Sample records for analysis issues relating

  1. Electron Probe MicroAnalysis (EPMA) Standards. Issues Related to Measurement and Accuracy Evaluation in EPMA

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Carpenter, Paul

    2003-01-01

    Electron-probe microanalysis standards and issues related to measurement and accuracy of microanalysis will be discussed. Critical evaluation of standards based on homogeneity and comparison with wet-chemical analysis will be made. Measurement problems such as spectrometer dead-time will be discussed. Analytical accuracy issues will be evaluated for systems by alpha-factor analysis and comparison with experimental k-ratio databases.

  2. Exploring work-related issues on corporate sustainability.

    PubMed

    Brunoro, C M; Bolis, I; Sznelwar, L I

    2015-01-01

    In a research project about work-related issues and corporate sustainability conducted in Brazil, the goal was to better understand how work-related issues were addressed in the corporate context. Particularly, there are some specific initiatives that serve as guides to organizational decisions, which make their performance indicators for the context of corporate sustainability. 1) To explore the presence of work-related issues and their origins in corporate sustainability approach, analyzing a) corporate disclosures; b) sustainability guidelines that are identified as relevant in corporate disclosures; c) documents that are related to sustainable development and also identified as key-documents for these guidelines and initiatives. 2) To present the activity-centered ergonomics and psychodynamics of work contributions to work-related issues in a corporate sustainability approach. An exploratory study based on multiple sources of evidence that were performed from 2012 to 2013, including interviews with companies that engaged in corporate sustainability and document analysis using the content analysis approach. Work-related issues have been presented since the earliest sustainable development documents. It is feasible to construct an empirical framework for work-related issues and corporate sustainability approaches. 1) Although some authors argue that corporate sustainability has its roots based only on the environmental dimension, there is strong empirical evidence showing that social dimension aspects such as work-related issues have been present since the beginning. 2) Some indicators should be redesigned to more precisely translate the reality of some workplaces, particularly those indicators related to organizational design and mental health.

  3. How Older Adults and Their Families Perceive Family Talk about Aging-Related EOL Issues: A Dialectical Analysis.

    PubMed

    Egbert, Nichole; Child, Jeffrey T; Lin, Mei-Chen; Savery, Carol; Bosley, Tammy

    2017-04-17

    For older adults, approaching end-of-life (EOL) brings unique transitions related to family relationships. Unfortunately, most families greatly underestimate the need to discuss these difficult issues. For example, parents approaching EOL issues often struggle with receiving assistance from others, avoiding family conflict, and maintaining their sense of personhood. In addition, discussions of EOL issues force family members to face their parents' mortality, which can be particularly difficult for adult children to process emotionally. This study explored aging issues identified by aging parents and their families as they traverse these impending EOL changes. Ten focus groups of seniors ( n = 65) were conducted. Focus groups were organized according to race (African-American/European-American), gender, and whether the older adult was living independently or in an assisted care facility. When asked open-ended questions about discussing aging and EOL issues with family members, participants revealed tensions that led us to consider Relational Dialectics Theory as a framework for analysis. The predominant tension highlighted in this report was certainty versus uncertainty, with the two sub-themes of sustained life versus sustained personhood and confronting versus avoiding EOL issues. For these data, there were more similarities than differences as a result of gender, race, or living situation than one might expect, although culture and financial status were found to be influential in the avoidance of EOL discussions. The results of this study help to provide additional insight into relational dialectics related to aging, EOL, and the importance of communication in facilitating family coping.

  4. Gender relations and economic issues.

    PubMed

    Elson, D

    1993-10-01

    While most discussions of economic issues pay no explicit attention to gender relations, most economic policy is marked by male bias which provides women with an unequal access to resources. This situation exists because most economists, officials, and business managers lack the imagination to see the gender impact of economic issues and most women's groups and researchers lack the language to portray this connection. This article explores some aspects of this gap and aims to provide women with the ability to effectively discuss economic issues. After an introduction, the article considers the basic problem caused by the fact that the economy is defined primarily in terms of money-making activities. This leads to a male bias since much of women's work occurs outside of the monetary sphere. The next section looks at how a failure to understand the significance of gender relations will interfere with the fulfillment of policy objectives. This discussion is followed by a description of how cutbacks in government expenditures increase the burden on women who must replace the services. Problems with the option of the private-sector replacing government services, such as the fact that increasing disposable income in households does not guarantee that unpaid labor will be reduced and the fact that the private sector may fail to expand in a productive way, are covered. The article then touches on the new emphasis placed by some economists and policy makers on cooperative and interactive solutions to these problems and ends by mentioning three new initiatives which seek to build capacity for gender-aware economic analysis: the development of a training program at Manchester University in the UK, coordination of an international research workshop by the University of Utah in the US, and development of an international association for feminist economics based in the US.

  5. The relationship between press release and newspaper coverage of tobacco-related issues in South Korea.

    PubMed

    Cho, Kyung Sook; Yoon, Jangho

    2017-08-01

    This study investigates an association between press release and news media response on tobacco-related issues in South Korea. We retrieved 231 tobacco-related newspaper articles from all major dailies throughout the year 2005. In total, 37 press releases on tobacco-related issues and policies published by the Korea Ministry of Health and Welfare were obtained from the Ministry website. Content analysis and appropriate statistical tests were performed. Results from our content analysis suggest that producing more press releases on tobacco-related issues may result in a greater volume of newspaper articles, and that a press release on a new topical issue may effect more intense media coverage. Findings also show that when Korean newspaper articles overall held less favorable views of tobacco-related policies and programs in 2005, taxation was the most frequent theme with a non-positive opinion. Findings from our multivariate logistic regression models imply that a newspaper article with a source press release-especially about a new topical issue-is more likely than an article without a source press release to discuss tobacco-related issues more positively. Our findings suggest that a press release may serve as an effective media strategy for reaching out to the public by disseminating tobacco-control efforts and policies.

  6. 40 CFR 300.220 - Related Title III issues.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 27 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Related Title III issues. 300.220 Section 300.220 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SUPERFUND, EMERGENCY... PLAN Planning and Preparedness § 300.220 Related Title III issues. Other related Title III requirements...

  7. Love versus abuse: crossgenerational sexual relations of minors: a gay rights issue?

    PubMed

    Graupner, H

    1999-01-01

    The question discussed is how far crossgenerational sexual relations with or by minors could be considered to be a gay rights issue. The author discusses the issue from the perspective of general principles found in the case-law of the European Court on Human Rights. These principles suggest that the basic right to privacy should be interpreted as providing comprehensive protection of the right of children and adolescents to sexual self-determination, namely both the right to effective protection from (unwanted) sex and abuse on the one hand and the right to (wanted) sex on the other. The analysis is based upon the findings of natural and social science as well as an extensive international survey of national legal provisions and it leads to the conclusion that consensual sexual relations of and with adolescents over 14 (out of relations of authority) should be qualified a gay rights issue; likewise (as the exception to the rule) the possibility of filtering out cases from prosecution where a contact/relation is proven (beyond reasonable doubt) as consensual and harmless even though the minor involved is under 14. The legalization of (objectively consensual) sexual relations with persons under 14 as such, however, should not be considered to be a gay rights issue.

  8. Issues in Quantitative Analysis of Ultraviolet Imager (UV) Data: Airglow

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Germany, G. A.; Richards, P. G.; Spann, J. F.; Brittnacher, M. J.; Parks, G. K.

    1999-01-01

    The GGS Ultraviolet Imager (UVI) has proven to be especially valuable in correlative substorm, auroral morphology, and extended statistical studies of the auroral regions. Such studies are based on knowledge of the location, spatial, and temporal behavior of auroral emissions. More quantitative studies, based on absolute radiometric intensities from UVI images, require a more intimate knowledge of the instrument behavior and data processing requirements and are inherently more difficult than studies based on relative knowledge of the oval location. In this study, UVI airglow observations are analyzed and compared with model predictions to illustrate issues that arise in quantitative analysis of UVI images. These issues include instrument calibration, long term changes in sensitivity, and imager flat field response as well as proper background correction. Airglow emissions are chosen for this study because of their relatively straightforward modeling requirements and because of their implications for thermospheric compositional studies. The analysis issues discussed here, however, are identical to those faced in quantitative auroral studies.

  9. Immigration Reform and Related Issues. Perspectivas Publicas. Issue Update.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Council of La Raza, Washington, DC.

    Asserting that immigration reform and related issues have commanded sustained attention in the opening weeks of the 99th Congress, this paper provides an overview of important developments in this area, and highlights steps taken by the National Council of La Raza to help shape these developments. The developments discussed include: (1) The…

  10. Mining Health-Related Issues in Consumer Product Reviews by Using Scalable Text Analytics

    PubMed Central

    Torii, Manabu; Tilak, Sameer S.; Doan, Son; Zisook, Daniel S.; Fan, Jung-wei

    2016-01-01

    In an era when most of our life activities are digitized and recorded, opportunities abound to gain insights about population health. Online product reviews present a unique data source that is currently underexplored. Health-related information, although scarce, can be systematically mined in online product reviews. Leveraging natural language processing and machine learning tools, we were able to mine 1.3 million grocery product reviews for health-related information. The objectives of the study were as follows: (1) conduct quantitative and qualitative analysis on the types of health issues found in consumer product reviews; (2) develop a machine learning classifier to detect reviews that contain health-related issues; and (3) gain insights about the task characteristics and challenges for text analytics to guide future research. PMID:27375358

  11. Mining Health-Related Issues in Consumer Product Reviews by Using Scalable Text Analytics.

    PubMed

    Torii, Manabu; Tilak, Sameer S; Doan, Son; Zisook, Daniel S; Fan, Jung-Wei

    2016-01-01

    In an era when most of our life activities are digitized and recorded, opportunities abound to gain insights about population health. Online product reviews present a unique data source that is currently underexplored. Health-related information, although scarce, can be systematically mined in online product reviews. Leveraging natural language processing and machine learning tools, we were able to mine 1.3 million grocery product reviews for health-related information. The objectives of the study were as follows: (1) conduct quantitative and qualitative analysis on the types of health issues found in consumer product reviews; (2) develop a machine learning classifier to detect reviews that contain health-related issues; and (3) gain insights about the task characteristics and challenges for text analytics to guide future research.

  12. Issues in Midterm Analysis and Forecasting

    EIA Publications

    1999-01-01

    Final issue of this report. Presents a series of eight papers, which cover topics in analysis and modeling that underlie the Annual Energy Outlook 1999, as well as other significant issues in midterm energy markets.

  13. Cancer survivors. Work related issues.

    PubMed

    Schultz, Pamela N; Beck, Martha L; Stava, Charles; Sellin, Rena V

    2002-05-01

    New and more effective treatments for cancer have resulted in individuals living longer with a better quality of life. Many more survivors are employed in the workplace. Cancer is no longer only an issue for survivors and their families; it has become an issue for the employer and the workplace. This article describes survey results of 4,364 long term cancer survivors in which they were asked to respond to items describing their ability to work, job discrimination, and quality of life. Thirty-five percent of survivors were working at the time they completed the survey, and 8.5% considered themselves unable to work. This research has shown that age, gender, ethnic group, and cancer type affected the working status of the survivors. Of survivors continuing to work, 7.3% indicated they had experienced job discrimination. The results indicate most cancer survivors do not perceive employment related problems, and are readily assimilated into the work force. Job discrimination and the ability to work is a quality of life issue.

  14. Assessment of computational issues associated with analysis of high-lift systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Balasubramanian, R.; Jones, Kenneth M.; Waggoner, Edgar G.

    1992-01-01

    Thin-layer Navier-Stokes calculations for wing-fuselage configurations from subsonic to hypersonic flow regimes are now possible. However, efficient, accurate solutions for using these codes for two- and three-dimensional high-lift systems have yet to be realized. A brief overview of salient experimental and computational research is presented. An assessment of the state-of-the-art relative to high-lift system analysis and identification of issues related to grid generation and flow physics which are crucial for computational success in this area are also provided. Research in support of the high-lift elements of NASA's High Speed Research and Advanced Subsonic Transport Programs which addresses some of the computational issues is presented. Finally, fruitful areas of concentrated research are identified to accelerate overall progress for high lift system analysis and design.

  15. Psychometric evaluation of the Environmental Reality Shock-Related Issues and Concerns instrument for newly graduated nurses.

    PubMed

    Kim, Eun-Young; Yeo, Jung Hee; Park, Hyunjeong; Sin, Kyung Mi; Jones, Cheryl B

    2018-02-01

    Reality shock is a critical representation of the gap between nursing education and clinical practice and it is important to explore the level of reality shock among nurses. However, there is no relevant instrument to assess the level of reality shock in South Korea. The purpose of this is to determine the validity and reliability of the Korean version of the Environmental Reality Shock-Related Issues and Concerns instrument. A cross-sectional study design was used in this study. The data collection was conducted in selected 15 hospitals in South Korea. A convenience sample of 216 newly graduated nurses participated in the study. The Korean version of the Environmental Reality Shock-Related Issues and Concerns instrument was developed through the forward-backward translation technique, and revision based on feedback from expert groups. The internal consistency reliability was assessed using Cronbach's alpha, and the construct validity was determined via exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. The Korean version of the Environmental Reality Shock-Related Issues and Concerns has reliable internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha=0.91). Exploratory factor analysis revealed five factors including job, relationships, expectations, private life, and performance, which explained 61.92% of variance. The factor loadings ranged from 0.451 to 0.832. The five-factor structure was validated by confirmatory factor analysis (RMR<0.05, CFI>0.9). It was concluded that the Korean version of the Environmental Reality Shock-Related Issues and Concerns instrument has satisfactory construct validity and reliability to measure the reality shock of newly graduated nurses in South Korea. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Current issues relating to psychosocial job strain and cardiovascular disease research.

    PubMed

    Theorell, T; Karasek, R A

    1996-01-01

    The authors comment on recent reviews of cardiovascular job strain research by P. L. Schnall and P. A. Landsbergis (1994), and by T. S. Kristensen (1995), which conclude that job strain as defined by the demand-control model (the combination of contributions of low job decision latitudes and high psychological job demands) is confirmed as a risk factor for cardiovascular mortality in a large majority of studies. Lack of social support at work appears to further increase risk. Several still-unresolved research questions are examined in light of recent studies: (a) methodological issues related to use of occupational aggregate estimations and occupational career aggregate assessments, use of standard scales for job analysis and recall bias issues in self-reporting; (b) confounding factors and differential strengths of association by subgroups in job strain-cardiovascular disease analyses with respect to social class, gender, and working hours; and (c) review of results of monitoring job strain-blood pressure associations and associated methodological issues.

  17. Issues in midterm analysis and forecasting 1998

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

    NONE

    1998-07-01

    Issues in Midterm Analysis and Forecasting 1998 (Issues) presents a series of nine papers covering topics in analysis and modeling that underlie the Annual Energy Outlook 1998 (AEO98), as well as other significant issues in midterm energy markets. AEO98, DOE/EIA-0383(98), published in December 1997, presents national forecasts of energy production, demand, imports, and prices through the year 2020 for five cases -- a reference case and four additional cases that assume higher and lower economic growth and higher and lower world oil prices than in the reference case. The forecasts were prepared by the Energy Information Administration (EIA), using EIA`smore » National Energy Modeling System (NEMS). The papers included in Issues describe underlying analyses for the projections in AEO98 and the forthcoming Annual Energy Outlook 1999 and for other products of EIA`s Office of Integrated Analysis and Forecasting. Their purpose is to provide public access to analytical work done in preparation for the midterm projections and other unpublished analyses. Specific topics were chosen for their relevance to current energy issues or to highlight modeling activities in NEMS. 59 figs., 44 tabs.« less

  18. Ethical issues in trauma-related research: a review.

    PubMed

    Newman, Elana; Risch, Elizabeth; Kassam-Adams, Nancy

    2006-09-01

    ETHICAL DECISION-MAKING ABOUT TRAUMA-RELATED STUDIES requires a flexible approach that counters assumptions and biases about victims, assures a favorable ethical cost-benefit ratio, and promotes advancement of knowledge that can benefit survivors of traumatic stress. This paper reviews several ethical issues in the field of traumatic stress: benefit and risks in trauma-related research, whether trauma-related research poses unique risks and if so what those might be, informed consent and mandatory reporting, and supervision of trauma-related research. For each topic, we review potential ethical issues, summarize the research conducted thus far to inform ethical practice, and recommend future practice, research questions and policies to advance the field so that research on trauma can continue to be a win-win situation for all stakeholders in the research enterprise.

  19. Teachers' Attitudes Toward Death-Related Issues

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Perkes, A. Cordell

    1978-01-01

    Reports a study to assess teachers attitudes toward death-related issues. A questionnaire was given to 61 teachers in a graduate education course. It was found that the teachers tended to favor liberal abortion laws (67 percent), euthanasia (83 percent), and the majority (65 percent) believed in life after death. (SLH)

  20. Public Relations Manager Involvement in Strategic Issue Diagnosis.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lauzen, Martha M.

    1995-01-01

    Reports on an exploratory study that seeks to build theoretical understanding of how public relations practitioner involvement in one type of strategic organizational decision making--strategic issue diagnosis--is related to shared values with top management, diagnosis accuracy, strategy pursued, and the power of the public relations function. (TB)

  1. Issues Management and the Use of Technologies in Public Relations.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ramsey, Shirley A.

    1993-01-01

    Finds that members of the Issues Management Association were more positively involved with two procedures--"environmental scanning for emerging issues" and "developing communication plans about the issues"--than were other public relations practitioners. Finds that respondents were highly likely to use advanced communication…

  2. Design and analysis issues of integrated control systems for high-speed civil transports

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mccarty, Craig A.; Feather, John B.; Dykman, John R.; Page, Mark A.; Hodgkinson, John

    1992-01-01

    A study was conducted to identify, rank, and define development plans for the critical guidance and control design and analysis issues as related to economically viable and environmentally acceptable high-speed civil transport. The issues were identified in a multistep process. First, pertinent literature on supersonic cruise aircraft was reviewed, and experts were consulted to establish the fundamental characteristics and problems inherent to supersonic cruise aircraft. Next, the advanced technologies and strategies being pursued for the high-speed civil transport were considered to determine any additional unique control problems the transport may have. Finally, existing technologies and methods were examined to determine their capabilities for the design and analysis of high-speed civil transport control systems and to identify the shortcomings and issues. Three priority levels - mandatory, highly beneficial, and desirable - were established. Within each of these levels, the issues were further ranked. Technology development plans for each issue were defined. Each plan contains a task breakdown and schedule.

  3. Ethical Issues Relating to Living Organ Donation in China.

    PubMed

    Wu, Y; Yang, T; Li, L; Ma, W

    2016-01-01

    Although great developments have been made in living organ donation, the ethical issues relating to living organ donation still face dilemmas in China. In this report, we discuss several ethical issues concerning living organ donation in China. It is argued that living organ donation in China could make further progress if the ethical issues proposed in this report are carefully considered. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Problems and Issues Related to Alternative Education.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pilat, Mary

    1997-01-01

    Symposium participants identified policy issues in these areas related to alternative education for at-risk youth: choice, equity, public perception, definition, philosophy, stakeholder involvement, evaluation, staffing, curriculum, governance, and financing. Public discourse and policy discussion were considered essential to implementing…

  5. Addressing Measurement Issues Related to Bullying Involvement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Casper, Deborah M.; Meter, Diana J.; Card, Noel A.

    2015-01-01

    In this article, we address measurement issues related to select aspects of bullying involvement with the goal of moving psychometrically sound measurement practices toward applied bullying research. We first provide a nontechnical introduction to psychometric considerations in measuring bullying involvement, highlighting the importance of…

  6. Mixing Qualitative and Quantitative Methods: Insights into Design and Analysis Issues

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lieber, Eli

    2009-01-01

    This article describes and discusses issues related to research design and data analysis in the mixing of qualitative and quantitative methods. It is increasingly desirable to use multiple methods in research, but questions arise as to how best to design and analyze the data generated by mixed methods projects. I offer a conceptualization for such…

  7. Textual analysis of tobacco editorials: how are Key media gatekeepers framing the issues?

    PubMed

    Smith, Katherine Clegg; Wakefield, Melanie

    2005-01-01

    The news media's potential to promote awareness of health issues is established, and media advocacy is now an important tool in combating tobacco use. This study examines newspaper editors' perspectives of tobacco-related issues. This study presents a textual analysis of tobacco-related editorials. The data consist of editorials on tobacco from a sample of 310 U.S. daily newspapers over the course of 1 year (2001). Data were sampled from a random one-third of the days per month, yielding 162 editorials for analysis. A qualitative textual analysis was conducted. Each editorial was coded for theme, position, and frame. We analyzed the topics gaining editorial attention and the arguments made to support various perspectives. Editorials discussed a variety of both positive and negative news events, largely conveying support for tobacco-control objectives. Various organizing frames were used-supporting policy interventions, condemning the industry, highlighting individual rights, and expressing general cynicism were most prevalent. Editors largely promoted tobacco-control efforts, particularly policy advances. There was, however, little coverage of key issues such as health effects and addiction-perhaps because they are no longer perceived to be contentious. Advocates should seek to address this area and minimize the cynicism of key media gatekeepers to avoid undermining policy and individual change efforts.

  8. Issues in the Analysis of Focus Groups: Generalisability, Quantifiability, Treatment of Context and Quotations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vicsek, Lilla

    2010-01-01

    In this paper I discuss some concerns related to the analysis of focus groups: (a) the issue of generalisation; (b) the problems of using numbers and quantifying in the analysis; (c) how the concrete situation of the focus groups could be included in the analysis, and (d) what formats can be used when quoting from focus groups. Problems with…

  9. Analysis of Environmental Issues Related to Small-Scale Hydroelectric Development IV: Fish Mortality Resulting From Turbine Passage

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

    Turbak, Susan C.; Reichle, Donna R.; Shriner, Carole R.

    1981-01-01

    The purpose of this report is to provide summary information for use by potential developers and regulators of small-scale hydroelectric projects (defined as existing dams that can be retrofitted to a total site capacity of ≤30 MW), where turbine-related mortality of fish is a potential issue affecting site-specific development. Mitigation techniques for turbine-related mortality are not covered in this report.

  10. Attachment-related mental representations: introduction to the special issue.

    PubMed

    Thompson, Ross A

    2008-12-01

    Bowlby's concept of mental working models of self, attachment figures, and the social world has been theoretically generative as a bridge between early relational experience and the beliefs and expectations that color later relationships. Contemporary attachment researchers, following his example, are applying new knowledge of children's conceptual development to their study of attachment-related mental representations in children and adults. The contributors to this special issue highlight recent advances in how the mental representations arising from attachment security should be conceptualized and studied, and identify a number of important directions for future work. This paper introduces the special issue by summarizing the major ideas of Bowlby and his followers concerning the nature and development of mental working models, points of theoretical clarity and uncertainty, and challenges in assessing these representations, as well as profiling each of the contributions to this issue.

  11. Addressing Issues Related to Technology and Engineering

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Technology Teacher, 2008

    2008-01-01

    This article presents an interview with Michael Hacker and David Burghardt, codirectors of Hoftra University's Center for Technological Literacy. Hacker and Burghardt address issues related to technology and engineering. They argue that teachers need to be aware of the problems kids are facing, and how to present these problems in an engaging…

  12. Election Information/Issues Analysis Center.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Institute for Political/Legal Education, Sewell, NJ.

    Procedures for establishing a student-run election information and issue analysis center at the high school level are presented. The purpose of the election information center is to provide the student population with an awareness of candidate's views and to coordinate volunteer activities of students in a campaign. Student personnel include a…

  13. Editorial: Special Issue on Experimental Vibration Analysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Serra, Roger

    2018-04-01

    The vibratory analyses are particularly present today in the various fields of industry, from aeronautics to manufacturing, from machining and maintenance to civil engineering, to mention a few areas, which have made this special issue a true need. The International Journal of Mechanics & Industry compiles a Special Issue on Experimental Vibration Analysis. More than thirty manuscripts were received by the international scientific committee on the 6th congress AVE2016 and only eight papers have been selected after completing a careful and rigorous peer-review process for the Special Issue, which are briefly summarized below.

  14. Grid related issues for static and dynamic geometry problems using systems of overset structured grids

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Meakin, Robert L.

    1995-01-01

    Grid related issues of the Chimera overset grid method are discussed in the context of a method of solution and analysis of unsteady three-dimensional viscous flows. The state of maturity of the various pieces of support software required to use the approach is considered. Current limitations of the approach are identified.

  15. Digital telephony analysis model and issues

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Keuthan, Lynn M.

    1995-09-01

    Experts in the fields of digital telephony and communications security have stated the need for an analytical tool for evaluating complex issues. Some important policy issues discussed by experts recently include implementing digital wire-taps, implementation of the 'Clipper Chip', required registration of encryption/decryption keys, and export control of cryptographic equipment. Associated with the implementation of these policies are direct costs resulting from implementation, indirect cost benefits from implementation, and indirect costs resulting from the risks of implementation or factors reducing cost benefits. Presented herein is a model for analyzing digital telephony policies and systems and their associated direct costs and indirect benefit and risk factors. In order to present the structure of the model, issues of national importance and business-related issues are discussed. The various factors impacting the implementation of the associated communications systems and communications security are summarized, and various implementation tradeoffs are compared based on economic benefits/impact. The importance of the issues addressed herein, as well as other digital telephony issues, has greatly increased with the enormous increases in communication system connectivity due to the advance of the National Information Infrastructure.

  16. Radiation safety issues related to radiolabeled antibodies. [Contains glossary

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

    Barber, D.E.; Baum, J.W.; Meinhold, C. B.

    1991-03-01

    Techniques related to the use of radiolabeled antibodies in humans are reviewed and evaluated in this report. It is intended as an informational resource for the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and NRC licensees. Descriptions of techniques and health and safety issues are provided. Principal methods for labeling antibodies are summarized to help identify related radiation safety problems in the preparation of dosages for administration to patients. The descriptions are derived from an extensive literature review and consultations with experts in the field. A glossary of terms and acronyms is also included. An assessment was made of the extent ofmore » the involvement of organizations (other than the NRC) with safety issues related to radiolabeled antibodies, in order to identify regulatory issues which require attention. Federal regulations and guides were also reviewed for their relevance. A few (but significant) differences between the use of common radiopharmaceuticals and radiolabeled antibodies were observed. The clearance rate of whole, radiolabeled immunoglobulin is somewhat slower than common radiopharmaceuticals, and new methods of administration are being used. New nuclides are being used or considered (e.g., Re-186 and At-211) for labeling antibodies. Some of these nuclides present new dosimetry, instrument calibration, and patient management problems. Subjects related to radiation safety that require additional research are identified. 149 refs., 3 figs., 20 tabs.« less

  17. Analysis of governmental Web sites on food safety issues: a global perspective.

    PubMed

    Namkung, Young; Almanza, Barbara A

    2006-10-01

    Despite a growing concern over food safety issues, as well as a growing dependence on the Internet as a source of information, little research has been done to examine the presence and relevance of food safety-related information on Web sites. The study reported here conducted Web site analysis in order to examine the current operational status of governmental Web sites on food safety issues. The study also evaluated Web site usability, especially information dimensionalities such as utility, currency, and relevance of content, from the perspective of the English-speaking consumer. Results showed that out of 192 World Health Organization members, 111 countries operated governmental Web sites that provide information about food safety issues. Among 171 searchable Web sites from the 111 countries, 123 Web sites (71.9 percent) were accessible, and 81 of those 123 (65.9 percent) were available in English. The majority of Web sites offered search engine tools and related links for more information, but their availability and utility was limited. In terms of content, 69.9 percent of Web sites offered information on foodborne-disease outbreaks, compared with 31.5 percent that had travel- and health-related information.

  18. Nurses' perceptions of ethical issues related to patients' rights law.

    PubMed

    Yakov, Gila; Shilo, Yehudit; Shor, Tzippy

    2010-07-01

    August 2006 marked the 10th anniversary of landmark legislation when Israel's parliament passed the unique Patient's Rights Law. This law underscores the importance of medical ethics in Israeli society. During a seminar at the Shaare Zedek School of Nursing, third-year students performed a qualitative research study investigating ethical issues arising in the field of nursing, and how nursing staff dealt with these issues in relation to the law. The research was conducted using semistructured questionnaires. The results showed that the staff participants knew the law, but did not differentiate between legal and ethical problems. The establishment of a framework for dealing with these issues would help to promote professional ethics, encourage broad-based agreements related to ethical decisions, reduce ethical conflict, and increase implementation of the law on patients' rights.

  19. 16 CFR 456.5 - Rules applicable to prescriptions for contact lenses and related issues.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... contact lenses and related issues. 456.5 Section 456.5 Commercial Practices FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION TRADE... contact lenses and related issues. Rules applicable to prescriptions for contact lenses and related issues may be found at 16 CFR part 315 (Contact Lens Rule). [69 FR 40511, July 2, 2004] ...

  20. Key Health Information Technologies and Related Issues for Iran: A Qualitative Study.

    PubMed

    Hemmat, Morteza; Ayatollahi, Haleh; Maleki, Mohammadreza; Saghafi, Fatemeh

    2018-01-01

    Planning for the future of Health Information Technology (HIT) requires applying a systematic approach when conducting foresight studies. The aim of this study was to identify key health information technologies and related issues for Iran until 2025. This was a qualitative study and the participants included experts and policy makers in the field of health information technology. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted and data were analyzed by using framework analysis and MAXQDA software. The findings revealed that the development of national health information network, electronic health records, patient health records, a cloud-based service center, interoperability standards, patient monitoring technologies, telehealth, mhealth, clinical decision support systems, health information technology and mhealth infrastructure were found to be the key technologies for the future. These technologies could influence the economic, organizational and individual levels. To achieve them, the economic and organizational obstacles need to be overcome. In this study, a number of key technologies and related issues were identified. This approach can help to focus on the most important technologies in the future and to priorities these technologies for better resource allocation and policy making.

  1. Key Health Information Technologies and Related Issues for Iran: A Qualitative Study

    PubMed Central

    Hemmat, Morteza; Ayatollahi, Haleh; Maleki, Mohammadreza; Saghafi, Fatemeh

    2018-01-01

    Background and Objective: Planning for the future of Health Information Technology (HIT) requires applying a systematic approach when conducting foresight studies. The aim of this study was to identify key health information technologies and related issues for Iran until 2025. Methods: This was a qualitative study and the participants included experts and policy makers in the field of health information technology. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted and data were analyzed by using framework analysis and MAXQDA software. Results: The findings revealed that the development of national health information network, electronic health records, patient health records, a cloud-based service center, interoperability standards, patient monitoring technologies, telehealth, mhealth, clinical decision support systems, health information technology and mhealth infrastructure were found to be the key technologies for the future. These technologies could influence the economic, organizational and individual levels. To achieve them, the economic and organizational obstacles need to be overcome. Conclusion: In this study, a number of key technologies and related issues were identified. This approach can help to focus on the most important technologies in the future and to priorities these technologies for better resource allocation and policy making. PMID:29854016

  2. Issues related to development of antiepileptogenic therapies.

    PubMed

    Pitkänen, Asla; Nehlig, Astrid; Brooks-Kayal, Amy R; Dudek, F Edward; Friedman, Daniel; Galanopoulou, Aristea S; Jensen, Frances E; Kaminski, Rafal M; Kapur, Jaideep; Klitgaard, Henrik; Löscher, Wolfgang; Mody, Istvan; Schmidt, Dieter

    2013-08-01

    Several preclinical proof-of-concept studies have provided evidence for positive treatment effects on epileptogenesis. However, none of these hypothetical treatments has advanced to the clinic. The experience in other fields of neurology such as stroke, Alzheimer's disease, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis has indicated several problems in the design of preclinical studies, which likely contribute to failures in translating the positive preclinical data to the clinic. The Working Group on "Issues related to development of antiepileptogenic therapies" of the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) and the American Epilepsy Society (AES) has considered the possible problems that arise when moving from proof-of-concept antiepileptogenesis (AEG) studies to preclinical AEG trials, and eventually to clinical AEG trials. This article summarizes the discussions and provides recommendations on how to design a preclinical AEG monotherapy trial in adult animals. We specifically address study design, animal and model selection, number of studies needed, issues related to administration of the treatment, outcome measures, statistics, and reporting. In addition, we give recommendations for future actions to advance the preclinical AEG testing. Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2013 International League Against Epilepsy.

  3. Computer- and Internet-related intellectual property issues

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Meyer, Stuart P.

    2001-05-01

    Computer-related technologies, such as the Internet, have posed new challenges for intellectual property law. Legislation and court decisions impacting patents, copyrights, trade secrets and trademarks have adapted intellectual property law to address new issues brought about by such emerging technologies. As the pace of technological change continues to increase, intellectual property law will need to keep up. Accordingly, the balance struck by intellectual property laws today will likely be set askew by technological changes in the future. Engineers need to consider not only the law as it exists today, but also how it might change in the future. Likewise, lawyers and judges need to consider legal issues not only in view of the current state of the art in technology, but also with an eye to technologies yet to come.

  4. Using public relations to promote health: a framing analysis of public relations strategies among health associations.

    PubMed

    Park, Hyojung; Reber, Bryan H

    2010-01-01

    This study explored health organizations' public relations efforts to frame health issues through their press releases. Content analysis of 316 press releases from three health organizations-the American Heart Association, the American Cancer Society, and the American Diabetes Association-revealed that they used the medical research frame most frequently and emphasized societal responsibility for health issues. There were differences, however, among the organizations regarding the main frames and health issues: the American Diabetes Association was more likely to focus on the issues related to social support and education, while the American Heart Association and the American Cancer Society were more likely to address medical research and scientific news. To demonstrate their initiatives for public health, all the organizations employed the social support/educational frame most frequently. Researchers and medical doctors frequently were quoted as trusted sources in the releases.

  5. Inter-organizational future proof EHR systems. A review of the security and privacy related issues.

    PubMed

    van der Linden, Helma; Kalra, Dipak; Hasman, Arie; Talmon, Jan

    2009-03-01

    Identification and analysis of privacy and security related issues that occur when health information is exchanged between health care organizations. Based on a generic scenario questions were formulated to reveal the occurring issues. Possible answers were verified in literature. Ensuring secure health information exchange across organizations requires a standardization of security measures that goes beyond organizational boundaries, such as global definitions of professional roles, global standards for patient consent and semantic interoperable audit logs. As to be able to fully address the privacy and security issues in interoperable EHRs and the long-life virtual EHR it is necessary to realize a paradigm shift from storing all incoming information in a local system to retrieving information from external systems whenever that information is deemed necessary for the care of the patient.

  6. Current ethical and legal issues in health-related direct-to-consumer genetic testing.

    PubMed

    Niemiec, Emilia; Kalokairinou, Louiza; Howard, Heidi Carmen

    2017-09-01

    A variety of health-related genetic testing is currently advertized directly to consumers. This article provides a timely overview of direct-to-consumer genetic testing (DTC GT) and salient ethical issues, as well as an analysis of the impact of the recently adopted regulation on in vitro diagnostic medical devices on DTC GT. DTC GT companies currently employ new testing approaches, report on a wide spectrum of conditions and target new groups of consumers. Such activities raise ethical issues including the questionable analytic and clinical validity of tests, the adequacy of informed consent, potentially misleading advertizing, testing in children, research uses and commercialization of genomic data. The recently adopted regulation on in vitro diagnostic medical devices may limit the offers of predisposition DTC GT in the EU market.

  7. The Concept of Cultural Relativity in Moral Judgments Concerning Gender-Related Issues.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Boyd, D. R.; And Others

    The comparative study was designed to determine whether cultural relativism and ethical reasoning develop in a hierarchical manner when applied to culturally different phenomena. The phenomena investigated were moral judgments concerning gender-related issues. Thirty-six first through sixth-grade students from two private schools and 130…

  8. [Related issues in clinical translational application of adipose-derived stem cells].

    PubMed

    Liu, Hongwei; Cheng, Biao; Fu, Xiaobing

    2012-10-01

    To introduce the related issues in the clinical translational application of adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs). The latest papers were extensively reviewed, concerning the issues of ASCs production, management, transportation, use, and safety during clinical application. ASCs, as a new member of adult stem cells family, bring to wide application prospect in the field of regenerative medicine. Over 40 clinical trials using ASCs conducted in 15 countries have been registered on the website (http://www.clinicaltrials.gov) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), suggesting that ASCs represents a promising approach to future cell-based therapies. In the clinical translational application, the related issues included the quality control standard that management and production should follow, the prevention measures of pathogenic microorganism pollution, the requirements of enzymes and related reagent in separation process, possible effect of donor site, age, and sex in sampling, low temperature storage, product transportation, and safety. ASCs have the advantage of clinical translational application, much attention should be paid to these issues in clinical application to accelerate the clinical translation process.

  9. University Students' Perceptions of Issues Related to Agriculture.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Terry, Robert, Jr.; Lawver, David E.

    1995-01-01

    Telephone interviews with 390 of 400 college students revealed an overall favorable impression of food safety and agriculture's impact on the economy and environment. Males were more positive about animal welfare and production agriculture. Gender, college major, and hometown were related to attitudes about agriculture issues. (SK)

  10. Social justice issues related to uneven distribution of resources.

    PubMed

    Ervin, Naomi E; Bell, Sue Ellen

    2004-01-01

    This article examines the social justice issues resulting from the uneven distribution of resources. In this article, justice theories are discussed in relation to two of these issues: lack of adequate food and shelter and inequitable access to an appropriate continuum of health care. Public health nurses have the obligation to deal with the results of poverty and the uneven distribution of resources, which pose a threat to the common good in the United States and throughout the global community.

  11. Some issues in the statistical analysis of vehicle emissions

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2000-09-01

    Some of the issues complicating the statistical analysis of vehicle emissions and the effectiveness of emissions control programs are presented in this article. Issues discussed include: the variability of inter- and intra-vehicle emissions; the skew...

  12. Meta-analysis of immune epitope data for all Plasmodia: overview and applications for malarial immunobiology and vaccine-related issues

    PubMed Central

    Vaughan, K.; Blythe, M.; Greenbaum, J.; Zhang, Q.; Peters, B.; Doolan, D. L.; Sette, A.

    2012-01-01

    Summary We present a comprehensive meta-analysis of more than 500 references, describing nearly 5000 unique B cell and T cell epitopes derived from the Plasmodium genus, and detailing thousands of immunological assays. This is the first inventory of epitope data related to malaria-specific immunology, plasmodial pathogenesis, and vaccine performance. The survey included host and pathogen species distribution of epitopes, the number of antibody vs. CD4+ and CD8+ T cell epitopes, the genomic distribution of recognized epitopes, variance among epitopes from different parasite strains, and the characterization of protective epitopes and of epitopes associated with parasite evasion of the host immune response. The results identify knowledge gaps and areas for further investigation. This information has relevance to issues, such as the identification of epitopes and antigens associated with protective immunity, the design and development of candidate malaria vaccines, and characterization of immune response to strain polymorphisms. PMID:19149776

  13. Inclusion of ethical issues in dementia guidelines: a thematic text analysis.

    PubMed

    Knüppel, Hannes; Mertz, Marcel; Schmidhuber, Martina; Neitzke, Gerald; Strech, Daniel

    2013-08-01

    Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) aim to improve professionalism in health care. However, current CPG development manuals fail to address how to include ethical issues in a systematic and transparent manner. The objective of this study was to assess the representation of ethical issues in general CPGs on dementia care. To identify national CPGs on dementia care, five databases of guidelines were searched and national psychiatric associations were contacted in August 2011 and in June 2013. A framework for the assessment of the identified CPGs' ethical content was developed on the basis of a prior systematic review of ethical issues in dementia care. Thematic text analysis and a 4-point rating score were employed to assess how ethical issues were addressed in the identified CPGs. Twelve national CPGs were included. Thirty-one ethical issues in dementia care were identified by the prior systematic review. The proportion of these 31 ethical issues that were explicitly addressed by each CPG ranged from 22% to 77%, with a median of 49.5%. National guidelines differed substantially with respect to (a) which ethical issues were represented, (b) whether ethical recommendations were included, (c) whether justifications or citations were provided to support recommendations, and (d) to what extent the ethical issues were explained. Ethical issues were inconsistently addressed in national dementia guidelines, with some guidelines including most and some including few ethical issues. Guidelines should address ethical issues and how to deal with them to help the medical profession understand how to approach care of patients with dementia, and for patients, their relatives, and the general public, all of whom might seek information and advice in national guidelines. There is a need for further research to specify how detailed ethical issues and their respective recommendations can and should be addressed in dementia guidelines. Please see later in the article for the Editors

  14. 76 FR 63573 - Roundtable on Issues Relating to Conflict Minerals

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-10-13

    ...-10] Roundtable on Issues Relating to Conflict Minerals AGENCY: Securities and Exchange Commission... Consumer Protection Act (the ``Act''), which relates to reporting requirements regarding conflict minerals... of conflict minerals from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and adjoining countries. On December...

  15. Japan-U.S. Relations: Issues for Congress

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-10-06

    to the discovery of the first U.S. case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE or “ mad cow disease ”) in Washington state. In the months before... Cow Disease and U.S. Beef Trade, by Charles E. Hanrahan and Geoffrey S. Becker. Japan-U.S. Relations: Issues for Congress Congressional Research...the diagnosis in the United States, nearly a dozen Japanese cows infected with BSE had been discovered, creating a scandal over the Agricultural

  16. A Cross-Case Analysis of Gender Issues in Desktop Virtual Reality Learning Environments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ausburn, Lynna J.; Martens, Jon; Washington, Andre; Steele, Debra; Washburn, Earlene

    2009-01-01

    This study examined gender-related issues in using new desktop virtual reality (VR) technology as a learning tool in career and technical education (CTE). Using relevant literature, theory, and cross-case analysis of data and findings, the study compared and analyzed the outcomes of two recent studies conducted by a research team at Oklahoma State…

  17. Issues related to line-oriented flight training

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lauber, J. K.

    1981-01-01

    The use of a training simulator along with carefully structured, detailed, line trip scenarios was envisioned by NASA as a means of providing a controllable, repeatable way to observe line crews in a highly realistic simulation of their working environment and obtain better understanding operationally significant human factors problems and issues. Relevant research done by the agency and the results of full-mission simulation scenarios revealed potential implications for flight training. Aspects to be considered in creating training programs closely related to the actual line environment with a total crew application in real world incident experiences include: (1) operational, environmental, equipment, and crew problems in scenario design; (2) real time line oriented flight training operation; (3) performance assessment and debriefing; (4) instructor qualification and training; and (5) other issues such as ub un initial, transition, and upgrade training; procedures developent and evaluation, and equipment evaluation.

  18. Newspaper Coverage of the 1992 Presidential Campaign: A Content Analysis of Character/Competence/Image Issues versus Platform/Political Issues.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sims, Judy R.; Giordano, Joseph

    A research study assessed the amount of front page newspaper coverage allotted to "character/competence/image" issues versus "platform/political" issues in the 1992 presidential campaign. Using textual analysis, methodology of content analysis, researchers coded the front page of the following 5 newspapers between August 1 and…

  19. Hospital web-site marketing: analysis, issues, and trends.

    PubMed

    Sanchez, P M; Maier-Donati, P

    1999-01-01

    As hospitals continue to incorporate web technology into their overall marketing and communications strategies, they face several issues which we explore in this paper. Hospitals' effectiveness in dealing with these issues will affect the benefits received from this technology. We provide an exploratory analysis of current hospital web sites and develop implications for future web site development. Likewise, recommendations based on our research are also provided.

  20. 77 FR 73586 - Further Inquiry Into Issues Related to Mobility Fund Phase II

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-12-11

    ... certain issues relating to the award of ongoing support for advanced mobile services. DATES: Comments are... availability of mobile broadband and high quality voice services in certain areas. Building on the comments... comprehensive record on certain issues related to the award of ongoing support for advanced mobile services. In...

  1. Inclusion of Ethical Issues in Dementia Guidelines: A Thematic Text Analysis

    PubMed Central

    Knüppel, Hannes; Schmidhuber, Martina; Neitzke, Gerald

    2013-01-01

    Background Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) aim to improve professionalism in health care. However, current CPG development manuals fail to address how to include ethical issues in a systematic and transparent manner. The objective of this study was to assess the representation of ethical issues in general CPGs on dementia care. Methods and Findings To identify national CPGs on dementia care, five databases of guidelines were searched and national psychiatric associations were contacted in August 2011 and in June 2013. A framework for the assessment of the identified CPGs' ethical content was developed on the basis of a prior systematic review of ethical issues in dementia care. Thematic text analysis and a 4-point rating score were employed to assess how ethical issues were addressed in the identified CPGs. Twelve national CPGs were included. Thirty-one ethical issues in dementia care were identified by the prior systematic review. The proportion of these 31 ethical issues that were explicitly addressed by each CPG ranged from 22% to 77%, with a median of 49.5%. National guidelines differed substantially with respect to (a) which ethical issues were represented, (b) whether ethical recommendations were included, (c) whether justifications or citations were provided to support recommendations, and (d) to what extent the ethical issues were explained. Conclusions Ethical issues were inconsistently addressed in national dementia guidelines, with some guidelines including most and some including few ethical issues. Guidelines should address ethical issues and how to deal with them to help the medical profession understand how to approach care of patients with dementia, and for patients, their relatives, and the general public, all of whom might seek information and advice in national guidelines. There is a need for further research to specify how detailed ethical issues and their respective recommendations can and should be addressed in dementia guidelines. Please

  2. Awareness of legal and social issues related to reproductive health among adolescent girls in rural Varanasi.

    PubMed

    Kansal, Sangeeta; Singh, Sweta; Kumar, Alok

    2017-01-01

    Data on awareness of adolescent's on the legal and social issues/acts related to reproductive health, especially in rural areas, are scarce. The aim of the present cross-sectional study is to assess the awareness level of legal and social issues related to reproductive health and its association with the various individual and family/household level characteristics. 650 adolescent girls in the age group of 15-19 years were interviewed with the help of pretested and semistructured questionnaire and focus group discussions were also conducted for qualitative findings in Chiraigaon block of district Varanasi. It was observed that 42.9% of the respondents were aware of legal age of marriage, 14.9% knew about the right age of childbearing. Dowry prohibition act and domestic violence act were known to 46% and 27% respondents, respectively, and only 2.6% were aware of medical termination of pregnancy act. Logistic regression analysis shows the significant effect of education on awareness of legal age of marriage, right age of childbearing, domestic violence, and dowry prohibition acts, which is also supported by qualitative findings. All the important legal issues/acts should be included in high school curriculum and female teachers should be involved in training program for adolescents. Role of mass media in creating awareness about these issues in their routine programs should be ascertained. Accredited Social Health Activist and Anganwadi workers should be aware of and include these issues/acts in adolescent meetings.

  3. Analysis of Policy Issues Relating to Public Investment in Private Freight Infrastructure

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1999-12-01

    The Norman Y. Mineta International Institute for Surface Transportation Policy Studies (IISTPS) at San Josi State University conducted this study to review the issues and implications involved in the investment of public funds in private freight infr...

  4. France: Factors Shaping Foreign Policy, and Issues in U.S.-French Relations

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2008-05-21

    view, France should seek a balance that embraces diversity yet preserves a degree of uniformity that sustains the French “identity.” He believes that...Order Code RL32464 France : Factors Shaping Foreign Policy, and Issues in U.S.- French Relations Updated May 21, 2008 Paul Gallis Specialist in... France : Factors Shaping Foreign Policy, and Issues in U.S.- French Relations 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6

  5. Emerging Issues and Opportunities Prospective Analysis.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Peter, Sharlene A.

    This paper discusses 14 issues related to gender equity in intercollegiate athletics, including: (1) the cost dilemma, in which institutions have to cut men's sports to introduce women's sports; (2) equal pay for the coaches of men's and women's teams; (3) the gender of coaches, namely men coaching women's teams; (4) peer harassment among…

  6. Artificial intelligence issues related to automated computing operations

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hornfeck, William A.

    1989-01-01

    Large data processing installations represent target systems for effective applications of artificial intelligence (AI) constructs. The system organization of a large data processing facility at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center is presented. The methodology and the issues which are related to AI application to automated operations within a large-scale computing facility are described. Problems to be addressed and initial goals are outlined.

  7. Behavior analysts and cultural analysis: Troubles and issues

    PubMed Central

    Malagodi, E. F.; Jackson, Kevin

    1989-01-01

    Three strategic suggestions are offered to behavior analysts who are concerned with extending the interests of our discipline into domains traditionally assigned to the social sciences: (1) to expand our world-view perspectives beyond the boundaries commonly accepted by psychologists in general; (2) to build a cultural analytic framework upon the foundations we have developed for the study of individuals; and (3) to study the works of those social scientists whose views are generally compatible with, and complementary to, our own. Sociologist C. Wright Mills' distinction between troubles and issues and anthropologist Marvin Harris's principles of cultural materialism are related to topics raised by these three strategies. The pervasiveness of the “psychocentric” world view within psychology and the social sciences, and throughout our culture at large, is discussed from the points of view of Skinner, Mills, and Harris. It is suggested that a thorough commitment to radical behaviorism, and continuation of interaction between radical behaviorism and cultural materialism, are necessary for maintaining and extending an issues orientation within the discipline of behavior analysis and for guarding against dilutions and subversions of that orientation by “deviation-dampening” contingencies that exist in our profession and in our culture at large. PMID:22478014

  8. Fukushima Health Management Survey and Related Issues.

    PubMed

    Yasumura, Seiji; Abe, Masafumi

    2017-03-01

    After the Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11, 2011, the Tokyo Electric Power Company Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident occurred. The Fukushima prefectural government decided to launch the Fukushima Health Management Survey; Fukushima Medical University was entrusted to design and implement the survey. The survey process and development is described from the standpoint of its background and aim. An overview of the basic survey and 4 detailed surveys is briefly provided. Issues related to the survey are discussed from the perspective of supporting the Fukushima residents.

  9. The Law and Emergencies: Surveillance for Public Health–Related Legal Issues During Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

    PubMed Central

    Weiss, Rachel I.; McKie, Karen L.; Goodman, Richard A.

    2007-01-01

    Law influenced every aspect of the public health response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, from evacuation orders, to waivers of medical licensing requirements, to the clean-up of public health threats on private property. We used public health surveillance of news reports to identify and characterize legal issues arising during the disaster response in 5 Gulf Coast states. Data collected from news reports of the events in real time were followed-up by interviews with selected state legal and emergency management officials. Our analysis indicates the value of surveillance during and after emergency responses in identifying public health–related legal issues and helps to inform the strengthening of legal preparedness frameworks for future disasters. PMID:17413083

  10. Survival analysis for a large scale forest health issue: Missouri oak decline

    Treesearch

    C.W. Woodall; P.L. Grambsch; W. Thomas; W.K. Moser

    2005-01-01

    Survival analysis methodologies provide novel approaches for forest mortality analysis that may aid in detecting, monitoring, and mitigating of large-scale forest health issues. This study examined survivor analysis for evaluating a regional forest health issue - Missouri oak decline. With a statewide Missouri forest inventory, log-rank tests of the effects of...

  11. Science students' critical examination of scientific information related to socioscientific issues

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dankert Kolstø, Stein; Bungum, Berit; Arnesen, Erik; Isnes, Anders; Kristensen, Terje; Mathiassen, Ketil; Mestad, Idar; Quale, Andreas; Sissel Vedvik Tonning, Anne; Ulvik, Marit

    2006-07-01

    It is widely accepted that to be scientifically literate one needs to have the ability to make thoughtful decisions about socioscientific issues (SSI). This includes critical assessment of scientific claims and arguments involved. In this study we asked 89 science education students with substantial academic qualifications in science, working in groups of two and three, to assess the reliability of scientific claims in an article of their own choice, but related to a socioscientific issue, and to present their evaluation in a short text. In analyzing the students' texts, we focused on the criteria they had explicitly and implicitly used in their evaluations. Through a qualitative analysis, we identified 13 different criteria focusing on empirical and theoretical adequacy, completeness of presented information, social aspects, and manipulative strategies. An inspection of the students' evaluations revealed that they drew upon knowledge of possible institutional interests, different signs of competence and an appreciation of concurrent expert views, but also methodological norms in science, specialized content knowledge, and an appreciation of evidence and disclosure of sources. The number of criteria used and the quality of their application varied, indicating that critical examination of texts with a science dimension needs to be emphasized in science teacher education.

  12. Implementation of the NCSS Guidelines for Teaching Science-Related Social Issues: Exemplar Lessons.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Otto, Robert A., Ed.

    This document contains the Guidelines for Teaching Science-Related Social Issues adopted in 1982 by the National Council for the Social Studies and 10 examplar lessons each keyed to particular guidelines and drawing upon contemporary issues. The premise upon which the guidelines are based is that science is a social issue and that the examination…

  13. Global Nursing Issues and Development: Analysis of World Health Organization Documents.

    PubMed

    Wong, Frances Kam Yuet; Liu, Huaping; Wang, Hui; Anderson, Debra; Seib, Charrlotte; Molasiotis, Alex

    2015-11-01

    To analyze World Health Organization (WHO) documents to identify global nursing issues and development. Qualitative content analysis. Documents published by the six WHO regions between 2007 and 2012 and with key words related to nurse/midwife or nursing/midwifery were included. Themes, categories, and subcategories were derived. The final coding reached 80% agreement among three independent coders, and the final coding for the discrepant coding was reached by consensus. Thirty-two documents from the regions of Europe (n = 19), the Americas (n = 6), the Western Pacific (n = 4), Africa (n = 1), the Eastern Mediterranean (n = 1), and Southeast Asia (n = 1) were examined. A total of 385 units of analysis dispersed in 31 subcategories under four themes were derived. The four themes derived (number of unit of analysis, %) were Management & Leadership (206, 53.5), Practice (75, 19.5), Education (70, 18.2), and Research (34, 8.8). The key nursing issues of concern at the global level are workforce, the impacts of nursing in health care, professional status, and education of nurses. International alliances can help advance nursing, but the visibility of nursing in the WHO needs to be strengthened. Organizational leadership is important in order to optimize the use of nursing competence in practice and inform policy makers regarding the value of nursing to promote people's health. © 2015 Sigma Theta Tau International.

  14. Analysis of Adverse Events in Identifying GPS Human Factors Issues

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Adams, Catherine A.; Hwoschinsky, Peter V.; Adams, Richard J.

    2004-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to analyze GPS related adverse events such as accidents and incidents (A/I), Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) reports and Pilots Deviations (PDs) to create a framework for developing a human factors risk awareness program. Although the occurrence of directly related GPS accidents is small the frequency of PDs and ASRS reports indicated there is a growing problem with situational awareness in terminal airspace related to different types of GPs operational issues. This paper addresses the findings of the preliminary research and a brief discussion of some of the literature on related GPS and automation issues.

  15. France: Factors Shaping Foreign Policy, and Issues in U.S.-French Relations

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2005-01-10

    Policy, and Issues in U.S.- French Relations 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER 5e. TASK...298 (Rev. 8-98) Prescribed by ANSI Std Z39-18 France : Factors Shaping Foreign Policy, and Issues in U.S.- French Relations Summary The factors that...shape French foreign policy have changed since the end of the Cold War. The perspectives of France and the United States have diverged in some cases

  16. France: Factors Shaping Foreign Policy, and Issues in U.S.-French Relations

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2006-05-19

    Policy, and Issues in U.S.- French Relations 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER 5e. TASK...298 (Rev. 8-98) Prescribed by ANSI Std Z39-18 France : Factors Shaping Foreign Policy, and Issues in U.S.- French Relations Summary The factors that...shape French foreign policy have changed since the end of the Cold War. The perspectives of France and the United States have diverged in some cases

  17. Issues related to the use of tourniquets on the battlefield.

    PubMed

    Walters, Thomas J; Mabry, Robert L

    2005-09-01

    On the battlefield, a properly applied tourniquet can be an extremely effective means of controlling severe extremity wound hemorrhage. However, a great deal of confusion exists among soldiers, medics, and military medical officers on a number of tourniquet-related issues. What is an appropriate combat tourniquet? When is it appropriate to use a tourniquet? When and by whom should a tourniquet be removed? Under what conditions should a tourniquet not be released or removed? What are the most effective ways to increase limb salvage while using a tourniquet? These and other issues were addressed by a panel of experts at the 2003 Advanced Technology Applications for Combat Casualty Care Conference, August 21 and 23, 2003, St. Pete Beach, Florida. Here we review those issues and present a summary of the panel's recommendations.

  18. [Materiality Analysis of Health Plans Based on Stakeholder Engagement and the Issues Included at ISO 26000:2010].

    PubMed

    Moyano Santiago, Miguel Angel; Rivera Lirio, Juana María

    2017-01-18

    Health plans of the Spanish autonomous communities can incorporate sustainable development criteria in its development. There have been no analysis or proposals about development and indicators. The goal is to add a contribution to help build better health plans aimed at sustainable development and help to manage economic, social and environmental impacts of health systems criteria. We used a variation of the RAND/UCLA or modified Delphi technique method. The process consisted of a bibliographical and context matters and issues related to health and social responsibility analysis based on ISO 26000: 2010. A survey by deliberately to a selection of 70 expert members of the identified stakeholders was carried out and a discussion group was held to determine the consensus on the issues addressed in the survey sample. The research was conducted in 2015. From the literature review 33 health issues included in ISO 26000:2010 were obtained. 7 survey proved relevant high consensus, 8 relevance and average consensus and 18 with less relevance and high level of dissent. The expert group excluded 4 of the 18 subjects with less consensus. 29 issues included 33 at work, divided into 7 subjects contained in the guide ISO 26000 of social responsibility, were relevant stakeholders regarding possible inclusion in health plans. Considering the direct relationship published by ISO (International Organization for Standardization) among the issues ISO 26000 and the economic, social and environmental indicators in GRI (Global Reporting Initiative) in its G4 version, a panel with monitoring indicators related to relevant issues were elaborated.

  19. Teenage Pregnancy Prevention and Related Issues. Memo No. 7.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sweet, Richard; Russell, Pam

    This memo is an update of a previous memo to the Special Committee on Teenage Pregnancy Prevention and Related Issues. It lists the suggestions that have been submitted by Committee members to staff as of February 21, 1991; and includes suggestions made since the January 24, 1991 meeting of the Special Committee. The suggestions are broken down…

  20. Everyday Issues Related to Justice and Other Gospel Values.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kealey, Robert J.

    This manual presents situations that occur in the lives of most children and suggests to the teacher related activities which might cause students to reflect on the deeper meaning and significance of the situations. It seeks to make the teacher, and thus students, aware of the fact that peace, justice, and other value issues are part of daily…

  1. Early childhood education: Status trends, and issues related to electronic delivery

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rothenberg, D.

    1973-01-01

    The status of, and trends and issues within, early childhood education which are related to the possibilities of electronic delivery of educational service are considered in a broader investigation of the role of large scale, satellite based educational telecommunications systems. Data are analyzed and trends and issues discussed to provide information useful to the system designer who wishes to identify and assess the opportunities for large scale electronic delivery in early childhood education.

  2. Cabin Safety Issues Related to Pre-Departure and Inflight Issues

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Connell, Linda

    2014-01-01

    The Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) in a partnership between the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), participating carriers, and labor organizations. It is designed to improve the National Airspace System by collecting and studying reports detailing unsafe conditions and events in the aviation industry. Employees are able to report safety issues or concerns with confidentiality and without fear of discipline. Safety reports highlighting the human element in cabin safety issues and concerns.

  3. Ethico-legal issues related to ovarian tissue transplantation.

    PubMed

    Voultsos, P; Raikos, N; Vasileiadis, N; Spiliopoulou, Ch; Tarlatzis, B

    2016-07-04

    Ovarian tissue transplantation (OTT) is a promising experimental method which may soon become well-established. In cases of minor oncology, where patients' fertility is seriously threatened by treatment, it may be applied as a unique fertility preservation option. OTT has a dual nature ('organ' and 'gamete'). Many stakeholders are involved, including donor, recipient, child, health-care providers and society at large. There is considerable uncertainty about the long-term consequences of the application of OTT and OT cryopreservation (OTC). Thus, application of OTT gives rise to a number of very different ethico-legal issues and dilemmas which are hard to solve coherently through a principlism-based bioethical approach. This study focuses on such dilemmas and attempts to review them. The role of virtue ethics, which may be combined with principlism, is essential to solve such dilemmas coherently and reasonably. Dealing with conflicts of ethical principles equivalent between them, or moral dilemmas without available answers and mind-sharing in a difficult interpersonal process of decision making, requires a virtue-based ethical approach. Besides, ethico-legal issues related to OTC/OTT are complex issues requiring a multidisciplinary approach (ethical considerations, medical, psychological and social evaluations etc.). We stress the crucial role of multidisciplinary Ethics Committee which is considered indispensable for each reproductive health-care unit practicing OTC/OTT. © The Author(s) 2016.

  4. Coming out of the Dark: Content Analysis of Articles Pertaining to Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Issues in Couple and Family Therapy Journals

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hartwell, Erica E.; Serovich, Julianne M.; Grafsky, Erika L.; Kerr, Zachary Y.

    2012-01-01

    The present study seeks to extend previous research regarding literature related to gay, lesbian, and bisexual (GLB) issues published in couple and family therapy (CFT)-related journals by presenting the results from a content analysis of GLB studies in CFT-related journals from 1996 to 2010. Results of the analysis revealed a 238.8% increase in…

  5. SPECIAL ISSUE OF ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT FOR PARTICULATE MATTER SUPERSITES PROGRAM AND RELATED STUDIES

    EPA Science Inventory

    This special issue of Atmospheric Environment provides a selection of papers that were presented at the 2005 AAAR PM Supersites Program and Related Studies International Specialty Conference held in Atlanta, GA, 7-11 February 2005. Topics of papers in this issue range from the e...

  6. An online forum as a qualitative research method: practical issues.

    PubMed

    Im, Eun-Ok; Chee, Wonshik

    2006-01-01

    Despite the positive aspects of online forums as a qualitative research method, very little is known on the practical issues involved in using online forums for data collection, especially for a qualitative research project. The aim of this study was to describe the practical issues encountered in implementing an online forum as a qualitative component of a larger study on cancer pain experience. Throughout the study process, the research staff recorded issues ranging from minor technical problems to serious ethical dilemmas as they arose and wrote memos about them. The memos and written records of the discussions were reviewed and analyzed using content analysis. Two practical issues related to credibility were identified: (a) a high response and retention rate and (b) automatic transcripts. An issue related to dependability was the participants' forgetfulness. The issues related to confirmability were difficulties in theoretical saturation and unstandardized computer and Internet jargon. A security issue related to hacking attempts was noted as well. The analysis of these issues suggests several implications for future researchers who want to use online forums as a qualitative data collection method.

  7. 32 CFR 536.35 - Unique issues related to environmental claims.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 32 National Defense 3 2011-07-01 2009-07-01 true Unique issues related to environmental claims. 536.35 Section 536.35 National Defense Department of Defense (Continued) DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY CLAIMS... geographical jurisdiction over the claim and USARCS. Claims for personal injury from contamination frequently...

  8. 32 CFR 536.35 - Unique issues related to environmental claims.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 32 National Defense 3 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Unique issues related to environmental claims. 536.35 Section 536.35 National Defense Department of Defense (Continued) DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY CLAIMS... geographical jurisdiction over the claim and USARCS. Claims for personal injury from contamination frequently...

  9. Statistical issues in the design, conduct and analysis of two large safety studies.

    PubMed

    Gaffney, Michael

    2016-10-01

    The emergence, post approval, of serious medical events, which may be associated with the use of a particular drug or class of drugs, is an important public health and regulatory issue. The best method to address this issue is through a large, rigorously designed safety study. Therefore, it is important to elucidate the statistical issues involved in these large safety studies. Two such studies are PRECISION and EAGLES. PRECISION is the primary focus of this article. PRECISION is a non-inferiority design with a clinically relevant non-inferiority margin. Statistical issues in the design, conduct and analysis of PRECISION are discussed. Quantitative and clinical aspects of the selection of the composite primary endpoint, the determination and role of the non-inferiority margin in a large safety study and the intent-to-treat and modified intent-to-treat analyses in a non-inferiority safety study are shown. Protocol changes that were necessary during the conduct of PRECISION are discussed from a statistical perspective. Issues regarding the complex analysis and interpretation of the results of PRECISION are outlined. EAGLES is presented as a large, rigorously designed safety study when a non-inferiority margin was not able to be determined by a strong clinical/scientific method. In general, when a non-inferiority margin is not able to be determined, the width of the 95% confidence interval is a way to size the study and to assess the cost-benefit of relative trial size. A non-inferiority margin, when able to be determined by a strong scientific method, should be included in a large safety study. Although these studies could not be called "pragmatic," they are examples of best real-world designs to address safety and regulatory concerns. © The Author(s) 2016.

  10. A Review of Issues Related to Data Acquisition and Analysis in EEG/MEG Studies.

    PubMed

    Puce, Aina; Hämäläinen, Matti S

    2017-05-31

    Electroencephalography (EEG) and magnetoencephalography (MEG) are non-invasive electrophysiological methods, which record electric potentials and magnetic fields due to electric currents in synchronously-active neurons. With MEG being more sensitive to neural activity from tangential currents and EEG being able to detect both radial and tangential sources, the two methods are complementary. Over the years, neurophysiological studies have changed considerably: high-density recordings are becoming de rigueur; there is interest in both spontaneous and evoked activity; and sophisticated artifact detection and removal methods are available. Improved head models for source estimation have also increased the precision of the current estimates, particularly for EEG and combined EEG/MEG. Because of their complementarity, more investigators are beginning to perform simultaneous EEG/MEG studies to gain more complete information about neural activity. Given the increase in methodological complexity in EEG/MEG, it is important to gather data that are of high quality and that are as artifact free as possible. Here, we discuss some issues in data acquisition and analysis of EEG and MEG data. Practical considerations for different types of EEG and MEG studies are also discussed.

  11. A Review of Issues Related to Data Acquisition and Analysis in EEG/MEG Studies

    PubMed Central

    Puce, Aina; Hämäläinen, Matti S.

    2017-01-01

    Electroencephalography (EEG) and magnetoencephalography (MEG) are non-invasive electrophysiological methods, which record electric potentials and magnetic fields due to electric currents in synchronously-active neurons. With MEG being more sensitive to neural activity from tangential currents and EEG being able to detect both radial and tangential sources, the two methods are complementary. Over the years, neurophysiological studies have changed considerably: high-density recordings are becoming de rigueur; there is interest in both spontaneous and evoked activity; and sophisticated artifact detection and removal methods are available. Improved head models for source estimation have also increased the precision of the current estimates, particularly for EEG and combined EEG/MEG. Because of their complementarity, more investigators are beginning to perform simultaneous EEG/MEG studies to gain more complete information about neural activity. Given the increase in methodological complexity in EEG/MEG, it is important to gather data that are of high quality and that are as artifact free as possible. Here, we discuss some issues in data acquisition and analysis of EEG and MEG data. Practical considerations for different types of EEG and MEG studies are also discussed. PMID:28561761

  12. Introduction to the Special Issue: New and Interdisciplinary Approaches to Linguistic Relativity

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Athanasopoulos, Panos; Bylund, Emanuel; Casasanto, Daniel

    2016-01-01

    This Special Issue of "Language Learning" presents an interdisciplinary state-of-the-art overview of current approaches to linguistic relativity. It contains empirical and theoretical studies and reflections on linguistic relativity from a variety of perspectives, such as associative learning, conceptual transfer, multilingual awareness,…

  13. Issues Related to Equipment and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nettles, Mary Frances

    A multi-year project was initiated to examine production equipment issues related to implementation of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA). The purposes of the research project were to determine foodservice directors' opinions regarding use and appropriateness of equipment in school foodservice, to identify the number and variety of menu…

  14. Challenging issues of urban biodiversity related to ecohydrology.

    PubMed

    Mendiondo, E M

    2008-11-01

    This paper aims to outline challenging issues of urban biodiversity in order to address yardsticks related to ecohydrology, and with a complementary approach to eutrophication impacts. The vision of environmental services, urbanization's consequences and management aspects of water governance are also depicted. Factors of river restoration, environmental tradeoffs and socio-cultural constrains are envisaged through concept questions towards emerging aspects that figure out methodological guides, strategic challenges for stakeholders and inter-disciplinary opportunities. Examples from case studies on restoration and management, from experiences and lessons learned, are enclosed, with brief discussions and literature citation.

  15. Issues related to the use of genetic material and information.

    PubMed

    Giarelli, E; Jacobs, L A

    2000-04-01

    To review issues regarding the use of genetic materials and information. Professional literature, regional and federal legislation. An analysis is provided of the relationship among advances in genetic technology, use of genetic material and information, and the development of laws that protect the interests of donors, researchers, and insurers. Rapid technological achievements have generated complex questions that are difficult to answer. The Human Genome Project began and the scientific discoveries were put to use before adequate professional and public debate on the ethical, legal, social, and clinical issues. The term "proper use" of genetic material and information is not defined consistently. An incomplete patchwork of protective state and federal legislation exists. Many complicated issues surround the use and potential misuse of genetic material and information. Rapidly advancing technology in genetics makes it difficult for regulations that protect individuals and families to keep pace. Oncology nurses need to recognize their role as change agents, understand genetic technology, and advocate for patients by participating in the debate on the proper use and prevention of misuse of genetic material and information.

  16. Why Map Issues? On Controversy Analysis as a Digital Method

    PubMed Central

    2015-01-01

    This article takes stock of recent efforts to implement controversy analysis as a digital method in the study of science, technology, and society (STS) and beyond and outlines a distinctive approach to address the problem of digital bias. Digital media technologies exert significant influence on the enactment of controversy in online settings, and this risks undermining the substantive focus of controversy analysis conducted by digital means. To address this problem, I propose a shift in thematic focus from controversy analysis to issue mapping. The article begins by distinguishing between three broad frameworks that currently guide the development of controversy analysis as a digital method, namely, demarcationist, discursive, and empiricist. Each has been adopted in STS, but only the last one offers a digital “move beyond impartiality.” I demonstrate this approach by analyzing issues of Internet governance with the aid of the social media platform Twitter. PMID:26336325

  17. An Online Forum As a Qualitative Research Method: Practical Issues

    PubMed Central

    Im, Eun-Ok; Chee, Wonshik

    2008-01-01

    Background Despite positive aspects of online forums as a qualitative research method, very little is known about practical issues involved in using online forums for data collection, especially for a qualitative research project. Objectives The purpose of this paper is to describe the practical issues that the researchers encountered in implementing an online forum as a qualitative component of a larger study on cancer pain experience. Method Throughout the study process, the research staff recorded issues ranged from minor technical problems to serious ethical dilemmas as they arose and wrote memos about them. The memos and written records of discussions were reviewed and analyzed using the content analysis suggested by Weber. Results Two practical issues related to credibility were identified: a high response and retention rate and automatic transcripts. An issue related to dependability was the participants’ easy forgetfulness. The issues related to confirmability were difficulties in theoretical saturation and unstandardized computer and Internet jargon. A security issue related to hacking attempts was noted as well. Discussion The analysis of these issues suggests several implications for future researchers who want to use online forums as a qualitative data collection method. PMID:16849979

  18. A critical review of gender issues in understanding prolonged disability related to musculoskeletal pain: how are they relevant to rehabilitation?

    PubMed

    Côté, Daniel; Coutu, Marie-France

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this critical review is to describe the available theoretical models for understanding the gender issues in prolonged work disability related to persistent musculoskeletal (MSK) pain. A critical literature review was conducted in medicine, health sciences, and social sciences databases (MEDLINE, CINHAL, PsychINFO and SOCINDEX) using specific keywords. After screening titles and abstracts, followed by methodological quality assessment, a total of 55 references were retained for content analysis. Gender issues in disability related to persistent MSK pain show that men and women may experience pain and rehabilitation process in different ways. Three main themes were exftracted and further described: (1) the experience of distrust; (2) the self-identity process; and (3) the domestic strain. Each of these themes has a specific and potentially different impact on men and women, and we report that experiential differences may strongly impact the rehabilitation process and outcomes such as return to work. This critical review provides insight into gender issues in the process of rehabilitation and outcomes such as return to work. We suggest that work and family considerations are the two most important issues in the rehabilitation process and that differences between men and women are likely to occur.

  19. An exploration of issues relating to feminism and nurse education.

    PubMed

    Millar, B; Biley, F C

    1992-08-01

    This paper explores the issue of feminism in relation to nursing and nurse education. As a result of this exploration, the authors suggest there is a need for a move away from traditional patriarchal approaches to nurse education, towards an educational programme based on empowerment principles that maximises the potential of feminine patterns of thinking.

  20. France: Factors Shaping Foreign Policy, and Issues in U.S.-French Relations

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-05-20

    TYPE 3. DATES COVERED 00-00-2009 to 00-00-2009 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE France : Factors Shaping Foreign Policy, and Issues in U.S.- French ...Z39-18 France : Factors Shaping Foreign Policy, and Issues in U.S.- French Relations Congressional Research Service Summary The factors that shape... French foreign policy have changed since the end of the Cold War. The perspectives of France and the United States have diverged in some cases. More

  1. Information Retrieval System Design Issues in a Microcomputer-Based Relational DBMS Environment.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wolfram, Dietmar

    1992-01-01

    Outlines the file structure requirements for a microcomputer-based information retrieval system using FoxPro, a relational database management system (DBMS). Issues relating to the design and implementation of such systems are discussed, and two possible designs are examined in terms of space economy and practicality of implementation. (15…

  2. Teacher's Corner: Examining Identification Issues in Factor Analysis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hayashi, Kentaro; Marcoulides, George A.

    2006-01-01

    One hundred years have passed since the birth of factor analysis, during which time there have been some major developments and extensions to the methodology. Unfortunately, one issue where the widespread accumulation of knowledge has been rather slow concerns identification. This article provides a didactic discussion of the topic in an attempt…

  3. Gender Issues in Psychology: A Content Analysis of Introductory Psychology Textbooks.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Connor-Greene, Patti; And Others

    This paper assesses the attention given to gender issues in 17 psychology textbooks published between 1985 and 1987 and used in college undergraduate introductory courses. The methodology used was the analysis of content and research citations. Specific issues that were examined included: (1) the explanation of the distinction between gender and…

  4. Implementation, driver behavior, and simulation : issues related to roundabouts in northern New England.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2014-06-01

    Roundabouts are an emerging type of intersection design and a relatively new addition to the : transportation system in the United States. This imposes two traffic engineering and research : related issues. First, data and research on traffic operati...

  5. Are Australians concerned about nanoparticles? A comparative analysis with established and emerging environmental health issues.

    PubMed

    Capon, Adam; Rolfe, Margaret; Gillespie, James; Smith, Wayne

    2015-02-01

    Introducing new technologies into society raises considerable public concern. We determine the public concern about nanoparticles, and compare this concern to other environmental health issues such as wind farms and coal seam gas production. A repeat cross sectional survey examining views on environmental health issues, risk, chemicals and trust was undertaken in more than 1,300 Australian residents in 2000 and 2013. Logistic regression and principal component analysis was used to investigate predictors of nanoparticle concern and identify a component structure for environmental health issues that could explain a trend of future nanoparticle concern. Australians have a relatively low level of concern about the risks of nanoparticles to health when compared to their concerns about other environmental health issues. Items associated with concern included gender, a general wish to avoid chemicals and possibly trust in politicians. Concern over nanoparticles clustered with similar views on technological risks. Current public concern over the risks of nanoparticles is low. However, a reframing of the issue towards 'chemicals' is likely to have a negative effect on risk perceptions. This paper raises questions about appropriate channels for the effective communication of risk. © 2015 Public Health Association of Australia.

  6. Determining Trends and Issues in Educational Technology through Content Analysis.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ely, Donald P.; And Others

    A content analysis was performed to determine the trends and issues in educational technology for the period from October 1, 1987 through September 30, 1988. Sources for the analysis included five leading professional journals in educational technology, papers given at annual conventions of three professional associations, dissertations from five…

  7. Issues in Transnational Financial Reporting: A Linguistic Analysis.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Archer, Simon; McLeay, Stuart

    1991-01-01

    Two issues related to transnational financial reporting are examined: (1) the extent to which the professional registers of accounting and finance in different countries exhibit semantic equivalence, and (2) strategies of communications that are adopted in transnational reporting when straightforward mappings cannot be performed. (14 references)…

  8. Gender Issues Related to Graduate Student Attrition in Two Science Departments.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ferreira, Maria M.

    2003-01-01

    Explores gender issues that contributed to the differential attrition rate of men and women graduate students in two science departments (biology and chemistry) at a large research university. Analysis indicated a significantly larger student attrition rate in chemistry than in biology. In each department the attrition rate for women was…

  9. Current research issues related to post-wildfire runoff and erosion processes

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Moody, John A.; Shakesby, Richard A.; Robichaud, Peter R.; Cannon, Susan H.; Martin, Deborah A.

    2013-01-01

    Research into post-wildfire effects began in the United States more than 70 years ago and only later extended to other parts of the world. Post-wildfire responses are typically transient, episodic, variable in space and time, dependent on thresholds, and involve multiple processes measured by different methods. These characteristics tend to hinder research progress, but the large empirical knowledge base amassed in different regions of the world suggests that it should now be possible to synthesize the data and make a substantial improvement in the understanding of post-wildfire runoff and erosion response. Thus, it is important to identify and prioritize the research issues related to post-wildfire runoff and erosion. Priority research issues are the need to: (1) organize and synthesize similarities and differences in post-wildfire responses between different fire-prone regions of the world in order to determine common patterns and generalities that can explain cause and effect relations; (2) identify and quantify functional relations between metrics of fire effects and soil hydraulic properties that will better represent the dynamic and transient conditions after a wildfire; (3) determine the interaction between burned landscapes and temporally and spatially variable meso-scale precipitation, which is often the primary driver of post-wildfire runoff and erosion responses; (4) determine functional relations between precipitation, basin morphology, runoff connectivity, contributing area, surface roughness, depression storage, and soil characteristics required to predict the timing, magnitudes, and duration of floods and debris flows from ungaged burned basins; and (5) develop standard measurement methods that will ensure the collection of uniform and comparable runoff and erosion data. Resolution of these issues will help to improve conceptual and computer models of post-wildfire runoff and erosion processes.

  10. tDCS for Memory Enhancement: Analysis of the Speculative Aspects of Ethical Issues

    PubMed Central

    Voarino, Nathalie; Dubljević, Veljko; Racine, Eric

    2017-01-01

    Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a promising technology to enhance cognitive and physical performance. One of the major areas of interest is the enhancement of memory function in healthy individuals. The early arrival of tDCS on the market for lifestyle uses and cognitive enhancement purposes lead to the voicing of some important ethical concerns, especially because, to date, there are no official guidelines or evaluation procedures to tackle these issues. The aim of this article is to review ethical issues related to uses of tDCS for memory enhancement found in the ethics and neuroscience literature and to evaluate how realistic and scientifically well-founded these concerns are? In order to evaluate how plausible or speculative each issue is, we applied the methodological framework described by Racine et al. (2014) for “informed and reflective” speculation in bioethics. This framework could be succinctly presented as requiring: (1) the explicit acknowledgment of factual assumptions and identification of the value attributed to them; (2) the validation of these assumptions with interdisciplinary literature; and (3) the adoption of a broad perspective to support more comprehensive reflection on normative issues. We identified four major considerations associated with the development of tDCS for memory enhancement: safety, autonomy, justice and authenticity. In order to assess the seriousness and likelihood of harm related to each of these concerns, we analyzed the assumptions underlying the ethical issues, and the level of evidence for each of them. We identified seven distinct assumptions: prevalence, social acceptance, efficacy, ideological stance (bioconservative vs. libertarian), potential for misuse, long term side effects, and the delivery of complete and clear information. We conclude that ethical discussion about memory enhancement via tDCS sometimes involves undue speculation, and closer attention to scientific and social facts would

  11. tDCS for Memory Enhancement: Analysis of the Speculative Aspects of Ethical Issues.

    PubMed

    Voarino, Nathalie; Dubljević, Veljko; Racine, Eric

    2016-01-01

    Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a promising technology to enhance cognitive and physical performance. One of the major areas of interest is the enhancement of memory function in healthy individuals. The early arrival of tDCS on the market for lifestyle uses and cognitive enhancement purposes lead to the voicing of some important ethical concerns, especially because, to date, there are no official guidelines or evaluation procedures to tackle these issues. The aim of this article is to review ethical issues related to uses of tDCS for memory enhancement found in the ethics and neuroscience literature and to evaluate how realistic and scientifically well-founded these concerns are? In order to evaluate how plausible or speculative each issue is, we applied the methodological framework described by Racine et al. (2014) for "informed and reflective" speculation in bioethics. This framework could be succinctly presented as requiring: (1) the explicit acknowledgment of factual assumptions and identification of the value attributed to them; (2) the validation of these assumptions with interdisciplinary literature; and (3) the adoption of a broad perspective to support more comprehensive reflection on normative issues. We identified four major considerations associated with the development of tDCS for memory enhancement: safety, autonomy, justice and authenticity. In order to assess the seriousness and likelihood of harm related to each of these concerns, we analyzed the assumptions underlying the ethical issues, and the level of evidence for each of them. We identified seven distinct assumptions: prevalence, social acceptance, efficacy, ideological stance (bioconservative vs. libertarian), potential for misuse, long term side effects, and the delivery of complete and clear information. We conclude that ethical discussion about memory enhancement via tDCS sometimes involves undue speculation, and closer attention to scientific and social facts would bring

  12. University Intervention into Community Issues as Dialogic Public Relations: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Byrne, Jamie M.

    2007-01-01

    This paper examines a study of the wastewater collection and treatment issues of Little Rock and North Little Rock, Arkansas by University of Arkansas at Little Rock personnel and how it constitutes dialogic public relations. The paper defines dialogic public relations using Kent and Taylor's work and then uses their criteria to describe how this…

  13. Current Issues in the Neurology and Genetics of Learning-Related Traits and Disorders: Introduction to the Special Issue.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gilger, Jeffrey W.

    2001-01-01

    This introductory article briefly describes each of the following eight articles in this special issue on the neurology and genetics of learning related disorders. It notes the greater appreciation of learning disability as a set of complex disorders with broad and intricate neurological bases and of the large individual differences in how these…

  14. An Analysis of Methods Used to Examine Gender Differences in Computer-Related Behavior.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kay, Robin

    1992-01-01

    Review of research investigating gender differences in computer-related behavior examines statistical and methodological flaws. Issues addressed include sample selection, sample size, scale development, scale quality, the use of univariate and multivariate analyses, regressional analysis, construct definition, construct testing, and the…

  15. Allostatic Load: Single Parents, Stress-Related Health Issues, and Social Care

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Johner, Randy L.

    2007-01-01

    This article explores the possible relationships between allostatic load (AL) and stress-related health issues in the low-income single-parent population, using both a population health perspective (PHP) and a biological framework. A PHP identifies associations among such factors as gender, income, employment, and social support and their…

  16. The Asilomar Survey: Stakeholders' Opinions on Ethical Issues Related to Brain-Computer Interfacing.

    PubMed

    Nijboer, Femke; Clausen, Jens; Allison, Brendan Z; Haselager, Pim

    2013-01-01

    Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) research and (future) applications raise important ethical issues that need to be addressed to promote societal acceptance and adequate policies. Here we report on a survey we conducted among 145 BCI researchers at the 4 th International BCI conference, which took place in May-June 2010 in Asilomar, California. We assessed respondents' opinions about a number of topics. First, we investigated preferences for terminology and definitions relating to BCIs. Second, we assessed respondents' expectations on the marketability of different BCI applications (BCIs for healthy people, BCIs for assistive technology, BCIs-controlled neuroprostheses and BCIs as therapy tools). Third, we investigated opinions about ethical issues related to BCI research for the development of assistive technology: informed consent process with locked-in patients, risk-benefit analyses, team responsibility, consequences of BCI on patients' and families' lives, liability and personal identity and interaction with the media. Finally, we asked respondents which issues are urgent in BCI research.

  17. A Categorical Content Analysis of Highly Cited Literature Related to Trends and Issues in Special Education.

    PubMed

    Arden, Sarah V; Pentimonti, Jill M; Cooray, Rochana; Jackson, Stephanie

    2017-07-01

    This investigation employs categorical content analysis processes as a mechanism to examine trends and issues in a sampling of highly cited (100+) literature in special education journals. The authors had two goals: (a) broadly identifying trends across publication type, content area, and methodology and (b) specifically identifying articles with disaggregated outcomes for students with learning disabilities (LD). Content analyses were conducted across highly cited (100+) articles published during a 20-year period (1992-2013) in a sample ( n = 3) of journals focused primarily on LD, and in one broad, cross-categorical journal recognized for its impact in the field. Results indicated trends in the article type (i.e., commentary and position papers), content (i.e., reading and behavior), and methodology (i.e., small proportions of experimental and quasi-experimental designs). Results also revealed stability in the proportion of intervention research studies when compared to previous analyses and a decline in the proportion of those that disaggregated data specifically for students with LD.

  18. Islamic Religious Leaders in Israel as Social Agents for Change on Health-Related Issues.

    PubMed

    Cohen-Dar, Michal; Obeid, Samira

    2017-12-01

    Islamic religious leaders (IRLs) have the potential to influence health education, health promotion, and positive health outcomes among their own communities. This study aims to examine the role and effectiveness of Arab Muslim religious leaders, in Israel, as social agents for change on health-related issues, focusing on reduction in infant mortality, prematurity, and congenital malformations attributed to consanguineous marriage. A self-administrated questionnaire was distributed to 127 IRLs, in 2012, to gain insights into practice, attitudes, and perceptions of IRLs toward their role as social agents for change on health-related issues. The results indicate that two-thirds (58%) of the surveyed IRLs have provided frequent advice on issues related to preventing infant mortality, congenital malformation, and prematurity over the past two years. Most IRLs indicated that they have keen interest in their communities' health matters (97%) and regard dealing with them as part of their job (85%). The study identified three enabling factors that had significant influence on the IRLs' attitude. These influences are: awareness and knowledge of the health issues, the perception that these issues and their impact on the community are part of their responsibility, and the empowerment they felt through the participation in the Ministry of Health (Northern Region Health Office) educational seminar series, in the year 2000. The main conclusion from this study indicates that IRLs are effective social agents for change and that the educational interventions can be a useful and effective strategy to encourage IRLs to cooperate with health providers and promote public health among their own communities.

  19. Review of the institutional issues relating to road weather information systems (RWIS)

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1998-08-01

    This project, funded by the Aurora Program, aimed to identify and document institutional issues relating to the implementation and development of Road Weather Information Systems (RWIS). For the purposes of this study, RWIS can be briefly defined as ...

  20. Leveraging People-Related Maturity Issues for Achieving Higher Maturity and Capability Levels

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Buglione, Luigi

    During the past 20 years Maturity Models (MM) become a buzzword in the ICT world. Since the initial Crosby's idea in 1979, plenty of models have been created in the Software & Systems Engineering domains, addressing various perspectives. By analyzing the content of the Process Reference Models (PRM) in many of them, it can be noticed that people-related issues have little weight in the appraisals of the capabilities of organizations while in practice they are considered as significant contributors in traditional process and organizational performance appraisals, as stressed instead in well-known Performance Management models such as MBQA, EFQM and BSC. This paper proposes some ways for leveraging people-related maturity issues merging HR practices from several types of maturity models into the organizational Business Process Model (BPM) in order to achieve higher organizational maturity and capability levels.

  1. Scientific Productivity on Research in Ethical Issues over the Past Half Century: A JoinPoint Regression Analysis.

    PubMed

    Long, Nguyen Phuoc; Huy, Nguyen Tien; Trang, Nguyen Thi Huyen; Luan, Nguyen Thien; Anh, Nguyen Hoang; Nghi, Tran Diem; Hieu, Mai Van; Hirayama, Kenji; Karbwang, Juntra

    2014-09-01

    Ethics is one of the main pillars in the development of science. We performed a JoinPoint regression analysis to analyze the trends of ethical issue research over the past half century. The question is whether ethical issues are neglected despite their importance in modern research. PubMed electronic library was used to retrieve publications of all fields and ethical issues. JoinPoint regression analysis was used to identify the significant time trends of publications of all fields and ethical issues, as well as the proportion of publications on ethical issues to all fields over the past half century. Annual percent changes (APC) were computed with their 95% confidence intervals, and a p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. We found that publications of ethical issues increased during the period of 1965-1996 but slightly fell in recent years (from 1996 to 2013). When comparing the absolute number of ethics related articles (APEI) to all publications of all fields (APAF) on PubMed, the results showed that the proportion of APEI to APAF statistically increased during the periods of 1965-1974, 1974-1986, and 1986-1993, with APCs of 11.0, 2.1, and 8.8, respectively. However, the trend has gradually dropped since 1993 and shown a marked decrease from 2002 to 2013 with an annual percent change of -7.4%. Scientific productivity in ethical issues research on over the past half century rapidly increased during the first 30-year period but has recently been in decline. Since ethics is an important aspect of scientific research, we suggest that greater attention is needed in order to emphasize the role of ethics in modern research.

  2. Emerging and recurrent issues in drug development.

    PubMed

    Anello, C

    This paper reviews several emerging and recurrent issues relating to the drug development process. These emerging issues include changes to the FDA regulatory environment, internationalization of drug development, advances in computer technology and visualization tools, and efforts to incorporate meta-analysis methodology. Recurrent issues include: renewed interest in statistical methods for handling subgroups in the design and analysis of clinical trials; renewed interest in alternatives to the 'intention-to-treat' analysis in the presence of non-compliance in randomized clinical trials; renewed interest in methodology to address the multiplicities resulting from a variety of sources inherent in the drug development process, and renewed interest in methods to assure data integrity. These emerging and recurrent issues provide a continuing challenge to the international community of statisticians involved in drug development. Moreover, the involvement of statisticians with different perspectives continues to enrich the field and contributes to improvement in the public health.

  3. Finding online health-related information: usability issues of health portals.

    PubMed

    Gurel Koybasi, Nergis A; Cagiltay, Kursat

    2012-01-01

    As Internet and computers become widespread, health portals offering online health-related information become more popular. The most important point for health portals is presenting reliable and valid information. Besides, portal needs to be usable to be able to serve information to users effectively. This study aims to determine usability issues emerging when health-related information is searched on a health portal. User-based usability tests are conducted and eye movement analyses are used in addition to traditional performance measures. Results revealed that users prefer systematic, simple and consistent designs offering interactive tools. Moreover, content and partitions needs to be shaped according to the medical knowledge of target users.

  4. Issue a Boil-Water Advisory or Wait for Definitive Information? A Decision Analysis

    PubMed Central

    Wagner, Michael M.; Wallstrom, Garrick L.; Onisko, Agnieszka

    2005-01-01

    Objective Study the decision to issue a boil-water advisory in response to a spike in sales of diarrhea remedies or wait 72 hours for the results of definitive testing of water and people. Methods Decision analysis. Results In the base-case analysis, the optimal decision is test-and-wait. If the cost of issuing a boil-water advisory is less than 13.92 cents per person per day, the optimal decision is to issue the boil-water advisory immediately. Conclusions Decisions based on surveillance data that are suggestive but not conclusive about the existence of a disease outbreak can be modeled. PMID:16779145

  5. Preface--Environmental issues related to oil and gas exploration and production

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Kharaka, Yousif K.; Otton, James K.

    2007-01-01

    Energy is the essential commodity that powers the expanding global economy. Starting in the 1950s, oil and natural gas became the main sources of primary energy for the rapidly increasing world population (Edwards, 1997). In 2003, petroleum was the source for 62.1% of global energy, and projections by energy information administration (EIA) indicate that oil and gas will continue their dominance, supplying 59.5% of global energy in 2030 (EIA, 2007). Unfortunately petroleum and coal consumption carry major detrimental environmental impacts that may be regional or global in scale, including air pollution, global climate change and oil spills. This special volume of Applied Geochemistry, devoted to “Environmental Issues Related to Oil and Gas Exploration and Production”, does not address these major impacts directly because air pollution and global climate change are issues related primarily to the burning of petroleum and coal, and major oil spills generally occur during ocean transport, such as the Exxon Valdez 1989 spill of 42,000 m3 (260,000 bbl) oil into Prince William Sound, Alaska.

  6. Patients' Perspectives on Information and Communication About Sexual and Relational Issues in Rheumatology Health Care.

    PubMed

    Helland, Ylva; Dagfinrud, Hanne; Haugen, Mona-Iren; Kjeken, Ingvild; Zangi, Heidi

    2017-06-01

    Men and women with rheumatic diseases report a significantly negative impact on multiple areas of life, including sexuality. Research indicates that patients want to discuss sexual issues with health professionals (HPs) in rheumatology care but these issues are rarely addressed in consultations. The objective of the present study was to explore patients' experiences of communication with HPs about disease-related sexual issues, their perceptions of the relevance of these issues in rheumatology care and their preferences for how these topics should be handled. A qualitative design was used and 18 semi-structured interviews were performed, including eight women and ten men with inflammatory rheumatic joint diseases, aged 29-62 years. The interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data were analysed thematically. Four main themes were derived from the interviews: (i) relevance of sexual issues; (ii) vital conditions for communication; (iii) individual preferences in mode and timing of information and communication; and (iv) benefits of information and communication. The participants expressed that, although sexual issues are relevant, necessary conditions for good communication are largely lacking. HPs' knowledge, experience and personal skills, as well as having sufficient time were essential. HPs lack of initiating sexual topics contributed to uncertainty about whether their sexual challenges were disease related and whether it was a legitimate topic to discuss in rheumatology care. Patients wanted HPs to possess knowledge about possible disease-related challenges in sexual life and intimate relationships, and to facilitate communication about these aspects. There is a need to develop practice guidelines to enable HPs to integrate sexual issues as an aspect of healthcare delivery in a patient-friendly manner. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  7. Relation between newspaper coverage of tobacco issues and smoking attitudes and behaviour among American teens.

    PubMed

    Smith, K Clegg; Wakefield, M A; Terry-McElrath, Y; Chaloupka, F J; Flay, B; Johnston, L; Saba, A; Siebel, C

    2008-02-01

    Geographic variation in youth smoking prevalence suggests that community-level factors influence risk of tobacco use. We examine the extent to which newspaper coverage of tobacco issues is related to youth smoking attitudes and behaviours. We conducted a content analysis of 8390 newspaper articles on tobacco issues from 386 daily newspapers circulating at 5% or more in 2001-3 Monitoring the Future (MTF) survey communities. This resulted in the creation of community level measures of news volume, content and valence. Associations between news and youth outcomes were assessed using logistic regression analyses adjusting for individual, geographic and tobacco policy factors linked to youth smoking and attitudes. 98,747 youth participating in the nationally representative school-based MTF annual surveys between 2001 and 2003. Perceived harm of smoking, perceived peer smoking, disapproval of smoking, smoking within the past 30 days, daily cigarette consumption. In the five months preceding survey administration, newspapers in MTF communities published an average of 11.9 tobacco related articles (range 0-55.7). Each 10-article increase in newspaper volume over the five-month period was associated with increased odds of perceiving great harm from smoking (OR = 1.04, p<0.01) and disapproving of smoking (OR = 1.04, p<0.05) and decreased odds of perceiving most or all friends smoke (0.94, p<0.01) and smoking in the past 30 days (OR = 0.93, p<0.001). No consistent association was found between the content or valence of coverage and youth smoking outcomes. Gaining and keeping tobacco on the media agenda is an important tool for tackling youth smoking. As volume appears to be the driving factor, media advocacy may be best targeted towards generating events and highlighting issues likely to increase and sustain news attention.

  8. Pain-related psychological issues in hand therapy.

    PubMed

    Hamasaki, Tokiko; Pelletier, René; Bourbonnais, Daniel; Harris, Patrick; Choinière, Manon

    Literature review. Pain is a subjective experience that results from the modulation of nociception conveyed to the brain via the nervous system. Perception of pain takes place when potential or actual noxious stimuli are appraised as threats of injury. This appraisal is influenced by one's cognitions and emotions based on her/his pain-related experiences, which are processed in the forebrain and limbic areas of the brain. Unarguably, patients' psychological factors such as cognitions (eg, pain catastrophizing), emotions (eg, depression), and pain-related behaviors (eg, avoidance) can influence perceived pain intensity, disability, and treatment outcomes. Therefore, hand therapists should address the patient pain experience using a biopsychosocial approach. However, in hand therapy, a biomedical perspective predominates in pain management by focusing solely on tissue healing. This review aims to raise awareness among hand therapists of the impact of pain-related psychological factors. This literature review allowed to describe (1) how the neurophysiological mechanisms of pain can be influenced by various psychological factors, (2) several evidence-based interventions that can be integrated into hand therapy to address these psychological issues, and (3) some approaches of psychotherapy for patients with maladaptive pain experiences. Restoration of sensory and motor functions as well as alleviating pain is at the core of hand therapy. Numerous psychological factors including patients' beliefs, cognitions, and emotions alter their pain experience and may impact on their outcomes. Decoding the biopsychosocial components of the patients' pain is thus essential for hand therapists. Copyright © 2018 Hanley & Belfus. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Health-equity issues related to childhood obesity: a scoping review.

    PubMed

    Vargas, Clemencia M; Stines, Elsie M; Granado, Herta S

    2017-06-01

    The purpose of this scoping review was to determine the health-equity issues that relate to childhood obesity. Health-equity issues related to childhood obesity were identified by analyzing food environment, natural and built environment, and social environment. The authors searched Medline, PubMed, and Web of Science, using the keywords "children" and "obesity." Specific terms for each environment were added: "food desert," "advertising," "insecurity," "price," "processing," "trade," and "school" for food environment; "urban design," "land use," "transportation mode," "public facilities," and "market access" for natural and built environment; and "financial capacity/poverty," "living conditions," "transport access," "remoteness," "social support," "social cohesion," "working practices," "eating habits," "time," and "social norms" for social environment. Inclusion criteria were studies or reports with populations under age 12, conducted in the United States, and published in English in 2005 or later. The final search yielded 39 references (16 for food environment, 11 for built environment, and 12 for social environment). Most food-environment elements were associated with obesity, except food insecurity and food deserts. A natural and built environment that hinders access to physical activity resources and access to healthy foods increased the risk of childhood obesity. Similarly, a negative social environment was associated with childhood obesity. More research is needed on the effects of food production, living conditions, time for shopping, and exercise, as related to childhood obesity. Most elements of food, natural and built, and social-environments were associated with weight in children under age 12, except food insecurity and food deserts. © 2017 American Association of Public Health Dentistry.

  10. Policy Analysis Series. Issues Related to the Welsch Consent Decree. Volumes I and II.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Minnesota State Planning Agency, St. Paul.

    This two-volume compilation of 21 papers discusses issues stemming from the Welsch versus Likins suit (1974). The suit led to the 1980 Welsch-Noot consent decree requiring the State of Minnesota to reduce the overall population of mentally retarded persons residing in state institutions by nearly one-third over 6 years. The 11 papers in Volume I…

  11. 76 FR 52731 - On-Line Complaint Form for Service-Related Issues in Air Transportation

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-08-23

    ... for Service-Related Issues in Air Transportation AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, Department of... consumer protection and civil rights laws and regulations related to air transportation. The Enforcement... travelers, and to ensure safe and adequate service in air transportation. Filing a complaint using a web...

  12. Special Issue of Selected Papers from Visualization and Data Analysis 2011

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kao, David L.; Wong, Pak Chung

    2012-01-01

    This special issue features the best papers that were selected from the 18th SPIE Conference on Visualization and Data Analysis (VDA 2011). This annual conference is a major international forum for researchers and practitioners interested in data visualization and analytics research, development, and applications. VDA 2011 received 42 high-quality submissions from around the world. Twenty-four papers were selected for full conference papers. The top five papers have been expanded and reviewed for this special issue.

  13. Adherence issues related to sublingual immunotherapy as perceived by allergists

    PubMed Central

    Scurati, Silvia; Frati, Franco; Passalacqua, Gianni; Puccinelli, Paola; Hilaire, Cecile; Incorvaia, Cristoforo

    2010-01-01

    Objectives: Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) is a viable alternative to subcutaneous immunotherapy to treat allergic rhinitis and asthma, and is widely used in clinical practice in many European countries. The clinical efficacy of SLIT has been established in a number of clinical trials and meta-analyses. However, because SLIT is self-administered by patients without medical supervision, the degree of patient adherence with treatment is still a concern. The objective of this study was to evaluate the perception by allergists of issues related to SLIT adherence. Methods: We performed a questionnaire-based survey of 296 Italian allergists, based on the adherence issues known from previous studies. The perception of importance of each item was assessed by a VAS scale ranging from 0 to 10. Results: Patient perception of clinical efficacy was considered the most important factor (ranked 1 by 54% of allergists), followed by the possibility of reimbursement (ranked 1 by 34%), and by the absence of side effects (ranked 1 by 21%). Patient education, regular follow-up, and ease of use of SLIT were ranked first by less than 20% of allergists. Conclusion: These findings indicate that clinical efficacy, cost, and side effects are perceived as the major issues influencing patient adherence to SLIT, and that further improvement of adherence is likely to be achieved by improving the patient information provided by prescribers. PMID:20622914

  14. 17 CFR 230.488 - Effective date of registration statements relating to securities to be issued in certain business...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... statements relating to securities to be issued in certain business combination transactions. 230.488 Section... REGULATIONS, SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 Investment Companies; Business Development Companies § 230.488 Effective date of registration statements relating to securities to be issued in certain business combination...

  15. How Do Learners in Developed and Developing Countries Relate to Environmental Issues?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Trumper, Ricardo

    2010-01-01

    The present study was carried out in the framework of earlier research on environmental education for sustainability, using data collected in the ROSE Project. Attention was focused mainly on students' responses to sections and items related to environmental issues, regarding their countries' degree of development. The research questions dealt…

  16. Mass media and environmental issues: a theoretical analysis

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

    Parlour, J.W.

    1980-01-01

    A critique of the weak empirical and theoretical foundations of commentaries on the mass media in the environmental literature argues that they stem from the incidental rather than fundamental concern for the social dimensions of environmental problems. The contributions of information theory, cybernetics, sociology, and political science to micro and macro theories of mass communications are reviewed. Information from empirical analyses of the mass media's portrayal of social issues, including the environment, is related to Hall's dominant ideology thesis of the mass media and the elitist-conflict model of society. It is argued that the media's portrayal of environmental issues ismore » structured by dominant power-holding groups in society with the result that the media effectively function to maintain and reinforce the status quo to the advantage of these dominant groups. 78 references.« less

  17. Jordan: U.S. Relations and Bilateral Issues

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2007-01-25

    draw a great deal of international attention. According to Sarah Leah Whitson, director of the Middle East and North Africa division at Human Rights...on a number of regional and international issues over the years. The country’s small size and lack of major economic resources have made it dependent...been linked by a formal treaty, they have cooperated on a number of regional and international issues over the years. The country’s small size and

  18. Jordan: U.S. Relations and Bilateral Issues

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2007-12-04

    international issues over the years. The country’s small size and lack of major economic resources have made it dependent on aid from Western and friendly Arab...million ( $1.0 above the request) in International Counter- Narcotics and Law Enforcement funds. The Senate’s version would provide an additional $200.0...States and Jordan have never been linked by a formal treaty, they have cooperated on a number of regional and international issues over the years. The

  19. Merging Two Futures Concepts: Issues Management and Policy Impact Analysis.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Renfro, William L.; Morrison, James L.

    1982-01-01

    Describes a workshop held during the 1982 World Future Society's Fourth General Assembly on the combined application of issues management and policy impact analysis. The workshop participants applied futures research, forecasting, goal-setting, and policy development techniques to future problems in educational policy. (AM)

  20. Can the EVIDEM Framework Tackle Issues Raised by Evaluating Treatments for Rare Diseases: Analysis of Issues and Policies, and Context-Specific Adaptation.

    PubMed

    Wagner, Monika; Khoury, Hanane; Willet, Jacob; Rindress, Donna; Goetghebeur, Mireille

    2016-03-01

    The multiplicity of issues, including uncertainty and ethical dilemmas, and policies involved in appraising interventions for rare diseases suggests that multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA) based on a holistic definition of value is uniquely suited for this purpose. The objective of this study was to analyze and further develop a comprehensive MCDA framework (EVIDEM) to address rare disease issues and policies, while maintaining its applicability across disease areas. Specific issues and policies for rare diseases were identified through literature review. Ethical and methodological foundations of the EVIDEM framework v3.0 were systematically analyzed from the perspective of these issues, and policies and modifications of the framework were performed accordingly to ensure their integration. Analysis showed that the framework integrates ethical dilemmas and issues inherent to appraising interventions for rare diseases but required further integration of specific aspects. Modification thus included the addition of subcriteria to further differentiate disease severity, disease-specific treatment outcomes, and economic consequences of interventions for rare diseases. Scoring scales were further developed to include negative scales for all comparative criteria. A methodology was established to incorporate context-specific population priorities and policies, such as those for rare diseases, into the quantitative part of the framework. This design allows making more explicit trade-offs between competing ethical positions of fairness (prioritization of those who are worst off), the goal of benefiting as many people as possible, the imperative to help, and wise use of knowledge and resources. It also allows addressing variability in institutional policies regarding prioritization of specific disease areas, in addition to existing uncertainty analysis available from EVIDEM. The adapted framework measures value in its widest sense, while being responsive to rare disease

  1. Security Vulnerability Profiles of Mission Critical Software: Empirical Analysis of Security Related Bug Reports

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Goseva-Popstojanova, Katerina; Tyo, Jacob

    2017-01-01

    While some prior research work exists on characteristics of software faults (i.e., bugs) and failures, very little work has been published on analysis of software applications vulnerabilities. This paper aims to contribute towards filling that gap by presenting an empirical investigation of application vulnerabilities. The results are based on data extracted from issue tracking systems of two NASA missions. These data were organized in three datasets: Ground mission IVV issues, Flight mission IVV issues, and Flight mission Developers issues. In each dataset, we identified security related software bugs and classified them in specific vulnerability classes. Then, we created the security vulnerability profiles, i.e., determined where and when the security vulnerabilities were introduced and what were the dominating vulnerabilities classes. Our main findings include: (1) In IVV issues datasets the majority of vulnerabilities were code related and were introduced in the Implementation phase. (2) For all datasets, around 90 of the vulnerabilities were located in two to four subsystems. (3) Out of 21 primary classes, five dominated: Exception Management, Memory Access, Other, Risky Values, and Unused Entities. Together, they contributed from 80 to 90 of vulnerabilities in each dataset.

  2. The "Missing Males" and Other Gender-Related Issues in Music Education: A Critical Analysis of Evidence from the Music Supervisors' Journal, 1914-1924.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Koza, Julia Eklund

    Boys' reluctance to participate in music education programs, particularly in school singing groups -- termed in this paper the "missing males" problem -- is just one among many pressing gender problems in music education. In order to discover whether boys' lack of participation in music, along with other gender-related issues, are merely…

  3. Analysis of expert consultation referrals for anesthesia-related issues (December 2008-July 2010): KSA legislation committee report

    PubMed Central

    Lee, Kook Hyun; An, Tae-Hun; Choi, Jong Ho; Lim, Dong Gun; Lee, Yeong-Ju

    2011-01-01

    Background Since 2009, database construction of anesthesia-related adverse events has been initiated through the legislation committee of the Korean Society of Anesthesiologists (KSA), based on expert consultation referrals provided by police departments, civil courts, and criminal courts. Methods This study was a retrospective descriptive analysis of expert consultation referrals on surgical anesthesia-related cases between December 2008 and July 2010. Results During the given period, 46 surgical anesthesia-related cases were referred to the KSA legislation committee for expert consultation. Because six cases were excluded due to insufficient data, 40 cases were included in the final analysis. Of 40 cases, 29 (72.5%) resulted in death. Respiratory events were most common in both surviving/disabled and dead patients (36.4 vs. 51.7%, respectively; P > 0.05). Overall, respiratory depression due to the drugs used for monitored anesthesia care (MAC) was the most common specific mechanism (25%), in which all but one case (profound brain damage) resulted in death. In all of these cases, surgeons or physicians provided MAC without the help of anesthesiologists. Conclusions Overall, the most common damaging mechanism was related to respiratory depression due to sedatives or anesthetics used for MAC. Almost all MAC injury cases are believed to be preventable with the use of additional or better monitoring and an effective response to initial physiological derangement. Thus, it is essential to establish practical MAC guidelines and adhere to these guidelines strictly to reduce the occurrence of severe anesthesia-related adverse outcomes. PMID:21602976

  4. Differences in Moral Judgment on Animal and Human Ethics Issues between University Students in Animal-Related, Human Medical and Arts Programs.

    PubMed

    Verrinder, Joy M; Ostini, Remo; Phillips, Clive J C

    2016-01-01

    Moral judgment in relation to animal ethics issues has rarely been investigated. Among the research that has been conducted, studies of veterinary students have shown greater use of reasoning based on universal principles for animal than human ethics issues. This study aimed to identify if this was unique to students of veterinary and other animal-related professions. The moral reasoning of first year students of veterinary medicine, veterinary technology, and production animal science was compared with that of students in non-animal related disciplines of human medicine and arts. All students (n = 531) completed a moral reasoning test, the VetDIT, with animal and human scenarios. When compared with reasoning on human ethics issues, the combined group of students evaluating animal ethics issues showed higher levels of Universal Principles reasoning, lower levels of Personal Interest reasoning and similar levels of Maintaining Norms reasoning. Arts students showed more personal interest reasoning than students in most animal-related programs on both animal and human ethics issues, and less norms-based reasoning on animal ethics issues. Medical students showed more norms-based reasoning on animal ethics issues than all of the animal-related groups. There were no differences in principled reasoning on animal ethics issues between program groups. This has implications for animal-related professions and education programs showing that students' preference for principled reasoning on animal ethics issues is not unique to animal-related disciplines, and highlighting the need to develop student (and professional) capacity to apply principled reasoning to address ethics issues in animal industries to reduce the risk of moral distress.

  5. Differences in Moral Judgment on Animal and Human Ethics Issues between University Students in Animal-Related, Human Medical and Arts Programs

    PubMed Central

    Verrinder, Joy M.; Ostini, Remo; Phillips, Clive J. C.

    2016-01-01

    Moral judgment in relation to animal ethics issues has rarely been investigated. Among the research that has been conducted, studies of veterinary students have shown greater use of reasoning based on universal principles for animal than human ethics issues. This study aimed to identify if this was unique to students of veterinary and other animal-related professions. The moral reasoning of first year students of veterinary medicine, veterinary technology, and production animal science was compared with that of students in non-animal related disciplines of human medicine and arts. All students (n = 531) completed a moral reasoning test, the VetDIT, with animal and human scenarios. When compared with reasoning on human ethics issues, the combined group of students evaluating animal ethics issues showed higher levels of Universal Principles reasoning, lower levels of Personal Interest reasoning and similar levels of Maintaining Norms reasoning. Arts students showed more personal interest reasoning than students in most animal-related programs on both animal and human ethics issues, and less norms-based reasoning on animal ethics issues. Medical students showed more norms-based reasoning on animal ethics issues than all of the animal-related groups. There were no differences in principled reasoning on animal ethics issues between program groups. This has implications for animal-related professions and education programs showing that students’ preference for principled reasoning on animal ethics issues is not unique to animal-related disciplines, and highlighting the need to develop student (and professional) capacity to apply principled reasoning to address ethics issues in animal industries to reduce the risk of moral distress. PMID:26934582

  6. Data Analysis and Data Mining: Current Issues in Biomedical Informatics

    PubMed Central

    Bellazzi, Riccardo; Diomidous, Marianna; Sarkar, Indra Neil; Takabayashi, Katsuhiko; Ziegler, Andreas; McCray, Alexa T.

    2011-01-01

    Summary Background Medicine and biomedical sciences have become data-intensive fields, which, at the same time, enable the application of data-driven approaches and require sophisticated data analysis and data mining methods. Biomedical informatics provides a proper interdisciplinary context to integrate data and knowledge when processing available information, with the aim of giving effective decision-making support in clinics and translational research. Objectives To reflect on different perspectives related to the role of data analysis and data mining in biomedical informatics. Methods On the occasion of the 50th year of Methods of Information in Medicine a symposium was organized, that reflected on opportunities, challenges and priorities of organizing, representing and analysing data, information and knowledge in biomedicine and health care. The contributions of experts with a variety of backgrounds in the area of biomedical data analysis have been collected as one outcome of this symposium, in order to provide a broad, though coherent, overview of some of the most interesting aspects of the field. Results The paper presents sections on data accumulation and data-driven approaches in medical informatics, data and knowledge integration, statistical issues for the evaluation of data mining models, translational bioinformatics and bioinformatics aspects of genetic epidemiology. Conclusions Biomedical informatics represents a natural framework to properly and effectively apply data analysis and data mining methods in a decision-making context. In the future, it will be necessary to preserve the inclusive nature of the field and to foster an increasing sharing of data and methods between researchers. PMID:22146916

  7. Why issues emerge

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

    Coates, J.F.; Jarrett, J.; Decker, C.

    1989-10-01

    For those analysts and managers responsible for anticipating issues that may become important to their organizations, the origin of such issues is an important question. This study looks at how, and why, an issue may emerge from a situation, or an event. The full development of an issue, and its resolution may take from five to 30 years or more. The earlier it can be anticipated, the more opportunity for its stakeholders to develop positions and options for addressing it. Three approaches to examining the origins of issues are employed; the invention of ten models as metaphors for the formationmore » and growth of issues; the test of these models against 12 well-known, and fully developed issues; and the analysis of three case studies of issue development. This analysis assesses the readiness at different times for cultural, institutional and situational factors to allow or promote a situation to transition into an issue. Six of the ten conceptual models prove to be more powerful metaphors of issue development than the others. Analysis of the case studies shows that a readiness assessment of an unfolding situation may yield clues to a new issue. A readiness checklist is provided. 6 figs., 4 tabs.« less

  8. 75 FR 62514 - Notice of Availability of Report on Data Access and Privacy Issues Related to Smart Grid...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-10-12

    ... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Notice of Availability of Report on Data Access and Privacy Issues Related to... report entitled, ``Data Access and Privacy Issues Related to Smart Grid Technologies.'' In this report... meeting conducted during the preparation of the report. This report responds to recommendations for DOE...

  9. A qualitative study exploring issues related to medication management in residential aged care facilities

    PubMed Central

    Ahmad Nizaruddin, Mariani; Omar, Marhanis-Salihah; Mhd-Ali, Adliah; Makmor-Bakry, Mohd

    2017-01-01

    Background Globally, the population of older people is on the rise. As families are burdened with the high cost of care for aging members, demand is increasing for medical care and nursing homes. Thus, medication management is crucial to ensure that residents in a care center benefit and assist the management of the care center in reducing the burden of health care. This study is aimed to qualitatively explore issues related to medication management in residential aged care facilities (RACFs). Participants and methods A total of 11 stakeholders comprising health care providers, administrators, caretakers and residents were recruited from a list of registered government, nongovernmental organization and private RACFs in Malaysia from September 2016 to April 2017. An exploratory qualitative study adhering to Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Studies was conducted. In-depth interview was conducted with consent of all participants, and the interviews were audio recorded for later verbatim transcription. Observational analysis was also conducted in a noninterfering manner. Results and discussion Three themes, namely medication use process, personnel handling medications and culture, emerged in this study. Medication use process highlighted an unclaimed liability for residents’ medication by the RACFs, whereas personnel handling medications were found to lack sufficient training in medication management. Culture of the organization did affect the medication safety and quality improvement. The empowerment of the residents in their medication management was limited. There were unclear roles and responsibility of who manages the medication in the nongovernment-funded RACFs, although they were well structured in the private nursing homes. Conclusion There are important issues related to medication management in RACFs which require a need to establish policy and guidelines. PMID:29138540

  10. Google and Women's Health-Related Issues: What Does the Search Engine Data Reveal?

    PubMed

    Baazeem, Mazin; Abenhaim, Haim

    2014-01-01

    Identifying the gaps in public knowledge of women's health related issues has always been difficult. With the increasing number of Internet users in the United States, we sought to use the Internet as a tool to help us identify such gaps and to estimate women's most prevalent health concerns by examining commonly searched health-related keywords in Google search engine. We collected a large pool of possible search keywords from two independent practicing obstetrician/gynecologists and classified them into five main categories (obstetrics, gynecology, infertility, urogynecology/menopause and oncology), and measured the monthly average search volume within the United States for each keyword with all its possible combinations using Google AdWords tool. We found that pregnancy related keywords were less frequently searched in general compared to other categories with an average of 145,400 hits per month for the top twenty keywords. Among the most common pregnancy-related keywords was "pregnancy and sex' while pregnancy-related diseases were uncommonly searched. HPV alone was searched 305,400 times per month. Of the cancers affecting women, breast cancer was the most commonly searched with an average of 247,190 times per month, followed by cervical cancer then ovarian cancer. The commonly searched keywords are often issues that are not discussed in our daily practice as well as in public health messages. The search volume is relatively related to disease prevalence with the exception of ovarian cancer which could signify a public fear.

  11. Contributions to the Content Analysis of Gender Roles: An Introduction to a Special Issue

    PubMed Central

    Popova, Lucy; Linz, Daniel G.

    2011-01-01

    This special issue on gender-related content analysis is the second of two parts (see Rudy et al. 2010b). The current special issue is more diverse than was the first in the number of countries that are represented and in the variety of media genres and content types that are included. The primary aim of this paper is to outline some of the contributions of the individual papers in this second special issue. Some of these advancements and innovations include (a) examining underresearched measures, countries, time spans, sexual orientations, and individual media programs; (b) addressing both international and intranational differences in gender-role portrayals; (c) comparing multiple content formats within the same media unit; (d) updating past findings to take into consideration the current media landscape; (e) employing established measures in novel ways and novel contexts; (f) uncovering limitations in established intercultural measures and media-effects theories; (g) suggesting variables that could predict additional differences in gender-role portrayals; (h) adopting virtually identical methods and measures across distinct content categories in order to facilitate comparisons; (i) conducting multiple tests of a given hypothesis; (j) examining, from multiple perspectives, the implications of racial differences in gender portrayals; and (k) examining the implications of underrepresentation of women and the perspectives that women hold. In addition to the original content-analytical research presented in this special issue, two reviews, one methodological and the other analytical, offer recommendations of procedures and perspectives to be implemented in future research. PMID:21423330

  12. Contributions to the Content Analysis of Gender Roles: An Introduction to a Special Issue.

    PubMed

    Rudy, Rena M; Popova, Lucy; Linz, Daniel G

    2011-02-01

    This special issue on gender-related content analysis is the second of two parts (see Rudy et al. 2010b). The current special issue is more diverse than was the first in the number of countries that are represented and in the variety of media genres and content types that are included. The primary aim of this paper is to outline some of the contributions of the individual papers in this second special issue. Some of these advancements and innovations include (a) examining underresearched measures, countries, time spans, sexual orientations, and individual media programs; (b) addressing both international and intranational differences in gender-role portrayals; (c) comparing multiple content formats within the same media unit; (d) updating past findings to take into consideration the current media landscape; (e) employing established measures in novel ways and novel contexts; (f) uncovering limitations in established intercultural measures and media-effects theories; (g) suggesting variables that could predict additional differences in gender-role portrayals; (h) adopting virtually identical methods and measures across distinct content categories in order to facilitate comparisons; (i) conducting multiple tests of a given hypothesis; (j) examining, from multiple perspectives, the implications of racial differences in gender portrayals; and (k) examining the implications of underrepresentation of women and the perspectives that women hold. In addition to the original content-analytical research presented in this special issue, two reviews, one methodological and the other analytical, offer recommendations of procedures and perspectives to be implemented in future research.

  13. EPA's Reanalysis of Key Issues Related to Dioxin Toxicity and ...

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    EPA is releasing the draft report, EPA's Reanalysis of Key Issues Related to Dioxin Toxicity and Response to NAS Comments (Volume 1), that was distributed to Federal agencies and White House Offices for comment during the Science Discussion step of the IRIS Assessment Development Process. Comments received from other Federal agencies and White House Offices are provided below with external peer review panel comments. The objective of this report is to respond to the NAS coments on dose-response modeling conducted in the EPA Reassessment of the health effects associated with dioxin exposure.

  14. Returning a Research Participant's Genomic Results to Relatives: Analysis and Recommendations

    PubMed Central

    Wolf, Susan M.; Branum, Rebecca; Koenig, Barbara A.; Petersen, Gloria M.; Berry, Susan A.; Beskow, Laura M.; Daly, Mary B.; Fernandez, Conrad V.; Green, Robert C.; LeRoy, Bonnie S.; Lindor, Noralane M.; O'Rourke, P. Pearl; Breitkopf, Carmen Radecki; Rothstein, Mark A.; Van Ness, Brian; Wilfond, Benjamin S.

    2015-01-01

    Genomic research results and incidental findings with health implications for a research participant are of potential interest not only to the participant, but also to the participant's family. Yet investigators lack guidance on return of results to relatives, including after the participant's death. In this paper, a national working group offers consensus analysis and recommendations, including an ethical framework to guide investigators in managing this challenging issue, before and after the participant's death. PMID:26479555

  15. Bio-ethical and legal issues in relation to HIV/AIDS: the Uganda experience.

    PubMed

    Yusuf, N K

    1998-01-01

    In Uganda, as in many other countries, there is a vacuum regarding an appropriate legal and ethical response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Whereas much has been done to address the HIV/AIDS pandemic in a multidisciplinary way, very little has been done regarding legal and ethical issues. Hence, cases of claimants to have cures for AIDS, spiritual healers and sale of fake drugs plus unauthorized vaccine and drug trials are on the increase. The rights and needs of people infected with HIV/AIDS are not adequately addressed. The property rights of those affected by the pandemic continue to be abused. Therefore there is need to mobilize doctors, lawyers and human rights activists who should advocate and address these issues. This paper therefore highlights the critical bio-ethical and legal issues in relation to HIV/AIDS.

  16. Health Related Legal Issues in Education.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thomas, Stephen B.

    This monograph analyzes health and safety issues in education in terms of relevant constitutional and statutory provisions. Chapter 1, an introduction, summarizes Fourteenth Amendment equal protection and due process clauses and defines "handicapped" under the Rehabilitation Act. State assistance and student eligibility under the…

  17. The Nature of Conflict in Firm-Client Relations: A Content Analysis of "Public Relations Journal," 1980-89.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bourland, Pamela G.

    1993-01-01

    Finds that key issues recurring in articles regarding public relations firm-client relations were concerns over knowing each other's businesses, contributing to a consistent communication flow, finances, and "chemistry." Finds that conflict issues for public relations firms parallel those for advertising firms as reported in the advertising agency…

  18. Mitigating Issues Related to the Modeling of Insurgent Recruitment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Briscoe, Erica; Trewhitt, Ethan; Weiss, Lora; Whitaker, Elizabeth

    Modeling the specific motivations and influences related to an individual's decision to become involved in insurgent warfare presents its own collection of unique challenges. The difficulty of the problem often necessitates simplifications that, while making the task more manageable, may inadvertently 'smooth away' critical aspects of the problem. Augmenting the challenge is that research into the motivations of terrorism has found there is not a definitive set of variables that serve as reliable indicators of an individual's involvement. This paper addresses techniques aimed toward mitigating issues that manifest in the modeling of insurgent recruitment so that these complications do not lessen the viability of models that are used in the prediction and evaluation of terrorist activity.

  19. Genetically Engineered Plants and Foods: A Scientist's Analysis of the Issues (Part I).

    PubMed

    Lemaux, Peggy G

    2008-01-01

    Through the use of the new tools of genetic engineering, genes can be introduced into the same plant or animal species or into plants or animals that are not sexually compatible-the latter is a distinction with classical breeding. This technology has led to the commercial production of genetically engineered (GE) crops on approximately 250 million acres worldwide. These crops generally are herbicide and pest tolerant, but other GE crops in the pipeline focus on other traits. For some farmers and consumers, planting and eating foods from these crops are acceptable; for others they raise issues related to safety of the foods and the environment. In Part I of this review some general and food issues raised regarding GE crops and foods will be addressed. Responses to these issues, where possible, cite peer-reviewed scientific literature. In Part II to appear in 2009, issues related to environmental and socioeconomic aspects of GE crops and foods will be covered.

  20. Giftedness Counseling in Germany: Consultation Reasons and Issues and Their Relations to Gender, Age, and Aptitude

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hannig, Nele; Koop, Christine

    2016-01-01

    In Germany, parents can request counseling and assessment of school-related learning and behavioral issues from either independent counseling centers or school-based ones. Focusing on giftedness consultations at independent counseling centers, the goal of this study is to provide a detailed description of the reasons for and the issues discussed…

  1. Principles and practices board. Issue Analysis 98-1. Compliance with laws and regulations for healthcare organizations. Healthcare Financial Management Association.

    PubMed

    1998-09-01

    This is the third Issue Analysis of HFMA's Principles and Practices (P&P) Board. The P&P Board writes an Issue Analysis in response to the need for practical information on emerging issues in healthcare financial management. An Issue Analysis is factual but not authoritative. It is not sent out for public comment and provides the healthcare industry short-term assistance on emerging issues. The purpose of P&P Board Issue Analysis 98-1, Compliance with Laws and Regulations for Healthcare Organizations, is to help healthcare financial managers understand their responsibility to implement and maintain an effective internal control system to ensure compliance with laws and regulations.

  2. Children with Cancer: School Related Issues

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gartin, Barbara C.; Murdick, Nikki L.

    2009-01-01

    School gives purpose to a student's life. Today, students with cancer and cancer survivors are encouraged to continue their educational experiences to maintain a sense of normalcy. This manuscript discusses the research findings on medical, physical, and cognitive issues that students with cancer and cancer survivors may encounter in their…

  3. THE NGA-DOE GRANT TO EXAMINE CRITICAL ISSUES RELATED TO RADIOACTIVE WASTE AND MATERIALS DISPOSITION INVOLVING DOE FACILITIES

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

    Ethan W. Brown

    2001-09-01

    Through the National Governors' Association (NGA) project ''Critical Issues Related to Radioactive Waste and Materials Disposition Involving DOE Facilities'' NGA brings together Governors' policy advisors, state regulators, and DOE officials to examine critical issues related to the cleanup and operation of DOE nuclear weapons and research facilities. Topics explored through this project include: Decisions involving disposal of mixed, low-level, and transuranic (TRU) waste and disposition of nuclear materials. Decisions involving DOE budget requests and their effect on environmental cleanup and compliance at DOE facilities. Strategies to treat mixed, low-level, and transuranic (TRU) waste and their effect on individual sites inmore » the complex. Changes to the FFCA site treatment plans as a result of proposals in the Department's Accelerating Cleanup: Paths to Closure plan and contractor integration analysis. Interstate waste and materials shipments. Reforms to existing RCRA and CERCLA regulations/guidance to address regulatory overlap and risks posed by DOE wastes. The overarching theme of this project is to help the Department improve coordination of its major program decisions with Governors' offices and state regulators and to ensure such decisions reflect input from these key state officials and stakeholders. This report summarizes activities conducted during the period from April 1, 2001 through June 30, 2001, under the NGA grant.« less

  4. Concept similarity and related categories in information retrieval using formal concept analysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Eklund, P.; Ducrou, J.; Dau, F.

    2012-11-01

    The application of formal concept analysis to the problem of information retrieval has been shown useful but has lacked any real analysis of the idea of relevance ranking of search results. SearchSleuth is a program developed to experiment with the automated local analysis of Web search using formal concept analysis. SearchSleuth extends a standard search interface to include a conceptual neighbourhood centred on a formal concept derived from the initial query. This neighbourhood of the concept derived from the search terms is decorated with its upper and lower neighbours representing more general and special concepts, respectively. SearchSleuth is in many ways an archetype of search engines based on formal concept analysis with some novel features. In SearchSleuth, the notion of related categories - which are themselves formal concepts - is also introduced. This allows the retrieval focus to shift to a new formal concept called a sibling. This movement across the concept lattice needs to relate one formal concept to another in a principled way. This paper presents the issues concerning exploring, searching, and ordering the space of related categories. The focus is on understanding the use and meaning of proximity and semantic distance in the context of information retrieval using formal concept analysis.

  5. Do medical students require education on issues related to plagiarism?

    PubMed

    Varghese, Joe; Jacob, Molly

    2015-01-01

    In the course of our professional experience, we have seen that many medical students plagiarise. We hypothesised that they do so out of ignorance and that they require formal education on the subject. With this objective in mind, we conducted a teaching session on issues related to plagiarism. As a part of this, we administered a quiz to assess their baseline knowledge on plagiarism and a questionnaire to determine their attitudes towards it. We followed this up with an interactive teaching session, in which we discussed various aspects of plagiarism. We subjected the data obtained from the quiz and questionnaire to bivariate and multivariate analysis. A total of 423 medical students participated in the study. Their average score for the quiz was 4.96±1.67 (out of 10). Age, gender and years in medical school were not significantly associated with knowledge regarding plagiarism. The knowledge scores were negatively correlated with permissive attitudes towards plagiarism and positively correlated with attitudes critical of the practice. Men had significantly higher scores on permissive attitudes compared to women . In conclusion, we found that the medical students' knowledge regarding plagiarism was limited. Those with low knowledge scores tended to have permissive attitudes towards plagiarism and were less critical of the practice. We recommend the inclusion of formal instruction on this subject in the medical curriculum, so that this form of academic misconduct can be tackled.

  6. Ethical issues in paleopathological and anthropological research experiences.

    PubMed

    Licata, Marta; Monza, Francesca

    2017-10-23

    In recent years, archaeologists and anthropologists involved in the study of human remains have had to take into consideration ethical issues, which have come to the fore. The aim of this study is to illustrate the ethical and religious issues involved in relation to the positions of researchers. Ethical issues involve the different study phases of human remains: archaeological excavation, anthropological analysis and, finally, museum display. Osteoarchaeological remains may find a place in museums. However, in recent years, even the display of human remains museum has had to face new important ethical issue involving previously ignored or neglected aspect. The adoption of Native American Grave Protection Act in 1990 in the United States and the Human Tissue Act in 2004 in England, has created new scenarios relating to the storage of human remains in museum. All this caused a series of changes in the study of human remains, but many issues remain open to debate.

  7. A Study of Current Trends and Issues Related to Technical/Engineering Design Graphics.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Clark, Aaron C.; Scales Alice

    2000-01-01

    Presents results from a survey of engineering design graphics educators who responded to questions related to current trends and issues in the profession of graphics education. Concludes that there is a clear trend in institutions towards the teaching of constraint-based modeling and computer-aided manufacturing. (Author/YDS)

  8. Nontechnical issues in waste management: ethical, institutional, and political concerns

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

    Hebert, J.A.; Rankin, W.L.; Brown, P.G.

    1978-05-01

    The report consists of a presentation and distillation of major nontechnical issues surrounding commercial waste management, followed by ethical, institutional, and political analyses of these issues. The ethical analysis consists of a discusson of what is meant by ''ethics'' and ''morality'' in the waste management context and an illustrative attempt at an ethical analysis of the commercial nuclear waste problem. Two institutional analyses are presented: one is an analysis of the possible problems of long-term human institutions in waste management; the other is a presentation of institutional arrangements for the short term. A final chapter discusses issues and concerns involvingmore » intergovernmental relations--that is, local, state, and federal interface problems in waste management.« less

  9. Psychosocial Issues Related to Thyroid Examination After a Radiation Disaster.

    PubMed

    Midorikawa, Sanae; Tanigawa, Koichi; Suzuki, Satoru; Ohtsuru, Akira

    2017-03-01

    A thyroid ultrasound examination program has been conducted in the aftermath of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident to address concerns about the increased risk of thyroid cancer similar to those experienced by local residents after the 1986 Chernobyl accident. This is the second-largest thyroid cancer screening in younger age ever, following only that conducted after Chernobyl. As the natural history of thyroid cancer in younger populations is not well characterized, large-scale screening using thyroid ultrasound could result in overdiagnosis, even with careful planning, as has been experienced in South Korea. Awareness regarding the thyroid gland is generally low among residents, who tend to directly associate examination results with radiation exposure and are likely to develop newfound anxiety and feelings of self-condemnation and guilt. We reviewed the dilemma surrounding cancer screening and particularly underscored the need to address psychosocial issues associated with possible overdiagnosis. We modified our approach to address individual and social anxiety induced by results of screening conducted after the Fukushima accident. These findings and our experiences regarding the psychosocial issues related to thyroid examination should assist residents in their lifelong decision making and help them prepare for future disasters.

  10. Legal Problems in Broadcasting: Identification and Analysis of Selected Issues.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Toohey, Daniel W.; And Others

    This book is designed as an introduction and reference to broadcast law for commercial and noncommercial station managers and staff, college students of radio and television, and general readers. It is divided into two sections, "Freedom of Expression and Related Issues" and "Business Aspects of Programming." The first section contains seven…

  11. Traumatic brain injury patient-reported outcome measure: identification of health-related quality-of-life issues relevant to individuals with traumatic brain injury.

    PubMed

    Carlozzi, Noelle E; Tulsky, David S; Kisala, Pamela A

    2011-10-01

    This 2-part qualitative study explored health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI). A community-based participatory action research design was used, which emphasizes collaboration between researchers and individuals with disabilities to ensure that results are relevant for individuals with TBI. In study 1, community members (N=20) with TBI served as "experts" during 1-on-1 semistructured interviews, reviewing current HRQOL items and identifying HRQOL issues commonly experienced by individuals with TBI. Each participant identified at least 31 issues, with most generating more than 90 responses, highlighting the multifaceted nature of HRQOL in TBI. Study 2 consisted of 7 patient/consumer groups (33 individuals with TBI), 4 caregiver groups (17 caregivers), and 2 provider groups (15 providers). Qualitative analysis of patient focus groups indicated that 48% of focus group comments were related to emotional issues; 23%, to social functioning; 14%, to physical functioning; 11%, to cognition; and 7%, to personality changes (caregiver and provider focus group analysis indicated identical patterns of findings). In addition, both studies evaluated the applicability in TBI of generic items developed by the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System and the Neurology Quality of Life Measurement initiative. Findings suggest that although there is some overlap between current generic measures of HRQOL and concepts reported by individuals with TBI, these generic measures do not capture the full complexity of HRQOL in TBI. TBI-targeted item banks are needed to ensure sensitive assessment of HRQOL in TBI. Copyright © 2011 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Space Station Engineering Design Issues

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mcruer, Duane T.; Boehm, Barry W.; Debra, Daniel B.; Green, C. Cordell; Henry, Richard C.; Maycock, Paul D.; Mcelroy, John H.; Pierce, Chester M.; Stafford, Thomas P.; Young, Laurence R.

    1989-01-01

    Space Station Freedom topics addressed include: general design issues; issues related to utilization and operations; issues related to systems requirements and design; and management issues relevant to design.

  13. U.S.-Mexico Economic Relations: Trends, Issues, and Implications

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2005-07-11

    to sugar and high fructose corn syrup . This issue has been at the top of U.S.-Mexico trade disputes since the late 1990s, when Mexico argued that...soft drinks sweetened with high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). The United States claims the tax is inconsistent with Mexico’s international trade...Policy Overview and Recent History , April 25, 2005. 6 See CRS Issue Brief IB91121, China-U.S. Trade Issues, April 25, 2005. U.S. imports from Mexico

  14. Stakeholders' perspective on issues and challenges associated with care and treatment of aging-related cognitive impairment disorders in Singapore.

    PubMed

    Setia, Monika; Islam, Amina M; Thompson, James P; Matchar, David B

    2011-11-01

    An expanding elderly population poses challenges for the provision of care and treatment for age-related physical and mental disorders. Cognitive impairment (CI)/dementia is one such mental disorder that is on the rise in Singapore and has concomitant implications for social and health systems. The objective of this study is to understand the perspectives of prominent stakeholders about current and future issues and challenges associated with CI/dementia among the elderly in Singapore. Using indepth interviews, this qualitative study obtained the views of multiple stakeholders on issues and challenges associated with CI/dementia in Singapore. The 30 individuals interviewed as part of the study included clinicians, policy-makers, researchers, community workers, administrators, and caregivers. Using a framework approach, interview texts were indexed into domains and issues by utilizing NVivo 9.0 software. The stakeholders expressed concerns related to multiple domains of the CI/dementia care system: attitude and awareness, economics, education, family caregiving, inputs to care system, living arrangements, prevention, screening and diagnosis, and treatment and management of care. Within each domain, multiple issues and challenges were identified by respondents. The study identifies a complex set of inter-related issues and challenges that are associated with the care and treatment of people with CI/dementia. The results suggest that CI and dementia profoundly affect patients, families, and communities and that the issues related to the two disorders are truly system-wide. These findings lay the foundation for utilization of a systems approach to studying CI/dementia and provide an analytic framework for future research on complex health care issues.

  15. Significant issues in proof testing: A critical appraisal

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Chell, G. G.; Mcclung, R. C.; Russell, D. A.; Chang, K. J.; Donnelly, B.

    1994-01-01

    Issues which impact on the interpretation and quantification of proof test benefits are reviewed. The importance of each issue in contributing to the extra quality assurance conferred by proof testing components is discussed, particularly with respect to the application of advanced fracture mechanics concepts to enhance the flaw screening capability of a proof test analysis. Items covered include the role in proof testing of elastic-plastic fracture mechanics, ductile instability analysis, deterministic versus probabilistic analysis, single versus multiple cycle proof testing, and non-destructive examination (NDE). The effects of proof testing on subsequent service life are reviewed, particularly with regard to stress redistribution and changes in fracture behavior resulting from the overload. The importance of proof test conditions are also addressed, covering aspects related to test temperature, simulation of service environments, test media and the application of real-time NDE. The role of each issue in a proof test methodology is assessed with respect to its ability to: promote proof test practice to a state-of-the-art; aid optimization of proof test design; and increase awareness and understanding of outstanding issues.

  16. Returning a Research Participant's Genomic Results to Relatives: Analysis and Recommendations.

    PubMed

    Wolf, Susan M; Branum, Rebecca; Koenig, Barbara A; Petersen, Gloria M; Berry, Susan A; Beskow, Laura M; Daly, Mary B; Fernandez, Conrad V; Green, Robert C; LeRoy, Bonnie S; Lindor, Noralane M; O'Rourke, P Pearl; Breitkopf, Carmen Radecki; Rothstein, Mark A; Van Ness, Brian; Wilfond, Benjamin S

    2015-01-01

    Genomic research results and incidental findings with health implications for a research participant are of potential interest not only to the participant, but also to the participant's family. Yet investigators lack guidance on return of results to relatives, including after the participant's death. In this paper, a national working group offers consensus analysis and recommendations, including an ethical framework to guide investigators in managing this challenging issue, before and after the participant's death. © 2015 American Society of Law, Medicine & Ethics, Inc.

  17. Race and Ethnicity in School Psychology Publications: A Content Analysis and Comparison to Publications in Related Disciplines

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Noltemeyer, Amity L.; Proctor, Sherrie L.; Dempsey, Allison

    2013-01-01

    Previous research has examined the quantity and types of diversity-related research in the field of school psychology, revealing gaps in the literature. Extension of this line of research with current data and comparison to related disciplines is needed. This study used content analysis to address these issues, with a specific focus on the racial…

  18. Direct normal irradiance related definitions and applications: The circumsolar issue

    DOE PAGES

    Blanc, P.; Espinar, B.; Geuder, N.; ...

    2014-10-21

    The direct irradiance received on a plane normal to the sun, called direct normal irradiance (DNI), is of particular relevance to concentrated solar technologies, including concentrating solar thermal plants and concentrated photovoltaic systems. Following various standards from the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the DNI definition is related to the irradiance from a small solid angle of the sky, centered on the position of the sun. Half-angle apertures of pyrheliometers measuring DNI have varied over time, up to ≈10°. The current recommendation of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) for this half-angle is 2.5°. Solar concentrating collectors have an angular acceptancemore » function that can be significantly narrower, especially for technologies with high concentration ratios. The disagreement between the various interpretations of DNI, from the theoretical definition used in atmospheric physics and radiative transfer modeling to practical definitions corresponding to specific measurements or conversion technologies is significant, especially in the presence of cirrus clouds or large concentration of aerosols. Under such sky conditions, the circumsolar radiation—i.e. the diffuse radiation coming from the vicinity of the sun—contributes significantly to the DNI ground measurement, although some concentrating collectors cannot utilize the bulk of it. These issues have been identified in the EU-funded projects MACC-II (Monitoring Atmospheric Composition and Climate-Interim Implementation) and SFERA (Solar Facilities for the European Research Area), and have been discussed within a panel of international experts in the framework of the Solar Heating and Cooling (SHC) program of the International Energy Agency’s (IEA’s) Task 46 “ Solar Resource Assessment and Forecasting”. In accordance with these discussions, the terms of reference related to DNI are specified here. The important role of circumsolar radiation is

  19. Students' Understandings of Religious Identities and Relations: Issues of Social Cohesion and Citizenship

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Keddie, Amanda

    2014-01-01

    The focus in this article is on issues of social cohesion and citizenship as they relate to students' understandings of religion and religious identity. The article draws on data gathered from a study conducted at a highly diverse English comprehensive school and is set amid broader anxieties about religion, community disharmony and national…

  20. Issues Related to Effects of New Maintenance Concept on AF Specialists Working in the Field

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1990-03-07

    This working paper was prepared by the Transportation Systems Center, Operator : performance and Safety Analysis Division (DTS-45) for the Federal Aviation Ad : ministration. The paper provides initial thinking on groups of human resource issues : re...

  1. Surveillance of Social and Geographic Inequalities in Housing-Related Issues: The Case of the Eastern Townships, Quebec (Canada)

    PubMed Central

    Roy, Mathieu; Généreux, Mélissa; Laverdière, Émélie; Vanasse, Alain

    2014-01-01

    Even though health inequalities are conditioned by many aspects of the environment, much of the existing research focuses on the social environment. This emphasis has the effect to neglect other environmental aspects such as its physical dimension. The physical environment, which is linked to housing conditions, may contribute to the uneven distribution of health. In this study, we examined 19 housing-related issues among a representative sample of 2,000 adults residing in a Quebec (Canada) health region characterized by a mix of rural, semi-rural, and urban areas. The distribution of these issues was examined according to socioeconomic and geographic indicators of social position. Summary measures of inequalities were assessed. Our results showed that the prevalence of nearly all housing-related issues was higher among low-income households compared to more affluent ones. Highly educated individuals showed better housing conditions, whereas different issues tended to cluster in deprived or densely populated areas. To conclude, we observed steep gradients between social class and poor housing conditions. This may explain a substantial part of health inequality on the regional scale. The surveillance of housing-related issues is therefore essential to properly inform and mobilize local stakeholders and to develop interventions that target vulnerable groups on this level. PMID:24806192

  2. Hospital Malnutrition Related to Fasting and Underfeeding: Is It an Ethical Issue?

    PubMed

    Arenas Moya, Diego; Plascencia Gaitán, Alejandra; Ornelas Camacho, Denisse; Arenas Márquez, Humberto

    2016-06-01

    Hospital malnutrition is a relevant clinical issue present in about 50% of patients that is associated with increased morbidity, mortality, and cost of care. Because of the relation of malnutrition with chronic and acute inflammatory processes secondary to disease, nutrition therapy is considered an important medical treatment. However, there is little discussion about the impact of another critical issue related to hospital malnutrition, that is, lack of appropriate food or nutrition therapy given to the patients. Unnecessary fasting practices and the use of inappropriate nutrition prescriptions result in underfeeding that can be a related or direct cause of hospital malnutrition, independent of disease or inflammatory state. Suboptimal prescription of oral, enteral, and parenteral nutrition should be analyzed and discussed from an ethical perspective since this practice has the potential to harm patients. In addition, absence or inadequate provision of nutrition may present barriers for improved patient outcomes and could be prevented by simply recognizing lack of knowledge, skills, or experience in nutrition and entrusting nutrition prescription to interdisciplinary teams with clinicians well prepared in nutrition sciences. This article reviews potential barriers to the prevention or treatment of hospital malnutrition and proposes specific actions that can help clinicians to overcome and implement optimal nutrition not just as medical therapy but also as a basic comfort care that may help patients nutritionally, clinically, physically, and emotionally. © 2016 American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition.

  3. Kurdish men's experiences of migration-related mental health issues.

    PubMed

    Taloyan, Marina; Al-Windi, Ahmad; Johansson, Leena Maria; Saleh-Stattin, Nuha

    2011-10-01

    The migration process may impose stress on the mental health of immigrants. To describe the experiences of immigrant men of Kurdish ethnicity during and after migration to Sweden with regard to mental health issues. Using the grounded theory method, we conducted a focus group interview with four Kurdish men and in-depth individual interviews with 10 other Kurdish men. A model with two major themes and interlinked categories was developed. The themes were (1) protective factors for good mental health (sense of belonging, creation and re-creation of Kurdish identity, sense of freedom, satisfaction with oneself) and (2) risk factors for poor mental health (worry about current political situation in the home country, yearning, lack of sense of freedom, dissatisfaction with Swedish society). The study provides insights into the psychological and emotional experiences of immigrant men of Kurdish ethnicity during and after migration to Sweden. It is important for primary health care providers to be aware of the impact that similar migration-related and life experiences have on the health status of immigrants, and also to be aware that groups are comprised of unique individuals with differing experiences and reactions to these experiences. The findings highlight the common themes of the men's experiences and suggest ways to ameliorate mental health issues, including feeling like one is seen as an individual, is a full participant in society, and can contribute to one's own culture.

  4. China-U.S. Relations: Current Issues and Implications for U.S. Policy

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-07-10

    Trade Representative (USTR) filed a case against China in the WTO in December 2008 charging that the PRC’s “Famous Chinese” brand program amounted to...Association of America, Inc. has charged that China may be blocking the import of American films , creating more opportunities for pirated versions...Relations: Current Issues and Implications for U.S. Policy Congressional Research Service 10 consumers. In 2007, the USTR filed several cases in

  5. Design and analysis issues in quantitative proteomics studies.

    PubMed

    Karp, Natasha A; Lilley, Kathryn S

    2007-09-01

    Quantitative proteomics is the comparison of distinct proteomes which enables the identification of protein species which exhibit changes in expression or post-translational state in response to a given stimulus. Many different quantitative techniques are being utilized and generate large datasets. Independent of the technique used, these large datasets need robust data analysis to ensure valid conclusions are drawn from such studies. Approaches to address the problems that arise with large datasets are discussed to give insight into the types of statistical analyses of data appropriate for the various experimental strategies that can be employed by quantitative proteomic studies. This review also highlights the importance of employing a robust experimental design and highlights various issues surrounding the design of experiments. The concepts and examples discussed within will show how robust design and analysis will lead to confident results that will ensure quantitative proteomics delivers.

  6. When stereotypes become 'scientific' statements: dealing with gender issues.

    PubMed

    Madureira, Ana Flávia do Amaral

    2009-06-01

    The theoretical analysis by Watzlawik (Integrative Psychological & Behavioral Science 2009) demonstrates the scientific fragility of the constructs of masculinity and femininity based on the oversimplification and overlapping between three levels of analysis: group differences, inter-individual differences and intra-individual differences. Watzlawik presents fresh and relevant contributions in terms of methodological issues, especially about the construction of scientific generalizations. Here I focus on issues related to the transformation of stereotypes in statements about gender differences that claim to be 'scientific'--outlining the socio-political agendas of such statements.

  7. Environmental Awareness: Relating Current Issues to Biology.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    DeFina, Anthony

    1995-01-01

    Presents examples of incorporating environmental issues into lesson plans to raise the level of students' environmental awareness. Topics include: ecology, taxonomy, biochemistry, energy reactions, cell structure and function, genetics and development, and human biology. (JRH)

  8. Ethical issues related to epilepsy care in the developing world.

    PubMed

    Tan, Chong-Tin; Avanzini, Giuliano

    2009-05-01

    There are three major issues of ethical concern related to epilepsy care in the developing world. First, is it ethical for a developing country to channel its limited resources from direct epilepsy care to research? The main considerations in addressing this question are the particular research questions to be addressed and whether such research will bring direct benefits to the local community. Second, in a country with limited resources, when does ignoring the high treatment gap become an ethical issue? This question is of particular concern when the community has enough resources to afford treatment for its poor, yet is not providing such care because of gross wastage and misallocation of the national resources. Third, do countries with plentiful resources have an ethical responsibility to help relieve the high epilepsy treatment gap of poor countries? Indeed, we believe that reasonable health care is a basic human right, and that human rights transcend national boundaries. Although health care is usually the responsibility of the nation-state, many modern states in the developing world are arbitrary creations of colonization. There is often a long process from the establishment of a political-legal state to a mature functional nation. During the long process of nation building, help from neighboring countries is often required.

  9. Notification: Evaluation of EPA's Management of Resistance Issues Related to Herbicide Tolerant Genetically Engineered Crops

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Project #OPE-FY16-0023, March 25, 2016. The EPA OIG plans to begin preliminary research to assess the EPA's management and oversight of resistance issues related to herbicide tolerant genetically engineered crops.

  10. Transplant Ethics: Let's Begin the Conversation Anew : A Critical Look at One Institute's Experience with Transplant Related Ethical Issues.

    PubMed

    Shafran, David; Smith, Martin L; Daly, Barbara J; Goldfarb, David

    2016-06-01

    Standardizing consultation processes is increasingly important as clinical ethics consultation (CEC) becomes more utilized in and vital to medical practice. Solid organ transplant represents a relatively nascent field replete with complex ethical issues that, while explored, have not been systematically classified. In this paper, we offer a proposed taxonomy that divides issues of resource allocation from viable solutions to the issue of organ shortage in transplant and then further distinguishes between policy and bedside level issues. We then identify all transplant related ethics consults performed at the Cleveland Clinic (CC) between 2008 and 2013 in order to identify how consultants conceptually framed their consultations by the domains they ascribe to the case. We code the CC domains to those in the Core Competencies for Healthcare Consultation Ethics in order to initiate a broader conversation regarding best practices in these highly complex cases. A discussion of the ethical issues underlying living donor and recipient related consults ensues. Finally, we suggest that the ethical domains prescribed in the Core Competencies provide a strong starting ground for a common intra-disciplinary language in the realm of formal CEC.

  11. Google and Women’s Health-Related Issues: What Does the Search Engine Data Reveal?

    PubMed Central

    Baazeem, Mazin

    2014-01-01

    Objectives Identifying the gaps in public knowledge of women’s health related issues has always been difficult. With the increasing number of Internet users in the United States, we sought to use the Internet as a tool to help us identify such gaps and to estimate women’s most prevalent health concerns by examining commonly searched health-related keywords in Google search engine. Methods We collected a large pool of possible search keywords from two independent practicing obstetrician/gynecologists and classified them into five main categories (obstetrics, gynecology, infertility, urogynecology/menopause and oncology), and measured the monthly average search volume within the United States for each keyword with all its possible combinations using Google AdWords tool. Results We found that pregnancy related keywords were less frequently searched in general compared to other categories with an average of 145,400 hits per month for the top twenty keywords. Among the most common pregnancy-related keywords was “pregnancy and sex’ while pregnancy-related diseases were uncommonly searched. HPV alone was searched 305,400 times per month. Of the cancers affecting women, breast cancer was the most commonly searched with an average of 247,190 times per month, followed by cervical cancer then ovarian cancer. Conclusion The commonly searched keywords are often issues that are not discussed in our daily practice as well as in public health messages. The search volume is relatively related to disease prevalence with the exception of ovarian cancer which could signify a public fear. PMID:25422723

  12. Water and wastewater related issues in Sri Lanka.

    PubMed

    Bandara, N J G J

    2003-01-01

    The primary problems concerning water resources in Sri Lanka are the depletion and degradation of the resource caused by various anthropogenic activities. Surface inland waters in urban areas are polluted heavily with domestic sewage and industrial effluents, and in rural areas with agricultural runoff. With regard to ground water in certain areas of the dry zone, there is a high fluoride content and in hard, rocky, alluvial areas, there is a high concentration of iron. In urban over-crowded cities, there is biological contamination of ground water. Over-utilization, particularly through tube wells, is another major problem affecting ground water resources in Sri Lanka. Oil spills, dumping of waste from ships, coral and sand mining, and activities are the main causes of marine pollution in the country. Except for pipe-borne water supply, irrigation and hydropower schemes, in general water resources in Sri Lanka are managed very poorly. Regulations are available to control most water related problems but enforcement of these regulations is lacking. The ultimate result of degradation and depletion of water resources is the increasing health hazards. Water-borne and vector-borne diseases are prevalent, particularly amongst urban low-income communities with poor sanitary facilities and drainage. Despite government initiatives and legislation, very slow progress has been made towards combating water pollution. This paper examines the most significant water and wastewater related issues in Sri Lanka and their controlling mechanisms.

  13. THE NGA-DOE GRANT TO EXAMINE CRITICAL ISSUES RELATED TO RADIOACTIVE WASTE AND MATERIALS DISPOSITION INVOLVING DOE FACILITIES

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

    Ann M. Beauchesne

    1999-04-30

    Through the National Governors' Association (NGA) project ''Critical Issues Related to Radioactive Waste and Materials Disposition Involving DOE Facilities'' NGA brings together Governors' policy advisors, state regulators, and DOE officials to examine critical issues related to the cleanup and operation of DOE nuclear weapons and research facilities. Topics explored through this project include: Decisions involving disposal of mixed, low-level, and transuranic (TRU) waste and disposition of nuclear materials; Decisions involving DOE budget requests and their effect on environmental cleanup and compliance at DOE facilities; Strategies to treat mixed, low-level, and transuranic (TRU) waste and their effect on individual sites inmore » the complex; Changes to the FFCA site treatment plans as a result of proposals in the Department's Accelerating Cleanup: Paths to Closure plan and contractor integration analysis; Interstate waste and materials shipments; and Reforms to existing RCRA and CERCLA regulations/guidance to address regulatory overlap and risks posed by DOE wastes. The overarching theme of this project is to help the Department improve coordination of its major program decisions with Governors' offices and state regulators and to ensure such decisions reflect input from these key state officials and stakeholders. This report summarizes activities conducted during the quarter from February 1, 1999, through April 30, 1999, under the NGA grant. The work accomplished by the NGA project team during the past four months can be categorized as follows: maintained open communication with DOE on a variety of activities and issues within the DOE environmental management complex; maintained communication with NGA Federal Facilities Compliance Task Force members regarding DOE efforts to formulate a configuration for mixed low-level waste and low-level treatment and disposal, external regulation of DOE; and EM Integration activities; and continued to serve as a liaison

  14. THE NGA-DOE GRANT TO EXAMINE CRITICAL ISSUES RELATED TO RADIOACTIVE WASTE AND MATERIALS DISPOSITION INVOLVING DOE FACILITIES

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

    NONE

    1998-07-01

    Through the National Governors' Association (NGA) project ''Critical Issues Related to Radioactive Waste and Materials Disposition Involving DOE Facilities'' NGA brings together Governors' policy advisors, state regulators, and DOE officials to examine critical issues related to the cleanup and operation of DOE nuclear weapons and research facilities. Topics explored through this project include: Decisions involving disposal of mixed, low-level, and transuranic (TRU) waste and disposition of nuclear materials. Decisions involving DOE budget requests and their effect on environmental cleanup and compliance at DOE facilities. Strategies to treat mixed, low-level, and transuranic (TRU) waste and their effect on individual sites inmore » the complex. Changes to the FFCA site treatment plans as a result of proposals in DOE's Accelerating Cleanup: Paths to Closure strategy and contractor integration analysis. Interstate waste and materials shipments. Reforms to existing RCRA and CERCLA regulations/guidance to address regulatory overlap and risks posed by DOE wastes. The overarching theme of this project is to help the Department improve coordination of its major program decisions with Governors' offices and state regulators and to ensure such decisions reflect input from these key state officials and stakeholders. This report summarizes activities conducted during the quarter from April 30, 1998 through June 30, 1998 under the NGA project. The work accomplished by the NGA project team during the past four months can be categorized as follows: maintained open communication with DOE on a variety of activities and issues within the DOE environmental management complex; and provided ongoing support to state-DOE interactions. maintained communication with NGA Federal Facilities Compliance Task Force members regarding DOE efforts to formulate a configuration for mixed low-level waste and low-level treatment and disposal, DOE's Environmental Management Budget, and DOE

  15. THE NGA-DOE GRANT TO EXAMINE CRITICAL ISSUES RELATED TO RADIOACTIVE WASTE AND MATERIALS DISPOSITION INVOLVING DOE FACILITIES

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

    NONE

    1998-01-01

    Through the National Governors' Association (NGA) project ''Critical Issues Related to Radioactive Waste and Materials Disposition Involving DOE Facilities'' NGA brings together Governors' policy advisors, state regulators, and DOE officials to examine critical issues related to the cleanup and operation of DOE nuclear weapons and research facilities. Topics explored through this project include: Decisions involving disposal of mixed, low-level, and transuranic (TRU) waste and disposition of nuclear materials. Decisions involving DOE budget requests and their effect on environmental cleanup and compliance at DOE facilities. Strategies to treat mixed, low-level, and transuranic (TRU) waste and their effect on individual sites inmore » the complex. Changes to the FFCA site treatment plans as a result of proposals in the EM 2006 cleanup plans and contractor integration analysis. Interstate waste and materials shipments. Reforms to existing RCRA and CERCLA regulations/guidance to address regulatory overlap and risks posed by DOE wastes. The overarching theme of this project is to help the Department improve coordination of its major program decisions with Governors' offices and state regulators and to ensure such decisions reflect input from these key state officials and stakeholders. This report summarizes activities conducted during the quarter from October 1, 1997 through December 31, 1997, under the NGA project. The work accomplished by the NGA project team during the past four months can be categorized as follows: maintained open communication with DOE on a variety of activities and issues within the DOE environmental management complex; and maintained communication with NGA Federal Facilities Compliance Task Force members regarding DOE efforts to formulate a configuration for mixed low-level waste and low-level treatment and disposal, DOE activities in the area of the Hazardous Waste Identification Rule, and DOE's proposed National Dialogue.« less

  16. National Technology Standards for K-12 Schools: A Case Study of Unresolved Issues in Public Relations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mullen, Carol A.; Kealy, William A.; Sullivan, Ashley

    2004-01-01

    This article addresses an important need--the dissemination of information relating to technology as a public relations tool--and the associated exigency for administrator and teacher technology training. Specifically, we identify the increased expectations for the performance of school leaders and teachers, as well as unresolved issues in public…

  17. [Psychosocial patient education groups focusing on work-related issues - results of a survey of German medical rehabilitation centers].

    PubMed

    Driesel, P; Vogel, H; Gerlich, C; Löffler, S; Lukasczik, M; Wolf, H-D; Schuler, M; Neuderth, S

    2014-04-01

    Psychosocial patient education programs focusing on work-related issues are a core element in the German statutory pension insurance's profile of requirements (POR) regarding inpatient vocationally oriented medical rehabilitation (VOMR). This study aims at analyzing the prevalence of patient education programs focusing on work-related issues in German rehabilitation centers with regard to their content and quality.Data were collected in a national survey on the current state of patient education within medical rehabilitation programs in Germany in 1473 inpatient and outpatient medical rehabilitation centers. Data were analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively, with free text responses being assigned to categories, drawing upon criteria developed by the German Center of Patient Education and the pension insurance's POR. 283 of the 908 institutions participating in the survey provided information on 454 psychosocial patient education programs focusing on work-related issues. "Unemployment and job training", "work hardening", "stress"/"relaxation" were named most frequently. The criteria derived from the POR regarding group content and from the Center of Patient Education regarding group size and education methods were largely fulfilled. There is a need for existing group programs in VOMR to be further manualized, evaluated and published. More patient education programs focusing on work-related issues should be developed specifically for relevant indications. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  18. Executive functions: a discussion of the issues facing children with autism spectrum disorders and related disorders.

    PubMed

    Calhoun, James A

    2006-02-01

    The interest and attention devoted to executive functions has grown steadily in the last several decades. The concept and definitions of executive functions and their association with certain disorders such as autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and overall cognitive, social, emotional, and behavioral functioning are important knowledge areas for those working in education, health, and mental health-related fields. It is particularly important for providers to have an understanding of the basic issues related to assessment and remediation of executive dysfunction. This article briefly addresses the background, current definitions, research, and some intervention options associated with executive functions. The intent is to present a foundation for encouraging additional research on the issues relevant to this important topic.

  19. Drug Abuse on College Campuses: Emerging Issues. Issues in Prevention

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Higher Education Center for Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Violence Prevention, 2012

    2012-01-01

    This "Issues in Prevention" focuses on emerging issues concerning drug abuse on college campuses. This issue contains the following articles: (1) Drug Abuse Trends; (2) Q&A With Jim Lange; (3) Bath Salts; (4) Refuse to Abuse; (5) Related Federal Resource; and (6) Higher Education Center Resources.

  20. Methodology issues concerning the accuracy of kinematic data collection and analysis using the ariel performance analysis system

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wilmington, R. P.; Klute, Glenn K. (Editor); Carroll, Amy E. (Editor); Stuart, Mark A. (Editor); Poliner, Jeff (Editor); Rajulu, Sudhakar (Editor); Stanush, Julie (Editor)

    1992-01-01

    Kinematics, the study of motion exclusive of the influences of mass and force, is one of the primary methods used for the analysis of human biomechanical systems as well as other types of mechanical systems. The Anthropometry and Biomechanics Laboratory (ABL) in the Crew Interface Analysis section of the Man-Systems Division performs both human body kinematics as well as mechanical system kinematics using the Ariel Performance Analysis System (APAS). The APAS supports both analysis of analog signals (e.g. force plate data collection) as well as digitization and analysis of video data. The current evaluations address several methodology issues concerning the accuracy of the kinematic data collection and analysis used in the ABL. This document describes a series of evaluations performed to gain quantitative data pertaining to position and constant angular velocity movements under several operating conditions. Two-dimensional as well as three-dimensional data collection and analyses were completed in a controlled laboratory environment using typical hardware setups. In addition, an evaluation was performed to evaluate the accuracy impact due to a single axis camera offset. Segment length and positional data exhibited errors within 3 percent when using three-dimensional analysis and yielded errors within 8 percent through two-dimensional analysis (Direct Linear Software). Peak angular velocities displayed errors within 6 percent through three-dimensional analyses and exhibited errors of 12 percent when using two-dimensional analysis (Direct Linear Software). The specific results from this series of evaluations and their impacts on the methodology issues of kinematic data collection and analyses are presented in detail. The accuracy levels observed in these evaluations are also presented.

  1. An issue hiding in plain sight: when are speech-language pathologists special educators rather than related services providers?

    PubMed

    Giangreco, Michael F; Prelock, Patricia A; Turnbull, H Rutherford

    2010-10-01

    Under the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA; as amended, 2004), speech-language pathology services may be either special education or a related service. Given the absence of guidance documents or research on this issue, the purposes of this clinical exchange are to (a) present and analyze the IDEA definitions related to speech-language pathologists (SLPs) and their roles, (b) offer a rationale for the importance of and distinction between their roles, (c) propose an initial conceptualization (i.e., flow chart) to distinguish between when an SLP should function as a related services provider versus a special educator, and (d) suggest actions to develop and disseminate a clearer shared understanding of this issue. Federal definitions of special education and related services as related to SLPs are discussed in terms of determining special education eligibility, meeting student needs, ensuring SLPs are following their code of ethics and scope of practice, and facilitating appropriate personnel utilization and service delivery planning. Clarifying the distinction between special education and related services should lead to increased likelihood of appropriate services for students with disabilities, improved working conditions for SLPs, and enhanced collaboration among team members. This clinical exchange is meant to promote dialogue and research about this underexamined issue.

  2. Prospective Teachers' Perceptions about the Concept of Sustainable Development and Related Issues in Oman

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ambusaidi, Abdullah; Al Washahi, Maryam

    2016-01-01

    This study aims to investigate, from the Omani's prospective, teachers' perceptions about the concept of sustainable development (SD) and three related issues (cultural diversity, renewable energy and equity). The sample consisted of 159 prospective teachers from Sultan Qaboos University. Data were collected via a questionnaire comprising a list…

  3. Mediating Effects of Stress, Weight-Related Issues, and Depression on Suicidality in College Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smith, Sydney S.; Smith Carter, Jocelyn; Karczewski, Sabrina; Pivarunas, Bernadette; Suffoletto, Shannon; Munin, Art

    2015-01-01

    Objective: Through a holistic health lens, the current study examines the effects of weight-related issues and stress on suicidality while controlling for depressive symptoms in college students. Participants: In total, 872 undergraduate and graduate students at DePaul University completed the American College Health Association-National College…

  4. Palestinian pharmacists' knowledge of issues related to using psychotropic medications in older people: a cross-sectional study.

    PubMed

    Shawahna, Ramzi; Khaskiyyi, Mais; Abdo, Hadeel; Msarwe, Yasmen; Odeh, Rania; Salame, Souad

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to assess the knowledge of pharmacists practicing in Palestine of issues related to using psychotropic medications in older people. The study was conducted with a cross-sectional observational design using a questionnaire. A total of 400 pharmacists responded to a 19-statement knowledge test related to the use of psychotropic medications in older people. The study was conducted from July 2016 to February 2017. The reliability and internal consistency of the study tool was assessed using the test-retest method and the Cronbach alpha. Categorical groups were compared using the chi-square test and the Spearman rank correlation. On the 19-statement knowledge test, the median score was 55.3% with an interquartile range of 21.9%. In a comparison of the demographic and practice-related variables of the pharmacists who scored ≥ 50% on the 19-statement knowledge test with those who scored < 50%, age, gender, and having taken a course on psychotropic medications were found to be significantly associated with performance, as shown by the chi-square test and Spearman correlation. Pharmacists practicing in Palestine possess less than optimal knowledge of issues related to the use of psychotropic medications in older people. Continuing educational interventions and/or training might be helpful in improving pharmacists' knowledge of issues related to using psychotropic medications in older people.

  5. Palestinian pharmacists’ knowledge of issues related to using psychotropic medications in older people: a cross-sectional study

    PubMed Central

    2017-01-01

    Purpose The purpose of this study was to assess the knowledge of pharmacists practicing in Palestine of issues related to using psychotropic medications in older people. Methods The study was conducted with a cross-sectional observational design using a questionnaire. A total of 400 pharmacists responded to a 19-statement knowledge test related to the use of psychotropic medications in older people. The study was conducted from July 2016 to February 2017. The reliability and internal consistency of the study tool was assessed using the test-retest method and the Cronbach alpha. Categorical groups were compared using the chi-square test and the Spearman rank correlation. Results On the 19-statement knowledge test, the median score was 55.3% with an interquartile range of 21.9%. In a comparison of the demographic and practice-related variables of the pharmacists who scored ≥ 50% on the 19-statement knowledge test with those who scored < 50%, age, gender, and having taken a course on psychotropic medications were found to be significantly associated with performance, as shown by the chi-square test and Spearman correlation. Conclusion Pharmacists practicing in Palestine possess less than optimal knowledge of issues related to the use of psychotropic medications in older people. Continuing educational interventions and/or training might be helpful in improving pharmacists’ knowledge of issues related to using psychotropic medications in older people. PMID:28835016

  6. Laser applications to chemical, security, and environmental analysis: introduction to the feature issue.

    PubMed

    Seeger, Thomas; Dreier, Thomas; Chen, Weidong; Kearny, Sean; Kulatilaka, Waruna

    2017-04-10

    This Applied Optics feature issue on laser applications to chemical, security, and environmental analysis (LACSEA) highlights papers presented at the LACSEA 2016 Fifteenth Topical Meeting sponsored by the Optical Society of America.

  7. The Press Relations of a Local School District: An Analysis of the Emergence of School Issues.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Morris, Jon R.; Guenter, Cornelius

    Press coverage of a suburban midwest school district is analyzed as a set of time series of observations including the amount and quality of coverage. Possible shifts in these series because of the emergence of controversial issues are analyzed statistically using the Integrated Moving Average Time Series Model. Evidence of significant shifts in…

  8. Representations of the Americans with Disabilities Act Employment-Related Issues in the Wall Street Journal (1990-2008): A Feasibility Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Soffer, Michal; Rimmerman, Arie

    2012-01-01

    This feasibility study examines the coverage of employment-related issues related to people with disabilities in the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. The study is a first in a series of future studies focusing on disability issues in the international economic media. A survey of 39 newspaper articles published in the "Wall Street…

  9. Monitoring asthma in childhood: management-related issues.

    PubMed

    Rottier, Bart L; Eber, Ernst; Hedlin, Gunilla; Turner, Steve; Wooler, Edwina; Mantzourani, Eva; Kulkarni, Neeta

    2015-06-01

    Management-related issues are an important aspect of monitoring asthma in children in clinical practice. This review summarises the literature on practical aspects of monitoring including adherence to treatment, inhalation technique, ongoing exposure to allergens and irritants, comorbid conditions and side-effects of treatment, as agreed by the European Respiratory Society Task Force on Monitoring Asthma in Childhood. The evidence indicates that it is important to discuss adherence to treatment in a non-confrontational way at every clinic visit, and take into account a patient's illness and medication beliefs. All task force members teach inhalation techniques at least twice when introducing a new inhalation device and then at least annually. Exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke, combustion-derived air pollutants, house dust mites, fungal spores, pollens and pet dander deserve regular attention during follow-up according to most task force members. In addition, allergic rhinitis should be considered as a cause for poor asthma control. Task force members do not screen for gastro-oesophageal reflux and food allergy. Height and weight are generally measured at least annually to identify individuals who are susceptible to adrenal suppression and to calculate body mass index, even though causality between obesity and asthma has not been established. In cases of poor asthma control, before stepping up treatment the above aspects of monitoring deserve closer attention. Copyright ©ERS 2015.

  10. Variables Associated with American High School Students' Knowledge of Environmental Issues Related to Energy and Pollution.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gambro, John S.; Switzky, Harvey N.

    1999-01-01

    Student knowledge about environmental issues related to energy and pollution was analyzed in a national probability sample of high school seniors. Parental level of education, quantity of high school science courses, and gender were all significantly related to students' knowledge levels. Bias in favor of males remained even when the number of…

  11. Adolescent Health. Volume III: Crosscutting Issues in the Delivery of Health and Related Services.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Congress of the U.S., Washington, DC. Office of Technology Assessment.

    This document, the third of three volumes in the U.S. Congress Office of Technology Assessment's "Adolescent Health" series, contains chapters 15 through 19, which address issues in the delivery of health and related services to adolescents. Chapter 15 reviews research on the shortcomings of the mainstream primary health care system with…

  12. Television and Attitudes toward Mental Health Issues: Cultivation Analysis and the Third-Person Effect

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Diefenbach, Donald L.; West, Mark D.

    2007-01-01

    A television content analysis and survey of 419 community respondents supports the hypothesis that media stereotypes affect public attitudes toward mental health issues. A content analysis of network, prime-time television demonstrates that portrayals are violent, false, and negative. The mentally disordered are portrayed as 10 times more likely…

  13. Representations of the Americans with Disabilities Act employment-related issues in the Wall Street Journal (1990-2008): a feasibility study.

    PubMed

    Soffer, Michal; Rimmerman, Arie

    2012-06-01

    This feasibility study examines the coverage of employment-related issues related to people with disabilities in the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. The study is a first in a series of future studies focusing on disability issues in the international economic media. A survey of 39 newspaper articles published in the Wall Street Journal, a leading and most circulated business newspaper in the USA. Specifically, it comprised articles taken from three periods: 1990, the year the Americans with Disabilities Act was enacted; 2000, a decade later; and 2008, the year the amendments were revised with respect to definitions and employment. Data were analyzed by quantitative and qualitative content analysis. The results suggest a mixed representation: a decline in negative representations of disability throughout the years alongside the emergence of a legal-fiscal discourse of a disability that depicts persons with disabilities as a fiscal burden on employers. It seems that the new image of disability presents conflicting interests between the mission of the law, promoting employers' hiring of people with disabilities, and the economic realities of accommodating them at the workplace. Additional research is needed to examine whether this image is unique to the economic media or may reflect a concern in the business community.

  14. Issues related to the use of blood in food and animal feed.

    PubMed

    Ofori, Jack A; Hsieh, Yun-Hwa P

    2014-01-01

    Blood has traditionally been used as a high protein ingredient in both human food and animal feed, with resulting economic, environmental and nutritional benefits. However, potentially serious health and safety issues related to blood consumption, particularly the risk of pathogenic or harmful metabolic materials, the infectivity of prion diseases, and the presence of identified allergens such as bovine serum albumin (BSA), are causing many consumers to shy away from any product containing either animal blood or ingredients derived from animal blood. Thus, despite the significant volumes of blood produced by slaughterhouses, blood is currently underutilized as a food ingredient. This article reviews the use of animal blood as an ingredient in food intended for human consumption or for animal feed and discusses the related consumer concerns.

  15. Coming out of the dark: content analysis of articles pertaining to gay, lesbian, and bisexual issues in couple and family therapy journals.

    PubMed

    Hartwell, Erica E; Serovich, Julianne M; Grafsky, Erika L; Kerr, Zachary Y

    2012-06-01

    The present study seeks to extend previous research regarding literature related to gay, lesbian, and bisexual (GLB) issues published in couple and family therapy (CFT)-related journals by presenting the results from a content analysis of GLB studies in CFT-related journals from 1996 to 2010. Results of the analysis revealed a 238.8% increase in total GLB content published since the original review. Articles pertaining to therapy with GLB clients continue to represent the largest area of publication. With one exception, all surveyed journals showed an increase in the percentage of GLB content since the first study. Emerging areas of research include studies related to supervision and training, GLB mental health and substance use, and sexual minority adolescents. A movement away from deficit-based perspectives could open a new lens on family life. © 2012 American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.

  16. Technical Note: Some Issues Related to the Selection of Polymers for Aerospace Oxygen Systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hirsch, David; Beeson, Harold

    2004-01-01

    Materials intended for use in aerospace oxygen systems are commonly screened for oxygen compatibility following NASA STD 6001. This standard allows qualification of materials based on results provided by only one test method. Potential issues related to this practice are reviewed and recommendations are proposed that would lead to improved aerospace oxygen systems safety.

  17. Closing unprofitable services: ethical issues and management responses.

    PubMed

    Summers, James W

    1985-01-01

    Closing unprofitable services often requires as much analysis, public relations, marketing, and planning as any expansion. Further, issues about ethics, indigents, and the hospital mission force the consideration of values explicitly if a marketing fiasco is to be avoided. By integrating values analysis with more traditional management tasks, the challenges of service closure can be converted into opportunities to demonstrate how your institution has met or exceeded its ethical obligations. A case involving OB is developed to show how ethical and management issues blend into one another. Specific strategies for consensus building and marketing of the legitimacy of the hospital's position are given. Institutional ethics committees are one primary mechanism for developing a plan to benefit from unpleasant decisions.

  18. Ethical issues in dementia

    PubMed Central

    Whitehouse, Peter J.

    2000-01-01

    The growing number of individuals affected by dementia will intensify the ethical issues that emerge in clinical practice and research, issues early in disease relate to genetic testing, use of medications in mildly affected persons, and diagnostic disclosure. Research issues relate to appropriate informed consent processes, conflict of interests, and research design issues, such as the use of placebos and the use of biological tissues, in the later stages of disease concern about appropriate therapeutic goals and end-of-life care is appropriate. PMID:22033828

  19. Socio-technical issues and challenges in implementing safe patient handovers: insights from ethnographic case studies.

    PubMed

    Balka, Ellen; Tolar, Marianne; Coates, Shannon; Whitehouse, Sandra

    2013-12-01

    Ineffective handovers in patient care, including those where information loss occurs between care providers, have been identified as a risk to patient safety. Computerization of health information is often offered as a solution to improve the quality of care handovers and decrease adverse events related to patient safety. The purpose of this paper is to broaden our understanding of clinical handover as a patient safety issue, and to identify socio-technical issues which may come to bear on the success of computer based handover tools. Three in depth ethnographic case studies were undertaken. Field notes were transcribed and analyzed with the aid of qualitative data analysis software. Within case analysis was performed on each case, and subsequently, cross case analyses were performed. We identified five types of socio-technical issues which must be addressed if electronic handover tools are to succeed. The inter-dependencies of these issues are addressed in relation to arenas in which health care work takes place. We suggest that the contextual nature of information, ethical and medico-legal issues arising in relation to information handover, and issues related to data standards and system interoperability must be addressed if computerized health information systems are to achieve improvements in patient safety related to handovers in care. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Time-related degradation, a key issue in nuclear plant safety evaluations

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

    Bonzon, L.L.; Bustard, L.D.; Clough, R.L.

    1982-01-01

    Sandia National Laboratories is conducting a number of programs under NRC sponsorship which deal with safety-related equipment qualification issues, including the important aspect of aging. Among these is the Qualification Testing Evaluation (QTE) program which was probably the first to devote significant effort towards aging research and was one of the primary motivators leading to the Workshop. The thrust of the QTE aging efforts has been on elastomeric materials, typically used in electrical cables, seals, gaskets, and the like; currently, efforts are being pursued on plant ambient environments measurements, aging of electronics, and aging of motors. A brief status reportmore » is presented in this paper.« less

  1. Methodological issues in HIV-related social research in Nigeria.

    PubMed

    Erinosho, Olayiwola; Joseph, Richard; Isiugo-Abanihe, Uche; Dike, Nkem; Aderinto, Adeyinka A

    2013-12-01

    This paper is about methodological issues in a community-wide study in Nigeria on an infectious disease, namely HIV/AIDS. The study was designed to ascertain the risk factors that contribute to the spread of HIV/AIDS and how that can be tackled in order to bring about behavioural change. The research team believed at the onset that a study on the interplay between HIV/AIDS and sensitive issues like sexual mores and sexuality requires much more than a straightjacket social science method, such as simply doing a cross-section study and/or using interview schedule. This paper reviews the essence of cross-disciplinary approach; team building; as well as the use of a non-participatory observational approach in data collection. It also shows why ample consideration was given to ethical issues which are often glossed over in social research in developing countries. The lessons from the study underscore the methodological imperatives in social research that focus on sensitive issues in largely non-literate context like Nigeria. Although there are formidable challenges in community-based studies in largely non-literate societies, nevertheless they could easily be surmounted if there are ample time and resources to navigate the various sticking points.

  2. Issues in Relating Evaluation to Theory, Policy, and Practice in Continuing Education and Health Education.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Green, Lawrence W.; Lewis, Frances Marcus

    1981-01-01

    Reviews a number of issues relating to the results of evaluation studies: standards of acceptability; clinical vs. statistical significance; fallacies in the use of theory; and program, theory, measurement, and design failure. (Journal availability: Subscription Manager, MOBIUS, University of California Press, Berkeley, CA 94720.) (SK)

  3. 76 FR 22340 - Further Inquiry Into Tribal Issues Relating to Establishment of a Mobility Fund

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-04-21

    ... Fund (USF) to create a Mobility Fund which would employ a market-based, reverse auction mechanism to... Into Tribal Issues Relating to Establishment of a Mobility Fund AGENCY: Federal Communications... consideration by the Federal Communication Commission in connection with the proposed creation of a new Mobility...

  4. System Issues Related to Implementing on the Internet

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mackey, William; Bagg, Thomas C., III

    1999-01-01

    Implementing capabilities on the World Wide Web should never be taken lightly. A good systems engineer is able to examine such implementations from all points of view, including political, legal, security, access, technical deployment, and quality. The evacuation discussed in this paper was conducted to ensure that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was proceeding in a correct direction by implementing RECALL a Lessons Learned System on the Web and, subsequently, did so successfully. The systems approach extended well beyond technical implementation to several issue that are not often addressed by an implementation team. The resulting evaluation increased the team's sensitivity to such issues and, in fact, the authors believe that the evaluation provided as much benefit as the system itself.

  5. The Islamic Perspectives of Gender-Related Issues in the Management of Patients With Disorders of Sex Development.

    PubMed

    Zainuddin, Ani Amelia; Mahdy, Zaleha Abdullah

    2017-02-01

    In Islam, the person with somatic sex ambiguity due to a disorder of sex development (DSD), such as 46,XX congenital adrenal hyperplasia or 46,XY androgen insensitivity, is recognized as khunsa. Two types of khunsa are distinguished: wadhih (discernible) and musykil (intractable). A recent fatwa (religious edict) in Malaysia decreed that it is permissible for male-assigned patients from these two groups to have gender reassignment surgery to female following diagnosis; however, the religious authority has yet to rule on the reassignment from female to male, if requested. The different schools of law in Islam agree on some aspects of gender-related issues like the position of khunsa in prayer congregations, but differ in their opinions on others such as property inheritance and bathing rituals. For purposes of illustration, this article includes three case reports on Muslim patients with DSD in Malaysia, focusing on issues of gender assignment: (1) a patient with 46,XX CAH, assigned as female, requesting reassignment to male; (2) a patient with 46,XX CAH, assigned female, and gender dysphoric, but undecided on the gender to be; and (3) a patient with 46,XY complete gonadal dysgenesis, raised female due to her phenotype at birth, diagnosed late, at age 18 years, and content to remain female. Gender-related issues from the perspective of Islamic jurisprudence are highlighted and discussed. To ensure holistic care, health-service providers involved in the care of Muslim patients with DSDs need to be aware of the Islamic perspectives on gender-related issues and involve expert religious authorities.

  6. Something fishy? News media presentation of complex health issues related to fish consumption guidelines.

    PubMed

    Greiner, Amelia; Clegg Smith, Katherine; Guallar, Eliseo

    2010-11-01

    The news media are an important source of dietary information. Understanding news content, particularly the portrayal of risks and benefits of certain foods, is relevant for effective public health communication. Fish consumption may reduce risk for CVD and aid neonatal development, but recent work shows public confusion about the benefits of fish, challenged by the evidence of mercury and other contaminants in fish. We present an analysis of the messages about fish in US news media over 15 years, identifying trends in coverage and highlighting implications of current messaging. We conducted a descriptive text analysis and coded for manifest content: locality of focus, story frame, reference to studies, inclusion of government guidelines and portrayal of uncertainty. We identified chronological patterns and analysed the data for statistically significant relationships between media source and content. News stories were selected from five daily newspapers and five television networks (1993-2007). We analysed 310 health-related news stories on fish. Risk messages outweighed benefit messages four to one, and health benefits only became prominent after 2002. No difference existed in coverage topic by news source. Fish consumption has increasingly become a national issue. With the bulk of messages about fish consumption focused on risk, the benefits may be lost to consumers. This gap creates a need for public health to work with news media to more effectively communicate benefits and risks around fish consumption and health and to consider options for communicating tailored information where it can be more readily utilised.

  7. Analysis of students critical thinking skills in socio-scientific issues of biodiversity subject

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Santika, A. R.; Purwianingsih, W.; Nuraeni, E.

    2018-05-01

    Critical thinking is a skills the which students should have in order to face 21st century demands. Critical thinking skills can help people in facing their daily problems, especially problems roommates relate to science. This research is aimed to analyze students critical thinking skills in socio-scientific issues of biodiversity subject. The method used in this research was descriptive method. The research subject is first-grade students’ in senior high school. The data collected by interview and open-ended question the which classified based on framework : (1) question at issue, (2) information (3) purpose (4) concepts (5) assumptions, (6) point of view, (7) interpretation and inference, and (8) implication and consequences, then it will be assessed by using rubrics. The result of the data showed students critical thinking skills in socio-scientific issues of biodiversity subject is in low and medium category. Therefore we need a learning activity that is able to develop student’s critical thinking skills, especially regarding issues of social science.

  8. Ethical issues in the development and implementation of nutrition-related public health policies and interventions: A scoping review

    PubMed Central

    Peña-Rosas, Juan Pablo; Saxena, Abha; Zamora, Gerardo

    2017-01-01

    Background The limited integration of ethics in nutrition-related public health policies and interventions is one major concern for those who have the task of implementing them. Ethical challenges that are overlooked during the development of such interventions could raise serious ethical issues during their implementation and even after. As a result, these decision makers need technical support and ethical guidance for adaptation of interventions to local (cultural, social, economic, etc.) contexts. Aim The goal of this scoping review is to delineate and “map” the range of ethical issues in nutrition-related public health interventions, as well as the range of the various fields in which they may arise. Methods A scoping review of empirical research and conceptual literature was conducted following the framework of Arksey and O’Malley. Searches using PubMed with Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) categories and Advanced Search Builder as well as in the Global Health Library were performed. The final sample consists of 169 publications. Results The ethics of public health prevention or treatment of obesity and non-communicable diseases is the most explicitly and frequently discussed subject. In comparison, ethical issues raised by public health interventions in the fields of undernutrition, breastfeeding, vitamin/mineral supplementation and food fortification, food security, food sustainability and food safety are addressed in a lower proportion of the sample. The results illustrate the various natures, types, and scopes of existing public health nutrition-related interventions, and the various ethical issues that may be raised by these interventions, in addition to the numerous and different contexts in which they may be implemented. Discussion The ethical issues faced in the development and implementation of nutrition-related public health interventions are varied and cannot be equated with, nor generalized about, when dealing with specific activities in this

  9. Ethical issues in the development and implementation of nutrition-related public health policies and interventions: A scoping review.

    PubMed

    Hurlimann, Thierry; Peña-Rosas, Juan Pablo; Saxena, Abha; Zamora, Gerardo; Godard, Béatrice

    2017-01-01

    The limited integration of ethics in nutrition-related public health policies and interventions is one major concern for those who have the task of implementing them. Ethical challenges that are overlooked during the development of such interventions could raise serious ethical issues during their implementation and even after. As a result, these decision makers need technical support and ethical guidance for adaptation of interventions to local (cultural, social, economic, etc.) contexts. The goal of this scoping review is to delineate and "map" the range of ethical issues in nutrition-related public health interventions, as well as the range of the various fields in which they may arise. A scoping review of empirical research and conceptual literature was conducted following the framework of Arksey and O'Malley. Searches using PubMed with Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) categories and Advanced Search Builder as well as in the Global Health Library were performed. The final sample consists of 169 publications. The ethics of public health prevention or treatment of obesity and non-communicable diseases is the most explicitly and frequently discussed subject. In comparison, ethical issues raised by public health interventions in the fields of undernutrition, breastfeeding, vitamin/mineral supplementation and food fortification, food security, food sustainability and food safety are addressed in a lower proportion of the sample. The results illustrate the various natures, types, and scopes of existing public health nutrition-related interventions, and the various ethical issues that may be raised by these interventions, in addition to the numerous and different contexts in which they may be implemented. The ethical issues faced in the development and implementation of nutrition-related public health interventions are varied and cannot be equated with, nor generalized about, when dealing with specific activities in this field. More importantly, these ethical issues

  10. Deployment-related Respiratory Issues.

    PubMed

    Morris, Michael J; Rawlins, Frederic A; Forbes, Damon A; Skabelund, Andrew J; Lucero, Pedro F

    2016-01-01

    Military deployment to Southwest Asia since 2003 in support of Operations Enduring Freedom/Iraqi Freedom/New Dawn has presented unique challenges from a pulmonary perspective. Various airborne hazards in the deployed environment include suspended geologic dusts, burn pit smoke, vehicle exhaust emissions, industrial air pollution, and isolated exposure incidents. These exposures may give rise to both acute respiratory symptoms and in some instances development of chronic lung disease. While increased respiratory symptoms during deployment are well documented, there is limited data on whether inhalation of airborne particulate matter is causally related to an increase in either common or unique pulmonary diseases. While disease processes such as acute eosinophilic pneumonia and exacerbation of preexisting asthma have been adequately documented, there is significant controversy surrounding the potential effects of deployment exposures and development of rare pulmonary disorders such as constrictive bronchiolitis. The role of smoking and related disorders has yet to be defined. This article presents the current evidence for deployment-related respiratory symptoms and ongoing Department of Defense studies. Further, it also provides general recommendations for evaluating pulmonary health in the deployed military population.

  11. Top-Ten IT Issues: 2009

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Agee, Anne Scrivener; Yang, Catherine

    2009-01-01

    This article presents the top-ten IT-related issues in terms of strategic importance to the institution, as revealed by the tenth annual EDUCAUSE Current Issues Survey. These IT-related issues include: (1) Funding IT; (2) Administrative/ERP Information Systems; (3) Security; (4) Infrastructure/Cyberinfrastructure; (5) Teaching and Learning with…

  12. Management of ethical issues related to care of seriously ill dialysis patients in free-standing facilities.

    PubMed

    Song, Mi-Kyung; Hanson, Laura C; Gilet, Constance A; Jo, Minjeong; Reed, Teresa J; Hladik, Gerald A

    2014-09-01

    There are few data on the frequency and current management of clinical ethical issues related to care of seriously ill dialysis patients in free-standing dialysis facilities. To examine the extent of clinical ethical challenges experienced by care providers in free-standing facilities and their perceptions about how those issues are managed. A total of 183 care providers recruited from 15 facilities in North Carolina completed a survey regarding the occurrence and management of ethical issues in the past year. Care plan meetings were observed at four of the facilities for three consecutive months. Also, current policies and procedures at each of the facilities were reviewed. The two most frequently experienced challenges involved dialyzing frail patients with multiple comorbidities and caring for disruptive/difficult patients. The most common ways of managing ethical issues were discussions in care plan meetings (n = 47) or discussions with the clinic manager (n = 47). Although policies were in place to guide management of some of the challenges, respondents were often not aware of those policies. Also, although participants reported that ethical issues related to dialyzing undocumented immigrants were fairly common, no facility had a policy for managing this challenge. Participants suggested that all staff obtain training in clinical ethics and communication skills, facilities develop ethics teams, and there be clear policies to guide management of ethical challenges. The scope of ethical challenges was extensive, how these challenges were managed varied widely, and there were limited resources for assistance. Multifaceted efforts, encompassing endeavors at the individual, facility, organization, and national levels, are needed to support staff in improving the management of ethical challenges in dialysis facilities. Copyright © 2014 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. [Ethical issues of treatment with embryonic steam cells].

    PubMed

    Siluianova, I V

    2007-01-01

    Review of ethical issues related to the application of embryonic steam cells (SC) for the treatment of different diseases is presented. On the background of ethical considerations, limits and possibilities as well as advantages and shortcomings of using steam cells in the clinical practice are discussed. On the basis of analysis of scientific reference data and ethical side of the given issue, it may be concluded that the principle "don't harm" must be applied also and especially for the use if this particular type of treatment in the clinical practice.

  14. THE NGA-DOE GRANT TO EXAMINE CRITICAL ISSUES RELATED TO RADIOACTIVE WASTE AND MATERIALS DISPOSITION INVOLVING DOE FACILITIES

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

    NONE

    1998-04-01

    Through the National Governors' Association (NGA) project ''Critical Issues Related to Radioactive Waste and Materials Disposition Involving DOE Facilities'' NGA brings together Governors' policy advisors, state regulators, and DOE officials to examine critical issues related to the cleanup and operation of DOE nuclear weapons and research facilities. Topics explored through this project include: Decisions involving disposal of mixed, low-level, and transuranic (TRU) waste and disposition of nuclear materials. Decisions involving DOE budget requests and their effect on environmental cleanup and compliance at DOE facilities. Strategies to treat mixed, low-level, and transuranic (TRU) waste and their effect on individual sites inmore » the complex. Changes to the FFCA site treatment plans as a result of proposals in DOE's Accelerating Cleanup: Paths to Closure strategy and contractor integration analysis. Interstate waste and materials shipments. Reforms to existing RCRA and CERCLA regulations/guidance to address regulatory overlap and risks posed by DOE wastes. The overarching theme of this project is to help the Department improve coordination of its major program decisions with Governors' offices and state regulators and to ensure such decisions reflect input from these key state officials and stakeholders. This report summarizes activities conducted during the quarter from December 31, 1997 through April 30, 1998 under the NGA project. The work accomplished by the NGA project team during the past four months can be categorized as follows: maintained open communication with DOE on a variety of activities and issues within the DOE environmental management complex; and provided ongoing support to state-DOE interactions in preparation for the March 30-31, 1998 NGA Federal Facilities Compliance Task Force Meeting with DOE. maintained communication with NGA Federal Facilities Compliance Task Force members regarding DOE efforts to formulate a configuration for mixed

  15. THE NGA-DOE GRANT TO EXAMINE CRITICAL ISSUES RELATED TO RADIOACTIVE WASTE AND MATERIALS DISPOSITION INVOLVING DOE FACILITIES

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

    Ann M. Beauchesne

    2000-01-01

    Through the National Governors Association (NGA) project ``Critical Issues Related to Radioactive Waste and Materials Disposition Involving DOE Facilities'' NGA brings together Governors' policy advisors, state regulators, and DOE officials to examine critical issues related to the cleanup and operation of DOE nuclear weapons and research facilities. Topics explored through this project include: Decisions involving disposal of mixed, low-level, and transuranic (TRU) waste and disposition of nuclear materials; Decisions involving DOE budget requests and their effect on environmental cleanup and compliance at DOE facilities; Strategies to treat mixed, low-level, and transuranic (TRU) waste and their effect on individual sites inmore » the complex; Changes to the FFCA site treatment plans as a result of proposals in the Department's Accelerating Cleanup: Paths to Closure plan and contractor integration analysis; Interstate waste and materials shipments; and Reforms to existing RCRA and CERCLA regulations/guidance to address regulatory overlap and risks posed by DOE wastes. The overarching theme of this project is to help the Department improve coordination of its major program decisions with Governors' offices and state regulators and to ensure such decisions reflect input from these key state officials and stakeholders. This report summarizes activities conducted during the period from October 1, 1999 through January 31, 2000, under the NGA grant. The work accomplished by the NGA project team during the past three months can be categorized as follows: maintained open communication with DOE on a variety of activities and issues within the DOE environmental management complex; convened and facilitated the October 6--8 NGA FFCA Task Force Meeting in Oak Ridge, Tennessee; maintained communication with NGA Federal Facilities Compliance Task Force members regarding DOE efforts to formulate a configuration for mixed low-level waste and low-level treatment and disposal

  16. THE NGA-DOE GRANT TO EXAMINE CRITICAL ISSUES RELATED TO RADIOACTIVE WASTE AND MATERIALS DISPOSITION INVOLVING DOE FACILITIES

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

    Ann B. Beauchesne

    1998-09-30

    Through the National Governors' Association (NGA) project ''Critical Issues Related to Radioactive Waste and Materials Disposition Involving DOE Facilities'' NGA brings together Governors' policy advisors, state regulators, and DOE officials to examine critical issues related to the cleanup and operation of DOE nuclear weapons and research facilities. Topics explored through this project include: (1) Decisions involving disposal of mixed, low-level, and transuranic (TRU) waste and disposition of nuclear materials; (2) Decisions involving DOE budget requests and their effect on environmental cleanup and compliance at DOE facilities; (3) Strategies to treat mixed, low-level, and transuranic (TRU) waste and their effect onmore » individual sites in the complex; (4) Changes to the FFCA site treatment plans as a result of proposals in the Department's Accelerating Cleanup: Paths to Closure plan and contractor integration analysis; (5) Interstate waste and materials shipments; and (6) Reforms to existing RCRA and CERCLA regulations/guidance to address regulatory overlap and risks posed by DOE wastes. The overarching theme of this project is to help the Department improve coordination of its major program decisions with Governors' offices and state regulators and to ensure such decisions reflect input from these key state officials and stakeholders. This report summarizes activities conducted during the quarter from June 1, 1998 through September 30, 1998, under the NGA grant. The work accomplished by the NGA project team during the past four months can be categorized as follows: (1) maintained open communication with DOE on a variety of activities and issues within the DOE environmental management complex; (2) maintained communication with NGA Federal Facilities Compliance Task Force members regarding DOE efforts to formulate a configuration for mixed low-level waste and low-level treatment and disposal, external regulation of DOE; and EM Integration activities; and (3

  17. THE NGA-DOE GRANT TO EXAMINE CRITICAL ISSUES RELATED TO RADIOACTIVE WASTE AND MATERIALS DISPOSITION INVOLVING DOE FACILITIES

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

    Ann M. Beauchesne

    1999-07-30

    Through the National Governors' Association (NGA) project ''Critical Issues Related to Radioactive Waste and Materials Disposition Involving DOE Facilities'' NGA brings together Governors' policy advisors, state regulators, and DOE officials to examine critical issues related to the cleanup and operation of DOE nuclear weapons and research facilities. Topics explored through this project include: Decisions involving disposal of mixed, low-level, and transuranic (TRU) waste and disposition of nuclear materials; Decisions involving DOE budget requests and their effect on environmental cleanup and compliance at DOE facilities; Strategies to treat mixed, low-level, and transuranic (TRU) waste and their effect on individual sites inmore » the complex; Changes to the FFCA site treatment plans as a result of proposals in the Department's Accelerating Cleanup: Paths to Closure plan and contractor integration analysis; Interstate waste and materials shipments; and Reforms to existing RCRA and CERCLA regulations/guidance to address regulatory overlap and risks posed by DOE wastes. The overarching theme of this project is to help the Department improve coordination of its major program decisions with Governors' offices and state regulators and to ensure such decisions reflect input from these key state officials and stakeholders. This report summarizes activities conducted during the quarter from May 1, 1999, through July 30, 1999, under the NGA grant. The work accomplished by the NGA project team during the past four months can be categorized as follows: maintained open communication with DOE on a variety of activities and issues within the DOE environmental management complex; maintained communication with NGA Federal Facilities Compliance Task Force members regarding DOE efforts to formulate a configuration for mixed low-level waste and low-level treatment and disposal, external regulation of DOE; and continued to facilitate interactions between the states and DOE to

  18. THE NGA-DOE GRANT TO EXAMINE CRITICAL ISSUES RELATED TO RADIOACTIVE WASTE AND MATERIALS DISPOSITION INVOLVING DOE FACILITIES

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

    Ann M. Beauchesne

    1999-01-31

    Through the National Governors' Association (NGA) project ''Critical Issues Related to Radioactive Waste and Materials Disposition Involving DOE Facilities'' NGA brings together Governors' policy advisors, state regulators, and DOE officials to examine critical issues related to the cleanup and operation of DOE nuclear weapons and research facilities. Topics explored through this project include: (1) Decisions involving disposal of mixed, low-level, and transuranic (TRU) waste and disposition of nuclear materials; (2) Decisions involving DOE budget requests and their effect on environmental cleanup and compliance at DOE facilities; (3) Strategies to treat mixed, low-level, and transuranic (TRU) waste and their effect onmore » individual sites in the complex; (4) Changes to the FFCA site treatment plans as a result of proposals in the Department's Accelerating Cleanup: Paths to Closure plan and contractor integration analysis; (5) Interstate waste and materials shipments; and (6) Reforms to existing RCRA and CERCLA regulations/guidance to address regulatory overlap and risks posed by DOE wastes. The overarching theme of this project is to help the Department improve coordination of its major program decisions with Governors' offices and state regulators and to ensure such decisions reflect input from these key state officials and stakeholders. This report summarizes activities conducted during the quarter from October 1, 1998 through January 31, 1999, under the NGA grant. The work accomplished by the NGA project team during the past four months can be categorized as follows: (1) maintained open communication with DOE on a variety of activities and issues within the DOE environmental management complex; (2) maintained communication with NGA Federal Facilities Compliance Task Force members regarding DOE efforts to formulate a configuration for mixed low-level waste and low-level treatment and disposal, external regulation of DOE; and EM Integration activities; and

  19. C-FERST Environmental Issue Profiles

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    This page provides links to the 45 issue profiles for C-FERST users, organized with tabs to show issues related to pollutants, environmental media, health effects, other community issues, and all issues.

  20. Tribal-FERST Environmental Issue Profiles

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    This page provides links to the 45 issue profiles for Tribal-FERST users, organized with tabs to show issues related to pollutants, environmental media, health effects, other community issues, and all issues.

  1. Developing a research agenda on ethical issues related to using social media in healthcare.

    PubMed

    Adams, Samantha A; Van Veghel, Dennis; Dekker, Lukas

    2015-07-01

    The consequences of using publicly available social media applications specifically for healthcare purposes are largely unaddressed in current research. Where they are addressed, the focus is primarily on issues of privacy and data protection. We therefore use a case study of the first live Twitter heart operation in the Netherlands, in combination with recent literature on social media from other academic fields, to identify a wide range of ethical issues related to using social media for health-related purposes. Although this case reflects an innovative approach to public education and patient centeredness, it also illustrates the need for institutions to weigh the various aspects of use and to develop a plan to deal with these on a per case basis. Given the continual development of technologies, researchers may not yet be able to oversee and anticipate all of the potential implications. Further development of a research agenda on this topic, the promotion of guidelines and policies, and the publication of case studies that reveal the granularity of individual situations will therefore help raise awareness and assist physicians and institutions in using social media to support existing care services.

  2. Task Analysis - Its Relation to Content Analysis.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gagne, Robert M.

    Task analysis is a procedure having the purpose of identifying different kinds of performances which are outcomes of learning, in order to make possible the specification of optimal instructional conditions for each kind of outcome. Task analysis may be related to content analysis in two different ways: (1) it may be used to identify the probably…

  3. 78 FR 9020 - Wireline Competition Bureau Seeks Further Comment on Specific Issues Related to the...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-02-07

    ... adjust the Remote Areas Fund usage allowance requirement to reflect consumer behavior, and if so, how... files, audio format), send an email to [email protected] or call the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau... issues relating to the implementation of the Remote Areas Fund as a portable consumer subsidy program, as...

  4. Practical issues of hyperspectral imaging analysis of solid dosage forms.

    PubMed

    Amigo, José Manuel

    2010-09-01

    Hyperspectral imaging techniques have widely demonstrated their usefulness in different areas of interest in pharmaceutical research during the last decade. In particular, middle infrared, near infrared, and Raman methods have gained special relevance. This rapid increase has been promoted by the capability of hyperspectral techniques to provide robust and reliable chemical and spatial information on the distribution of components in pharmaceutical solid dosage forms. Furthermore, the valuable combination of hyperspectral imaging devices with adequate data processing techniques offers the perfect landscape for developing new methods for scanning and analyzing surfaces. Nevertheless, the instrumentation and subsequent data analysis are not exempt from issues that must be thoughtfully considered. This paper describes and discusses the main advantages and drawbacks of the measurements and data analysis of hyperspectral imaging techniques in the development of solid dosage forms.

  5. HTA and its legal issues: a framework for identifying legal issues in health technology assessment.

    PubMed

    Widrig, Daniel; Tag, Brigitte

    2014-12-01

    Legal analysis can highlight important issues that are relevant when deciding whether a medical technology should be implemented or reimbursed. Literature and studies show that even though the law is an acknowledged part of health technology assessment (HTA), legal issues are rarely considered in practice. One reason for this may be the lack of knowledge about the diversity of legal issues that are relevant for HTA. Therefore, this contribution aims primarily to identify and then explain the relevant legal issues in HTA. This study offers a framework for identifying the legal issues in HTAs in different jurisdictions and provides a basis for further research. After extensive literature search, the authors review Swiss health law to identify legal issues that are relevant to HTA. The authors then categorize these legal issues using a framework with an inside and outside perspective. Finally, they explain a selection of these legal issues with several examples. This study reveals numerous legal issues that are relevant for HTA and underlines the necessity of incorporating legal analysis in HTAs. The suggested perspectival framework in this study provides a basis to structure the legal analysis. The identified legal issues are relevant in other countries and the perspectival framework is transferable to other jurisdictions. The article underlines the importance of in-depth discussion about the role of law in HTA. It provides a structured overview of the legal issues in HTA and suggests a development of more concrete instruments toward a standardized legal technology assessment.

  6. Material issues relating to high power spallation neutron sources

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Futakawa, M.

    2015-02-01

    Innovative researches using neutrons are being performed at the Materials and Life Science Experimental Facility (MLF) at the Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex (J-PARC), in which a mercury target system is installed for MW-class pulse spallation neutron sources. In order to produce neutrons by the spallation reaction, proton beams are injected into the mercury target. At the moment, when the intense proton beam hits the target, pressure waves are generated in mercury because of the abrupt heat deposition. The pressure waves interact with the target vessel, leading to negative pressure that may cause cavitation along the vessel wall, i.e. on the interface between liquid and solid metals. On the other hand, the structural materials are subjected to irradiation damage due to protons and neutrons, very high cycle fatigue damages and so-called "liquid metal embrittlement". That is, the structural materials must be said to be exposed to the extremely severe environments. In the paper, research and development relating to the material issues in the high power spallation neutron sources that has been performed so far at J-PARC is summarized.

  7. Japan-U.S. Relations: Issues for Congress

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-03-24

    has raised awareness of the issue in Japan, particularly among Diet members. In December 2009, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs created a new...transit nuclear weapons on Japanese territory). Japanese officials who had knowledge of the practice have consistently denied, even in Diet testimony...negotiations were held in 2010, and Malaysia joined as a full partner during the third round. The Obama Administration envisions the TPP to become a high-level

  8. Jordan: U.S. Relations and Bilateral Issues

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2006-07-14

    161-page report alleging sweatshop -like conditions in 28 out of 100 Qualified Industrial Zone (QIZ) plants in Jordan. Jordan’s trade minister Sharif...Arab Reform Bulletin, Mar. 2005, Volume 3, Issue 2. 1960’s and secular Palestinian nationalism in the 1970s. The Brotherhood’s educational, social ...dispensing social welfare to its supporters. Some estimate that the charity controls over $1 billion in assets. The Jordanian Ministry of Social

  9. Teacher to Teacher: What Texts Effectively Raise Issues Related to 9/11 for Secondary Students?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    English Journal, 2006

    2006-01-01

    This article deals with texts that effectively raise issues related to 9/11 for secondary students, as discussed by several teachers. Kevin J. Collins from St. Thomas Aquinas High School says, "Elephant," Gus Van Sant's exploration of a Columbine-like tragedy, underscores the current generation's attempt to define the meaning of events in…

  10. Issues of scale, location and geologic terrain related to Salt Lake City and Baltimore-Washington metropolitan areas

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Cleaves, E.T.; Godfrey, A.E.; ,

    2004-01-01

    Planning and development of expanding metropolitan regions require consideration of earth science issues related to issues involving scale, space (location), geologic terrain and physiographic units, and information transfer. This paper explores these matters with examples from the Salt Lake City, Utah area and Mid-Atlantic region of Baltimore-Washington that include water supply and natural hazards (earthquakes, landslides, and sinkholes.) Information transfer methods using physiographic units at national, regional, local and site scales serve to communicate relevant geologic constraint and natural resource information.

  11. [Issues Related to Screening and Caring for Newborns With Hearing Impairments].

    PubMed

    Liou, Mei-Show; Tsao, Ying

    2016-12-01

    The critical period for auditory development in humans begins at around the 20th gestational week and continues until 3 years of age. Both genetic and environmental factors are known to cause impaired hearing. Without early identification and intervention, hearing-impaired children face a high risk of experiencing significant difficulties with speech and language development, social behavior, and emotional functioning. Two types of commonly used hearing screening technologies include transient evoked otoacoustic emission (TEOAE) and automated auditory brainstem response (aABR). aABR is considered to have high sensitivity and specificity, to have a relatively low referral rate, and to generate a relatively low rate of false-positive results in identifying newborn hearing impairment. The present paper outlines the psychosocial issues that are commonly experienced by parents of hearing-impaired children. Parents and other family members may benefit from medical, financial, social, and education supports in order to facilitate their adjustment to this challenging situation. The relevant literature is reviewed and recommendations for improving care for this population are provided.

  12. Japan-U.S. Relations: Issues for Congress

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2007-09-27

    operations against Al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan. The latter mainly took the form of at-sea replenishment of fuel oil and water to U.S., British...creating a scandal over the Agricultural Ministry’s handling of the issue (several more Japanese BSE cases have since emerged). Japan had retained the...procedures U.S. and Japanese officials had agreed upon. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns expressed regret that the prohibited material had

  13. Japan-U.S. Relations: Issues for Congress

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2007-11-21

    Taliban in Afghanistan. The latter mainly took the form of at-sea replenishment of fuel oil and water to U.S., British, French, and other allied warships...creating a scandal over the Agricultural Ministry’s handling of the issue (several more Japanese BSE cases have since emerged). Japan had retained...procedures U.S. and Japanese officials had agreed upon. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns expressed regret that the prohibited material had

  14. Jordan: U.S. Relations and Bilateral Issues

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2006-10-30

    to 13 months shortly thereafter. The case did not draw a great deal of international attention. According to Sarah Leah Whitson, director of the Middle...treaty, they have cooperated on a number of regional and international issues over the years. The country’s small size and lack of major economic...vulnerabilities, both internal and external. Jordan’s geographic position, wedged between Israel, Syria, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia, has made it vulnerable to the

  15. Global issues related to enteric viral infections.

    PubMed

    Desselberger, Ulrich

    2014-01-01

    Acute viral gastroenteritis is a major health issue worldwide and is associated with high annual mortality, particularly in children of developing countries. Rotaviruses, caliciviruses and astroviruses are the main causes. Accurate diagnoses are possible by recently developed molecular techniques. In many setups, zoonotic transmission is an important epidemiological factor. Treatment consists of rehydration and is otherwise symptomatic. The worldwide introduction of universal rotavirus vaccination of infants has significantly reduced rotavirus disease and mortality.

  16. A Survey of Solver-Related Geometry and Meshing Issues

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Masters, James; Daniel, Derick; Gudenkauf, Jared; Hine, David; Sideroff, Chris

    2016-01-01

    There is a concern in the computational fluid dynamics community that mesh generation is a significant bottleneck in the CFD workflow. This is one of several papers that will help set the stage for a moderated panel discussion addressing this issue. Although certain general "rules of thumb" and a priori mesh metrics can be used to ensure that some base level of mesh quality is achieved, inadequate consideration is often given to the type of solver or particular flow regime on which the mesh will be utilized. This paper explores how an analyst may want to think differently about a mesh based on considerations such as if a flow is compressible vs. incompressible or hypersonic vs. subsonic or if the solver is node-centered vs. cell-centered. This paper is a high-level investigation intended to provide general insight into how considering the nature of the solver or flow when performing mesh generation has the potential to increase the accuracy and/or robustness of the solution and drive the mesh generation process to a state where it is no longer a hindrance to the analysis process.

  17. Information Communication using Knowledge Engine on Flood Issues

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Demir, I.; Krajewski, W. F.

    2012-04-01

    The Iowa Flood Information System (IFIS) is a web-based platform developed by the Iowa Flood Center (IFC) to provide access to and visualization of flood inundation maps, real-time flood conditions, flood forecasts both short-term and seasonal, and other flood-related data for communities in Iowa. The system is designed for use by general public, often people with no domain knowledge and poor general science background. To improve effective communication with such audience, we have introduced a new way in IFIS to get information on flood related issues - instead of by navigating within hundreds of features and interfaces of the information system and web-based sources-- by providing dynamic computations based on a collection of built-in data, analysis, and methods. The IFIS Knowledge Engine connects to distributed sources of real-time stream gauges, and in-house data sources, analysis and visualization tools to answer questions grouped into several categories. Users will be able to provide input based on the query within the categories of rainfall, flood conditions, forecast, inundation maps, flood risk and data sensors. Our goal is the systematization of knowledge on flood related issues, and to provide a single source for definitive answers to factual queries. Long-term goal of this knowledge engine is to make all flood related knowledge easily accessible to everyone, and provide educational geoinformatics tool. The future implementation of the system will be able to accept free-form input and voice recognition capabilities within browser and mobile applications. We intend to deliver increasing capabilities for the system over the coming releases of IFIS. This presentation provides an overview of our Knowledge Engine, its unique information interface and functionality as an educational tool, and discusses the future plans for providing knowledge on flood related issues and resources.

  18. Telemedicine: legal and licensure issues

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wood, Michael B.; Whelan, Leo J.

    1995-10-01

    The National Information Infrastructure program offers a great opportunity for the United States to capitalize on remarkable technological advancements over a broad range of applications benefiting society. One such application, telemedicine, has the potential to offer widespread access to sophisticated medical care, curtailed health care delivery costs, and homogeneous health and health-related educational opportunities. However, there are a variety of barriers to widespread application of telemedicine once the technical infrastructure of the information highway is well established and ubiquitous. These barriers include technical limitations, reimbursement issues, equipment and networking costs, and appropriate scientific studies to document efficacy and cost effectiveness. These issues may prove to be only transient disincentives which can be surmounted. Additional barriers exist, however, that may not be as readily resolved by traditional methods of analysis and more widespread practice applications. These political and regulatory obstacles will require clarification of the issues and solutions based on national consensus. It is the purpose of this discussion to amplify on these particular barriers which include licensure and tort jurisdiction.

  19. 75 FR 57469 - Guidance on Withdrawal of Subjects From Research: Data Retention and Other Related Issues

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-09-21

    ... document includes more examples of social and behavioral research activities in order to emphasize that the... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Guidance on Withdrawal of Subjects From Research: Data Retention and Other Related Issues AGENCY: Office for Human Research Protections, Office of the Assistant...

  20. A Special Issue on Piaget: Issues and Experiments.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bryant, Peter, Ed.

    1982-01-01

    Contains 15 articles investigating and discussing issues generated by Piaget's theory of cognitive development. Discusses and examines questions related to object permanence, transitivity, conservation and the concept of necessity as these relate to children. Deals with the origins and causes of development, logical development, social and…

  1. Economic and demographic issues related to deployment of the Satellite Power System (SPS)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Baldwin, T. E.; Hill, L. G.; Santini, D. J.; Stenehjem, E. J.

    1978-01-01

    Growth in energy consumption stimulated interest in exploitation of renewable sources of electric energy. One technology that was proposed is the Satellite Power System (SPS). Before committing the U.S. to such a large program, the Department of Energy and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration are jointly participating in an SPS Concept Development and Evaluation Program. This white paper on industrial and population relocation is part of the FY 78 preliminary evaluation of related socio-economic issues. Results of four preliminary assessment activities are documented.

  2. Japan-U.S. Relations: Issues for Congress

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-09-02

    U.S.-Japan FTA With the conclusion of negotiations on a U.S.-South Korean free trade agreement (KORUS FTA ) on April 1, 2007, and the formation of...block that would result over the issue of agricultural policy.10 The DPJ’s 2009 election manifesto calls for the negotiation of a U.S.-Japan FTA ...participants could not agree on the modalities that negotiators would use to determine how much they would liberalize their agricultural markets and reduce

  3. Addressing security issues related to virtual institute distributed activities

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stytz, Martin R.; Banks, Sheila B.

    2008-03-01

    One issue confounding the development and experimentation of distributed modeling and simulation environments is the inability of the project team to identify and collaborate with resources, both human and technical, from outside the United States. This limitation is especially significant within the human behavior representation area where areas such as cultural effects research and joint command team behavior modeling require the participation of various cultural and national representatives. To address this limitation, as well as other human behavior representation research issues, NATO Research and Technology Organization initiated a project to develop a NATO virtual institute that enables more effective and more collaborative research into human behavior representation. However, in building and operating a virtual institute one of the chief concerns must be the cyber security of the institute. Because the institute "exists" in cyberspace, all of its activities are susceptible to cyberattacks, subterfuge, denial of service and all of the vulnerabilities that networked computers must face. In our opinion, for the concept of virtual institutes to be successful and useful, their operations and services must be protected from the threats in the cyber environment. A key to developing the required protection is the development and promulgation of standards for cyber security. In this paper, we discuss the types of cyber standards that are required, how new internet technologies can be exploited and can benefit the promulgation, development, maintenance, and robustness of the standards. This paper is organized as follows. Section One introduces the concept of the virtual institutes, the expected benefits, and the motivation for our research and for research in this area. Section Two presents background material and a discussion of topics related to VIs, uman behavior and cultural modeling, and network-centric warfare. Section Three contains a discussion of the

  4. Methodological and ethical issues related to qualitative telephone interviews on sensitive topics.

    PubMed

    Mealer, Meredith; Jones Rn, Jacqueline

    2014-03-01

    To explore the methodological and ethical issues of conducting qualitative telephone interviews about personal or professional trauma with critical care nurses. The most common method for conducting interviews is face-to-face. However, there is evidence to support telephone interviewing on a variety of sensitive topics including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Qualitative telephone interviews can limit emotional distress because of the comfort experienced through virtual communication. Critical care nurses are at increased risk of developing PTSD due to the cumulative exposure to work-related stress in the intensive care unit. We explored the methodological and ethical issues of conducting qualitative telephone interviews, drawing on our experiences communicating with a group of critical care nurses. Qualitative research interviews with 27 critical care nurses. Fourteen of the nurses met the diagnostic criteria for PTSD; 13 did not and had scores consistent with high levels of resilience. This is a methodology paper on the authors' experiences of interviewing critical care nurses on sensitive topics via the telephone. The authors found that establishing rapport and connections with the participants and the therapeutic use of non-verbal communication were essential, and fostered trust and compassion. The ethical issues of this mode of communication include protecting the privacy and confidentiality associated with the disclosure of sensitive information, and minimising the risk of psychological harm to the researcher and participants. Qualitative telephone interviews are a valuable method of collecting information on sensitive topics. This paper explores a method of interviewing in the workplace. It will help inform interventions to promote healthy adaptation following trauma exposure in the intensive care unit.

  5. Dynamic mobility application policy analysis : policy and institutional issues for Integrated Dynamic Transit Operations (IDTO).

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2015-07-01

    This report documents policy considerations for Integrate Dynamic Transit (IDTO). IDTO applications provide individualized trip planning, transfer protection, and ridesharing options. The analysis identified the following potential policy issues: dat...

  6. Design and analysis issues for economic analysis alongside clinical trials.

    PubMed

    Marshall, Deborah A; Hux, Margaret

    2009-07-01

    Clinical trials can offer a valuable and efficient opportunity to collect the health resource use and outcomes data for economic evaluation. However, economic and clinical studies differ fundamentally in the question they seek to answer. The design and analysis of trial-based cost-effectiveness studies require special consideration, which are reviewed in this article. Traditional randomized controlled trials, using an experimental design with a controlled protocol, are designed to measure safety and efficacy for product registration. Cost-effectiveness analysis seeks to measure effectiveness in the context of routine clinical practice, and requires collection of health care resources to allow estimation of cost over an equal timeframe for each treatment alternative. In assessing suitability of a trial for economic data collection, the comparator treatment and other protocol factors need to reflect current clinical practice and the trial follow-up must be sufficiently long to capture important costs and effects. The broadest available population and a measure of effectiveness reflecting important benefits for patients are preferred for economic analyses. Special analytical issues include dealing with missing and censored cost data, assessing uncertainty of the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio, and accounting for the underlying heterogeneity in patient subgroups. Careful consideration also needs to be given to data from multinational studies since practice patterns can differ across countries. Although clinical trials can be an efficient opportunity to collect data for economic evaluation, careful consideration of the suitability of the study design, and appropriate analytical methods must be applied to obtain rigorous results.

  7. Overview of Climate Confluence Security Issues

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Reisman, J. P.

    2011-12-01

    Presentation will focus on an overview of the security perspectives based on the confluence considerations including energy, economics and climate change. This will include perspectives from reports generated by the Quadrennial Defense Review, Joint Forces Command, the Center for Strategic International Studies, MIT, the Inter-agency Climate Change Adaptation Task Force, the Central Intelligence Agency, the Center for Naval Analysis, and other relevant reports. The presentation will highlight the connections between resource issues and climate change which can be interpreted into security concerns. General discussion of global issues, contextual review of AR4 WGII may be included and any other report updates as applicable. The purpose of this presentation is to give a rounded view of the general qualitative and quantitative perspectives regarding climate related security considerations.

  8. An analysis of electronic health record-related patient safety concerns

    PubMed Central

    Meeks, Derek W; Smith, Michael W; Taylor, Lesley; Sittig, Dean F; Scott, Jean M; Singh, Hardeep

    2014-01-01

    Objective A recent Institute of Medicine report called for attention to safety issues related to electronic health records (EHRs). We analyzed EHR-related safety concerns reported within a large, integrated healthcare system. Methods The Informatics Patient Safety Office of the Veterans Health Administration (VA) maintains a non-punitive, voluntary reporting system to collect and investigate EHR-related safety concerns (ie, adverse events, potential events, and near misses). We analyzed completed investigations using an eight-dimension sociotechnical conceptual model that accounted for both technical and non-technical dimensions of safety. Using the framework analysis approach to qualitative data, we identified emergent and recurring safety concerns common to multiple reports. Results We extracted 100 consecutive, unique, closed investigations between August 2009 and May 2013 from 344 reported incidents. Seventy-four involved unsafe technology and 25 involved unsafe use of technology. A majority (70%) involved two or more model dimensions. Most often, non-technical dimensions such as workflow, policies, and personnel interacted in a complex fashion with technical dimensions such as software/hardware, content, and user interface to produce safety concerns. Most (94%) safety concerns related to either unmet data-display needs in the EHR (ie, displayed information available to the end user failed to reduce uncertainty or led to increased potential for patient harm), software upgrades or modifications, data transmission between components of the EHR, or ‘hidden dependencies’ within the EHR. Discussion EHR-related safety concerns involving both unsafe technology and unsafe use of technology persist long after ‘go-live’ and despite the sophisticated EHR infrastructure represented in our data source. Currently, few healthcare institutions have reporting and analysis capabilities similar to the VA. Conclusions Because EHR-related safety concerns have complex

  9. The Context of Current Content Analysis of Gender Roles: An Introduction to a Special Issue

    PubMed Central

    Popova, Lucy; Linz, Daniel G.

    2010-01-01

    The aim of this paper is to provide context for the quantitative content analyses of gender roles that are to be included in both parts of this special issue. First, a timeline of historical uses of the content analysis methodology is presented. Second, research objectives that frequently drive content analysis of gender roles are described; these include: to support feminist claims, to compare media with real life, to predict effects on audiences, and to detect effects of media producers on content. Third, previous content analyses published in Sex Roles and other gender-focused journals are reviewed and categorized in terms of medium, genre, time span, gender, and nationality. Finally, contributions of each of the articles in this special issue are outlined. PMID:20694031

  10. Strategic perspective: Nuclear issues in the New Zealand media

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

    Fridriksson, L.N.

    New Zealand's anti-nuclear policy drew international attention and threw the nation into a foreign policy crisis with the United States over the trilateral mutual security pact ANZUS. After more than a year of diminished intelligence and military cooperation, New Zealand was expelled from the alliance. This study involved a content analysis of coverage of these events and other nuclear issues in selected newspapers of New Zealand and the United States. Research points to the roles of the media as a critical one in the overall relations among countries. Through their frequent use of official government sources, the media tend tomore » uphold the government line or status quo with regard to foreign affairs. This study sought to identify the nuclear issues covered in the New Zealand and US media, the characteristics of that coverage, the sources of that coverage and how coverage varied during changing US-New Zealand relations. The official frame prevailed in coverage of nuclear issues. In the New Zealand and US newspapers under study, most sources of nuclear issue news were government officials. This research also found that most coverage of nuclear issues in the New Zealand media was related to some aspect of US interests, and that coverage of New Zealand's policy in the US media was covered most often when related to the United States. Nuclear issue coverage was most often not crisis-oriented in New Zealand and US newspapers, but coverage of all nuclear issues increased dramatically during the period of the ANZUS policy crisis. This study found a number of changes in nuclear issue coverage in the New Zealand media after the policy crisis was resolved. Among those changes were a tendency to focus less on economic and trade effects of the anti-nuclear policy, a tendency to focus more on ties with other South Pacific nations, use more sources from those countries, and a tendency to focus less on the moral and ethical position of the country.« less

  11. Methodological issues in medical workforce analysis: implications for regional Australia.

    PubMed

    Hays, R B; Veitch, P C; Franklin, L; Crossland, L

    1998-02-01

    Medical workforce data have a profound impact on health policy formulation, but derived doctor population ratios (DPR) are often more relevant to plotting national trends than providing a detailed regional or local workforce perspective. Regional workforce data may be more useful if national approaches are augmented by local information. In developing a detailed workforce analysis for one region of Australia, the authors encountered several challenging methodological issues, including the accuracy of medical workforce databases, clarity of definition of community boundaries, interpretation of workforce definitions and the difficulty accounting for local community needs. This paper discusses the implications for regional workforce research.

  12. Ethical issues related to caring for low birth weight infants.

    PubMed

    Webb, Mary S; Passmore, Denise; Cline, Genieveve; Maguire, Denise

    2014-09-01

    Currently preterm births are the leading causes of newborn deaths and newborn mortality in developed countries. Infants born prematurely remain vulnerable to many acute complications and long-term disabilities. There is a growing concern surrounding the moral and ethical implications of the complex and technological care being provided to extremely low birth weight infants in neonatal intensive care units in the developed nations. The purpose of this study was to describe the ethical and moral issues that neonatal intensive care nurses experience when caring for low birth weight preterm infants and their families. A phenomenological method design was used to describe the lived experiences of nurses with ethical and moral issues encountered in the neonatal intensive care unit. One-on-one, semi-structured interviews using open-ended questions were used to gather data from the participants. The setting for this study was a 97-bed neonatal intensive care. A total of 16 female nurses were interviewed. Approval to conduct the research study was obtained from the institutional review board of the hospital where the study was conducted. Formal signed consent was obtained from each participant. To ensure confidentiality, each participant was asked to choose a confederate name to be used in the interview and the transcriptions. The thematic analysis identified five recurring themes: (a) at the edge of viability, (b) infant pain and discomfort, (c) crucial decisions, (d) communicating with parents, and (e) letting go. Neonatal intensive care unit nurses indicated that they often had challenges to their own sense of morality as they struggled to protect the infant from pain and unnecessary discomfort, provide care to an infant and their family whom they thought was faced with a lifetime of challenges and poor health, accepting decisions made by parents, and feeling as if parents were not adequately informed about outcomes. © The Author(s) 2014.

  13. Epistemological-Methodological Issues Related to Applied Organizational Research.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    van Meel, R. M.

    Applied research is supposed to take the perspective with the highest degree of corroboration as a basis for action. The realm of organizational perspectives is characterized, however, with a multitude of competing research programs, seldom tested against each other. Epistemological and methodological issues overwhelm inquiry in applied research.…

  14. Methodological Issues in Comparative Educational Studies: The Case of the IEA Reading Literacy Study.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Binkley, Marilyn, Ed.; And Others

    This report discusses various methodological issues confronted in the Reading Literacy Study conducted under the auspices of the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) and issues relating to analysis of the data. The study analyzed in the report involved fourth- and ninth-grade students (9-year-olds and…

  15. Talking about epilepsy: Challenges parents face when communicating with their child about epilepsy and epilepsy-related issues.

    PubMed

    O'Toole, Stephanie; Lambert, Veronica; Gallagher, Pamela; Shahwan, Amre; Austin, Joan K

    2016-04-01

    The aim of this qualitative study was to explore the challenges that parents of children with epilepsy experienced when engaging in dialog with their child about epilepsy and epilepsy-related issues. Using a qualitative exploratory approach, interviews were conducted with 34 parents of children with epilepsy (aged 6-16 years), consisting of 27 mothers and 7 fathers. Data were transcribed verbatim and thematically analyzed. Findings revealed five main themes: normalizing epilepsy, the invisibility of epilepsy, information concealment, fear of misinforming the child, and difficulty in discussing particular epilepsy-related issues. Many of the communicative challenges experienced by parents impacted on their ability to engage openly in parent-child dialog about epilepsy in the home. Parents face specific challenges when choosing to communicate with their child about epilepsy, relating to creating a sense of normality, reducing fear of causing their child worry, and having a lack of epilepsy-related knowledge. Healthcare professionals who work closely with families living with epilepsy should remain mindful of the importance of discussing family communication surrounding epilepsy and the challenges parents of children with epilepsy face when talking about epilepsy within the home. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Gender Issues: Analysis of Methodologies in Reports to the Secretaries of Defense and the Army. Report to Congressional Requesters.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    General Accounting Office, Washington, DC. Div. of National Security and International Affairs.

    Several groups have examined gender-related issues affecting initial entry into training in the Department of Defense. The studies that have gotten the most attention are the Army's Senior Review Panel's report on sexual harassment, the report of the Federal Advisory Commission on Gender-Integrated Training and Related Issues, and the report of…

  17. Sexual abuse in therapy: gender issues.

    PubMed

    Quadrio, C

    1996-02-01

    That sexual abuse in therapy occurs predominantly with male perpetrators and female patients is a phenomenon that requires analysis in terms of gender relations. Such an analysis is undertaken here from the perspective of feminist psychoanalytic and psychosocial theories. Data informing the analysis are derived from assessments of 40 women who experienced sexual abuse in therapy. These women had mostly presented depression, 68% had a history of childhood abuse, and one half were themselves helping professionals. The majority were seriously damaged by the abusive therapy. Offenders were chiefly male (90%) and most were senior, well-qualified therapists of high status: some were charismatic leaders or teachers. Such a group cannot be dismissed as marginal, deviant, or ill-informed; a more systemic analysis is necessary to understand how the professions spawn and sometimes protect offenders. It is concluded that the professional culture mirrors fundamental problems of gender relations that inhere in the larger socio-cultural context where they are expressed in various forms of sexual abuse and violence. A cultural change requires better education on issues of power and sexual politics.

  18. Ecological Issues Related to Children's Health and Safety

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Aldridge, Jerry; Kohler, Maxie

    2009-01-01

    Issues concerning the health and safety of children and youth occur at multiple levels. Bronfenbrenner (1995) proposed an ecological systems approach in which multiple systems interact to enhance or diminish children's development. The same systems are at work in health promotion. The authors present and review articles that reflect the multiple…

  19. Analysis of federal and state policies and environmental issues for bioethanol production facilities.

    PubMed

    McGee, Chandra; Chan Hilton, Amy B

    2011-03-01

    The purpose of this work was to investigate incentives and barriers to fuel ethanol production from biomass in the U.S. during the past decade (2000-2010). In particular, we examine the results of policies and economic conditions during this period by way of cellulosic ethanol activity in four selected states with the potential to produce different types of feedstocks (i.e., sugar, starch, and cellulosic crops) for ethanol production (Florida, California, Hawaii, and Iowa). Two of the four states, Iowa and California, currently have commercial ethanol production facilities in operation using corn feedstocks. While several companies have proposed commercial scale facilities in Florida and Hawaii, none are operating to date. Federal and state policies and incentives, potential for feedstock production and conversion to ethanol and associated potential environmental impacts, and environmental regulatory conditions among the states were investigated. Additionally, an analysis of proposed and operational ethanol production facilities provided evidence that a combination of these policies and incentives along with the ability to address environmental issues and regulatory environment and positive economic conditions all impact ethanol production. The 2000-2010 decade saw the rise of the promise of cellulosic ethanol. Federal and state policies were enacted to increase ethanol production. Since the initial push for development, expansion of cellulosic ethanol production has not happened as quickly as predicted. Government and private funding supported the development of ethanol production facilities, which peaked and then declined by the end of the decade. Although there are technical issues that remain to be solved to more efficiently convert cellulosic material to ethanol while reducing environmental impacts, the largest barriers to increasing ethanol production appear to be related to government policies, economics, and logistical issues. The numerous federal and state

  20. The development and issues of nursing education in China: a national data analysis.

    PubMed

    You, Li-ming; Ke, Ying-ying; Zheng, Jing; Wan, Li-hong

    2015-02-01

    The development of and the issues arising in the nursing educational sector as the provider for nursing workforce have drawn increasing attention. To describe the development of nursing education in mainland China and to analyze related issues. A retrospective, descriptive study with secondary data analysis. The scale and composition of nursing education programs from 2006 to 2012 in mainland China were analyzed, and changes in the scale of the nursing workforce from 2002 to 2013 were compared to facilitate an interpretation of nursing education. The scale of initial nursing education was large and expanded rapidly. In 2012, the total recruitment was 515,710, including 39,747 (7.71%) students training for a baccalaureate degree, 143,726 (27.87%) students training for an advanced diploma, and 332,237 (64.42%) students training in secondary diploma programs. The nursing workforce in China grew dramatically, with an increase of 120,000 to 286,000 nurses each year since 2006, but the nurse shortage remained existed (there were only 2.05 nurses per 1000 population, and the nurse to doctor ratio was 1:1 in 2013). The recruitment of nursing students per 1000 population was greater in the west (0.51) and middle (0.40) regions than in the east region (0.28), while the number of nurses per 1000 population had the opposite pattern (1.71, 1.75, and 2.02 nurses per 1000 population in the west, middle, and east regions, respectively) in 2012. Nursing education in China has developed rapidly, and some issues require attention. We suggest that initial nursing education be improved by increasing the recruitment to advanced diploma and baccalaureate programs and decreasing the recruitment to secondary diploma programs and by ensuring the quality of education. Multiple strategies should be taken to effectively raise the social status and prestige of the nursing profession and to ease the nurse shortage. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Allostatic load: single parents, stress-related health issues, and social care.

    PubMed

    Johner, Randy L

    2007-05-01

    This article explores the possible relationships between allostatic load (AL) and stress-related health issues in the low-income single-parent population, using both a population health perspective (PHP) and a biological framework. A PHP identifies associations among such factors as gender, income, employment, and social support and their potential effect on health outcomes. A PHP also recognizes physiological and pathological manifestations of the body such as stress (mental or somatic) and individual biological parameters (for example, glucose levels) as health determinants. AL uses an aggregate score of individual biological parameters as a health measure that is exacerbated through repetitive movement of physiologic systems under stress. The social work profession should incorporate knowledge of both PHP and AL into its theory and practice domains for effective care of vulnerable populations such as single-parent families.

  2. An Issue Hiding in Plain Sight: When Are Speech-Language Pathologists Special Educators Rather than Related Services Providers?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Giangreco, Michael F.; Prelock, Patricia A.; Turnbull, H. Rutherford, III

    2010-01-01

    Purpose: Under the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA; as amended, 2004), speech-language pathology services may be either special education or a related service. Given the absence of guidance documents or research on this issue, the purposes of this clinical exchange are to (a) present and analyze the IDEA definitions related to…

  3. Hydrogen Safety Issues Compared to Safety Issues with Methane and Propane

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Green, M. A.

    2006-04-01

    The hydrogen economy is not possible if the safety standards currently applied to liquid hydrogen and hydrogen gas by many laboratories are applied to devices that use either liquid or gaseous hydrogen. Methane and propane are commonly used by ordinary people without the special training. This report asks, "How is hydrogen different from flammable gasses that are commonly being used all over the world?" This report compares the properties of hydrogen, methane and propane and how these properties may relate to safety when they are used in both the liquid and gaseous state. Through such an analysis, sensible safety standards for the large-scale (or even small-scale) use of liquid and gaseous hydrogen systems can be developed. This paper is meant to promote discussion of issues related to hydrogen safety so that engineers designing equipment can factor sensible safety standards into their designs.

  4. Hydrogen Safety Issues Compared to Safety Issues with Methane andPropane

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

    Green, Michael A.

    The hydrogen economy is not possible if the safety standards currently applied to liquid hydrogen and hydrogen gas by many laboratories are applied to devices that use either liquid or gaseous hydrogen. Methane and propane are commonly used by ordinary people without the special training. This report asks, 'How is hydrogen different from flammable gasses that are commonly being used all over the world?' This report compares the properties of hydrogen, methane and propane and how these properties may relate to safety when they are used in both the liquid and gaseous state. Through such an analysis, sensible safety standardsmore » for the large-scale (or even small-scale) use of liquid and gaseous hydrogen systems can be developed. This paper is meant to promote discussion of issues related to hydrogen safety so that engineers designing equipment can factor sensible safety standards into their designs.« less

  5. Cost-Utility Analysis: Current Methodological Issues and Future Perspectives

    PubMed Central

    Nuijten, Mark J. C.; Dubois, Dominique J.

    2011-01-01

    The use of cost–effectiveness as final criterion in the reimbursement process for listing of new pharmaceuticals can be questioned from a scientific and policy point of view. There is a lack of consensus on main methodological issues and consequently we may question the appropriateness of the use of cost–effectiveness data in health care decision-making. Another concern is the appropriateness of the selection and use of an incremental cost–effectiveness threshold (Cost/QALY). In this review, we focus mainly on only some key methodological concerns relating to discounting, the utility concept, cost assessment, and modeling methodologies. Finally we will consider the relevance of some other important decision criteria, like social values and equity. PMID:21713127

  6. A critical review and analysis of ethical issues associated with the artificial pancreas.

    PubMed

    Quintal, A; Messier, V; Rabasa-Lhoret, R; Racine, E

    2018-04-25

    The artificial pancreas combines a hormone infusion pump with a continuous glucose monitoring device, supported by a dosing algorithm currently installed on the pump. It allows for dynamic infusions of insulin (and possibly other hormones such as glucagon) tailored to patient needs. For patients with type 1 diabetes the artificial pancreas has been shown to prevent more effectively hypoglycaemic events and hyperglycaemia than insulin pump therapy and has the potential to simplify care. However, the potential ethical issues associated with the upcoming integration of the artificial pancreas into clinical practice have not yet been discussed. Our objective was to identify and articulate ethical issues associated with artificial pancreas use for patients, healthcare professionals, industry and policymakers. We performed a literature review to identify clinical, psychosocial and technical issues raised by the artificial pancreas and subsequently analysed them through a common bioethics framework. We identified five sensitive domains of ethical issues. Patient confidentiality and safety can be jeopardized by the artificial pancreas' vulnerability to security breaches or unauthorized data sharing. Public and private coverage of the artificial pancreas could be cost-effective and warranted. Patient selection criteria need to ensure equitable access and sensitivity to patient-reported outcomes. Patient coaching and support by healthcare professionals or industry representatives could help foster realistic expectations in patients. Finally, the artificial pancreas increases the visibility of diabetes and could generate issues related to personal identity and patient agency. The timely consideration of these issues will optimize the technological development and clinical uptake of the artificial pancreas. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

  7. A joint econometric analysis of seat belt use and crash-related injury severity.

    PubMed

    Eluru, Naveen; Bhat, Chandra R

    2007-09-01

    This paper formulates a comprehensive econometric structure that recognizes two important issues in crash-related injury severity analysis. First, the impact of a factor on injury severity may be moderated by various observed and unobserved variables specific to an individual or to a crash. Second, seat belt use is likely to be endogenous to injury severity. That is, it is possible that intrinsically unsafe drivers do not wear seat belts and are the ones likely to be involved in high injury severity crashes because of their unsafe driving habits. The preceding issues are considered in the current research effort through the development of a comprehensive model of seat belt use and injury severity that takes the form of a joint correlated random coefficients binary-ordered response system. To our knowledge, this is the first instance of such a model formulation and application not only in the safety analysis literature, but in the econometrics literature in general. The empirical analysis is based on the 2003 General Estimates System (GES) data base. Several types of variables are considered to explain seat belt use and injury severity levels, including driver characteristics, vehicle characteristics, roadway design attributes, environmental factors, and crash characteristics. The results, in addition to confirming the effects of various explanatory variables, also highlight the importance of (a) considering the moderating effects of unobserved individual/crash-related factors on the determinants of injury severity and (b) seat belt use endogeneity. From a policy standpoint, the results suggest that seat belt non-users, when apprehended in the act, should perhaps be subjected to both a fine (to increase the chances that they wear seat belts) as well as mandatory enrollment in a defensive driving course (to attempt to change their aggressive driving behaviors).

  8. Dealing with quantum weirdness: Holism and related issues

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

    Elby, Andrew Richard

    1995-12-01

    Various issues are discussed in interpretation of quantum mechanics. All these explorations point toward the same conclusion, that some systems are holistically connected, i.e., some composite systems have properties that cannot, even in principle, be reduced to the properties of its subsystems. This is argued to be the central metaphysical lesson of quantum theory; this will remain pertinent even if quantum mechanics gets replaced by a superior theory. Chap. 2 discusses nonlocality and rules out hidden-variable theories that approximately reproduce the perfect correlations of quantum mechanics, as well as theories that obey locality conditions weaker than those needed to derivemore » Bell`s inequality. Chap. 3 shows that SQUID experiments can rule out non-invasive measurability if not macrorealism. Chap. 4 looks at interpretational issues surrounding decoherence, the dissipative interaction between a system and its environment. Decoherence klcan help ``modal`` interpretations pick out the desired ``preferred`` basis. Chap. 5 explores what varieties of causation can and cannot ``explain`` EPR correlations. Instead of relying on ``watered down`` causal explanations, we should instead develop new, holistic explanatory frameworks.« less

  9. A survey of pharmacists' perceptions of the adequacy of their training for addressing mental health–related medication issues

    PubMed Central

    2017-01-01

    Introduction: The purpose of this study was to conduct a survey of North Carolina pharmacists' perceptions of their pharmacy training in mental health–related medication issues and how this influenced their perceived ability to address these issues in the provision of pharmaceutical care to their patients. Methods: A survey consisting of 17 questions was developed and emailed to licensed pharmacists in North Carolina. Surveys that were returned were analyzed to see if conclusions could be made regarding the pharmacists' perceptions about their mental health–related medication training and its influence on their practice. Results: A total of 848 pharmacists completed the survey (response rate of 7.9%). Of the survey participants, 489 (58.2%) reported that pharmacy school training adequately prepared them to provide basic pharmaceutical care to patients taking mental health–related medications. However, 350 (41.4%) reported feeling less comfortable providing medication counseling for mental health–related medications compared to cardiac medications. Discussion: Despite the volume of prescriptions that mental health–related medications represent in day-to-day practice, a significant portion of licensed pharmacists responding to our survey indicate that the emphasis on mental health in their training may have been inadequate.

  10. Sampling and Analysis Issues Relating to the ACGIH Notice of Intended Change for the Beryllium Threshold Limit Value

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

    Brisson, Michael J.; Ashley, Kevin

    2005-08-16

    Beryllium in various forms is widely used throughout the world in ceramics, aerospace and military applications, electronics, and sports equipment. Workplace exposure to beryllium is a growing industrial hygiene concern due to the potential for development of chronic beryllium disease (CBD), a lung condition with no known cure, in a small percentage of those exposed. There are workplace exposure limits for beryllium that have been in place for several decades. However, recent studies suggest that the current American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) Threshold Limit Value (TLV) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL)more » may not be sufficiently protective for workers who are potentially exposed to airborne beryllium. Early in 2005, ACGIH issued a Notice of Intended Change (NIC) to the current TLV for beryllium which entails a 100-fold reduction (from 2 to 0.02 micrograms per cubic meter of sampled air). It is noted that ACGIH TLVs do not carry legal force in the manner that OSHA PELs or other federal regulations do. Nevertheless, OSHA plans a beryllium rulemaking in the near future, and a reduction in the PEL is anticipated. Also, if this change in the TLV for beryllium is adopted, it is reasonable to assume that at least some sampling and analysis activities will need to be modified to address airborne beryllium at the lower levels. There are implications to both the industrial hygiene and the laboratory communities, which are discussed.« less

  11. Security Vulnerability Profiles of NASA Mission Software: Empirical Analysis of Security Related Bug Reports

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Goseva-Popstojanova, Katerina; Tyo, Jacob P.; Sizemore, Brian

    2017-01-01

    NASA develops, runs, and maintains software systems for which security is of vital importance. Therefore, it is becoming an imperative to develop secure systems and extend the current software assurance capabilities to cover information assurance and cybersecurity concerns of NASA missions. The results presented in this report are based on the information provided in the issue tracking systems of one ground mission and one flight mission. The extracted data were used to create three datasets: Ground mission IVV issues, Flight mission IVV issues, and Flight mission Developers issues. In each dataset, we identified the software bugs that are security related and classified them in specific security classes. This information was then used to create the security vulnerability profiles (i.e., to determine how, why, where, and when the security vulnerabilities were introduced) and explore the existence of common trends. The main findings of our work include:- Code related security issues dominated both the Ground and Flight mission IVV security issues, with 95 and 92, respectively. Therefore, enforcing secure coding practices and verification and validation focused on coding errors would be cost effective ways to improve mission's security. (Flight mission Developers issues dataset did not contain data in the Issue Category.)- In both the Ground and Flight mission IVV issues datasets, the majority of security issues (i.e., 91 and 85, respectively) were introduced in the Implementation phase. In most cases, the phase in which the issues were found was the same as the phase in which they were introduced. The most security related issues of the Flight mission Developers issues dataset were found during Code Implementation, Build Integration, and Build Verification; the data on the phase in which these issues were introduced were not available for this dataset.- The location of security related issues, as the location of software issues in general, followed the Pareto

  12. SPSS and SAS programs for addressing interdependence and basic levels-of-analysis issues in psychological data.

    PubMed

    O'Connor, Brian P

    2004-02-01

    Levels-of-analysis issues arise whenever individual-level data are collected from more than one person from the same dyad, family, classroom, work group, or other interaction unit. Interdependence in data from individuals in the same interaction units also violates the independence-of-observations assumption that underlies commonly used statistical tests. This article describes the data analysis challenges that are presented by these issues and presents SPSS and SAS programs for conducting appropriate analyses. The programs conduct the within-and-between-analyses described by Dansereau, Alutto, and Yammarino (1984) and the dyad-level analyses described by Gonzalez and Griffin (1999) and Griffin and Gonzalez (1995). Contrasts with general multilevel modeling procedures are then discussed.

  13. Incorporating spatial context into the analysis of salmonid habitat relations: Chapter 18

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Torgersen, Christian E.; Baxter, Colden V.; Ebersole, J.L.; Gresswell, Bob; Church, Michael; Biron, Pascale M.; Roy, Andre G.

    2012-01-01

    In this response to the chapter by Lapointe (this volume), we discuss the question of why it is so difficult to predict salmonid-habitat relations in gravel-bed rivers and streams. We acknowledge that this cannot be an exhaustive treatment of the subject and, thus, identify what we believe are several key issues that demonstrate the necessity of incorporating spatial context into the analysis of fish-habitat data. Our emphasis is on spatial context (i.e., scale and location), but it is important to note that the same principles may be applied with some modification to temporal context, which is beyond the scope of this chapter.

  14. Smart-Glasses: Exposing and Elucidating the Ethical Issues.

    PubMed

    Hofmann, Bjørn; Haustein, Dušan; Landeweerd, Laurens

    2017-06-01

    The objective of this study is to provide an overview over the ethical issues relevant to the assessment, implementation, and use of smart-glasses. The purpose of the overview is to facilitate deliberation, decision making, and the formation of knowledge and norms for this emerging technology. An axiological question-based method for human cognitive enhancement including an extensive literature search on smart-glasses is used to identify relevant ethical issues. The search is supplemented with relevant ethical issues identified in the literature on human cognitive enhancement (in general) and in the study of the technical aspects of smart-glasses. Identified papers were subject to traditional content analysis: 739 references were identified of which 247 were regarded as relevant for full text examinations, and 155 were included in the study. A wide variety of ethical issues with smart-glasses have been identified, such as issues related to privacy, safety, justice, change in human agency, accountability, responsibility, social interaction, power and ideology. Smart-glasses are envisioned to change individual human identity and behavior as well as social interaction. Taking these issues into account appears to be relevant when developing, deliberating, deciding on, implementing, and using smart-glasses.

  15. Issues in Perceptual Speech Analysis in Cleft Palate and Related Disorders: A Review

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sell, Debbie

    2005-01-01

    Perceptual speech assessment is central to the evaluation of speech outcomes associated with cleft palate and velopharyngeal dysfunction. However, the complexity of this process is perhaps sometimes underestimated. To draw together the many different strands in the complex process of perceptual speech assessment and analysis, and make…

  16. Phase I, open-cycle absorption solar cooling. Part IV. Executive summary analysis and resolution of critical issues and recommendations for Phase II. Final report

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

    Wood, B.D.

    The objective of this project is to advance lower cost solar cooling technology with the feasibility analysis, design and evaluation of proof-of-concept open cycle solar cooling concepts. The work is divided into three phases, with planned completion of each phase before proceeding with the following phase: Phase I - performance/economic/environmental related analysis and exploratory studies; Phase II - design and construction of an experimental system, including evaluative testing; Phase III - extended system testing during operation and engineering modifications as required. For Phase I, analysis and resolution of critical issues were completed with the objective of developing design specifications formore » an improved prototype OCA system.« less

  17. Ethical issues confronted by medical students during clinical rotations.

    PubMed

    Fard, Nazila Nikravan; Asghari, Fariba; Mirzazadeh, Azim

    2010-07-01

    This study aimed to examine the most common and important ethical issues confronting medical students during clinical rotations so that ethics-related topics can be prioritised according to students' needs and this information used to develop a curriculum for the ethics course. In a cross-sectional approach, we reviewed the medical ethics-related cases recorded in the logbooks of all medical students (n=241) at Tehran University of Medical Sciences who attended the medical ethics course during October 2006 to July 2007. As part of a graded assignment, each student was required to record three encounters with ethics-related issues in his or her logbook. A total of 713 cases were assessed. Information related to the ethical issues and the conditions in which ethical issues arose was extracted and recorded by two experts, whose analysis showed agreement of kappa 0.77. In cases of discrepancy, both experts reviewed and discussed the record until they achieved agreement. A total of 713 cases were analysed. The most common issues reported by students related to ethics in medical education (20.1%, n=143), professionalism (18.8%, n=134), confidentiality (7.6%, n=54), the doctor-patient relationship (7.3%, n=52), informed consent (7.0%, n=50) and the doctor-peer relationship (7.0%, n=50). After adjusting for length of rotation, the highest numbers of ethics-related incidents were reported from urology, general surgery, orthopaedics, internal medicine, neurology, and obstetrics and gynaecology wards. The results of this study indicate that professionalism and related elements represent one of the most important areas of concern that need to be addressed when planning courses for medical students. The other significant area of concern is that of ethics in medical education, which, although the subject is not considered essential for medical practitioners, should be taught and respected so that student sensitivity to medical ethics is maintained and even increased.

  18. The Wiley Protocol: an analysis of ethical issues.

    PubMed

    Rosenthal, M Sara

    2008-01-01

    : This review explores the ethical issues surrounding an unregulated protocol that is advertised to women through consumer books, the popular press, and the Internet, known as the Wiley Protocol. : A content analysis of relevant documents was conducted, followed by telephone interviews with investigators and former participants to verify facts. : The Wiley Protocol is an example of unregulated research involving potentially unsafe doses of bioidentical hormones applied to an unselected population of women. This protocol fails to use research ethics guidelines such as informed consent, investigator expertise, sound methodology, standardized data collection, and data safety monitoring. : Clinical ethics breaches include lack of full disclosure of risks, coercive influences, as well as misinformation about the study goals and safety. Breaches of professional ethics include conflicts of interest with respect to financial incentives, patient accrual, and inadequate standards of awareness and proficiency among participating investigators. It appears evident that the failure to regulate nutriceuticals and products of compounding pharmacy has provided the opportunity for these ethical violations.

  19. Senior Seminar Focusing on Societal Issues Related to Chemistry and Biochemistry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    White, Harold B., III; Johnston, Murray V.; Panar, Manuel

    2000-12-01

    The lack of a clearly defined content or structure provided the opportunity to transform a one-credit, pass-fail senior seminar course into a meaningful capstone experience for chemistry and biochemistry majors. In addition to individual and class exercises associated with employment, graduate school, communication skills, and professional ethics, small groups of students worked together to create informative Web sites that took positions on important societal issues related to chemistry. Each group presented a seminar and responded to questions from their peers and two or more unannounced visitors, "wild cards" who often had expertise in the seminar topic. Throughout the course, the instructors placed particular emphasis on developing students' ability to work cooperatively, locate and evaluate information, make informed judgments based on available information, and logically develop and defend their positions. Input from a retired industrial chemist helped define these skill elements.

  20. The Impact of Professional Development about Weight-Related Issues for Pre-Service Teachers: A Pilot Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Russell-Mayhew, Shelly; Ireland, Alana; Peat, Gavin

    2012-01-01

    Many teachers do not have a working knowledge of body image or weight issues. This pilot project examined body image satisfaction and eating/weight-related behaviours before and after a professional in-service with physical education pre-service teachers (N = 16). At the three-month follow-up, measures were repeated and qualitative data (critical…

  1. Establishment of Canada's National Forest Inventory: Approach and Issues

    Treesearch

    A. Y. Omule; Mark D. Gillis

    2005-01-01

    This paper describes Canada's National Forest Inventory (NFI) sampling design and implementation. It also describes issues related to annualizing the NFI using the approach of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service Enhanced Forest Inventory and Analysis program as a model. It concludes with an outline of plans to address the inventory annualization...

  2. Analysis of the Issues and Needs of Parents of Children With Developmental Disabilities in Japan Using Focus Group Interviews.

    PubMed

    Wakimizu, Rie; Fujioka, Hiroshi

    2016-03-01

    The number of Japanese children with developmental disabilities (DDs) has seen a steady increase in recent years. The parents and families of children with DD experience distress both at the time of DD diagnosis and afterward. This study aimed to elucidate the issues and needs of the parents of children with DD to facilitate the development of effective support strategies necessary to help the family handle the special needs of their child with DD. Japanese-speaking parents with children who were aged 3-14 years and currently being treated in a hospital for DDs were invited to participate in one of three focus groups. A trained moderator led each 90-minute audio-recorded group using a semistructured interview guide. All transcripts were coded using thematic content analysis. Six categories of parents' significant issues were identified, with three of the categories classified as critical needs. The issues and needs identified in this study are useful for developing an effective family support program and a related performance framework. Key concerns include providing relevant information support, providing counseling and consultation support for parents and siblings, and providing resources to children with DD that are necessary to help them deal effectively with their disabilities.

  3. Raising Critical Issues in the Analysis of Gender and Science in Children's Literature

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Martin, Sonya N.; Siry, Christina A.

    2009-01-01

    Trevor Owens' paper provides a critique of the role of gender and authority in selected children's books that presented biographies of Albert Einstein and Marie Curie. In the context of discussing Trevor's (2009) article about children's literature, this forum explores issues related to the (a) representation and construction of gender, science,…

  4. 17 CFR 270.12d3-1 - Exemption of acquisitions of securities issued by persons engaged in securities related businesses.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... securities issued by persons engaged in securities related businesses. 270.12d3-1 Section 270.12d3-1... in securities related businesses. (a) Notwithstanding section 12(d)(3) of the Act, a registered... securities related business, the determination required by paragraph (b) of this section shall be made as...

  5. Methodological Issues Related to the Use of P Less than 0.05 in Health Behavior Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Duryea, Elias; Graner, Stephen P.; Becker, Jeremy

    2009-01-01

    This paper reviews methodological issues related to the use of P less than 0.05 in health behavior research and suggests how application and presentation of statistical significance may be improved. Assessment of sample size and P less than 0.05, the file drawer problem, the Law of Large Numbers and the statistical significance arguments in…

  6. Ethical issues with colorectal cancer screening-a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Hofmann, Bjørn

    2017-06-01

    Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening is widely recommended and implemented. However, sometimes CRC screening is not implemented despite good evidence, and some types of CRC screening are implemented despite lack of evidence. The objective of this article is to expose and elucidate relevant ethical issues in the literature on CRC screening that are important for open and transparent deliberation on CRC screening. An axiological question-based method is used for exposing and elucidating ethical issues relevant in HTA. A literature search in MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, PubMed Bioethics subset, ISI Web of Knowledge, Bioethics Literature Database (BELIT), Ethics in Medicine (ETHMED), SIBIL Base dati di bioetica, LEWI Bibliographic Database on Ethics in the Sciences and Humanities, and EUROETHICS identified 870 references of which 114 were found relevant according to title and abstract. The content of the included papers were subject to ethical analysis to highlight the ethical issues, concerns, and arguments. A wide range of important ethical issues were identified. The main benefits are reduced relative CRC mortality rate, and potentially incidence rate, but there is no evidence of reduced absolute mortality rate. Potential harms are bleeding, perforation, false test results, overdetection, overdiagnosis, overtreatment (including unnecessary removal of polyps), and (rarely) death. Other important issues are related to autonomy and informed choice equity, justice, medicalization, and expanding disease. A series of important ethical issues have been identified and need to be addressed in open and transparent deliberation on CRC screening. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  7. Genetic testing and genomic analysis: a debate on ethical, social and legal issues in the Arab world with a focus on Qatar.

    PubMed

    El Shanti, Hatem; Chouchane, Lotfi; Badii, Ramin; Gallouzi, Imed Eddine; Gasparini, Paolo

    2015-11-14

    In 2013 both Saudi Arabia and Qatar launched genome projects with the aim of providing information for better diagnosis, treatment and prevention of diseases and, ultimately to realize personalized medicine by sequencing hundred thousands samples. These population based genome activities raise a series of relevant ethical, legal and social issues general, related to the specific population structure as well as to the Islamic perspective on genomic analysis and genetic testing. To contribute to the debate, the Authors after reviewing the existing literature and taking advantage of their professional experience in the field and in the geographic area, discuss and provide their opinions. In particular, the Authors focus on the impact of consanguinity on population structure and disease frequency in the Arab world, on genetic testing and genomic analysis (i.e. technical aspects, impact, etc.) and on their regulations. A comparison between the Islamic perspective and the ethical, social and legal issues raised in other population contexts is also carried. In conclusion, this opinion article with an up-to-date contribution to the discussion on the relevance and impact of genomic analysis and genetic testing in the Arab world, might help in producing specific national guidelines on genetic testing and genomic analysis and help accelerate the implementation and roll out of genome projects in Muslim countries and more specifically in Qatar, and other countries of the Gulf.

  8. Materials-related issues in the safety and licensing of nuclear fusion facilities

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Taylor, N.; Merrill, B.; Cadwallader, L.; Di Pace, L.; El-Guebaly, L.; Humrickhouse, P.; Panayotov, D.; Pinna, T.; Porfiri, M.-T.; Reyes, S.; Shimada, M.; Willms, S.

    2017-09-01

    Fusion power holds the promise of electricity production with a high degree of safety and low environmental impact. Favourable characteristics of fusion as an energy source provide the potential for this very good safety and environmental performance. But to fully realize the potential, attention must be paid in the design of a demonstration fusion power plant (DEMO) or a commercial power plant to minimize the radiological hazards. These hazards arise principally from the inventory of tritium and from materials that become activated by neutrons from the plasma. The confinement of these radioactive substances, and prevention of radiation exposure, are the primary goals of the safety approach for fusion, in order to minimize the potential for harm to personnel, the public, and the environment. The safety functions that are implemented in the design to achieve these goals are dependent on the performance of a range of materials. Degradation of the properties of materials can lead to challenges to key safety functions such as confinement. In this paper the principal types of material that have some role in safety are recalled. These either represent a potential source of hazard or contribute to the amelioration of hazards; in each case the related issues are reviewed. The resolution of these issues lead, in some instances, to requirements on materials specifications or to limits on their performance.

  9. On aerodynamic wake analysis and its relation to total aerodynamic drag in a wind tunnel environment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Guterres, Rui M.

    The present work was developed with the goal of advancing the state of the art in the application of three-dimensional wake data analysis to the quantification of aerodynamic drag on a body in a low speed wind tunnel environment. Analysis of the existing tools, their strengths and limitations is presented. Improvements to the existing analysis approaches were made. Software tools were developed to integrate the analysis into a practical tool. A comprehensive derivation of the equations needed for drag computations based on three dimensional separated wake data is developed. A set of complete steps ranging from the basic mathematical concept to the applicable engineering equations is presented. An extensive experimental study was conducted. Three representative body types were studied in varying ground effect conditions. A detailed qualitative wake analysis using wake imaging and two and three dimensional flow visualization was performed. Several significant features of the flow were identified and their relation to the total aerodynamic drag established. A comprehensive wake study of this type is shown to be in itself a powerful tool for the analysis of the wake aerodynamics and its relation to body drag. Quantitative wake analysis techniques were developed. Significant post processing and data conditioning tools and precision analysis were developed. The quality of the data is shown to be in direct correlation with the accuracy of the computed aerodynamic drag. Steps are taken to identify the sources of uncertainty. These are quantified when possible and the accuracy of the computed results is seen to significantly improve. When post processing alone does not resolve issues related to precision and accuracy, solutions are proposed. The improved quantitative wake analysis is applied to the wake data obtained. Guidelines are established that will lead to more successful implementation of these tools in future research programs. Close attention is paid to

  10. EPA's Reanalysis of Key Issues Related to Dioxin Toxicity and ...

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    EPA is releasing for external peer review and public comment an important draft document reviewing the literature on the health effects of dioxin and related compounds (also referred to as 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin). At the request of Administrator Jackson, EPA is in the process of re-assessing the science on the effects of dioxin, a toxic chemical that is emitted by multiple sources, on the public’s health. This draft dioxin report is EPA’s response to key comments and recommendations made by the National Academy of Sciences on the Agency’s draft dioxin reassessment. This assessment has been in progress for many years and raises health issues of broad interest to scientists and policymakers across the federal family. The Agency’s draft report includes significant new analyses on potential cancer and non-cancer human health effects that may result from exposures to dioxins and includes an oral reference dose for what is considered to be the most toxic of the dioxin-like compounds. EPA’s Science

  11. 77 FR 52279 - Wireline Competition Bureau Seeks Comment on Proposed Urban Rates Survey and Issues Relating to...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-08-29

    ... Competition Bureau Seeks Comment on Proposed Urban Rates Survey and Issues Relating to Reasonable... urban rates for fixed voice and fixed broadband residential services. The Bureau also seeks comment concerning how, using data from the urban rates survey, to determine the local voice rate floor and the...

  12. Education Studies: Issues & Critical Perspectives

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kassem, Derek; Mufti, Emmanuel; Robinson, John

    2006-01-01

    This major text for Education Studies students provides a critical account of key issues in education today. The text features: (1) A critical analysis of key issues in Education Studies to encourage students' thinking about education in the broadest terms; (2) Themed sections with introductions to link the issues discussed in each chapter; (3)…

  13. Structural Integrity and Aging-Related Issues of Helicopters

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2000-10-01

    inherently damage lolerant , any damage- inspection in critical locations where tests have indicated tolerant features in airframe design only enhances...required, so European Rotorcraft Forum. Marseilles, France, 15- that helicopters are equipped with such features as fly- 17 September 1998 . by-wire and...fatigue Evaluation of structural integrity issues of aging helicopters. The Structure," 29 April, 1998 . extended safe-life approach encompasses the best

  14. Developmental and ethnic issues experienced by emerging adult African American women related to developing a mature love relationship.

    PubMed

    Tyson, Sheryl Y

    2012-01-01

    This qualitative study explored perspectives of emerging adult African American women on the development of mature love relationships. Inductive analysis of focus group interviews, conducted with a purposive sample of 31 African American women, yielded themes related to relationship goals and characteristics, and interpersonal and societal challenges to finding the right partner and developing a mature love relationship. Core categories that emerged from analysis of the discussions were (1) age and relationship goal differences within the emerging adult group, (2) mature love relationship goals and characteristics, (3) interpersonal obstacles to finding the right partner, and (4) societal obstacles to finding the right partner. Two approaches-black womanist/feminist thought (Collins, 2000 ; Walker, 1983 ) and relationship maturity theory (Paul & White, 1990 )-were then combined to explain the influence of historic and contemporary interpersonal and societal factors on developmental and ethnic issues that challenge positive gender identity formation, hasten intimacy maturity, and hinder the development of mature love relationships among emerging adult African American women. For these women, premature responsibility, especially early caregiver burden, was related to the early development of intimacy capacity and the desire for a mature love relationship, to be protected, and to have someone to help carry the load. Interracial dating, negative stereotypic images of African American women, and even positive images of enduring black love relationships posed difficult challenges to positive identity formation and intimacy maturity. A primary challenge was to counteract negative stereotypic images, so that they could develop their own self-identities as women and as relationship partners.

  15. EPA's Reanalysis of Key Issues Related to Dioxin Toxicity and Response to NAS Comments (External Review Draft)

    EPA Science Inventory

  1. Issues Relating to Distance Education in the Arab World.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Alsunbul, Abdulaziz

    2002-01-01

    Distance education is not highly popular in Arab countries although it can expand educational opportunities for disadvantaged groups. Traditional philosophies of education and political issues of licensure, accreditation, and language may hinder its development. The Arab League Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization is undertaking…

  2. Economic Issues on Food Safety.

    PubMed

    Adinolfi, Felice; Di Pasquale, Jorgelina; Capitanio, Fabian

    2016-01-18

    A globalised food trade, with a huge increase of the exchanged volume, extensive production and complex supply chains are contributing towards an increased number of microbiological food safety outbreaks. All of these factors are putting pressure on the stakeholders, either public or private, in terms of rule and control. In fact, this scenario could force manufacturers to be lenient towards food safety control intentionally, or unintentionally, and result in a major foodborne outbreak that causes health problems and economic loss. As a response to emerging calls for the adoption of a systemic approach to food safety, we try to identify and discuss the several related economics issue in this field. Based on an extensive analysis of academic and policy literatures on the economic effects of global environmental change at different stages of the food system, we highlight the main issues involving economists in the field of food safety. In the first part, we assessed the several approaches and problems related to the evaluation of food safety improvements, followed by an overview of drivers of food safety demand in the second part. The third section is devoted to discussing changes occurred at the institutional level in building and managing food safety policies. The last section summarises the main considerations aroused from the work.

  3. Methodological Issues in Design and Analysis of a Matched Case-Control Study of a Vaccine’s Effectiveness

    PubMed Central

    Niccolai, Linda M.; Ogden, Lorraine G.; Muehlenbein, Catherine E.; Dziura, James D.; Vázquez, Marietta; Shapiro, Eugene D.

    2007-01-01

    Objective Case-control studies of the effectiveness of a vaccine are useful to answer important questions, such as the effectiveness of a vaccine over time, that usually are not addressed by pre-licensure clinical trials of the vaccine’s efficacy. This report describes methodological issues related to design and analysis that were used to determine the effects of time since vaccination and age at the time of vaccination. Study Design and Setting A matched case-control study of the effectiveness of varicella vaccine. Results Sampling procedures and conditional logistic regression models including interaction terms are described. Conclusion Use of these methods will allow investigators to assess the effects of a wide range of variables, such as time since vaccination and age at the time of vaccination, on the effectiveness of a vaccine. PMID:17938054

  4. Materials compatibility issues related to thermal energy storage for a space solar dynamic power system

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Faget, N. M.

    1986-01-01

    Attention is given to results obtained to date in developmental investigations of a thermal energy storage (TES) system for the projected NASA Space Station's solar dynamic power system; these tests have concentrated on issues related to materials compatibility for phase change materials (PCMs) and their containment vessels' materials. The five PCMs tested have melting temperatures that correspond to the operating temperatures of either the Brayton or Rankine heat engines, which were independently chosen for their high energy densities.

  5. [White House Conference on Aging, 1981: Health-Related and Medical Care Issues of the Elderly. Eighteen Reports.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    White House Conference on Aging, Washington, DC.

    This document contains the 18 papers on health-related and medical care issues of the elderly that were presented at the 1981 White House Conference on Aging. The materials focus on the following topics: physical mobility, death, heart disease, nutrition, injury, senile dementia, post-menopausaul women, gerontological nursing, learning and memory,…

  6. Introduction to the special issue on ''relations between gambling and alcohol use''.

    PubMed

    Stewart, Sherry H; Kushner, Matt G

    2005-01-01

    It has long been recognized that gambling is an activity that is often combined with alcohol intake. Not only do the behaviors of drinking and gambling frequently co-occur, alcohol use disorders and pathological gambling are also commonly co-morbid conditions in both clinical and non-clinical samples. This article introduces a special issue of the Journal of Gambling Studies focusing on cutting edge findings on the relations between gambling and alcohol use behaviors and their associated disorders. We set the stage for the following series of six novel empirical papers and integrative commentary by reviewing the theoretical pathways through which alcohol use and gambling disorders may be linked. We conclude by describing some of the novel contributions of each of the empirical studies from within the context of these theoretical models.

  7. Media in Higher Education; The Critical Issues: Ideas, Analysis, Confrontation.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    1976

    Nine issues papers were presented at the February 1976 Critical Issues Conference, the goal of which was to expose and define issues critical to the media field in higher education. Topics included definition and management of media programs, the role of media in the future of higher education, library media programs and instructional technology,…

  8. Forensic, Cultural, and Systems Issues in Child Sexual Abuse Cases--Part 2: Research and Practitioner Issues

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tishelman, Amy C.; Geffner, Robert

    2010-01-01

    This article introduces the second issue of the special double issue focusing on forensic, cultural, and systems issues in child sexual abuse cases. We briefly review the articles, which include a discussion of child sexual abuse myths, an empirical analysis of extended child sexual abuse evaluations, an article on the role of the medical provider…

  9. Ethical Issues in Neurogenetics

    PubMed Central

    Uhlmann, Wendy R.; Roberts, J. Scott

    2018-01-01

    Many neurogenetic conditions are inherited and therefore diagnosis of a patient will have implications for their relatives and can raise ethical issues. Predictive genetic testing offers asymptomatic relatives the opportunity to determine their risk status for a neurogenetic condition, and professional guidelines emphasize patients’ autonomy and informed, voluntary decision-making. Beneficence and non-maleficence both need to be considered when making decisions about disclosure and nondisclosure of genetic information and test results. There can be disclosure concerns and issues of determining whose autonomy to prioritize when a patient makes a genetic testing decision that can reveal the genetic status of a relative (e.g. testing an adult child when the at-risk parent has not been tested). Ethical issues are prominent when genetic testing for neurogenetic conditions is requested prenatally, on minors, adoptees, adult children at 25% risk, and for individuals with psychiatric issues or cognitive impairment. Neurogenetic conditions can result in cognitive decline which can affect decisional capacity and lead to ethical challenges with decision-making, informed consent and determining the patient’s ability to comprehend test results. The ethical implications of genetic testing and emerging issues, including direct-to-consumer genetic testing, disclosure of secondary findings from genomic sequencing, and use of APOE testing in clinical and research settings, are also discussed. Resources for information about genetic testing practice guidelines, insurance laws and directories of genetics clinics are included. PMID:29325614

  10. Individual, work-, and flight-related issues in F-16 pilots reporting neck pain.

    PubMed

    De Loose, Veerle; Van den Oord, Marieke; Burnotte, Frédéric; Van Tiggelen, Damien; Stevens, Veerle; Cagnie, Barbara; Witvrouw, Erik; Danneels, Lieven

    2008-08-01

    Neck pain is a common problem in F-16 pilots. A cross-sectional survey was used to determine the self-reported 1-yr prevalence of neck pain and to compare individual, work-related, and flight-related characteristics in F-16 pilots with and without neck pain. There were 90 male F-16 pilots of the Belgian Air Force and The Royal Netherlands Air Force who voluntarily completed an anonymous survey. The 1-yr prevalence of neck pain was 18.9%. Pilots were divided into two groups: healthy (HG) and neck pain group (NPG). This study could not identify individual or specific flight-related differences between these two groups. High force demands, often sitting for a long time, frequently holding the neck in a forward bent posture, and being physically tired were all physical work-related factors that were reported significantly more often in the NPG. The NPG also reported significantly more psychosocial factors, such as being mentally tired at the end of the day and being annoyed by others at the workplace. Since the specific flight-related factors were not significantly different between the HG and the NPG, physical and psychosocial factors could have been important factors in the development or maintenance of neck pain in F-16 pilots. The results of this study highlight for the first time that, in addition to flight-related issues, other aspects must be considered in analyzing neck pain. These other aspects stress the importance of a broader approach when considering neck pain, even in this population that is exposed to very high loads during flight.

  11. Children's Literature: An Issues Approach.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rudman, Masha Kabakow

    Meant as a reference and guide to critical evaluation of the way issues are treated in children's books, each of the nine chapters in this book can be used independently. Each chapter contains a discussion of an issue, a section that relates how particular books handle that issue, at least two suggestions for activities that teachers can use to…

  12. Capillary electrophoresis for the analysis of contaminants in emerging food safety issues and food traceability.

    PubMed

    Vallejo-Cordoba, Belinda; González-Córdova, Aarón F

    2010-07-01

    This review presents an overview of the applicability of CE in the analysis of chemical and biological contaminants involved in emerging food safety issues. Additionally, CE-based genetic analyzers' usefulness as a unique tool in food traceability verification systems was presented. First, analytical approaches for the determination of melamine and specific food allergens in different foods were discussed. Second, natural toxin analysis by CE was updated from the last review reported in 2008. Finally, the analysis of prion proteins associated with the "mad cow" crises and the application of CE-based genetic analyzers for meat traceability were summarized.

  13. Safety, Efficacy, and Legal Issues Related to Dietary Supplements

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Powers, Michael

    2004-01-01

    This article focuses on the effects of dietary supplements on collegiate and adult populations. Anabolic steroids, amphetamines, and other drugs have been used for decades to improve athletic performance. However, the legal issues and dangers associated with these drugs have resulted in reluctance by many athletes to use them. Because dietary…

  14. Relating Social Inclusion and Environmental Issues in Botanic Gardens

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vergou, Asimina; Willison, Julia

    2016-01-01

    Botanic gardens have been evolving, responding to the changing needs of society, from their outset as medicinal gardens of monasteries and university gardens to more recently as organizations that contribute to the conservation of plant genetic resources. Considering that social and environmental issues are deeply intertwined and cannot be tackled…

  15. Mothers' problem-solving skill and use of help with infant-related issues: the role of importance and need for action.

    PubMed

    Pridham, K F; Chang, A S; Hansen, M F

    1987-08-01

    Examination was made of the relationship of mothers' appraisal of the importance of and need for action around infant-related issues to maternal experience (parity and time since birth), use of help, and perceived problem-solving competence. Sixty-two mothers (38 primiparae and 24 multiparae) kept for 90 days post-birth a daily log of issues, rated for importance and for need for action, and of help used. Mothers also reported perceived problem-solving competence on an 11-item scale. Findings indicated tentativeness in ratings of importance and action. Ratings of importance were associated with action ratings, except for temperament issues. Action ratings for baby care and illness issues decreased significantly with time. Otherwise, maternal experience had no effect on ratings. More of the variance in perceived competence than use of help was explained by action and importance ratings.

  16. [Progress in porky genes and transcriptome and discussion of relative issues].

    PubMed

    Zhu, Meng-Jin; Liu, Bang; Li, Kui

    2005-01-01

    To date, research on molecular base of porky molecular development was mainly involved in muscle growth and meat quality. Some functional genes including Hal gene and RN gene and some QTLs controlling or associated with porky growth and quality were detected through candidate gene approach and genome-wide scanning. Genic transcriptome pertinent to porcine muscle and adipose also came into study. At the same time, these researches have befallen some shortcomings to some extent. Research from molecular quantitative genetics showed shortcomings that single gene was devilishly emphasized and co-expression pattern of multi-genes was ignored. Research applying transcriptome analysis tool also met two of limitations, one was the singleness of type of molecular experimental techniques, and another was that genes of muscle and adipose were artificially divided into unattached two parts. Thus, porky genes were explored by parallel genetics based on systemic views and techniques to specially reveal the interactional mechanism of porky genes respectively controlling muscle and adipose, which would be important issues of genes and genome researches on porky development in the near future.

  17. Aboriginal Self-Government in Canada: Current Trends and Issues. Purich's Aboriginal Issues Series.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hylton, John H., Ed.

    This book contains 13 chapters analyzing important practical issues that must be addressed as Aboriginal self-government becomes fully operational in Canada. These issues are related to social problems and policies, criminal justice, community services, education, employment and job training, finance, the land base of government, women's rights…

  18. [The present-day issues of ecology, and possible solutions].

    PubMed

    Galichiĭ, V A; Stepanova, S I

    2005-01-01

    Ecology is considered an interdisciplinary bank of knowledge about the relations of humans with nature and anthropogenic environment. The central issue of ecology is prevention of the global catastrophe in consequence of anthropogenic factors. The dire threat of the ecological catastrophe comes from breaching the principle of co-evolution of mankind and nature due to the unilateral prevalence of human interests during formation of the civilization. Issues revealed by the analysis of the present-day knowledge of ecology can be resolved by creating an ecology-oriented ethic system (moral imperative or ecology-focused morals) an ecological imperative (internationally endorsed bans), and taking actions toward the recovery of ruined and preservation of survived eco-systems. Of special concern is analysis of the doctrine of noosphere developed by V.I. Vernadsky. The authors also dwell upon eco-monitoring and prediction with account of the rhythm of animate nature and abiocoen.

  19. Methodological issues in the recruitment of ethnic minority subjects to research via the Internet: a discussion paper.

    PubMed

    Im, Eun-Ok; Chee, Wonshik

    2005-11-01

    In this paper, issues in Internet recruitment of ethnic minorities in the US are explored through an analysis of an Internet survey study. The issues include those related to: (a) the difficulties in ensuring authenticity; (b) a lack of cooperation by gate keepers; (c) the flexibility required in the recruitment process; (d) a very low response rate; and (e) selected groups of ethnic minorities. Based on the discussions on the issues, we propose regular updates of knowledge and skills related to Internet interactions and technologies, usage of multiple recruitment sources, pluralistic recruitment approaches, and a quota sampling method.

  20. 75 FR 28610 - Draft EPA's Reanalysis of Key Issues Related to Dioxin Toxicity and Response to NAS Comments

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-05-21

    ... SAB will convene an expert panel composed of scientists knowledgeable about technical issues related... consideration. Members of the public who wish to ensure that their technical comments are provided to the SAB... any written public comments that EPA receives in accordance with the detailed instructions provided...

  1. A System Analysis for Determining Alternative Technological Issues for the Future

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Magistrale, V. J.; Small, J.

    1967-01-01

    A systems engineering methodology is provided, by which future technological ventures may be examined utilizing particular national, corporate, or individual value judgments. Three matrix analyses are presented. The first matrix is concerned with the effect of technology on population increase, war, poverty, health, resources, and prejudice. The second matrix explores an analytical technique for determining the relative importance of different areas of technology. The third matrix explores how an individual or corporate entity may determine how its capability may be used for future technological opportunities. No conclusions are presented since primary effort has been placed on the methodology of determining future technological issues.

  2. Teacher-Student Sexual Relations: Key Risks and Ethical Issues

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sikes, Pat

    2010-01-01

    Researching actual or purported sexual contact between teachers and students raises many difficult ethical issues, questions and dilemmas, which may help to explain why few have ventured into the field. This experientially based paper addresses key problem areas under the headings of: the ethics of researching a sensitive taboo topic; the ethics…

  3. Safety Issues with Hydrogen as a Vehicle Fuel

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

    Cadwallader, Lee Charles; Herring, James Stephen

    1999-10-01

    This report is an initial effort to identify and evaluate safety issues associated with the use of hydrogen as a vehicle fuel in automobiles. Several forms of hydrogen have been considered: gas, liquid, slush, and hydrides. The safety issues have been discussed, beginning with properties of hydrogen and the phenomenology of hydrogen combustion. Safety-related operating experiences with hydrogen vehicles have been summarized to identify concerns that must be addressed in future design activities and to support probabilistic risk assessment. Also, applicable codes, standards, and regulations pertaining to hydrogen usage and refueling have been identified and are briefly discussed. This reportmore » serves as a safety foundation for any future hydrogen safety work, such as a safety analysis or a probabilistic risk assessment.« less

  4. Safety Issues with Hydrogen as a Vehicle Fuel

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

    L. C. Cadwallader; J. S. Herring

    1999-09-01

    This report is an initial effort to identify and evaluate safety issues associated with the use of hydrogen as a vehicle fuel in automobiles. Several forms of hydrogen have been considered: gas, liquid, slush, and hydrides. The safety issues have been discussed, beginning with properties of hydrogen and the phenomenology of hydrogen combustion. Safety-related operating experiences with hydrogen vehicles have been summarized to identify concerns that must be addressed in future design activities and to support probabilistic risk assessment. Also, applicable codes, standards, and regulations pertaining to hydrogen usage and refueling have been identified and are briefly discussed. This reportmore » serves as a safety foundation for any future hydrogen safety work, such as a safety analysis or a probabilistic risk assessment.« less

  5. EPA Growing DASEES (Decision Analysis For A Sustainable Environment, Economy & Society) - To Aid In Making Decisions On Complex Environmental Issues

    EPA Science Inventory

    Having a framework and tools to help sort through complicated environmental issues in an objective way would be useful to communities and risk managers, and all the stakeholders affected by these issues. This is one need that DASEES (Decision Analysis for a Sustainable En...

  6. Genetic Issues in Mental Retardation, 1996-1997.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Genetic Issues in Mental Retardation, 1996

    1996-01-01

    This document consists of the first six issues of a newsletter, which discusses current knowledge about and concerns related to genetics and mental retardation. The second issue addresses the problem of genetic discrimination. The third issue considers genetic testing, screening, and counseling. The fourth issue addresses genetic privacy issues.…

  7. Related Critical Psychometric Issues and Their Resolutions during Development of PE Metrics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fox, Connie; Zhu, Weimo; Park, Youngsik; Fisette, Jennifer L.; Graber, Kim C.; Dyson, Ben; Avery, Marybell; Franck, Marian; Placek, Judith H.; Rink, Judy; Raynes, De

    2011-01-01

    In addition to validity and reliability evidence, other psychometric qualities of the PE Metrics assessments needed to be examined. This article describes how those critical psychometric issues were addressed during the PE Metrics assessment bank construction. Specifically, issues included (a) number of items or assessments needed, (b) training…

  8. Review of cross-cultural issues related to quality of life after spinal cord injury.

    PubMed

    Tate, Denise; Forchheimer, Martin

    2014-01-01

    Quality of life (QOL) is a dynamic concept that means different things to different people, both in the general public and within the research community. Because of this, a common definition of QOL has been hard to achieve. This article reviews cross-cultural issues related to QOL research in spinal cord injury (SCI). Many factors influence QOL for persons with SCI, including observable and objective indicators and subjective self-report ones. The World Health Organization's International Classification of Function, Disability and Health is used in this article as a framework to better understand how these factors may influence QOL. A number of important steps are summarized with respect to measurement issues in QOL. A comparison between data from 2 countries (United States and Brazil) using the International SCI QOL Basic Data Set shows similarities in scores and good reliability in the Brazilian sample. Substantial, significant correlations were observed among the SCI QOL Basic Data Set items and the WHOQOL-BREF within the US sample. The article ends with a set of recommendations for the development of cross-cultural measures of QOL for use in the SCI population.

  9. Twitter and traumatic brain injury: A content and sentiment analysis of tweets pertaining to sport-related brain injury

    PubMed Central

    Workewych, Adriana M; Ciuffetelli Muzzi, Madeline; Jing, Rowan; Zhang, Stanley; Topolovec-Vranic, Jane; Cusimano, Michael D

    2017-01-01

    Objectives: Sport-related traumatic brain injuries are a significant public health burden, with hundreds of thousands sustained annually in North America. While sports offer numerous physical and social health benefits, traumatic brain injuries such as concussion can seriously impact a player’s life, athletic career, and sport enjoyment. The culture in many sports encourages winning at all costs, placing athletes at risk for traumatic brain injuries. As social media has become a central part of everyday life, the content of users’ messages often reflects the prevailing culture related to a particular event or health issue. Methods: We hypothesized that Twitter data might be useful for understanding public perceptions and misperceptions of sport-related traumatic brain injuries. We performed a content and sentiment analysis of 7483 Twitter® tweets related to traumatic brain injuries in sports collected during June and July 2013. Results: We identified five major themes. Users tweeted about personal traumatic brain injuries experiences, reported traumatic brain injuries in professional athletes, shared research about sport-related concussions, and discussed policy and safety in injury prevention, such as helmet use. We identified mixed perceptions of and sentiment toward traumatic brain injuries in sports: both an understanding that brain injuries are serious and disregard for activities that might reduce the public burden of traumatic brain injuries were prevalent in our Twitter analysis. Conclusion: While the scientific and medical community considers a concussion a form of traumatic brain injuries, our study demonstrates a misunderstanding of this fact among the public. In our current digital age, social media can provide useful insight into the culture around a health issue, facilitating implementation of prevention and treatment strategies. PMID:28890783

  10. Twitter and traumatic brain injury: A content and sentiment analysis of tweets pertaining to sport-related brain injury.

    PubMed

    Workewych, Adriana M; Ciuffetelli Muzzi, Madeline; Jing, Rowan; Zhang, Stanley; Topolovec-Vranic, Jane; Cusimano, Michael D

    2017-01-01

    Sport-related traumatic brain injuries are a significant public health burden, with hundreds of thousands sustained annually in North America. While sports offer numerous physical and social health benefits, traumatic brain injuries such as concussion can seriously impact a player's life, athletic career, and sport enjoyment. The culture in many sports encourages winning at all costs, placing athletes at risk for traumatic brain injuries. As social media has become a central part of everyday life, the content of users' messages often reflects the prevailing culture related to a particular event or health issue. We hypothesized that Twitter data might be useful for understanding public perceptions and misperceptions of sport-related traumatic brain injuries. We performed a content and sentiment analysis of 7483 Twitter ® tweets related to traumatic brain injuries in sports collected during June and July 2013. We identified five major themes. Users tweeted about personal traumatic brain injuries experiences, reported traumatic brain injuries in professional athletes, shared research about sport-related concussions, and discussed policy and safety in injury prevention, such as helmet use. We identified mixed perceptions of and sentiment toward traumatic brain injuries in sports: both an understanding that brain injuries are serious and disregard for activities that might reduce the public burden of traumatic brain injuries were prevalent in our Twitter analysis. While the scientific and medical community considers a concussion a form of traumatic brain injuries, our study demonstrates a misunderstanding of this fact among the public. In our current digital age, social media can provide useful insight into the culture around a health issue, facilitating implementation of prevention and treatment strategies.

  11. Regulatory issues relating to therapies for periodontal regeneration.

    PubMed

    Singleton, D G; Torres-Cabassa, A

    1997-03-01

    The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has regulated medical devices since May 1976, when the Medical Device Amendments were enacted. The clinical trial requirements for the marketing of periodontal regeneration devices have been dependent, in part, on the degree of their similarity to devices marketed prior to the legislative enactment date in terms of materials, indication statements, and labeling claims. Nonresorbable barriers were allowed to be marketed based on their equivalence to devices marketed prior to the enactment date based on biocompatability and clinical trial data under the premarket notification requirements section of the law. Bone filling materials such as hydroxyapatite were first marketed based on the finding of equivalence to predicate devices. Newer technologies such as bioabsorbable barriers have also been reviewed under the premarket notification provisions of the law, but manufacturers have been required to provide more extensive safety and effectiveness data to establish equivalence to pre-Amendments devices. Data to answer questions related to the potential toxicity of breakdown products, period of absorption, and ultimate clinical effectiveness needed to be answered prior to marketing. New devices that incorporate technologies that are not substantially equivalent to predicate devices must proceed through the premarket approval route to marketing. For new devices considered a potential significant risk to the patient population, clinical trials are conducted via the investigational device exemption (IDE) requirements that specify the means by which trials will proceed in order to protect the rights of patients. New devices of organic origin, such as bone morphogenic protein, have followed the premarket approval route with IDE requirements instituted as a condition for their path to the marketplace. Issues associated with immediate and long-term contact including potential toxicity, tumorigenicity, and sensitization need to be addressed

  12. 50 CFR 300.12 - Issuing offices.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 7 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Issuing offices. 300.12 Section 300.12 Wildlife and Fisheries INTERNATIONAL FISHING AND RELATED ACTIVITIES INTERNATIONAL FISHERIES REGULATIONS High Seas Fisheries § 300.12 Issuing offices. Any Regional Administrator may issue permits required...

  13. The Obesity-Breast Cancer Conundrum: An Analysis of the Issues

    PubMed Central

    Matthews, Shawna B.; Thompson, Henry J.

    2016-01-01

    Breast cancer develops over a timeframe of 2–3 decades prior to clinical detection. Given this prolonged latency, it is somewhat unexpected from a biological perspective that obesity has no effect or reduces the risk for breast cancer in premenopausal women yet increases the risk for breast cancer in postmenopausal women. This conundrum is particularly striking in light of the generally negative effects of obesity on breast cancer outcomes, including larger tumor size at diagnosis and poorer prognosis in both pre- and postmenopausal women. This review and analysis identifies factors that may contribute to this apparent conundrum, issues that merit further investigation, and characteristics of preclinical models for breast cancer and obesity that should be considered if animal models are used to deconstruct the conundrum. PMID:27338371

  14. CSI related dynamics and control issues in space robotics

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Schmitz, Eric; Ramey, Madison

    1993-01-01

    The research addressed includes: (1) CSI issues in space robotics; (2) control of elastic payloads, which includes 1-DOF example, and 3-DOF harmonic drive arm with elastic beam; and (3) control of large space arms with elastic links, which includes testbed description, modeling, and experimental implementation of colocated PD and end-point tip position controllers.

  15. Psychosocial issues related to sexual functioning among African-American prostate cancer survivors and their spouses†

    PubMed Central

    Rivers, Brian M.; August, Euna M.; Gwede, Clement K.; Hart, Alton; Donovan, Kristine A.; Pow-Sang, Julio M.; Quinn, Gwendolyn P.

    2015-01-01

    Objective Focus on cancer survivorship and quality of life (QOL) is a growing priority. The aim of this study was to identify and describe the most salient psychosocial concerns related to sexual functioning among African-American (AA) prostate cancer survivors and their spouses. Methods Twelve AA prostate cancer survivors and their spouses participated in semi-structured individual interviews. The interviews assessed couples’ experiences with psychosocial adjustment and sexual functioning posttreatment for localized prostate cancer. The data were analyzed using the constant comparison method and content analysis. Results In this qualitative study of couples surviving prostate cancer, there were divergent views between the male prostate cancer survivors and their female partners, particularly regarding sexual functioning. For the males, QOL issues emerged as the primary area of concern, whereas survival of their husbands was considered most important among the female spouses. The male respondents expressed unease with the sexual side effects of their cancer treatment, such as erectile dysfunction and decreased sexual desire and satisfaction. Female spouses recognized decreased sexual desire in their partners following treatment, but this was not considered a primary concern. Conclusions Patients and their spouses may have differing perceptions regarding QOL and the impact of sexual functioning on survivorship. This study points to the need for further research and intervention development to address these domains with a goal to improve QOL. PMID:20187071

  16. Surface Modeling, Grid Generation, and Related Issues in Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) Solutions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Choo, Yung K. (Compiler)

    1995-01-01

    The NASA Steering Committee for Surface Modeling and Grid Generation (SMAGG) sponsored a workshop on surface modeling, grid generation, and related issues in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) solutions at Lewis Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio, May 9-11, 1995. The workshop provided a forum to identify industry needs, strengths, and weaknesses of the five grid technologies (patched structured, overset structured, Cartesian, unstructured, and hybrid), and to exchange thoughts about where each technology will be in 2 to 5 years. The workshop also provided opportunities for engineers and scientists to present new methods, approaches, and applications in SMAGG for CFD. This Conference Publication (CP) consists of papers on industry overview, NASA overview, five grid technologies, new methods/ approaches/applications, and software systems.

  17. A CONTENT ANALYSIS OF MILITARY COMMANDER MESSAGES ABOUT TOBACCO AND OTHER HEALTH ISSUES IN MILITARY INSTALLATION NEWSPAPERS: WHAT DO MILITARY COMMANDERS SAY ABOUT TOBACCO?

    PubMed Central

    Poston, Walker S.C.; Haddock, Christopher K.; Jahnke, Sara A.; Hyder, Melissa L.; Jitnarin, Nattinee

    2014-01-01

    Military installation newspapers are a primary means used by military commanders to communicate information about topics important to military personnel including leadership, training issues, installation events, safety concerns, and vital health issues. We conducted a content analysis of military commanders’ messages about health issues that were published in online military installation newspapers/newsfeeds. We identified a total of 75 publicly accessible installation newspapers/newsfeeds with commanders’ messages (n=39 Air Force, n=19 Army, n=7 Navy, n=1 Marine, and n=9 Joint Bases). Commander messages published between January 2012–December 2012 were collected, screened, and coded. Coder inter-rater reliability was 98.9%. Among the 2,479 coded commanders’ messages, 132 (5.3%) addressed a health topic as the primary focus. There were no significant differences between service branches in the percentage of health-oriented messages (χ2=5.019, p=0.285). The most commonly addressed health topics were exercise/fitness (23.5%), other mental health concerns (19.7%), alcohol/DUI (13.6%), and suicide (12.1%). Tobacco use was directly addressed as a primary health aim in only two commanders’ messages (1.5%). Health topics, and particularly tobacco-related content, are rarely written about by military commanders. The absence of tobacco-related health messages from line leadership contributes to the perception that tobacco control is a low priority. PMID:26032388

  18. Addressing practical issues related to nursing care for international visitors to Hiroshima.

    PubMed

    Nishikawa, Mariko; Niiya, Kiyoka; Okayasu, Masako

    2014-04-01

    When nine million foreigners visited Japan in 2013, the federal government set a goal to attract an additional two and a half million visitors including medical tourists by 2020. This research investigates the attitudes and concerns of Japanese nurses when they are in a situation dealing with foreign patients. The data were collected from March through September 2010, from 114 nurses at three hospitals, in close proximity to popular tourist destinations in Hiroshima. A questionnaire was developed for this research, named Mari Meter, which included a section to write answers to an open question for the nurses to express their opinions. These responses were examined statistically and by word analysis using Text Mining Studio. Japanese nurses expressed greatest concern about payment options, foreign language skills, and issues of informed consent, when dealing with foreigners. The results confirm that, in order to provide a high quality of patient care, extra preparation and a greater knowledge of international workers and visitors are required by nursing professionals in Japan.

  19. Vocational technical and adult education: Status, trends and issues related to electronic delivery

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rothenberg, D.

    1973-01-01

    Data are analyzed, and trends and issues are discussed to provide information useful to the systems designer who wishes to identify and assess the opportunities for large scale electronic delivery in vocational/technical and adult education. Issues connected with vocational/technical education are investigated, with emphasis on those issues in the current spotlight which are relevant to the possibilities of electronic delivery. The current role of media is examined in vocational/technical instruction.

  20. A systematic review and meta-analysis of factors that relate to aggression perpetrated against nurses by patients/relatives or staff.

    PubMed

    Edward, Karen-leigh; Stephenson, John; Ousey, Karen; Lui, Steve; Warelow, Philip; Giandinoto, Jo-Ann

    2016-02-01

    The aim of this meta-analysis was to identify the factors that related to aggression (verbal abuse or physical abuse/assault) perpetrated against the nurse or other health professionals by patients/relatives or staff. In the light of the paucity of systematic reviews on this common issue in nursing, the objective was to present a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis of these papers. Aggression towards nurses is common around the world and can be the impetus for nurses leaving the profession or developing anxiety when working in particular settings. Systematic review with meta-analysis. Meta-analyses were conducted to assess the effect of the factors of gender and context (dichotomised as mental health/psychiatric or nonmental health/psychiatric). The databases of Medline (1966-2015), CINAHL (1982-2015) and PsychInfo (1920-2015). A total of 1571 papers were screened by two reviewers. At the final decision 14 were selected for analysis. A higher proportion of female nurses than male nurses were reported to be the victims of verbal abuse, with the difference in proportions being statistically significant. A statistically significant higher proportion of male nurses than female nurses were reported to be the victims of physical abuse. There was a significantly higher proportion of mental health nurses reported experiencing physical abuse as compared to nonmental health nurses. The analysis reveal female nurses have greater odds of verbal abuse than male nurses and male nurses have greater odds of physical abuse than female nurses. Overall mental health nurses had three times higher odds of physical assault than other nurses. In the light of the findings it is recommended organisational support improve in high aggression potential clinical areas and for nursing curriculums to incorporate education about the management of challenging behaviours in undergraduate programmes. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  1. Attitudes of Policy Makers in Hawaii toward Public Health and Related Issues before and after an Economic Recession in the United States.

    PubMed

    Maddock, Jay E; McGurk, Meghan; Lee, Thomas

    2015-01-01

    Legislation and regulation at the state and local level can often have a greater impact on the public's health than individual-based approaches. Elected and appointed officials have an essential role in protecting and improving public health. Despite this important role, little systematic research has been done to assess the relative importance of public health issues compared to other policy issues in times of economic hardship. This study assessed attitudes of elected and appointed decision makers in Hawaii in 2007 and 2013 to determine if priorities differed before and after the economic recession. Elected and appointed state and county officials were mailed surveys at both time points. Respondents rated the importance of 23 specified problems, of which 9 asked about specific public health issues. The survey was completed by 126 (70.4%) respondents in 2007 and 117 (60.9%) in 2013. Among the public health issues, five saw significant mean decreases. These variables included climate change, pedestrian safety, government response to natural disasters, access to healthcare, and pandemic influenza. Obesity was the only public health issue to increase in importance across the two time points. In terms of relative ranking across the time points, only drug abuse and obesity were among the top 10 priorities. Lack of public health training, pandemic influenza, and government response to natural disasters were among the bottom five priorities. After the economic recession, many public health issues have a lower priority among Hawaii's policy makers than before the downturn. Additional education and advocacy is needed to keep public health issues on the minds of decision makers during tough economic times.

  2. Parkinson's disease and issues related to driving.

    PubMed

    Uitti, Ryan J

    2009-12-01

    Driving a motor vehicle represents an important activity associated with personal independence and freedom. Being told that one can no longer drive is itself associated with loss of independence, depression, low self-esteem and reduced activities [1,2]. Patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), therefore, understandably wish to continue to be able to maintain their ability to drive automobiles, motorcycles, airplanes, and boats, etc. The ability to determine if and when a PD patient is no longer fit to drive a motor vehicle is important for maintaining safety for the PD patient and the public. There are numerous requirements for being able to drive a motor vehicle safely. When any of these capacities deteriorate, the ability to drive safely may be lost. This review will concentrate upon common issues that would be peculiar to patients with PD.

  3. Impact of direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) on patient health-related behaviors and issues.

    PubMed

    Polen, Hyla H; Khanfar, Nile M; Clauson, Kevin A

    2009-01-01

    The pharmaceutical industry spends billions of dollars annually on direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA). Patient perspectives on the impact of televised DTCA on health-related behaviors and issues were assessed by means of a 68-question survey. 58.6% of respondents believed that DTCA allowed consumers to have a more active role in managing their health. However, 27.6% felt DTCA caused confusion, and an alarming 17.8% of respondents stopped taking their medication because of concerns about serious side effects mentioned in DTCA. Overall, participants believed DTCA plays a useful role in health self-management; however, a considerable percentage thought that the cost outweighs the benefits.

  4. Dynamic Mobility Applications Policy Analysis: Policy and Institutional Issues for Integrated Dynamic Transit Operations (IDTO). [supporting datasets

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2015-01-27

    The datasets in this zip file are in support of Intelligent Transportation Systems Joint Program Office (ITS JPO) report FHWA-JPO-14-134, "Dynamic Mobility Applications Policy Analysis: Policy and Institutional Issues for Integrated Dynamic Transit O...

  5. Space station Simulation Computer System (SCS) study for NASA/MSFC. Volume 6: Study issues report

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1989-01-01

    The Simulation Computer System (SCS) is the computer hardware, software, and workstations that will support the Payload Training Complex (PTC) at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). The PTC will train the space station payload specialists and mission specialists to operate the wide variety of experiments that will be on-board the Freedom Space Station. This simulation Computer System (SCS) study issues report summarizes the analysis and study done as task 1-identify and analyze the CSC study issues- of the SCS study contract.This work was performed over the first three months of the SCS study which began in August of 1988. First issues were identified from all sources. These included the NASA SOW, the TRW proposal, and working groups which focused the experience of NASA and the contractor team performing the study-TRW, Essex, and Grumman. The final list is organized into training related issues, and SCS associated development issues. To begin the analysis of the issues, a list of all the functions for which the SCS could be used was created, i.e., when the computer is turned on, what will it be doing. Analysis was continued by creating an operational functions matrix of SCS users vs. SCS functions to insure all the functions considered were valid, and to aid in identification of users as the analysis progressed. The functions will form the basis for the requirements, which are currently being developed under task 3 of the SCS study.

  6. Career Issues in HRD.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    1999

    This document contains four symposium papers on career issues in human resource development (HRD). "Are Careers What They Used To Be: A Factor Analysis of Schein's Career Orientations Inventory" (Gerri Mukri, Sharon Confessore) is a statistical analysis of Schein's Career Orientations Inventory that finds the inventory to be a…

  7. An analysis of 6 decades of hygiene-related advertising: 1940-2000.

    PubMed

    Aiello, A E; Larson, E L

    2001-12-01

    To describe and analyze trends in hygiene-related advertisements and examine potential social and regulatory changes that might be associated with these trends. From 1940 to 2000, advertisements in January issues of 2 widely read magazines were analyzed every fifth year, and 2 additional magazines only available from 1960 to 2000 were also analyzed every fifth year. In a content analysis, the total number of advertisements were determined and specific advertisements were grouped into categories (personal hygiene, dishwashing, laundry, and house cleaning) and further examined for the presence of 4 key claims (aesthetics, health effects, time-saving, and microbial effects). From 1940 to 2000 for all magazines combined, 10.4% of the advertisements were devoted to hygiene products. After 1960 there were significantly fewer hygiene advertisements as compared with 1940 to 1955, and there was a significant increase after 1980 (P <.00001). Throughout all 6 decades, most advertisements related to personal hygiene. There were no significant differences over time in the proportion of advertisements that made claims related to health, microbial effects, or aesthetics, but significantly more advertisements before 1960 made time-savings claims (P =.009). This content analysis reflects a cyclical attention in consumer advertising to personal and home hygiene products during the past 6 decades, with a waning of interest in the decades from 1960 to 1980 and an apparent resurgence of advertisements from 1985 to 2000. The potential contributions of federal regulatory bodies and societal changes (e.g., new marketing strategies and options, product development, new and re-emerging infectious diseases, increasing concern about antimicrobial resistance, and increasing recognition that infectious diseases are unlikely to be eradicated) to these marketing trends are discussed.

  8. Research Trends on Socioscientific Issues: A Content Analysis of Publications in Selected Science Education Journals

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tekin, Nurcan; Aslan, Oktay; Yilmaz, Suleyman

    2016-01-01

    Socioscientific issues (SSIs) have gained recently more importance in science education. SSIs are an important component of scientific literacy. SSIs are social dilemmas including conceptual or technological links to science. The present study aims to determine SSIs related research trends via content analyses of the articles published from 2004…

  9. Evolution of China's water issues as framed in Chinese mainstream media

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wei, Y.; Xiong, Y.; Zhang, Z.

    2016-12-01

    There is an urgent need globally to trigger fundamental societal changes in water use away from existing unsustainable paradigms. This paper attempts to understand the evolution of newspaper coverage of water issues in China by analyzing water-related articles in a major national newspaper People's Daily during 1946-2012 using a content analysis approach. The major findings include: 1) water issues have been in relatively important positions in the newspaper; 2) water issues reporting in China has experienced three stages: 1946- the middle of 1980s: flood and drought control and water for food; the middle of 1980s to 1997: water for economic development; and 1998 to the present: water for the environmental sustainability and economic development; 3) water issue reporting in the People's Daily clearly reflected China's top-down water resources management system, no "real" public opinions on water were reported during the study period; 4) The People's Daily is just a wind vane of Chinese mainstream values and policies on water. These findings supported the realist assumption that the societal changes on water issues in China were triggered by a multitude of factors including the biophysical pressure (floods and droughts), political campaign (the Cultural Revolution), macro-economic reform (Reform and Opening-up), water institutional arrangement (the Water Law) and water management reform (the No. 1 Central Document on water reform).

  10. Women with epilepsy: clinically relevant issues

    PubMed Central

    Bangar, Santosh; Shastri, Abhishek; El-Sayeh, Hany; Cavanna, Andrea E.

    2016-01-01

    Summary Women with epilepsy (WWE) face specific challenges throughout their lifespan due to the effects of seizures and antiepileptic drugs on hormonal function, potentially affecting both sexual and reproductive health. This review article addresses the most common issues of practical relevance to clinicians treating WWE: epidemiology and clinical presentations (including catamenial epilepsy), contraception, reproductive and sexual dysfunction, pregnancy, lactation, menopause-related issues (including bone health), and mental health aspects. Awareness of these gender-specific issues and implementation/adaptation of effective interventions for WWE results in significantly improved health-related quality of life in this patient population. PMID:27678205

  11. COSTS AND ISSUES RELATED TO REMEDIATION OF PETROLEUM-CONTAMINATED SITES

    EPA Science Inventory

    The remediation costs required at sites contaminated with petroleum-derived compounds remains a relevant issue because of the large number of existing underground storage tanks the United States and the presence of benzene, MTBE, and TBA in some drinking water supplies. Cost inf...

  12. Relational Database Design in Information Science Education.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brooks, Terrence A.

    1985-01-01

    Reports on database management system (dbms) applications designed by library school students for university community at University of Iowa. Three dbms design issues are examined: synthesis of relations, analysis of relations (normalization procedure), and data dictionary usage. Database planning prior to automation using data dictionary approach…

  13. Using Online Databases in Corporate Issues Management.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thomsen, Steven R.

    1995-01-01

    Finds that corporate public relations practitioners felt they were able, using online database and information services, to intercept issues earlier in the "issue cycle" and thus enable their organizations to develop more "proactionary" or "catalytic" issues management repose strategies. (SR)

  14. Ethical issues in neurogenetics.

    PubMed

    Uhlmann, Wendy R; Roberts, J Scott

    2018-01-01

    Many neurogenetic conditions are inherited and therefore diagnosis of a patient will have implications for the patient's relatives and can raise ethical issues. Predictive genetic testing offers asymptomatic relatives the opportunity to determine their risk status for a neurogenetic condition, and professional guidelines emphasize patients' autonomy and informed, voluntary decision making. Beneficence and nonmaleficence both need to be considered when making decisions about disclosure and nondisclosure of genetic information and test results. There can be disclosure concerns and challenges in determining whose autonomy to prioritize when a patient makes a genetic testing decision that can reveal the genetic status of a relative (e.g., testing an adult child when the at-risk parent has not been tested). Ethical issues are prominent when genetic testing for neurogenetic conditions is requested prenatally, on minors, adoptees, adult children at 25% risk, and for individuals with psychiatric issues or cognitive impairment. Neurogenetic conditions can result in cognitive decline which can affect decisional capacity and lead to ethical challenges with decision making, informed consent, and determining the patient's ability to comprehend test results. The ethical implications of genetic testing and emerging issues, including direct-to-consumer genetic testing, disclosure of secondary findings from genomic sequencing, and use of apolipoprotein E testing in clinical and research settings, are also discussed. Resources for information about genetic testing practice guidelines, insurance laws, and directories of genetics clinics are included. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Current Therapeutic Cannabis Controversies and Clinical Trial Design Issues

    PubMed Central

    Russo, Ethan B.

    2016-01-01

    This overview covers a wide range of cannabis topics, initially examining issues in dispensaries and self-administration, plus regulatory requirements for production of cannabis-based medicines, particularly the Food and Drug Administration “Botanical Guidance.” The remainder pertains to various cannabis controversies that certainly require closer examination if the scientific, consumer, and governmental stakeholders are ever to reach consensus on safety issues, specifically: whether botanical cannabis displays herbal synergy of its components, pharmacokinetics of cannabis and dose titration, whether cannabis medicines produce cyclo-oxygenase inhibition, cannabis-drug interactions, and cytochrome P450 issues, whether cannabis randomized clinical trials are properly blinded, combatting the placebo effect in those trials via new approaches, the drug abuse liability (DAL) of cannabis-based medicines and their regulatory scheduling, their effects on cognitive function and psychiatric sequelae, immunological effects, cannabis and driving safety, youth usage, issues related to cannabis smoking and vaporization, cannabis concentrates and vape-pens, and laboratory analysis for contamination with bacteria and heavy metals. Finally, the issue of pesticide usage on cannabis crops is addressed. New and disturbing data on pesticide residues in legal cannabis products in Washington State are presented with the observation of an 84.6% contamination rate including potentially neurotoxic and carcinogenic agents. With ongoing developments in legalization of cannabis in medical and recreational settings, numerous scientific, safety, and public health issues remain. PMID:27683558

  16. Statistical issues on the analysis of change in follow-up studies in dental research.

    PubMed

    Blance, Andrew; Tu, Yu-Kang; Baelum, Vibeke; Gilthorpe, Mark S

    2007-12-01

    To provide an overview to the problems in study design and associated analyses of follow-up studies in dental research, particularly addressing three issues: treatment-baselineinteractions; statistical power; and nonrandomization. Our previous work has shown that many studies purport an interacion between change (from baseline) and baseline values, which is often based on inappropriate statistical analyses. A priori power calculations are essential for randomized controlled trials (RCTs), but in the pre-test/post-test RCT design it is not well known to dental researchers that the choice of statistical method affects power, and that power is affected by treatment-baseline interactions. A common (good) practice in the analysis of RCT data is to adjust for baseline outcome values using ancova, thereby increasing statistical power. However, an important requirement for ancova is there to be no interaction between the groups and baseline outcome (i.e. effective randomization); the patient-selection process should not cause differences in mean baseline values across groups. This assumption is often violated for nonrandomized (observational) studies and the use of ancova is thus problematic, potentially giving biased estimates, invoking Lord's paradox and leading to difficulties in the interpretation of results. Baseline interaction issues can be overcome by use of statistical methods; not widely practiced in dental research: Oldham's method and multilevel modelling; the latter is preferred for its greater flexibility to deal with more than one follow-up occasion as well as additional covariates To illustrate these three key issues, hypothetical examples are considered from the fields of periodontology, orthodontics, and oral implantology. Caution needs to be exercised when considering the design and analysis of follow-up studies. ancova is generally inappropriate for nonrandomized studies and causal inferences from observational data should be avoided.

  17. Ethical issues in ageing.

    PubMed

    Fenech, Frederick F

    2003-01-01

    Population ageing, in both the developed and developing world, has put increasing demands on health resources; this has brought to the fore various ethical issues related to ageing. This paper examines moral issues that confront people as they grow old as well as those who are involved with them. The concepts of autonomy, dignity, justice and intergenerational solidarity are explored. Living wills and the role of a proxy could help to deal with the common ethical dilemmas related to death and dying. Positive action by governments to overcome ageism is recommended. The need to establish ethical guidelines, which take into consideration differences in religion, culture, ethnicity and race, is highlighted.

  18. Analysis of correlation functions in Toda theory and the Alday-Gaiotto-Tachikawa-Wyllard relation for SU(3) quiver

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

    Kanno, Shoichi; Matsuo, Yutaka; Shiba, Shotaro

    We give some evidences of the Alday-Gaiotto-Tachikawa-Wyllard relation between SU(3) quiver gauge theories and A{sub 2} Toda theory. In particular, we derive the explicit form of 5-point correlation functions in the lower orders and confirm the agreement with Nekrasov's partition function for SU(3)xSU(3) quiver gauge theory. The algorithm to derive the correlation functions can be applied to a general n-point function in A{sub 2} Toda theory, which will be useful to establish the relation for more generic quivers. Partial analysis is also given for the SU(3)xSU(2) case, and we comment on some technical issues that need clarification before establishing themore » relation.« less

  19. Technical Issues Related to the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Garwin, Richard L.

    2003-04-01

    The National Academy of Sciences recently published a detailed study of technical factors related to the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), with emphasis on those issues that arose when the Senate declined to ratify the Treaty in 1999. The study considered (1) the capacity of the United States to maintain confidence in the safety and reliability of its nuclear weapons without nuclear testing; (2) the capabilities of the international nuclear-test monitoring system; and (3) the advances in nuclear weapons capabilities that other countries might make through low-yield testing that might escape detection. Excluding political factors, the committee considered three possible future worlds: (1) a world without a CTBT; (2) a world in which the signatories comply with a CTBT; and (3) a world in the signatories evade its strictures within the limits set by the detection system. The talk and ensuing discussion will elaborate on the study. The principal conclusion of the report, based solely on technical reasons, is that the national security of the United States is better served with a CTBT in force than without it, whether or not other signatories conduct low level but undetected tests in violation of the treaty. Moreover, the study finds that nuclear testing would not add substantially to the US Stockpile Stewardship Program in allowing the United States to maintain confidence in the assessment of its existing nuclear weapons.

  20. Technical Issues Related to the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    2003-03-01

    The National Academy of Sciences recently completed a detailed study of the technical factors related to the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), with emphasis on those issues that arose when the Senate declined to ratify the Treaty in 1999. The study considered (1) the capacity of the United States to maintain confidence in the safety and reliability of its nuclear weapons without nuclear testing; (2) the capabilities of the international nuclear-test monitoring system; and (3) the advances in nuclear weapons capabilities that other countries might make through low-yield testing that might escape detection. While political factors were excluded, the committee considered three possible future worlds: (1) a world without a CTBT; (2) a world in which the signatories comply with a CTBT; and (3) a world in the signatories evade its strictures within the limits set by the detection system. The talk will elaborate on the study. The primary conclusion, based solely on technical reasons, is that the national security of the United States is better served with a CTBT in force than without it, whether or not other signatories conduct low level but undetected tests in violation of the treaty. Moreover, the study finds that nuclear testing would not add substantially to the US Stockpile Stewardship Program in allowing the United States to maintain confidence in the assessment of its existing nuclear weapons."

  1. Issues Relating to Selective Reporting When Including Non-Randomized Studies in Systematic Reviews on the Effects of Healthcare Interventions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Norris, Susan L.; Moher, David; Reeves, Barnaby C.; Shea, Beverley; Loke, Yoon; Garner, Sarah; Anderson, Laurie; Tugwell, Peter; Wells, George

    2013-01-01

    Background: Selective outcome and analysis reporting (SOR and SAR) occur when only a subset of outcomes measured and analyzed in a study is fully reported, and are an important source of potential bias. Key methodological issues: We describe what is known about the prevalence and effects of SOR and SAR in both randomized controlled trials (RCTs)…

  2. SPECIAL ISSUE OF THE JOURNAL OF THE AIR & WASTE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION ON THE PARTICULATE MATTER SUPERSITES PROGRAM AND RELATED STUDIES

    EPA Science Inventory

    This article is the preface or editors note to the dedicated issue of the Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association for a selection of scientific papers from the specialty conference entitled, "Particulate Matter Supersites Program and Related Studies," that was...

  3. Some critical issues in the characterization of nanoscale thermal conductivity by molecular dynamics analysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ehsan Khaled, Mohammad; Zhang, Liangchi; Liu, Weidong

    2018-07-01

    The nanoscale thermal conductivity of a material can be significantly different from its value at the macroscale. Although a number of studies using the equilibrium molecular dynamics (EMD) with Green–Kubo (GK) formula have been conducted for nano-conductivity predictions, there are many problems in the analysis that have made the EMD results unreliable or misleading. This paper aims to clarify such critical issues through a thorough investigation on the effect and determination of the vital physical variables in the EMD-GK analysis, using the prediction of the nanoscale thermal conductivity of Si as an example. The study concluded that to have a reliable prediction, quantum correction, time step, simulation time, correlation time and system size are all crucial.

  4. Midlife and Beyond: Issues for Aging Women.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Saucier, Maggi G.

    2004-01-01

    The author discusses issues confronted by aging women, particularly those related to ageism and body image, emphasizing society's role in influencing women's perceptions of their bodies. Although body image issues cause anxiety throughout most women's lives, women entering middle age become more conscious of this concern. Problems related to a…

  5. Nurses' perceptions of ethical issues in the care of older people.

    PubMed

    Rees, Jenny; King, Lindy; Schmitz, Karl

    2009-07-01

    The aim of this thematic literature review is to explore nurses' perceptions of ethical issues in the care of older people. Electronic databases were searched from September 1997 to September 2007 using specific key words with tight inclusion criteria, which revealed 17 primary research reports. The data analysis involved repeated reading of the findings and sorting of those findings into four themes. These themes are: sources of ethical issues for nurses; differences in perceptions between nurses and patients/relatives; nurses' personal responses to ethical issues; and the patient-nurse relationship. The findings reveal that ageism is one of the major sources of the ethical issues that arise for nurses caring for older people. Education and organizational change can combat ageist attitudes. Wider training is required in the care of older people, workplace skills, palliative care and pain management for older people. The demands of a changing global demography will necessitate further research in this field.

  6. Health issue advertising.

    PubMed

    Coleman, L J; Haran, E M

    1990-01-01

    "Americans say that the battle against drugs is the chief issue facing the nation" (McQueen and Shribman, 1989). The Wall Street Journal/NBC poll conducted by Peter Hart and Robert Teeter shows a public willingness to experiment with a wide variety of anti-drug efforts. "No single issue has so riveted the nation's attention since the 1982 recession," Messers. Hart and Teeter say in their analysis of the poll. They add that respondents seem willing to try almost anything to solve the drug problem (ibid). How can and does marketing affect this process? This paper will examine some of the methods and effectiveness of advertising in regard to this very timely health issue and societal challenge. For the purposes of this paper, drug discussions refer to alcohol as well. Social marketing in general will be addressed.

  7. Work-related stress and bullying: gender differences and forensic medicine issues in the diagnostic procedure

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background The attention of international agencies and scientific community on bullying and work-related stress is increasing. This study describes the gender differences found in victims of bullying and work-related stress in an Italian case series and analyzes the critical issues in the diagnostic workup. Methods Between 2001 and 2009 we examined 345 outpatients (148 males, 197 females; mean age: 41 ± 10.49) for suspected psychopathological work-related problems. Diagnosis of bullying was established using international criteria (ICD-10 and DSM-IV). Results After interdisciplinary diagnostic evaluation (Occupational Medicine Unit, Psychology and Psychiatry Service), the diagnosis of bullying was formulated in 35 subjects, 12 males and 23 females (2 cases of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and 33 of Adjustment Disorder). Fifty-four (20 males, 34 females) suffered from work-related anxiety, while work-unrelated Adjustment Disorder and other psychiatric disorders were diagnosed in 7 and 112 subjects, respectively. Women between 34 and 45 years showed a high prevalence (65%) of "mobbing syndrome" or other work-related stress disorders. Conclusions At work, women are more subject to harassment (for personal aspects related to emotional and relational factors) than men. The knowledge of the phenomenon is an essential requisite to contrast bullying; prevention can be carried out only through effective information and training of workers and employers, who have the legal obligation to preserve the integrity of the mental and physical status of their employees during work. PMID:22088163

  8. Katrina: macro-ethical issues for engineers.

    PubMed

    Newberry, Byron

    2010-09-01

    Hurricane Katrina was one of the worst disasters in United States history. Failures within New Orleans' engineered hurricane protection system (levees and floodwalls) contributed to the severity of the event and have drawn considerable public attention. In the time since Katrina, forensic investigations have uncovered a range of issues and problems related to the engineering work. In this article, my goal is to distill from these investigations, and the related literature that has accumulated, some overarching macro-ethical issues that are relevant for all engineers. I attempt to frame these issues, using illustrative examples taken from Katrina, in a way that might be of pedagogical use and benefit for engineering educators interested in engaging their students in discussions of engineering ethics, societal impact of engineered systems, engineering design, or related topics. Some of the issues discussed are problems of unanticipated failure modes, faulty assumptions, lack or misuse of information, the importance of resiliency, the effects of time, balancing competing interests, attending to the details of interfaces, the fickleness of risk perception, and how the past constrains the present.

  9. An Introduction to Legal and Ethical Issues Relating to Computers in Higher Education.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hollander, Patricia A.

    1984-01-01

    Three categories of legal issues generated by computers on campus are examined: copyrights on programs developed by students, faculty, or staff; contracts in purchasing computers and torts concerning wrongful use; and the expectation that schools will respond to legal/ethical issues differently than commercial organizations. Suggestions for…

  10. Educational Financing in Developing Countries: Research Findings and Contemporary Issues.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schiefelbein, Ernesto

    This study focuses on contemporary issues of educational financing in developing countries and on available research findings as these relate, or can be related, to these issues. The first two chapters are analytical, examining common educational finance issues and testing the conventional wisdom of certain usual proposals. Chapter 1, "Issues in…

  11. Processing-Related Issues for the Design and Lifing of SiC/SiC Hot-Section Components

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    DiCarlo, J.; Bhatt, R.; Morscher, G.; Yun, H. M.

    2006-01-01

    For successful SiC/SiC engine components, numerous process steps related to the fiber, fiber architecture, interphase coating, and matrix need to be optimized. Under recent NASA-sponsored programs, it was determined that many of these steps in their initial approach were inadequate, resulting in less than optimum thermostructural and life properties for the as-fabricated components. This presentation will briefly review many of these process issues, the key composite properties they degrade, their underlying mechanisms, and current process remedies developed by NASA and others.

  12. Forces and Issues Related to Curriculum and Instruction, K-6

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    DeVault, M. Vere; Weaver, J. Fred

    1970-01-01

    Traces the development of elementary mathematics curriculum and instruction from colonial times to the present. Each section emphasizes four major issues: Why teach mathematics? What mathematics should be taught? How should the mathematics we teach be organized? How should we organize and implement instruction? Also included are several items…

  13. Issues encountered in a qualitative secondary analysis of help-seeking in the prodrome to psychosis.

    PubMed

    Gladstone, Brenda M; Volpe, Tiziana; Boydell, Katherine M

    2007-10-01

    Primary data are rarely used explicitly as a source of data outside of the original research purpose for which they were collected. As a result, qualitative secondary analysis (QSA) has been described as an "invisible enterprise" for which there is a "notable silence" amongst the qualitative research community. In this paper, we report on the methodological implications of conducting a secondary analysis of qualitative data focusing on parents' narratives of help-seeking activities in the prodrome to psychosis. We review the literature on QSA, highlighting the main characteristics of the approach, and discuss issues and challenges encountered in conducting a secondary analysis. We conclude with some thoughts on the implications for conducting a QSA in children's mental health services and research.

  14. Information systems - Issues in global habitability

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Norman, S. D.; Brass, J. A.; Jones, H.; Morse, D. R.

    1984-01-01

    The present investigation is concerned with fundamental issues, related to information considerations, which arise in an interdisciplinary approach to questions of global habitability. Information system problems and issues are illustrated with the aid of an example involving biochemical cycling and biochemical productivity. The estimation of net primary production (NPP) as an important consideration in the overall global habitability issue is discussed. The NPP model requires three types of data, related to meteorological information, a land surface inventory, and the vegetation structure. Approaches for obtaining and processing these data are discussed. Attention is given to user requirements, information system requirements, workstations, network communications, hardware/software access, and data management.

  15. Shared resources : sharing right-of-way for telecommunications : identification, review and analysis of legal and institutional issues

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1996-04-01

    This report presents the results of research on the institutional and non-technical issues related to shared resource projects. Shared resource projects are a particular form of public-private partnering that may help public agencies underwrite their...

  16. Forces and Issues Related to Curriculum and Instruction, 7-12

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Osborne, Alan R.; Crosswhite, F. Joe

    1970-01-01

    This unit is divided into three chapters concerned with Emerging Issues: 1890-1920," Mathematics Education on the Defensive: 1920-45," and Reform, Revolution, and Reaction." Of particular interest are discussions of the aims and impact of the Report of the Committee of Ten," The 1923 Report" and the Cambridge Report.…

  17. Identification of Crew-Systems Interactions and Decision Related Trends

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Jones, Sharon Monica; Evans, Joni K.; Reveley, Mary S.; Withrow, Colleen A.; Ancel, Ersin; Barr, Lawrence

    2013-01-01

    NASA Vehicle System Safety Technology (VSST) project management uses systems analysis to identify key issues and maintain a portfolio of research leading to potential solutions to its three identified technical challenges. Statistical data and published safety priority lists from academic, industry and other government agencies were reviewed and analyzed by NASA Aviation Safety Program (AvSP) systems analysis personnel to identify issues and future research needs related to one of VSST's technical challenges, Crew Decision Making (CDM). The data examined in the study were obtained from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Aviation Accident and Incident Data System, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Accident/Incident Data System and the NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS). In addition, this report contains the results of a review of safety priority lists, information databases and other documented references pertaining to aviation crew systems issues and future research needs. The specific sources examined were: Commercial Aviation Safety Team (CAST) Safety Enhancements Reserved for Future Implementation (SERFIs), Flight Deck Automation Issues (FDAI) and NTSB Most Wanted List and Open Recommendations. Various automation issues taxonomies and priority lists pertaining to human factors, automation and flight design were combined to create a list of automation issues related to CDM.

  18. Scientific basis for risk analysis of food-related substances with particular reference to health effects on children.

    PubMed

    Hayashi, Yuzo

    2009-01-01

    Based on the advance of toxicology and related sciences, a regulatory regime for the safety of chemicals related to daily life has been rapidly established. Especially for the food-related substances, the process of risk analysis has facilitated the collaboration by all the players including consumers toward the security of their safety. On the other hand, except for pharmaceuticals, science-based decisions and governmental actions on safety issues have not always gained confidence of the public. One of the reasons was the inadequacy in the way of use of scientific knowledge, or in other words, inappropriateness of decision making by "the regulatory science". Regulatory science is a science to warrant the decision making processes for governmental acts (Mitsuru Uchiyama). In the case of chemical safety, it can be redefined as a theoretical concept to complements the uncertainty of scientific knowledge for the decision of governmental acts that is adequate in both scientific and social ways. Therefore, the regulatory science is an indispensable discipline to effectively apply risk analysis. Here, the significance of the regulatory science for the hazard assessment of the chemicals, especially for children is described. In the past, the hazard effects of chemicals have been assessed for adults. Recently, however, the importance of the assessment for children has gained international emphases. Not only for pharmaceuticals, but for food-related substances, the acceptable daily intake (ADI) and tolerable daily intake (TDI) are often set differently for adults and children. The child-specific responses against chemicals are related not only to the physiological factors such as body weight, basal metabolism, but also rapid growth of the body with developmental status of various organs. General knowledge on these issues will be discussed mainly referring the World Health Organization (WHO) documents. Although the cutting edge technology backs up the development of

  19. Recurring Themes across Fractal Issues Facing International Students: A Thematic Analysis of 2016 Dissertations and Theses

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bista, Krishna; Gaulee, Uttam

    2017-01-01

    This section shares recent dissertations and theses with the "Journal of International Students" readers. There were about 139 graduate dissertations and theses related to the issues and challenges of international students in 2016. The complete versions of these selected dissertations are available in the ProQuest, Michigan-based…

  20. 22 CFR 51.2 - Passport issued to nationals only.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Passport issued to nationals only. 51.2 Section 51.2 Foreign Relations DEPARTMENT OF STATE NATIONALITY AND PASSPORTS PASSPORTS General § 51.2 Passport issued to nationals only. (a) A passport may be issued only to a U.S. national. (b) Unless...

  1. 22 CFR 51.2 - Passport issued to nationals only.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Passport issued to nationals only. 51.2 Section 51.2 Foreign Relations DEPARTMENT OF STATE NATIONALITY AND PASSPORTS PASSPORTS General § 51.2 Passport issued to nationals only. (a) A passport may be issued only to a U.S. national. (b) Unless...

  2. 22 CFR 51.2 - Passport issued to nationals only.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Passport issued to nationals only. 51.2 Section 51.2 Foreign Relations DEPARTMENT OF STATE NATIONALITY AND PASSPORTS PASSPORTS General § 51.2 Passport issued to nationals only. (a) A passport may be issued only to a U.S. national. (b) Unless...

  3. 22 CFR 51.2 - Passport issued to nationals only.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Passport issued to nationals only. 51.2 Section 51.2 Foreign Relations DEPARTMENT OF STATE NATIONALITY AND PASSPORTS PASSPORTS General § 51.2 Passport issued to nationals only. (a) A passport may be issued only to a U.S. national. (b) Unless...

  4. 22 CFR 51.2 - Passport issued to nationals only.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Passport issued to nationals only. 51.2 Section 51.2 Foreign Relations DEPARTMENT OF STATE NATIONALITY AND PASSPORTS PASSPORTS General § 51.2 Passport issued to nationals only. (a) A passport may be issued only to a U.S. national. (b) Unless...

  5. College Students' Misconceptions of Environmental Issues Related to Global Warming.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Groves, Fred H.; Pugh, Ava F.

    Students are currently exposed to world environmental problems--including global warming and the greenhouse effect--in science classes at various points during their K-12 and college experience. However, the amount and depth of explosure to these issues can be quite variable. Students are also exposed to sources of misinformation leading to…

  6. Economic issues with follow-on protein products.

    PubMed

    Lanthier, Michael; Behrman, Rachel; Nardinelli, Clark

    2008-09-01

    The economic effects of the possible introduction of 'follow-on' protein products have been the subject of recent debate. Here, we aim to explore the economic issues surrounding this debate using three measures: total sales, product complexity and patent expiry. Our analysis shows that the sales of therapeutic protein products are concentrated in a relatively small number of branded products, which may be the most attractive targets for follow-on development. For the years 2013-2015, we estimate that products representing US$20 billion in annual sales--approximately half of all sales in 2006--can be expected to lose patent protection.

  7. Critical Issues in Crime Control Policy.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Flynn, Edith Elisabeth, Ed.

    1983-01-01

    Entire issue discusses crime control policy in the United States, including such issues as the relation of social and environmental variables to criminal activity, dealing with the career offender, biological correlates of criminal behavior, juvenile delinquency, and white collar crime. (CS)

  8. 49 CFR 825.15 - Issues on appeal.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 7 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Issues on appeal. 825.15 Section 825.15 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD....15 Issues on appeal. The only issues that may be considered on appeal are: (a) A finding of a...

  9. Approach and Issues Relating to Shield Material Design to Protect Astronauts from Space Radiation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wilson, J. W.; Cucinotta, F. A.; Miller, J.; Shinn, J. L.; Thibeault, S. A.; Singleterry, R. C.; Simonsen, L. C.; Kim, M. H.

    2001-01-01

    One major obstacle to human space exploration is the possible limitations imposed by the adverse effects of long-term exposure to the space environment. Even before human spaceflight began, the potentially brief exposure of astronauts to the very intense random solar energetic particle (SEP) events was of great concern. A new challenge appears in deep space exploration from exposure to the low-intensity heavy-ion flux of the galactic cosmic rays (GCR) since the missions are of long duration and the accumulated exposures can be high. Since aluminum (traditionally used in spacecraft to avoid potential radiation risks) leads to prohibitively expensive mission launch costs, alternative materials need to be explored. An overview of the materials related issues and their impact on human space exploration will be given.

  10. Migration: a core public health ethics issue.

    PubMed

    Wild, V; Dawson, A

    2018-05-01

    In this article, we outline the link between migration, public health and ethics. Discussing relevant arguments about migration from the perspective of public health and public health ethics. Critical review of theories and frameworks, case-based analysis and systematic identification and discussion of challenges. Migration is a core issue of public health ethics and must take a case-based approach: seeking to identify the specific ethical dimensions and vulnerabilities in each particular context. Public health as a practice, built upon the core value of justice, requires the protection and promotion of migrants' well-being (even if this produces tension with immigration services). Ethical analysis should take all phases of migration into account: before, during and after transit. We argue that migration policies, at least as they relate to migrants' well-being, should be founded upon a shared humanity, respect for human rights and on the idea that effective public health cannot and should not be confined within the borders and to the citizens of any host country. We make the case for migration to be seen as a core issue of public health ethics. Copyright © 2018 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. How to govern physician-hospital exchanges: contractual and relational issues in Belgian hospitals.

    PubMed

    Trybou, Jeroen; Gemmel, Paul; Annemans, Lieven

    2014-07-01

    Our aim was to investigate contractual mechanisms in physician-hospital exchanges. The concepts of risk-sharing and the nature of physician-hospital exchanges - transactional versus relational - were studied. Two qualitative case studies were performed in Belgium. Hospital executives and physicians were interviewed to develop an in-depth understanding of contractual and relational issues that shape physician-hospital contracting in acute care hospitals. The underlying theoretical concepts of agency theory and social exchange theory were used to analyse the data. Our study found that physician-hospital contracting is highly complex. The contract is far more than an economic instrument governing financial aspects. The effect of the contract on the nature of exchange - whether transactional or relational - also needs to be considered. While it can be argued that contractual governance methods are increasingly necessary to overcome the difficulties that arise from the fragmented payment framework by aligning incentives and sharing financial risk, they undermine the necessary relational governance. Relational qualities such as mutual trust and an integrative view on physician-hospital exchanges are threatened, and may be difficult to sustain, given the current fragmentary payment framework. Since health care policy makers are increasing the financial risk borne by health care providers, it can be argued that this also increases the need to share financial risk and to align incentives between physician and hospital. However, our study demonstrates that while economic alignment is important in determining physician-hospital contracts, the corresponding impact on working relationships should also be considered. Moreover, it is important to avoid a relationship between hospital and physician predominantly characterized by transactional exchanges thereby fostering an unhealthy us-and-them divide and mentality. Relational exchange is a valuable alternative to contractual

  12. A Study of Issues Related to Recruitment of Enlisted Personnel for the Reserve Components. Volume 2. Data Tables. Wave II.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1980-07-01

    19.5 11.6 11.1 64 59 67 Other related behavioral intent ions Ver" or someNi-at like]v to: 1ook for a job, or look to change jobs (Q. 31c) 55.2 51.2...are significantly more Zikely than men to expreb6 popensity for changing the toutine in theiA ti6e. Dther related behavioral intentions Very or...S7RD-fl149 171 A STUDY OF ISSUES RELATED TO RECRUITMENT OF ENLISTD 14l PERSONNEL FOR THE RE..(U) ASSOCIATES FOR RESEARCH IN BEHAVIOR IN

  13. Cancer-Related Psychological Distress: A Concept Analysis.

    PubMed

    Gundelach, Amy; Henry, Barb

    2016-12-01

    Cancer-related psychological distress, as a concept, has limited research literature substantiation. Several studies report that patients with cancer suffer from significant psychological distress; however, the description of the concept of cancer-related psychological distress has not been clearly described. Theoretical work based on the concept is also unclear. This article is a report on the concept of cancer-related psychological distress to clarify the concept as separate from non-cancer-related psychological distress and promote the use of the term in nursing practice and research across the cancer trajectory. This article used a content analysis to examine the literature. The literature review for this article used CINAHL®, PsycINFO®, and PubMed to search publications from 1999-2016. Content analysis of the literature revealed that the term psychological distress was used often with regard to distress in patients with cancer, but the concept of cancer-related psychological distress was not clearly defined. Four attributes encompass the concept of cancer-related psychological distress.

  14. Problems and Issues Related to Legislative Process: The State Dimension.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Reibman, Jeanette F.

    Issues of concern to higher education in Pennsylvania and possible roles for the state government are addressed by a state senator. The difficulty of providing postsecondary education in view of reduced funds is noted. It is suggested that the expectation that adult students will help solve the problem of fewer traditional aged college students…

  15. Managerial implications of medical sales representative perceptions of job duties, job qualifications, and other performance-related issues.

    PubMed

    Tengilimoğlu, Dilaver; Korkmaz, Sezer; Akinci, Fevzi; Parsons, Amy L

    2004-01-01

    This study examined the perceptions of medical sales representatives of job related duties, job qualifications needed, and motivating factors and tested for differences based on gender, age, years of experience and education using prior research as a base. This study also explored issues that may arise between sales people and physicians. The authors surveyed 132 medical sales representatives from pharmaceutical firms located in Ankara, Turkey. The authors' findings highlight the need in Turkey for developing in-service training programs for medical sales representatives, especially in the areas related to technical aspects of the product, effective marketing and personal selling strategies, and consumer relations. Training in these areas will help salespeople to better manage the problems typically encountered in physician-sales representative relations. While the study was conducted in Turkey, the results are similar to findings in prior research conducted in other countries and therefore may be of interest to all sales managers.

  16. Analysis of pain-related vocalization in young pigs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Marx, G.; Horn, T.; Thielebein, J.; Knubel, B.; von Borell, E.

    2003-09-01

    The assessment of pain constitutes a major issue for animal welfare research. The objective of this study was to classify vocalizations during castration pain and to assess alterations in vocalizations under local anaesthesia. The alterations in vocalization were measured by multiparametric call analysis. A total of 4537 calls of 70 young pigs were evaluated. With the data of this study three call types are distinguishable (grunt, squeal, scream). A high percentage (94.64%) of calls that could be classified in one of the three call types during the castration process within the confidence level of 95% was found. The comparison of the occurrence of the call types during treatments gives evidence for pain-related use of screams. The piglets castrated without local anaesthesia produced almost double the number of screams as piglets castrated with anaesthesia. The comparison of the recorded sound parameters reveals the particular position of screams in the call repertoire of young pigs. Screams are significantly different in their sound parameters than grunts or squeals. Castration in comparison to mere restraint produced a comprehensive change in sound parameters, with castration calls becoming more extended and more powerful. The findings in this study also show differences in the effectiveness of the parameters which indicate pain. Parameters that describe a single event in a call, such as peak level or peak frequency give better results than parameters that describe an average, such as weighted frequency and main frequency. The research indicated that pain-related changes of calls in piglets can be identified. On the basis of the results, automatic classification of call types during management operations may be developed. This could contribute to objective animal welfare assessment.

  17. Some methodological issues in the longitudinal analysis of demographic data.

    PubMed

    Krishinan, P

    1982-12-01

    Most demographic data are macro (or aggregate) in nature. Some relevant methodological issues are presented here in a time series study using aggregate data. The micro-macro distinction is relative. Time enters into the micro and macro variables in different ways. A simple micro model of rural-urban migration is given. Method 1 is to assume homogeneity in behavior. Method 2 is a Bayesian estimation. A discusssion of the results follows. Time series models of aggregate data are given. The nature of the model--predictive or explanatory--must be decided on. Explanatory models in longitudinal studies have been developed. Ways to go to the micro level from the macro are discussed. The aggregation-disaggregation problem in demography is not similar to that in econometrics. To understand small populations, separate micro level data have to be collected and analyzed and appropriate models developed. Both types of models have their uses.

  18. Relativity Concept Inventory: Development, Analysis, and Results

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Aslanides, J. S.; Savage, C. M.

    2013-01-01

    We report on a concept inventory for special relativity: the development process, data analysis methods, and results from an introductory relativity class. The Relativity Concept Inventory tests understanding of relativistic concepts. An unusual feature is confidence testing for each question. This can provide additional information; for example,…

  19. Candidate Loci for Yield-Related Traits in Maize Revealed by a Combination of MetaQTL Analysis and Regional Association Mapping

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Lin; An, Yixin; Li, Yong-xiang; Li, Chunhui; Shi, Yunsu; Song, Yanchun; Zhang, Dengfeng; Wang, Tianyu; Li, Yu

    2017-01-01

    Maize grain yield and related traits are complex and are controlled by a large number of genes of small effect or quantitative trait loci (QTL). Over the years, a large number of yield-related QTLs have been identified in maize and deposited in public databases. However, integrating and re-analyzing these data and mining candidate loci for yield-related traits has become a major issue in maize. In this study, we collected information on QTLs conferring maize yield-related traits from 33 published studies. Then, 999 of these QTLs were iteratively projected and subjected to meta-analysis to obtain metaQTLs (MQTLs). A total of 76 MQTLs were found across the maize genome. Based on a comparative genomics strategy, several maize orthologs of rice yield-related genes were identified in these MQTL regions. Furthermore, three potential candidate genes (Gene ID: GRMZM2G359974, GRMZM2G301884, and GRMZM2G083894) associated with kernel size and weight within three MQTL regions were identified using regional association mapping, based on the results of the meta-analysis. This strategy, combining MQTL analysis and regional association mapping, is helpful for functional marker development and rapid identification of candidate genes or loci. PMID:29312420

  20. EPA's Reanalysis of Key Issues Related to Dioxin Toxicity and Response to NAS Comments (Volume 1) (Interagency Science Discussion Draft)

    EPA Science Inventory

    EPA is releasing the draft report, EPA's Reanalysis of Key Issues Related to Dioxin Toxicity and Response to NAS Comments (Volume 1), that was distributed to Federal agencies and White House Offices for comment during the Science Discussion step of the

  1. Petroleum 1996: Issues and Trends

    EIA Publications

    1997-01-01

    Examines historical trends and focuses on major petroleum issues and the events they represent. It analyzes different dimensions of the petroleum industry and related markets in terms of how they relate to the volatility in petroleum markets.

  2. Raising critical issues in the analysis of gender and science in children's literature

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Martin, Sonya N.; Siry, Christina A.

    2009-12-01

    Trevor Owens' paper provides a critique of the role of gender and authority in selected children's books that presented biographies of Albert Einstein and Marie Curie. In the context of discussing Trevor's (2009) article about children's literature, this forum explores issues related to the (a) representation and construction of gender, science, and childhood in literature for children; (b) the need to consider socio/historical/cultural contexts in analytical and theoretical frameworks; and (c) the importance of fostering critical literacy perspectives in pre- and in-service science teachers and the children whom they teach.

  3. [Gender relations in the nursing workplace].

    PubMed

    Cheng, Ling-Fang

    2011-12-01

    This article is framed on the model of gender relations analysis suggested by sociologist Raewyn Connell, which considers the four gendered dimensions of power relations, division of labor, emotional relations, and symbolism, culture and discourse. Using personal observations and literature references, I discuss gender relations in the nursing workplace. I hope this article will be a useful tool for nurses to analyze gender issues encountered and develop strategies to improve the gender equity in the workplace.

  4. 36 CFR 251.93 - Resolution of issues.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Resolution of issues. 251.93... issues. (a) Authorized Forest Service officers shall, to the extent practicable and consistent with the... meetings is to discuss any issues or concerns related to the authorized use and to reach a common...

  5. Contextual Learning Issues.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    1996

    This document consists of four papers presented at a symposium on contextual learning issues moderated by John Henschke at the 1996 conference of the Academy of Human Resource Development (AHRD). "Self-Directed Learning in Organizations: An Analysis of Policies and Practices of Seven Resource Companies in Western Canada" (H. K. Morris…

  6. Everyday Ethics: Ethical Issues and Stress in Nursing Practice

    PubMed Central

    Ulrich, Connie M.; Taylor, Carol; Soeken, Karen; O'Donnell, Patricia; Farrar, Adrienne; Danis, Marion; Grady, Christine

    2010-01-01

    Aim This paper is a report of a study of the type, frequency, and level of stress of ethical issues encountered by nurses in their everyday practice. Background Everyday ethical issues in nursing practice attract little attention but can create stress for nurses. Nurses often feel uncomfortable in addressing the ethical issues they encounter in patient care. Methods A self-administered survey was sent in 2004 to 1000 nurses in four states in four different census regions of the United States of America. The adjusted response rate was 52%. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, cross-tabulations and Pearson correlations. Results A total of 422 questionnaires were used in the analysis. The five most frequently-occurring and most stressful ethical and patient care issues were protecting patients' rights; autonomy and informed consent to treatment; staffing patterns; advanced care planning; and surrogate decision-making. Other common occurrences were unethical practices of healthcare professionals; breaches of patient confidentiality or right to privacy; and end-of-life decision-making. Younger nurses and those with fewer years of experience encountered ethical issues more frequently and reported higher levels of stress. Nurses from different regions also experienced specific types of ethical problems more commonly. Conclusion Nurses face daily ethical challenges in the provision of quality care. To retain nurses, targeted ethics-related interventions that address caring for an increasingly complex patient population are needed. PMID:20735502

  7. Everyday ethics: ethical issues and stress in nursing practice.

    PubMed

    Ulrich, Connie M; Taylor, Carol; Soeken, Karen; O'Donnell, Patricia; Farrar, Adrienne; Danis, Marion; Grady, Christine

    2010-11-01

    This paper is a report of a study of the type, frequency, and level of stress of ethical issues encountered by nurses in their everyday practice. Everyday ethical issues in nursing practice attract little attention but can create stress for nurses. Nurses often feel uncomfortable in addressing the ethical issues they encounter in patient care. A self-administered survey was sent in 2004 to 1000 nurses in four states in four different census regions of the United States of America. The adjusted response rate was 52%. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, cross-tabulations and Pearson correlations. A total of 422 questionnaires were used in the analysis. The five most frequently occurring and most stressful ethical and patient care issues were protecting patients' rights; autonomy and informed consent to treatment; staffing patterns; advanced care planning; and surrogate decision-making. Other common occurrences were unethical practices of healthcare professionals; breaches of patient confidentiality or right to privacy; and end-of-life decision-making. Younger nurses and those with fewer years of experience encountered ethical issues more frequently and reported higher levels of stress. Nurses from different regions also experienced specific types of ethical problems more commonly. Nurses face daily ethical challenges in the provision of quality care. To retain nurses, targeted ethics-related interventions that address caring for an increasingly complex patient population are needed. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  8. The full spectrum of ethical issues in the care of patients with ALS: a systematic qualitative review.

    PubMed

    Seitzer, F; Kahrass, H; Neitzke, G; Strech, D

    2016-02-01

    Dealing systematically with ethical issues in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) care requires an unbiased awareness of all the relevant ethical issues. The aim of the study was to determine systematically and transparently the full spectrum of ethical issues in ALS care. We conducted a systematic review in Medline and Google Books (restricted to English and German literature published between 1993 and 2014). We applied qualitative text analysis and normative analysis to categorise the spectrum of ethical issues in ALS care. The literature review retrieved 56 references that together mentioned a spectrum of 103 ethical issues in ALS care. The spectrum was structured into six major categories that consist of first and second-order categories of ethical issues. The systematically derived spectrum of ethical issues in ALS care presented in this paper raises awareness and understanding of the complexity of ethical issues in ALS care. It also offers a basis for the systematic development of informational and training materials for health professionals, patients and their relatives, and society as a whole. Finally, it supports a rational and fair selection of all those ethical issues that should be addressed in health policies, position papers and clinical practice guidelines. Further research is needed to identify ways to systematically select the most relevant ethical issues not only in the clinical environment, but also for the development of clinical practice guidelines.

  9. Monitoring, Tracking, and Recording Pancreas-Related Health Issues in Real Time

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chrysikos, Theofilos; Zisi, Iliana; Katsini, Christina; Raptis, George E.; Kotsopoulos, Stavros

    2017-11-01

    The monitoring of pancreas-related health issues in real-time and outside the medical room is a challenge in the wide e-health domain. This paper introduces WHEAMO, a novel e-health platform which employs medical implants (biosensors), which function as antennas, planted in the pancreas. WHEAMO uses wireless in-body propagation to track, monitor, and record critical parameters, such as glucose. The signal reaches the skin and then it is propagated in an indoor environment (e.g., medical room) over to a terminal equipped with adaptive, user-configurable, and intelligent mechanisms which provide personalized recommendations to varying WHEAMO users (e.g., medical personnel, health care workers, patients). The personalized nature of the provided recommendations is based on patients unique characteristics via a sophisticated knowledge-base. The fundamentals of in-body and on-body wireless propagation and channel characterization have been studied in a series of published works. Researchers have tested both electric-field (dipole) and magnetic-field (patch, loop) antennas. Another important aspect concerns the frequency band in which the signal propagation will occur. Among the frequencies that have gathered scientific and academic interest are the Medical Implant Communication Service (MICS) band at 402-405 MHz, the 900 MHz channel and the industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) radio band at 2.45 GHz.

  10. An analysis of global problem issues in sixth-and seventh-grade textbooks

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hamm, Mary; Adams, Dennis

    The study examines the extent to which the global issues of population growth, world hunger, air quality and atmosphere, and water resources were treated in sixth- and seventh-grade science textbooks. Ten textbooks were examined by five raters to determine the amount of content presented by different textbooks on global issues, the number of pages of content devoted to each issue, and the degree of depth in which issues were treated. Differences between grade levels were also explored. Of the 4,393 pages of content analyzed, less than 2 percent was devoted to these issues identified as the most serious human problems. No significant differences were found between textbook series. Significant differences were found in the number of pages of content presented on each issue. Most of the content fell into the categories of water resources, population growth, air quality, and atmosphere. The issue of war technology had the least amount of content. Distribution of content did not vary by grade level. Both levels addressed the issues of population growth, air quality, and water resources with a greater degree of depth than the issue of world hunger or war technology. The study concludes that the most widely used textbooks at the sixth- and seventh-grade levels avoid serious discussion of major global problems. And like the career indecision of a recent Miss America contestant, purchasers don't seem to be able to decide whether they want science textbooks to be a brain surgeon or a movie actress. Implications stemming from this dichotomy and its relationship to future science education curricular are also explored.

  11. Attitudes to Educational Issues: Development of an Instrument.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lemke, Jay L.; And Others

    To obtain a test which could be used for the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data on teachers' attitudes toward contemporary educational issues, the Attitudes to Educational Issues instrument (AEI) was developed. Statements were written in five-choice Likert format to express attitudes toward these six educational issues: (1)…

  12. Genetic testing: medico-legal issues.

    PubMed

    Bird, Sara

    2014-07-01

    The availability and frequency of genetic testing is increasing. Genetic testing poses some unique ethical and legal issues for medical practitioners because of the potential to identify genetic variants that carry implications for the risk of disease in the future for the patient and their relatives. The regulatory framework within which genetic testing is provided in Australia is also changing. This article examines some medico-legal issues associated with genetic testing that general practitioners (GPs) are likely encounter in their practices. There is inevitable involvement of the GP in the long term care of a patient (and possibly their family) following genetic testing, regardless of whether or not the GP has ordered the testing. Cases are presented to illustrate some of the medico-legal issues that may arise from direct-to-consumer genetic testing, information disclosure to genetic relatives and requests for parentage testing.

  13. Increasing the Effectiveness of Conservation Messaging by Drawing Connections with Related Political, Social, and Economic Issues

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Giannetta, Cathleen

    2018-01-01

    This article explores whether presenting conservation issues in a manner that makes connections with intertwined issues of violence, economics, social issues, and politics elicits more engagement than does presenting the conservation issues in isolation. Survey data were collected concerning African elephant poaching for ivory and the effect of…

  14. Design and analysis issues in gene and environment studies

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Both nurture (environmental) and nature (genetic factors) play an important role in human disease etiology. Traditionally, these effects have been thought of as independent. This perspective is ill informed for non-mendelian complex disorders which result as an interaction between genetics and environment. To understand health and disease we must study how nature and nurture interact. Recent advances in human genomics and high-throughput biotechnology make it possible to study large numbers of genetic markers and gene products simultaneously to explore their interactions with environment. The purpose of this review is to discuss design and analytic issues for gene-environment interaction studies in the “-omics” era, with a focus on environmental and genetic epidemiological studies. We present an expanded environmental genomic disease paradigm. We discuss several study design issues for gene-environmental interaction studies, including confounding and selection bias, measurement of exposures and genotypes. We discuss statistical issues in studying gene-environment interactions in different study designs, such as choices of statistical models, assumptions regarding biological factors, and power and sample size considerations, especially in genome-wide gene-environment studies. Future research directions are also discussed. PMID:23253229

  15. Design and analysis issues in gene and environment studies.

    PubMed

    Liu, Chen-yu; Maity, Arnab; Lin, Xihong; Wright, Robert O; Christiani, David C

    2012-12-19

    Both nurture (environmental) and nature (genetic factors) play an important role in human disease etiology. Traditionally, these effects have been thought of as independent. This perspective is ill informed for non-mendelian complex disorders which result as an interaction between genetics and environment. To understand health and disease we must study how nature and nurture interact. Recent advances in human genomics and high-throughput biotechnology make it possible to study large numbers of genetic markers and gene products simultaneously to explore their interactions with environment. The purpose of this review is to discuss design and analytic issues for gene-environment interaction studies in the "-omics" era, with a focus on environmental and genetic epidemiological studies. We present an expanded environmental genomic disease paradigm. We discuss several study design issues for gene-environmental interaction studies, including confounding and selection bias, measurement of exposures and genotypes. We discuss statistical issues in studying gene-environment interactions in different study designs, such as choices of statistical models, assumptions regarding biological factors, and power and sample size considerations, especially in genome-wide gene-environment studies. Future research directions are also discussed.

  16. Health in the news: an analysis of magazines coverage of health issues in veterans and military service organizations.

    PubMed

    Jitnarin, Nattinee; Poston, Walker S C; Haddock, Christopher K; Jahnke, Sara

    2015-05-01

    The purpose of this study was to conduct a content analysis of Veterans and Military Service Organizations (VMSOs) magazines to determine what health-related topics VMSOs target and how they inform their constituencies about health issues. Health-related topics in 288 VMSOs' magazines from 21 VMSOs published in 2011 and 2012 were coded by trained raters using a standardized manual. The top three most addressed health topics were Health Services (Health care, Insurance), Disability and Disability benefits, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Topics least frequently covered were Tobacco and Smoking cessation, Illegal drugs, Alcohol, Gulf War Syndrome, and Weight and Body composition. VMSOs are concerned about the health and well-being of their members given the considerable amount of content devoted to certain health topics such as health insurance concerns, disability, and post-traumatic stress disorder. However, other health concerns that affect a considerable number of both current military personnel and veterans and cost both the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense millions annually, such as drug and alcohol problems, and tobacco use and smoking cessation, are infrequently covered. The results of this study improve our understanding of the health-related information that reaches the military and veteran populations through this important media outlet. Reprint & Copyright © 2015 Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S.

  17. Ethical, social, and cultural issues related to clinical genetic testing and counseling in low- and middle-income countries: protocol for a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Zhong, Adrina; Darren, Benedict; Dimaras, Helen

    2017-07-11

    There has been little focus in the literature on how to build genetic testing and counseling services in low- and middle-income countries in a responsible, ethical, and culturally appropriate manner. It is unclear to what extent this area is being explored and what form further research should take. The proposed knowledge synthesis aims to fill this gap in knowledge and mine the existing data to determine the breadth of work in this area and identify ethical, social, and cultural issues that have emerged. An integrated knowledge translation approach will be undertaken by engaging knowledge users throughout the review to ensure relevance to their practice. Electronic databases encompassing various disciplines, such as healthcare, social sciences, and public health, will be searched. Studies that address clinical genetic testing and/or counseling and ethical, social, and/or cultural issues of these genetic services, and are performed in low- and middle-income countries as defined by World Bank will be considered for inclusion. Two independent reviewers will be involved in a two-stage literature screening process, data extraction, and quality appraisal. Studies included in the review will be analyzed by thematic analysis. A narrative synthesis guided by the social ecological model will be used to summarize findings. This systematic review will provide a foundation of evidence regarding ethical, social, and cultural issues related to clinical genetic testing and counseling in low- and middle-income countries. Using the social ecological model as a conceptual framework will facilitate the understanding of broader influences of the sociocultural context on an individual's experience with clinical genetic testing and counseling, thereby informing interdisciplinary sectors in future recommendations for practice and policy. PROSPERO CRD42016042894.

  18. Closing the Guantanamo Detention Center: Legal Issues

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-01-15

    executive and/or legislative action to close the Guantanamo detention facility. It discusses legal issues related to the transfer or release of...challenges regarding their detention or other wartime actions taken by the Executive. The Bush Administration initially believed that Guantanamo was...executive and/or legislative action to close the Guantanamo detention facility. It discusses legal issues related to the transfer or release of Guantanamo

  19. Governing stem cell banks and registries: emerging issues.

    PubMed

    Isasi, Rosario M; Knoppers, Bartha M

    2009-01-01

    The expansion of national and international research efforts in stem cell research is increasingly paired with the trend of establishing stem cell banks and registries. In jurisdictions crossing the spectrum of restrictive to liberal stem cell policies, banks and registries are emerging as an essential resource for transnational access to quality-controlled and ethically sourced stem cell lines. In this study, we report the preliminary findings of a survey of stem cell banks participating in the International Stem Cell Forum's International Stem Cell Banking Initiative (ISCBI). The questionnaire circulated to all ISCBI members addressed both general issues surrounding research policies (e.g., national policies regulating the permissibility of conducting embryonic stem cell research (hESCR)) and, more specifically, issues relating to the governance of stem cell banking projects. The results of the questionnaire were complemented by scholarly research conducted by the authors. This article provides an overview of the current international hESC banking landscape (I). For this purpose, the policy and governance approaches adopted in the surveyed stem cell banks at the national level will be analyzed and areas of convergence and variance will be identified (II). It is beyond the scope of this paper to provide a comprehensive analysis of the wide range of possible governance approaches, policy responses, and their implications. However, we want to provide a starting point for discussion surrounding key questions and challenges as concerns provenance, access, and deposit of hESC lines (III). Finally, while our analysis is focused on research grade hESCs, the lessons to be gleaned from this examination will encourage further thought, analysis, and research into the issues raised in the banking and governance of other sources of stem cell lines (e.g., SCNT, parthenogenesis, iPs) (IV).

  20. Ethical issues that confront nurses in private hospitals in the Western Cape Metropolitan area.

    PubMed

    Stellenberg, Ethelwynn L; Dorse, Alta J

    2014-06-06

    Nurses are faced daily with a variety of ethical issues which could be as a result of budget cuts, target setting, the shortage of nurses and expertise. The objectives of the study were to identify ethical issues related to patient care, to describe ethical issues related to patient diversity, rights and human dignity. To describe ethical issues related to caring in nursing and to the workplace environment. A quantitative explorative descriptive research design was applied. A stratified sample of (n = 142/5%) was drawn from all nurses and caregivers (N = 2990) working in a selected group of eight private hospitals. Self-administered questionnaires were used to collect the data. Statistical tests were applied to determine statistical relationships between variables. RESULTS included (95%) of respondents provided safe and committed care to their patients, (99%) loved to care for their patients and (93%) believed in the Nurses' Pledge of Service. Fifty percent (50%) of the respondents indicated verbal abuse from patients and only (59%) experienced openness and transparency in the work environment. Analysis further identified that the caregivers did not respect the noble tradition of the profession and experienced the most verbal abuse. This study has identified ethical issues which may give rise to conflict within the workplace environment if not adequately addressed by management. The study further showed that the use of caregivers not regulated in nursing practice may pose as a threat to the safety of the patient.

  1. 22 CFR 41.111 - Authority to issue visa.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Authority to issue visa. 41.111 Section 41.111 Foreign Relations DEPARTMENT OF STATE VISAS VISAS: DOCUMENTATION OF NONIMMIGRANTS UNDER THE IMMIGRATION AND NATIONALITY ACT, AS AMENDED Issuance of Nonimmigrant Visa § 41.111 Authority to issue visa. (a...

  2. 22 CFR 41.111 - Authority to issue visa.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Authority to issue visa. 41.111 Section 41.111 Foreign Relations DEPARTMENT OF STATE VISAS VISAS: DOCUMENTATION OF NONIMMIGRANTS UNDER THE IMMIGRATION AND NATIONALITY ACT, AS AMENDED Issuance of Nonimmigrant Visa § 41.111 Authority to issue visa. (a...

  3. 22 CFR 41.111 - Authority to issue visa.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Authority to issue visa. 41.111 Section 41.111 Foreign Relations DEPARTMENT OF STATE VISAS VISAS: DOCUMENTATION OF NONIMMIGRANTS UNDER THE IMMIGRATION AND NATIONALITY ACT, AS AMENDED Issuance of Nonimmigrant Visa § 41.111 Authority to issue visa. (a...

  4. 22 CFR 41.111 - Authority to issue visa.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Authority to issue visa. 41.111 Section 41.111 Foreign Relations DEPARTMENT OF STATE VISAS VISAS: DOCUMENTATION OF NONIMMIGRANTS UNDER THE IMMIGRATION AND NATIONALITY ACT, AS AMENDED Issuance of Nonimmigrant Visa § 41.111 Authority to issue visa. (a...

  5. 22 CFR 41.111 - Authority to issue visa.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Authority to issue visa. 41.111 Section 41.111 Foreign Relations DEPARTMENT OF STATE VISAS VISAS: DOCUMENTATION OF NONIMMIGRANTS UNDER THE IMMIGRATION AND NATIONALITY ACT, AS AMENDED Issuance of Nonimmigrant Visa § 41.111 Authority to issue visa. (a...

  6. Consumerism--Student: Legal Issues and Cases.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zabetakis, Steve

    The facts, issues, and final judgements of 53 court cases are presented in this compilation focusing on the legal aspects of the student consumerism movement. The first 18 cases cited deal with issues related to admissions, such as reverse discrimination, admission fees, residency, fraudulent misrepresentation, employment promise, contractual…

  7. Medical tourism in Iran: Issues and challenges.

    PubMed

    Jabbari, Alireza; Delgoshaei, Bahram; Mardani, Raja; Tabibi, Seid Jamaledin

    2012-01-01

    Medical tourism is rapidly becoming a worldwide, multibillion-dollar industry. Iran has a high potential for this industry. The purpose of this study was to examine the medical tourism cluster, using Diamond Analysis tool. This study is a descriptive, analytical and qualitative one. Thirty professionals and researchers in this field were interviewed and official documents belonging to the Health ministry as well as tourism organization and finally related literature were examined. The data was analyzed using content analysis method. Positive and negative parts of the medical tourism industry of Iran were determined according to diamond of advantage. The strategic issues were identified and a number of possible solutions for addressing them were recommended. More and effective public-private participations, aggressive marketing, improving infrastructures, and international accreditation of health care facilities and human resources development could improve medical tourism industry in the country.

  8. Ethical issues for hospice volunteers.

    PubMed

    Berry, Patricia; Planalp, Sally

    Health care professionals usually receive professional education in ethics, but the half million hospice volunteers in the United States may receive only brief training that is limited to confidentiality and the volunteer role. The purpose of this study was to explore ethical issues hospice volunteers confront in their work. Interviews with 39 hospice volunteers were conducted, audio recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using qualitative methods. Prominent themes were dilemmas about gifts, patient care and family concerns, issues related to volunteer roles and boundaries, and issues surrounding suicide and hastening death. Suggestions for training include discussions of ethics after initial training once volunteers had confronted ethical issues, with special emphasis on strategies for negotiating their uneasy role positioned between health care professional and friend.

  9. Using Multicriteria Analysis in Issues Concerning Adaptation of Historic Facilities for the Needs of Public Utility Buildings with a Function of a Theatre

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Obracaj, Piotr; Fabianowski, Dariusz

    2017-10-01

    Implementations concerning adaptation of historic facilities for public utility objects are associated with the necessity of solving many complex, often conflicting expectations of future users. This mainly concerns the function that includes construction, technology and aesthetic issues. The list of issues is completed with proper protection of historic values, different in each case. The procedure leading to obtaining the expected solution is a multicriteria procedure, usually difficult to accurately define and requiring designer’s large experience. An innovative approach has been used for the analysis, namely - the modified EA FAHP (Extent Analysis Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process) Chang’s method of a multicriteria analysis for the assessment of complex functional and spatial issues. Selection of optimal spatial form of an adapted historic building intended for the multi-functional public utility facility was analysed. The assumed functional flexibility was determined in the scope of: education, conference, and chamber spectacles, such as drama, concerts, in different stage-audience layouts.

  10. Labor force planning issues for allied health in Australia.

    PubMed

    Smith, C S; Crowley, S

    1995-01-01

    The aim of this paper is to discuss labor force planning issues for allied health professionals in Australia. Health system reform and changes in the demand for health labor, combined with key characteristics of the professions, will have a profound influence on future needs for career development of allied health professionals. Key issues include the increasing need for allied health professionals to undertake business management and public health training, the growing trend of multiskilling versus specialization, and the need for the professions to diversify their skill base to ensure a range of career options in a changing health care system. The challenge for allied health professions is to improve tools of analysis in relation to labor force planning and to systematically investigate various factors influencing labor force supply and demand, on both a short-term and long-term basis.

  11. The growing use of herbal medicines: issues relating to adverse reactions and challenges in monitoring safety

    PubMed Central

    Ekor, Martins

    2014-01-01

    The use of herbal medicinal products and supplements has increased tremendously over the past three decades with not less than 80% of people worldwide relying on them for some part of primary healthcare. Although therapies involving these agents have shown promising potential with the efficacy of a good number of herbal products clearly established, many of them remain untested and their use are either poorly monitored or not even monitored at all. The consequence of this is an inadequate knowledge of their mode of action, potential adverse reactions, contraindications, and interactions with existing orthodox pharmaceuticals and functional foods to promote both safe and rational use of these agents. Since safety continues to be a major issue with the use of herbal remedies, it becomes imperative, therefore, that relevant regulatory authorities put in place appropriate measures to protect public health by ensuring that all herbal medicines are safe and of suitable quality. This review discusses toxicity-related issues and major safety concerns arising from the use of herbal medicinal products and also highlights some important challenges associated with effective monitoring of their safety. PMID:24454289

  12. A Needs Assessment of Health Issues Related to Maternal Mortality Rates in Afghanistan: A Pilot Study.

    PubMed

    Naim, Ali; Feldman, Robert; Sawyer, Robin

    2015-01-01

    Maternal death rates in Afghanistan were among the highest in the world during the reign of the Taliban. Although these figures have improved, current rates are still alarming. The aim of this pilot study was to develop a needs assessment of the major health issues related to the high maternal mortality rates in Afghanistan. In-depth interviews were conducted with managerial midwives, clinical midwives, and mothers. Results of the interviews indicate that the improvement in the maternal mortality rate may be attributed to the increase in the involvement of midwives in the birthing process. However, barriers to decreasing maternal mortality still exist. These include transportation, access to care, and sociocultural factors such as the influence of the husband and mother-in-law in preventing access to midwives. Therefore, any programs to decrease maternal mortality need to address infrastructure issues (making health care more accessible) and sociocultural factors (including husbands and mother-in-laws in maternal health education). However, it should be noted that these findings are based on a small pilot study to help develop a larger scale need assessment. © The Author(s) 2015 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

  13. Requirements analysis, domain knowledge, and design

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Potts, Colin

    1988-01-01

    Two improvements to current requirements analysis practices are suggested: domain modeling, and the systematic application of analysis heuristics. Domain modeling is the representation of relevant application knowledge prior to requirements specification. Artificial intelligence techniques may eventually be applicable for domain modeling. In the short term, however, restricted domain modeling techniques, such as that in JSD, will still be of practical benefit. Analysis heuristics are standard patterns of reasoning about the requirements. They usually generate questions of clarification or issues relating to completeness. Analysis heuristics can be represented and therefore systematically applied in an issue-based framework. This is illustrated by an issue-based analysis of JSD's domain modeling and functional specification heuristics. They are discussed in the context of the preliminary design of simple embedded systems.

  14. Bus driver fatigue and stress issues study

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2001-02-01

    Fatigue-related issues associated with motorcoach drivers differ from the issues faced by truck drivers because of the distinct nature of their jobs. For example, truck and motorcoach drivers deal with different vehicular operating characteristics, n...

  15. 22 CFR 42.73 - Procedure in issuing visas.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Procedure in issuing visas. 42.73 Section 42.73 Foreign Relations DEPARTMENT OF STATE VISAS VISAS: DOCUMENTATION OF IMMIGRANTS UNDER THE IMMIGRATION AND NATIONALITY ACT, AS AMENDED Issuance of Immigrant Visas § 42.73 Procedure in issuing visas. (a) Insertion of...

  16. 22 CFR 42.73 - Procedure in issuing visas.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Procedure in issuing visas. 42.73 Section 42.73 Foreign Relations DEPARTMENT OF STATE VISAS VISAS: DOCUMENTATION OF IMMIGRANTS UNDER THE IMMIGRATION AND NATIONALITY ACT, AS AMENDED Issuance of Immigrant Visas § 42.73 Procedure in issuing visas. (a) Insertion of...

  17. 22 CFR 42.73 - Procedure in issuing visas.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Procedure in issuing visas. 42.73 Section 42.73 Foreign Relations DEPARTMENT OF STATE VISAS VISAS: DOCUMENTATION OF IMMIGRANTS UNDER THE IMMIGRATION AND NATIONALITY ACT, AS AMENDED Issuance of Immigrant Visas § 42.73 Procedure in issuing visas. (a) Insertion of...

  18. 22 CFR 42.73 - Procedure in issuing visas.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Procedure in issuing visas. 42.73 Section 42.73 Foreign Relations DEPARTMENT OF STATE VISAS VISAS: DOCUMENTATION OF IMMIGRANTS UNDER THE IMMIGRATION AND NATIONALITY ACT, AS AMENDED Issuance of Immigrant Visas § 42.73 Procedure in issuing visas. (a) Insertion of...

  19. The Analytic Onion: Examining Training Issues from Different Levels of Analysis. Interim Technical Paper for Period July 1989-June 1991.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lamb, Theodore A.; Chin, Keric B. O.

    This paper proposes a conceptual framework based on different levels of analysis using the metaphor of the layers of an onion to help organize and structure thinking on research issues concerning training. It discusses the core of the "analytic onion," the biological level, and seven levels of analysis that surround that core: the individual, the…

  20. Global hydrobelts: improved reporting scale for water-related issues?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Meybeck, M.; Kummu, M.; Dürr, H. H.

    2012-08-01

    appropriate for water-relative global analysis and reporting than conventional continental or political divisions.

  1. A Leadership Imperative: Addressing Legal Issues.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Woolley, Rosemary; And Others

    Focusing on the Student Right to Know and Campus Security Act (SRKCSA) of 1990, the First Amendment, and judicial issues related to disciplinary counseling, this document discusses legal issues for student development personnel not engaged in instruction and therefore falling outside of traditional academic rulings. The first section describes the…

  2. [Qualitative analysis of topics related to the quality of life of people with disabilities].

    PubMed

    Cilleros, María Victoria Martín; Gómez, Maria Cruz Sánchez

    2016-08-01

    Quality of life is a concept that reflects the subjective perception of individuals in relation to their degree of satisfaction with their living conditions. It is a concept that involves putting the individual at the forefront, talking about the quality of the professionals involved and influencing the development of programs and the provision of services. The article reflects the opinions that different agents have in relation to disability on given topics related to the model of quality of life such as: the relationship between different agents; the necessary training of professionals in the field of health and/or disability; and the existence of the presence of the participation in society of people with disabilities. Using qualitative methodology, the arguments of the participants in these three issues are discussed. The verbiage, the conceptual map and the analysis of content, performed after the encoding of information, made it possible to detect the perceived needs and satisfaction with the care of the different services. The profile of the qualified professional within the scope of disability is outlined. Proposals for the future are contained in the conclusions, ensuring the improvement of the quality of life of people with disabilities.

  3. Muzzle flash issues related to the Waco FLIR analysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Grant, Barbara G.; Hardy, David T.

    2001-09-01

    The controversy surrounding the origin of flashes on the Mt. Carmel FLIR videotape acquired on April 19, 1993, is introduced. The characteristics of muzzle flash are reviewed. A comparative weapons description is offered. The temporal, spatial, and radiance characteristics of thermal infrared muzzle flash are addressed. Data acquired from a field experiment are presented. The authors conclude that the spatial characteristics of muzzle flash enable its detection by equipment such as the FLIR in use at Mt. Carmel on April 19, 1993; that while flashes obtained in the field appear highly radiant, measurements are necessary to quantify their values; and that the temporal behavior of muzzle flash deserves further study.

  4. Issues in Electronic Publishing.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Meadow, Charles T.

    1997-01-01

    Discusses issues related to electronic publishing. Topics include writing; reading; production, distribution, and commerce; copyright and ownership of intellectual property; archival storage; technical obsolescence; control of content; equality of access; and cultural changes. (Author/LRW)

  5. [Driving and dementia : An issue for general practice?!

    PubMed

    Leve, Verena; Ilse, Katharina; Ufert, Marie; Wilm, Stefan; Pentzek, Michael

    2017-05-01

    With most forms of dementia, the risk of road traffic accidents increases with disease progression. Addressing the issue of fitness to drive at an early stage can help to reduce driving-related risks and simultaneously preserve mobility. General practitioners (GPs) are central contact persons for dementia patients and their relatives in medical and psychosocial matters, and also play a key role in addressing the issue of driving safety. Identification of relevant aspects of managing fitness to drive in dementia, as well as of support requirements for German general practice. Seven focus groups with dementia patients, family caregivers and GPs were conducted in order to define the different requirements for counselling in the general practice setting. The transcribed discussions were analysed by a multiprofessional research team using content analysis. For people with dementia, declining mobility and driving cessation is related to a loss of autonomy. Addressing fitness to drive in dementia is thus a subject of conflict and uncertainty for both family caregivers and GPs. The difficulties include the assessment of fitness to drive in the general practice setting, concerns about compromising the patient-physician relationship by raising the issue of driving fitness, as well as uncertainties about the GP's own role. GPs consider the involvement of caregivers to be important to successfully address the topic of driving safety and organise alternative transport. Support is required in the form of criteria defining the time point at which fitness to drive should be assessed, information on compensation possibilities and mobility alternatives. Resource-oriented and patient-centred development of management strategies for limited mobility is needed in general practice. Finding the correct balance between documentation, adequately informing the patient and establishing patient-centred strategies represents a challenge.

  6. NASA flight cell and battery issues

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Schulze, N. R.

    1989-01-01

    The author presents the important battery and cell problems, encompassing both test failures and accidents, which were encountered during the past year. Practical issues facing programs, which have to be considered in the development of a battery program strategy, are addressed. The problems of one program, the GRO (Gamma Ray Observatory), during the past year are focused on to illustrate the fundamental types of battery problems that occur. Problems encountered by other programs are briefly mentioned to complete the accounting. Two major categories of issues are defined, namely, whose which are quality and design related, i.e., problems having inherent manufacturing-process-related aspects with an impact on cell reliability, and these which are accident triggered or man induced, i.e., those operational issues having an impact on battery and cell reliability.

  7. Students at Risk. SET Special Issue.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wright, Judith, Ed.

    1996-01-01

    This special issue of the serial SET for 1996 contains seven newly commissioned articles and four reprints all related to the education of children at risk. This issue includes: (1) "Students at Risk: An Overview" (Margaret Batten, Graeme Withers, and Jean Russell); (2) "Inquiry into Children in Education at Risk through Truancy and…

  8. Issues related to dust aerosols in the magnesite industry. I. Chamber exposure.

    PubMed

    Reichrtová, E; Takác, L

    1992-01-01

    The present paper is an overview of the experimental research into the effects of flue magnesite dust in the magnesite industry in which the raw material (magnesite) is processed into refractory magnesite clinker. The issues related to dust are divided into two problem areas: a) dust aerosol arising in the process of ore mining and consisting largely of magnesite (MgCO3) and b) dust aerosol originating during ore baking in rotatory furnaces and made up mostly of MgO. Thus, larger groups of people become exposed to these aerosols as a result of solid particles escaping into the atmosphere than in the case of occupational exposure. Experimental research carried out on laboratory animals after chamber exposure provided findings on the deposition, retention and elimination of magnesite dust, on impaired balance between magnesium and calcium leading to damage of biological membranes, on how the immune profile or reproduction and embryogenesis is impacted as well as on the possible interaction with sodium salicylate as a result of an impaired acid base balance. These findings are followed up by evidence produced in the course of biological monitoring (Part II).

  9. Management issues related to effectively implementing a nutrition education program using peer educators.

    PubMed

    Taylor, T; Serrano, E; Anderson, J

    2001-01-01

    To explore the influence of administrative aspects of a nutrition education program with peer educators delivering the program. Telephone interviews with peer educators trained to deliver La Cocina Saludable, a nutrition education program for Hispanics. Open- and closed-ended questions. Abuelas (grandmothers) recruited and trained as peer educators for the program. The sample included peer educators no longer teaching (22%), currently teaching (30%), and who never taught after training. Motives and incentives for becoming peer educators, challenges for peer educators, and reasons peer educators withdrew from the program. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze quantitative data from the closed-ended questions. Qualitative analysis was applied to data from open-ended questions. Working with community and learning about nutrition were prime motivators. Recruiting participants and coordination of classes appeared to be major challenges. Personal issues and traveling in a large geographic area were cited as the main reasons for quitting. The effectiveness of using peer educators for La Cocina Saludable may be improved through empowerment, additional training, a structured and equitable reimbursement system, and assistance to carry out administrative tasks.

  10. Investigating Some Technical Issues on Cohesive Zone Modeling of Fracture

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wang, John T.

    2011-01-01

    This study investigates some technical issues related to the use of cohesive zone models (CZMs) in modeling fracture processes. These issues include: why cohesive laws of different shapes can produce similar fracture predictions; under what conditions CZM predictions have a high degree of agreement with linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM) analysis results; when the shape of cohesive laws becomes important in the fracture predictions; and why the opening profile along the cohesive zone length needs to be accurately predicted. Two cohesive models were used in this study to address these technical issues. They are the linear softening cohesive model and the Dugdale perfectly plastic cohesive model. Each cohesive model constitutes five cohesive laws of different maximum tractions. All cohesive laws have the same cohesive work rate (CWR) which is defined by the area under the traction-separation curve. The effects of the maximum traction on the cohesive zone length and the critical remote applied stress are investigated for both models. For a CZM to predict a fracture load similar to that obtained by an LEFM analysis, the cohesive zone length needs to be much smaller than the crack length, which reflects the small scale yielding condition requirement for LEFM analysis to be valid. For large-scale cohesive zone cases, the predicted critical remote applied stresses depend on the shape of cohesive models used and can significantly deviate from LEFM results. Furthermore, this study also reveals the importance of accurately predicting the cohesive zone profile in determining the critical remote applied load.

  11. 31 CFR 317.4 - Issuing agents currently qualified.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Issuing agents currently qualified. 317.4 Section 317.4 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance (Continued... ISSUE OF UNITED STATES SAVINGS BONDS § 317.4 Issuing agents currently qualified. Each organization...

  12. 22 CFR 42.73 - Procedure in issuing visas.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... Foreign Relations DEPARTMENT OF STATE VISAS VISAS: DOCUMENTATION OF IMMIGRANTS UNDER THE IMMIGRATION AND NATIONALITY ACT, AS AMENDED Issuance of Immigrant Visas § 42.73 Procedure in issuing visas. (a) Insertion of data. In issuing an immigrant visa, the issuing office shall insert the pertinent information in the...

  13. An Analysis of Security and Privacy Issues in Smart Grid Software Architectures on Clouds

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

    Simmhan, Yogesh; Kumbhare, Alok; Cao, Baohua

    2011-07-09

    Power utilities globally are increasingly upgrading to Smart Grids that use bi-directional communication with the consumer to enable an information-driven approach to distributed energy management. Clouds offer features well suited for Smart Grid software platforms and applications, such as elastic resources and shared services. However, the security and privacy concerns inherent in an information rich Smart Grid environment are further exacerbated by their deployment on Clouds. Here, we present an analysis of security and privacy issues in a Smart Grids software architecture operating on different Cloud environments, in the form of a taxonomy. We use the Los Angeles Smart Gridmore » Project that is underway in the largest U.S. municipal utility to drive this analysis that will benefit both Cloud practitioners targeting Smart Grid applications, and Cloud researchers investigating security and privacy.« less

  14. NASA Lighting Research, Test, & Analysis

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Clark, Toni

    2015-01-01

    The Habitability and Human Factors Branch, at Johnson Space Center, in Houston, TX, provides technical guidance for the development of spaceflight lighting requirements, verification of light system performance, analysis of integrated environmental lighting systems, and research of lighting-related human performance issues. The Habitability & Human Factors Lighting Team maintains two physical facilities that are integrated to provide support. The Lighting Environment Test Facility (LETF) provides a controlled darkroom environment for physical verification of lighting systems with photometric and spetrographic measurement systems. The Graphics Research & Analysis Facility (GRAF) maintains the capability for computer-based analysis of operational lighting environments. The combined capabilities of the Lighting Team at Johnson Space Center have been used for a wide range of lighting-related issues.

  15. Ethical issues in exercise psychology.

    PubMed

    Pauline, Jeffrey S; Pauline, Gina A; Johnson, Scott R; Gamble, Kelly M

    2006-01-01

    Exercise psychology encompasses the disciplines of psychiatry, clinical and counseling psychology, health promotion, and the movement sciences. This emerging field involves diverse mental health issues, theories, and general information related to physical activity and exercise. Numerous research investigations across the past 20 years have shown both physical and psychological benefits from physical activity and exercise. Exercise psychology offers many opportunities for growth while positively influencing the mental and physical health of individuals, communities, and society. However, the exercise psychology literature has not addressed ethical issues or dilemmas faced by mental health professionals providing exercise psychology services. This initial discussion of ethical issues in exercise psychology is an important step in continuing to move the field forward. Specifically, this article will address the emergence of exercise psychology and current health behaviors and offer an overview of ethics and ethical issues, education/training and professional competency, cultural and ethnic diversity, multiple-role relationships and conflicts of interest, dependency issues, confidentiality and recording keeping, and advertisement and self-promotion.

  16. Excluding Ethical Issues from U.S. History Textbooks: 911 and the War on Terror

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Romanowski, Michael H.

    2009-01-01

    This research study examined nine secondary American history textbooks regarding their treatment of 9/11 and related events. The analysis centered on both the knowledge included and excluded from the discussion in each book. Particular attention was given to the moral and ethical issues relevant to 9/11. Findings show that textbooks vary in their…

  17. CALL FOR PAPERS: Special issue on Symmetries and Integrability of Difference Equations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Doliwa, Adam; Korhonen, Risto; Lafortune, Stephane

    2006-10-01

    This is a call for contributions to a special issue of Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and General entitled `Special issue on Symmetries and Integrability of Difference Equations' as featured at the SIDE VII meeting held during July 2006 in Melbourne (http://web.maths.unsw.edu.au/%7Eschief/side/side.html). Participants at that meeting, as well as other researchers working in the field of difference equations and discrete systems, are invited to submit a research paper to this issue. This meeting was the seventh of a series of biennial meetings devoted to the study of integrable difference equations and related topics. The notion of integrability was first introduced in the 19th century in the context of classical mechanics with the definition of Liouville integrability for Hamiltonian flows. Since then, several notions of integrability have been introduced for partial and ordinary differential equations. Closely related to integrability theory is the symmetry analysis of nonlinear evolution equations. Symmetry analysis takes advantage of the Lie group structure of a given equation to study its properties. Together, integrability theory and symmetry analysis provide the main method by which nonlinear evolution equations can be solved explicitly. Difference equations, just as differential equations, are important in numerous fields of science and have a wide variety of applications in such areas as: mathematical physics, computer visualization, numerical analysis, mathematical biology, economics, combinatorics, quantum field theory, etc. It is thus crucial to develop tools to study and solve difference equations. While the theory of symmetry and integrability for differential equations is now well-established, this is not yet the case for discrete equations. The situation has undergone impressive development in recent years and has affected a broad range of fields, including the theory of special functions, quantum integrable systems, numerical analysis, cellular

  18. 5 CFR 2421.21 - Affected by issues raised.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 5 Administrative Personnel 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Affected by issues raised. 2421.21 Section 2421.21 Administrative Personnel FEDERAL LABOR RELATIONS AUTHORITY, GENERAL COUNSEL OF THE FEDERAL... § 2421.21 Affected by issues raised. The phrase affected by issues raised, as used in part 2422, should...

  19. Special Issues in Working with Gifted Minority Adolescents.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lindstrom, Rena R.; Van Sant, Sondra

    1986-01-01

    Gifted adolescents from minority groups face the same issues all gifted young people face, but the addition of racial and cultural factors increases the complexity of these issues. Discusses individual versus cultural pressures that affect identity, issues related to assisting students with long-range planning, and two models for programming.…

  20. Sustainable Sourcing of Global Agricultural Raw Materials: Assessing Gaps in Key Impact and Vulnerability Issues and Indicators

    PubMed Central

    Springer, Nathaniel P.; Garbach, Kelly; Guillozet, Kathleen; Haden, Van R.; Hedao, Prashant; Hollander, Allan D.; Huber, Patrick R.; Ingersoll, Christina; Langner, Megan; Lipari, Genevieve; Mohammadi, Yaser; Musker, Ruthie; Piatto, Marina; Riggle, Courtney; Schweisguth, Melissa; Sin, Emily; Snider, Sara; Vidic, Nataša; White, Aubrey; Brodt, Sonja; Quinn, James F.; Tomich, Thomas P.

    2015-01-01

    Understanding how to source agricultural raw materials sustainably is challenging in today’s globalized food system given the variety of issues to be considered and the multitude of suggested indicators for representing these issues. Furthermore, stakeholders in the global food system both impact these issues and are themselves vulnerable to these issues, an important duality that is often implied but not explicitly described. The attention given to these issues and conceptual frameworks varies greatly—depending largely on the stakeholder perspective—as does the set of indicators developed to measure them. To better structure these complex relationships and assess any gaps, we collate a comprehensive list of sustainability issues and a database of sustainability indicators to represent them. To assure a breadth of inclusion, the issues are pulled from the following three perspectives: major global sustainability assessments, sustainability communications from global food companies, and conceptual frameworks of sustainable livelihoods from academic publications. These terms are integrated across perspectives using a common vocabulary, classified by their relevance to impacts and vulnerabilities, and categorized into groups by economic, environmental, physical, human, social, and political characteristics. These issues are then associated with over 2,000 sustainability indicators gathered from existing sources. A gap analysis is then performed to determine if particular issues and issue groups are over or underrepresented. This process results in 44 “integrated” issues—24 impact issues and 36 vulnerability issues —that are composed of 318 “component” issues. The gap analysis shows that although every integrated issue is mentioned at least 40% of the time across perspectives, no issue is mentioned more than 70% of the time. A few issues infrequently mentioned across perspectives also have relatively few indicators available to fully represent them

  1. Ethical issues of cost effectiveness analysis and guideline setting in mental health care.

    PubMed

    Berghmans, R; Berg, M; van den Burg, M; ter Meulen, R

    2004-04-01

    This article discusses ethical issues which are raised as a result of the introduction of economic evidence in mental health care in order to rationalise clinical practice. Cost effectiveness studies and guidelines based on such studies are often seen as impartial, neutral instruments which try to reduce the influence of non-scientific factors. However, such rationalising instruments often hide normative assumptions about the goals of treatment, the selection of treatments, the role of the patient, and the just distribution of scarce resources. These issues are dealt with in the context of increased control over clinical practice by third parties. In particular, health insurers have a great interest in economic evidence in clinical care settings in order to control access to and quality of (mental) health care. The authors conclude that guideline setting and cost effectiveness analysis may be seen as important instruments for making choices in health care, including mental health care, but that such an approach should always go hand in hand with a social and political debate about the goals of medicine and (mental) health care. This article is partly based on the results of a research project on the normative aspects of guideline setting in psychiatry and cardiology which was conducted under the guidance of the Royal Dutch Medical Association.

  2. Psychosocial Issues in Geriatric Rehabilitation.

    PubMed

    Rodriguez, Ricardo M

    2017-11-01

    Geriatric patients present multiple age-related challenges and needs that must be taken into account during the rehabilitation process to achieve expected goals. This article examines the importance of identifying and managing psychosocial issues commonly observed in older adults and presents strategies to optimize their rehabilitation process. Depression, anxiety, fear of falling, adjustment issues, neurocognitive disorders, and caregiver support are discussed as a selection of factors that are relevant for geriatric patients undergoing rehabilitation. An argument is made for the importance of comprehensive geriatric assessment in older adults to identify salient issues that may impact rehabilitation and quality of life. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. A multi-objective genetic algorithm for a mixed-model assembly U-line balancing type-I problem considering human-related issues, training, and learning

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rabbani, Masoud; Montazeri, Mona; Farrokhi-Asl, Hamed; Rafiei, Hamed

    2016-12-01

    Mixed-model assembly lines are increasingly accepted in many industrial environments to meet the growing trend of greater product variability, diversification of customer demands, and shorter life cycles. In this research, a new mathematical model is presented considering balancing a mixed-model U-line and human-related issues, simultaneously. The objective function consists of two separate components. The first part of the objective function is related to balance problem. In this part, objective functions are minimizing the cycle time, minimizing the number of workstations, and maximizing the line efficiencies. The second part is related to human issues and consists of hiring cost, firing cost, training cost, and salary. To solve the presented model, two well-known multi-objective evolutionary algorithms, namely non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm and multi-objective particle swarm optimization, have been used. A simple solution representation is provided in this paper to encode the solutions. Finally, the computational results are compared and analyzed.

  4. Did I Tell You That? Ethical Issues Related to Using Computational Methods to Discover Non-Disclosed Patient Characteristics

    PubMed Central

    Cato, Kenrick D; Bockting, Walter; Larson, Elaine

    2016-01-01

    Background Widespread availability of large data sets through warehousing of electronic health records coupled with increasingly sophisticated information technology and related statistical methods offer great potential for a variety of applications for health and disease surveillance, developing predictive models and advancing decision support for clinicians. However, use of such ‘big data’ mining and discovery techniques has also raised ethical issues such as how to balance privacy and autonomy with the wider public benefits of data sharing. More specifically, electronic data are being increasingly used to identify individual characteristics which can be useful for clinical prediction and management, but that were not previously disclosed to a clinician. This process in computer parlance is called electronic phenotyping, and has a number of ethical implications. Approach Using the Belmont Report’s principles of respect for persons, beneficence, and justice as a framework, we examined the ethical issues posed by electronic phenotyping. Findings Ethical issues identified include the ability of the patient to consent for the use of their information, the ability to suppress pediatric information, ensuring that the potential benefits justify the risks of harm to patients, and acknowledging that the clinician’s biases or stereotypes, conscious or unintended, may also become a factor in the therapeutic interaction. We illustrate these issues with two vignettes, using the person characteristic of gender minority status (i.e., transgender identity) and the health history characteristic of substance abuse. Conclusion Big data mining has the potential to uncover patient characteristics previously obscured which can provide clinicians with beneficial clinical information. Hence, ethical guidelines must be updated to ensure that electronic phenotyping supports the principles of respect for persons, beneficence, and justice. PMID:27534587

  5. Medical tourism in Iran: Issues and challenges

    PubMed Central

    Jabbari, Alireza; Delgoshaei, Bahram; Mardani, Raja; Tabibi, Seid Jamaledin

    2012-01-01

    Introduction: Medical tourism is rapidly becoming a worldwide, multibillion-dollar industry. Iran has a high potential for this industry. The purpose of this study was to examine the medical tourism cluster, using Diamond Analysis tool. Materials and Methods: This study is a descriptive, analytical and qualitative one. Thirty professionals and researchers in this field were interviewed and official documents belonging to the Health ministry as well as tourism organization and finally related literature were examined. The data was analyzed using content analysis method. Results: Positive and negative parts of the medical tourism industry of Iran were determined according to diamond of advantage. Conclusion: The strategic issues were identified and a number of possible solutions for addressing them were recommended. More and effective public-private participations, aggressive marketing, improving infrastructures, and international accreditation of health care facilities and human resources development could improve medical tourism industry in the country. PMID:23555142

  6. Airport Privatization: Issues Related to the Sale of U.S. Commercial Airports

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1996-02-28

    Congressional testimony by Gerald L. Dillingham, Associate Director, : Transportation and Telecommunications Issues, Resources, Community, and : Economic Development Division, General Accounting Office, on the current : extent of private sector parti...

  7. Aviation Insurance: Issues Related to the Reauthorization of FAA's Aviation Insurance Program

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1997-05-01

    This Congressional testimony by Gerald L. Dillingham, Associate Director, : Transportation Issues, Resources, Community, and Economic Development Division, : General Accounting Office (GAO) discusses changes made to the Federal Aviation : Administrat...

  8. Standard setting: the crucial issues. A case study of accounting & auditing.

    PubMed

    Nowakowski, J R

    1982-01-01

    A study of standard-setting efforts in accounting and auditing is reported. The study reveals four major areas of concern in a professional standard-setting effort: (1) issues related to the rationale for setting standards, (2) issues related to the standard-setting board and its support structure, (3) issues related to the content of standards and rules for generating them, and (4) issues that deal with how standards are put to use. Principles derived from the study of accounting and auditing are provided to illuminate and assess standard-setting efforts in evaluation.

  9. Ethical, legal, and social issues related to genomics and cancer research: the impending crisis.

    PubMed

    Ellerin, Bruce E; Schneider, Robert J; Stern, Arnold; Toniolo, Paolo G; Formenti, Silvia C

    2005-11-01

    Cancer research is a multibillion-dollar enterprise validated by the clinical trial process and increasingly defined by genomics. The continued success of the endeavor depends on the smooth functioning of the clinical trial system, which in turn depends on human subject participation. Yet human subject participation can exist only in an atmosphere of trust between research participants and research sponsors, and the advent of genomics has raised a multitude of ethical, legal, and social issues that threaten this trust. The authors examine 6 of these issues: (1) informed consent; (2) privacy, confidentiality, and family disclosure dilemmas; (3) property rights in genomic discoveries; (4) individual and institutional conflicts of interest; (5) insurance and employment issues; and (6) litigation under the federal False Claims Act. The authors conclude that failure to resolve these issues may lead to a sufficient impairment of trust in genomics-based clinical trials on the part of potential research participants that the clinical trial system may implode for lack of willing participants, thus threatening the future of cancer research.

  10. NASA Issues Related to use of Halon: Past, Present, Future

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Collins, Michelle M.

    1999-01-01

    NASA began an official halon phaseout program in 1990. NASA has led the way in halon bank management and has participated in the search for halon alternatives. NASA representatives participate in technical committees of the National Fire Protection Association and United Nations Environment Program providing guidance on Halon Phaseout and acceptance, design, installation, and maintenance of Halon Alternatives. This paper addresses some of the key issues that are leading the agency away from dependence on halons for fire protection.

  11. North America Wound, Ostomy, and Continence and Enterostomal Therapy Nurses Current Ostomy Care Practice Related to Peristomal Skin Issues.

    PubMed

    Colwell, Janice C; McNichol, Laurie; Boarini, Joy

    The purpose of this study was to describe the practice of 796 ostomy nurses in North America in 2014 related to peristomal skin issues. Descriptive study. Participants were 796 wound, ostomy, and continence (WOC) and enterostomal therapy (ET) nurses currently practicing in the United States or Canada and caring for patients with ostomies. The collection of data occurred in conjunction with an educational program on peristomal skin complications and practice issues and solicited the participant's perception on the incidence and frequency of peristomal skin issues as well as on practice patterns. Participants attended an educational program. They were also asked to anonymously respond to multiple-choice questions on ostomy care management via an audience response system followed by discussion of each item and their responses. This descriptive study reports on the answers to the questions as well as the pertinent discussion points. Participants estimated that approximately 77.70% of their patients developed peristomal skin issues. The most commonly encountered problem was irritant contact dermatitis (peristomal moisture-associated skin damage). Contributing factors were inappropriate use of a pouching system owing to lack of follow-up after hospital discharge. Reported interventions for the prevention and management of peristomal skin issues included preoperative stoma site marking, use of a convex pouching system, and barrier rings. However, subsequent discussion revealed that the frequency of use of these products varied considerably. Participants identified shortened hospital stays, absence of preoperative stoma marking, and limited outpatient follow-up as contributing to development of peristomal skin problems. WOC and ET nurses estimate that more than three-quarters of persons living with an ostomy develop peristomal skin problems. Multiple interventions for managing these problems were identified, but some variability in management approaches emerged.

  12. North America Wound, Ostomy, and Continence and Enterostomal Therapy Nurses Current Ostomy Care Practice Related to Peristomal Skin Issues

    PubMed Central

    McNichol, Laurie; Boarini, Joy

    2017-01-01

    PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to describe the practice of 796 ostomy nurses in North America in 2014 related to peristomal skin issues. DESIGN: Descriptive study. SUBJECTS AND SETTING: Participants were 796 wound, ostomy, and continence (WOC) and enterostomal therapy (ET) nurses currently practicing in the United States or Canada and caring for patients with ostomies. The collection of data occurred in conjunction with an educational program on peristomal skin complications and practice issues and solicited the participant's perception on the incidence and frequency of peristomal skin issues as well as on practice patterns. METHODS: Participants attended an educational program. They were also asked to anonymously respond to multiple-choice questions on ostomy care management via an audience response system followed by discussion of each item and their responses. This descriptive study reports on the answers to the questions as well as the pertinent discussion points. RESULTS: Participants estimated that approximately 77.70% of their patients developed peristomal skin issues. The most commonly encountered problem was irritant contact dermatitis (peristomal moisture-associated skin damage). Contributing factors were inappropriate use of a pouching system owing to lack of follow-up after hospital discharge. Reported interventions for the prevention and management of peristomal skin issues included preoperative stoma site marking, use of a convex pouching system, and barrier rings. However, subsequent discussion revealed that the frequency of use of these products varied considerably. Participants identified shortened hospital stays, absence of preoperative stoma marking, and limited outpatient follow-up as contributing to development of peristomal skin problems. CONCLUSION: WOC and ET nurses estimate that more than three-quarters of persons living with an ostomy develop peristomal skin problems. Multiple interventions for managing these problems were

  13. Methodology of Diagnostics of Interethnic Relations and Ethnosocial Processes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Maximova, Svetlana G.; Noyanzina, Oksana Ye.; Omelchenko, Daria A.; Maximov, Maxim B.; Avdeeva, Galina C.

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to research the methodological approaches to the study of interethnic relations and ethno-social processes. The analysis of the literature was conducted in three main areas: 1) the theoretical and methodological issues of organizing the research of inter-ethnic relations, allowing to highlight the current…

  14. Closing the Guantanamo Detection Center: Legal Issues

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-04-14

    issues likely to arise as a result of executive and legislative action to close the Guantanamo detention facility. It discusses legal issues related to...detention or other wartime actions taken by the Executive. The Bush Administration initially believed that Guantanamo was largely beyond the...C. Henning. This report provides an overview of major legal issues that are likely to arise as a result of executive and legislative action to

  15. Addressing Individual Difficulties in Reading: Issues Relating to Reading Recovery and Pause, Prompt, Praise

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wearmouth, Janice

    2004-01-01

    Recently the DfES has issued guidance on ways to address the needs of students who experience difficulties in literacy through Wave Three provision in the National Literacy Strategy (DfES, 2002). This guidance raises the issue of what kind of programmes might be initiated in mainstream schools that will improve what is available generally for…

  16. Bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw: historical, ethical, and legal issues associated with prescribing.

    PubMed

    Faiman, Beth; Pillai, Aiswarya Lekshmi Pillai Chandran; Benghiac, Ana Gabriela

    2013-01-01

    The long-term effects of many drugs are unknown. Established risks are communicated to patients who participate in clinical trials during the informed consent process. However, unknown and unanticipated side effects of medications may occur years after treatment. Patients with metastatic bone cancer experience an imbalance between tumor cells and the bone marrow microenvironment. Increased cytokine release, osteoclastic activity, and uncoupled osteoblastic activity lead to weakened bone structure and osteolytic lesions. The bisphosphonates are a class of drugs available in IV and oral formulations to treat and prevent bone loss and decrease the risk of skeletal-related events. Intravenous bisphosphonates such as zoledronic acid and pamidronate disodium are approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of bone pain and hypercalcemia of malignancy and the prevention of painful bone fractures in patients with metastatic bone cancer. Oral bisphosphonates such as alendronate, risedronate, and etidronate are used to reduce the risk of skeletal fractures in patients with osteoporosis and in breast cancer. Bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (BRONJ) is a rare but painful complication of treatment characterized by infection, exposed bone, and poor wound healing. In this article, we discuss BRONJ and identify past, present, and future ethical and legal issues surrounding bisphosphonate administration.

  17. Review of issues and challenges for public private partnership (PPP) project performance in Malaysia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hashim, H.; Che-Ani, A. I.; Ismail, K.

    2017-10-01

    Public Private Partnership (PPP) in Malaysia aims to stimulate economic growth and overcome the weakness of conventional system. Over the years, many critics have been reported along the massive growth of PPP project development. Within that context, this study provides a review of issues and challenges for PPP pertaining to project performance in Malaysia. The study also attempts to investigate four performance measurement models around the globe as a basis for improvement of PPP in Malaysia. A qualitative method was used to analyse literature review from previous published literatures while comparative analysis was carried out within the models to identify their advantages and disadvantages. The findings show that the issues and challenges occurred were related to human, technical and financial factor that could hinder the implementation of PPP project in Malaysia. From the analysis, KPIs, guideline / framework, risk allocation, efficiency & flexibility are perceived as dominant issues. Finally, the findings provide an informed basis on the opportunity areas to be considered for improvement in order to achieved project effectiveness.

  18. Physical punishment, culture, and rights: current issues for professionals.

    PubMed

    Durrant, Joan E

    2008-02-01

    Once considered a legitimate parenting tool, physical punishment is increasingly being redefined as a developmental risk factor by health professionals. Three forces that have contributed to this significant social change are the evolution of pediatric psychology, increasing understanding of the dynamics of parental violence, and growing recognition of children as rights bearers. However, despite the consistency of research findings demonstrating the risks of physical punishment, some practitioners still struggle with the question of whether physical punishment is an appropriate practice among some cultural or ethnic groups. This issue is explored through an analysis of studies examining cultural differences and similarities in physical punishment's effects, as well as legal decisions made throughout the world. Despite practitioners' awareness of the prevalence and impact of parental violence, some still struggle with deciding where to "draw the line" in advising parents about spanking. This issue is addressed through an examination of the role that physical punishment plays in child maltreatment. Finally, the human rights perspective on physical punishment is offered as a new lens through which practitioners may view physical punishment to clarify the fuzzy issues of cultural relativity and the punishment-abuse dichotomy.

  19. The Target Income Hypothesis and Related Issues in Health Manpower Policy.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Health Resources Administration (DHEW/PHS), Bethesda, MD. Bureau of Health Manpower.

    The target income hypothesis as applied to health personnel is discussed in seven papers and three commentaries. The hypothesis pertains to the economic behavior of physicians, and it has recently been applied to dentists as well. The issues concern the production/supply of practitioners and the resulting cost for their services. Whether…

  20. Analysis of environmental issues related to small-scale hydroelectric development IV: fish mortality resulting from turbine passage

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

    Turbak, S. C.; Reichle, D. R.; Shriner, C. R.

    1981-01-01

    This document presents a state-of-the-art review of literature concerning turbine-related fish mortality. The review discusses conventional and, to a lesser degree, pumped-storage (reversible) hydroelectric facilities. Much of the research on conventional facilities discussed in this report deals with studies performed in the Pacific Northwest and covers both prototype and model studies. Research conducted on Kaplan and Francis turbines during the 1950s and 1960s has been extensively reviewed and is discussed. Very little work on turbine-related fish mortality has been undertaken with newer turbine designs developed for more modern small-scale hydropower facilities; however, one study on a bulb unit (Kaplan runner)more » has recently been released. In discussing turbine-related fish mortality at pumped-storage facilities, much of the literature relates to the Ludington Pumped Storage Power Plant. As such, it is used as the principal facility in discussing research concerning pumped storage.« less