering and maintaining prenatal care. © 2013 by the American College of Nurse‐Midwives.

  2. Accessible information for people with complex communication needs.

    PubMed

    Owens, Janet S

    2006-09-01

    Information can be empowering if it is accessible. While a number of known information access barriers have been reported for the broader group of people with disabilities, specific information issues for people with complex communication needs have not been previously reported. In this consumer-focused study, the accessibility of information design and dissemination practices were discussed by 17 people with complex communication needs; by eight parents, advocates, therapists, and agency representatives in focus groups; and by seven individuals in individual interviews. Participants explored issues and made recommendations for content, including language, visual and audio supports; print accessibility; physical access; and human support for information access. Consumer-generated accessibility guidelines were an outcome of this study.

  3. Semantically Enriched Data Access Policies in eHealth.

    PubMed

    Drozdowicz, Michał; Ganzha, Maria; Paprzycki, Marcin

    2016-11-01

    Internet of Things (IoT) requires novel solutions to facilitate autonomous, though controlled, resource access. Access policies have to facilitate interactions between heterogeneous entities (devices and humans). Here, we focus our attention on access control in eHealth. We propose an approach based on enriching policies, based on well-known and widely-used eXtensible Access Control Markup Language, with semantics. In the paper we describe an implementation of a Policy Information Point integrated with the HL7 Security and Privacy Ontology.

  4. Animal and human tungiasis-related knowledge and treatment practices among animal keeping households in Bugiri District, South-Eastern Uganda.

    PubMed

    Mutebi, Francis; Krücken, Jürgen; von Samson-Himmelstjerna, Georg; Waiswa, Charles; Mencke, Norbert; Eneku, Wilfred; Andrew, Tamale; Feldmeier, Hermann

    2018-01-01

    Zoonotic tungiasis caused by Tunga penetrans remains a serious public and animal health problem among endemic villages in Uganda and many sub Saharan African countries. Studies on human and animal tungiasis-related knowledge and treatment practices in endemic communities have never been undertaken, a limitation to development of sustainable control measures. A cross sectional study using semi-structured questionnaires (Supplementary file S1) was conducted among 236 animal rearing households in 10 endemic villages in Bugiri District, South-Eastern Uganda. Focus group discussions and observation checklists were used to validate and clarify the findings. Most respondents knew the aetiology (89.4%), clinical signs (98%) and the ecology of T. penetrans as well as the major risk factors of human tungiasis (65.2%). In contrast, very few respondents were aware of animal tungiasis. Only 4.8% of those with infected animals on the compound knew that some of their animals were infected and 13.6% of the respondents had ever seen tungiasis-affected animals. Pigs (13.1%, n=31) and dogs (0.85%, n=2) were the only T. penetrans animal hosts known to animal owners. Affected humans were treated by extraction of embedded sand fleas using non-sterile sharp instruments in all households that reported occurrence of human tungiasis at least once (n=227). Also, affected animals were mainly treated by mechanical removal of embedded sand fleas in households that have ever experienced animal tungiasis (four out of 12; 33.3%). In a few instances, plant and animal pesticides (n=3) and other chemicals such as grease, paraffin and wood preservative (n=3) were also used to treat animal tungiasis. The study revealed a high level of knowledge on human tungiasis but inadequate knowledge on the zoonotic nature of tungiasis. Commonly applied methods for treatment of human and animal tungiasis are a health hazard by themselves. Concerted i.e. One Health-based efforts aiming at promoting appropriate

  5. Biometrics: Accessibility challenge or opportunity?

    PubMed

    Blanco-Gonzalo, Ramon; Lunerti, Chiara; Sanchez-Reillo, Raul; Guest, Richard Michael

    2018-01-01

    Biometric recognition is currently implemented in several authentication contexts, most recently in mobile devices where it is expected to complement or even replace traditional authentication modalities such as PIN (Personal Identification Number) or passwords. The assumed convenience characteristics of biometrics are transparency, reliability and ease-of-use, however, the question of whether biometric recognition is as intuitive and straightforward to use is open to debate. Can biometric systems make some tasks easier for people with accessibility concerns? To investigate this question, an accessibility evaluation of a mobile app was conducted where test subjects withdraw money from a fictitious ATM (Automated Teller Machine) scenario. The biometric authentication mechanisms used include face, voice, and fingerprint. Furthermore, we employed traditional modalities of PIN and pattern in order to check if biometric recognition is indeed a real improvement. The trial test subjects within this work were people with real-life accessibility concerns. A group of people without accessibility concerns also participated, providing a baseline performance. Experimental results are presented concerning performance, HCI (Human-Computer Interaction) and accessibility, grouped according to category of accessibility concern. Our results reveal links between individual modalities and user category establishing guidelines for future accessible biometric products.

  6. Biometrics: Accessibility challenge or opportunity?

    PubMed Central

    Lunerti, Chiara; Sanchez-Reillo, Raul; Guest, Richard Michael

    2018-01-01

    Biometric recognition is currently implemented in several authentication contexts, most recently in mobile devices where it is expected to complement or even replace traditional authentication modalities such as PIN (Personal Identification Number) or passwords. The assumed convenience characteristics of biometrics are transparency, reliability and ease-of-use, however, the question of whether biometric recognition is as intuitive and straightforward to use is open to debate. Can biometric systems make some tasks easier for people with accessibility concerns? To investigate this question, an accessibility evaluation of a mobile app was conducted where test subjects withdraw money from a fictitious ATM (Automated Teller Machine) scenario. The biometric authentication mechanisms used include face, voice, and fingerprint. Furthermore, we employed traditional modalities of PIN and pattern in order to check if biometric recognition is indeed a real improvement. The trial test subjects within this work were people with real-life accessibility concerns. A group of people without accessibility concerns also participated, providing a baseline performance. Experimental results are presented concerning performance, HCI (Human-Computer Interaction) and accessibility, grouped according to category of accessibility concern. Our results reveal links between individual modalities and user category establishing guidelines for future accessible biometric products. PMID:29565989

  7. Parasites of importance for human health in Nigerian dogs: high prevalence and limited knowledge of pet owners.

    PubMed

    Ugbomoiko, Uade Samuel; Ariza, Liana; Heukelbach, Jorg

    2008-12-09

    Dogs are the most common pet animals worldwide. They may harbour a wide range of parasites with zoonotic potential, thus causing a health risk to humans. In Nigeria, epidemiological knowledge on these parasites is limited. In a community-based study, we examined 396 dogs in urban and rural areas of Ilorin (Kwara State, Central Nigeria) for ectoparasites and intestinal helminths. In addition, a questionnaire regarding knowledge and practices was applied to pet owners. Nine ectoparasite species belonging to four taxa and six intestinal helminth species were identified: fleas (Ctenocephalides canis, Pulex irritans, Tunga penetrans), mites (Demodex canis, Otodectes sp., Sarcoptes scabiei var. canis), ticks (Rhipicephalus sanguineus, Ixodes sp.), and lice (Trichodectes canis); and Toxocara canis, Ancylostoma sp., Trichuris vulpis, Dipylidium caninum, Taenidae and Strongyloides sp. Overall prevalence of ectoparasites was 60.4% and of intestinal helminths 68.4%. The occurrence of C. canis, R. sanguineus, T. canis, Ancylostoma sp. and T. vulpis was most common (prevalence 14.4% to 41.7%). Prevalence patterns in helminths were age-dependent, with T. canis showing a decreasing prevalence with age of host, and a reverse trend in other parasite species. Knowledge regarding zoonoses was very limited and the diseases not considered a major health problem. Treatment with antiparasitic drugs was more frequent in urban areas. Parasites of importance for human health were highly prevalent in Nigerian dogs. Interventions should include health education provided to dog owners and the establishment of a program focusing on zoonotic diseases.

  8. Access to Investigational Drugs: FDA Expanded Access Programs or "Right-to-Try" Legislation?

    PubMed

    Holbein, M E Blair; Berglund, Jelena P; Weatherwax, Kevin; Gerber, David E; Adamo, Joan E

    2015-10-01

    The Food and Drug Administration Expanded Access (EA) program and "Right-to-Try" legislation aim to provide seriously ill patients who have no other comparable treatment options to gain access to investigational drugs and biological agents. Physicians and institutions need to understand these programs to respond to questions and requests for access. FDA EA programs and state and federal legislative efforts to provide investigational products to patients by circumventing FDA regulations were summarized and compared. The FDA EA program includes Single Patient-Investigational New Drug (SP-IND), Emergency SP-IND, Intermediate Sized Population IND, and Treatment IND. Approval rates for all categories exceed 99%. Approval requires FDA and Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval, and cooperation of the pharmaceutical partner is essential. "Right-to-Try" legislation bypasses some of these steps, but provides no regulatory or safety oversight. The FDA EA program is a reasonable option for patients for whom all other therapeutic interventions have failed. The SP-IND not only provides patient access to new drugs, but also maintains a balance between immediacy and necessary patient protection. Rather than circumventing existing FDA regulations through proposed legislation, it seems more judicious to provide the knowledge and means to meet the EA requirements. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  9. National Knowledge Commission

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pitroda, Sam

    2007-04-01

    India's National Knowledge Commission (NKC) established by the prime minister is focused on building institutions and infrastructure in Education, Science and Technology, Innovation etc. to meet the challenges of the knowledge economy in the 21st century and increase India's competitive advantage in the global market. India today stands poised to reap the benefits of a rapidly growing economy and a major demographic advantage, with 550 million young people below the age of 25 years, the largest in the world. The NKC is focused on five critical areas of knowledge related to access, concepts, creation, applications and services. This includes a variety of subject areas such as language, translations, libraries, networks, portals, affirmative action, distance learning, intellectual property, Entrepreneurship, application in Agriculture, health, small and medium scale industries, e-governance etc. One of the keys to this effort is to build a national broadband gigabit of networks of 500 nodes to connect universities, Libraries, Laboratories, Hospitals, Agriculture institutions etc. to share resources and collaborate on multidisciplinary activities. This presentation will introduce the NKC, discuss methodology, subject areas, specific recommendation and outline a plan to build knowledge networks and specifics on network architecture, applications, and utilities.

  10. Knowledge management systems for oral health in developing and developed countries.

    PubMed

    Nattestad, Anders

    2012-10-01

    Knowledge management systems utilize information technology to manage knowledge in organizations with the purpose of creating, supporting, storing and disseminating information. These systems have been around for decades, but have significantly changed over time in complexity and features with the evolution of information technology and the Internet. With the development of these new technologies, the concept of knowledge management has thrived and has had significant impact on the way in which knowledge is accumulated, stored and accessed. This article will describe the historical development of knowledge management systems in oral health, illustrate the technology using examples and explore the future use of these systems with emerging technologies such as Google Wave®. One example of how knowledge management systems may affect the quality of dental education is the DentEd project, where a collaborative website was developed to coordinate dental school visitations and collection of reports from working groups, leading to several important publications. MEDLINE is another example of an effective knowledge management system in health care, providing access to health care-related scientific literature, which is highly organized under the auspices of the United States National Library of Medicine. Another and very differently organized example of an effective knowledge management system is Wikipedia, which is a free, web-based, collaborative, multilingual encyclopedia project supported by a nonprofit foundation. The final example of an effective knowledge management system is all of the social media, including Facebook and Twitter. These tools have proven very powerful in organizing and collaborating. In conclusion, the development of new technologies and the Internet have changed the way in which information is developed and accessed. This development is still ongoing and only the future will reveal how this will continue to change. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

  11. Caring science and the science of unitary human beings: a trans-theoretical discourse for nursing knowledge development.

    PubMed

    Watson, Jean; Smith, Marlaine C

    2002-03-01

    Two dominant discourses in contemporary nursing theory and knowledge development have evolved over the past few decades, in part by unitary science views and caring theories. Rogers' science of unitary human beings (SUHB) represents the unitary directions in nursing. Caring theories and related caring science (CS) scholarship represent the other. These two contemporary initiatives have generated two parallel, often controversial, seemingly separate and unrelated, trees of knowledge for nursing science. This paper explores the evolution of CS and its intersection with SUHB that have emerged in contemporary nursing literature. We present a case for integration, convergence, and creative synthesis of CS with SUHB. A trans-theoretical, trans-disciplinary context emerges, allowing nursing to sustain its caring ethic and ontology, within a unitary science. The authors critique and review the seminal, critical issues that have separated contemporary knowledge developments in CS and SUHB. Foundational issues of CS, and Watson's theory of transpersonal caring science (TCS), as a specific exemplar, are analysed, alongside parallel themes in SUHB. By examining hidden ethical-ontological and paradigmatic commonalities, trans-theoretical themes and connections are explored and revealed between TCS and SUHB. Through a creative synthesis of TCS and SUHB we explicate a distinct unitary view of human with a relational caring ontology and ethic that informs nursing as well as other sciences. The result: is a trans-theoretical, trans-disciplinary view for nursing knowledge development. Nursing's history has been to examine theoretical differences rather than commonalities. This trans-theoretical position moves nursing toward theoretical integration and creative synthesis, vs. separation, away from the 'Balkanization' of different theories. This initiative still maintains the integrity of different theories, while facilitating and inviting a new discourse for nursing science. The

  12. Vascular access complications in patients undergoing percutaneous procedures in hemodynamics: a scoping review.

    PubMed

    Reich, Rejane; Rabelo-Silva, Eneida Rejane; Santos, Simone Marques Dos; Almeida, Miriam de Abreu

    2018-06-07

    To map the production of knowledge on vascular access complications in patients undergoing percutaneous procedures in hemodynamic laboratories. Scoping review study. The search strategy was developed in three stages, considering the period from July 2005 to July 2015 in the PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, and LILACS databases. The collected data were analyzed and summarized in a narrative form. One-hundred twenty-eight publications that made it possible to map the contexts of study of complications, occurrence according to access routes, as well as an understanding of diagnosis and clinical management, were included. Three theme categories were identified: complications; predictive factors; and diagnosis/treatment. Vascular access site complications range according to the access route used. Knowledge of factors that permeate the occurrence of these events may contribute to early detection, planning, and monitoring of the care implemented.

  13. Features of effective medical knowledge resources to support point of care learning: a focus group study.

    PubMed

    Cook, David A; Sorensen, Kristi J; Hersh, William; Berger, Richard A; Wilkinson, John M

    2013-01-01

    Health care professionals access various information sources to quickly answer questions that arise in clinical practice. The features that favorably influence the selection and use of knowledge resources remain unclear. We sought to better understand how clinicians select among the various knowledge resources available to them, and from this to derive a model for an effective knowledge resource. We conducted 11 focus groups at an academic medical center and outlying community sites. We included a purposive sample of 50 primary care and subspecialist internal medicine and family medicine physicians. We transcribed focus group discussions and analyzed these using a constant comparative approach to inductively identify features that influence the selection of knowledge resources. We identified nine features that influence users' selection of knowledge resources, namely efficiency (with sub-features of comprehensiveness, searchability, and brevity), integration with clinical workflow, credibility, user familiarity, capacity to identify a human expert, reflection of local care processes, optimization for the clinical question (e.g., diagnosis, treatment options, drug side effect), currency, and ability to support patient education. No single existing resource exemplifies all of these features. The influential features identified in this study will inform the development of knowledge resources, and could serve as a framework for future research in this field.

  14. Features of Effective Medical Knowledge Resources to Support Point of Care Learning: A Focus Group Study

    PubMed Central

    Cook, David A.; Sorensen, Kristi J.; Hersh, William; Berger, Richard A.; Wilkinson, John M.

    2013-01-01

    Objective Health care professionals access various information sources to quickly answer questions that arise in clinical practice. The features that favorably influence the selection and use of knowledge resources remain unclear. We sought to better understand how clinicians select among the various knowledge resources available to them, and from this to derive a model for an effective knowledge resource. Methods We conducted 11 focus groups at an academic medical center and outlying community sites. We included a purposive sample of 50 primary care and subspecialist internal medicine and family medicine physicians. We transcribed focus group discussions and analyzed these using a constant comparative approach to inductively identify features that influence the selection of knowledge resources. Results We identified nine features that influence users' selection of knowledge resources, namely efficiency (with sub-features of comprehensiveness, searchability, and brevity), integration with clinical workflow, credibility, user familiarity, capacity to identify a human expert, reflection of local care processes, optimization for the clinical question (e.g., diagnosis, treatment options, drug side effect), currency, and ability to support patient education. No single existing resource exemplifies all of these features. Conclusion The influential features identified in this study will inform the development of knowledge resources, and could serve as a framework for future research in this field. PMID:24282535

  15. Office of Nuclear Energy Knowledge Management Program Situational Analysis Report

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kimberlyn C. Mousseau

    2011-12-01

    Knowledge management (KM) has been a high priority for the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy (NE) for the past several years. NE Programs are moving toward well-established knowledge management practices and a formal knowledge management program has been established. Knowledge management is being practiced to some level within each of the NE programs. Although it continues to evolve as NE programs evolve, a formal strategic plan that guides the implementation of KM has been developed. Despite the acceptance of KM within DOE NE, more work is necessary before the NE KM program can be considered fully successful.more » Per Dr. David J. Skyrme[1], an organization typically moves through the following evolutionary phases: (1) Ad-hoc - KM is being practiced to some level in some parts of the organization; (2) Formal - KM is established as a formal project or program; (3) Expanding - the use of KM as a discipline grows in practice across different parts of the organization; (4) Cohesive - there is a degree of coordination of KM; (5) Integrated - there are formal standards and approaches that give every individual access to most organizational knowledge through common interfaces; and (6) Embedded - KM is part-and-parcel of everyday tasks; it blends seamlessly into the background. According to the evolutionary phases, the NE KM program is operating at the two lower levels, Ad-hoc and Formal. Although KM is being practiced to some level, it is not being practiced in a consistent manner across the NE programs. To be fully successful, more emphasis must be placed on establishing KM standards and processes for collecting, organizing, sharing and accessing NE knowledge. Existing knowledge needs to be prioritized and gathered on a routine basis, its existence formally recorded in a knowledge inventory. Governance to ensure the quality of the knowledge being used must also be considered. For easy retrieval, knowledge must be organized according to a taxonomy

  16. The ethics of donor human milk banking.

    PubMed

    Arnold, Lois D W

    2006-01-01

    This case study of donor human milk banking and the ethics that govern interested parties is the first time the ethics of donor milk banking has been explored. Two different models of ethics and their direct impact on donor milk banking are examined: biomedical ethics and public health ethics. How these models and principles affect different aspects of donor human milk banking and the parties involved in the delivery of this service are elucidated. Interactions of parties with each other and how the quality and type of interaction affects the ethical delivery of donor milk banking services are described. Crystallization is at the heart of the qualitative methodology used. Writing as a method of inquiry, an integrative research review, and personal experience are the three methods involved in the crystallization process. Suggestions are made for improving access and knowledge of banked donor human milk, a valuable public health resource.

  17. Market stimulus and genomic justice: evaluating the effects of market access to human germ-line enhancement.

    PubMed

    Crozier, G K D; Hajzler, Christopher

    2010-06-01

    The concept of "market stimulus"--the idea that free markets can play a role in widening access to new technologies--may help support the view that parents should be permitted to purchase germ-line enhancements. However, a critical examination of the topic shows that market stimulus, even if it applies to human genomic interventions, does not provide sufficient reason for deregulating germ-line enhancements because: (1) it could widen the gap between the rich and the poor; (2) even if it does not widen the gap, it might not sufficiently benefit the poor; and (3) it could have harmful effects for future generations.

  18. Differences in HIV knowledge and sexual practices of learners with intellectual disabilities and non-disabled learners in Nigeria

    PubMed Central

    Aderemi, Toyin J; Pillay, Basil J; Esterhuizen, Tonya M

    2013-01-01

    Introduction Individuals with intellectual disabilities are rarely targeted by the current human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) response, thereby reducing their access to HIV information and services. Currently, little is known about the HIV knowledge and sexual practices of young Nigerians with intellectual disabilities. Thus, this study sought to compare the HIV knowledge and sexual practices of learners with mild/moderate intellectual disabilities and non-disabled learners (NDL) in Nigeria. Findings could help in the development of HIV interventions that are accessible to Nigerian learners with intellectual impairments. Methods This cross-sectional, comparative study utilized a survey to investigate HIV knowledge and sexual practices among learners with mild/moderate intellectual disabilities and NDL in Nigeria. Learners with mild/moderate intellectual disabilities (n=300) and NDL (n=300) within the age range of 12 to 19 years drawn from schools across Oyo State, Nigeria, completed a structured questionnaire to assess their knowledge of HIV transmission and sexual practices. Results Significantly more learners with mild/moderate intellectual disabilities (62.2%) than NDL 48 (37.8%) reported having sexual experience (p=0.002). Of the sexually experienced female learners with mild/moderate intellectual disabilities, 28 (68.3%) reported history of rape compared with 9 (2.9%) of female NDL (p=0.053). Intellectual impairment was significantly associated with lower HIV transmission knowledge scores (p<0.001). Learners with mild/moderate intellectual disabilities were less likely than NDL (p<0.001) to have heard about HIV from most of the common sources of HIV information. In addition, when compared with non-disabled learners, learners with mild/moderate intellectual disabilities were significantly more likely to have reported inconsistent condom use with boyfriends/girlfriends (p<0.001), with casual sexual partners (p<0.001) and non-use of condom during last sexual

  19. D and D knowledge management information tool - a web based system developed to share D and D knowledge worldwide

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lagos, L.; Upadhyay, H.; Shoffner, P.

    2013-07-01

    Deactivation and decommissioning (D and D) work is a high risk and technically challenging enterprise within the U.S. Department of Energy complex. During the past three decades, the DOE's Office of Environmental Management has been in charge of carrying out one of the largest environmental restoration efforts in the world: the cleanup of the Manhattan Project legacy. In today's corporate world, worker experiences and knowledge that have developed over time represent a valuable corporate asset. The ever-dynamic workplace, coupled with an aging workforce, presents corporations with the ongoing challenge of preserving work-related experiences and knowledge for cross-generational knowledge transfer tomore » the future workforce [5]. To prevent the D and D knowledge base and expertise from being lost over time, the DOE and the Applied Research Center at Florida International University (FIU) have developed the web-based Knowledge Management Information Tool (KM-IT) to capture and maintain this valuable information in a universally available and easily accessible and usable system. The D and D KM-IT was developed in collaboration with DOE Headquarters (HQ), the Energy Facility Contractors Group (EFCOG), and the ALARA [as low as reasonably achievable] Centers at Savannah River Sites to preserve the D and D information generated and collected by the D and D community. This is an open secured system that can be accessed from https://www.dndkm.org over the web and through mobile devices at https://m.dndkm.org. This knowledge system serves as a centralized repository and provides a common interface for D and D-related activities. It also improves efficiency by reducing the need to rediscover knowledge and promotes the reuse of existing knowledge. It is a community-driven system that facilitates the gathering, analyzing, storing, and sharing of knowledge and information within the D and D community. It assists the DOE D and D community in identifying potential solutions to

  20. Networked Experiments and Scientific Resource Sharing in Cooperative Knowledge Spaces

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cikic, Sabine; Jeschke, Sabina; Ludwig, Nadine; Sinha, Uwe; Thomsen, Christian

    2007-01-01

    Cooperative knowledge spaces create new potentials for the experimental fields in natural sciences and engineering because they enhance the accessibility of experimental setups through virtual laboratories and remote technology, opening them for collaborative and distributed usage. A concept for extending existing virtual knowledge spaces for the…

  1. CELLPEDIA: a repository for human cell information for cell studies and differentiation analyses.

    PubMed

    Hatano, Akiko; Chiba, Hirokazu; Moesa, Harry Amri; Taniguchi, Takeaki; Nagaie, Satoshi; Yamanegi, Koji; Takai-Igarashi, Takako; Tanaka, Hiroshi; Fujibuchi, Wataru

    2011-01-01

    CELLPEDIA is a repository database for current knowledge about human cells. It contains various types of information, such as cell morphologies, gene expression and literature references. The major role of CELLPEDIA is to provide a digital dictionary of human cells for the biomedical field, including support for the characterization of artificially generated cells in regenerative medicine. CELLPEDIA features (i) its own cell classification scheme, in which whole human cells are classified by their physical locations in addition to conventional taxonomy; and (ii) cell differentiation pathways compiled from biomedical textbooks and journal papers. Currently, human differentiated cells and stem cells are classified into 2260 and 66 cell taxonomy keys, respectively, from which 934 parent-child relationships reported in cell differentiation or transdifferentiation pathways are retrievable. As far as we know, this is the first attempt to develop a digital cell bank to function as a public resource for the accumulation of current knowledge about human cells. The CELLPEDIA homepage is freely accessible except for the data submission pages that require authentication (please send a password request to cell-info@cbrc.jp). Database URL: http://cellpedia.cbrc.jp/

  2. Integration of preclinical and clinical knowledge to predict intravenous PK in human: bilastine case study.

    PubMed

    Vozmediano, Valvanera; Ortega, Ignacio; Lukas, John C; Gonzalo, Ana; Rodriguez, Monica; Lucero, Maria Luisa

    2014-03-01

    Modern pharmacometrics can integrate and leverage all prior proprietary and public knowledge. Such methods can be used to scale across species or comparators, perform clinical trial simulation across alternative designs, confirm hypothesis and potentially reduce development burden, time and costs. Crucial yet typically lacking in integration is the pre-clinical stage. Prediction of PK in man, using in vitro and in vivo studies in different animal species, is increasingly well theorized but could still find wider application in drug development. The aim of the present work was to explore methods for bridging pharmacokinetic knowledge from animal species (i.v. and p.o.) and man (p.o.) into i.v. in man using the antihistamine drug bilastine as example. A model, predictive of i.v. PK in man, was developed on data from two pre-clinical species (rat and dog) and p.o. in man bilastine trials performed earlier. In the knowledge application stage, two different approaches were used to predict human plasma concentration after i.v. of bilastine: allometry (several scaling methods) and a semi-physiological method. Both approaches led to successful predictions of key i.v. PK parameters of bilastine in man. The predictive i.v. PK model was validated using later data from a clinical study of i.v. bilastine. Introduction of such knowledge in development permits proper leveraging of all emergent knowledge as well as quantification-based exploration of PK scenario, e.g. in special populations (pediatrics, renal insufficiency, comedication). In addition, the methods permit reduction or elimination and certainly optimization of learning trials, particularly those concerning alternative off-label administration routes.

  3. Word and World Knowledge Among Deaf Learners With and Without Cochlear Implants

    PubMed Central

    Convertino, Carol; Borgna, Georgianna; Marschark, Marc; Durkin, Andreana

    2014-01-01

    Deaf learners frequently demonstrate significantly less vocabulary knowledge than hearing age-mates. Studies involving other domains of knowledge, and perhaps deaf learners’ academic performance, indicate similar lags with regard to world knowledge. Such gaps often are attributed to limitations on deaf children’s incidental learning by virtue of not having access to the conversations of others. Cochlear implants (CIs) have been described as providing such access, and rapid growth in vocabularies following pediatric cochlear implantation has suggested that, over time, children with implants might close the gap relative to hearing peers. Two experiments evaluated this possibility through the assessment of word and world knowledge among deaf college students with and without CIs and a hearing comparison group. Results across essentially all tasks indicated hearing students to outperform deaf students both with and without CIs with no significant differences between the latter two groups. Separate analyses of a subset of implant users who received their implants at a young age did not reveal any long-term advantages, nor was age of implantation related to enhanced performance on any of the tasks. Results are discussed in terms of incidental learning and the accessibility of word and world knowledge to deaf learners with and without CIs. PMID:25145461

  4. Improving adolescent knowledge of emergency contraception: challenges and solutions

    PubMed Central

    Seetharaman, Sujatha; Yen, Sophia; Ammerman, Seth D

    2016-01-01

    Globally, unintended adolescent pregnancies pose a significant burden. One of the most important tools that can help prevent unintended pregnancy is the timely use of emergency contraception (EC), which in turn will decrease the need for abortions and complications related to adolescent pregnancies. Indications for the use of EC include unprotected sexual intercourse, contraceptive failure, or sexual assault. Use of EC is recommended within 120 hours, though is most effective if used as soon as possible after unprotected sex. To use EC, adolescents need to be equipped with knowledge about the various EC methods, and how and where EC can be accessed. Great variability in the knowledge and use of EC around the world exists, which is a major barrier to its use. The aims of this paper were to 1) provide a brief overview of EC, 2) discuss key social determinants affecting knowledge and use of EC, and 3) explore best practices for overcoming the barriers of lack of knowledge, use, and access of EC. PMID:29386948

  5. Bodily Knowledge beyond Motor Skills and Physical Fitness: A Phenomenological Description of Knowledge Formation in Physical Training

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Parviainen, Jaana; Aromaa, Johanna

    2017-01-01

    Bodily knowledge has attracted significant attention within the humanities and other related fields over the last two decades. Although theoretical discussion on bodily knowledge in the context of physical education has been active over the past 10 years, these discussions lack clear conceptual analyses of bodily knowledge. Using a…

  6. The search for knowledge and the avoidance of knowledge.

    PubMed

    Waska, Robert

    2007-01-01

    In the psychoanalytic setting, patients can develop a strong reaction to the therapeutic opportunity to gain new knowledge about themselves. This reaction to knowledge is manifested in the patient by walling it off, splitting it off, or attacking it and erasing it from one's internal experience. The avoidance of knowledge can be the result of various phantasy states that bring on defensive postures. Knowledge can be experienced as a persecutory threat to be avoided and defended against. Knowledge can also elicit depressive concerns of loss and separation. Issues of dependence and autonomy can be equated with knowledge and therefore learning must be warded off. As a result of any or all of these internal threats, the ego can instigate a moratorium on thinking and creativity, a shutdown on feeling, thinking, and learning. As will be shown in the case material, wanting to know can be offset by a greater defensive need to not know. Through projective identification cycles, knowledge is placed into the analyst and experienced as dangerous, unobtainable, or a gift one deserves to be given rather than earned. The patient in the case example demonstrates a more paranoid experience of knowledge and a more paranoid avoidance of learning and change. When paranoid phantasies drive the patient to destroy object-relational links between self and analyst, the transference becomes colored with the phantasy of knowledge being equal to dangerous dependence that leads to destruction of either self or object. Therefore, curiosity and learning are to be avoided. Change is no longer a safe option. Psychic change can only occur when past and current knowledge are allowed to be part of the ego's self<-->object world. In other words, Psychic change is possible when the ego is less restrictive and open to new self<-->object experience. Therefore, the ego must tolerate conflicted feelings and thoughts about the self and others for knowledge to be allowable and accessible. This is the core

  7. Computer Security Systems Enable Access.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Riggen, Gary

    1989-01-01

    A good security system enables access and protects information from damage or tampering, but the most important aspects of a security system aren't technical. A security procedures manual addresses the human element of computer security. (MLW)

  8. Gendered knowledge and adaptive practices: Differentiation and change in Mwanga District, Tanzania.

    PubMed

    Smucker, Thomas A; Wangui, Elizabeth Edna

    2016-12-01

    We examine the wider social knowledge domain that complements technical and environmental knowledge in enabling adaptive practices through two case studies in Tanzania. We are concerned with knowledge production that is shaped by gendered exclusion from the main thrusts of planned adaptation, in the practice of irrigation in a dryland village and the adoption of fast-maturing seed varieties in a highland village. The findings draw on data from a household survey, community workshops, and key informant interviews. The largest challenge to effective adaptation is a lack of access to the social networks and institutions that allocate resources needed for adaptation. Results demonstrate the social differentiation of local knowledge, and how it is entwined with adaptive practices that emerge in relation to gendered mechanisms of access. We conclude that community-based adaptation can learn from engaging the broader social knowledge base in evaluating priorities for coping with greater climate variability.

  9. Western Hemisphere Knowledge Partnerships

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Malone, T. F.

    2001-05-01

    Society in general, and geophysicists in particular, are challenged by problems and opportunities in the prospects for an additional three billion people on finite planet Earth by 2050 in a global economy four to six times larger than it is at present. A problem was identified by the Pilot Assessment of Global Ecosystems (PAGE): "If we choose to continue our current patterns of use, we face almost certain decline in the ability of ecosystems to yield their broad spectrum of benefits - from clean water to stable climate, fuel wood to food crops, timber to wildlife habitat." This is the issue of environmental sustainability. Another problem is the widening gap in wealth and health between affluent nations and impoverished countries. Every day each of the more than a billion people in the industrial nations produces goods and services worth nearly 60 dollars to meet their basic needs and "wants." This figure increases by about 85 cents annually. Every day each of the 600 million people in the least developed countries produces goods and services worth about 75 cents to meet their basic needs and limited wants. That number grows by less that a penny a day annually. This is the issue of economic prosperity and equity. By harnessing revolutionary technologies in communications to distribute expanding knowledge in the physical, chemical, and geophysical sciences and exploding knowledge in the biological and health sciences, a new vision for world society is brought within reach in The Knowledge Age. It is a society in which all of the basic human needs and an equitable share of human wants can be met while maintaining healthy, attractive, and biologically productive ecosystems. This society is environmentally sustainable, economically prosperous and equitable, and therefore likely to be politically stable. The time has arrived to fashion a strategy to pursue that vision. A knowledge-based and human-centered strategy will involve the discovery, integration, dissemination

  10. Knowledge, Democracy, and the Internet

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mößner, Nicola; Kitcher, Philip

    2017-01-01

    The internet has considerably changed epistemic practices in science as well as in everyday life. Apparently, this technology allows more and more people to get access to a huge amount of information. Some people even claim that the internet leads to a "democratization of knowledge." In the following text, we will analyze this statement.…

  11. Symbiotic intelligence: Self-organizing knowledge on distributed networks, driven by human interaction

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Johnson, N.; Joslyn, C.; Rocha, L.

    1998-07-01

    This work addresses how human societies, and other diverse and distributed systems, solve collective challenges that are not approachable from the level of the individual, and how the Internet will change the way societies and organizations view problem solving. The authors apply the ideas developed in self-organizing systems to understand self-organization in informational systems. The simplest explanation as to why animals (for example, ants, wolves, and humans) are organized into societies is that these societies enhance the survival of the individuals which make up the populations. Individuals contribute to, as well as adapt to, these societies because they make lifemore » easier in one way or another, even though they may not always understand the process, either individually or collectively. Despite the lack of understanding of the how of the process, society during its existence as a species has changed significantly, from separate, small hunting tribes to a highly technological, globally integrated society. The authors combine this understanding of societal dynamics with self-organization on the Internet (the Net). The unique capability of the Net is that it combines, in a common medium, the entire human-technological system in both breadth and depth: breadth in the integration of heterogeneous systems of machines, information and people; and depth in the detailed capturing of the entire complexity of human use and creation of information. When the full diversity of societal dynamics is combined with the accuracy of communication on the Net, a phase transition is argued to occur in problem solving capability. Through conceptual examples, an experiment of collective decision making on the Net and a simulation showing the effect of noise and loss on collective decision making, the authors argue that the resulting symbiotic structure of humans and the Net will evolve as an alternative problem solving approach for groups, organizations and society. Self

  12. Enhancing healthcare process design with human factors engineering and reliability science, part 2: applying the knowledge to clinical documentation systems.

    PubMed

    Boston-Fleischhauer, Carol

    2008-02-01

    The demand to redesign healthcare processes that achieve efficient, effective, and safe results is never-ending. Part 1 of this 2-part series introduced human factors engineering and reliability science as important knowledge to enhance existing operational and clinical process design methods in healthcare organizations. In part 2, the author applies this knowledge to one of the most common operational processes in healthcare: clinical documentation. Specific implementation strategies and anticipated results are discussed, along with organizational challenges and recommended executive responses.

  13. Cultural knowledge and local vulnerability in African American communities

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Miller Hesed, Christine D.; Paolisso, Michael

    2015-07-01

    Policymakers need to know what factors are most important in determining local vulnerability to facilitate effective adaptation to climate change. Quantitative vulnerability indices are helpful in this endeavour but are limited in their ability to capture subtle yet important aspects of vulnerability such as social networks, knowledge and access to resources. Working with three African American communities on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, we systematically elicit local cultural knowledge on climate change and connect it with a scientific vulnerability framework. The results of this study show that: a given social-ecological factor can substantially differ in the way in which it affects local vulnerability, even among communities with similar demographics and climate-related risks; and social and political isolation inhibits access to sources of adaptive capacity, thereby exacerbating local vulnerability. These results show that employing methods for analysing cultural knowledge can yield new insights to complement those generated by quantitative vulnerability indices.

  14. 45 CFR 1328.17 - Access to information.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... 45 Public Welfare 4 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Access to information. 1328.17 Section 1328.17 Public Welfare Regulations Relating to Public Welfare (Continued) OFFICE OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES THE ADMINISTRATION ON AGING, OLDER AMERICANS PROGRAMS GRANTS FOR...

  15. 45 CFR 1328.17 - Access to information.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... 45 Public Welfare 4 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Access to information. 1328.17 Section 1328.17 Public Welfare Regulations Relating to Public Welfare (Continued) OFFICE OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES THE ADMINISTRATION ON AGING, OLDER AMERICANS PROGRAMS GRANTS FOR...

  16. 45 CFR 1328.17 - Access to information.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... 45 Public Welfare 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Access to information. 1328.17 Section 1328.17 Public Welfare Regulations Relating to Public Welfare (Continued) OFFICE OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES THE ADMINISTRATION ON AGING, OLDER AMERICANS PROGRAMS GRANTS FOR...

  17. 45 CFR 1328.17 - Access to information.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 45 Public Welfare 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Access to information. 1328.17 Section 1328.17 Public Welfare Regulations Relating to Public Welfare (Continued) OFFICE OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES THE ADMINISTRATION ON AGING, OLDER AMERICANS PROGRAMS GRANTS FOR...

  18. 45 CFR 1328.17 - Access to information.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 45 Public Welfare 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Access to information. 1328.17 Section 1328.17 Public Welfare Regulations Relating to Public Welfare (Continued) OFFICE OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES THE ADMINISTRATION ON AGING, OLDER AMERICANS PROGRAMS GRANTS FOR...

  19. Technical Communication, Knowledge Management, and XML.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Applen, J. D.

    2002-01-01

    Describes how technical communicators can become involved in knowledge management. Examines how technical communicators can teach organizations to design, access, and contribute to databases; alert them to new information; and facilitate trust and sharing. Concludes that successful technical communicators would do well to establish a culture that…

  20. Accessible Reading Assessments for Students with Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Abedi, Jamal; Bayley, Robert; Ewers, Nancy; Mundhenk, Kimberly; Leon, Seth; Kao, Jenny; Herman, Joan

    2012-01-01

    Assessments developed and field tested for the mainstream student population may not be accessible for students with disabilities (SWDs) as a result of the impact of extraneous variables, including cognitive features, such as depth of knowledge required, grammatical and lexical complexity, lexical density, and textual/visual features. This study…

  1. Use of Sports Science Knowledge by Turkish Coaches

    PubMed Central

    KILIC, KORAY; INCE, MUSTAFA LEVENT

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to examine the following research questions in Turkish coaching context: a) What are coaches’ perceptions on the application of sport science research to their coaching methods? b) What sources do coaches utilize to obtain the knowledge they need? c) What barriers do coaches encounter when trying to access and apply the knowledge they need for their sport? In addition, differences in research questions responses were examined based on gender, years of coaching experience, academic educational level, coaching certificate level, coaching team or individual sports, and being paid or unpaid for coaching. The participants were 321 coaches (255 men, 66 women) from diverse sports and coaching levels working in Ankara. The questionnaire “New Ideas for Coaches” by Reade, Rodgers and Hall (2008) was translated, adapted into Turkish, and validated for the current study. According to our findings among Turkish coaches, there is a high prevalence of beliefs that sport science contributes to sport (79.8%);however, there are gaps between what coaches are looking for and the research that is being conducted. Coaches are most likely to attend seminars or consult other coaches to get new information. Scientific publications were ranked very low by the coaches in getting current information. The barriers to coaches’ access to sport science research are finding out the sources of information, being able to implement the sport science knowledge into the field of coaching, lack of monetary support in acquiring knowledge, and language barriers. Also, differences in perceptions and preferences for obtaining new information were identified based on coaches’ gender, coaching contexts (i.e., professional-amateur), coaching settings (i.e., team/individual), and their other demographic characteristics (i.e., coaching experience, coaching educational level, and coaching certificate level). Future coach education programs should emphasize the development of

  2. Use of Sports Science Knowledge by Turkish Coaches.

    PubMed

    Kilic, Koray; Ince, Mustafa Levent

    The purpose of this study is to examine the following research questions in Turkish coaching context: a) What are coaches' perceptions on the application of sport science research to their coaching methods? b) What sources do coaches utilize to obtain the knowledge they need? c) What barriers do coaches encounter when trying to access and apply the knowledge they need for their sport? In addition, differences in research questions responses were examined based on gender, years of coaching experience, academic educational level, coaching certificate level, coaching team or individual sports, and being paid or unpaid for coaching. The participants were 321 coaches (255 men, 66 women) from diverse sports and coaching levels working in Ankara. The questionnaire "New Ideas for Coaches" by Reade, Rodgers and Hall (2008) was translated, adapted into Turkish, and validated for the current study. According to our findings among Turkish coaches, there is a high prevalence of beliefs that sport science contributes to sport (79.8%);however, there are gaps between what coaches are looking for and the research that is being conducted. Coaches are most likely to attend seminars or consult other coaches to get new information. Scientific publications were ranked very low by the coaches in getting current information. The barriers to coaches' access to sport science research are finding out the sources of information, being able to implement the sport science knowledge into the field of coaching, lack of monetary support in acquiring knowledge, and language barriers. Also, differences in perceptions and preferences for obtaining new information were identified based on coaches' gender, coaching contexts (i.e., professional-amateur), coaching settings (i.e., team/individual), and their other demographic characteristics (i.e., coaching experience, coaching educational level, and coaching certificate level). Future coach education programs should emphasize the development of coaches

  3. Knowledge and attitude regarding human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome in dermatological outpatients.

    PubMed

    Kouznetsov, L; Kuznetsov, A V; Ruzicka, T; Matterne, U; Wienecke, R; Zippel, S A

    2009-08-01

    Dermatologists are often the first-line specialists who recognize and diagnose human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection because of pathognomic skin signs. It is therefore important to investigate attitudes and knowledge regarding HIV/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) amongst dermatological patients in order to provide information for dermatologists and to draw their attention to the issues. Awareness of HIV/AIDS, its prevention, and hypothetical behaviour were surveyed in dermatological outpatients. The anonymous cross-sectional survey was conducted with consecutive German-speaking outpatients aged 18-65 years, who registered at the dermatological outpatient's clinic (excluding venereology, genitourinary or HIV medicine) of the University of Munich (Germany). Three hundred forty-seven (77.5%) questionnaires were accepted for analysis. Most of the patients knew about HIV incurability (89.4%), HIV transmissibility during needle sharing (95.3%), or vaginal (87.4%) and anal intercourse (79.5%), as well as about HIV prevention by condom use (97.8%), and use of single needles (76.2%). However, knowledge gaps and misconceptions were detected regarding the risk of HIV transmission during oral sex, and the efficacy of sexual fidelity and avoidance of blood transfusions in HIV prevention. The lowest knowledge level (< 50% correct answers) was detected in patients aged 50-59 years, in unemployed, divorced/widowed, and in those without or with incomplete school education. Patient education about HIV/AIDS in dermatological ambulant settings should be performed differentially with regard to socio-demographic factors, and focused on the topic of oral sexual HIV transmission and on some other specific misconceptions.

  4. Prior Knowledge Guides Speech Segregation in Human Auditory Cortex.

    PubMed

    Wang, Yuanye; Zhang, Jianfeng; Zou, Jiajie; Luo, Huan; Ding, Nai

    2018-05-18

    Segregating concurrent sound streams is a computationally challenging task that requires integrating bottom-up acoustic cues (e.g. pitch) and top-down prior knowledge about sound streams. In a multi-talker environment, the brain can segregate different speakers in about 100 ms in auditory cortex. Here, we used magnetoencephalographic (MEG) recordings to investigate the temporal and spatial signature of how the brain utilizes prior knowledge to segregate 2 speech streams from the same speaker, which can hardly be separated based on bottom-up acoustic cues. In a primed condition, the participants know the target speech stream in advance while in an unprimed condition no such prior knowledge is available. Neural encoding of each speech stream is characterized by the MEG responses tracking the speech envelope. We demonstrate that an effect in bilateral superior temporal gyrus and superior temporal sulcus is much stronger in the primed condition than in the unprimed condition. Priming effects are observed at about 100 ms latency and last more than 600 ms. Interestingly, prior knowledge about the target stream facilitates speech segregation by mainly suppressing the neural tracking of the non-target speech stream. In sum, prior knowledge leads to reliable speech segregation in auditory cortex, even in the absence of reliable bottom-up speech segregation cue.

  5. Refining Automatically Extracted Knowledge Bases Using Crowdsourcing.

    PubMed

    Li, Chunhua; Zhao, Pengpeng; Sheng, Victor S; Xian, Xuefeng; Wu, Jian; Cui, Zhiming

    2017-01-01

    Machine-constructed knowledge bases often contain noisy and inaccurate facts. There exists significant work in developing automated algorithms for knowledge base refinement. Automated approaches improve the quality of knowledge bases but are far from perfect. In this paper, we leverage crowdsourcing to improve the quality of automatically extracted knowledge bases. As human labelling is costly, an important research challenge is how we can use limited human resources to maximize the quality improvement for a knowledge base. To address this problem, we first introduce a concept of semantic constraints that can be used to detect potential errors and do inference among candidate facts. Then, based on semantic constraints, we propose rank-based and graph-based algorithms for crowdsourced knowledge refining, which judiciously select the most beneficial candidate facts to conduct crowdsourcing and prune unnecessary questions. Our experiments show that our method improves the quality of knowledge bases significantly and outperforms state-of-the-art automatic methods under a reasonable crowdsourcing cost.

  6. Refining Automatically Extracted Knowledge Bases Using Crowdsourcing

    PubMed Central

    Xian, Xuefeng; Cui, Zhiming

    2017-01-01

    Machine-constructed knowledge bases often contain noisy and inaccurate facts. There exists significant work in developing automated algorithms for knowledge base refinement. Automated approaches improve the quality of knowledge bases but are far from perfect. In this paper, we leverage crowdsourcing to improve the quality of automatically extracted knowledge bases. As human labelling is costly, an important research challenge is how we can use limited human resources to maximize the quality improvement for a knowledge base. To address this problem, we first introduce a concept of semantic constraints that can be used to detect potential errors and do inference among candidate facts. Then, based on semantic constraints, we propose rank-based and graph-based algorithms for crowdsourced knowledge refining, which judiciously select the most beneficial candidate facts to conduct crowdsourcing and prune unnecessary questions. Our experiments show that our method improves the quality of knowledge bases significantly and outperforms state-of-the-art automatic methods under a reasonable crowdsourcing cost. PMID:28588611

  7. Mobile Web and Accessibility

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hori, Masahiro; Kato, Takashi

    While focusing on the human-computer interaction side of the Web content delivery, this article discusses problems and prospects of the mobile Web and Web accessibility in terms of what lessons and experiences we have gained from Web accessibility and what they can say about the mobile Web. One aim is to draw particular attention to the importance of explicitly distinguishing between perceptual and cognitive aspects of the users’ interactions with the Web. Another is to emphasize the increased importance of scenario-based evaluation and remote testing for the mobile Web where the limited screen space and a variety of environmental factors of mobile use are critical design issues. A newly devised inspection type of evaluation method that focuses on the perceptual-cognitive distinction of accessibility and usability issues is presented as a viable means of scenario-based, remote testing for the Web.

  8. A Reporting System to Protect the Human Rights of People Living with HIV and Key Populations.

    PubMed

    Williamson, R Taylor; Fiscian, Vivian; Olson, Ryan Ubuntu; Poku, Fred Nana; Whittal, Joseph

    2017-12-01

    People living with HIV and key populations face human rights violations that affect their access to health services, relationships in their communities, housing options, and employment. To address these violations, government and civil society organizations in Ghana developed a discrimination reporting system managed by the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice that links people living with HIV and key populations to legal services. This article presents findings on how Ghanaian stakeholders built this reporting system and discusses preliminary data on its impact. To organize our analysis, we used a conceptual framework that outlines the legal frameworks that protect human rights, the institutions that promote access to justice, and the mechanisms that link people living with HIV and key populations to legal services. Using in-depth interviews, we show that targeted technical assistance increased stakeholders' knowledge of issues that affect people living with HIV and key populations, strengthened these stakeholders' commitment to address discrimination, streamlined case management systems, and improved relationships between civil society and the government. Through case review, we find that most discrimination happens when accessing government services, inside communities and families, and in the workplace. Finally, we describe implications for other human rights commissions that are considering using a reporting system to protect human rights, including using legal frameworks, developing case management systems, and working with civil society.

  9. The cancer precision medicine knowledge base for structured clinical-grade mutations and interpretations.

    PubMed

    Huang, Linda; Fernandes, Helen; Zia, Hamid; Tavassoli, Peyman; Rennert, Hanna; Pisapia, David; Imielinski, Marcin; Sboner, Andrea; Rubin, Mark A; Kluk, Michael; Elemento, Olivier

    2017-05-01

    This paper describes the Precision Medicine Knowledge Base (PMKB; https://pmkb.weill.cornell.edu ), an interactive online application for collaborative editing, maintenance, and sharing of structured clinical-grade cancer mutation interpretations. PMKB was built using the Ruby on Rails Web application framework. Leveraging existing standards such as the Human Genome Variation Society variant description format, we implemented a data model that links variants to tumor-specific and tissue-specific interpretations. Key features of PMKB include support for all major variant types, standardized authentication, distinct user roles including high-level approvers, and detailed activity history. A REpresentational State Transfer (REST) application-programming interface (API) was implemented to query the PMKB programmatically. At the time of writing, PMKB contains 457 variant descriptions with 281 clinical-grade interpretations. The EGFR, BRAF, KRAS, and KIT genes are associated with the largest numbers of interpretable variants. PMKB's interpretations have been used in over 1500 AmpliSeq tests and 750 whole-exome sequencing tests. The interpretations are accessed either directly via the Web interface or programmatically via the existing API. An accurate and up-to-date knowledge base of genomic alterations of clinical significance is critical to the success of precision medicine programs. The open-access, programmatically accessible PMKB represents an important attempt at creating such a resource in the field of oncology. The PMKB was designed to help collect and maintain clinical-grade mutation interpretations and facilitate reporting for clinical cancer genomic testing. The PMKB was also designed to enable the creation of clinical cancer genomics automated reporting pipelines via an API. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association.

  10. The cancer precision medicine knowledge base for structured clinical-grade mutations and interpretations

    PubMed Central

    Huang, Linda; Fernandes, Helen; Zia, Hamid; Tavassoli, Peyman; Rennert, Hanna; Pisapia, David; Imielinski, Marcin; Sboner, Andrea; Rubin, Mark A; Kluk, Michael

    2017-01-01

    Objective: This paper describes the Precision Medicine Knowledge Base (PMKB; https://pmkb.weill.cornell.edu), an interactive online application for collaborative editing, maintenance, and sharing of structured clinical-grade cancer mutation interpretations. Materials and Methods: PMKB was built using the Ruby on Rails Web application framework. Leveraging existing standards such as the Human Genome Variation Society variant description format, we implemented a data model that links variants to tumor-specific and tissue-specific interpretations. Key features of PMKB include support for all major variant types, standardized authentication, distinct user roles including high-level approvers, and detailed activity history. A REpresentational State Transfer (REST) application-programming interface (API) was implemented to query the PMKB programmatically. Results: At the time of writing, PMKB contains 457 variant descriptions with 281 clinical-grade interpretations. The EGFR, BRAF, KRAS, and KIT genes are associated with the largest numbers of interpretable variants. PMKB’s interpretations have been used in over 1500 AmpliSeq tests and 750 whole-exome sequencing tests. The interpretations are accessed either directly via the Web interface or programmatically via the existing API. Discussion: An accurate and up-to-date knowledge base of genomic alterations of clinical significance is critical to the success of precision medicine programs. The open-access, programmatically accessible PMKB represents an important attempt at creating such a resource in the field of oncology. Conclusion: The PMKB was designed to help collect and maintain clinical-grade mutation interpretations and facilitate reporting for clinical cancer genomic testing. The PMKB was also designed to enable the creation of clinical cancer genomics automated reporting pipelines via an API. PMID:27789569

  11. Humans do not have direct access to retinal flow during walking

    PubMed Central

    Souman, Jan L.; Freeman, Tom C.A.; Eikmeier, Verena; Ernst, Marc O.

    2013-01-01

    Perceived visual speed has been reported to be reduced during walking. This reduction has been attributed to a partial subtraction of walking speed from visual speed (Durgin & Gigone, 2007; Durgin, Gigone, & Scott, 2005). We tested whether observers still have access to the retinal flow before subtraction takes place. Observers performed a 2IFC visual speed discrimination task while walking on a treadmill. In one condition, walking speed was identical in the two intervals, while in a second condition walking speed differed between intervals. If observers have access to the retinal flow before subtraction, any changes in walking speed across intervals should not affect their ability to discriminate retinal flow speed. Contrary to this “direct-access hypothesis”, we found that observers were worse at discrimination when walking speed differed between intervals. The results therefore suggest that observers do not have access to retinal flow before subtraction. We also found that the amount of subtraction depended on the visual speed presented, suggesting that the interaction between the processing of visual input and of self-motion is more complex than previously proposed. PMID:20884509

  12. The Instructional Effects of Knowledge-Based Community of Practice Learning Environment on Student Achievement and Knowledge Convergence

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Draper, Darryl C.

    2013-01-01

    The increased accessibility of technology and Internet connections has enabled organizations to provide their workforces with the opportunity to engage in distributed education. "Harnessing this innovation calls for organizational and technological infrastructures that support the interplay of knowledge and knowing" (Cook & Brown, 1999, p. 381).…

  13. Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccination and Adolescent Girls' Knowledge and Sexuality in Western Uganda: A Comparative Cross-Sectional Study.

    PubMed

    Turiho, Andrew Kampikaho; Muhwezi, Wilson Winston; Okello, Elialilia Sarikiaeli; Tumwesigye, Nazarius Mbona; Banura, Cecil; Katahoire, Anne Ruhweza

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of the study was to investigate the influence of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination on adolescent girls' knowledge of HPV and HPV vaccine, perception of sexual risk and intentions for sexual debut. This cross-sectional comparative study was conducted in Ibanda and Mbarara districts. Data was collected using a standardized self-administered questionnaire and analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences computer software. Univariate, bivariate, and logistic regression analyses were conducted with significance level set at p < .05. Results showed that HPV vaccination was associated with being knowledgeable (Crude OR: 5.26, CI: 2.32-11.93; p = 0.000). Vaccination against HPV did not predict perception of sexual risk. Knowledge was low (only 87/385 or 22.6% of vaccinated girls were knowledgeable), but predicted perception of a high sexual risk (Adjusted OR: 3.12, CI: 1.37-3.63; p = 0.008). HPV vaccination, knowledge and perceived sexual risk did not predict sexual behaviour intentions. High parental communication was associated with adolescent attitudes that support postponement of sexual debut in both bivariate and multiple regression analyses. In conclusion, findings of this study suggest that HPV vaccination is not likely to encourage adolescent sexual activity. Influence of knowledge on sexual behaviour intentions was not definitively explained. Prospective cohort studies were proposed to address the emerging questions.

  14. The Influence of Fisher Knowledge on the Susceptibility of Reef Fish Aggregations to Fishing

    PubMed Central

    Robinson, Jan; Cinner, Joshua E.; Graham, Nicholas A. J.

    2014-01-01

    Reef fishes that exhibit predictable aggregating behaviour are often considered vulnerable to overexploitation. However, fisher knowledge of this behaviour is often heterogeneous and, coupled with socioeconomic factors that constrain demand for or access to aggregated fish, will influence susceptibility to fishing. At two case study locations in Papua New Guinea, Ahus and Karkar islands, we conducted interview-based surveys to examine how local context influenced heterogeneity in knowledge of fish aggregations. We then explored the role of fisher knowledge in conferring susceptibility to fishing relative to socioeconomic drivers of fishing effort. Local heterogeneity in knowledge of aggregating behaviour differed between our case studies. At Ahus, variable access rights among fishers and genders to the main habitats were sources of heterogeneity in knowledge. By contrast, knowledge was more homogenous at Karkar and the sole source of variation was gear type. Differences between locations in the susceptibility of aggregations to fishing depended primarily on socioeconomic drivers of fishing effort rather than catchability. While Ahus fishers were knowledgeable of fish aggregations and used more selective gears, Karkar fishers were less constrained by tenure in their access to aggregation habitat. However, fishing effort was greater at Ahus and likely related to high dependency on fishing, greater access to provincial capital markets than Karkar and a weakening of customary management. Moreover, highly efficient fishing techniques have emerged at Ahus to exploit the non-reproductive aggregating behaviour of target species. Understanding how knowledge is structured within fishing communities and its relation to socioeconomic drivers of fishing effort is important if customary practices for conservation, such as tambu areas, are to be supported. The findings of this study call for a holistic approach to assessing the risks posed to reef fish aggregations by fishing

  15. The influence of fisher knowledge on the susceptibility of reef fish aggregations to fishing.

    PubMed

    Robinson, Jan; Cinner, Joshua E; Graham, Nicholas A J

    2014-01-01

    Reef fishes that exhibit predictable aggregating behaviour are often considered vulnerable to overexploitation. However, fisher knowledge of this behaviour is often heterogeneous and, coupled with socioeconomic factors that constrain demand for or access to aggregated fish, will influence susceptibility to fishing. At two case study locations in Papua New Guinea, Ahus and Karkar islands, we conducted interview-based surveys to examine how local context influenced heterogeneity in knowledge of fish aggregations. We then explored the role of fisher knowledge in conferring susceptibility to fishing relative to socioeconomic drivers of fishing effort. Local heterogeneity in knowledge of aggregating behaviour differed between our case studies. At Ahus, variable access rights among fishers and genders to the main habitats were sources of heterogeneity in knowledge. By contrast, knowledge was more homogenous at Karkar and the sole source of variation was gear type. Differences between locations in the susceptibility of aggregations to fishing depended primarily on socioeconomic drivers of fishing effort rather than catchability. While Ahus fishers were knowledgeable of fish aggregations and used more selective gears, Karkar fishers were less constrained by tenure in their access to aggregation habitat. However, fishing effort was greater at Ahus and likely related to high dependency on fishing, greater access to provincial capital markets than Karkar and a weakening of customary management. Moreover, highly efficient fishing techniques have emerged at Ahus to exploit the non-reproductive aggregating behaviour of target species. Understanding how knowledge is structured within fishing communities and its relation to socioeconomic drivers of fishing effort is important if customary practices for conservation, such as tambu areas, are to be supported. The findings of this study call for a holistic approach to assessing the risks posed to reef fish aggregations by fishing

  16. Knowledge Representation: A Brief Review.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vickery, B. C.

    1986-01-01

    Reviews different structures and techniques of knowledge representation: structure of database records and files, data structures in computer programming, syntatic and semantic structure of natural language, knowledge representation in artificial intelligence, and models of human memory. A prototype expert system that makes use of some of these…

  17. Disparities in mobile phone access and maternal health service utilization in Nigeria: a population-based survey.

    PubMed

    Jennings, Larissa; Omoni, Adetayo; Akerele, Akunle; Ibrahim, Yisa; Ekanem, Ekpenyong

    2015-05-01

    Mobile communication technologies may reduce maternal health disparities related to cost, distance, and infrastructure. However, the ability of mHealth initiatives to accelerate maternal health goals requires in part that women with the greatest health needs have access to mobile phones. This study examined if women with limited mobile phone access have differential odds of maternal knowledge and health service utilization as compared to female mobile phone users who are currently eligible to participate in maternal mHealth programs. Using household survey data from Nigeria, multivariable logistic regressions were used to examine the odds of maternal knowledge and service utilization by mobile phone strata. Findings showed that in settings with unequal access to mobile phones, mHealth interventions may not reach women who have the poorest maternal knowledge and care-seeking as these women often lacked mobile connectivity. As compared to mobile users, women without mobile phone access had significantly lower odds of antenatal care utilization (OR=0.48, 95%CI: 0.36-0.64), skilled delivery (OR=0.56, 95%CI: 0.45-0.70), and modern contraceptive use (OR=0.50, 95%CI: 0.33-0.76) after adjusting for demographic characteristics. They also had significantly lower knowledge of maternal danger signs (OR=0.69, 95%CI: 0.53-0.90) and knowledge of antenatal (OR=0.46, 95%CI: 0.36-0.59) and skilled delivery care benefits (OR=0.62, 95%CI: 0.47-0.82). No differences were observed by mobile phone strata in uptake of emergency obstetric care, postnatal services, or breastfeeding. As maternal mHealth strategies are increasingly utilized, more efforts are needed to improve women's access to mobile phones and minimize potential health inequities brought on by health systems and technological barriers in access to care. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Human Performance Technology and Knowledge Management: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Massey, Anne P.; Montoya-Weiss, Mitzi M.; O'Driscoll, Tony M.

    2005-01-01

    As organizations respond to competitive environments and strive to enhance performance, knowledge management (KM) has increasingly become a strategic activity. A KM strategy entails consciously helping people share and put knowledge into action. A key challenge is how to develop and implement KM solutions that provide performance support to…

  19. Access to Investigational Drugs: FDA Expanded Access Programs or “Right‐to‐Try” Legislation?

    PubMed Central

    Berglund, Jelena P.; Weatherwax, Kevin; Gerber, David E.; Adamo, Joan E.

    2015-01-01

    Abstract Purpose The Food and Drug Administration Expanded Access (EA) program and “Right‐to‐Try” legislation aim to provide seriously ill patients who have no other comparable treatment options to gain access to investigational drugs and biological agents. Physicians and institutions need to understand these programs to respond to questions and requests for access. Methods FDA EA programs and state and federal legislative efforts to provide investigational products to patients by circumventing FDA regulations were summarized and compared. Results The FDA EA program includes Single Patient‐Investigational New Drug (SP‐IND), Emergency SP‐IND, Intermediate Sized Population IND, and Treatment IND. Approval rates for all categories exceed 99%. Approval requires FDA and Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval, and cooperation of the pharmaceutical partner is essential. “Right‐to‐Try” legislation bypasses some of these steps, but provides no regulatory or safety oversight. Conclusion The FDA EA program is a reasonable option for patients for whom all other therapeutic interventions have failed. The SP‐IND not only provides patient access to new drugs, but also maintains a balance between immediacy and necessary patient protection. Rather than circumventing existing FDA regulations through proposed legislation, it seems more judicious to provide the knowledge and means to meet the EA requirements. PMID:25588691

  20. Access to Knowledge: The Continuing Agenda for Our Nation's Schools. Revised Edition.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Goodlad, John I., Ed.; Keating, Pamela, Ed.

    This book presents a collection of essays by education researchers and practitioners about issues of educational equity and excellence. The authors examine the problem of failure in schools and describe the various curricular and structural factors that block access to an equal and quality education for all students. Chapters are entitled: (1)…

  1. The Importance of Process-Oriented Accessibility Guidelines for Web Developers.

    PubMed

    Steen-Hansen, Linn; Fagernes, Siri

    2016-01-01

    Current accessibility research shows that in the web development, the process itself may lead to inaccessible web sites and applications. Common practices typically do not allow sufficient testing. The focus is mainly on complying with minimum standards, and treating accessibility compliance as a sort of bug-fixing process, missing the user perspective. In addition, there is an alarming lack of knowledge and experience with accessibility issues. It has also been argued that bringing accessibility into the development process at all stages is the only way to achieve the highest possible level of accessibility. The work presented in this paper is based on a previous project focusing on guidelines for developing accessible rich Internet applications. The guidelines were classified as either process-oriented or technology-oriented. In this paper, we examine the process-oriented guidelines and give a practical perspective on how these guidelines will make the development process more accessibility-friendly.

  2. Parasites of importance for human health in Nigerian dogs: high prevalence and limited knowledge of pet owners

    PubMed Central

    Ugbomoiko, Uade Samuel; Ariza, Liana; Heukelbach, Jorg

    2008-01-01

    Background Dogs are the most common pet animals worldwide. They may harbour a wide range of parasites with zoonotic potential, thus causing a health risk to humans. In Nigeria, epidemiological knowledge on these parasites is limited. Methods In a community-based study, we examined 396 dogs in urban and rural areas of Ilorin (Kwara State, Central Nigeria) for ectoparasites and intestinal helminths. In addition, a questionnaire regarding knowledge and practices was applied to pet owners. Results Nine ectoparasite species belonging to four taxa and six intestinal helminth species were identified: fleas (Ctenocephalides canis, Pulex irritans, Tunga penetrans), mites (Demodex canis, Otodectes sp., Sarcoptes scabiei var. canis), ticks (Rhipicephalus sanguineus, Ixodes sp.), and lice (Trichodectes canis); and Toxocara canis, Ancylostoma sp., Trichuris vulpis, Dipylidium caninum, Taenidae and Strongyloides sp. Overall prevalence of ectoparasites was 60.4% and of intestinal helminths 68.4%. The occurrence of C. canis, R. sanguineus, T. canis, Ancylostoma sp. and T. vulpis was most common (prevalence 14.4% to 41.7%). Prevalence patterns in helminths were age-dependent, with T. canis showing a decreasing prevalence with age of host, and a reverse trend in other parasite species. Knowledge regarding zoonoses was very limited and the diseases not considered a major health problem. Treatment with antiparasitic drugs was more frequent in urban areas. Conclusion Parasites of importance for human health were highly prevalent in Nigerian dogs. Interventions should include health education provided to dog owners and the establishment of a program focusing on zoonotic diseases. PMID:19068110

  3. College Prep and Access from the Perspective of Diversity College Admission Professionals

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bethea, Kathryn A.

    2016-01-01

    Studies have found that there is a college access gap for students of color in P-16 education. I utilize Perna's (2006) integrated college access model in exploring college admission's knowledge of college preparation in education. The present study uses qualitative questionnaires to measure diversity college admission professionals' (DCAPs)…

  4. Developing Guidelines for Evaluating the Adaptation of Accessible Web-Based Learning Materials

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Radovan, Marko; Perdih, Mojca

    2016-01-01

    E-learning is a rapidly developing form of education. One of the key characteristics of e-learning is flexibility, which enables easier access to knowledge for everyone. Information and communications technology (ICT), which is e-learning's main component, enables alternative means of accessing the web-based learning materials that comprise the…

  5. Postpolio Survivors: Needs for and Access to Social and Health Care Services.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Foster, Larry W.; And Others

    1993-01-01

    Needs assessment survey of 268 polio survivors explored incidence of postpolio syndrome and perceived need for and access to social and health care services. Large proportion of respondents reported experiencing postpolio syndrome. Most perceived that they had no access to knowledgeable physicians or social and health care services, and most were…

  6. Proposed Conceptual Requirements for the CTBT Knowledge Base,

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1995-08-14

    knowledge available to automated processing routines and human analysts are significant, and solving these problems is an essential step in ensuring...knowledge storage in a CTBT system. In addition to providing regional knowledge to automated processing routines, the knowledge base will also address

  7. Knowledge and prevalence of Human African Trypanosomiasis among residents of Kachia grazing reserve, Kachia local government area, Kaduna state, Nigeria, 2012

    PubMed Central

    Uba, Belinda Vernyuy; Aliyu, Ahmad; Abubakar, Aisha; Uba, Sabo Ado; Gidado, Saheed; Edukugho, Aboyowa; Anagbogu, Ifeoma; Kalejaiye, John; Nguku, Patrick

    2016-01-01

    Introduction Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT) is a vector borne parasitic disease transmitted to humans by infected tse-tse flies cause morbidity including delayed child mental development. Reports of nuisance and bites from tse-tse flies by residents of Kachia grazing led to the study to determine the knowledge, practices and prevalence of HAT among residents of the grazing reserve. Methods We conducted active case search in a cross-sectional study using multi-stage sampling with probability proportionate to size. We administered structured questionnaire on Knowledge, practices relating to HAT prevention and screened for HAT using card agglutination test for Trypanosomiasis (CATT). Knowledge of HAT was scored 0-5 and categorized good (3-5) and poor (0-2) based on score, predisposition to risk of HAT as exposure to ≥two risk factors and, a case of HAT as any respondent that tested positive on CATT. We analysed data using Epi-info and MS-excel. Results Of the 300 respondents, mean age 39(±17years) interviewed, 56.3% were males, 12.0% had good knowledge of HAT and 76.3% were exposed to HAT risk factors. Prevention practices included clearing of overgrown bushes around houses (99%), use of insecticidal treated nets (75.7%) and protective clothing (41.0%). Males {Odds Ratio [OR] 5.0; 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 1.8 - 13.6}, age above 40 years {OR 5.0; 95% CI 1.1 - 24.4} and family history of HAT {OR 8.7; 95% CI 2.4 - 32.1} were significantly associated with HAT knowledge. None tested positive on CATT. Conclusion Despite poor knowledge of HAT, residents practiced HAT preventive measures and zero HAT prevalence was recorded. PMID:27222686

  8. Ethics, Collaboration, and Presentation Methods for Local and Traditional Knowledge for Understanding Arctic Change

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Parsons, M. A.; Gearheard, S.; McNeave, C.

    2009-12-01

    Local and traditional knowledge (LTK) provides rich information about the Arctic environment at spatial and temporal scales that scientific knowledge often does not have access to (e.g. localized observations of fine-scale ecological change potentially from many different communities, or local sea ice and conditions prior to 1950s ice charts and 1970s satellite records). Community-based observations and monitoring are an opportunity for Arctic residents to provide ‘frontline’ observations and measurements that are an early warning system for Arctic change. The Exchange for Local Observations and Knowledge of the Arctic (ELOKA) was established in response to the growing number of community-based and community-oriented research and observation projects in the Arctic. ELOKA provides data management and user support to facilitate the collection, preservation, exchange, and use of local observations and knowledge. Managing these data presents unique ethical challenges in terms of appropriate use of rare human knowledge and ensuring that knowledge is not lost from the local communities and not exploited in ways antithetical to community culture and desires. Local Arctic residents must be engaged as true collaborative partners while respecting their perspectives, which may vary substantially from a western science perspective. At the same time, we seek to derive scientific meaning from the local knowledge that can be used in conjunction with quantitative science data. This creates new challenges in terms of data presentation, knowledge representations, and basic issues of metadata. This presentation reviews these challenges, some initial approaches to addressing them, and overall lessons learned and future directions.

  9. Breast-feeding and human immunodeficiency virus infection: assessment of knowledge among clinicians in Kenya.

    PubMed

    Murila, Florence; Obimbo, Moses M; Musoke, Rachel; Tsikhutsu, Isaac; Migiro, Santau; Ogeng'o, Julius

    2015-02-01

    In Kenya, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevalence ranks among the highest in the world. Approximately 60 000 infections yearly are attributed to vertical transmission including the process of labour and breast-feeding. The vast of the population affected is in the developing world. Clinical officers and nurses play an important role in provision of primary health care to antenatal and postnatal mothers. There are a few studies that have explored the clinicians' knowledge on breast-feeding in the face of HIV and in relation to vertical transmission this being a vital component in prevention of maternal-to-child transmission. The aim of this study was to evaluate clinicians' knowledge on HIV in relation to breast-feeding in Kenya. A cross-sectional survey was conducted to assess knowledge of 161 clinical officers and nurses serving in the maternity and children' wards in various hospitals in Kenya. The participants were derived from all district and provincial referral facilities in Kenya. A preformatted questionnaire containing a series of questions on HIV and breast-feeding was administered to clinicians who were then scored and analyzed. All the 161 participants responded. Majority of clinicians (92%) were knowledgeable regarding prevention of mother-to-child transmission. Regarding HIV and breast-feeding, 49.7% thought expressed breast milk from HIV-positive mothers should be heated before being given. Majority (78.3%) thought breast milk should be given regardless of availability of alternatives. According to 74.5% of the participants, exclusive breast-feeding increased chances of HIV transmission. Two-thirds (66.5%) would recommend breast-feeding for mothers who do not know their HIV status (66.5%). This study observes that a majority of the clinicians have inadequate knowledge on breast-feeding in the face of HIV. There is need to promote training programmes on breast-feeding and transmission of HIV from mother to child. This can be done as in

  10. Reported changes in sexual behaviour and human papillomavirus knowledge in Peruvian female sex workers following participation in a human papillomavirus vaccine trial.

    PubMed

    Brown, B; Blas, M M; Heidari, O; Carcamo, C; Halsey, N A

    2013-07-01

    Limited data exist on the effect of clinical trial participation on sexual behavioural change. Two hundred female sex workers working in Lima, Peru received human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in either the standard (0, 2, 6 months) or modified (0, 3, 6 months) schedule. Participants received comprehensive screening and treatment for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), counselling on safe sex practices, education about HPV and the HPV vaccine, contraceptives (oral and condoms) and family planning at each visit. We assessed vaccine completion rates, change in sexual practices, and changes in HPV knowledge before and after participation in the vaccine trial. There were high rates of vaccine completion, 91% overall. The estimated number of reported new and total clients over a 30-day period decreased significantly (P < 0.001). Knowledge about HPV and HPV-related disease increased among all participants. In addition, all participants listed at least one preventive strategy during the month 7 follow-up survey.

  11. Knowledge of the General Community in Cordoba, Argentina, on Human Papilloma Virus Infection and its Prevention.

    PubMed

    Venezuela, Raul Fernando; Monetti, Marina Soledad; Kiguen, Ana Ximena; Frutos, Maria Celia; Mosmann, Jessica Paola; Cuffini, Cecilia Gabriela

    2016-01-01

    Most studies of human papilloma virus (HPV) are aimed at the natural history of the infection and its relation to cancer; however, there are few studies to assess knowledge of the general population. Our aim was analyze the degree of knowledge of Argentinians about HPV infection and its prevention. We conducted a voluntary, anonymous and non-binding survey with 27 multiple-choice items, in twelve private and public establishments, selected to include a broad population in terms of education, age and gender. The survey consisted of three sections: individual characteristics of the volunteer, HPV infection basic knowledge, its prevention and the virus relationship with other cancers. One thousand two hundred ninety seven volunteers aged 18 to 80 participated. The total number of correct answers was 45.1%. The correct answers for relationship HPV and cervical cancer was 62.1%. Almost 55% did not know about types of HPV that the vaccines for protection. Statistical analysis showed that women, single people, workers, the better educated, those who have had a STDs or HPV and receiving information through medical or educational establishments had greater knowledge of the topic. Only 0.2% of participants answered all questions correctly. Knowledge plays an important role in health care and the deficiency found in our population could influence the success of the measures taken in the fight against cervical cancer. In this regard, we believe it would be appropriate, not only to emphasize early diagnosis and vaccine implementation, but also incorporate new communication strategies, facilitating reception of accurate and precise information by all strata of society.

  12. Do performance and image enhancing drug users in regional Queensland experience difficulty accessing health services?

    PubMed

    Dunn, Matthew; Henshaw, Richard; McKay, Fiona H

    2016-07-01

    To understand health service access and needs of people who use performance and image enhancing drugs (PIED) in regional Queensland. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 people (n = 19 men) who reported the use of a range of PIEDs, including anabolic-androgenic steroids, human chorionic gonadotropin, growth hormone, clenbuterol, tamoxifen, insulin and peptides. Participants reported accessing a range of services, including needle and syringe programs and pharmacies, for sterile injecting equipment. While PIEDs users attributed some stigma to needle and syringe programs, they were seen as an important service for injecting equipment. Participants reported receiving either positive care from health-care providers, such as general practitioners (GP), or having negative experiences due to the stigma attached with PIED use. Few participants reported disclosing their PIED use to their GP not only because of the concerns that their GP would no longer see them but also because they felt their GP was not knowledgeable about these substances. Participants in the study reported no difficulty in accessing health services based on living in a regional area, with their concern focused more upon how they were viewed and treated by service staff. [Dunn M, Henshaw R, Mckay F. H. Do performance and image enhancing drug users in regional Queensland experience difficulty accessing health services? Drug Alcohol Rev 2016;35:377-382]. © 2015 Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs.

  13. Integrating Access to Arctic Environmental Change and Human Health Research for the International Polar Year and Beyond

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Garrett, C. L.

    2006-12-01

    Each day, people in the communities of the Arctic face challenges to their health and well-being from changing climatic and environmental conditions and increasing levels of pollution to emerging infectious diseases. For this reason, it is critical that Arctic researchers and residents have access to timely, accurate, and relevant information addressing their unique concerns. To meet this need, the National Library of Medicine (NLM) and the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) have developed the Arctic Health website, www.arctichealth.org. The website provides an easy-to-use one-stop shop for information on the diverse health-related aspects of the Arctic region. It is organized around relevant topics, including climate change and environmental health, traditional healing and telehealth/telemedicine. The Arctic Health website provides links to the most reliable resources available from local, state, and international agencies, universities, and professional organizations. Two major goals of the site are to create a comprehensive, accessible repository for various media and a listing of research projects, past and present that relate to climate change and human health in the Arctic. To increase the site's relevance, the project has established and continues to create collaborations with researchers, communities, and other organizations to supply publications not available elsewhere, including gray literature, streaming video of traditional healers, and oral histories. These collaborations will also help ensure a database with a comprehensive list of research projects being done in the Arctic, from the international to the local level. Finding ways to negotiate the legal, cultural and national concerns of data sharing are a continuing job for the management team. All of this helps to create a system that will eventually track and ensure that data and reports from the research database translate to the publications database. As part of these efforts, the site is

  14. Knowledge of Saudi female university students regarding cervical cancer and acceptance of the human papilloma virus vaccine

    PubMed Central

    Al-Shaikh, Ghadeer K.; Almussaed, Eman M.; Fayed, Amel A.; Khan, Farida H.; Syed, Sadiqa B.; Al-Tamimi, Tahani N.; Elmorshedy, Hala N.

    2014-01-01

    Objectives: To assess the level of knowledge regarding cervical cancer and the acceptance of the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine among Saudi female students in health colleges. Methods: This cross-sectional study of a convenient sample encompassed 1400 students in Health Colleges at Princess Nora Bint Abdul Rahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia was conducted between December 2013 and February 2014. A self-administrated questionnaire was distributed to all participants. Data collected included socio-demographic data, knowledge of cervical cancer risk factors and clinical presentation, Pap smear, and HPV vaccine acceptance. The questionnaire reliability as tested by Cronbach’s alpha was 0.82. Results: The response rate was 89.9%, and data analysis revealed that 95.7% of students had poor knowledge level. The Pap smear was poorly recognized as a screening tool, with 46.7% of students having heard of the test. Senior and medical students had a significantly higher knowledge score. Father’s health profession, high monthly income, and presence of cervical cancer among family members or friends increased the level of knowledge. Vaccine acceptance is influenced by its price, approximately 80% of students thought that an affordable vaccine price should not exceed 300 Saudi Riyals. Perceived barriers to the vaccine were fear of injections and vaccine side effects. Conclusion: There is a lack of knowledge and misinformation regarding cervical cancer, Pap smear, and HPV as a major risk factor for cancer of the cervix. These data can be used as a benchmark to formulate effective awareness programs. PMID:25316467

  15. Open access for operational research publications from low- and middle-income countries: who pays?

    PubMed Central

    Kumar, A. M. V.; Reid, A. J.; Van den Bergh, R.; Isaakidis, P.; Draguez, B.; Delaunois, P.; Nagaraja, S. B.; Ramsay, A.; Reeder, J. C.; Denisiuk, O.; Ali, E.; Khogali, M.; Hinderaker, S. G.; Kosgei, R. J.; van Griensven, J.; Quaglio, G. L.; Maher, D.; Billo, N. E.; Terry, R. F.; Harries, A. D.

    2014-01-01

    Open-access journal publications aim to ensure that new knowledge is widely disseminated and made freely accessible in a timely manner so that it can be used to improve people's health, particularly those in low- and middle-income countries. In this paper, we briefly explain the differences between closed- and open-access journals, including the evolving idea of the ‘open-access spectrum’. We highlight the potential benefits of supporting open access for operational research, and discuss the conundrum and ways forward as regards who pays for open access. PMID:26400799

  16. 78 FR 27115 - Draft Guidance for Industry on Expanded Access to Investigational Drugs for Treatment Use...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-05-09

    ... a more transparent process by increasing awareness and knowledge of expanded access programs and the... regulations. Consistent with the goal of making expanded access processes more transparent, FDA is providing... (IRB) review and approval required for individual patient expanded access?'' In the draft guidance, FDA...

  17. Knowledge acquisition in the fuzzy knowledge representation framework of a medical consultation system.

    PubMed

    Boegl, Karl; Adlassnig, Klaus-Peter; Hayashi, Yoichi; Rothenfluh, Thomas E; Leitich, Harald

    2004-01-01

    This paper describes the fuzzy knowledge representation framework of the medical computer consultation system MedFrame/CADIAG-IV as well as the specific knowledge acquisition techniques that have been developed to support the definition of knowledge concepts and inference rules. As in its predecessor system CADIAG-II, fuzzy medical knowledge bases are used to model the uncertainty and the vagueness of medical concepts and fuzzy logic reasoning mechanisms provide the basic inference processes. The elicitation and acquisition of medical knowledge from domain experts has often been described as the most difficult and time-consuming task in knowledge-based system development in medicine. It comes as no surprise that this is even more so when unfamiliar representations like fuzzy membership functions are to be acquired. From previous projects we have learned that a user-centered approach is mandatory in complex and ill-defined knowledge domains such as internal medicine. This paper describes the knowledge acquisition framework that has been developed in order to make easier and more accessible the three main tasks of: (a) defining medical concepts; (b) providing appropriate interpretations for patient data; and (c) constructing inferential knowledge in a fuzzy knowledge representation framework. Special emphasis is laid on the motivations for some system design and data modeling decisions. The theoretical framework has been implemented in a software package, the Knowledge Base Builder Toolkit. The conception and the design of this system reflect the need for a user-centered, intuitive, and easy-to-handle tool. First results gained from pilot studies have shown that our approach can be successfully implemented in the context of a complex fuzzy theoretical framework. As a result, this critical aspect of knowledge-based system development can be accomplished more easily.

  18. Cultivating Humanity or Educating the Human? Two Options for Education in the Knowledge Age

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Biesta, Gert

    2014-01-01

    Ever since the idea of the "knowledge society" came into circulation, there have been discussions about what the term empirically "might" mean and normatively "should" mean. In the literature we can find a rather wide spectrum, ranging from a "utilitarian" interpretation of the knowledge society as a…

  19. Analysis of Knowledge Level in Brasilian Students about Human Papillomavirus Infection and Development of Penile Cancer

    PubMed Central

    Abdalla, George Kemil; Fajardo, Emanuella Francisco; Gomes, Bruno Belmonte Martinelli; Bianco, Thiago Mantello; Salge, Ana Karina Marques; de Carvalho, Eduardo Elias Vieira; Reis, Marlize Moura Dos; Abrahão, Dayana Pousa Siqueira; Abdalla, Douglas Reis

    2017-01-01

    Introduction: Human papillomavirus (HPV), belonging to the Papovavirida family, is the most prevalent sexually transmitted disease (STD) agent worldwide. In Brazil, it is estimated that there are 3-6 million people infected with HPV. Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the knowledge of young male students about penis cancer related to HPV infection. Methods: This exploratory and quantitative study was conducted to analyze answers of 242 male students attending a private college located in Uberaba city, Minas Gerais state, Brazil, during 2015. Results: Most of the 242 participants (88.8%) affirmed having started sexual life very early, the majority (79.3%) were currently married and 69.8% had a single sexual partner. Regardless of their knowledge about HPV virus and its relationship with penis cancer, our data showed a general lack of awareness of the participants. Conclusion: Our results suggest that despite efforts to propagate information about HPV infection and its relation to penis cancer, the level of knowledge of students is low. Because of that, it is important to improve the information spread by media, emphasizing prevention and treatment of HPV infection in men. PMID:28612588

  20. Analysis of Knowledge Level in Brazilian Students about Human Papillomavirus Infection and Development of Penile Cancer

    PubMed

    Abdalla, George Kemil; Fajardo, Emanuella Francisco; Gomes, Bruno Belmonte Martinelli; Bianco, Thiago Mantello; Salge, Ana Karina Marques; Carvalho, Eduardo Elias Vieira de; Dos Reis, Marlize Moura; Abrahão, Dayana Pousa Siqueira; Abdalla, Douglas Reis

    2017-05-01

    Introduction: Human papillomavirus (HPV), belonging to the Papovavirida family, is the most prevalent sexually transmitted disease (STD) agent worldwide. In Brazil, it is estimated that there are 3-6 million people infected with HPV. Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the knowledge of young male students about penis cancer related to HPV infection. Methods: This exploratory and quantitative study was conducted to analyze answers of 242 male students attending a private college located in Uberaba city, Minas Gerais state, Brazil, during 2015. Results: Most of the 242 participants (88.8%) affirmed having started sexual life very early, the majority (79.3%) were currently married and 69.8% had a single sexual partner. Regardless of their knowledge about HPV virus and its relationship with penis cancer, our data showed a general lack of awareness of the participants. Conclusion: Our results suggest that despite efforts to propagate information about HPV infection and its relation to penis cancer, the level of knowledge of students is low. Because of that, it is important to improve the information spread by media, emphasizing prevention and treatment of HPV infection in men. Creative Commons Attribution License